⊰ chapter twenty six ⊱

"Shouldn't be here, definitely not here, Min," Jungkook struggled in his position as the soldiers and the men took their seats, the pub's lights dimming low, "I must leave for the Coitus."

"You can leave in a few minutes. Don't ruin the tradition, come on, imagine the amount of men you will disappoint if you didn't attend today. The dancers agreed only to dance since they heard you are coming," Yoongi mentioned.

"So you will become whores the minute you get married?" Skovier scoffed, "Dara won't like this tradition."

Jungkook nodded but Namjoon explained, "He isn't sleeping with the maidens. He is only paying the pub for the drinks and the expenses for the women to dance here since he is married now. It's a little tradition here, just for mere entertainment. Besides, the special girls agreed to do it for their King. And if Jungkook wants to sleep with one of them, it's on him."

"I wouldn't do that if Dara was my wife," Seokjin said and the men laughed at Jungkook's stunned face.

The King sighed, "If she finds out I am here, she will not like it."

"What will she do? Burn this place down? She won't, you are inside the pub so relax and enjoy for a bit," Yoongi grinned at the women pouring their big jugs full with beer before dragging a glass to Jungkook's side, "Your Majesty, my brother from non mother, the beer will make the coitus later more memorable, chuck it."

Jungkook's gaze was seized by the suddenly dimming lights of the pub, the aura of the pub changing as the fire danced on the candles. The men at the pub whistled as maidens dressed in silk and dangling ornaments appeared on the wooden stage, sparkling light beaming upon them as they twirled with the dancing moonlight. Yoongi whistled as he crashed his glass of beer, Skovier's mouth gaped at the godly woman. Namjoon had already changed his seats to the front with Taehyung, asking for more glasses of beer.

Jungkook stayed fixated.

Not because he did not want to be here. But because his eyes wouldn't tear off the woman in that unbelievable red. Seokjin glanced at him and back at the woman dancing in the center. He squinted his eyes carefully, the red chiffon hiding her face, the jewels covering her red silk at the hems and diamond tassels dangling from her elbows and wrists. Seokjin's jaw dropped as he looked back at Jungkook, "My King...,"

"I need you to cut the lights," Jungkook stared.

"Yes," Seokjin stood up at once and vanished into the darkness of the pub.

Jungkook's jaws clenched as he watched the woman with the hidden hair under the heavy silver hood, the green eyes lined with long black liner and sapphires sitting on her hooded eyes control the men in the pub with the flicker of her fingers. That solemn yet dangerous waist did not have to please the room like this. Jungkook would praise the effort to get on his nerves, but he would praise the delicacy that she conquered the room with.

This wasn't dancing, this was ruling.

And once the lights were cut and the men in the pub groaned, Jungkook's chair cracked back as he walked up to the stage pushing past the panicking pub to grab the girl he wanted behind close curtains. Right then. He heard her gasp but she definitely recognized the arms that grabbed her, pushing her back and off the stage. She wanted to bite on the hand that pressed her mouth closed as they made their way silently back-stage. Upon seeing Jungkook, the few men behind the stage stopped rushing to get the lights on as they lifted up their candles, "I am with the Queen."

Dara groaned, rolling her eyes against the candle light as the men looked down and bowed.

"I need a room," Jungkook said.

"Look who's back to his senses," Dara flew inside the room, her feet still dancing as Jungkook crashed the door close behind them. She scoffed at his behavior, "Angry at what? Me dancing in front of the pub you paid for or me leaving your little bedroom back home?"

"You are not supposed to be here," Jungkook commented, "The place is nasty, full of screwed men and if they noticed you were here, it would be a problem for both of us."

"You aren't supposed to be here as well," Dara commented, tilting her head, "I was there, getting out of that heavy gown with all my life just to get into another and sit pretty for you to come and follow your home's stupid rituals and you here, sir, are paying to watch women."

"I wasn't paying to watch women," Jungkook rolled his eyes, sighing heavily, "I did not want to be here."

