Out Of The Castle (Soobin X Reader)

20

The dungeons were overcrowded. The only villages that he gathered in the castle were those to the West of the castle. The others were safe so long as the castle stood strong. Despite how large the dungeons seemed, there was very little room left. The castle staff moved through the crowds of people, offering food, blankets, water, help with children, and everything in between.

Hiyyih and Kai stood at the entrance to the dungeon, observing the chaos and coordinating the staff as they weaved in and out of the crowds. They were the communication between everyone in the castle and those below the castle.

  "Those poor people," Hiyyih sighed, watching the people move about, unable to walk about without brushing the shoulders of those next to them.

  "And there are still more to come," Kai responded, biting the inside of his cheek, wondering if they would be able to fit into the dungeons.

  "And their homes..." Hiyyih started, not even wanting to thing about theta the West would do to their villages.

  "I would not put it past our King to send people to aid in the rebuilding of the fallen villages... should be be alive to rule."

  The silence had grown deafening, so much so that even the murmuring from the dungeon was quiet.

  "We must report on the situation. Let us make haste."

  -

"You must be mad! How could you possibly blatantly disobey our father?" The Queen asked, pacing around nervously as her brother dipped tea with her husband.

  "Your actions are no better than mine," Taehyun shrugged, warming his hands on the cup.

  "In what way?" The princess asked, her pace coming to a halt as she planted her hands on her hips, looking to her older brother as if she were scolding him.

  "Our father expected so little of you. It was obvious to even the most foolish villager. To go and blatantly defy his expectations of you by becoming the queen of a nation before your elder sister who was married before you? You've made him look a fool. To come crawling to your side is not a move he would make because it would make him look pathetic. It would be akin to grovelling at the feet of someone you hated in the past. Your new title, whilst unintentional by all means, has made our father look like the village idiot and he would do anything to grow the success of the West in order to show his people that his foresight is not poor," Taehyun explained, finishing by sipping his tea.

"Tis his own fault for being the village idiot," Soobin scoffed under his breath, receiving a chuckle from Taehyun beside him.

"You two!" The queen gasped, gaping at their nonchalant mannerisms. She was speechless.

It was true that her father was a fool, yet she could not treat him as such. Even as he marched toward her in war, she would treat him with the utmost respect.

"The men of the west will be here any day now and I fear that not all of our subjects will make it. I have sent a group of men to aid in the evacuation of villages but even if they do escape, the West shall be on their tails. We must be ready for combat," the King explained, placing his teacup and saucer on the table in front of him.

There was a sheepish knock at the door and when Soobin called for the visitor to enter, Kai and his sister walked in, standing stiff by the door.

"My lord, may we have a word?" Kai asked.

"Of course. Ms Bahiyyih, would you please escort My Queen and Sir Taehyun to a spare room? Please provide Taehyun with extra clothing and be sure to send his current garments to be cleaned," Soobin asked, ushering for the three to leave him and Kai alone.