Stone Prince

Knock. Knock. 

An exasperated sigh behind the door. 

Who was at his door this early in the morning?

Jimin sat up in bed, rubbing at his eyes with the heels of his hands. The dull ache in his head wasn't gone from the night before, but at least the buzzing in his ear had subsided. Slinking out of bed like a lithe cat, Jimin pulled on a plain gray shirt and bounded towards the knocking. With a twist of the wrist--the door popped open. Before the gray-haired male knew it, someone was falling on him. 

"Woowoaah," the person must've been leaning against the door before Jimin opened it up. Jimin was quick to react, catching the man in the dim light and pushing him back to a standing position. 

"Thhaannkks Jiminiiiee," the blonde in front of him mumbled through a yawn, swaying a bit on his feet. Taehyung's eyes were hardly open, and his clothes were all wrinkled as if he had rushed to Jimin's room right after waking up. 

"Oh...hi Taehyung?" the gray-haired male motioned for the Laurel Prince to come inside his room. He watched as Taehyung trudged over to his bed, flopping face down while groaning. Jimin smiled. 

"May I ask why you're at my room this early?" Jimin placed a hand on the blonde's back and sat down on the bed. The blonde rolled around to face the Stone Prince. 

"Jungkook wakes up waaaayyyy too early," Taehyung complained, stretching his arms in front of him, "He told me to get help with these before you have to train the Oak Soldiers."

Taehyung pulled a piece of paper out of his underwear and handed it to Jimin without a hint of shame while doing so. The elder laughed, unfolding the paper in his hand and glancing over the material written neatly about the page. After a few lines of detailed words and careful planning, Jimin realized that the paper he was holding contained the plans written by Jungkook. 

"And how am I supposed to do that?" Jimin brought a hand to his temple, rubbing it where it was pulsing. 

"Welllllll," the blonde started, lurching forward into a seated position, "I obviously can't make all of those masks alone so I'm going to need you to help me find reliable people. Only thing is, a lot of men in Jeon's court are sneaky bastards, probably siding with Jihoon himself..." the Laurel Prince shook his head in disbelief and faced Jimin, "I need you to tell me if they are lying when I ask if they are loyal." 

Taehyung finished with a click of the tongue, head bobbing slightly in drowsiness. His bangs covered his eyes and he circled his wrists around, waiting for Jimin's answer. 

"Hmmm...I mean, I'm not that good at reading others, but I can give you a pretty good idea of who I think would be your best option..." Jimin grabbed Taehyung's hand and brought it to the blonde's head, "I'm pretty sure you could do the same Kim...I know you aren't as dumb as you let on-"

"Hey!" Taehyung pushed the other prince to the side and stood up off the bed, "I do not come off as dumb-" the Laurel Prince crossed his arms and leaned into the other male, "Is that what you think?"

Jimin also stood up and tried to reassure the tired blonde, "Ahhhh, no Taehyung. I was half kidding...I think you just have a unique way of seeing things," Jimin ducked his head and spun around the younger male. Taehyung jumped at the sudden movement.

"What do you mean unique? I think the same way as you and Jungkook do..." Taehyung tried to turn around to face Jimin but was stopped with a firm hand on his side. 

"Wait a sec, I want to see something," dipping his finger under the neckline of Taehyung's crumpled up shirt, he pulled the fabric back and smiled, "Ahhh...Jungkook left his marks pretty clear-"

"Jimin!" the Laurel Prince whipped his head around to meet mischievous gray eyes, his face heating up, "I...uh, we..."

"I know that you guys did it, calm down Taehyung. I'm actually happy you finally feel comfortable with the close contact again," Jimin nuzzled his nose into the younger's neck. Taehyung took a step back in surprise. 

"What are you...doing?" the blonde was still blushing, slow to comprehend the things happening around him in his tired stupor.

"Oh, y'know..." Jimin moved closer, leaning into Taehyung's neck, "Since I missed out on all the fun last night, I'll  have to give you my pretty marks alongside Jeon's."