"But you are," Dara snickered coldly, turning away from him, "And why are we here in this little room, to here your little lecture—,"

Those wide arms grabbed her waist and Dara felt herself turn on her tiptoes, Jungkook ripped the cloth off her mouth before they laid on the ground that they stepped on. Jungkook swallowed at the scarlet red lips, and then down at the scandalous red barely hiding her body. Dara smirked at her husband, "In a room full of women, you will always recognize me, won't you?"

And Jungkook did not feel angry anymore when he realized how true it was. He slithered his arms tighter around her bare waist, "The skirt is so low."

"That's how they said I should dress if I wanted to dance," Dara whispered back, rubbing the back of his head before pressing her body against Jungkook's, her bare back shivering, "You didn't let me finish. Cutting the lights off?"

"Some things," Jungkook made circles on Dara's hips with the tip of his finger before brushing his nose against hers, "Are only mine to see, wander, feel and curse at. The rest of the men can keep regretting, keep dreaming, keep dying to be in my shoes. Because they will never be."

"Weren't you this kind little boy who shared his lunch with his pals?" Dara gave Jungkook a mischievous look, "Helped everyone, cared and nurtured and did not take jealousy into account. What has happened?"

Nothing stopped Jungkook from kissing his wife's lips passionately, as if this was once again the first time all over again. Dara felt herself running out of breath with the contact as she tried to kiss him back but, Jungkook, he was too rough, too drooled. Her lungs nearly felt as though they were sucked dry before her breath filled with his aroma. When his lips slid down to kiss her neck, she moaned softly and grabbed onto his hair.

"People change, Dara dearest," Jungkook's hands reached the back of Dara's dress after tip-toeing his fingers around her waist. Dara grinned as she grabbed Jungkook's collars and jumped until her legs were wrapped around his waist. Jungkook felt the deity body secure herself perfectly around him.

She could feel his warm breath moving down the valley of her breasts before stopping and tenderly biting at her shoulder blades. When his tongue reached out and licked a path of her neck, she slightly arched her back in response. But how could Jungkook let go off Dara's malicious intents into the pub to trick him so easily?

So he landed Dara on the ground, breaking the kiss. Dara, stunned, eyes twinkling looking at her lover stared at him, "What's wrong?"

"Well, is this really how it should go?" Jungkook raised a brow before stepping back until he found the bed behind him and sat over it. His eyes lingered down at Dara dressed in the scandalous thin laces, the jewlery and all the diamonds that hugged her pious parts, her naked legs gleaming against the little light in the room. Jungkook shrugged at her shocked, scarlet red cheeks, "You came here as a pub dancer, why should i be the one entertaining myself?"

Dara's expressions shifted. She knew where this was going.

"Entertain me," with that, Jungkook laid on his back on the bed.

Dara stood there like a stone.

He tilted his head, "You want me to repeat myself—,"

Dara pulled one of the laces of her dress just for it to topple off her body, the diamond beads crashing against the ground as they left Dara's body. Jungkook's jaw hung open slightly as he tried to sit up, eyes glued and un-left from his wife as she proceeded to him. He had seen this body a hundred times, had the once-a-Queen in the palm of his hands and uncaged her crowns and ripped open her dresses. And each time it felt brand new.

Dara pressed Jungkook's chest with one of her bare thighs, kneeling over. Jungkook stared at the woman in complete silence as she crawled her way over him, kissing him down as she pinned him to the bed, pressing her bare body against his. Jungkook rushed as he unbuttoned his shirt, Dara broke the kiss to watch him throw the shirt away before the man grabbed her and threw her on the other side of the bed. Dara broke into a laughter with Jungkook as he smiled into her lips, sliding his tongue inside her mouth. Dara's body curved.

He put his hands on Dara's naked hips and she gasped, trembling in his grip. He licked his lips as he regarded her position. Dara's skin gleamed in the candlelit room.

Jungkook looked at her and said, "No way I call you mine," as he was completely enamored. Her head scaled back as he reached up to grip a handful of her breasts. He flicked her rose-colored tips with his thumbs as he pounded it with his hands. He knelt down to grab one of her blossoms and stared into her clouded, green eyes, "No way I've claimed what's always been mine."

