In a realm where power and duty intertwined like the thorny vines of its roses, the Princess held dominion not only over her people but also over the walls that confined her. Her days, governed by the rigid schedules of royalty, allowed for few personal indulgences. However, once a week, she took an extended break, retreating to the privacy of the royal bathhouse, a secluded haven designed not just for cleanliness but as a sanctuary from the expectations of her crown.
Today, as she approached the secluded bathhouse nestled within the private gardens of the palace, a surprising figure awaited her. The door swung open to reveal Jimin, a servant who had often caught her attention on the castle grounds. Though his usual duties included enchanting the court as a singer during festivities, today he took on the more humble role of a servant, an unexpected yet not unwelcome shift. His slim frame was outlined by the soft light filtering through the stained glass, his black wavy hair framing a face marked by beautiful, deep brown eyes. A blush crept over her cheeks as their eyes met, an unspoken acknowledgment of the change in their usual roles.
"Good afternoon, Your Highness," Jimin greeted, his voice steady, betraying none of the nervousness that flickered in his dark eyes. His wavy black hair, was slightly damp from preparing the bath. fell over his forehead and eyes, lending him a boyish look that contrasted sharply with his usual composed appearance.
"Jimin," the Princess acknowledged with a nod, her voice a mixture of curiosity and delight. "I wasn't expecting you to be here."
"I offered to assist today," he replied, his gaze momentarily holding hers before respectfully dropping to the floor. "If that is agreeable to you."
"It is," she assured him, her heart fluttering inexplicably at the thought of such a private interaction with the servant she had been quietly observing for a while. As they walked towards the changing area, tension hung between them.
Reaching the changing screen in the room, Jimin spoke again, his back turned to afford her privacy but his tone warm. "I have prepared your bath with lavender and chamomile, Your Highness, to soothe and relax."
"Thank you, Jimin. That sounds perfect," she responded, feeling the weight of her garments as if for the first time that day. With a grace that belied her nervousness, she began to undo the clasps of her gown, the rustle of fabric filling the air. When a stubborn lace caught, she hesitated.
"May I assist, Your Highness?" Jimin's voice was close, and she realized he had turned at her pause nearing the edge of the screen separating them, his hands ready to help.
"Yes, please," she breathed out, and his fingers smoothly untied the lace, his touch sending a warmth through her that had little to do with the bath waiting nearby. Once the gown fell away, she quickly wrapped herself in the bathing robe, resembling a towel snugly wrapped around her form. It was a simple yet functional garment designed to preserve modesty while allowing ease of movement.
As she stepped out from behind the screen, Jimin's eyes briefly met hers, a flicker of something more than servitude in their depths. He led her to the bathing area, where a large, steaming basin awaited, surrounded by small vials of oils and fragrant petals.
"Shall we begin?" he asked, his voice soft, as he gestured toward the prepared bath.
The Princess nodded, and with careful touches, Jimin helped her sit by the basin, after which he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, exposing his arms. He then picked up a soft cloth, dipping it into the warm, scented water before beginning to cleanse her arms with slow, measured strokes.
"Does the temperature suit you, Your Highness?" he asked as he moved to wash her legs, revealed from under the robe as she extended them along the wooden bath seat.
"It's perfect, thank you," she murmured, closing her eyes to better savor the warmth that enveloped her body and the quiet caring of Jimin’s hands. He washed her shoulders next, the movement of his hands firm yet gentle, evoking a sense of peace and a thrill of something more forbidden.
Once the initial washing was complete, Jimin helped her into the basin, supporting her as she stepped down into the warm water. The heat enveloped her, seeping into her muscles with a deep, soothing intensity. He began to wash her hair, his fingers skillfully massaging her scalp with oil infused with rose. The aroma filled the air, a heady mix that made her head spin slightly with its potency.
"Is the pressure alright?" Jimin's voice pulled her from her reverie.
"Yes, it's very relaxing," she replied, her voice low, almost a whisper. "You have a skilled touch, Jimin."
"I am glad to hear it pleases you," he said, a note of pride in his voice. His hands continued their work, now rinsing her hair with a silver pitcher that caught the light, glinting in the soft candlelight of the room.
When the bath was done, he stepped away, giving her time to soak alone in the aromatic water. "I will wait outside. Take all the time you need, Your Highness."
Emerging later, softened and soothed by the luxurious warmth, the Princess found Jimin ready with a plush towel. He held it open for her, his eyes carefully averted to maintain correctness as she stepped from the bath. The air, cooler now, made her skin prickle with the sudden change, and the warmth of the towel as he draped it around her was a welcome comfort.
Jimin’s hands were careful as they patted her skin dry, his touches light yet thorough, ensuring she was comfortable and cared for. As he dried her hair, he managed to keep the intimacy of the moment shrouded under the guise of his duties. “Your hair holds the fragrance well, Your Highness. It suits you,” he remarked, a smile playing on his lips, his tone a little teasing.
The Princess couldn’t help but return his smile, touched by his gentle charm. “Thank you, Jimin. Rose is my favorite scent, I am glad you chose it.”
They moved back toward her chambers, the silence between them filled with a soft, unspoken tension. Jimin walked just a step behind her, the proper distance for a servant, yet every now and then, she felt his gaze on her.
Once they reached her dressing room, he spoke again. “I have laid out your evening attire, Your Highness. The maids will assist you further. If there is nothing more you require of me?”
His question hung in the air, a polite formality, yet laden with an undercurrent of something else—a reluctance to part, perhaps, that mirrored her own.
“There is nothing more, Jimin. Thank you,” she said, her voice steadier than she felt. “You have been most… helpful today.”
As he bowed and turned to leave, she felt a sudden loss, the warmth of his hands still lingering on her skin, the scent of rose a reminder of the closeness they had shared. She watched him go, his figure retreating yet imprinted firmly in her mind.
With other maids arriving to help her dress, the Princess was brought back to the reality of her station, the regal garments replacing the simple robe, the crown waiting to settle back upon her head. Yet, beneath the layers of silk and jewels, her skin still tingled where Jimin had touched, her heart fluttering against the confines of her royal duties.
That night, as she lay in her grand bed surrounded by the silken curtains that did little to block out the moonlight across her room, the Princess found herself enveloped in the memory of Jimin. His care, the warmth of his gaze, and the gentle strength of his hands not only haunted her thoughts but stirred a deep, unfamiliar longing within her. It was a dangerous path to tread, her mind warned her, yet her heart yearned to explore the connection that had blossomed so unexpectedly. Alone with her thoughts, she found solace in the pleasure of her own touch, guided by the memory of his. As she recalled his touch, her fingers moved deliberately, tracing over her skin where his had lingered, igniting a slow burn of pleasure.
One moment she was in the Imperial Palace, the beating heart of the kingdom. The buzz of life echoed throughout the palace and everywhere she looked there was some busy person running around, completing their tasks.
The other moment there was violence. She felt herself get dragged on the expensive carpet and her bag taken away from her. No matter how much she tried to explain or scream nobody wanted to hear. She couldn’t see where they were taking her from the tears running down her face.
Now she was alone. Somewhere in the cold dungeons of the palace, staring at the black stone wall. She only assumed it was black as that’s the only color one could see down here. Her tears had dried and only a few tearless sobs could be heard from her cell. Maybe it was a trap after all.
⚜
Someplace not far away from her, in the lavish Gardens of Fire, a young gentleman was just finishing his daily bath. He had to admit, it often felt awkward having so many people watch him swim. It wasn’t that he was embarrassed, the water was quite opaque after all. What bothered him was how pathetic they looked while “guarding” him. It’s not like they could save him from drowning. It was one of those rituals that have been in place for centuries.
It’s fair to say he hated traditions. He especially hated when those traditions attempted to control his life or intrude in his personal space. He couldn’t imagine how his ancestors took their baths in front of strangers. Ever since Taehyung was little his life has always been public. Everyone he spoke to, everyone he looked at, everyone he was close to, all of them were in the mouths of the people outside the walls. It infuriated him. When he became an Emperor he decided to live his life like he wanted to. His word was law after all.
“Looks like our little guest decided not to bless us with her presence today.” He said sitting on one of the rocks near the deep end that formed a comfortable bench. He let his head relax back onto the crystals outside the lake, chest exposed to the warm sun, glistening with droplets.
“She got what she wanted and ran away.” Seokjin, his right-hand man, spoke. “We can find her within a day if you wish, Your Majesty.”
Taehyung chuckled. “Do you think I am a good person, Jin?”
He didn’t expect this question. Even Seokjin, his childhood friend, never quite had the freedom to express himself however he wanted. Although he knew Taehyung would never hurt him, he had a feeling that a few wrong moves could cost him a lot. And with Taehyung, one could never know what a wrong move was.
“I believe you are a fair person, Your Majesty.” It wasn’t a lie.
“A good person would let her have the flower. A fair person would punish her for breaking her promise.” His body was completely relaxed. Head thrown back; eyes closed. Seokjin felt that the decision was on his shoulders.
“I think you should be a good person in that case.” He understood the pain the girl was going through. He had seen his own family die and he didn’t want anyone else to feel that pain.
When Taehyung didn’t reply, Seokjin felt the need to explain himself.
“You are a good Emperor. Be good to your people.”
Taehyung’s body tensed and he lifted his head.
“Why is a good Emperor hated then?” He stared at the distance without looking at his assistant.
“Because he is fair.” He completed his own sentence before Seokjin had the time to reply.
“Ungrateful people are the ones that I hate the most.” His eyes finally met Seokjin’s. “I was good. I broke the rules and gave her the flower. And what I get in return is ungratefulness.” He signaled to one of the guards to bring him his towel, slowly rising from the water, and wrapping it around his waist.
“Being good is weak. Being fair is what makes you respected, even if that means being cruel.” He finally said with his usual arrogance when being at eye level with Seokjin.
Seokjin only nodded when Taehyung passed by him.
“You have one day.” These were the last words he said before he headed for the palace.
⚜
Later that day, Seokjin got an unexpected visit from the headmistress in his personal study room.
“Good evening Your Honor. I hope I am not disturbing you at this time.” She made a little bow.
“Lady Aliya, is something wrong?” The Master lifted his head from the papers he was studying.
“We spotted an intruder today. They were trying to get to His Majesty, but luckily, they were detained quite easily.” She said with a proud look on her face.
“So what’s the issue?”
“We seized their bag and found… an Amaryllis inside. I am not aware of how they got their hands on it, but-” She tried to explain nervously.
“Was it a young lady?” Seokjin replied calmly, something the headmistress wasn’t expecting.
“Yes, Your Honor, a lady from the lower classes.”
“Where is she now?” He said getting up from his seat.
“We imprisoned her till we have your verdict, as per the procedure.” Her tone was calm and typical once more.
“Very well. You are free to go. I will take care of her.”
With that, the headmistress bowed once more and slowly headed to the door with the help of her cane. Before she could open it, the sound of Seokjin’s voice sounded once more.
“And next time, please let me know if anyone is looking for the Emperor before putting them in jail.”
⚜
Finding the girl was easier than expected, he had to admit. That night, when he was done with the rest of his work, he descended the stairs to the dungeons. Holding only a candlelight, it has hard to see far, but he could make the silhouette of a rather small girl, curled up in the corner of her cell. The guards told him that she had cried herself to sleep. She was probably cold and hungry, dirty and bruised. How was this fair?
It was fair for her to be there; she came in uninvited to the palace. And it was fair for her to be punished; she didn’t come to meet the Emperor. But in all that… she had no blame. He often didn’t understand fairness.
He didn’t really have a plan, but he knew he wanted to help the girl.
“Tomorrow morning, I want her clean and well fed. I will wait for her in the East Gardens.”
⚜
In the morning she woke up with a pounding headache and an overwhelming feeling of anguish. It took her some time to understand where she was and remember what happened yesterday. Just as she was realizing her situation and tears were about to flow again from her cheeks, a guard opened the cell and ordered her to get out.
The guard didn’t say anything besides a simple “follow me”. Her bones and bruised legs hurt as they ascended the endless stairs of the dungeon. Once they reached the top, and the door opened, she was met with the bright sunrays of the windows around the corridor. The setting here was so different than the one underground. The ruby red walls were decorated with black wall sculptures of phoenixes, embellished with gold flames. The windows had black frames in the shape of intricate swirls. But clearly, the showstopper was the domed gold ceiling, adorned with giant paintings of historical scenes.
She hadn’t realized she was holding her breath until the guard grabbed her arm, pulling her to move with him and she let out a gasp. She might have been impressed by the other corridor, but this one overshadowed it. In this beauty, she had forgotten about all her pains and troubles.
They soon reached another door which lead to an area with sandstone walls. The guard spoke with one of the maids and she instructed Erin to follow her to a small room. The maid took Erin’s clothes and gave her a bathrobe and wooden sandals to wear. It appeared that this was where they took baths. Exiting, they entered the outdoor area where there was a big oblong pool filled with hot water. Along the far side of the pool, there were statues of deities acting as fountains and pouring water. Men and women enjoyed their time both in and around the pool, on the grass.
