⊰ chapter twelve ⊱

"Welcome to the Women's Quarter," Sam said dramatically as Adona and Dara followed her inside a big tavern, away from the snow outside. They witnessed and heard the tavern music being played at each corner of the tavern, women dancing for entertainment. No sign of men.

Adona grinned at Dara, "Reminds me of North's women room. Not this crowded though."

"You guys have a northern women's room too?" Sam paused, "Sometimes I wish I was taken to the North instead of Era."

Dara smiled at Sam, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as they walked further inside the tavern, the royal's red hair hidden under the hood as she said, "It was boring. Music was not allowed there. Just the violin sometimes. It was just for royal women. So only Adona and I visited there. It stays empty most of the time."

"We liked our balconies better," Adona caught up with the two girls, "Though I liked Dara's room's balcony a lot more than mine, I could easily get a glimpse of the love bird's morning chattering from my balcony to theirs."

Dara rolled her eyes playfully at Adona's mischievous remark, "Such a sly snake. If we knew you were spying on us, I would never accept Jungkook to be my concubine."

Adona threw back her head and laughed before the three acquired themselves seats at a nearby stall of beers. Sam ordered herself a fruit punch while Dara and Adona drank from their large beer cups. Dara frowned, "The beer isn't good for the prince, Adona."

"I know but," Adona sighed, pushing the beer away after taking a sip, "I needed to wind down a bit."

"You look pale," Dara observed.

"I have been dreaming," Adona sighed, "Of Theon. Of Mama, Paa. I don't know."

"What kind of dreams—,"

"Ladies," Era's voice was low but soothing to the ears as the three heads turned to see the beauty standing before them, her hand occupied with red roses, her eyes eyeing Dara and Sam before bowing her head to Adona, "And royalty. Princess Adona?"

Adona raised her brows before smiling, nodding, "Hello."

"Such an honor to meet you," Era smiled cheekily and then looked at Sam and Dara, "May I sit with you guys?"

"I don't think—," Sam was cut by Dara.

"Sit beside me," Dara's challenging smile sent a wave of fear down Era and Sam's face while Adona sighed with a disappointed length of distress. Dara tilted her head, waiting for the girl to walk around the table to find herself a seat beside Dara. Dara smiled at Era, touching her hair as Era flinched a bit, "You have beautiful hair."

Her lips trembled before stretching into a smile. Era's piercing black eyes looked at Sam's disgusted ice-blue ones, "Sam. Saw you out of Sir Hoseok's chambers last night. Had a great night?"

Adona grinned surprisingly at the eighteen year old Jeon lady whose lips were tight with shame, but she spoke anyway, "You got a problem with my great nights, Era? You seem to be very observant about my love life."

Dara and Adona silently heard them.

"Since mine isn't going anywhere, and I am as idle as ever," Era shrugged, "You should get married, is all I'm saying. It doesn't look good to the locals' eyes. You and your affair I mean, I am just a well wisher—,"

"Hoseok will marry me when I am of age. Eighteen is too young to be desperate for marriage anyway," Sam barked, "Besides, if brother Jeon has no issue with me seeing Sir Hoseok, then no one else should."

"Are you saying he approves it?" Era pulled out a surprised expression, "Kook approves of you sleeping with Sir Hoseok?"

Kook? Dara cringed.

Sam looked at Dara, "Do you approve of it, Your Grace?"

Dara nodded quickly, "I see no problem."

Sam grinned and leaned back, stirring her fruit punch before drinking it, her eyes playful at Era's tightened jaws.

Era shook her head in denial, "I expected Jungkook himself to approve it. Did not know his wife was the one with that law in her hands."

Dara smirked at Adona who hid her smile directly with the beer mug, drinking from it.

"You are so naive, aren't you?" Sam sighed, dramatically, "Since you are so polluted by the dreams of power and castes, Era, my dear friend, I didn't expect you to know or identify the one who actually holds the power of our lands initially. You sit beside her."

"Miss Koveski is not the ruler of Curve yet. The war is far away," Era looked at Dara bravely, "And she is dethroned. The only title she has is, ''your brother's wife."

