The Black Rose ( BTS Jin ff )

Chapter 15

          ' Spring pearls ' turned out to be extremely rare pearls that can be found in secluded lakes of Min kingdom. they take about five hundred ears to fully form and  has the power to bring back youth or strength.

Being Ice children, they of course have no use of these rare items except for  selling them. But Seokjin could understand why y/n said that it is the perfect payment for an old witch like Mirenda, who is now eyeing the pearls, eyes lit up with a new found hunger.

" You will get them, all of them as long as you tell everything you know about the guardian "

y/n said, smirking a little looking satisfied.

" And please spare both of our time and energy and don't attempt to lie. Trust me we'll know and you'd rather not answer with a knife under your throat. "

She dropped the pearls back to her pouch and shook it in a tempting manner.

" You must be a Min. " Mirenda said, scowling now that the pearls are hidden away.  " Or must have a ton of gold to get your hands on stuff like that. "

y/n said nothing, just smiled lazily and shrugged.

" Well , there's not much. He is quite popular among our folk. "

Mirenda said pouring a odd blue liquid to three tea cups.

" tea?"  They shook their heads. He's not a fool drink anything in a witch's house. They can do funny stuff to you like turning your hair green or make you do back flips or worse. The witch shrugged.
" suit yourselves "

" what is he up to?" He asked, glancing at y/n who was eyeing steam curling up from the hot tea wearily.

" Oh we don't know exactly. A mysterious one that one. Never shows his face, he has a lovely deep voice though. " 

Mirenda said dreamily like she was describing her fantasy prince and not a murderer, possibly a psychopath.

" He has promised things you see, tempting delicious things. As long as they pledge him loyalty with a blood oath and move to north with him the deal stays. "

" But why is he doing this? What does he want?"

Y/n asked, clearly unimpressed with the way the other woman talking about the guardian.

" Well, aren't those the questions my girl. They say that he's waiting for someone, yearning and longing for them for years- "

" I don't see why he needs an army for that "

y/n jumped in. The witch ignored her.

" -perhaps he wants revenge for taking whoever it is away from him. Perhaps he's planning to build an empire for himself and take the ruling away from you puny Ice Children. "

Mirenda said, getting very excited at the last one, so much that she wiggled in her seat.

" So to summarize, you don't know. If you really want the pearls, you should do better than that. "

Y/n said disappointed. Seokjin himself was starting to think that this trip was useless.

" The guardian doesn't go around running his mouth about his plans "

Mirenda said, scowling. But her body language screamed desperation. She seems to want the pearls so bad.

" However, there's a way you can see him for yourselves. There's a party every month calling the ones that are interested. As long as you have the invitation, you can go in. "

" An invitation? Where do we get one?"

Seokjin asked.

" Lucky for you, I have one right here. "

She waved her hand and a card materialized in front of them. Y/n reached out and grabbed it and held it so he can see it too. It was a simple card with glittery golden borders. The venue, the time, the date and an eager promise of a magnificent night were written in turquoise ink in elegantly written cursives.

" Black pool hotel, manhattan? " " Indeed!"
Mirenda agreed. " Charming place, they say. Don't know why he choose such a place filled with humans. He usually goes for places with much interesting popularity. "

" How can you guarantee that this isn't a fraud?"

Y/n asked, narrowing her eyes at the witch who shrugged, leisurely.

" You should go and see for yourselves- "

" -We will. And if turned out to be false we'll haunt you down and give you a taste of what happens to liars in our court. "

" Not very friendly, are you?"

" Like you were?"

" Well, I've done my part. Now where are those pearls?"

y/n fished out the pouch and tossed it at the witch who caught it and immediately fumbled with the strings.

" mmm... these are good enough to keep me going for another fifty or so years. "

Mirenda said, smacking her lips before putting one of the pearls in to her tea cup.

" Oh, how dreadful those fifty years would be. Now I feel quite sorry for those people who must've been waiting to see that awfully punch able face of yours to disappear.

Y/n said, sounding meaner than he has ever heard. But the witch doesn't seem to mind. Too busy watching the gold and blue smoke now dissolving in the cup in beautiful glittery blue swirls.

" Is that how you take them? Putting them in your tea?"

Seokjin asked, a bit bewildered watching Mirenda swallowing down the whole cup in one breath.

" Any liquid will do. Of course the lake water where they form is the best. But others work too. "

Y/n said, voice softened entirely different than the way she talked to the old witch who is now shuddering violently while clutching the empty cup.

" Should we be concerned? You didn't poison her... right?"

" Of course not. Do I look like someone who gives poison to such a helpful guider?"

Yes, you look very much like someone who does that.  He thought watching y/n looking at Mirenda with an odd sort of fascinating.

" Oh come on, she's fine! This is how the process works. "

Y/n said, reassuring after she noticed him looking. Sure enough, Mirenda stopped shivering. And then she transformed, her wrinkled skin smoothed, her dull yellow eyes brightened, not with hunger like he'd seen before but with youthful energy. Her hunched back straightened, her hair however, remained dirty and spiky. Minutes later before them stood a young, wicked looking small woman looking triumphantly at her new fair, unblemished hands. 

" All right! That's enough cauldron smoke for the day!"

Y/n announced and dragged Seokjin out of the house. They left unnoticed by the distracted witch and fled into the cool night, welcoming the fresh , smoke-free air.