A Knight of Fire 20/21
Title: A Knight of Fire 20/21
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong, Yoochun/Junsu, Changmin/Junho, Heechul/Yoohwan
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: They aren't mine and I can't even claim the idea as mine because it is all devilaugh's fault.
Summary: Jaejoong is a scribe in King Ahn Chilhyun's court. He is sent to small seaside village to teach the people how to read, and instead finds a lover who has a secret that will end up endangering the entire world.
A/N: This fic is all devilaugh's fault. It was her idea on the post about the picture of Jaejoong, so this fic was partially inspired by this picture
Part 20:
Fanfic poster by back_to_five!!! Perfection! <3 <3
A/N: Almost done!
“Jihye!” Yunho shouted.
The stones between them lifted and formed a walkway to the king’s box, and Yunho ran across it. Soldiers ran toward them, and Yunho twisted around them, sword flying and knocking them to the ground. One caught his arm, and he twisted, running the man through. Everything shook again and knocked all the soldiers off their feet, allowing Yunho to reach his sister. He fell to his knees and gathered her close.
“By the gods, you are all annoying!” Yoochun shouted. “Junsu!” He spun his hands around and a massive twister formed in the courtyard. Junsu threw water at it, creating a waterspout that had more running toward the exit. None of the arrows came even close to them, and the soldiers were giving up, running out of the courtyard.
The relief was short lived as Jaejoong glanced over at Yunho to check on him just in time to see the battered body of the king drive a sword into his side.
“Yunho!” Jaejoong shouted and moved, stopping as the chains caught on his wrists. Junsu ran past him, bound hands in the air, shooting a stream of water at the king and knocking him back.
“Oh sorry,” Changmin said and cracked the rocks holding Jaejoong’s chains to the ground. He took off after Junsu.
He vaguely paid attention to Changmin telling the people that had not already fled to go home.
“Shit, fuck, shit,” Junsu said and attempted to keep part of Jihye’s torn clothes covering her and part pressed against the wound in her brother’s side.
The door to the castle suddenly opened, and Jaejoong stood up to guard them, even if he was not a fighter. But it was just Yoohwan and Junho.
“Yoohwan, he’s injured. Get Siwon, quickly.”
“Siwon is confined to his rooms,” Changmin said.
“I will get him,” Yoohwan said and ran back down the hall.
“Where have you been?” Junsu demanded as Junho removed his cloak and draped it over Jihye’s shoulders to cover her, leaving the tattered cloth to Junsu to press against Yunho’s wound.
“Keeping your sorry asses covered from the inside,” Junho said and took off his shirt to help stop the bleeding. “Fuck, Yunho, you okay?”
Yunho winced and coughed. “Yeah. Fuck. Fine. Shit. Should have ... burn ... let him ... burn. Fuck.”
But there was too much blood. Jaejoong knew that. The sword went too deep, and he was bleeding too much.
“Will someone please get this arrow out of my shoulder?” Changmin demanded. “I may be able to help him.”
Junho stood up and moved to Changmin. He winced at how deep the arrow is. “You sure?”
“Yes. Just yank it out.”
“Burn it closed,” Junsu said. “A burn is better than bleeding to death.”
“No,” Changmin said, glaring at Junsu. “Get this arrow out of my shoulder and I will help him.”
“You asked for it,” Junho said and gripped the wooden shaft of the arrow.
Changmin’s eyes shut and Junho pulled and Changmin hissed in pain as the arrow pulled away with a chunk of his flesh. Blood gushed from the wound, but after only another deep breath, he kneeled next to Yunho.
Jihye tried to press a cloth to his shoulder.
“It will keep. I have to save your brother first.”
“Save him?”
Changmin nodded. “Yeah, pretty sure he is about to die.” Changmin moved the blood-sodden cloth from Yunho’s side and muttered a curse under his breath as blood poured from the wound. Slower than before. Definitely a bad sign. Changmin put his hand over the wound and muttered, “It is Earth, just like the Earth, that is all. We bury our dead who become Earth, which gives us the things we need to survive. Earth, that is all. Only Earth.” He stopped talking, face going extremely pale, his shoulders shook, his hands wavered on Yunho’s side.
Yunho jolted to the side and the wound pulsed blood.
Changmin told him to be still, someone hold him down. Jaejoong straddled his lap and held his hand tightly against his own chest.
