|Jack in the Box|
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"Here, my lord," A young man with pitch-black hair dressed in a purple silk robe bowed his head down with respect, whilst holding out a long sharp sword on the palm of his hands.
"Come on now Joshua, don't tease me," a deeper voice shadow the other's softer one, as their hand reached out and took the sword by its handle, "A lord I am not, right now all I am is Vernon and I will continue to to be Vernon for the rest of our lives."
"But very soon you'll be a king, I mean you're basically a prince right now," Joshua said, pushing his hands together as the two walked down the wide glass white hall side by side, "I really can't believe you defeated all six sins."
"Shh," Vernon pushed his finger to his lips to quiet the boy's rambling, "No one shall know of this, if the prince found out I was trying to take his place he'd have my head."
"Like hell, I'll zap him off this damned earth before he has the chance," Joshua told, pushing his hand out of his sleeve flicking his index finger out, a small red light shot out the tip of his finger as he squinted his eyes as if aiming his handgun.
"Oh, so now you can make light?" Vernon gasped excitedly leaning down to examine the red light beaming out of his finger to the wall at the end of the hallway.
"Yes, I learned it from my uncle," Joshua nodded making a check mark with his thumb and index before placing his chin in the gap and winking at the taller boy.
"Good, good well done-" Vernon tumbled back a bit at the forceful impact he felt hit against his chest.
His eyes stumbled around the floor before he laid eyes on the person, better yet boy, who had bumped into him.
The boy had a unique color of hair, navy, and was wearing the official black servant clothing for the castle.
"Awe, I'm terribly sorry sir," the boy cried out grabbing napkins from his tray that had fallen on the floor, before getting to his knees and starting to wipe at the wet tea stain on Vernon's pant thigh.
"Hey now, it's alright," Vernon calmed the boy, kneeling down and taking the boy's worried hands in his.
The boy looked up and Vernon's eyes widen as soon as they locked with his.
What's this?
My heart feels tight all of a sudden.
"I'm sorry sir, I really am," The boy tilted his head, his sharp eyes didn't leave Vernon's, not even for a single moment, "I'm such a clutz."
"You can... punish me if you wish," The boy whispered leaning into Vernon's flustered face, the expression of fear the boy once wore was completely obliterated, now a mask of questionable motive displayed itself for the younger.
"Pun- No, wait of course not," Vernon shook his head with a small snicker, before getting up from the floor, pulling the smaller boy up with him before gripping his hands reassuringly, "There will be no such thing, I promise."
The boy's face dropped for a moment before he turned his expression around and into a big thankful smile, "How generous of you."
"Yes, but," Vernon tilted his head at the strange boy he was still hand in hand with, "I haven't seen you before are you new to the staff?"
"Oh dear," The boy slipped his hand from Vernon's hand quickly and started to pick up and stack everything that had fallen back on the tray, "I'm terribly sorry sir, I'll make sure to be more careful when walking down these narrow halls."
'Narrow halls?' Vernon furrowed his eyebrows looking forward. These halls can fit a row of about four people I wouldn't really call them 'narrow.'
"It's fine," Vernon shook his head and directed his attention back to the mysterious boy scattered out on the floor, "Are you new, my father never told me he hired a new member of the staff, normally I like to introduce myself personally if so."
The boy froze on the floor, "Awe... right."
"How foolish of me, your grace," The boy pushed himself off the ground and right then he bowed respectfully to the master of the castle's son.
When he straightened his back again, he fluttered his eyes looking to be embarrassed before darting them back to the taller staring at him with the same look from before, "I am new to this castle, brought here from the village, my name is..."
"Boo Seungkwan and I am here to serve you at your leisure your grace."
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"That boy," Joshua put his hand to his chin rubbing it, as he looked up remembering how he addressed Vernon moments ago, "He was quite strange, don't you agree?"
"Hm?" Vernon glanced up at Joshua that was sitting beside him in the Garden of Sweet Whispers, his mind still in a state of awe from the scene moments ago.
"The boy in the hall, the one who bumped into you and got you all wet," Joshua snapped his fingers, trying to get the younger to tune in again.
"Right yes, what about him?" Vernon asked, picking up the glass of rose petal tea on the circular coffee table in front of him.
