A Tiger Called Rapunzel ✓ || TaeGyu || HYBEPride 2021

The Ego Station

Taehyun and Soobin continued to ride through the woods on their way to the next station. The Ego Station was a storefront in a quaint little town near a river. It had been run by Hoseok, the shop owner, since the network's inception. Hoseok -- or Hobi, as everybody called him -- was a perpetual ball of sunshine, and while nobody liked to say he had a big ego, they all agreed that it was one that others could easily bask in.

"Good afternoon!" Hobi called out as the two arrived. Sam's bluebird daemon was on Hobi's shoulder. "I received notice a couple of hours ago, and I already have several waiting families."

"Perfect." Taehyun was satisfied, but at the same time, he was also nervous. When Taehyun and Soobin would drop off the money they had stolen from the castle reserves, it was supposed to start at one network, and other runners would take separate amounts of gold all over the kingdom. Lately, however, King Namjoon had passed a couple of new tax laws, which meant that even more people were having trouble making payments. If that many people needed money here near the Ego Station, then Taehyun wasn't sure how he would be able to help anybody else.

"I know what you're thinking," Soobin said, putting his hand on Taehyun's shoulder. "We need to go back and get more."

"We will go back and get more. Just not now, and not THIS close to the Tiger Festival." Taehyun glared at Soobin. "And we would end up with more gold if someone didn't spend all of his time staring at Yeonjun's ass!"

Hobi stared in shock, and then he started laughing. "Yeonjun? You mean Choi Yeonjun, THE Captain of the Guard? The most notorious of all of the soldiers within castle walls? Who could slay you instantly with his rapier, and --"

"He has a nice ass," Soobin said, looking at the floor. "Besides, have you seen his pants? They have these little cutout slits or something along the side --"

"Too much information, Sooby Dooby Doo," Taehyun interrupted. "But yes, Yeonjun is definitely a looker, and someone's supposed to be standing guard while I get the gold out of the reserves, but more often than not he just ends up watching Yeonjun instead. Soobin, Yeonjun doesn't even KNOW you exist."

"He does, too."

"Okay, he knows you exist on a wanted poster."

"Oh, one of these?" Hobi pulled out a scroll, unraveling it and showing it to the boys. "We just got it in the shop yesterday. From the look on the soldier's faces, they still don't know this is a Magic Island outpost. I'd like to keep it that way."

"Of course." Taehyun eyed the poster. It had both of their faces, drawn on it, as well as a 50,000 gold piece reward for their capture, dead or alive. He shook his head. "Awful. Just awful."

"Yeah, I was expecting more gold for our capture, honestly," Soobin said.

"No, no, no." Taehyun grabbed the poster and showed it to Soobin. His tapioca pearl eyes were perfect, but his nose was two sizes too big for his face. "They just can't get my nose right!"

"Regardless, I would be careful where you travel for the next few days," Hobi said. "You'll never know who will turn you in. I will be careful, as well."

They nodded, and then Taehyun and Soobin had to take their leave. Hobi would distribute the gold as he saw fit, but now Taehyun and Soobin had to find a suitable place to sleep for the night. They had no home, sleeping where they could, sometimes put up for a night by friends. Their horses, Briana and Brenna, were their only family, apart from the two of them.

Just outside of town, Taehyun led his horse to a trot and let her drink from the river. The sky was a perfect shade of blue, and in another world, he would consider putting aside his trade for the day, rolling in a field, picking flowers or apples or whatever suited him. But Taehyun had never been the type to settle down -- first, he had King Namjoon and his idiotic policies to contend with. But secondly, he had never fancied himself for a girl. And no boy would ever settle down with a bandit.

"Soobin," he asked, still seated atop Brenna, "I don't mind if you're always looking at Yeonjun. But do please try to make sure we get out of the castle alive every time. If one of us gets caught, we're done for."

"I mean, I've been caught before."

"Yes, and you somehow sweet talked Yeonjun into letting you go, I still don't know how you did that and quite frankly I don't want to know. New thought. If they capture me, we're done, and you know they'll have me executed in the middle of the square in front of everybody." Taehyun made a slashing movement against his throat. "Let them eat cake!"

Soobin laughed, just a bit, but then his eyes became wide. "Palace guards, across the river," he whispered just as the snap of bow strings were heard and arrows whizzed overhead.

"Yah, Brenna!" Taehyun yelled, kicking his horse into high gear. Both Taehyun and Soobin raced away from the Ego Station and the river, knowing it would take time for the palace horses to cross and needing to put some distance between the two of them. Taehyun turned to Soobin. "I've got a plan. You go west to Serendipity. I'll stay east and see if I can make it to Euphoria."

"But --"

"If they find one of us, we'll be okay. If they find both of us, then we're really done. Get to Serendipity and stay the night there, and then come join me in the morning at Euphoria. If you don't join me by the next day, I'll come out with Jungkook and we'll search for you."

"Got it." Soobin smiled at Taehyun. He hated having to part like this -- Taehyun was his only family. "Stay safe, brother."

"You, too." Then, they parted ways, Soobin thundering off to the left and Taehyun cantering to the right.

--

Asterhythm: Looks like Taehyun's on his own, on the run! Wonder where he's going to end up next... :P

I always forget that the horses in this story are named after the assistants from the last story. This chapter is dedicated to thebrieplatter for just generally being awesome. Miss you boo :D