NEW STORY! Faithful Chp. 1 + Character intro
kk, i know i've been gone for a while DX IMSOSORRY!!!!!!
but, finally i'm back and as much as i would love to have this story at least MOSTLY done before i start posting it, that would just take way too long. SO, here it is.
Faithful
PG-13
Pairings: YunhoxBoA, YoochunxJessica, slight KeyBer (might change my mind on this one)
Summary: Kibum lived a simple life up until now, wandering through the town with his best friend Jonghyun, and helping the castle cooks when needed. But a freak accident changes things, and now he and Jonghyun are running for their lives from the men who practically raised him, all because his dead parents could work magic. Taken in by the crew of a wandering airship, he must learn to restore his faith in people, as well as control his newfound abilities.
This story is dedicated to ixjaydee because it's completely inspired by her awesome fic Stranded, and also to crazywhitequeen , because she reads all my crap and is the best friend i could ask for.
Chapter 1
Kibum stared absentmindedly at the west pond. Across from him, Jonghyun was carving something into a piece of wood, feet up on the table. Neither teen was paying the world much attention. Kibum heaved a bored sigh. Jonghyun glanced up at his friend, eyebrows raised.
"Oh my gosh, i'm so bored!" Kibum whined. "I wish something would happen!"
Jonghyun grinned pulling a bag from under his chair. In it were a slingshot and a bunch of small round coins. Kibum rolled his eyes at his friend, always causing trouble. Putting a coin in the sling, Jonghyun leaned back, aimed straight up, and let go. Kibum watched as the coin went out of sight with a small smile.... Until the coin came back into sight. By landing in his drink. Wiping the beverage off of his face, he glared at Jonghyun, who he could tell was trying not to laugh. Kibum sighed again boredly stirring his now-ruined drink with a finger. He watched the liquid swirl around and around, eventually making a small whirlpool in the mug. Pulling his hand out, he stared into his cup, willing it to keep spinning.
And it did. It spun round and round, getting faster and deeper, drawing him in. In the back of his mind, he thought he heard someone screaming. It got louder, until he snapped out of his little trance and realized that the screaming was real. Looking around, he saw Jonghyun on his feet, staring in shock at the pond. A whirlpool had formed in it, and it was slowly sucking in a few of the local children. Horrified, Kibum jumped to his feet, knocking into the table and causing his drink to slosh around in the mug. Strangely, the water in the pond seemed to do the same thing. Grabbing his cup, he willed the liquid to stop spinning, but it wouldn't seem to even slow. Panic took over, and Kibum did the first thing that came to mind and simply turned the mug over, letting the drink spill out to the ground. The pond sloshed around, almost like a giant had decided to go wading, before a huge wave spread out from the center, pushing the children back to the shore, and the surface of the water stilled for good. Jonghyun turned when he heard the sound of Kibum's mug shattering as it hit the ground, and barely caught his friend as he fainted.
When Kibum woke, he was in Jonghyun's little shack of a house, and said owner was pacing back and forth worriedly. Jonghyun noticed immediately when Kibum sat up, and was at his friend's side in an instant.
"Are you okay? You passed out this afternoon when that thing happened at the pond." He said. Kibum blinked at him stupidly for a moment before nodding.
"Yeah, i'm alright i think. But i'm totally exhausted. I feel like i spent the day training with Captain Seven." he said. Jonghyun cringed. The captain was a harsh man whose only love was hard combat. If you sparred with him you were likely to be carried to the infirmary with multiple cuts, bruises, sprains, and a possible concussion. He and Jonghyun didn't get along very well. The captain thought Jonghyun was an irresponsible troublemaker who never did anything productive, while Jonghyun thought the captain was a hard-ass with no nese of humor. Both was right for the most part, but Jonghyun was also a very caring person without who wouldn't hesitate to help the village elders with anything they might need, or watch the neighborhood children for a night. A knock on the door caught their attention, which Jonghyun answered, revealing G.O., one of the town youths who hero-worshipped the captain, and detested Kibum and Jonghyun for not joining the Militia.
