⊰ chapter nineteen ⊱

Adona set the tea on the table.

The family was down in the dumps. After spending many, many hours sitting erect in her chair, Wineri eventually moved in her posture, shaking her head. She had stress and struggle painted on her face. Dara followed Jungkook downstairs in a bathrobe and wet hair as he proceeded down the stairs with damp, wet hair and a fresh shirt on. Adona smiled at their disorganized situation since they didn't decide to leave their work until Wineri told them they were there.

Yoongi was there too. So were the soldiers.

Jungkook looked down at Dara's attire as she pulled the bathrobe close, tying the knot tighter before folding her arms on her chest. Jungkook exchanged a quick glance with Skovier whose head was lowered upon their presence along with the rest of the soldiers. Dara hadn't seen the men for a week now, ever since the omission of Era's parents.

"Good evening," Jungkook said and the men rose before taking their seats in front of them and around the table. Adona quietly sat beside Dara, smiling at how both of them smelt like lavenders when she only left the lavenders for Dara earlier in the day.

"I cannot let Dara do this," Wineri slapped her hand against the wooden table, "A week is not enough for Dara to develop archery. She will not succeed within a week's time. Ask for more time, son—,"

"The deal has been made," Jungkook cleared, "if you want your child back in your arms and the infant alive, then stay silent mother. Koveski will need a lot of peace to execute the battle herself. We start training tomorrow."

"Why archery, though?" Dara asked quietly, feeling unbelievably uncomfortable as Skovier's gaze moved to her along with the rest's even though he was not to be blamed for anything, she swore to kill Era if she ever found her again, "I can just battle with my sword, right?"

"The spirit is a Western Reindeer. A wild reindeer. You have to hit its head to extract the magic in it. All the power is in its head. Its horns are so twisted, your sword will not plunge through. In fact, no real weapons can be plunged through. Arrows are thin, they might get through," Jungkook gulped, "Yes, might or might not."

"What happens if not...?" Seokjin asked hesitantly.

"She gets killed," Jungkook looked away from Dara and at the soldiers, "And none of us can get in the stadium ring to help her. The government purposely did this to Dara, making her battle at the stadium, they will earn money from the audience like that and this is a good way to prove Koveski is not the capable woman we talk about if she loses. They were smart."

Dara sighed, thinking all of it at once.

"I think Dara can do it," Adona looked at the red hair, "She fought the Northern spirit, almost twice the same as Jungkook's strength, she is the falcon spirit herself, she has defeated hundreds of Easterns by herself, all alone. This needs expertise, she can do it too."

Dara grinned at Adona, "Is it that easy?"

"Come on, not as hard as being of no use in your story, right?" Adona nudged Dara, "I mean look at me, I have no role here."

"Aren't you nurturing my heir?" Jungkook peeked at Adona with a little smirk, "We will see if you let him go on battles in a few years, Adona, let's see."

Adona chuckled with the soldiers, her pink lips stretched into a weak smile afterwards. Jungkook looked at his mother, "Mother. Sam is alright. We should be celebrating instead, she is pregnant."

"They will kill it if Dara cannot win," Wineri looked away, her eyes watering, "My poor baby, she should be here. With us. I should have just married her off to Hoseok when she wanted it."

"She wanted it?" Dara frowned, "What are you saying?"

Wineri's chin wobbled before she broke into a loud cry, "Yes. Sam wanted to get married last year. Since she was already so young and Jungkook was away at North, I just kept delaying her words and look what has happened..,"

"Your realm is ridiculous," Dara stated, "So what if it's illegitimate. Marriage is always an option even if she gets pregnant. It really does not matter. All the laws portrayed to me till today seems absurd. If I were Jungkook, I would reshape the system here."

"But Jungkook has no business here," Taehyung said, his wounds healed completely as it seemed, "He would change the system anyway if he rules North, the realms wouldn't exist if we are victors."

"Hoseok was informed about the situation. He will help Dara as much as possible with the instructions," Jungkook looked at his mother again, "Mother. It's going to be fine. Sam will be fine. Dara will be fine too. You just make sure to make Dara protein meals everyday."

"Suddenly?" Yoongi frowned.

