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sweetestofchaos · 7 months

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Blackthorn Ch 14 | M.YG

My Gift To You Part 2 - The young royals sneak out of the palace and go to the night market.

a/n: Like before I will put a warning where the violence/ar starts and ends with ⚠⚠⚠. The fighting and Yoongi's eye injury will be described but I will not go into too much detail about the attempted rape.

a/n 2: As always thanks to @sailoryooons for making the banner. Thanks to @theharrowing for being the beta this chapter.

Harrow and Hali both took time out of their lives to listen to me rant and overthink about different parts of this. I made things 10x harder for myself and they both just said "stop. take a minute and rethink this. do you need shit to be this complicated? can you simplify it?" and guess what? I damn sure could and I did. So thank you so fucking much to the both of them!

a/n 3: @minisugakoobies, my darling Sunny is heaven sent! She helped me with the fight scene. So huge shout out to her!!

a/n 4: The awesome scar free Yoongi edit in the banner is made by @colormepurplex2. Character asks and the taglist for Blackthorn are always open!

Taglist: @thickemadame @loisje123

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Prince Yoongi held out his hand and Hoseok placed something in his palm. He walked to the Princess and took her outstretched hand in his own before he kissed her knuckles. She still wore his rings on her left hand and he grinned since her right hand was bare. Silently, he raised his hand and slipped a gold ring onto the Princess’ ring finger. Her eyes widened and Prince Yoongi winked as he released her hand. She looked at the ring in awe, it was a plain gold band that split into tiny branches that held an emerald-cut smoky quartz gem the size of a lima bean.

“Shall we, my gem?”

Hidden from the eyes of the crowd, Prince Yoongi stood with Princess Keena at the base of the steps leading towards the arena. Aga and Hoseok were on high alert as the cheers from the townspeople reached the high heavens. Music played loudly, and the Princess could feel the beat in her bones. The Prince squeezed her hand lightly, brought her fingers to his lips, and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles.

“We will part for only a moment, Princess. Two blinks and you will be back by my side where you belong.” The Prince explained with a soft smile on his face as his thumb brushed over the rings on the Princess’ fingers.

“You have nothing to fear.”

Princess Keena nodded her head and allowed for Yoongi’s hand to pull away from her own. Their fingertips bent to catch each other’s and the Prince smiled reassuringly. As his hand dropped away from the Princess, Aga and the other guards crowded around her, barricading the space with their bodies. Yoongi held his head high as he ascended the steps, his face void of emotion as the crowd's sounds and chatter became louder.

The music switched, signaling the entrance of the Prince and once more the crowd fell silent as the eunuch spoke loudly.

“His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince Yoongi!”

The sun above caressed the Prince’s face as he emerged from the shadows, the bold colors warmed his skin as they absorbed the heat from the rays and the scales on his jaw caught in the light. A vision of raw power and perfection, just as a Prince should be. A few bodies in the crowd leaned in and whispered to each other in the stands about the Prince’s attire. It was bright and unfamiliar, a style that many (if not all) had never seen before.

The Prince stood before his parents and bowed to show his respect. The Empress’ eyes flashed gold and Prince Yoongi stood in front of his throne with his back facing it. Emperor Min motioned for his son to take his seat and cleared his throat before he stood to address the people.

“The sun shows us favor by shining us with its light! It is a most joyous day in the Min Empire, my dear subjects!” Empire Min clapped his hands together once before he folded them within his robes and smiled. “Today marks a new era for the Min Empire!”

All around everyone started to cheer, a new era meant an increase in imported goods and money. A new era was good health and longevity to all. A new era was something none of the commoners in attendance were expecting. Emperor Min sat back down and nodded his head to the eunuch to continue on. Standing tall, the eunuch unrolled the scroll in his hand a little more and held it out in front of himself, making sure not to block his face as he read the written words.

“His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince Yoongi is to be wed in the seventh month as in accordance with the unification to the land to the east, the Escistan Kingdom. As peacetime reigns over our lands, war rides the coattails with an unrelenting force.”

The news of the Prince’s engagement was cause to celebrate. There would be a Princess in the palace, the likes of which no one has ever seen before. She was from the Escistan Kingdom, a land unknown to most of the common folk. However, at the mere mention of war the crowd started to grow uneasy. News of the West’s plight against the Escistan Kingdom was common knowledge. The foreign land had many sought-after resources, magical and null alike. An alliance with the Escistan Kingdom would open up a new trading route and bring in more wealth for the people of the Min Empire.

“Standing beside our allies of the Escistan Kingdom to show a united front in the face of an impending war-” the eunuch paused for dramatic effect and Empress Min laughed to herself.

“To show those in the West that we stand strong, Her Royal Highness Princess Keena has accepted His Imperial Highness’ hand in marriage!”

Upon hearing her name, Princess Keena took a deep breath in and gathered her skirts in her hands. The wind picked up and flower blossoms rode the breeze by the entrance from which the Prince first came. The Princess rolled her shoulders back and held her head high as she took the steps one at a time to reach the balcony of the pavilion where the royal family all sat. Dogwood petals danced around her as she stepped into the light and the eyes of every person burned deep in her heart. If the Prince was a vision of power then the Princess was that same vision wrapped in beauty and elegance.

The Princess squeezed her skirts and relaxed her hands before she allowed the material to fall loose. The sun greeted her with open arms while a cool breeze pushed her towards the waiting royal family in a spotted blanket of petals. In front of the Emperor and Empress, Princess Keena crossed her arms over her chest and bowed. Empress Min smiled softly at the show of respect from the Escistan Kingdom. She is proud that Keena is willing to incorporate her nation’s practices into what she has been taught during her stay in the Min Empire.

Emperor Min bowed his head and the Princess turned on her heels to face the crowd. Prince Yoongi rose to his feet and strode over to stand by the Princess’ side while the eunuch continued his speech. He listed off the Princess' credentials, the status of her homeland, her role within her nation, her achievements, and much more. By the end of the speech, the crowd was impressed.

The Princess of the foreign nation was a woman for the people and within the Min Empire that attitude would take her far. As the young royals stood side by side, everyone took in their appearance. The Prince’s attire complemented the Princess’ in style and color. The unknown style of some of the garb was contributed to the Princess’ homeland of Escistan. A few of the women in the crowd wondered to themselves if the fabrics and styles would be something they would see sold at stalls in town at some point. Maybe not as bold in color but the style was in favor, the skirt of the Princess’ outfit looked easy to walk in.

“I give you, His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Yoongi and Her Imperial Highness Crown Princess Keena!”

Princess Keena did not miss the change of her title, the new power suddenly granted to her as the arena ruptured into loud cheers and claps. People shouted their joy and excitement as they watched the royal family all sit together. Dancers and musicians went back into the center of the area and put on a show. The Princess was surprised to see Ellarian and Kwangseon in the mix of bodies. Ellarian took the lead as she leapt and twirled with the other women while Kwangseon kept the tempo on his Janggo. Princess Keena tapped her fingers to the beat and when the Prince noticed, a smile pulled at his lips.

He leaned over and whispered in the Princess’ ear, “Are you enjoying yourself, my gem?”

The way the sun kissed the scales on the Prince’s jaw, a mini rainbow appeared on the Princess’ neck and the Prince smiled as he nuzzled his nose underneath her ear. So close to the gland at her neck, the Prince inhaled deeply and smirked as goosebumps rose on the skin underneath him. The sweetened tang of citrus doused in honey blanketed the Prince’s mind and he purred, his inky eyes swirling with gold as he tried to pull himself away. Princess Keena rested her hand on top of the Prince’s and laced their fingers together.

“Behave, my Prince.”

The Prince growled as the Princess squeezed his hand lightly and she turned her head to face him. His nose skimmed her cheek and pressed into the corner of her mouth, she was thankful that no one was truly focused on them. Without a word, the Princess kissed the Prince’s nose and snuck a quick kiss to his lip. Ginger, spicy and warm, surged around the Princess and Hoseok coughed from somewhere in the distance.

“Focus, young ones.” Empress Min’s voice was as firm as it was teasing, just enough to pull the Prince from his muddled headspace.

“Apologies, mother.” Prince Yoongi muttered and pulled away from the Princess but he refused to let go of her hand.

The announcement celebration came to its end soon after. The royals took their leave, the Emperor and Empress arm in arm while Prince Yoongi offered his hand to the Princess. Hoseok resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his friend's display of affection while Namjoon and Seokjin giggled with each other. Aga shared a knowing look with Hoseok as the two followed the family downward. At the bottom of the steps, out of the people’s sight the Emperor and Empress embraced the young royals.

“Welcome to the family my dear,” Empress Min cooed as she cupped the Princess’ face lovingly. “You will bring a new chapter to this world and I am eager to watch it unfold.”

“Easy, deartheart.” Emperor Min placed a hand on his wife’s lower back as he stood by her side. “They still have much to learn. Let us not rush the process and-” A sudden cough interrupted the Emperor's words and he quickly covered his mouth as he fell into a fit. Empress Min rubbed his back and motioned for guards to step in.

Daehyun came forward and helped support the Emperor before Hoseok pulled a starstone from the jumeoni at his hip. He crushed the stone and blew the dust over the Emperor silently. Empress Min gave everyone a tight smile.

“Worry not, His Majesty is fine. The pollen in the air is heavy today.”

Princess Keena nodded her head and squeezed the Prince’s hand when he didn’t respond to his mother’s words.

“Give His Majesty our regards and rest well,” Princess Keena bowed her head and the Empress smiled before she took off to her husband’s chambers with guards behind her.

Prince Yoongi watched as his mother disappeared with a frown on his lip. A gentle pressure wrapped around his fingers and he glanced down to see that the Princess had placed her hand in his. Her fingers were so small compared to his own and he sighed as the frown melted from his face. Raising her hand to his lips, Prince Yoongi kissed the tips of the Princess’ fingers and smiled.

“Shall we walk in your garden, my gem?”

The Princess stared into the Prince’s dark eyes and squeezed his hand lightly before she tugged it down to their sides.

“It is as much mine as it is yours, my Prince.”

The grin widened on the Prince’s face and he nodded his head silently. Together, arm in arm, the young royals strolled the pebble paths, crossed the bridges over gurgling waters, and admired the colorful flowers as they walked from the palace front to the eastern wing. The place where the seventh garden, filled with Blackthorns from the Princess’ homeland, created the perfect picture of peace.

The sweet almond scent from the blackthorn blossoms filled the air and intermingled with the flowers scattered throughout. The faintest echoes of rushing water hid in the canopies of the trees and the Princess felt herself breathe for the first time today.

All worry vanished from her body the moment she stepped foot on the lush green grass of the garden. She loved this place more than anything in the whole palace (excluding the Prince). This was a place of silent devotion, filled to the brim with a tenderness that only the young royals could truly appreciate together.

Hoseok and Aga spaced out the other guards in the garden, making sure to give the simulated couple their space. If the Prince sat on the ground with the Princess between his legs, arms wrapped around her waist as they shared whispered words, the guards turned a blind eye.

