^{New chapter! Yay! I've really grown proud of this story over the past few weeks. Which is probably why I update it so often :) Thank you for all of the lovely comments as well! Those help me out a lot too.} 

^{Note: Instead of referring to Taehyung as a "brunette" I am trying to start using the correct term "brunet" instead. Brunette is grammatically supposed to be for girls and brunet for guys. So if you see that little change through out the story, it's not a typo :)}

Taehyung went to bed in one of the tents that night with a fuzzy feeling encasing his heart. He and the Prince talked for a long time beneath the twinkling stars, and it was nice to pretend that they weren't from completely different walks of life. The brunet didn't realize how much he had missed being out in the countryside until that moment. He was beyond grateful for the opportunity to set foot outside the castle.

The following morning, he woke up to a lot of activity once again. His tent was shared with Jungkook so he poked the younger man in the jaw before crawling out into the bright sunlight.

Everyone was already walking back and forth, taking care of the various responsibilities Sir Choi had explained to Taehyung yesterday.

Jungkook came stumbling out of the tent while rubbing his jaw.

“Normal people wake others up with words,” he grumbled.

Taehyung simply shot him a bright smile in response.

“I really want to see if I can help the servants out again.”

“But Advisor Seokjin--”

“Doesn't have to know,” Taehyung finished with an impish grin. He had the playful spark in his eyes Jungkook was all too familiar with. It was the same spark that showed up right before Taehyung had him chasing after him all over the castle.

Jungkook sighed in defeat, as was the usual case when it came to Taehyung’s antics.

Yet before Taehyung could flounce off to the servant’s tent, Sir Choi was riding up to him on a gray and white horse.

“Goodmorning Taehyung,” the kind knight greeted as he brought the large animal to a halt in front of the brunet.

“Goodmorning Sir Choi,” Taehyung happily answered back. “I was just going to head over to the servant’s tent. Remember I mentioned helping out some more?”

Choi Minho smiled warmly down at him. “Yes, I do remember that, but I’m sorry to inform you that you won’t have enough time to do so. Prince Yoongi is already towards the front of the camp, getting ready to journey back to the castle. I was ordered to come fetch you.”

A somber frown took over Taehyung’s previously happy expression. He had been looking forward to talking with all of the nice servants again. It was the first time in a long time he felt so accepted by such a large group of people.

“Don’t give me that look,” Sir Choi sighed. “I’m sure his highness will visit us again soon. Maybe you can be of service when the time comes?”

Taehyung perked up a little at the possibility of a “next time".

“Alright!”

Satisfied, Sir Choi shifted a bit and swung his leg over. He hopped off of his horse and steadied it, before turning to Taehyung with a curious look in his eyes.

“Have you ever held the reins and steered a horse yourself, Taehyung?”

The former thief shook his head. Riding with Yoongi was his first time ever being on a horse at all.

“Well then how would you like to ride in front?” Sir Choi asked. “I’ll be right behind you, helping you with the reins, and I promise we won’t go fast.”

Taehyung was practically bouncing with excitement by the time Sir Choi was done talking. “Yes, yes I would love to!”

The knight wasted no time helping Taehyung up onto the back of his horse and then mounting behind him as well. He could easily see over the top of the shorter man’s head, and gently guided Taehyung’s hands to hold the reins in the most comfortable position.

For a second Taehyung was worried that Jungkook would be left behind, but when he glanced back he saw that a servant was leading his white horse towards him.

Taehyung and Sir Choi set off through the camp, and Taehyung loved how he seemed to tower over everyone walking on the ground. It was also interesting to see how the horse followed whatever direction the reins pulled him in.

Sir Choi’s chest was big and warm behind him. His large, tan hands completely swallowed Taehyung’s as they helped him control the reins, but Taehyung found that the feeling didn’t consume him the same way it did when he was with Yoongi. How was it that he could feel his heart thumping wildly in his chest whenever he barely brushed against the prince, but Sir Choi’s form draped around him didn’t stir his heart at all?

He would have to look into this more closely.

All too quickly, their little trek through the camp came to an end. Most of the knights, and the few servants who came with them to the border, were already prepared to leave. The only thing they were waiting on was Taehyung to arrive and the wagon holding their supplies to finish getting packed. In the meantime, they were milling around and chattering amongst each other.