“It’s only for the noble. You can wash here.” The maid informed her, stopping in front of a wooden door. Erin entered and locked the door behind her. It was a small room with a bench and two buckets of water. The only light came from the small windows placed on the very top of the walls. It didn’t look much different than the one they had at home. They treated their prisoners well.
When she was finished, she exited, and the maid took her to another room where she dressed herself and groomed her hair. The dress had really been ruined. It was dirty and dusty from sleeping on the floor all night. It was also torn in a few places. When she put it on herself, she no longer recognized its previous beauty. Not that she cared right now. This was probably the last dress she was going to wear.
She was lost in thoughts as they exited the baths. Everything happened too fast. Yesterday everything was wonderful. Her mother was saved, and she could see their lives going back to normal. Today, she is a prisoner of the palace, and she didn’t know if she would be able to see her family again. Her mother must be so worried. Erin never spent the night away from home.
"Have a seat with us." Said one of the maids. They were now in some sort of a lunchroom. There were about twenty long tables placed on both sides of the room, forming a corridor in the middle. Erin took a seat on one of the chairs. Around her, there were people dressed like maids which were eating quietly.
There was a lot of food on the table. Pastries, eggs, bread, fruits, and even sliced meats. She didn’t doubt they were eating well in the palace. She wondered if all this food was for the dozen people seated at the table. She got a slice of bread along with some ham and an egg. This was the portion they were allowed at home. The maids must work hard because most of them had twice or three times as much food on their plates. Why was she eating with them in the first place?
People kept sitting and standing up from the table. Quiet gossip could be heard in the room.
“We either made a big mistake or you made a big mistake.” A ginger girl with light blue eyes sat across her. She recognized it was the maid that took her into the palace yesterday. She had a kind smile on her face.
“What do you mean?” Erin asked in worry.
“Well… the headmistress informed me this morning that Master Seokjin wanted to meet you in private." She stated as she started eating her tart.
“Who is Master Seokjin?” Erin replied, wanting to know more.
"His Honor is the second most important person in the Empire. He is in charge of pretty much everything His Majesty doesn't want to be in charge… Something like his right-hand man." She took a break to take one more bite and then continued. “You should watch how you talk with him…”
“We need to go.” The maid that was taking care of her all morning interrupted and stood up from the table. Erin immediately followed and started gathering her used plates.
“Just be polite and ask for forgiveness if anything happens.” The ginger girl said at last before Erin was back in the corridor of the maids. After some more turns and corridors, which Erin didn’t have enough time to stare at, they found themselves outside.
More gardens. From the outside, this place didn't look like it had one garden, let alone three. While the Imperial ones looked more like a little jungle, and the ones on the palace’s perimeter were very well organized with selected flowers, these ones had a lot of trees and bushes. As they walked around, she could spot through the gaps, hidden places with statues and enclosed areas of flowers. There was a wide central path and then smaller mazelike bushes that she assumed led to these secret places. She tried to follow the maid closely, so she didn’t get lost as they entered one of the openings in the bushes. It seemed sketchy that the Emperor’s best man wanted to meet her in a place this secluded.
She tried to remember the turns they took, but it was simply impossible. Soon they reached a small area that hosted a circular pavilion surrounded by blooming flowers that acted as a gateway to another part of the gardens.
“His Honor should be waiting for you.” The maid said as she signaled towards the entrance.
Erin cautiously went inside the pavilion. She could hear voices and the sound of flames. Soon in front of her eyes, she could make the circular shape of a traditional fighting ring, laid with black stones and surrounded by a fire dissipating spell. Having her guard up, she exited the pavilion.
Contrary to her beliefs, nobody attacked her. She looked around and saw five rings spread throughout the square. Most of them were occupied by adolescent children practicing their spells or dueling each other.
She headed for the group of adults talking in one of the corners. Passing next to the rings was quite scary. One could feel the burn of the fire on their skin from the proximity. She was glad the protective rings existed and didn't allow the fire to escape the ring. Even though she had those powers herself, she had to admit having fire directed toward her wasn't something she was used to.
Seokjin noticed her uneasy presence and left the group of teachers and coaches.
“Want to duel too?" He said as he stood beside her and made her jump in surprise.
“No… thank you. I was never the best fighter.” She admitted, hoping he would feel bad for her and not challenge her.
“The children are young, I am sure you can take on one.” He insisted, pointing at one of the girls. Erin looked at a girl that couldn't have been more than twelve, producing a fireball about twice her size. She was certain that she hadn’t produced a fireball this big in her whole life.
“She looks quite skilled… I haven’t practiced ever since I graduated.” She looked around for someone to help her escape the duel.
“These girls are the best of the best in the Royal School. They are training to become part of the Royal Guard. Half of them are already masters of the element.”
“That doesn’t make my case better I guess.” She laughed bitterly.
“I don’t think your case can get much worse.” He said turning to face her. “Can you remind me of your name?”
“It’s Erin.” She said avoiding eye contact.
"Well, Erin… I am supposed to be on the hunt for you right now with these girls. His Majesty wasn’t very pleased with you not showing up yesterday.”
“I did show up.” She interrupted, raising her voice. She did everything she could to make things right and instead got thrown into jail. She had every right to be angry.
“Frankly, you didn’t show up. You tried to.” He said trying to keep his tone calm, but getting irritated by her attitude. “And that means nothing here. This isn’t your village where you are friends with everyone, and everyone is willing to help you. Here you are alone. And for most people behind these walls, you are a threat. Even the lowest servant here is of noble blood. They come here in hope of catching the Emperor’s attention and bringing honor to their families. You, on the other hand, are a village girl who sneaked in, talked to the Emperor, was allowed to take one of his sacred flowers, and is not only alive, but invited back. Your presence threatens the core structure of this court.” He said sharply.
“All I want is to help my family. I threaten no one.” Erin replied looking at the ground.
“I am saying this to warn you. I used to be a village boy too. You kind of remind me of myself.” He made a small pause, his voice was now softer. "Keep your head on your shoulders. I will arrange for you to meet His Majesty today if he is willing to.”
“I appreciate your help. I just… need to go back to my village. They probably think something bad happened to me.” She was tired of all the drama and troubles. She really wanted to be at home right now.
“Miss one more meeting and I will be coming to your village with these girls looking for you.” He said in a threatening tone as he turned around and walked away. His change of attitude was scary. But not as scary as the thought of facing one of the little girls.
⚜
Through the grand corridors of the south wing of the palace, the Emperor and his assistant, the Master of the court, were taking their typical daily walk from the Emperor’s apartments to the chamber of the council of ministers, in the east wing. The walk usually took a little less than half an hour and it gave the two the opportunity to talk about the latest court matters. On many days, due to their tight schedules, it was the only time the two could talk like friends. Today’s conversation was mostly occupied by boring political matters and gossip about the cheating wife of the Minister of the Arts.
“I can’t blame her, I am sure at this age he isn’t doing great at pleasing her.” Taehyung said laughing, as he thought of the seventy-two-year-old minister and his forty-something-year-old wife.
“I don’t know how well he pleases her, but I think I have something that would please you.” Seokjin implied in a flirty tone.
“Oh, I would love to have you please me.” Taehyung continued the joke, winking at the man walking next to him. It was a weird dynamic they had going on, but they sure both enjoyed it.
Seokjin pulled out a crumbled flower from the inside of his coat.
“Hope that’s enough.”
Taehyung took the flower in his hands, gently caressing the petals which were barely holding onto the stem. A sense of sadness and sorrow washed over him.
"Did you find her?" His tone now did not have a hint of lightness in it.
“The headmistress notified me of an intruder. She tried entering the palace and was detained.”
“What does that mean, Jin?” His voice was ice cold.
“She actually tried making it yesterday,” Taehyung’s eyes softened a bit. “but it seems that the maids didn’t believe her.”
“And who are the maids to judge who can make it into the palace? Why weren’t you notified?” This was a major concern for him. It shouldn’t be in the servant’s hands to dispense justice.
“It’s not often that we have guests of her… origin. I have trust in the people working here.” Seokjin stated, trying to calm his friend.
“Are your trusted people still keeping her warm and cared for underground?” Taehyung replied in a sarcastic tone.
“Of course not. As soon as I was made aware, I ordered for her to be released. She is resting somewhere in the gardens right now.” Seokjin had ordered the maid taking care of Erin to show her around the gardens and feed her throughout the day. Little did he know that she was actually helping one of the other maids with the gardenwork and eating in the maid’s lunchroom. “I thought you would still like to meet her.”
“I guess it’s the only appropriate way to apologize to our guest.” Taehyung said, returning to his light self.
“I know you for some time, Tae. Making deals you win nothing out of is not something you do. What’s the motive?” Seokjin tried pushing.
"Oh, nothing. I just feel that I need to personally apologize to our guest. Maybe we can have lunch together." Taehyung tried escaping the question but that didn't sit well with Jin, who was patiently waiting for the Emperor to continue.
“I will be lunching in the small dining room today. Please let the lady know I will be expecting her.” He said to fill in the silence.
“Just you and her?” Seokjin asked puzzled.
"You can join too, if you are that jealous." Taehyung said in a humorous tone, as he entered the chamber of ministers, leaving Seokjin behind.
⚜
After the meeting, Seokjin informed the headmistress about the lunch and ordered her to personally make sure the guest was appropriately educated on the dining etiquette. It was important to be proper in front of the Emperor. However, when Erin was brought to her, she quickly realized she had to deal with a much more obvious problem than which spoon one had to use.
She found a girl that looked more like a peasant than a guest at the palace.
“Bring me five more girls.” Was the first thing the headmistress said, after taking a seat on one of the chairs, trying to stabilize her blood pressure. Thirty minutes to turn a peasant into a court lady was going to be a challenge even for someone with her experience.
The lunching table she had prepared, was soon turned into a beauty table and a bunch of maids flooded the room. Erin’s hair was brushed and styled half up, and her cheeks were blushed with rose dust, all the while the maids were trying to find an appropriate dress to substitute the one she was wearing. Erin didn’t get to enjoy any of the pampering though because the headmistress was giving her a lecture the whole time about the customs in the palace and how unacceptable her appearance was.
Just ten minutes before the lunch, when the headmistress thought she would have to bear the shame of sending a girl to the Emperor with rags, one of the tailors found a dress that could fit her proportions. It was a red royal gown made from light fabrics that was meant to wrap around an underdress and give it a flowy look. It was perfect in that it didn’t require special fitting for it to sit properly and the maids quickly put it on top of Erin’s old underdress, which somehow escaped from the majority of the abuse. The overdress covered all of the bottom part, where the underdress was damaged, allowing the old dress to peak a little just bit at her chest.
Only when everything worked perfectly and the last piece of fabric was fastened, the headmistress allowed herself to breathe normally. It was beautiful.
From there, it was a just walk along some of the prettiest hallways one could see in the whole empire. Statues, paintings, and a lot of gold and rubies decorated their path. Soon they stood in front of a grand door with the Emperor’s emblem on it. Only the headmistress and the Emperor’s guest were allowed to enter.
As the doors opened, they revealed a big area with a massive curved staircase inside. Immediately one’s eyes were drawn to the glass dome that covered the space, and the luscious paintings on the walls supporting it. From the dome, a chandelier made from red and pink crystals hung, making the light refract across the room, leaving rainbow specs on the surfaces it touched. As they entered deeper into the room, Erin noticed that the two walls on her sides were filled with books and there was a small sitting area in front of each one.
“This must be his library.” She thought to herself. As much as she didn’t want to, she had to draw her eyes away from the walls and ceiling as they climbed the stairs. Being extra careful not to slip, she almost didn’t notice the view from the large windows in front of her. Before her, stood the Imperial Gardens. They were even more beautiful from above as one could see how the vegetation wrapped and developed around the Grand Lake of Fire. She took her time to study it, but then she heard the cane of the headmistress knocking on the top stair, giving her a sign to continue her ascend.
She had one last chance to look at the majestic room from above as they walked along the balcony on the second floor.
"Stop staring." The middle-aged woman said in a sharp whisper, as she stopped in front of a door.
“His Majesty should be either be inside or he would join you shortly after.” She continued whispering. “Don’t look around, don’t stare at the ceiling, and most importantly be polite and don’t mess up. You are allowed to speak to him as long as he initiates the conversation.” She said looking directly in her eyes, with her icy blue ones. A sudden sense of nervousness overtook her as she realized the seriousness of the situation.
“Try not to get in trouble. Don’t look around. Don’t speak unless spoken to.”
She kept repeating in her mind as the doors opened and she entered a rather small room with a table in the middle.
“Try not to get in trouble. Don’t look around. Don’t speak unless spoken to.”
Even though her eyes were glued to the floor, she noticed a person sitting on one of the ends, which she assumed was the Emperor, and she headed for the other end.
“Try not to get in trouble. Don’t look around. Don’t speak unless spoken to.”
As she was about to pull her chair with shaking hands, a maid came rushing to pull it for her. And then it hit her. She messed up. She forgot to bow.
Taehyung carefully watched the frozen young lady enter the room and walk to the chair completely ignoring his presence. He found amusing how oblivious she was to court culture. He saw very clearly the moment she became aware of what she just did, or rather, what she didn’t do. She tried to make a small bow as her chair was being pulled, almost sitting in it as she remembered she first needed permission and frantically stood up again. He found it quite entertaining.