Aga gazed up into the sky and inhaled the scents of his homeland. His chest ached for a short moment before he closed his eyes and drank in the warmth of the sun. Once the Princess was wed to the Prince, Aga would go back to Escistan. He would leave the Princess to Hoseok, who in Aga’s eyes was more than capable of protecting her. He would leave Mingi as the head of the Princess’ guards and put Chan as his right hand. Together with the rest of the guards, the Princess would be safe. Standing by the Prince’s side, the Princess would be happy.

"Rete tann mwen, mon amour. Jis yon ti tan ankò."

Aga opened his eyes at the sound of movement from his right and Hoseok was making his way over. Aga rolled his shoulders and glanced at the young lovers, lost in their own world, hidden from the many eyes of the palace.

“We must head back soon.”

Hoseok’s voice was soft and low as if he spoke any louder he would disturb the atmosphere that the Prince and Princess had created. Aga nodded his head in agreement. A luncheon was scheduled for members of the council to pay their respects to the young royals. It was within two hours and the couple parched under the tree needed to freshen up before they stood before the council members.

Grunting, Aga made his way over to the young couple and offered the Princess his hand to help her up. The Prince stayed close by the Princess’ side as they traveled back to the palace arm in arm. They spoke in hushed whispers and the Princess’ suppressed giggles made those around them smile. How light the palace had become since the Princess’ arrival. A true breath of fresh air and eased the worry of most servants.

Outside of the Princess’ chambers, Prince Yoongi lifted their clasped hands to his lip and whispered tender words that made a wide smile pull at the Princess’ lips. Heat warmed her face and she was quick to slip into her room, a hurried wave over her shoulder as her handmaid swarmed her. The door shut with a firm thud and the Prince sighed.

“Let’s get this over with, Hoseok.”

Prince Yoongi nodded to Aga and the other guards before he disappeared into his room beside the Princess’ two yards down. Once in his room, the Prince freed his hair from its bun and Hoseok pulled it into a low ponytail that rested against the Prince’s back. They sat on the settees and couches in silence, letting the events from earlier play in their minds.

In the Princess’ room, she was stripped of her clothing and led into the warm waters of her bathing room. Hyejin used a loofah to exfoliate the Princess’ skin before she washed away the light layer of sweat and makeup. Sweet almond and mint oils were mixed into the water creating a soothing aroma that made the Princess sink into a peaceful headspace. The Prince’s words from the garden played in her mind and she smiled to herself.

“Wait for my word. You will know when it’s time.”

For the next few hours, Princess Keena was pampered by her handmaids and dressed in a beautiful rosewater and lilac bazin brocade boubou. The sleeves were wide and flowing, creating a wing-like appearance as the Princess moved about her chambers. Her braids were piled into a high crown-like bun on the top of her head with two single braids framing her face at the sides. Butterfly and daisy-shaped meori-kkoji were played in her hair for added splendor before rouge was brushed onto her cheeks and lips. The Princess’ eyes were lined in black kohl, elegant wings drawn at the ends.

Prince Yoongi wore deep blue baji with a thick golden band at the bottom with a matching jeogori. Two four-toed dragons were stitched into the shoulders of the jeogori. The Prince’s long blonde hair wrapped and pinned at the top of his head in a black sangtugwan with his golden dragon donggot to bring attention to the two dragons that gleamed on his shoulders. Gold hoop earrings rested in the Prince’s ears and many chunky gold rings decorated his fingers. He was ready and with one final touch to her outfit, so was the Princess.

In the hall when the young royals stood before each other, the Prince smiled at the sight of his betrothed. She was a vision, pure and sweet in colors that pulled an angelic hue from her skin. The side of Prince Yoongi’s lips lifted as he noticed the familiar norigae that hung from the Princess’ hip. The white moonstone and golden tassels complemented the softer colors of the Princess’ garb and a low rumble crept from the Prince’s throat.

“Your beauty never ceases to amaze me, my gem.”

Prince Yoongi spoke calmly as he offered his arm and Princess Keena rolled her eyes playful as she slipped her arm in the crook of the Prince’s elbow.

“I could say the same for you, my Prince. Blue is a handsome color on you.”

Hoseok cleared his throat and the Prince frowned at the interruption. Smiling, Hoseok motioned for the couple to move along.

“We need to go now, your Highness.”

On the way to the luncheon General Daehyun informed Hoseok that the Prince’s parents would not attend the luncheon but gave their best wishes. As acting host, the Prince sat proudly in the Orlilurth Throne, and when Princess Keena moved to sit beside him in a beautiful hand-carved throne that was smaller but no less regal looking, a deep growl echoed in the hall.

The Princess stood unphased in front of the smaller throne and all eyes were on the young royals. Prince Yoongi’s eyes started to swirl with gold as he rose to his feet and took a few steps to stand in front of the Princess. Wordlessly, the Prince grabbed the Princess’ elbow lightly and guided her to the Orlilurth Throne. His hand slid down the length of her arm and their fingers linked together loosely. The command was silent, a deadly dare for those around to voice their concerns. No one moved and no one breathed as the Princess sat in the Orlilurth Throne and crossed her hands in her lap.

Prince Yoongi huffed out a thick plume of smoke from his nose and motioned for someone to take the smaller throne away before he sat beside the Princess. After the show of dominance, official after official stood and bowed to show their respect. The vein in Hoseok’s temple was throbbing but he stayed quiet and watched as Prince Yoongi kept his face blank while Princess Keena sipped her tea. She smiled politely and listened to the spoken promises and superficial wishes of good health with tender eyes.

The people before her were not the ones who would sit in power once Prince Yoongi took the throne. Their sons, nephews, and cousins would take their place and pledge their loyalty to Prince Yoongi’s reign. For now, the young royals played their part and accepted the endless praise. Aga and Hoseok kept a close eye on everyone in the room, with so many new faces before the Princess, Aga felt on edge. His time spent in the palace consisted of training guards, war meetings, and watching over the Princess. There were many in this room that Aga had yet to meet and they could be a threat.

Green-lentil jelly, pancakes, and sashimi were shared with the council members. Along with honey glazed duck, spiced jams, sweet breads, flan, pork dumplings, somen noodles in a tasty and creamy sesame miso soup, and much more. Dancers in elegant peony pink and baby blue hanbok performed a feather dance and kept the council entertained while musicians played music. The meeting hall soon filled with laughter and loud voices as the council members started to relax and enjoy themselves.

Prince Yoongi paired a slice of beef with gat kimchi and cleared his throat softly, “My gem?”

The Princess pulled her eyes from the dancers and the smile that graced her face made the Prince’s neck heat as he stared at her. He held his chopstick in his hand, the end pitched a nice mouthful of food and he leaned closer to the Princess.

“Try this, I think you will like it.”

Princess Keena made sure that her sleeves were out of the way before she leaned forward and allowed for the Prince to feed to her. The meat was tender and melted on her tongue while the gat kimchi held a slight crunch before it slid down her throat. The Prince stared at her expectantly and she smiled.

“That was not the kimchi I’ve had before.”

The Prince grinned, pleased to see the Princess reach for more of the beef and gat kimchi. He informed her that it was the Emperor’s favorite type of kimchi and that his mother, the Empress, disliked it very much.

“And you, my Prince?”

Prince Yoongi took a sip of his water and looked at the kimchi before he turned to the Princess to see that she had her own hand held out towards him. He licked his lips and leaned in, not once taking his eyes off her. As his lips wrapped around the beef and gat kimchi he winked with thin golden bands circled around his irises. Swallowing down the food, Prince Yoongi allowed for himself to move closer to the Princess, their thighs touched as his nose brushed against her temple and he purred low in his chest.

“I can think of something far superior.”

The side-eye from the Princess wasn’t missed by the Prince and he chuckled as he pulled away, his face pleased and smug as one side of his mouth turned upward. Princess Keena slowly turned to face the Prince and clicked her tongue before she spoke.

“There is a saying in my land,” Princess Keena lifted a cup to her mouth and sipped her tea. “Silans, tou, se yon lang.”

The Prince’s brows pulled together in confusion and the Princess smiled as she motioned for Aga to come to her side. “Silence, too, is a language.”

As Aga reached the Princess’ side, she rose to her feet and bowed her head.

“I will retire for now, Your Highness. I must check on Cookie.”

The Prince watched as the Princess was led away and he laughed to himself. He could smell the Princess’ arousal the moment he invaded her space. Sitting upright, Prince Yoongi looked out at the council members and motioned for Hoseok.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“Have Seokjin take over in my stead. I have prior engagements I must see to.”

Hoseok stared at the Prince for a while and sighed when his emotionless expression gave nothing away.

“As you wish.”

The Prince rose to his feet and everyone in the room quickly scrambled to their feet. He cleared his throat and clasped his hands behind his back as he looked out at the council members.

“Enjoy your meal and drink to your heart's content. This feast was a great honor to spend with all of you here today. As the great ones before me, I wish you all a good time. I must take my leave for now.” Prince Yoongi spoke clearly and watched with dark eyes as everyone in the room bowed. He smirked in amusement and turned on his heels before he left the meeting space with Hoseok at his side. Seokjin sat at the bottom of the stairs where a chabudai table and chair was placed. The throne was left empty and as everyone took their seats, Seokjin smiled and raised his cup as a silent toast.

Since the announcement in the morning and during the luncheon, the Princess’ maids and other attendants have moved most of her belongings into her room within the palace. The butterfly house was still the Princess’ cherished getaway but now that her title had changed, she was expected to stay in the palace with the other royals even with Agust’s recurring appearances.

At the butterfly house, the Princess sat outside and watched Cookie as he chased a butterfly. The boubou from earlier was replaced by a cream blouse with wide sleeves and a scoop neckline that had a soft geometric pattern. A peach wrapper sat on the Princess’ hips, an overall simple look compared to what she wore during the announcement ceremony.

San and Kai are on guard. The pair shared a knowing look as they watched the Princess admire the flowers that Namjoon had planted.

San was nervous and excited for tonight. Together with Kai and Minho, the three made sure that everything would be perfect for the Princess’ first unofficial visit into the town. The night market was a major event in their town. Merchants and entertainers came from all over to share their goods and stories. There would not have been a better time than tonight to sneak the Princess out of the palace.

Footsteps crunched on the walkway and Princess Keena looked up, a smile spread wide on her face.

“Seokjin!”

Seokjin was dressed down from what he wore in the early morning like most of the palace staff that held positions of power. A white cross-collared shirt dropped into a white skirt with a thick pale grey silk belt wrapped around his waist. He wore a scalloped seashell-colored open cross-collared jacket over top that had pale grey and cream rumen flowers stitched along the wide sleeves. His dark bangs framed his face while the rest of his hair was pulled into a high half bun, half ponytail style that had a good portion of his hair cascading down behind his shoulders.

A wide smile took over Seokjin’s face as the Prince called his name and he continued his way to her. Once in front of the Princess, Seokjin bowed and clapped his hands.

“You looked stunning on that stage, Princess. You looked regal and elegant, a true blood born leader.”

“You flatter me, Seokjin.”

“Nonsense, Princess. You had everyone on their toes. The women of the court have yet to shut up about your attire. They are already requesting the style.”

Princess Keena felt her face warm at the news and shook her head softly. Seokjin jumped at the sudden weight on his foot and when he looked down, Cookie was sitting on his toes. Bending down, Seokjin scooped the tiger cub up with a huff.

