Queen of Roses

52) Oblivion

"For fuck's sakes, how many more do we have to lose to win this damn thing?" Yoongi demanded, almost hysterical as he and Jimin practically carried Seokjin's limp body back towards the healers.

When he had initially been injured on the battlefield, Yoongi had brushed it off as a joke. But then, it dawned on him that if anyone were to die a tragically humorous death via a leg wound, it would be Kim Seokjin. And this realization was just more fuel for the anger he was already overwhelmed with.

He clenched his jaw as images of Jennie's lifeless body flashed before him. But he shook the memory off as quickly as it came – burying it within the deepest recesses of his mind. The place where all his painful memories lived. The memories he could never bear to revisit for fear that they'd overwhelm him into oblivion.

Jimin had no answer for him. Because war was selfish – it would take whomever it wanted, whenever it wanted, and there was no predicting or avoiding it.

By dodging multiple opponents and ducking behind various covers, they finally made it back to one of their own tents. Yoongi had never been so relieved to spot the royal blue banner of the Princess's armour, his shoulders begging to be relieved from the burden that was Seokjin's weight and his throat in dire need of liquid nourishment.

He stepped through the tent first and almost crashed into Irene, who was already meeting them at the entrance as if she knew they would be coming.

"Seokjin," she merely sighed as she helped them lower him onto a thin straw cot in the corner, "I have experienced more headaches this week than I have ever before in my entire lifetime. All because of him. Is that normal?"

Yoongi exchanged a semi-bemused, semi-surprised glance with Jimin as they observed the gentle way Irene had begun to tend to Seokjin's wound. Suspicious, very suspicious. She hardly spared the two other men in the room a glance, keeping her eyes loyally pinned to Seokjin's unconscious figure.

"God, I wish we could have found Jennie sooner," Jimin sighed as they watched Seokjin slowly regain his consciousness and return to his senses, "even just a few minutes—"

"To at least say goodbye," Yoongi finished Jimin's sentence, his jaw clenching again and his voice flat.

They fell into a solemn silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Both trying to fill the emptiness of Jennie's absence with fond memories – holding onto any piece of her they could.

The images of her gummy smile, her determination to win any competition regardless of how many men she had to beat to do it, the way she would always make sure to be the best dressed at any town event, her fierce eyes that would soften as soon as you gave her a compliment – all the things that made her Yoongi's first love, flooded his mind like a hurricane of emotions. And as he suppressed the stinging behind his eyes, he realized he had been right. This shit was too overwhelming.

He immediately swivelled around and stormed out the tent, needing to destroy something. Or someone.

Unfortunately, he barely made it outside before a soldier's horse almost trampled over him.

"Watch where the fuck you're—"

His sentence was immediately cut off by the soldier's panicked voice, "so sorry sir, but I bring you urgent news from the north. I was dispatched a few days ago but was delayed by an unexpected attack in the east."

Yoongi jolted towards him, a feeling of dread filling him at the soldier's destroyed armour and fearful expression in his eyes, "what happened?"

"Lady Lisa has been captured –"

"What do you mean Lisa has been captured?!" Jimin suddenly demanded from behind them, having overheard part of the conversation.

Yoongi tried his best to remain calm when he asked his next question. The one that had been swirling in his mind for what felt like forever.