Swan Song - Taekook

Chapter 3

"How much longer?" Taehyung asked for the nth time that day, impatiently fiddling with the reins. Yoongi rolled his eyes in annoyance, "I've told you a million times Tae, you'll know when we get there." "Yeah, but when is that?" the younger whined, driving both of his hyungs to the brink of insanity.

"We'll be there in about an hour Taehyung. Now please stop asking us that question," Namjoon suppressed a sigh as he led his mare onwards. "Besides, you'll probably see the Village gates before we do, given your Trueblood vision and all."

"More like you'll be able to smell it," Yoongi said, "The Metal Village is the most densely populated town for miles, and has a thriving market in the middle. The scent coming from it is probably smelled by every wolf in a half mile radius."

"Huh," Taehyung muttered, closing his eyes and concentrating on the different odors in the air. Sure enough, there was a faint smell of a bustling marketplace; fish, cloth, vegetables, meat, even horses.

But no mate. He tried not to feel too disappointed. It wasn't like he had thought that his mate was going to be here. It had simply been wishful thinking.

"Look! You can see the metal gate from here," Namjoon said, pointing at something big and silver in the distance. "We're almost there. I would wager just 30 minutes more if we keep going at this pace."

About 20 minutes later (because Taehyung insisted they gallop for the last 10 minutes), they arrived at the monumental metal gate. It wasn't just solid iron, Taehyung realized. With its intricate carvings and designs, it was almost like a piece of art. Two guards positioned outside of the gate stopped them from entering.

"State your name and business." One said gruffly, hand on his spear.

"I'm Kim Taehyung, Alpha of the Half Moon Pack, and these are my companions, Min Yoongi and Kim Namjoon. We're here for the Annual Conference of the Alphas." After looking closely at Taehyung's face, the guard nodded to his partner, and the two opened the gates. "You can go out when you please, but remember to return before nightfall. There are some unpleasant creatures that roam around at night."

Nodding a 'thank you,' all three stepped into the village, and Taehyung's eyes turned wide. It was by far the largest manmade place he had ever been to, with shingled houses all lining the streets. People were bustling in and out of buildings, carrying bags or leading horses through the crowded roadways. Through the crowd, he could make out the impressive marketplace, filled with stalls and shops of various goods. The calls and yells of vendors filled the air.

He would have probably stayed there all day staring in awe, if Yoongi hadn't tapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, let's go find a stable for the horses, and then I can show you the building you'll be going to." Taehyung nodded, still in shock at the size of the place.

Without Yoongi's directions, Taehyung probably would have gotten lost at the first turn. Namjoon looked just as confused as Yoongi led them through the winding streets and alleyways. They finally stopped in front of a three-story edifice, which boasted an impressive set of gold doors and an elaborate iron archway.

"Here's where they're going to hold the conference. Taehyung, you can go in and take a look around. Namjoon and I will go find a stable to put the horses in, and then visit the inn we'll be staying at. I know that you want time to catch up with old friends, so we'll come and see you around 4. Is that alright?"

"Yes..." Taehyung murmured, still looking amazed by the sheer size of the place. Yoongi noticed his expression and smiled. "Don't worry. It can look intimidating, but it's not that bad once you get used to it." Taehyung doubted it, but steeled himself and entered the doubleset doors.