Taehyung's POV

"You said that she is your mate, yes?".

I look up from Y/N's form to glance at the old physician at his question and find him standing at the foot of the bed, his eyes concerned as he observes her state, which he has been doing every once in a while since I brought her here.

"She is, that was revealed yesterday afternoon when the mark appeared on her skin. Have you found anything?".

He hums, lips pursing before he taps on his temple with a finger.

"It's only a hypothesis, but my guess at the moment would be that her body grew weaker because of the mark, hence why she got sick. It is not a known case to have a human mated to a dragon, let alone multiple dragons, so we can only imagine the impact of it on her body. She should feel better after resting properly so please do not worry too much".

I thank him with a short nod of the head before bringing my gaze back to her when he walks out of the room, my hands still holding onto her own because I am incapable of letting go just yet.

Did I go too far with the training earlier? I should've insisted that she rests instead of going along with her denial nonsense, it was obvious that she could not handle any kind of training when I first saw her this morning, but I wanted her to see that for herself.

I didn't want to control, I wanted her to realize that she was being foolish on her own, with her own eyes, that was all I could think of doing to avoid being the receiver of her growing frustration.

She is not one to let anyone tell her when it is that she must be weak and strong, she has a mind of her own and she knows how to use it, but as Seokjin would say... that is not always a good thing.

Her desire to prove herself leads her to lengths that are concerning, to say the least.

But as Yoongi would also say - she is who she must be today, and if being stubborn is a trait that she must carry at the moment, then so be it. We will adapt as she learns and betters herself and if we must show the example along the way, then we shall.

Her growth is hers to experience, it must not be forced nor precipitated or it will disrupt the flow of her natural pace.

"D-dragons! Two dragons on the horizon! Clear the training ground and keep your distance! Do not engage in offense, I repeat, do not engage in offense! That is the order given by Commander Rayner!".

I smile at the screams that begin to occupy the fortress because of my mates' arrival, they got here faster than I thought they would, is it Jimin and Hoseok? I know that they weren't assigned any tasks for the week, which would explain why they'd get here first.

Needless to say that they must be anxious to meet her, though that excitement will soon turn to concern when they find her in this state.

I would've loved for her to witness their landing as I doubt she was ever allowed such a sight from this close before, but more of our mates will come from the sky so all is not lost, they will not get here all at the same time.

One of the two dragons releases a roar of warning after finding people still running around - crushed bodies stuck underneath our talons can be hard to clean after all - and when another circle over the ground assures him that the path is clear, his heavy wings begin to send the air down to ease his descent softly.

The strong flapping noises resound all throughout the walls of the fortress and in quick successions, I get to hear them settle on the ground, waves of muddy sand sent against the nearest windows at their landing that will surely give the knights something to do when they find their equipment sent all over the place.

"Show your respect to the knights of the Order of Fire!".

I hum at the shouted words, not many were aware of my presence here yesterday so to have more purple scarves in the fortress will certainly bring about some order in the ranks, or so I hope. It is time to remind them that they are before all servants of the Royal Family and that their behaviour is currently unworthy of such a title.

They'll wish they had a stick glued to their back when the others get here, especially Namjoon, Seokjin and Yoongi because their knees will meet the floor before their eyes even land on the three of them. That is how strong their auras are.

At the sound of feet hitting the floor in loud echoes, I turn on my seat just in time to see the door thrown open against the wall, and there stands Hoseok, my red-haired mate in all of his glory, chest rising quickly at what must have been a race against time as he flew over the desert to reach Orton.

Jimin joins him a few seconds later in a similar breathless state, his greyish blue hair all messy over his head, dilated pupils taking the sight of our human mate in before they carefully come closer, a short nod to greet me before they stare at her again, as if trying to make sense of what they're seeing.

"The Commander himself told us that we would find you here, what happened, Taehyung? Is she sick?" Hoseok is first to speak, hazelnut eyes creased with worry as he tries to find any wounds or bruises on her body, the paleness of her skin not something he notices right away because it's not as bad as it was earlier.

