The Black Rose ( BTS Jin ff )

Chapter 17

WARNING: Mention of blood and violence.

The sound of polished white pair of boots hitting the stone floor echoes through the empty hall. It was a huge empty space, it's white stone floor clean without a speck of dust in sight. A crystal chandelier that looked like it was made of delicate ice hung above, reflecting the light that entered from the huge open windows in multicolored patterns across the ceiling.  The hall was in white and shades of gray giving it a lifeless frozen look. 

On the very front of the hall, on a stone pavilion was a majestic looking white throne looking cold and empty.

In front of it , pacing back and forth was the owner of the boots, a young looking man dressed in a crisp white suit. He had rather long, black, hair that fell across his forehead, almost covering his long lashed eyes that were in a shade of unique dark blue color. His skin looked as pale as a ghost's but his petal like lips stayed as red as blood.

He was a tall man, delicate yet muscular, a perfect mixture of feminine and masculine beauty. And he looked as beautiful and as lifeless as a carved sculpture of an angel.

     The huge ash door in the opposite direction from the throne opened , revealing two men dressed in black and a half kneeling, half standing man dressed in torn clothes. The guards marched in dragging the other man between them.

The young man in white stopped his constant pacing and turned around as the the injured man was hurled at his feet.

For a while, the ghostly sound of the wind and the distant sound of a fountain was the only sounds present except for the heaving breathing sounds from the man.

      The young man bent down, his lapis blue eyes cold as frost as he grabbed the man and turned him so he could see the injured back.

The wounds were covered hastily by a clumsy hand using a white strip of clothes as a bandage. They were so badly done that he could see the blood seeping through the fabric on to the floor, dirtying it. The man frowned, more concerned about the floor than of the man.

" How is she? "

He asked, voice lacking any emotion. the fallen soldier tried to avoid the blue eyes and had his chin grabbed and forcefully turned upward by delicate, long fingers.

" S- she's fine my l- lord. "

The man stammered weakly.

" Fine? " Young man repeated. The words hung in the air, heavy and dangerous. " Let me ask you a question. Who gave you orders to attack the princess? "

The man stayed silent, his breath stuttering as he weakly tried to pull away from the tightening grip on his chin.

The man in white let his face go and moved towards the injured back. And dug three long well sculpted fingers in to the wounds.

The screams of pain and agony teared through the silent hall, echoing around the empty hall, leaving the two guards visibly shaken. The boy retracted his hand, unbothered by the blood and the screaming.

" I asked you a question. "

" n- no one- no one my lord. We just thought it would be better to take her down and save you of some of the trouble. "

" Save me of trouble? Take her down? You really do think so highly about yourselves. "

The man shuddered, looking down at the floor.

" Do you not remember what I told you about intervening my plans? "

" But my lord... you want her- "

" I do want her. But if I can just go and pick her up that easily I would've done it already, most certainly suffering less than you have. "

He took forth the bloodied fingers and smeared the red liquid across the other man's cheek.

" I want her to come willingly. And she will. " he stood up "And you have done such a terrible mistake. "

Then he walked towards the throne but did not sit down.

" I've warned you before. Touch a single strand of her hair and you'll die. Either by mine or her blade. "

The man shivered, pale and weak. The smeared blood on his face looked very red against his whitened skin.

" Since you got away before she could give you what you deserve, I might as well give it you with bit more added to the pallet.

Something that looked like a smile spread across his face, just a tug of his lips, eyes cold and empty.

" Oh you should've let her kill you. At least it could've been a clean death. "

He signaled one of the guards to drag the wailing man away.

" What about the other one? "

He asked the remaining guard.

" Dead my lord.  The prince killed him. "

The young man didn't react at all at the mention of the prince as the guard thought he would. Instead he stared at the trail of blood left by the injured man with a blank face.

" How's the princess? "

" she looked healthy, unharmed. "

" Is she happy? "

The guard hesitated, probably wondering why his ruthless master is suddenly caring for someone like a princess's happiness.

" Uh... I think so, my lord. "

" Good. You may leave. "

   Then he waited for the door to close and walked towards the open windows. Outside was a carefully maintained garden, covered with a thick blanket of snow engulfing the rose bushes, trees and garden benches in a white, color drained world. It was beautiful, all white and pure looking. But still looked very depressing and lonely.

For someone who lived in such a cold place for a long time and was unbothered by it, he suddenly felt cold. He was certain that it has little to do with the cold but something else.

He reached out and plucked a frost covered black rose from a bush closest to him and twirled it in his long fingers, three of them still covered in flakes of dried blood.

He clutched at it, hoping, longing to feel some kind of warmth through the memories along.

The only warmth he had ever felt was taken away from him a long time ago. Now all that was left was an empty palace, freezing cold wind, snow and emptiness. The palace looked haunted now without the laughter of a certain girl not being there to bring a speck of color to this damned place that is not just white.

" y/n - ah , won't you come home. "

And many miles away, Min y/n sneezed for what felt like the hundredth time, cursing whoever it is that keeps thinking about her.