Taehyung didn’t notice Yoongi’s eyes on him as Sir Choi helped him dismount.

“It was a pleasure meeting you, Taehyung,” the pleasant knight said as he ruffled Taehyung’s hair. “I do hope you visit again.”

“It was nice meeting you too, Sir Choi,” Taehyung grinned. “I want to return, as long as his highness allows it.”

Minho gave his final goodbye to the rest of the group, and then ventured back into the heart of the camp.

“Do you wish to ride with me again?”

Taehyung turned around and glanced up. It was Yoongi on Tip’s back, staring down at him imploringly.

“G-Goodmorning, Prince Yoongi,” he stuttered. For some odd reason his tongue felt heavy after all they had talked about last night. “Yes, I would like that a lot.”

Yoongi smiled then, a small thing, before reaching down his hand and helping Taehyung up.

Taehyung settled his weight against the prince’s back like before, and his heart started its silly little dance it always seemed to do around Yoongi.

Only Yoongi.

~+~

The ride back to the castle went by a lot faster than Taehyung expected it to. They reached the outer edges, which were surrounded by a forest, and Taehyung could see the relief on everyone’s faces at finally being home. He had to admit, he was looking forward to resting too. His was still sore from yesterday.

Halfway through the tall trees, they were stopped by Namjoon.

Teahyung’s eyes brightened at the sight of his magic tutor, but the smile slowly fell at the look of distress on Namjoon’s face.

“I wish to talk to his highness alone,” he announced. “It’s in regards to the, um, incident… from the garden.”

Taehyung stiffened.

It’s me. It’s about me.

He could feel Yoongi sit up a little straighter.

“Men, go a head to the castle. I’ll join you all shortly,” Yoongi ordered with a firm stare. “Seokjin, stay here. Sir Jeon, take Taehyung with you.”

“But--” Taehyung tried to protest, but Yoongi raised a hand to silence him.

“I shall see you back at the castle, Taehyung. Please go with Sir Jeon.”

Jungkook was already at the side of Yoongi’s horse, reaching his hands up to help Taehyung down, but the brunet held on to the prince tighter.

“Is this about me, Prince Yoongi?” he whispered, already knowing the answer. “If it is, should I not stay and listen? I--”

“Taehyung,” Yoongi said, voice a little harsher this time. “I said go.”

Taehyung pulled his arms away like he’d been burned. He really couldn’t understand Yoongi, not at all. Just last night he was telling Taehyung all these things about treating each other like friends, but now he was ordering the younger around like one of his servants.

It made Taehyung’s head hurt.

“A-Alright.”

Taehyung let Jungkook help him down, and tried not to look back as they continued onwards with the other knights.

In the end, he couldn’t help himself. He glanced back to see the prince’s face looking cold and unforgiving as he listened to whatever Namjoon was telling him. Seokjin was beside them and listening as well, nervously wringing his hands.

“You make him act strangely.”

Taehyung faced forward again with a confused look on his face. Jungkook’s words weren’t making any sense.

“What do you mean by that?”

The knight his chapped lips with a pensive expression on his face. “I’m talking about his highness… He doesn’t do things he would normally do when he is around you. I just thought you should know that.”

Taehyung absorbed the words for a minute before resting his chin on Jungkook’s shoulder.

“Is that good or bad, Sir Jeon?”

Jungkook shrugged, the action jostling Taehyung a bit.

“Only time can tell.”
 

~+~

Back at the castle, Taehyung tried to wait patiently for Yoongi. He didn't have any lessons to go to until tomorrow, so he lazed around his room and even tried to take a nap until Yoongi asked for him.

But Yoongi never did.

Dinner was brought to Taehyung and he ate it at the tiny table in his room. He felt sad for some reason, and he didn't even fully understand why. Maybe it was because of the look on Yoongi’s face when he told him to go back to the castle. It was like they were back to the night Taehyung was caught red-handed, trying to escape through the castle’s window with royal loot in his hands.

Prince Yoongi is just finally seeing me for who I really am.

A lowly thief.

The following day, Taehyung did his English lessons like usual. Junmyeon could tell there was something eating away at him, but he carried on like there was nothing wrong and didn't ask Taehyung about it.

