#royal!skz

[kidrauhlschik]

Let The World Burn. - I.N.

The nation of Rexerum was a country of power, respected and feared by all nations surrounding it.

The golden nation’s shine was dulled by the blood that had been spilled due to the King’s corrupt rule and ambition.

Yang Jeongin was to take the throne in the far future, but after his fathers unexpected passing, the burden of the crown was bestowed upon him a lot sooner than he anticipated.

He finds out the hard way that even a king lacks absolute control. His desires paled in the shadow of the responsibilities of the crown.

The only thing he has the rights to is his own heart.

In this cruel world his fate had been sealed before he was born. What he chooses to do with the power that had been bestowed upon him would determine the fate of the nation.

In the end, he managed to forget that a king is nothing without his queen.

~

Warnings: ANGST, implied smut, war, aggression, anxiety, depression, death, please let me know if i miss anything...

~

Chapters:

The New King and Queen

Cold Hearted

Frustrations

Drunk in Love

....

~

[wnbnny]

the blood crown. (chapter 1.)

pairings: prince!chan x reader, prince!minho x reader, prince!changbin x reader, prince!hyunjin x reader, prince!jisung x reader, prince!felix x reader, prince!seungmin x reader, prince!jeongin x reader

warnings: mentions of blood, death, poison, suggestive jokes but no smut, competition amongst noble families, ot8 are princes

author's note: hellooo:) welcome to my first series on tumblr! i wanted to go with a sort of dark theme for this fic:> please please do leave likes and comments, it truly makes my day!

You grew up in a household made of lies, deceit and poison. 

Born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you were born to an ordinary village girl, and your father, a high-ranking noble. Your mother had been training you since you could barely walk; always smile politely, always walk gracefully, always greet your guests. Each time you would get something wrong, the feared cane would come down upon your hands, enough to hurt but never enough to leave bruises. Your mother had grown up in a poor village, using her charm and wit to seduce your father and charm her way into the ranks of high society. She was ruthless, cunning, and most of all: ambitious. She dreamed of ascending to the very top- the royal family. It was no surprise that when you were at the mere age of ten, your father was pronounced dead on a Thursday afternoon in his quarters, being assassinated by a thief who had supposedly snuck into your house. 

But you knew. 

You knew when the corner of your mother's lips curved up ever so slightly, at the funeral ceremony of your father. Barely there, but it was the smirk of a triumphant winner of the chess game. All your father's assets were transferred to your mother, and she became head of the household- never remarried and never gave birth to any more children. 

Your kingdom was governed by the Bahng's, who had eight sons and a daughter- Christopher, the heir to the throne and the king's sole legitimate child, Minho, the second, born to a concubine in the king's harem, just like the rest. Changbin was the third, along with Hyunjin, then Jisung, Felix, Seungmin, and finally Jeongin. And then there was Princess Areum, the king's beloved daughter and second legitimate child. 

Your mother heard from the gossip circles amongst the ladies at the tea tasting ceremonies she hosted often, that there were talks of Princess Areum being engaged to Duke Choi's son, Yeonjun. The Choi's were a rival family, always competing with your mother for power. 

One day, when you had just crossed the age of eleven a few weeks ago, your mother called you to her study. You sighed, getting up gracefully from where you had been perched on a chair reading, and walked to her study, knocking first, three sharp raps.

"Come in," she called.

And so you put on a demure smile, hands clasped in front of you, never tripping or stumbling on your way. Clothes neatly ironed, not a single hair out of place, the pinnacle of perfection.

"Y/N." her perfectly shaped brows rise, scrutinising you, before smiling softly. Your mother was always strange like that. You knew she loved you, but in wanting what was best for you always pushed too far.

"You know of Princess Areum's engagement." 

You nod, brows furrowed.

"She is not the heir to the throne and poses no danger to us as she is a girl, but her future husband does, unfortunately. The Choi's will surely use their newfound power to gloat over us and trample us underfoot if their son was to be married to the princess. However, we must target the girl this time, it is far too risky to target the boy. Weeds in a garden have to be pruned, ripped out by the roots, to maintain the beauty of the garden. Surely you understand. Tell me the number one rule in chess again." her once soft expression hardens, and she leverages you with a stare, piercing through you.

"Always predict your opponent's next move." you reply, unsure of where this conversation is going. 

"Yes. The Choi family will immediately suspect us if something happens to their precious firstborn, meanwhile the princess will be easy to manipulate and target." your mother sighs, folding her hands neatly on her lap.

"I want you to make friends with Princess Areum, invite her to our house if possible. We'll see from there." 

You nod, hesitant yet confused. What did she mean by target the princess? Was she going to manipulate her to cancel the engagement? 

It turns out, the outcome was far worse.

Princess Areum had become fast friends with you quickly, both sharing common interests. Soon, she began to invite you and your mother to the royal palace, your mother becoming close with the queen too. 

You should've known. 

Years later when you were older, you finally understood what had happened. A tiny bottle of liquid your mother had claimed to be a restoring health tonic, carefully tucked into your mother's sleeve as she made her way to the palace together with you for your weekly afternoon tea sessions with just the four of you.

Princess Areum's rigid body falling to the ground when she took a sip of her afternoon tea, the cries of Queen Bahng echoing out throughout the room as the princess drew her last breath. 

You knew.

The King was heartbroken, his only daughter buried in a grave six feet under the ground. No one even suspected your mother.

One year later, Queen Bahng departed from the realm. The people claimed she died from the heartbreak of losing her only daughter, but only two individuals ever knew the truth. 

Your mother pretended to be inconsolable at the funeral, sobbing as she watched the casket, and you almost wanted to applaud at how convincing her acting was. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw the Crown Prince, Christopher Bahng, standing beside his father who had a tight hand clasped on his shoulder. The prince's eyes were clearly red from having cried the night prior, yet he remained stoic throughout the ceremony. He never let his emotions nor his grief consume him, you supposed it was how you were like with your mother. Never allowed to show your imperfections to the world. Though you wouldn't admit it, deep down you felt sorry for him, a broken child just like you.

The Choi's never rose to power, and your mother's plan worked. 

"You must take what is rightfully yours," she had said on the carriage ride home. "And you must do what it takes."

"But at what cost?" you asked.

"Everything."

-years later-

You stared out the window at the bustling city, feeling extremely uncomfortable in the many layers of silk and fabric you were clad in. 

"Remember," your mother turned around to look at you, her sharp voice cutting through the silence. "Keep your head up and your eyes trained upon the goal. Charm Prince Christopher.”

“Become the next queen."

~part 2 coming soon~

[soulari]

　　　. ₊　　 ೀ　　falling up　 ｡　　˚⁠

[desi2go]

Prince and Princess

part one -- part two

pairings: Prince Bang Chan x princess reader

Warnings: forced marriage, royalty au, strangers to lovers, slight angst

summary: When your parents engaged you with the prince of a neighbouring country, you flee. On your way you meet a handsome man...

Being a princess wasn't easy. Sure it had it's peaks. The beautiful dresses, never having to worry about anything and so much more. That's what you thought growing up. What you didn't realised that you lived in a golden cage with gold, power and everything you could wish for.

You were used to all the attention from a young age. The people in you land always turned their eyes to you. As a child, they loved seeing you by the side of your parents, even if it was just in a carriage. You always had multiple duties and that from the beginning. However, as a child, they were less noticeable and while growing up, they became more and more visible. You used to think that the big castle was a symbol of your freedom since you loved to run through the huge corridors. But it changed to a big cage in your eyes. You were always under the strict eyes of your parents, not letting you do something that you liked even if only the staff would notice it. It was your personal cage and you were the lion, the biggest attraction, running from one site to another without escaping it.

From the beginning you were born, it was clear that you would marry someone with importance and wealth to bring honour to your family. Therefore, love wasn't relevant. Especially, since your older brother was next in line to become king. You had hoped that your parents would give you more time, time in their cage without a husband that wouldn't love you. A marriage would just draw more attention towards you and a new cage would imprison you.

It was this morning where they introduced you to the news that they have found the perfect husband for you. He was from the neighbouring country and was three years older than you. He was the prince and because of that extremely wealthy. All your parents ever wanted. His name is Prince Christopher and they told you that yesterday, he asked for your hand and in exchange he would give them money.

You had hoped that a marriage would be far away in the future but hearing that someone wanted you as a wife made you anxious. Fortunately he wasn't an old man and just three years older than you. But still, you had never met him. He could be cruel and treat you badly.

But you wouldn't let it take that far. You decided to take your destiny in your own hand. At night, you grabbed a bag with food you had stolen earlier and a brown cape from your brother. Dressed in a plain brown dress, the simplest of your dresses, you climbed out of your window. You knew exactly when the soldiers would change the shifts and took the opportunity to climb up the wall, shielding the castle from the outside.

With quick steps, you ran through the night. You needed to get as far away as possible. The maids would find your bed cold in the morning and it wouldn't be long when the soldiers were commanded to search for you. You just paused for some minutes from time to time. You would sleep a bit when the sun was rising.

Around the afternoon, you finally let yourself rest for longer. You just entered another forest and you realised that sooner or later your food will run out. You really needed to go to the next market on the next day.

Walking through the forest, you tried to avoid any streets as best as you could. By all costs, you didn't want to get recognised from anyone. It was the next morning and it was already hot. The sun shone through the leaves of the trees and you hummed to yourself. You loved the nature, it made you feel free. Something you barely felt in the castle. Of course, sleeping on the ground was no comparison to the huge bed that you owned but you were willing to trade it against a life with freedom.

Branches cracked and at first you thought that it was just a dear but just seconds later, a horse came crashing through the woods. A man sat in the saddle, wearing simple armour and a black cape. His dark hair was lightened by the sun. His horse stopped in front of you. Judging by his plain armour he wasn't a soldier, especially not from the palace.

"Good morning, miss" he said, jumping off the horse to kiss your hand like a gentleman. However, he doesn't seem to recognise you.

"Good morning as well" you answered. His curious gaze observing you and eying you from head to toe.

"What do they call you?" He asked with a friendly smile, while patting the shoulder of the horse.

"Nevermind what they call me"

"You shouldn't be this deep in the forest alone" he stated.

You chuckled. "I'm not alone, I'm with you. Mister... What do they call you?" He was sweet when he returned your smile, his eyes sparkling with joy.

"You don't know who I am? That is... They call me Chan" he answered.

"Well, then nice to meet you, Chan" you said with a smile.

"So, do I get the pleasure to know your name?"

"I'm Y/n" You liked how he looked at you. All your life you were used to the same ways how people look at you. They are envious or angered for not living in wealth like you. But Chan was the first person to look at you like you weren't a princess. Like you were a living human being and not just a figure your parents could push around.

"Y/n, a beautiful name to a beautiful lady" he practised your name, his cheeks and ears turning red as he flirted with you. And you found it absolutely adorable.

"What are you doing in the forest?" He added.

"I'm just wandering around. What about you? You don't seem like a normal villager." You tried to distract yourself from the blush that crept up your face.

"I'm hunting." he exclaimed and held his bow higher. Right, that made sense, he is a hunter.

"Then, you might know where the next village is?" you asked, fiddling with your cape.

"Of course" he grabbed the rein of the horse and signaled you to follow him. It was nice that he showed you the way. He filled the silence with a comfortable conversation, earning from time to time a laugh from you.

♕✯♛

An hour and a half later, you reached the next village. It was small but extremely beautiful. Luckily, there was a market where you could purchase some food. By that time, you had already figured that you had crossed the border to the neighbouring country. They all eyed Chan respectfully with a smile.

However, the hunter still accompanied you, leading you to the best stand in the whole market, like he said. After buying something, you sat with him on a wooden bench, munching happily the food. Calm, you observed the crowd of people, pushing themselves to the dedicated stand.

Then, you noticed to figures, they were soldiers with the emblem of your royal family. They definitely searched for you. In panic, you jumped up, gabbing your stuff.

"What are you-" Chan couldn't even finish his sentence when you pulled him behind one of the stands. He came crashing down on the ground next to you, looking at you like you were crazy.

You observed the crowd once more and the two soldiers were still there.

"Are these soldiers searching for you?" Chan asked as he followed your glance. When you didn't answer he continued. "They are from the other country! Wow, what did you do to the royal family that they are searching that drastically for you?"

"Did you murder someone? That's why you were so deep in the forest!" He exclaimed. Before he could say more, you silenced him with pushing your hand on his mouth.

"Stay quiet!" you whispered. His lips were warm and even though you tried to prevent it, you blushed slightly. You felt his warm gaze on you. But you looked over the stand once more, unfortunately to the wrong time. One of the soldiers saw your face and pointed to you to show his mate.

"Shit." You mumbled, throwing the hood of your cape over your head, and running into a smaller street.

"Y/n! Where are you going?" Chan yelled behind you. It didn't matter where you ran to, just away from the soldiers. You followed the street, turned left into another one. Unfortunately, it was a dead end. That was it, there was nowhere you could go.

"What is wrong, y/n? Why are you running from them?" Chan's concerned face was pushed into your field of vision. You were still gasping for air due to the running. But you heard the steps loud and clear. You couldn't fight your destiny.

And then, they stood before you. It was like you faced your past, the silver armour sparkling in the sun.

"There you are, princess! Your parents have been worried sick." They walked towards you.

"Princess?" You heard Chan whisper. It was clear that he was hurt. Of course. He didn't know who you were. You didn't turn around because you didn't want to see his face fall. "I'm sorry, Chan" you mumbled and followed the soldiers.

♕✯♛

"What were you thinking young lady! Someone could have recognised you!" Your mother scolded. You stood in the throne room, your parents sitting ahead of you on their throne, staring down at you.

"What would your fiancée say? The honour of our family rises or falls with your actions. And you will marry him, there is no other way" your father added. Of course, they were just worried about the honour, not about you. Well, maybe they were but the throne and their reputation was way more important.

"I'm sorry" you mumbled, just wanting to get this over fast so that you could enjoy the last day here in your room alone. Tomorrow, you'll be on your way to your future husband, to his castle.

"You should be. Go, and pack your last things together" your father demanded. You nodded and left the throne room, walking through the numerous halls to reach your room. It was almost empty, the maids already packed most of the things, just the bed and a book that a friendly maid sneaked in.

Your parents hated it when you read. In their eyes, women shouldn't read literature because it made them too powerful. In the royal families, women are just important to bear children and to make sure the bloodline will continue.

In your eyes it was bullshit. When your husband dies and the children aren't old enough to reign, the wife will lead until the oldest takes over.

The next day, you just sat in the carriage, looking out in the wilderness. You would give anything to be out there again. Your parents sat in front of you, chattering about the upcoming wedding, your wedding. It will be the biggest event of the year.

Luckily, after your wedding, they will return to their palace and leave you alone. Then, you just had your husband that will disturb your peace.

It was like a journey into the unknown. You knew nobody there and even your husband was a stranger. In Addition, you didn't know anything about the life in a marriage. Your parents just told you that you need to consummate the marriage whatever that meant. But you'll know soon.

Exactly three day later, you arrived at the palace. It was huge, even bigger than your own. You were content to finally get out of the carriage. Your parents were annoying and a carriage hadn't much place to avoid them.

They were the first to leave it and were already greeting the royal family. With one last deep breath, you stepped out gracefully, all the eyes on you. The beautiful red dress fell around your legs, fluttering in the soft wind. You bowed respectfully to king and queen before turning to your future husband. When you locked eyes, your breath hitched. The stranger wasn't so unknown. It was Chan.

You froze, still don't believing who stood in front of you. Your mother coughed lightly, pulling your out of your rigidity. Quickly, you bowed to him. He took your hand and placed a tender kiss on it.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, princess y/n" he greeted, his voice still the same, yet he looked completely different. That was who he really was. Not a hunter, he was prince Christopher.

"The joy is all mine, prince Christopher" you emphasized his name. In his eyes sparkled something else, maybe regret?

The next two hours were spend setting up your room. You're not going to lie, it was beautiful, twice as big as yours in your own palace with a huge balcony.

A knock interrupted you. Slowly, you opened the door, already knowing who is behind it.

"Hello prince" you greeted him while doing a curtsies.

"May you want to join me on a stroll through the garden?" He asked, his eyes wandering through the room.

"Of course." You followed him through the palace out to the massive garden, a chaperone always behind you. The way there was plagued with silence, uncomfortable for both of you.

With your hand, you brushed over the gorgeous flowers, distracting you.

"I'm sorry for not telling you" He whispered. Bluntly, you answered. "Why? I was a stranger. I had no right to know"

"Listen, y/n" he grabbed your hand so that you couldn't turn away from him. "You had every right to know. I - Sometimes, I like to keep my identity hidden. It gives me some sort of comfort"

"I understand. I don't like the attention either." You replied, quietly enjoying the warm skin on your cold hand. "You're cold. May we go inside?"

