A Warrior's Heart

Chapter 30; Goodbye

Taehyun thought silently to himself as he trailed his fingers over the wrinkled papers of the rolls laying on the shelve. After the crowning two girls took the platinum blonde boy away and the warriors went to their designated places. Taehyun wasn't an official part of the guards, he knew that, so he had retreated himself to the wizard's cottage at the far side of the palace grounds.

Suddenly the door opened, and the boy turned around to see the black haired warrior walking in.

"Yoongi." He smiled, stepping away from the shelves and approaching the man.

The warrior had been promoted as soon as the prince was crowned. It had been his very first decision as the emperor and Taehyun couldn't agree more with the thought. He now wore a red cape, his armor decorated with golden leaves at the sides and the sword he got solemnly for the highest rank of warriors was silver with golden sides.

"The emperor wishes to see you." Yoongi told the boy. "Okay I'm just.. waiting for the wizard here." Taehyun replied, mentioning to the empty room he stood in.

"Tae. If the emperor wants to see you, you have to go there right away." The warrior said, voice stern and unwavering.

"He said he'd be right back." The younger replied. Yoongi wasn't having it. "It is the rule."

Taehyun chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "Or what? Huh? I'll get my head chopped off?"

Yoongi stared at him with a blank face, reaching a hand up to the heft of his sword and pulling it out of its hilt a little. The smile dissapeared from the boy's face, being replaced by a pout. "You guys and your rules." He sulked. "Is it also against the rules to smile?"

Taehyun stepped into the palace, being dropped off at a door by two girls. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him softly. See through fabric hung from the ceiling and couches stood against the walls being decorated by paintings. Behind the fabric curtains he saw the emperor standing in front of the window, and he approached him slowly.

When the boy noticed him his lips formed a smile and he stepped away from the window. "Hey."

"Hey." Taehyun smiled back as he looked at him. His blonde hair was smoothed out over his head, free from any decoration this time and he wore a simple attire. His lips weren't chapped anymore but the cut on his cheek was still clearly visable. The younger couldn't help the small 'wow' that left his mouth.

The emperor lifted his hand, curling it to a fist and thrusted it towards the brunette. Taehyun narrowed his eyes. "I'm not gonna get my head chopped off?"

Beomgyu shrugged. "There's no one here to see." He said and mentioned towards his fist with his eyes. Taehyun chuckled and lifted his arm. "Alright." He smiled and bumped his fist against the other's, causing them both to smile.

"I wanted to see you before you went back." Beomgyu said, looking up into his eyes and stepping closer. "I wish I could go with you, even if it was only for a day."

Taehyun blinked. "You're the emperor now. You can do whatever you want."

"Because I'm the emperor, I can't." The blonde said, twisting the sentence around slightly. "Every day will consist of talking to ministers and ambassadors and paperwork and important decisions," He explained. "No dancing, no singing..." He trailed off.

"No fun." Taehyun finished, and Beomgyu nodded. "I would love to go to the mall again and get some of that ice cream." He sighed, making the younger smile. "But I can't. My father has worked so hard to achieve the peace that once hung over the whole country, I- I can't let him down.." He said. "He gave his life for the people, I owe it to him."

Taehyun nodded and smiled softly. "I understand."

Beomgyu sniffed, tears creeping up in his eyes because he really didn't want to say goodbye but he knew he had to, knew he couldn't cling onto the boy and knew he didn't belong in this world. He had his own life in his own, with his own family. It wasn't fair to ask him to give it all up for him.

"But I did want to thank you for giving me the memories that I'll always treasure." He said as he stepped even closer, looking up at the brunette's eyes. "I was hoping to give you one too."

Taehyun didn't say anything, but he felt his heart beating faster and faster, his hands starting to clam up and goosebumps appeared all over his skin as the emperor reached his arms up, placing his hands on his chest and stood up on his toes. Taehyun brought his hands to the boy's waist on instinct when the blonde wrapped his arms around his neck.

Beomgyu leant forward, letting his lips linger over the other's for just a short second, before he was pushing against them. Both their eyes fluttered closed and Taehyun felt butterflies erupt in his stomach, flying up his windpipe and suffocating him. The emperor on the other hand was softly smiling into the kiss, turning his head sideways to deepen it just a little. Just enough to have them both sighing into it.

When the boy pulled away he kept his eyes closed and panted a little, but the brunette couldn't help but open his eyes quickly. Beomgyu looked gorgeous, if he didn't already thought so. His cheeks were flushed and his lips were slightly parted and glossy.

The boy opened his eyes after a minute and moved a hands to Taehyun's cheek, cupping it. "I don't think you're worthless," He whispered softly, pushing his forehead against the younger's. "I never did."

The corners of Taehyun's lips turned upwards in a smile, and he looked into the boy's eyes. From up close they were so pretty, full of emotions and the colours so bright, holding so much mystery and he felt himself drowning in them.

A lone tear fell from the blonde's eyes, making him blink a few times. "Goodbye, Tae." Beomgyu said in a voice so soft and broken Taehyun swore he felt his heart ache at the sound of it.

He didn't want to let him go. Didn't want to see him walking out the door. Didn't want to lose him and he didn't want this to be their farewell. But he let him. He let the emperor slide his hands away from him, leaving his skin untouched. He watched as the boy stepped away, tears down his cheeks as he walked to the door. Taehyun blinked his own tears away and smiled softly when Beomgyu turned around to look at him one last time.

And then he was gone.