His lessons with Namjoon felt stilted and awkward, which usually wasn't the case when he was in the wizard’s presence. They barely got through the spell that was to be learned that day, and eventually decided on leaving it until tomorrow. .

It made Taehyung wonder what happened yesterday.

What did Namjoon tell Prince Yoongi back at the forest?

At noon, like he was used to doing so many times before, Taehyung went to the window he always met Yoongi at. Now, more than ever, he craved the feeling of a flower behind his ear. So he sat there beneath the sill and waited…

And waited…

And waited…

Until it was pitch black outside and a servant came down the hall to light one of the torches hanging in the wall. He looked like he wanted to ask Taehyung what he was doing there in such a vacant part of the castle, but there was an unfamiliar fear in his eyes as he quickly scurried away.

Taehyung thought it was strange, since the servants never used to look at him like that, but he brushed it aside and stood up.

Prince Yoongi wasn't going to show.

For some reason, he didn't want to see Taehyung.

So Taehyung sulked back to his room and tried to control the stinging he felt behind his eyes.

It wasn't until Jungkook checked up on him later that Taehyung realized his bodyguard had been missing too.

Before he could ask Jungkook where he was all day, the younger left to go to his own room.

~+~

Things continued that way for the next week, except Jungkook was there to be his guard again.

Every day Taehyung went to the window, and every day he stayed until night time.

But Yoongi still didn't show.

It was on the eighth day of him waiting at their spot that he heard a voice from behind him.

“For you, Little Flower.”

Taehyung spun around to see Prince Yoongi standing behind him, holding an entire bouquet of flowers. His green hair looked like it had been raked through and pushed back a few times before he arrived there, and there were dark bags under both of his eyes.

“Since it's been a while, I picked up more than one,” Yoongi explained with a tentative smile. He was trying to act like an entire week had not gone by without him, but Taehyung saw through the facade.

He looked away from Yoongi and stared out the window.

The Prince frowned. “You're upset with me.”

“Not upset,” Taehyung whispered. “Just confused.”

Yoongi swallowed thickly. The hand he was holding the bouquet in fell limply at his side.

“All you need to know is that no one in this castle will be hurting you ever again. I made sure of that.”

Taehyung's mind was racing with all of the possible meanings behind a statement like that. Prince Yoongi’s eyes held a storm in them, and he didn’t want to get caught in it.

“You didn’t come to the window all week,” Taehyung said, a dejected pout on his face. He was purposefully doing his best to not make direct eye-contact with Yoongi. It was the only way he could think of making the prince understand that pretending everything was ok after doing something like that wasn’t nice at all.

Yoongi closed the distance between them, holding the bouquet out to Taehyung once again.

“And I am so sorry, Little Flower,” he apologized, sounding as sincere as possible. “I also want to say sorry for the way I treated you, back in the forest. I wanted to keep you removed from the discussion and the dangers of it.”

“I could handle it.” Taehyung’s pout worsened. “I’m not a child.”

Yoongi pressed the flower’s into Taehyung’s hands, until he finally took them. “I know you’re not, I know that, Taehyung… but it does not stop me from worrying about you.”

Taehyung finally looked up then, his large brown eyes meeting Yoongi’s captivating ones. He wondered what Yoongi saw when he looked at him. Taehyung didn’t find himself all that fascinating, but Yoongi’s gaze seemed to love to drink him in, flaws and all.

“Speaking of which, there’s one last thing I have to do,” Yoongi continued, causing Taehyung’s eyebrows to furrow.

“Like what?” the brunet asked cautiously.

“Extra protection, just in case,” the prince said. “Do you trust me?”

Yoongi’s warm hands were on Taehyung’s cheeks now, cupping his face gently, like he was dealing with a delicate flower. The storm was still raging in Yoongi’s eyes, but the younger trusted him wholeheartedly. Probably even more than his family of thieves.

“Yes,” Taehyung answered with a tiny nod.

Yoongi smiled and then closed his eyes. His eyebrows scrunched together in concentration as he whispered something and rubbed his thumbs along Taehyung’s flushed cheeks.

It sounded a lot like a spell.

