Desert • Flower | TaeJin || BOOK 3#

XV. To protect them all

Jin awkwardly arranges the small bouquet of flowers he made. She plans to go apologize to the lord of the house for his scream and for hitting the table. With what he knows about him now, Jin can be sure that this bouquet is going to be apology enough, since apparently Taehyung is crazy about flowers. Eunji looks just as worried as he does and Jin knows that his dragon is pondering maybe playing with Taehyung's dragon a bit and thus getting everything fixed.

He chides himself as well for not having done it since yesterday instead of just running away and hiding in his room, almost expecting him to come murder him or worse. Jin takes a deep breath, looks at himself in the mirror by the wall, and leaves the room with the confidence he doesn't have. Taehyung is always tucked away in his study at this time of day, so there's no loss. Jin will go and drop the bouquet, say sorry and leave.

He is in a bit of a hurry because he told the girl, named Yune, he wanted to keep teaching her. She liked the song of the three bears too much and wants to learn many more, she promised to learn to read in exchange for the songs and Jin can't be more pleased about that. He would have taught him anyway, but it's better with motivation involved.

It is impressive how quiet the corridors are in this house, in contrast to the corridors of the imperial palace. There the silence was accompanied by the rumors, gossip and whispers of the servants. Those who judged and had fun at the expense of what happened. Jinknocks on the door of the study and listens to what might happen. Jin enters with a shy gesture and Taehyung stares at her in surprise.

"Can I get you anything?" questions Taehyung. Jin shakes his head and holds out the bouquet of flowers.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you yesterday, my lord. It won't happen again." At the same time Taehyung takes the bouquet, Jin makes a considerable bow. Taehyung shakes his head.

"You don't need to apologize for something like that."

"But-"

"Really, I don't have any problem," Taehyung insists. "On the contrary, I'd like to know what upset you like that so I won't go back to-"

Taehyung stops talking for a moment, looking around he hears too much strange vibrations heading this way and disturbs him. Seok rushes out of the door to investigate what is going on. Jin is puzzled by this. It doesn't take long before a couple of servants from the house come over with upset and frightened expressions.

"lordTaehyung! People from the village have come saying that there are Japanese attacking nearby and most likely they are coming this way! They followed them! They came as fast as they could with their dragons, but what are we going to do?"

"Japanese? This way?" repeats Taehyung in disbelief and frightened. He thought they wouldn't make it this far.

"That's what they said, lord Taehyung!"

Taehyung takes a few seconds to pat and make Jin move forward outside the studio.

"Seok already detected horses. It's most likely true. I want you to go hide in the cave along with all the Japanese. You guys warn the servants, I want you to be with them. They take care of each other no matter what. I am going to stop them from entering, but I want you to have this foresight."

"What are you going to do?" stammers Jin worriedly. He can't imagine what Taehyung can do to prevent a disaster.

"Go now." He hurries with slight annoyance. Jin is pulled by one of the servants and is forced to do as he betrayedly ordered.

Seok returns a couple of minutes later confirming to his user that, indeed, a Japanese squadron is approaching to attack them. To know for what purpose because it may be invasion only as well as robbery and murder There are too many variants that he does not like and does not intend to let them carry out what he has mind has never done and it makes him feel somewhat worried but it is the only thing they have mind assumes that they will not be able to pass all thanks to the ditch he made but again there is never enough caution in this regard.