Oak Prince

Jungkook sat in his study on a leather armchair by the window, writing frantically in his journal. Prince Jeon kept very detailed, careful notes of everything he did, from his daily activities to what he was hoping to accomplish for the future. Sometimes, he showered the empty pages with random sketches of invention ideas or intellectual doodles. At the moment, Jungkook was writing down everything he could remember about that night... as there was no existing entry for the day where everything went horribly wrong about two weeks ago. 

The thoughts came to him randomly, in confused bouts of memory:

June 24

-I traveled outside of the castle without an escort...

-Lots of drinking

-No familiar faces

-I felt anger, sadness...why was I angry?

-My father was mentioned...I think...?

-Blood? Did I hurt someone? Did someone hurt me?

-Home...? How did I get home? Perhaps a member of my court came and picked me up...?

Jungkook put the pen down, upset at himself for not remembering anything more about that strange night. How had he completely ruined the pact? He was not one to go out and party, yet somehow he found himself at one...

That night...something happened that night. Something bad. Why can't I remember?

Interrupting him from his thoughts, a servant knocked on the oaken doors of the study.

"Come in." Jungkook stared down at his notebook, not bothering to look up. 

The wiry servant soon entered, mouth drawn in a miffed line. He walked over to the spaced out Prince Jeon and opened his mouth to speak. Jungkook jumped in his spot at the sudden voice of the servant.

"Sir, an unknown visitor is pulling into the drive right now. It's a black carriage...one of the rarer ones. Do you want me to send them away or should I send them in?" 

"Huh? A rarer carriage, you say?" Prince Jeon stood up from his seat with a quizzical look plastered across his handsome features. He rushed over to the open the window he was nearest to and leaned far out. His sturdy torso pressed against the window sill, sharp eyes scanning the front of the castle grounds. 

Very quickly, he spotted the not-easy-to-miss escort of about 20 sword-bearing knights on majestic horses, galloping gracefully down the drive. The prominent lead carriage was a deep jet black and very ornate; this was no definitely no casual visitor...perhaps it was one of the countrymen who had found out the news between him and his uncle?

Whoever it is, the guest's escorts all seem to move with urgency. Jungkook became worried, tucking his lower lip into anxious teeth. Had something happened?

"Please ask our guest to come into my study at once. And ask one of the kitchen staff members to prepare some tea as well." Jungkook nervously paced over to his journal which he closed and placed under the cushion he was seated on. No way was he going to have this guest peruse his deepest thoughts.

Several minutes passed and no one had entered his room. The Oak Prince ran his hand through his black locks. flustered. 

The waiting game...the worst kind of game...Jungkook wrung his hands out--why was he so, so worried? He walked over to a mirror hanging delicately on the side wall and stared deeply into his dark eyes. To him, his widened eyes and lip-biting habit plainly revealed his worry. He hoped this visitor wasn't good at reading others, else he might seem guilty. Am I guilty?

Other than the nerves, Jungkook didn't look too shabby on this day. In fact, he looked very handsome in a simply neat kind of way. Normally, Jungkook wore black breeches and a black, featureless shirt. The only special piece that decorated his person was a family heirloom--a golden pocket watch that hung loosely from his brown belt. Jungkook was extremely time conscious and schedule-oriented, using the pocket watch to adhere to the plans he made for himself. 

Although the other princes took care of business throughout the kingdom, Jungkook was the main prince who dealt with the safety and well being of the people. The Oak Prince spent his days instituting and enforcing laws, negotiating trade routes, and planning the construction of small towns that were popping up along the coast of Noirwood as the population grew exponentially.

Because of his tightly packed work schedule, Jungkook never went anywhere without his pocket watch-- time was something he didn't take lightly. His father always thought he would live to be an old ruler, but fate had its way of dealing with dreamers. Jungkook frowned at himself in the mirror, picturing his father...the man who might be so disappointed in him now... 

Creeeakk.

Jungkook blinked in shock at the sound of the door hinging open. He whipped his head around, spotting the swaying ends of long, brown hair, a white dress--

Ah, it was just one of the servants bringing in his tea.

