CHAPTER 87 || LAST CHAPTER || BOUND AND TORN BY PROPHECIES

 

 The Tale of Jun-Tae

 

Nyla swallowed and continued. "That was the last day we saw Taehyung and Mili. I tried to connect to Taehyung through our shared bond. I pleaded with him to let go, to live, to wait for Jungkook’s rebirth. But he did not recognize me anymore. His soul had changed."

Nyla’s voice became a whisper, thick with grief. "He told me he would rather burn all the realms and gods than live another moment alone. After that, I could never connect with him."

Yoongi bowed his head, his shoulders shaking. "King searched for him. He didn’t stop. He traced him to the ancient mountain— Taehyung's old training ground. King wasn’t alone this time. There were others. Warriors. Fighters from other realms who had a good bond with dragons. But... King Caelum never returned."

 

Nyla placed a trembling hand over her heart. "After losing her mate, the Queen Mother—your grandmother—could not bear the pain. She followed him into the storm, leaving her body behind and joining him in spirit. Before she left, she made me swear to watch over the people... and to raise you until you were ready to bear the crown."

 

The glow of twilight filtered through the tall windows of the royal chamber, casting soft gold upon the silver embroidery of the great tapestries. A thousand candles shimmered against polished marble floors, and in the centre of the room, upon a plush bed layered with velvets and silks, sat a beautiful princess with eyes the color of sapphire—blue and deep.

 

 Crown Princess Kim Jun-Tae, nicknamed Amy.

Today was her thousandth birthday.

She wore a ceremonial robe woven with moonstone threads, a circlet resting upon her brow. But instead of joy, her heart was heavy. She was crying with the revelation. Her gaze flickered between the two figures seated before her.

Queen Nyla, regal even in sorrow, sat with her back straight but her fingers trembling. Her mate, Yoongi, Amy’s beloved pa, held her hand tightly. Tears streamed down his cheeks, matching the ones on Amy’s own face.

 

She was very excited as she would be considered a mature princess, ready to be crowned as queen from now on. until her mom, Queen Nyla, reached forward and tucked a curl behind Amy’s ear. "My little star," she whispered. "You are ready now. You must know the truth."

Amy's lips trembled. "Truth about what?" Nyla's voice cracked. "About your real mother. And your father." The silence that followed was unbearable. Then, Yoongi rose and sat beside Amy, wrapping an arm around her as tears filled her eyes, hearing that.

"Don’t be afraid," he murmured. "We’ve loved you all your life. But today, you must know where you come from." Nyla wiped her tears and began. "It’s been a thousand years, Amy. A thousand years since we last saw your true mother and father, or should I say two fathers and a pure dragon mother. And yet, the pain has never faded—not even a little."

 

 

As Nyla continued, Amy could not stop herself from crying. And since then, she is crying, hearing the pain, struggles, grief, and heartbreak her real parents had gone through.  Amy could hardly breathe through her sobs. Her voice broke when she asked, "You named me after them... didn’t you?"

Nyla smiled through the sorrow. "Yes. You are the symbol of their love. Of their sacrifice. Of all their pain—and all their joy. You carry her fire, and his ice. So we named you after them. Jungkook, Taehyung... Jun-Tae. Kim Jun-Tae."

Amy clutched Yoongi’s arm. "But... Pa... you're a human too. How are you still alive? After a thousand years?"

A sad chuckle escaped Nyla’s lips, but it was Yoongi who answered, his voice quiet and reverent. "That was Jungkook’s greatest fear. That his humanity would make him unworthy of Taehyung. He didn’t know the truth. No one did, not even the elders. But if a human is fated to a dragon—truly mated by soul—they live as long as their dragon mate does."

He looked down at his hands, now marked with faint silver lines, glowing softly with ancient magic. "Had we known that... maybe they would have had more time. Maybe Jungkook wouldn’t have tried so hard to push him away. Maybe they would’ve made more beautiful memories instead of carrying the weight of fear."

Nyla leaned forward and kissed Amy’s brow. "But you are their hope. The rebirth of the bond they shared. And now, my daughter, the realm awaits your light."

As the stars rose beyond the windows, Amy sat between her two guardians, her mom and pa, no longer a child. She was Jungkook’s daughter. Taehyung’s heir. And the next chapter of their story had only just begun.

To lighten the mood, Yoongi smiled and teasingly said, "Have you noticed, Amy, that you’re just a few years younger than your mother in human years? And it is like days for almost immortal dragons. Which basically means... you're as old as your mom and pa."

A giggle slipped through Amy's lips. Nyla shook her head, managing a small smile.

Yoongi continued with a wink, "And since your mom is still young, so am I. Once you decide to take the throne and stop clinging to us all the time, we’ll give you a lot of siblings. You must be bored with only Niki and Spark—they don’t even have human forms, isn’t it?"

Nyla flushed bright red and immediately tied Yoongi’s mouth shut with her magical veins. Amy burst into laughter, falling off the bed. "I wouldn’t mind more siblings!" she teased, holding her sides.

 

Laughter echoed through the royal chamber for the first time in a long while. And as the moon rose higher, the little family cuddled close on the bed, holding onto each other. But as Nyla and Yoongi drifted into sleep, Amy looked up at the stars through the tall windows and whispered a vow:

 

"Jungkook, Taehyung... I promise you, Mumma. Papa. I will not take the throne before I free your soul. I will find you. I will free you both from this curse... and bring you together again in your rebirth. If that one prophecy by our ancestors drifted you apart by a curse, I will break the curse and complete the prophecy by sealing you both together in your next life. I’m coming. Just a little more wait."

 

 

“Bound not by blood, nor oath, but soul.

 Guardian and Flame,
 Two halves of one whole.
 When stars burn low and fate is torn,
 Their bond will rise, REBORN.”

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THE END...

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