The Piano

"I tell the piano the things I used to tell you." Chopin

Jimin slowly opened his eyes, he was in a huge room, walls covered with purple and black flowers paint paper, gold furniture with a purple tapestry, a small desk on the corner with a ton of papers on it, a huge library which occupied a wall from one end to the other, filled with old dusty books.

He took a look at his clothes, his trousers and his sweater were replaced by a black silk night robe, decorated with gold and purple embroidery. His chest was sweating, his neck too, he turned his head and saw the reason for the sweat; wood was burning in a small fireplace on the wall to the right of the bed.

Through the window he could see that it was already dark, he wondered how many hours he slept after fainting in the dungeon.

He put his hands on his chest and looked at the ceiling, he could not forget his eyes, no, it was impossible. From gray to red, from red to gray; from gray to blue, from blue to gray. It was amazing how fast his eyes changed color and he could not get that out of his head. Since his arrival to Fantasia, he saw several creatures he had never imagined to see in reality, creatures they had only known through the paragraphs of his books, but they had not marked him as much as the King's eyes did.

"Oh, you are awake." Namjoon entered the room with a silver tray. "How do you feel?"

"Uhm." Jimin put the cushion behind his back and sat. "Better." he smiled. "For how long have I been sleeping?"

"Not too much, only two or three hours I guess. You must have been tired." the healer said. "I brought you some food." he added before placing the tray on his legs.

"Oh!" the younger widened his eyes when he saw the chicken stir-fry. He remembered when his late father taught him how to make it, they spent a good moment, laughing and cooking together, like a father and son would do.

Jimin stared at the plate, tears burning his eyes, remembering the combination of spring colors of the red and green peppers, the chicken walleye mixed with honey and soy without forgetting the final touch that mushrooms gave. Even the smell of the dish could make you lick your lips without feeling it.

"Thank you sir." Jimin smiled.

"Sir? You make me look very old." the healer chuckled. "Call me Namjoon, please."

"It's delicious, who prepared this?"

"The chief's assistant, his name is Youngjae, I will tell him you loved it, he will be glad."

"Oh, you are finally awake!" Hoseok entered the room. "Thank you Namjoon, you can rest now." he stroked his shoulder.

"I am not tired, I can stay." the silver-haired male told him, looking him straight in the eyes. "It has been a long time since we have spent time together." he added.

"You are right." the Wizard gave him a small smile.

Jimin watched them, all confused. He wondered what was the relationship between these two new acquaintances. Judging the looks they gave themselves, he guessed that they were maybe more than just friends.

"Woah Jimin!" the healer opened his eyes wide when he realized that the cushion on which he was lying was shining. "Your hair did it again."

"Oh." the younger blushed. "I am sorry, sometimes I can't control it."

"This is not a problem." Hoseok ruffled his hair. "I was planning to change the cushion anyway, now it looks like I do not need to anymore." he laughed. "This color is beautiful."

"You were very hungry." Namjoon added, looking at the empty plate in front of him. "How do you feel now?"

"Much better!" the diamond-haired caressed his belly. "Thank you."

"Would you like a dessert my dear?" the Wizard asked him.

"Oh, no, it's not worth bothering y-" Jimin could not finish these words because it only took Hoseok a wand to conjure up a bowl of chocolate mousse in front of Jimin.

The latter laughed and shook his head. "Of course, you are a Wizard after all."

"I hope you like chocolate."

"I love it." Jimin rubbed his hands before attacking his dessert.

Namjoon and Hoseok shared a smile.

"Oh, uhm, where is the king?" the young man asked them shyly.

"Surely in his office, signing a ton of papers."

"Why do you want to know?" Hoseok furrowed.

"Just.." Jimin rubbed the back of his neck. "I was just curious."

"You are under my protection, you do not need to worry about him." the Wizard said.

"Are you someone important?"

"He is certainly the greatest wizard of Fantasia." Namjoon said, looking at his friend with pride.

"Oh." Jimin nodded. "I wanted to ask you, do you know Lord Taehyung?"

Both friends stared at him confusingly. "How do you know him?" they asked.

"He is the first one who welcomed me to his house when I arrived here."

"But my cousin never lets any stranger inside the mansion." the elf rubbed his chin.

"Your cousin?" Jimin's eyes grew wider.

"He is my mother's sister's son."

"I see." the young human nodded. "What a small world it is." he chuckled.