Taehyung bit his lips as Jimin pulled him in, biting and nipping at the skin under his jawline. He rolled his eyes in mock annoyance, pitching his voice up a notch, "How am I supposed to walk around if my-my ahhh," Jimin lips worked wonders down the tan male's skin, "If my neck is all-"

"Hush Taehyung," Jimin whispered into the older's neck, "I just need to make sure mine show up darker to piss off Jungkook a bit, then we can get to work."

"I can't believe you," Taehyung smiled as he ran his hands through the Stone Prince's hair, flinching a bit when Jimin's teeth came down a little too hard, "Ow Jimin not that hard!"

Jimin lifted his head up and laughed at the younger whose neck was definitely colored with several healthy splotches of purple and red. He kissed the air inches away from Taehyung's mouth and turned on his heel toward the door. 

"My work is done! For today at least..." Jimin turned to see the blonde grinning cheesily and rubbing at his neck. Jimin smirked back at him. 

That was until he saw the tuft of his gray hair on the ground by Taehyung's feet. His smirk was wiped off of his face instantly. The Laurel Prince must've unknowingly knocked it out when his tan hands were in Jimin's hair. 

This wasn't good. 

If the Laurel Prince noticed...

"Hey Jimin, what's wrong? You're still coming with me to get help, yeah?" Taehyung lifted an eyebrow and walked past the gray-haired male who was struggling to hide the slight panic burrowing its way into his stomach. 

"Yeah...yeah, I'll...I'm coming," Jimin brushed the tuft of gray hair under the bed with his foot and rushed to Taehyung's side by the door. Lucky for him the blonde was too oblivious in the early morning to pay close attention to things. Jimin opened the door and ushered the other out, both heading straight for the servant's quarters where they would find help with the gas masks.

After several occurrences of the Laurel Prince dragging his feet and struggling to keep up with the other, Jimin grabbed his arm. The blonde was practically sleep walking. Taehyung looked up in alarm. 

"H-hey! Whazza matter?" Taehyung blinked slowly as he came to a stop. 

"Wow, you really aren't a morning person are you?" Jimin laughed, dragging the younger down the stairs and to the servants room. Taehyung whined the entire time. 

When they finally arrived, Taehyung straightened up and ripped himself out of Jimin's grip, cursing at the older. Jimin only stared at the younger and rolled his eyes. The Laurel Prince was a bit childish when he was tired. The blonde winked at the gray-haired male as an apology as he sought out a few of the servants bustling around. The Laurel Prince tapped their shoulders and motioned for five random servants to follow him into a conjoining room with the Stone Prince. 

The five people chosen all had scared looks on their faces, wondering why they had been summoned by these two princes. Jimin opened his mouth to speak first, which earned him a side glare from Taehyung.

"Hello. We are here to ask you a simple question," the group eyed the two princes carefully. Taehyung's hand was wrapped awkwardly around his neck, trying to obscure the lines of hickeys that painted his tan skin.

"Yeah," Taehyung interjected, stepping forward, "We want to know whether you are truly loyal to the Oak Prince or if you are secretly plotting with Jih-"

"Some other group," the Stone Prince spoke up, giving Taehyung a careful look, "We've seen our castles fall apart right in front of our eyes...and we wouldn't want the Oak Castle to fare the same fate, right?" Jimin moved closer to the group, intimidating them with his intense stare, "I know many of you may know me as the Swordsman of the North and have heard the stories-"

"The stories are all true!" Taehyung chimed in like a proud boyfriend. Jimin's lip quivered in a smile, but he forced it back down. He needed to be serious at a time like this. 

"Anyway," Jimin paused, watching as the servants fidgeted under his glare, "I wouldn't want to find out that any of you have been involved in shady things around this castle...because that would mean I'd have to act immediately," A few of the servants tensed up, eyes going to Jimin's sword at his belt, "So...I'll give each of you ten seconds to convince me that you are loyal...and then I'll let some of you go."

The servants glanced at each other nervously, eyes wide. Two of the servants were wringing their hands out, overwhelmed by the sudden task asked of them. Taehyung stifled a laugh with his fist. Jimin could tell he was having a grand time watching the men squirm. 

