His hand felt weird. Sort of tingly underneath his skin, ever since he touched the statue in the center of the port. Needles and pins that pricked along his palm, unsettling regardless of the times he washed his hands to rid himself of any lingering feelings jammed into the cracks of his hand. Weird. Must've been an allergic reaction or something of the type. He's never touched real bronze so, maybe he really was allergic to the precious metal. Then again, he's not sure what kind of allergic reaction would cause him to hallucinate the silhouette of a man inside of his eyes, but who knows with this weird ass world. Alternative solution is he's super mega ultra gay and horrifically touched starved (More likely).

Whatever. It's not that big of a thing to worry about anyway.

That night, when they had found stable accomodations in the back taverns of the port city (Split up into twos, in which somehow he ended up drawing lots to share the same room as Changbin), he nearly cried upon seeing a real bed. A bed. A mattress. A mattress with pillows and comforters. Not blankets padded against a hardwood floor. Not hammocks hung to freak with every bounce of the galleon in the ocean troughs. A BED. A REAL BED. Somehow, he withheld his tears, but the odd looks he was given for falling to his knees and kissing the mattress told him he was probably better off crying after all. Simple luxuries. Jeongin really was horrifically spoiled his entire life. Sorry. But he loves sleeping, and he hasn't been able to do so comfortably for a hot minute.

AND A BATH. A HOT BATH. HOLY SHIT.

Never before had he been so grateful to soak in a prehistoric version of his own bathtub at home. Like a sheet of mud, dirt, sand, saltwater, sweat, and grime peeled off of him. The aches in his muscles? Gone. His worries? Non-existent. Bruises? No more. Clean? Fresh. Hotel? Trivago. He was satisfied.

This trip to Miroh wasn't looking all too bad after all!

Or, he should've bit his tongue about that, honestly.

Because, as soon as he started thinking that everything was calm and great and alright with the world that following morning, once they had eaten their fill of eggs on seasoned rice in the morning and goat milk (Which, not bad! Different than normal milk but he didn't think it was all too horrible. He could drink it straight up at least, which he couldn't do with normal cow milk without gagging), Chan struck. As he does. As the fae folk do. He barged into Changbin and Jeongin's room at the top of the inn they had bunked in right as they had finished settling in their room (Jeongin for a nap, and Changbin was doing one thing or another), Seungmin in short tow on his heels. Closing the door behind him as the four of them were then locked in the room and Chan began to explain to them.

They came to Miroh, to Port Vitória, for a reason. To find out more about this supposed sea serpent the King of Miroh was ignoring. The sea serpent that suddenly appeared and is large enough to crush ships, but isn't, according to the others, large enough to be a leviathan. Why the creature only appeared under the cover of the night. Why the creature showed itself in the first place. And why the King hasn't done anything about the serpent despite word of it's existence terrorizing the port reaching farther than what was considered politically acceptable. Separatly, whatever it was that the King seem to be hiding in a fortress by the sea, along the east cape and to the south of Port Vitória. Or if there was another reason, and somehow they were connected as Hyunjin implied.

The trouble laying in not knowing where to begin their search for information. Whether the information is how to find the serpent to slay the creature to scrape and trade off the scales for profit, or whether the situation would turn up with some sort of convoluted secret that Miroh suppressed. First, they needed intel. Ideas. A hint of where to start. A hint of how to find where to start. And, of course, since it seemed like the King did know of the serpent, yet wasn't doing anything to help out his citizens, Chan came up with a brilliant idea he shared with the three of them. Go to the King first. See what information he was willing to give. Since the capital of the Kingdom was only a day's ride or so out from Port Vitória, they could seek counsel with the Warlord first. Which, honestly? That's so valid and reasonable. That's the easiest plan Jeongin has heard in his lifetime.

Then, Chan the Fae struck. With a sweet, unassuming grin on his face. He announced.

"Jeongin, Seungmin, and Changbin, you three will be going!"

Changbin startled, perking up in surprise.

