Bewitched.

chapter 010. stupidity, greed and disappointment.

Jeon Jungkook has a certain image in his head when he thinks about the sorcerers of the north. From a young age, he was used to seeing them as the villain, clad in black with dark powers that were a threat to humanity, but as he rushed out of the castle he saw that the folk were not wizards or shapeshifters, but simply everyday folk. They looked like everyday villages, and the only thing that felt different was their choice of attire—clad in black with a look of determination in their eyes are they used their magic, to somehow keep hold of the force field. 

But it was useless. 

Jeon Jungkook looks up and sees the neverending lines of fighter jets and helicopters, some of which were dropping bombs from the sky. Some bounced off, while a few would somehow break through the force field and end up causing destruction into the forest.

In a panic, he hears her voice calling at her men. 

"Protect them!" She calls out. 

He suddenly feels a sense of warmth and protection as he looks around in surprise, seeing that a mini force field was over him and Jung Hoseok.

"Run, Jungkook, get out of here!" Kim Taehyung winces in pain, his hands letting out magic as the pair ran.

Jeon Jungkook can hear the sound of Jung Hoseok huffing and puffing, but he doesn't dare look back until he hears him scream.

Turning his head, he rushes back to help him up, as the man tripped. He can feel the magic dissipating slowly, and knows he needs to make it to the border and end things once and for all.

Jeon Jungkook knows that it was draining the people of the north, and they already had enough on their place. 

"Not long to go," he encourages his advisor, who has tears in his eyes.

"I'm tired, go without me your majesty," he complains. 

"We need to go, we are draining their magic," Jeon Jungkook rationalises, as he pulls the man up, "... just keep running, don't look down."

But Jeon Jungkook turns around and sees her in front of her people, holding her magic out as she tried to repair the force field. 

They were on defence.

She can see from behind, that the queen was crying. 

Even when he safely makes it out, and calls an end to the army, he can't help but remember the complete distress in her face. 

And he decides he needs to go back and make things right.

-

Park Chaeyoung feels exhausted, but she continues to push through, walking to the premise of the hospital, seeing how drained her people were.

Some were extremely damaged, sustaining physical injuries from attacks from the south. She doesn't quite know, but somehow, out of aircraft, they'd dropped weapons of mass destruction—like some sort of advanced explosion. 

Her eyes were filled with water, not caring that it was unlike her to appear weak in front of her people. 

And her people were strong. They bowed and greeted her properly, despite how exhausted they were. 

"Your majesty," Kim Taehyung's voice pulls her out of her trance as she turns to him, a tired smile as he holds her hand, extending his magic to him. 

She pulls away, "... Taehyung, save it for yourself, you worked hard today."

Park Chaeyoung feels guilty, about allowing him to heal her, given how much of the reason that the humans returned was because of her mention of her mother. 

"You're my queen, and I'll serve you for my whole life," he simply responds, intertwining her hands together, "... the ministry of defence would like to talk to you, shall I walk you there?" 

She sighs but knows it's necessary. 

As the pair walk, a million thoughts run through her head.

Why did the south have so much weaponry? Clearly, it wasn't for defence, since she'd made clear that they'd never attacked. 

Furthermore, in the eight years that she ruled, not once did they even come to contact, at least, until Jeon Jungkook breached the border.

Park Chaeyoung's heart breaks as they walk to the palace, seeing the destruction in the garden. There were deep and black craters, and many of the trees had burned in fire.

"How could they do this? Don't they know they've already taken everything? There's nothing left to give, other than my life!" She can't help but stop, tears down her face as she holds herself into his shoulder, "... I didn't ask for this. We didn't provoke them." 

"Your majesty, you need to be strong. I won't let them take you away from me."

-

Park Chaeyoung's heart feels heavy when she gets awoken by the staff, notifying her that Jeon Jungkook had came back alone. 

She reluctantly puts on a black gown and heads downstairs, her head feeling heavy as the ministry of defence suddenly began brainstorming about the possibility of making magic weapons, in the case that a war broke out. 

When she reaches the living area, she sees him looking at her with sympathetic eyes. 

"Jungkook," she acknowledges, "... I think it's best you stay away from the north from now on."

He gets up and bows to her, "... your majesty." 

Park Chaeyoung doesn't know why she feels nervous when he walks to her, before handing her a telephone with a number. 

"What is this?" She looks to him.

"If anything ever happens again, you can have the Busan military at your door," he notifies her, "... I'm sorry for today. We don't have as much manpower as the south, but we built the technology that they use, at least it can help equal—"

Park Chaeyoung throws the paper on the ground, "... you think I want this? You are part of the problem!" 

"Your majesty, I know you're upset but—"

"Upset?" She spits out in disbelief, "... have you asked why you even have access to such death weapons? The same things that destroyed the force field that was meant to protect the north from the south, and led to a  hundred casualties? Not once have we ever threatened you, yet somehow, Busan and the south have enough weapons to set fire to the entire globe!" 

Jeon Jungkook feels bad, and she can tell from his expression, "... it's just meant to be a deterrence, for the worst case scenario—" 

"No," she looks at him with anger, so much that she can feel her usually cold body turn hot in rage, "... it's because all you humans want one thing—power. And it's not enough, you need to take everything."

Park Chaeyoung picks up the end of her gown as she opens the curtains, revealing the one lush garden which had turned into a post-fire area.

"When will you and the south be happy? When the north turns into ashes? Like my mother?" She closes her eyes in pain, "... you've all taken enough from me and my people. You've already taken everything. You want more magic dust to heal Jisoo? Fine——but I'm telling you, your marriage is cursed and there's no way around it."

"Chaeyoung," his voice is soft as he rushes to her, reaching his hand out to her.

She moves her hand away, "... address me properly, we are not friends!"

"Your majesty," he speaks with gentleness, "... I promise I'll make things right. I will make sure the south never attack again, and I will find your mother's ashes and bring them here. I promise, I swear on my life, even if it's the last thing I'll ever do."

Park Chaeyoung shakes her head in disgust, "... don't make promises you can't keep because all you humans are good for three things, and three things only—stupidity, greed and disappointment. And you, Jungkook, have checked all three boxes."