Chapter 2: 0.02
(V - P.O.V)
Looking outside to the commoner streets from my window... seeing the people walk up and down those streets, all smiling at each other or talking to one another... it was all so weird to me.
I was seven years old now, but not once had I seen the world from outside the palace. I'd never met a commoner aside from my servants, I'd never been on common ground with the peasants, and I'd never been beyond the palace walls. My whole life was spent in the dark of my rooms and head lowered into a book in study. From all this over-protectiveness I learned nothing more than to crave adventure. But, for some reason, my father wouldn't let me passed the palace walls. I was confined to the indoors and only allowed in the gardens my mother and I tended to.
I had no friends, no freedom, and no mind of my own...
...but that was going to change tonight.
I closed the curtain and gathered my cloak. Minghao, my butler and closest thing to a friend that I had, had promised me that he'd take me into the commoner streets for an hour and then bring me right back home. I knew he was nervous about father finding out about this, but I promised the man that we'd be back before he caught on.
Minghao came back to my rooms, nervous as ever, and shakily handed me a purse filled with coins. "Remember, Taehyung..."
"V," I reminded him with a grin. The man had a tendency to forget that any of those who were close to me were allowed to call me by my branded name 'V'.
He caught this right away before he bowed to me. "So sorry my lord! Ah! I mean, your majesty! I mean...!"
I hugged him happily, giggling slightly. "Don't worry about it! Now let's go!"
I ran out the door, covering my face with my hood and made for the servants exit in the back of the palace. Minghao followed me the whole way there, still nervous and shifty as ever.
Minghao was not a tough man, in fact he was rather effeminate, but he was loyal. If he promised something, then he kept his promise. He was tall, but lanky, and he had a shrill voice whenever he yelped in realization or fear. But, when he wasn't nervous, he was quite cocky and well rounded. Most of the servants laughed with him when he strut around the palace effeminately and made lewd remarks to the other males in the palace. His favourite being Jun, who was the chief butler and served my father and mother.
For the moment though he served mainly my mother.
My mother, Lord Seokjin, had come down with an illness a month ago and he still wasn't looking any better. I had gotten scared for him but he assured me that he was alright. Although he assured me this was the truth, it didn't stop the fact that my father, and his people, were all worried about his health. He was the Queen of Yeoui-dong, most beloved Queen of the people. If anything happened to him...
No... no, nothing would happen to him. I couldn't think like that. Not on today of all days.
Right as we were about to exit through the servants exit, Jun stopped us almost instantly.
"Minghao!" He raised his voice. "Need I remind you that his Majesty is to remain put in the palace!?"
Minghao, having stopped in his tracks the same as me, turned around slowly to look at the man before him. "No, Jun. But V..."
"His Majesty." Jun corrected. "And his Majesty is a mere child right now, and cannot defend himself properly should anything happen in the commoners marketplace. Now, if you would please bring him to his father, he would like to have a word with the young prince about a meet with the sons of Yoongi and Hoseok."
I cringed at this.
Minghao did as told and guided me through the halls towards the throne room, taking my cloak as we went. He apologized to me but I shrugged it off. I had bigger fish to fry now with Yoongi and Hoseok here... along with their sons.
I did not have any friends... and I meant it. Yeonjun and Subin were older than I and constantly picked on me for my... erm... deformity. It was because of them I learned to hate who I was.
I didn't like mirrors or my reflection in general. In fact I hated my reflection. Every time I looked I saw half a face with a inked remnant of what used to be. My father made it no secret about what happened to me as a baby, but it was kept secret from the common folk in the marketplace outside the palace walls. I had been struck by a curse. One that could only be lifted by true love. But I hardly believed that last part. What could true love do that magic had already done? I mean, couldn't someone with magic take away this curse? Well, maybe they could... were anyone with the capabilities around nowadays. Apparently, the one who put this curse on me was the only magic user in existence anymore... and no one had found her since she cursed me.
It's not like it hurt or anything. And I didn't feel any different than anyone else. But the moment Yeonjun and Subin were alone with me did the horrible teasing begin.
We entered the throne room and I saw the two before me. I instantly wished to disappear and be somewhere else.
