Laurel Prince

Taehyung huddled into the wall of his cell, eyes squinted shut from the trauma he had just been through in the tiled room. His shackles were back on, painfully digging into his tan ankles, but he could hardly feel them. A chill hung about in the air, enveloping Taehyung in a cold blanket of misery. His teeth chattered as he rocked back and forth against the damp walls, watching the small patch of light on the wall move across his room as the day passed. In his weakened state, Taehyung was far from trying to cause trouble for the guards outside his cell. However, he still attempted to get their attention from time to time. 

"Heyyyy!" the distress in his voice masked the anger he was trying to get out, "When my friends come, you are all going to regret c-capturing m--wooah," Taehyung got a sudden rush of vertigo in his seated position, head lolling to the left. He caught himself right before his head hit the floor.

He coughed a few times, his lungs still not fully recovered from the gas. After a few more unsuccessful yells out to the empty room around him, he gave up, slinking back into the wall for warmth. 

Please, Jungkook, Jimin don't come. 

They have the poisonous gas...It won't work out.

Save yourselves and focus on winning back the Laurel Castle, don't worry about me-

"LAUREL PRINCE!" a booming voice yelled from outside his room. The door opened to reveal more guards than he could count all lined up along the outside wall, "THE TIME HAS COME. YOU ARE NEEDED."

The blonde said nothing but glared with hatred at the two guards who pushed through the narrow doorway heading straight for him. He didn't resist as one guard unlocked his clasps and made no move to escape as another guard threw Taehyung over a beefy shoulder as if he was a sack of flour. Taehyung's voice was hoarse from screaming and his body was stiff from sitting on a cement floor for hours, but he still tried to ask a question. 

"Where-" Taehyung took a shaky breath, his chest rattling with effort, "Where are you taking me?"

The guard cracked his neck and lumbered out of the room and into the hall. About 20 of Jihoon's men were standing there as well, staring at him as if he was prey that they wanted to flay open. Taehyung averted his eyes from the disgusting stares of the men and focused on the boots of the guard. 

"We're taking you to be showcased, pretty boy," this guard was much more unnerving than the last one Taehyung got stuck with, "You'll be a perfect lure for the other two princes...." he took a dramatic breath and pitched his voice a tone higher, "It's a shame you have to see them die right in front of you."

Taehyung bit his tongue, wanting to cuss out the guard holding him in a fit of rage. He wanted to scream that the Stone Prince would cut off all of their heads, wanted to yell that the Oak Prince would save him, that they would all reunite and escape back to the south. 

He wished he could believe those words himself. 

But instead of letting out his hatred, he simply cleared his throat and spoke four words. 

"We'll see about that." 

The guard holding him burst into laughter, several of the men trailing behind him doing the same. Taehyung kept a straight face, eyes glued to the moving floor of the long hallway. He focused on the sensation of the blood in his head from being upside down. He focused on the way his chest lightly bounced against the guard's back. Ignoring the shitty people around him was his top priority.

He didn't want them to see that he was actually terrified inside. 

Soon, the chain of men had walked across the entire compound toward a large door. Taehyung couldn't look up to see where they were going, but when the door flew open and he heard distant bird calls, he was taken aback. 

They were bringing him outside?

Not to some torture dungeon? 

What the-

"Assemble the pulley system and the ropes," the guard under him barked out orders to the others, who scrambled away with sinister smiles under their unruly facial hair. 

ROPES?

Taehyung tensed his legs up at the word, shaking slightly from the sheer terror of the unknown. The guard noticed this and tightened his hold on Taehyung, slowing down his pace to whisper to the blonde, "Don't worry, Mr. Kim, we won't raise you up too high...We need to make sure our swords can reach you!" 

The guard laughed malevolently as he lifted Taehyung off of his shoulder and threw him onto the ground outside. Taehyung let out a grunt as his back slammed against the lumpy patch of grass he was thrown onto. The guard immediately pressed a boot into Taehyung's heaving chest and spit on the ground next to his head. Taehyung's face tried to form into a scowl, but his lips were trembling. If he wasn't obvious enough, he legs were twitching in apprehension of what was to come. 

"A bit twitchy are we?" the guard scrunched his fat nose in amusement and pushed his boot deeper into Taehyung's ribs, "Keep it up, that'll be a great fucking sight for your friends. Might make 'em do something dumb when they get here," he snickered to himself.