“Look at me,” Jaejoong said. “Just look at me.” He had no idea what Changmin was doing and desperately wanted to watch, but Yunho staying calm was more important. “You are amazing, Knight of Mine. Absolutely amazing. I am so in love with you.” He brought Yunho’s hand up to his mouth and kissed his knuckles.
Yunho smiled and then passed out.
Changmin groaned and fell back, hands and chest bloody.
But the wound in Yunho’s side was no long pulsing blood.
“What was that?” Junho demanded just as Yoohwan returned with Siwon. Siwon hurried to Changmin’s side, but he waved his hand and said, “Yunho first. He’s ... worse.”
Siwon dropped to his knees and assessed the wound in Yunho’s side. “Yoohwan, get me some water.”
Junsu chuckled and held out his hand, letting a small stream of water trickle to the stone. Siwon stared in awe, eyebrows arching in his disbelief. He recovered quickly and used the water to clean the area around the wound.
“Give me some of this,” Junho demanded and yanked his brother’s other arm over to Changmin, holding his hand over Changmin’s wounded shoulder.
Junsu grumbled at the contorted position but let water stream from both hands.
“So you must be Changmin,” Junho said. “Yoohwan says that you and I should fuck.”
Changmin chuckled, eyes tight with pain. “Did he?”
“Yeah, something about your legs going on forever. Very tempting. He was definitely right.” Junho turned around and dug through Siwon’s bag for another needle.
“You look like you’ve been fucked recently,” Changmin said, tracing the hickys on his neck.
“Yeah, Onew and his boys have been taking care of me for the last few days.”
“Amazing, they are.”
Junho nodded. He took a deep breath and started stitching Changmin’s wound shut. “Taemin is especially pretty with a cock between his lips.”
“I know, but you know who else would be pretty with a cock between their lips?” Changmin’s finger trailed over Junho’s lips.
“Me?”
“Yes, you.”
“I have been told that I do look good all covered in come.”
Changmin laughed and then winced. “Fuck. This hurts.”
“Can you heal it?”
Changmin shut his eyes. “Maybe if I had more energy. I haven’t eaten anything for the last month but what I could make grow in my cell. Sure took you guys long enough to get here.”
“You are the dumbass that got yourself captured,” Jaejoong said.
Changmin smiled. “Always have a backup plan.”
“I thought you said he was dying,” Siwon said and glared at Yoohwan.
“He was,” Yoohwan protested.
Changmin suddenly shook his head and no one said that Changmin had helped heal him.
“Well, he isn’t. The wound is superficial, a little deep, but it did not go deep enough to hurt anything inside of him.”
“Thank you,” Jaejoong said.
“I will stitch up the wound and then he needs to relax. No sudden movements. No strenuous activity. You either.” Siwon shot a glare at Changmin.
“Well, damn,” Junho said. “I was about to climb up on your lap and sit on your cock.”
Changmin laughed and broke off with a pained whimper. “Stop making me laugh.”
“Soon I’ll make you moan.”
“Do not worry,” Jaejoong said to Siwon. “They will both get their rest.”
“It is good to see you again, Master Jaejoong, though I wish it was under different circumstances.”
Jaejoong nodded. “You, too, Healer Siwon.” He turned at looked over at the body of the king. “Is he alive?”
Siwon moved over to him, fingers at his neck. “Yes. He is breathing, his heart is beating. Just unconscious.”
“Good.”
“He was very subtle in his machinations.”
“At first,” Changmin said. “It was not difficult to figure out after awhile.”
“So smart,” Junho said. “I like a man with brains as well as an amazing body.” His hand left the wound for a moment to press against his abs.
“We all need to rest,” Changmin said. “We will decide what to do in the morning.”
“That almost sounds like you don’t already have a plan,” Jaejoong said.
Changmin smirked. “I always have a plan.”
_-/^/^¯^\^\-_
Jaejoong watched Yunho sleep. Siwon had just left after assuring Jaejoong that Yunho was fine, and he would wake up when he had recharged enough. Siwon left him with a bowl of broth and directions that Yunho needed to eat it as soon as he woke up.
Jaejoong ran his hand over Yunho’s face, so thankful that he was alive. He had yet to talk to Changmin about what he did exactly. Even without medical training, Jaejoong knew that Yunho had been dying.
There was a soft knock on his door and it opened, revealing Changmin. He smiled widely and beckoned the young scribe in. Changmin wore soft breeches, a loose tunic that was unlaced and his standard, green cloak. From behind his back, he presented a massive bouquet of flowers.
