Crown Made Out Of Thorns || Minsung

New Pet [1]

In the small carriage, Jisung was pressed against at least 30 people. Everyone wore the same clothes, was clean, and made some small talk to kill the time. Throughout the small window that was right across boy could see at least two more carriages carrying the same amount of people if not more. It was nothing new for him as Jisung got used to getting shipped for buyers to look at them and this wouldn't be Jisung's first time to visit the palace either. He met the king, well not personally, but he saw him around four times. When Jisung was younger he was one of the candidates and potential products that the king could buy but to no one's surprise- he didn't. The boy couldn't even now see the reason why every single slave was being transported to the palace, especially him who was sick and trembling even now, with pain in his lungs and his skin that was close to withering away on the feet due to frostbite weren't the most flattering but at least Jisung knew, he won't surely be picked this time.

Soon, everyone stood in rows outside the palace while guards looked at them closely, keeping an eye out for any casualties that may occur. Cold stares drilled themselves into the heads of the dozens of slaves who were nervously shifting their heavy chained legs in place. One by one they were entering the palace and forming a colon in the throne room. The palace itself didn't change much from what Jisung remembered, it was still grand and unnecessarily decorated but none than less beautiful. Its walls had a deep blue color and windows were tall, inviting sunlight to kiss every part of the hall. It looked warm yet cold with how wide it felt. It took time for everyone to assemble neatly and the boy found it hard to walk without stumbling and groaning, ready to collapse at any moment but he knew that he had to endure just these few hours and then he would finally get some rest. They stayed still, not mumbling a single word let alone daring to speak a whole sentence, guards positioned for every slave, behind them ready to take down anyone who made the slightest mistake or sudden move, their hands on the blades that were dangling from the belt below their waist. It felt like an eternity waiting for the king to finally show himself, in silence seconds felt longer and minutes were stretched but finally stomp of the hard boots against the pale tiles was heard and guards standing next to the grandious doors opened them revealing one and only, Lee Minho, king of Miroh.

He was devilishly beautiful and cold as Jisung remembers him, he would never be able to forget him even if he wanted. He was simply the most beautiful man that Jisung ever laid his eyes upon. Behind Minho's firm figure, the luxurious dark red cape with fur dragged on the ground behind him, his heeled boots made somehow harmonious and in sync noises, as the sole of his boots touched the floor. Crown high on his head, shining and exclaiming his authority and power. Power is the crown that eats the head, Jisung thought as he just looked at the simple piece of metal that stood tall on the king's head, just a decoration, a deadly one. King had beautiful eyes that appeared amber in the sunlight that shined through the windows, his hair was neatly parted and styled and his face seemed flawless as well. He was like a statue, beautiful, cold, and eternal. Craved in stone beauty. His body reached the throne that was centered to look at the whole room and he just sat in silence,, no one made a move. He repositioned the blue jeweled broch on his dark attire before gesturing one of his guards to come and the king whispered something to him, the guy in the armor just nodded his head along and at that moment prince stood up.

"I see a lot of new faces here, I am excited to see what lost puppy will i take home this time," Minho said, with no empathy or any sign of emotion in his words. He began taking steps forward and slave traders just bowed as he passed right before them. King took his sweet time to look at every single slave, not touching them, just looking. When he would see someone that he seemed to like he would motion the physician who stood in the corner all this time to inspect the slave's teeth, lungs, and overall to give them a small, fast health check. The line got shorter and shorter until the king finally reached Jisung who looked like he would collapse at any moment given. The boy's eyes were tired and had deep dark circles around them. Despite him being nicely put together, he was shivering and he couldn't even bow properly to the Minho who found it annoying.

"Why is there a sick mutt here. Do you have no respect for your life?" Minho turned to the one of slave traders, his voice thunderous and inraged. The man on whom he was shouting winced for a moment before trying to make up any excuse, trying to maintain his head on the shoulders.