"Well, if it isn't my favorite pain-in-the-ass fanboy! What can we do for ya, Green light?" Jonghyun greeted him. G.O. glared at him, but did nothing more.
"The Prince requests an audience with Kim Kibum in one hour regarding this afternoon's events. If you are not there, you will be found and escorted there. It would be in your best interests to show up on time." He said to no one in particular, refusing to look at either of them, before he turned on his heel and walked away. Jonghyun slammed the door shut behind the boy and made a rude face at his retreating back through the window.
With a sigh, Kibum heaved himself up and gathered his belongings. He needed to get home, bathe, and change if he wanted to look presentable in front of the Prince. After all the man had done for him since his parents had died, he was NOT going to dress like a slob for a formal meeting with him. So, depsite Jonghyun's protests, he forced himself out the door and down the road to his house.
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Shaking lightly, Kibum knocked on the door to the Prince's private study. A voice from the other side commanded him to enter, and he slowly peeked around the door to see the Prince staring out his window at the pond, while the Captain hissed angry words into his ear.
"That's enough, Seven. You will return to your men and wait for further instructions, and continue your training as usual. We will take no action until we're sure what we're dealing with. Now go." The Prince said, cutting the captain off. The man was clearly unhappy with the situation, but he bowed to the Prince, and left, shooting Kibum a nasty look on his way out, the door slamming shut behind him. The Prince sighed. Moving back to his desk, he sat down, motioning for Kibum to do the same.
"...Sir, is there something wrong? The captain seemed....well, more angry than usual, if you'll forgive me for saying so." Kibum started quietly. The Prince chuckled, running a hand through his hair.
"Captain Seven believes we are in danger of attack from an outside force. He thinks the threat could be possible for today's events, and he's frustrated that i won't allow him to do anything until we know what we're up against." He said. "I just don't know how someone could possibly turn an entire village pond into a raging whirlpool like that."
Kibum cringed inwardly. The captain was in a terrible mood, meaning he would make the villagers lives hell, and it was all his fault.
"Well, i don't know anything about an attack, but i don't think any outsiders are responsible for what happened today." He said, voice shaking a bit.
"What?! How can you know that? Do you know what happened?" The Prince demanded, instantly alert. He needed to have as much information as possible in order to protect his people.
"I...I think i may have caused it.... i don't know how, and i don't even know if i could do it again, but you know i would never to anything to hurt someone." He said. He told the Prince everything he knew, and slowly the man calmed down, and accepted what Kibum told him.
"Ah, this makes more sense now. I will have to speak with the captain about this, and assure him that we are not being threatened. Why don't you go to the kitchens and have them find something for you to eat. Then i would suggest that you go home and stay there for the night. Get some rest and calm your nerves." He said. He handed Kibum a note, instructing the cooks to give the boy enough food for a decent meal or two, and sent him on his way.
Kibum made his way into the kitchens, the smell of roasting meat and fresh baked goods greeting him, accompanied by the thunderous voice of the head cook giving orders. A grin spread over the man's broad face as he spotted Kibum among the kitchen staff.
"Well, if it isn't my favorite knucklehead, come to visit his old friend Cooky, eh?" He boomed, clapping a large hand on the boys shoulder. "Where's that rascal friend of yours at? Forget about us already did he?" He asked with a wink.
Kibum laughed and assured him that Jonghyun had not forgotten him, and was simply not a fan of the castle guards, electing to stay home rather than argue his way to the kitchen. The cook gave a loud, booming laugh at this, knowing too well just how little the boys and the guards liked each other.
"Well then, i guess we'll just have to send his dinner with you, eh?" he said, packing various items into a basket. Kibum's mouth was watering just looking at the food. Meats, breads, cheeses, wine that he knew Jonghyun would drink too fast, a lighter drink for himself, and baked goods of all different kinds. "Taeyeon, come bring us some of your cream pastries will you?"
