The lonesome night lasted an eternity. There was no end to it and the alpha lied awake wondering if Yoongi could be right. The king feared losing Jimin and the negative thoughts of the possibilities seemed to scare Jungkook awake at night. The boy laid on his bed alone and lost sleep due to his desperation that turned into an obsession, fearing if Jimin would ever lose feelings for him. It was bad to be so sure, but the alpha was so positive of their romance shining through.
The following morning, the king called a meeting to the throne room. He ordered his court, his scholars, his advisers, his eunuchs, and his guards to meet within the sacred room as they stood in their respective groups; all lined up patiently before the king. Jungkook sat on his Phoenix throne, staring at each and every one of his people with only a tired look weighing in his eyes. The alpha fixed his posture and sat in silence. His eyes carried the nights of endless worries that kept him up; obsessing and fearing the worst.
As the king closed his eyes for a second, he cleared his throat and fixed his hands to rest over his criss-crossed legs.
"Good morning, I have... I have..." Jungkook whispered and rubbed his left eye. "No.. I want to enact a new rule..." Jungkook added and finally looked at the groups before him once more.
"What is this new rule you desire, my king?" One of the advisers called out in question.
As Jungkook looked around the room, he noticed Yoongi standing in front, staring at the ceiling and avoiding eye contact. The guard still remembered their disagreement, but he longed to influence Jungkook's decision by being present before him. Hoping his appearance would make him remember his advice. Alas, Jungkook didn't long to take any advice from Yoongi now and had his mind set on enacting the marriage ban for Jimin's sake.
"I want to enact a marriage ban for myself," Jungkook confessed and watched Yoongi let out a disappointing sigh right after. "I should have had one enacted when I was a Prince, but my father never took action. Now that I am a newly King, I long for a partner by my side. We will enact a marriage ban until I have my partner. No one will marry until then."
"All omegas who have reached their heat will not marry during this rule. Throughout this, we will have you meet with groups of omegas until you select one to marry," said one of the lead scholars as Jungkook nodded and complied with the rules.
Jungkook played it off as if he still had yet to find true love when in reality, he was giving Jimin more time to be his. Throughout the whole discussion through the meeting, the alpha lied and looked as his group accepted his request, each carrying out the king's orders once they were all dismissed. However, Yoongi only tended to look at the king as soon as he left the throne room with the guards. A wave of worry overcame the head guard, he noticed how tired Jungkook looked and couldn't help but to blame himself after putting the young king through such an argument that kept him up all night.
After a good while into the early morning, the meeting was over and Jungkook was finally getting ready to see his swan. He rubbed the sides of his temples as his eyes weighed down. The king wasn't in the right state to go out and see Jimin, but oh how the boy in love was willing to pull through just for the omega of his dreams.
At the same time, Jimin was walking through the morning market within the village with Namjoon. He walked around gazing at what each merchant had to sell as Namjoon tagged along, looking around at the omegas who seemed to admire him from afar.
Once the two reached a merchant who sold beautiful brooches, Jimin smiled at the seller and began to browse through the vast selection of rare brooches. As the omega looked around, Namjoon sighed and tilted his head at the sight of the omega looking through the accessories that seemed to catch his gaze from a mile away.
"So this is why you came to the market today? You already have a favorite brooch," Namjoon said and watched Jimin pick up a few to only put them down once more.
"I lost it. Now, I'm looking for a new one that would be my all-time favorite!" Jimin assured and eyed another before picking it up.
"Didn't your father say you can't go out anymore? What are you doing?"
"It doesn't matter. I won't do as he says, he doesn't own me and he can't tell you to track me down if you're here with me."
"I don't like the idea of being used, Park Jimin."
"You would do the same if you were in my shoes," Jimin replied and finally chose a brooch that had ruby stones attached to it with a fake orchid over the clip. "I like this one..."
"You like all of them, why don't we just get them all?"
"Are you insane? I wouldn't rob the other omegas of their brooches. One is fine enough." Jimin replied and continued to gaze into the one he selected, reminding him of the brooch he gave to the king. "...Namjoon, what do you give to someone who already has everything?"
"Oh, well, since they have everything, there must be something they don't have," Namjoon answered as Jimin paid for the brooch he chose.
"Then, what don't they have? There has to be something greater to give them that will beat all the other things."
"Maybe, all they need is a gift with value or love. Not many could own it, love is given to those who will surely return it. Those are the most precious gifts one can give to a person who owns everything," Namjoon answered as they continued to walk through the crowded market. "Why would you ask such a peculiar question?"
"I.. I didn't lose my favorite brooch, I gave it to someone who owns everything they could ever ask for, and I was wondering if it was a gift worthy of giving," Jimin answered and thought of Jungkook. Before, he didn't know that the alpha owned everything, so he gave him an expensive brooch believing it was only the best he could give. But, Jungkook was actually the king so the omega couldn't help but to wonder, was an expensive brooch worthy of being given to a man who could have as many brooches as he desired?
"The sincere value that brooch has is what makes it different and precious than any other gift out there. I'd say it's a perfect gift for someone who owns everything," Namjoon replied. "Who did you give the brooch to?"
"I-"
"Listen here and listen well!" A guard interrupted at the center of the market, cutting through the thick noise of many people speaking including Jimin. "The king has announced a marriage ban! Omegas who have reached their heat will be seen by the King himself for selection! No marriages will take place until the King has found his partner. That will be all."