"The mark's impact must have been too much for her body, her soul suddenly found itself bearing the golden peonies of fate, a mark that connects her to seven dragons, it must have been a lot for a human. The physician said that we should not worry, she only needs rest" I resume the situation calmly to help them ease down from their nerves, and Jimin comes to sit besides me to have a closer look at her face with his dark-coloured orbs.

"How long has she been sleeping for?".

I gently shift her hand into his own so that he can hold it instead, and Jimin looks almost fascinated when he realizes that his hands are bigger than hers, his fingers all soft as he laces them together to feel more of her warmth.

"She's been asleep for five hours now. It's possible that she wakes up soon but I have yet to feel her move so it might take a bit longer before she regains consciousness, it's hard to tell".

Hoseok pulls an unused chair over before sitting at my other side, a hand raised to rub my back slowly before he offers me a small smile, it feels good to be back together after being apart for days, it is not often that we are sent on different tasks like this.

"It's a good thing that you came here, Taehyung, I fear to think about the outcome of her life in this place if it had not been made known that she is our mate. Did you tell her about the mark? Does she know?".

I purse my lips before sighing, which earns me two concerned glances, Jimin still with Y/N's hand safely held as his thumb draws soothing circles onto her skin.

"I told her last night when we were alone in the library but... Y/N seems to survive by selectively denying what affects her person, I think this is how she keeps control of her life. She's so used to having to look over her shoulder to defend herself that now she doesn't take risks anymore. She did not accept the bond, the same way she refused to admit that she felt sick until the very end earlier".

The two of them remain silent as they turn their eyes to her form again.

Growing up in Orton as a female... we can only blame her environment for making her end up this wary. This is no place for a lady, no matter how strong you might think you are.

She must have had to fight very hard to prove her worth every single day and she's aware that she can lose what little respect she's managed to gain in the blink of an eye if she's not careful, which is probably why she rejected the bond.

She knew that the knights here would sneer at her with baseless accusations if they found her being close to me, and that was confirmed this morning for the simple reason that I sat at her table to have breakfast, yet that cannot be a reason to let them win over what we could - and will - have.

"It's okay, Tae, you did your best. She will realize that the world is easier to live once we make it to Goldwyn, her experience will be completely different once her transfer is completed. Hwasa and Solar are already looking forward to meet her since she's our human mate, she's going to be in good hands there" Jimin assures me softly and I heave a sigh, that's really good to hear.

"Yes... you're right. Being close to her family again after all those years will be good for her, but having new friends to take care of her would certainly be good as well, these two will make her feel right at home in no time since they're part of the same Order. Maybe they can bring her some familiarity, seeing as they're partnered with dragons themselves".

The two humans were chosen by Lynsee and Dorian four years ago, two young dragons who were immediately fascinated by their talent during a mission that required our assistance. They've been amongst the best knights to team up since then, their chemistry is excellent.

"Is Y/N from the capital, Taehyung?" Hoseok asks with a light tilt of the head as the part about her family finally registers and I nod before letting my gaze take in the warmer color to her skin, it's already looking much healthier now.

"She was indeed born there. I'm guessing she got to live in Goldwyn until she was at least ten years old, it must have been around then when Commander Rayner took her in as a page and sent her to Orton. She told me a little about her family last night, she has a younger sister who she's never met yet, her mother is apparently very sick and she supports most of their expenses on her own. She works harder than many people I know, yet she doesn't seem to realize it".

Jimin squeezes her hand a little tighter upon hearing about the burden that she took as her own, how much did she need to sacrifice up to this day? It is not a nice feeling to know that one of our mates has been struggling alone for so long without our knowledge.

"We should send a letter to Namjoon before he departs from the castle, he could have one of our doctors take care of her mother. I doubt she can afford one at the moment since a recruit's salary isn't the highest, I'm sure she would feel better to know her in good hand, what do you think?".

I hum at his idea, that's indeed something that we can do for her, why didn't I think of that sooner?

