"Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself."

-Rumi

A loud giggle escaped from your throat as you kicked your legs happily, your body being spun around numerous times in the air.

"Jungkook!" You exclaimed happily, arms moving to rest around his neck as his arms wrapped around your waist, holding you off the ground.

The young servant only smiled widely at you, his ruffled, brown hair falling over his eyes in an attractive manner, causing his deep, chocolate eyes to become even more alluring to you.

"I missed you!" He stated boldly. "And you weren't there when we all woke up."

Your smile widened at the pout that presented itself on his lips, blue eyes rolling affectionately.

"I was hungry!" You defended.

A chuckle resounded from the boy holding you, his gaze softening as he looked up at you.

"You could have woken me...I would have made you something to eat. I have not seen you all day and the sun is already setting!"

You were touched at his offer, his smile sending butterflies into your stomach. You gently placed your lips on his forehead in a chaste kiss, your hands tangling into his messy hair.

"Thank you, Pedophile, but Taehyung and I had breakfast together."

The mention of the royal's name caused Jungkook's smile to vanish from his face, his arms gently lowering you until your feet once again met the cold tile of the floor beneath you.

Your eyebrows furrowed at his actions.

Had you said something wrong? Last time you checked he and Taehyung had no quarrels...at least none that you could see...why did he suddenly get so unhappy at the mention of his name?

"Jungkook?" You called out to him, catching his attention. "Is everything alright?"

Your blue eyes watched as he bit his lip anxiously, brown eyes darting around the massive corridor nervously before finally returning back to your figure.

He seemed...scared. Like he had some kind of huge secret that could potentially destroy the entire universe... you had never seen Jungkook like that. Not even when you were in The Four Kingdoms...you knew that the Jungkook before you was entirely different in character and personality...but you still could not get over the way he looked when he was hiding something.

The old Jungkook always wore his feelings on his sleeve...if he was angry, you would know. If he was sad, you would know. If he was jealous....everyone would know. It just bothered you to no end to see him like this, his eyes panicked, eyebrows furrowed and expression blank....so anxious.

"Jungkook." Your voice came out a little more stern than before, worry flashing over your features. "Whats going on? What aren't you saying?"

He hesitated for a brief moment, chest rising and falling as his breathing became slightly heavier and his heart began to beat faster.

His hand grabbed yours.

"We cannot speak about it her. Come."

Your confusion only increased as he began to lead you to a wooden door, his hands extending and opening it to reveal a tiny...storage closet.

His hands met your back, nudging you into the small space, his gaze watching the hallway to make absolutely certain that no one was watching the two of you.

He entered in behind you, closing the small, wooden door and turning to face you.

Sunlight shone in through the cracks of the wood, giving you barely enough light to see each others faces and expressions.

Yours was one of curiousity,

While his was one of secrecy.

"So?" You whispered. "What's the big secret?"

You watched the servant as he took a deep breath, closing his eyes, as if he was savoring the calm before the inevitable storm that was to come from his words.

He slowly opened his eyes, sending the flying back to yours.

"Before I tell you anything...I want you to know that I want you to be happy...truly. It is my only wish towards you...whether you are by my side or not."

You wanted to ask him exactly what he meant by that..."by his side"? What did that mean?

"Alright..."

Another deep breath was take by Jungkook before he spoke again.

"I realize that you have become...closer to The Pharaoh, and normally, I would not get in the way of your happiness, no matter how I have come to feel about you...however, I do not believe that he is someone you should trust..."

You eyebrows shot up at his whispered confession, your mind suddenly becoming hyper-aware of just how tiny the closet was.....but his words began to trouble you. What was he hiding?

"Why not?" You whispered, eyes searching his own for any kind of answers that may be hidden under the numerous shades of golden brown.

You nearly jumped when his hands made contact with your own, his fingers intertwining themselves with yours, his gaze moving to stare down and your conjoined hands.

"The Pharaoh is not everything he seems to be...I know that it is true that since you have been here, he appears to have changed, become a better, wiser ruler....but appearances can be deceitful and Y/n....he is deceiving you."

You swallowed hard at his statement, your heart beating in your chest a little too rapidly for your liking...You wanted nothing more than to deny his words, to vouch for Taehyung's character and tell Jungkook he was wrong.....

But you couldn't.

You realized that no matter what you wanted to believe....this Taehyung was entirely different from the one you had come to know...he was not trust-worthy or selfless...if you were being entirely honest...you barely knew anything about him...but....you cared for him deeply...the same way you cared for Yoongi in the previous land...

Although he was cruel when you arrived...Taehyung was always real with you...He never once lied to you about anything...he was always blunt and hardheaded in wanting his way...