Jaejoong smiled and laughed in delight. He stood up and moved to Changmin, pulling his dongsaeng into a hug. He held on to him tightly, arms around his waist and was so happy that Changmin was well.
“Thank you for coming to get me,” Changmin said, returning the hug with his arms around Jaejoong’s shoulders. “There were moments when I thought you would stay in the Eastern Mountains and just wait for me.”
“I am sure you had a plan for that, too.”
Changmin smirked. “Of course, but I am glad that you did not wait. You are pretty smart.”
Jaejoong chuckled.
There was movement from the bed, and Jaejoong spun around, smiling even wider as he made his way back to the bed. He climbed in carefully, settling next to his Knight of Fire.
Yunho coughed, eyes shut tight. “Why do I feel like I got run over by a herd of horses? And why do I wake up to you in another man’s arms?”
Jaejoong chuckled. “You were stabbed, remember? You almost died. And Changmin brought me flowers. You have never brought me flowers.”
“Is your heart so fickle, hyung,” Changmin asked and sat down on Yunho’s other side, “that a mere bouquet of flowers convinces you to run to someone else?”
“Of course not. I was also happy to see you.”
Yunho growled and then broke off to cough again.
Changmin frowned and moved the blankets to look at his dressings. The top one was fine, but the bottom two were soaked with blood. Changmin muttered a few curses under his breath, but put his hand over Yunho’s wound, shut his eyes, and concentrated.
Jaejoong wanted to protest, but he also did not want to break Changmin’s concentration. In less time than before, Changmin pulled away. The wound was still there, but obviously not as deep as it had been.
“That is amazing,” Jaejoong whispered.
“Something I have been tinkering with,” Changmin said. “But Yunho is really lucky. I do not know enough about anatomy to fix everything. Luckily, the slice was clean and it was just a matter of reattaching things.”
“By the gods,” Yunho said.
“You were dying,” Changmin said. “I knew how to save you.”
“Does anyone else know of this?”
Changmin shook his head. “Just you six. And Jihye.”
“We probably should not tell anyone else,” Jaejoong said.
“Well, of course not, hyung.”
Jaejoong narrowed his eyes, reached over Yunho and punched Changmin’s shoulder.
“Ow, hyung, that is my injured shoulder!”
“You deserve it!”
“For what?”
Jaejoong smiled, thinking of that snarky voice in his head. “For being you.”
Changmin stuck his tongue out at him.
“So what happens now?” Yunho asked.
“You need to eat this,” Jaejoong said, reaching for the bowl of broth.
Yunho smiled. “Not what I meant.” But Changmin helped him sit up and Jaejoong spooned the broth into his mouth.
“I asked Yoochun and Junsu to create another storm,” Changmin said, “so it is raining and thundering outside right now. Hopefully it will keep people in their homes while we figure that out.”
“I thought you had a plan.”
“I do,” Changmin said, “but I am only one of four elementals. I will not make decisions without a consensus.”
“Where is the king?”
“Former king,” Changmin corrected. “He’s locked in a room with Yoohwan and Yoochun guarding the door.”
“Good. He’s still alive then.”
“Yeah, burned up pretty badly, but he will be alive for whatever we wish to do to him.”
Jaejoong frowned. “What we do with him will be key in the way the people see you four.”
“It will,” Changmin said nodding.
“How many people died?”
“Six, all soldiers,” Changmin said. “No people were killed.”
“Good.”
Yunho leaned back with a sigh. “I do not think I want to be a leader of the world.”
“You will make a wonderful leader,” Jaejoong said. “You are kind and a hard worker. You think of others more than yourself and you are smart.”
Yunho frowned. “You were right, you know?” He ran his hand over Jaejoong’s shoulder. “About the king and wanting Fire. I just remember as he stabbed me that he said, ‘Maybe this time it will be transferred to me.’ He wanted the power.”
Jaejoong nodded. “He does not deserve it. It is yours. You are the only one to carry it in this life.”
“Well, hyungs, I think Yunho should rest another day,” Changmin said. “We will meet tomorrow, and then decide what to do. I am going to talk to the servants and free anyone that the king had been keeping as slaves.”
Jaejoong nodded. “I will come with you.”
Changmin smiled and shook his head. “Stay with Yunho. I know you would rather be with him and I do not want you distracted.”