"Here you are, sir." The young woman set a piping hot tea kettle on a long wooden table settled between two brownish leather couches. "Now where is that guest of yours? I thought they would be here by now."

As if to answer the servant's curiosity, many soft oohs and aahs  floated suddenly in from outside the open door. Jungkook stood up straighter, perking his ears up. Three sets of footsteps thumped down the hallway to the study. As the tea steam rose delicately from the tea kettle, the steps pounded closer. Jungkook rushed to sit down on one of the couches, adjusting himself to look pleasant.

"You may leave now." He commanded the servant a bit too harshly. Must be the nerves.  "Thank you."

How do I look natural? Oh! Jungkook forced himself to pretend to read a book laying on the nearby table. He was not about to look weak or flustered in front of his unknown visitor. But with everything that had happened in recent times, he couldn't help but feel disturbed. I'm at fault for the atrocities soon to visit Noirwood...how can I not look nervous?

Jungkook was just flipping to a random page about the history of some crow birds when the door flung open, emitting a new person. Jungkook forced himself not to raise his gaze too suddenly. He had to play this visit nonchalantly.

"You can leave now." The unknown visitor rasped lowly out to the servants supporting the train of his cloak. 

Jungkook snapped his neck up at the familiar voice. The door creaked shut, but the man did not move forward into the room. His guest stared at him with the same level of curiosity, eyes blinking in recognition. Time stood still as the elegant blonde standing by the doorway looked down at the ravenette pretending to skim a book about birds.

Jungkook couldn't help but let his eyes trail over every part of the blonde  male in front of him. The elaborate cloak, shining golden and maroon earrings, dark walking cane, golden boots, and his...

"Crown?" Jungkook accidentally slipped out, as he studied the other man. He realized what he had done and quickly replied with- "Nice to meet you, Laurel Prince."

Taehyung was still in blatant shock from the male he had walked in to. He knew not to expect any extravagance from Prince Jeon--he'd heard that the Oak Prince was younger than him and had little taste in fashion--he'd even heard from outsiders that the prince was much more handsome in person than expected based on descriptions. 

So in a way, he wasn't surprised at the naturally attention-grabbing countenance of the simply dressed man sitting on the couch. But what he didn't expect to see was a face that he recognized.

"Please, sit down." Prince Jeon spoke kindly from his spot on the couch, motioning for Prince Kim to sit down on the couch across from him. "You'll get tired from standing in that heavy cloak for too long."

"P-prince, J-Jeon?" Taehyung stood frozen by the door, mouth agape at the man he had met only weeks before at a party. "Is it really you? You're seriously the Oak Prince? You...?"

Jungkook could tell something was off in the older male's expression, but he covered his suspicions with a rehearsed, princely smile. "Of course. More specifically, I am the Oak Prince, better known as Prince Jeon, ruler of the southernmost sector of Noirwood. Now please, take a seat so we can talk." 

Taehyung stumbled over his cloak as he made his way over to the simple couch that the younger prince had mentioned. He plopped down harshly, eyes still locked onto Jungkook's brown eyes. With hesitance, Jungkook met the blonde's confused expression, wondering why Prince Kim was behaving so strangely. I feel like we've met before...? I can't remember...why is he staring at me like that?

As if to answer Taehyung's thought, Jungkook softly asked the beautiful man in front of him the question that had been bothering him. "Have we met before?"

"We...we..."

Across from him Prince Kim seemed a bit wavering, dizzy almost, but soon centered himself by taking hold of one of the cups of tea in front of him. With a graceful motion, the blonde quickly brought the cup to his red lips. After downing every last drop in the tea cup, he set it down a bit too hard on the wooden table. A muffled thump echoed in the small room and the air seemed to grow thicker. The Laurel Prince looked back up at the young prince in front of him and sighed deeply. 

"Are you okay?" Jungkook blurted out at the jaw-dropping man who was so hard not to stare at. Jungkook was having a hard time not eating Prince Kim up with his eyes and forced himself to look down at his own hands instead. The Laurel Prince did not answer his question, rather, he asked Prince Jeon a question in return. 