You just nodded, letting him guide you back in.

♕✯♛

The following day, your wedding day, you woke up early. Well, your mother with the maids teared you from sleep. She wanted that you looked stunning and perfect for the biggest event of the year. With great precision, they arranged your hair in an extravagant updo, putting every single strand of hair the way they were pleased.

Hours were spend on dressing you in the big fluffy dress made from the finest silk with the most expensive gemstones. It was beautiful but constrictive. You are glad when this is finally over. The shoes were uncomfortable and the makeup felt heavy on your skin.

You were brought downstairs, waiting for the right moment to walk down the aisle. The throne room was filled with important people from different countries, mostly royalties or noblemen. You heard the chattering while the small orchestra played. A bouquet of flowers was placed in your hand and the doors opened. Every person watched you walking down the aisle, you felt their gaze on you but you concentrated on Chan. He looked absolutely handsome in his pompous suit, his hair perfectly styled.

You grew more and more nervous the smaller the distance between you and your new life got. You stood next to him when the priest spoke about marriage, you didn't listen to him, completely zoned out. "Prince Christopher Bang, will you love, respect and protect Princess Y/n? Will you also swear eternal fidelity to her, then answer with yes, I do."

He looked you deep in the eyes, took the ring and gently put it on your finger.

"Princess Y/n, will you love, respect and protect prince Christopher? Will you also swear eternal fidelity to him, then answer with yes, I do." You took a deep breath before you replied with a Yes, I do.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife" Tenderly, he grabbed your hands before pressing a soft kiss on your lips. It was short and sweet, his velvety lips felt good on yours.

The people cheered and you blushed, remembering where you were. Hand in hand, you walked into the huge ballroom where you would celebrate, the guest following you. The room was filled with laughter. Your husband roamed through the crowd, speaking with the guests. You stood by the food, occasionally stealing small bites. You always hated events like these. Especially the men would follow you like dogs, asking for your attention due to your high standing. Luckily, you were now married so that most of them feared to come up to you.

It didn't take long before the first couples started dancing to the orchestra. You knew that you needed to dance at least once to keep your mother content. And Chan already came towards you, asking for a dance. You took his hand, letting him lead you to the middle. You knew the steps, it was something your mother had teached you from a young age, still, you were nervous. His hand felt hot on your waist, even through the fabric of the dress.

Steady, he lead you to the rhythm of the music. The whole time, you stared on his chest, not trying to keep eye contact.

"Everything alright?" He whispered into your ear. "I guess so" you answered. "You hate attention and crowds, right?"

"Yeah, is it that obvious?" He chuckled. "Only a bit."

"You don't seem to care the attention"

"Well, I'm the crown prince. I grew used to it and once I'm king it will be even more" That's right. He was the crown prince, meaning that you will be queen one day.

After your dance with your husband, your father took the chance to dance with you. Then, many men followed his example. Due to the horrible shoes, your feet hurt. You already wanted to flee from the dance floor when Chan's father asked. He was a great dancer like his son.

"I'm content that you will be on my son's side from now on" he starts a conversation, letting you twirl. "I'm honoured, great king. But why, when I'm allowed to ask."

"Chan most likely overworks himself. He doesn't need just a wife to reinsure that the bloodline will continue. He needs someone who takes care of him" you were shocked that he answered you so truthfully. "I'll do my best"

"I know that. That's why I chose you. And I'm content to consider you a part of the family"

When the event came slowly to an end, your mother pushed you in your room.

"Alright. It is time to consummate the marriage. Bring honour to the family" she said. The maids freed you from the dress and shoes. You sighed, now your a little bit more comfortable.

"What do you mean with consummating, mother?"

"Just let him do. He'll know. But it's important to consummate. Otherwise the marriage isn't fully complete." They opened the updo of your hair, letting it fall to your shoulder before brushing it through. Then, they put it up again and dressed you in another dress, a light blue one that fell to the floor in gentle waves from the waist down.

Your mother lead you out of your room down the hallway, stopping in front of a door. "Remember, do not bring shame on us" she whispered before she left. With a shaky breath, you knocked on the huge wooden door. Shuffling could be heard from the other side and a muffled "Come in".

Slowly, you entered the room. It seems to be Chan's bedroom. And it was huge. The room was lightened with the fireplace, turning everything into a yellowish colour. Chan sat on an armchair, flipping through a book. The pompous suit was replaced with a white chemise and comfortable linen trousers. He looked up when you stood beside him, fiddling with your fingers.

"I'm here to consummate our marriage" you mumbled, observing the fluffy carpet. He sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"I know"

He guided you to the bed, jumping on it and letting you sit next to him. It was awkward and uncomfortable. He grabbed something from the side table, something you couldn't make out due to the low light. Just when he flipped the thing, you noticed what it was. A dagger, a small but sharp dagger. Terrified, you pushed yourself to the edge.

"What are you doing?" You shrieked. He chuckled before pushing his chemise higher to show his free underarm. "You don't have the slightest clue what consummating means, right?" Chan placed the dagger on his arm, applied pressure and cut through his skin. He moaned in pain and held the cut over the white mattress. The red blood dropped from his arm on the mattress, a strong contrast to the white.

"What are you doing?" You asked again. You couldn't turn your eyes away from his red underarm. He threw the dagger on the side table, picking up a bandage.

"I faked our consummation. What else do you think it is?"

"I don't know. Why did you fake it?" Carefully, he bandaged himself.

"Because we are not ready yet. It should be fun and done out of freedom and will, not because of the stupid consummation. You don't even know what I'm talking about." He sighed, switching off the oil lamp, turning the room nearly completely dark.

"Lay down, y/n. I'm not gonna force you to do anything that you don't want. Having sex is something where both parties should have fun, not just the man" Obedient, you layed down next to him.

"What is sex? Is this what consummating is about?"

"Yes, it is. I'll insert myself into you. That way you'll be able to get pregnant" Even though it was dark, you could still clearly see how red his ears were. It was cute.

"Thank you" you mumbled, letting you slowly relax and enjoy the warmth that Chan radiates. Carefully, he draped the blanket over your figure.

"Good night, y/n"

"Good night, Christopher"

♕✯♛

The next morning you woke up when the wooden door banged open with a thud. You shot up, looking with big eyes into your mother's. Just then you noticed that Chan wasn't sleeping next to you. He must have got up early.

Your mother shoved the warming blanket to the side, showing you a pleasant smile when she saw the red stain upon the mattress. "I'm proud of you" she said and brushed over your demolished hair. Quickly leaving the room.

You sighed and let yourself fall against the mattress again. The ring on your finger shone in the morning sun, it was beautiful. You couldn't believe you were married, that you had a husband. And as it seems a really thoughtful one. Hopefully it stays like that because then, you didn't mind to spend your lifetime with him.

[winterfea]

　﹒✿ : ⌗ stay soft

It looks divine on you. ıllı

[iridescentxstars]

hello, ayla. can i request a Minho fic? okay so i know it's not on the list. but if possible, royalty!au + forbidden love + “let’s commit some sins.” thank you very much and i hope this gets considered <3

omg i forgot to add the kink afshsajasfh pls (for the previous ask) kink can be oral, ty!

royalty!minho x fem!reader || trope: forbidden love || dialogue: "let's commit some sins" || kinks: oral || wc: 510

please remember this is all fictional. this work is NSFW and contains SMUT, if you are under 18+ DO NOT INTERACT

Minho pulls you into a corner of the castle, kissing you with a smile while you clutch his shirt in your hands. “We shouldn’t be doing this here, your Highness. We might be seen.”

“Then let us not be seen.” He mutters against your lips before pulling away and dragging you down a quiet corridor. You hide your face, knowing that if someone saw you running down the hallway with the prince then they’d report you to the Queen and you’d be thrown out. “I cannot keep my hands off you any longer, my lady.” You’re in the library, the flutter of birds rushing away from the two forbidden lovers echoes around the quiet space.

“What do you intend to do with me?” You giggle, kissing him while Minho lifts you to sit on the table. “Are you wanting me to read for you?”

He rolls his eyes as if you don’t know exactly what he wants, exactly what he’s been wanting ever since he saw you enter the castle. “I intend on doing all the things that a husband and wife would do.”

“Your Highness, it is a sin for a man and woman to lay without being wed.” He gets down on his knees, lifting your dress up and exposing your clothed core.

“Then,” Minho removes the cloth hiding your cunt from his hungry eyes – and mouth. “Let’s commit some sins.” You lean back while Minho pulls you closer to the edge so he can taste the sweet nectar that’s promised between your thighs. A soft gasp leaves your lips, fingers tangle in his hair as your lover’s tongue gives languid licks to help you get used to the feeling.

As Minho devours you, you look up at the ceiling, unseeing of anything that is actually around you because your entire being is focused on the pleasure that is coursing through your veins. You have been told about sex, about how it is and sure, you know the theory of it but you have not been told about how good it can feel. Always informed about how it is a duty one performs for their spouse, cold and detached which is the opposite of what you are feeling. You jolt, gasping for air when Minho’s thumb brushes against your clit, eyes widening and the man looks at you, realising that what he did – you liked.

“You’re exquisite,” Minho brushes his lips against the inside of your thigh while his fingers play you like the piano he once spent hours practising, pulling sounds from your bitten lips that will certainly get you caught. “I can see why men go to war over women because I would fight to live out my days between your legs.”

You are about to respond, to tell him not to be so crude, but you are at a loss for words when two fingers penetrate your core and curl to press against your sweet spot. You’re at his mercy, until the gracious prince decides that he’s had his fill of you – you are simply his supper.

A tasty one at that.

[skzhocomments]

The Rising Empress - Bang Chan Stray Kids Fanfic (Masterlist)

Main Masterlist

Pairing: Bang Chan (of Stray Kids) x OC (name: Aristia)

Genre: non-idol AU, Royal AU, soft enemies to lovers, angst, romance, mature

Word Count: ~64k words divided in 17 chapters

Warnings: explicit, mature, swearing, feelings of hopelessness, angst, depression, crying, domestic violence, depression, anxiety, angst, etc.

This is just a story that doesn’t describe Stray Kids members' true characters in any way. It’s just a product of my imagination and should be treated as such.

This story is also on Wattpad (click here) and AO3 (click here)

A/N: As any other writer out there, I would appreciate reblogs and your comments on this story. Please let me know if you enjoyed it, and most importantly, have fun!

---

Summary:

“I guarantee you nothing will happen to you. I give you my word.” “How much does your word weigh, though?” Aristia scoffs. “You vowed during our wedding to love, cherish, and protect me no matter what. So far, none of your vows were respected. You said it yourself. You were never a husband to me.” “Neither were yours. In sickness and in health, I will stand by your side. With all that I am and all that I have, I pledge my loyalty and my love to you.” Chris scoffs as well. “You didn’t give me any chance to get close to you. You’ve put up your barriers and thought of me as your enemy since day one.” She comes closer to him. “I had no idea we shared an enemy instead, Aristia. Truly. I thought you were a spy.” “You didn’t even ask me anything. You dead bolted me.” “How could I have trusted you? You are the daughter of my enemy.” Chris frowns. “I don’t know. How can I trust you now, then? You are a man who hates me for simply being born as a princess of the enemy kingdom.” “… I assume you can’t.”

---

The Kingdom of the South and the Empire of the Sun forge an alliance at the expense of Princess Aristia - the daughter of a King who didn’t want her, sent over like a sacrificial lamb to his enemy, a man who doesn’t want her either, who won’t even cast a look at her. She decides she won’t look at him either. Two can play this game. --- Non-idol AU This story takes place in an alternate universe where Bang Chan is Emperor Mature content ahead. 18+ ©storminsidemycore

Hello!

Storm here!

The Rising Empress is a story I've started writing on 17/01/2024 and finished on 28.10.2024.

I've always been an avid Manga and Manhwa reader, so I've pretty much gotten inspiration from the hundreds of things I've read, which is how this story was born.

I hope you will enjoy it, as I'm extremely proud with how it turned out. It's safe to say that for me personally, this is one of my best, if not the best work.

The main character's name (Aristia) is inspired after the Manhwa The Abandoned Empress - which is where I found this name and its meaning. Apparently, "Aristia" means "Rising Empress", which I found quite fitting for this story.

---

The story and cover are original and my property. Any similarities to other stories are purely coincidental. Aristia, the protagonist, is a made-up character.

Stray Kids members or any other famous people mentioned along this story DO NOT represent their true character in any way, they are simply mentioned in order to provide a visual representation for the readers. Their personas obviously have nothing to do with their true personalities. They're just characters I've created for this story, so please don't take this too seriously.

Mature content ahead. Lots of trigger warnings apply, so please read carefully.

---

18+

©storminsidemycore

---

Chapter 1 - The Sacrificial Lamb - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 2 - The Wedding - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 3 - Mistreatment and the Loss of Self - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 4 - The Bearer of Bad News - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 5 - Dirt on the Marble Floors - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 6 - When You're on Your Own - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 7 - When the Emperor Takes Notice - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 8 - Envy and Power - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 9 - Yearning for More - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 10 - The Battlefield inside the Palace - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 11 - Setting the Plan in Motion - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 12 - Aristia's Letter - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 13 - Betraying the Emperor - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 14 - The Punishment - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 15 - A Way Out - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 16 - Slowly Building Trust - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

Chapter 17 - The Rising Empress (Final Chapter) - Tumblr + Wattpad + AO3

---

Thank you so much for reading my story, and I'm looking forward to your thoughts!

[kidrauhlschik]

Let The World Burn. - I.N. 3

3. Frustrations

-

-

In the end, he managed to forget that a king is nothing without his queen.

-

~

Part 1, 2, & 4 will be linked in the master list above!

Pairings: Jeongin x Reader (and some love triangles among the way.) enemies to lovers, royalty au!

Warnings: ANGST, implied smut, war, aggression, anxiety, depression, death, please let me know if i miss anything... (this was heavily inspired by the song “Let the world burn” by Chris Grey.

Word Count: 2.1K

~

Life went on as normal. Responsibilities, meetings, and building ties in court. It felt like every day was longer than the last.

Felix took some time off due to personal reasons, but now he was back in full service as your advisor and best friend. It felt great, but you couldn't help but feel distanced from the freckled man.

Bang Chan would always be there when you needed him, it's as if he had abandoned Joengin's side to be there for you. Anytime Felix left you at night to get drunk in his chambers, Chan would keep you company. Humanizing Jeongin in his own way. To you, the king was a ruthless ruler and husband, but to Chan, he was a clueless younger sibling. It was odd and incomprehensible.

One day, months after your wedding, much to your surprise, Jeongin was standing in the middle of your chambers. Dressed in his usual attire. A black suit, golden accents and chains. You have never seen him in casual wear outside of your consummation night. He's only ever seen you as a business partner.

"What are you doing here?"

"Is that a way to address your king?" He stands before you, authoritatively.

"This is how I address anyone who comes into my chambers uninvited." You stand tall as well. Not letting Jeongin make you feel small once again.

"Funny thing, you are staying in my soil, my palace. As far as I am concerned, these are my chambers." He says as he extends his arms in a show of bashfulness.

"As far as I know, this is my soil too. I am the queen. Have you forgotten that, your highness?" You say with a chuckle, almost finding his stance comedic. He hasn't talked to you in months. You'd accepted him as an acquaintance. Now he wants to come into your room to interrogate you, it seemed outrageous to you.

"That." He points at you, before he turns towards your window. "You always do that." His hands rest against the window seal, allowing his weight to rest on his shoulders.

"I am sorry my king, but I am afraid that I am not understanding what you are saying."

You frustrate him. He can’t quite put his feelings into words, but you keep him up at night. He pushes himself off the window in desperation.

"I am saying... That I do not understand how you can be so casual about everything. Despite it all, you stand tall, and stubborn. It truly gets under my skin." His voice slowly gets louder with every word. What he doesn’t say is that the way you switch from innocent and precious, to authoritative and ruthless in the blink of an eye astonishes him. It seems fake, it infuriates him.

"I apologize my king, but I am still clueless as to what is your agenda here."

"STOP!" You take a step back, surprised at his tone.

"You are scared! You are unsure! You are mad! You know how I know this? That’s because that’s what I am going through! I am going absolutely mad. Is this deal not breaking you down the same way it's breaking me?" He runs his hands through his hair, eyes wild.

"Jeongin..."

"How can you be so strong despite the circumstances? Why the hell are you always so happy and chirpy? The world is harsh, and I know that you are aware of that. I’ve seen you with your claws out." He grabs a glass from your table and fills it with the pitcher of wine next to it.