Jaejoong frowned at him, but Yunho brushed fingers on his arm and he smiled and looked back at Yunho. He did not stop himself from leaning down for a kiss.
Changmin made a noise and the bed shifted and Jaejoong smiled against Yunho’s lips but continued to kiss him even as the door shut.
“I love you, Knight of Mine.”
Yunho smiled. “I love you.” He swallowed roughly. “I saw you when that soldier grabbed you. It took everything I had not to run after you, but Yoochun held me back and Junho said it was better to not start the fight in the middle of all those people. I am sorry I did not come after you.”
“You would have been taken, too.”
“Maybe. But as your lover--”
“Life,” Jaejoong corrected. “As my life.”
Yunho smiled. “As your life, I should have protected you.”
“You did. You kept calm and stopped the arrows from killing me. Yoochun was right. It was much better that the four of you were there. Changmin could have gotten out on his own with his power over the earth, but without you other three, he may have been killed.”
“Jihye,” Yunho said, panicked and tried to sit up. “Where is Jihye?”
Jaejoong kept a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back to the pillows. “She is fine. She was sleeping the last I saw of her. She said that Borandoon was overrun with soldiers and many in the village died, but many also escaped. Jihye and a few others were taken as slaves, but they are all still alive. Siwon looked her over and her injuries are superficial.”
“I need to see her.”
Jaejoong smiled. “I know. I will go get her for you.”
Yunho frowned and put his arms around Jaejoong. “I don’t want you to go.”
“I will be back in just a moment.”
“Then just wait a moment and let me look at you.”
Jaejoong smiled and let himself be kissed even if he knew it would be a while before he left Yunho’s side.
Part 21: Change
Part 19: Inferno
Part 18: Torrent
(Part 17: Fog) | (Part 16: Flurry) | (Part 15: Breeze) | (Part 14: Sizzle) | (Part 13: Storm) | (Part 12: Tempest) | (Part 11: Blow) | (Part 10: Soak) | (Part 9: Blaze) | (Part 8: Hot) | (Part 7: Rekindle) | (Part 6: Bloom) | (Part 5: Sprout) | (Part 4: Burn) | (Part 3: Flicker) | (Part 2: Flare) | (Part 1: Spark)
.
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong, Yoochun/Junsu, Changmin/Junho, Heechul/Yoohwan
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: They aren't mine and I can't even claim the idea as mine because it is all devilaugh's fault.
Summary: Jaejoong is a scribe in King Ahn Chilhyun's court. He is sent to small seaside village to teach the people how to read, and instead finds a lover who has a secret that will end up endangering the entire world.
A/N: This fic is all devilaugh's fault. It was her idea on the post about the picture of Jaejoong, so this fic was partially inspired by this picture
Part 20:
Fanfic poster by back_to_five!!! Perfection! <3 <3
A/N: Almost done!
“Jihye!” Yunho shouted.
The stones between them lifted and formed a walkway to the king’s box, and Yunho ran across it. Soldiers ran toward them, and Yunho twisted around them, sword flying and knocking them to the ground. One caught his arm, and he twisted, running the man through. Everything shook again and knocked all the soldiers off their feet, allowing Yunho to reach his sister. He fell to his knees and gathered her close.
“By the gods, you are all annoying!” Yoochun shouted. “Junsu!” He spun his hands around and a massive twister formed in the courtyard. Junsu threw water at it, creating a waterspout that had more running toward the exit. None of the arrows came even close to them, and the soldiers were giving up, running out of the courtyard.
The relief was short lived as Jaejoong glanced over at Yunho to check on him just in time to see the battered body of the king drive a sword into his side.
“Yunho!” Jaejoong shouted and moved, stopping as the chains caught on his wrists. Junsu ran past him, bound hands in the air, shooting a stream of water at the king and knocking him back.
“Oh sorry,” Changmin said and cracked the rocks holding Jaejoong’s chains to the ground. He took off after Junsu.
He vaguely paid attention to Changmin telling the people that had not already fled to go home.
“Shit, fuck, shit,” Junsu said and attempted to keep part of Jihye’s torn clothes covering her and part pressed against the wound in her brother’s side.
The door to the castle suddenly opened, and Jaejoong stood up to guard them, even if he was not a fighter. But it was just Yoohwan and Junho.
“Yoohwan, he’s injured. Get Siwon, quickly.”