While Jeongin just wasn't even sure how to take the sudden proclamation. A King? A Warlord? Seriously? He's never seen a King before! Why him? Of all the people to chose to go on this adventure: Riding a horse (He's never ridden a horse), go to a stronghold keep (he's never been inside of a keep), waltz into a castle into for an audience with a king (he's never seen a King), and speak with a king (He's never talked with a king). Like... In what world, in what way, in what type of situation, would sending him along with Seungmin and Changbin ever be a good idea? He's going to be beheaded before he could even get a word out because he'll look at someone wrong!

Luckily, the warlock on the other bed was bold enough to press himself up straight. Sitting with his feet tapping into the ground below as he vocalized their confusion with a chaste, "Why are you making us go?"

"You're humans. As long as you keep your sleeves rolled down, you three don't have any traces of the arcane or mythics on you. I'm clearly not human, Minho and Jisung aren't able to cover the traces completely either," Chan had explained, perching on the end of the warlock's bed as he folded a knee up that disappeared beneath the layers of that same flowy white and golden robe he always dressed himself in (Or the similar designs of different ones he rotated between religiously). Propping himself as he sighed beneath his lips, "It's best if only you three go. The rulers of Miroh aren't exactly... Friendly with other species."

This time, it was Jeongin's turn to startle. Feeling his own eyes going wide as he couldn't hold back the blurt of, "Dude! They're racist?!"

"I'm not sure what that word means, but you seem angry about it, so I'll agree and say yes," Chan didn't seem phased by the shout in the slightest (Even if he could see the puzzlement on Changbin and Seungmin's faces, but he figured the fae was quick enough to clue into the whole, not from the same world so definitely has different words). Only offering a polite nod back to him. And the narrowing of his eyes, lips pressing thin together as he agreed despite his admittance of not knowing what the fuck Jeongin was talking about, "They're racists."

So. That answers his earlier questions about if racism and xenophobia exist in this world. Crazy. Especially for a kingdom that was built on the backs of, literally everything BUT humans from what Changbin was telling him. Disregard the fact Chan doesn't know what he's talking about.

Let's not begin to mention Mr. Fine As Fuck. Where he posted himself, leaned against the timber wall beside the doorway. His arms folded over his chest, the worn burgundy jacket that trailed long behind him the same as the one he wore last night and the abyss tinted waistcoat unbuttoned below. His legs crossed over to match the weave of his arms, proudly propped with his cutlass suspended by his side. Never have abandoned the weapon behind. Jeongin had to keep reminding himself not to stare while Chan was in the room with them, yet it was nearly impossible with the suffocating weight of his mere presence on the back of his mind. Even worse when he spoke, "The King is our target to provoke information from. A gruff, older man, he makes his status of a Warlord clear. I'll be speaking. All you two need to do is watch behind me, and make sure all three of us make it back safely."

"Oh, and, do mind your manners around him. I would rather not have to rescue any of you while I am enjoying my sweet rolls in the taverns," Chan added in with that same infuriating smile on his lips. Slightly pressed together. Slightly tugged up. Annoying. And cheeky beyond belief, "I will warn, I will not save you until I've finished eating."

With that warm send off, Chan practically shoved them out the door and waved goodbye from the window overlooking the pathway outside the inn with a gleaming shit-eating grin that turned those golden eyes to crescents. As irked as Changbin seemed, Seungmin went along with his request, and Jeongin was confused. As he typically is. What else is new. Though he wasn't sure how any of this would win him back favor with the Gods. He'd figure it out eventually. Right?

Also, Jeongin has never ridden a horse. Much less seen a real one outside of the fantasy movies he watched. So, when Seungmin and Changbin confidently wandered out to the nearest stables they could find and somehow bargained to take a couple of their mares out for a few hours, he kinda just... Went with it. Yeah. They seemed to know what they were doing. No, he didn't know. He had actually, zero clue how they managed it. Not to mention the fact they both seemed to know how to stay put on the saddles without falling off. Not to mention, Jeongin had no certainty he could do the same as them, so, naturally, as Chan was not around to tell Jeongin to keep a 'gnomes distance' between them, Seungmin had extended a hand down and assisted in pulling him up behind him.