Yeonjun was two years older than me, making him nine, and Subin was four years older, standing in at eleven. For a seven year old... there was no fighting them. All I could do was pray that they were merciful this time.
Minghao soon left us and I slowly strode over to my father's side.
He pat my hair down lovingly. "And how are you today, my son?"
I merely shrugged, too scared to speak. I knew where this was going anyways so I mentally prepared myself for the worst.
He looked up to his friends Hoseok and Yoongi. "Shall we speak in the meeting rooms?"
They agreed and before long the adults were off on their own little get together... while I was left to my torture.
I felt a slap over the head before Yeonjun spoke. "And how is the two faced Prince?"
I didn't answer. I was still too frightened.
Subin scoffed. "What's say you, freak?"
I still said nothing. I knew if I just fought back it would end up in a scrap like the last few times. Those times I'd been blamed for starting them and my father wouldn't listen when I told them about all the nasty things they called me. I begged him to believe my story but he didn't listen at all.
Subin scoffed. "You know, Yeonjun, This little Prince looks more like a damsel with that pretty hair of his." He mocked as he pulled at a lock of my hair, causing it to hurt.
That was another thing.
I wasn't big or muscly like my father. I was small and thin like my mother. Not to mention I had most of his features. I didn't develop anything in my young age that even remotely looked boyish. To a glancing eye, I was a female... and that I hated the most.
I pulled myself away and crossed my arms. I still said nothing, but I didn't acknowledge them either. I wasn't going to give them anything to feed off of.
I felt a boot to my back and I landed onto the stone floor roughly hearing the two laugh at me hiss in pain.
"That giant scarring, and he ain't even tough enough to survive a scratch!" Yeonjun started up.
Subin joined in but I didn't hear what he'd said. A loud crash coming from my mother's room had my attention before I thought about anything they had to say.
I ran up the stairs and to the room without thinking and barged through the door to see what had happened. What shocked me was seeing my mother writhing in pain on the bed and shivering at an invisible cold that I couldn't feel. Nurses and handmaids tried to calm him, but there was nothing that could be done for him. He was in a pain that could not be stopped.
I ran to his side and held his hand. "Mama! Please, stop it! It's me! It's Taehyung!"
I could feel tears rolling down my face as he looked at me with pain in his eyes. He grabbed hold of my hand when he stopped writhing and turned to look at me.
"T-Taehyung. Please... please listen to mummy... please..."
When he placed a hand on my cheek it was cold as ice and shaking slightly. I didn't like this one bit.
I nodded though, assuring him that I was listening.
He grinned. "Where mummy is going... you can't come... you must stay... stay by your f-father's... side. He needs you... he needs his son... please... please... don't forget... don't f-forget who you are. D-don't forget all... that I've taught you... please..."
All that he taught me...
My mind flashed to a few months before he was sick and we were walking in the garden. He'd told me that my curse didn't define who I was. That I was worth so much more than I was told. And to never look down upon myself. I remembered these lessons well, but none more than when she told me to never look back on love. That, even if it sounded like heresy, that love would help me in the darkest of times.
Yes... I remembered these lessons well.
I noticed my father walk in, but my eyes watered up too much in order to see him properly.
I nodded once more, feeling my throat choke up too much to speak.
He smiled at me and pulled me to him in order to kiss my forehead. "Taehyung... you are such a good boy. Anyone would be lucky to have you... to love you... please don't forget that. Don't forget how special you are."
I blinked and the tears fell. "I won't, mama."
I was seven... but I wasn't dumb. My mother was not going to see me lift my curse. This ugly... tatted... horrid face would be the last thing he remembered about his little boy.
And that made me angry.
His last words to me were a whispered 'I love you' and I quickly repeated the same as his eyes closed and his breathing slowed to nothingness. His hand on my face went limp and I couldn't control the sobs escaping my lips. My mother... my one light in a dark world... was gone forever.
I didn't even bother to let my father console me. I just ran out of the room and made for my quarters. I didn't want anyone to see me right now... I didn't want anyone to see the half-faced, monster cry like an infant.
Unfortunately, I ran into the two meat-heads Yeonjun and Subin on my way... but I handled them differently than before.
