The Stormbringer (Starlight #1) - Kim Taehyung/ BTS Fanfic (#SerendipityAwards)

18

                            Taehyung

A few days had elapsed following the doomed ritual, during which I had hardly seen Zephryn. Yoongi had informed me that their trial performance was looming closer and I gathered that she was probably engaged in training. I had been roped into carrying out some of my own duties, one of which entailed the preparations for the upcoming Winter Ball.

And due to constantly being on my feet, I hadn't had much time to ponder over Xander and his resemblance to Ji Hyun. I had taken to watching the latter closely for the past few days, but there was no way to ascertain any connection. And in the end, I had simply pushed the thought away, choosing to confront it when I was free of all the other distractions that had descended over me.

Currently seated in my father's office for a family meeting, my eyes helplessly flitted around as I battled with the onslaught of thoughts which my mind seemed to recently be cramped with. The chamber was quite spacious, a long, lumbered table situated in the middle of the room. The walls were swathed in various portraits, the largest one being a family picture with decorated frills hanging over it.

One floor-to-ceiling window to the right opened into a small backyard, reserved only for my father's use. It was his respite, just like the Field of Poppies was mine. The thought of the field generated memories, some of which added a red tint to my pallor.

"And what are you smiling so broadly for?" My father's stern gaze was resting on me as he lifted his head from the documents he was scrutinizing.

I shot him a flustered grin, "Nothing you should be concerned with."

"I certainly hope not," he mumbled, sliding his round spectacles over the rim of his nose. He had been jumpy all morning and his nervousness erupted in the form of a few grunts and nods to any questions my mother posed.

She was seated to his left, tapping her knuckles on the hardwood surface with impatience. "Have you even been listening to me Wook? The ball is mere days away and we have much to do!" She was fuming, her usually soft features drawn into a tight frown.

Bo Ra rested a placating palm on my mother's hand across the table. "Eomma, you shouldn't worry so much. Most of the preparations are already in place."

"Though I don't exactly understand what a ball is going to accomplish. Are we planning to dance our way through to the Solstice?" Dae Hyun's voice shot out from the end of the table. For once, I was inclined to agree with him.

My father looked up sharply at his statement, "Don't you dare use sarcasm in my presence boy." His voice held an undertone of warning and my brother instantly mellowed, though the smirk never left his face.

"I believe this would be a good opportunity to see what each country brings to the table. After all, the chief purpose of the Solstice is to showcase a combined strength and renew the treaty which binds all the Kingdoms in peace." I stated, diverting my father's attention from Dae Hyun. He shot me a grateful look which I promptly ignored.

The Forena treaty had been drafted centuries ago by our ancestors to maintain the peace between the Kingdoms. Its contents essentially stated that all countries would exist in harmony, refraining from causing each other any manner of disturbance.

The treaty had held, and Asteria had collectively prospered as a result of it. And every ten years, the Solstice served as an occasion to renew it. Each Kingdom took turns to host it, and this year it was our turn, as it had been Ellura's a decade ago.

Something pricked at the corner of my mind but I couldn't gauge it. My father's voice snapped me out of my reverie, "That's a good proposition Taehyung. We could hold a meeting following the Solstice to discuss what can be done to improve certain loopholes and problems, if any, in the treaty."