Bonuses of not knowing how to ride horses. You get to hold onto hot men's shoulders for a few hours. Yes! Score!

Plus, while Seungmin and Changbin had to stay active and alert along the forest trails, he could be the passenger princess he's always meant to be.

There was something clean about the forest. Something fresh, renewing, like a bubbling brook of spring water tumbling over pearls of river rocks and the weeping violet flowers which grew on the banks. Wanting to memorize all he could see while they passed underneath the early morning sun. To familiarize himself with the rays of sunlight clipping incandescent hues through the dense canopy of pullulating leaf veins. To memorize the walks of life skittering on the lush loam furs, rabbits peeking their tall ears before dashing away, birds fluttering songs as they soared to the mystical effervescence their array of feathers recognized as home. To become another visiting wanderer passing through this quiet tranquility, away from the crowded buzz of the concrete cities he knew, with nothing but the rustling of brush as company. To escape.

A meandering pace floated the large animal over the unwatched brush grown wild in the deeper stretches of forest, the heavy steps of hooves snapping fallen twigs unlucky enough to be caught between rock piles coated in evergreen moss, the blank mind of the human jelled on the bareback fur as he sunk into Seungmin's back. The intrusion of low swinging branches warning to swat him in the face before the First Mate pushed them aside.

He inhaled the clean air, deeply. His arms dropping to tighten loosely around Seungmin as he thumped his cheek between his shoulder blades. Halfway ready to fall asleep right there. Halfway ready to stare off into space. The First Mate's breaths were so steady against his cheek and against the hands he hung off of his waist. Rising. Falling. In perfect rhythm. In his nose, the First Mate smelled sweet. The scent of the misty foam of ocean water that laps at the shoreline, yet an intoxicating heaviness that was undeniably pleasant instead of irritating to him like the sharp salt of the sea usually was. The scent of the ocean, of electricity that courses in lightning slamming rogue waves, yet, so, so, sweet too.

Something about it caused his heart to ache. It caused his heart to adore that scent more.

He felt him shifting carefully, twisting in his grasp as his chin bumped into the top of his head. The hum of Seungmin's voice echoing inside of his ears as he murmured, "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah. I think I'm just homesick," He uttered back to him. Watching the trees as they passed by them row by row. Just the thump of the horse's hooves on condensed foliage. Just the chittering of squirrels sailing up tree bark. Just the heavy snorts sagging from the horse's nostrils. Just the gentle sway of Seungmin in front of him moving with the languid steps. Just the forest, waiting beyond his fingertips.

Just the gentle smile in his voice. He didn't need to see his expression to know what that smile looked like. The fond upturning of his lips, the softening of his eyes, the crinkle that would show in the center of his cheek and the dip in his chin that always brought them eye to eye. How confusing and muddled his heart seemed to be while it struggled against his mind, tangling up into an intertwined mess as he couldn't seem to decipher who he pictured in his head first. A face that glowed beneath the sky of bursting fireworks, or the one that radiated beneath the sunlight on the open sea. But he knew who's voice reached out to him between his thoughts when Seungmin wondered, "Is this your excuse to embrace me?"

"Yeah," Jeongin laughed softly. Nodding a bit as he melted down into the vibrations meeting his eardrums, "Yeah, it is an excuse. Do you mind?"

"No. If I remind you of home, then hold me as long as you need to."

"Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me for being stubborn."

They fell quiet. The thumping of the horse's hooves filling the comfortable silence stretched between them. Such a strange feeling that snuggled inside of his chest, something that wanted to remain as love, but knew was dying out. Something that wanted to dig it's heels in and remain within him forever, but began to give way to the tides of something else. Something that wanted to feel the same. Something that wanted to be the same. But... Couldn't.