"How?" You croaked out, struggling to contain your composure. "How is he deceiving me?"

Jungkook's eyes grew wide at your calm tone, clearly he expected you to be far more angry then what you were now...

"H-He..."

Jungkook bit his lip....he knew that telling you was the right thing to do...but he also knew that when he told you he would be the only one who would have to watch your eyes grow dim as every prospect of your happy future with the ex-pharaoh would shatter in mere moments.

"He has hired assassins to kill Jimin." He stated. "I was changing the curtains in the throne room when he and a few other men came in...he was angry with them...telling them that they should not have come to meet with him min the palace...that it was dangerous..."

You remained still and silent as he spoke, your stomach churning uncomfortably as he continued.

"They talked for a while more and then they were all about to leave when Taehyung told them to proceed with Jimin's assassination..."

You swallowed the large lump that was forming in your throat...you trusted Jungkook with your life...You knew that he would not make up something this monumental...it simply wasn't in his character.

"Have you told Jimin?" You voice came out quiet and hoarse...you refused to allow yourself to cry over this.

Jungkook shook his head, squeezing your hands.

"I have been watching over his from afar....but I have not yet told him.."

You nodded once again, removing your hands from Jungkook's.

"Let's keep it that way...at least until we know whats going on."

He nodded in response, worried eyes searching your face over.

You seemed satisfied with his response, you hand reaching up and pushing open the wooden door, to allow the setting sunlight to come pouring into the small closet.

Jungkok's grip on your wrist stopped you from moving any further, your gaze shooting back to his.

"He tried, Y/n." He breathed. "In the beginning, he tried to call it off....I just wanted you to know that."

You swallowed hard, pulling your wrist out of his grip.

"Thank you." You responded, turning on your heels and trudging towards Taehyung's bed chambers.

You needed answers.

And you weren't going to leave until you got them.

______________________________________________________________

Taehyung's heart thrummed happily in his chest as multiple knocks resounded on his bedroom door, giddiness and excitement flowing through him as his eyes did a once over of the scene he had laid out specifically for you.

A small dining table was set on the large balcony, covered plates of steaming hot foot glistened under the light of the moon, his softest fur carpets were sprawled across the floor...he knew how you hated you feet being cold and he wished to spare you from walking on the cold tile. Rose petals were sprinkled over the entirety of the room, across the balcony, on the table.....on the bed.

He had left you alone after breakfast, claiming he had "royal duties" when in all reality, he had come here to arrange everything himself...he wanted it to be perfect for you.

With a huge smile present on his features, he opened the door, nervousness taking over him as he took in your sullen expression.

"Babygirl?"

The term of endearment make your heart pound too easily for your liking...you hated the power that he unknowingly held over you.

"Can I come in?" You asked quietly, eyes never reaching his.

Taehyung nodded hesitantly, moving out of the way. His mind immediately going to the worst possible explanation for your sudden bad mood, only this morning the two of you were embracing each other under the secrecy of the early morning....why did you suddenly appear so....disheartened?

You walked past him, through the door way.

Your hand shot over your mouth at the sight before you.

It was so...beautiful.

A small gasp escaped your parted lips as you moved your gaze around the entire room....Had he done all of this for you?

"T-Taehyung..."

A small smile pulled on the royal's features at your awe'd reaction.

He moved closer to you, wrapping his arms around your waist from behind and nuzzling his face into the crook of your neck, inhaling your intoxicating scent. His soft lips slowly began to peck your soft skin affectionately, his mouth leaving a trail of kisses from your jaw to your bare shoulder.

"Do you like it?' He asked between kisses, placing his mouth directly beside your ear, whispering. "I figured that since we have slept in the same bed twice, it was about time that I began to court you properly."

Your heart felt as though it had become made of marble as he spoke, unaware of the heaviness his words brought you...how much harder it was going to be to ask the question that was burning on the tip of your tongue.

You wanted nothing more than to ignore Jungkook's warning and allow yourself to spend the evening, carefree and happy, but someone's life was at steak...and if Taehyung is truly going to murder his brother for the throne....you could not take any pleasure in being with a murderer.

"I've had the servant's draw you a bath in the bath house downstairs for after dinner....I know that you haven't been sleeping well and I think that the hot water will help you, darling."

He just kept making this harder and harder for you...the way he talked to you with such adoration and pure love made you feel weak in the knees...

"Taehyung..." His name poured over your lips in a sad tone, your hands grabbing his arms and pulling them off of you as you took a few steps away from the man before you.

His eyebrows furrowed at your behavior.....had he offended you with talking about a bath? He did not say anything vulgar....

