Before the Dawn - chp. 4
TITLE: Before the Dawn
RATING: PG to PG-15ish?
PAIRING/FOCUS: Jongho (Main), Cheundong/Krystal (sub) [others to be determined]
GENRE: ...adventure, au, romance?
NOTES: [[Okay, the last like portion or so is essentially Demoted but I added a little bit, changed a little bit so read if you want. Don't read if you want. It's basically the same thing kay kay?]]
PLOT AND CAST LIST (UPDATED...SLIGHTLY) || PROLOGUE + CHAPTER ONE || CHAPTER TWO || CHAPTER THREE
( ( Chapter Four ) ) It had become habit by now, to just push open the doors without being told that it was okay; to just walk in. The moment he crossed the threshold, Jonghyun was on him. However, instead of the hug he had been accustomed to expecting lately, he was pushed down towards the ground with a harsh crash and the guild doors squeaked shut. His eyes widened and his eyes darted back to see Luna and Sulli slam Cheundong into the wall, twisting his arm painfully to the point of breaking. They were surprisingly strong for two smaller girls. A hand closed around his throat and he gagged, eyes jerking back to the man above him.
His breath hitched.
Jonghyun’s handsome visage was twisted into snarl, his hair falling in a way that was much too indescribable and his eyes were narrowed dangerously, eyes so dark that Minho struggled to hold his gaze. Suddenly Minho realized why the guild followed this man. Because this man was beautiful; beautiful, alluring and altogether terrifying when he was angry and it robbed the very air from his lungs. His guild members were scattered around the two pinned lords, and Minho noted that no one stood near their chief or the two who pinned Cheundong. Minho struggled only to have his air supply cut even more as Jonghyun’s hand closed tighter.
“You’re going to kill him!” Cheundong rasped out, his face somewhat sandwiched between the wall and Luna’s palm pressed against the back of his head. “Hey! Are you listening to me?!”
Minho gasped, struggling as his lungs burned and black spots began to appear before him. His hands dug into the ground, fingers clawing feebly at the dirt and he tried to dislodge the man sitting on his stomach. The small chief was a lot stronger than he appeared. His knees were on either side of Minho’s torso and he used one hand to close Minho’s airways. A low sound came from his closed throat and Minho could feel his windpipe being crushed. He gasped again, his vision darkening at the corners. He heard Cheundong’s voice and he fought to stay awake then-
“GODDAMNIT! Lee Taemin what the fuck are you doing!?” Air suddenly rushed back and he stumbled. Wait a minute, wasn’t he on the ground? A strong hand clasped against his arm and Minho blinked blearily. Fingers gently probed his head, pressing lightly and Minho groaned, low in his throat. A worried voice rang out next to him, “Pet? Pet? Pet can you hear me?” Minho just groaned and the voice at his ears darkened, a dangerous tint entering his voice. “I ask again. Taemin, what the fuck were you doing? You can’t just spell people like that!”
“I didn’t mean to! They ended up in the spell’s field!” was the defensive answer. Minho vaguely heard his cousin grumble something followed by a low moan and Minho blinked slowly. His head dropped on its own, pressing against the skin of someone’s shoulder and gentle fingers ran through his hair, a voice murmuring low to him. “They weren’t in there long Chief. Couple of seconds maybe,”
“Yeah but with you a couple of seconds could have been hours to them,” Jonghyun. It was Jonghyun’s voice Minho was hearing. So he wasn’t choking him? What was going on?
“Sorry chief. I really didn’t mean to,” didn’t mean to what? The person he was leaning against sighed and Minho could feel hot breath brush against his cheek before he answered, “I know Taemin-ah. I know. Let’s just get them inside so they can rest a bit,”
“Yes Chief,” was the answer and Minho blacked out just as his aching body was moved away.
~*~*~
The guild was moving on what seemed like thin ice as the day dragged on. Various members were out doing the odd mission or two and other members skirted around Jonghyun whenever they saw him, if they saw him. Taemin had taken to hiding on the roof, moping, and wallowing in guilt, while Luna was trying to reverse whatever damage (hopefully none) done to the two lords in one of the guest rooms. Jonghyun had locked himself in his room and refused to come out and with Taemin hiding on the roof, it left Mir in charge of the guild.
It was probably early evening when Luna saw Jonghyun wandering into the guest rooms they placed the lords in. She smiled at him, faintly before returning to tending to the lords. Of the two, Cheundong seemed the most stable and he seemed to be in a deep sleep while Minho tossed and turned, cold sweat dabbing along his temple and brow. The window farthest from them opened and Taemin froze, one foot on the sill and a hand clutching the frame when he saw Jonghyun. Their chief’s eyes flickered at him and after a moment of staring, he just nodded.
“Go take a break Luna, we’ll handle it from here,” Luna looked a little bit uncertain but she nodded nonetheless and exited. After a moment, Jonghyun and Taemin moved around, taking care of the two lords. It was awkwardly quiet then,
“Did you tell Sun-young-ah that it was a spell that messes with the senses by illusion and distortion of reality?” Jonghyun finally asked quietly. Jonghyun’s hands stilled in wringing out a washcloth, looking up at Taemin. Taemin was quiet and Jonghyun smiled almost bitterly. He leaned back, propping his hip against the side table next to Minho’s bed. “Don’t want them to know that I taught it to you?”
“Didn’t want them to know how you learned it,” Taemin correctly stiffly. Jonghyun smirked bitterly before he finished wringing out the cloth, dabbing along Minho’s face, wiping up the cold sweat. Taemin switched the subject with a light, “Lord Westfall probably saw something worse than the other lordling if he’s in this much distress,” Jonghyun wasn’t fazed.
“It doesn’t matter Taemin. They’ll know eventually,” the older man looked up at the younger.. “Besides Krystal, everyone in the guild has had their own dark past,”
“But it’s your past Chief. It’s not my place to tell it,” Taemin retorted, let his eyes land everywhere but the older man. Jonghyun frowned and just as Taemin moved to check Cheundong’s temperature just in case, his hand whipped out and grabbed his wrist. “Chief?”
“It’s not just mine Taemin. It was yours too. How is it not your place to tell?” Taemin only gave him a lopsided grin in response and he locked his thin fingers at the base of his neck, fingers threading into his long hair, shaking his wrist gently out of Jonghyun’s grip.
