The Crown and the Sword

Uneasy

Jungkook laced up his boots, his movements quick and efficient despite the weight of his anxiety. As he jogged out of his quarters, he couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right. The sun was shining brightly, but the air seemed colder than usual, and the halls were eerily silent. He glanced around, taking in the familiar sights: the polished floors, the gleaming weapons, the portraits of long-dead heroes. But today, everything seemed... off.

He reached the training and strategic area, his heart racing as he scanned the open space. The usual mix of recruits and officers were there, going about their business as usual. But Jungkook couldn't help but feel like they were all just actors, playing out some twisted version of their daily routines. Something felt... wrong.

As he began to warm up, he clutched the pendant Taehyung had given him tightly in his hand. The cool metal felt reassuring against his skin, but it didn't dispel the uneasy feeling in his stomach. He felt a sense of comfort knowing that Taehyung was watching over him, even from a distance. He took a deep breath and whispered to himself, "I can do this. Taehyung is with me, and together, we can overcome any obstacle.  

The room was awash in a dim, golden light, as if the sun itself were shining through a thick, syrupy liquid. The air was thick with the scent of sandalwood incense, and the sound of a single, lonely cricket chirping from somewhere in the distance filled the silence. Sehun stood before his mother's bed, his back straight as a spear, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. He wore the regal finery of a prince, but there was a fire in his eyes that belied his noble facade.

"Mother," he began, his voice cool and controlled, "I have come to admit something." He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I no longer hate you for what you did."

The queen, lying propped up on her silken pillows, turned her head slightly, a look of surprise flashing across her features. "Sehun, my dearest son," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, "I have always known that you were a wise and just man."

Sehun let out a brittle laugh. "Oh, Mother, you flatter me. But I must confess, even I have come to see the wisdom in your decision to make Taehyung the king instead of me." He paused again, his expression darkening. "But there is one thing I must ask of you."

The queen leaned forward slightly, her eyes narrowing. "And what might that be, my son?" she asked, her voice now tinged with a hint of wariness.

Sehun's eyes gleamed with an unsettling light. "I want you to grant me one wish," he said, his voice low and steady. "A simple request, nothing more."

The queen hesitated, glancing down at her hands folded primly in her lap. "And what might this wish be?" she asked at last, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sehun's expression hardened. "I want you to repent for what you have done to me," he said, enunciating each word carefully. "I want you to grant my wish in front of everyone is royal court and I want a promise."

The queen's eyes widened, a flash of fear flickering across her features. "Sehun, no..." she whispered, her voice trembling.

But Sehun cut her off with a harsh laugh. "Oh, don't worry, Mother. You'll only have to do it once. I wont ask for a lot" His voice turned cold. "All I ask is that you grant my wish in the court today, and that I  promise never to stand in your way again."

The queen's breath hitched, her chest heaving as she struggled for air. She looked at her son, and for a moment, he saw the flicker of a decision forming in her eyes. But then it was gone, replaced by a steely determination. "Sehun," she said, her voice steady despite the trembling in her chest, "I cannot grant you this wish."

Sehun's smile turned cruel. "Oh, Mother," he said, taking a step closer to her, "I think you'll find that you don't have much of a choice." His eyes glinted with malice as he leaned down, his voice dropping to a low, threatening whisper.

 The queen's face paled, and she swallowed hard, unable to meet her son's merciless gaze. As she struggled to find the words to respond, Sehun's cruel smile widened. He knew he had her right where he wanted her.

Sehun went ahead and stopped when he saw Jungkook.As Jungkook glanced up at Sehun, his heart started thumping loudly due to nervousness. The way Sehun was standing there, half-in and half-out of the doorframe, with his muscles tensed and his breathing labored, sent a shiver down Jungkook's spine.

He licked his lips nervously and focused on what Sehun was saying. "Certainly Taehyung has got a good choice," Sehun muttered, a dark smirk playing across his lips.Sehun's next words as if they were branded into his memory: "Tomorrow is gonna be fun for both you and me."

The air in the room seemed to thicken, as if it were becoming harder to breathe. Jungkook couldn't help but wonder what Sehun meant by that. He glanced back down at his work, trying to concentrate on the task at hand, but his mind kept wandering back to Sehun's words.

Was this some sort of joke? Or was it something more sinister? He couldn't shake the feeling that tomorrow was going to be a day like no other.

The clock on the wall ticked away the seconds, the only sound in the room aside from their labored breathing. Jungkook tried to keep his mind on the task, but he couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease. The light from the single lamp flickered eerily, casting strange shadows on the walls and ceiling. It was as if the room itself was alive, waiting for something to happen. Something big. Something that would change everything.

Jungkook glanced down at his pendant, feeling a sense of reassurance from the warm metal against his skin. He closed his eyes tightly, willing Taehyung to come back. He needed him here, now more than ever. But even as he thought that, he couldn't shake the feeling that it was already too late.