"If all hope dies, then why should I continue living?" You tilt your head while looking at him.

"That's what I mean! You are so foolish. The world isn't made of hope. This world is based on strength. Only the strongest survive." He takes the a swig from the glass of wine. “I don’t want to keep hearing your bullshit! You go on your little act of fairy godmother to the people and then you turn around and make commands in court, and if something doesn’t go your way, you throw a damn tantrum until you get your way. It never makes sense.”

"Sometimes the weakest people win from hope, When you have nothing, there is nothing to lose. Do not underestimate that my king. Also, do not make any assumptions on my character based on what you see in court, you do not know me. I am strong for the sake of my people, it is not an act." You say as you try to guide the wine glass down from his hand, but instead he gathers anger and throws the glass to the nearest wall, causing you to jump when it makes impact.

"How?" His eyes search the ground, at a loss, hoping to find some answers in his own brain. Now it made sense, the king had been drinking. You don’t know him enough to realize it at first, but now you can see. His hair out of place, his eyes glassy, and his usual calm and controlled demeanor is nowhere to be seen.

Feeling bold, you approach him, only a couple of inches away from his face. "Maybe I am foolish, but I would much rather be foolish and confident in a world of tyrants that think they know it all. The higher you stand, the bigger the fall. Do not forget that my king." You say as you leave him in your chambers.

~

After seeing Jeongin in your room, you opted for your safe space, the garden.

Just as you were about to reach the doors leading you to the west side of the palace, you encounter one of your ladies, Rose.

You expected to just curtuoly nod at her, but the second she saw you, she stopped in her tracks. "Your highness." Is all she said.

"Rose?" You responded without turning around as you passed her.

"What are your intentions in court?"

"I am sorry?" You've always been kind to those of lower class, treating them as equals. However, as a princess, you learned very quickly when someone undermines you. Their tone is more aggressive, demanding, and authoritative. The only people that you allow to speak with you in such way, are your own parents, but that was when you were still a princess under their rule. As a queen, it would take pure imurdinance for someone to speak to you in such way.

Yet, Rose stands before you, with the imprudienty of no other.

"Stop acting clueless. You came here trying to stir up the diplomacy at court. We have a way of doing things here and you think you have a right to change them?”

You finally turn to her, "I have every right to change what I please. I am your queen.”

Rose lets out a humorless chuckle, "You may be the queen but you are not my queen."

You wondered if she was stupid or just insane.

Taken aback, you respond, "I beg your pardon?"

"Don't play coy, your mind games are getting to the king," that surprises you. "He won't shut up about you. Always ranting over your tantrums and schemes. You make him seem small and weak. A king does not listen to a woman."

"I am not just a woman, should I repeat myself? I am the queen. He has no choice but to listen to me if he means for this alliance to work. Either way, this is none of your concern. You are my lady, what right do you think you have in this manner?" You approach her, standing a foot away from her now. Although you stand tall and straight, she seems to match your energy. Proud and strong.

"I have a right, despite your beliefs. I am the king's mistress." It catches you off guard. Sure, you knew that Jeongin has never loved you, or even liked you, but you thought that he had enough respect for you as a royal to at least be faithful to you.

How foolish.

"Oh." Is all you can say.

"You may be the ruler of the country, but I am the ruler of his heart. your highness. He cares for you out of convenience, if you could even call it that. Just be aware, that I can see through you. You are a stranger in this court, and once I can get rid of you, you will be gone in the blink of an eye." She says with a smirk.

You raise your hand ready to strike her, but she stops your hand by holding your wrist mere inches away from her face.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. The king is rather protective over me. Be aware that he has told me that he will choose me before his rights as a first born, tread carefully queen YN." She throws your hand to the side and turns quickly to walk away.

At her words, you take a second to watch her walk away, "You as well, lady Rose."

~

You only told Felix about what happened with Rose. He tried to convince you to tell the king, but you knew he wouldn't be on your side, especially after seeing how bold his mistress was.

The word, mistress, hurt you. You should have expected it, but the glass in your world seemed to crack a bit more.

"YN, I just want you to be happy." The blonde haired man says to you.

"I know Felix, but realistically, can you see me happy here? The more I think about it, I'm going to live a life of misery next to Jeongin."

"You knew this YN." He is sitting on your bed, trying to console you.

"I don't know what I knew Felix. I thought I had something here. I thought I had pride, I thought I had dignity. Turns out, I am nothing. I am a queen by name. The king only agrees to my terms because he needs my troops. Otherwise, my country would be bare to the rest of the world. I truly don't know what to do." You sit next to him on your bed, tears streaming down your face.

"Hey hey," He holds your hand and looks into your eyes. "You are strong, you're a benevolent queen, you are respected, you do not need an immature king to acknowledge you." Felix wipes your tears away with his left hand, as his right hand hold yours. "You know I will always be here for you." In between sobs, you hold eye contact with your best friend.

Has he always been so handsome? So ethereal that his glossy eyes are enough to mesmerize you? His face, is kind, and beautiful, it's bewildering that you've never noticed that before.

If the king can have a lover, the thought of one crosses your mind.

"Felix?" Your face, inches away from his.

"Yes? Your highness?" You smile at his words, always so light hearted.

"Do you love me?" His heart stops before he could collect himself.

"Of course I do my queen." He says with no hesitation.

Your free hand reaches his face with affection, "No Felix. I am not asking you if you love me as a queen, but as a woman. You are loyal and handsome, maybe I am foolish to think that you may like me as anything other than a friend, but maybe I am feeling bold. Do you think we could be-"

Before you can finish your sentence, your chamber doors fly open.

"Where the hell is the new queen?" His voice booms through the room as if it was amplified.

You and Felix jump away from each other, the moment gone before it began.

You look towards the source of disruption, first with concern but the second your eyes lock with his, your harsh demeanor falls.

"Minho!" You shout as you run to the older mans arms, leaving Felix behind.

"Hey princess..." He whispers softly to you, "How's it been?" In response you only hold him tighter.

After collecting himself, Felix stands as well, "Isn't it rude to ignore your comrade?" He says with his arms crossed against his chest, feigning sadness.

Minho let's you go after a bit while rolling his eyes, "Yeah whatever yongbok, I missed you too."

He goes to give a hearty hug to Felix. "Nice to see you man."

"I've missed you."

Minho breaks the hug first, "Damn, it's been less than a year, why are the two of you acting so sad and proper?"

Both you and Felix look at each other before you respond, "It's been a hell of a year Min."

~

AN: Okay only two chapters left unless I make it a really long one. This was supposed to be the long one, but I worked 60+ hours this week - i did my best :/

[channieskies]

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐗𝐈: 𝐄𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

Pairing: Prince Hyunjin x Reader (AFAB) Summary: The crew sets off on their journey back to the Kingdom of Volantis. Word Count: 3,400+ [Reading Time: 15 Mins] Genre: Historical, Fantasy, Strangers to Lovers, Royalty, Angst, Smut (Eventual), NSFW tags are below. AU: Prince, Royal, Supernatural NETS: @neverendingdreams-net & @mirohs-aurora-society Synopsis: The kingdom of Volantis is in disarray; the monarch rules with an iron fist. The times of hope, harmony, and kindness were buried with the queen who passed many years ago. The people are praying for a savior, but who will be their light at the end of this dark tunnel? Authors Note: Please reblog or leave a comment to let me know how you feel. I'd love a little feedback. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it. As per usual, this hasn't been proofread. I'm posting the remaining written chapters, before I officially put this story on hiatus. I'm sorry for taking so long to update, but I hope this helps at least a little. Special thanks to @therhythmafterthesummer for helping with with this chapter and @saradika-graphics for some of the dividers. Disclaimer: This story does not reflect the real lives or personalities of Stray Kids. I do not know them personally. This is purely a work of fiction.

Looking for another chapter? Chapter Index: Chapter 1| Chapter 2| Chapter 3| Chapter 4| Chapter 5| Chapter 6| Chapter 7| Chapter 8| Chapter 9| Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16

Warning: This chapter contains mentions of seizures. Reader discretion is advised.

This was the second time you were being sent off. But this felt a lot heavier for some reason. Something didn't sit right about leaving Venia here by herself. There would be people who came for her and for Hyunjin. When they realized that she was alone, no prince in sight, there was no telling what they might do to her and that frightened you. You hoped she'd leave the keep and find some place to lay low while you got the prince out of dodge. You knew Hyunjin Saw her as a mother figure, and honestly you didn't think he would survive if anything happened to her. 

“Why do you look so perturbed, child?” Your body froze then relaxed at her words. Her and your mom surely did work in mysterious ways. Both could read the people around them like open books. “If you are worried about me, don't be. There is a reason the prince has been safe this long and it's not because they didn’t try.” Was she insinuating what you thought she was? Her lips curled into a knowing smile. “When the queen was young, she wanted to learn combat, so that's what we did in our spare time while her husband was busy being King. We learned how to protect ourselves and the ones around us. Because in this world there are few you can truly rely on. My dear friend… she knew that all too well, so she took it upon herself to learn as much as she could. Thinking back on it now, I guess it was kind of foresight. We learned to protect ourselves so that I could protect the precious boy she sacrificed her life for.” She chuckled as if looking back on fond memories. 

“So, all in all my girl, I can and will take care of myself. Plus, If all else fails, this place has a few tricks up its sleeve.” She winked then nodded to the keep. “You just… Worry about you and the prince. I know Minho will worry about you both.” She chuckled, guessing she had checked the lot of you out, like books out of the library. She had come to know so many things about the both of you in such a short amount of time. She even knew he was a notorious worry wart, something that wasn’t obvious to the untrained eye.

“I will try my best to get him there safely, Venia. I promise.” She barely let you finish before she was pulling you into a tight hug. “I'll send word once we arrive.” She shook her head, pulling away from you, hands moving from around you to rest on your shoulders. It really felt as if you were hugging your mother once again, you almost didn’t want to let go. You were already missing the fond feelings of home.

“Don't. I'll find out. Things coming out of the castle right now can't be trusted. Your father knows the way, he will get in contact.” You weren't skeptical, you had the utmost faith in your father, but it didn’t put you at ease that you had many trials ahead of you and you hadn’t even left the isle of Arcta yet. The goodbye between Venia and Hyunjin took just as long as the one between you and your mother. She voiced her concerns, tried her best to explain to him how things were going to be for a while, until they were reunited once more. She even told him, the prince of Volantis, to listen to you and Minho. You found that part to be amusing. 

He was reluctant to leave her side. Clutching onto the woman for dear life as they embraced. You knew all too well what that felt like and empathized with him on that point. She was all he knew as a mother figure and what made it even harder was the fact that she was the only person he’d know for over a decade now. To go from constantly being around someone to them not being around at all was going to be a hard adjustment for him. You turned your head from watching them, giving them a moment to themselves. Because regardless of you and Minho’s skill, there were still doubts that the three of you would make it back to the capitol city, unscathed. You’d just narrowly escaped death just under an hour ago.

The journey just to the Isle of Arcta was quite a tumultuous one, with having to battle changing climates as well as  coming to blows with a flock of bandits and a near death experience. While Hyunjin had only been on this journey for a little over a week and had only seen the smooth side of a cross country trip, he was starting to grow impatient with the pace that the lot of you had been traveling. It behooved you how a man that's been trapped in a tower for most of his life could be so restless because he was simply traveling across the country.

“Any updates on how much longer this trip will take?” He poked his head through the tiny window box, right between you and Minho, nearly getting stuck. This was the sixth time he’d asked that since you started your travels up again at sunrise.  “It f-feels like we’ve been riding forever.” His voice came out in a small whine.

It had been nearly a month into your travels for you and Minho, having traveled from the midlands to the far north and now, with the prince in tow, you were headed to the north-east where both Hyunjin and Minho hailed from. Since you’d left the Isle of Arcta, you’d journeyed through the eternal land of winter that bordered the northern ice capped islands, the Taiga Tundra, just to avoid the deadly mountains that cut through the middle of it.

You’d even traveled through a few towns, gathering supplies to keep you through your travels. Always making sure the prince was never seen by anyone but the two of you transporting him. You couldn’t risk someone finding out who he was. Even in disguise, draped in the clothes of people far beneath his status, there was something about him that screamed that he was a man of distinction. It seemed no matter how normal and everyday you tried to make him look, nothing could make this man seem anything but royal. Now you were crossing the sprawling grasslands of Dangar with its sprawling hills and thick forestry that bordered its perimeter. 

You controlled your face, something that Minho was having a hard time doing himself, annoyance was evident all over it. “Your high- I mean,” You cleared your throat. “Hyunjin, this is a long trip. Do you not remember how long it took you and Venia to get to the Isle of Arcta from Volantis ?” He shook his head and a sigh passed your lips. “Well, this trip is long and cumbersome. Maybe find something to occupy your time.” You wanted to tell him to piss off because he was starting to do exactly that to you.

But you held your tongue, knowing that the exiled prince leaned towards the more sensitive side. Plus, you didn’t have the same type of sibling-esque relationship that you and Minho shared. You didn’t want to make this trip any more awkward than it had to be. He was also the future king of Volantis and it would probably be best not to get on his bad side, for your sake and the sake of Minho and the rest of your family.

“I’ve read all of my books, twice. And I’m not sure I can p-paint any more of the surrounding landscapes…. They stopped looking different several towns ago. My lady.” You stiffened at his formality at the end of his sentence. Of all the things you’d been called, a lady was never one of them. Despite it being your actual title. “Are long journeys always this tedious? It’s been a long while since I last traveled, as you can pro-probably tell.. So it’s easy to say that I don’t get out much. Do you travel a lot, my lady? If so, where have you been? Did you enjoy it? Could you perhaps tell me a few stories about your travels if you have done any? Have you seen any of the fabled monsters they write about in b-books?”

He went on and on asking a million questions with seemingly no end. “Ah-” You jumped as his voice echoed in your ear, Minho smirked as he noticed the annoyed look on your face. You thought you had successfully tuned out all of his ramblings. “I could paint you! Si-since it seems you aren’t up for any questions at the moment.” He nodded, putting his head back inside the window, hitting once again, but seemingly unperturbed. “Yes, that will do.” He left the intricately carved, wooden door open as he situated himself in the front quarter of the carriage. You felt on edge. You could feel his eyes on you, boring into the side of your face, studying you. Trying your best to remain unfazed by his attention, you focused on the road ahead of you, trying to block out the torrent of butterflies taking flight in your stomach.

Beautiful. He could see beauty in every breath or sigh of yours. Beauty in every single one of your features and mannerisms. Maybe it was because it had been a long time since he’d seen anyone besides Venia, especially a woman. He couldn’t quite pinpoint the reason behind his mind being so preoccupied by you. There was this incessant need in him to please you. Something deep within him that wanted your smiles to be for and because of him. But Hyunjin knew that his personality was lacking.

Having just one person to converse with over a decade would do that to a person. Oh, how he longed to be like the men in the books he read. To woo you and make you fall in love with him over his witty banter. But truthfully, he knew that would never be. He couldn’t even get a few sentences out without stumbling over his words or seeming like the daftest prince in the history of man.  

Hyunjin’s hand  glided across the paper with ease. You might have been the easiest subject he’d ever drawn in his lifetime of art. His only problem, or the only thing he felt might be a problem, was the fact that he might not be able to convey just how beautiful you were on paper or canvas. Quite literally the woman from his dreams, even visions of you didn’t do your real life beauty justice. But he wanted to try nonetheless,  if for nothing more than to pass the time. Hyunjin spent hours putting charcoal to the pad, stretching every complex and intriguing detail of your face, at least what he could see of it.

He knew not to ask you to turn towards him, nor did he even think to ask you to join him in the carriage, even knowing that Minho could handle himself at the reins. Hyunjin was constantly second guessing himself around you and he hadn’t the slightest idea as to why. He wanted to impress you, to have you glance at him with those beautiful eyes. He wanted you to acknowledge him as more than just the prince you were sent here to rescue. God, he hated that fact. Why was it that he needed someone to come and save him? He’d read plenty and there was never any instance where it was a princess sent to save a prince, it was supposed to be the other way around.

His fingers tightened around the stick of charcoal he was already holding tightly in his hand. His body became rigid, breath quickening. Oh, no. No. No, no, no. Why did this have to happen in a time like this? His dreams had been getting harder to handle. They were bad in Arcta, but since he’d been on the road, they had somehow gotten worse. He was starting to dream while he was awake. But these more recent dreams were far more intense than any daydream he’d ever had.