"It's a very good idea, Jimin. I'll take care of it, you two should stay with her in the meantime. The physician might come have a look at her again at some point so be nice, but if it's another knight peeking in because he saw me walk out of the infirmary without her... chew his head off".

Jimin and Hoseok don't know much about her circumstances, they just got here and my letter only covered the basic necessary, but they know me well enough to see when I'm sarcastic and when I'm serious, and this right here was more than serious.

"You can be assured that not a single pair of eyes will settle on her without our permission. I dare believe that no knights would be stupid enough to mess with us, but if they do, they'll wish they didn't".

We share a nod, a soft nose bump, and then I'm walking out of the infirmary to take care of my new task.

Your POV

"Yoongi should be the next one to come here, he was already almost done dealing with the complicated matter at the tavern when we left".

"Right... it's a good thing that he volunteered to take care of that situation when it was brought to our attention, who would've known that some people from the Aellyn Empire would be found in Goldwyn so soon? And caught in the middle of a stupid fight with our men, no less. They don't realize just how bad the repercussions can be until everyone gets threatened with a war all over again".

"I know, right after we worked so hard to bring an end to it too. It goes to show that it's too early to celebrate just yet, there is still much to be done before we can sign that peace treaty, I only wish the people of Faywyn could be careful until then".

Who's talking right now? Why can't I recognize these voices? And why do I feel such a strong energy coming off of them? It's a bit similar to Taehyung's... are they dragons too?

The sound of a door opening and closing and silence comes heavy, unnerving, unwelcoming.

"Oh, here are two faces I don't recognize, has Taehyung gone somewhere? You must be the two dragons who arrived earlier right? Before you chew my head off, let me introduce myself. I'm the physician who's been keeping an eye on this knight, I'm here to see if her state has improved again, if you would allow me through".

Just as I thought... they're Taehyung's mates, aren't they? He did say that they would all come here, I just didn't know that they would be so fast. Did these two see the mark on my nape then? Could they confirm the bond too?

"Ah, so that is you. I apologize, we have had a few curious knights peek in since earlier and we were expecting another one again. Are all men here so shameless that they feel entitled to waste time in the infirmary as they please when someone is sick? They should consider themselves lucky that we let them go so easily, their attitudes towards us were more than disrespectful".

A sigh.

"The knights here are... of another kind, that's for sure. It's that exact attitude that makes Orton such a strong defense at the border since no one wants to deal with them, though that also includes the few of us who don't fit the mould. Please be understanding of them, they were forced to become that way by the Empire, they're not all that bad once you look past their... inclination to be assholes".

I huff at that comment, unaware that it earns me an immediate attention.

They're not that bad once you look past their inclination to be assholes? What in the holy sword is that supposed to mean? Should I accept the way they treat me for the simple reason that they were made to be that way then? I should just take it because that's how things are?

"I think it's safe to say that our little human mate does not agree with you, Doctor".

"Yes, and I am not blaming her, she's had it the worst out of all of us. Now that you're awake, Dame Y/N, would you mind sitting up for me? And don't even try to pretend to be still asleep, I would like to have a look at your condition and ask you a few questions first".

I pinch my lips tightly before sitting up like I was asked, head bashfully hung low as this is pretty embarrassing, I didn't want to be found out just yet, I was not mentally ready to deal with more purple scarves.

The two new additions feel their lips stretch at the sight of my flushed cheeks while the physician makes his way to my bed with a chuckle, it looks like I've done my fair share of mischief since I've been here and it is somewhat reassuring - not everything about my childhood had to be taken from me.

"How do you feel, kiddo? You've slept a few hours since you fell ill during your training with Sir Taehyung, did you not sleep well last night?" the old man asks as he settles in front of me with a pleasant smile, and I grumble before shrugging.

"Sleep didn't like me last night, it happens sometimes. I have a bit of a headache left but it's not really worth mentioning, other than that, I'm in top shape" I answer easily as he grabs my wrist to feel my pulse, and he hums at my words while the two dragons stay behind with curious eyes.