"How did you meet him?"

"When I arrived I met Woozi, he said he was one of the seven guardians. Then, he brought me to the elve's mansion."

"Oh, how was he with you?" Namjoon asked.

"He was very kind, he invited me to dinner and showed me a lot of books."

"He was kind?" the healer furrowed. "You are very lucky."

"Why? He must me kind to you too, you are his cousin..no?"

"I am afraid our relationship died after an incident." Namjoon sighed.

"What happened?"

Hoseok smiled and gently patted his back. "Nothing to be worried about." he said. "You should rest for a little while, let us go Namjoon." he grabbed his friend's arm.

"If you need anything, tell the maids to call me." the silver haired said.

"Alright, thank you Namjoon." Jimin smiled. "You too Hoseok for letting me borrow your room."

????

After dinner, Jimin got out of bed to take a look at the wizard's room. The large four poster bed was standing majestically in the middle of the room and was covered with a purple velvet coverlet. An elegant tapestry rug on the bare floor, portraits of Wizards were hung on the wall. Two chairs stood facing each other near the fireplace with a small table between them.

He approached the library to choose a book to read, there were so many that he didn't know which to choose. He ended up taking one whose cover had caught his attention, purple velvet, what seemed to be Hoseok's favorite color.

He laid down on the bed again and opened the book, it was about the most famous wizards who lived, those who made history. Like Nostradamus who used to make predictions about the future, or Rasputin who was a famous healing wizard, who used his sorcery to treat the Tsar and his wife, many times, without forgetting Nicolas Flamel who was the alchemist to succeed, in creating the philosophers stone, and the elixir of life in the 17th century.

All those strange people he read about in his fantasy books like Harry Potter existed also in their world and they were somehow related to his new friend.

"Amazing." he mumbled with a smile before closing the book and sleeping.

The next morning, a maid knocked at the door and entered with a tray. "Your breakfast, sir."

"Oh, thank you."

"Sir Namjoon asked you to join him and Sir Hoseok in the main hall after you eat and get dresses."

"Alright, I will see them there."

The young man thought about really meeting the cook and complimenting him when he saw a sort of multicolored square-shaped pancake on the plate, accompanied with hot chocolate sauce and an infusion with wood fruits.

He wanted to enjoy this delicious breakfast but he didn't want to make Hoseok and Namjoon wait, that's why he ate quickly and got into the tub. The maids made sure to put on some roses on the warm water to give him a good scent. He cleaned himself and put on some clothes he found folded on the bed; stretch cotton cropped black pants, an illusion print black and white silk shirt and black leather shoes. It looked so luxurious and so expensive, like it was coming right from the new Versace Collection.

He got dressed and left the room, looking for the main hall.

"Here y- oh! You look gorgeous!" Hoseok covered his mouth when he saw the young boy approaching them with his new clothes and his hair that was making the surroundings shine brightly.

"Thank you." Jimin blushed. "The clothes are very comfortable."

"You should thank your tailor, he is the one who chose it for you."

"Oh, who is it?"

"Jiyoung, a real genius when it is about clothing." the Wizard answered. "He is the one who makes all the King's clothes, also all the noblemen's."

"I will thank him later, also the cook Youngjae as you said, his food is very delicious."

"Sure, now let us walk for a little." Namjoon gently put his arm around his waist and they started walking around the corridors of the castle.

Jimin stopped in front of a portrait that caught his attention. It was a young woman with long white hair and shiny blue eyes. She was wearing a light pink dress with golden embroideries and a silver crown was laying on her head. Judging from his appearance, she looked like an elf, a very beautiful one. "Who's this?" he asked his friends.

"Oh." Hoseok sighed, staring sadly at the portrait. "Kythaela." he mumbled.

"She was a princess, the King's wife." Namjoon said.

"She was?" Jimin furrowed.

"She died five years ago." the healer sighed. "She left the king broken as he had never been."

"H-how did she die?"

"A curse." the Wizard answered. "The enemy brought the most famous wizards of the kingdom to gather their forces and make the most dangerous curse to attack the King."

"Who is the enemy?" Jimin asked, suddenly curious about what happened in the past.

"The King's older brother, Adalis." Hoseok clenched his fists.

"Let us not talk about this, it is a very sensitive topic for all." Namjoon said. "Let us go to the garden."

????