Taehyung's eyes widened when a few of Jihoon's guards from before returned, bearing thick rolls of rope in their arms. The guard bent down and roughly grabbed Taehyung's arms, yanking them up hard. The blonde cried out as his wrists were smashed together, tears pricking the edges of his eyes. 

"Fff-" Taehyung started. 

"Don't you dare say-"

"FUCK YOU!" Taehyung growled through gritted teeth. The two other guards around him reacted quickly, wrapping the rope painfully tight around Taehyung's wrists, cutting through a layer of flesh. 

The main guard glowered down at the prince's wincing face and lifted up his booted foot. A puff of air hissed from the blonde's torn lips as the guard stomped on Taehyung's chest hard. Taehyung coughed a few times, lungs heaving as the other two guards finished knotting his arms together. 

Next were his legs. 

"Say that one more time, blondie, and I'll make sure your both of your dumbass friends will be unable to recognize their beloved prince."

Taehyung smiled up at the guard, not giving up the fight he had in him. Red streaks of blood spilled down his chin as he batted his eyes a few times. The guard was watching him closely. 

"Fuck-"

The guard clenched his jaw.

"YOU!'"

The sword from the belt at the guard's hip appeared then, unsheathing itself from its leather cover. Taehyung squinted at the bright glare the sun cast upon it. The other two guards roughly held his ankles down, twisting the rope agonizingly hard against the his blood-stained pant legs. 

"I warned you Kim," the guard spit out, venom leaking through his tone. 

The two guards moved away then, finished with their binding work. Taehyung's hands were bound together above his head and his ankles were bound so that he could hardly bend his legs. There was absolutely no way of escape for him now. The first guard teased at Taehyung's cheek with the sharp point of the sword, smirking when the tip drew blood. Taehyung's face was flat, unwilling to show his fear. 

Would the guard really kill him?

No...he couldn't. Jihoon would be pissed. 

"Hmmm...let's see," the guard drew his sword along spots of Taehyung's outstretched body, looking for a good place to leave his marks, "Ah, here looks good."

Without warning, the sword slashed open Taehyung's shirt, cutting through the skin of his chest like butter. The warmth of blood running across his bare chest and the burning sensation of the blade made Taehyung let out a small cry. But the guard wasn't done.

"And...here."

Another slash, down Taehyung's pant leg, maroon oozing out of the new wound. Taehyung whimpered as the man brought up his sword again. 

"Here looks good."

A quick cut across Taehyung's waist made the blonde groan deeply. He couldn't move however; he was limited to rolling and squirming in his agony. When he rolled a bit to the side, the guard kicked his back.

"Oh, and here."

The sword sliced through the fabric of Taehyung's upper back, making the blonde let out a muffled scream. His entire body was on fire then, stinging and pulsing with the fresh cuts he was dealt. 

"You're being a bit loud Kim...hey!" the guard turned to another soldier that was standing a few meters away, watching the entire thing, "Get me a gag would you? His goddamn whining is driving me fucking nuts."

Taehyung watched as the guard hurried away to retrieve a long white cloth. His own blood was pooling onto the grass around him, and Taehyung watched as some ants were flooded by red. He laughed. 

"What's so goddamn funny?" the guard holding the sword demanded him.

Taehyung rolled to face the guy, bloody lips drawn into a huge smile, "You are so fucking dead."

The guard with the gag hurried to shove the thing into Taehyung's bleeding mouth before his counterpart could react to the blonde's sudden words. Taehyung giggled maniacally as the gag was tied around the back of his head. He tried to ignore the sharp pains in his shoulders from having his arms bound so awkwardly above his head. When the gag was secured, the man jogged away with a smirk, watching as his fellow soldier raised his sword up. 

Taehyung didn't stop laughing. He forced himself to keep it up, wanting to piss off Jihoon's men as much as possible. If these northern soldiers were angry when the two other princes showed up, it would keep them from thinking straight. 

Maybe it would give Jungkook and Jimin a chance at surviving. 

Maybe he would be saved. 

In a flash, the silver blade sliced dangerously close to Taehyung left eye, drawing a muffled whine from behind the gag. Blood poured ceaselessly from the cut, the warm liquid flowing into his eye. He blinked rapidly and turned on his side so the blood would flow down the side of his face away from his eye. The guard snorted and moved Taehyung's head with the toe of his boot to face him again. 

