2. 

Winter was falling on the north, especially on a carriage with four members enjoying their time. They were heading to ColdHeart with the intention of a respected meeting with the Prince himself. He rode with them with the hopes of bringing comfort instead of intimidation. He had nothing to blame but his fathers presense that had given ColdHeart a bad name. He—Jongin was going to make sure to change that.

King Byun Baekhyun took tastes of red wine to fulfill his heavy stomach. His knight, Yixing, sat in silence as expected. Krystal, the princess of CrownHead, was watching Jongin with her yellow teeth. Jongin thought she was beautiful until she smiled.

“My Princess, what do you know about ColdHeart?” Jongin asked. “I know how civilians feel about us and other monarchs but what do you think of us.”

Krystal cackled instead of laughed. Jongin frowned. “You wouldn’t want to know what us CrownHeads think of you people!” She played with her silked gloves with a daunting smile on her lips. “Failing to join the Iron Powers. What a joke.”

Jongin wasn’t expecting mockery to smoke out . “The Iron Powers wasn’t beneficial to us in know way,” He said with annoyance in his voice, “My father decision was brave. He knew we couldn’t alliance ourselves with the enemy. We-“

“You and your father is the enemy. Have you forgotten?” King Baekhyun told him. He was picking grit out his teeth with a pick and was more annoyed than Jongin. “Wasn’t it your family who burned Tarleria?”

Jongin smirked. “And wasn’t it your family who supported it? Who gaves us more bombs than we needed? Have you forgotten, my king?”

Baekhyun chuckled. “I have not forgotten. My family only supplied yours with weapons because we knew what your people were capable of. Cold blooded murderers. Who would’ve known if your family would have us? You take us for a fool I see.”

“I take no one for a fool.”

Baekhyun put his right leg over his right, a quirked eyebrow on his face. “Don’t they call you…what was it? Hm,” He pointed his pick at Jongin. “Oh yes. Now I remember. They call you Tarlerian hunter,” He smiled in excitement. “You kill any Tarlerian left on this continent. How many have you killed so far? Fifty?”

The only sound the silent four could hear was the sound of horses stumping into the snow. A moment passed before Jongin said, “I take my title very seriously. I wear it proudly on my shoulder,” He touched his red silk that crossed over his black coat. “You know how deadly those people are. Especially that family. Power and religion was damaging our soceity. What was done had to be done. I can’t allow any of the survivors to live. Only for them to take revenge? I can’t have that. Narrokiss is better without them, my king.”

“Oh trust me buddy, Narrokiss is better without you ColdHearts too. You stupid swegnergoo.” Krystal cackled some more.

Baekhyun shook his head. “Be more nice, Krystal. Those cold blooded murderes doesn’t like that name. It’s offensive nowadays.”

Krystal shrugged. “Not as offensive as the things I get called.”

Baekhyun wheezed with laughter. “Now that’s something anyone can believe!”

Jongin lips turned upside down with disaprovement of Krystal and Baekhyun’s dismissiveness. “So why are you meeting with me today? To only go down the history of the ColdHeart dynasty?”

“No, we came here to discuss politics.”

“We’ll be done with this meeting before we reach the castle.” Krystal slumped. She never presented herself as a princess. Jongin found it admiring but yet disgusting.

“As all of Narrokiss know, the spread of designing is reaching.”

“And the problem with that?”

Baekhyun frowned. “You and I both know what the problem is. A designed economy? It’s dangerous. Even someone as stupid as you can understand that.”

Jongin smirked. “A designed economy will be fine. Everything will be in order,” He expressed his words with his hands, “An increase of employment, provide aid to citizens, and everyone is considered equal. Valtrar is living through a designed economy quite brilitality if you asked me.”

“Well you are as stupid as I orginally thought,” Baekhyun confirmed. “An economy like that can arise proverty, no personal freedom, no monarchs, just a sad dictator. Our family history will be considered nothing. No one will respect us. We’ll be like one of them.”

“And in one of them, I presume you mean civilians?” Jongin answer did not receive a response, “Thank you very much, my king. You have proven my point. Monarchs want to stay in power and that’s why you people preach about stopping designing. It take aways power and privilege.” He whispered, “And you can’t have that right, my king? Power is everything, isn’t it?”

“That’s easy for you to say. You’ve had wealth all your life. Unecessary wealth. So you think you’ll be fine off with it,” Baekhyun told him. “You never lived a life of a regular man. Basic people hate us for our wealth. You don’t think when we are on the same field, they won’t murder us? After years of opression, anger will arise and our families will be dead before we blink.The survivors of the Tarlerian dynasty will especially slit your throat before your family is out of power.”

“Then let them march to ColdHeart and then they’ll remember what happens when they cross these lands. I’ll gladly have a battle with them.” Jongin felt the knight beside him tense. He had forgotten he existed. The prince turned to the troubled man and looked at the king in front him, only to see a curious face.

“Tarlerians. Why do you hate them so much?” Baekhyun asked.

Jongin stared for a moment, a stern eye watching. “Their religion is the religion that had my mother beheaded.”

Krystal took her attention from the carriages window and looked at the handsome prince. “Why was your mother murdered?”

Jongin could feel the pressure lie on his chest but he disregarded it nethertheless. “Act. 13. Any woman who holds a child in her womb before marriage must be beheaded,” Jongin brows connected. “That Tarlerian holy book. All of them follow it like hungry bastards.” Hatred was the only thing that filled Jongin’s voice, rightfully so.

