Revelation (1/1)
It had been too easy. Taemin expected it to be more of a challenge - he wanted it to be more of challenge. He wanted to see more guards stationed throughout that side of the palace. He wanted to see more guests, more people, more obstacles. He wanted at least one of the guards to notice him. He wanted someone to be concerned. He wanted someone to stop him, to discover his intentions. He wanted some reason to turn back.But there had been none. Crossing those halls and sneaking inside the prince's room had been too easy. It was as if fate wanted him to succeed, as if whatever deity watched over him was arranging all the pieces for him, guiding him unhindered to that room.It was late. Very late. The celebration of feasting and dancing had gone on for hours. It actually still went on at that moment, in the ballroom below, even though the bride and groom had left the crowd several hours ago. They had been officially excused to finish off the ceremony, to make their marriage official in every way.Taemin didn't know what he would be walking in on as he quietly slipped through those doors. He didn't know how he would find the prince and his bride, or if they would find him. Would he be forced to face them? To fight them for his chance to go home? Or would they be like they always were: so open to him and inviting?He was relieved, and disappointed, to find the newly wed couple asleep. Once again, there was nothing to hinder him. He could be done and out of there before Jonghyun even knew what was happening.Very carefully, Taemin approached the large bed. He pulled aside the sheer canopy that surrounded it in order to look upon his prince. He was close to his wife, with their bodies conformed together under the blanket as they slept. Even in his dreams, Jonghyun was content. He was satisfied with his decision, with his life, with his choice. Taemin, and Water Boy, were far from his mind.And he was happy.Taemin reached into his shirt and drew the knife from its hiding place. He adjusted his grip several times on the hilt as he stepped closer to the bed, as he leaned over Jonghyun, as he made ready to plunge the blade into his heart. But no matter how many times he adjusted his grip or went over the scenario in his mind, he could not move. He couldn't bring himself to do it.He couldn't look upon the man he loved and kill him. No matter how much he hurt him, how much he wanted to go home, he couldn't. He loved him. But even as much as he loved him, he hated him. He hated him for bringing him to that point, and for keeping him there. Because he was the only obstacle that stood in his way. All he had to do was drive that knife through his chest, and it would be over. Like Yoori said, it would be nothing but a memory. And he would never have to face the consequences of his murder. He would be back in the sea, back home with his family, with his child.And Jonghyun would be dead. Just like the man Taemin had killed to save him.He had used a knife then too. He recalled the feeling of it in hand, and the feeling of his bones breaking and his blood staining him. Repulsed, he jumped away from Jonghyun, from his bed, from the very thought of ever harming him. Terrified, the knife slipped from his hand and fell to the floor with a thud.Not only did the sound jar Taemin from his memory, it startled Jonghyun from his sleep. Taemin stared in shock as the prince turned to face him."Who's there?" he asked, now stirring his wife.Panicked, Taemin stepped back from them, nearly tearing the canopy from its hanger. "Who's there?" Jonghyun demanded with more authority, as he sat up to face his unknown intruder. Meeyon gasped and sheltered herself behind him, holding the blanket tight against her body. "Guards!" he finally called before reaching into the table beside the bed and pulling out a knife.Taemin didn't know what to do. He stood there for a brief second that felt like a lifetime, before realizing that he needed to escape. With his presence there and the knife, they would know what he had come there to do. He would be confined and executed. He took another step back, and in the moonlight coming in through the window, Jonghyun and Meeyon got a look at his face.Taemin didn't stay to see their shock and confusion. He simply ran. The guards answered the call and came inside, but the moment the doors were open, Taemin charged through them, slipping past their reach. "Stop!" they called, as if he would listen. He didn't look back. He just ran as fast he could on his human legs, through the halls and down the stairs. He could hear an alarm as it was sounded, and the guards yelling that an intruder was on the loose. Several royal servants, and even royals guest, saw him fleeing, but they didn't get the news in time to stop him. He was out of their reach, and out of the palace, before any of them knew to catch him.He ran from the palace gate, straight to the shore. He went as far as his legs would carry him, until the palace was nothing but a building in the distance. Any royal soldiers were far behind, though he knew they would eventually catch up to him. If they wanted him, he would be found. And he would be made to answer for what he had nearly done.Out of breath and exhausted, Taemin fell to his knees at the sea strand. He stared ahead of him at the waters and screamed with his empty voice, out into the ocean. He wasn't going home, not ever. And in a matter of hours, his life would be over. Taemin had never endured a more painful walk, not even the time after he had been assaulted in the city. That pain was nothing compared to what he felt now. Because even though his muscles ached, that wasn't what hurt him. It was his heart, empty and dark. The heart he had put through hell. The heart that wanted nothing more than to be human, and that had inevitably been broken because of that humanity.He thought of Jinri and what he would tell her, if he ever got the chance - what he would tell both his sisters. He wondered what he would pass along to his child, when he was old enough to understand who he was. When he could understand that his father was a fool who had given him life carelessly, then for all intents and purposes, had abandoned him.That walk was torture, because he knew he was likely never to make it again. That would be the last time he returned to the theater, and the last time he would see the people who were such good friends to him.When he got close enough, he spotted Minho. The man was loitering around the main entrance of the building, as he often did, with Joonmyun beside him. The two of them were laughing and joking, enjoying themselves. Taemin paused for a moment to watch them, to enjoy the simplicity of their happiness. It couldn't believe it, but it