Your Majesty {NamJin}

twenty six

The entire royal court was summoned for Sura and Chomin's public execution that morning, and a select few in the front row were dejectedly bloodthirsty to see two snakes' heads chopped off. Taehyung stood off to the farthest left, holding Seonbi's hand and guarding her unborn child. Next to Seonbi stood Hoseok, wary of the time Seonbi spent standing up. Jungkook stood next to her, silently watching her movements as well.

Jimin stood on a raised platform in front of the crowd with the other guards standing towards the back, with a silver, intricately carved throne in the back middle. Looking around, he observed that Yoongi sat in a miniature personal seat of his own. Assuming it was due to his injury, he paid little mind to it, and went about making sure that the chopping block, a few feet in front of the throne, was sharp to a prick for the execution. As much as he despised Sura, he secretly wished it didn't have to come down to death, but he could do nothing about it besides making sure it would be quick and painless.

Suddenly, drums began to hammer down into his ears. A rhythmic pounding began, signaling the start of the public ceremony and the arrival of Namjoon on the platform. "His Divine Grace arrives!" a sturdy voice echoed, ringing the words through people's heads.

The court knelt to the floor and bowed as Namjoon stepped in, completely laid out in his signature red layered robes, a jade seal dangling off his neck by a silver chain, black ballroom shoes, and the golden maple leaf crown.

Seonbi, Taehyung and Jimin couldn't help but stir in anger, remembering what happened to Seokjin the night before. They hadn't seen him since Namjoon left him in the cold air of that fragile, hazy night; they had all been in the hospital when Namjoon ran out of the palace in his under clothes, and they hadn't seen him enter the palace since. Holding this resent back, Seonbi pursed her lips, while Taehyung and Jimin looked at each other with eyes that said the same thing.

If Seokjin doesn't come back, we know who's at fault.

Three guards led the prisoners in chains towards the chopping block. Sura, Chomin and the rest of the Silcho stood compressed in a tight circle on the right side of the stage while guards surrounded them. Namjoon looked up into Sura's eyes with a sort of calm anger; puddles of frustration and fury were diluted in the knowledge that soon, her death would bring peace, and it all pooled together in the rough storm of his passionate eyes.

Namjoon looked in the other direction and smiled as his favorite noble from the north walked towards the throne and knelt before it, touching his forehead to the floor in a show of absolute submission. Seonbi, Taehyung, Jimin and Hoseok smiled in relief and joy as they recognized the young man on the platform, bowing before Namjoon.

"Are you ready, love?" Namjoon whispered, placing a gentle hand on Seokjin's shoulder in a small gesture of affection.

"Ready when you are, Your Majesty," Seokjin grinned, raising his upper half to greet Namjoon's smiling face.

Standing up, Namjoon helped Seokjin up and back down again -- this time, he knelt on a velvet pillow next to the throne.

"Today," Namjoon said, grasping the crowd's attention, "we gather to execute justice."

The court subjects cheered, bloodlust rising with each word spoken.

"These men of the Silcho conspired against our state, laying siege and destruction to our southern provinces, in an attempt to overthrow order."

Jimin led two of Chomin's brothers to the blade, making one kneel with his head in the headlock. Pulling on a long rope at the side of the guillotine, he hoisted the heavy blade up above thr prisoner's head.

"Any last words?" he said, voice shaky and unstable. Watching people die wasn't too high on his list of things to do, but it was his duty as General. Gulping as the criminal mumbled something incomprehensible, Jimin looked down at the man with a confused face.