"Not so pretty after all, huh?" the guard spit next to Taehyung's bound and writhing body. 

Taehyung scrunched up his nose at the man and gave the man a wink while screaming annoyingly loud. Although the gag muffled most of it, the guard understood that the blonde was trying to get under his skin. 

Taehyung was a stubborn one. He was used to always getting what he wanted. So when he didn't, he showed the world that he could be a devil. 

He even looked like one too, with all of the red he was covered in.

"THAT'S IT KIM!" the guard sheathed his sword and stepped closer to Taehyung, raising his boot, "IT'S LIGHTS OUT FOR YOU!"

And with an explosive kick that snapped Taehyung's head back-

Taehyung's crazy screaming and laughter finally stopped. 

Oak Prince

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN TAEHYUNG HAS A SISTER?!" 

Jimin grabbed Jungkook's hand and held it in between his own, "Calm down, Kook. I'll fill you in on the entire thing when we're riding north to the base, alright?" Jimin watched as Jungkook's shoulders slumped. 

"Yeah, alright. We only have..." Jungkook glanced down at his pocket watch, "Shit. Two hours before we need to be at the base," He looked into Jimin's cat-like eyes, "But first, we need to find out the location of the base--y'know?"

Jimin sighed, "Yeah, I remember that part of the plan..."

Jungkook noticed the older's downcast eyes and moved closer, "Hey, Jimin. It'll work out, alright? You are so believable as Minnie that even I don't know where the Stone Prince is anymore," he bit his lips in a smile, "Plus, you shouldn't be the one worrying...I'm the one who has to rough you up...Although," ravenette brushed Jimin's hair out of his face, "I don't think that'll be too difficult with you looking like that."

Jimin's cheeks heated in a blush and he lightly punched Jungkook's chest, "Okay honey, should we leave now? We're wasting precious time."

"Minnie" walked over to the door, high heels clicking against the floor. "Her" dress swayed to and fro. Jungkook followed closely behind. 

When the duo left the room, Jungkook gave a nostalgic look back at the bed and smiled to himself. On top of the soft sheets was the place where Jimin and him had spent a beautiful night together--Jimin underneath him, with sweaty brow and softly moans lips, his legs wrapped tightly around the ravenette-

"Jungkook?" Jimin was halfway down the hall already, facing him with a knowing look on his face, "We haven't got all day to daydream here."

"S-sorry, coming." Jungkook snapped out of his dirty thoughts and his mind centered back on the plan. 

For Taehyung. For Taehyung.

They were doing this for Taehyung. 

Jungkook followed the gray-haired boy down flights of stairs towards the reception. As the pair exited the building, the ravenette noticed how Jimin scanned the reception room a few times, as if he was looking for someone. However, nobody was in there. Jimin looked a bit disappointed as he strutted into the fresh morning air. 

They headed for the stables. Now that they were disguised, they didn't have to worry about drawing attention to themselves. The stable boy gave Jimin a strange look as he walked past. 

A woman in high heels and a white frilly dress riding atop a tall silver horse?

That was something you didn't see everyday. 

After they had mounted their horses and were on their way towards the Laurel Castle, Jungkook glanced over at Minnie and opened his mouth to speak. 

"...So, tell me about what you said befo-"

"Taehyung's sister Eonjin? Alright," Jimin smiled at Jungkook.

"Eonjin?" Jungkook softly let out, raising an eyebrow. 

Jimin nodded vigorously, launching himself into the story of that morning, and how surprised he was to notice little things about Eonjin that were strikingly similar to the prince they were about to rescue. Jungkook listened attentively, chiming in here and there to get clarification of certain parts of the story. When Jimin had finally finished, the pair had arrived at the path leading up to the Laurel Castle. 

Jungkook scratched behind his head, "Everything you just told me makes sense but..." he checked his pocket watch, "Taehyung told me a story about that same gray-haired northerner...it was in the story about he got that scar on his chest."

They stopped their horses, Jimin's earrings bumping against his neck as he turned to face the younger, a question in his eyes, "Really? I wonder if Taehyung knew him...hell, I wonder if I knew the guy. He might work...I mean, he might have worked," Jimin corrected himself, "for me..."

