Black Swan (Kim Namjoon x reader)

Chapter 26

"Is it so awful to dance with me?" she asked. She lowered her voice so that only he would hear her. But it was also because she heard a rumor that men like women with a huskier voice. It was the same reason she kept her hair long and dark, because he once told her that was his type. In reality, Namjoon didn't know what to tell her. He didn't have a type at the time. He appreciates girls who are tidy, have a nice smile and feel confident in their skin. The Queen no doubt has all of those qualities, but also the ones he dislikes. She talks too much about herself, wears too much perfume that it makes his eyes water, and she looks down on those without titles. Perhaps it was because she reminds him too much of his old life and it's something he wants to keep in his past. Besides, he has a new type now but he was, once again, trying to not be annoyed at the fact that some other man was with her right now.

"No, of course not, Your Highness," he answered truthfully to the best of his ability. "I don't believe I am the most suitable person to dance with you, I am engaged after all."

"Don't remind me," she said under her breath. For a moment, she just wanted to pretend that the man in front of her was the same one who courted her all those years ago. They were so young and carefree. She wasn't the queen then, but she was already ambitious. With Namjoon and his family at her side, she would rule with ease. When the families brought up marriage, she was ecstatic. Unfortunately, Namjoon didn't share the same enthusiasm and ended things soon after. She was still able to ascend the throne without any problems. There could never be opposers to someone who can control the will of others. They wouldn't dare to even think about it in the first place. "Yes, I'm quite aware of that fact. It's such an insult."

Namjoon cleared his throat, "I had no intention of offending you, Your Majesty. I only did what was right in my heart."

"Don't think of me as a fool, Kim Namjoon," she spat. "There's no way you would pick such an ordinary girl over me. I could give you everything you've ever dreamed of. Remember what you told me the night we first met?"

He tried not to remember. It was so long ago, it was a different him. When they first met, he was fueled with anger. Anger at his parents, at his brother, at himself. He told her he wanted enough power so that he no longer had to fear anyone else, to live his life without any worries. The idea of being with her and having the title of king was attractive to him at the time. But the title would hold him down, and the Queen would be his chains. No amount of power was worth giving up his freedom. "That is no longer what I want."

"I don't believe you could change that easily," she smirked. "You used to cling onto me like ivy. You used to want me so much."

"That's because you made me want you," he answered. The first time she controlled him, he didn't even realize it until his thoughts started flooding with images of her. Then his arms moved without his consent and he was holding her in her chamber. At the time, her power was limited so he broke free soon after. But from time to time, she would get him to tell her he loves her. The words held no meaning behind them, but they made her happy for a little bit. She wondered why she didn't make him marry her, at least just for the ceremony. A loveless marriage was still a marriage. She just needed to show the world she could have anything she wanted, even through fear. That's the way she was raised.

"No matter what it is, I can give it to you." She clung to his chest. They had already stopped dancing at this point. She searched his eyes for the broken boy she met so long ago. The one that reminded her of herself. "Tell me and I'll grant you anything."

"What I want, you could never give me, Your Majesty."

"That's not true," she whispered, her voice wavering like the breeze.

"Could you leave all of this behind to be with me?" He gestured to the room. The gold, the glamour, the attention. "Would you give up your title and power?"

She bit down on her lips, "I-" She looked around, this was her life, her dream, what she craves at night. "Yes, I can," she answered. "For you."

Namjoon smiled, "You've always been a bad liar, Your Majesty." He reached out to tuck a strand of her hair away. She pushed his hand away.

"You wouldn't give up your power either, not for anything or anyone. That's the selfish man you are, Namjoon."

"I never said I wasn't selfish, and you're right. I wouldn't give my life up for just anyone."

Her face twisted, her eyebrows furrowed. "You would for her? For that common girl?"

"Yes, if she needs me to."

The Queen scoffed, "You know I can have her killed as easily as a snap of a finger, right?"

"Yes, I am aware of that," he nodded. He tried to keep his voice cool and collected but the thought of anyone hurting you lit up a flame inside of him. "But you should also know that if you even touch a strand of her on her head, I will burn every world to ashes and you with it."

"You dare to threaten your Queen?" she roared. Namjoon kept the illusion up so that no one around them would notice the turmoil erupting from the Queen.

"No, of course not," he smiled. "This is just a warning for the general public. However, I do hope that you respect my choices. Now, I do believe our time is up. You have other suitors waiting for you."

She looked over her shoulders and saw a line of men waiting patiently for a chance to be her dance partner. She flashed an insincere smile. In her head, she wanted to kill every last one of them. But her rage was for one girl in particular. When she looked back, Namjoon was already gone.