Protectiveness swirled around in his chest.. He had not done or said anything to cause you to act this way....someone else may have though.

"Did someone hurt you, baby?" He asked with worried look. "Do you need me to go and speak with them-"

"Are you trying to kill Jimin?"

The words tasted bitter as they left your mouth, but you could not simply ignore whatever was going on....you need to know the truth.

Taehyung was shocked into silence at your question, mind racing with millions of possibilities as to how you could have found out...what was he supposed to say to you? Should he lie and act as though nothing was going on?

No.

He had hurt you far too much already...when you disappeared, he vowed that he would never hurt you intentionally....lying to you would be hurting you and he could not do that...no matter how much he wanted to.

"Yes."

A quick breath escaped your nose, your face remaining as neutral as you could possibly make it. You knew that he wouldn't lie to you..you knew that Taehyung would only tell you the truth...but you had not prepared yourself to face the truth....and knowing that scared you.

"Why?'" You cursed yourself for allowing your voice to crack under the weight of all the emotions that flooded your heart.

Taehyung never removed his sad eyes from yours.

"Because I need you." He stated. "Because you are the only thing that has ever really meant something to me.....and Jimin is the rightful heir to the throne....If he becomes king...he will wed you...."

"And so you try to kill him?"

The venom that laced your voice was unintentional, and the way that Taehyung flinched made you realized just how angry you were.

"He is trying to take everything from me. Including you...the second he gains power, I am sure that I will be killed for treason."

You couldn't stop your feet from moving towards him, you couldn't stop your heart from breaking

And you couldn't stop your hand from reaching out and slapping him across the face.

The young royal's head snapped to the side upon the harsh impact, his eyes dazed as he tried to process what you had just done.

You, too, were shocked by your own actions, but you did not regret them.

"He is your brother!" You roared angrily, voice straining as tears began to form in your eyes. "Does that mean nothing to you?!"

Taehyung's tear eyes slowly moved back to meet your own, his cheek already red from your earlier impact.

"I'm sorry. I truly am...but try to see the other side here-"

"The other side?!" You scoffed. "How can you justify this?!"

He remained silent, watching your eye burn with blue flames.

"This," You started" This role you need to play...this image you are so focused on keeping up with...it's a slippery slope and it only gets darker from here."

Taehyung attempted to move towards you, outstretching his arms desperately, in an attempt to touch you.

"I won't let it go too far." He argued.

You moved away from him.

"It's already gone too far, Taehyung! You're trying to murder your own brother!"

"You don't understand." He he stated, his hands grabbing yours desperately. "Even if he kept me alive, even if he treated me kindly...none of it would matter, none of it would be worth it!"

"Worth what?!"

"Watching you be with him!"

All anger that you had previously felt slowly dwindled away, your eyes never leaving the broken man in front of you. You looked away from his face as tears pushed over his eyelids falling down his cheeks rapidly.

"I...I cannot spend the rest of my life watching him hold you, watching him kiss you and love you in the ways that I want to...I cannot allow myself to know that he is the one that whispers in your ear at night, that he is the one who gets to hear your voice every day, that he is the one...making love to you....."

You couldn't stop tears from filling your eyes as your gaze moved to look at him once again. Pulling your hands away from his, you took a few steps backwards, hands clenching at your sides.

"Goodbye, Taehyung."

Those words were enough to cause the young royal's eyes to widen to the size of saucers, more tears spilling down his cheeks.

You were leaving him.

You gave him a sad look before pushing past him and walking for the door.

"N-No." His voice came out in a soft whisper as he grabbed your wrist, clinging onto you for dear life. "I-I can fix this. I'll find a way to contact them, I'll save Jimin's life."

You pulled your wrist out of his grasp.

"Even if you did....It's the principle, Taehyung....You wanted to murder your brother....and if I hadn't said anything...you would have continued to act as though everything was alright..."

"I know that I am selfish." He stated, getting on his knees before you and wrapping his arms around your torso. "But I can change, babygirl. I can and I will!"

You shook your head, removing his arms from your waist.

"I'm sorry." You choked out.

He shook his head as you slowly turned away from him.

He couldn't find the strength to chase after you and even if he could...you had made your decision and you weren't going to change your mind.

"Please," He begged quietly, his sobs resounding through the room. "I love you, Y/n."

It took every ounce of will power you had in you to walk away.

It took every ounce of will power to leave behind the man you loved.

A/N,

.......

Ddaeng.

I-I -uhm....I'm just gonna leave y'all to cope with this one.

*whispers* go follow @BLEEABABY she's really good.

Okay, I'll leave you all to sob right now.

Bye!

Love you, guys.

-Max