"Alright, we'll go around in a circle," Jimin moved his finger around the small room, "Ready? Okay...go."

Jimin pointed at the first person. 

"S-sir, I've b-been a loyal s-servant at Oak Castle since I was eighteen years old and I've helped Mr. Jeon on several-"

Next. 

"Um, Stone Prince I can assure you that I have never muddled in anyone else's affairs than the Oak Prince's sir please don't-"

Next. 

"I PROMISE I'M NOT A TRAITOR I LOVE PRINCE JEON LIKE A SON I WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING TO HURT HIM-"

Next.

"I just started here yesterday at the Oak Castle if I'm being honest. I don't know the prince that well and I'm not sure if I buy that you're really the Stone Pri-"

Next. 

"Uhhhh....Ummm.. ss-sorry but I'm...woo, I'm just trying to f-feed my family and kids...uhmmm I w-work hard every hhhh day in-in the librarrrryy..."

Jimin had listened to enough. He knew which people to pick and which to disregard with a look into each of their eyes as they spoke. Taehyung's eyes were on the Stone Prince as he silenced the servants with a hand. 

"I've heard enough. You and you," Jimin pointed at two servants in the group he had a bad feeling about, "Leave the room. The remaining three will have an assignment to complete for us."

Nodding slowly, the two suspicious servants exited quickly. The door slammed shut behind them. Jimin turned to Taehyung. 

"After you're done setting these three trusted people up with their task, make sure to fire those other two. They give me bad vibes," Jimin nodded to the blonde and made his way to the door, ready to prep himself for the battlefield. 

"Hey, uh Ji- Stone Prince, wait," Taehyung quickly followed him out the door. The pair stood to the side of the threshold of the door, out of sight from the three in the room, "I just...I wanted to thank you."

Taehyung leaned in, hand resting lightly against the Stone Prince's chest. The blonde's soft lips lightly touched upon the side of Jimin's mouth, eventually turning to kiss Jimin fully on the lips. 

Sighing into the younger's mouth, Jimin kissed back hard, trying to savor the moment before he had to leave for the field all day. Taehyung leaned his weight forward, pressing up against the elder and letting out an airy groan. 

Why did Taehyung have to tease him right before work?

Jimin lightly pushed the other off of him, not wanting to get something he couldn't deal with later on the battlefield. Taehyung frowned, bangs falling into his lowered face. Jimin pushed Taehyung's blond hair to the side and pecked the male on the cheek before walking away. 

"I'll see you and Jungkook later in your room, alright?" Jimin's soft voice carried its way into Taehyung's ears, "Work hard Tae. I gotta go."

And with that, Jimin turned and left the other prince standing there by himself. Jimin felt a little bad that he couldn't spend more time with Taehyung, but he really needed to get to work with the Oak Soldiers if they were to win against Jihoon. 

A cough came up his throat as he pushed his legs past the kitchen and out of the oak doors to outside, but he knew better than to cough on his clothes. Instead, he pretended to pick something up and coughed on the grass, droplets of blood flying from his lips. He frowned at the sight of the green grass speckled with traces of maroon.

But a commander had to get to work. 

Jimin sighed as he kicked some leaves over the spot and continued on like nothing had happened. Commander Park strode towards the lined up Oak Soldiers in the distance, licking the blood off of his lips. 

Oak Prince

Hours after Taehyung had left him alone in his room, Jungkook found himself very  bored. His staff members all still thought he was unconscious, which he could utilize as a promising strategy later, when Jihoon arrived. The last report the Oak Scouts delivered to the castle was that Jihoon and his troops were a two day march away. Hundreds of reports flooded in of the atrocities committed by Jihoon's men, including arson, rape, and ruthless destruction. 

Jungkook was sickened by it. 

But he trusted the other two princes to train and prepare his troops for the final stand against Jihoon. Jungkook knew that his uncle had destroyed the other castles in Noirwood, but the Oak Castle would not be his to take. 