Taehyung felt a pleasant buzz travel through his body, from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. Yoongi’s palms got unnaturally warmer all of a sudden, like that time he had healed him, and the brunet watched in mild concern as Yoongi’s face grew paler than usual.

A minute later, and the spell seemed to be done. Prince Yoongi dropped his hands from Taehyung’s face and stumbled back a bit.

Taehyung instinctively reached out to steady him, and was surprised to feel the prince rest most of his weight on him.

“Prince Yoongi! Are you alright?”

Yoongi nodded slowly, a relieved grin on his face. “A… protection spell. It only lasts a few days, but I can always renew it again.”

Taehyung blinked down at the man in his arms. “B-But will it make you this tired every time?”

“No, no, I’m only this weak because of how much magic I’ve been doing these past few days. Don’t worry about me, Little Flower. I don’t like it when you frown.”

Taehyung sighed, but tried his best to smile. The more hints Yoongi gave about what he was up to for the past week, the more curious Taehyung became.

“Would you like me to help you to your room?”

Yoongi shook his head and stubbornly tried to stand completely on his own.

Taehyung clutched his waist when he wobbled.

“No, I just got here.”

“But, Prince Yoongi--”

“I do not wish to leave your presence as of yet.”

Taehyung suddenly found one of Yoongi’s tattoos very interesting to look at. It was better than staring directly into the prince’s intense eyes and feeling his entire face heat up from the touching words.

“Can we… go to the garden?” Taehyung suggested.

This time, when he smiled, the corner of Yoongi’s eyes crinkled.

“I would love to.”

~+~

The sun burned hotter and brighter that day, but Taehyung didn’t mind it as he helped Yoongi sit down on the bench in the garden and lowered himself next to him as well. He went stiff when Yoongi decided to stretch out and place his head on the younger’s lap. He didn’t know what to with his arms, so they kind of hovered uncomfortably over the prince’s relaxed form.

Yoongi had his eyes closed against the blinding sunlight, but he felt around above his head for Taehyung’s hand and gently guided it into his mint green hair. He held it there until Taehyung’s fingers flexed, gently the soft strands, before smirking in content and letting go.

Besides riding behind him on Tip and feeling the delicate strands on his cheek, Taehyung had never felt Yoongi’s hair like this before. A few months ago he would have never pictured himself petting the Prince’s hair while said man relaxed on his lap, but here he was.

It was all so surreal.

“Tell me, Little Flower, what makes you the most happy?”

Taehyung blinked slowly at the sudden question, his fingers stilling idly in Yoongi’s hair.

The most happy?

A simple question like that shouldn’t have been so hard to answer, but Taehyung sat there, tongue tied.

“For me, it’s magic,” Yoongi confessed, noticing that the question had left the former thief befuddled. “The craft always fills me with a sense of… belonging.”

Taehyung tried to think of what gave him a sense of belonging. His parents taught him to believe that being a thief with them was where he belonged, but was it really? Taehyung had never been good at it, and he never knew how to be as heartless as they could be sometimes.

So where did he belong, in the grand scheme of things?

What gave him purpose?

Taehyung stared down at Yoongi and the black markings that peaked out of his flowy tunic. He smoothed his fingers through Yoongi’s bright green hair and watched the way his eyes fluttered in content.

Sitting in the garden made him happy.

Yoongi bringing him flowers made him happy.

His lessons with Namjoon and Junmyeon made him happy.

Teasing Jungkook and listening to one of Hoseok’s ridiculous tales made him happy.

Seokjin dropping by from time to time, just to check up on him, made him happy.

Even Jimin, who was a hassle to deal with, made Taehyung feel somewhat happy whenever he referred to them as ‘same-age friends’.

But all of those things seemed trivial in comparison to what made Yoongi happy. Magic was such a vast thing, and the small friendships Taehyung had made throughout the castle paled in comparison to such a powerful thing like that.

So what made him happy the most? What gave him a sense of belonging?

Taehyung saw a yellow butterfly lift off of a flower out of his peripheral vision. He watched the tiny creature disappear behind a patch of roses and sighed.

Maybe the castle and all the people inside it was what made him happy?

No, that couldn’t be right. Their journey outside the castle had made Taehyung even more happy than that. He loved seeing all of the villages, and being surrounded by trees whenever they passed through a forest, and listening to the water splash over rocks when they stopped by a stream.