They were like waking nightmares. They consumed him, playing out vividly as if they were happening to him in real time. He let out a strained groan as the visions started to play out in front of his wildly wide eyes. Darkness. Lurking. Blood, lots of blood. Then your face appears before his eyes, fear etched across it. He reached out for you, but you disappeared into a cloud of thick black smoke. This was unlike any dream he’d had before. 

“Turn around, there’s danger ahead.” A disembodied voice sang the words to him. “Dread. Dread. Dread. Three bodies all dead. One…” Minho came into view, his knees were sunk into the muddy, blood soaked ground, a sword through his chest. A warrior's death.

“Two…” There you were once again, but this time there was no fear in your eyes, just an absence of everything. Your throat had been ripped from you and despite your impressive healing abilities, you couldn’t heal your wound. Your nails were ripped and bloodied from fighting off what he could only assume to be your attacker.

“Three…” He could hear himself screaming, his body was his own. He looked down, his clothes bloodied and torn, scratches across his skin. He was alive, no one around but him and the bodies of his new found friends. Had he done this? Was this his doing? Had he killed the only friends he had? Panic surged through his body. He had a splitting headache. His mind felt hazy as if he had no real thoughts of his own. It was like he was being held up by strings, being puppeteered. 

“Head towards the east, or your fate is sealed. Or death will be dealt upon a forested hill.” 

His eyes flew open, body jolting up. “Relax..” Your soothing voice coated his ears, calming him down immediately. He let out a few shaky breaths as his eyes darted around, taking in his surroundings. The sun was starting to set, casting a warm yet ethereal halo-like glow around you. His anxiety calmed, he was safe in your arms. He knew that.

Though you were challenged to protect him, he knew deep down that there was more to this protective hold than he could even fathom. Was this another dream? One where he could finally live freely? One where he could love and be loved? Because there was no other explanation as to why he felt so at peace in your arms.

“Where- where are we?” 

You sighed, shifted under him. “We took a detour. Headed towards water. You felt feverish to the touch and your body convulsed and I…”  You paused. “You kept whispering go east. So we went East. Found this river and prayed to our gods that you would be okay.” He’d never seen you concerned For him and quite frankly, it was more than a little alarming.

He felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him. Why was it always him that was damoiseau in distress? You plucked him from his tower and whisked him away just to save his life once again on the road to his freedom. His brows furrowed once again as you helped him sit up. He needed to become a man you could depend on, and it needed to happen fast.

You were trying your hardest not to close the window to the carriage. You didn’t like sitting for portraits, it made you anxious and antsy and that was the last thing you needed on this month-long trip to Volantis. Even in the family portrait hanging above the mantle in the dining hall, your face was one of pure irritation. This was no different. You tried your best to keep your features neutral, but you could tell by the way Minho kept glancing at you out the side of his eyes that you weren’t doing a great job at it.

There was something about hearing the little scratches on the paper as he sketched that was kind of comforting. Your body unknowingly relaxed as he immersed himself in drawing. But panic started to work its way into your system when he suddenly stopped. His carriage went silent, no sounds of sketching, no weird little grunts of disapproval or approval. You took a chance and glanced back, only to see his eyes rolled back into his head, body taught but shaking with tremors. “Stop!” You yelled at Minho as you nearly jumped from the drivers box.

He pulled the reins to halt the horses, yanking the carriage to a cessation. You climbed in the back, hoping that your rapidly beating heart was that of concern and not of fear. His mother said nothing of sickness. How was he to rule if he was cripled by infirmity? It was if someone or something was guiding your hands. You moved anything away from him that would cause injury, that included his sketchbook and pencils and turned him on his side. 

“East… east… east….” His words were barely above a whisper, but you were someone able to decipher them. His inky locks clung to his forehead as his skin started to perspire. He was clammy to the touch, skin cold and damp.

Tears threatened to brim your eyes. Hyunjin was the only hope of your kingdom being released from the clutches of his tyrant father. You needed him more than anyone if you and the people around you were to see your way through this. A lump grew in your throat at the idea of what would happen to you and your family if the prince died in your care. Even with the king exiling him, he still wouldn’t take kindly to someone removing him from captivity just to have him die on their watch. A lump started to form in your throat at the mere thought.

“East… east.. Death is forward…”

His words were alarming. But you took them seriously. Given the fact that his mother was powerful enough to be the keeper between realms, this.. Dream or nightmare he was having had to have some validity to it. “Head towards the east, find a body of water, Min.” He nodded and pushed the horses towards the direction you’d dictated. All you could do now was pray that Hyunjin came to.

Minho had found a place near a riverbed to set up camp for the night. He was making it known that he didn’t like the detour and hated that this would add time to your already long trip to Volantis. He helped you carry the prince near the water so you could cool him down, in hopes it would help his fever break.

You tore the cloth of one of the shirts you’d recently acquired and damped it, pressing it to his forehead. He was still mumbling nonsensical things. But know just what he and his mother were, you didn’t discard his warnings. You knew all too well that with him being from a similar tribe to your mother, that ever bit of what he was foretelling would absolutely come true if you didn’t heed the warnings. 

It took an hour for his fever to break, and even longer for him to come to. The worry had started to become a permanent resident in your chest while you waited. The sigh you released felt like years worth of tension leaving your body, even if it had only been a few hours.  He jolted awake in your arms, his head resting in your lap. “Relax…” You soothingly pat his chest, trying to calm him down. You carefully explain what transpired over the last few hours.

Camp had been set up and food was being cooked as you spoke. The rest of the night went by in a flash, the lot of you agreeing that an even earlier start would have to do to make up the time you’d lost today. Each of you were determined to put in even more work in the next few days to shave off a little bit of time on this journey. Hoping that this trip went smoother than the trip to the isle of Arcta, but you all knew that was probably far fetched, but you'd still hold out hope.

© ✐Channieskies 『MINORS DNI! This post contains nsfw material. Please do not interact with it if you are under the age of 18. Do not translate or repost here or on other sites. Please leave a like , comment, and reblog if you enjoyed this story.♥』

[sparklingchan]

Serendipity || Seo Changbin (Stray Kids)

Pairing: Reader(fem.) X Changbin

Word Count: 5.4k+

Warnings: Suggestive, mentions of pregnancy (the reader is not pregnant) , mentions of poison, Changbin is sweeter than sugar. Set in the Joseon Era.

Genre: Royal AU, Arranged marriage AU, fluff with very slight angst.

Description: The King of Joseon had chosen you as his queen. But there are those that wish for this union to fail. Will your love be enough to overcome the competitiveness of the Palace?

A/N: Hello everyone! Back with another installation of the SKZ Royal AU. I am genuinely in love with this one ngl. King Changbin is a rizzler y'all. Hope you guys have fun reading this <3

Do check out the other fics in the skz royal series. (The stories are not interrelated)

Here's the link to the masterlist.

Being a woman in this country is not an easy task. Especially when one is a candidate for the position of the country's Queen.

You'd dreamt of this for years, the idea sewn into every thought by your father even since you were child. With time, you'd welcomed the thought without a complaint.

"My lady, the Royal messenger is here." Somi informs you, and your nervousness just goes up by a thousand.

Did you manage to become the Queen and make your father proud? Or did you get disqualified and were now just a daughter of some minister and free to marry any other commoner like yourself?

You run down the hallway and enter the pavillion in front of your house, the colorful banners of the Royal entourage shine under the bright sun.

You straighten your robes and kneel down, head almost touching the ground, as a mark of respect for the King's verdict.

The chief Eunuch opens up the scroll in his hands.

"Please find enclosed the Royal Edict from the King's Court:

I, Seo Changbin, the King of Joseon, have chosen Miss y/n of House Kim as my wife and, by extension, the Queen of our beloved country. I have consulted the three High State Councilors and my mother- the Queen Dowager about the same and we have all unanimously agreed that she would be the best choice for the country as well as the Royal family, owing it all to her wits, beauty and manners.

Congratulations to Miss y/n and her family.

The Royal family would also like to extend an invitation to the bride-to-be to shift into the Detached Palace at the earliest as part of the customary pre wedding ritual. "

It feels as if someone had punched out the air from your lungs, you couldn't speak nor stand, while your parents and brother continuously thanked the Royal Eunuch, accepting all the gifts sent by the Palace for you.

But you couldn't move. You just stayed there, frozen. For life as you had known it has come to an end.

And thereafter begins a new, Royal chapter of your life.

*

"I'm going to miss you, my child."

The days since the Edict pass by in a heartbeat. All the members of your family were busy with packing your belongings while you were busy with mentally preparing yourself to leave your family and house behind forever.

Yes, you'd always wanted to be a Queen. Yes, you'd spent years getting ready for this role. Yet when the time finally comes, it hurts you to think about leaving behind twenty three years of your life.

"I'm going to miss you too, mother." On hearing your words, your mother cries harder.

But as usual, your father shows no emotion. His face is calm.

"Remember, y/n, there are no friends in the Palace other than your husband. You cannot confide in anyone but him. The other concubines will do anything to gain his favor, but you shall always be a step ahead. Be vigilant and loyal. You will make a great Queen." He says. Like the strategist he'd always been.

"Yes, father." You reply, swallowing the lump in your throat.

Your mother clinges to your arm.

"We will try and visit you whenever we can. I'm sure his Majesty will allow."

"Yes, of course. You can visit me anytime. The Palace is only a few hours from here."

"Oh, my child! How will I ever live without you!" Another sob tears out from your mother's throat. You hug her with all the love and care you could muster up in that moment.

Your father walks out of the room, hands behind his back and face twisted into a frown.

*

The Detached Palace is to be a temporary residence for the bride-to-be. For over the next thirty days, you would be receiving lessons on various subjects like history, Royal Etiquette, sewing, cooking and most importantly- lessons on intimacy. The last lesson is considered most important, according to Somi, since it allows you to birth as many healthy heirs as possible.

After helping you dress up for the night and setting up your bed, your maids take your leave for the night, only Somi remaining by your side.

"Do you think I'll see the King tomorrow? It's queer but I'd like to know what my future husband looks like, at least."

Somi sighs, "I don't think it's allowed, my lady. I believe you can only see his Majesty on your wedding day. A month from now."

You're oddly disappointed. You had dreamt so many nights of seeing the King, holding his hand, being by his side, yet the King in those dreams often never had a face.

Was it wrong to yearn to look at your future husband's face? Just once?

A subtle knock on your door startles the both of you.

"Yes?"

"My lady, the King is here to see you." Your handmaid almost whispers the words through the door.

With unparalleled urgency, Somi helps you straighten your clothes and rushes off towards the door.

"Your majesty." The maids and Somi greet him with the customary bow, while you purse your lips in a line, head hanging in a subtle bow.

Your heart hammers against your chest. It's so loud, you're sure even the King could hear it.

"Please give us some privacy." The King commands.

And you heart beats faster on hearing his voice for the first time. Gentle, yet authoritative, just like you'd dreamt.

When Somi closes the door behind her, you almost regret wishing to see your future husband. The proximity makes you nervous and you could only hope you'd not faint in front of him.

"My lady, you may rise."

You'd almost forgotten you were still bowing to him. You mentally slap yourself.

"Y-yes, your majesty. " your voice comes out as an embarrassing squeak, your eyes still on the ground.

You'd prayed for this moment for years, y/n. Why couldn't you just meet his eyes?

As if sensing your inner conflict, the King takes two long strides towards you and hooks his index finger under your chin, sending a chill down your body.

"My lady, please look at me."

And you do.

And he's like everything you'd ever wished for.

Perfect, like a beautifully crafted sculpture.

His soft brown locks, his rosy lips, the subtle mischief in his eyes. Everything is perfect.

"Y-yes, your majesty. Sorry." You mumble.

The king smiles, rubbing circles into your cheeks.

"You may call me Changbin when we're alone."

You nod.

"I just came to ask if you're finding your new residence comfortable. We both shall be busy with lessons tomorrow onwards so I figured tonight would be a good time to visit my bride."

His bride? His bride?

Your legs feel weak.

"I'm finding it extremely comfortable, your majesty. Thank you for your hospitality. "

Changbin let's out a low chuckle, leaning towards you. His lips hover inches above yours. And when he speaks, you feel hot air on your lips, "I told you, y/n. Call me Changbin."

You frantically nod.

"Good. Better be careful next time, my bride."

*

When you wake up the next morning, you're sure you'd dreamt everything that happened last night.

But apparently not.

"The King is a dashing young man." Somi teases as she lathers a concoction of herbs into your hair. "You're lucky, my lady. He seems to be a gentleman."

But you are too caught up in your thoughts to reply to her.

Did the king of Joseon really come all the way to the Detached Palace to see you? What if he's disappointed with how you had reacted? But he shouldn't blame you at all.

You had not been expecting anyone yesterday night, especially not him. But he did come to you. And he touched your chin. If you focus hard enough, you could feel his touch lingering in the area.

"My lady?" Somi clicks her fingers in front of your eyes, "Come back to earth. We have to get you ready for the classes today."

Blushing, you reply, "What classes do I have today?"

You had three classes today: Palace etiquette, literature and what Somi insists most important: lessons on reproduction.

While Palace etiquette mostly includes lesson on how to behave with Royal elders, ministers, maids, the King, literature includes important pieces of literature that are important for a woman.

And lastly, the most dreaded time arrived.

The reproduction lessons.

The tutor shows you all sorts of obnoxious hand movements and some drawings of couples in intimate positions. You feel uncomfortable from the beginning till the end.

A woman at least five decades older than you is teaching you about intimacy? Very awkward, to say the least.

But you heave a sigh of relief when the classes end for the day and you make your way to your room in the Detached palace.

"It's just the first day, Somi and I'm already tired to the bone." You say, kicking your shoes off.

"Well, it's going to be a lifetime of time this now, my lady. And you best be prepared for it."

You reply Somi with silence. But her words make you wonder. If this palace life would ever be less tiring someday? Would it even be worth it?

Perhaps not.

But King Changbin 's face flashes in front of your eyes; his sparkling eyes, mischievous grin, his feather like touch- maybe he is what will make everything worth it.

That night, after your maids get your bed ready while Somi is combing your hair, a familiar announcement echoes through the corridors of the Detached Palace.

"My lady, the King is here to see you."

His smiling face peeps through the doors as your maids hurry out of the room. He wears blue silk robes, and you feel weaker in his presence than you did yesterday.

"Did you miss me, y/n?"

And thus begins a month of secret nightly visits by the King of Joseon to the Detached Palace.

Everyday, you wake up looking forward to the time when King Changbin would come knocking at your doors, always up to some jesting.

Sometimes, he brings you fruits you'd mentioned you liked or he tells you stories from his childhood. At other times, he tells you about that one teacher he will hate till the end of time.

But most times, he spends his time listening to you talk- about everything and everyone, about the skies and gods, about ghosts and afterlife, about favourite foods and literature. After you'd overcome the initial shyness, opening upto Changbin was as easy as breathing, almost natural. Of course, you were still nervous around him, but it's a feeling you'd come to like.

Is this what the writers and poets describe as 'butterflies'?

"Do you think I'll make a good Queen?" You ask him one night. He sits in front you on a cushion, across the room, a position you told him is appropriate for two unwed people (although he did not agree to it initially).

If your nightly shenanigans were to be ever discovered by anyone, you would not want to be found in close proximity to each other even though you were betrothed to each other. He's breaking Palace rules everyday as it is.

He hums, "Of course! I think you'll make a great Queen. You're so good at your lessons already."

"That does not guarantee anything. I might not be good at taking the responsibilities."

"Do you trust my judgment, y/n? I think you'll make a great Queen. And even if you are overwhelmed, I shall always be here."

That night he leaves earlier than he usually does, owing to the fact that tomorrow is the day where his concubines are to be welcomed into the palace. Five of them.

The thought leaves you feeling bitter and dejected, but you make sure to not make those feelings obvious. This is a rule for Kings, to take as many concubines as possible to ensure the continuation of the blood line.

"Don't worry, my lady. Your rank in the palace is above these petty concubines. They will not mess with you." Somi comforts your thoughts the next day.

"But what if Changbin favors them more?"

Somi does not reply to that question.

*

On your 18th birthday, your father had promised to you that he would make you the Queen of this country. He kept his promise because here you are, after five years, getting dressed to be married to the most powerful man in the country.

Your father always insisted that powerful men do not love but Changbin's sparkling eyes always contradicted everything your father had taught. Nevertheless, you know the competitiveness among the concubines for the King's affection is mad. More often than not, even the Queen gets involved in petty fights.

But you try to remove all thoughts of your father and the concubines today. Because today, you are to be married to King Changbin. From today, your name will be written in the historical logs of the Royal family. From today, a new life begins.

"Are you okay, my lady?" Somi asks, "You look worried."

"I'm fine. Just hope the ceremony goes well."