“Because Chief, I don‘t like opening old wounds,” Taemin let his eyes close and he took a deep breath before he re-opened them. Jonghyun looked pained and Taemin grinned. “C’mon chief. Don’t look at me like that. You‘ll make me feel worse than I already do now,”
Jonghyun opened his mouth to respond when the man he was tending to let out a hoarse moan. Long lashes fluttered against a pale cheek and Jonghyun gently placed his hand against the slightly clammy skin. Minho curled into the touch and his face relaxed.
“We’ll continue this talk later Chief,” and dark eyes fluttered weakly open. Taemin grinned slightly and moved to help Cheundong sit up. The lord let out a short series of coughs before he looked at who was helping him. There was a spark of recognition followed by disbelief and the lord managed a raspy, “You,”
“Me,” Taemin answered simply. The lord’s eyes flickered over the room, over Jonghyun then at the man he was tending to. His eyes narrowed and then he turned back to face Taemin. He only croaked a short, curt, “I hate you,” Jonghyun watched in curiosity as Taemin’s lips quirked into one of his rare grins and he replied with a, “Yeah. I know. I hate you too. The feeling’s mutual,”
“Hmm,” and Cheundong waved a hand weakly at the resting Minho. “How long will he be out?”
“Depends on his strong mental state is and how much time we’ve got before shit happens,”
And not for the first time in the 15 years he had known Taemin, Jonghyun felt confused and left out of the loop. The problem was the sinking feeling growing in his gut. It grew more when Cheundong laid back down a, hand crossing his face and he uttered something incomprehensible. Taemin just laughed somewhat hollowly.
~*~*~
The lords ended up spending the night. Cheundong had exchanged a few more words with Taemin before he drifted off and Minho didn’t wake once. No one was surprised that Jonghyun slept at his bed side. And if they were, they said nothing.
~*~*~
It was just moments before dawn when Krystal slipped into the guild. A smile was bright on her face and one or two of the early risers waved, yawning behind their palms. She smiled and waved before she rounded a corner towards the inner guild. She stopped, eyes widening in surprise when the tall form of the Lord Northglenn slipped out of a guest room. He ran a hand through his messy bed hair and he muttered something before he noticed Krystal standing there.
“Huh. You’re awfully early Krystal-ah,” he commented with a raised eyebrow. Krystal only squeaked, a blush crossing her cheeks and Cheundong blinked at her. He muttered quietly and he was blind-sided by a towel or something flying at him from the side. Krystal tore her eyes away and looked at the newcomer. Luna and Taemin stood at one end of the hall, both of them making their way towards Krystal and Cheundong who was glowering at the other two. “Yah, what was that for?”
“You’re not at home lordling. Take the liberty to wear a shirt please,” Taemin responded. Meanwhile, Luna gently grabbed Krystal’s shoulders and steered her away. Cheundong looked down and just said a quiet, “Ah,” before scratching his head and walking back into the guest room. The mercenary followed him. His eyes flickered over the sleeping pair still in the room and he grinned bitterly.
No words were exchanged between the two of them, only a stare from Taemin. Cheundong buttoned up his shirt from the day before and responded with a tight, “I know,”
~*~*~
“Goddamn it! Chief what the hell!?” His small frame was thrown backwards and he forced down a gasp of pain as Mir rounded on him. Around them, the guild was in chaos and only Taemin’s glare kept them from doing anything major or harmful to their chief. Luna and Sulli watched from the sidelines and Cheundong was gripping his arms so hard that his fingernails left indentations. Krystal rubbed what she hoped were soothing circles on his arms. He didn’t leave her side, “Chief what were you-”
“Shut up Cheulyong-ah,” Jonghyun growled and Mir scowled, his face darkening with anger.
“Chief! What were you thinking! They just took him! You just let them take him!?” and suddenly, Jonghyun was on him, face dark, eyes narrowed. They hit the ground, Jonghyun pinning the taller, slightly burlier boy with his weight and he grabbed the collar of his shirt, jerking him up and his other hand was held at his temple and eyes, allowing the other to see the energy gathering at his palm. Everyone in the guild froze and Taemin grimaced. Well, weren’t they just fucked?
Taemin knew Jonghyun. Not just because they were guild members but because they’ve known each other for 15 years and running. While some years weren’t kind and some years were down right awful, Taemin knew that Jonghyun didn’t get angry easily. He liked to play the part of an idiot, of a bubbly fool but the mercenary knew that behind that cute, kid-like exterior lurked the mind of a leader, of a mercenary. He was fond of hand-to-hand combat and weapons more than he liked using magic. But if anything, Magic was Jonghyun’s forte, more so than Taemin himself and Luna. But the only thing that made both Luna and Taemin better was their ability to control it. Even if the orb of magic swirling in Jonghyun’s palm looked stable, Taemin was sure that it was attacking Mir and anyone stupid enough to go close to the pair.
The younger man sighed lightly before he moved forward, his own magic spinning a protective barrier around himself and he tugged Jonghyun off of Mir. Bated breaths were held because when Jonghyun was angry, no one, NO ONE, touched him. Dark eyes, snapped backwards and Taemin just uttered something quietly to him. The magic in his hand glowed and Mir held his own breath as it drew closer to his face. Then, it vanished and Jonghyun’s fist lashed out.
The force of the punch caused Mir to knock his head against he concrete and he gasped in pain. Stars exploded in front of his eyes and the weight on him lifted. Someone grabbed his shoulders, gently shifting him and Mir hissed when fingers gently poked his rapidly reddening cheek. Jonghyun just watched, his face scarily blank of emotions. Mir figured it was only Taemin’s hand on the smaller man’s shoulder kept him from lunging again.
“Do remember who you’re talking to Bang Cheulyong,” Taemin said firmly, his fingers digging into Jonghyun’s shoulder as the man shifted. Mir froze, and more than one guild member, Krystal and Joon included felt as if they were missing something. Luna flinched and Sulli looked at the ground, her hands fisting at her sides. Mir scrambled to his feet and he winced as he moved before he uttered a shaky, “Sorry Chief. Was out of line there,”
“It’s fine,” Jonghyun’s voice rang out, stiff and raspy and Jonghyun brushed his hand off his shoulders. He looked over his guild members then observed Mir. His lips thinned into a line before he looked back at Taemin. “You remember that mission you talked to me about this morning?”