A wild garden of moss-covered grass was bordered by numerous hedges and bushes of red roses and yellow tulips. A fountain stood in the center, offering an aquatic element of tranquility with the beauty of the crystal water shining under the sunlight. The rows of multicolored flowers were trying to take all the attention in this garden, surrounded by gorgeous birds flying over. A path of stepping stones curved around each bend in the garden, leading you through the garden, and making sure all the best spots are marked. Plants, grass, and roots were sticking to their own domains for now, but were no doubt craving to stretch these boundaries.

"It's very beautiful!" Jimin exclaimed.

"It is." Hoseok smiled. "The late princess transformed an empty lifeless field into the most beautiful garden."

"She took care of it almost everyday, she would help the gardeners and give them advises on how to grow the flowers properly and how to treat the fountain's water." the elf added.

"Judging from how you talk about her, she must have been very kind and elegant." Jimin said.

"Oh, she was the kindest!" the Wizard exclaimed. "She never failed to take care of the creatures surrounding her, and let us not talk about her breathtaking beauty."

"She was an elf, like you." the young boy told Namjoon.

"Indeed." the older nodded.

"What is happening?" Hoseok furrowed when he spotted the servants gathering behind the fountain.

"What is down there?" Jimin asked.

"Well, just a small space where the King and his wife used to spend some time together." the purple-haired answered. "But it has been a very long time since his majesty went there." he rubbed his chin and walked toward it.

The servants bowed to them as they approached and a beautiful melody caressed their ears.

A sound like the soft chirping of birds, the sensuous rain on the windowsill, the rustling of yellowed leaves on a beautiful autumn morning.

They entered in the middle of the crowd and Jimin's eyes grew bigger. Yoongi was sitting at a huge, shining black instrument that looked like the sky on a cool summer night, coaxing impossibly soothing and amazing melodies from it. He seemed lost as his fingers flew over the keys like swallows darting in a pond for fish.

He raised his head and stared at Jimin, his eyes shifting to the shiny sapphire blue, making the boy's heart leap out of his chest.

"It has been years." Hoseok mumbled, not believing what he is watching.

"What do you mean?"

"The King only plays the piano when he is happy or sad."

"He is certainly not happy, as usual." the elf chuckled. "Nor sad because I am sure there is no reason to make him so."

"Then..why is he playing?" Jimin asked.

Hoseok observed Yoongi and saw the color of his eyes. "He is confused about something." he crossed his arms. "I wonder what it is."

The King finished playing and the servants quickly got back to their work. Jimin hadn't seen Hoseok and Namjoon leaving so he stayed alone, in the middle of the roses bushes, alone with Yoongi.

"Y-you play very well." he said, shyly.

"What are you doing here?" the black haired asked coldly.

"I was walking with Hoseok and Namjoon.."

"The wizard said you are under his responsibility, he said that I can do as you do not exist, so what are you doing in my sight?"

"Uh?" the young boy nervously rubbed his neck. "I-I got lost in the melodies you played.." he mumbled. "They sounded very poetic and beautiful."

The King's eyes went to a dark blue.

"I heard that your majesty play the piano only when you are happy or sad." Jimin added. "Are you alright? Is there anything bothering you?"

Yoongi widened his eyes, not expecting a mere stranger asking him such a question. During all these years, no one in this palace dared to approach him or be curious about what is happening inside his head.

"There is nothing, just go." he mumbled.

"Is it because of princess Kythaela?" Jimin asked.

The King's eyes suddenly went from blue to dark red. "How dare you pronounce her name with your silly creature's mouth?" he asked with a venomous tone. "How dare you?!"

"I-I was just curious." the younger whispered, fear taking over him. "B-but your majesty." he added. "Why do your eyes keep changing colors?" he asked.

"It is none of your business." Yoongi answered.

"B-but-"

"You ask too many questions!" the King shouted. "Enough!"

Jimin gulped.

"My life should not matter to you, stranger. I am your King and you do not even have the right to talk to me, so what are you even doing here?"

"I just wanted to get close.."

"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" the black haired shouted loudly, making the younger run away without hesitation.

Jimin entered the castle and headed to Hoseok's room, he jumped on the bed, laid on his stomach, his face hidden in the pillow. He started crying, his body still shaking with fear and surprise. "L-lord Taehyung.." he mumbled, the salty tears getting inside his mouth. "Where are you?"

????