Artemis | BTS

Chapter 18

Bright shining silver came straight at him, eyes wide and breath hitched, he managed to maneuver himself out of harms way of the sailing dagger that left the western generals hand.

Jungkook saw red as he was seconds from launching at the general in equal retaliation but the General paid him no mind since a loud thud and clash of metal upon the ground was heard behind him. Shocked, Jungkook turned around to find a man wide eyed and dead, the dagger impaled for what was to be his own head was a stranger laying in a pool of blood on the ground, a large dagger beside him.

A mercenary.

"It seems I wasn't the only one to see through the princesses guise." Taehyung sighed deeply before clicking his tongue at Jungkook, "Didn't even notice someone tailing us did you Sir Jeon? So much for being her bodyguard for the night." He smirked tauntingly at the young knight.

Jungkook picked himself back up, feeling ashamed and angry, at both the man before him and himself, "A warning could have sufficed." He gritted.

Taehyung shrugged, "eh, I knew you'd dodge it." He challengingly smiled at him. "But I can swear to you right now-" he lifted his hands in surrender, "I don't have anything else up my sleeve."

Jungkook knew he definitely aimed it directly at him, not caring whether he dodged or not, nor was he amused by this mans half hearted surrender. "Why would someone come and kill the princess, I would think this man was after you for laying foot on enemy grounds." He narrowed his eyes.

Taehyung barked out a laugh, moving from beside the bed where the princess slept, towards the body that laid upon the ground. "It seems the sibling Kingdoms live under a rock."

He kneeled and swiftly plucked a chain out of the pocket of the mercenary, it was a pocket watch. Golden and beautiful with many engravings, he tossed it in his hand examining it before popping it open. It was broken, a large crack through the glass, it's hands stopped at a particular time. He hummed and closed it shut before tossing it towards Jungkook who caught it from him easily.

"There's your answer Sir Jeon."

Jungkook was thoroughly confused, why would a broken pocket watch be the answer to anything? He looked down at it, examining its engravings that weren't particularly special, then opening the watch. He furrowed his brows, confused. All he could see was the crack on the broken watch.

"I'm not sure I completely understa—"

A loud thud was heard and his vision went black.

Behind him, Taehyung sighed deeply again, his eyes void of playfulness as he looked down at the knocked out knight. He scoffed and tossed the dagger onto the ground where it clattered, he used the hilt of the mercenaries dagger to knock him cleanly out cold.

"These eastern kingdoms should really learn that sometimes people just don't play fair."

Turning to the door he called out, "Guards! Take this man away and clean up the mess." He clicked his tongue and glared down at the corpse beneath him. These mercenaries were definitely after him and not the princess, and this was definitely not his first encounter nor the last. He looked at the Apollo knight knocked out upon the floor, "and tie this man up in the cellars, he won't be out for long." His knights got to work swiftly for him.

Turning back into the room, he shut the door behind him to see the passed out princess. Running his fingers through his hair in frustration, letting his dark lochs flop back upon his eyes, he eyed the knight.