“Yeah. I do chief,” the younger man answered, the corners of his lips quirking. Jonghyun opened his mouth and Taemin flapped his hand dismissively. “Dun’ worry chief. I’ll send a raptor home if I need help. Think of it as a summons if you will,”
Jonghyun grinned, a light laugh leaving his lips for the first time all morning as he uttered, “Cheeky brat,” And even though he was grinning, Taemin, and Cheundong, who looked up at the sound of the guild chief‘s laughter, both knew that his heart was pounding, loud, worried and hard within the cavity of his chest. Because there was no one in the entire empire, the entire world and even spanning across worlds, who could just watch as someone they cared for, adored, even if they hadn’t met long, was dragged off for an execution.
It didn’t take a genius to know that Jonghyun was blaming himself for something he didn’t do. All the soldiers had said to them when they came to arrest Choi Minho, the lord of Westfall as he was associated with traitors to the empire. It was a false accusation, one that threatened all their lives. Finding that person, whoever it was would be high on their list but their real task now, was to rescue Minho.
~*~*~
“He’s being executed today,” with one comment, the entire guild fell silent, save for the tapping of a ceramic mug against the table as it was lifted. The speaker shifted almost nervously as dark eyes swept out towards him from behind the rim of the mug. He swallowed. “You’re not going to save him Chief?”
“Not my business,” was his retort. He raised his cup to his lips, staring into the dark liquid for a moment before he gently blew the steam away and took a sip. Jonghyun’s hands tightened on the ceramic as his stomach flopped inside him. It had already been two days since Minho was taken. And since then, his entire guild, the ones who didn’t know him (which really were far and few), blamed him for Minho’s arrest even when the lord’s own cousin didn’t.
“I’ve never though I’d see someone so heartless. It was the chief’s fault in the first place,” a second speaker was nudged silent and the door opened, Krystal entering the guild. Her dark eyes swept over the guild before she glided forward towards the young man mulling his thoughts over his cup of coffee. He looked up as she approached. She was smiling, which was an odd sight for anyone in the guild as of late.
“Chief, something came for you. It was by raptor,” and she deposited something into his hand. He looked at it and she continued, “There was no note on Evard at all. Just the trinket,”
“Isn’t Evard the Chief’s raptor? It must be from someone important about something important then to use the Chief’s raptor,” and the young guild leader just smirked softly to himself.
“Jinri-ah, Krystal-ah, we’ve finally got that summons,” the two girls looked up and Jonghyun smirked lightly. “Call the other Lordling and let’s go,”
~*~*~
He blinked blearily as the bag was tugged off his head. He hissed as the bright light glared unmercifully into his eyes and they closed, his head bowing slightly. His hair brushed against his nape and he absently noted that he should get his hair cut. If he survived. His eyes reopened, his vision adjusted somewhat to the light and he looked around. Soldiers surrounded the entire stadium, each one eager to watch the execution of a young Lord. It was odd, the country’s tradition. Whenever someone was executed, only the soldiers were to watch. No loved ones.
A soft sigh left him and he turned his gaze to his would be executioner. There was a cold, disgusting sneer on his portly face and his hand was clutched at the Emperor’s written order of his execution. He frowned at the man before looking up at the sky. The sun was a few minutes from hitting noon and he let his head drop back down.
At noon, he was to die.
“Any last words my Lord? Perhaps you would like to give the name of your fellow traitor now?” the voice was mocking as the portly man sneered at him. He looked back up but his eyes closed as his title was stressed impudently. There was a moment of silence then his eyes reopened.
“I’ve nothing to say to a fat pig such as yourself but this. When the true traitor over throws the empire and you‘re executed, I won‘t be there to greet you in the roads of hell,” his deep voice was cold, ringing out easily into the crowd of soldiers and a few shifted uneasily at his calm demeanor. Even when he was tied to a post about to be burned for his mistakes against the empire, Lord Choi Minho was still unshakable.
“How dare you-” there was a swirl of black, the sudden appearance of the person shocking the executioner into silence. The surge moved and even Minho had a hard time tracking whoever it was. Then there was a sudden weight applied to the post he was bound to. The handsome man smirked lightly at the surprised soldiers, turning on the balls of his feet as he crouched and he waggled his fingers at the executioner before glancing down. “What the-”
“My, my, my. You seem to have landed yourself in quite a tight situation haven’t you?” the handsome man tsked lightly. “Whatever did you do to warrant this pet?”
“I met you,” he replied almost tightly. If anything, Minho tried to refrain from long sentences because gods his head hurt. He vaguely remembered Jonghyun say something about him landing in a spell’s field and it would bee a few more days before its after effects wore off. It had already been two days since he woke up, only to be accused right off the bat, and for those two days, he had been plagued by a headache probably the size of the empire. It had only started dying the night before.
The one atop the post gasped and clutched his chest playfully and responded, “Aw. You hurt me pet. And I was planning on saving you too,” Minho couldn’t help it when the corners of his lips tilted upwards. Dark eyes twinkled down at him and their attention was caught when the portly executioner jerked to his feet.
“SIEZE HIM AND EXECUTE THEM BOTH!” The man on the post absently brushed dirt off his boots before he looked at the portly man, his expression bored as he shrilled, “TRAITORS! THE LOT OF THEM!”
“Well, I think I’d like to hear you call me master before you die,” he received a dark glower as Minho glared up at him and he chuckled. He turned his gaze and flipped easily off the pillar and directly into the middle of a group of charging soldiers. Minho saw a flash of silver then he was aware of the other man walking up to him, a playful smile on his lips even as the executioner roared for more soldiers behind him. Obviously their reputation was a lie, and a very good one if the empire didn’t catch on. A line of soldiers fell, each bleeding from almost every pore and Minho was momentarily distracted when he saw a pair of young girls weave their way in and out of the line of soldiers. A light touch at his cheek drew him back and the other man smiled, “Well pet?”
“Guards! More Soldiers! You are the best of the Empire! Seize them and execute them on the spot!” Minho didn’t know what to think as the man in front of him smiled brighter.
“I have a name you know,” was his answer. He smiled.
