THE CONCUBINE || TAEKOOK ||

EIGHT

“W-where are you t-taking me?” Taehyung tried to fight, but to no avail; they were far stronger than him. His cheeks were damp with tears, and he didn't know what they were going to do to him. The villagers only looked at his pitiable state; nobody even tried to help him.

“To your new house, boy. Now shut up if you want to stay alive,” Mr. Lee spat angrily, making Taehyung's legs tremble with fear.

“Please, let me go!” Taehyung pleaded, his voice breaking. “I haven't done anything wrong!”

Mr. Lee sneered. “You belong to the king now. It's best you accept your fate.”

As the guard tied his hands, Taehyung whimpered from the force, tears pricking his eyes. “Why won't anyone help me?” he cried out, looking desperately at the villagers. “Please, someone!”

The villagers averted their eyes, pretending not to hear him. One old man whispered to his wife, “It's better we stay out of this. We can't go against the king.”

Another woman muttered, “Poor boy, but there's nothing we can do.”

Taehyung looked back at them, feeling utterly abandoned. The guard picked Taehyung up and placed him on the horseback, then mounted the horse himself, sitting behind Taehyung and ready to go. Taehyung kept crying, and the guard yanked his hair. “Shut up,” the guard whispered in his ear. Taehyung winced and tried to get out of his hold.

“Let me go! I don't want to go! Grandma! Help! Anyone, please!” Taehyung screamed with all his might, but everyone ignored him and continued with what they were doing. How cruel they are, Taehyung thought.

The guard turned Taehyung around forcefully and slapped him hard, leaving a mark on his cheek. “I said, shut up!” he growled.

Taehyung's cries quieted to sobs as he realized no one would come to his aid. The guard tightened his grip, and the horse began to move, carrying Taehyung away from the only home he had ever known.

"You're testing my patience now. Keep quiet," the guard growled, pressing his fingers against Taehyung's lips to signal him to stay silent. Taehyung only sobbed quietly through the ride.

They stopped in front of the castle and dismounted their horses. The guard grabbed Taehyung roughly and placed him on the ground. The servants and maids, seeing this, started whispering among themselves.

"Who is this boy? Did the king bring him here?"
"Where is the king?"
"What are they going to do to the boy?"

The murmuring continued until Mr. Lee lifted his hand, gesturing for them to shut up. The courtyard fell silent, and all eyes were on Taehyung, who stood trembling and confused.

"Take him to the servants' quarters," Mr. Lee commanded and disappeared inside the palace. The guards dragged Taehyung like a prisoner and threw him into an empty room. The other servants gasped, casting worried looks at Taehyung, who had started crying again.

“Take him to the bathing area and give him some clothes,” the guard yelled before leaving the quarters.

As Taehyung sat on the bed, his tears continued to flow. He felt lost and overwhelmed by the sudden turn his life had taken. The unfamiliar surroundings of the servants' quarters only served to deepen his sense of isolation.