"Hey!" Yeonjun started up. "What are you crying for?! You looked into a mirror by accident?!"
"Nah!" Subin laughed. "I bet he killed someone with his looks!"
That did it.
I don't know where the anger came from, but it had enough force to ram into Yeonjun, who was a few inches taller than me, and make him fall to the floor... but that was far from being the only thing to happen to him.
I don't know when I'd started strangling him, but it wasn't until my father had pulled me off of him that I'd realized what I'd done. Yeonjun had nearly lost consciousness and was coughing once my hands were off of his throat. From then on, the two boys feared me greatly.
I got out of my father's grip and went running for my room once more. I hadn't cared about what I'd done. I just wanted to be alone and secluded from everyone. I wanted to live in the shadows and remain in the dark for the rest of my life. Where no one could mock me or see my face. Where it was just me and my thoughts. No fears, no worries, and no hassles... just me and me alone!
As I ran past the doors to my quarters I slammed them shut, creating more and more darkness through the halls to my room. The curtains I closed forcefully, the windows were shut tightly, and all connections to the outside were gone from my sight. Even when I'd gotten to my room I slammed the balcony doors closed and shut the curtains. After this I promptly shattered the mirror in my room and any other reflective surfaces. I couldn't stand to look at myself... I couldn't stand knowing it was the last thing my mother saw before he passed on. And the words Subin had said before I tried to kill Yeonjun repeated in my head over... and over... and over again. Like a travelling minstrel who only knew one tune to his name.
I lay in my bed and sobbed, repeating the words 'I killed him' over and over in my mind. Because I had... it had been me who killed him. Who else could it have been? It was all my fault.
...it was all my fault...
...it was all my fault...
...it was... all...
These words were like a curse in themselves... because they were true. I killed my own mother. The one person in the world who didn't cringe at me or ignore me because I was different. Not even my father could do this. He never looked me in the eye... he never loved me like a real son.
But my mother had...
...and now he was gone.
—
(Jeongguk - P.O.V)
I held the block in place midair for close to a minute now without breaking a sweat. Normally it would take years of practicing this to get it even airborne, but this barely took me a week to learn. And I was gradually becoming stronger.
While reading in the books given to me by Lord Jong-in, I learned that Enchantresses and Mages could learn from any of the seven elements. Earth, fire, electricity, wind, ice, light, and darkness. I'd already started to master wind it would seem, and I'd begun to master earth about a month ago when I made a tree grow in one minute from a seed. For my next element I chose ice. But to master this element would require to build ice blocks from the water hanging in the air, so I switched to water. Water was much easier since all I had to learn was manipulate it at will as a force of defense. Namely, I had to encase myself in water.
I was about to try it out when a voice stopped my concentration.
"Jeongguk! Get out here and help her lady into the carriage!"
I jolted before realizing I'd been shirking from my duties yet again to Lord Jong-in's daughter. I was her servant after all until her brother became ten and I could serve him instead. My mother kept reminding me that this would only be for a few more years, but even a few hours was hell due to that bratty girl.
I put away my books in the stables, making sure they weren't to be found by anyone, and ran out to find my mistress and help her into her carriage.
She was more than annoyed to find me late, as usual, and openly told me to stop being a pest and arrive on time tomorrow morning. Her brother merely mouthed her words mockingly. Although he was a year younger than me, he was quite smart for his age. Not to mention a sparking mage himself. He showed signs when he was younger, but no one thought about them too much.
Park Jimin, who took his mother's maiden name instead of his father's name, was a promising mage but only showed his talents to myself. He could manipulate metal and wood into odd little statues that he later on destroyed so no one could find traces of his magical ability, but he couldn't learn much aside from that since he'd be caught instantly. I thought it was amazing seeing someone bend metal and wood so delicately and smoothly, but I much preferred to the elements than to manipulation. With the elements it was easier to learn spells that could shield someone or even make them disappear. Manipulation spells were amazing, but can be used inexcusably for bad. And that wasn't me.
What you see is what you get.
I entered the carriage and sat beside Jimin, who preferred me to call him minnie for some reason. Something about his mother giving him the treasured brand-name.