"You did tell us to bring everything we had Your Royal Highness... It just turned out that he tried to run away a day ago and fell sick as we were chasing after him in a snowfall.." Jisung couldn't believe how pitiful and scared the man who used to beat him with a whip all these years was. Minho just nodded looking kind of satisfied before looking back at the small body frame of trembling Jisung. His brown hair grew more than what Minho liked, his big eyes looked dead but burning with resolve, fat cheeks, and a thin pouty upper lip. Nothing of that wasn't what Minho really liked or found attractive at first but he liked the challenge. He wanted to see for himself how rebellious the younger could be, how much resolve and blaze he had in him and how long will it take Minho to put that same fire out. He would love to break the younger piece by piece. He already decided in his mind that the boy before him would be his new plaything.

"Lucky for you I love to hunt squirrels. They make an interesting target while hunting, I especially love how they fall from the trees when shot down." Minho smiled venomously at Jisung while grabbing his head in the palm of a hand, turning it, and inspecting the squirrel-looking boy who just looked back at the king, straight in the eyes, no fear in them. All his fear was long dead with his family, Jisung himself could be called a dead man if only wasn't for his sister who may still be alive. His last string of hope and for her he has to be courageous and live through this. Even if he meets his fate it would be better than this sore reality he lives in, he thought.

"You are trembling so much mutt, are you that afraid? I won't kill you yet, squirrels aren't fun hunting dead. Entertain me enough to keep you alive for some time." Minho teased seeing that the younger was trembling and breathing heavily, all of that due to the high temperature,

"Jisung," Boy muttered, his voice hoarse but clear and proud.

"What?" King couldn't believe his ears that the mere slave just talked back. The audacity but Minho would lie if he said that he wasn't at least a little bit intrigued by this manner.

"Jisung, not mutt. I am not a dog Your Royal Highness but a human being." Again boy stated, his throat was still burning and dry but still he talked back and the slave traders looked at him with eyes bulging out, wide open. Jisung knew, that if he didn't die in this palace right now, he would definitely die when he came back to the slave camp. They would show him no mercy and yet with weary eyes he looked at the king.

"These chains say otherwise. To me, you are all the same, pets." Minho responded, not buying any of Jisungs shits nor planning to treat him like anything else but a dog but he had to give it to younger, his name suited him. Jisung's name rang nicely into his ears. Love from the Stars Minho thought while trying to unintentionally decipher the meaning of the younger's name, he found himself thinking of it as if the boy was really sent from the stars.

"You may be right. We both bite." Minho let out a glamorous laugh that was piercing and everyone stood and looked eyes wide open in fear of what would happen next. King just turned on his heel, his cape still floating behind him before he said.

"I will buy him. Hyunjin, give him a bath and prepare a proper room for him, it's no fun hunting sick animals. They don't move as much." And with that Jisung has been taken away, still dizzy but now in genuine shock to what has happened. I just bounded myself to hell, he thought before looking back to search for the eyes of his young friend in the crowd who was already looking straight at his. Jeongin had a worried look on his face and his usual bright smile was nowhere to be found, The young boy just waved his hand at the Jisung and tried to force out a small smile. This will be the last time they see each other and they are both devastated, Jisung once again feels like he lost something, and that is why he made that rule for himself to never befriend anyone at the camp. Partings hurt.

Later Jisung would find himself in something that he would consider a smaller pool filled with hot water and whatever frangnant oils and soaps. His muscles instantly relaxed against the warm water which seemed to ease his pain and to make him lightheaded. He replayed the scenes of today in his head, still not fully aware of what happened but he felt like a stranger in this place, Lying in a big bath, smelling like just bloomed hyacinth, and getting to later sleep on a warm mattress, It was all unknown for him but the boy knew it all came with a price and that price is his life. Yesterday he might've been Han Jisung, the boy who lost everything, but starting off today he is a king's pet. Minho's property.

Crown Made Out Of Thorns || Minsung 
1790words, 7/1/24