“Please take a seat.” He said with a smile, trying to save her from more uncomfortable situations.
Erin quickly sank into the chair and glued her eyes to the plate in front of her. She couldn't have forgotten more things, and she prayed to all divine beings she didn't get in trouble. She didn't remember a situation in her life where she felt this tense.
“May I offer you some wine?” Taehyung said as a maid filled his glass.
“Yes, please, Your Majesty.” She said in the most appropriate way she could think. She had only heard of wine, but never had the chance to taste it. The people in her village abstained from any alcohol and she was shocked when a blood-like liquid was poured into her glass. It didn’t look very appealing to her, but she decided to try it anyway.
It smelled like poison, and she had second thoughts, but when she lifted her gaze and was met with the Emperor’s intimidating eyes, she quickly swallowed a big gulp, trying not to mess up any further. It was a big mistake. She thought she was being poisoned judging by the burning sensation in her throat. There was no way people drank this voluntarily. She lifted her teary eyes trying to understand why he would poison her, but instead of a devilish smirk, he was looking back at her with concern.
“Is everything alright? Is the wine not of your taste?” He said as one of the maids poured her a glass of water.
She drank the glass of water as fast as she could in order to remove any remaining taste. After a few deep breaths, she realized she had no trouble breathing. She also didn’t feel any pain or dizziness. She looked around as the Emperor had a confused look on his face.
Maybe she wasn’t poisoned.
She was a complete idiot for thinking she would be poisoned. And she was a complete idiot for acting like she was poisoned from just a sip of wine.
“I am sorry… I have just never had wine before.” Her cheeks and ears were red and all she wished for was the earth to open and swallow her. She wanted to curl into a corner and cry, but she knew she had to stay there and bear all the humiliation. Out of all the times her brain could stop functioning, this was the worst one.
“I suppose wine does have an unusual taste.” He said amused. “Maybe you are more familiar with tea or juice?” He offered, trying to sound warm and welcoming.
“I will just drink water, thank you.” She said drinking some more.
“This is going to be so much.” Taehyung thought to himself, taking a sip from his wine glass. Soon appetizers were served and they both started eating.
The comfortable silence was finally broken by Taehyung’s voice.
“So, tell me, how did you find your way to the Lake of Fire?" Erin took a few seconds to swallow her food and collect her thoughts before she spoke.
"My mother is very ill. We have tried all methods of cure, but nothing seemed to work. A few days ago, a famous doctor from far away was passing by our village and he examined my mother." She made a small pause looking at the food on her plate, not daring to look at the person sitting in front of her. "He gave her a recipe for a decoction that included the Amaryllis flower." Another small pause was made so she could find the right words. "I had no other option but to come. I can't let her die." Emotions started flooding her when she said those words out loud, but she tried to suppress them.
Taehyung however was more intrigued by the mysterious doctor.
“Do you know the name of that doctor?”
“No. I didn’t even see him.” Erin replied, drinking some water to cool her mind.
Taehyung took a few moments to study her. Seeing her distressed like this told him she wasn’t lying. A doctor who knows recipes with the amaryllis flower… The books containing those were burnt a long time ago. He wondered… Could this person have the book? No. Can't be. He is probably some impostor. The decoction can't work. There are way too many fake recipes out there.
But there was only one way to know for sure…
“Your mother’s story is very touching. As an Emperor it’s my duty to take care of my people. I would like to have your mother here in the palace so she can be treated by the best doctors. It’s also easier to take care of the flowers.” Taehyung stated. Erin’s eyes lit up and for the first time she found the courage to look up and meet the Emperor’s gaze. His eyes were serene and he had a small smile on his face. Being able to take care of her mother was everything she wanted, but somehow moving her to the castle wasn’t what she imagined. She wanted to be with her through this.
“I can’t thank you enough for your offer, but I can’t leave my mother here alone and I have to work in my village.” She was hoping he would let her stay in the village. "I am happy to be coming here every day, if you would allow her to stay at home."
“She would be treated the best way here. As for you, your stay can be arranged while your mother is healing. I heard the headmistress is looking for new girls.”
“You are offering me a job here?” Erin replied surprised.
“It’s the least I can do after the horrible treatment you went through.”
She did not remember the ride home, nor did she remember what she said or did before going to bed. Her thoughts were occupied by the beautiful young man she met at the palace. It was as if she was drunk with his aura and enchanted by his voice. The deal she made kept repeating in her head. There was something sinuous in the way he spoke… Maybe it was the way he made her agree to an impossible task only to reveal the catch, or maybe it was the arrogant smirk and playful gaze he had on his face the whole time. She had the feeling that there was more to it, and she felt it wasn't going to be anything in her favor. Absorbed in these thoughts, interlacing reality with dream, she fell asleep in the late hours of the day.
The night washed away the thoughts and the morning sun rays melted all her worries. It was a beautiful day. The weather was getting warmer, and the streets were lively with people engaged in their crafts. She rarely got to sleep so late, usually waking up at dawn, today was one of those days she didn't have to work at the workshop.
She got up from the bed and headed to the small bathroom to wash herself up. Then, she went to the kitchen, made some tea, and spread a little bit of jam on two slices of bread, for herself and her mother. On days like these, she was grateful for everything they had, no matter how modest it was.
"Mom, it's time for breakfast." She said almost in a singing voice.
Even her mother looked rather peaceful today, knitting some socks on her bed. She placed the tray with food on the table next to it and looked at her mother. Despite her illness, she was a beautiful woman. With her long black hair and youthful eyes, you would never know how weak her body had become.
Seeing her made the memories of the previous day resurface and fill her with emotions. A wide smile spread across her face and tears formed at the corners of her eyes. She felt proud, proud and relieved. She had done it. She ran to her room, opened the basket she was carrying and took out the sacred flower.
When she came back to her mother's room she was met by a smiley woman looking at her.
"Yesterday you came home late and today you are jumping from joy. Did you find some handsome boy, dear?" She said teasing her daughter.
Erin laughed innocently, tears making her vision blurry.
"I have a gift for you." She said sitting on the edge of the bed but keeping her hands behind her back.
"Please don't ask any questions. Just accept my gift." She said as she placed the flower in her mother's hands letting her hold it.
The old lady took the flower cautiously and examined it carefully. She wasn't sure what it was, but from the reaction of her crying daughter, she could only imagine it was one thing. The forbidden flower.
So many thoughts flooded her head but her mouth only uttered one.
"It's the flower… isn't it?"
Eris only had time to nod before her mother continued.
"You really can do anything if you put your heart into it." She said as she kissed her daughter on the cheek. Then, a gloomy thought passed her head.
"You didn't get in trouble for this did you?" Her tone became serious.
Erin hesitated to answer.
"Return it. I would not be able to forgive myself if anything happened to you." After a moment of silence. Erin finally found the right words.
"Nothing will happen to me, mother. The emperor was kind enough to grant me this flower." She tried to sound as truthful as possible. "He is concerned about people like you. An emperor doesn't let his people die." She lied. The sinister smirk on his face appeared for a moment in her head, but she quickly brushed it away. She needed to save her mother, even if that meant lying to her. She knew her mother wasn't educated on court matters, and it would be easy to make up a believable story she won't question. Deception wasn't something she was good at, nor it was something she honored, but if that's what she had to do to make her mother's face light up as it did now, then that's what she would do. Now all she needed to figure out was how to excuse the three hours a day she had to spend going to the palace.
After an hour long fairytale about the kind emperor and his magic gardens, Erin left her mother to rest as she headed to Mr. Mo's pharmacy.
"Hello dear! Is there anything I can help you with?" The middle-aged man said routinely, turning around to face his customer. When he saw who had entered the building, he opened the door to the back room.
"I see a smile on your face, and I feel that you have something to tell me." He gestured towards the door, inviting the young lady.
Once again, they were seated on the big brown sofa in the middle of the room. Despite it being in a crowded place in the middle of the village, it felt safe there. She knew that what she said wouldn't escape the walls of the small apothecary.
She didn't say anything. She just reached into her bag and took out the delicate flower. Even though it hadn't even been a day since she took it from the gardens, the flower had begun to look a bit dull and dry. That didn't matter now though, she chose to ignore that little detail and just handed the flower to the pharmacist.
"If I were to be honest with you, I didn't think this was possible." He said as he examined the flower. "It's quite impressive young lady." He put his glasses on so he can look at it in more detail. "You can't imagine how happy you made me today. It's every pharmacist's dream to even see one of these, let alone be able to work with it." He took out a napkin from his back pocket and carefully tore one of the seeds of the flower, placing it on the napkin and folding it. "Absolutely incredible. It might look like a normal flower to the naked eye but in reality this..." He stopped for a second trying to find the right word. "…living being is part of the Fire Clan. Just like you and me. It feeds not on water or air, but on energy and fire. It's a proof of our powers and it's a symbol of our bond with the divine." He kept on speaking as he closely examined every little detail about it.
"It must really be important to him, judging from the ten-minute monologue he made about its history and significance." Erin told herself. He didn't ask her any questions or anything, all his attention went towards the thing in his hands. Somewhere in the middle she stopped listening to his rambling and just looked at the old man whose face she had never seen brighter. Perhaps the flower did radiate some energy that made everyone happier.
"…As I was saying the condition of the flower troubles me a little bit, as it won't be able to last five days." She hadn't noticed him changing the topic and talking about the decoction. Suddenly her ears perked up and she slid out of her trance.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, the flower is very delicate. We will need one seed per day for the medicine, but for it to be effective it will need to be fresh. I don't really see how that flower would last more than two days if it doesn't get recharged." The middle-aged man left the flower on the table and went to the bookshelves in search of something.
"It gets recharged by the Grand Lake's water doesn't it?" She very well remembered the deal she made with the emperor.
"Yes, I am under that impression." He took out a book from the shelf and opened it to some page he had previously marked. "I did some research regarding that flower and the medicine that has to be prepared with it…" He paused sitting next to her on the sofa, letting her look at the writing on the page. "Good news is that the medicine is quite simple to make. I will prepare it once a day, in the morning, and your mother will have to drink it slowly throughout the day." He said pointing at the writing. "Bad news is that from what I understand the flower must be kept balanced in order for it to be effective. Usually, this type of potions are made with freshly picked seeds from rooted plants. The flower we have has been picked up and that throws its balance off, making its health rapidly decline in the next few days." He made a little pause and looked the girl in the eyes. "Drinking a potion from a dying flower could make her situation worse."
"I…" She wasn't sure whether to tell him about the deal she made. Looking at it now, it didn't seem like a trap, but rather a kind offer that would help her save her mother. Mr. Mo has always been understanding and helpful. Without thinking about it too much, she explained the situation to her distant uncle, not hiding anything but the attitude the emperor had. She didn't know why she didn't speak about it, she likes to believe that it's because it's not relevant to the story. The man listened carefully and when she was finished, he spoke.
"That's quite unusual. From what I have heard, the new emperor is a cruel man… Maybe it's just rumors. You know… people like to talk only about the bad things in life." Mr. Mo said as he was already getting all the ingredients ready for the medicine on the tall table in the corner.
"I am just concerned about my mother… I haven't told her anything about it. I don't want her to worry about it, she already has enough on her head." Erin said quietly, looking at the herds being crushed into powder.
"It's better that way, she hates being dependent on anyone, even if that's you, she has always been like that. Just tell her you will come here to help me with running the pharmacy. I will cover for you when you have to travel." The medicine was now ready. It really didn't take long for it to be made. The pharmacist transferred it to a glass bottle and diluted it with water.
"Thank you Mr. Mo. Thank you for everything." Her cheeks were blushed and her eyes sparkled.
"I am the one who has to thank you, dear." He put his hand on her shoulder and with a fatherly smile he continued. "Your mom should be really proud of you."
With that, they parted ways. The clock on the wall indicated it was lunchtime. Going home, she sensed the aromatic smell of rosemary. She found the table made and two bowls of soup placed on it. Her mother had cooked, it was the first time in a while.
"I was waiting for you." The old woman said sitting on one of the chairs.
She missed her mother's soup. Although it didn't taste as good as it once did, eating it brought a lot of memories. The lunch gave Erin an opportunity to give her mother her medicine as well as all the instructions on how to take it. It was lovely to eat with her mother at the table and the conversation flowed fluidly. Time passed quickly and before she could realize it, the old clock in the corner signaled that the time was three in the afternoon.
If she estimated correctly by the sun, the emperor took his bath at around four. Suddenly she jumped from the table and excused herself quickly. She told her mother she had to help her uncle at the apothecary.
It was too late. She needed at least an hour to get there. She hurriedly put the royal dress in her bag together with the flower and headed out the door.
She rushed to the capital, only stopping in a little forest close to the city walls to change her clothing. When she found a somewhat private place, she opened her bag and took the dress out. It was only now that she noticed how dirty it had become from all the dragging yesterday. In some places the fabric was really damaged, with the stitches of the embroidery coming undone. A wave of fear washed over her. This dress wasn't hers. It belonged to the daughter of a nobleman and she knew full well she wouldn't be able to pay for it. She tried patting the dress from the dirt and cleaning it with a little bit of water. Although not looking nearly as good as it once did, the dress was in a somewhat acceptable state, definitely good enough for her standards.