“Ah but what use is it if you die on me pet?”
“It’s Minho,” and the smile turned just a bit brighter. “But I’m not calling you master,” a gust of wind, bitter and cruel ripped through the air just above their heads and Minho resisted the urge to flinch as the top of the post he was bound to ripped to shreds, impaling a few dozen soldiers. The man before him almost pouted and Minho continued gently, “You’ll have to settle for Jonghyun,”
“Hm,” the man purred softly. He tapped his chin and them smiled. “I like that pet. I like that a lot. Hearing my name coming from you sounds much more pleasing than master,” he leaned forward, his hand brushing against Minho’s cheek once more. His eyes glowed. “I accept pet,” Minho sighed softly, feeling relief or something rush through his veins and the man’s voice darkened into something dangerous and it set all off Minho’s survival instincts. “Leave no one alive girls,”
“Of course Chief,”
“Right away Chief,”
"M' not a girl Jong,"
At the response, Jonghyun continued smiling before going about to loosen the ropes that tied Minho to the post. Behind him, a blood bath was occurring and Minho shivered when fingers brushed against the bare skin of his stomach. He received a smile in return and when he looked up at the blood bath, he barely cried out a warning to tell Jonghyun of the soldier creeping up behind him before a crackle was heard and there was a pulse of lightning. He was given a low chuckle and another pat to the cheek.
“Do not worry pet. Your fellow lordling is watching over us. He‘s surprisingly skill with magic did you know?” Jonghyun smirked for a moment as he tugged out a particularly nasty looking knot. “He seems to be quite taken with one of my girls since your capture. They make a lovely couple I must say,” the rope slid from his hands and he took a faint step back as Minho crumpled suddenly into his arms. “Careful there pet. Best get the blood flowing again first,”
“This is the part where you thank the Chief, Minho,” and the young lord looked around as a quartet, in which stood one of his old friends and cousin, surrounded the two of them. The stadium was void of life and there was a heavy stench of blood filling the air. Krystal, Sulli, Taemin, members of Jonghyun’s Rathian Guild and Cheundong, his own cousin and lord of Northglenn. Taemin had been the speaker. Krystal slapped his arm and Sulli whacked him with the flat of her blade across the back of his skull. Taemin rolled his eyes and Cheundong asked, “Alright there Minho?”
He opened his mouth to answer when a wave of nausea swept him head to toe. He only ended up moaning, head pressed to the crook of Jonghyun’s shoulders. Long, thin fingers gently ran through his hair and Jonghyun hummed lightly, “Let’s not stay. My pet cannot dwell here much longer,”
~*~*~
“The execution is probably over by now. I can’t believe the Chief was so heartless. The Lord of Westfall did nothing to him,” the comment made Joon look up and the speaker continued, “It was because of him that the Lord got into trouble anyways,”
“That’s enough,” and Joon turned to see one of the sub-leaders, Mir, as he entered the room. His arms were crossed and he did not look pleased. “What the Chief does is none of your business. Jonghyun’s knows what he’s doing. He doesn‘t need your approval,”
“You aren’t well enough to be moving Mir. You should be resting in fact,” the voice was light and Joon noted the sound of fluttering cloth. Mir grinned as Luna swept through, her dress sweeping about her legs and she smiled. “You know that Jonghyun would be unhappy to see you moving so soon,”
“You think he’d be happy that I can walk so soon, especially after that attack,” Mir laughed and Luna smiled a little bit wider. Mir frowned for a moment then amended, “Well, not attack. His magic just went berserk and didn’t like me,”
The guild was slowly beginning to fall silent. It was no secret that some of the newer members, some old ones and the ones that didn’t know Jonghyun believed that Jonghyun had been plotting against the empire and had taken Minho in as a scapegoat. But the few who didn’t, generally the ones who were close to Jonghyun, Sulli, Luna, Mir, Taemin, were loyal to the chief.
“You still happen to be recovering Mir. You shouldn’t be so reckless in moving,” the entire guild pretty much leapt to their feet as Jonghyun swept through the doors.
“Chief!” was the resounding yell-like cry. Jonghyun frowned.
“Hush, my pet is resting. No sudden noises,” Joon wondered if he missed something since Mir’s grin widened and Luna laughed gently asking, “Your summons was a success?”
“Very much so Luna. Even the other lordling was helpful in this summons,” Krystal answered as she and Sulli swept in behind Jonghyun. Their eyes flickered when someone said, “The chief has a new Pet? I can’t believe it. He’s gotten a replacement so soon?”
The chatter gradually died down as Jonghyun hummed softly.
“My, my. Minho-pet would be disappointed that you all think that he’d be so easily replaced,” Jonghyun purred lightly. Joon shivered. There was no mistaking that his tone was one of a predator who was about to devour his prey. “Because my Minho-pet knows that he’s forever irreplaceable to me,”
“Have I been promoted Jonghyun?” the voice was light and every guild member watched as Jonghyun’s face brightened, his eyes twinkling. The tall, handsome man was led into the room a portion of his weight supported by his cousin. “I’ve become Minho-pet instead of pet now?”
“Minho-pet! Perfect timing!” Jonghyun crowed even as surprised murmurs rang out in the room. He gently tugged the taller male to his side, taking on the lord‘s weight to his legs. His eyes flickered when he gently hugged the taller male and he continued, “Although I would have preferred you resting a bit more Minho-pet,”
“I’m fine Jonghyun. I escaped the jaws of death,” Jonghyun frowned and Minho gave him a faint grin. “The headache is ebbing away now. Do not worry so much,”
“The Lord Westfall!” Jonghyun tsked softly and corrected, “Not the Lord Westfall. He was executed earlier today. This is my Minho-pet,”
Luna laughed and Mir rolled his eyes. Krystal shook her head and said simply, “Minho, there’s a correction to be made to your statement. You’ve been demoted. Not promoted. You’ve been demoted from being the Lord Westfall to our guild Chief’s Minho-pet,”
There was a moment and Jonghyun smiled, hugging the tall youth around the waist. Minho’s lips quirked slightly.
“I’ll take that,”
{okay, after this begins the run from the empire and other characters, like Lee Seung-gi and Jessica (though she was mentioned in passing and in a chapter [see if you can find it]) will begin to have bigger roles and start showing up.}
RATING: PG to PG-15ish?