The ceremony does go well and in all honesty, you were not worried about the ceremony itself. You were worried about the aftermath.

The maids guide you to your new palace, and get you dressed in white robes for the wedding night. The night when you will finally meet Changbin as his wife. The butterflies swim around in your belly.

The bed is decorated with flower petals and a few candles are lit. Everything is perfect.

"The King is here." One of your ladies in waiting announce and you get up to greet your husband.

The maids leave the room as the doors slide open and Changbin steps in, also dressed in white robes. He looks dashing, but his signature grin is nowhere to be found.

When the doors close behind him, he walks past you to the bed, the scent of liquor evident in his breath.

"Have you been drinking, your majesty?" You ask him, worried by his odd behavior.

What was wrong with him? Why wouldn't he even bother to meet your eyes?

"Changbin." He slurs, wrapping the blankets around him, "Call me Changbin."

He turns away from you and is snoring away in no time.

The butterflies in your stomach flutter around before dropping dead.

*

You did not sleep that night. Even though you were sleeping next to the man you love, you felt lonelier than ever.

Many times during the night, you consider walking out of the bed chamber to the servants quarter so you could talk to Somi. But you couldn't do that. Because you were now the Queen of this country and every single step you take will have its repercussions.

When morning comes, Changbin wakes up in a haste and greets you with a subtle nod and walks out of the chamber in long strides.

You well the tears back. It's your first day as Queen and hadn't he always promised to be there when you were overwhelmed? Had he lied? Or was it Changbin's doppelganger who visited you every night in the Detached palace?

Somi comes in a few minutes later with an excited smile on her face.

When she does your hair for the day, she asks, "So, how was the wedding night?"

You want to answer her truthfully - how cold Changbin had been, how he had not even looked at you let alone touch you, how you think he had changed almost overnight. But you see the prying eyes of the other palace maids and swallow your sadness.

"It was perfect. Like everything I'd ever hoped for."

"He was gentle, I hope." She says through a grin, but it feels like someone pouring alcohol on an open wound.

"Yes. He was."

As part of royal customs, the new bride is supposed to visit the senior most female member of the family and greet her. In your case, the member happens to King Changbin's mother.

Somi dresses you in the most exquisite silks and adorns your hair with the most precious flower but you feel nothing at all when everyone compliments you on the way out of your new Queen's palace.

Your mother in law's palace is a little far from the Queen's palace yet it is as beautiful as any other palace. From inside as well as outside.

"Greetings, your majesty. It is nice to meet you." You bow in front of the Queen Dowager.

The woman-not more than sixty years of age- looks at you with a gentle smile.

"Come in, y/n. Please be at ease."

You're seated in front of her on a cushion while the Queen Dowager's maids serve you breakfast.

"I hope your first day here goes well, my child. Our family is thrilled to have you." She says.

"The pleasure is all mine, your majesty. I am honored to be a part of this family." You say.

In the back of your mind, you wonder if Changbin is thrilled to have you or not. Probably not.

The mere thought of yesterday's rejection stings.

"Y/n, truth be told, my son is a quite a troubled man. His father was murdered in front of his eyes. He was made the king when he was only 16 years old. It's been 7 years since then, but the burden only gets worse. I hope you, as a Queen and as his wife, can help him lessen these burdens. Can you do that?" The Queen Dowager asks again, sipping tea from a small cup.

"I will do everything I can to help him." If only he'd let you.

"Good, good. I'm glad. And one more thing, y/n, you know as Queen one of your primary duties is to produce an heir for Changbin's throne. I hope you're working on that, yes?"

Heat reaches your cheeks. If only the poor woman knew what her dear son had done last night. If his behavior continues, perhaps it will be long before the Queen Dowager sees the face of a royal grandchild.

"We are trying, your majesty. We will not disappoint you." You reply, sipping tea from your own cup.

"Great! I shall send all types of herbs and tonics to help you conceive as fast as possible. I shall also draw up a chart after consulting the astrologer..." the Queen Dowager's voice fades into the background as your mind drifts off to the nights in the Detached palace, when Changbin would come and spend all his free time with you, against the rules of the palace. At that time, you had been sure that producing an heir would be a beautiful process, not a chore.

But Changbin does not even treat the thought like a chore.

Did he not love you? Did his Royal duties burden him too much?

When you leave the Queen Dowager's palace, you walk past The King's palace. It is as beautiful and majestic as they say. But you wonder if you'll ever be able to set foot in the same.

As if on cue, you see Concubine Jung walking out of the King's palace, her maids behind her. The butterflies in your stomach burn with jealousy.

She has a smirk on her face when she sees you.

"Eun, did you know there's a rumor around the palace that the King refused to sleep with the Queen last night? Sad, isn't it?" Concubine Jung says.

One of her maids giggle and nod, "Of course! How could the Queen even live with this shame?"

You cry yourself to sleep that night, while Somi does everything in her abilities to soothe you.

Needless to say, nothing worked.

*

"My lady, wake up. The King has invited you to breakfast with him." Somi informs one morning, six months after your wedding.

"Tell him I have a bad stomach bug. I cannot go."

You'd be found dead before sharing a meal with him and that obnoxious Concubine Jung. You'd shared enough meals with them already.

The past months, the King had not visited you even once but often you'd see him walking the gardens with Concubine Jung at his side.

After the first few weeks, you had no tears left to shed anymore so when the rumor came in last month that Concubine Jung might be pregnant, your eyes do not water no matter how much you force yourself to cry.

"I do not wish to congratulate them." You say, true and plain.

"My lady, he's invited only you. Not anyone else."

So you agree. As a last attempt to make your marriage work, even if it's just for your own sake.

Somi dresses you in green robes- The King's favorite. You quickly make your way to his palace, as if someone else would take your place if you didn't hurry. It's sad your thoughts had turned so negative in just half a year in the palace.

Your father had told you the King would take in many lovers during his lifetime, and that being Queen is about having power, not being loved.

But you think he didn't warn you enough. He didn't warn you how lonely it would be to sleep on the cold bed every night, how painful it would be to see the King smile at someone else.

Even if you did wish for a child, how could you produce you a child without Changbin?

"Good morning, your majesty." You say to him when you enter his bed chamber. It smells like cinnamon, a smell he'd often carry with himself back when he used to visit you at the Detached palace. Back when you were sure the king had been in love with you.

"Hello, my Queen. Please have a seat."

The butterflies dance around for a split second.

"Did you sleep well last night?" He asks, taking a seat in front of you.

"Yes." Lies. "Thank you for inviting me over."

When the maids leave the both of you alone, his demeanor changes.

"Actually, y/n, I had something to talk to you about." He says, casually, as if he hadn't been hurting you everyday for the past few months.

"What is it?" You ask.

He sighs, "It's mother. Ever since that rumor of Concubine Jung being pregnant spread. She wants the first grandchild to be of the Queen."

His words do not faze you, "How can I help you, Changbin?"

He frowns. Since when had your tone become this melancholic?

"Um, so if I have your consent, I'd like to try for a child tomorrow night. We'll see how that goes, yeah?"

"Okay. I will be honored." You say.

You finish up the food quickly and almost slide the doors open when he grabs your arm from behind.

"Y/n, what is it? Did something happen? Are your parents well?"

"My parents are well enough, thank you for asking." You say, keeping your eyes on the ground.

"Then? What happened? Is it Concubine Jung? Really, you did not have to be jealous of her. She's not pregnant. I can assure you of that. I have not consummated my marriage with any one of the concubines."

His words seem to have an effect on you. Your heart blossoms with hope but you keep your face and voice neutral.

"I am not jealous, Changbin. If one of the concubines get pregnant, I shall wish you both well."

You force your arm out of his grip and walk out the palace, not looking back once.

Changbin's stares at your leaving figure, now worried beyond relief that he might have broken the one person he cared for the most by his pursuits of a greater good.

*

While the past few months for you had been filled with loneliness, for Changbin it was almost the same-if not worse.

The first night of your marriage was filled with as many butterflies for him, as it was for you.

He had fallen in love with you and he wasn't afraid to show the world how much you meant to him. He wanted to hold you, kiss you, make love to you. And he had all plans to do that on the first night.

But that was until he had overheard a secret conversation between Concubine Jung and her father- Minister Jung.

For all he knew, Minister Jung had always wanted his daughter to be the Queen but being the dim-wit that she was, Concubine Jung could not even get through the first stage.

"Father, it's been two days since I'd been in the palace and that man has not visited me once. He had not even asked for my name the day of the welcoming. What kind of man is he? And you say I am to be Queen!"

"Hush, child. In this palace, even the walls are listening. Be careful. And as far as the position of Queen is concerned, you need not worry. If the King does bed the Queen tonight and she get pregnant, we shall make sure her pregnancy terminates before maturity. I have connections with all sorts of medicine vendors in the country, be assured, she shall never see the face of a child. After we weaken the Queen, we can take her throne as easily!"

Changbin had wanted to laugh at the man's foolish plans but deep down, he was worried as well. For you.

Which is why he pushed you away for so long and kept Concubine Jung close. While she tried everything in her power to seduce him, he refused her under the pretense of keeping an oath of abstinence for a year.

Every time she tried to even hold his hand, Changbin thought of you; your innocent eyes, your talks, your wit, your hands, your beautiful hair. No woman could make him feel like you do.

Changbin's secret informants had confirmed that Minister Jung had not one but two houses full of gold and cash he'd collected as illegal taxes from the local people. He'd also sometimes force husbands to send their wives to him in exchange for money. Even the thought nauseated Changbin.

Every time Concubine Jung visited, he made sure to collect some sort of evidence through her. He even visited her every night and while she snored away, he stole some of her gold jewlery and clothes to get them checked as evidence of the illegal taxes her father had been collecting.

And sure enough, after a few months of spying on her and her father, Changbin had gathered enough evidence by now to expose both of them at the court.

But he realised quickly that Minister Jung had a few tricks up his sleeves as well. The rumor of his daughter's pregnancy would make it difficult for Changbin to expose him easily, and so Changbin waited every night that the rumors would die down so he could run to the Queen's Palace and hug you with all his might. You were not safe unless the father and daughter were deposed.

And for some selfish reasons, Changbin had hoped you'd understand the reason behind his distance. But no woman could find a logical reason behind her lover being absent and it was horribly wrong for him to expect you to do the same.

"Are you stupid?" His friend, the eccentric dancer Minho had asked him.

Changbin had told him how coldly you'd behaved this afternoon when he'd asked you if you wished to try for a child. Most women would giggle and blush. But you were like a statue.

"You push her away for months and make her feel lonely and not loved and what not and you have the audacity to ask her that?"

"Well, yes. Mother had been pressuring me for a child and obviously, even with the pressure, I would never do anything that y/n would not have wanted but I thought it would be a great way to reconnect with her. Even if it didn't end in child making or whatever."

Minho let's out a frustrated groan, "You have to learn so much, Bin. But let's start with this- be honest with her. She's your wife and you ought to tell her everything. Give answers to all her questions and hold her hand if she let's you. Small steps first, a child can wait."

Changbin nods, " Okay, should I go to her right now?"

"Yes, you idiot!" Minho says, earning a slap on the arm from The King of Joseon.

He should be glad he's not being beheaded for calling the King an idiot.

*

You're almost done getting ready for bed when the lady in waiting makes an unexpected announcement .

"My lady, the King is here to see you."

Your heart leaps and the butterflies come alive again only to die down once you realise why he might be there. For a child. Isn't that why he's here? Isn't that why people get married in the first place?

"Y/n." He sighs when he enters the room, almost out of relief. He purses his lips.

"Is there anything I could help you with?" You ask.

Oh, how badly he'd hurt you. He could see the hurt in your eyes, in your voice, in your mannerisms.

"Y/n, I'm sorry. I really am. I know I have caused you pain and I cannot imagine how lonely it must have been. But I hope you know that I really do love you and only you."

"Then why the distance? Why visit Concubine Jung every night?" You ask, hands on your hips.

The tears that had left you threatened to return again.

And he tells you everything. From the conversation he overheard to how insistently Concubine Jung asked him for a child to how much solid proof he'd collected over the months and how he'd sent those evidences to the Minister of Security, who in turn ensured that by tomorrow the Jungs will out of the palace and be imprisoned for life.

It all makes sense to you now, of course it does. Yet you feel guilty. He'd been trying to protect you, all this while.

"I'm sorry, Changbin. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. I only-"

"Don't apologize, y/n. It's me that should apologize. I should have somehow tried to contact you and tell you about everything. I'm-"

"No, no, Please. Don't. You only tried to protect me and-"

"No, y/n, it's all my fault, please-"

Somi overhears the entire conversation through the door, her mind finally relaxing after the misunderstanding had been solved between you and the King. She could no longer stand you being this sad. And she somehow knew King Changbin had his own reasons for his behavior.

She hears soft sounds of kissing through the door and takes it as a sign to move away from the door, and join the other maids waiting outside the palace door. She smiles to herself.

The butterflies burn with passion.

"I do not wish for a child this early. I want to be here like this with you for a while, just y/n and Changbin and maybe two or three years later, we could try for a child. What do you think?"

When he kissed you initially, you half expected this to end up in the bed. But it did. And you're glad it did.

The butterflies bloom more than ever.

You're wrapped in his arms, tightly. The nakedness no longer bothering the either of you.

"I agree. I want to be this close to you every night, not as a Queen or the mother of your child. But as y/n. As your wife."

Changbin draws his face closer to you, pecking you on the lips, "And so you shall, my love."

And so you shall.

[desi2go]

Prince and Princess

part one -- part two

pairing: prince Chan x princess reader

Warnings: forced marriage, royalty au, strangers to lovers, fluff

summary: When your parents engaged you with the prince of a neighbouring country, you flee. On your way you meet a handsome man...

author's note: Here is the part two of my little series! Have fun💕

To say that getting used to your new life was easy, is a lie. After your wedding day, everything changed. Temporary, for your honeymoon, you slept in Chan's room. It's not that you didn't like his room, it was big and so comfortable but whenever when both, Chan and you, were alone in the same room, there was this uncomfortable silence that filled the entire atmosphere.

He had always his back turned towards you, raising a wall between you and him, when he slept or acted like he was sleeping. But mostly you didn't even met him outside from dinner. He was always up and working when you woke up. And then, he came back late, too late so that you are usually asleep already. It was like he avoided you. The only time you saw each other was at dinner.

The first days after your wedding, he made conversation while eating. Well, perhaps only because your parents and his accompanied it. But as soon as they were on their way back home, he avoided you more and more. It was like there wasn't a time before the wedding. Like you were real strangers even though you had met him before in the forest.

Life in the castle was boring. All you did was sitting the whole day and waiting for the time to pass. You would die to read something just a small novel or anything else. But the boredom was killing you. And the loneliness. Just the maids accompanied you but they didn't know you and they strictly held their distance.

Chan didn't even show you around. Sometimes you just wandered around, not knowing where the heck you were.

Carefully, you knocked on the wooden door to Chan's work room. You didn't even know where it was, you had to ask a maid to lead you.

"Come in" he said dulled by the door. You entered the comfortable room with a large table in it. He was leaned forward, studying a map. His hair was disheveled and you could see dark circles under his eyes.

He looked up, surprised to see you standing there.

"Y/n. What can I do for you?"

"May you show me the palace, please?" You asked determined that you would bring him to leave this room for a moment.

He sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. "I have important things to deal with"

You scoffed. "I am your wife. I'm not important?"

"Of course you are important too." He paused. "Just give me five minutes and I will show you around" You nodded excited.

Just some minutes later, Chan guided you through the hallways, stopping from time to time to show you a room. He showed you a room with thousands of different instruments. Surprised, you entered it to inspect the instruments.

"I didn't expect you to have a whole room with instruments" you exclaimed, grabbing a violin.

"Yeah. I quite enjoy to make music" he explained, following you into the room, sitting down in front of the piano.

"Really? My mother made me learn the violin. It was fun" you stated. Chan's hands traced the keys of the piano, gently pressing down to create the first tones. With quick fingers, he played with the keys, letting the room fill with clear and harmonic sounds. Impressed, you watched him. He had a massive talent.

"I'm impressed" you said when he stopped. "Thanks" he just answered, leading you out the room and in the hallway.

The atmosphere was better, like the first sun after days of clouds, you could finally see a bit of the man that you have met in the woods. He was still distant but know you could keep a light conservation going without much awkwardness.

At the end of your tour, he showed you the library. It was far bigger than yours at home and extended over three floors. You deeply inhaled the smell of the books, observing the hundreds of shelves. The big windows with their endless curtains complimented the room, turning it into a comfortable environment for reading.