"That's good to hear - if it's true, one never knows with you. Now look at my finger please, follow it without moving your head, just like last time. Do you feel dizzy? Light-headed? Nauseous? Be honest with me".

I do as told, the two knights standing nearby making me sweat a little as I try to ignore their heavy gaze on me, I for once would really like it if Taehyung was here right now because things are truly uncomfortable at the moment.

"None of that, I feel a lot better than this morning, I promise".

The physician steps back with a satisfied sound.

"Wonderful. I would still like to prescribe rest for today since training so soon could make you ill again, Taehyung is the one in charge of you at the moment so I will let him know when I see him. In the meantime, feel free to either stay here or leave the infirmary, I'm sure your mates will want to keep you company so I will be counting on them to make sure you do not do anything reckless, I fear the things you would do if left on your own".

I make a small grimace at his comment, he didn't have to expose me like this in front of the two men he keeps calling my mates. How many people know of this anyway? Is the secret already out? Was it even a secret to begin with?

"Thank you, Doctor, we will be sure to keep a close eye on her. We have been warned of her stubborn nature by Taehyung so we should be fine on our own for what's next" the dragon knight with the vibrant red hair assures easily and my pout puckers out as I let one foot kick the air.

"Of course, I shall be on my way then. Please leave the door open when you decide to leave the infirmary, that will be my sign to come back. On that note".

The man bows before continuing his speech. "I wish you a pleasant stay here in Orton. Let Commander Rayner know if there is anything we can do to accommodate you, and please, feel free to smack anyone who shows disobedience on the head. The fortress' knights greatly need it, need to have their ego get crushed a little bit".

With that said, as if he didn't just give the two dragons permission to bully, the physician leaves the room with a contented look on his face, hence leaving me alone with them, small and awkward in my corner.

Should I leave too while I still can? I will surely die of a stroke if I stay here a minute longer, they are making me fidgety - my heart won't calm down and it's incredibly annoying.

A warm and light chuckle reaches my ears and my eyes fall on the man with the blue hair, one that looks almost charcoal because of the dark undertones of grey, an unusual colour, just like the deep red of the slightly taller man's hair.

His imposing eyes greet my own and I immediately look away in nerves, unable to hold his gaze in any way. This is too much for me who has just woken up from being sick, I especially feel vulnerable due to my lack of armor.

"You are nervous, aren't you? I would normally believe our dragonic nature to be the cause, but we heard from Taehyung that you rejected the bond that now binds you to us so I would think this more likely to be why. Is our mark not to your liking? Would you have preferred not having it, dear Aithne?".

The voice sounds warm, yet also chilly as my middle name rolls seamlessly on his tongue and I can't help but bite on my bottom lip in shame at the accusation, it makes sense that they would be angry just like Taehyung, though it is not enjoyable.

"I... that's not it, it is only hard to believe. I am a low rank knight who doesn't have any particular talent so it is... incredibly overwhelming to learn that I have a dragon mating mark on my skin. You are the strongest Order in Faywyn, how can I dare to affiliate with such people? Everyone already believes me a whore because they saw me with Taehyung this morning, how will they react when they learn that I am his and six other dragons' mate? I am simply wary of that".

The two dragons sigh softly before coming to sit in front of me on their respective chairs and I brave through my restlessness to meet their gaze properly, now able to find in their different shades of brown a familiar warmth and understanding that loosens the tension in my shoulders.

"Yes, we were made aware of that incident by the Commander when he came by earlier. I am sorry that this is how the people treat you here, young mate, this is highly unbecoming of fellow knights and I wish they would know better, but they don't. Things will be a lot easier to handle once we are back to the capital, being our mate will not be such a big deal there as it is here, I promise. You will not have to constantly be on your guards for much longer" the younger looking of the two assures me before confidently reaching out for my hands.

His fingers are gentle as they close around mine to hold tightly, and the contact of his warm skin on my own surprisingly helps me to relax, muscles losing of their tension as I finally get used to their presence.