Dara swallowed as she clutched Jungkook and closed her eyes. When Jungkook's warm tongue enveloped her firm peak, she felt a surge of energy throughout her body. It also didn't help that his brilliant, brown eyes didn't leave hers. His fingers pinched her bud as his other hand caressed her other breast. Before giving her a passionate kiss while feeling her glistening breasts push against his strong chest, Jungkook moaned, "Oh God." He kissed her down as he lifted her up and placed her. His tongue flicked out to swirl around her navel as his lips drew closer to it. The sensation caused Dara to hunch her back. Dara moaned, mouth gaping, "Jungkook."

A smile smudged against the Prince's face, glancing at Dara's heated face.

Before kissing her and covering her screams with his body, Jungkook muttered and inserted his fingers into her hair. Dara clung to his forearm as she felt the knot of desire in her own soul. She also snapped as she felt herself becoming more tense around Jungkook's fingers after he inserted another finger.

These arms that fought wars for him, the chest that heavied for him and the bosom that ached for his touch.

"Fuck," Dara's eyes rolled back, legs kicking the bedsheets.

"Dara," he muttered as he pressed himself against her, grunting as she began to round him. Dara screamed more loudly as hip agony shot but she looked at him, from where the voice came from. Jungkook, sweaty but so in love with her, eyes melted into hers as he pushed himself into her, harder and harder, "I don't want to miss you forever."

"Don't you break my heart right now, Jungkook," Dara whispered, kissing his lips to make him stop speaking, "Just fuck me unil you are tired of it."

"Then I will never stop," Jungkook broke the kiss, shaking his head, "I will meet you," he said, watching Dara's body electricity from the pleasure that he was pounding in, "I will meet you at twilight. I will see you when the night meets the day, if that's what it takes."

Dara moaned against Jungkook's lips, a tear rolling down her left eye, "I will do what it takes....but if I die, it must be your sword who sends me away."

Jungkook kissed Dara again. Dara's eyes budged open when she felt Jungkook's tears kiss her cheeks as he kissed her lower lip, unhinged and unglued. Dara's heart felt heavy, broken but she wrapped her arms around him and let him devour all the last times they could ask for.

I think you will miss me forever, Dara closed her eyes.

****

The city created parades, throwing white rose petals at the newly-wed pair who were centering the crowd wherever they went with on their royal white horse. Jungkook and Dara wore blue velvet capes to tackle the snow that was covering their heads. Jungkook kissed Dara's earlobes as the horse steadied in the middle of the crowd, the people chanting the two's names, the sun trying to find a place to peak through the heavy clouds of the West. Dara smiled, heart beating at her ears as she looked back at Jungkook. He said, "Do the honors."

"After you," Dara shook her head, "Only after you, My King."

This belonged to Jeon Jungkook, the forever King. The smile on her face broke a smile on his lips as he nodded, holding her waist before getting off the horse, the people stepping back to give the royal man his own space before he helped Dara jump from the horse. The royal guards locked their hands to protect the pair as the public got louder with chants.

"All hail the King!" and after fifth chant, the usual head-bow customed was performed. Dara broke a knee with the ladies of the house to curtsy.

"People," Jungkook said and the crowd screamed, but he continued to speak as it once again silenced them, "My foster home. You were the true witness of King Arthur's only heir and his growth, the only proof I have of my royal blood and my forever reign of the blood throne."

Dara's chest heavied with pride. This is all she ever wanted; Jungkook owning his identity.

"War is bordering my lands. North needs to be saved. The rumors of the Curve is true. And it is indeed the truth that I have married none other than the champion candidate of the Curve," Jungkook did not hesitate as he spoke, "She will fight the summoner of the Curve. She will avenge us. Your true West spirit winner will assist this war, but we need your help."

"Bless our marriage by sacrificing your blood to this war," Jungkook asked his people, "I seek your external support in avenging what has been seized and what may be seized if we don't come together. Dara cannot do this alone. So can't I. So can't my army."

"Is it true that Dara Koveski will not live?" asked from the crowd.

Dara sighed looking down at her feet.

Jungkook frowned, "Who dared to ask?"

So it hit Dara's head too. How would anyone, here, know anything about Dara and the Curve's illfate? The red haired woman walked to the front, eyes glued to the crowd as she searched for the voice. The distress spread across her face as she looked back at Jungkook only to see the man dozing off. When she blinked, he was staring back at her.

