The Seven Wives of Jeon Jungkook

Unveiled

"The other wives?" She looks at Jimin incredulously,
"Yes, haven't you heard anything in your time living in this Kingdom?" He looks at her confused.
"There were no other wives, he told me those were only rumors started by the townspeople".
"And you believed that??".
Before she can answer a twig snaps in the distance and they both duck behind the trees instinctively.
More guards are searching the area.
Ji Eun turns to Jimin shoving him farther into the shadows of the trees, "you need to leave now!".
"Meet me in the east wing tonight. I have something to show you" he says as he slips away quickly.
The guards find her standing awkwardly by herself, they escort her to her room.
She sits on the bed, fingers tugging absentmindedly at the frills on the bedsheet.
Jungkook wouldn't lie to her, right?
It was hard to doubt Jimin, she felt like she could trust him and he had no reason to make up such an elaborate lie.

🌸

The sky has already begun to darken and before she knows it, it's night.
A knock resounds by her bedroom door and she opens it finding another familiar guard. "Your highness" he bows, she recognized him as Hoseok.
"We still haven't been able to find Jimin, we'll have to station some guards by your door tonight. Namjoon left earlier to notify his majesty of the situation. There's a storm brewing outside so we aren't sure how soon they'll be back".
"Is that all?"
He nods before bowing. She closes the door, frustration nips at her. At least Jungkook would be stalled for now she thinks as she hears thunder rumbling in the sky. A bolt of lightning cracks through the air and illuminates the entire room for a split second. All stills for only a moment before the rain pours down, resembling a waterfall. It falls hard, crashing into the ground loudly. She can hear nothing else above it.
She would have to sneak past the guards later on.
Changing into her nightgown she lies in bed wearily. How long would she have to wait?
The rose Jungkook leaves her is dried up and wilted upon the dresser top.
She sits up, curiosity overtaking her.
She leans over to Jungkooks side of the bed and pulls open his cabinet, rummaging through it.
She finds a few books and scrap paper here and there. She takes one of the books and flips through the pages bored.
It was a sketchbook, he drew quite well. There are sketches of her in them, in various outfits and settings.
The next few pages are filled with Mina, dated from years ago. She smiles fondly at the image.
As she flipped through older pages she stops when she comes across a drawing of an unfamiliar face. It's a woman, she has a sharp nose with big doe eyes and plush lips.
The one on the next page is another unfamiliar woman. This one has curly, long hair and dark eyes.
She finds four more drawings of different women, each image is dated a year apart.
They were all beautiful. Who were they?
Other wives, Jimins words echo in her head.
No, it couldn't be.
She closes the book and shoves it back into the draw, there's no way. She thinks to herself as she lies back down on the bed. She feels drowsiness overtake her slowly and before she knows it she's sound asleep.

🌸

A crack of thunder shakes the sky and she jolts up, how long had she been asleep?
It was still raining heavily and there was no sign of Jungkook.
She tips her toes towards the bedroom door and opens it as quietly as she can. Peering through she finds two guards asleep by her door. She rolls her eyes, so much for safety, she thinks as she sneaks past them.
Rushing down the empty hallways she catches glimpses of the rain still pouring heavily outside. Lightning illuminates her surrounding once more and she thinks she spots a figure in the distance.
It's probably nothing she reassures herself.
The castle is dimly lit by a few torches here and there but the east wing is pitch black. It was like staring into a hole, unknown and ominous.
She's hesitant to enter as she looks around cautiously, pulling her robe closer to her body.
"Jimin" she calls.
No answer.
"Jimin!!" She calls again trying not to shout.
Like a light peering out of the darkness, he appears looking disheveled.
"Over here Ji Eun!".
Relief floods her system as she practically runs towards him.
The look on his face is solemn and she feels fear in the pit of her stomach.
There was something eerie about this part of the castle, she hated it.
Mina's portrait stood ominously before them, it was the opposite of when she first saw it. He reaches towards the painting and pushes it will all his strength towards the side.
"What are you doing?!" She watches as the painting shifts, grazing the floor as it left streaks behind. Upon closer inspection, it looked like the graze marks had long been there.
She's taken aback when a hidden door is revealed to be in place of the painting. Did Jungkook know about this?
She shivers and he holds out his hand offering it to her. She takes it, holding on tightly.
Lightning flashes once more and illuminates the whole area.
"Ji Eun," Jimin says voice shaky.
"What you're about to see... I'm sorry" he squeezes her hands reassuringly although it feels more like it's for himself than her.
The door opens with a loud creak and they're met with darkness. Entering the hidden room, there's an unbearable stench wafting from it. She tugs back almost retching and Jimin catches her, rubbing her back soothingly.
"What the hell is that? It smells rotten".
He doesn't reply simply waiting for her to catch her breath.
There's anxiety seeping out of his aura and she feels it burrowing into herself.
When she's okay, they enter the room again, this time the smell isn't as strong.
There's a single torch in the center of the room casting light upon a single podium. Jimin walks over to it and lifts the torch, he walks to each end of the room and lights a torch she couldn't tell was there. He had each spot memorized.
As the room begins to gather light, she finds everything becoming clearer. It's not that big, and there are what looks like large, glass containers lining the far end of the room. Upon closer inspection, it looks like there's something encased behind the glass. She steps closer to it and as Jimin lights the last torch nearest to her, her heart stops in her chest. She freezes for a mere second while her mind processes the image before her. Jumping back violently she bumps into Jimin's chest, not paying him any mind as a scream rips through her throat. She drops to floors, knees going weak.
Jimin only stands above her, expressionless.

In the glass container, hidden away in a room, sealed behind a door covered by the portrait of Mina, is a woman. Her face is pale and deathly. Her eyes are closed and she's positioned to stand eerily still.
Ji Eun's hands shake uncontrollably as she looks around the rest of the room finding other women in similar positions behind various cases.

"What the hell is this?!"