When she felt ready, she got on her horse and entered the city walls. Life inside the walls was very different. People were nicely dressed and carefree. Their skin was clear and their hands gentle. It didn't look like these people have worked a single day in their lives. In the midst of all that relaxing beauty, was a young lady who although didn't look very different than the residents, had a stressed expression painted on her face.
She had left her horse in the stable like she had done last time, but today to her surprise The Gates of Fire were closed and there weren't a lot of people in the square in front of it. She had to admit that it looked even more intimidating when there was nobody there. Four guards were standing in front of the gates. Unlike last time, today they were heavily armored and didn't interact with anyone around them.
"Good afternoon, sir. I need to visit the Imperial Gardens." She tried to sound confident speaking to one of the guards.
"And who are you?" The guard replied not even looking at her.
"I am Erin, I am- "
"The Gardens are closed to visitors." He said sternly, not allowing her to finish her sentence.
His tone scared her, but she was told to be there after all.
"I was invited by the emperor. He told me to come here."
The guard's attention was suddenly on her. He looked her up and down, almost evaluating if she was worthy of the emperor's attention. By his face, one could easily see that he didn't quite believe her, but few dared to mention the emperor, and he, more than anyone else knew that those lying about the emperor had to pay a hefty price.
"Come with me." He said as he started walking. To her surprise, he didn't head for the grand door behind him. He started walking along the perimeter of the castle's fences. The fences were made of black pillars connected with golden serpents wrapping around them like a thick net. Through the gaps one could see flowers and neatly trimmed bushes before the castle's walls. She knew these weren't the Imperial Gardens.
Soon they came to a metal door, almost hidden between the pillars, much smaller than the other one. The guard signaled to one of the servants inside and she quickly opened it.
"This lady claims to have been invited by His Majesty in the gardens." He said with a smirk on his face, knowing she would get in big trouble if she was lying. The servant looked her up and down and spoke gently.
"What's your name miss?"
"I am Erin. I come from the Aethia villages." Erin smiled trying to make a good impression. The guard's smirk grew wider. No villager is invited to the palace. He was sure of it.
"Miss Erin…" The servant looked uncomfortable. "I am afraid I have not been notified of your arrival. Do you have a formal invitation?" The lady genuinely wanted to help her.
"I don't… The emperor told me to-" Erin tried explaining, but the lady gestured for her to stop as she saw the guard grab Erin's arm ready to kick her out.
"Come with me. I will ask the headmistress." She told Erin as she gestured for the guard to leave, something he wasn't happy about.
The two young ladies started walking toward the palace. The two didn't speak which allowed Erin to look at the gardens that adorned the perimeter of the castle. They were only a few meters wide but still managed to bring a little bit of color and fragrance to the pitch-black palace. They looked out of place, but she was grateful, because they helped calm her nerves.
They reached the front door of the palace. It was mostly black with some flames made out of different colored metals decorating it. The servant looked around and found one of the maids which she said something to.
Erin didn't listen to them too much as she was occupied with looking at the interior of the palace. They appeared to be in some corridor. Servants could be seen entering and exiting this section. She figured they must have entered through the servant's gate. The walls were a creamy white color with minimal decorations and engravings. Here and there she could spot a statue but nothing too extravagant. Nonetheless, she stared at the space in awe. It was so much different than the tiny house she lived in. The red carpet on the floor was nothing like the brown old one she had at home. Everything was clean and neat and even the servants wore better clothes than anyone in her village.
In the corner of the room, three pairs of eyes followed Erin. Nobody was notified about her visit, not even the headmistress, and seeing how she reacted to the simple corridor that lead to the maids' chambers, it was clear she had never entered a palace before.
"Poor girl. She must be naïve thinking that's how you can get to His Majesty." One of them said.
"She seems innocent." The servant that took her to the palace defended.
"The rules are rules. If one breaks them, they get punished." The headmistress, a middle-aged woman with an emotionless impression gestured to one of the guards.
Once upon a time, in an ordinary forest, and within an unassuming thicket of trees, lies a mystical entrance - one blanketed in moss and overgrown with leafy foliage; an entrance that has long since been forgotten by the unyielding of time. However, should an unknowing traveller stumble upon it, should an unaware person enter it, the entrance would work its magic and transport them into the Enchanted Forest that bordered the fabled kingdom of Far Far Away, a realm rife with wonder, magic, and fantasia. Within the land of Far Far Away anything is possible: Knights and Princes break the curses that afflict their Princesses, the Big Bad Wolf and the Gentlemanly Fox fall in love, Royal Bastards and Court Maidens become Crown Princesses, and of course, captive Princesses find their freedom. But most importantly, regardless of the lives they lead, they live Happily Ever After.
It happens once upon a time; it’s felt twice upon twin beating hearts. The forest welcomes you to its world of myth and whimsy, where fables untold and long unspoken seek to enthrall and enrapture the unsuspected. Are you brave enough to trifle with the creatures found within? Are you kind enough to love the men and women whose curses and wishes are bound by the light of the moon? If you think your heart strong, come forward, come in. Each world has been curated by an author of magic, willing you to join the adventure.
Welcome to Once Upon a Fantasy! A collaborative event between a set of truly wonderful authors in celebration of all things fantasy, fairytales and romance hosted by yours truly!
NOTICE: ALL FICS CONTAIN SMUT. MINORS DNI.
⟶ AO3 Masterlist
⁂ oath in the moonlight
⤑ pairing: crown prince!namjoon x cursed maiden!reader
⤑ genre: angst ∴ fluff ∴ smut
⤑ tropes: royalty au. fantasy au. strangers to lovers au.
❝ Namjoon is running - from lots of things. From his parents, from his responsibilities as Prince, from the ever looming requirement to choose a Crown Princess before his father’s advisors challenge his right to the throne. Namjoon is running, and he is running directly to you - a maiden cursed to walk between the moonlight, a maiden cursed to love only in the dark. ❞
⏤ Based on Swan Lake; As Narrated by @jamaisjoons
❝ Castle Fox chimes thrice every night. Curious as to why you’re the only one stirring awake, you decide to investigate. You regret to not doing so sooner. ❞
⏤ Based on The Tale of Mr Fox; As Narrated by @inkedtae
❝ Being the only daughter of the Wicked King has kept you living in a sheltered life. Never once you were given the chance to see the world beyond the walls of your father’s old castle, and yet, it had never stopped you from hearing all the dark rumours of your father’s indiscretions which had left you to continue living in the shadows.
When the war comes, your father sends you to live in his castle by the sea for hiding and he left you with a new rule set in place. You are left with a set of keys, one which would lead you to travel through the thousand magical doors inside his castle, but you are to never leave through the front door or to step foot through the golden door at the end of the hall. The magical doors become your escape, giving you the chance to see the world that you had never seen before. Until one day, your life changes as one of the magical doors leads you to the Fairy Prince. The story is about the Fairy Prince, the sheltered Princess, and the encounter that shall lead you to lose yourself in the throes of passion, before revealing your father’s deepest and darkest secret of all. ❞
⏤ Based on Bluebeard; As Narrated by @yoonia
➵ Coming Soon
⁂ fermata
⤑ pairing: emperor!hoseok x court musician!reader
⤑ genre: angst ∴ fluff ∴ smut
⤑ tropes: royalty au. fantasy au. childhood friends to lovers.
❝ All your life, you and Hoseok swore you would marry. As children, it was easy to believe - no child ever really pays attention to their title. As adults, you find it harder and harder to believe he will find a way to convince his father to let him marry a lowly court musician. Ever the optimist, Hoseok remains undeterred, promising he is more in love with you than he as ever been. When Hoseok refuses an arranged marriage, the scorned princess uses her father’s magic and learns to mimic your voice, your song, even your demeanour. Under her spell, Hoseok falls deeply and quickly. Heartbroken, you leave the kingdom. But when you learn that Hoseok has fallen deathly ill, it seems only you could be the one to save him ❞
⏤ Based on The Nightingale; As Narrated by @yeoldontknow
➵ Coming Soon
⁂ the truth untold
⤑ pairing: high lord!jimin x royal bastard!reader
⤑ genre: angst ∴ fluff ∴ smut
⤑ tropes: faerie au. royalty au. fantasy au.
❝ For the last couple of years, the Autumn court has been waging war against the other fae courts until they all surrender to the rule of the faerie empire that the Autumn court is trying to build. In the Winter court, you have lived a harsh life as the High Lord’s bastard daughter, one devoid of love and affection. When the Autumn court demands up a bride from the Winter court, for the first time in your life you are being seen as useful and being offered as your sister’s replacement. There’s no telling what the Autumn court will do to you once your deceit is discovered but all you can hope for is that your new husband is more forgiving than the icy royals who you’ve lived beside your entire life. ❞
⏤ Based on The Princess and The Pauper; As Narrated by @opaljm
❝ Taehyung knows little of the beast that lurks in The Black Forest; the stories his parents told him as a young child long forgotten in his memory. To this day, the village’s skeptics do their best to dismiss that such a beast even exists, that is, until the details of the Duchess’ untimely death are revealed. When the Duke sets a generous bounty for the head of this monster, Taehyung knows it will be impossible to turn down this quest. He anticipates the hunt to be lengthy, tough at times, and even just a bit frightening. Though nothing quite prepares him for what he finds in those woods…. you. ❞
⏤ Based on Beauty and The Beast; As Narrated by @kookdiaries
➵ Coming Soon
⁂ to find the sheep
⤑ pairing: werewolf!jungkook x village girl!reader
⤑ genre: angst ∴ fluff ∴ smut
⤑ tropes: werewolf au. fantasy au. childhood friends to lovers.
❝ Reluctant to lose each other, you and your childhood love, Jungkook, plan to run away together when your parents arrange for you to marry a wealthy suitor. However, a beast that hunts in the shady outskirts of your village causes distress among the community by killing one of your own members. Seeking revenge, the people call upon an infamous monster hunter who brings knowledge that the roaming wolf, whom the village maintained an uneasy truce with, may in fact be any one of them. A series of attacks continue to spring up with each passing moon, striking pure fear and panic. As the nights go by, you soon discover how the creature is relentlessly pursuing not just anyone, but you. ❞
⏤ Based on Little Red Riding Hood; As Narrated by @kimtaehyunq
All writings are fiction and do not reflect on actual people.
🔞 No pieces are suitable for underage readers, and no profit is being made.
→ Links to stories posted only on Archive of Our Own
♡Of Skin ⋆Tattoo Artist ⋆ Arm Candy Good Stuffing Yummy and Bourbon Street, Baby!
♡Gingerbread Man ⋆ Baker ⋆ Completed Series Masterlist
Practice Fingering
New! Beautiful Confession ⋆ Fake Dating, Friends to Lovers
A Magician’s Assistant ⋆ Sex Worker
Down A Peg ♕ Restless Peg Syndrome ♕ Ramen Bowl ♕
→ Juicy Fruit
→ No Little Girls ♕
Reshoot ⋆ Photographer
Floorplay ⋆ Primal Play
→ Overflowing ⋆ Lactation Kink
Light Wash
Go Up
→ Sorry. He got tied up. ♕
Things That Go Bump In The Night ♕ and Trick or Treat ♕
Now I Lay Me ⋆ Incubus
Blood Hound
The Beauty of Blossoms
The Hands ⋆ Soldier
Body Service ♕
Good Pυssy
Good and Faithful ♕
Proper Stretching
Packing ⋆ Idol
My Spot ⋆ E2L
Two Is Better Fake Love Jungkook x Female Reader x Wings Jungkook
♡Serendipity ⋆ Soul Mates
Wanna Ride? ⋆ Motorcyclist
The Magician’s Apprentice ⋆ Sex Worker
Cam Boy
Wine and Cheese ⋆ Friends to Lovers
Thorns and Roses ⋆ Florist
→ Perks of the Singles Table
Familiar Tastes ⋆ Idol
Hits The Spot
Sized ⋆ Size Kink
Drips
→ Aphrodisiac
Come In From The Cold ⋆ Makeup Sex
S’more ⋆ Camping
Daisy Chain ♕
Art ♕
Pull ⋆ Demon
♡Been Hard ⋆ Idol
Nice Package
→ Noraebang
Plum
Bull
Cocky
Opened
→ Have It All
♡Too Perfect
Custom Wood ft. JK
Fast
Demon Dogs ⋆ Incubus ⋆ Yoongi x Reader x JK
Ring In The Tub
♡Two Brothers ⋆ Organized Crime ⋆
Yoongi x Reader x Jin
Slack
→ Coordi Noona
♡ Bespoke
From Lace
Answer With Video
Oh, Baby
Two Brothers ⋆ Organized Crime ⋆
Jin x Reader x Yoongi
→ A Friend From Work
A Dangerous Bed
Legacies ⋆ ’80s Con Artist
→Ticket To Ride
Masterlist For That Time I Took Requests And Wrote A Fic A Day
Requests Redux Hot Hot Heat Minifics
♡After All Night Series
Stories of life and sex after having a baby
ΒΒΣ Series Greek Life College AU OT7 5/7 Indefinite Hiatus
Nominated to be Beta Beta Sigma’s Sweetheart, you’ll be given letters and all of their privileges if you’re approved by the fraternity’s seven executive officers.
