(Chapter 25)
Lacus risus

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Author POV

Location: Batia

Jin was lost. There was no other way to describe it. He had been touring around Batia for the most part of the week when he wasn't on official business.

The kingdom was different and Jin found it to be exciting. Experiencing new things, learning about a new culture, he was too young to appreciate it last time he came. He had only been a couple of years old and his parents hadn't let him leave their sides. The tension between the kingdoms had been more evident then, after all it had only been a couple of years since they had signed the peace treaty at that point.

He had snuck past his bodyguards this morning, wanting to go somewhere alone for once, without someone trailing his every step.

One of the locals had recommended Lacus risus as a place to visit. Jin had barely considered it when they had mentioned it was a lake. It seemed like the perfect place to go. Voucaea had alot of lakes, in fact the captial city of Ortus was surrounded by lakes.  There were houses built onto the lakes and they floated.

The dawn's light was beautiful cast across the water and the bright colours mirrored in the clear water never ceased to enchant the beholder. Jin was more than alittle curious as to what a lake would look like with the sun higher in the sky, without the glow of the sunrise sky.

Only he didn't have a map, the local promised that the path he was on, should he follow it, would take him directly to Lacus risus. But he had been walking for over an hour and come across no signs of a lake.

But the face of the local when he had pressed some money into his hand thanking him for the information, he scowled, he had been conned.

"Jin?" He heard a voice call out his name, it sounded hesitant like they were sure it was him.

Jin turned and found himself filled with relief at the sight of Jimin, he may have looked at Namjoon in a new light as well. Ever since Jimin had set him straight in his rivalry with Yoongi, Jin had been trying to look at the Princes of the other kingdoms in a different light. A one less dictated by his parents and Kingdom's history.

"Jimin, Namjoon. May the dawn look kindly upon you today" he addressed them both equally with the proper greeting of his people.

"In case you hadn't noticed Batia doesn't really do dawn" Namjoon said and if he sounded alittle smug he wouldn't admit it.

"May the daylight shine upon you" Jimin returned, he elbowed Namjoon sharply in the side.

The Kadorian prince huffed but muttered out a "may the sun provide you warmth" the Kador traditional greeting.

"Are you ok?" Jimin asked when greetings were done.

"I think I might have been conned." Jin sighed, alittle agitated.

"How so?" Jimin's eyes held sympathy.

"A local said that their was a lake down this way, but it has been over an hour and I have yet to find a lake" Jin explained.

"You mean Lacus risus" Jimin asked.

"Yeah, that's the one. They said if I followed this path it would take me there." Jin gestured to the dirt path beneath their booted feet.

"No they were right. It is a 2 hour walk though. You would've gotten there eventually. We are actually heading there now" Jimin gestured to himself and Namjoon.

"Oh thank you" Jin was happy the man had been truthful in his words.

"Would you like to join us?" Jimin asked, Namjoon's eyes were begging for him to say no, or they were trying to cut him up on the spot Jin wasn't quite sure.

"That would be great thank you" Jin responded, a smile on his face.

Jin may have set off on his own, not desiring anyone else's company. But he found he wouldn't mind changing that plan for the Batian boy, even if it did involve the slightly stuck up Kador prince.

"Great, it is only 30 minutes down the track from here, you made good progress" Jimin praised Jin.

He found himself flushing, the Batian's words of praise pleasing him more than he expected. He fell into step beside Jimin, Namjoon on the Batian's other side.

The walk was a peaceful one, Jimin would point out flowers native to Batian alone. Namjoon would look at them with excitement, Jin knew the younger Prince was always eager to learn something new. But he too found himself enjoying looking at the flowers as well.

"I should get some for Hoseok. He would like them I know it. He taught me about the means of flowers in his country" Jimin said, and he got to work picking what he deemed were the pretties flowers. He wrapped them carefully in a piece of cloth from his backpack, careful not to squish them.

They concontinued their way till they came across a valley. It was like it had been carved out of stone. The walls high but sturdy. Their was a steep descent down to the lake.

Both the princes stopped to look around in awe, it was place of beauty. Jimin smiled at their reactions, and began to head down the hill, he wanted to get a good spot incase it became busy. Though Jimin doubted it would, most people were focused on the new comes than coming to relax at Lacus risus.

The princes followed him down after they finished gawking at the sight before them. They stumbled alittle on the descent, but who didn't, it was steep and the knee high boots did nothing to support their ankles from the sharp angled rocks.

"Here we are Lacus risus. The lake of laughter, not sure why it is named that, but it is a nice place to come. It has hot springs and everything." Jimin told them excitedly.

As the took off to find a place to relax

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So you pretty much all voted for Jin. So here is out Dawn prince again.

Funfact:
Dawn has so many lakes and streams that it is practically a maze to find land. Most people get around by boat and live on houses built onto the lakes

Who wants to visit Voucaea?

Anyway I hope you liked the chapter

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Bye,
Winter