Runaway | BTS FF/AU ✓

Chapter 11

Seokjin saw the three men before he saw the small female leant against a tree. He felt terrible for assuming it was all an act, that she had snuck away to harm Taehyung.

“You lied to us little girl, you said you belonged to nowhere. Yet here you are, surrounded by castle walls in Ardarewien.” One of the men grumbled, clearly not seeing Seokjin.

He took a deep breath to clear his head.

“I don’t belong here.” Her voice was quiet, hurt, but as clear as crystal. “I’ve been shown kindness due to being able to help someone. But I don’t belong here, nor anywhere.”

Seokjin froze, his cold facade faltering for a minute as he heard the hurt her voice contained, how it wobbled as if tears were threatening to fall.

Domino trotted ahead, snorting loudly to make their presence known as they broke into the clearing.

“If you didn’t belong, your prince in shining armour wouldn’t be here to save you.” Another man gestured with his bow towards Seokjin.

“Captain of the guard actually.” He corrected them, a smug smirk landing on his face.

“What?”

“Captain of the guard.” He paused briefly. “She’s right. She doesn’t belong here, this isn’t where she was born, this isn’t where she lives.” He dismounted Domino who neighed softly, hooves tapping the floor anxiously. “But right now, this is where she is staying. As long as she is staying here, she’s under our protection, my protection.”

There was a silence as the three men looked at him, and then the girl behind him. She heard it before he did. She heard that sickening twang as the string of the man’s bow was released and before she could register what she was doing, and ignoring the pain of her previous arrow wound, she stood in front of him like a human shield. Wincing briefly as she arrow pierced her side.

“Idiot!” Seokjin yelled, hand on his sword as he pivoted around Reese and at the bandits. Almost as quick as he set off, he had incapacitated the three men. Reese swayed on her feet, hands over her wound in her side, her fingers turning red with her blood.

Seokjin caught her as she fell, grunting slightly under her weight. Domino neighed, rising onto hind legs out of worry.

“I’ll be back for you three-“ Seokjin spat towards the men who were barely conscious. He picked her up gently and sat her atop of the horse. He climbed on behind her and let her lean back onto him.

Again, without provoking him, Domino set off into a gallop. Reese whined in pain softly, silent tears slipping down her cheeks.

“We’re nearly there. We’ll have you patched up.” Seokjin muttered, trying to provide some support and comfort to the injured girl in his arms. Although he said it more to comfort his guilty conscious than to help her through it.

She opened her eyes and offered him a kind smile before she slumped as they broke the clearing. Mark had already brought the nurse down.

Seokjin’s heart ached slightly. Even despite being harsh on her, she still was kind-

He’d have to distance himself further. She might not be a threat, but being on the front lines was not a job that happily accepted friends. He didn’t know how long she planned on staying, but he knew that if he opened himself up again, they’d both only end up getting hurt.

“You look like you care Jin.” Taehyung teased before he was cut off with a cold glare.

“She’s your guest. You treat her yourself, your highness.” Seokjin spoke with distaste and whistled for his own horse as he dismounted, letting Taehyung take care of the rest. But first, he had to put the bandits in the dungeon until Taehyung thought of a punishment for them. He climbed onto his horse and headed back the way he came. His two best men following on their horses.

But as they rode, he couldn’t get her words out his head.

“I don’t belong here, nor anywhere.”

Sorry for the late update guys! I've been busy this week!