Link to up to date masterlist if needed
*♕ sub!BTS
**♡ an entirely unscientific blend of reader and writer favorite for each member
— synopsis: finding a job as a gap year student proves harder than you’d once believed and after weeks of searching you were almost close to giving up. that is, until you suddenly strike gold on a job of a lifetime and all you have to do is solely occupy a mansion. only problem is, you have no clue who it is you’re working for, yet he watches your every move. and before you know it you’re uncovering secrets of the underlying world that are better left hidden.
release date ⇢ tba | teaser | moodboard
↳ READ HERE
「❖」
; a thaumaturgy | m.
thaumaturgy; (n.) the working of wonders or miracles, magic
— synopsis: for as long as you know, a friendship between the likes of demons and angels has been forbidden, and for good reason. despite it though, you’ve been friends with a particular angel that you’d met at a bust operation. the dynamics you both had settled in, worked for the most part, but recently it seems as if your angel friend could want more. so what is to say of a possible romance when mere friendship is disowned?
release date ⇢ tba | teaser | moodboard
↳ READ HERE
「❖」
; the crepescular | m.
crepescular; (adj.) of, resembling, or relating to twilight
— synopsis: the crepescular is a yearly held event, a chance to catch up with neighbouring pacts and most importantly meet your mate. only thing is, consummation for higher powers is a very public affair and your mate happens to be the highest of the highest; the werewolf king.
release date ⇢ tba | teaser | moodboard
↳ READ HERE
「❖」
; roué | m.
roué; (n.) a person devoted to a life of sensual pleasure
— synopsis: your ex (satan) has had enough of watching you galavant around with your new boy toy. so he’s back in town to prove he can offer more than than the puny human you’re foolishly engaged to. or, don’t waste your time on a man that won’t fill that pretty asshole with cum.
release date ⇢ tba | teaser | moodboard
↳ READ HERE
「❖」
; phantasmagoric | m.
phantasmagoric; (adj.) having the appearance of an optical illusion, especially one produced by a magic lantern
— pairings: kim seokjin x reader
— genres: smut, angst, afterlife, angsty smut
— est. word count: 20k+
— synopsis: the collision should have killed you, it was fast and hard enough to have you dead at the site. yet somehow, you find yourself in limbo, reuniting with your dead boyfriend. and you’re given the once in a life time chance to bring him back to life. only, you have no idea how to do that.
release date ⇢ tba | teaser | moodboard
↳ READ HERE
「❖」
; a syzygy | m.
syzygy; (n.) an alignment of three celestial objects, as the sun, the earth, and either the moon or a planet
— synopsis: a 19th century pirate manages to spot you when the tides rock havoc and saves you from drowning in the middle of nowhere. but now it’s follow orders or be fed to the sharks. which would be fine if his orders didn’t include licking his dry cum from the deck floor.
release date ⇢ tba | teaser | moodboard
↳ READ HERE
「❖」
; orenda | m.
orenda; (n.) the spiritual power that people and animals inherit from their environment
— synopsis: it’s the year 2050 and some humans have harnessed the powers of eternal life for their selves. with high aspirations wanting to become one of the bred, you turn to the cold-hearted natural born for guidance. though he seems to be sabotaging you more than helping. now you have to find out, what is it about this that is such a burden to him?
welcome to my masterlist! please do not take and repost any of my fics to other websites. i have an ao3 at httpjeon and a wattpad at jvngukk. they are my only writing accounts outside of tumblr.
— change of pace | pornstar!au | s | 3.2k — read here
↳ synopsis: hardcore porn star Kim Seokjin begins his dabble in the world of vanilla porn. You’re his first co-star.
⇢ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴄᴋᴘɪʟᴇ
— folia | alien!au | a, f, s | 9.5k — read here
↳ synopsis: stressed from work, you’re sent on vacation to the beautiful, tropical planet of Liana where you meet a beautiful Folian man named Seokjin, who makes your vacation 10x better.
⇢ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴏғ sᴛᴀʀᴅᴜsᴛ
— mine for today | dating serivice!au | a, f, s | 6.1k — read here
↳ synopsis: as part of a special valentines day sale, you make a bid in hopes to get a special discounted date with one of the dreamy bachelors of club ardor. you decide to choose The Romantic.
⇢ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴄʟᴜʙ ᴀʀᴅᴏʀ
min yoongi
― love birds | pornstar!au | s, f | 6.5k — read here
↳ synopsis: being an adventurous couple has led you down a strange path of amateur pornography with your boyfriend Min Yoongi. you’re dubbed the Love Birds.
⇢ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴄᴋᴘɪʟᴇ
― clientele: cheat | escort!au | s,a | 3.1k — read here
synopsis: in your little black book, min yoongi is your client tonight.
― show | boyfriend!au | s | 2.1k | ft. ot6 — read here
synopsis: yoongi decides to show the boys how he makes his girl cum with his mouth alone
― keep the change | convenience store!au | s, a | 5.3k — read here
synopsis: typically an old man works the night shift at Greg’s Place. however, it seems there’s a new cute guy working the register at night now. and it just so happens it’s finals week…
― from the ashes | mythical shifter!au | f, s, a | 12k — read here
synopsis: you perform a spell to meet your familiar; what you don’t expect is a centuries-old phoenix to be the one attached to your soul.
⇢ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴏғ ʙᴇᴀsᴛs
jung hoseok
― barbarian | viking!au | s, f | 2.5k ― read here
synopsis: your husband, hoseok, comes home from a raid with the need to make you pregnant with his child
― velvet | porn star!au | s | 4k ― read here
synopsis: wanting to burn off some stress, you apply to attend a session at a kink dungeon. hoseok is your master.
⇢ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴄᴋᴘɪʟᴇ
― beleaguer | e2l, neighbor!au | s, a | 2.4k ― read here
synsopsis: your neighbor is a pain in the ass.
― hot bot: test | sex bot!au | s | 3.1k ― read here
synopsis: as a product tester, you have one of the most sought after temporary positions in Hot Bot Inc.
⇢ ʜᴏᴛ ʙᴏᴛ sᴘɪɴᴏғғ
― hypothermia | griffin shifter!hoseok | s, f, a | 10.4k ― read here
synopsis: lost while wandering, you find your life on the line when you begin to suffer the effects of hypothermia. as you collapse, near death, you swear you see an angel…
⇢ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴏғ ʙᴇᴀsᴛs
kim namjoon
― tell me more | pornstar!au | s | 2.4k ― read here
synopsis: as an up and coming porn actress, you jump at the opportunity to debut on Kim Namjoon’s Casting Couch.
⇢ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴄᴋᴘɪʟᴇ
― good to me | date-for-hire!au | a, s, f | 10.3k ― read here
synopsis: club ardor holds a special raffle for a free night with a man who will supposedly be the boyfriend of your dreams. you definitely don’t expect to win.
⇢ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴄʟᴜʙ ᴀʀᴅᴏʀ
park jimin
― busanbaby95 | cam boy!jimin | s, f, a | 4.8k ― read here
synopsis: your friend and co-worker does cam porn. After some unfortunate events, he asks you to join him in his…hobby.
⇢ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴄᴋᴘɪʟᴇ
― casual clothes | sex therapist!au | s, f | 4.2k ― read here
synopsis: seeing a therapist for your sexual troubles is one thing but to land yourself in bed with the very man who knows your problems is a whole other thing.
― the hunt | white stag shifter!jimin | a,f, s | 8k ― read here
synopsis: every decade, your village holds a hunt to find a legendary white stag which live in the surrounding forest. in recent years, the hunt has become harder as the population of white stags have declined. this year is your first time participating.
⇢ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴏғ ʙᴇᴀsᴛs
― make me hot | ceo!jimin | s | 2.3k ― read here
synopsis: you messed up a presentation in front of your boss. he calls you up to his office.
― blowing dandelions | f2efl | a, f, s | 7.8k ― read here
synopsis: as a child, you met park jimin. as an adult, the same jimin is much different.
― collateral damage | wild west!au, outlaw!jiin | f, s | 5.2k ― read here
synopsis: you’re a simple bank teller and you certainly didn’t expect to be taken as collateral for outlaw bank-robber park jimin.
― hot bot: fear | android!au | f, s, a | 5.2k ― read here
synopsis: fear is primal and causes one to make stupid decisions.
⇢ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ʜᴏᴛʙᴏᴛ
― lovebug | hybrid!au | f, s, a | 12k ― read here
synopsis: hybrids are lovable companions for humans. unfortunately, most people simply want a cat or dog with which they can cuddle and love on. while looking for one to adopt, a lonesome hybrid of an unusual breed catches your eye.
kim taehyung
― 1-800-music-street | homeless!tae | s, f, a | 13.2k ― read here
synopsis: you’re enchanted by a street performer and then he saves you, resulting in multiple meetings one can only describe as fate.
― work of art | pornstar!au, tattooed!tae | s | 3.1k ― read here
synopsis: when you first meet porn newbie Kim Taehyung, you didn’t expect much. but once the clothes come off, you’re in for a wild ride.
⇢ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴄᴋᴘɪʟᴇ
― hot bot: gift | sex bot!tae | s, f | 3.8k ― read here
synopsis: your parents have a gift for you, however, there’s been a mistake
⇢ ʜᴏᴛ ʙᴏᴛ sᴘɪɴᴏғғ
― tattooed two | tattoo artist!au | s, f | 8.5k | ft. jungkook ― read here
synopsis: your boyfriend’s best friend joins you for a night you’ll never forget.
― warm | roommate!au | s, f | 3k ― read here
synopsis: you return home to see your roommate jerking off on the couch
― king of the clouds | royal!au, arranged marriage | s, f, a | 4.7k ― read here
synopsis: you were in an arranged marriage with a man you’re convinced isn’t fit to be your husband. he’s got his head too high in the clouds.
― witch’s brew | witch!tae | s | 3.1k ― read here
synopsis: after a year of trying to get pregnant, your husband makes a special brew to make sure you get pregnant this time.
― blacklisted | dom/sub!au | a, f, s | 21.4k | ft. jungkook ― read here
synopsis: after departing from your dom, you’re assigned to two incredibly powerful men.
― a piece of you | abo!au | f, s | 13.9k | ft. jungkook ― read here
synopsis: your alpha boyfriend does cam porn and convinces you to join him one night. somehow, there seems to be a fan of the two of you on campus.
― sehebon | alien!au | a, f, s | 16.5k ― read here
synopsis: you find yourself on izo huen, home to the sehebon. luckily for you, you’ve arrived at an interesting time.
― by chance | hybrid!au | a, f, s | 11.8k ― read here
synopsis: on an adventure, you stumble upon a jackalope. the creature ends up saving your life, leading to an unexpected turn of events.
⇢ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴏғ ʙᴇᴀsᴛs
jeon jungkook
― try out | pornstar! au | s, f, a | 6.6k ― read here
synopsis: dating a porn star wasn’t easy. jealousy can run rampant if there’s no communication.
⇢ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴄᴋᴘɪʟᴇ
― simply.cute97 | cam couple!au | s, f | 6.5k ― read here
synopsis: you’re popular camgirl simply.cute97. domjeon09 is your biggest fan.
― tattooed two | tattoo artist!au | s, f | 8.5k | ft. taehyung ― read here
synopsis: your boyfriend’s best friend joins you for a night you’ll never forget.
― floods in a flame | dragon!jk, mermaid!reader | s, f | 7.1k ― read here
synopsis: getting trapped beneath ice leads to an unexpected opportunity.
― sinful knight | knight!jk, princess!reader | s | 2.4k ― read here
synopsis: even though you’re due to be married to Prince Jimin, you can’t help letting your Knight, Jungkook, into your bed.
― blacklisted | dom/sub!au | a, f, s | 21.4k | ft. taehyung ― read here
synopsis: after departing from your dom, you’re assigned to two incredibly powerful men.
― talk | f2l, sex worker!au | yoongi/reader | s | ✎
ɪɴᴅᴇx: 01 | 02
― take the throne | vampire!au | yoongi/reader | f, a | ⊗
ɪɴᴅᴇx: 01 | 02
― bunny blues | hybrid!au | yoongi/reader/jungkook | a, f, s | ✎
ɪɴᴅᴇx: 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08
― something’s not right | possession!au | a, s, f | ✓
ɪɴᴅᴇx: 01 | 02
― hot bot | sex bot!jk | s, f, a | masterlist ― ⊗
ɪɴᴅᴇx: 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05
― risk it all | hybrid!au | jungkook/reader | a, f, s | masterlist ― ✓
ɪɴᴅᴇx: 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05
― together | couple!au | jungkook/readre | s, f | masterlist ― ✎
ɪɴᴅᴇx: smokin’ | gamin’ | drinkin’ | tattooed | first time
― y is a crooked letter | hybrid!au | | jungkook/reader | a, f, s
ɪɴᴅᴇx: 01
m i n i m a s t e r l i s t s
― book of beasts | mythological shifter one-shot series
― club ardor | dating service au one-shot series
― hot bot | android au series
― made of stardust | alien one-shot series
― risk it all | hybrid jungkook au
― the cockpile | porn star one-shot series
― together series | couple jungkook one-shot series
While watching the third episode of In The Soop, I think I finally understood why bts have been so successful both worldwide and domestically.
