13: Behind the Pain

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Agust's heart quickens at the sight of Tiana. When her eyes locked with his, it reminded him of the time her brown eyes stared up at him when he saved her in the forest. Although their first meeting had to have happened about a month ago, she looks as if he saw her a year ago. Her dark skin looks dull and has lost its glow. Her pillowy soft-looking lips look like they got the life sucked out of them.

It's not just her appearance that has changed, but her aura. She seems dead inside.

When Tiana broke their eye contact, Agust could feel her looking at his back. She no longer looked dead, but terrified. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was ajar.

"I'm fine," Agust grunted out.

Tiana shakes her head.

"No, you're not," she says in a cracked voice. "Did the king do this to you?"

Agust looks at her, trying to hold her eyes again.

"No," he responds.

She sighs.

"Then who did?" Tiana asks while still not looking at him.

"Technically the king didn't touch him but did order that he gets flogged," Seokjin responds.

Agust shoots a glare at Seokjin, making Seokjin stiffen in response.

Before Agust can say anymore, Yuri speaks up.

"Tiana, we must tend your injury before the king returns to his chamber," the uinyeo says.

Tiana nods her head at the woman and follows her away from Agust.

AD watches her walk to the other side of the room.

Hoseok sits in front of Agust, blocking his view from the girl.

"We should do the same as them," Hoseok says with a smile on his face.

***

King Yoongi sits in his warm bath filled with flowers. The area is secluded and near a stream so it's easier for the maids to fill his bathwater. Trees hover over the place and cover Yoongi's free body from lingering gazes.

He leans his head back and has the back of his head dipped in the water. His long blond hair floats around him, framing his face. He keeps his eyes shut and lets the warm water soothe his aching muscles and ease his anxiety.

"What has happened to you?"

Yoongi shoots his eyes open and looks around him. There's nobody there.

He returns to his previous position and tries to relax again.

"Do you know how hard it was to watch you slowly become insane?!"

Yoongi closes his eyes tighter.

"This is not what Mother wanted you to become. Why do you think she kept us away from--"

"SHUT UP!!!" Yoongi shots at the top of his lungs.

He stands up to his feet and clenches his fist at his sides.

The sounds of quick footsteps come from behind him.

"Your Majesty, is everything alright?" A guard asks.

Yoongi glares at his reflection in the water. For a split second, he sees Agust looking at him disappointed from his reflection. Despite sending Hoseok to take care of his twin's back, he still feels guilty for hurting him, hurting his other half.

Yoongi turns around and exits the bath. He picks up his robe from the ground and wraps his soaking body with it.

"Your Majesty, where are you going?" The guard asks.

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