Chapter Text
These eyes... I've seen these eyes before... They are the exactly same eyes like...
"You..." a word that came out of his mouth, or was it me who said that, maybe we said it simultaneously, who knows?...
But this word sounded more like a question. A question asking: "why are you here?".
"No..." I said breathlessly, "No, it can't be you...".
He can't be that boy... He can't be the boy I helped escape seven years ago...
~7 years ago~
"Jiiiiminnnn..." I yelled and run towards him.
"Your Highness..." the maids voice was heard from behind me, "... Please don't run like that..." she managed to say in between her heavy breathes. She was chasing after me and I'm sure she must have been more worried than ever. I mean... Everyone would freak out if something was to happen to the only heir of the king and that poor maid would be held responsible if I ended up with a broken leg after running like that down the stairs, "... You're gonna get hurt... Please, your Highness...".
I didn't give her any attention. But, what kind of an ten-year-old would?... Instead I fast approached Jimin and jumped on his hands.
"Jimin!" I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him.
"Hey, little Highness" he said smiling.
"I missed you..." I whispered and didn't release the hug.
"Awwww... I missed you too, little bunny".
Jimin was like my big brother. Since I was a baby he had always been there for me along with Taehyung. He even saved my life once, two years ago, from an intruder in the palace, which made him earn his position as the lieutenant of the army next to General Park, his father, at the young age of sixteen. He has shown great potential in fights and his skills with the sword are untouchable. Since that whole thing of saving the Princess' life he was appointed my bodyguard, my protector as everyone says.
"Your Highness..." the maid at last came to me but she looked exhausted. Through her heavy breathes after a long marathon of chasing me, she tried to speak, "... Please don't run away like that again..." then she turned to Jimin, "Lieutenant..." she bowed in front of him.
Jimin turned his head towards me.
"Y/N, are you causing trouble again?..." he asked me with a smirk, "I only go away for a month and you have the time to go around running like a bunny and turning the world upside down? And what's more... Without me?!" he said pretending to be hurt and then started laughing. Then he spoke to the maid, "You can go now. I'll take care of the princess. Don't worry...".
"As you say, Lieutenant" she answered and after bowing one more time she left us alone.
"Now..." Jimin spoke, "What do you say about a walk at the garden? Hm?..."
I nodded my head and after he put me down, he grabbed my hand and walked with me out at the beautiful complex of gardens surrounding the palace.
"... Everyone thought that we wouldn't win. But they didn't know what I had made by the dam..."I was mesmerised hearing his story from the front lines of the war with the neighbour Kingdom, Aerideen, with which our Kingdom, Fyridea had been in war for many decades, "The enemies were fast approaching us running towards us. They had reached the area where once was floating the river, now bound by the dam... And then... BOOM!" he yelled. Scared I hugged him and I burried my face on his tummy. He started laughing. Lightly he pated my head and sliding his hand on my cheek he made me look at him," The dam exploded... The water of the river run so quickly and took on his way all the enemy soldiers with such force, that there was left nearly no one. As for those who survived they decided to retreat and like that we ended up winning!" he finished his story with a proud smile.
I was left in awe.
"And who was the one who though of exploding the dam?" I asked curiously.
"That... Would be me..." he answered getting a little shy- he never likes to brag about himself.
"Wow!... You are amazing!" I looked at him with sparkling eyes.
"Okay... Enough of all these bloody things... I'm starting to get worried about you liking hearing stories like these. After all, Y/N, you are a princess...".
Then he turned around and looked for something in his cape.
"What are you doing there?" I tried to look, but his back was hiding me any view.
Keeping his hands behind his back he turned to face me.
"Close your eyes" he told me.
"What?".
"I have a surprise for you...".
A huge smile appeared on my lips and excited I closer my eyes, waiting for him to show me whatever was that surprise. I heard the material of his cape moving and after a small pause he spoke.
"Now open them...".
Quickly I opened my eyes and looked at that beautiful... Wait... What's that?... A box?... Gradually that excited smile started to disappear. Was that the surprise he meant?...
"Th-that is... a really... nice box..." I tried not to show my disappointment.
Jimin laughed.
"That's not the surprise, idiot. Open the box".
The anticipation I was feelings before reappeared once more in me. Taking the box I slowly opened it to find a beautiful hairpin full of crystals. The purple flower on the top of the hairpin glowing brightly at the light of the sun, taking an iridescent colour. Small crystals, spreading their way on the petals of the flower and across the body of the hairpin, looked like droplets of rain. It was mesmerising...
"It's... Beautiful..." were the only words to describe what I was feeling.
Jimin chuckled with my reaction and taking the hairpin he proceeded to put it on my hair.
"I'm glad you like it" he said, "There were so many things I saw at the public market, that you would like, and I didn't know what to choose".
"The public market..." I utter nostalgically, "How is it there?".
After all I never got the chance to go there...
"It's next to the square of the town. Every day people go there from early in the morning, open their stalls and sell many things and then late at night they pack them again so they can come back tomorrow" he explained me.
"And what do they sell at those stalls at the square?" excitement flowed through my whole body.
"Everything!" he answered, "You can find gleaming jewels, sharp knives, colorful dresses, anything you can imagine... Wait... You've never been there before?... Not even once?..." his mouth formed the questions even though he knew damn well the answers.
I shook my head.
"I never get out of the palace..." I said with a sad tone.
"Well, I knew that... But, I thought, that you've at least once seen the out world".
"I wish could go and see the town, but dad won't allow me... I've already tried to speak to him, but he won't even listen to me... He says all the time that it is dangerous for me to get out" a pout made its appearance on my lips.
"I understand him. He has his reasons" Jimin said, "But..." he looked at me with that look he always had when he was thinking of something cool, but you are not supposed to do.
"But?... What?..." I asked.
"But what if you went out without him knowing it?..." he said.
"What?!".
"Let's say that I know a way out that is not necessarily the front gate...".
"I can't do that!".
"You were the one who wanted to see the town. I'm just mentioning a way to get there".
For a while silence fell between us. As wrong as the idea was, it kept to be tempting and I couldn't stop myself from thinking how awesome would be to go to the town.
"It's not that far away, isn't it?" I asked hesitantly considering his idea.
"No" he shook his head, "Actually it really near the palace as it's one of the biggest merchant centers of the Kingdom".
"And there won't be any danger?..." he shook again his head, "And we will be back before anyone realize that we are missing?...".
"Don't worry... I'm gonna be always with you and I'm gonna make sure that you get back at the palace safe and sound without anyone realising that you even left for a split second".
And that was the only reassurance I needed to give in the temptation of going out.
"Okay, let's do this" I said happily.
Jimin smile with my reaction and taking my hand he guided me through the garden.