What I saw in this last episode was a group of boys who love music, just as much as they love each other. Not idols, not celebrities, just boys. Seeing them play with blocks, cook and sing together in a way that brought them joy was something very refreshing. And as a fan, it warmed my heart that in those few days they had for relaxation they didn't stop playing the piano or the guitar and singing together. Namjoon raps in Ddaeng "We celebrate rather than being celebrities", and oh boy, I felt that all the way in this episode. Making a theme song out of nowhere and recording a draft without having any obligation to do so.
I know they don't usually work like that, but to me, this moment was when I realized what bts had that other groups don't. BTS are true artists. Always creating and humming something, being fully into their craft even when they don't have to.
There are many groups out there that are close to each other and love their time together, but there are very few groups that fully create what they put out. The average kpop group sings songs written and produced by others, gets dressed by others, completing concepts that others gave them. Their is no personality, no opinion, they are just being celebrities with pretty faces and nice dance skills. This is not to be offensive to anyone cause THIS IS LITTERALLY WHAT THEY GET SCOUTED FOR.
BTS on the other hand is not composed of artificially trained idols. RM was an underground rapper, Jin studied acting, Suga was a long time producer, J- Hope was an underground dancer, Jimin an exceptional contemporary dancer, Tae wasn't even going to audition and got in anyways. And Jungkook... Well monster trainee Jungkook had gotten offers from a bunch of major companies and yet, chose bighit despite knowing that he might not get as big and successful with them. He stayed because he saw something special in that team.
See, BTS is not just some idol group constructed by the best trainees around, it's a group of artists, each of them having their unique personality and story. What they have is real world experience and passions. BTS might not have been the best around, but they built each other up from the ground, helping each other and sharing pieces from their individual stories. It's not a coincidence that they motto is "Teamwork makes dreamwork".
BTS truly puts parts of themselves into everything they create. From the storyline in BU to the heartwarming lyrics and visuals, every concert and every album, you can feel the effort they put in every second. Of course they have a huge team behind them to help them around and arrange things for them, but you can always feel the authenticity and sincerity behind their message.
With BTS it never feels forced or artificial, it's natural and organic and this is what fans all over the world feel when they see the seven bulletproof boys on the screen. BTS, despite their huge achievements, ways feels human and down to earth. Army can feel their happiness and pain unfiltered, we cry and laugh together cause we know that we walk this road together. BTS and ARMY are synonymous. It's a relationship that is hard to understand and describe, but if I were to name it something, it would be a bond. A bond you and I make with 7 boys and millions of other people all over the world, it's a family.
In a small wooden house somewhere, or nowhere, lay the unconscious body of a young girl. Her hair scattered on the white sheets, she looked rather peaceful. The breeze played with the pearly white curtains, the air was easier to breathe down here.
In time unknown, the heavy eyes of the sleeping girl started rebelling against her dreamworld. Her vision still blurry, she could only determine the shapes and colors of objects. It was daytime. Rising up, she felt a sharp pain in her head.
“What happened?” She thought to herself.
Her vision clearing up, she could see the odd room she was placed in. The walls, the bed and all the furniture were made from white wood. Specks of brown and blue could be seen on some of the interior. The architecture of this room indicated it was far from the village she had grown in. She attempted to stand up, but her legs were still weak, and she fell back the soft sheets of the bed.
Falling, she noticed the large window placed above the headboard. The sky was clear, she noted. Taking a moment to breathe the air in, her heartbeat stopped for a second. She didn’t know if she was afraid or dying to peak outside the window. Lifting herself up, she saw what she thought she never would.
Before her, lay a golden sandy beach, and further down lay… the ocean.
She stood up using all her power and rubbed her eyes. “How did I get here?” Were her first thoughts. Fighting the unbearable headache, she tried to scan her last memories. She remembered being in the forest, she remembered being hunted and... Jimin, he had promised to take her to the sea. Was he the one that brought her here?
“How long has it been?” She wondered. She tried to think again. She had seen the moon and then... the kiss. She touched her lips, trying to bring the feeling back. It felt so serine kissing him, it felt like what she always longed for. She wanted to do it again.
“Where is Jimin?” She searched the house, but he was nowhere to be found. She got outside, feeling the sand touch her bare feet. Looking down, she no longer wore the heavy clothes traditionally worn in her village, a thin white dress was now covering her body, flowing freely with the ocean breeze.
She had to find Jimin. She looked around. The house seemed to be the only building around. Behind the house, there were some trees and rocks forming a tropical forest. He must have gone to the forest to get something, she thought. She walked towards the nearest trees screaming his name. Nothing. She didn’t dare go into the forest alone, remembering the last time she was in a forest.
Zale decided to wait for him to return. She turned towards the sea. It was beautiful, the air was warm, but not hot, the sand felt pleasant against her feet. Who would have known her first encounter with the sea would have been like this. She felt scared and lonely, she needed answers and at the same time, her heart was beating faster than ever, she was at the place she was meant to be.
She sat down near the shore. The waters were a crystal turquoise green. The coast extended further than the eye could see. On one end, the sandy beach mingled with some rocky boulders. Maybe this was all a dream. Spellbound by the view, she fell asleep with the sound of the waves crashing on the shore.
🔹
On a long rocky mountain road, an unusual traveler galloped on his horse. His journey was worth it. Energized by his recent meal, he was now searching for another unlucky soul to satisfy its longed desires. In this area, not many knew about the ocean, the girl he had found, was in a way, very special because of that. He loved to collect rare gems in his collection, and that exactly made him travel all the way to find her.
The sun was setting down, and his thoughts drafted to her. Maybe it was time to visit her. A small guest house was the perfect place to find some needed rest.
🔹
Zale was awakened by a beautiful melody. It had a gentle and captivating air, almost angel-like. She stood up and searched for the source of the sound. Nothing could be seen, but she felt like it was coming from the nearby boulders. She decided to follow it. She cautiously climbed the rock, but nothing was to be found there. She listened again. She needed to follow the rocky coast line. Stepping carefully on the rough terrain she continued her mission.
The sound kept getting louder and louder, as she approached the unknown singer. It had led her to a cave. All fear was now absent, she mindlessly entered the underground grotto. As she descended in the cave and the sound kept getting more and more clear, she saw a body of water, and then a person resting on one of the submerged rocks. At first, it was hard to see their face due to the minimal light that penetrated the subterranean area, but as she approached, a familiar face came into view.
“Jimin!” She chanted happily. However, as the distance shrank, she could very clearly see a fish tail instead of legs attached to his body.
“Jimin.” This time her tone was serious. “How?”
All this time he kept looking at her with loving eyes, continuing his song and letting his tail move freely in the water.
“Did you like the sea?” He said in gentle voice, ending his song.
“How did we get here? And how did you... you... have a tail.” She said confused.
“I always had a tail, dear. I told you, I am a sea creature.” He said ignoring the first question. “Can you guess what I am?” He said playfully.
She took a step towards him, she was now able to see him more clearly. His tail was pale silvery blue, the same as his now wet hair. The scales blended with his human skin seamlessly. His upper body was pale and gave a similar shine as his tail. He looked to be glowing even in this low light. He looked... divine.
“Are you a mermaid?”
“Of course she thinks I am a mermaid.” He thought smirking. He contemplated whether to lie about his identity. He decided not to, she had to learn anyways.
“No, I am more than that, my dear.”
“You are a siren!” She said letting a little gasp escape her lips. His smile gave it all. She had read that sirens lured the sailors with their alluring songs and made them wreck their ships on the rocks in order to feed on their souls.
“Are you going to kill me?” She said terrified. She tried to take a step back, but she couldn’t. His song seemed to have an effect on her. She could no longer escape.
Jimin on the other hand looked at his pray amused. Did she not already know she was dead? He questioned himself. He didn’t like to keep the guests for long in their little paradises, but this time, maybe he could play a little longer.
“No. I would never hurt you, Zale.” He said looking deeply into her eyes. “I just wanted us to enjoy the ocean together. “
“How did we get here?” Her mind was telling her not to trust him, but her heart seemed to believe his words. She was enchanted and she knew it, but the moment he asked her to take a seat by the water, she had complied without any reluctance.
“Do you remember the night in the forest?” She nodded. “You were attacked by an animal. You lost consciousness, and in order to save you, I took you into this world. You are in dreamland, my dear.”
“Dreamland?” She asked confused.
“This water, this beach, this world, is not real.“ He took her feet from the rock and moved them in the water. “Your soul can stay here while your body is still too weak to take its burden.” He said with fake comparison. He was used to lying to his victims, but even for him, giving hope to a person whose body is decaying somewhere in a forest was brutal. For the first time in a while, he felt guilty. His pride however, would never let him show it, he was already too deep into the lie.
The night passed quickly. The entranced girl and the dreamy boy talked about anything and everything. It felt calm and tranquil. Even if she knew she was under his influence, she did not want to leave. In a way... she trusted him. When the sun was about to rise in the real world, Jimin excused himself and swam outside the imaginary realm she was situated in, leaving behind a promise that he would come next night.
🔹
The following day, a sleepy girl had just woken up in her comfy bed. She didn’t want to get up, it was nice just laying around and doing nothing, but she needed to go downstairs and open the meeting room for guests. She slowly rose up. Opening her eyes fully, she realized that there was no meeting room here nor there were guests. She was in a dreamworld, all by herself and… a very dangerous creature.
Panic overtook her body as the memories from last night flooded her mind. She stood up quickly and searched for Jimin. Luckily, he was nowhere to be found. She remembered him swimming away last night and telling her to go back to the little house. She was now alone. She hated being alone, but she surely preferred it over being alone with a dangerous predator.
Did she really believe he was going to hurt her? She remembered him telling her that he had protected her from the wild animal and he was providing her with a safe place to rest. Could she trust him? What if it was all a trap? But he had shielded her that night in the forest right? But then again, if he was in fact benevolent then why did he lure her last night? And despite this, he did not hurt her, to the contrary, she had felt at home with him. Her head started hurting. He was making her paranoid. She had to clear her thoughts.
As she was about to exit the house, her stomach reminded her of her hunger. She went back in and searched the place for some food. In one of the cupboards she found some bread and fruits. It was enough for the day, but she knew that it wouldn’t last her much longer. She had to either find food on the island or ask Jimin for it. She opted for the second option, she didn’t want to risk going to the forest alone.
After eating, she decided to look around the house. She had been walking barefoot for the past day and the long dress wasn’t something she was used to wearing. The house wasn’t big and it seemed like it wasn’t meant for long stays. She didn’t find any spare clothes or shoes. She had to ask Jimin for that too. She found a knife and cut the length of the dress so it reached till her mid calves. She then used the cut fabric to wrap her hair in a bun. She felt much more comfortable now.
The beach was pleasant as always. There were some waves, but they weren’t too big or threatening. She wanted to go inside. She felt her feet touch the wet sand first and then a wave came and washed over them. The water was colder than what she had expected. Nonetheless, it felt refreshing with the dazzling sun burning her skin. She took another step towards the sea, and then another one. Now the sea barely touched the ends of her dress. At this depth, she decided to take a seat.
Thoughts of Jimin came to her mind. She felt scared and unsure. The ocean breeze didn’t feel liberating, as she had imagined it to, it fled her mind with worry and uncertainty. Could she trust him?
The sun began to set over the horizon. The sky was colored orange and pink, casting its colors into the water’s surface. It reminded her of the golden fish in the water barrel. Maybe it was destiny. Maybe she had to enjoy this fake mirage till he could take her to the real sea, till she returns to the real world.
She looked into the void of the ocean until the sun no longer shined. The moon took its place over the endless ocean. She didn’t feel sleepy at all, on the contrary, the moon glow made her even more awake.
A decorated metal lantern was set behind to her on the sand. Soon after she felt hands on her shoulders.
“You did like my sea after all.” He said seating on the shore.
“It’s beautiful.” Was all she could mutter. “The moon. It’s full moon, like the day in the forest.” She said, not bothering to look at him.
“It’s the same moon, in fact.” He said truthfully. “We are still in that magic hour.”
She looked at him, waiting for him to continue his explanation. His next words never came. He just stared at the moon.
“I am hungry.” She said after a few minutes in silence.
This place wasn’t meant to host people for long. He reminded himself. “Let’s catch something to eat then.” He said lifting himself from the sand.
“I am not going to the forest again.” She said looking up at him.
“Who said we are going to the forest? Look ahead.” He said motioning towards the sea. “Come on, follow me.”
She stood up. The coldness of the night immediately hit her wet skin. She had forgotten she was sitting in the water. “I need to change clothes.” She gestured towards her now wet dress.
He looked at her wet figure. He didn’t have any spare clothes. Nobody stayed here for more than a day. He wasn’t very hospitable to say it frankly.
“Let’s go inside the house. We will figure something.”
