Prophecy (medieval!ateez au)

twelve

Seonghwa was not impressed at your sudden arrival, dropping the book in his hands and creasing his immaculate black uniform as he jumped back in fright.

"What are you doing!?" He screeched at the three of you, a clumsy pile of limbs on the floor of his study. In fact, he had screamed so loudly that the king himself came barreling through the doors with panic written all over his face. 

"Oh." Hongjoong rolls his eyes at the sight of you, Wooyoung and Yeosang clambering over each other like an energetic litter of puppies. "It's you."

"Nice to see you too, your majesty." Yeosang mocks, managing to escape from the cluster of bodies and stand up, brushing dirt and dust from his clothes whilst you try and wrestle Wooyoung off you.

"Can you explain why you've just... appeared in my office!?" Seonghwa shrieks. He's clutching at his chest, eyes still blown wide in fright. So much for the intimidating kingsguard you know and love.

Yeosang sighs and runs a hand over his face, up through his platinum hair before he settles for picking the dirt from underneath his fingernails. Something he only does when he's stressed, you've noticed. His eyes, shocking cobalt blue flicker between You and Wooyoung (now standing), Hongjoong and Seonghwa.

Why was he so nervous?

"We ran into a spot of trouble," The mage begins to explain, avoiding the steely gaze of the king. "Wooyoung here, our astrologer, was already targeted by a bunch of witch hunters when we recruited his help. We managed around a week or so of work on the prophecy-"

"Where?" Hongjoong barks. "This pathetic tale of woe means nothing to me unless you provide any evidence, mage. That is what i employed you to do, after all."

Yeosang flushes a furious red and anger flashes up inside you. People spoke to the mage in any manner they fancies, and Yeosang had never let it bother him, until now. You'd never seen him like this; shoulders hunched in humiliation, eyes darting across the room nervously as he plays with his fingers and the hem of his shirt.

You hated it.

But you say nothing, instead keeping your mouth quiet and gently grasping the sleeve of Wooyoung's white, billowy shirt and watching Yeosang embarrass himself in front of the king.

"We were attacked, twice." The elf speaks up. "We gathered as much work as we could before we left my home, but we were ambushed at Yeosang's house too."

"Ambushed?" The king echoed. "By whom?"

"We'll talk about that later," Yeosang mutters, throwing a look in your direction which thankfully, you don't catch. "I apologise for disturbing you at the castle, but this was the first place I could think of where would be safe."

Yeosang looks over to Seonghwa, who had regained his physical composure, but still looked a little spooked in the eyes.

Hongjoong stood before you, glaring between the three of you as he thought over his options.

"Let me examine the work you've done so far." He demands suddenly. "Then I shall decide what to do with you."

"What about me?" You pipe up, correct in your assumption that there's absolutely no way the king would let you help.

He dismisses you with a wave of his hand. "Explore the castle, the grounds, whatever, I don't care. Just don't make a mess or disturb my staff."

After retrieving all the wads and rolls of parchments from your pockets and socks, Hongjoong leads Yeosang, Seonghwa and Wooyoung out of the office and down the hall, presumably to his own study upstairs.