Briar Rose - Taekook

Chapter 13

hi!

XIII: Jungkook 

"Your Grandfather is here."

I felt Taehyung tense, and his face which had been smiling only a moment ago was now filled with surprise and resentment. The knuckles of his hands grew white as he gripped the armrests of his throne so hard, I was afraid that the obsidian would crack. His voice was full of suppressed anger when he spoke.

"Is he? Then tell him to go. He's not welcome here."

Yoongi shuffled his feet, and for the first time since I had seen him, looked nervous. "I already told him that. And... well, he didn't like it. He insists on meeting you."

Taehyung muttered some words which were undoubtedly curses in a different language. "Fine. Let's get this over with, shall we?" He gently caressed my hair one last time, and I savored the feeling of his hands in my hair. The feeling ended all too soon as he removed his hands, and I took that as my cue to leave. Sliding off his lap, my feet touched the cold marble floor as I ran to Jimin who greeted me with a smile.

Rising from his seat, Taehyung walked towards the portal with Yoongi. His face was dark with thunder, but he sent me a fleeting smile as he stepped into the barrier. I smiled back. Then the portal swirled closed, and Jimin, Baekhyun, and I were left alone in the room.

Baekhyun rubbed his hands together. "I wish I could meet his grandfather. He's a legend, you know. Won so many wars that no one even counts them anymore. He also had an uncanny ability to evade death, and his soldiers worshipped him for it. Was a devil with the scim, too." He sighed longingly.

"Well, give it up, Baekhyun. Taehyung's not going to allow us to simply hear his private conversation." Jimin said, leaning against the metal railing. "I want to see him too, but I guess it'll have to wait."

"You guys haven't met Taehyung's grandfather before?" I asked, and Jimin shook his head. "Never. He barely ever visits Armad. He mostly spends his time at his castle in the mountains of Blackcliffe, which is far away from here. Besides, Taehyung and him have... a rocky relationship. They prefer not to see the other for as long as fate allows."

Baekhyun snorted. "That's an understatement. They hate each other. Of course, you can't blame Taehyung for that, but still... They would have slit each other's throat by now if they had to live together." He gave another half-hearted sigh. "What I would give to see his grandfather... and I know the perfect place to hide in too..."

Jimin raised a suggestive eyebrow. "You're not saying that we should spy on them, are you?"
Baekhyun shrugged. "I never said anything of that sort. It's just that, hypothetically, there's a perfect hiding spot behind the east wall of their room. If someone were to use it to eavesdrop on another's conversation, it would be the ideal place." He held his hands up protectively. "Not that I'm proposing anything of that sort. Just stating the facts."

"Huh," Jimin got a glint in his eye which made me a bit nervous. "I never thought of that. Hypothetically, if someone, let's say three people were to use it, would it be big enough to cover all of us? Just hypothetically, of course."

"Er... guys..." I tried to intervene, but both of them already seemed to be warming up to the plan.

"Sure. It would be perfect for the job." Baekhyun agreed. Jimin smiled. "Great!" He didn't even try and hide his brisk steps as he walked towards the portal. Flicking his hand once, the swirling mass of light returned, and we all stepped through it. I gritted my teeth as pain washed over me, but didn't complain. I could only hope that we didn't get found out when we spied.