Entering the house, he searched for some sort of fabric for her to wear. “Damn it. Next time I should add at least some clothes.” He said under his breath. In his quest, he found the old fishing net he had used a long time ago. “This will help.” He said handing it to the girl.
“You want me to wear the fishing net?” She said giving him a questionable look.
“No, this is for the fishing part.” He smiled, amused at her silly question. He then turned around and untucked his shirt.
“What are you doing?” She asked as he started unbuttoning it.
“Here, take this.” He said giving it to her.
“What? Isn’t there anything else?” She looked around the room.
“Well if you don’t wanna dress in a curtain.” He said jokingly. At first she was reluctant to take his shirt but then she looked at the net in her hands and the soaked dress she was wearing.
“Turn around.” She said snatching it from his hands.
They were now walking on the sandy beach. He had promised to take her to a boat that they could use to fish. He walked in front of her, holding her hand. She looked at the bare skin of his upper body. It gave a silvery glow under the moonlight, it reminded her of the previous night when he was in the water. If he could swim, then why did he need a boat?
Soon after, a dock and a boat appeared on the beach.
“Jimin, I can’t swim.” She said looking at him with worried eyes.
“Don’t worry, I can.” He said climbing the wooden dock. The boat was small and it could barely withstand their weights. Nonetheless, he helped her get in and seat on one side. The rope that was keeping it still, was soon untied and with the help of Jimin’s paddling, they started floating in the depths.
The voyage in the waters was quiet. Zale enjoyed the first time she sailed. At times she let her hand down to touch the surface of the sea, the water looked and felt different in lowlight, melancholic was the word if she had to describe it. When they arrived at a good depth, he stopped paddling and threw the net into the sea.
“Now we wait.” He said finally turning towards her.
In a few awkward seconds, she decided to break the silence.
“How am I doing in the real world?” She didn't dare meet his eyes.
“You want to go back?” He answered with a question.
“It’s lonely here.” As much as she enjoyed the ocean view and her time with him, she missed being surrounded by people and talking with strangers. As much as she wanted to break free from her isolated village, she couldn’t deny that her heart truly belonged there. The ocean was just a fantasy, a dream, she never thought she would accomplish… And at this moment, she wished she had not accomplished. She wanted to go back home.
He looked at her remaining silent. Maybe keeping her here was selfish. She wouldn’t want to spend time with him if she knew what he had done to her.
He pulled the net out of the water. There wasn’t a lot of fish at this time of the day, only two were caught in it.
“It’s not a lot, but you will survive the day.” He said trying to lighten the mood.
“Don’t you feel bad killing it? Aren’t you one of them… kind of?”
“No.” He answered simply. He took a short break, trying to sort his next words. “It’s nature, you kill or be killed.”
“That’s a cruel way to live.” She watched the fish struggle on the wooden floor of the boat.
“Aren’t you hungry?” He began paddling towards the shore. “If you don’t eat for a few days, your body will become weak. You will have no energy, you won’t be able to walk, soon, you won’t even have the will to walk.” He talked from experience. “And eventually, you will die.” He stopped all motion and looked directly into her eyes. “It is a cruel way to live. But it’s either kill or die.” He took out a small pocket knife and handed it to her. “End its suffering.”
She looked at the metal blade he held. Her stomach was starting to hurt, she needed the food, but her mind couldn’t just let her kill the fish. She wasn’t a killer, but he was right, if she didn’t do it, she will die. She took the knife.
Jimin watched her take the flapping fish with her trembling hands. In a second, her hands were covered in blood. She immediately dropped both the fish and the knife and looked into the eyes of the siren before her. She couldn’t believe what she had just done. Her eyes were overtaken by guilt.
Jimin just stared back emotionless. To him, the blood on dripping from her fingertips justified his own actions to her. She had done the same. She was no longer innocent.
🔹
That same fish was now cooked over the beach fire they had lit. Although the blood was long washed away, Zale kept feeling it on her hands. She was a killer.
Seeing her visible discomfort Jimin spoke. “You did the right thing.” He reassured. “It’s normal, the first time always hunts you the longest.”
“I won’t do it again.” She said, looking at the burnt scales of the fish.
“Well… Then I would advise you to slim your food consumption. These two fishes won’t last you for more than a day.”
He took one of them off the fire when he thought it was ready and chopped a piece, handing it to her. She took a small bite. It didn’t taste bad at all, but the guilt in her stomach didn’t let her enjoy the taste. It was just a bite of food, so she doesn’t die, she tried to make herself feel better with that thought.
Jimin left after she had finished her meal. He took her to her bed and tucked her in, leaving a sweet kiss on her forehead. She wished, she didn't eat that night.
🔹
He now traveled the mountains on the back of his horse. He was moving fast. It wasn’t long after he sensed something. A free spirit was present, from what he could feel, it was less than two days away. He headed towards his next target.
🔹
Zale woke up in the same little house, in the same white bed. She looked outside the window. No feelings were present this time. No excitement, no fear, no thrill. A state of apathy had taken over her. She washed herself and wore Jimin’s shirt.
Her mind was a mess, but she didn’t want to deal with it at the moment. She didn’t really care. The second fish was waiting on the table for her, but she didn’t feel hungry.
Exiting the little house, she headed to the forest this time. At least the trees could keep her company, she thought. She didn’t go too deep, just enough for her to feel surrounded by something. The abundant bushes and trees were a big contrast to the vastness of the sea. For some reason, it felt safer, as if nature was embracing and empathizing with her.
Tears began rolling down her cheeks. She didn’t know why, and it didn’t matter at this moment. She had been feeling lonely for the past days. Jimin was the only person around, and even then, she didn’t know if she could trust him. For all she knew, he was very deadly and could attack her at any time. She didn’t know why he was protecting her, if he was even protecting her. Why was he sweet and kind to her? Why did he kiss her that night? He was hiding something, but she was too afraid to ask.
Yesterday's memories came to her mind. The tears now on her hands felt like blood. “You either kill or die.” He said. But she didn’t want to kill anymore. She didn’t want to live killing. She couldn’t get his insensitive eyes out of her mind. He looked proud and satisfied with her actions. Maybe he was a beast, after all. She felt like the fish flapping hopelessly on the wooden floor of the boat. Maybe he was already holding the knife ready to kill her.
The tears dried on her cheeks only when her eyes closed and she lost consciousness from exhaustion.
🔹
Jimin had just fallen asleep and moved to dreamland to visit his guest. He searched for her in the house and around the beach, but she was nowhere to be found. He looked for her in the underground cave, she wasn’t there either. He started to worry. Was yesterday’s meeting too much for her?
He headed to the forest and tried to look for her. It wasn’t long after that he found her asleep under a tree. He noticed the dried tears on her face. Was she that unhappy? He sat next to her on the grass and moved the hair away from her face. He had to admit to himself that he liked her company, but he didn’t want to see her struggle in this world. Furthermore, he had to feed himself too. If he were to kill his next target, he knew they would come here. Even if he was powerful enough to keep two souls in this dreamworld, he had to kill one of them sooner or later.
He was getting attached to her and this wasn’t any good. He had to let her go. Nobody wanted to be with him anyway when they learned what he was and what he did to people. The terrified expression she had when she first learned about his identity came to his mind.
“Even if I were to keep you here for longer, you will still hate me.”
He petted her head. His gentle touches brought Zale back to reality. She slowly opened her eyes.
“Jimin.” He could see the pain in her eyes. He wanted to make her happy even if it was the last night they spend together.
“I am sorry about yesterday. I shouldn’t have made you do it.” He said, not letting his hands away from her.
“It’s okay. It’s for survival, isn’t it?” She said looking weakly at him.
“Hmm. What do you want to do tonight? Didn’t you always want to be here?”
“I want to go home.” Her words broke his heart. She was miserable.
“You wanted to swim right? Let me teach you how to swim.” He said with hopeful eyes.
She thought about his offer for a second. All this time she was either under a spell or was lonely and sad. Maybe this was her chance to have some fun. Maybe if she learned to swim, she would be able to enjoy her time here.
“Promise me you won’t leave me alone in the middle of the sea.”
“Never.” He said getting up and offering his hand.
They went to the seashore and took off their clothes, staying only in their undergarments. The water was pleasantly cool. He took her hand and guided her inwards. She was stepping carefully in the water since there were small rocks where the waters were still shallow. Once the water reached up to her tummy, she began stepping on her tiptoes as the cold water touched the sensitive area.
“Aren’t you cold?” She said as he was continuing to go even deeper.
He turned around and looked at her with amusement. “The open sea is was colder.” He said and he suddenly splashed water in her direction. He kept splashing her till she was fully wet. She decided to do the same. Both were splashing water at each other’s direction while laughing and screaming.
In an instant, Jimin stopped splashing. She cautiously opened her eyes, afraid not to get splashed with the salty water in her eyes. He was gone. Just as she was about to call his name, somebody gripped her left food and lifted it, making her rotate in the opposite direction. She fell backward, but because of the shallow depth, she quickly regained balance on her feet.
“That’s not fair.” She said while he was laughing.
“Who said we were playing fair?” He said with a cheeky tone.
“You promised to teach me to swim.” She complained with a pout.
He mimicked her pout teasingly. She had never seen this dorky side of him until now. He took her hand again and dragged her deeper. When the water began touching the hem of her bra she started worrying.
“I think we are deep enough.” She said holding tightly onto his hand.
“Ok then.” He let go of her hand. “You know your body is lighter than the water, so if you were to just relax, you would still float.” He leaned back and just laid in the water like it was nothing.
“You can breathe and talk while being like this, it’s not hard at all.” He lifted himself up and stood in front of her.
“It’s easy to say when you are part fish.”
“C’mon, I’ll help you.” He took position on her side. “Imagine there is a bed under you, just slowly lift your legs and lay down. I’ll hold you if you were to sink.” He put his hand under her waist for support as she was lifting her legs.
She was too stiff and couldn’t let both her legs to float, ending up lifting only one. Her spine was curved, trying to keep her head over the water but sinking her stomach. Jimin pushed her lower back, trying to fix her position, but the sudden motion disturbed her balance and she stood back up.
“Honestly, you should have seen yourself.” He said giggling. “You can never float like that.” He imitated her position in the water showing her how weird she looked. “You must let your head fall back, like when you are laying on a flat surface and lift your stomach.” He said correcting his position and showing her how easy it was.
He got up and picked her bridal style. “What are you doing?” She complained, wrapping her hands around his neck.
“Don’t hold onto me. Let your hands fall freely.” He told her and she did exactly that, looking up at him. “Now, I will slowly lower you into the water and I want you to stretch your body, okay?” She nodded.
He gently placed her in the water and she began stretching out her legs. When he felt that her lower body was submerged and floating, he moved his hands to her upper and lower back respectively. “Now, I want you to let your head fall back. I promise to lift you if water gets into your eyes or nose.” He lowered her a bit more and she extended her spine till her head was touching the water. “Now, just bring your tummy up. The water should cover your ears.” He said pushing under her waist. She was now laying completely flat on the water’s surface. “That’s it. I will remove my hands now. Don’t worry, you will float if you stay like that.” He said gently, letting her float alone, but still being cautious, in case she panics.
She couldn’t believe she was floating by herself. She relaxed herself completely. He was right, it was like laying on a bed. She closed her eyes, feeling the waves bring her up and down. For the first time during these days, she felt exactly like she thought she would. She felt free.
“You okay?” He said, bringing her out of her thoughts. The sound of his voice startled her and she got back up. “Yeah, I am alright. It just felt… nice.” She said looking at the glowing boy.
They kept playing in the water for hours. She had learned to float by herself. As she enjoyed her newly learned skill, Jimin dragged her across the ocean. He even taught her how to swim on her back. They laughed and played together in the now black sea, under the moonlight.
At one moment when they got exhausted from all the swimming and playing around, Jimin spoke. “Is it okay if he got a little deeper so I can use my tail?”
She looked at him with uncertainty, sure, she now knew some basic swimming, but she was still afraid not being able to step on the sand when she needed to.
“I want to show you something.” He said coming closer and taking her hands in his. “I’ll keep you safe, I promise.” He placed a kiss on her knuckles.
“Okay.” She nodded.
They went a little deeper, now the water reached up to her chin. He instructed her to wait there until he returned. He swam away into the depths. After a few seconds of him not coming back, she began to worry. The waves made her step onto her tiptoes. As she was about to turn around, she felt strong hands wrap around her.
“You can’t escape from me.” He said hugging her with a smile. At this distance, she could see his blue eyes more clearly. When he wasn’t in his human form, they glowed with little sparkles and stars. It was easy to get lost.
“Hold onto me, baby. I will show you something.” She held onto his shoulders and he brought her legs around his waist. She was now wrapped around him like a backpack.
“I will swim underwater, so you should hold your breath and close your eyes. I will come to the surface when you need to breathe, okay?”
She took a deep breath and they were now swimming in the cold waters. She could feel him taking them up and down, as she needed to breathe every once in a while. The ride wasn’t long, but she was sure it would have taken much longer if they were to swim in their human form.
In a few short minutes, he ascended up for the last time. “We are here.” He said pushing her legs off his waist. Still holding onto his shoulders, she opened her eyes. They were under some rocks in what appeared to be a partially underwater cave. She could hear her heavy breathing very loudly. There were long crevices on one of the walls that allowed the moonlight to shine inside, creating a beautiful effect in the water.