“Siwon is confined to his rooms,” Changmin said.
“I will get him,” Yoohwan said and ran back down the hall.
“Where have you been?” Junsu demanded as Junho removed his cloak and draped it over Jihye’s shoulders to cover her, leaving the tattered cloth to Junsu to press against Yunho’s wound.
“Keeping your sorry asses covered from the inside,” Junho said and took off his shirt to help stop the bleeding. “Fuck, Yunho, you okay?”
Yunho winced and coughed. “Yeah. Fuck. Fine. Shit. Should have ... burn ... let him ... burn. Fuck.”
But there was too much blood. Jaejoong knew that. The sword went too deep, and he was bleeding too much.
“Will someone please get this arrow out of my shoulder?” Changmin demanded. “I may be able to help him.”
Junho stood up and moved to Changmin. He winced at how deep the arrow is. “You sure?”
“Yes. Just yank it out.”
“Burn it closed,” Junsu said. “A burn is better than bleeding to death.”
“No,” Changmin said, glaring at Junsu. “Get this arrow out of my shoulder and I will help him.”
“You asked for it,” Junho said and gripped the wooden shaft of the arrow.
Changmin’s eyes shut and Junho pulled and Changmin hissed in pain as the arrow pulled away with a chunk of his flesh. Blood gushed from the wound, but after only another deep breath, he kneeled next to Yunho.
Jihye tried to press a cloth to his shoulder.
“It will keep. I have to save your brother first.”
“Save him?”
Changmin nodded. “Yeah, pretty sure he is about to die.” Changmin moved the blood-sodden cloth from Yunho’s side and muttered a curse under his breath as blood poured from the wound. Slower than before. Definitely a bad sign. Changmin put his hand over the wound and muttered, “It is Earth, just like the Earth, that is all. We bury our dead who become Earth, which gives us the things we need to survive. Earth, that is all. Only Earth.” He stopped talking, face going extremely pale, his shoulders shook, his hands wavered on Yunho’s side.
Yunho jolted to the side and the wound pulsed blood.
Changmin told him to be still, someone hold him down. Jaejoong straddled his lap and held his hand tightly against his own chest.
“Look at me,” Jaejoong said. “Just look at me.” He had no idea what Changmin was doing and desperately wanted to watch, but Yunho staying calm was more important. “You are amazing, Knight of Mine. Absolutely amazing. I am so in love with you.” He brought Yunho’s hand up to his mouth and kissed his knuckles.
Yunho smiled and then passed out.
Changmin groaned and fell back, hands and chest bloody.
But the wound in Yunho’s side was no long pulsing blood.
“What was that?” Junho demanded just as Yoohwan returned with Siwon. Siwon hurried to Changmin’s side, but he waved his hand and said, “Yunho first. He’s ... worse.”
Siwon dropped to his knees and assessed the wound in Yunho’s side. “Yoohwan, get me some water.”
Junsu chuckled and held out his hand, letting a small stream of water trickle to the stone. Siwon stared in awe, eyebrows arching in his disbelief. He recovered quickly and used the water to clean the area around the wound.
“Give me some of this,” Junho demanded and yanked his brother’s other arm over to Changmin, holding his hand over Changmin’s wounded shoulder.
Junsu grumbled at the contorted position but let water stream from both hands.
“So you must be Changmin,” Junho said. “Yoohwan says that you and I should fuck.”
Changmin chuckled, eyes tight with pain. “Did he?”
“Yeah, something about your legs going on forever. Very tempting. He was definitely right.” Junho turned around and dug through Siwon’s bag for another needle.
“You look like you’ve been fucked recently,” Changmin said, tracing the hickys on his neck.
“Yeah, Onew and his boys have been taking care of me for the last few days.”
“Amazing, they are.”
Junho nodded. He took a deep breath and started stitching Changmin’s wound shut. “Taemin is especially pretty with a cock between his lips.”
“I know, but you know who else would be pretty with a cock between their lips?” Changmin’s finger trailed over Junho’s lips.
“Me?”
“Yes, you.”
“I have been told that I do look good all covered in come.”
Changmin laughed and then winced. “Fuck. This hurts.”
“Can you heal it?”
Changmin shut his eyes. “Maybe if I had more energy. I haven’t eaten anything for the last month but what I could make grow in my cell. Sure took you guys long enough to get here.”
“You are the dumbass that got yourself captured,” Jaejoong said.