A young girl stepped up next to the cook, a heavy blush covering her pale cheeks. Taeyeon had a huge crush on Kibum and everybody knew it, but that didn't change the fact that Kibum only saw her as a little sister. She put a generous pile of cream-filled puffs and pastries in the basket before her eyes lit up and she rushed off, muttering something about 'almost forgot' and 'family recipe', and then she was back with a single wrapped pastry.
"I've been working with this recipe for a few weeks, trying to get it just right. Mom said it was one of your favorites, but it's a really difficult recipe to follow. Hopefully i didn't screw it up again." She said with a slight pout, handing the package to Kibum. Kibum and Cooky laughed, both assuring her that they had great faith in her baking abilities. Then kibum left, taking the heavy basket of food with him. He wandered through the castle halls, absently munching on a soft cream puff when he heard the Prince's voice. He stopped, wanting to thank the man again, but something about the coldness of his voice stopped him.
"You were right Seven. The boy possesses magic abilities just like his parents did. He's sure that he caused the freak event in town this morning. I should've listened to you and had him killed with his parents all those years ago." Kibum went cold, slumping against the wall. The Prince was responsible for the fire that destroyed his family? His mind was reeling, and he probably would've passed out again if not for what he heard next.
"Sir, it's not too late to fix this. The people are scared, and they if we tell them that the boy is cursed, they will no doubt believe it. They already distrust him enough, the townspeople will be glad to finally be rid of him. I can send a small group of men to take care of it tonight, and within a week, the whole thing will be like ancient history." Came the captain's voice.
"See to it, Captain. The last thing i want is any of those sorcerers in my kingdom." The way the Prince said the word with such venom shook Kibum from his stunned state. then the adrenaline took over. He made it out of the castle and back to his tiny home in just ten minutes. Not even sparing a moment to look around the room that had been his sanctuary for the last ten years, he grabbed his hunting bag and stuffed a few pairs of pants and some shirts into it before he picked up the basket and ran the few tiny streets to Jonghyun's place. Once he got there, he shook his friend awake, clapping a hand over his mouth to stop him from shouting.
"Kibum? What the hell? it's the middle of the night!"
Kibum ignored him as he started packing what little Jonghyun had into a second hunting bag. Finally, Jonghyun noticed the huge basket and the bag of clothes by the door. "Are you going somewhere?" He asked. Kibum stopped his frantic packing and collapsed on his friend's bed, the shock finally setting in.
"I went to see the Prince today. As i was leaving, i heard him talking to the Captain about me and what happened this morning. He killed my parents Jonghyun, just because they had magic. And now after what happened, he's coming after me. I have to leave, and it's best if you left town too. Everybody knows we're close. Out of everyone in the village, they'll target you first." He said. Jonghyun blinked at him for a moment, not believing what he was hearing. Just earlier that afternoon Kibum was all smiles and sunshine about the Prince, and now he was running for his life and the Prince had killed the his family? It didn't make any sense.
"Kibum, are you sure? I mean, just earlier the Prince was your knight in shining armor or whatever, and now he's responsible for your house burning down?" He asked, not sure if he was understanding correctly. Meanwhile, Kibum had finished packing everything Jonghyun owned, and was moving some things from the basket into the bag of Jonghyun's things. He paused with the bottle of wine in hand, walking over to his friend.
"Jonghyun, there are soldiers coming to kill me. Whether it makes sense or not, that fact is not changing." He said, pressing the bottle into Jonghyun's hand. "You should head west. Cooky has a brother about two days out who's got a farm. I know it's not your ideal lifestyle, but you'll be safe there for at least a little while."
Jonghyun shook his head, handing the wine back. He leaned down, reached into his bag, and then with precise skill strapped the basket of food shut and hauled it onto his back.
