Outworld Mission

16-the wedding

The grand halls of the palace were alive with an energy that hummed through the air, a quiet excitement that seemed to settle over the entire kingdom. It was the eve of Jungkook's wedding, an event that had been orchestrated in secrecy, one that would bind him to King Seokjin. But there was more at play than the mere joining of two people in matrimony.

Jungkook, still reeling from the truth he had learned just days earlier, walked through the ornate corridors with a heavy heart. His mind kept returning to the conversation he’d had with the King. Taehyung. The mission. The Bearer. The wedding. It all felt like a tangled web that he could not untangle, a series of events set into motion long before he had arrived in the palace. And yet, he could not help but feel that he was at the center of it all.

The King had been kind enough to grant him a moment of peace in his chambers before the ceremony. Jungkook sat by the window, looking out over the kingdom, trying to find some clarity in the midst of the storm brewing around him.

His fingers gently traced the delicate silk of the robe he was to wear for the wedding, the deep crimson fabric almost suffocating in its opulence. The weight of the situation pressed heavily on his chest. He knew that marrying Seokjin was not just about love—it was about survival. It was about protecting himself, about protecting the kingdom. But still, doubts lingered.

"Your Highness Are you ready?" A soft voice broke through his thoughts, and Jungkook turned to see General Namjoon standing in the doorway, his expression unreadable.

"I suppose, Sir" Jungkook murmured, standing up. "But I don't understand why this is necessary. Why me?"

Namjoon’s eyes softened slightly, though the stoic mask of the general never fully faltered. "Because you're the Bearer. And please Your highness, stop calling me Sir, because your destiny was about to change. The prophecy is clear, and the King has made his choice. This marriage is the only way to protect you. To protect us all."

Jungkook nodded, though he felt the same sense of unease gnawing at him. He couldn't shake the feeling that something darker was at play, something hidden beneath the layers of the King's words.

---

Meanwhile, in the shadowed halls of the palace, Taehyung paced, his mind a whirlwind of questions and suspicions. The events of the past few days—the strange silence of the King, the way Seokjin had pulled away from him—had made him restless. He could not ignore the sense that something was amiss, something that Seokjin was not telling him.

His thoughts were interrupted when Jimin, the second prince, entered the room, his presence as commanding as ever.

You’re still obsessing over it?

Jimin said with a sigh, crossing his arms. Talking him through telepathy once again

"You’re going to drive yourself mad, Prince Taehyung."

Taehyung turned to face him, his jaw clenched with frustration.

"I need to know the truth, Prince Jimin. Who is the Bearer? What is this Place was  hiding?"

Jimin’s gaze hardened. "You’re already too close to the truth, My Prince. If you push any further, you’ll only make things worse."

"Worse? Worse for whom?" Prince Taehyung's voice was sharp, almost accusatory. "The King? Or for the kingdom?"

Jimin’s eyes darkened. "You. Prince Taehyung. For you."

Taehyung stared at Jimin, confusion and frustration written across his face.

"You know something, don’t you? You know what the King is hiding. What he’s planning."

Prince Jimin stepped closer, his tone low and warning.
"The King is not the man you think he is. And neither are you."

Prince Taehyung’s heart raced, his anger bubbling over. "What does that mean? Tell me."

The second Prince stepped back, his posture defensive but calm. "You know who I am protecting Your Highness.."

Before Taehyung could respond, the door opened again, and General Namjoon entered, flanked by Captain Yoongi. The two men stood at attention, their faces impassive, but their presence unmistakable.

"Prince Taehyung," Namjoon said in his deep, calm voice. "The King has ordered that you stop your investigation. Do not interfere with the wedding."

"Wedding?" Taehyung asked, his voice rising in disbelief. "Why would The King will marry a servant —tell me"

Yoongi stepped forward, his usual indifference masking the tension in his stance.

"It was our King’s decisions, Prince Taehyung.You have no right to question it. You were sent to protect, not to pry."

"And what of Yun Geuki?" Taehyung shot back, his gaze flicking to Namjoon. "What of the Bearer?"

The general’s eyes narrowed. "You will leave him alone. The King’s plan must unfold as he wishes. For now, you’re to stand down."

Prince Taehyung’s fists clenched at his sides. "I won’t stop. I won’t stand idly by while my family is torn apart."

But Namjoon’s voice was steady, unwavering.

"You will. Because if you don’t, there will be consequences."

---

In the sacred chambers where the wedding ceremony would take place, King Seokjin stood before the altar, his expression grave. The room had been prepared meticulously for the event, every detail accounted for, every piece of decoration placed with careful precision. But the King’s mind was far from the beauty surrounding him.

His gaze flickered to the side where Jungkook stood, dressed in the ceremonial robes of a prince, his face a mixture of confusion and resolve. Seokjin’s heart ached, but there was no time for weakness.

"Jungwah, Are you ready?" Seokjin’s voice was quiet, his eyes meeting Jungkook’s.

Jungkook swallowed hard, his throat dry. "I’m not sure I understand everything, Your Majesty. But I will do my part."

Seokjin’s lips curled into a faint, sad smile. "That’s all I can ask for."

Just then, the doors swung open, and Prince Taehyung appeared, flanked by Jimin and a small group of guards. His eyes locked with Seokjin’s, the intensity of his gaze piercing through the calm facade of the King.

I won’t let this happen, Your highness! Taehyung declared, sending his thoughts straight to the King..

Seokjin did not flinch.
You have no choice, My Prince. The wedding is happening. There’s nothing you can do to stop it."

But Prince Taehyung was relentless. Still communicating through telephaty
You think you can hide the truth from me? You think you can control everything? I will find the Bearer. I will expose your lies."

Jimin stepped forward, his hand resting on Taehyung’s arm, his voice firm.
"Enough, My Prince. You’ve been warned."

Before Taehyung could protest further, General Namjoon and Captain Yoongi moved swiftly into position, their stances ready for any potential conflict. Behind them stood Jung Hoseok, the royal shaman, whose once-certain visions had been clouded with doubt. The future was uncertain, shifting like sand beneath their feet.

Taehyung hesitated, the weight of the room pressing down on him. He wanted to fight, to expose The Bearer for what he truly was, but in the face of so many loyal soldiers, he knew he would not succeed. For now, at least.

The wedding began.

And as Seokjin’s eyes met Jungkook’s, he felt the shift in the air. The prophecy was unfolding. But even as Jungkook was forced into a union of necessity, he could not ignore the nagging feeling that the truth, dark and tangled, would soon come crashing down.

---

The future was uncertain, but one thing was clear: the roles they had been given, whether they liked them or not, would shape everything.

And none of them—

could escape their fates.