actually made him smile."Minnie!" Joonmyun exclaimed upon noticing him.Minho turned to see for himself, and his smile took on an even more pleasant edge. "Hey! I was wondering when you would be back." He came forward to meet him. "You should have sent word, I would have come to get you. Then you wouldn't have had to make the boring trek by yourself."Taemin drew in and embraced him, offering no warning or explanation. Minho was surprised, but he hugged him back, and Taemin enjoyed the comfort of being in his arms."What's the matter?" Joonmyun asked, noting his heavy expression.He just shook his head, after all, he didn't need to tell them. They would find out soon enough. Jonghyun stood before the table, resting his weight against it with his good arm. He had been there for several minutes, transfixed, unable to pull his eyes away from the foreign weapon that sat before him. The stone knife was the only thing on the table, and since it had been put there by the head of his royal guard, no one had dared to touch it. There was just something terrifying about it, though Jonghyun didn't know why."This doesn't make any sense," he said at length, speaking more to himself than his head of security, or to his wife - the only other person in the room. Thus far, they had kept the incident from last night a secret from most people in the castle. There were many reasons for that, but the major one was that Jonghyun just wasn't convinced Water Boy was there to kill him. But who else would have taken that knife to his room? And why else was he standing over them, looking so afraid?Jonghyun knew he loved him, but that made him even less likely to commit murder. Didn't it? Unless he wasn't the intended target. But even if Min was jealous of his wife, would he really have tried killing her?"I've sent men to the theater," his guard said, when the silence had drawn out long enough, "If the boy is there, they'll find him. And you can find out for yourself what he really had in mind. And I should inform you, your highness, not all evil men are going to look like those rogues who attacked on the shore. Sometimes the most dangerous traitors are the ones closest to us.""It's hard to believe Minnie is a traitor, much less an evil one," Meeyon said quietly, echoing his thoughts.Besides, to be a traitor meant you had to have loyalty to something, and Minnie wasn't loyal to him. At least, not technically. Everyone knew he wasn't from their kingdom. He was a lost boy from a mysterious land where they apparently fashioned weapons out of rock.Despite his unease, Jonghyun took the knife and turned it over to get a look at its other side. It was etched with designs and runes - writing which was far from familiar. Although Jinki seemed to recognize it, which was why he had left him nearly an hour ago and never returned. He wondered if his attendant would finally give him some clue as to who that mysterious Water Boy was.Meeyon came closer to him and rested against his arm, offering him some solace. "Why do I feel like I'm missing something?" he asked her.Just then, the door to the the room flew open and Jinki came rushing inside. His attendant held a large old book in his arms, with a lone sheet of paper set on top of it. "I've got it!" he said as he came to the table and set the volume down, shaking the sturdy piece of furniture in the process."You do?" Jonghyun asked.The guard stared at Jinki skeptically as he opened the book and started flipping through the pages. "I knew I had seen that script somewhere before. It was in one of the old archives. It took me forever to find," he explained. He found the page he was looking for and turned the book to the prince and princess for them to see. Before him was a book of information, detailing life under the sea."It's from the sea people - the merfolk," Jinki said, proud of himself and his discovery. He nonchalantly picked up the knife and compared the runes to some of the ones that were scribbled on the pages. "See?"Jonghyun did see. At least, he was starting to."Are you saying that Water Boy got that knife from mermaids?" the guard questioned, still doubtful. He, like many, didn't know the merfolk were actually real."No, I think he got the knife from that woman who was in his room yesterday," Jinki answered."What woman?" he demanded."...I never mentioned the woman?""No, you didn't," Meeyon reminded him softly."Wait a minute," Jonghyun said, trying to piece everything together. He turned to Jinki. "Are you saying that woman was a mermaid?""I'm not sure," he answered, "But I think Water Boy is. After all, he wrote in their language." Jinki retrieved the lone piece of paper, which Jonghyun now recognized was the paper Min had written on before.His stomach slowly sank. "Do you know what that says?" the prince asked, though he a feeling he already knew."Yes. It says 'My name is Taemin'."Jonghyun put his face in his hands and slowly sank down into his chair, which he was lucky he didn't miss all together. Meeyon remained beside him, with her hands still on his shoulder."He's...Taemin?" she asked, just to be sure.Of course he was. How could he have not seen it? He never would have thought in a million years that the merman could become human, but even then, how had he not known? How had he not even considered it? Everything suddenly made sense - from the time on the rock to him confessing his love. That was what he was always trying to tell him, what he was trying to make him understand."I don't understand. Who's Taemin?" the guard wondered."Get me my horse," Jonghyun commanded him. "Now."As confused as he was, the man did not argue with him. He left to go carry out his order, just as Jonghyun also rose to his feet again."Your Highness?" Jinki asked, looking for some explanation as well."He's my friend, Jinki. He's always been my friend! Why didn't I see it?!"That unfortunately didn't help the attendant's confusion. "But...he tried killing you."Maybe he did try, but he didn't succeed. There had to be a reason. A reason for everything - for his becoming human, his muteness, his bruises, his anger, and his intrusion into his room. Taemin wouldn't hurt him, he knew that...though Jonghyun knew he himself must have hurt him, with his ignorance, his indifference, and his rejection.How could he have been so blind?"I need to go," he said to Meeyon, squeezing her hand one last time, before rushing out of the room. He needed to get to the theater. A/N: About time, Jonghyun!! LOLHey everyone, sorry for completely disappearing on you. I can't believe I hadn't touched this story in over a year. I'm sorry. Life got crazy. That's my only excuse.Thank you to anyone who is still subscribed to this story and still wants to read it! Comments are appreciated! <3