PAIRING/FOCUS: Jongho (Main), Cheundong/Krystal (sub) [others to be determined]
GENRE: ...adventure, au, romance?
NOTES: [[Okay, the last like portion or so is essentially Demoted but I added a little bit, changed a little bit so read if you want. Don't read if you want. It's basically the same thing kay kay?]]
PLOT AND CAST LIST (UPDATED...SLIGHTLY) || PROLOGUE + CHAPTER ONE || CHAPTER TWO || CHAPTER THREE
( ( Chapter Four ) ) It had become habit by now, to just push open the doors without being told that it was okay; to just walk in. The moment he crossed the threshold, Jonghyun was on him. However, instead of the hug he had been accustomed to expecting lately, he was pushed down towards the ground with a harsh crash and the guild doors squeaked shut. His eyes widened and his eyes darted back to see Luna and Sulli slam Cheundong into the wall, twisting his arm painfully to the point of breaking. They were surprisingly strong for two smaller girls. A hand closed around his throat and he gagged, eyes jerking back to the man above him.
His breath hitched.
Jonghyun’s handsome visage was twisted into snarl, his hair falling in a way that was much too indescribable and his eyes were narrowed dangerously, eyes so dark that Minho struggled to hold his gaze. Suddenly Minho realized why the guild followed this man. Because this man was beautiful; beautiful, alluring and altogether terrifying when he was angry and it robbed the very air from his lungs. His guild members were scattered around the two pinned lords, and Minho noted that no one stood near their chief or the two who pinned Cheundong. Minho struggled only to have his air supply cut even more as Jonghyun’s hand closed tighter.
“You’re going to kill him!” Cheundong rasped out, his face somewhat sandwiched between the wall and Luna’s palm pressed against the back of his head. “Hey! Are you listening to me?!”
Minho gasped, struggling as his lungs burned and black spots began to appear before him. His hands dug into the ground, fingers clawing feebly at the dirt and he tried to dislodge the man sitting on his stomach. The small chief was a lot stronger than he appeared. His knees were on either side of Minho’s torso and he used one hand to close Minho’s airways. A low sound came from his closed throat and Minho could feel his windpipe being crushed. He gasped again, his vision darkening at the corners. He heard Cheundong’s voice and he fought to stay awake then-
“GODDAMNIT! Lee Taemin what the fuck are you doing!?” Air suddenly rushed back and he stumbled. Wait a minute, wasn’t he on the ground? A strong hand clasped against his arm and Minho blinked blearily. Fingers gently probed his head, pressing lightly and Minho groaned, low in his throat. A worried voice rang out next to him, “Pet? Pet? Pet can you hear me?” Minho just groaned and the voice at his ears darkened, a dangerous tint entering his voice. “I ask again. Taemin, what the fuck were you doing? You can’t just spell people like that!”
“I didn’t mean to! They ended up in the spell’s field!” was the defensive answer. Minho vaguely heard his cousin grumble something followed by a low moan and Minho blinked slowly. His head dropped on its own, pressing against the skin of someone’s shoulder and gentle fingers ran through his hair, a voice murmuring low to him. “They weren’t in there long Chief. Couple of seconds maybe,”
“Yeah but with you a couple of seconds could have been hours to them,” Jonghyun. It was Jonghyun’s voice Minho was hearing. So he wasn’t choking him? What was going on?
“Sorry chief. I really didn’t mean to,” didn’t mean to what? The person he was leaning against sighed and Minho could feel hot breath brush against his cheek before he answered, “I know Taemin-ah. I know. Let’s just get them inside so they can rest a bit,”
“Yes Chief,” was the answer and Minho blacked out just as his aching body was moved away.
~*~*~
The guild was moving on what seemed like thin ice as the day dragged on. Various members were out doing the odd mission or two and other members skirted around Jonghyun whenever they saw him, if they saw him. Taemin had taken to hiding on the roof, moping, and wallowing in guilt, while Luna was trying to reverse whatever damage (hopefully none) done to the two lords in one of the guest rooms. Jonghyun had locked himself in his room and refused to come out and with Taemin hiding on the roof, it left Mir in charge of the guild.
It was probably early evening when Luna saw Jonghyun wandering into the guest rooms they placed the lords in. She smiled at him, faintly before returning to tending to the lords. Of the two, Cheundong seemed the most stable and he seemed to be in a deep sleep while Minho tossed and turned, cold sweat dabbing along his temple and brow. The window farthest from them opened and Taemin froze, one foot on the sill and a hand clutching the frame when he saw Jonghyun. Their chief’s eyes flickered at him and after a moment of staring, he just nodded.
“Go take a break Luna, we’ll handle it from here,” Luna looked a little bit uncertain but she nodded nonetheless and exited. After a moment, Jonghyun and Taemin moved around, taking care of the two lords. It was awkwardly quiet then,
“Did you tell Sun-young-ah that it was a spell that messes with the senses by illusion and distortion of reality?” Jonghyun finally asked quietly. Jonghyun’s hands stilled in wringing out a washcloth, looking up at Taemin. Taemin was quiet and Jonghyun smiled almost bitterly. He leaned back, propping his hip against the side table next to Minho’s bed. “Don’t want them to know that I taught it to you?”
“Didn’t want them to know how you learned it,” Taemin correctly stiffly. Jonghyun smirked bitterly before he finished wringing out the cloth, dabbing along Minho’s face, wiping up the cold sweat. Taemin switched the subject with a light, “Lord Westfall probably saw something worse than the other lordling if he’s in this much distress,” Jonghyun wasn’t fazed.
“It doesn’t matter Taemin. They’ll know eventually,” the older man looked up at the younger.. “Besides Krystal, everyone in the guild has had their own dark past,”
“But it’s your past Chief. It’s not my place to tell it,” Taemin retorted, let his eyes land everywhere but the older man. Jonghyun frowned and just as Taemin moved to check Cheundong’s temperature just in case, his hand whipped out and grabbed his wrist. “Chief?”
“It’s not just mine Taemin. It was yours too. How is it not your place to tell?” Taemin only gave him a lopsided grin in response and he locked his thin fingers at the base of his neck, fingers threading into his long hair, shaking his wrist gently out of Jonghyun’s grip.