"Maybe," Jungkook said halfheartedly, not really believing that.

"Yeah, I don't think so either," Jimin said, picking up on what the ravenette thought, "I feel like I would've known if one of my men was that deeply involved with the secrets of the Laurel Castle..."

Jungkook's mind suddenly fused the information he had just received with the information he already knew from Taehyung's story. In a blink of an eye, it all made sense. 

"Uh, Jimin?" Jungkook turned to Jimin's flowing white dress, "I think Taehyung's father might've killed that guy later on...I mean, in the story Taehyung told me those two were on bad terms and agreed to meet up later to finish their business...then in your story you said the gray-haired guy never visited Eonjin again..."

Jimin mulled over it a bit, frowning, "Hmm...If what you say is true, then maybe those two were once close...Taehyung's dad must have known him pretty well...maybe a close countryman? Or maybe he's one of Jihoon's men?"

Jungkook shook his head, frowning at the thought that was beginning to surface in his mind, "No, Jihoon wouldn't save Taehyung from being abused. If anything, Jihoon would join in on the abuse..." Jungkook looked down at his horse and frowned, "But...Taehyung's dad was deathly afraid when that guy pulled his sword out...not many people would be able to triumph over the Taehyung's dad with a sword, but that guy...that gray-haired guy from the north-" Jungkook was trying to make Jimin see what he was thinking. 

"No, Jungkook. That wasn't me, okay? I-" then Jimin gasped loudly, staring into the sky as if he had a huge revelation. He stayed like that for a few seconds, until he lowered his head back to the ravenette.

Jimin bit his lip before speaking, "Y-you're suggesting that i-it was my...

Father?"

Jungkook nodded slowly, watching as Jimin's eyes began to tear up. He brought his horse closer to Jimin's and laid a reassuring hand on Jimin's shoulder, "Hey now, don't cry...your makeup will run!" Jungkook gave him a sad smile. 

Jimin's eyes were still glazed over in thought, half filled with denial and half sadness. He looked around him as if he was seeing the world for the first time. Nervously adjusting the bracelets on his wrists, he began mumbling the things he had been so unsure of for so long. 

"T-this means...my dad died...no," Jimin paused, "He was killed by Taehyung's father?! B-because...he was trying to...rescue Taehyung from...?" Jimin shook his head, mouth open. 

"I know this might be hard for you Jimin..."

"This is amazing!" Jimin's sudden joyous complexion surprised Jungkook, "That means my father was capable of caring! I...he hardly acknowledged me, but knowing that he helped out Eonjin from the corrupt royal bastard...makes me feel so proud!" Jimin clapped his hands together, "He even tried to help Taehyung...what a good man! Oh my, I can't believe my father actually possessed a warm heart...he didn't die in vain! He-" Jimin glanced up towards the sky.

Jungkook followed Jimin's line of sight, confused at the gray-haired male's sudden outburst. 

"Thank you dad! I never knew who you were or what you did other than sword fighting. Thank you for trying to help out Taehyung...and thank you for saving Eonjin, I-" Jimin smiled brightly, which Jungkook watched with amazement, "I love you! I'm proud to be your son!"

When the Stone Prince finally calmed down, Jungkook could see several tears rolling down Jimin's face. However, Jimin was smiling and he looked as if he had just made amends with one of the demons in his mind. Jungkook was happy for him. 

"Jimin...um, although I never met the guy, I'm sure your father was a great man. I'm happy that he tried to help out Taehyung, and how he had to die was..." Jungkook stroked the brown mane of his horse absentmindedly, "was terrible...there's no way it was done fairly. Your dad could kill that man in a heartbeat...which means he probably did it with trickery...it makes me hate Taehyung's dad even more. Almost as much as Jihoon." 

"Yeah," Jimin's horse started at a slow trot towards the Laurel Castle. He took a deep breath, "I'm glad that Taehyung's dad is dead."

"Me too," Jungkook nodded to himself and joined Jimin's horse, "Now, let's go and find that hideout. It's time we save Taehyung for real this time."

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

AUTHOR'S NOTE

DUN DUN DUN

So, a lot of background in this chapter...

Jimin's dad was a true man... sigh

The next chapter-

SHIT'S 'BOUT to GO DOWN. 0.0

I hope you enjoyed! 

Thank you for reading :)

All the love to you, precious people!

Izzy ♡