It would suck to be Changbin right now though. Imagine being him listening to this. Imagine third-wheeling so hard. Jeongin doesn't feel bad subjecting him to this. Not even a single bit.

They reached the capital of the Kingdom sometime in the afternoon. Between Jeongin drifting in and out of a semiconsciousness that didn't participate in the slightest to the light chatter carried between the other two to opt for turning to muddy gelatin completely behind Seungmin, and the heavy steps of hooves snapping fallen twigs unlucky enough to be caught between rock piles coated in evergreen moss, he didn't pay any attention to where they were or where they were going. Just knowing, at some point the thumping of dirt beneath the horses hooves had turned to the clacking of metal shoes against cobblestone roads. Just knowing, at some point they were surrounded by similar buildings of stone to Port Vitória. Just knowing, at some point they had passed a pair of wide gates with guards, and the other two did the talking while he kept quiet.

There were a few things he did take note of however. Once of which being the large hallways they were lead through by men that wore the same uniforms as the soldiers they saw in the port the evening prior, the stone walls of the inner castle corridors that tunneled on seemingly endlessly to corners he would never discover. The next, were the same emerald banners, the golden embroidery of a coiled serpent that unhinged it's jaw to swallow the hilt of the sword it's body wrapped tightly to hold still, hung excessively in places he was fairly sure would get them yelled at by a professional interior designer from his world. Finally, he noticed the calm that Seungmin and Changbin had about them as they followed after the guards leading them to the King's chamber, to have an audience with the man himself (However they pulled that off, is way beyond Jeongin's head but, that's why he didn't say anything).

They were lead to a set of impressive ironwood doors that towered far above their heads. Where the guards stepped aside and allowed them into a  fairly spacious room; Complete with pillars that boardered the carpeted tassel rug that ran down the center like the boney support of a spine, windows paned with stainless glass of hues that casted across the ground, a wide birth that immediately cause Jeongin to feel smaller. Insignificant. That wasn't beginning to mention at the forefront of the room, where a stairwell led up to four golden thrones designed and embellished with more riches than he would ever have thought he'd see in his lifetime, and the three humans who perched proudly.

The one in the middle, a grey beard and a suspicious look to his eyes, black royal garbs decorated with accents of gold and emerald, the crown which sat atop his head. The King of Miroh?  He fit the profile.

Only emphasized by the fact Changbin nudged him straight between the soft skin on his ribs, the assault on his very being followed up by Changbin dipping his body into a bow. Awkwardly, Jeongin followed along with them, in time to hear the greeting from Seungmin of, "Your Highness."

Checks out. King of Miroh. Good to know.

"Why do you make an appearance in my court?" His tone was gruff in the age that wrinkled up on by edge of his tongue like the bitter aftertaste lime left on an unsuspecting tongue. Curt like a brief stranger that passed by bumping shoulders, not someone who supposedly sat up on the throne to rule their citizens. Irked by the simple idea that he would have to entertain anyone else's ideas other than his own for even a second. Exasperated, judging by the raking of his eyes over Seungmin stood in the center of the room (And not bothering with Changbin or Jeongin a few paces behind him, to the side, not even bothering to look at the glare Jeongin gave him for his invasive stare). His head laid heavy in his propped hand. He certainly didn't fit the mold of a King. By far, that aged man fit the mold of a Warlord.

The other two were somewhat interesting too. A woman with midnight black hair and freckles that hid inside of her aging complexion, strands of faded gray that were woven into the braided hair cascading down the front of her opulent gown. An irritated glint to her eyes that matched the man she sat beside, she must've been his queen. Something of the type. She looked angry enough to match him. A match made in hell. Meanwhile the guard that stood within an arms length behind the King, a high ranking guard of some type, similar to the soldiers and ones they had seen before but evidently more important than the others based off his outfit and the fact he was standing beside the King.

There was something sort of weird about the picture, though.