“He has gotten bigger since I last saw him.” Seokjin spoke as Cookie head butted his chin. “Soon none of us will be able to carry him.”

“I’m sure my guards will be able to handle Cookie. He’s just a big baby.”

The Princess reached out and scratched behind Cookie’s ears as she spoke and smiled at Seokjin.

“What brings you to the butterfly house?”

Seokjin set Cookie down and offered his arm to the Princess, “Since His Highness is busy with his own tasks, I thought I would offer to keep you company.” Seokjin explained as the Princess slipped her arm into the crook of Seokjin’s elbow. “I really must apologize for not taking the time to visit more often.”

“You are a busy man, Seokjin. Why should I fault you for doing your job?”

Seokjin’s cheeks flushed at the Princess’ words and he started to walk along the path through the garden.

“You are too kind Princess. Your gentle candor is refreshing.” Seokjin watched his steps as Cookie ran around them in circles. “His Highness was blessed by the ones before us to have you intertwined into his life. Together, with you by his side-” Seokjin grins and chuckles, “I see a long and beautiful union for all of us.”

Seokjin had spent a few hours with Princess Keena. At some point Kai left his post by the Princess’ side; he felt unwell. Minho took his place and San knew that it would soon be time for the night’s operation to begin.

Conversation between the Princess and Seokjin was easy. As the sun started to sink in the sky, the Princess voiced that she had felt unwell and when Seokjin offered to escort her to her chambers, Minho and San took over. They reassured him that the Princess would be okay and that he need not worry about her care. Seokjin watched as the trio walked back to the palace and he chewed on his bottom lip in worry.

In the palace, Hoseok and Aga were informed of a sudden council meeting to discuss the ongoing war and strategies to ensure an overall victory. When Hoseok left his post, Kai slipped into the Prince’s room with a small bag hidden within the belt of his outfit. Prince Yoongi sat alone in his chambers behind his desk with a scroll in front of him. Upon Kai’s arrival, the Prince rose from his seat and motioned for the guard to follow him into his bed chambers.

In the room, Kai removed the bag from his belt and laid the contents out on the Prince’s vanity. Charcoal and commoner clothing were bundled together neatly and the Prince was impressed. Kai helped the Prince strip out of his regal clothing and carefully dressed him in the simple hanbok before he removed all the jewelry. He sat in front of the mirror and watched as Kai came up behind him. In his hands was a small cup of water and he set it on top of the vanity before he grabbed a brush and detangled the Prince’s hair.

Once the Prince’s hair was knot free, carefully Kai pressed the charcoal stick to the blonde hair. Again and again, Kai repeated the process before he ran a fine toothed comb through the Prince’s hair to fully cover the hair. Gone were the blond strands, now replaced with flat ink black. Prince Yoongi was fascinated as he turned his head from side to side to get a better view of his dark hair. Kai pulled it into a high bun that sat on top of the Prince’s head with a simple black cloth tied around to keep it in place.

As he stood from his seat, the Prince smoothed out his hanbok and gave Namjoon a tight-lipped smile.

“How do I look?”

Kai eyed the sand-colored jeogori that hung from the Prince’s shoulders. The matching baeja was simple enough with a white trim along the hem. The beige baji paired well with the straw jipsin shoes. The dark strands of hair really made all the difference and Kai nodded his head, pleased with the Prince’s disguise.

“I would give you a few coins if you asked.”

A smile stretched across the Prince’s face at Kai’s words and he laughed.

“Everything else is ready for tonight?”

“Yes, Your Highness. I recruited the help of Byulyi to assist the Princess in dressing.”

The Prince narrowed his eyes as he frowned, unimpressed with the news of Byulyi now knowing about his plan. He didn’t want more people to know about his whereabouts, but it couldn’t be helped. The Princess did indeed need help to get ready and that was a fact that the Prince had not accounted for.

In the Princess’ chambers, Byulyi helped her into the hanbok that the Prince had gifted to her a few nights ago. The other handmaids were dismissed by the Princess in fear that she would get them sick as well. Byulyi had been the first to speak up about staying behind and passed a note to the Princess while she clasped her hands tightly. The Princess agreed with little to no argument and the others left with low bows.

The sand-colored jeogori with its thick beige cuffing fitted the Princess loosely and the beige pleated chima swayed around her feet. The cognac colored norigae was carefully attached to the Princess’ skirt by Byulyi before she was led over to the vanity. Byulyi pulled the Princess’ braid to the back of her head and twisted them into a single plait that rested against her back. The cream silk ribbon with gold larch and lupine flowers embroidered at the ends was tied to the bottom of the plait to complete the look.

As the Princess walked over to the tri-view mirrors, she smiled at her overall appearance. Her makeup had been removed and replaced with a simple neutral smokey eye and a rose tinted balm to her lips. The only jewelry that she wore were the two rings with thin gold bands and three white scolecite gems on each that the Prince had gifted to her. The engagement ring was tucked away with the rest of the jewelry for safe keeping. Princess Keena had been reluctant to remove the precious gift but Byulyi had reassured her that it would be safer to leave it behind.

Out in the hall, Wonho and Jooheon stood guard. They were determined to make sure that the Princess wasn’t disturbed while she rested and recovered from her sickness. Inside the Princess’ chambers, Byulyi lit a candle and walked over to the closed window. As she opened it quickly and stood with her back facing the Princess. Silently, Byulyi covered and uncovered the flame six times before she blew out the candle and walked away from the window. The Princess was confused but Byulyi gave her a knowing smile.

“Be safe tonight Princess and have a wonderful time.”

Byulyi draped a dark cloak around the Princess’ shoulders and carefully lifted the hood over her head.

“Where am I going, Byulyi? His Highness didn’t tell me anything.”

“You will learn in due time, Princess.”

A soft knock at the window made the two women turn around and Princess Keena was surprised to see San standing in the window; his calcite eyes glowed in the darkness.

“Time to go, Princess.”

Byulyi and San helped the Princess climb out the window and Byulyi wished them luck once more before she closed the window and covered all the sunstones for the night. Princess Keena stayed close to San’s side as he led her through a series of twists and turns until they reached a small cluster of trees. It was dark and grew darker still. As they approached, shadows started to move and the Princess’ steps faltered.

One of the shadows stepped out of the darkness and as it was bathed in silver moonlight, the Princess’ mouth dropped open in awe. There stood the Prince dressed in clothing that did not befit his status and his blond hair was gone. Dark inky locks gleamed in the moonlight, and the Prince’s lips were turned upward as he extended his hand outward towards the Princess.

"Ann ale."

Colors. So many colors, sounds, and scents surrounded the Princess as she walked beside the Prince in the busy streets of the town’s night market. The main market was lit up with sunstones that were strung up high from stall to stall. A web of lights encased in handcrafted lanterns of different colors. Hand-carved and painted signs with the names of products and pricing covered all the stalls while some had no signage. Minho and San kept ten paces from the young royals as they explored the wonders of the night market.

“Ddeokbokki! Fresh ddeokbokki!”

“Bindaetteok! Nice hot, bindaetteok!”

“Samgyupsal! We have samgyupsal!”

In the distance, a pansori told the story of how the Min Empire came to be while another one sang about the war in the West. People moved to and fro, stall to stall with baskets filled with goods. It was exciting and the Princess took it all in. The Min Empire at night was beyond her wildest dreams. Intoxicating scents of perfumes and oils danced in the air and mingled with the sweet aromas of the food. The floral and spicy scent led lonely and stressed women and men alike to the middle of town where The Vine, a prosperous inn known for its more carnal pleasures, resided.

The building was three stories high with thick wooden posts painted a deep blue out front to hold up the impressive nameplate. The whole building was a mix of blues, creams, and golds. Splashes of brighter colors were hidden away in the rooms reserved for private use. A group of four, two women and two men, stood outside of The Vine to entice those who passed by. Their grabs were soft muted tones of pinks, reds, purples, and blues. Their necks were exposed and if their robes slipped from their shoulders, a helpful hand would fix it.

The Prince had spoken with San and Kai about The Vine, he knew to avoid that area and the walkways were wide enough to do so. Princess Keena pulled at the Prince’s hand and he allowed himself to be dragged to a vendor that sold norigae. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back as the Princess asked the merchant questions and silently inhaled the sweet tang of honey-dipped tangerines. The satgat on top of his head hid his face from those around him, only showing his mouth when he lifted his face enough to speak to different vendors.

Prince Yoongi felt himself cross his eyes for a moment as a norigae was suddenly shoved in his face. He blinked a few times and carefully took the knotted silk in his hands. The craftsmanship was impressive and the colors were complementary to a few of his darker outfits in the palace. Red and gold silk rope was woven together in an intricately knotted design with three hanging tassels at the bottom, red on one side and gold on the other.

“The little lady has an eye for the best!” The merchant praised and Yoongi raised an eyebrow as he turned his attention to the Princess.

“My wife finished that one this afternoon, it took all month to make.”

The Prince reached into the waist of his hanbok and wrapped his fingers around his jumeoni that held his money. He asked the price and paid for it without blinking an eye. Princess Keena leaned into his side and the Prince swallowed down a pleased rumble in his chest. The merchant placed the norigae into a small wooden box and wrapped it in a tan cloth. Before he could hand it off, Prince Yoongi gave the merchant a nameplate and asked to keep it on hold. Anything that was purchased in the night would be picked up later on in the week to avoid any suspension.

Princess Keena slipped her hand into the Prince’s and together they walked to a stall that made the Price smirk. He recognized the name of the stall, it was the vendor that sold the sweet treats. He had a few tables set up for people to sit down and enjoy their food to which Prince Yoongi pulled the Princess in that direction. They sat across from each other at a table and the Princess looked around excitedly. Her eyes were wide as they bounced from place to place. The light of the sunstones reflected in her eyes and the Prince found himself reaching his arm out across the table.

Princess Keena grinned down at his hand and cupped the back of his hand in hers. Using her other hand, she traced invisible shapes into the Prince’s palm with the tips of her blunt nails. A pleasant shiver crawled down the Prince’s back and he carefully removed his hat, placing it on the seat beside him. He made sure to choose a table that wasn’t in the direct light of the sunstones so that he could enjoy this moment.

“Are you enjoying yourself, my gem?”

“There are no words to express my gratitude...Yoongi.”

The Prince’s fingers wrapped tightly around the Princess’ fingers and he purred. He brought the Princess’ hand to his lips and kissed her fingertips one by one. He never took his eyes off hers and smirked as silver started to quiver to life in the darkness.

A waiter came over to take their order and the Prince rattled off a few different treats. Everything was picked with the knowledge that he had gained over the time spent with the Princess. Hotteok, danpatjuk, yakgwa and manju with a pot of tieguanyin tea on the side.

In the palace, Hyungwon and his assistant Yunho, a dwarf cyclops, tended to the Emperor as he laid in bed. Empress Eunkyung sat at his bedside, eyes bloodshot and puffy from her endless crying. The Emperor was ill and his sickness incurable. From Hyungwon’s examinations and tests, Emperor Chungho had three months to live; six at the most. It was a sickness of his lungs and from what Hyungwon saw, they were slowly withering away bit by bit. The blood that the Emperor coughed up was proof of his lungs' degenerative state.