“Because Chief, I don‘t like opening old wounds,” Taemin let his eyes close and he took a deep breath before he re-opened them. Jonghyun looked pained and Taemin grinned. “C’mon chief. Don’t look at me like that. You‘ll make me feel worse than I already do now,”
Jonghyun opened his mouth to respond when the man he was tending to let out a hoarse moan. Long lashes fluttered against a pale cheek and Jonghyun gently placed his hand against the slightly clammy skin. Minho curled into the touch and his face relaxed.
“We’ll continue this talk later Chief,” and dark eyes fluttered weakly open. Taemin grinned slightly and moved to help Cheundong sit up. The lord let out a short series of coughs before he looked at who was helping him. There was a spark of recognition followed by disbelief and the lord managed a raspy, “You,”
“Me,” Taemin answered simply. The lord’s eyes flickered over the room, over Jonghyun then at the man he was tending to. His eyes narrowed and then he turned back to face Taemin. He only croaked a short, curt, “I hate you,” Jonghyun watched in curiosity as Taemin’s lips quirked into one of his rare grins and he replied with a, “Yeah. I know. I hate you too. The feeling’s mutual,”
“Hmm,” and Cheundong waved a hand weakly at the resting Minho. “How long will he be out?”
“Depends on his strong mental state is and how much time we’ve got before shit happens,”
And not for the first time in the 15 years he had known Taemin, Jonghyun felt confused and left out of the loop. The problem was the sinking feeling growing in his gut. It grew more when Cheundong laid back down a, hand crossing his face and he uttered something incomprehensible. Taemin just laughed somewhat hollowly.
~*~*~
The lords ended up spending the night. Cheundong had exchanged a few more words with Taemin before he drifted off and Minho didn’t wake once. No one was surprised that Jonghyun slept at his bed side. And if they were, they said nothing.
~*~*~
It was just moments before dawn when Krystal slipped into the guild. A smile was bright on her face and one or two of the early risers waved, yawning behind their palms. She smiled and waved before she rounded a corner towards the inner guild. She stopped, eyes widening in surprise when the tall form of the Lord Northglenn slipped out of a guest room. He ran a hand through his messy bed hair and he muttered something before he noticed Krystal standing there.
“Huh. You’re awfully early Krystal-ah,” he commented with a raised eyebrow. Krystal only squeaked, a blush crossing her cheeks and Cheundong blinked at her. He muttered quietly and he was blind-sided by a towel or something flying at him from the side. Krystal tore her eyes away and looked at the newcomer. Luna and Taemin stood at one end of the hall, both of them making their way towards Krystal and Cheundong who was glowering at the other two. “Yah, what was that for?”
“You’re not at home lordling. Take the liberty to wear a shirt please,” Taemin responded. Meanwhile, Luna gently grabbed Krystal’s shoulders and steered her away. Cheundong looked down and just said a quiet, “Ah,” before scratching his head and walking back into the guest room. The mercenary followed him. His eyes flickered over the sleeping pair still in the room and he grinned bitterly.
No words were exchanged between the two of them, only a stare from Taemin. Cheundong buttoned up his shirt from the day before and responded with a tight, “I know,”
~*~*~
“Goddamn it! Chief what the hell!?” His small frame was thrown backwards and he forced down a gasp of pain as Mir rounded on him. Around them, the guild was in chaos and only Taemin’s glare kept them from doing anything major or harmful to their chief. Luna and Sulli watched from the sidelines and Cheundong was gripping his arms so hard that his fingernails left indentations. Krystal rubbed what she hoped were soothing circles on his arms. He didn’t leave her side, “Chief what were you-”
“Shut up Cheulyong-ah,” Jonghyun growled and Mir scowled, his face darkening with anger.
“Chief! What were you thinking! They just took him! You just let them take him!?” and suddenly, Jonghyun was on him, face dark, eyes narrowed. They hit the ground, Jonghyun pinning the taller, slightly burlier boy with his weight and he grabbed the collar of his shirt, jerking him up and his other hand was held at his temple and eyes, allowing the other to see the energy gathering at his palm. Everyone in the guild froze and Taemin grimaced. Well, weren’t they just fucked?
Taemin knew Jonghyun. Not just because they were guild members but because they’ve known each other for 15 years and running. While some years weren’t kind and some years were down right awful, Taemin knew that Jonghyun didn’t get angry easily. He liked to play the part of an idiot, of a bubbly fool but the mercenary knew that behind that cute, kid-like exterior lurked the mind of a leader, of a mercenary. He was fond of hand-to-hand combat and weapons more than he liked using magic. But if anything, Magic was Jonghyun’s forte, more so than Taemin himself and Luna. But the only thing that made both Luna and Taemin better was their ability to control it. Even if the orb of magic swirling in Jonghyun’s palm looked stable, Taemin was sure that it was attacking Mir and anyone stupid enough to go close to the pair.
The younger man sighed lightly before he moved forward, his own magic spinning a protective barrier around himself and he tugged Jonghyun off of Mir. Bated breaths were held because when Jonghyun was angry, no one, NO ONE, touched him. Dark eyes, snapped backwards and Taemin just uttered something quietly to him. The magic in his hand glowed and Mir held his own breath as it drew closer to his face. Then, it vanished and Jonghyun’s fist lashed out.
The force of the punch caused Mir to knock his head against he concrete and he gasped in pain. Stars exploded in front of his eyes and the weight on him lifted. Someone grabbed his shoulders, gently shifting him and Mir hissed when fingers gently poked his rapidly reddening cheek. Jonghyun just watched, his face scarily blank of emotions. Mir figured it was only Taemin’s hand on the smaller man’s shoulder kept him from lunging again.
“Do remember who you’re talking to Bang Cheulyong,” Taemin said firmly, his fingers digging into Jonghyun’s shoulder as the man shifted. Mir froze, and more than one guild member, Krystal and Joon included felt as if they were missing something. Luna flinched and Sulli looked at the ground, her hands fisting at her sides. Mir scrambled to his feet and he winced as he moved before he uttered a shaky, “Sorry Chief. Was out of line there,”
“It’s fine,” Jonghyun’s voice rang out, stiff and raspy and Jonghyun brushed his hand off his shoulders. He looked over his guild members then observed Mir. His lips thinned into a line before he looked back at Taemin. “You remember that mission you talked to me about this morning?”
