Desert • Flower | TaeJin || BOOK 3#

XXVI. Something inevitable

"JIN NII-CHAN! JIN NII-CHAN!"

Jin turns, being in the garden with Taehyung who asked him for a new arrangement to make it more beautiful. In addition to make it suitable for the adult alpacas that will soon have mating season. The adult pair is surprised. Yune comes running, but her hair is no longer black: it is blonde. A shade so pale that it makes her look more delicate than usual.

Yune comes between excited and scared. She stumbles and because of Seok she doesn't hit the ground. The earth dragon sniffs her to make sure it is indeed her and there is nothing wrong with her. In the process, its snout collides with something and it releases her from fright. A small snake-like dragon comes out from between the clothes. It sticks its nose out steadily.

"It's... it's a light dragon." mumbles Jin in awe approaching Yune to shake the dirt off her and see it from every possible angle. The dragon leans against the girl's head.

"Is there any information in the records about light dragons?" asks Taehyung to one of the servants.

"If I'm not mistaken, it should be in the mayoral records, my lord." Taehyung nods and advances toward Yune and Jin. The kisaeng remains holding her face and the lord holds back a slight laugh.

Funny, just a few days ago he was honoring the memory of a light and today he happens to be holding one. Taehyung is hoping that maybe, this will give him one more motivation. That it will cheer him up. Just a little. After the surprise has passed.

. . .

"I'm not very knowledgeable about dragons, so I went to investigate at the mayor's office" he communicates to Jin who walks beside him. "It happens to be very common that light dragons don't come from birth or exhibiting their true attributes... Is there anything you want to say about that?" Jin bites his lips and tries not to look at him. "Jin, you know you can tell me without fear. I'm not going to tell on you or worse."

"She asked me not to talk."

"Uh. I see... Maybe I can assume it and you don't have to talk directly! It'll be like I figured it out on my own" Jin looks at him with suspicion and annoyance. "I've seen more than one dye their hair black. After all, it's the 'usual' shade for non-dragon people and with that, feeling more accepted or normal. I can assume that the empress was blonde because of her dragon and hid it."

Jin doesn't say anything, but from the low whine, Taehyung takes it for granted that he got it right.

"Curious, this means his son isn't albino, he's just blond like his mother... Or maybe not" Taehyung muses thoughtfully with a hand on his chin. Seok looks around, he feels strange vibes. "I'll take it for granted that she was very strong. The bigger the light, the paler the hair. There have been those who have it white. Amazing don't you think?"

"It's not if they think you're weak for it."

"They think you're weak because of your pink hair?" Jin nods slightly. "I thought it was the opposite."

"Cherry trees don't last long. Their blossoms fall off soon. I'm not a tree, I'm a flower" Jin clarifies. "I'm something that gets pushed out once the tree doesn't want to keep me there. Having it so pink just shows that my nature is more flower-like. Hence, it's a weak one."

"I doubt that is the case with you."

"My lord, what a fool you are."

"What I mean, is that you're a desert flower. What's stronger than that?"

Jin snorts. How hateful Taehyung is. He opens the door to the room to go inside and prepare tea. However, he is violently interrupted by something stabbing into his chest. He coughs blood and looks at the person in front of him who slowly becomes visible. The dragon with iridescent scales engulfs him. Clearly a camouflage dragon.