"You like it?" He questioned, leaning against a shelf. "Like? I love it!" you exclaimed, running a finger over the wood of the shelf.

"I'm glad. You can read everything in here and even more if you want" he stated, a smile forming on his lips.

You frowned. "I am allowed to read? You don't think it's inappropriate for a woman?" you asked hesitant.

"Of course. Why should it be inappropriate?"

"My parents hated it when I read. A woman doesn't need this knowledge, they said" you explained, playing with the fabric of your yellow dress.

"Here, you can read how long and how often you want" he reassured.

"Really?" You couldn't believe it. You thought that he would hate it if you read, seeing it as inappropriate and unnecessary.

"Of course. You can start now if you want." He responded, signaling to the shelves filled with thousands of books.

"I'll do that" You smiled, picking at your nails when you wandered through the aisles, reading the headlines of the books and deciding what you should read first.

He chuckled. "I'll leave you alone then. Have fun" he said as he left the library, probably going back to his work room. Excited, you picked a novel and sat down on one of the comfortable armchairs near the huge windows, the sun shining through.

For hours, you read and read. From time to time, you send a maid to get you something to drink but you never left the chair. It didn't take long before the book was finished. A maid, informed you just moments later that dinner was ready.

Hungry, you stretched, your limbs tense due to the sitting, and followed her into the dining hall. Chan already sat at the end of the huge table, clearly waiting for you. You sat down on the only other chair. The smell of the delicious food filled the room. Everything you could dream of stood within reach. Just Chan seemed to have fixed the wall of his cold prince behaviour. Or maybe his appearance in the woods back then was a facade and this was the real him.

He just confused you. He was respectful but distant. But earlier this day, you could feel the wall crumble and you could see Chan not just prince Christopher.

"Will you accompany me to our chamber?" You asked as soon as you finished eating even though you knew the answer.

"I'm sorry but I still need to work" he insisted and stood up, leaving you alone in the huge room that felt even bigger when the only one in there was you.

By now you knew what his father meant when he said that Chan likes to bury himself in work. Well, he wasn't just burying, no, he was working himself to death.

You layed in bed with open eyes, still deep in thoughts when you heard the heavy door open and Chan sneaked in. With a low sigh, he got into bed right behind you, the bed giving away under his weight and his arm touching your back. Soon you could feel his breath against you neck, causing a comfortable shiver. You rolled around slightly so that you could get a peak on the sleeping prince next to you. Even without light you saw his tiredness. Carefully not to wake him up, you brushed a hair out of his face. You liked him, a lot, if you admitted and you hoped that you will get some sort of friends at least in this marriage.

♕✯♛

Days passed and while Chan worked all day and nearly the whole night, you spend all your time in the library, making it you hobby to read every single book in there. Even though you were still lonely, you could at least distract you with reading. You wondered if Chan even thought about you.

His parents leaved you two alone a lot. Just from time to time, they accompanied both of you at dinner. You liked his parents. It was clear that both deeply cared for their son and even though they might not be in love with each other, they had a great relationship. And now since you were a part of the family, they felt like the normal parents you never had.

You were excited when they told you that you'll visit a town near the palace so that the people could meet you.

The following day, you sat in a carriage for the first time since you married. Chan was right beside you, looking out and deep in thought. Infront and behind the carriage at least four soldiers shielded you from possible attacks.

The dress that your maids made you wear, was uncomfortable due to the tight corset. Sitting was difficult and painful since the bottom of the corset pressed into your hips.

Chan looked fabulous. He was dressed in a tight suit with shining armour, visualising the picture of the perfect prince. The black colour of his suit made him look majestic and symbolised the power and strength he held. On his head was the crown, perfectly in place even after two hours of sitting in that damn carriage.

You couldn't wait to step out of it. You reached the outskirts of the town, people pointing at you when they saw you looking out. Hesitant you waved back. In the city centre, the carriage finally came to a halt. Immediately, you wanted to jump out but you knew that Chan was the first to step out, so you waited for your turn.

Chan held his hand up when you stepped out, not wanting you to trip. You grabbed it thankfully, already enjoying the sun on your skin. There was already a crowd that observed you curiously.

"Hello people, I want you to meet my wife, princess y/n" he introduced you. Many people smiled at you, waving and shouting a hello. He sneaked an arm around your waist, signaling that you belonged to him. He lead you through the streets, speaking with different persons. You could see that he loved his people and like to be around them.

A little kid came running up to you, tugged at your dress to get your attention. Carefully to not loose your tiara, you kneeled down, being now eye to eye with the little boy that couldn't be older than five.

"Your beautiful princess y/n!" He exclaimed, holding out a flower with the other hand.

"Oh thank you, little one. Is that for me?" You questioned with a smile. Proudly, he gave you the flower, a toothy smile on his lips. "Yes! I have picked it especially for you"

You couldn't help but laugh. This boy was just too sweet.

"I'm honoured. Thank you" you replied, ruffling through his hair. Giggling, the boy ran back to his mommy. You felt Chan's stare the entire time even after you slowly stood up. His face remained distant but his eyes were filled with a warmth and adoration you barely saw. His arm circled your waist once again as you continued your walk.

"The boy was so sweet!" You stated for the tenth time as you sat again in the carriage back to the palace. Countless times you had smelled on the flower, enjoying the sweet scent.

"Yeah, he was really cute" Chan answered.

"How often do you visit the towns?"

"Whenever it's possible. I love to be under the people"

You smirked. "I noticed that".

"That's why they all looked at you so respectfully when we were at the market!" You added.

He rubbed his neck and adjusted his position.

"Yes, they all knew who I was"

You wanted to ask him why he didn't reveal his identity when you first met. But you feared that this wasn't the right time and he would just block off.

♕✯♛

Another day passed and you decided that you'll take your relationship with Chan into your own hand. With a book from the library, you stood in front of his working room. With a deep breath, you knocked determined. Again, Chan mumbled a come in. Like last time, you studied something on his table, observing you from his spot. His hair fell in his face the way he was bend over the wooden desk.

As always, he looked tired. You didn't want to know how much he had slept last night.

"Can I do something for you?" He questioned, pushing the sleeves of his white chemise up.

"Actually, I thought I could accompany you while you work" your voice became thinner at the end, fearing a rejection. Surprise took over his face and a wide smile appeared.

"I don't mind at all. Please, make yourself at home" he mentioned to the little couch on the other end of the room.

For hours, you were completely zoned out while reading. And you loved the thought of someone being there even if no words were exchanged. It felt like you weren't so alone anymore, like you found something that you could do with Chan.

Right on time, you dragged him to dinner even against his will to work more. The evening was filled with comfortable chattering and after dinner, you urged him to play chess with you.

"Are you sure you want to play against me? The chess champion?" He questioned teasingly.

"You need to win against me before you coul actually call you a champion." You responded, starting the game.

After a few moves, it was clear that this will be a head-to-head-racing and you definitely won't let him win, not under any circumstances. Sometimes he did a great move and sometimes you. But at the end it was clear who the actual champion is.

"Who is the champion now, huh?" You teased when you did the winning strike and knocked over his king.

He sighed disappointed in himself but clearly amused.

"Alright, I think that's enough of chess now" he said.

"Say it" you urged him.

"I think it's time for bed" he tried to distract.

"Say it!" You exclaimed while laughing.

"You're the champion. Satisfied?"

You hummed in agreement, following him into your room. After changing, both of you jumped into bed. It was the first time that he really went to bed when you were still awake. And you were delighted that he didn't work in the middle of the night. Surprisingly fast, you fell asleep with a smile on your lips.

The next morning, you woke up from the sunlight, trying to move away from the brightness. But instead something held you in place. You snapped your eyes open, seeing that Chan had draped an arm protectively over your waist and his legs were tangled between yours. Carefully you looked down to get a better look. His face layed on your shoulder while his face was hidden between your neck and hair, his hot breath hitting the skin. Little snores escaped him.

It was the first time that he still slept when you woke up. Usually, he would be sitting in his office at this time but the sleep seems to be necessary.

After thirty minutes, you needed to go to the bathroom urgently. You thought that he would eventually wake up soon after you but Chan still slept. Slowly, you tried to roll away, detangling your legs. But he just tightened his grip, pressing his head further into your hair to get away from the sunlight. You chuckled, pushing some of his hair away.

He grumbled as you tried waking him by brushing over his silky hair. Eventually, he rolled over, letting you escape. After a quick run to the bath, you sat in one of the armchairs, reading the next book while watching over your husband.

Slowly, he rose from the bed, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"Good morning, Christopher"

His eyes fixated you, his hair dishevelled and all over his face, yet he looked absolutely handsome.

"To you as well, y/n" he answered, getting out of bed.

"Before I forget it. Tomorrow evening we are supposed to attend a ball from an influential lord" he added before leaving the room.

♕✯♛

"Who is this lord?" You asked your husband on the way to the ball. Again, you sat in a carriage, clearly annoyed from the back and forth after over an hour.

"He is a friend of my father. Every year, he hosts a ball" he explained.

Anxious, you fiddled with the fabric of your midnight blue dress. Slowly it becomes a habit. You hated crowds and a ball was something you hated with every fibre of your being. It was like you were served on the silver plate for everyone to look at and to judge. One wrong move and the whole society will know it by the next morning, making fun of you.

You were now crown princess and the attention you are getting just doubled. Luckily, you could cling to Chan the whole evening, being like a dog, following around.

Like a gentlemen, he got out of the carriage as soon as it stopped in front of the pompous resident, helping you out. You clinged to his arm as he lead you to the entrance. Just shortly after you entered the ball, he was busy with holding conversations to different types of people. But one thing they all had in common. They were willing to kiss Chan's shoes even if it just brought them a small advantage.

After the luxurious dinner, the lord spoke with you. He was an elder man who eyed you from head to toe. Even though your dress wasn't revealing anything, you felt naked and insecure in his gaze. He theoretically undressed you just with his eyes. Your grip at Chan's hand doubled, holding him and hoping he wouldn't let you alone with him.

Currently, he was speaking to said lord, laughing quietly at the joke that wasn't even funny.

"I must say that you have a really beautiful wife, your grace. I bet she fulfills all your desires" the lord said, laughing loudly.

Chan face darkened when he realised what the old man said. All his expressions hardened.

"Beg your pardon?" He snarled. His arms circled your waist, reassuring you that you wouldn't be left alone.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to be disrespectful in any way. She just seems to be the perfect little wife" In the lord's eyes sparkled lust and desire. You shivered uncomfortable.

"Lord, it was a pleasure to speak with you" he excused both of you, underlining the word wife and leading you outside.

"He is creepy" you mumbled, when you stepped out of the resident.

Chan just hummed in agreement, clearly offended and angry.

"I'm sorry that I didn't stop him earlier. I-"

"It's okay. Thank you for even stepping up for me" you interrupted him. He clenched and unclenched his fists.

"It's not. You are my wife. He shouldn't even think about that in the slightest. And I was oblivious at first. I should have protected you" he exclaimed. You tried to calm him with running your fingers over his arms, feeling the tension in his muscles.

"You protected me, Christopher. I know I'm safe with you" you said calmly.

"Don't call me that" he said tense.

"What? Why? But it's your name." You questioned confused.

"Because I like the way you said Chan to me in the woods. And it reminds me of the first time, I saw you" he mumbled, his sparkly eyes reflecting the moon. The tension was leaving his body. Slowly you wandered through the maze out of the prettiest flowers.

"Chan..." You whispered, halting in the middle of the maze at the beautiful pavilion filled with flowers. Just the moon accompanying both of you.

His eyes finally flicked towards your face, your eyes.

"I never met anyone like you, Y/n. It's maddening how much you consume my very being from the moment I met you not knowing who you are."

His eyes wandered down to your lips, tracing the form of them with his gaze.

"All I can think about is you. And I want to be nowhere except with you" he added. He bared everything to you, gave his heart in your hands. You didn't find any words that could describe your feelings for him. Tenderly, you placed your hands on his cheeks.

"I won't go anywhere. I'll stay" you whispered and he closed his eyes as he pressed his lips against yours. They felt so light against yours, so velvety. The kiss was completely different from the one you shared at your wedding. It's passionate and full of unspoken words.

Slowly, he moved his lips and deepened the kiss. Your hands wandered to his neck, caressing his smooth hair. His own fingers held you tight, kneading the skin on your waist.

He interrupted the kiss, laying his forehead against yours, your crowns crashing together on your heads. The distance he held was long gone, replaced with passion and tenderness. He opened his arms, hugging you tight as you layed your head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

"I was afraid that you wouldn't want me" he confessed. You lifted your head.

"Why that?" You were shocked. Why wouldn't you want him?

"You liked me as a normal man not the prince of a country"

You cupped his cheek again, loving it how he leaned into that touch.

"I like you as a normal man and as a prince. It doesn't matter what status you have. As long as you'll always be by my side" you whispered.

He chases your lips once again, pouring all he got into it.

♕✯♛

Tags: @50-husbands @intartaruginha

[hyunpic]

[littleraesparkle]

، ࣪ ٬٬ Yang jeongin ★the prettiest ⊡ ◞ ֶָ ⊹ ࣪ ୨

@changbinsbabyloveskz

[skzhocomments]

The Rising Empress (Bang Chan) - Chapter 11 - Setting the Plan in Motion

General Masterlist

Story masterlist - please consult it for the summary of the story, trigger warnings etc.

Wattpad | AO3

Chapter 10 | Chapter 12

Taglist: @vxllxnsworld

---

Chapter 11 - Setting the Plan in Motion

Chapter word count: 3.4k words

“It was a smart move to give each court lady a bracelet.” Seungmin comments out of nowhere during one of their studying sessions, taking Aristia by surprise. However, she shows no change in expression, her lips in a straight line and her eyes focusing on the book Seungmin recommended she read in order to get more acquainted with the customs of the Empire.

“Thank you.” Is all she says.

“But a birdie told me that you’ve also commissioned some other interesting items.”

This finally takes her eyes out of the book, her attention shifting completely.

“What?” She shows a smile that could be perceived as naïve, although it’s anything but.

“You tell me.”

“Must I?” She puts her pen down, leaning back into her chair.

“You can’t trust the goldsmith, Your Highness. He told His Majesty about the keys the moment you sent that order.”

Aristia continues to smile, much to Seungmin’s surprise.

“Your silence tells me something that I’m not inclined to believe… Did you know he’d do that?”

“Of course I knew, Seungmin.” She chuckles brightly. “Do you think I’m so naïve as to put my trust in someone who’s worked for the Imperial Family for his entire life?”

“What do they unlock?”

“Nothing.” Aristia shrugs. “They are just some small tokens for my friends. Mere necklaces to match my own.”

This was far from the truth, but Seungmin once again had no business knowing the Empress’ secrets, much more so when they could be considered high treason.

The ladies that picked up those keys had no way of knowing about it either, foolish girls. They got blinded by Aristia’s promises and didn’t realise what their end on the deal would entail. The price they’d pay if her husband would ever find out about her plan would be way too grave, so she hopes it wouldn’t come to that before she’s had enough time to put it in motion.

Aristia figured out how little she trusts Chris as she cooked up this plan: a way of stopping the war from breaking out before it even begins, or, if it’s too late, a way of winning for sure. She only hopes she’s right and that things would go smoothly, but only time would tell.

Noticing Seungmin’s burning gaze in her forehead, she realises that Seungmin might understand her a bit more than she thought he could. He is, however, one of Chan’s right-hand men, and trusting him might be too dangerous.

She bites her tongue back and turns her eyes once more at the large book in front of her, signalling that the conversation is over.

“Your Majesty, I deeply apologise for interrupting your studying session.” Changbin bows apologetically after abruptly entering her study.

“Is anything wrong?” Aristia smiles softly.

“His Highness has requested your presence for dinner.”

“Has he?” Aristia raises a curious brow.

Chris has been busy this past week, and they haven’t spent any time together since the greenhouse lunch with the ladies when he surprised her with a visit.

“Yes. Alice is waiting for you to prepare you for dinner.” Changbin bows again.

“Then, this is it for today, I’m afraid.” She looks at Seungmin who nods briefly.

“Make sure to finish reading that by tomorrow evening.” He points to the book, but before Aristia has the chance to reply, Changbin intervenes.

“Seungmin, watch your manners. You’re in the presence of The Moon of the Empire, our Empress.” He scolds immediately, and Seungmin throws him a look that could only express Are you serious?!

Still, he obliges and bows down respectfully.

“My apologies, Your Highness. It seems I have been out of line.”

Aristia nods and asks Changbin to pick up the book, and then goes to her room to get changed.