"I apologize for invading and seeking your council on short notice," Seungmin started as he straightened up from the bow, Jeongin and Changbin following along after him like an estranged pair of ducklings. Apparently neither of them knew how to act in front of royalty. Just staying quiet while Seungmin did the heavy lifting, "We are from a foreign trading company, from the country of University beyond our maps. We come seeking revenue from the waters of the Three Kingdoms and the Clè Empire. While we've found the oceans abundant for trade, we come to you hearing... Rumors."

It was probably considered extremely rude, but he kept scanning those three over. That feeling within his gut that wouldn't settle churning over again, why was he feeling off-put by the three at the top of the stairs? Was it the scowls they all had despite being rulers? Was it the fact they had to look up to them at the top of the staircase? Was it the fact they didn't hide their displeasure with the band of vagrants that stepped into their palace?

No... There was so much gray in their hair too.

From the corner of his gaze raking over the King, he could see the subtle breath that Seungmin sharply intook, before beginning, "The sea serpent. We se-"

Oh, that's what it is!

"No," The King interrupted him.

Jeongin realized, It's weird because they're old—

"Pardon me?" The First Mate recoiled. A soft scoff hidden between his words as he tried again, "Surely, we can barter a deal of some sort-"

But there's no heir.

Maybe he could convince himself there wasn't a younger heir with them because he was busy, after all, this serpent situation must've been a trivial matter compared to other situations. Yet the King, Queen, and a high ranking guard was there. Not to mention, there were no other thrones. No paintings. No anything, to indicate there was someone to take the throne when the King passed. By now, they would certainly be presented to society, they would be introduced as the Crown Prince, but thinking about it, no one mentioned anything about any sort of heir at all. Isn't that sort of weird?

"No. You were given your answer. The sea serpent is property of Miroh. If you hunt it, we will not hesitate to send our fleets after you," The King denied him again. His decision only reinforced by the unmoving statued that the two beside him were, wordlessly backing his every dictation as his arms rooted to the armrests of his throne. The condescending look to the scrutiny of his eyes and the depth of his voice that commanded them, "Leave here immediately."

Though Jeongin saw Seungmin's jaw tightening and his hands bundled up to fists by his side, the First Mate bit his tongue. Politely bowing to the King once more, before turning his back to the ruler (Jeongin was pretty certain immediately turning your back on another in power was considered extremely rude), and swiftly charging out from the chamber. The thought what Seungmin was doing was pretty rude only amplified by the fact Changbin took a few steps backward before realizing he was fearlessly marching out, copying him to do the same. Jeongin just followed after them. Not really giving a shit. He probably gave the King a once over of a lifetime and he knew for certain if he could see inside of Jeongin thoughts, he would've been run through for calling him old.

When they left the chamber, though he could see Changbin and Seungmin ahead of him,

The faint tapping of footsteps echoed in the stone corridors behind him.

He snuck a glance over his shoulder, as subtle as he could manage. Catching a glimpse of a ghost that watched them from around a corner; Neatly tailored midnight black of a royal garb uniform, embellishments of emerald dazed decorations woven into the stitching of the fabric and the inside of the cloak that rippled against the draft, golden tassels accenting where the fern didn't touch, and a white fur that sat around his collar. Midnight black hair, perhaps, freckles? But he was smoothly ushered away by a guard that snagged his hand before Jeongin could sneak a peek of who was spying on them any longer.

He brushed it off, jogging to catch up to the other two.

"AUGH! I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT BASTARD!"

Were the first words that left Seungmin's mouth as soon as they were out of hearing range from anyone that may be capable of chopping their heads off or stabbing their guts for being rude to any royalty. Not like they weren't already walking on thin ice. Barging in on a King peacefully enjoying his day to seek council to kill a monster that rightfully belonged to him, insulting him by mentally calling him old (And really, he was, he needed to retire ASAP), turning their backs to him without a proper goodbye, could the list of offenses against a bloodthirsty Warlord get any worse than they already were? He's certain they can. He just needs to figure out how.

