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Taehyung felt the suffocating weight of the bag over his head again, ropes tightly squeezing his hands and a hand on his back, Jungkook's, leading him away from the camp and back to the village. After they told him the plan, Suga has pulled him to the side, warning him about not falling his brother's antics before kissing him briefly.

Taehyung felt his cheeks reddening when he remembered this and was glad that his face was hidden from the world, embarrassing blush on his face exposing his feelings if it wasn't covered. He was about to go back into the village, so it could seem like he has never left it so the guards wouldn't become suspicious on where the rebel camp could be.

His breath was steady, significant to his trust in Jungkook by his side who was talking quietly with him to ease his tension but the more they moved away from the camp, the more silent he grew. "You must mean something to Suga Hyung. He's not one to put his trust lightly into someone he just met, yet alone share his bed with", Jungkook's airy voice called out for Taehyung's attention next to his ear.

The male yet again felt his cheeks reddening but refused to acknowledge the burn, feeling the street roughened and noises growing louder next to him. "I won't betray him, Jungkook-ssi if that's what you're hinting at. I know you see me as a mere royal scum but I wouldn't risk my life like this. In fact, I could've escape and called the royal knights on you but I didn't. I myself have the urge to stop the king's doing. And hopefully, I can be more than a guest, can do more than existing", the last words were spoken silent but Jungkook still heard them.

He again felt sympathy with the elder. He too has been abandoned by his family, merely existing in the household until his mother decided he was a burdensome presence and didn't deserve living with them. Then they were slaughtered by the King's knights just when Jungkook was about to be thrown out and he ran away. Unpaid debts were the reason his childhood home burnt down and the young boy found himself on the streets.

Now that he has found a home with his Hyungs, he was eager to protect them.

And he would destroy Taehyung if the male would show signs of betraying them. But for now, Taehyung seemed sincere enough to be involved in their plans. As soon as they would feel like he was useless, they could still drop him as he would be the one responsible for being a spy and going against the King.

However this was going to turn out, Jungkook actually hoped that Taehyung's intentions were genuine because he liked to believe in hope and royals being more than just scum, that maybe a few more could be like Taehyung.

Maybe this was all an illusion but Jungkook was always the one with his heads in the clouds and dream of better days.

But whatever would come, this royal poet would play a very important role in their future plans.

"We'll see about that", Jungkook mumbled, catching Zheng's upset glare directed towards them, knowing how much the elder hated the fact that Suga was closer to Jungkook and that the younger had the lead. He was the one to listen to and that stung the other men's pride incredibly.

But Jungkook ignored the sulking male, pushing the tied down male by his side further and guiding him, feeling Taehyung stumble to his side so he quickly hoisted him up. Taehyung made a little noise of gratitude from this and Jungkook felt his lips slipping into a small smile.

"Careful now, little prince, we're close to a group of knights", Jungkook silently informed Taehyung who huffed a bit and grumbled something along the lines off: 'but we're almost the same height why are you calling me little, you're a little one yourself.'

"As soon as they spot us, I will let go of you and be a bit mean, just a warning ahead", Jungkook mumbled to the now anxious trembling poet who nodded timidly against the bag, forgetting that Jungkook couldn't see this movement. "Yes, I understand", he replied quickly.

"Let's hope they buy our little play", Jungkook said, more to himself than to anyone else but Zheng still had to make a comment on it. "Yeah, how unrealistic does it sound that a prince would help some rebels instead of betraying them immediately after being released", he grumbled and Jungkook threw him a warning glare.

"Why don't you scream it louder again for the guards to hear it, idiot", he hissed at the angry man who wasn't fond to be shut up by the younger. He shrugged his shoulders. "Just expressing my opinion", he said, eyeing the captive with a nasty glint in his eyes that Jungkook didn't like at all.

It was filled with evil intentions. "Well, shut up", he snapped at Zheng. "No one wants to hear your opinion, the plan is set and you have nothing to complain about." Zheng clenched his jaw at that but didn't say anything else.

Because the guards have spotted them. "Hey you! What are you doing to that boy?!", one of them screamed and as soon as Jungkook nudged Taehyung, he started to scream, perfectly fulfilling his role of a poor captured royal.

"Help me! They kidnapped me and want to hurt me!", Taehyung yelled out, feeling a weird pit in his stomach because it didn't feel right to say these things about them but he had to do it anyways if he wanted the plan to succeed.

As soon as he spoke these words, the four guards charged at them and Jungkook to his side quickly pulled a cloth over his own face before giving Taehyung a push, making the poet fall forward. "Let's leave! The royal scum isn't worth it!", he shouted, pushing his companions and running away.

"Get back here!", three of the guards chased after the fleeing rebels who already disappeared in the depths of the labyrinth that was the village. The last remaining guard quickly ran over to Taehyung who wasn't faking his tears now, feeling guilty to lie and the past events were enough for him to break.

"Your Highness, please don't cry, you're safe now", the man comfortingly shushed the crying male, untying the ropes and pulling the bag off his head. Wide teary eyes that looked so terrified were facing him and the knight gasped once he realized that he just found the kidnapped poet, the one the King was so eager to get back.

"Oh my, we finally found you! My prince, I am so relieved to see you. Let's get you back into the palace quickly. You do not deserve staying with mere worms", the knight said, helping Taehyung up who fully turned into his act of a scared released prince.

"Thank you so much for saving me! I was so scared!", Taehyung sniffled, clutching onto the man's ropes with trembling fingers. The man nodded his head, feeling pride rushing through him. "It is my duty to protect the royals, your Highness", he said pridefully.

'Oh I now it is your duty and because of that, you don't deserve any mercy for serving the insane king', Taehyung thought bitterly to himself but kept these thoughts and rather said something else.

"T-thank you... please take me back to the palace now, I'm tired of being surrounded in dust", Taehyung mumbled, huge teary eyes looking up to the knight. It did its deed.

The three remaining guards returned to the two, bowing at the prince who was wiping his tears. He looked pitiful, with trembling lip and tear stains on his dust covered face, clothing disheveled, nothing like the prince like attire he usually had.

"What happened, your Highness? We were searching for you all day! You disappeared with them, can you tell us anything you might've seen? That could help us track them", one knight asked the trembling male who was taken into their middle and carefully guided back to the palace.

"I-I've been brought into a hut, I couldn't see where it was but it was so loud! T-they said to hide near the city and they p-planned to take me elsewhere, I don't know where, I was knocked out and tied down, t-they wanted t-to use me", Taehyung cried out, tears running down his face, leaving clean stripes on his dusty skin.

It wasn't a full lie, a spark of truth within the words and since he seemed to believe it himself, the knights did too, making noises of pity before taking him back, their hearts now filled with the wish to protect this helpless little thing.

Unknowing that Taehyung was a wolf in sheep disguise.

~

I'm quite proud of this chapter... thoughts?

Ela_koo