Jimin turned around to face the astounded girl. She stretched her legs, but she couldn’t feel the ground underneath, so she kept holding onto him, practically hugging him. He wrapped his hands around her too.
“How do you feel?” He asked while looking at her. She could feel his breath on her skin.
“Exhausted.” She said even though he was the one that did all the job.
“No, I mean… about today.” He said hesitantly, afraid of her answer.
“Today was… great. It was what I always wanted to do. Thank you.” She said sincerely.
“No, thank you.” He said and he connected their lips. It was different from last time, yet so similar. This time, it wasn’t a random kiss, they both felt something at that moment. They had grown close. She remembered all the fear and excitement, the tears and the smiles. He had made her feel so much during these past days, but none of it mattered at this moment, she just wanted him close.
On the other hand, Jimin just wanted to feel her lips one last time, one last time before the final farewell. He wanted to keep her happy in his memories. She was one of the few that was not afraid of him, even after she knew his identity. She looked at him with soft and loving eyes, she trusted him, even in the water, even with his tail. It was the first time he had felt accepted. It might have been selfish, but he wanted to keep that accepting figure forever like that. He couldn’t bear to see the fear in her eyes again.
“I am sorry.” He said breaking the kiss. She looked into his eyes with confusion. He placed a loving kiss on her forehead.
“I’ll miss you, baby.” A tear rolled on his cheek. He connected their lips again before she could notice it. The kiss lasted long, as more tears kept rolling down his cheeks. He pushed her body backward until she was laying in the water. She soon felt the water engulf her ears. He kept pushing as the water now reached her mouth and began filling it in between their lips. When she realized what was happening, it was already too late, her whole face was now underwater. She began fighting for air as she was being dragged down in the depths. The kiss never stopped, he held her close as the last air bubbles escaped her lips and her body gave up on its efforts to survive. That last moment of hope, he opened his eyes and saw her eyelids fall down heavy, an image he was not going to forget. Their lips parted in a moment of hesitation. It was already too late.
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Zale came from a small village located high up in the mountains. So high, that travelers found it hard to breathe at this altitude. The place was remote and communication with the outside world difficult. The local population relied on farming and livestock to survive, keeping their traditional methods and craftsmanship.
When she was little, her grandfather had gifted her a book. A story about a place far away from the one she lived in, a story about the seas. She had fallen in love with the idea of the ocean, an infinite body of water you could sail in, an infinite body of opportunities. She had read that people could just float in water and let it carry their weight, she had read about all kinds of sea creatures, mermaids and sirens. The story of the ocean made her dream of a place far bigger and greater than the isolated village she was living in.
As she grew up, more and more travelers started passing through her village, carrying all kinds of new materials and inventions. The once remote village had now become a stop on a popular trade route. Her family had opened a resting place for the travelers, providing them with shelter and food during their stay. She was working in the meeting area. A place where the visitors could enjoy their drink while chatting together. It was a great opportunity for her to meet people from different places and learn about their traditions and ways of living.
One cloudy morning, a young man had walked into the meeting place. He did not look like the other visitors, his hair was silvery white despite his young age and his eyes were a striking blue color. His features were soft and angelic, he looked like he didn’t belong to this world. His slightly parted lips and heavy breathing indicated he hasn’t been in the village for long.
“Welcome sir, would you like something to drink?” Zale asked.
“Yes, make me something I can only find in this place.” He said sitting on one of the tables.
Zale made the client a traditional juice from local berries and sat on the table with him. The place was meant for talking and when there were no other clients around, she usually took the lead in the conversation.
“So, what is your name?”
“I am Jimin. And who am I talking to?”
“Zale.” She said focusing on his features. “You must come from far away, Jimin. It’s not every day I see people like you here.”
“I do, in fact. I come from the sea.” He lifted his eyes to meet hers.
“The sea?” She whispered to herself. The nearest sea was thousands of hours away. What was he doing here?
“And what made you take the long road to the mountains?”
“I am looking for … friends to show them my world, the ocean.” He said searching her expression for something.
This guy was for sure weird. He had traveled weeks on the steep mountains just to find friends? And what kind of a person would just leave their life behind to travel with him? Something seemed sketchy.
“You like the sea, don’t you? You would like to go there?” His eyes hid something behind them, as if he knew about her desire. It made her feel both afraid and intrigued.
“Why do you think that? Nobody in this village has ever seen the sea. Why would I want to go there?”
“I can feel it.” His blue eyes were piercing hers. “I came here because I felt how much you wanted it. To feel the sand, the waves, to float in the water, to be free.” He took her hand in his. “I can take you there.” He looked hopeful.
“I don’t even know you.” She pulled her hand away from his grip. “You have totally lost it.” She said and turned her back to him, walking towards the back of the room.
“I will be leaving tomorrow, before the sunset. You can think about it.”
🔹
The day proceeded as normal. New clients came in and went out, the meeting place was always full of people conversing about the same old topics she had become bored from. For some reason she couldn’t take her mind off the stranger she had talked with in the morning. His offer was for sure unusual, but what bothered her the most was the way he had spoken about her, as if he knew her. Where had this stranger found about her secret interest and what did he mean saying he came here because of her? She needed to talk to him again.
The thoughts were not letting her sleep at night. After hours of restlessness, she went downstairs to make herself a calming tea to help her fall asleep. The meeting area looked beautiful in moonlight, she thought. It was full moon and the big windows let the moon rays illuminate the building, creating an ethereal feeling. Shadows mingling with the light, something about this hour seemed magical.
She went to the little kitchen and lit the candles around the room to provide some lightness. She then lit the fire in the center, placing a teapot on top to heat up. She grabbed a glass and went to the water barrel. Opening it up, she noticed something unusual. The water gave an unusual smell. She reached for one of the candles and placed in on top of the big opening. The fresh water she had brought from the stream this morning now appeared to be home to a golden fish. It was rare to see fishes in this area, the nearest river was not very rich in fish and she was sure no fishes were present in the water of the stream. Where had this come from?
She closed the water barrel, deciding to deal with it in the morning. “No tea for today.” She told herself. Extinguishing the fire, she headed to her room. Exiting the kitchen, a figure seating on one of the tables caught her eye.
“The meeting room is closed at this time.” She said sternly, approaching cautiously.
“Did you like my little present?” The man, who she could now recognize as the creepy man from the morning, spoke.
“What do you want from me?”
“Come with me.” He said getting up from the table.
“Who are you? You said you came here for me. How do you know me?” She said placing the candle she was holding on one of the tables and taking a step back.
“I don’t know you. I can explain, just seat here, and let’s talk.”
“I am not sitting anywhere with you. Talk from where you are.” She did not trust him the least, even more so in the middle of the night after he had supposedly gifted her a fish.
“I am a creature of the ocean. I search for people whose heart belongs to the water and take them to the place they dream about. You have a very strong desire, so strong, I felt it miles away from here. Come with me. I can take you to the place your heart belongs to.” He finished his sentence taking slow steps towards her direction.
What was he talking about? There was no such creature in any of the books she had read. She could not deny however, that his words and presence did not hint to anything earthly.
“If you don’t believe me, tell someone to look for the fish now. It’s not there anymore, it never was, it was a mirage from the sea, only those whose heart is free can see it.” He was now standing directly in front of her. “You saw it. It means your heart is free to travel.”
“You are…”
“I’ll come tomorrow before I leave. Think about it.” With that, he left the building.
That night she did not sleep. Early in the next morning, she found her grandma, who always woke up first, and brought her to the kitchen. Her grandma laughed at her story, telling her she was imagining things because of the sleepless night she had. Her grandma had even opened the water barrel to prove it. Little did she know that her granddaughter still saw the fish swimming in the barrel. Zale asked every person to look into the barrel, every time finding a different excuse to make them do it, none of them managed to see or even smell the fish.
In the late hours of the afternoon, she found herself staring inside the barrel’s opening. The fish was very beautiful. Its scales were gold with a rosy tint. Its fins and tail flowed freely in the barrel; she was jealous of it. She wanted to be able to swim too. Was Jimin really going to take her to the sea? Although she had never heard of something like him, it was undeniable that what he had just done, was not ordinary. Maybe the ocean was calling her. Maybe it was her fate. She knew that if she stayed in the village now, she may never be able to travel again.
The bell at the front door took her out of her thoughts. The young man she was waiting for was standing on the other side. She opened the door and stepped outside.
“Take me to the sea.”
🔹
They were now sitting on the back of Jimin’s horse. He had no baggage, neither did she. He told her this was going to be a journey for the soul, she didn’t need clothes or food. She had highly doubted his words. Even if he was a supernatural creature, the sea was way too far and she was starting to get hungry.
The first day’s voyage had ended when the sun had set. It wasn’t long after they had started, but they had reached deep into the surrounding forest. The vegetation here was thick and she had the feeling wild animals were roaming around. That, in combination with the falling temperature, made her extremely worried.
“We are not gonna make it all the way.”
“We will be there sooner than you expect.” He said laying on the ground.
“Well, we have no food, no shelter and the temperature is falling. If we don’t freeze to death, we will be eaten alive.”
“I won’t let anything harm you.” He said. “I don’t share my pray easily.” He kept the last part to himself. “Now sleep.”
She laid down on the ground next to him. She did not feel safe at all, but seeing the angelic boy in front of her resting peacefully, made her a little calmer. She had to trust him, he was taking her to her destiny. She fell asleep quickly, knowing little about the man she was sleeping next to.
When the moon rose to its highest point and its rays began penetrating the leaves of the trees, a very hungry boy woke up from his peaceful sleep. He was starving. The long voyage had exhausted him and now it was time to take his prize. He crawled to the young girl sleeping nearby and turned her on her back.
“I am sorry. Hope you will be happy in the sea.” He slowly leaned closer to her, she looked beautiful in this devilish moonlight, he thought.
She felt someone’s breath on her face. She quickly got up and pushed the attacker as hard as she could. “An animal.” Was her first thought, but when she opened her eyes, she just saw the boy she was with before.
“It’s okay now, I took care of it” He lied. “Let’s go, we have to move.”
He helped her get up and they took the road again. Zale was confused and terrified from the sudden attack. She was trembling, her legs were barely holding her weight, she couldn’t walk in this state.
“Jimin, can we take a short break? I don’t think I can continue like that for long.”
“Yeah, but stay close, wild animals are roaming around.”
They sat together under a tree. She needed some time to catch her thoughts and calm herself down. Just as she felt more comfortable, a sound was heard in the nearby bushes. She tensed up.
“Shhh” Jimin told her and brought his hands around her in a protective manner. She moved closer, pushing her body against his. He took a stone and threw it towards one of the bushes, trying to scare the animal. Luckily for them, the animal followed the sound. They stayed still, till they felt that the threat was minimal. It was just then when Zale realized the position they were in.
“I am so sorry.” She said trying to pull away, his arms however held onto her tightly.
“Stay like this, it’s safer.” He explained. If she had to be honest with herself, his hug felt calming and it warmed her freezing body, she didn’t want him to let her go. It wasn’t long after, she found herself falling asleep against his chest.
“Stay awake. It’s not safe here.” He said lifting her head. In this semi asleep state, she looked at him. The moon was right above them and his eyes seemed to take an even bluer hue. He looked peaceful and serene. She was enchanted in his gaze and so he was. He leaned a bit towards her and she did the same. They could feel each other’s breath on their faces.
“The moon is beautiful isn’t it?” He looked up, checking the position of the moon. “They call this hour, the magic hour. It’s the time where things beyond our understanding happen.” His eyes were back to her. He took her face in his palm and came closer. His eyes glistening with anticipation under the moonlight. He then connected their lips together.
The kiss made her even sleepier. She slowly lost the feeling of his velvety lips on hers and let her body go. It felt like forever, although all her physical senses were now gone, she felt more peaceful than ever. She no more felt fear or worry, she no more knew where she was, she just existed in that moment. And then, when everything was perfect, her mind left her too. She was now just a soulless body in the hands of a hungry beast.
Whether you’re just passing through, here for a visit, or are looking to move, the City has so much to offer you! BHC is a safe, encouraging, & positive environment that welcomes creatives who support artists under BigHit Labels, including BTS, TXT, GFRIEND, SVT, & NU’EST!
To Move in:
Must be a content creator for at least one (1) group or artist BigHit Labels supports.
Must be an active blog.
Must be following the City to stay up-to-date.
Must reblog this Entry Form.
Must read all of our City By-Laws.
Must fill out this Tenant Application.
Must have a Discord account to join our Monthly City Hall Meetings.
Check out our City Officials: Vivi, Lex, Beau, Ivory (optional)
After Approved:
Reblog the Acceptance Post, so we know you have seen it.
Use our tag #bighitcity when posting content that fits within our City By-Laws.
Message the City if you go on hiatus or change your URL.
Link the City somewhere on your blog.
You will be tagged in a post once your application has been reviewed & approved. If you have any questions, please refer to our FAQ before messaging the City. Thanks for applying to Big Hit City! We hope to see you soon!
