The Sky Ablaze | Park Jimin

Chapter 14

Eunjin

By Wednesday, the swelling in her face had gone down, but the bruising was still terrible. Eating and talking made her lip open up again, and she was convinced it'd never heal.

Yoongi had done his best to help her. He helped rotate her shoulder and stretch it, and he changed her bandages every few hours. The back of her head seemed to be the worst area as far as wounds went, and he helped her with her hair every morning.

He'd kissed each wound and any other part his father had touched to chase it all away, and he would rock her in the night when she awoke screaming from the dreams.

By Thursday, no one was horrified by looking at her. They had gotten used to it, she guessed. Everything seemed almost forgotten to them.

It was nearing the end of everyone's time in court that day. She and Yoongi were making their rounds and doing their best to be polite. They were getting better at ignoring the sneers and harsh whispers.

The doors opened, and Jungkook, Namjoon, and Hoseok marched through. They were dirty, covered in blood and mud. It reminded her of when Yoongi came home.

"Make the call!" Jungkook said. "They've infiltrated the kingdom, and they are coming for the palace!"

There was chaos, and Yoongi held her close as they shuffled their way back to the front of the room. King Jeonghoon was on his feet, and he held his hand high to silence everyone.

"Court is dismissed!" He said. "You will be notified shortly of where to go and what to do!"

There were shouts and cries as everyone left the room. The doors slammed closed, and it became quiet again.

She saw the state Jungkook was in. He was sweating, and what looked to be half of his left arm was left behind with a cloth wrapped around the end of it.

"What is the meaning of this?" The king asked.

"Lady Eunjin did not lie!" Jungkook glanced at her, and at the state she was in, his eyes widened a fraction. "They wiped us out," he said. "We are the only ones left, and we barely managed to make it through the city. I suspect they will be here by nightfall tomorrow."

King Jeonghoon looked at Eunjin. "Which quadrant?"

"If they've made it this far, all of them."

Namjoon stepped forward. "Your throne has been usurped," he told her. "Who they call king, I cannot be sure, but they have established a new royalty line."

That was both unsurprising and terrifying. She still held onto that hope that she and Yoongi would get out of this alive and rule together. If they made it to the palace, she'd be executed.

"It's no matter," she said. "I do not belong to that kingdom any longer."

King Jeonghoon looked to one of the guards. "Make the call. The royal army is to be deployed. And someone get Jungkook to the infirmary, he's dripping blood on my floors."

Eunjin stepped forward. "It's time for my bandages to be changed anyway. I will take him."

The king sneered at her. "Will you fuck him too?"

She squared her shoulders, holding in the wince from the pain. "Your highness, would it make you feel better if I said yes?"

Yoongi had placed his fist to his mouth, biting back a laugh.

"Just get out of my sight," he said. "I've looked at your disgusting face all week."

She curtsied and then looked to Yoongi. She smiled at him, and he smiled in return and winked. She looked to Jimin, but he wasn't looking at her at all. She grabbed Jungkook by his good arm and nearly dragged him from the room.