"I live for the dream that my children will be born free," the princess breathes. "That they will be whoever they want to be, and that they'll never ever have to carry a sword wherever they go."
"I live for you," Jeongguk answers. Simply because, he...
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ALMOST TWO MONTHS have passed—two agonisingly long months since Jeongguk had been knighted and was ripped away from the arms of his father.
And in the span of that time, he's managed to learn and master more than he could've ever imagined. Living in the palace for some time, especially if you were a lowly commoner before that, can alter you in many ways both physically and emotionally. Jeongguk contemplates on whether to consider the situation he's in as surreal, or torturous. He's had bad moments with aching limbs on a daily basis;
one time when he was helping to clean up the armoury, he tripped over the uneven ground and ended up getting cut on the palm by one of the knives that fell out of the bucket he was carrying.
He's also had some fun moments; when Yoongi taught him how to shoot an arrow while riding a horse and somehow they just started getting competitive until their delightful laughs filled the air.
The princess never came back to the library. At least, when Jeongguk was there. Which was a little bit disheartening at first but eventually Jeongguk smacked himself back into reality because why on Earth would the princess want to spare her precious time for an insignificant boy like him? She definitely has more important things to do than to tutor him like his personal teacher.
Despite her absence, Jeongguk somehow—because he can't believe it himself—managed to pull through. He even managed to write a letter back home to his father after Jimin had told him he was going back to Moonrock for their usual medical supplies. His many sleepless nights paid off when he successfully managed to write his first letter in the most basic of sentences, but well enough to be understood.
"Your father is healthy, but he misses you a lot I can tell." Jimin hands him a small envelope. "Here. This is for you."
Jeongguk struggles with reading the first few sentences, and then Jimin laughs at the way he's squinting his eyes so hard and slowly guides him through.
At the end of his father's letter, his friend gives him a sympathetic smile before patting him on the back.
"Just so you know, Jeongguk-ah," Jimin says. "Your father is so, so proud of you."
