A special collab with @_bangtan_sonyeondamn !
Forced out of her kingdom in desperate effort to flee, Princess Reese escaped across the border separating two feuding kingdoms. Left with nothing but a treasured hairpin from someone very dear to her...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
SeokJin looked at Reese with hesitant eyes as he held onto a wooden sword. He was reluctant to agree with this- he questioned why she seemed so… avid about learning self defense. The guard was concerned about where this was coming from, she was well protected (excluding that one time on the horse track). She would always be in the sight of someone she trusted, whether it be him, Taehyung or Jimin. SeokJin began to worry.
“Does she not trust us to protect her?” he asked himself in a stiff tone.
SeokJin mentally shook his head. That couldn't have been it, what reason does she have not to trust them?
“Are you… Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked, stepping towards her.
He couldn't read the look in her eyes as she nodded. His levels of anxiety continued to build, starting where Reese asked him to train with the man. But deep down, he needed to trust her, no matter how hard it was.
“Okay…” he sighed tensely.
Reese wrapped her hands around the sword's handle, feeling the wood grain kiss her palms and fingers. At first, she wasn't sure how to hold it properly, despite seeing SeokJin hold his sword many times. SeokJin bit his lip as he witnessed her hands shake, was it from nervousness or fear?
SeokJin kept his footsteps quiet as he walked behind her, pressing his front to her back. He wrapped his arms around her form, cupping his hands around her's. He was right- she was scared. The first time he picked up a sword, his hands shook as well. SeokJin couldn't bear the idea of taking someone's life with a sharp blade, but it was for the prince, to protect Taehyung's life because it was his job, his duty. It was no different with Reese, he could sympathize with her down to the heart.
He hugged her smaller figure warmly, trying to soothe her nerves. “Relax Sophie,” he whispered gently. “Just focus on me, okay?” She nodded with a shaky breath, attempting to soak up the warmth from SeokJin's palms and front. Reese slowed her breathing, letting her heart match the pace of SeokJin's as it beat against her back.
“The most important thing when it comes to self defense, is to remain calm and focus,” he instructed firmly, but kept his tone soft. “Any sign of panic or discomfort, your opponent can use it against you.”
Reese did as she was told, clearing her mind and became fixed on SeokJin's voice and touch. She grew comfortable with SeokJin's presence as each minute passed. The princess accepted the fact that there was no animosity between them, all of those feeling had melted away.
“As you swing your sword, step into the motion of it,” SeokJin said.
It felt natural for Reese to follow his movements as he lifted the sword and swung it down. As he stepped forwards, she followed. This continued on until SeokJin felt that she was comfortable with it. They moved onto blocking attacks, and Reese didn't hesitate to act within SeokJin's instructions. The two of them moved fluidly through the training hall, swinging the sword and blocking as if in a sparring match.
SeokJin slowly pulled away from the princess as she continued on her own. The man felt proud of her as she seemed to have learned the basics very quickly, despite her earlier fears.
Reese hadn't noticed his missing presence from her person, before she turned around and almost swung at him. He managed to lean back in time, feeling the light force of the swing rip through the air and touch the tip of his nose.
“Whoops… sorry,” she bowed in apology.
SeokJin couldn't help but lightly chuckle.
“I would be slightly mad, but you're learning,” he hummed. Reese couldn't help but pout, looking up at the taller male. The guard palmed her head delicately, rewarding her work.
“Why don't we stop there for today? His Highness should be back soon.”