"I'm coming with you. Neither of us is really fit to face trained soldiers, but we'll be faster together, and i know some tricks that might slow them down." He said. Kibum smiled. He knew Jonghyun wouldn't abandon him, although he felt bad for putting his friend in danger. The two weren't given much time for reflection though, as they soon heard heavy footsteps and voices through the darkness. The two glanced through the windows and saw about eight soldiers approaching Kibum's empty house, fully armed and carrying several torches. Jonghyun motioned for Kibum to be quiet, then led him out a back door that Kibum hadn't even known existed. The two he almost made it to the edge of the woods when one of the soldiers spotted them. Instantly, the two boys were dashing between trees, the soldiers steadily gaining on them. Kibum, being the less fit of the two, fell behind and was almost grabbed by one of the men, but the man fell back with an enraged scream, clutching at his face and his now-ruined eye. Jonghyun loaded a few more stones into his slingshot and fired as Kibum caught up with him. Now their pursuers were closer, and aware that their prey was armed. They repeated this cycle of running and fending of the men who got too close as they mast their way through the thickening forest and finally made it to what seemed to be a cliff, bordered by a low fence. Neither boy knew what it was or where it went, but they both were sure they didn't want to go over. A deep chuckle drew their attention away from the ledge. Captain Seven emerged from the darkness between the trees, his eyes glinting with malice.
"Poor witchchild, nowhere left to run. No mommy and daddy to save you this time." He said evilly. Jonghyun stepped in front of Kibum, Slingshot raised, loaded with rough, thin coins that he knew would cut into flesh like a rusty knife.
"You stay away from us. He hasn't done anything to you!"
The captain sneered at them, ignoring Jonghyun. He stepped further from the shadows, drawing a wicked-looking knife from his belt.
"Do you really think that little toy of yours is going to help you? I'm going to take you both down, just like i did those two sorcerers. Their magic didn't save them, and nothing and no one is going to save you." He said, stepping even closer. The boys shuffled back, not wanting to be anywhere near the captain's blade, but very aware that their space was getting smaller by the minute. To make matters worse, more of the soldiers had caught up, joining their captain in the clearing. Several of them had drawn their bows, and every arrow was pointing straight at the boys. Jonghyun's mind raced through every possible scenario, and knew what he had to do for the greatest chance of survival. He spun around, sent a prayer out to the gods, and grabbed Kibum as they both crashed through the fence and toppled over the edge.
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"Captain, do you see that? Falling there, where one of the Untouched Lands is?"
"....yes, i do see it. Let me take a closer look." The captain held a telescope up and focused on the blur he'd seen. "CHANGMIN! TURN THIS THING AROUND! THOSE ARE PEOPLE!!!" He yelled. No verbal response came, but the ship lurched as it turned and headed for the two free-falling boys. They made it just in time, one boy had a decent landing in the rigging before toppling to the deck. The other was not so fortunate, making harsh contact with the crosspiece of the mast with a sickening crunch. The man who had first spotted the boys rushed to catch him as he slid off the wood and fell. A third crash was heard as something landed in the crows nest, and a puff rolled out of the broken basket, landing between the captain and a smaller boy. Both men looked at the small pastry for a moment before the boy's face lit up in childish glee.
"I'll check it out!" He offered before climbing up to see what other goodies had managed to survive.
Character intro (i've been working on this with the help of a few teachers who aren't familiar with kpop):
Kibum: (age 17)
Jonghyun: (age 18)
Captain Seven:
G.O. and his mighty go-stache
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Let me explain to you about the 'Green Light' joke. My dad is really bad with names, and he's even worse with foreign names. He used to work with this foreign guy whose name was seriously Go. no matter how many times he tried, my dad could not say it right, so he gave up and called the guy GreenLight. for real. (i know they don't have cars where the boys are in this, but i really wanted to put this in here, so....)