"He was strange... I felt like my body was getting all hot while around him," Joshua told shivering at the thought, "It made me quite uncomfortable really."
"Did it?" Vernon mumbled taking a sip of his tea, thoughts of the boy running through his head like a play on repeat.
"I found him to be considerably pleasant," Vernon closed his eyes taking another sip of his tea with a smirk.
"Your grace, your grace!"
Vernon pushed his cup down and opened his eyes turning his attention to the voice calling out to him from afar. There running down the pebble path was a brown-headed giant holding a box and behind him was a slightly shorter boy with a blank expression.
"Mingyu, Wonwoo, what are you two doing here?" Vernon questioned furrowing his eyebrows at the two boys who were breathing heavily, now at the foot of the table.
"We're here bearing good news!" Mingyu cheered pushing his and Wonwoo's hands in the air in excitement.
"and bad," Wonwoo said, snatching his hand back from the excited boy, pushing them behind his back.
"Well go on you two, spill the tea," Joshua told, winking at them as he took a small sip of his rose tea.
"Jack has returned," Mingyu told, with a big smile pushing the large box in his hands onto the coffee table, in between Vernon and Joshua, "Downside is..."
"He is blind," Wonwoo said crossing his arms shaking his head in pity.
"Yes, that is why he is going to be expelled from his knightly duties," Mingyu nodded, before grabbing the lid of the box and ripping it off, a stomach curling stench filled the air.
"That and..." Wonwoo trailed off.
"What the hell is that smell-" Vernon and Joshua's eyes widened, Vernon pushed his hand to his face, covering his mouth and nose from the filthy stench of rotting flesh, Joshua pushed his chair out and gagged at the terrifying sight.
"because he's dead," Wonwoo finished, his eyes glaring at the two that looked like they had just shit themselves.
Inside the box lied a young boy's head rested on top of a pile of filthy rotting guts, flies and maggots infested. His eyes were as blue as the sky above.
"W-who," Vernon got up from his chair, stepping back from the repulsive gift in front of them.
"Awe, a group of boys came in the morning and dropped it off," Mingyu explained, "Six I believe, they said it was a package just for you."
"Want to tell us why six strangers are delivering Jack's head on a pile of rotting guts to you?" Wonwoo asked crossing his arms.
"I-I don't know," Vernon blanked out, staring at the head in disbelief.
"I know," Mingyu spoke up suddenly, everyone's eyes darted at him at once.
Vernon could hear the sound of his heartbeat pounding through his ears. He thought that his heart was beating so violently, so loud that everyone around him could just hear it, and that one of them would suddenly cry treason at any moment.
"Someone is out to get his grace," Mingyu said crossing his arms with a nod, "this box must be like a warning."
"If that's the case we need to find out who those six strangers were," Wonwoo turned his head to Joshua, "After they delivered the box, they disappeared into thin air, so I'm guessing they came from the Village of sorcery."
"I'll send out an injunction," Joshua poofed a small note and pen in one hand, writing down a small letter before rolling it up and blowing it through his clenched fist, it disappearing out the other end.
"Don't worry Vernon," Joshua put his hand on the younger's shoulder, giving him a quick wink, "We won't let those bastards get away, you got our favor."
"Yeah..." Vernon looked back at the box staring at it blankly.
"Please bury his remains somewhere filled with the sweetest smelling Rose's, Jack loved Rose's so..." Vernon sighed and shook his head, "make sure to inform his family of this tragedy too."
"Off you go."
"Yes your grace," Wonwoo and Mingyu bowed. Mingyu took the box with a small snicker and Wonwoo followed behind him his expression blank as ever.
I have no doubt in my mind, that it's those damn Sins.
What, are they trying to cheat me?
They know challenging the king is the biggest sort of treason!
Perhaps they have no fate in the last sin... which one was it...
Lust. Yes, that's it.
I haven't even met that fellow yet they are so quick to do something so reckless.
Ha, I see. So Lust must be the easiest of them all, so much so they have to get so desperate as to try to expose me.
Well no worries, their plans didn't succeed.
Vernon smirked to himself
Suddenly I'm quite excited to meet Lust, the sin of temptation.
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