Chapter Three - Wolf's Bane

                                    

                                          
Jungkook shivered in the cold air of the dungeons. His linen tunic and shorts did little to protect him from the environment. Hunger gnawed at his stomach, and his throat was parched, having been without water for nearly a day at this point. Bruises bloomed on his knees from kneeling on the stone floor.
                          
Yet the bruises were nothing compared to the pain in his arms. They hung chained to the wall, the position causing Jungkook's shoulders to ache, unable to lower them to gain any relief. Still the greatest agony came from the two thick shackles of iron wrapped around his wrists. 
                          
He was tired, so tired. But the burn of the iron made it impossible for Jungkook to rest, a constant searing pain against his skin. He trembled in their grasp, wretched whimpers ripped from his throat. Every so often, a tear would roll down his cheek, falling uselessly to the floor. 
                          
Jungkook was cold, and hungry, and thirsty, and tired, and in pain. But most of all, he was scared. 
                          
Scared that he couldn't escape - the iron in the shackles suppressed his magic and kept him weak. Scared of what the humans might do to him - his wings shook against his back at just the thought of someone touching them. Scared of Dante - of the King's cold smile that promised only pain. No one had approached him since the guards locked him in the dungeons, but occasionally Jungkook heard voices, footsteps walking by. And at every sound he flinched, afraid of what it might bring. 
                          
His head hung low, his body limp in the grasp of the shackles. Every so often a tremor would run through him, forcing a gasp from between chapped lips. The flowers had fallen from his hair, lying dried and dead on the ground. A single traitorous tear slipped from the corner of his eye, despite Jungkook's best efforts to stifle his cries. 
                          
Jungkook heard a noise, a distant clang. He jerked his head up, eyes wide, listening for more. 
                          
Then, a couple of hushed, angry noises. The sound of something striking the floor. Silence. 
                          
The fairy shrunk back into himself as much as he was capable, his breaths quickening. He heard footsteps approaching him, making their way down the halls of the dungeon. Maybe if he kept quiet, they would leave him alone-
                          
"Jungkook?" 
                          
No. Impossible. More tears slipped from Jungkook's eyes, a gut-punching gasp of relief ripped from his lungs. "Taehyung?" he sobbed out.
                          
Out of the darkness stepped a black-coated figure, staff in his hand which glowed with purple magic. His eyes flashed with a burning rage for a moment, before shifting into a heart-wrenching sadness. 
                          
"Oh, my darling," Taehyung breathed. 
                          
He rushed forward, holding a set of iron keys in his hand. Jungkook gasped in alarm. He could hear the way Taehyung's skin seared as they held onto the keys. "Taehyungie, you're hurting yourself-"
                          
"How can you worry about me?" Taehyung choked out, quickly undoing the lock on Jungkook's cell. He ran inside, dropping to his knees in front of Jungkook. The nature fairy winced as Taehyung began to undo his shackles, his wrists raw with burns. 
                          
"I'll kill them all for this," Taehyung forced out, seething with fury. "I swear I will." The shackle holding Jungkook's right wrist opened, and his arm fell to the floor. A gasp of relief was punched from the nature fairy's lungs, even as Taehyung winced looking at the circle of red skin around his wrists. 
                          
"Taehyung - I need to tell you something-" Jungkook's voice broke from hoarseness. 
                          
"Shush, petal," Taehyung soothed. "Nothing else matters. Just you." The second shackle opened. Jungkook sagged forward, collapsing in relief as he was released from his restraints. Taehyung caught him by the shoulders, bringing Jungkook flush against his chest.