Embracing Power. ✅

Dungeons, Banishment, or Death

Tae and Yoongi were immediately ushered into the Triumverates office. The Triumverate and the Council were already lounging around and greeted them with smiles and waves when they walked in.

"I'm not even going to play around. Someone from the old Council is going after my family, and he will pay. I'm sorry, IU, but it's your father, and I will take no mercy on him." Tae gave her an apologetic look, but his voice was full of steel.

She just nodded. "Not a problem here. He's had it out for you every since you opposed our betrothal. So this honestly doesn't surprise me any. I had hoped he would wake up, and grow up. But oh well."

Hwasa watched listened to the two as she watched Yoongi. "There's more, isn't there."

Yoongi looked at Tae before answering. "Evidently, this has been going on for a while. Gifts, notes, letters. We thought it was a stalker until he tried to break into Jungkook and Namjoons house and ended up hurting their dog." Yoongi pinched the bridge of his nose, even now hating the thought that they let this go on so long.

A frown marred Shownu's face, and he gently clasped BangChan's hand, who was sitting between him and Dami.

"Is.." BangChan cleared his throat, "Is the dog ok?"

Tae smiled at the soft-hearted human. "He's going to be fine, Bangie."

"Wait, you said all of this has been happening to Jungkookie? The adorable sweet-faced boy?" Yunho frowned over at Yoongi and Tae. "Dark-hair? Doe eyes?"

"Yes. That's our Kookie."

"And how is little Jungkookie holding up? He seems like he has a soft heart." Yugi's voice was quiet, thoughtful. She didn't speak to the young one much when they were here, but she remembered how he interacted with those around him.

"He's, well, he's shaken, badly. They adopted Cypher from the shelter, and he already been abused by a previous owner. And Namjoon has his hands full trying to take care of both Jungkook and Cypher."

"How do you want to handle this, Sir?" Yerin looked over at Tae. "You have all of us at your disposal."

"Well, I know I want to make a show of him. Announce what he has done and that such actions in the future will not be tolerated. How we handle him after that has to reinforce that statement. I will not tolerate anyone coming after my family, whether that family is by blood or by heart."

Yoongi reached for Tae's hand. He could feel the anger pouring off of the younger man and was silently trying to offer comfort. He noticed Hwasa nod and grin at him, and he couldn't help but smile back.

"Do you have any ideas for suitable punishments?" Shownu questioned.

"Well, it depends on if he shows any remorse."

IU snorted. "Don't hold your breath for that to happen. Appa is an asshole." She looked over at Hwasa, smiling softly. "I finally told him I'm seeing someone, and he has already threatened my life. The only reason he changed his mind if you even want to call it that, is because he learned who she is."

"Congratulations, IU, Hwasa. You two make a beautiful couple." Yoongi smiled over at them both.

"Wait. What?" A baffled Tae looked between IU and Hwasa. "You've been secretly dating our lovely Queen? How did you even keep that a secret? I would have been shouting news like that."

Hwasa just smirked. "And that's why we didn't tell you, Sir."

"How many other changes have happened since I've been gone?"

"Wait, let me guess." Yoongi interrupted before anyone could speak up. "Shownu and Bangie. Soobin and Yugi. And maybe Dami and Yerin?"

"Right and wrong." BangChan quietly spoke up. "It's actually Shownu, Myself, and Dami. Soobin and Yugi. Miss Yerin hasn't found her person yet."

"Not entirely true," Yerin spoke up as she looked over at Yunho.

"Wait. NO! You were betrothed Yunho!" Tae was shocked. He remembered having to learn all that boring information when he was becoming King.

"And gay. What the hell!" Soobin was also in shock.

"Now, gentlemen. I thought we've established not to make judgments on sexual orientation. People change, just like their taste in others." BangChan admonished.

"Yeah, well." Yunho pulled Yerin over onto his lap. "My betrothed fell in love and ran off with someone else. Naturally, I had to inform the Triumverate, and I came across Yerin first. She was a little shocked that I wasn't upset, and that's when I told her it was because I had the biggest crush on her and had since before the Council was even formed. It was just my luck; she felt the same." He smiled up at her, brushing a piece of hair off of her face.

"Oh. My. God." Dami squealed. "You two are so damn cute!"

"Jimin is going to be so mad he missed this." Yoongi nudged Tae.

"Back to the topic at hand, please. Although congrats, you two." Soobin looked back over at Tae. "Dungeons? Banishment? Or Death?"

"The ultimate decision is up to all of you, but I do have a preference." Tae looked around at all of them. Acknowledging that he was no longer the one in power. "Banishment is too good for him. It gives him too many chances to do something else."

"Are those seriously the only options?" Yoongi interrupted. "I mean, yes, he injured an innocent animal, but there were no other physical altercations."

"I understand what you're saying, Yoongi. But my father has a nasty habit of doing whatever it takes to get what he wants. I agree with Tae. If we let him leave, it's only a matter of time before he does this to you guys or someone else." IU stated, quite casually, as if her father's life meant little to her.

"Couldn't you strip him of his powers? Is there a way to do that?"

"That's actually a good idea, Yoongi, but what about after?" Yerin spoke up. "He's still a man. Can a person not still harm another, even without powers?"

"So we're looking at Dungeons or Death?" Hwasa asked.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Yoongi looked over at Tae. "Hobi."

Tae just looked at him, confusion clear on his face.

"Remember in school, Hobi cast that spell. Yes, it turned him, well, anyways. What if we did the opposite. Instead of repressing the pain, he felt, what if we magnified it? Made it so that for every hurt he caused, it was magnified for him." Yoongi looked around the room. "Whether its pain caused by words or actions, he will feel it, and the pain will be worse for him than the person he harmed."

"Can we still take his powers away? Because that man is just evil." BangChan countered.

"I leave my ultimate decision up to you, love, but I think that's a fantastic idea. It also lets everyone know that there are repercussions to your actions." Hwasa spoke to IU.

"It certainly lets him see, and feel, how much he hurts people. I'm for it." IU agreed.

There was a chorus of agreements, and Tae looked over at Yoongi, pride etched on his face. "You would have been a good council member Yoongles."

"I've actually been wondering about that. It would have been perfect for making your friends the Council. Why didn't you?" Yunho asked.

"I didn't want to pull them away from me. I knew they all have lives in the other world, and I didn't want to take them away from that. Plus, the whole point of me giving up the throne was to be with them." Tae just shrugged.

"Do either of you even remember the spell Hobi used?" Yerin questioned.

"I actually wrote it down in the King's Grimoire when I returned to the Vales. It should be in there. Granted, there will have to be a few tweaks since we are inducing pain rather than taking it away."

"Plus the gathering of ingredients." Yoongi pointed out.

"We have those in spades, little Yoongles." Hwasa grinned. "We can get everything ready to go tomorrow, Sir."

"Perfect. I don't know about Yoongi, but I'm exhausted, and I just want to crawl into bed." He stood up and grabbed Yoongi's hand. "Let me know when you are gathering tomorrow. I'd like to be there when BinDa gets brought in." He turned, gently pulling Yoongi out of the office and up to their suite of rooms.