⊰ chapter twenty two ⊱

"The constitution has been approved!" Yoongi rushed inside the house with a bright smile and glittering eyes, following by an excited Namjoon with sweets in his hands. Yoongi wrapped his arms around Wineri, embracing her before handing the paper to her, the children and teenagers of the house rejoicing, "The Northern constitution has been passed to Jungkook!"

Wineri smiled at Jungkook who watched the house celebrate among themselves from the corner of the room. Jungkook nodded, unable to put up the bright face Wineri expected him to put up. He eventually made his way to Wineri, the room silenced when the Prince moved, the teens admired their cousin as he embraced his mother for a long minute. Wineri pulled away, "Why the glum face?"

"The war is not over yet, this is nothing to be happy about—,"

"Excuse me?" Namjoon frowned, "This letter of constitution, is what we have been waiting for, for twenty five years, maybe more. The throne is yours, it always has been but today, you earned it from Dara."

"Dara had the constitution papers brought from North by her spies a week after she came to West. She signed it today," Yoongi thought about it before putting his words into a sentence, "This means she was ready to give it to Jungkook a long time ago. Right after she knew the truth. What a woman...,"

"Dara wanted you to earn it from her," Namjoon said, "She does not look like the woman to seize someone else's property, she dethroned right after you revealed yourself. The constitution at north is yours as stated in the papers, you are the Head of the Caucus and the King of the four states of Kauv, Heer and the twenty five towns of Breezbrook. Your soldier in first hand is Kim Seokjin."

Everyone looked at Seokjin who grinned at Jungkook with a light bow from the corner of the room.

"Dara has," Namjoon looked through the constitution paper again, "Pledged Sam as the leader of the Women's harem. She has elected Wineri as the Queen Mother, and asked for the Silver Court to be Wineri's only in honor of being your and the nation's mother."

"What about the system? Did she replace the Northern government?" Yoongi peeked into the paper over Namjoon's shoulder.

"No. But she divided it," Namjoon said, "She suggested Jungkook to take careful decisions about the Court, the Caucus itself as she does not agree with how things work at West. She asked him to stick to the Northern traditions and laws, and only then the government can be shifted. She wants women to be allowed into the Caucus, and selected audience."

"Whoa," one of the teenagers murmured, "She really is some woman. She planned this all the way?"

"Looks like we were observed before she pledged the positions to Sam, Wineri and Jungkook himself," Yoongi nodded, "She is a politician. North needs more people like her."

"Didn't she mention herself?" that was all Jungkook asked, his eyes expectant, "Where is she?"

"Dara and Adona has left the residence," Yoongi saw immediate shift in Jungkook's expressions, a dark frown appeared on his face, "They went to the Old house. There arrangements made for them as per your earlier decisions. She asked to let us lend her the forest to train though, since bailing Sam with bribery seemed like a weak move now as you are the official King on Western papers. It will not look good, they might use our weakness as an advantage to earn themselves higher positions at North."

"It is only official when I sit on the throne," Jungkook walked to the door, "Don't leave the house. Seokjin, guard the doors. Taehyung, come with me."

The horses rode them to the other end of the town, the city hollering with joy as Jungkook and the soldier rode through them. The Old house was a residence that was considered as a guest house, every rich and high ranked owner of the government housing had an Old house a few kilometers away from their original residence. Upon reaching the newly decorated Old house, Jungkook pulled the door bell about three times before Adona opened the door, Theodore in her arms.

"Jungkook—I am sorry, Your Majesty—,"

"Cut it," Jungkook rolled his eyes as Adona threw her head back and laughed. He grabbed Theodore from her grip, placing him in his arms, "That was not funny, cut the hideous laughter."

"Sorry, I am getting used to it," Adona palmed her mouth as she let the two men inside the house, "The house isn't bad. It's too big for three people, minus an infant."

"Where is Koveski?" Jungkook asked as Theodore played with his ear ring on his left ear, amazed by the dangling piece of jewelry before his eyes moved to his uncle's sparkling eyes. The eight months child snapped his hand over Jungkook's eyes, Jungkook closing them abruptly before shoving his head away, "Theodore, you are becoming like your aunt, I see."

"Actually, he likes Dara a lot, but Dara is just terrible with children," Adona said before finding herself bringing three cups of tea on a tray, placing it on the antique dining table. The house was not as big as the residence, but it was quiet comfortable, "She did agree to play with him while I went to the market with Seokjin to buy some clothes for Theodore, she was absolutely devastated since she did not know what he was crying for—oh, you asked for Dara."

Jungkook only smiled. He did not have much time to waste.