"Dara needs strength,"

"It's not that dangerous, is it?" Taehyung looked at Yoongi and then back at Dara, "It is? How big is the reindeer?"

"It's eight feet tall," Yoongi informed and Dara's breathing stopped, "It can smell its enemy. It's blind."

"Why does Hoseok protect it?" Adona asked, "Is he really that strong?"

"Hmm, but wiser. But Hoseok nurtured the reindeer without knowing it was a spirit when he was very young. He was an orphan so he used to stick to the Western forest all the time," Yoongi said, "Eventually, he found out it was the spirit, the spirit was only fond of Hoseok but was wild with new people."

"Where do I extract it?" Dara asked, "Where does he keep it?"

"Hoseok has two residences. One here, the other at the West forest in the wilds. They will probably take the spirit to the stadium on the day of the battle and provoke it to fight you," Yoongi informed, "He probably hid it with mist. Hoseok is fond of magic, you should have met him earlier. He knows a lot about Easterns"

"Definitely," Dara sighed before looking at Jungkook whose eyes were already looking down at her.

Of course he was tense. His face was not calm or joyous at all. Dara wanted to seize his attention, "Shall we go upstairs and rest?"

"Off you both go," Wineri stood up, "I will serve the gentleman dinner before they leave for the Quarter. Do they serve great food at the Quarters, boys?"

When they arrived in their room, Dara followed Jungkook and shut the door behind them before taking off her robe. Jungkook paced while sitting on his bed, his eyes fixed on the ground. After swallowing, Dara walked barefoot to him and placed her hands on her shoulders, pushing her thumbs on them. Jungkook hunched over, exhausted after a week of releases, "Are you worried?"

Dara sighed, bending her knees on the bed before sitting beside him, "Yes."

"You could get killed," Jungkook turned to face her, "What will we do then?"

"What will you do?"

Jungkook blinked before looking down at Dara's thighs, trying to think, "Marry Era?"

The two stared at each other for a few seconds before chuckling gloomily, Dara rolling her eyes, "This is hopeless isn't it? It was a dumb deal."

"Hmm," Jungkook agreed, "We could have negotiated more."

"I would have needed the spirit to fight the Curve anyway. It will be a great benefit if we win," Dara spoke.

"Aren't you afraid?" Jungkook asked, "Whenever you speak of the Curve, you speak so fearlessly."

"I don't know," Dara commented, "I feel very attached to it. My previous husband used to rule the Curve, he sacrificed it for my rule and rebirth. His cries brought me back. I feel very destined to do it."

"He must have loved you a lot," Jungkook said with a small smile on his lips, "You are lucky in a way."

Dara swallowed hard, her eyes unmoved, gaze fixed at him, "The previous Dara was very lucky, yes. I don't know about myself though."

"You maybe will find him again," Jungkook shrugged, "He could be reincarnated too, right? The elf said only you would remember his face and his past with you."

Dara wondered if it pained Jungkook even a bit to say those words. Her heart raced but her breath was cutting short. Her throat closed as she shrugged, trying to arcuate words, "if he comes, you will be no comparison. I will leave you at once."

Jungkook stared at Dara, "You are sure he will love you the same?"

"A lot of things are repeating itself. My infertility and the loss of my child previously. One of us being a royal. Maybe he is a slave? I used to be a slave—,"

"Will you love him if he came out of the blue?" Jungkook asked.

Dara's brows eased, "Love is uncertain. It can happen to anyone—,"

"And how's it so easy for you to leave the marriage? You didn't make it so easy when it came to Era," Jungkook said, not calm anymore.

"Are you really going to make a fuss about a person who does not exist?" Dara stood up from the bed and walked around it, finding herself under the blankets on her side of the bed, "Always provokes me to mess with him."

"What if he exists," Jungkook mumbled, his brows arched together before he too walked to the other side of the bed, blowing out the candles. His feet touched Dara's under the blanket, his hands hesitated to find hers, "Are you really going to be mad about this? I was just asking. Koveski, face me."

"I want to sleep on my right," Dara said.

"Then, can I touch you?" Jungkook swallowed. The last time he touched her when they went to bed angry with each other, he ended up choking her to death.

Dara sighed, "Yes."

So Jungkook wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on the crook of her neck.

