Royal Flush | pjm; jjk

Chapter Four

Nora kept staring at Jimin, while he kept staring at her. Neither spoke another word, Nora could barely breath, while Jimin was simply smiling. Nora felt a bubble rising in her chest, and without any chance of controlling it she let it out with a loud laugh. "What in the hell have you been drinking?"  She kept laughing, while Jimin stood there not saying a word. "What, what do you even mean, the king? Who's king? Our?" Nora kept giggling, not allowing any realness of the inquiry reach her. Jimin kept standing still, and as soon as she looked at him he nodded. As if by someone else's hand, Nora's laugh was ripped from her. She straightened her back, still watching Jimin with a skeptical expression. "You're not joking."  She finally exclaimed, and even if it wasn't a question, Jimin still answered.

"I am not joking. I want you to assassinate the King. We need to remove him from that god damn throne before he ruins all of his people." He finished coldly. Nora understood his anger in a way, she hated the king too. Everyone of poorer status did, but Jimin was surrounded by noble friends. Even if he had no wealth of his own, obviously his friends did, so why did his anger feel so personal? Nora sat back down, the reality and seriousness of the situation finally started to weigh in. Jimin noticed her shift in attitude, and sat down next to her. After a minute of silence, Nora cleared her throat.

"Why are you asking me?" There were many other questions she wanted to ask, but somehow this one erupted first. Jimin turned to the window removing his eyes from her, allowing Nora to relax a little bit. He allowed himself to think for a moment, Jimin understood that he also needed to place his words correctly. "Mainly it was because of your skills and background. We needed a person, who'd know how to do things and who'd agree. All of us are too well known in the palace to simply walk inside and storm the place. We also have too much to lose."  Jimin looked back at Nora, with almost an apologetic look. "We needed a person who has nothing to lose. Who, in the worst case scenario, would not be forced into submission by them. And I've done my research. There are many like you, who steal and do other things for money, but all of them have someone. All of them something to lose. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're completely alone in this world, aren't you?" He inquired. Jimin didn't say anything mean. He didn't even mean it in any other form but a factual statement, yet it still stung Nora hard. Whether it was the apathy in his voice when he spoke, or the undeniable truth to his words, it stung deeply. Nora nodded, trying to avoid the details.

What he's suggesting is insane. Provided, that I agree, that everything somehow works out and I get the chance to strike the final blow, would I be able to do it? Would I be able to take a life?  As if invited, memories of people dying overflew her. The small village in which she grew up before running to the capital, her fellow orphans kicked out to the streets. The poverty, the struggles, the illnesses. Yes, I could. A new resolve was rising in her body. A new path, a new plan. If she could pull this off, maybe she wouldn't need to run away. Maybe life would get better here.

"What's after the death?" Nora asked, grasping Jimin's attention back to her. "If I kill the King, who's going to take his place? His son?" Jimin nodded slowly. "That's where you also come in, Nora." He leaned back in his seat, rubbing his temples. "There's not much recent information about Prince Jungkook. He's been cramped up in the palace for the last twenty years. I'm not sure if he is like his father or better. And that was the very first plan - we wanted to plant you inside, to get you acquainted with him, to figure out if he could be the one to replace his father. If so, we'd proceed with the final steps and naturally, Prince Jungkook would take his fathers place." Jimin exhaled, resting his arms on the table. Nora kept going through her head, trying to put all of the pieces together.

"What if the Prince is the same as the King? Or even worse, what's then?" Nora asked, wanting to be sure of all outcomes. Jimin turned his face towards the window again and smiled. "We have a back up plan. Hopefully we'll never need to use it, but we'll talk about it if we see that it's unavoidable. For now, I need to hear your answer." Jimin turned back to Nora, scanning her face. Jimin couldn't deny the surprise growing inside of him. In front of him was sitting a nineteen year old girl, fragile, skinny, small. But the way she assessed the situation, the way she jumped to important questions, the way she is not shaking from the very idea of the King's assassination, everything made Jimin more sure of his decision. At this moment, he wasn't sure of her actual skills, but she was screaming in incredible potential.

"How much will you pay?" The words left Nora's mouth in a whisper. Jimin giggled under his breath to such a blunt question. "Enough."  He stated simply. Nora scanned his face with a raised eyebrow. "Enough for..?" she inquired, not allowing Jimin to leave her gaze. "Enough for you to buy whatever you want and live however you want until you're a hundred years old. You will never need to work again, Nora, that much I can promise."

Nora asked for a couple of minutes alone. Apparently, one of the windows had a glass door leading to the backyard, and Nora instantly escaped the confining walls. Walking around the garden, she kept weighing her options. I know too much already. It is obvious they will not let me go easily. But this is also a lifetime chance. I could not only earn cash, I could earn redemption. All my life I've been doing everything solely for myself, and if I'd succeed in this, I could save a whole damn kingdom. Anyone that didn't live in the capital's center knew, that the King was stealing from people. Taxation was rising every month, food supplies were shortening. Medicine, clothing and all other necessities became more and more expensive every day, while gossips of the King spending people's money on women and booze traveled through the kingdom. But if by chance I get caught, it means immediate death. People say that the king could hurt his own person for a wrong amount of sugar in his tea, so anything of such value would definitely cost me my life. Nora stopped pacing for a moment, and looked into the windows. Jimin was standing in the middle of the door, leaning on the frame and watching her.

What life, Nora? You don't have a life anymore. The only reason you're alive is because he saved you. If you'd come back there right now, eventually you'd be found out by the guards again. Jimin and his friends saved your life. They fed you, healed you and clothed you. You are in debt. And you never leave debts unpaid. Nora turned away from Jimin, not really ready to face him yet and continued to pace around. Jimin kept leaning on the frame, watching her. He was unsure what was forcing him to stand here, but he kept assuring himself it was so that she would not run away. Jimin followed the raven-haired girls steps on the freshly cut grass, wondering what in the world was going on in her head. One disagreeing word from her, and they will need to spend God knows how much more time to find another fitting candidate. Jimin hated to admit it, but a lot was riding on her agreement. He sucked in through his teeth, getting a bit impatient.

Nora took a final stroll around the same rose bush for the twentieth time and realized that there was no need to stall any longer. She made her decision a while ago, and it was not going to change. A new resolve has formed inside of her and her whole being was getting ready for it. Nora turned back and walked towards Jimin, who kept waiting patiently at the door frame. The moment she was a steps length away from him, Jimin raised his brow in question and Nora exhaled. "I agree." She stated simply, without hesitation. This took Jimin a little bit aback. "You sure? This is not a decision one makes so easily?" Jimin wondered if she was thinking of escaping by pretending to agree to their plan, but nothing on her face indicated lying.

"Jimin, anything and everything aside, I own my life to you. You saved me, you made sure I'd get back on my feet. If not for you, my life would already be over. Think of this as gratitude, or paying off a debt, it doesn't matter much to me. But I will do what you ask of me." Nora answered calmly, and seeing Jimin's smile forming on his lips she hurriedly added, "As long as you pay me, though."