Just like Taehyung, they quickly become comforting to have near once the rush of nerves has passed, like when you first step in cold water. Your body attempts to flee the chill at first, but once you get used to it, it is not a bother anymore.

"I would very much like to believe you, sir, and I mean no disrespect by this, it is simply hard to do right now. Life in Orton... it changes the way you think when you stay here for too long" I mumble, my gaze fixated on his slender fingers that hide mine from sight.

To think that I'm letting someone whose name I don't know hold my hand like this... they certainly are different from the knights I am used to. Can I really give this a try? This bond, can I really accept it for what it is?

It shouldn't matter anymore what I hear from now on, considering that I will be gone soon, right? If they say anything, it will be their jealousy speaking, not the truth.

"Taehyung said that there is a total of seven dragons with the golden peonies on the nape... which ones of those remaining six are you?" I eventually ask when silence takes over, and it is the red-haired man who speaks first, back straightening as he looks me right in the eyes with a gentleness that clashes with his dominant appearance.

"He spoke the truth. My name is Jung Hoseok, third eldest of the pack and this is Park Jimin, he and Taehyung are the same age with only one mate younger than them. No... there would be two now that you bear our mark, that's true. For those who you have yet to meet, there is the eldest, Kim Seokjin, then there is Min Yoongi, Kim Namjoon and finally Jeon Jungkook. You will get to meet them soon enough, they are busy with some responsibilities but they will fly over as soon as possible".

I hum lightly before nodding my head, thankful for his answer, and though doing so makes me uncomfortable, I release my hands from Jimin's hold to run my fingers through my hair instead, the strands that fell in my eyes unbearable, they keep poking my eyeballs and I have had enough.

I search in my pockets for a moment until I find a hair lace and then proceed to tie my hair up into a tight pony tail that should hold for a few hours while the two of them observe in silence, eyes creasing when they manage to get a glimpse of the mark.

The door suddenly opens right as I'm done tightening the bow, and when we all look in its direction to find Taehyung standing in the doorway, he smiles at the pleasant sight that greets him.

"I see you had time to talk with Jimin and Hoseok before I could be back. I am relieved to see you looking well, young Aithne, I feared you would be uncomfortable if left on your own so I had them stay with you. How do you feel? Have you recovered well while you rested?" his baritone sings as he walks over until he stands behind the two of them, his sharp eyes falling on the hint of my exposed nape with interest.

I sigh before nodding once, I hope this is the last time someone asks me this question for the rest of the day.

"I feel well, Sir Taehyung. Sir Jimin and Sir Hoseok were telling me the names of every dragons with the mark you found on me before your arrival, I doubt I will be able to remember them by the time I meet everyone but there is no harm in trying since I will be meeting them sooner rather than later".

The knight with the greenish eyes tilts his head at my answer. "Oh? Have you decided to accept the mark, then? You have also tied your hair high enough to expose it, was that on purpose?".

I bring a hand to the back of my neck to realize that indeed, tied like this, everyone will be able to see it. That was mainly done out of a force of habit, but I can see why it would make them hopeful.

For some reason, as I see hope settle in their eyes, it truly hits me here and now that these three men are anxious because of me.

Seven mated dragons are willing to accept me within their group without even a hint of a doubt, they are flying from the capital all the way to Orton to meet me in person and acceptance has never greeted me with such wide open arms like they have done despite barely knowing me.

They are seven mated dragons who desire their new mate so badly that they would follow her all over the world if they had to.

It only hits me now as I look at them that they will know no peace until I give it to them myself. They will constantly worry until I give them the assurance that I will not keep them from a completed bond and pack, because that is what is at stake right now, isn't it?

"My reaction last night, when you told me that I was yours, that you were mine... I didn't intend for it to be a rejection, Sir Taehyung. I was overwhelmed and so I did what I always do in such situations, which I will admit isn't always the appropriate thing to do. If the only way for me to finally accept this is to let everyone know that I belong to you... then so be it. I will let them see the mark on my nape".

