"Take a deep breath dear, it will all be ok. Its simple really. Bring me back that boy."
Shoi shook her head, the guards tightning their grip on the ropes around her hands. Her cold hands were shaking, nearly frozen as her blood failed to flow there. "You can go to Hell! Let my son go." She could feel the rope burns no matter how careful she tried to be.
"Then give me back my son!"
Shoi looked down, she knew the king saw the fear in her shaking legs. She was tired and afraid, afraid of what that demon would do if she let her guard down. She knew the king would harm her child, if he was even alive anymore.
"Youre just going to stand there? Guards, bring me the boy."
"No! No let him go!" Shoi shouted, pulling against the ropes to try and get to her son. Her heart was slowly dropping every second she felt useless. She couldnt push away from the guards that had her tied down like a dog.
"Im sorry baby, everything will be ok, momma loves you. Dont worry, dont cry," she shouted, watching tears run down Gwons face. Gwon stared at his mother and nodded, wanting to shout back at her that he loved her. The cloth in his mouth tasted horribly, chocking back his soft sobs.
"Youre just an orphan arent you?" The king asked, his sword tilting Gwons chin up to face him. The cold metal against his skin made him shiver, no fear apparent in his eyes however. He could see the Kings robes, laced with gold and lies. The red thread seemed to be dyed from blood itself, the slight brown hue mimicking dried blood.
Gwon glared at the king as he looked up to find the sword more interesting. The metal sword had imperfections, the scrapes littering the shiny silver were covered by dust and dried blood from what Gwon could see. Disgusting, the boy thought.
"Answer me!"
The child didnt flinch, already used to loud voices. This wouldnt be the first time a royal had shouted at him. He could clearly hear the voice in the back of his mind yelling at him to dance like an idiot.
"Let her go and I'll answer anything you want." Gwon said as they removed the cloth from his mouth. His mouth was so dry but he willed himself to speak, his raw throat begging him to stop. The king raised his brows, looking over at the woman. Shoi was at her knees, shouting at her son to stop.
"Baby you dont have to do this! Mama will fix everything-"
The king laughed, cutting off Shoi and shook his head in disbelief. He lowered his sword, a loud clink startling Shoi. She looked up to see the laughing king, wishing she could rip him to pieces. Her hands gripped the rope with anger, feeling the numb pain in her wrists.
"What could you ever possibly have to offer me? Youre a little boy with no life."
Gwon looked over at his mother and softly apologized to her. "No, dont, Gwon! We dont know! Let him go!"
Gwon glared at the king once again biting his lip to refrain from pouncing on the king. The royal simply smiled, enjoying the scene. A helpless mother begging her son to save himself, not her. How sad, the king thought as he brought his sword up to meet the boys neck once more.
"What do you have to offer?" the royal said between his teeth, getting impatient and tired of hearing Shois shouting.
"Guards! Silence her!" the guard holding Shoi soon covered her mouth with a cloth, making tears well up. Her face was red with anger and fear, the only emotions she knew in this damned castle.
"I know where he is."
The king looked over at the little boy and chuckled, noticing the stone cold face the boy was holding.
"He's serious! Would you look at this angry wounded puppy. This is war were talking about boy, why should I take your word, youre just a child."
"A child knows how to play the game, will you or will you not release my mother?! I will take his location down with me to the grave if I have to!"
The king raised his brow, loving the way Shoi looked at the kid with fear.
"Have something to say dear?" The king asked, suddenly standing up and walking to the woman on the floor. Her tears were blurring her vision, not noticing the king in front of her face. The royal took the cloth out of her mouth and she gasped for air, her crying nearly chocking her. "Its what Ameth would have wanted, if you hadnt stepped between this, taking your sorry ass over to Blinton. I am glad that woman got what she deserved. Think about going back and I'll have your head served on a platter, understood?" The king asked, looking at the crying woman with no pitty.
"I said understand?!" He raised his hand, making the woman flinch back. Gwon went to stand up but the guard pushed him down to his knees.
"Youre still pathetic! You wont be able to save Ameths life anymore, face the consequences of ripping him from the heir chair! You make me sick," he muttered, grabbing a fistful of Shois hair and making her look up at him. She bit back her tongue and without a thought she spat out and managed to get her saliva on the kings face. He growled and wipped her spit from his face, grabbing her from the arms and picking her up. She whimpered in his tight hold and knew she had truly angered him now.