Changmin smiled. “Always have a backup plan.”
“I thought you said he was dying,” Siwon said and glared at Yoohwan.
“He was,” Yoohwan protested.
Changmin suddenly shook his head and no one said that Changmin had helped heal him.
“Well, he isn’t. The wound is superficial, a little deep, but it did not go deep enough to hurt anything inside of him.”
“Thank you,” Jaejoong said.
“I will stitch up the wound and then he needs to relax. No sudden movements. No strenuous activity. You either.” Siwon shot a glare at Changmin.
“Well, damn,” Junho said. “I was about to climb up on your lap and sit on your cock.”
Changmin laughed and broke off with a pained whimper. “Stop making me laugh.”
“Soon I’ll make you moan.”
“Do not worry,” Jaejoong said to Siwon. “They will both get their rest.”
“It is good to see you again, Master Jaejoong, though I wish it was under different circumstances.”
Jaejoong nodded. “You, too, Healer Siwon.” He turned at looked over at the body of the king. “Is he alive?”
Siwon moved over to him, fingers at his neck. “Yes. He is breathing, his heart is beating. Just unconscious.”
“Good.”
“He was very subtle in his machinations.”
“At first,” Changmin said. “It was not difficult to figure out after awhile.”
“So smart,” Junho said. “I like a man with brains as well as an amazing body.” His hand left the wound for a moment to press against his abs.
“We all need to rest,” Changmin said. “We will decide what to do in the morning.”
“That almost sounds like you don’t already have a plan,” Jaejoong said.
Changmin smirked. “I always have a plan.”
_-/^/^¯^\^\-_
Jaejoong watched Yunho sleep. Siwon had just left after assuring Jaejoong that Yunho was fine, and he would wake up when he had recharged enough. Siwon left him with a bowl of broth and directions that Yunho needed to eat it as soon as he woke up.
Jaejoong ran his hand over Yunho’s face, so thankful that he was alive. He had yet to talk to Changmin about what he did exactly. Even without medical training, Jaejoong knew that Yunho had been dying.
There was a soft knock on his door and it opened, revealing Changmin. He smiled widely and beckoned the young scribe in. Changmin wore soft breeches, a loose tunic that was unlaced and his standard, green cloak. From behind his back, he presented a massive bouquet of flowers.
Jaejoong smiled and laughed in delight. He stood up and moved to Changmin, pulling his dongsaeng into a hug. He held on to him tightly, arms around his waist and was so happy that Changmin was well.
“Thank you for coming to get me,” Changmin said, returning the hug with his arms around Jaejoong’s shoulders. “There were moments when I thought you would stay in the Eastern Mountains and just wait for me.”
“I am sure you had a plan for that, too.”
Changmin smirked. “Of course, but I am glad that you did not wait. You are pretty smart.”
Jaejoong chuckled.
There was movement from the bed, and Jaejoong spun around, smiling even wider as he made his way back to the bed. He climbed in carefully, settling next to his Knight of Fire.
Yunho coughed, eyes shut tight. “Why do I feel like I got run over by a herd of horses? And why do I wake up to you in another man’s arms?”
Jaejoong chuckled. “You were stabbed, remember? You almost died. And Changmin brought me flowers. You have never brought me flowers.”
“Is your heart so fickle, hyung,” Changmin asked and sat down on Yunho’s other side, “that a mere bouquet of flowers convinces you to run to someone else?”
“Of course not. I was also happy to see you.”
Yunho growled and then broke off to cough again.
Changmin frowned and moved the blankets to look at his dressings. The top one was fine, but the bottom two were soaked with blood. Changmin muttered a few curses under his breath, but put his hand over Yunho’s wound, shut his eyes, and concentrated.
Jaejoong wanted to protest, but he also did not want to break Changmin’s concentration. In less time than before, Changmin pulled away. The wound was still there, but obviously not as deep as it had been.
“That is amazing,” Jaejoong whispered.
“Something I have been tinkering with,” Changmin said. “But Yunho is really lucky. I do not know enough about anatomy to fix everything. Luckily, the slice was clean and it was just a matter of reattaching things.”
“By the gods,” Yunho said.
“You were dying,” Changmin said. “I knew how to save you.”
“Does anyone else know of this?”
Changmin shook his head. “Just you six. And Jihye.”
“We probably should not tell anyone else,” Jaejoong said.
“Well, of course not, hyung.”