"Fine," Sam agreed, "The easier explanation is that my dear brother married the spawn of Satan as you may think and he does exactly what she says. Men are so easily blind. And since Miss Koveski is the Eastern witch you claim her to be, she might as well throw the government below her knees and cast a disastrous spell on you and make you deaf!"

Era's eyes held the daggers of hatred at Sam who threw her head back and laughed, Adona tried to find a new spell to keep a straight face, and Dara looked at the ceiling to stop herself from the outbreak of a horrendous laughter.

Era coldly chuckled as Sam tried to stop laughing with her hands clasped against her mouth, "You are a woman of the age to carry a child yet you make such jokes that make no sense—,"

"I make jokes, Era darling?" Sam got serious at once, "You come here and expect me to smile at you as you try to embarrass me in front of the elders of the house with my love affairs?"

Era wished to answer her but Dara kept down her glass of beer on the table, making everyone look at her. Dara smiled at Era, "Era. It really isn't that bad to have a boyfriend. She is just eighteen, and so are you. Be generous and I say, you both get along. We have bigger problems on our plates."

"In fact, Her Grace and brother Jungkook have been seeing each other way before their marriage. He was her concubine too," Sam provoked Era once more, crossing her arms on her chest as she spoke, "If she doesn't think it's a problem, then brother is no one to object."

"Of course," Era grinned coldly, "Women like us have to fear getting pregnant before marriage, Sam. Miss Koveski does not have to worry about carrying an illegitimate child, nor does she have to care about society for a failed marriage oath."

Adona swore to her son she saw the fear creeping back up at Era's face once Dara turned her face slowly towards the younger girl's face, facing her slightly trembling jaw. To Adona's surprise and Sam's disappointment, Dara did not grab Era by her hair and throw her off her chairs. Instead, she smiled again, "Do not take my silence for granted. My brother lost his head for going against me."

And as much as Dara and Adona knew about the lie, it was a well-sculpted lie to threaten an outsider with. Theon Lux died for nothing, but a lying lesson for the outsiders that proved how vicious a ruler could be.

Era swallowed, "Jungkook deserves better."

"I agree," Dara smiled wider, "Have a good day Era. We are too tired to stand up and bow for you."

"You should complain about her to Wineri or Jungkook," Sam watched Era storm off the table, "She has no manners in front of you."

"It is only fair for Era to be hurt," Adona agreed with herself, "It is clear she is angry at Dara. I don't blame Dara though, she never asked to be Jungkook's love interest until she became one."

"Love interest?" Dara grinned, shaking her head, "I am no love interest."

"What do you reckon you are then, miss?" Adona chuckled back.

With all that she saw in the Curve and all that her mind functioned, she wanted to smile. But with everything else that had been faced with Jungkook in this life, Dara's smile never appeared.

Dara's lashes lowered as she shrugged a little, "I don't know, Adona. I don't know."

***

It was only a week later. Dara was seeing him for the first time in a week. He was unavailable for most days as he spent more time with the government and Caucus, plotting schemes for the war.

Dara wanted to sneak in with him but Jungkook would always pull the pocker face off and leave the house.

Dara wrapped her hand around Jungkook's tight arm, suited in black today with his semi-long hair tied at the back. She observed how his jaws tightened the moment her hands traced his muscles in the room full of crowded people. Jungkook swallowed, staring into the blank and definitely away from Dara's eyes which were cornering his features as the two stood at a near distance from the crowd. Dara sighed, looking away at the house party, the residence's ball room in the left wing full of guests, "If you are going to look like that, it will make me way more awkward than I already am with the guests eyeing me from head to toe, Your Highness."

Jungkook loosened his shoulders, "Did mother ask you to come and stand close to me—,"

"Name a day or a person who made me do something. I am here because I wish to," Dara whispered, then looked at Jungkook, "Also because you are supposed to be my husband."

The Prince grinned coldly, "Right. Where is the ring?"

Dara swallowed.

"Shouldn't you be wearing the ring?" Jungkook looked over his shoulder to see the tensed woman, suddenly glazed by how neatly her hair was combed, a few fringes hiding her ears and a quarter of her eyes.

Dara snaked her eyes down Jungkook's right hand.

The ring in his finger.

