Royal Duty [Minjoon]

7th part

The prince had found the two males he was looking for, but he had by far imagined that it would be this position he would find the two in. His father was towering over the poor boy who was down on his knees. The king had a whip in his hand and it was obvious by the servant's cries and the red bleeding cuts on his back, what was going on. "Father, how could you?" Jimin asked and rushed over to the poor servant. The king eyed the prince as he walked over to the servant. The royal walked over and pulled his son away from the servant with great force. An expression of anger filled Jimin's features at his father's actions.

"I always punish servants like this! Why are you suddenly being so defensive?!" The king barked at his son, firing a new, painful slash with the leather towards the crouched low class in front of them. "No father, you don't. Can't you see the state he is in right now?" Jimin asked, he had nothing but clear poison in his words. The prince gestured towards the fallen male that was laying at his father's feet. His back was filled with deep cuts that were oozing out new streams of blood at every passing second and his arms looked limp, like they were ready to give away and let the body hit the floor at any moment. "He is barley even conscious, yet you keep going. What has he done to deserve this?" The king eyed his son as he spoke the words, his usually calm and collected face now showed a deep frown. "It's not solely what he has done, this is also my way of punishing you." As the king uttered those words Jimin's anger was replaced by confusion. "What have I done, for you to do something so terrible father?" He asked his father and he king clicked his tongue while looked at his son with an expression that Jimin had never seen his father show. At least not to him, the son he had been so proud of. "You treat a servant, a prisoner as an equal, yet you ask what you have done? You have disgraced the royal name, and used your benefits on a man that was meant to rot in jail! What have you done Jimin?" A chuckle left the king's lips. "You have wasted your time and title on a stealing, lying peasant!"

And just like his father had snapped, Jimin snapped too, he wouldn't stand and listen to his father badmouthing the servant, without him being able to defend himself, that was wrong, and a future ruler of the country should prevent wrongdoings. "You might not believe me father, but I can assure you that Namjoon is hardworking. Maybe even better than all the other servants." The prince might have exaggerated a bit, but he didn't care, he had made it his duty at that moment to defend the other male, and it was exactly that he was intended on doing with the words that left his lips. "You're trying to tell me that if this peasant was your only servant, he would do better than all the ones you have now?" His father asked in a raspy whisper, his dark eyes staring at Jimin like a predator looking at his pray. The pray that shared his own blood, and that had the same dark orbs as his father. "Yes." He answered with no hesitation at all, he hadn't even seen the low-class' head shake vigorously, denying the words the king had said. He had never worked a day in his life before the very one that they were experiencing. He could never take the jobs of many servants as his own. But the prince was to busy to see his head shake in denial, so instead the prince answered with a confidence. A confidence Namjoon knew soon was going to be shattered by the same male Jimin was defending. "Fine. Then from tomorrow and onwards, this boy will be you only servant, until the point where he cracks and comes begging me to put him back in the dungeon."

Those were the final words the king spoke to his son before leaving the room, making an awkward silence erupt between the two remaining males. "Namjoon, let me help you." Jimin said, breaking the silence after seeing the other try to get up, only to fail due to the immense pain stabbing his back. "I am fine my lord." The taller answered, his voice low and raspy. Despite hearing the other's words, Jimin still went over and helped the other stand up properly. "I'm sorry Namjoon. I shouldn't have said that without asking you first. But I want you to know that I believe in you." The prince told the other and tried looking the servant in the eyes, but the servant's eyes were closed painfully, a reaction to the pain in his back worsening. "No need to worry my lord. You are the prince. You have all authority to decide my fate, and if this is what you determine for it, then I shall happily oblige to your demands. Either way what you ask, I will always oblige, my lord."

The prince smiled, though hearing the struggle in Namjoon's voice as he spoke. "I will remember that." The prince smiled, and helped Namjoon to the doctor's chambers to get him treated.