Rosy ashes [j.jk ff.]

f i v e

When Yeri thought the first few weeks were hard for her, this must've been hell. She did not know what made Jungkook go off suddenly, but his behavior changed from indifferent, but a little rude, to downright mean and mildly aggressive. She would never admit it, but she was a little scared of him. There always seemed to burn a fire in his eyes nowadays, a fire that could easily swallow her whole, if she wasn't careful enough. 

***

Jungkook was okay with the situation now. The princess did live in the castle now, but he tended to avoid her. He greeted her coldly when she greeted him, but he never spoke first. She stayed in the gardens and he mostly spent his times with the guards. Since Hoseok seemed to be more occupied with Yeri now, his new partner was now Taehyung. 

On the rare occasions that he ran into her in the stables, they didn't talk. He could feel the tension, he saw her stealing glances and opening her mouth as to say something, but she never did and Jungkook was not entirely sure if he hoped she would. Even the horses felt the strong tension whenever they were in the same room and it was on more than one occasion, that Nix almost ran her over when she tried to move into his box. He pretended not to notice when the princess hat difficulties calming her stallion down. 

But he could only pretend so long before his father requested for him when he was training with Taehyung and Hoseok again. The three young men were equally injured when Prince Seokjin found them. Jungkook spasming uncontrollably from Taehyung's lightning strikes, Hoseok sporting burnt clothing and hands, as well as Taehyung who had a deep gash on his left cheek when Hoseok's metal cut through his skin. 

The older prince looked terrified when he found his brother. "Go to the healer right now! All three of you!" he gasped in shock, momentarily forgetting why he was sent to find his brother in the first place. Jungkook turned around upon hearing his brother's voice and shakily walked over to him. "I'm fine, hyung" he grumbled. 

Seokjin didn't seem that convinced with his words but didn't speak further, because he feared the next fireball would be aimed at him then. "Father wishes to speak to you" he simply muttered and then walked off, his head held high. Jungkook looked after him with a defeated look. "I'll be right back" he informed Taehyung and Hoseok, who seemed to finally feel their injuries since the adrenaline wore off. 

Jungkook felt that something was wrong even before Seokjin came to him with the news. He woke up with an uneasy feeling this morning and the only way he knew how to shut down his anxious brain was to challenge someone to a fight. Now, when he was walking down the corridors to the throne room, this feeling returned, a lot stronger than before. He still marched on, as if nothing was happening, greeting Namjoon and his mother in the library, when he walked past and smiling at Yoongi when he entered the throne room. 

"I'll leave you alone now" the young man bowed to the prince and the king and then quietly left the room. Jungkook just stood there for a while, standing tall under the scrutinizing gaze of his father. "Sit down, Jungkook" he muttered after a few seconds, gesturing at the throne on his right. Jungkook obeyed slowly, not leaving his father's gaze. 

"You requested for me, father. So what is it?" he asked in a calm voice, swallowing the forming lump in his throat. The king smiled fakely. "Do you wish to leave already? Can't you spend some time with me?" Jungkook just looked at him, expressionless. "You never request for me just to talk, father" he finally responded. 

The king sighed, rubbing his temples as if this truth gave him a headache. "How are you and the princess? Do you spend time together? Do you like her?" he finally spoke. Jungkook nodded slowly. "She is a lovely girl indeed" he simply answered. He didn't dare tell his father what he really thought of her staying here. The king seemed to like his answer, a beaming smile on his tired face. 

"Good! That is indeed very good to hear! Because I was just talking to your mother and my advisors about your wedding." Jungkook's heart skipped a beat, his eyes widening to the size of saucers. "Wedding? When?" he muttered, fear in his voice that he tried to hide. "That is still farther away in the future... But you should ask for her hand soon. We will plan a magnificent ball, to announce your engagement to the whole kingdom" he responded with a big smile and Jungkook felt like throwing up. 

"I don't want to get married yet" he whispered but the king just dismissed his wish with a gesture of his hand. "Nonsense, Jungkook. Marriage is something beautiful!" Jungkook realized, that nothing that he would say, would change his father's mind. He started to shake again, but this time it had nothing to do with Taehyung. "If you would excuse me, I will return to my chambers" he muttered and then stormed out of the room. 

He ran, anger and tears blinding him on his way to the gardens. He did not care who saw him in that state. All he cared about was the colorful patch of grass in the gardens. Blue, yellow, red, pink, white and purple flowers bloomed in a ring formation around the little bench. Jungkook had seen the princess here fairly often, talking to her maid, Hoseok, his mother... 

Jungkook stared down at the flowers with hatred and disgust as he set them ablaze. The fire swallowed the beautiful creations immediately and his flames licked high into the sky. He wished that the future his parents created for him would burn too. When Yeri found the source of the burning smell, all that was left of her flowers was ashes and no trace of the culprit. 

Hello, lovelies! I know this chapter is shorter than normally and also later than I promised, but I came down with something and I was bedridden :/ I am only now starting to get better, but I am still not well. What I wanted to say with this is, I'm sorry ^^ I hope you enjoy this chapter nonetheless. Love you~