She looked away, guilt covering her cheeks with bright red. She bit her lower lip as her eyes nervously wandered the room full of people.

Jungkook wanted to hold her back when Dara's hand automatically slipped off his arm and she walked away, tall and bold yet surrounded by an upsetting aura towards the guests.

The crowd parted upon her arrival at the group of ladies. The women surprisingly bowed slightly, some did not as they eyed Dara from head to toe. The black dress was immaculate and bodied her perfectly but it was nothing special. Dara did not want to trite herself by wearing anything glamorous.

It was just a house party Wineri wanted to throw for her son and Dara. More like the people pleaser that Wineri was, to announce it to all that her son did not live the shredded marriage everyone rumored about.

Dara's sweet smile and forest eyes took a few ladies off, surprised that she can smile too. One of the ladies in a bright pink evening gown stepped out, "Lady Koveski. Hello. I'm Evergreen of North."

"North?" Dara's eyebrows raised.

"My father used to serve prince Arther as his personal advisor. We were moved here with the rest of Arther's harem and advisors as refugees after he was killed. It is very good to see you, my husband, a commander and prince Jungkook's earlier acquaintance talked greatly of you."

"He did?" Dara smiled hesitantly at the woman, she looked like in her thirties, pale skin and the brown Northern streaks in her hair amidst black. Dara nodded, "I am glad to hear that. Not many people think very greatly of me."

"Now that you have married the Blood heir himself, your luck will open widely," said a woman and Dara heard a few snickers from the crowd of women.

Adona's presence made most women bow their heads and lower their knees before standing up straight. Dara sighed in relief as Adona's scent was clear to her nose, "Ladies. What a bunch of beauty here."

"Oh my god it's the prince's sister!"

"She is angelic."

"The red hair killed her brother."

"I heard he was very handsome. Poor soul. He didn't deserve it."

"It was clearly a murder."

Dara took a step back, her heart unable to beat as she looked at Jungkook's still face, his body unmoved as he kept on overheating the entire conversation a few meters away from between the talking crowd of men. Dara was about to leave when Wineri grabbed her hand arm and smiled wide at the women, "If you have not heard already, a few months ago, my daughter in law herself sent many acres of gold as a gift for marrying my son, Jungkook. It is a pleasure to announce that we are making that use of good use, passing down our blessing to help the lower caste Western. It is a great chance to announce it too that Dara will be attending the Western Caucus with His Highness as his legal wife."

The red hair's expression fell to the ground just like the rest of the women's and men's. Jungkook was not surprised though, so wasn't Adona. He simply drank from his glass.

"The Western Caucus?"

The voice belonged to the uninvited. The Winters. There she was, Era's mother in her most expensive blue dress while Era seemed very absent today. Dara wondered if Sam's words hurt her to the extent that she never showed up here.

"The Western Caucus is only for the holy ones, Wineri. And Dara Koveski is nothing but a vile murderer. We all know her deeds at the West," her striking heels clicked and clacked as she made her way towards Dara and Wineri, completely ignoring Adona as she eyed Dara like an insect, "And as the Winter realm's governor, I will not let this woman enter my Caucus—,"

"It is law for the wife of the Prince to attend the Caucus—,"

"She is has no idea about our laws—,"

"She ruled the Northern Realm, Winters," Wineri screamed, feeling sick, "She is the candidate of the Curve. And she is my son's wife so you will talk to her with utmost respect!"

The woman rolled her eyes before stating, "The northern realm is only for the Prince to rule and that dream is a war away. Jeon Jungkook's wife? Is she not the same woman who ran away with two of her male soldiers and came back for what? It sets no great image to society. Besides, there is no proof that she is the Curve's heir—,"

"There is!" Wineri argued.

Mrs. Winters grinned wickedly, "What is it?"

Dara felt like the ground beneath her was disappearing.

"Ah," Mrs. Winters clapped her hands together, "The only proof. Dara Koveski, your future Queen as Wineri expects, is infertile."

The room shrieked with surprise.

Dara heard the footsteps ascend towards her. Harshly.