The news was swiftly delivered to Hoseok and Aga as they exited the war meeting together. They decided to tell the young royals together in hopes that they would be able to comfort each other. Prince Yoongi wasn’t in his chambers, the guards at his door informed Hoseok that the Princess had fallen ill, so His Highness had gone to stay by her side. Aga bristled at the news but kept his thoughts to himself. They made their way to the Princess’ chambers where Chan and Jooheon stood guard.

“Why was I not informed of the Princess’ state?” Aga glared at the two guards and Chan stood his ground.

“Byulyi said that she sent word to you already. Had she not?”

Aga and Hoseok shared a look before they pushed open the doors of the Princess’ chambers. Byulyi scrambled to her feet and bowed to both Aga and Hoseok.

“It seems to be some miscommunication, Byulyi.” Hoseok didn’t take his eyes off the maid as he spoke. “Word of the Princess’ illness had not reached us and yet the Prince is here with her?” Hoseok clicked his tongue and took a step towards the bed chambers.

Byulyi stepped in his way and crossed her arms over her chest. “I was giving strict orders from His Highness to not allow anyone to disturb his and the Princess’ slumber.”

“Oh?” Hoseok raised an eyebrow and took one step forward to crowd Byulyi’s space. “And will you take responsibility for my important notice being ignored for the sake of beauty sleep?”

Byulyi’s gaze wavered. What news did Hsoeok speak of? Could she risk it? It had only been a few hours, two at the most since the young royals left the palace. She wanted them to enjoy their freedom a little longer. Squaring her shoulders, Byulyi narrowed her eyes.

“I will.”

Hoseok huffed, annoyed but impressed. He licked his lips and glanced over his shoulder to Aga who stood by and watched the whole encounter. He nodded his head with a sigh and turned his attention back to Byulyi.

“Forgive me, my dear.”

Before Byulyi could react to Hoseok’s words, he had dug his fingers into a pressure point and caught Byulyi’s limp body in his arms. Scooping her up, he carried her over to the couch and placed her down gently. Aga opened the door to the Princess’ sleeping chambers and the squawk that left his mouth made Hoseok cringe. Aga stepped out of the room and charged to the front of the room. He ripped open the doors and grabbed Chan by his shoulders. Chan hissed in pain as he was slammed into the stone wall.

“Where are they?!” Aga’s voice was an airy mix of whistles, a song of death that only came from the lips of a citron crane.

Jooheon moved to pull Aga off of Chan when Hoseok held him back. The heat that seeped through his robes and singed his skin was uncomfortable. Flames danced in Hoseok’s amber eyes as he glared at Jooheon.

“Answer the question, kid. Where are the Prince and Princess?”

The beat of the drums rang throughout the night. Armed guards filled the streets of the night market and stopped anyone who had their face covered. The Prince and Princess were missing from the palace. Any other time, Hoseok would have searched for the young couple without a fuss but with the news of the Emperor’s impending demise, he had no time for subtlety. Minho and San were easily recognized by the other guards and led back to the palace. They both thought to put up a fight but feared the young royal’s cover would be blown.

In all the commotion, Prince Yoongi pulled the Princess away from the main street and ran between buildings, back towards the palace. The backways were dark and some smelled of waste and spoiled food but the Prince paid no mind to it once he heard additional footsteps echo around him. Someone, maybe three people from the missteps, were following them and Agust coiled himself tightly around Yoongi’s heart. Slowly a gold ring brightened around Yoongi’s iris and his hold on the Princess’ hand tightened.

A body suddenly dropped from the rooftop followed by two more and Yoongi growled in warning. Footfalls from behind made his back stiffen and he shoved the Princess closer to the wall beside them. His satgat had fallen off his head and hung at his back thanks to the beaded gatkkeun that was attached to it. Prince Yoongi narrowed his eyes and bared his elongated fangs as the footsteps behind him came to a stop. They were surrounded and the Prince wondered where Minho and San were.

“Hand over the girl and we’ll let you live, boy.”

From the accent that the words were spoken in, the Prince knew that these bandits were not from town. As he took in their garb, he noticed that they were dressed in darker colors and wore black leather trousers but what stood out was the scabbard on their waist. The hilt was an ivy white while the sheath was black with golden metal plating. The craftsmanship reminded the Prince of a dagger that he once saw in a book about the West. He narrowed his eyes and positioned himself between the men, ten he counted, and the Princess.

“If you want to leave with your pathetic lives, leave now!”

The men all laughed and drew their swords and daggers all at once. Prince Yoongi cursed for not arming himself with any weapons for the night. Princess Keena pressed herself closer to the wall to shield her back and watched as the men all readied themselves to attack.

One man lunged and the Prince sent him flying into the building across from them with a single kick to the man’s stomach. His skull hit the wall with a loud crack before he slumped to the ground. Another charged at the Prince and threw a punch that the Prince caught. He pulled the man in closer and sent his knee into the man’s chest three times before he shoved him away.

Prince Yoongi settled into a fighting stance and two men charged at once with their swords. He shifted their attention to him as he moved out of the way so that the Princess wouldn’t be hurt. He blocked their attacks with his forearms before he kicked them away and smirked. Three out of the four men were groaning on the ground and slowly picked themselves up. A taller man, the leader, if they had to guess, narrowed his eyes and spit on the ground.

“Kill ‘im.”

⚠⚠⚠

Four of the men rushed in and the Prince was caught off guard for a moment. He thrusted his arm out to catch the wrist of the closet man, twisting the man's arm at an awkward angle for the sword to drop. The sickening crack of bone breaking made the Princess wince and cover her mouth as the food from earlier threatened to come back up. The man staggered back, holding his injured arm while the Prince fended off the other three men with the stolen sword. Another man snuck against the wall and kept to the darkness as he crept towards the Princess.

The clinking of swords echoed in the night and Hoseok’s ears were ringing. The market was a mess with thugs and lowlifes attacking vendors for their goods. It was chaos and Hoseok was worried for his friends. He had not seen any trace of the Prince nor the Princess and something deep in his gut felt wrong. The sky above came to life, stars snuffed out by thick wafts of clouds. The air smelt of petrichor, dense and electric as thunder rolled about.

A sudden squall of wind, chilling for the warmer night sent a shiver down Hoseok’s spin. A storm was coming and it wasn’t natural. Hoseok gathered the Princess’ guards, even though he felt like everything was their fault and motioned for them to follow him.

“Circle back to the palace! Split up and check the backways!”

The Prince was panting as he punched another man in his face. His fist hurt but he ignored the pain as someone came at him with two swords. Prince Yoongi grunted as he blocked the double blades and fought to keep his balance. The man before he was larger but the Prince remembered his training with Aga.

He let the man gain the upper hand by letting his arms give out before he kicked out his leg and swept the man’s feet out from underneath him. Using that same momentum, the Prince thrusted the blade forward right down into the man’s stomach and yanked it upward, like he had gutted a fish.

“Yoon-!”

The Princess’ voice caught Yoongi’s attention and he saw that she was now surrounded by three men. He hadn’t realized that the men he had fought had put such a distance between himself and the Princess. He took a step in the Princess’ direction and two more men attacked him. As he fought, one pulled a dragger from his hip and lunged. Yoongi was able to block the sword but the dagger was longer than normal and gave the other man the chance to get too close. The blade striked the Prince and his vision blurred, scarlet red. A sudden warmth with a stinging undertone, radiated along the right side of his face.

The Prince gripped his face with one hand. Blood seeped through his fingers and trickled down his wrist as he swung his sword blindly in the other, staggering backwards. He tripped over one of the fallen men and before he could catch himself one of the men grabbed his head from behind and smashed it into the closest wall.

What little vision he had blurred even more and the Princess’ scream echoed in his ears. He struggled to stay upright and the man behind him slammed his head once more into the wall. Black spots entered the Prince’s vision and as he crumbled to the ground, he felt Agust’s claws as they sank deep into his heart.

Worry not, Princeling

Three men were left behind to check on the well-being of the others that were injured by Prince Yoongi. They paid no mind to the broken body that laid battered and bruised, bleeding out onto the dirt. If they had known who he was, they would have run long before they dared attack. Now? Now it was too late. Obsidian was flooded with pure gold, inky black iridescent scales covered more and more pale skin in larger patches and the pink tongue was now indigo and forked.

One man passed over the Prince’s body and spit at the ground in front of him. He noticed that the Prince was still breathing and glowered at the younger man. He squatted down before the Prince and pulled a dagger from his hip. He moved the satgat out of the way and grabbed the topknot that kept the Prince’s hair out of his face with a sneer.

“Enjoy living in disgrace,” the man sniggered and chopped the Prince’s topknot off without a second thought.

The bun was clutched in the man’s fist and he laughed loudly, pleased with himself. However, the victorious joy was short-lived once he noticed the black scales on the Prince’s neck and face. With the satgat no longer blocking the Prince’s features, the man saw small black horns, almost like thorns that framed the Prince’s eyebrows and two thick black horns that weren’t there before. He swallowed thickly and dropped the topknot on the ground before he scrambled to his feet.

An iron-like vice gripped his ankle and he froze. Long, pointed nails seemingly dipped in tar pierced the skin and the man groaned in pain as he felt his muscle and bone rub together. The bone snapped and the man cried as he fell to the ground. The other men, now four in total, rushed over. They watched uncertain, swords raised in defense as the Prince picked himself up off the ground. His black hair hung around his ears unevenly and stuck to the bloody mud on his face.

This was not the same man they had tried to kill. This, this was a monster.

Agust grinned at the men before him; his pointed teeth gleamed a wicked red from the flood that trickled into his mouth. He licked his lips and spit the bloody dirt on the ground. He rolled his shoulders and flexed his fingers a few times, his pointed nails glossy and soaked in blood.

He blinked once and he was in front of the men, nearly nose to nose. He growled as he grabbed one man by the throat and threw him through the wall of the building nearby. The other men dropped to their knees and begged for their lives. Agust squatted down in front of them, setting his elbow on his knee before he rested his chin in his palm.

“And why sssshould I ssspare your livessss?” His words were strung together with a hissed lisp that encased the men’s heart in pure dread.

“T-The girl!” One blurted out to save himself. “I-I know where they took the girl!”

Agust’s eyes narrowed into tiny slits and he lashed out without a word. The man’s whole body went rigid and he looked down slowly as he started to shake. Agust’s arm, up until his elbow was in the man’s chest. His heart beat dully in Agust’s bloodied hand that stuck out his back.

The other two men watched in horror as Agust ripped his hand out and squished the man’s heart right before his very eyes before he died. He turned his gaze to the other men left and they begged for their lives. Agust enjoyed ripping them limb from limb. The only other survivor was the man who had the crushed ankle and Agust dragged him by the front of his shirt.

“Ssshow me where they took my treasssure!”

A downpour drowned out the muffled shouting that came from inside a storage room behind The Vine. The building was surrounded by lilac and clematis flowers with a cluster of yew trees that casted eerie shadows against the walls.

Inside the tree men from the alleyway argued with each other about what to do with Princess Keena. They had tied her hands together at the wrists, behind her back and had her knelt on the cold hanji paper-covered floor. Water dripped from her hair and dripped onto the floor. A puddle had started to form where she knelt in silence.