~

Alice insists once more to pamper Aristia up with everything she’s got, and the Empress finds it quite amusing how a mere 14-year-old girl is ordering around Mari and Juliana. She dislikes wearing intricate clothing or heavy jewellery, but “It’s the custom!” and “You’re the Empress!”, so she eventually gives in and lets Alice have her way with her clothes and hair.

An hour and a half later, she’s ready to go have dinner with her husband.

The moment she steps through the door, she notices that all the plates have already been brought, and Chris makes everyone get out to give them privacy.

“Good evening, husband.” She smiles brightly, watching his grave eyes that quickly soften up at the sight of her.

He stands up and grabs her hand, kissing her knuckles softly.

“My dearest wife.” He helps her sit down, then joins her at the table once more.

Aristia certainly didn’t expect this warm welcome, and her heart skips a beat.

She was expecting Chris to ask her about why she hadn't worn the necklace, or to inquire about the small keys she had crafted, just as Seungmin did, but the Emperor did none of that.

Instead, he asked her about her studies, listened closely to her words and smiled ever so often while gently touching her hand on the table.

The dinner went by pleasantly.

“You are a breath of fresh air; did you know that?” Chris says all of a sudden, while Aristia takes a bite of one of the cupcakes on the table.

“How so?” She asks, and her heart skips a beat again, then does rounds in her chest that suddenly feels too tight to contain the growing feelings inside.

“You just are. By the way, have I told you that you were right about the contaminated water? Hyunjin and his team checked it out, and they’ve found one of the sources. Apparently, some of the countrymen were throwing out animal waste into a river, polluting the water in the process.”

“Really?” Aristia gasps. “Wow, I’m glad they’ve identified it!”

"I'm afraid it's simply one of the many other polluted waters throughout the Empire..."

"They'll identify the others in no time, don't worry." She smiles assuringly.

“Aristia, I missed you.” Chris says all of a sudden, happy to notice the excitement in his wife’s gaze.

“You work too much.” She pouts, not wanting to confess how much she’s missed him too.

She doesn’t trust him, but her feelings for him grow each time they spend time apart, and then grow some more when they meet.

“I have to.” He shrugs, grabbing his wine glass and giving it a swirl, then bringing it to his lips and taking a big gulp. “With the upcoming war, it’s quite a stressful time, you know?”

“Maybe we shouldn’t have killed-” Aristia starts in a quiet voice, so quiet, it almost sounds like a whisper.

“He had it coming.” Chris cuts her off hastily. “How dare he harm you in your own home? I get angry just thinking about it.”

“He’s done it my whole life. It wasn’t that surprising, honestly.” She replies dejected, and he gets the same sinking feeling in his stomach as when he’s seen her wounds while Mari took her out of the bloodied bath water.

He feels sick for not paying more attention, for not even bothering to spend any time with her whatsoever before her dear father paid them a visit. If only he wouldn’t have shut her out, if only… If only he would’ve done better, nothing would’ve happened to her.

Does she consider this palace home, he wonders? Or is she still feeling suffocated by the castle’s walls?

And what about him? Sure, they’ve spent a night together, but are her feelings genuine?

As he watches her eyes intensely, he fails to see his own reflection. Instead, he sees that beautiful spark that made him fall in love with her, for he’s now certain he’s fallen, deep and hard.

“What is it?” She asks with a soft smile on her lips.

“Your eyes are very beautiful.” He smiles back sincerely and wishes he could tell her more, but it feels too early for the frightening I love you, although judging by the way his heart beats in his chest, even I love you would fall short.

“Is that so?” She chuckles. “Do you like their colour?”

“You could say that.” He nods, although his words are partly insincere. It’s not the colour of her eyes that drive him crazy.

It’s not the colour of her eyes that make him lean over the table and grab her chin, then capture her lips in a fevered kiss, taking her by surprise and making her gasp. It’s that powerful burning in them that almost knocks him out of his chair every time she’s determined to do something, and for quite some time, that sparkle hasn’t gone away from her gaze.

He wonders what she’s plotting, but he doesn’t want to come across as distrusting, so he doesn’t ask anything. Instead, he sits back in his chair as if nothing happened, as if he hasn’t just kissed her, making two deep lines form in-between Aristia’s brows.

“What was-”

“Aristia.” Chris calls her name to stop her from asking him about it. He doesn’t know what he would answer. He might end up confessing otherwise.

“Yes?”

“May I do that again?”

“… Yes.”

This time, Chris stands up properly and helps her out of her chair by handing her his right hand, just as the customs say he should.

She accepts his help, which brings a smile to his lips. It’s the first time she’s accepted his help, quite the contrast to when her back was cut open and she needed to be bandaged.

They look into each other’s eyes for a few short moments, before Chris leans in and presses his lips on hers, softly this time. His hands move to her waist, keeping a steady hold, and Aristia reciprocates, placing her arms around his neck and pulling him closer.

Her back arches under his palms and she roses on her tiptoes as their kiss deepens. She missed his touch badly, and Chris missed hers even more.

Feelings start blooming in Aristia’s chest each time the Emperor’s tongue is touching hers, and a new emotion grows in her heart. She wants him all for herself, she needs him more than anything in this very moment, and no matter how close he is to her, he isn’t close enough.

“Please take this off.” She speaks between hurried breaths, pointing to his top, and he’s never undressed quicker before.

She also makes haste and takes off her dress, and their bodies get tangled on top of his large mattress, Chris’ body on top of hers, in between her legs.

Aristia pants for air when he breaks their kiss to position his member against her entrance, and as he pushes in, this time with no patience or hesitation, she lets out a loud moan, quickly muffled by his mouth back on hers.

They make love passionately, and it feels so intense, Aristia is quick to let go and roll her head back as Chris bottoms out into her numerous times in quick succession.

He releases himself inside of her soon after and plops down next to her on the messy bed, hugging her tightly and whispering sweet words in her ear that make her blush.

She wishes she could just focus on these happy moments and simply forget the first year he hasn’t paid her any mind, but she can’t.

As he falls asleep next to her, completely defenceless, she simply can’t let go of the pain in her heart. She can’t trust him. She can’t.

She wishes she could, but her growing feelings for him don’t overcome the anxiety that something might go wrong, that he could change his mind any moment and go back to treating her coldly.

She is afraid that if she were to trust him at all, to tell him about what she’s been thinking about – how to stop the war –, he would simply dismiss her, and she will once again feel small, powerless, a fake.

Thus, it’s impossible to fall asleep, so her mind stays sharp, and she thinks over the plan she’s made in her head about a million times. She pieced together all the puzzle pieces, so now, all that’s left to do is execute it.

~

“Changbin, will you please go to Felix and let him know that I’d like us to have tea together this afternoon?” Aristia smiles sweetly as Changbin and her are strolling through the gardens.

“Oh, I thought you didn’t want to meet him today.” The guard replies, completely charmed by her.

He’s grown to admire his Empress ever since he started serving her and being such a close attendant, which is a common effect between all the other people Aristia’s worked with so far. Seungmin feels the same way, noticing how sharp her mind is, and Chris is in even deeper.

They all admire her; if only she’d see it as well.

“Well, I’ve changed my mind.” She shrugs and chuckles.

“But, still… I wouldn’t like to leave you alone. What if something were to happen?” He frowns, shaking his head.

“What could possibly happen? We are inside the castle’s walls.” Aristia dismisses him entirely. “I’d like to enjoy the warm air a bit more, so I’d really appreciate it if you could send word to Prince Felix and let me bask in the sun.”

“Well… do you promise you’ll stay put, though? I truly don’t want you to be in any danger…” He is still hesitant, but Aristia immediately calms him down and convinces him to leave her.

“Of course, Changbin. I’ll stay here, don’t worry.”

She is glad that Changbin is her personal guard, but he can sometimes be too overprotective, which could end up messing with her plans. However, once he gives in and leaves her alone, she immediately stands up and heads towards the knights’ practice session.

She consulted their schedule carefully over the past few days, to make sure everything goes according to plan.

Precisely as she intended, she arrives just in time for the practice to be over, and she sees Victoria’s brother – Victor – heading his merry way away from the other knights. She starts walking towards him with resolve, and as he bows in her direction, she trips and falls, wincing in pain and putting on the perfect show in front of this young boy, convincing enough to make him run towards her and help her up.

“Your Highness, are you alright? Can you stand?” He hurries over and aids her in standing up, however, she is quick to lean into him and complain about the pain in her right foot.

“I think I might’ve sprained my ankle…” She furrows her brows and puts on a pained expression.

“Oh, no! What should we do?” The young boy ponders. “I will go summon a doctor immediately and-”

“No, that’s not necessary. I’d rather you carried me back to my room, and I’ll ask my maids to summon the doctor instead.” She talks him into it, and he doesn’t give it any further thought.

He immediately bends down to allow her to jump on his back, and hurries towards her chambers.

“Thank you so much. What is your name?” She asks once they are inside of her room, with Mari examining her foot and Alice frantically running out the door to summon Hyunjin.

“It’s Victor Silverstone, Your Highness.” He bows politely.

“Your Highness, what happened?!” Changbin runs through the door and kneels down on one knee in front of her bed.

“I happened to trip and fall, but thankfully,  Victor was there to help me.” She explains.

“I shouldn’t have gone to Prince Felix…” Changbin shakes his head, disappointed in himself. “If I were there, I could’ve-”

“No, Changbin. Please don’t overthink this too much.” She cuts him off. “It must be difficult for you to be my only guard, as you always have to be available to me, no matter the time of day, and if I also make you run errands, it becomes almost impossible for you to manage.”

“Not at all, Your Highness.” He immediately denies, and Aristia smiles softly.

“No, I’m sure it’s hard. What if we’d appoint one more guard for me? I think Victor has great potential. He rushed over to help me, kept his calm and obeyed my commands perfectly.”

Changbin looks the boy up and down, not entirely convinced.

“I’m not sure, Your Highness… He is still young and inexperienced.”

“Still, he’s helped me when I needed it, and he deserves a reward for it. What higher honour than to be one of my personal guards? That way, you’d also be able to focus on the upcoming war preparations, and train more, to become even stronger for me.” Aristia insists, and with each word leaving her mouth, Changbin begins agreeing with her more and more.

She certainly has a way with words, to make everyone else around her agree with her ideas.

“This could be a good thing, I guess… It would certainly be good to have more people guarding you, and Silverstone is a great individual from a great family…” Changbin ponders.

“What do you think, Victor?” Aristia turns to the boy, who immediately kneels on one knee and takes out his sword, presenting it to her.

“It would be the greatest honour to guard Her Highness the Moon of the Empire. I pledge my sword and my unwavering loyalty and dedicate myself to your service.” Victor declares, committing himself entirely to Aristia.

She accepts his sword and grabs it by the handle, turning it around and tapping it on his shoulders.

“It’s decided, then.” She smiles. “Thank you for your service, and for pledging your loyalty to me.”

“I thank you for providing me with the opportunity to serve you.”

“Changbin, you can take the rest of the day off, and please go inform my husband about taking Victor Silverstone out of any other obligations.” She instructs further. “Victor, you may go wait outside.”

“Understood, Your Highness.” The boy bows and exits without a word more, and Changbin follows soon after, when Hyunjin walks through the door.

“Your ankle doesn’t seem to be sprained.” He remarks, examining her foot thoroughly.

“It hurt so bad, though. I must’ve stepped on my foot wrong in my heels.” Aristia explains, to which Hyunjin agrees with a nod of his head.

“You were lucky this time, but please make sure to be more careful from now on.”

And now, with everyone gone from her room, she finally relaxes and smiles to herself.

Her end of the deal towards Victoria has been kept; it is unlikely that Victor would have to join any wars at the borders from this point forward.

Now, it’s her turn to return the favour.

~

“An information guild?” Victoria eyes the Empress carefully.

“Mhm. I need to send a very important letter in utmost secrecy, and the only way to do so would be through an information guild that can’t get tracked back to me.” Aristia replies holding the small envelope tightly with her hands.

“If I may…who exactly… is the letter addressed to…?” Victoria asks, her voice quiet.

“My half-sister.”

When Aristia responds, it feels like all the air in the room disappears. Victoria looks shocked and doesn’t know what to do, or how to reply.

“Your… your half-sister?” She asks in a whisper, her chest tightening.

When Aristia simply nods, handing her the sealed letter, Victoria shuts her eyes and breaths in deeply.

“But, Your Highness… your half-sister is… the enemy…”

“Yes. I am aware of that. That’s why it needs to be done this way.” Aristia clarifies.

“I know you’ve taken my brother in your care, and I am deeply grateful that he doesn’t have to go on the battlefield anymore, but… this is too much. You’re essentially asking me to betray the crown. I could lose my head…” Victoria hesitates, but still, she leans over and grabs the envelope with shaky hands. “You could lose yours.”

“Indeed. If my husband were to find out…” She averts her gaze. “This must stay between us, Victoria, and I will continue to uphold my end of the deal.”

“May I at least know of the letter’s contents?” She asks, holding the envelope tighter.

“It’s… a proposal. A way to stop the war from happening. Now, I’m not sure what the outcome of this will be, so it’s better to just keep it to ourselves for the time being…”

“Your Majesty, I hope you haven’t signed this letter. In case someone discovers before it reaches its destination-”

“Yes, Victoria, don’t worry. It doesn’t have my signature or my seal. If, by any chance, this letter would be discovered before reaching my sister’s hands, we will insist it’s been forged.”

“Then, how will your sister know it’s you who’s written it?” Victoria inquires.

“I told you this before, but please leave these details to me. That’s for me to worry about.”

“Your Highness, this task you’ve entrusted me with is extremely difficult… However, I will do my best to make sure this letter gets to your sister safely.”

“I also need you to deliver this other letter to the information guild you choose, as well as whichever remuneration they’re asking for. This is crucial for the future of our Empire, Victoria. I hope you trust me and my intentions. Everything I am doing is for the Empire, even if it seems otherwise.” Aristia insists, giving the woman a second letter.

Victoria simply nods and exits the room with haste.

~

Chapter 10 | Chapter 12

[kidrauhlschik]

Let the World Burn ~ I.N. 4

4. Drunk in Love

-

-

In the end, he managed to forget that a king is nothing without his queen.

-

~

Part 1, 2, 3, & 5 will be linked in the master list above!

Pairings: Jeongin x Reader (and some love triangles among the way.) enemies to lovers, royalty au!

Warnings: ANGST, implied smut, war, aggression, anxiety, depression, death, please let me know if i miss anything... (this was heavily inspired by the song “Let the world burn” by Chris Grey.

Word Count: 3.8k??

~

After Minho had been in Rexerum court for two weeks, he understood the gist. You and Felix thought him the ins and outs, you'd caught him up with everything you could tell him that you hadn't already told on the weekly letters you'd sent to him.

Now, he was prepared to join court, not as an outsider, but as your ally. You were nothing but grateful. Yet, you were scared. Minho was the head of guards. He would not stand for Jeongin's disrespect. You considered warning him, but at this point, you'd much rather see him make decisions on his own, rather than to be influenced by you.

You, Felix, and Minho stand outside of the council doors, before the guards.

"Alright Min, welcome to Rexerum." You give him a humorless chuckle before the guards open the doors for the three of you, you standing in front, with the two following close behind.

Jeongin nods to the new invitee at court. Chan had told him that you needed support from home, and he just waved it off.

However, he couldn't help but wonder... Why did you need help from Eldoria? Were you that upset here?

Minho bowed before the king, "Your majesty, I am Lee Minho, head of Eldorian guards. At your service." To which Jeongin nodded in acknowledgment.

You took your usual spot beside your husband, Felix next to you and Minho next to him. Then, the king began to speak.

"There are words that Aurora's troops are heading towards our borders. We need assistance." Immediately, the king makes eye-contact with Minho.

"What may you suggest King Jeongin?" Minho asks with no hesitation.

Jeongin clears his throat before he proceeds, "As our countries are united-" The king gets interrupted before he can finish his sentence, "Are they?" Minho asks challengingly.

"I beg your pardon?" The king asks offendintely as the rest of the council looks to the ground so they can hide their expressions.

Minho continues, "I am saying, that our lands are united, yet, I have seen my men put their lives on the line for your country, but Eldoria has received nothing but empty promises from you. My king." The last two words come with a bite. You know when Minho is angered, and it seems as if he held that anger in until he saw the king face-to-face.

"I am your king! You shall not disrespect me in such way."

"I am a citizen of Eldoria. YN is my princess, my future queen. You are nothing but her husband. I would love to see you try to lead MY troops without me. Go ahead, King." You stare at Minho in pure astonishment. You are used to him speaking this way in your home country, but not to strangers. He could lose his head if you weren't there to protect him.

"You will not disrespect me in my own court!" The king begins, but your best friend put some sense into you.