Oh. Right. This. This is how. As soon as they were in the forests again, where the sun was setting off in the horizon and the chill of night was threatening to be ushered in within the next few hours that passed, picking themselves a peaceful spot at the top of a jutted cliff side that overlooked the backmost gate of the palace walls that lead to who fucking knows where on the rocky path that led away compared to the much neater city that bordered the other side; Anyway, as soon as they were up on that cliffside, Seungmin let his frustrations go. Apparently he keeps small, hidden, throwable blades in the heel of his boot. Good to know. Would've been nice to know before he reached down and slung one at the nearest tree as he spouted to anyone who would listen to his anger,

"The audacity of that foul, ghoul-loving, troll-wort, mangy inbred mutt! Interrupting me while I'm still speaking!" Seungmin ripped the throwing knife out of the tree trunk it punctured, chucking the blade to pierce into the ground beside his foot as Jeongin and Changbin could only stand back to watch his ranting. Kicking, pacing, his hands balled in fists as he traced circles on the near barren cliffside, "As if he's more important than me, that mangy little rat-faced fae-fucker of a despicable man, I would cast curses on his blood, if I could turn him to stone I would!"

"Seungmin doesn't like being interrupted," Casually, Changbin explained to Jeongin as he slumped back against the nearest tree trunk to lean on. Settling in. He must've known they were in for the long haul until the First Mate came down off his wrath.

Meanwhile Jeongin hissed a sharp breath between his teeth, watching Seungmin kick up the forest dirt to vent out his anger, "Yeah..."

I know that. He gave me the silent treatment for two weeks for interrupting him during an argument back at home.

"Because it means they think your words aren't worth saying," His eyebrows furrowing together as he searched far into that memory. What small, insignificant thing he and the other world's Seungmin had been arguing over until Jeongin interrupted his words, and his boyfriend fell silent in the midst of the argument. Soundlessly leaving him where he stood, refusing to read through any of his texts, ignoring his presence even when beside him, until he broke down and apologized. What words Seungmin had said to him still engraved into his heart. He remembered, "It's painful to speak when you know someone doesn't care for your words."

Seungmin stopped in his tracks, whipping around to Jeongin as his stare went unreadable.

Just, sort of, looking at him.

Before the First Mate stormed up to him too, "Who told you that?"

"It's what I think!" Jeongin stumbled over his feet to back away, his hands raising up by his sides in surrender because holy shit was he about to get killed by Seungmin? Seungmin wasn't about to kill him, right? Right? Why does he look so pissed off?!  It really was what he believed nowadays too, and it was rude to interrupt people, but still, why is Seungmin staring him down with such an intensity to him, weren't they getting along well earlier! The top of his back touched into a tree stopping him from escaping any farther as he protested back, "Do you have a problem with it or something?!"

"N-no, but..." The demeanor of the First Mate softened up in an instant. His fists falling loose by his sides. His shoulders relaxing with the breath he sucked in between his teeth. The wrath he must've been grappling with tumbling off of him in a second as he stared up at Jeongin, the ends of his eyebrows furrowing as his gaze flickered through his features. Searching? Looking for something that he couldn't decipher. Exhuming the truth that was laid behind a mask he didn't wear, expecting to find another word, another extremity, another reality. And upon finding none, the skepticism in his eyes drowning out as they crumbled away, "But people don't think that. They never do."

"Who is that?"

Ripping his eyes off of Seungmin (Which, for the record he would much rather be participating in than anything anyonr else had to offer but he knew Chan would cut him open and gut him alive if he so much as even had the inkling of the impression Jeongin was taking an interesting in the First Mate), he dropped his hands and glanced to the warlock. Whatever Changbin had been focused on off the edge of the cliffside where they stood. Whatever had his full attention pulled off of what they were doing here in the clearing, back down to the far gates of the palace in the distance.