They had not expected the man she was with to put up such a fight and cut their numbers down so quickly. The leader of the group was sure that the man was dead by now but he required a greater sum of money for the inconvenience of having to replace two of his men.

Money was heavy on his mind but as he looked at the Princess, unknowing of her true value, he licked his lips. The hanbok she wore was soaked through. The light beige color had darkened to a brown and clung to her body. The Princess kept her head down, her eyes closed as she willed Ceyeh to slowly come to the surface.

Princess Keena knew a bit more than the very basics of fighting. She could hold her own well enough against one person, but not three. Ceyeh had been a warrior in her time and knew how to protect the Princess at the cost of someone else’s life. It was a price she was willing to pay if need be.

Behind closed eyes, silver curled and spread through the irises of the Princess. Ceyeh pushed the Princess’ conscious state of mind behind her. Warm brown and soft grey feathers wrapped around the Princess’ subconscious and held her tightly.

“Not gonna scream for help, girl?”

Ceyeh ignored the voice that spoke to her as she controlled her presence. No feathers sprouted from her skin and she focused on the shift of her nails. The nail bed turned a deep grey and the rounded tips grew into pointed talons.

The leader of the group grabbed a fist full of Ceyeh’s hair and jerked her head up. The watery blue silver of her eyes caught him off guard and he grinned wickedly.

“A shifter? Never had a taste of one before.”

The man’s breath was rancid, teeth rotted and many missing. He gripped Ceyeh’s face in his hand harshly and turned her head every which way. He examined her and watched as goosebumps rose on the exposed skin of her shoulder.

“A nice consolation for the death of my men. It has been some time since I’ve last touched someone so-”

As thunder roared overhead the trees outside hit against the building. Lightning lit up the sky and casted their shadows against the wall. Ceyeh glared up at the man and he looked over his shoulder at the other two men in the room.

“Did you hear that?”

The men looked at each other confused.

“The thunder?”

The man in front of Ceyeh spit on the ground and threw her body to the floor. He had heard something in the thunder.

“I think our men are back. Shall we give them a show?”

Ceyeh silently sliced through the rope that bound her hands as the man above her talked. If it was a show they wanted, it was a show they would get. Ceyeh caught the rope in her hands and dropped them on the ground before she made her move. The leader moved faster, he had her pushed onto her stomach and straddled her waist. He leant down and chuckled in her ear as he held her head down against the floor.

“Nice try girlie.”

He licked the side of her face, the warmth of his saliva cooled quickly as he pulled away with a pleased hum.

“Hold her down!” He ordered his men and they moved quickly. Both men grabbed one of Ceyeh’s arms and pinned them down while the leader pulled his dagger from his hip and cut into the fabric of her hanbok. Ceyeh struggled as she tried to pull herself free but the men were surprisingly much stronger. It had been a long time since she last had to defend herself like this.

“Oh ho!” The man sneered as he looked at the markings on Ceyeh’s back. “What filth is this?” His rough fingers touched the raised marking on Ceyeh’s back and Ceyeh fought harder to get free. “Such a pretty face for a disfigured body.”

A hand pushed the skirts of her hanbok up and Ceyeh clenched her teeth. Feathers started to sprout along her ears and corners of her eyes. Her leg shifted as she dug her talons into the floor and readied herself for the pain she was about to inflict on herself. Brown feathers started to grow from her shoulders.

As they hardened, a crash filled the air as a body dressed in the men’s garb went soaring through the only door of the storage room. The body smacked into the wall, a single hole held the limp body in place by its smashed head. Blood dripped down the wall and splashed onto the floor in crimson pearls.

Through the petrichor, as Agust encroached on the storage house, he smelt the fermented and sour scent of the Princess. She was in danger and Agust growled as he heard a man’s voice over the rain. He dragged the man from the alleyway through the mud, not once caring that his broken ankle was jostled about. He broke the man’s jaw to keep him quiet and once the storage house was pointed out, Agust snapped his neck without a moment's hesitation.

⚠⚠⚠

As the scent of tangerines turned sharper and grew more bitter, Agust had enough. With no warning, he chucked the man in his hands through the doors of the storage room with such force that he became one with the wall. A grand improvement in Agust’s eyes, though before he could voice his musings he took in the sight before him. Princess Keena was pinned to the floor, her skirt was pulled up past her thighs and a man was straddling her from behind. As the man jumped to his feet, Agust caught sight of the off-colored markings on the Princess’ back and thick black smoke spilled from his mouth as fire burned in his chest.

Screams echoed in the night, suffocated by the howling winds and cherry-sized raindrops. Blood dripped from the ceiling and pooled onto the floor under torn limbs. Agust blinked once, twice, thrice before the sweltering heat in his chest settled into a dull flame. Golden eyes shimmered in the night, reflective as light flashed outside. His hair was plastered to his face, wet from the rain and blood that had started to clot.

Agust cracked his knuckles and wiped his hands on his blood soaked trouser before he ran a semi-clean hand through his hair. The choppy strands irritated the cut on his eye. The sound of shuffling caught his attention and he turned on his heels sharply with a growl in his throat.

Silver and gold, two colors that had not existed in the same space in eons, meat silently. Agust’s body was frozen as glistening tears spilled from those all too familiar silver pools. A single drop of blood plopped down from the ceiling and splashed on the Ceyeh’s cheek. A small river of tinted red streamed down her face, yet she made no move to wipe it away.

Agust stepped forward with a hand raised and Ceyeh’s arm shot out with a startled gasp as she took a quick step backwards. The distance wasn’t much, a handful of footsteps yet Agust felt that there were whole continents between them.

“My moon?”

#yoongi fic #yoongi angst #yoongi fluff #daechwita!yoongi #dragon!yoongi #bts soulmate au #bts fantasy au #fic: blackthorn #soc yoongi #blackthorn ch 14

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sweetestofchaos · 2 years

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Blackthorn Ch 2 | M.YG

In the Moonlight - Prince Yoongi searches for the Princess and they spend time together before the banquet later that night. At the banquet things get lively and the young royals needs a break.

a/n: Shout out to the great @sailoryooons for being my beta/banner maker! I really don’t know what I would do without you. You’ve helped me so much with this story, I love you!

a/n 2: This is my first major fantasy work, so I would like to hear your thoughts!

a/n 3: There is a BTS reference in this chapter? See if you can find the Easter Egg. I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas about it.

Taglist: @thickemadame

Series Masterlist | Masterlist

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Together, Prince Yoongi and Hoseok left the bed chambers and made their way to the cherry blossom garden. In the distance Prince Yoongi saw the Princess under the gazebo as she chatted away. Prince Yoongi fought the smile that tugged at his lips and the moment Minho saw him, the older man cleared his throat and bowed deeply. Princess Keena looked in the direction of which Minho was bowing, and she rose to her feet while the others around her bowed.

Prince Yoongi stood before the princess, and she gave him a pleasant bow before she greeted him with that charmed smile of hers. The prince stared at the Princess and bowed slightly, “Hello, Princess.”

Princess Keena watched in silence as Prince Yoongi dismissed Minho and the handmaidens. Aga and Hoseok stood watch five feet away from the gazebo while the Prince and Princess talked. Prince Yoongi sat beside the Princess, the tea set and treats between them. Cherry blossom petals rained down from above, a pink shower that hid them from view. Prince Yoongi couldn’t help but to think the pink in the Princess’ hanbok made her look like the very cherry blossoms she sat beneath.

“Would you like tea, my Prince?” Princess Keena asked, and Prince Yoongi clenched his fists underneath the sleeves of his robe. The way the Princess called him prince made his head spin.

“No thank you, Princess.” Prince Yoongi glanced at the Princess’ face and leaned towards the side, his elbow bent and rested against the wooden guardrail. He rested his chin on his fist and the sun caught the scales on his jaw. A faint rainbow danced across the Princess’ chest, and she laughed delighted by the sudden display of color. Heat crept up the back of the prince’s neck and burned his ears while the Princess’ laughter continued. “A-Are you laughing at the crowned Prince?”

Princess Keena waved her hand silently as she tried to control her laughter but the brightness and glowing joy in her eyes was unmistakable. The Princess set her cup of tea down and covered her mouth with her free hand while the prince’s lips turned downward, and his eyes narrowed. The Princess laughed harder at the sight because the prince resembled a large grumpy manul from her homeland.

“Oh, Pallas!” Princess Keean’s words were breathless as she struggled to speak and the prince waited silently, a pout sat deeply on his soft lips. “M-My Prince you’re a Pallas cat!”

Prince Yoongi’s pout morphed into a thin line and furrowed brows at the Princess’ words. A Pallas cat? He had never heard of that before. The Princess saw the confusion on the prince’s face and hummed as she reached out and patted the sleeve of his robe before she pulled her hand back.

“A Pallas cat is a small wild cat in my nation. It is known for always looking put off while pouting so trespassers always feel bad and leave it alone.”

Prince Yoongi narrowed his eyes and flashed his elongated fangs. “I don’t pout.”

Princess Keena raised an eyebrow and silently picked up her cup of tea before she stared right into the prince’s eyes and took a long sip. She swallowed the tea and held the cup in her hands, “This tea is delicious. I think my mother would like this blend.”

Prince Yoongi scoffed and shook his head. He was amused. No one had dared to ever laugh in his face, yet alone compared him to any other creature outside of a dragon. The dragon inside hissed in mock annoyance and Prince Yoongi licked his lips. “Have you settled in? Are Her Majesty's chosen hands to your liking?”

“They are-” Princess Keena paused and rolled her wrist twice before she frowned, “how do you say something better than good in your language?”

Prince Yoongi smirked, “Better than good? Excellent?”

“Ekselan?”

Prince Yoongi smiled at the Princess’ accent and sat up straight. “Excellent. Ek - suh - luhnt.” Prince Yoongi spoke slowly and enunciated the word before he motioned that he wanted the Princess to repeat him. Princess Keena repeated the word just as slowly and the prince grinned wide. His fangs caught the flesh of his bottom lip and pierced the skin, which he hissed at and quickly licked the blood that had started to bead.

“Are you okay, my Prince?” Princess Kenna reached out and stopped herself. Prince Yoongi was the crown Prince, she could not just touch him freely, no matter how close they had become through letters.

Prince Yoongi saw the hesitation of the Princess’s touch and he fought back his frown while the dragon inside growled deeply in the pit of his stomach. The Princess was a friend, Prince Yoongi didn’t care if she touched him, he’d allow it.

“I am fine, Princess. These things happen often. I guess this would be the only curse of the dragon if there was one.” Prince Yoongi joked and scratched at the tip of his nose as his neck flushed hot. He coughed and cleared his throat quickly. “Have you taken a walk in the garden?”

Princess Keena’s eyes lit up and she shook her head. “I have not had the chance.”

Prince Yoongi stood and offered his hand palm upward as he stared down at the Princess. “Care to join me?”

Princess Keena smiled her blindingly bright smile and Prince Yoongi’s stoic mask melted into the sweetest of looks when the Princess placed her hand in his. Her hands were smooth and silky, untouched by the world’s cruelty and the prince carefully wrapped his fingers around her fingers. Two thin gold bands caught the light, and the prince recognized the rings he had custom made for the Princess. His claws softly pressed into the flesh of the Princess’ fingers as she pulled herself up and she squeezed the prince’s hand lightly.

