King of Nothing | Taekook

Chapter One

"Jungkooki!" Minsung said, carrying his jousting uniform in his hands. "Will you come watch me today?"

"I can't today, bud. Maybe tomorrow?" I ruffled his hair. His optimism never dims, even in the face of disappointment. I would go watch him play, but I'd rather go... converse with Taehyung. I tend to go hang with the servants anyways- or at least I used to when I was younger. Some of the older women working for us pretty much raised me, with my mother and father being too busy for a toddler. They are like a second family.

I threw on my casual clothes today. A light layer of baggy clothing, good for a day off. Comfortable. It resembles that of what the servants wear. I like to feel at their level. I feel out of place in my own body and surroundings most of the time anyways, feeling this way is good for me.

"Prince," said one woman, bowing to me. I nodded my head back at her. I was greeted with other gestures just the same until I found who I was looking for.

"Why are you here?" Taehyung asked, looking up at me from where he kneeled on his knees, washing sheets in a tub of cloudy water.

"I wanted to... Help! I wanted to come help you." I stuttered for a second, thinking of a plausible excuse. A prince who wants to help the servants in their duties? I'd be a public mockery if anyone found out. Maybe not from the poor class, but from the middle and high class citizens.

Taehyung scoffed, "What's the catch?"

"Uh," I got down to my knees, too, "no catch. Just want to help."

"Well, alright your highness." He laughed under his breath, "You're strange."

"Ah," I said, reaching over and taking one of the dirty sheets from the pile. I put it in the water and started scrubbing it with my hands.

"No, no. Look here." Taehyung said, using a bristled brush and board to scrub the cloth. "See? There's extra ones behind you."

I turned around and grabbed the two items he motioned to, following his lead. My knuckles grated against the board when I scrubbed, it burned.

"Am I doing it wrong?" I said, pulling my hand back and looking at my red knuckles.

"Nope, that's just how it is. You'll get used to it." He sighed.

"How long have you been doing this for?" I asked and he went quiet.

"Um," he bit on the inside of his cheek. "My whole life pretty much." He forced out a nervous laugh and shook his head a bit. Then went back to scrubbing.

I went to speak but no words came out.

"I was a picker as a kid. I worked in fields picking berries and plants. There's not much a kid could do. Plus, I thought it was fun. They knew how to keep me motivated. I didn't know any better." He laughed again.

"For how long?"

"I think I was three or four when I started. I got traded off into regular servantry when I turned eleven. I started farming animals, then. That was probably my favorite." He smiled softly, "Have you ever held a newborn goat?"

I shook my head. I've never meet any animals besides chickens and horses.

"Gosh, it's the best feeling in the world. I mothered that baby until it was older and got sold at an auction. As I did for the other animals, too. I loved it there. But the owner of the farm passed about six months ago and then I was moved along to here. Until a few months ago, I was living temporarily in communal city servantry housing. I figured I'd become a street worker. But this is much better."

"Oh," I nodded slowly, "taking care of animals seems like fun."

"Yeah, it was. I had a cow, the owners of the place were real nice to me. They let me keep her, she was a milk cow anyways. Named her Bear, because she looked like a Black Bear."