The back gates, he might add on. Not the front. Definitely the back. Under the concealment of the lurking nightfall in the lowering of the sunrise growing nearer and nearer, the subtle horse drawn carriage manned and guarded by the same soldiers they had been seeing throughout the day. The drafted war horses that defended the carriage as if there was precious gold laid inside the chassis. The soldiers that seemed to be escorting someone from the back gates into the carriage. A riding cloak of pure black that concealed him expertly in the dark, the faint flutter of emerald silk on the inside barely visible, and the white bordering his collar hidden well by the tied of the cloak clasped down being helped up into the seats protected by the structure around it.

The ghost he had seen earlier? Clearly not a ghost but... The stalker?

Seungmin was the first to make the call, swiftly jogging toward where they tied the mounts of their horses up, "Let's follow them."

He extended a hand down to Jeongin, offering the help up behind him, and not bothering to settle before they were off once more at a hastened pace. Pressing the horses to canter faster along the tops of the cliffside and between the tree lines that masked them in the growing darkness of the night. Ensuring that the carriage was never too far ahead of them, never too far behind either to not alert the guards of their presence. Ensuring they stayed right where they needed to, in order to see where they were taking the carriage, as well as the cloaked figure in the seats. The rectangular box that hid him behind the curtains drawn in the windows keeping them from ever seeing exactly who he was, while expertly concealing where he was going. In the midst of the night, along the rocky roads, unbeaten trails in the forest that caused the carriage wheels to top dangerously over stumps and branches.

Just how far were they taking that cloaked person away from the palace?

That answers being given to them as the carriage drew to a firm halt in front of a decrepit building. Stone walls. Large blocks that slotted together along the edge of the coastline. Battlements that bordered along the outside lengths of the structure. Fighting against the waves that slammed against the sides that touched down into the rocky straits below. A structure? A fortress. A fortress they stoped at the gates of. The cloaked figure that was inside the carriage, now wrapped with another robe that covered his head completely, being ushered hastily inside the walls by the guards that surrounded him.

Okay. Weird. Not the weirdest thing he's ever seen. But, low-key? Reminded him of how security acts at airports when an idol's schedule gets leaked and fans start to crowd around them. Like, how the security will cover them with a jacket and shove everyone to the side to get the idol through the mob. That sort of vibe. Does that even make sense? Definitely made sense in Jeongin's head. Still, just weird... a really weird vibe from it all. He couldn't quite set a finger on what exactly about the situation didn't sit right in his gut, but, he definitely thought it was just, strange. Very strange. 

Silently, Seungmin and Changbin passed one another a glance. A silent communication between them before they turned their horses around, and took off (With Jeongin desperately hanging onto Seungmin) back to the city of Port Vitória through the forests.

Managing to reach the glow of the candlight peace by time the moonlight  flooded the sky with a hazy darkness, a slim cresence in the midst of the abyss that didn't fill up the florescence night as it did when that body was filled. Collecting back with the other three as soon as they were able to disembark with the horses they borrowed for the day, gathering up in their usual bunch to inform one another of their findings. The crew, where they settled together at the end of the port's wooden docks to not be heard by any unwanted eavesdroppers that chose to peep on them. Not that anyone would chose to. They were a pretty intimidating group overall. Minus Jeongin who didn't know what he was doing, and Jisung who looked like an airhead but was probably brighter than the cluster of them combined.

Jeongin sat cross legged at the end of the dock, his back turned to the others as he listened to their conversation happening behind him and what they were concluding. First, the fortress must've been the one that Hyunjin mentioned when he was relating the location of the sea serpent, so that was a great start. Second, the King was an asshole (We all know that by now, seriously, SMH it doesn't take a genius to piece together that puzzle). Third, there was certainly, definitely, without a doubt, something that the King knew about the sea serpent that he was hiding away from his Kingdom, and neglected to inform anyone of. For fear of what? Who knows. Seriously, who knows why monarchs do half the shit they do.

But, whatever it was, definitely had to do with that cloaked figure they saw.