Dara's heart skipped a beat. She looked back at the crowd slowly, the crowd no more. Empty fields.

She felt her body firm to the cold breeze of the West. Dara's eyes turned gold as she tried to look through the fog. Only pools of voice washed through her ears. Dara spread her hands in the air, creating a waveof constellations in front of her, to search the voices.

Don't let him sleep.

"Illari?" Dara whispered, "Mother?"

Don't let your King sleep. She is on her way. She is here.

"Where are you?" Dara's eyes watered, "Mother, where are you?"

"I am here," Illari's voice was faint, "Do not come here. Get out of this place and do not let the King sleep. He must stay awake."

"How do I get out of here? What is this place and why is it so empty?" Dara screamed, eyes crying, "Mother, are you alive? Can I save you? Is Father with you?"

"Dara, go. You don't want to lose more people you love," Illari whispered into the winds, "This is the Eastern necropolis."

Den of Eastern monsters, the death bed of their victims. So dark. So lonely. Black beds around her. She couldn't look further into it. The light illuminating from her was cracking the graveyard grounds. She took a step back to watch the golden gleam break the grounds.

"How do I keep Jungkook awake?"

"Do not let him drink it," Illari's voice fainted into the fog, "The King must stay awake..,"

"Mother?" Dara found no answer. She closed her eyes, adjusting to the darkness of the necropolis before time pulled her back into the vision of the haze of the Western snow. Dara opened her eyes to find herself in the middle of well dressed women, champagne in their hands. She had one in her own hands. She stared at the liquid.

"Dara," Adona's voice made her flinch hard, "You good? I thought you would be wearing a dress tonight. You never changed from the cape. You do look good—,"

"Don't drink that," Dara said before stopping Adona from lifting her glass to her mouth, "Where is Jungkook?"

Adona frowned in confusion, "He is with the ministry in the front. What's with the champagne?"

"It's poisoned," Adona followed Dara into the run of finding Jungkook, "Jungkook shouldn't sleep. I think the summoner opened a new portal to get inside his head despite of knowing who he is. I thought letting the summoner know who Jungkook is would scarce is body from being used. I think it's going for his head—the usual way of invading by the Easterns."

"Why is it after him? Why does it not come for you?" Adona raised a valid question, "Dara, are you sure—,"

"Yes," Dara pushed past people, not so politely as the people started giving Dara rushed looks. Dara glanced through the people, a few of them dozing off or yawning, "Fuck. The summoner is putting the entire party to sleep. Where the fuck is Jungkook—fuck."

Jungkook only put down his empty glass of champagne, yawning before looking back at the ministers, forcing a smile at them. Adona cursed under her breath, "This is going to be bad, isn't it?"

"Very fucking bad," Dara walked to Jungkook, pulling him away from the ministers, their eyes clouded with sleep and tardiness, "Jungkook? Do you hear me, darling?"

"I feel so tired," Jungkook yawned, closing his eyes, head tilting.

"Jungkook, you need to stay awake," Dara shook Jungkook, the man's eyes unable to keep themselves open from the tardiness, "This won't work. We need to get him somewhere."

"Somewhere?" Adona rushed behind Dara who dragged Jungkook with her by his bicep around her neck. Adona grabbed Jungkook's left arm around her as the man slowly started losing consciousness, "God, he is heavy."

"We can't leave his body ungarded," Dara whispered, "We need to hide him somewhere."

"We are going somewhere now?" Adona yelled at Dara as Jungkook's body weight weighed her out as Dara grabbed out her compass before throwing it into the open fields in the back of the house party, "Dara, your husband weighs more than three mountains, I am still weak from childbirth, woman!"

"Hasn't it been five months already," Dara murmured to Adona's sarcasm before grabbing Jungkook by his waist, pulling him towards what looked like a golden chamber in the middle of the open fields.

"Is that your compass?" Adona stared at the glinted chamber as she followed Dara into the chamber. The gold plated chamber had the most comfortable looking bed ever seen. Dara placed Jungkook on the bed with great difficulty, Adona moving his legs over the bed. She tried to wake him up, tapping his cheeks lightly but Jungkook slept like a child.