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"It's over".
The thought kept repeating itself in his head.
His vision was blurred every time he opened his eyes. It was too bright to see anything and his eyes hurt so he closed them. And next time he opened them he saw stars.
The king was laid on the forest floor, looking up at the sky, unable to get up. He felt like his life was bleeding out of him slowly and was trying to recall what circumstances led to his current state. He tried moving his limbs but couldn't make them do it. He tried to think of the last thing he remembered and he wasn't totally sure but it might have been the council meeting. He wasn't surprised. A big part of royal life were those endless meetings.
He hasn't been a king for too long but it was pretty clear someone wanted to get rid of him. Yoongi wanted to laugh. Who would want to do it in their right mind? Their kingdom was smaller than some of the Lords' lands. It was more hard work than any reward.
He was getting tired even just laying motionless and thinking of the circumstances that could have led to such outcome. The ground wasn't that cold after a hot summer day but it was getting there. He still couldn't move and he didn't think it was wise to call for help. What if the people who organized this were still lurking nearby?
His horse was long gone and he for the life of him couldn't remember which part of the forest he was in. So much for using his meager free time to take a short relaxing ride. Yoongi didn't try to open his eyes anymore. He felt sleepy and his mind didn't register the careful steps that were slowly approaching him.
When he opened his eyes again he felt like he was swimming in warm water. A person was right in front of his face, basked in the light. Their eyes were looking at him as if they were studying him like a book.
- Angel? - he rasped and started coughing.
- Don't try to talk, - the angel said, pressing something to his lips. - Drink this.
Yoongi was astonished by the angel's beauty. If they wanted him to drink, he surely will. He took several tentative sips, eyes not leaving the being in front of him. If this was afterlife, then he had no objections. He tried to gather his thoughts but his body still felt heavy and it was difficult to talk. The king decided to ask the angel where they were.
- Angel? - he tried again, slurring the word ending.
- Oh, darling. I'm no angel.
The person stood up and Yoongi realised it was a young man, a beautiful one. He looked like he was shining. He looked to the side and saw a fireplace with the flames crackling merrily. There was a cauldron bubbling in it and there were tied bunches of dried herbs hanging on the walls.
The afterlife looked like a village healer hut, he's seen one of them on his recent trip he took around the lands just after his coronation. The angel was mixing something in a large bowl, adding ingredients to it with a concentrated expression on his face.
- You'll get better in no time. If you follow all my recommendations that is, - he threw Yoongi a suspicious look as if he was going to rebel against the mentioned instructions.
He didn't have much strength for a verbal answer so he nodded instead, still trying to wrap his head around the current circumstances. His ears were ringing quietly and all his body felt like he was riding a horse at a high speed while in fact he was staying still on the comfortable softness. Yoongi supposed it was the effect of whatever he has just taken.
- Angel, are you a healer? - he finally pulled himself together enough to ask.
The young man sighed, sitting next to him and leaning to check his temperature with his palm. It felt cool on his forehead. If it wasn't a blessing than what else could it be? It felt exactly like that.
- I'm a healer. Name's Jimin. I live next to the palace so I know who you are. I hope you don't try anything funny.
- F-funny? - Yoongi was baffled by how fiery Jimin sounded.
- Yeah. I heal however I know. Don't try to arrest me after for touching you or something.
- I like your touch.
He blurted that out without thinking. What exactly was this remedy? He felt a little high. Jimin was looking at him intently, as if trying to decipher if the king was joking or not.
- Sorry, angel.
- What a dull life must a royal have, - he mumbled as if to himself but Yoongi could hear him clearly, - If you think a simple healer is an angel.
Yoongi felt his face getting hot. And even hotter when Jimin leaned over again to change a cold compress on his head. The hem of his tunic got loose and he got a view of the bare skin of his chest. Now he was sure his temperature was rising. The young man stood up, throwing the king a cheeky look. Maybe Jimin wasn't an angel after all.
During the next several days Yoongi felt like he was learning to do things anew. His body felt foreign to him every time he tried to do anything: to sit up, to walk, to try and wash himself. He knew he needed to put his everything into getting better and followed Jimin's lead, determined to get well as quickly as possible.
Jimin wasn't phased by the fact he was the king. He was pretty sassy, didn't hold back his tongue and didn't follow the etiquette. For some reason Yoongi couldn't explain, he found it very attractive. He missed talking to someone like that, casually, in a fun way. The healer often joked and bickerdd with him. Yoongi didn't want to admit he himself provoked him just to see that adorable angry expression on the young man's face.