"Ann ale." Princess Keena grinned and the prince nodded his head once before he called for Hoseok and Aga.

The two guards walked over to the gazebo and Prince Yoongi introduced the Princess to his childhood friend turned guard, Jung Hoseok. The man was unique looking. His face was long with high cheekbones and a very strong jawline. His nose reminded the Princess of the pixie crows that ran wild in her homeland. Jung Hoseok was fierce with long black hair that rivaled the night sky, but that thought was smothered the moment he smiled, and his lips formed a perfect heart while his amber eyes crinkled.

“I hope you enjoy your stay with us, your Highness.” Hoseok bowed at the waist and Princess Keena bowed her head gently.

The Princess stared at Hoseok for a moment and blinked twice. “I have enjoyed myself so far,” The Princess answered Hoseok's question and he smiled wide, which showed almost all of his teeth. “What spirit resides inside of you?”

Hoseok’s smile grew larger at the question and his amber eyes seemed to flicker like a flame as he shrugged his shoulders.

“Come-” Yoongi interrupted Hoseok’s staring match with Princess Keena. “The Princess would like to see more of the garden.”

Prince Yoongi stepped down from the gazebo and made sure that the Princess was careful with her steps. Together the two royals strolled the cherry blossom garden with their guards right behind them. Twice they circled the garden and on the third loop Yongsun came to collect the Princess to finish with tonight's preparations for the banquet.

“I’ll see you soon, Princess.” Prince Yoongi smirked as he watched the Princess be led away. A breeze blew and carried the scent of mint and citrus. The prince inhaled and held his breath before he relaxed and exhaled.

Hoseok stood behind Prince Yoongi and giggled before he dropped his smile and cleared his throat. “I’ll see you soon, Princess!” Hoseok mocked as he flipped his hair over his shoulder. Prince Yoongi glared at his friend and flashed his fangs which made Hoseok snort. “Yes, yes. I know, silence.”

“You almost gave yourself away.”

“I did not!”

“She knows what you are.” Yoongi stressed and Hoseok shook his head.

“She is the Princess of Escistan. The royal family is the great Impundulu. I would be worried if the Princess didn’t have an affinity with aves. But fear not, Prince, I can assure you that the Princess does not know what I am. There aren’t many of my kind left in this world.”

“And who do we fault for that?”

Hoseok smiled but his eyes didn’t scrunch, and his lips didn’t part. “Yes…it is a fault of our own.”

Together the two men walked back into the palace and Hoseok left the prince to get himself ready for the night's banquet. Sunk deep down into the hot waters of his bath, the prince closed his eyes the moment the last servant left the bathing chambers. He wanted to speak with his dragon and the prince could only do that when he was completely alone. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes. Below him in the water's reflection was a distorted image of himself. His eyes glowed gold, black scales covered his face in large patches, small black horns framed his eyebrows and two large matte black horns, four inches in diameter, sprouted from his temples a little longer than his forearm. Prince Yoongi wasn’t startled by the sight; it was his true self after all. His dragon, Agust.

“What do you seek from me, Princling?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking that question?” Prince Yoongi narrowed his eyes and Agust’s laugh came out grizzled and smokey. “What are you playing at, dragon?”

“Are you scared, Princling?”

Prince Yoongi scoffed. “You are nothing to be scared of.”

Agust growled and the water rippled harshly before it settled and stilled. Prince Yoongi licked his lips and sighed. “What is it that you wanted?”

Agust smiled, all sharp, gleaming teeth before he licked his own lips. The forked tongue, deep indigo in color, flicked about before Agust laughed once again. “Enjoy tonight, Princeling.”

“Agust. Answer-” A rush of heat blazed in the center of the prince’s forehead, and he groaned as he shook his head. “Bastard!” The prince growled and slammed his fist against his own normal reflection. Agust was up to something, and Prince Yoongi refused to let the Princess be harmed by his own hands.

The prince exited the bathing waters and toweled himself off, a hiss left his lips as he patted at the large black dragon that covered the whole expanse of his back. Another mark of the Min bloodline, that he bore for all to see.

“Hoseok!” The prince hissed as he stormed out of the bathing room with a towel in his hands.

A few moments later, Hoseok climbed in through the window, and he sighed when he saw the prince naked as the day he was born. His hair was soaked and dripped all over.

“You really must stop calling me when you’re like this,” the lieutenant joked when he noticed the light in the Prince’s eyes was dulled. He had seen all the servants leave the Prince’s chambers and he knew what that meant. “What did Agust tell you?” All signs of joking were whipped from Hoseok’s face as he stared at the prince with sharp eyes.

“Nothing. That bloody snake-”

“Yoongi-”

“Have Minho and Mingi join Aga’s ranks for watching over the Princess. Switch the guards at her chambers to Chan and Jooheon.”

Hoseok’s jaw clenched, the guards the prince named were all under his personal control. The guards were the best of the best, the next warriors to lead the Min Army once the prince became the emperor. They all answered to Hoseok and only Hoseok unless the Prince requested them himself in writing or in person.

“At once, Your Highness.” Hoseok bowed deep at the waist and vanished before the prince said anything more.

Hoseok knew from the frown on his face that the prince was serious, and he knew to hold his tongue whenever the prince was in a mood. Quickly, the lieutenant sent word to the guards, and he watched from a distance as Chan and Jooheon took post in front of the Princess’ door. If Agust was up to something, Hoseok would do the utmost to foil him.

Inside of the Princess’s chambers, the handmaid tidied up hair and touched up makeup before they readied the Princess into one of the softest hanboks. The jeogori was white at the collar and shifted into a light purple near the waist with the white flowers on the edge of the sleeves. The chima was the same shade of purple with white flowers stitched along the bottom hem. Princess Keena loved the lightness of everything and when she saw herself in the mirror, she grinned wide and smoothed her hands over the skirt. Wheein attached the prince’s gift, the duru-jumeoni, to the Princess’s waist as the final touch and stepped back with a clap of her hands.

“You look wonderful, Princess!”

“That color is so pretty on you!”

The women all spoke over each other as they showered the Princess in compliments and Princess Keena bowed her head in thanks. A knock at the door caught everyone’s attention and the Princess looked to Yongsun before she nodded her head. Byulyi went and opened the door before she stepped back and opened it all the way. She announced the prince’s presence and Princess Keena walked over to the doorway.

In the hall, Prince Yoongi stood tall in a black and white gangsapo the large golden four toed foot of the dragon on the back curved over his shoulder. His blonde hair was piled neatly on top of his head, the topknot secured by a golden donggot and hair pin that had a golden dragon carved into the side with yellow apetites for its eyes. The black scales on the prince’s jaw reflected the light from the sunstones against the walls and the Princess smiled softly. She dropped into the respectful bow with her hands placed over her shoulders and Yoongi took notice of the familiar hairpin in the Princess’s hair.

“I see you accepted one of my gifts.” Prince Yoongi held out his arm and the Princess nodded her head, eyes sparkling in the low lights like stars in the night sky. “Was everything to your liking?”

“Everything was beautiful. Thank you for the Dashiki, I think the colors will compliment me.”

“The color of serenity suits you well, Princess.”

The Princess looked down at her hanbok and lightly touched the duru-jumeoni at her hip, “I will cherish these gifts, my Prince.”

Prince Yoongi led the way from the Princess’s chambers with Aga, Minho, Hoseok and Mingi spread out in front and behind them. The prince kept his eyes straight ahead while Princess Keena took the chance and paid closer attention to the world around her.

The walls were a deep oak cut into large beams with latticework carved into them. Different interlocking grids of wood with hanji paper created beautiful artwork while the sunstones shone in lanterns on the floors. The scent of peony and sandalwood wafted through the air from the incense burners that hung from the walls, that settled over the Princess in a warm comfort.

“Did you enjoy the gardens today?” Prince Yoongi questioned suddenly, and Princess Keena nodded her head in response and the prince hummed in thought. They stepped out into the night air and crossed an enclosed bridge that had more sunstones lighting the way from inside small glass lily sculptures on the ground. “Would you care to join me tomorrow after my training? I could show you another garden or the lotus pond.”

“Are you still practicing the sword?”

“It is an ever-changing art,” The Prince mused, and the Princess laughed. The words were indeed true, for her father had said them many times.

“I do not wish to keep you from your day-”

Prince Yoongi scoffed and shook his head, “I have spent many days like the day before and there will be many more to come. I can give you my days, Princess. You require my time? Ask and I will answer.”

“I do not think that is a very wise way for the future King to spend his time.”

The prince’s eyes narrow at the Princess’ words, and she laughs again. “You think time with you is wasteful?” The prince quipped and the Princess shook her head.

“No but I do not know of your time before me. I would not want my presence to interrupt your duties.”

Before the Prince could respond Hoseok cleared his throat and the prince realized that they were at the banquet hall. Prince Yoongi nodded his head once to Hoseok and turned his attention to the Princess.

“I must take my leave, but I will see you again shortly. Please enjoy yourself tonight, this banquet is in your honor.” The prince bowed his head and took his leave quickly with Hoseok behind him.

Aga, Minho and Mingi formed a semi-circle around the Princess and waited for one of the advisors to come and collect her. While they waited, Mingi introduced himself to the Princess and the Princess was a little confused as to why she needed so many guards. Aga assured her that it was only because they were in an unknown place, and it was hard to tell friend from foe.

Mingi was tall, very tall with a confidence that oozed from his pores. His hooded eyes were bright green and his short white hair that framed his face had a streak of yellow. It was clear to see that Mingi was from the Bosleon clan. A known clan of warriors that fought for their independence from the Aspad nation to the south that settled within the Min Empire.

Shortly after introductions, another tall young man with wide shoulders came out from a side door and walked over to the Princess wearing a black and white uniform that the Princess did not recognize. He bowed low at the waist, his dark brown hair pulled up and away from his face in a topknot. Once upright he introduced himself as Kim Seokjin, apprentice to the royal advisor. Princess Keena thought Seokjin was very handsome in his own way. He had the fullest lips of any man that she had seen in the palace so far. An inviting shade of mauve that stood out against his lightly tanned skin. His smile was teasing yet kind as if he knew more than almost everyone around him. Seokjin escorted the Princess to the main door of the banquet hall while another member of the court announced her arrival much like earlier in the day.

Seokjin stood proudly by Princess Keena’s side and led her into the room where all eyes were on her. The Princess held onto Seokjin’s arm as he led her to stand in front of the Emperor, Empress and the Prince. Princess Keena crossed her arms over her chest and bowed a full ninety degrees and the Empress smiled fondly. As the Princess stood straight up, she caught eyes with Prince Yoongi and his face softened just slightly before his eyes hardened and he looked bored with everything around him.

Emperor Min clapped his hands twice and Seokjin led the Princess to her seat right next to him on the prince’s side of the throne room. Every member of council on the left side was young, all sons and grandsons of the advisors on the right side of the room. Prince Yoongi’s royal council was a sea of brilliant and eager minds. Once his time came, the young Prince would rule with great power at his disposal.