"Over my dead body," Jungkook mumbled to himself as he paced the room, mulling over things. He periodically strode by the window, watching Jimin train his men through various exercises and drills. The sight made him a little afraid, but filled him with a feeling of empowerment. The Stone Prince was doing a fine job at advising the soldiers he had to work with, and Jungkook could already see the improvement in their formations. 

The ravenette sat by the windowsill and let the pent up air within him out. He rolled his neck as the Stone Prince walked down the line of soldiers, instructing them about something. Jungkook could see how much his own men respected the gray-haired male, giving him a wide radius of space whenever they walked with him and nodded vehemently at his orders. 

Might as well be Jimin's men.

The Oak Prince hardly got around to overseeing his men on the field because he wasn't as experienced in the realm of battle as the other two princes were. He focused more on his oratorical skills and wisdom to get things he wanted rather than fighting it out. The Oak Prince received constant praise for his pacifist nature and his tendency to solve any issue with knowledge. 

It was ironic, then, that he had declared war with his uncle. 

But it had to be done. The citizens of Noirwood would understand. 

Many citizens from the neighboring towns had already volunteered to fight alongside the Oak Army against Jihoon's crew. Jungkook was pleased that so many people were by his side during this awful time, but he also wished that people didn't rely so much on him to solve everything. 

Because if they failed...if they lost-

Everything would be blamed on the Oak Prince. 

Jungkook tried to push those thoughts out of his mind as he bit his lips, watching the Stone Prince demonstrate a slicing move on the field below him. The gray-haired male moved swiftly, smoothly, as if he was walking on water. Jungkook didn't need to be down there on the field to know that several of his soldiers were probably gaping. 

The Oak Prince watched the training some more, not really paying attention to anything, until an ongoing trend caught his eye. He frowned, leaning closer into the pane of glass. The ravenette watched for a few seconds before seeing Jimin repeat an action again. 

Why did Jimin keep walking away from the soldiers and leaning behind a tree for a few seconds? 

Although the other soldiers couldn't see where Jimin left every time he rounded the corner of the armory shed by the battle field, Jungkook's aerial view from the castle let him see everything. 

Jimin was doing it now, striding to that spot, bending down as if he was setting something down and wiping at his mouth after a few seconds. The gray-haired male would return to the battle field shortly after, always getting right back to where he left off in the drill. The other soldiers didn't seem to mind the occasional interruption, as it allowed them to practice whatever Jimin was teaching them. 

But to Jungkook...

He couldn't see very clearly what the Stone Prince was doing from so high up, but the Oak Prince had several ideas...Maybe he was resting or tired out?

No...why would he lean down every time?

Perhaps Jimin was checking some thing? A clock or pocket watch?

No, Jimin wasn't one to worry about time. When they were saving the Laurel Prince from Jihoon, Jimin spent too long in Eonjin's room because he wasn't paying attention to the time...

Then...maybe Jimin felt sick and was throwing up? Maybe he was taking a break because of his head pain?

To Jungkook, that last option sounded like the most reasonable, but it didn't sit right with him. He knew Jimin was one to push through the pain or hide it from others...

The ravenette wished he could go down there and check up on the Stone Prince right then and there. But he couldn't. 

"Ugh...Jimin, please don't push yourself too hard..." Jungkook whispered to the window pane, chewing on his lower lip. Noirwood needed Jimin to be healthy for the battle coming up...and so did he. 

Jimin was Taehyung's and Jungkook's support system. Their lean-to. The person they could get motivation and encouragement from when they were struggling. 

The ravenette sighed, moving away from the window and pulling his shirt off. Flopping onto the bed, he decided that a short nap would calm his nerves...plus he couldn't do anything locked up in the Laurel Prince's room but worry...

The distant sounds of swords clashing and men yelling outside of his window lulled Jungkook to sleep. 

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hi everyone! I hope you liked the chapter. 

Thanks for reading this story, I've done a lot of reviewing and I realized that I made the story a lot longer than I originally intended to...and there's still a lot more that I have in mind...:}

Haha whoops. 

Also, is anyone else excited for BTS World to drop? I've seen many previews and the game is way different than I expected it to be...in a good way. 

Alas, I'm talking too much- Have a great day! :)