Align the stars

Part 26

Days went faster,yet every day seemed to be the same as before.Jimin could remember everyone in the palace by name.Taehyung had started attending the councils in the castle again and he was away most of the day.Jimin wrote frequent letters to his mother and sisters.His sister would become eighteen very soon and his mind was not at rest.He had not seen Seokjin after the night he gave him the letter,nor had he gotten any response from Jung Hoseok.To Jimin,it felt like he had been blindfolded as to what was happening outside the palace.Jimin stood on one of the watch tower that overlooked the endless forest,world seemed normal from there.
"Where does this forest floor end,Namjoon ssi?",Jimin asked the servant,who brought him refreshments.Namjoon straightened up and looked ahead,"It takes you far from Pelamore,Far beyond the separating walls"
"To Caseidon?"
"To Caseidon,if you wish it to",Namjoon said,and Jimin wanted to ponder on his words.What was it supposed to mean? The only pathway that connected wasn't just the bridge,Jimin was aware of that and he also knew several secret paths connecting Caseidon and Pelamore from his close friend,Jung Hoseok.But he wasn't aware of the route through the jungle.

Jimin waited until Namjoon left him and his guard alone.The crown prince turned to his knight,"Do we have news from Kim Seokjin?"
"No,your royal highness"
"And from Hoseok?"
"Prince,I do not think Ser Jung would ever reply.Forgive me but after what His majesty has asked of him,I do not think he would ever wage war for the royal family's sake"

Jimin agreed with Jungkook,there was not even the slightest of chance for Hoseok to join his cause.Only years ago,Jimin had stood near his father watching as Hoseok dragged himself to the courtroom.The royal court had stood horrorstricken as blood bathed their halls.Hoseok was red,from head to foot.His wounds were fresh and one of the ministers was calling out to bring herbs and medicines.But Hoseok only laughed maniacally.He raised both his hands to the Caseidon king.
"I listened to what you ordered,I obeyed you.I saved all the people from the banks and look,look what they've done"

Hoseok had leant forward to touch the King's feet and blood coloured his skin as well.Nobody knew what to say,they already knew what had happened.
"They've killed my children,my beautiful wife,my mother,father and my brothers.They killed to the last one of my family.Now,I am just an orphan..Like every Caseidons",Hoseok had sat on his knees and wept on.Jimin came down to help him to his feet but Hoseok refused.

"I am no legend of ghosts,am a nobody,no home to return to-"
"Ser Jung, Caseidon is your home",Jimin said.
"Home is where people you love are,crown prince and now,I do not have one"

The king stepped down to Hoseok,"Rise,my child"
Hoseok shook his head,spattering more blood onto the brilliant green carpet.
"Your majesty,I was loyal to you.I have done everything you have asked of me.I have saved Caseidons,hundreds of them.I have stopped Pelamoreans from looting our lands,from raping our women and killing our children.Now I have lost my children,they are still warm in their bed,your majesty.Allow me,allow me to avenge them",Hoseok stood to his feet,"Allow me to kill those bastard night guards of Pelamore.Allow me to find peace for I'll keep waking up to a home,with the stench of blood and not of my dear wife"
"Ser Jung,I understand your pain but I cannot ask that of you.It would be a blasphemy to do so.We ,as Caseidons,have sworn that we would not fight like cowards in the dark,backstab them under torch lights.We are not betrayers..We do not crawl under the shadows of castle and slaughter men and women"
"Then let me fight under the sun,A war should come"
"We do not afford a war,Ser Jung.Don't you see? People are suffering"
"Your majesty,How long would we stay inferior? How long would we stand by and watch as they slaughter our kin?"

The king only hung his head in shame and Hoseok laughed again like a maniac,wiping blood off his hands on his shirt.
"I will obey this as your last command,Sire.I offer you no service from now",Hoseok had said before walking  out of the palace.

...

"Jimin..Jimin...",Jimin could hear a faint voice calling out to him.He was in prayer woods,beside him stood godmother and he wondered if she was the one calling out to him.But it was not her,it was his own mother's voice.Jimin turned around,feeling hazy.
"You are destined for more",The Godmother said from his side,"You are not to be caged inside your enemy's bedroom.You are much more than that"
"I am nothing,I couldn't even save my brothers"
"Jimin,You are descendant of greater men.They would sneer if they see you like this.You are to rise up",Godmother dragged her long staff around the ground,drawing circles and circles,like she always does.
"I am noone",Jimin dropped to the ground.His mother was calling him again.
"I am the weakest of the princes"
"You are strong,wise and this is your land.Remember this is your's",Godmother raised her staff and slammed it on the ground.Sparks flew from under and Jimin woke up with a jolt.It was several hours into the night,his heart was beating fast.

Sweat trickled down his sides and he pulled himself off from the bed and walked over to the barred window.The forest was silent,and so were the skies.His eyes searched for something,of comfort,of freedom.He saw a dark figure moving across the walls and towards the ground.It ran into the forest and Jimin couldn't see past it.
"Are you alright,Jimin?",There was a voice behind him.Taehyung had also left the bed.Jimin couldn't say anything so he just nodded,turning to the forest again.But the figure had disappeared.Taehyung hooked his head over Jimin's shoulder and Jimin tilted his head to him.Taehyung's hands wound around Jimin and the latter sighed.

"Father wants me to go and finish the meeting I was having earlier with chieftains", Taehyung said,breaking the silence.
"Do you have to travel again?"
"I do not want to leave you here alone"
"I am not alone and that wasn't the answer to my question",Jimin smiled a little,slapping over Taehyung's clasped hands.
"I have to go,Just for a day.Do you want to come with me?"
Jimin considered it and then slowly shook his head,"It is better for me to stay here, Taehyung "

Seokjin could return any moment and Hoseok could send him a letter.Jimin did not want to miss it.
"Taehyung?"
"Mm?"
"Can I trust you?"
Taehyung detached himself from Jimin and came around to face him.He sat on the window sill and pulled Jimin to stand in between his legs.
"Why would you question my loyalty?"

A strand of hair fell over Taehyung's forehead and Jimin fought the urge to fix it behind his ears.
"I do not know whom to trust.You do not tell me much of what is happening too.It is bothering me"
"To be honest,I do not know whom to trust either.I,sometimes,feel the entire royal court despises me.Well,if anything is bothering you,Just ask me"
"Anything?"
"Anything"
"Your uncle,why did he leave the castle"

Taehyung sighed,"He did not like that we were getting wed to each other and he refused to attend the wedding.He went north and my father send people to bring him back,but they hadn't found him yet"
"Your mother-"
"What about her?"
"Is she really sick ? Why is she in dungeons?"