Well Sugar!

44

(Chapter 44)
Through the meadows

~*~

Author POV

Location: Crouris

Agri mille flores was truly a beautiful sight to behold. Jimin found himself studying the plants, but his eyes often trailed to the 'night bloom' over and over. The beautiful flowers were impossible to look away from, or forget.

"Come Jimin you need to sleep" Hoseok gestured to him to come. Jimin could see the night bloom reflected in his irises of his eyes. Jimin took the offered hand and allowed the prince to bring him to the bed rolls that had been lain out.

Without much thought he lay down beside Hoseok, pulling the blanket that came with his bed roll over his body. The blanket did well to block out the slight chill in the air. 

"How many flowers do you think exist in Crouris?" Jimin lay on his back, turning his head so he could look upon Hoseok beside him. 

"There are too many to count" Hoseok responded truthfully.

"So what does 'night bloom' mean in the flower language?" Jimin grinned eager to know the answer, after the flower had captured his heart and attention so easily.

"We have no meaning for it. We merely see it as a gracious gift from the Norusian people. Should their people give it a meaning in the flower language than we shall accept that, for now it is a treasure to behold and cherish." Hoseok smiled, he was delighted that Jimin wanted to learn more of his culture.

Within the field of night bloom and under the moon and stars they slept peacefully, with their hearts momentarily not facing the fear that the kingdoms were soon to endure. For it is the small things that can bring the brightest happiness's even if it is only for a moment. 

~*~

Jimin awoke to his shoulder being shook gently. Yoongi's pale eyes looked down at him, the pale grey colour were enchanting in the morning light. 

"Come" Yoongi stood back up, slipping the glasses over his eyes to protect them from the light of the Crouris kingdom. Jimin wondered what it was like to not be able to see clearly in daylight, eyes trained and adjusted to the permanent dark.

Jimin pushed himself out of the warmth of the bed roll, leaving it as it was beside the still sleeping Hoseok. He trailed across the camp, following after Yoongi.

"What are we doing?" Jimin asked when Yoongi had taken them a fair distance away from the camp. 

Jin was waiting for them there, his pale pink hair was glimmering in the dawn, the lighting was similar to the dawn kingdom that Jin originated from. Jimin wondered if that is what the prince looked liked permanently when in the kingdom of Voucaea, because in Jimin's opinion it was a good luck. 

"We are aware you have no training using a weapon of any kind, we want to teach you. Once you may have not needed this knowledge but with a war coming, this knowledge could and probably will save your life" Jin acknowledged the truth of the upcoming war, something they all didn't want to think about.

"Ok" Jimin's voice trembled. He didn't like the idea of having to turn a weapon against someone, the idea of taking a life terrified him to his very core. 

"This is one of mine, please take care it is sharp" Yoongi wanted to give him a blunt training sword, but due to circumstances he was forced to give Jimin one of the twin blades he would use. He fought with two swords, one in each hand, he had always been ambidextrous so the twin blades worked well for him. 

Jimin didn't look right holding the sword, he clutched it in two trembling hands. But both princes watched as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath intended to calm himself down. When he opened his eyes they looked determined and his hands stopped shaking. 

Soon Jimin was being guided through different stances, his feet being moved around to help him balance properly, the sword clumsily swung. But soon turned more fluid the more he was instructed throughout the session. 

"Come on. 1! 2! 3!" Yoongi commanded him through the sequence, watching on proudly was Jin as Jimin moved his feet almost perfectly with each sequence call. He had done well for his first session and he told him so when they decided to end for the day. Jimin had blushed so hard it extended across to the tips of his ears.

~*~

Jin had returned to the camp, declaring that he wanted some breakfast. Yoongi had hung back and walked a tired Jimin back the length of the field to the campsite. 

"I have something for you" Jimin turned his attention to Yoongi. The prince had turned slightly pink, clearly he was feeling shy.

Yoongi held out something in his hand, Jimin accepted it carefully. Jimin turned it over and around to look at it properly. It was a small glass bottle no bigger than the first joint of his thumb. Inside was several small pollen buds. The top was sealed with a cork and twine was wrapped around it, allowing to be tied to a pendant, which Yoongi had done.

"It is the pollen buds from the night bloom. That is what makes them glow in the dark, they never stop glowing even removed from the flower. They glow in the day as well, but so dimly it is hard to see for the sunlight." Yoongi informed him.

"Thank you it is beautiful" and it truly was, Jimin gazed into the small glass bottle, Yoongi was right he could see a faint glow coming from the pollen buds.

"It is a light that shall never fail you as long as you live" Yoongi told him.

"I shall treasure it for the length of my lifetime" Jimin inclined his head to show his gratefulness.

"I had hope that-" Yoongi cut himself off, his hand travelling to the back of his head, to rub at the short hair there, his hand tangling into one of his braids, the beads he wore clacking together. 

"Yes?" Jimin probed.

"I had hoped that you would accept it as a first courting gift" Yoongi was able to put his voice behind his hopes this time.

Jimin soon shared the blush that Yoongi's face had adorned from the first moments of the conversation. Jimin barely had to mill the idea over in his head, before deciding that nothing would make him happier.

"If you'll truly have me then I accept" Jimin's answering smile was bright than the night bloom he clutched in his hand. 

From there Jimin allowed Yoongi to tie the pendant around his neck, so it hung against his collar bones, fitting neatly between them. He also allowed Yoongi to redo the braid that the prince had done a few months ago in the palace in Batia, the one with the bead that marked him as a friend of Yoongi's. The braid was taken down the right side of his head in a intricate pattern.

After Yoongi stood before him, the shyness back. 

"May I?" Yoongi extended his arms out in an invitation of a hug, and Jimin was soon weaselling his way into the prince's arms. The prince's hand rested against the back of Jimin's head pulling it down to comfortably sit against his shoulder. Jimin took a deep breath and relaxed in perfect bliss.

~*~

So we have the first courtship gift offered, bet you weren't expecting that. I thought you all needed some fluff.

What gifts do you think the others will give Jimin when their time finally comes?

Fun fact:

As Voucaea is primarily made up of small islands within rivers, the people are very good a swimming and lots of competitions are held as to how long one can hold their breath for. Jin can personally hold his for 7 minutes. 

I hope you liked the chapter.

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Bye,

Winter