"I hope you rot in Hell," she said, managing to whisper out the words before her body met the floor with a shocking pain. The king had thrown her across the throne hall, clearly breaking something as Shoi shouted for help. She felt as if her lungs were on fire, and the pain from her now bruised ribs didnt help the woman breathe. It wasnt until she managed to sit up that she realized that her rib was fractured. She cried out in pain, watching as the guards just stood there, no emotion showing.
"Gwon baby," she heaved out, trying her best to calm her breathing.
"Mother!"
Gwon quickly stood up and the guard released him. He ran towards her, but something stopped him. He ran straight into the king as he stepped infront of the boy who ran towards the woman. "Look at you, all hurt, I could make it better, just tell me where he is."
Gwon sat up rubbing his head, the impact had nearly caused him to slide across the floor. He could hear his mother crying out in pain. "Stop!"
His pleads did nothing as Shoi continued to cry, scared to bring the angered king any closer to her kid.
"His name is Hyojong!"
The king stopped in his tracks, letting go of the woman and turning to face the child.
"Hyojong? Where is he?"
"Let my mother go! And I'll answer anything you want."
Shoi looked up through tearful eyes and shook her head. "Baby, dont do this."
Gwon took in a deep breath, watching as the king walked towards him. The kings cold hands gripped his shirt and the boy was lifted from the floor in a matter of seconds. He was calm, his hands tightened into a fist by his sides. He knew the king wouldnt kill him, he needed him now.
"Where is he?"
"Ill bring him to you, but you must let me and my mother go, youll have him by two days. No guards will follow us, let me take my mother to a doctor."
The king tsked and chuckled. "Get her out of here, I have a few more words for this little boy."
Gwon was let go, his feet meeting the floor but the pull from the kings hand caused him to fall and be dragged out like a bag of grain.
"Gwon! No! Come back!"
Shoi shouted for her son, ignoring the pain from her sides as she shouted and heaved. Without another thought the guards picked her up by the arms and took her outside, dumping her on the ground.
"Penelope, I shouldnt have ever come back to this place," she whispered, wishing she could be in her friends arms.
Inside the castle screams could be heard coming from a young boy who was held down to the ground as the King stood by.
"So you wont forget," the king said, suddenly walking towards him with a metal rod that seemed to be smoking. The kid shouted for him to stop but it was too late.
The blazing hot metal had touched the boys neck, making the young boy curl his feet and tightened his hands in pain. He shouted in pain, his screamed muffled by a hand as the guards covered him. The moment the red hot metal had touched him he felt as though he would faint. He had never felt this much pain before, and hearing the hissing sound made him shout more, the pain nearly unbearable. When the king lifted the rod Gwon was released and he laid on the floor curling into himself.
"This is no game for a child, but please make yourself at home in this chess game. I will get what I want and I will be sure to have you under my feet at all times. Let this mark remind you, you are now my own little dog, if you disobey your dear mother will have to see these castle walls again. Understood?"
Gwon silently cried as he carefully placed his hand over the burn mark. He could still feel the heat coming from the burn.
"I said understand?!"
Gwon flinched, his body instantly curling into itself further more.
"You pathetic child, answer me at once!"
Gwon cried out in pain as the king kicked him, his back arched in pain.
"Y-Yes," Gwon replied in a small voice, his exterior cracking piece by piece. "I didnt hear you."
"Y-Yes!"
The king huffed and kicked the metal rod against the wall, making Gwon close his eyes at the loud sound.
"I expect him in two days, dont be late."
"Knights march!"
Horses could be heard running towards them, each knight holding his sword as tight as he could. Line by line the knights began to go, looking over at their General who stood proudly and sternly with the King behind him, the king placing a gentle hand on the brunettes shoulder.
"Whatever happens, I lo-"
"General Jungkook, our fates have crossed eachother once again. I hope I arrived on time," Jungkook turned to face the voice, his blood boiling as he noticed the woman Taehyung had talked to by the kings side.
"Let her go," he demanded, his ears catching Taehyungs small gasp.
"Shoi!"
Jungkook looked at the woman and she smiled faintly before nodding, her eyes closing from tiredness.
"Give me back what is mine, and youll have your dear mother back."
Jungkooks eyes widened as he heard the king, his heart suddely rising, nearly jumping out of his chest.
"My mother?"
The king laughed and nodded his head.
"Son, just come back and everything will be fine. King Taehyung here will live, this war would be over, everything would be fine. Come back to Crystal, Ameth, you are destined for the throne-"
"Stop! Dont talk to me like that!"