None of them slept that night. The week ahead of them worried them to the extent it made their toes curl.

****

Jungkook striked on Dara's knees the moment she stopped the thrust, Dara's legs and arms aching from pain a she screamed, "Fuck you."

"Twenty more, then we switch to a run to the forest," Jungkook said before kicking Dara's arms, Dara toppling off from her position in between the push-ups with a groan, "Hmm, hmm, get up."

"You are being ruthless—,"

"You are the one to say," Jungkook murmured before dragging Dara up from her knees before pushing her back to the ground, "Quick, we don't have time!"

"Ugh," Dara grimaced before angrily making her body work, the push-ups making her arms and toes shake, her bones cramping and her hips felt like it was being cut off with a sharp knife, "That's it, I cannot."

Dara wanted to get off but when Jungkook's body blocked the sunlight through the trees and his brows were only arched with his jaws clenched, Dara knew there was no escaping. She had to finish the push ups.

"What is this?" Dara panted, on her knees as Jungkook tightened the rope on a tree trunk.

"Your morning jogging area, into the forest actually," Jungkook looked at Dara, her knees and fingertips red. He looked away quickly, jerking his head towards the forest, "Go make your run."

"Like, just run?" Dara stared.

"Am I asking you to fly into the forest?"

"No," Dara frowned, "I was just asking, seems easy."

"Yeah, easy. Go on," Jungkook motioned.

There was a slight fright in Dara's heart before she backed away in position, she ran into the forest without warning. Jungkook watched her fast running slip into the woods. Dara ran, feeling empty to her stomach when she felt the angushing sound of wind against her face. Not too soon, Dara felt her stomach actually getting smacked by a piece of wood. Before she could grasp onto herself and catch her breath, her toes slipping, Dara saw another piece of wood launch into her face.

"Dodge!" Jungkook's voice growled and Dara moved immediately to find more of the flying woods launching in her direction. Dara wanted to look back and find Jungkook but it was too late, her shoulder hit, her knees dropping to the ground as another clashed against her thigh. But Jungkook's voice was as annoying as the attacks, "I did not ask you to lay on the ground and dodge! Run, Koveski!"

"I am hurt—,"

"I DON'T CARE!" Jungkook screamed.

This felt like training back at Meyrem but dare them, they never yelled at Dara like this. The woman stumbled a little as she got back to her knees and then quickly ran into the woods. She had used her sword to fight in battles, thus the lack of weaponry was unusual. Dara recalled undergoing similar training at Meyrem, but it has been too long. She has never attempted to bulk up or get stronger either. Dara was intelligent and skillful, but she wasn't exceptionally powerful.

While observing Dara avoid the trees, Jungkook moved from where he was standing. As a piece of wood swung sideways and nearly broke Dara's skull into pieces, his heart missed a beat. He followed Dara, biting his bottom lip. It was required yet he wouldn't do it. The rope that Jungkook knotted earlier in the morning hurled when Jungkook swung his sword across it. Looking to the right, Dara noticed a swinging tree limb being flung toward her face. This startled her.

"DODGE IT, GODDAMNIT—,"

Dara disappeared.

"Fuck," Jungkook watched the wood swing from one end of the forest to the other with Dara hanging on it, screaming on the top of her lungs, "This is going to be tough."

"What is this place?" Dara asked, a small camp surrounding her with weapons, mostly made from wood and crooked metal. The soldiers were creating fire, they had food, Dara recognized the pots from home; Wineri must have sent them. Seokjin heated a cup before pressing a stick with cotton on the end of it to it, and then dabbed it against Dara's arm. Dara groaned slightly, "What is this?"

"It heals wounds faster," Seokjin said, "Makes your skin tighter. Jungkook is preparing herbal treatment for you. So, was the training very hard on you the first day? Didn't you train the same way at Meyrem?"

"Not this hard," Dara said, her lip slightly bleeding from the corners, "I was trained to be skilled, not strong. I am a politician, not a knight."

"Now you are, both," Seokjin said with a smile, "You have become a lot of things, Dara."