As Lady somi chatted on to her friend about seeing the fair that day, Jimin whispered to me about him taking a manipulation spellbook from the library.
"What?" I whispered back. "minnie, if your parents catch wind about that book being gone they're going to suspect that it was me who took it."
"Unlikely," he whispered back, "since I cast a spell on one of the more... adult books to make it look like a magi book. If anything they'll suspect my mother got a little lonely while my father was on business and tried to ease her 'suffering'."
I couldn't help the snicker. "You are pure evil!" I whispered, impressed at his work.
"Nope! Just a good mage!"
"Hey!" Came the shrill voice from the girl across from us. "You know it's rude to whisper while a lady is present!"
Jimin blinked and looked at her friend who hadn't said a word nor seemed to be put off by our rudeness. "I apologize, dear lady." He then looked at his sister. "Sommit."
She scoffed. "Quit calling me that! You're lucky father even demands I take you with me, freak!"
The prudent little blond haired girl looked away from her brother haughtily as her friend smiled at me. "You seem quite calm about them fighting." She spoke behind her frilly fan.
I shrugged. "They fight almost daily. I must endure if I wish to be paid for keeping them safe."
"Damned mage." Somi snuffed under breath.
"Mage in training, my dear lady." I reminded. "And I know enough magic to keep you and your brother safe until you can find safety far from your attacker."
"So you are a mage?! Aren't you the last of your kind then?!" Her friend asked me.
"To be honest, dear lady," I began, "I could lose my powers in years to come. For the moment I'm useful, but if I can no longer control any elements I must resort to being a stable hand."
She hummed. "And if you keep your powers?"
I shrugged yet again before flipping a few strands of hair out of my face. "Well, I suppose I'm a full blown mage then."
It was the truth that most mages don't always become fully fledged, mainly due to complacency, but I was going to become one without question. But I would learn what I could for the moment before secretly stopping my learning curve and becoming known as an 'empty mage' which was a person of magic that could no longer use his power. Why? Because I didn't want to be liked for my magic. I wanted friends for my personality and charms. I couldn't be that if I was the last mage on earth, even when both Jimin and I were the last ones, but I still wanted to be a mage in general. Just... a hidden mage.
...well, now the word 'mage' was starting to sound weird to me.
The tour of the fair ended at around evening, and after showing Somi to her rooms I ran off to find my mother. The beautiful young woman with dark brown hair and eyes softer than the sky was my most favourite person to be around since she always encouraged my learning of spells. Unfortunately, not even she was aware of my plans for the future. I just didn't want her involved with this sort of plan, not if it potentially got her in trouble.
I met her in the home we had next to the stables and she greeted me with a warm hug.
"I got something for you, Gguk." She said excitedly.
"Momma! Call me Jk!" I told her.
She sighed heavily. "Now, why do you allow people to call you this? You know it's because they think of you as a joke, right?"
"Yeah, but if I ask people to call me that, then it can't hurt me! I just took the fun out of them calling me it because I like it now!"
She merely giggled. "Fine, but only I get to call you Jeongguk then. Are we clear?"
I nodded. "Yes mommy." Came the innocent and small words.
She hugged me again. "Now, about this gift for you..." she brought up once more before digging into her pockets and handing me a pair of boots. "For you, my darling little boy!"
I started hopping excitedly. "Docs! Like the ones Mr. Su makes!"
"Mmhm." She hummed out before helping me into the brown chunky boots. "I bought the best pair I could for you. They should help with the soreness you've been feeling lately. Mr. Su told me to remind you that they won't make your feet immune to the walking and traveling, but they should take some of the pain away."
I giggled happily at the padded soles of the boots. "I love them!"
I ran in to hug her once more and she hugged me back happily. I knew she didn't have a lot of money to spend on me, but these were perfect for the next eight birthdays! Any other gifts from now on were just icing on the cake!
She kissed my cheek lovingly. "I love you, my darling son. Please remember that."
I kissed her cheek back. "I love you too, momma! Forever and always!"
I meant this from the bottom of my heart. With no father or siblings around, there was no one else who deserved my love. And I doubted anyone else could take the place my mother had in my heart. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever!
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