Baekhyun moved closer, slunching over to get a good look into Jongin’s honey nut eyes. “Then lets burn them together,” He suggested. “You join the Iron Powers. We stop the spread of designing. Then I’ll provide you as many weapons you need to get rid of every single Tarlerian left on the land of Narrokiss.”

Jongin’s father made the decision he was about to make. Hatred and revenge was the only thing they loved truly. If it it meant bringing justice to their wife and mother then any alliance would be fine to shake hands with.

The prince of ColdHeart smiled and just for a second he held confidence as great as a king. “Let’s stop the spread design then.”

-

The smell of raging fire was crossing the lands Bruna. It was so thick that people of the city had to hold their nose to prevent suffication. People ran from their small houses, leaving their beloved things to die away with the fire.

Jongdae knew he had chosen the wrong night to steal more things. The gang should have left when Aree told them but Jongdae didn’t care what the scavenger had to say. They wanted to steal. They were good at it. Sehun had even stolen an expensive watch that same night of the fire. Chanyeol had stolen money. Jongdae mind wasn’t showing its full capabiltiy because he was stuck on Aree. Even though he had disobeyed him, the curiosity stuck.

Who was Aree? Why Jongdae was so curious about him? Jongdae couldn’t answer it. All he knew was in the presence of Aree, he felt something great dance wherever he was. He was someone Jongdae wanted to know. Aree was all he thought of when he and his gang members were running to get out of the city.

“I knew something bad was going to happen! I knew it!” Chanyeol screamed.

“How would you know that?” Sehun asked, ready to pick a fight.

“Because I knew!”

Jongdae wondered why they were acting like children when their lives were in danger. He looked to his side and saw a little girl with pig tails running with a cry of child help. “Where’s my mama?” She asked and asked. He unknowingly picked the crying girl up. She latched onto him for protection and Jongdae knew he had a new task.

“Hey, hey, it’s going to be fine. We’ll find your mom later, alright?” He tried to cheer on but the little girl cried into his chest. Jongdae contiued to run and comfort her even if it was disregarded.

“Oh !” Chanyeol yelled in panic when a log fell in front the gang, creating a massive fire right in sight.

Sehun eyes widened. “Dear god.”

Jongdae turned around for an escape but only saw red flames. The fire was circling them and the girl scream was growing. His ears ached at the sound. It had grown to be the only thing he knew. Jongdae was preparing himself when he realized nothing could be done so held the girl close and whispered, “I’m so sorry.”

A cold sensation traveled down his body. He smelled the beauty of winter destroying the smell of a black smoke. Jongdae opened his eyes to see snow falling silently. He gasped in amazement and noticed Chanyeol and Sehun was just as confused. “What the?”

The little girl lifted her face from his chest, the snow falling on her little black pig tails. “We were-we were just in fire.”

Jongdae turned around to get a better view. He held his mouth in bewilderment when he saw, “Aree?”

Kyungsoo stood behind Jongdae with defeat yelling on his face. “I couldn’t let you all die.”

Jongdae could feel a lump in throat. “Aree. What is this? What-what are you?”

Kyungsoo on his bottom lip. He could feel warm tears traveling down his red cheeks. He had no choice but to tell the truth. He couldn’t excuse the fact that he turned the devestating fire into a calming winter for only them. “I’m from the land of Tarleria. My name isn’t Aree,” He sighed. “My name is Kyungsoo. Do Kyungsoo. I’m the prince of Tarleria. The last survivor of my family,” He broke down, not believing what was occuring. “I was going to let you all die. But I couldn’t. It’s not the Tarlerian way. I wanted—I wanted to keep this a secret for the rest of my life. But how could I do that when you all just witness this?”

Jongdae didn’t realize he was crying until he said the words, “You’re the son of Insung? I—I can’t believe. My mother would mourn your family death until I was sixteen and you’re alive? We thought you were dead!”

“I know! But I couldn’t tell anyone!,” Kyungsoo shouted. “I was alone. Then there were Tarlerian hunters who wanted me dead so I had to keep it a secret.”

Jongdae wipped away his hurt and shocked tears. “So you have powers too?”                   

Kyungsoo nodded, defeated. “But you can’t tell anyone! You musn’t!”

“I won’t” Jongdae promised.

“The city. It’s burning because of me.”

Sehun frowned. “Because of you? Did you set it on fire?!”

“No!” Kyungsoo shouted back, “Someone told the Tarlerian hunter of ColdHeart I was here. It was because I was too stupid to stop speaking in my mother tongue and now my life is in danger. People were murdered because of me!”

Jongdae put the little girl down who wore nothing but confusion on her face. He walked to Kyungsoo and said, “Hey, you can’t blame this on yourself. I won’t allow it.”

“But it is my fault!”

Jongdae gripped him by the shoulders. “It isn’t your fault that a sick bastard burned this city. If dickheads like that didn’t live on this planet then this would have never happened. It doesn’t? But we gotta live with it, alright? So stop blaming yourself.”

Kyungsoo continued to cry and Jongdae gasped at his thoughts. Kyungsoo was so beautiful. Something about the lad made his heart flutter but he ignored those feeling. “Come with us.”

Kyungsoo frowned. “And be a thief?”

Jongdae smiled, his white teeth showing in amusement. “No. Let’s burn those ers who burned this city.”  

-

TARLIRIAN HOLY BOOK

Chapter 5

Any man who dishoner his family must be stoned

Any man who is intimite with any woman beside his wife must be burned

Any man who steals must be beheaded

-

tarlerians. how do you guys feel about them? i did make this chapter hinted for chensoo but trust me, this is mainly kaisoo. it makes me wonder how kaisoo is going to happen when jongin hates kyungsoo...hm. who knows. theories? - alex.