Crimson Crown

⌠18⌡

Jinyoung basically holed himself in the library for about a week. Despite Jackson's warnings, the urge to learn more ignited in him like a raging fire. He scoured the walls from edge to edge for any vampire books he hadn't read, and even planned on rereading a few in case he missed something. 

He was nose deep in a short book late in the evening when Youngjae entered the room, barely noticing the younger's presence.

"I think you've read every vampire book you own." He stated, standing just behind the chair Jinyoung had curled himself in.

"I know. Why do we have so few?" The prince sighed while flipping a page.

"I'd say more than forty is not a mere few..." Youngjae mumbled as he walked around the room littered carelessly with vampire books stacked in random places. "...and I'll have to clean all this up I guess..."

"I can't stand it anymore." Jinyoung shut the book he was reading, suddenly standing.

The startled servant turned toward the jumpy prince. "C-Can't stand what, my Prince?"

Jinyoung began pacing as he rambled. "I have to see him. I have to talk to him. I have to figure him out. I'm so perplexed but intrigued, I was only interested in him to stop the wars but he's twisting my mind in different ways, I have to know more-"

"Jinyoung. I think it is a good thing that you've been separated from him. I was hoping that you would spend time away from this madness-- you really are being consumed by all of this." Youngjae gestured around him to the cluttered room with one hand as he placed the other on the prince's shoulder. "You're a prince... you shouldn't be this stressed out over some strange man-- a creature! It's unhealthy--"

"I need to be." The latter urged, shouldering away from the younger. "Until my kingdom is saved and my curiosity quenched, I shall never stop."

"But Prince-"

"I'm going out. I will be back whenever I decide to return."

Jinyoung rushed out of the room, leaving Youngjae flabbergasted. He stopped by his room to grab a cloak and a sword, swiftly making his way to the stable to take his black steed out into the woods. He did not care what time of day it was or whether the vampire would be happy seeing him. He wanted to know more, and refused to be shut out so easily.

~.~

"Jackson!" The prince called when he arrived at the now familiar house.

He banged on the door continuously-- he'd already been there for 5 minutes, and banging harder on the door would only making the noise more agitating. For some reason, the door was locked, leaving him to stand outside and yell like a person who'd lost his senses. "Jackson!"

It was just a minute or so later that he finally heard the doorknob click, the wood creaking open revealing the vampire whose glare filled with malice. "I didn't know it was you until the screaming started..."

"Yes you did, you can sense me, and I'm your only visitor." Jinyoung retorted as he shoved past the vampire, allowing himself into the house.

Jackson stood motionless by the door, his gaze still fixed outside. "Why are you back? I thought you had finally given up."

"No. I need to know more about you. Your powers, your life-- everything. Spending all this time away from you only made me more curious." The latter explained.

"Why is that?"

"I just... I need to understand you. I need you to trust me."

"Trust you?" The vampire slammed the door and swiftly spun around, startling Jinyoung. "I haven't been able to trust anyone for centuries. What makes you so special, Prince?"