Dara smiled at Seokjin, "Call me by my name again, and you will lose your head."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Seokjin bit his lower lip to stop himself from smiling wider, "I never thought I would be questing with you, seeing you grow so from a Queen to a wife, one day into greater things. It's very therapeutic to see you evolve."

Dara's smile stayed as she touched Seokjin's cheek, "Thank you for traveling with me. Me and Jungkook would never be able to return the favors to any of you. We are forever grateful."

"It's our duty," Taehyung sounded himself as he and Skovier were busy sharpening arrowheads, "We believe in great things. So we are with you."

While holding the herbal ointment, Jungkook grinned distantly. The soldiers needed to be emboldened by Dara's battered smile, and that was truly all he needed as well. There was nothing phony about that smile. She was physically and mentally distressed by everything going on around her. How will Jungkook repay the troops for their generosity toward Dara and him? It wasn't simple to accept a different successor to the throne when they had been dreaming of the lady before them to govern, especially when one considers the troops or puts himself in their position. The dedication was lost, yet it persisted within them.

When he wondered whether people would ever accept him as their truth, Jungkook became anxious. He wasn't prepared to once more turn Dara against him. Even though he and Dara never discussed a truce, they both doggedly fought for their respective causes while also seeking the same kind of peace for their respective populations.

"Okay, boys," Jungkook walked in finally, breaking the bubble of ease between the people. Seokjin bowed his head before getting off from Dara's side as Jungkook bent on his knees and sat in front of her, her face was disastrously cut and wounded, "It will heal soon, I promise."

"It better," Taehyung mumbled, "Before Era takes advantage of it."

Dara chuckled with the men as Jungkook shook his head with disappointment. Dara hissed from pain as Jungkook applied the mixture over her wounds, "Slow down."

"Sorry," Jungkook flinched away, "We have to go on like this until your bones gain strength. Six days from now."

Dara nodded, "I know. I am fine with it."

"We cannot let you get any major injuries. You need to be careful with training," Jungkook said, more careful with the herbs against her cuts, "Would you like to carry a bow and see if you can work it?"

"Of course I can carry a bow, what do you mean?"

Jungkook kept the ointment away and looked into her eyes, "You need to turn the compass into a bow," he handed her the compass that he had collected from her before training started, "You cannot use regular bows to attack a spirit. One of the reasons none has been extracted till date."

"Is it that strong?" Dara swallowed.

He did not want to scare her though, "Try see if you can carry the weight of the bow."

The men moved aside from Dara at that point, and Jungkook likewise did so as they pulled out the golden bow that they had been anticipating seeing ever since Jungkook suggested it. Dara rolled her eyes before pulling out her compass, which had beautiful sculpture chiseled into its body and an illuminating light sparkling out of it before it constructed itself into a glittering bow. The warriors gasped in amazement as they watched a golden arm guard and belt encircle Dara's arm and chest. A quiver behind her had a number of deadly, sharp arrows with golden tips.

"Holy shit," Skovier closed his mouth with his hands, eyes bulging out.

"Gorgeous," Jungkook whispered, eyes shining, "This is extraordinary."

"And heavy," Dara tried to lift it further but her arms wouldn't allow it, "It's really heavy."

Snapping it back, Dara freed herself from the heavy gold as the compass turned back to its original shape, "The compass has no magic left except for swapping into weapons. So it will be of no use if I don't know how to use it."

"Can you use magic to defend yourself?" asked Seokjin.

"She can, but not for too long," Jungkook informed, "Her opponent is wild. It will kill her the chance it gets."

"How pleasant," Dara sat hopelessly on the wooden seat with a heavy exhale, "This is hopeless. I am dying this week."

"I am not dead yet," Jungkook sighed, "A week is enough time to learn how to pick that bow up. The rest depends here," Jungkook pointed at Dara's head, "And you already have that. Think of your strengths. You are smart, quick, and maybe scarier than the Western spirit. The moment it knows you are fearless, it will lose its posture even if it's for a minute. And you should grab that chance."

His eyes were hopeful, "This is your big chance to prove to the West that you are the true heir of the Curve."

"I don't need to prove anyone anything—,"

"And that, you are worthy of being the Blood Heir's spouse," Jungkook whispered, eyes still and not hesitating a bit, "That not everyone is worthy of me. And everyone is not worthy of you."