"I am here," walking down the stairs, Dara was in her old green day-gown, the color was shabby. She bowed her head slightly upon seeing Jungkook, Theodore still amazed by his ear ring, "Your Majesty."

"Koveski. I wanted to talk. Alone."

The balcony of the Old house faced the mountains. Jungkook never realized how the house was at the very ends of the Western valley. Even though it was a horrific sight to look at, nothing impressive about the sound down as the mountains looked darker and hallower, the wind was excellent. Jungkook looked at Dara, who seemed to be fond of the gloomy mountains, "It's dangerous to stay on the very ends of West. Why don't you come back—,"

"A true king does not turn away from his words," Dara turned to face Jungkook, "You wanted a divorce."

"I did," Jungkook said quietly, "I lost you once, Koveski. I couldn't save you from the silver blood, nor could I save the Outerns or the Curve. My death marked a curse upon everybody. Did you think it would be easy for me to accept it overnight? I have been despising the King ever since you have started to see him in your dreams—,"

"Do you know why the golden strings appeared everytime I saw the King in my dreams?" Dara's voice broke slightly as she spoke, her forest green eyes blurred with tears, "Because you were around. You never really wanted to forget yourself, truly. The strings that tie me and you together have no connections with the Curve, nor the compass or the realms."

Jungkook was still.

"It was your love that I will never know what it feels like," a tear drop streamed down Dara's left eye, her chin breaking a she spoke, "Arossa really is the lucky one. She knew nothing but his love, the warmth of the ruthless king, and that was all she remembered. That was all I remember."

"But this time, I am the fool," Dara's fists were clenched, she was so mad herself that she wanted to vex herself and disappear, "I never hear the things I want to hear, always on the edge. I am the fool, Jungkook, you are on the right page."

"Koveski—,"

"You have nothing to lose but I do, so I agree with your decision," Dara explained, "I signed the divorce papers. The circumstances are so fucked up, that I wouldn't recommend for us to stay married. Besides, I have no interest in ruling the Blood Throne as someone else's Queen, I lost my appetite the day I knew it wasn't really mine—,"

"You have nothing to lose either, you will win the Curve—,"

"I have nothing to lose?" Dara broke into strong yet painful tears again as she looked into his eyes, "You don't know at all, do you?"

"What do I not know?"

Dara tried to look away but Jungkook grabbed her arm, making her look at him, "What do I not know, Koveski?"

"I ache for you, damnit!," Dara told him, shaking his grip on her arm off as she took a step forward, tears streaming down her eyes again, "Of course I have things to lose, because I am the fool here. I let my heart ache for someone whom I cannot have...and you tell me I have nothing to lose, Jeon Jungkook?"

The heir lost count of how fast his heart ran. He felt his blood bloat, his head spin upon hearing the woman before her. Dara shook her head, "I burn for you, Jungkook. You touch me and.... I am on fire. What do I do when there is no warmth to feel? No fire to blaze with?"

Jungkook had a crimson face, was immobile, and had trouble breathing. He was itching to talk. But the least he could do was to breathe. Dara's fingers began to tremble from tears. Every time Dara spoke those words, he felt a tiny wave of lunacy pass through his heart.

"Leave me alone before I break into pieces that you cannot mend," Dara cried, face furnished in red and angry tears of perfect regret, "You have teared me all you like, shredded me like a paper and I just kept coming back from death for you, like a fool. Just to have the door shut on my face, because you are so full of yourself—,"

When Jungkook held Dara's waist against his and kissed her lips, her words were cut short. He couldn't understand the serene patience he encountered there. If Dara lit herself on fire every time Jungkook touched her, Jungkook must have felt the calm before a hurricane whenever Dara was in his arms. He had no idea what peace he had discovered there. He felt her aching soul wanting to scream her lungs out on his chest as he kissed her, as well as her arms wanting to stop him but being freed since she missed it so much.

She tried to pull away, but he caught her and pressed his forehead to hers before trying to look into her eyes, which seemed to be looking down at them rather than at his. Jungkook encircled her more tightly, "Dara."

As if she had heard that name for the first time in a while that it almost felt like it did not belong to her. She looked up, lashes soaked with tears. Jungkook smelt like sweet almonds.

"Dara—,"

"I won't live, Jungkook," Dara whispered, her head tilted to look at the terror on his face. Dara has seen it. Dara knows her fate. She knows what's ahead of her. A fate unchanged, is a fate that is true, "Neither me or Arossa are lucky enough to defy our fates."

"So leave," Dara whispered, a pledge been made.

Jeon Jungkook's entire world broke down on his knees, right at that moment.

\\hope it wasnt too hard to take that in