Jaejoong narrowed his eyes, reached over Yunho and punched Changmin’s shoulder.
“Ow, hyung, that is my injured shoulder!”
“You deserve it!”
“For what?”
Jaejoong smiled, thinking of that snarky voice in his head. “For being you.”
Changmin stuck his tongue out at him.
“So what happens now?” Yunho asked.
“You need to eat this,” Jaejoong said, reaching for the bowl of broth.
Yunho smiled. “Not what I meant.” But Changmin helped him sit up and Jaejoong spooned the broth into his mouth.
“I asked Yoochun and Junsu to create another storm,” Changmin said, “so it is raining and thundering outside right now. Hopefully it will keep people in their homes while we figure that out.”
“I thought you had a plan.”
“I do,” Changmin said, “but I am only one of four elementals. I will not make decisions without a consensus.”
“Where is the king?”
“Former king,” Changmin corrected. “He’s locked in a room with Yoohwan and Yoochun guarding the door.”
“Good. He’s still alive then.”
“Yeah, burned up pretty badly, but he will be alive for whatever we wish to do to him.”
Jaejoong frowned. “What we do with him will be key in the way the people see you four.”
“It will,” Changmin said nodding.
“How many people died?”
“Six, all soldiers,” Changmin said. “No people were killed.”
“Good.”
Yunho leaned back with a sigh. “I do not think I want to be a leader of the world.”
“You will make a wonderful leader,” Jaejoong said. “You are kind and a hard worker. You think of others more than yourself and you are smart.”
Yunho frowned. “You were right, you know?” He ran his hand over Jaejoong’s shoulder. “About the king and wanting Fire. I just remember as he stabbed me that he said, ‘Maybe this time it will be transferred to me.’ He wanted the power.”
Jaejoong nodded. “He does not deserve it. It is yours. You are the only one to carry it in this life.”
“Well, hyungs, I think Yunho should rest another day,” Changmin said. “We will meet tomorrow, and then decide what to do. I am going to talk to the servants and free anyone that the king had been keeping as slaves.”
Jaejoong nodded. “I will come with you.”
Changmin smiled and shook his head. “Stay with Yunho. I know you would rather be with him and I do not want you distracted.”
Jaejoong frowned at him, but Yunho brushed fingers on his arm and he smiled and looked back at Yunho. He did not stop himself from leaning down for a kiss.
Changmin made a noise and the bed shifted and Jaejoong smiled against Yunho’s lips but continued to kiss him even as the door shut.
“I love you, Knight of Mine.”
Yunho smiled. “I love you.” He swallowed roughly. “I saw you when that soldier grabbed you. It took everything I had not to run after you, but Yoochun held me back and Junho said it was better to not start the fight in the middle of all those people. I am sorry I did not come after you.”
“You would have been taken, too.”
“Maybe. But as your lover--”
“Life,” Jaejoong corrected. “As my life.”
Yunho smiled. “As your life, I should have protected you.”
“You did. You kept calm and stopped the arrows from killing me. Yoochun was right. It was much better that the four of you were there. Changmin could have gotten out on his own with his power over the earth, but without you other three, he may have been killed.”
“Jihye,” Yunho said, panicked and tried to sit up. “Where is Jihye?”
Jaejoong kept a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back to the pillows. “She is fine. She was sleeping the last I saw of her. She said that Borandoon was overrun with soldiers and many in the village died, but many also escaped. Jihye and a few others were taken as slaves, but they are all still alive. Siwon looked her over and her injuries are superficial.”
“I need to see her.”
Jaejoong smiled. “I know. I will go get her for you.”
Yunho frowned and put his arms around Jaejoong. “I don’t want you to go.”
“I will be back in just a moment.”
“Then just wait a moment and let me look at you.”
Jaejoong smiled and let himself be kissed even if he knew it would be a while before he left Yunho’s side.
Part 21: Change
Part 19: Inferno
Part 18: Torrent
(Part 17: Fog) | (Part 16: Flurry) | (Part 15: Breeze) | (Part 14: Sizzle) | (Part 13: Storm) | (Part 12: Tempest) | (Part 11: Blow) | (Part 10: Soak) | (Part 9: Blaze) | (Part 8: Hot) | (Part 7: Rekindle) | (Part 6: Bloom) | (Part 5: Sprout) | (Part 4: Burn) | (Part 3: Flicker) | (Part 2: Flare) | (Part 1: Spark)
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