Eyes blink in disbelief at my unexpected decision and I swallow thickly, hands turning sweaty as I wipe them on my pants, was that not right after all? Am I misunderstanding everything?

Hoseok comes to sit on the bed by my side, then turns his body towards me before resting a hand on my knee, his eyes showing that he is trying to determine just how much of what I said was sincere.

"Are you sure, sweet Aithne? There will be no going back once you let the world know about us, the news will travel across the lands faster than light once it is out in the open. I know Jimin told you earlier that it won't be such a big deal in the capital and that is true, the people there are too busy to care for more than a day, but that only applies for Goldwyn at the moment. You will get a lot of attention when you travel to other places".

I eye him, then Jimin and Taehyung before going back to him.

"Are you trying to make me change my mind? I thought you would be happy to know that I'm willing to show off the mark" I utter softly and Hoseok's eyes widen briefly before he releases a coo, an arm over my shoulders to pull me into a gentle side hug.

"Oh sweetie, we are more than happy to know that you are willing to accept us and make it known, I just want to make sure that you don't regret it. You will get a lot of attention because of this and I believe it is important that you know before you make this big step" he muses gently while Taehyung walks around the chairs to sit on the other side of the bed with us.

"You are aware that dragons are sometimes treated like gods, right?" the latter begins cautiously and I acquiesce with a small sound, I am indeed aware of that.

"Some people even go as far as to do sacrifices for them, or so I heard" I reply, a statement that makes them pinch their lips lightly in dislike. I'm sure they have seen things they wish they hadn't, and their nod confirms it. Taehyung continues.

"That is especially true in towns and cities that have benefited from our protection, either during the war or because of other milder problems. It is most likely that you will be pulled into this as well, but I fear that some of them might be a danger to you once it is known that you are our mates. We will protect you, of course, we will also train you so that you may defend yourself without getting hurt but you need to be ready for anything once you make that decision. Maybe you should take the rest of the week to think about it, this is not a race".

I look down with a concerned frown at Taehyung's explanation, I certainly hadn't thought that far ahead. I am grateful that they took the time to warn me instead of simply going along. It lets me know that they care about my well being more than they care about publicly making me theirs.

"Then... let us wait a few days before we reveal the truth. People will certainly talk and make up scenarios when they see us together but when do they not? I will take that time to properly process the implications of this mark so that when it is time, I will be more prepared. Thank you for keeping me from jumping blindly into the unknown".

I bow lowly as I thank them, and the three dragons smile softly, content to see me remain so calm and understanding. Many humans would freak out in the face of such a situation so in a way, it is a very good thing that I am a knight myself. Things will turn out fine, they have to.

"What kind of mates would we be if we couldn't do that much, dear Aithne? We want you healthy and well, we are not going anywhere so there's no need to hurry a process when it is not necessary" Jimin states with his soft velvet voice, his words ones that instantly warm my soul, they are just as kind as I always imagined dragons to be.

Taehyung gently unties the lace keeping my hair up to let it fall over my nape when I straighten my stance, then tucks some strands behind my ears with a satisfied hum upon seeing my blushing cheeks, a pleased rumble coming from his chest that makes my heart flutter, is he purring right now?

He adjusts my yellow scarf, then nods to himself, pleased with his little work. "There you go, all pretty like only you can be".

I suck in my lips at the compliment, a bit flustered as it was unexpected and all three of them chuckle, endeared. They hope that at least their remaining mates will get to see this cute side of me when they arrive, a shy blush their greeting instead of anymore problems like they had to handle.

"D-d-dragon! Another dragon on the way!".

Jimin's lips curl upwards at the shout that suddenly reaches our ears and he rises swiftly from his chair before offering me a hand to help me to my feet, his eyes turning into little moons when I accept it bashfully.

"Yoongi is here, I'm sure he would love to see his adorable human mate waiting for him when he lands so let's go give him a warm welcome, shall we?".