“Yeah. I do chief,” the younger man answered, the corners of his lips quirking. Jonghyun opened his mouth and Taemin flapped his hand dismissively. “Dun’ worry chief. I’ll send a raptor home if I need help. Think of it as a summons if you will,”
Jonghyun grinned, a light laugh leaving his lips for the first time all morning as he uttered, “Cheeky brat,” And even though he was grinning, Taemin, and Cheundong, who looked up at the sound of the guild chief‘s laughter, both knew that his heart was pounding, loud, worried and hard within the cavity of his chest. Because there was no one in the entire empire, the entire world and even spanning across worlds, who could just watch as someone they cared for, adored, even if they hadn’t met long, was dragged off for an execution.
It didn’t take a genius to know that Jonghyun was blaming himself for something he didn’t do. All the soldiers had said to them when they came to arrest Choi Minho, the lord of Westfall as he was associated with traitors to the empire. It was a false accusation, one that threatened all their lives. Finding that person, whoever it was would be high on their list but their real task now, was to rescue Minho.
~*~*~
“He’s being executed today,” with one comment, the entire guild fell silent, save for the tapping of a ceramic mug against the table as it was lifted. The speaker shifted almost nervously as dark eyes swept out towards him from behind the rim of the mug. He swallowed. “You’re not going to save him Chief?”
“Not my business,” was his retort. He raised his cup to his lips, staring into the dark liquid for a moment before he gently blew the steam away and took a sip. Jonghyun’s hands tightened on the ceramic as his stomach flopped inside him. It had already been two days since Minho was taken. And since then, his entire guild, the ones who didn’t know him (which really were far and few), blamed him for Minho’s arrest even when the lord’s own cousin didn’t.
“I’ve never though I’d see someone so heartless. It was the chief’s fault in the first place,” a second speaker was nudged silent and the door opened, Krystal entering the guild. Her dark eyes swept over the guild before she glided forward towards the young man mulling his thoughts over his cup of coffee. He looked up as she approached. She was smiling, which was an odd sight for anyone in the guild as of late.
“Chief, something came for you. It was by raptor,” and she deposited something into his hand. He looked at it and she continued, “There was no note on Evard at all. Just the trinket,”
“Isn’t Evard the Chief’s raptor? It must be from someone important about something important then to use the Chief’s raptor,” and the young guild leader just smirked softly to himself.
“Jinri-ah, Krystal-ah, we’ve finally got that summons,” the two girls looked up and Jonghyun smirked lightly. “Call the other Lordling and let’s go,”
~*~*~
He blinked blearily as the bag was tugged off his head. He hissed as the bright light glared unmercifully into his eyes and they closed, his head bowing slightly. His hair brushed against his nape and he absently noted that he should get his hair cut. If he survived. His eyes reopened, his vision adjusted somewhat to the light and he looked around. Soldiers surrounded the entire stadium, each one eager to watch the execution of a young Lord. It was odd, the country’s tradition. Whenever someone was executed, only the soldiers were to watch. No loved ones.
A soft sigh left him and he turned his gaze to his would be executioner. There was a cold, disgusting sneer on his portly face and his hand was clutched at the Emperor’s written order of his execution. He frowned at the man before looking up at the sky. The sun was a few minutes from hitting noon and he let his head drop back down.
At noon, he was to die.
“Any last words my Lord? Perhaps you would like to give the name of your fellow traitor now?” the voice was mocking as the portly man sneered at him. He looked back up but his eyes closed as his title was stressed impudently. There was a moment of silence then his eyes reopened.
“I’ve nothing to say to a fat pig such as yourself but this. When the true traitor over throws the empire and you‘re executed, I won‘t be there to greet you in the roads of hell,” his deep voice was cold, ringing out easily into the crowd of soldiers and a few shifted uneasily at his calm demeanor. Even when he was tied to a post about to be burned for his mistakes against the empire, Lord Choi Minho was still unshakable.
“How dare you-” there was a swirl of black, the sudden appearance of the person shocking the executioner into silence. The surge moved and even Minho had a hard time tracking whoever it was. Then there was a sudden weight applied to the post he was bound to. The handsome man smirked lightly at the surprised soldiers, turning on the balls of his feet as he crouched and he waggled his fingers at the executioner before glancing down. “What the-”
“My, my, my. You seem to have landed yourself in quite a tight situation haven’t you?” the handsome man tsked lightly. “Whatever did you do to warrant this pet?”
“I met you,” he replied almost tightly. If anything, Minho tried to refrain from long sentences because gods his head hurt. He vaguely remembered Jonghyun say something about him landing in a spell’s field and it would bee a few more days before its after effects wore off. It had already been two days since he woke up, only to be accused right off the bat, and for those two days, he had been plagued by a headache probably the size of the empire. It had only started dying the night before.
The one atop the post gasped and clutched his chest playfully and responded, “Aw. You hurt me pet. And I was planning on saving you too,” Minho couldn’t help it when the corners of his lips tilted upwards. Dark eyes twinkled down at him and their attention was caught when the portly executioner jerked to his feet.
“SIEZE HIM AND EXECUTE THEM BOTH!” The man on the post absently brushed dirt off his boots before he looked at the portly man, his expression bored as he shrilled, “TRAITORS! THE LOT OF THEM!”
“Well, I think I’d like to hear you call me master before you die,” he received a dark glower as Minho glared up at him and he chuckled. He turned his gaze and flipped easily off the pillar and directly into the middle of a group of charging soldiers. Minho saw a flash of silver then he was aware of the other man walking up to him, a playful smile on his lips even as the executioner roared for more soldiers behind him. Obviously their reputation was a lie, and a very good one if the empire didn’t catch on. A line of soldiers fell, each bleeding from almost every pore and Minho was momentarily distracted when he saw a pair of young girls weave their way in and out of the line of soldiers. A light touch at his cheek drew him back and the other man smiled, “Well pet?”
“Guards! More Soldiers! You are the best of the Empire! Seize them and execute them on the spot!” Minho didn’t know what to think as the man in front of him smiled brighter.
“I have a name you know,” was his answer. He smiled.