"The woman you are so proud of is not capable of holding a child to her womb, what is the point of expecting anything but—,"

"One more word out of your mouth and I will throw you out of this realm," Jungkook towered the woman, making Mrs. Winters step a few steps back to meet his strict eyes.

The murmurs stopped at once and everyone's attention was now on Jungkook's jaw breaking and wrathful eyes. Wineri wanted to pull Jungkook back and make peace but the woman spoke again, "You can never throw out the law itself from the ministry, Prince. Just because you have the power to stop my stances does not mean you can break the laws of the Caucus. You have already broken utmost laws for this woman—,"

"You will address her with respect, Winters," Jungkook said with a straight hit tone, "If I don't throw you out of the government, then someone else definitely will."

Adona expected a reaction from Dara but she received none. Dara's eyes were fixed on the floor, her tears floating on the edges of her siren eyes.

Mrs. winters stepped forward, hissing, "You rejected my poor daughter and threw her in the pits of sadness. You and your family will face the consequences."

"We will face them if it's just enough and not plotted against us," Jungkook whispered back, "Do not challenge me into the things you do not want to be involved with. And this goes the same for everyone. Anyone taking this conversation further to the markets and Caucus will be in trouble."

Jungkook grabbed Dara's arm and pulled her out of the crowd, making sure she did not stumble as her gaze was lost. The party watched them leave, Mrs. Winters wrathful and Wineri cupped her face from stress.

The cold air of the West did not shiver Dara today. Jungkook watched her for long minutes as Dara stood in between the fast blowing air. He couldn't leave her alone, so he stood there watching her. When the snow started falling, Jungkook approached her, touching her shoulders.

The woman was unmoved.

"Koveski."

Jungkook walked around her when she did not budge, tilting his head to curve a look into her face. He only found tears, reddened cheeks and a trembling pair of lips. His expressions fell as he grabbed her shoulder this time, trying to pull her face up, "Koveski, listen—,"

"No," Dara whispered, shaking her head as she cried, "Is it my fault?"

"What?" Jungkook panicked, "No! No. It's never your fault. Of course not. Never. Why would you think of that—,"

"How could I not?" Dara's voice broke, "She is right. She is right—I cannot give you a child. You will never have the heir you need—,"

"This is not the time for that conversation—,"

"Are you planning to marry Era—,"

"Are you crazy?" Jungkook yelled, "No, goddamnit. What are you even saying—do you hear yourself?"

"Then why aren't you ready for this conversation? You will never be father—,"

"Exactly!" Jungkook exclaimed angrily, "Exactly why, I do not want to talk about it! Because it hurts. You think I don't want to be a father?"

It was silent for a while.

Jungkook sighed, holding his head before throwing his hands up in the air, "You have no idea how fucked up i got when you said you couldn't give birth but I was fine, Koveski. I was fine as long as you were around—and then you left. So I thought maybe it was worth leaving for!"

That was probably why Jungkook asked Dara to leave when she came back. He was trying to get used to the possible life without her or the dreams of carrying her child in his arms.

"It cannot be helped. We need to learn to accept it and move forward with the things that we were born for," Jungkook closed his eyes, suppressing his feelings for fatherhood backwards in his head, "Just say the word and I will sue the Winters for it."

Dara cried, her body shaking as her head lowered.

Jungkook sighed heavily, shaking his head constantly, "This is not your fault. Stop blaming yourself—please."

But she didn't listen.

So Jungkook grabbed her arms and pulled her in his embrace, placing his hand over her head and ran it down her short red hair, stroking them. Dara broke into his arms, her wail so loud yet so muffled against his chest. Jungkook felt her shoulders shake until they were fragile, Dara never stopped apologizing, "I am sorry. I am sorry—I am so sorry—,"

"It is not your fault," Jungkook's chin wobbled as he placed it over her head, blocking something very hurtful that ached his heart till his throat—a feeling that was indescribable, unnamed—but it stung, "If it is me who you are worried about, then you shouldn't. If you can't give my household a children, then it stays empty—,"

"No," Dara whispered, shaking her head against his chest, "That's not how it works—I seized your throne from you, your childhood, your father, your family's royalty—and...," Dara, wide eyes, stepped back from his embraced as she realized her so called treason, "...and I cannot give you children?"