"Summoning, perhaps?" Jisung  offered up the solution first, humming the conclusion as he connected with complete reasonable plausibility and probably the best explanation any of them had given since the debriefing starred, "A druid... Or a Warlock? Sorcerer? They're summoning the sea serpent using him and the old fortress as a base?"

Gently, Minho countered him, "But why would they summon a sea serpent into their own port if it's going to crush their own ships and ruin their own merchanting?"

Jeongin kept his eyes trained on the ocean waves in front of him. Where they lapped gently against one another. Peacefully. Undisturbed. A larger hump in the waves than usual bumping below the docks. But, a tranquil night overall. The usual serenity of the moonlight that cases silver slivers along the tops of the waves dancing between the mountain peaks like snowflakes drifting on a winter breeze.

Still, it was strange. This unsettled feeling kept lingering in his gut, like... Like eyes were watching him from somewhere in the distance. Like inside of the palace.

"Don't you think it's strange we don't know who that person could be either?" Changbin interjected into the conversation this time. Reasonable too, Jeongin would say. At least they were thinking, right? That's more than he could say himself, instead just staring off into nowhere in the water and hoping that someone will tell him where he's off to on the next adventure with whomever would drag him along. That seemed to be the custom nowadays. But the warlock sleuthed, "Usually with royals you know who they are when you see them. It was too lithe to be the King, and too broad to be the Queen. It wasn't a soldier, and it definitely wasn't a maid. So, what, or, who was that person they were moving?"

The moonlight painted across the tops of waves. Where his eyes lingered and winced from the brilliance attempting to blind him in the middle of the night.

Until,

It didn't.

And a small shadow broke the luminance before slipping beneath the waves.

That dread inside of his gut pooled deeper as he hesitated, calling weakly, "Hey... Uh..."

"Maybe? A mercenary?" Then Chan murmured, "The question why is still valid though."

For a moment, he would've sworn the disturbance was nothing more than a trick of the light. Until it happened again. A larger wave bumped beneath the bottom of the docks. The moonlight was broken by a shadow that moved. Closer. The thing, dragging along the water as a silhouette showed beneath the waves.

"Maybe they're trying to see if they can add sea serpents to their repertoire of weapons to take over the world with," Weakly, Minho joked.

Then again. And again. In a different spot. Something was coiling in the water. Coming closer second by second.

"Guys," Slowly, he called again, pressing himself off of the ground onto his feet as he tried to raise up as gradually as he could manage.

That shadow, with slitted eyes and sapphire scales that emerged from the water, it...

Oh.

"What do we do now?"

Oh.

Oh shit.

Jeongin shouted at them, "GUYS!"

Behind him, their voices went silent.

Slitted eyes of an emerald glaze pierced through him as the monster towered far above them on the docks. Scaled fins and frills that bordered along the wide square of the unhinging jaw as it's spine twisted beneath the weight of the head, where rows upon rows of sharpened teeth presented themselves dangerous enough to bite the docks they stood on in clean halves. Rooted tapping of a vibrating clicking that bassed inside of his eardrums and suffocated pressure inside of his lungs, a roar that built up, waiting to bellow into the air as it's scaled skin warbled in time to the beast's movements. Enormous enough to swallow him in one bite as he slowly backed away. Monstrous enough in it's odd beauty to crush galleons as if the coiling of it's body beneath the waves was nothing.

And, now, Jeongin isn't an expert on sea serpents or any sort of mythical creature but from what it sounds like, that's... this is a lot bigger than a sea serpent should've been.

He pointed up at the monster, "Uh, so, it's not supposed to be that big, right?"

They jinxed it.

Didn't they?

Fuck.

𓇼༝ ˚ ｡⋆ 𖠳 ᐝ ꕀ ⋆｡ ˚ ༝𓇼

Guys if you want an idea about what mysterious cloaked figure #1 was wearing, at the very very very bottom of my Pinterest board for DNSA is a uniform I used as reference