“Ah but what use is it if you die on me pet?”
“It’s Minho,” and the smile turned just a bit brighter. “But I’m not calling you master,” a gust of wind, bitter and cruel ripped through the air just above their heads and Minho resisted the urge to flinch as the top of the post he was bound to ripped to shreds, impaling a few dozen soldiers. The man before him almost pouted and Minho continued gently, “You’ll have to settle for Jonghyun,”
“Hm,” the man purred softly. He tapped his chin and them smiled. “I like that pet. I like that a lot. Hearing my name coming from you sounds much more pleasing than master,” he leaned forward, his hand brushing against Minho’s cheek once more. His eyes glowed. “I accept pet,” Minho sighed softly, feeling relief or something rush through his veins and the man’s voice darkened into something dangerous and it set all off Minho’s survival instincts. “Leave no one alive girls,”
“Of course Chief,”
“Right away Chief,”
"M' not a girl Jong,"
At the response, Jonghyun continued smiling before going about to loosen the ropes that tied Minho to the post. Behind him, a blood bath was occurring and Minho shivered when fingers brushed against the bare skin of his stomach. He received a smile in return and when he looked up at the blood bath, he barely cried out a warning to tell Jonghyun of the soldier creeping up behind him before a crackle was heard and there was a pulse of lightning. He was given a low chuckle and another pat to the cheek.
“Do not worry pet. Your fellow lordling is watching over us. He‘s surprisingly skill with magic did you know?” Jonghyun smirked for a moment as he tugged out a particularly nasty looking knot. “He seems to be quite taken with one of my girls since your capture. They make a lovely couple I must say,” the rope slid from his hands and he took a faint step back as Minho crumpled suddenly into his arms. “Careful there pet. Best get the blood flowing again first,”
“This is the part where you thank the Chief, Minho,” and the young lord looked around as a quartet, in which stood one of his old friends and cousin, surrounded the two of them. The stadium was void of life and there was a heavy stench of blood filling the air. Krystal, Sulli, Taemin, members of Jonghyun’s Rathian Guild and Cheundong, his own cousin and lord of Northglenn. Taemin had been the speaker. Krystal slapped his arm and Sulli whacked him with the flat of her blade across the back of his skull. Taemin rolled his eyes and Cheundong asked, “Alright there Minho?”
He opened his mouth to answer when a wave of nausea swept him head to toe. He only ended up moaning, head pressed to the crook of Jonghyun’s shoulders. Long, thin fingers gently ran through his hair and Jonghyun hummed lightly, “Let’s not stay. My pet cannot dwell here much longer,”
~*~*~
“The execution is probably over by now. I can’t believe the Chief was so heartless. The Lord of Westfall did nothing to him,” the comment made Joon look up and the speaker continued, “It was because of him that the Lord got into trouble anyways,”
“That’s enough,” and Joon turned to see one of the sub-leaders, Mir, as he entered the room. His arms were crossed and he did not look pleased. “What the Chief does is none of your business. Jonghyun’s knows what he’s doing. He doesn‘t need your approval,”
“You aren’t well enough to be moving Mir. You should be resting in fact,” the voice was light and Joon noted the sound of fluttering cloth. Mir grinned as Luna swept through, her dress sweeping about her legs and she smiled. “You know that Jonghyun would be unhappy to see you moving so soon,”
“You think he’d be happy that I can walk so soon, especially after that attack,” Mir laughed and Luna smiled a little bit wider. Mir frowned for a moment then amended, “Well, not attack. His magic just went berserk and didn’t like me,”
The guild was slowly beginning to fall silent. It was no secret that some of the newer members, some old ones and the ones that didn’t know Jonghyun believed that Jonghyun had been plotting against the empire and had taken Minho in as a scapegoat. But the few who didn’t, generally the ones who were close to Jonghyun, Sulli, Luna, Mir, Taemin, were loyal to the chief.
“You still happen to be recovering Mir. You shouldn’t be so reckless in moving,” the entire guild pretty much leapt to their feet as Jonghyun swept through the doors.
“Chief!” was the resounding yell-like cry. Jonghyun frowned.
“Hush, my pet is resting. No sudden noises,” Joon wondered if he missed something since Mir’s grin widened and Luna laughed gently asking, “Your summons was a success?”
“Very much so Luna. Even the other lordling was helpful in this summons,” Krystal answered as she and Sulli swept in behind Jonghyun. Their eyes flickered when someone said, “The chief has a new Pet? I can’t believe it. He’s gotten a replacement so soon?”
The chatter gradually died down as Jonghyun hummed softly.
“My, my. Minho-pet would be disappointed that you all think that he’d be so easily replaced,” Jonghyun purred lightly. Joon shivered. There was no mistaking that his tone was one of a predator who was about to devour his prey. “Because my Minho-pet knows that he’s forever irreplaceable to me,”
“Have I been promoted Jonghyun?” the voice was light and every guild member watched as Jonghyun’s face brightened, his eyes twinkling. The tall, handsome man was led into the room a portion of his weight supported by his cousin. “I’ve become Minho-pet instead of pet now?”
“Minho-pet! Perfect timing!” Jonghyun crowed even as surprised murmurs rang out in the room. He gently tugged the taller male to his side, taking on the lord‘s weight to his legs. His eyes flickered when he gently hugged the taller male and he continued, “Although I would have preferred you resting a bit more Minho-pet,”
“I’m fine Jonghyun. I escaped the jaws of death,” Jonghyun frowned and Minho gave him a faint grin. “The headache is ebbing away now. Do not worry so much,”
“The Lord Westfall!” Jonghyun tsked softly and corrected, “Not the Lord Westfall. He was executed earlier today. This is my Minho-pet,”
Luna laughed and Mir rolled his eyes. Krystal shook her head and said simply, “Minho, there’s a correction to be made to your statement. You’ve been demoted. Not promoted. You’ve been demoted from being the Lord Westfall to our guild Chief’s Minho-pet,”
There was a moment and Jonghyun smiled, hugging the tall youth around the waist. Minho’s lips quirked slightly.
“I’ll take that,”
{okay, after this begins the run from the empire and other characters, like Lee Seung-gi and Jessica (though she was mentioned in passing and in a chapter [see if you can find it]) will begin to have bigger roles and start showing up.}