The king understood how lucky he got. There was only one wound, most likely from the knife that the perpetrator threw at him from behind a tree. What complicated the matters was the poison that got into ghe wound. Jimin reassured him it wasn't that deadly anymore, not after the very first portion of the antidote. The healing process took a long time but there would be no irreversible damage to the body or mind.
Jimin took care of him fundamentally. While Yoongi was still struggled to move any part of his body, even his jaw to at least eat properly, the healer cooked him food like they do for babies, mashing the stew into a liquid paste that would be easy for Yoongi to take. He spend almost all his time either next to the king or preparing various remedies for him, from herbal compresses to restoring potions.
He used his sharp tongue too, complaining that the king had the audacity to scrunch his face after tasting his "new revolutionary potion". Yoongi responded with suggestion to attend some culinary courses otherwise the sick that look for Jimin's help will all run away from him despite their injuries or illnesses.
When Yoongi was on the brink of sleep he felt soft soft hands on him, soothing his worries he didn't say out loud, getting rid of the fear for his life, soon as he had no idea what was happening in the palace anymore. It was such a contrast to the usual feisty healer he witnessed during the day, it left him breathless. And the more time he spent in a small hut, arguing and drinking tea, trying to touch Jimin's equipment and getting scolded for it, he wanted to go back to his usual life less and less.
- Just what do your palace healers get their money for? - Jimin grumbled, studying an older wound Yoongi got from archery practice.
- Why, what is wrong?
- Everything?
They were bickering about the old fashioned methods Yoongi's royal healer used to treat that injury. It was only maybe over a week old and Jimin offered to open and clean it properly. Yoongi realised it was hard to say no to the young man. It was like his insides melted every time Jimin looked him directly in the eyes. With the usage of herbs and pastes by the end of the day the king got rid of the prickling pain he felt in the area of the injury since the first day he got it.
He was steadily getting better. He could move freely, as much as a simple cut on the side could allow. There was no trace of poison left in his body. Yoongi gained more confidence in his verbal battles with Jimin and sometimes their arguing looked suspiciously like flirting. Especially when Yoongi regained enough strength and initiated helping the healer in his everyday tasks.
- Is this kind of exotic for you? - Jimin asked, towering over the king who was trying to see if it was as difficult to wash clothes as he thought.
Jimin sat in front of the huge bowl, on the opposite of Yoongi and took the wet soapy towel from him, demonstrating how he should move his hands.
- Now look, you're all wet, - he pointed at his chest and looked at it with great attention, - Although... I think this is an acceptable technique, yeah. Keep going.
Yoongi was confused but only for a moment. He looked down and saw that the water that he got on his white tunic Jimin leant him became transparent and his pink pebbled nipples could be easily seen through it. He was slightly embarrassed by Jimin's attention but also very pleased. He couldn't deny his heart became very soft toward the brilliant sassy healer and his thoughts were more than audacious when he remembered a freshly bathed Jimin drinking his tea. He was sitting with a towel wrapped around his head and one of his smooth legs was clearly seen in the slit of his robe.
The conversation that was a long time coming happened when Jimin came back with some news from the palace. He had some connections to the staff members and found out exactly what Yoongi wanted.
- My friend hinted that you're waiting for a good time to return. Your enemies are arrested. Everyone is waiting for you. Your friend was especially concerned. Or maybe a fiance?
There was a kind of challenge in his eyes. Now Yoongi would like to think he knew how to interpret it. He put his cup of tea down and turned his body to face Jimin, taking his hands in his.
- I don't have a fiance. Not yet, anyway.
Jimin shrugged like he didn't really care. His tunic slid off one of his shoulders and Yoongi traced that slope, wishing he could do it with his hands and lips, not just his eyes.
- You're healthy. You're free to go. - he said.
- I want to take you with me.
Jimin dropped Yoongi's hands.
- As a part of your harem?
- No! - Yoongi squeaked, - As a talented respectable healer, at first. If you'd like that.
Jimin seemed to think about it for a while. He looked around his old hut that was not in a very good condition. He must realise his talent is being wasted here. He could do so much more inventing new remedies and spreading his craft from a higher position.
- Okay, - he said, - But I need to visit here for some of my patients until people find another healer for the village.
- Could be organized, - Yoongi nodded happily pleased that Jimin didn't reject his offer.
- And... You're sure it's not for...
- I don't have it. I changed the Codex. I'm only willing for one person for me. - Yoongi said, looking the healer in the eyes directly.
He took Jimin's hands again and pulled the young man closer to himself. Jimin went willingly and straddled the king's lap. For a change he looked a little flustered and Yoongi's heart soared. He could already imagine how this dainty smart healer tells off his patients in the palace and how gladly Yoongi would show him all the beautiful places where they could stay undisturbed, one on one.