Taehyung suddenly held Jungkooks hand and leaned into his touch.
"Darling, its going to be ok, just focus on what we must do, we can finally live after this, yes?"
Jungkook closed his eyes as he felt the warmth of Taehyungs hand upon his own. He had missed the warm feeling, his hands turning cold and lifeless in the harsh weather.
"I will not be returning. You are not my father! Over my dead body will I ever sit on your throne. Let Shoi go, give Gwon back now!"
Suddenly the little boy was thrown to the side, his head hitting the grass covered in cold mildew.
"J-Jungkook!" The kid yelled, trying his best to crawl towards the General, but a hand pushed him back to the floor. He cried out in pain, noticing the bloody stain on his shirt, he had been stabbed.
"Let him go!" Taehyung shouted now, stepping forward to run towards the child, but just as he did, the king held the boy up by the arm, exposing the wound to the cold air. Taehyung growled in anger and stepped back, knowing his steps would be a threat.
"Ameth-"
"My name is Jeon Jungkook! General of the Blinton army, and proud blood kin of the Jeon family. I will repeat this once more, release Gwon and Shoi."
Jungkooks powerful voice made Taehyung shiver from fear, knowing Jungkooks strength was waiting to be released. However, the Crystal King merely thought of the General as a child, a young mind full of corruption. He finally understood what Father Hope preached about.
Such young love birds would corrupt the whole kingdom, and those around it. It was disgusting, he thought.
"Let Gwon go."
Gwon fell to the floor, the king releasing his grip on him. It wasnt much longer until he felt his body flying, only to be met by the cold ground right in the middle of the two kingdoms.
"Jungkook-" the child said, reaching out a hand. Soon Jungkook took a step forward to grab the child but it was too late, the child had closed his eyes. His hands shaking as they stretched out for Jungkook.
The child had died.
"No!"
Jungkook suddenly jumped in his sleep and shouted for Gwon, his heart beating against his chest like a war snare.
Taehyung jumped awake as well, noticing the brunette sitting upright and breathing heavily.
"J-Jungkook, what happened? Darling, talk-"
"Taehyung, I cant- I cant stop seeing him. The King of Crystal. Its like hes haunting me, what do I do?!"
Jungkook shouted in pain, flinching at Taehyungs warm hand on his bare back.
"I-I'm sorry Tae," Jungkook apologized, quickly taking Taehyungs hand in his own.
"Tell me what happened," Taehyung whispered, passing his hand through Jungkooks hair. His forehead was burning, his eyes teary and red.
"W-We were at war, the king said I was his son. What the Hell, right? He said my name was- hell, it was Ameth?-"
"Ameth?" Taehyung suddenly asked, his hand suddenly turning Jungkooks head towards him.
"Yes, why?"
"Thats, well, thats the name of the womans child she lost. She had named him after the crystal Amethyst."
Jungkook widened his eyes, his head too scrambled to get everything Taehyung had said.
"Gwon died, he died calling out for me to get him. Taehyung I saw the child d-die right in front of m-me-"
Taehyung soon wrapped his arms around the General, laying soft kisses on the side of Jungkooks face. "Baby, its ok, it was just a dream. Gwon and the woman are safely here, what do you say we go visit them later? Its about to be sunrise."
Jungkook nodded his head as he kissed Taehyungs forehead, wanting to see the kings boxy smile.
"In my dream her name was Shoi. Taehyung, it seemed so real, you were there right beside me, you said you lo-"
"Hey dont worry about it, it was only a dream," Taehyung soon cut him, not hearing the last part Jungkook was about to say.
Jungkook nodded, slightly hurt from Taehyungs words.
"Whats wrong?"
"Well, its just that- nothing. Nothing is wrong."
Taehyung furrowed his brow, pushing Jungkook back until he hit the soft bed.
"What is it?"
"You almost said you l-loved me, in my dream," Jungkook whispered, his eyes looking away from the blondes.
Suddenly Taehyungs lips were pressed against his own. The kiss was soft and needed, for Jungkooks heart had possibly cracked. As soon as their lips detached, Taehyung straddled Jungkooks lap, bending down to meet the General's face.
"Does that answer it? At least for now?" Taehyung whispered, his lips pressing softly against Jungkooks cheek and nose. Jungkook chuckled before nodding, his hand cupping the blondes cheeks.
"Loud and clear."
"Im sorry King Taehyung and General Jungkook," Gwons soft voice said, his hand clutching his neck carefully. He curled up next to Shoi and began crying, knowing what had to be done.