Dimensions || taekook

Chapter 12

Taehyung did not waste a single second to grip the reins tightly and steer Roseanne into the opposite direction, urging her to quicken her speed up to a point where she galloped as fast as she could.

Jungkook felt extremely anxious and just hoped the horse would have a good orientation sense and know where it was going. Adding to that, he also felt a strong sense of guilt for putting Taehyung into such a messy situation for such selfish reason. Of course he didn't want to see the forest because he found it interesting, he wanted to find an exit that would help him return home, no matter what he told himself.

And now he had gone a little too far and they were stuck in the middle of the forest with a literal storm raging above- and as guilty as he felt about it, he couldn't deny the tiny voice inside his brain, asking him if he would have found the exit if only he could have gone deeper inside. Perhaps he was starting to get severely homesick.

The image painted inside his head just wouldn't leave him alone: A weeping willow with luscious, green leaves that almost seemed to sparkle in the magnificent sunlight, a pearly white trunk lighting up mysteriously and vines with the most beautiful red roses encircling it, its thorns gold, silver and bronze like in a fantasy movie...

The two boys were forced to keep their heads down due to the heavy rainfall and therefore were not able to look in front of them, not that they would be able to see much, anyways. However, after few more minutes of the horse's galloping hooves ringing inside their ears along with the sound of loud, clattering rain and some more faint thunder (which Taehyung reacted to with what sounded like tiny sobs- it made Jungkook feel even worse), things were finally looking better for the two of them. Instead of wet grass and moss, Roseanne was finally treading on Elysium's rosy pebbles again!

She galloped all the way to the palace as rapidly as she could, not liking how wet and sticky the rain made her fur feel. And having arrived back at the stables, the two boys were finally able to take a deep breath. The prince, however, seemed to have lost his ability to breathe properly. The storm must've shocked him so much he just remained seated on the saddle, shivering and ringing for air.

Jungkook, who had already got off the horse, gazed at him in worry. "You okay? I'm so sorry, I had no idea this would happen... You look really shaken up, let's get you off the horse."
No one was guarding the stables so Taehyung, a person with extremely high authority at court, was pretty much the brunette's entire responsiblity now, something he didn't know how to deal with. If Taehyung died under his care, he would be responsible for this entire kingdom's downfall.

But of course, he would not let that happen and since he obviously came to care for the blueberry-haired male, he'd try his best to make him feel safe. It pained him that the other's highly panicked state was his entire fault, and he really didn't know how to apologize.
"Can you take my hand and jump off the saddle? I got you... Taehyung?" The older was obviously still frightened but slightly nodded by the sound of his name, gripping Jungkook's hand with all his might and dismounting the horse with the brunette's help and his arms steadying him.

"I will... Never... Never have I been outside while... while...," the prince stuttered, his body limp in Jungkook's arms. He was cold and trembling- something he had felt not once in his entire life, always being cared for in the warm castle. He wasn't even supposed to go outside that much.
"I kinda figured. I'm sorry, this is all my fault. Do you want me to carry you back inside?" Taehyung shook his head no, not wanting to create a fuss within the castle.

About ten minutes later of the crown prince being utterly silent and Jungkook also being utterly silent in worry, they made their way back into the castle as normally as possible, servants and guards immediately noticing how their beloved prince was wet and shivering, whispering frantically. "Your Majesty, what has happened?!," he was asked by the turn of every single corner.