Kingdom

106.Raven's claws (7)

Nori could not stabilize her breathing for a few minutes. She was not even angry at Yoongi for running out of her room. She was thankful, because apparently Nori had lost her mind.

She stood up as soon as her legs felt capable of carrying her and hurried outside into the garden. She didn't have any clear idea what she was doing or why, she simply needed fresh air.

Nori walked aimlessly in the garden for a few minutes, cursing herself for not being careful and letting her impulses put her in dangerous situations yet again.

Somehow she found herself in front of the pool enclosure, staring down at the ground unseeingly. She has been standing there for who knows how long - a minute, an hour, an eternity.

Her body shivers in the cold night, but she doesn't notice - Nori is still burning hot on the inside.

The lanterns in front of her light up, bathing the pool water in their warm colors. Nori flinches and looks up, her heart racing with sudden fear.

Yet, nothing moves. The water remains calm and welcoming, soft fumes rising from its surface. Nori takes a step closer, wondering if it is a good idea to sink her heated body into the waters to calm herself down.

She steps closer and closer, wrapping her hands around her body as if to shield herself from a sudden attack. Every time she messes with that pool something goes wrong. Maybe it's better not to risk touching the enchanted water again.

She stops at the edge of the pool, watching the fumes rise up, like clouds dancing over its surface. The magic surrounding the water turns dense and heavy. It's a clear sign that Nori should not touch it. Even if she feels no hostility in it, there is too much tension around.

She better leave this place. But something changes. Something invades the enclosure and shifts all the energy around. The King's magic.

It surrounds her like a strong wind blowing in from every corner - its presence stronger than ever. A strange melody rings in Nori's ears - emotional and aggressive, but with a soft and melancholic undertone. It's complex, gripping and tense. And it's everywhere.

Nori gasps for air, the magic overwhelming her senses. Its music turns loud, as if shouting, searching, struggling. This is not the way the King's magic usually feels like - this is an echo of an emotion that has been denied and suffocated, but it's now liberated, looking for the one who set it free.

Strange images appear in Nori's mind - visions of her and Yoongi reading books, walking around the garden, and painting flowers. Visions of him kissing her, holding her, undressing her.

Her eyes fill with tears, her heart sensing an emotion that does not belong to her. The tears fall down her cheeks like hot embers that burn her skin.

She knows Yoongi is experiencing something extremely personal. Sinking into his intimate world scares her. She takes a deep breath, trying to push those visions out of her mind.

The magic fights her at first, like a wild wind that blows untamed and unwilling to obey any master. Nori closes herself into an imaginable bubble, avoiding any contact with that wild wind. The images blur, the music turns quiet until it disappears.

Yet, the room has turned scorchingly hot, buzzing with strong magic.

The fumes rise higher, engulfing Nori in white haze. She takes a step back, ready to leave. But then she sees him - the faint outline of a naked figure, laying in the water, submerged into it up to his torso.

Nori squints her eyes to see better, yet her heart already knows who is the man in front of her. The image gets clearer and clearer, and Nori knows she should hurry and leave before he sees her. But she can't take her eyes off him.