Married to the tiger prince

10

"Don't think, don't talk, don't look into his eyes, just sit there and look pretty,"

Jungkook says to me on the other side of the painted divider as Jimin wraps me in my new kimono. I just stare at the tigers hiding in the black ink bamboo, their eyes painted a light yellow.

This evening, I will hide behind a painted smile, red rouge and white powdered skin.

"Look here," Jimin says, taking out a wooden box full of crafted flowers and jeweled pins.

His hands are so delicate and cool as they move around me, painting a picture of a noble woman.

I'm afraid, although Jimin is using everything to make me look noble, I am in no way noble in my speech or manner. I speak like a pirate and probably eat like one. Using my hands rather than chopsticks, it was always easy for me to just grab my food fast.

"I've met the first prince," Jimin says as he puts the last flower into my hair. "He's not so harsh as you may think,"

"That was before we got kicked out of the palace Jimin!" Jungkook snaps at him.

Jungkook's choice of words astonished me. "All of you?" I question, "I thought my lord was the one banished,"

Jimin seems unsure, his large eyes moving around, trying to find the words.

Jungkook folds the divider and puts it to the side. His eyes are full of betrayal and loss.

"It was the year of their fathers passing, Seokjin was ill and the kingdom knew his place on the throne would be taken by one of his younger brothers. And, so, it was thought as Namjoon is second born he would be king after Seokjin,"

"Thought? Did their father choose Taehyung?" I interrupt.

"Not exactly" Jungkook's eyes go cold, "The first queen died after giving birth to Seokjin, and so the second queen gave birth to Namjoon and Taehyung. What we all did not know is that when his majesty married the second queen she was already pregnant with Namjoon."

I suck in air, feeling the weight of what just came out of Jungkook's mouth. Namjoon is not of royal blood, he is not the true heir.

"On his death bed the king told this to his sons, but he did not live long enough to decide who should take the throne after his sickly first son. Namjoon never knew, and it changed him. Everyday he would think Taehyung was trying to steal what he believed was rightfully his. He even accused loyal servants like us of conspiring against him. It drove all of us out,"

I feel my lungs clench and my heart sting, half brothers, Namjoon is an illegitimate child. The whole kingdom is unaware of this shock, it would ruin Namjoon's reputation and standing in the main palace. Taehyung and I are his ultimate obstacles. If he wants the crown so desperately he wouldn't hesitate to kill me and make Seokjin believe Taehyung is unfit in any capacity to be king.

So is it true Namjoon wants to start a war? Or is Taehyung just making it up to take the crown? My head is throbbing.

"Tell me," I lean over to get closer to Jungkook, looking him in the eyes. "What's Taehyung's motivation, his plot? What does he intend to do?"

"I can't tell you that," Jungkook says as he looks away from my eyes.

"Tell me," I take his hand, squeezing it hard, feeling my life has been tangled into a web. "What is his plan, really?"

"The prince–"

"Jungkook don't!" Jimin cuts in, using his arm to push me away. "We made an oath," 

Was this a mistake?