“Tonight, we join together to welcome our dearest friends from the Escistan nation!” Emperor Min spoke clearly as he glanced around the room. “The King and Queen have entrusted us with the wellbeing of their greatest treasure, the Princess Keena. During her stay, the Princess will learn the ways of our people and share her own knowledge with us as well. It is a time of learning. A time for the old to make way for the new.”

The warriors who guarded the Princess were dressed in black and navy blue outfits that mirrored the ocean at night. They sat mixed with the Princess’ personal servants from both her home and the palace. Aga and Minho sat behind the Princess and Seokjin while Mingi sat with Izaso a few tables down.

“Princess Keena, it is my greatest honor and pleasure to welcome you to the Min Empire. Please treat this palace like your home and savor this time abroad.” Emperor Min raised his goblet high in the air and the Princess copied his motion. “You will always have a home here within these walls. To the ancient dragons who came before and watch over us, I swear it.”

Emperor Min’s eyes flashed a molten brown as he drank deeply from his cup and Princess Keena chirped loudly in answer to the oath. Everyone raised their cups and when the Empress and the Prince’s eyes flashed gold the whole room drank in silence before the emperor clapped his hands again and music started to play. Princess Keena set her cup down untouched. She smelled the alcohol, and it made her stomach churn. Seokjin noticed the displeasure on her face and beckoned a servant over to do away with the drink.

“Would you prefer tea, Princess Kenna?” Seokjin offered and the Princess nodded her head. “May I suggest the honey mint tea? It will refresh your palate with each course of the meal tonight.”

“That sounds wonderful, my Lord. Thank you.”

“Please, call me Seokjin. Now, bring the Princess some honey mint tea. Two scoops less than I drink.” Seokjin ordered lightly and the servant quickly scrambled off. “You are in for quite a treat tonight, Princess Keena.”

“I would expect nothing less from the Min Empire. I have heard tales of the extravagant parties only those lucky to receive invites have seen.”

At the Princess’s words a group of eight women and two men entered the room and stood in the center for all to see. They were dressed in yellow robes with large white flowers on them that were tied at the waist by a large pink sash. The outfits looked different from the hanbok that most of the guests were wearing. Two of the women held instruments in their hands that the Princess had never seen before while the others held ribbons. Princess Keena watched with large eyes as the group started to play music and dance. The ribbons swirled and swayed in the air; a picture painted without words that disappeared within moments. Their movements were stretched out and flashy, colors mixed and pulled apart as they created something new. Again, and again the dancers jumped and sashayed across the floor. The Princess was enraptured by their flawless movements like spirit fish born out of water.

“What are they wearing?” Princess Keena had leaned over and asked Seokjin about the different robes and Seokjin’s eyes crinkled in the corners as he laughed, high and squeaky.

“They are called Yukata’s.”

Aga watched for the cue that the dancers were finished before he glanced at the door across the room. A flash of green caught his eyes, and he smirked behind his cup as he downed the soju easily. The dancers left the center of the room and before the silence could be missed, a fast-paced cadence was banged out on the drums.

Princess Keena’s brows furrowed at the familiar beat, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep the squawk in her throat from sharing her excitement. Four women and two men, dressed in the traditional Escistan garb filled the center of the room, light on their feet. They wore large, feathered headdresses in shades of green and blue while their faces were covered in white tribal paint that mirror the Impundulu’s wings. Their twists and locs were down around their shoulders freely and the drumbeat picked up, the cadence faster and Aga started the chant, loud and proud as the dancers started to move on the floor.

Their outfits were bright and colorful, large golden gorgets hugged their throats, decorated with white beads and jade gems. White and yellow silk cloth wrapped around the women’s chest with small black beads stitched along the hems. A set of seven waist beads with a thick leather belt sat on their waists. Black lapas with green and yellow patchwork wrapped around their hips and strands of multicolored beads and feathers from the yellowjacket-magpie hung from the belt.

The beads and feathers splayed in the air as they jumped from side to side, their feet stomped to the beat and hands clapped, raised high in the air. It was a celebration of a new life, a new start for the Escistan Kingdom as they joined forces with the Min Empire. It brought tears to the Princess’ eyes, and she joined in with Aga’s chant.

As the Princess’ voice rang out, her people all joined in, and the royal family all smiled. It was a sight that shocked many in the room. The prince almost never smiled because it made him look like the smiling child that used to be attached to his mother’s skirts. It was a wonderful sight and filled the room with a new hope. Hope for the next generation that was to take over the Empire.

The dance came to its end and the dancers all bowed before the Princess with their arms across their chests. Princess Keena grinned, and when she spoke her praise no one could ignore the loud whistle that ended each word. The Princess was pleased, her dark eyes now a striking silver that made Seokjin do a double take.

Aga noticed the Princess’ eyes when she looked back at him, and he tapped the side of his temple twice. A silent warning as his lips twitched and his yellow eyes narrowed. “Drink your tea, Princess.” Aga left no room for argument and the Princess drank her tea with her back turned to him.

“That was a lively dance. The colors were striking.” Seokjin watched as the Princess set her cup down and nodded her head. Her eyes were still silver, but a brown ring had started to form around the edges. She was calming down, slowly. “What was the dance called?”

“That is called dans lavi a.” Princess Keena laughed at the confusion on Seokjin’s face as he repeated her words slowly. “The dance of life.”

“Ah. Oh!” Seokjin looked delighted as he repeated the Escistan words again and the Princess smiled. “You have a lovely language.”

In between performances, food was sent out. New dishes that the Princess and her people had never tried. The meats were flavorful and bold, the side dishes tasty and the alcohol was strong. Aga’s boisterous laugh mixed with Seokjin’s crackle was enough to send the whole room into a fit of laughter and the Princess was in no better shape since she was trapped between the two of them.

“Seokjin?”

“Yes, Princess?”

“Is it frowned upon for the royal family to engage with others at this party?”

Seokjin looked over at the royal family, they sat together with looks of varying amusement on their faces. Seokjin turned his attention back to the Princess. “It is not a custom that we follow. Though they are safe within these walls, threats can happen at any time.” Seokjin noticed the way the Princess fiddled with the norigae in her lap, and he smiled teasingly. “If I remember correctly, you are not familiar with our customs, Princess…” Seokjin wiggled his eyebrows and the Princess laughed before she nodded her head in agreement.

"Aga! Danse avè m!" The Princess held out her hand towards Aga and wiggled her fingers. Aga threw back the soju in his cup once more and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

Aga jumped to his feet and grabbed the Princess’ hand before he helped her stand. “Izaso!” Aga called for the woman and held his fist high in the air. Izaso grinned and gathered the rest of the servants as well as the guards while Aga discussed with the Princess what dance she wanted to do.

Some of the guards made their way towards the instruments and politely kicked the musicians off before they took over. The sudden halt in the music caught everyone's attention and when a new upbeat drum filled the air everyone was confused. The music wasn’t of the Min Empire much like when the Escisan dancers took center stage.

Princess Keena’s servants filed into the center of the room with Aga at the front of the formation. He shouted in time with the cadence of the drums and once he started to dance, the others followed his lead.

When the group of six split into two groups of three, Princess Keena stood in the center and all eyes were on her. Prince Yoongi’s eyes widened at the sight of the Princess as she started to dance, the shoes and socks on her feet no longer there as she widened her legs, placed her hand on her hips and rocked her shoulders from side to side.

The group of seven walked in a perfect formation on beat while each person held a different pose. Again, the Princess ended in the middle of the group, and she held the fabric of her skirts tightly in one hand while she took the lead.

Prince Yoongi watched; his eyes shifted to a golden glow as he locked eyes with the Princess’ silver ones. She smiled and bent her elbows before she threw her arms up in the air and started to kick her legs.

From his seat, Seokjin watched in awe of the Princess and her people. Their dancing was loud and proud. It was bold and beautiful, he thought it looked fun. Across the room, Hoseok caught Seokjin’s eye and they both raised an eyebrow to each other. Hoseok nodded his head towards the Prince and Seokjin laughed while holding both his fists up.

The small group of six kept the Princess in the middle of their circle and danced around. They leapt into the air while spinning their legs and twirled flawlessly in the air before they touched the ground and shuffled back into a line formation. They dropped into a slanted lean and rocked their shoulders again before they waved their hands into the air while the opposite leg twisted again.

Hoseok reached the prince and whispered into his ear, “Looks like fun, yes?” Prince Yoongi refused to take his eyes off the Princess and answered Hoseok with a noncommittal sound. “Would it not be in our nation's best interest to show a united front? His and Her Majesty have a role to play…why not take their place?” Hoseok spoke slowly to not draw attention to himself as he put the tempting idea into the prince’s mind.

Seokjin clapped along to the beat and hollered with the rest of the group which made the Princess laugh. “Dance with us!”

She left the formation and grabbed at Seokjin’s wrist all the while Seokjin pretended to protest while he was pulled into the formation. Izaso took her place beside Seokjin and showed him how to do the moves while he laughed, his face red from the alcohol and adrenaline. The Princess looked at the prince and she silently beckoned him to join, her hand winding a little lower than the others around her as she invited him to her side.

Prince Yoongi stood from his seat and the Empress watched with a smile as he walked into the formation with Hoseok beside him. The prince stood by the Princess’s side, and she personally showed him the steps. The prince copied the moves as best he could and frowned when he couldn’t do it right. Princess Keena laughed, “Pallas!”

The prince huffed at the name and tried again, his movements weren’t as stiff, and he rotated his left wrist correctly when it was time to hop in place before he switched to his right wrist.

In the front of the room, the Emperor and Empress watched their only son of the Min Empire dance with the only daughter of the Escistan nation. Their eyes were molten brown and a liquid gold as they watched the prince laugh and dance. They noticed the joy on Seokjin and Hoseok’s face too.

The air was warm, the music was loud, and the palace felt born again. The Emperor reached his hand out and the Empress placed her hand in his. They squeezed each other’s hand and smiled before they both let go and enjoyed the rest of the festivities.

More and more people joined in the dancing and the Princess found herself in the prince’s arms as they danced. Prince Yoongi’s face was flushed, his golden eyes bright as he stared at the Princess with a large grin on his face.

“I cannot remember the last time a banquet was this entertaining,” The Prince admitted, and the Princess didn’t look shocked at all.

The music was still very upbeat, but the tempo had slowed as the night grew. The moon hung high in the sky, a large sphere of light amongst tiny diamonds that glittered. The air in the room was suddenly too warm and the prince whisked the Princess away.

Outside, the royals stood beside each other, heads turned upwards as they gazed into the endless dark. A pale light shone down from above and brightened the Princess’s silver eyes. When the prince glanced at the Princess, he blinked slowly. Had the moon cast its reflection in the Princess’s eyes? As if the Gods heard his question, a single star shot across the night sky, it’s light, bright and heavy with the need to fill the Princess’s heart with wonder. Prince Yoongi was careful as he grabbed hold of the Princess’ hand and slotted his fingers between hers.

Princess Keena inhaled and closed her eyes as a cool wind blew. The scent of tiger lily and dogwoods swirled around them and the prince found himself in a trance as he stared at the Princess. Princess Keena slowly opened her eyes and tightened her hold on the prince’s hand. She stepped closer to him, the heat from his body sent a shiver down her spin.