“Nature…” Taehyung finally responded, a hesitant smile lifting the corners of his lips. “Daegu… this Kingdom and all the nature in it… that’s what makes me the most happy.”

Prince Yoongi slowly opened his eyes to stare up at him. There was an unreadable expression on his face.

“The Kingdom, huh?” he said with an amused snort. “Sometimes I feel like you should be the prince, not me.”

Taehyung quickly shook his head. “N-No, you’re a very good prince! You are not cruel to your subjects and… and you work hard!”

Yoongi didn’t say anything, but Taehyung pressed on.

“I could never be royalty. I’m not strong enough or smart enough for something like that.”

“Oh but you are, Little Flower,” the prince said in a hushed whisper. He reached up and gently ran a finger down the bridge of Taehyung’s nose before poking the tip of it. “More than you know.”

Taehyung scrunched up his face at the ticklish feeling and tried to control the way his heart thumped loudly at Yoongi’s words. One day the prince was going to make him faint with how fast his blood ran in his presence.

Suddenly, Yoongi held Taehyung’s hand. He grabbed the one that wasn’t in his hair and brought it up to his chest, simply lacing their fingers together. Taehyung didn’t know he could feel so content just having his hand trapped between one of Yoongi’s hands and the man’s chest. It felt warm, and safe. He loved looking at the way his tan hand stood out against Yoongi’s pale and marked up skin. The intricate lines of a circular diagram stretched over the back of Yoongi’s hand completely, reminding Taehyung of the question he had asked Namjoon during his first magic lessons:

“Those markings… all over his body… are those magic too?”

Taehyung’s gaze traveled up to Yoongi’s face. His eyes were closed again and he looked so at peace in the sun. His already pale skin practically glowed in the natural light, and his lashes fluttered a little with every breath he took. The prince was a breathing work of art, and Taehyung didn’t want to disturb his tranquility.

He’ll ask him another time. Namjoon made it seem like the topic would be a heavy one, and Taehyung didn’t want to ruin Yoongi’s good mood.

“Your highness?”

Taehyung startled out of his thoughts, his slight frame accidently jostling Yoongi in the process.

Seokjin was standing a few feet away, looking surprised to see them there. His eyes flitted across the both of them, taking in the way Yoongi had his head resting in Taehyung’s lap, and their hands clasped tightly on his chest.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, Prince Yoongi,” Seokjin said. There was still a confused yet amused look on his face as he addressed them. “His majesty the King wishes to speak with you and Prince Jimin immediately.”

Yoongi opened his eyes and sat up. He didn’t seem so eager to leave.

“Prince Jimin?” Taehyung murmured, more to himself than anyone else. He couldn’t figure out what the King would want with both Yoongi and Jimin, but he had a feeling it had something to do with the papers Prince Jimin was constantly harassing Yoongi about.

“Very well then, Seokjin, i’ll join you at the entrance of the garden,” Yoongi said, clearly dismissing the advisor so that he would have some extra minutes with Taehyung alone.

Seokjin must have read between the lines, because he quickly backed away with an apologetic smile. “Yes, your highness.”

As soon as he was gone, Yoongi turned to give Taehyung a wistful look.

“I shall be at the window tomorrow,” he said, voice low and comforting. “I promise.”

Taehyung nodded with a grin, and didn’t even realize he was still holding Yoongi’s hand until the prince gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“Enjoy the rest of your day, Little Flower.”

The brunet opened his mouth to bid his farewell too, but the words stuck to the roof of his mouth when he felt a careful pressure against his left cheek. The feeling was so light and delicate, he would have missed it if it weren’t for the visual of Yoongi’s face getting closer to his own.

The prince just kissed his cheek.

Prince Yoongi… of Daegu… kissed his cheek.

Taehyung sat stalk still with his face bright red as Yoongi stood up on both feet steadily, looking a lot more energized. He ran a hand through Taehyung’s hair before venturing down the path leading to the entrance of the garden.

All Taehyung could do was watch him go, with a stuttering heart and wide eyes.

The spot where Yoongi kissed him still tingled.

^{Yoongi gets more and more bold with each chapter ;)} 

^{What do you think the king wants to discuss with Yoongi and Jimin?}