"You don't remember...do you?" Taehyung paused to wait for Jungkook to answer his question, but Jungkook simply tilted his head in question. What is he referring to? Shit, why don't I remember?

"Remember...what exactly?" Jungkook droned out, eyes out of focus on his knuckles. He was heavily attracted to this mysterious prince that seemed to lure him in with the inflections of his husky voice, the sway of his golden hair, the tilt of his sharp jawline, the blink of his harsh mocha eyes and-

"Prince Jeon?" Taehyung asked the younger, furrowing his brows. "Did you hear what I just said?"

Jungkook snapped out of his trance by a vigorous head shake, making the older laugh in return. The laugh was breathy and full, filling the stuffy room with fresh air and putting Jungkook in a much better mood. Taehyung was used to being admired, but at the moment he needed Prince Jeon to listen to him in all seriousness.

"Oh, I um, apologize." Jungkook sputtered, cheeks tinting red. "I haven't been sleeping well recently, I must've spaced out."

"Listen, Prince Jeon uh, I didn't know you were the prince until today, but we've met before.  You came to one of my parties not too long ago...do you not remember? Oh, well, of course you don't remember...damn it, the drugs--erm, I mean, I'm the cause of that..." 

Taehyung trailed off, looking out of the open window towards the setting sun. He pulled his golden hands into his lap, folding them almost shyly. 

Laurel Prince

I'm glad he can't remember...but he's going to be pissed if I tell him why he can't remember.

When the Oak Prince had come to his castle weeks prior as a party guest, Taehyung thought the ravenette was just any other fun-loving, rich countryman. Just someone who caught his eye--no telling sign of the massive authority he secretly possessed visible under the mask the man wore. The masked man...the one he'd singled out because he was so different from the rest...he was the Oak Prince?

"I WHAT? YOU WHAT?" Prince Jeon shouted suddenly, standing up. "Why can't I re-remember! What did you do? This is serious shit, Prince Kim. This is...ugh!" Jungkook tore across the room, clutching at his head with a mixture of anger and fear. Taehyung looked on with mounting guilt.

Why is he so worried? Oh, he probably doesn't want a party on his track record. He's nothing like me--he's all regulated and hard-working. Taehyung stared at the ravenette standing on the other side of the room. The Oak Prince unconsciously pulled at the roots of his black hair in his state of panic. 

Taehyung began to grow afraid at the other's behavior, clutching hard onto his father's cane and shifting uncomfortably in his seat. He didn't expect the Oak Prince to get so riled up about a time they shared together when they were both roaring drunk. 

"Hey, if it makes you feel better, at the time I didn't know who you were." Taehyung quietly spoke to soften the tense atmosphere. He watched as the Oak Prince stopped clutching at his temples and walked calmly back to sit down at the couch. Taehyung offered him a small smile, one to calm the other prince down. Just like that, the anger that pulsed in Prince Jeon's head switched off. 

After a couple of deep breaths, the Oak Prince faced the Taehyung and quickly reached over. Taehyung flinched as the ravenette grabbed his hand in a tight death grip, staring daggers into his eyes. The feeling was strange...no other servant or advisor could touch Taehyung or treat him so...casually. Only another person of his power...another prince, had the status and authority to do so. It was strange...and Taehyung felt his heart race in the odd sensation of having another counterpart to match his power.

"You will tell me everything that happened that night. I want no details spared." Prince Jeon looked dead into Taehyung's eyes, unblinking. Unmoving. "And call me Jungkook. We're familiar enough, now."

"Jungkook." Taehyung grabbed the Oak Prince's clenched hand with both of his ringed ones and calmly shook their intertwined hands. This felt so weird, so unlike him. "Nice to meet you, Jungkook. I'm Taehyung."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Thank you 4 reading! 

Enjoy your day and don't drug people that come over to your parties, okay? 

Hope ur liking the story so far. It gets better, I assure you. :)