“We have a story in Escistan about shooting stars.” The Princess spoke softly as she played with the golden rings on the prince’s fingers with her free hand. “It is said that a shooting star is the soul of those past who are missing you. They beg the Gods for a chance to see you again and if they are lucky, they are granted permission and visit you in your dreams.” The Princess traced the pronounced veins on the prince’s hand. Her touch was feather light, so soft the Prince had half a mind to pluck an azalea petal to compare.

“Those who are denied throw themselves from the Heavens for just a chance that you might see them. That is why shooting stars are so special.” The Princess stopped her fingers from going any higher than the prince’s wrist and traced back down to his knuckles.

“You hold the moonlight in your eyes. A reflection, an almost near perfect replica of you sits in the sky,” The Prince spoke and raised the Princess’ hand slowly. “Those souls jump from the Heavens because they are confused. If the moon is down here, then they want to be as well.” Prince Yoongi pressed his lips to the two rings on the Princess’s fingers and grinned, his eyes soft and crinkled in the corners. “When the sunlight breaks, the moon is still here with me. I think those souls would be stricken with envy. Don’t you, Princess?” The prince raised an eyebrow and the Princess laughed. It rang out into the night and the prince smiled more.

Someone cleared their throat and the two young royals both jumped away from each other, their hands quickly tucked behind their backs. Hoseok grinned but spoke nothing of the matter.

“Princess, the hour is late, and the banquet has come to its end. Aga will take you to your chambers.” Hoseok bowed deeply and the Princess nodded her head silently before she bowed to the prince and hurried off into the banquet hall.

Hoseok watched as the prince watched her go and he grinned. “Come along, Prince. We have an early day ahead of us tomorrow.” Hoseok ushered the prince back into the palace and bid him goodnight once he stepped into his own chambers.

In his chambers, the prince stood in silence as the servants around him undressed him and let his hair down. He sat in front of his vanity as a young man brushed his hair and watched as his golden eyes slowly shifted back to their black obsidian color. The prince scratched his nose with his thumb and index finger, the amount of soju he drank crept up on him. He yawned and smacked his lips as a small growl rumbled deep in his throat.

“Everyone out!” The prince commanded and everyone scrambled to clear the room.

Alone, the Prince rolled his shoulders and stood straight up, his hair fell just below his shoulder blades and hung in his face as he narrowed his eyes at his reflection. “You will finish your training tomorrow and you will take the Princess to the gardens. You will-” The Prince closed his eyes as he thought back to the Princess’ smiling face. “-you will always make her smile during her stay. She deserves everything you have to offer and more.” Prince Yoongi opened his eyes and pointed to himself in the mirror. He gave himself a firm nod. “I will give her everything.”

The prince walked over to his bed and shrugged off the sleeping robe that one of the servants put on him. He hated sleeping with clothes on, it always made him too hot. He crawled into bed and laid on his back.

The prince stared up at the ceiling and smiled to himself. Tonight, was the most fun he had since before he came of age. He couldn’t remember the last time he danced with his friends. The palace had changed, and Prince Yoongi fell asleep with the promise of tomorrow heavy on his mind.

Morning came faster than the prince would have liked but he rose with the sun as Hoseok’s booming voice announced his presence. Hoseok was dressed in his everyday wear, a simple black robe with golden leaves stitched along the cuffs and collar with a deep plum changui on top, the same golden leaves stitched on the collar, down the center and hem. A wide black belt with matching gold leaves was tied around Hoseok’s waist and a plum colored jumeoni sat at his right hip. His hair was pulled back out of his face and sat at the back of his head in a half ponytail while a deep plum cloth was tied around his forehead.

“Come on, your Imperial Highness, you have archery training today.” Hoseok helped the prince get out of bed and he stepped out of the way once servants entered the room. “Oh! Before I forget, the Princess’s guard Aga, will be taking over the sword today.”

“Today?” The prince repeated as he watched a servant carry over his red and black gonryongpo.

“Yes. The others tell me that His Majesty and Aga planned for a large portion of the warriors to drink heavily last night. Even those that weren’t there, drank a lot in celebration. Now everyone must train while hungover…or still feeling the soju.”

Prince Yoongi grinned wickedly, that sounded like something his father would have done and he had no doubt that Aga wasn’t the least bit hungover.

“Very well.” Prince Yoongi waved the gonryongpo away and licked his lips. “I will pick for myself.”

The prince walked over to his wardrobe and shifted through the different fabrics and designs. He figured out that Aga leading the training meant that the Princess would be close by. His gonryongpo was satisfactory at best and Agust wasn’t happy with that. Satisfactory today was not an option. Prince Yoongi allowed his eyes to shift, the swirling golden color a clear indicator that Agust was present at the moment.

Hoseok watched with the corner of his lips pinched. Agust was out and that ruffled him greatly after the prince’s warning. Hoseok kept his eyes on the prince as he moved about and pulled different pieces of clothing from the wardrobe until he settled on a full outfit. The servants rushed to dress the prince and pulled his hair into a high ponytail, a golden clip in the shape of a dragon secured neatly at the base while a few strands hung at the sides of his face.

The prince’s outfit was eye-catching. A blue blouse that buttoned all the way up to the neck with long sleeves dyed black a quarter of the way down that was fitted at the wrist with a thick black cuff. He wore black trousers that clung to his legs like a second skin that reached down into his leather boots. A blue kimono jacket with black silk bands lined the edges while black thread created an intricate pattern of larch flowers in a design that twisted and turned on the back. The kimono revealed part of the shirt worn below it before a thick black cloth band, which was held together by a golden dragon ornate pin kept the kimono closed.

The prince’s eyes turned black once he looked at himself in the mirror and Hoseok whistled low before he spoke up. “Forgetting anything, your Highness?” He joked and Yoongi frowned as he stared at himself in the mirror once more.

“Where’s my manggeon?” The prince looked around and a servant hurried over with it before they wrapped it around his head, careful not to mess up the hair that framed his face.

“Why use a manggeon if your hair is already in your face?” Hoseok questioned teasingly and Prince Yoongi ignored him.

“Let’s go.”

Hoseok and the Prince headed for the training grounds and the prince was impressed to see the six men that came to the palace with the Princess all standing in formation. They greeted the prince with their arms crossed over their chests as they dropped into a bow. Prince Yoongi nodded his head and took in the uniform that the men wore. Half trousers that looked to be made from thin fabric and no shirts, only arm cuffs that had different tribal marks on them. The prince looked around and saw that more and more of his soldiers were on their way to the training grounds and Aga was nowhere in sight.

“Where is Aga?” The prince asked Hoseok and Hoseok grinned with a shrug of his shoulders. On the way to the training grounds, Hoseok noticed a bright yellow bird that wasn’t native to the land perched on a branch near the training grounds. He figured it was Aga’s true form when the bird looked right at him with those familiar pale-yellow eyes.

Hoseok walked to the front of the formation and told the others to join in with their ranks. Daehyun soon took Hoseok’s place and explained how the day's training was to go about. Archery was first followed by swordplay and lastly, they were to battle in hand to hand combat. The prince scanned the courtyard for any sight of the Princess, and he saw none. He huffed and focused on the task at hand while Hoseok handed him his bow and quiver. Eight at a time the men lined up and took three shots at a target before they moved to the back of the line. When it was the prince’s turn, a lemon yellow bird flew down and perched on top of the target.

The prince paid the bird no mind and lined his arrow up before he took a deep breath in and released the arrow on his exhale. The bird didn’t flinch when the arrow struck the center and the prince shot, two more times, each arrow hitting in the same place. Daehyun announced that archery was over, and servants quickly tidied up the grounds for the swordplay. The yellow bird flew over to Daehyun and shifted in mid-air. Aga’s large frame stood behind Daehyun, and everyone stared in wonder. There were not many shifters in their army.

“You are moving too slow! You would be dead if we were under attack!” Aga snapped and everyone jumped into action, swords in hands and back into formation. “In my land we use dummy wood to practice. There is no point in harming each other for the sake of skill. We do not hold back when we fight. However, I understand the ways are different here.” Aga looked at Daehyun and the older man took over.

“I do not wish to see any of you truly harmed. I have great faith in your abilities, but the healer is here as a precaution.”

Prince Yoongi licked his lips at the thought of a real challenge. Aga saw the way the prince got excited at the mention of a challenge, and he smirked. The prince was a dragon, he had power that flowed through his veins. Aga would enjoy knocking him down a few pegs.

“Nil, vini pi devan."

Aga motioned for one of his warriors to come to the front and Nil broke rank easily. The man was young but strong. His copper colored skin shone in the early morning light and his navy black hair was pulled back into a bun that sat at the back of his head. Two jade disks the size of a tangerine, decorated his ear lobes and his ruby eyes were bright as he stared at the other men before him.

“This is Nil. He is one of my best fighters. He will demonstrate the moves I call out and then you will perform it yourself,” Aga explained and jumped right into calling out the different sword techniques.

Aga had sat with Daehyun late last night and they created the list of what moves would best suit the army. As Aga called out the techniques in his mother tongue, Daehyun called them out in his own language. After an hour, Aga called for a break, and everyone took to the watering hole and ate a light breakfast.

A breeze cooled the sweat on the prince’s brow, and he titled his nose in the air as citrus and mint caught his attention. Prince Yoongi’s head snapped to the left and there the Princess sat on a bench under the shade of a parasol that Byulyi held.

Today the Princess wore a cream colored sleeveless blouse that had pressed red and yellow tulips embroidered down the center, white shirt touching the ground with light pink and purple tulle on top and a matching cream colored cloth belt with tulips embroidered on it was wrapped around her waist. Ropes of small and large pearls strung on top of each other hung from the belt and were connected by a white rope of silk. At the ends of the ropes, purple and pink butterfly pendants made from purple garnet swayed with every movement the Princess made.

A cream, pink and purple tulle robe rested on her shoulders, the collar edged with purple silk to hold it all together. White flowers with baby blue, pink and purple ombre petals were stitched along the height of the wide sleeves of the robe. The Princess turned her head as she laughed at something Hyejin told her and Prince Yoongi swallowed harshly, his tongue suddenly felt too big for his own mouth. The Princess’s hair was wrapped in four loops at the back of her head that looked like butterfly wings and a large hair pin with a purple diamond and pink jadeite clemati held the loops in place. Six braids hung down from the back and each braid had pearls interwoven halfway up.

Their eyes locked for a moment and the Princess smiled as she nodded her head towards the prince in a small bow. The prince stepped towards the Princess and Aga’s voice sliced through the air.

“Rest time is over! Pick up your swords!”

“Ashii!” Prince Yoongi sucked his teeth and glanced at the Princess one last time before he walked back into the formation and stood beside Hoseok who had a large grin on his face. Two by two, everyone was called up to fight and when the prince’s name was called, he wasn’t surprised to be paired with Hoseok at all. His friend was the only one that wasn’t afraid to hurt him.

"Kòmanse!"

#blackthorn ch 2 #soc yoongi #bts fantasy au #yoongi soulmate au #dragon!yoongi #min yoongi fic #min yoongi x oc #bts fluff #sfw yoongi

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