𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐑 [Kim Taehyung FF]

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟏 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

The gentle clatter of hooves filled the air as Taehyung and Fiorella walked side by side through the gardens of the royal estate.

Taehyung's gaze occasionally drifted to Fiorella, there was a stubbornness in her eyes, a defiance that hadn't faded even after all these years.

He cleared his throat softly, breaking the silence. "Do you remember how much you used to love horse riding?"
His voice was low, almost casual, as he glanced at her. "You would beg me to take you on rides every chance you got."

Fiorella's gaze swept over the garden, "A lot has changed," her tone flat and devoid of warmth. "Including me."

Taehyung's jaw tightened, "Changed?" the casual facade slipped for a fraction of a second.

"You still look like the same princess who used to dance under the moonlight, defying curfew and daring the guards to chase after her."

She turned to him sharply, eyes flashing. "And you, Taehyung, still speak like a man who believes he knows everything," she shot back, bitterness lacing her words. "But no one-least of all you-knows what I've become."

There was a pause, a beat of silence where their gazes locked. Taehyung inclined his head slightly, the barest hint of a smile touching his lips-a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Perhaps you're right," he conceded softly. "But accepting things as they are, rather than how they used to be, that's something we all must learn. The faster you accept it, the easier it will be."

Fiorella's lips parted as if to retort, but she swallowed her words, a bitter laugh escaping instead. "Acceptance," she whispered, almost to herself. "You speak of it as if it's a choice."

Taehyung remained silent, watching her intently. There was a flicker of something in his gaze, something dark and unrelenting. "It is a choice, Princess. One that will save you a world of pain."

She stiffened, his words striking a nerve. For a moment, they simply stared at each other, the world around them fading away. Then, Fiorella straightened her shoulders, a strange calm settling over her features.

"Fine," she said quietly, surprising him. "I'll accept everything. I'll obey, I'll follow your commands... I'll be the obedient princess you want me to be."

Taehyung raised an eyebrow, suspicion flickering in his gaze. This wasn't like her. She was up to something.

"And what, exactly, has brought on this sudden compliance?" he asked warily.

Fiorella met his gaze evenly. "On one condition," she continued, her voice steady. "Let me see my parents. Just once. One last time."

There it was. The desperation she tried so hard to conceal shone in her eyes, turning them glassy with unshed tears. His chest tightened at the sight, a pang of something almost like regret stabbing through him. But he kept his face impassive, his tone unyielding.