"A marriage ban, huh?" Namjoon repeated in question as he noticed a big smile seemed to form over Jimin's face. The alpha understood how excited Jimin was, he knew the omega didn't long to marry and it was almost as if his prayers were answered for him. "I guess your wedding will have to wait a little longer."
"Namjoon, did you hear that?!" squealed the omega as he turned to the older alpha. "I won't get married!"
"I knew you would be this excited, but don't celebrate too much, the wedding will only be put on hold. You will still marry Hoseok unless he gets impatient or the King marries you himself." Namjoon's short remark left Jimin's heart pounding. The omega knew that at the very end, he would have to marry the king. The idea seemed to be a bit surprising, but deep down Jimin expected it.
"The king..." Jimin thought to himself. "Jungkook will marry me once I give him my word." Jimin stood in silence as a smile began to form over his pale face. "I have somewhere to go, please don't wait for me."
"Where are you going now? Don't tell me you're going to meet with that alpha, again! Just because your wedding is on hold, doesn't mean you could run around with that boy! Go spend time with Hoseok!"
"Ah, I have better things to do!" Jimin replied as he began to walk in the other direction.
"As if your future alpha isn't a better thing?!" Namjoon called out and let out a scoff once Jimin's figure disappeared within the wave of merchants. "Oh Jimin, why don't you ever think things through?"
Namjoon pitied the young omega, he believed that Jimin always seemed to put himself before thinking things through. The young and beautiful omega was a go-getter, an oblivious and naive little swan, that wandered into the world as if everything would be handed to him once asked. Jimin didn't seek to know more about Hoseok and that's what seemed to worry Namjoon. He knew Jimin had the time for his fiancé, but he spent it all with the 'commoner' he longed for.
While Jimin raced in the direction of The Omega River, Hoseok took a turn to the Park Household. By now, news of the King's marriage ban enactment seemed to spread like wildfire. Hoseok was worried and feared that he would never marry Jimin now. Of course, he knew Jimin was happy about the news, but something deep down in Hoseok's heart told him to keep fighting for Jimin's love no matter what.
Once the alpha arrived at the household, his eyes narrowed into the servant who led him to the main room where Jimin's father stood. There the powerful man stood, gazing out to the fields afar from an opening that was always sealed away by a room divider. His eyes traveled far where his thoughts on Jimin seemed to linger, he took on his early mornings standing and observing the fields; contemplating his actions almost daily.
"Mr. Park, the noble, Jung Hoseok of the Jung household is here to see you," announced the servant as Hoseok finally stepped into the room to see Jimin's father standing and looking away silently.
"I reckon you have something to tell me once more about my son, don't you?" Mr. Park wondered as he turned around and received his respected bow from the younger alpha. "Tell me, what's wrong this time, Jung Hoseok?"
With an echo of fear bouncing off the walls with those demanding words, Mr. Park raised his hand and dismissed the servant to be alone with the young noble again. Hoseok waited until the servant left the room until he collected his thoughts and began to speak.
"I... I can't marry your son yet," Hoseok whispered and looked down as he spoke to his elder.
"And why is that?"
"The King has enacted a marriage ban. I will not be able to marry Jimin yet."
"A marriage ban? It will pass soon, you must have patience, Hoseok. You will marry my son in time," Mr. Park replied and turned his back against the alpha to resume gazing out to the skies above. "Everything must have its place and everything will be done in time."
"I do not have a problem with the marriage ban, Mr. Park... I have a problem with the commoner Jimin runs off with every morning, how can I spend time with my fiancé if that boy is in the picture? Will Jimin have an affair as I provide? I thought you were going to have this under control!" The trembling in Hoseok's voice echoed as his heart seemed to pound louder than any other sound that fell within the room.
"Hoseok, you will have my son's hand in marriage, you have no reason to panic. Besides, the commoner will be taken care of in time..."
"By, 'taken care of', what do you mean by that? Will you send him off to another village? Or-"
"No no, sending him off to another village will only make him return more alert. I have an idea, an idea that will be carried out appropriately. Please sit," Mr. Park said and waited for Hoseok to be seated. "I will have him killed."
"K-Killed?" Hoseok sputtered as his heart dropped to the ground.
"Why so surprised? You want all of Jimin, correct? Besides, he is a commoner, no one will care if he is killed. He has no value," Mr. Park said and finally looked Hoseok in the eyes.
"But, c-can't we give him a warning first? Killing is way worse than sending him to another village, what will Jimin say about this?" Pleaded Hoseok as his bright eyes couldn't dare to meet with the elder's peering gaze.
"Warning him will only allow him to become rebellious with Jimin. My son's influence rubs off on many of the underclass, giving them hope and rebellious thoughts. He will run off with Jimin and he will reach the same twisted fate. He will be killed off if I send people to find my son. Why take on the extra steps? Why not just end it here and now?"
"May-Maybe he doesn't pose as much of a threat as I thought he would. I-If I could just talk to Jimin, all-all would be well. No need for bloodshed," Hoseok lied and attempted to ease the situation, but Mr. Park refused to buy what Hoseok offered.
"Knowing how disobedient my son is, he will only long to be with the commoner even more. Jimin is incapable of seeing how hard I work to make him happy. I just want to see him living the best life I've always longed to give him, and he will take it. He will take the gifts I give him and he will live with it. That is the least he could do for me," Mr. Park insisted, fixing the black, silk, belt, that held the waist of his black hanbok together. "That commoner, he will reach a twisted fate, killed by an assassin that works well with a good pay."