Crimson Crown

⌠36⌡

Jinyoung stepped into the blacksmith's shop, stopping here first after noticing the heavy smoke plumbing from the chimney. As he entered the place he noticed more clutter around than usual; random scraps of metal, blades without handles, and various other half-finished work laid about.

"Hello?" He called as his eyes scanned the workshop.

Jaebeom could hear the sound of the door as he rushed over to greet the visitor while holding a hot piece of metal between some prongs. 

He squinted through his facial protective gear to recognize his friend. "Ah, g'evenin, prince. Sorry, I'm quite busy."

He turned back into the workshop, approaching the blazing fire that he'd been heating the metal with.

The prince followed, keeping himself at a respectable distance so Jaebeom could continue to work. "I see... this is the most work I've ever seen you do."

"Well with this war, a lot of our knights need proper armor and swords. I should have prepared beforehand, but I was sorta hopin' that the war threat was exactly that; only a threat."

"I'm just glad you're not out on the front lines. I would be too worried for you."

"Not yet I'm not out there. But if enough people die, we're all gonna be out there eventually."

Jinyoung sighed, wishing that he didn't have to acknowledge that inevitable truth. "Don't speak that way, I'm already defeated in my efforts to stop the war from happening in the first place."

"Don't try to stop it now that it's begun, just wait it out like the rest of us." Jaebeom replied.

Jinyoung shifted his position as Jaebeom moved around the room. He watched as the latter hammered at the molten metal, crafting whatever he was currently working on. The blacksmith always came off as the lazy careless type, but when working he was nothing but focused. 

"You are sitting here making more weapons than you properly get paid to make, others are also overworking to support the war efforts and keep our kingdom afloat; not to mention the hundreds who are getting swords driven through them right as we speak. I cannot just sit by and 'wait it out', that is terribly irresponsible, especially with my status as prince."

"Your status that you don't give a rats arse about."

"Despite my indifference toward the title-- I still wear it proudly as it was bestowed to me. I have a duty to uphold."

The latter sighed, glancing up for just a moment. "Well, I do hope if you can stop it then please try doin' so. I'm so busy all of a sudden, and I'm not gettin' material fast enough from the mines to keep up with the demand that I'm only gettin' paid half for. I'll drown like this."

"I will do my best. I already failed but I don't plan on it again; if things do get a bit out of hand though..." Jinyoung reached into his satchel, tugging out a leather sack. The jingle and thud of the bag dropping on the nearby wooden desk quickly caught the blacksmith's attention. "Here is some compensation for the extra work and any damages. That should keep you going for a while."

Jaebeom's eyes widened at the bag as he lifted his protective gear. A smile spread wide across his lips. "You are the best prince I've ever known..."

"I am the only one you know personally."

"Exactly, no other prince would give out royal riches like it is water."

"Then you are lucky I am nice." Jinyoung chuckled while adjusting his satchel across his torso, preparing to leave.

Jaebeom perked up, catching the latter before he began to head out. "Oh, by the way, have you and Youngjae kissed and made up yet?"

Jinyoung paused, the smile on his face dropping. He let out a long, agitated sigh; yet another person who knows of their quarrel suddenly brings it up. "I'm sure if I kissed him you would have a problem with it..."

"Hey, at this point, anything to get him to stop worryin' for you." The latter shrugged.

"So you've seen him since I left..."

"Visited for just a few moments. He was nearly drownin' in his own sweat, mumblin' all the time about you; hopin' you were okay and would forgive him and all that. Not even an active hour in bed would've taken his mind off you."

The prince rolled his eyes, his arms folding like a stubborn child. "Why is everyone telling me this? I am quite angry with him at the moment, why do you all insist on me putting something so serious behind me as if it were that simple?"

"He didn't fill me in with details with what happened, but I could tell how serious it was. I think that's why you should speak to him, because if it's somethin' that means a lot to you, you should try to help him understand."

Jinyoung considered the advice for a moment, letting out another long sigh. He hated how similar his advice sounded to Mark's, and really hated how he began to actually consider forgiving the latter. He was still angry, but he also didn't give Youngjae much of a chance to explain himself; he'll have to think about possibly giving him that chance when he felt he deserved it.

"Fine, fine. You all are starting to sound like pirates' parrots, crowing the same thing. I'm going now." He waved, heading out before the blacksmith could say anything more.

Jaebeom resumed his work, waving momentarily. "See ya, prince."

~.~

Jinyoung initially planned to visit Yugyeom, but it had gotten quite late, and surely the doctor was busy tending to the wounds of knights and whatnot. He didn't want to disrupt the already busy culture of the clinic.

Instead, he returned to the palace, deciding to eat an early dinner so he could head to bed. The menu for the night was elk soup with various vegetables, and again he sat alone in the dining hall as his parents were off elsewhere taking care of business which most likely pertained to the war.

For some reason, the food wasn't that good. All he kept thinking about was eating the meal Jackson had prepared for him earlier; it didn't compare to this at all. Even the best chefs couldn't replicate how good it felt to eat the vampire's home-cooked meal.

Long story short, he was already aching to see Jackson again and began pondering when his next visit could be.

He let out a long sigh as he swirled the contents of the soup in his dish.

"You sound down..."

The familiar voice commented from behind him, making Jinyoung roll his eyes. He didn't even bother looking back; he didn't feel like facing the younger.

"I'm fine. Leave me be."

Youngjae took a step closer, his brows furrowed. "Um... Y-You sure you don't want me to refill your cup? I can get you more soup if you'd like, or I'll fetch some bread for you to have with it--"

"Stop it." Jinyoung snapped, finally looking up at the latter. He couldn't say that the servant's hurt expression didn't phase him, but he was still holding onto his grudge. "I said I was fine, why won't you go away?"

"Because I'm supposed to serve you..." He mumbled softly.

"Obviously I do not want your service."

"Then, maybe later--"

"Not later either. You're relieved for the rest of the night."

Youngjae stood frozen, his pupils shaking as he stared at the elder. He wasn't used to being given the cold shoulder like this; granted he'd never made the prince this mad before; but either way, it was the first time he was feeling this intense of a rejection from him.

"Y-You can't stay mad for this long, please, I'm sorr--"

"I'll be mad for as long as I want to be." Jinyoung retorted, suddenly standing. "What you can do is clean all this up, I'm not hungry anymore."

Jinyoung turned on his heels and marched out the room, refusing to look back since he was sure that if he did he'd feel bad for his attitude. He wanted to forgive the latter, he just wasn't sure how. He didn't feel ready to.

He left Youngjae alone to clean up his mess, the servant quietly doing as he was told while holding in his emotions.