"Our court!" You intercept. "This is our court Jeongin. Not yours. Do not talk down to my men. Anything Lee Minho says, I will stand behind. So take his words as mine. Do not undermine us." The council stays silent beyond that.

Minho speaks up first. "Well how about we send our leaders forward," The room stands still, "Send our strongest troops, we can take out their disposable troops. Aurora is desperate, like you are." Jeongin looks away at his words, mad, but listening. "I am willing to stand in front. As the head of troops, I refuse to let my soldiers sacrifice themselves before me, and with all due respect, I cannot even see you as a man if you cannot say the same."

"I am a king." Jeongin stands tall.

"Then show us, your highness."

Jeongin scoffs. He takes a glance at Chan before he makes eye-contact with you. "I will stand in front of my troops. So be it Lee Minho, let's both stand with our best troops against theirs."

Minho hides a smile with a cough. Only you and Felix can see his smugness. "Let's proceed with a plan then."

~

The plan was set, in less than two weeks, the troops, king, and one of your best friends, would be heading out for war.

It terrified you, not much for Jeongin, but for Minho. As aggressive and stubborn as he is, you know that he will lay out his life on the line for a cause. Although it is selfish and childish for a queen, you don't want him to be selfless. You want him to be safe.

All the stress in planning and affairs leads you back to your safe space.

However, you did not expect for your safe space to be invaded by the vermin that is the king.

"What are you doing here?" You ask, before he notices your presence.

He doesn't seem shaken, "This is my garden."

"Ours."

He chuckles to himself, "Have you come to challenge me once again?"

"Challenge you? Hardly. I have far more important matters to attend to than to waste my time on petty disputes with you." You turn to leave, but his voice stops you before you could take a few steps.

Without turning to face you, he continues, "Oh, of course. How could I forget? Your "important matters" always seem to conveniently align with undermining my authority."

"Is this what is all about? Your authority?" You scoff, "Your ego is as grand as your castle walls, yet just as fragile."

Jeongin finally stands to face you, "Fragile? You think my rule is fragile? You underestimate me, my dear. I am the king! The foundation upon which this kingdom stands."

Now that he faces you, you have a reason to challenge him, "And yet, your kingdom trembles beneath the weight of your tyranny."

A king and a queen with their own birthright may be the worst combination, neither of you were willing to back down.

He laughs incredulously at your statement. "Tyranny? Is that what you call it? My perfect rule. My loyal followers. The strength of my country. Is this what you call tyranny?!"

You held your head high before him, "You mistake fear for respect. A true leader earns the loyalty of their people, not demands it"

For a second, Jeongin hesitates, almost as a loss for words, but he recovers quickly, "Loyalty is earned through strength, not weakness. And weakness is something you seem to know all too well."

Why must he always this that way? Why is everything strength and terror to him? Why should the world be lead with an iron fist?

"Strength is not measured by the length of one's sword, but by the compassion in one's heart."

That earns you a hearty laugh from the king. "Compassion? You speak of compassion as if it were a weapon. But mark my words, queen, in this game of thrones, compassion is a luxury we cannot afford."

Done with the conversation, you approach the roses in the garden, hoping to grab a few before you gather yourself to your chambers.

As always, the king interrupts you, this time he holds your wrist in his hand.

His hand on yours brings electricity to your joints. You hadn't touched your husband in such a way since your wedding night. All the walls that you built specifically for him, seemed to shake with a mere touch.

What happened to the anger you had? It is most likely still be there, but the delusions you'd built since childhood, couldn't help but poke their heads through the cracks.

You have to hold your heart aside, "Is that everything you have to say?"

"What do you mean?" He always speaks with you as if it were an inconvenience so why is he, all of the sudden, acting as if he cared for what your opinions were.

He fixes his collar and continues to speak, "Well, you've been so outspoken at our councils. Where did your backbone go? Now you have a chance to talk to me face to face. Why don't you show me the real you?"

That makes you laugh out loud.

"You've known the real me. Before all of this bullshit. Before we even met." Your words leave bewildered.

"What?"

You try to remove your wrist from his hold, but his fist remains strong.

"Did you forget my letters or something?" You ask indignantly. "Let me go." You demand.

"Letters?" His grip weakens.

You pull your hand to your chest, finally leaving his grip. "The letters I sent you every damn week! Do not act like a fool! You have known of me since I was a child." You drop the flowers in your hands and glare at him one last time. "Do not be a pawn in a game of king and queens."

You walk away before you could hear his last words to you.

" I never received a letter from you..."

~

"I'm bored." Minho says as he opens your doors, disrupting you and Felix from your intense chess game.

"That's tragic." You say, still in deep concentration.

"I don't understand how the two of you have been twiddling your thumbs inside of these four walls for a year." He walks towards your window and opens the curtains. "Let's go horse riding, yeah?"

Without looking up, Felix responds. "Lady Rose and the king take their daily horse ride at this time." Which makes you roll your eyes in annoyance. How did you end up second to a mistress? The Eldorian princess you once were would laugh at your predicament.

Minho laughs, "Then let's ruin their little date."

"Minho, you know things in court are tense." You back away from the playing board, finally paying attention to your best friend.

He takes his coat off, getting comfortable on your bed, dramatically sighing before he continues, "You know you are the queen right? Did you forget when your mother shut all the castle doors when one of her maids stole her wedding ring?"

You laugh at the memory. "My mother was a bit... irrational at times."

"So why can't you be irrational as well? From what I've learned, the two of you have been sitting as decorations here before I showed up." Minho's words get to you, but he doesn't understand Rexerum court yet. Things don’t work the same as they were back home, affairs are handled in silence. You have to keep your cards to yourself.

Unlike you, Felix gets drawn up with his childhood friend. "What do you suggest Min?"

Minho sits up,  mischievously. "I say, we show them a bit of Eldoria while I'm here. Since you spineless ducks can't stand up for yourselves, I say we show them how to have fun." He looks at you and Felix, hoping one of the two would catch his bait.

You and Felix exchange doubtful looks, but before you could say anything to back out, your advisor speaks up. "I say we do it. It would be nice to show them what we're made of." Felix's courage catches you off guard, but he'd been acting weird lately, so his decision only shocks you in the slightest.

Before you know it, the three of you run down to the cellar. You probably look out of place. Running like children through guards and servants all staring at you in bewilderment. Felix and Minho wearing their usual suits and gems, as you run with them in a full gown, beige silk that you have to pick up in order to not trip on your skirt. Your laughs echo through the halls.

Before you know it, the three of you are sitting in a dark corner, seeing who could stomach the most wine.

It may not have been the best decision, but you felt safe with the two of them. No matter what happened, they'd have your back.

With slurred words, Minho masks, "Wait, wait," You and Felix stop your giggles to listen to what he has to say. "So all the letters the king sent you... they were written by the queen?"

You put your wine glass down in frustration. "That's what Chan said."

"Why do you believe him?" Minho asks.

"Why wouldn't I?"

Minho downs the rest of his glass, "Because it seems a bit convenient. Why would the mother of the king care for your feelings? She was a ruler, she knows that matters of diplomacy are above matters of the heart." You and Felix await for further explanation, but Minho seems a bit annoyed that the two of you aren't reading things the same way he is. "Only someone that cares for Jeongin's heart would do such thing."

You and Felix still stare at him waiting for further explanation. "You fucking idiots. Bang Chan wrote those letters. He cares for Jeongin, and what a coincidence that he grew close to YN so quickly."

You were about to dismiss him before he continued, "I am just saying, as a fellow strategist, that's what I would have done."

Maybe it was the alcohol induced boldness, but you couldn't help yourself. "Why don't we go ask him then?" Before either of the two could stop you, you run to the king's chambers, Felix and Minho close behind. Felix trying to stop you, and Minho ready for the show.

Jeongin's guards immediately stop you at his door, "I apologize your highness, but the king is occupied at this moment."

That typically would have been enough to turn you away, but you lacked shame at that moment, so you would not pass up a moment of courage (foolishness).

"As your queen, I order you to let us through." You say as confidently as possible, despite trying to hold back your laugh at the fact that it all seemed like a game to you.

The guards hesitate before they stand aside, which is enough for you to push forward and throw the chamber doors open.

You first make eye-contact with Rose, who looks outraged. Then, you look at Jeongin, who seems desperate. Usually, you'd try to read the room and asses the situation, but instead, you ignore the tension between the two. Minho suggested to show them Eldorian fun, and that is what you intend to do.

"Lady Rose! Fancy meeting you here. You look lovely, how was your horse riding date today?" You're never so bold, always aiming to stay decent and subtle, it catches her off guard.

"It went... Uhm... Okay?" Is all she could muster in the spot.

"I am so glad. Now, could you go and act your rank with the rest of my ladies? I have to speak with the king." You've never feared her, but at the moment, you no longer chose peace, letting the chaos rise. That may have been Minho's doing, but you accept it gracefully nevertheless.

"Could you please repeat yourself my queen?" She asks challengingly.

"You heard her Rose." The king is the one to intercept, which catches everyone by surprise.

Your lady looks at him incredulously, but when he doesn't budge, she looks at the ground and walks away with a sneer. If looks could kill, you'd be having tea with the grim reaper.

"Now, how should I address this invasion." Jeongin looks at the three of you.

"I could show you a real invasion." Minho whispers to himself, aware that he was still loud enough to be heard by everyone in the room.

"Min." You say in an attempt to calm him down.

However, Jeongin seems unaffected in the slightest. "I just want to know as to why I owe the honor."

Felix has been silent for dangerously too long, but that ended with the alcohol.

"Why are you such a dick?" Minho miserably hides a laugh, but you and Jeongin stare at Felix in shock.

"Felix!" Is all you can say, but your brain is hardly clear enough to say much else.

"I am just voicing what everyone is thinking." Felix pouts and begins to look around the room. "Your chambers are huge my king, why is your wife in such shit chambers?"

"Are your chambers not up to your standards?" The king disregards Felix and walks straight to you.

"Don't disregard me!" His deeps voice booms through the king's chambers. Everyone stills. Felix switched from your giggly friend to a headstrong man in a blink of an eye. For a second, he resembles the king, and the thought scares you.

"The queen is fucking perfect and you are an idiot to ignore her. You are a shit king to a kingdom that is two seconds from falling apart. You are foolish to sleep with other women. You want to know what I think? Even though you may not even remember my name. I think that you are distracting yourself from reality in the hands of another, too foolish to see that you were handed by the world, and you are rejecting it for a life in purgatory." He walks towards the king, standing a couple of inches away from his face. "Tread carefully my king. You never know when your world may flip upside down." A staring contest begins between the two men. Felix bold on alcohol, and Jeongin high on power. As you stare at them in complete astonishment, Minho is the first to gather his senses.

"Alright Lix, time to go."

When Minho grabs the younger man's shoulder, Felix only shakes him off. "Minho, you wanted to show Rexerum our colors, here are mine." He grabs Jeongin by the collar, "Stand with YN as a man, otherwise, I will."

Jeongin pushes him away in outrage, but before he could say anything, Minho stands in front of Felix.

"Forgive him my king." Like always, the last word is hard for him to say. "He has had a little too many drinks, allow me to take him away. Please forgive him." He quickly drags Felix away without interacting with the king more than he had to.

Even you are at a loss of words.

"What do you have to say?" Jeongin asks.

"Absolutely nothing. You should be aware that I stand behind my countrymen." You feel out of place, about to follow your friends out of the room.

"What the hell?" Jeongin stops you before you walk out. "What did Felix mean by that?"

"I do not understand what you are talking about." Your hands rest by on your sides. Awkwardly trying to figure out what to do in the strange room. A year of being Jeongin's wife meant nothing now.

"He practically confessed his love to you." Your husband stares at you, awaiting a reaction.

"Why does it matter to you?"

He walks towards you and puts his hands on your shoulders. "You are my wife." He says as if it meant anything.

You couldn't help but to laugh at him. "Yeah and Rose is your lover."

"Why does it matter to you all of the sudden? Jeongin asks as he walks towards his closet, seeking something more comfortable.

"It matters because you have no say in what I do or who I get involved with. It is not as if you were a decent husband."

As he grabs his robe he responds, "Then what do you want from me"

"I want you to respect me, as your queen, not your wife. I do not care for your affection anymore."

He stares at you, maybe in bewilderment. "Are the servants not respectful enough here?" He questions.

"The servants are perfect. The one who lacks is my own husband, the king. Forgive me if I am blunt, but as your wife, I will say, you are nothing to me." He seems offended by your words, almost confused.

"I am nothing to you?!"

~

A/N: Turns out, I'm a liar - one more part to go lol

[channieskies]

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐗𝐈𝐈: 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝

Pairing: Prince Hyunjin x Reader (AFAB) Summary: Hyunjin learns to never take his eyes off of his opponent. Word Count: 6,000+ [Reading Time: 25 Mins] Genre: Historical, Fantasy, Strangers to Lovers, Royalty, Angst, Smut (Eventual), NSFW tags are below. AU: Prince, Royal, Supernatural NETS: @neverendingdreams-net & @mirohs-aurora-society Synopsis: The kingdom of Volantis is in disarray; the monarch rules with an iron fist. The times of hope, harmony, and kindness were buried with the queen who passed many years ago. The people are praying for a savior, but who will be their light at the end of this dark tunnel? Authors Note: Please reblog or leave a comment to let me know how you feel. I'd love a little feedback. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it. As per usual, this hasn't been proofread. Special thanks to @therhythmafterthesummer for helping with with this chapter and @saradika-graphics for some of the dividers. Disclaimer: This story does not reflect the real lives or personalities of Stray Kids. I do not know them personally. This is purely a work of fiction.

Looking for another chapter? Chapter Index: Chapter 1| Chapter 2| Chapter 3| Chapter 4| Chapter 5| Chapter 6| Chapter 7| Chapter 8| Chapter 9| Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16

Warning: This chapter contains descriptions of sexual activities. Reader discretion is advised.

The books from the secret library at the keep felt heavy in your bag. You hadn’t told Hyunjin of your findings, even if Aeri urged that you should. You'd snuck away to find them while everyone else was getting supplies ready for the long journey ahead. Despite your healing abilities, Venia thought it would be best if you sat on the sidelines and let them handle things.

Aeri was right about the ever blooming flower and how it opened with your blood essence. What she failed to tell you was that you needed to actually shed a little of said blood to open the door. You struggled to get it open for a whole fifteen minutes before you'd figured that part out. 

Thankfully no one was around to see you flounder. Especially Minho, he'd never let you live that down. Truthfully, you hadn’t even opened the books, too afraid of what they would say. Your father’s side of the family was a little more forthcoming with information about your lineage, while big chunks of the family history was still a big mystery.

While your mother’s side was shrouded in secrecy. The only thing you knew for sure was that they originated in the Jade mountain pass. Other than that, you knew about as much about them as the next commoner, absolutely nothing.

You needed to know why your brother didn’t heal on the battlefield, why the very thing that saved your life didn’t save his. Just like you needed to know why you healed the way you did and if you were capable of anything else.

Hyunjin needed to know why he had the dreams and visions that he was having and how they were connected with this epic the three of you were on. You all needed to know how he could control his powers to better aid you in this journey, for all of your sakes.

You’d been traveling a full week since his last vision, and you were now bordering the Passageway of Diamonds, the easternmost point that led into the Jade mountains. Within a week, maybe a week and a half or so, you should be in the little town Minho grew up in. You were all so close to the finish line you could almost taste it. But that also meant you were close to where him and his mother were held captive and that scared you.

The three of you had become content with being together. You’d let him in on the secret language that Minho spoke and even in on the little jokes the two of you made. But, Hyunjin had a lot to learn, both you and surprisingly, Minho were willing to teach him.

When you’d  settle down for the evening, classes would begin. Swordsmanship, horseback riding, archery, hand to hand, and even basic things to help keep him alive, like cooking or foraging. 

You learned the hard way that he couldn’t survive off the land when he brought back poisonous berries because they looked pretty. Hand to hand was your forte, Minho was the swordsman. While you would most definitely hold your own, you’d even won a competition or two, while in disguise, a few times.

But it wasn’t what you were best at. No, hand to hand was your thing. You preferred to do damage with your own two hands if possible. The three of you were camped out on the outskirts of Guiwei, the southernmost town outside of the passageway that led to the Jade Mountain pass. 

“You need to always keep your eye on your opponent.” You spoke, as you assed Hyunjin, marking down all the weaknesses you spotted. “Their weakness can be your triumph, your weakness can be your downfall.” Your eyes met his as the flames of the fire danced inside of them. He was eager to learn, just as much as you and Minho were to teach him.

You needed him to learn, so that he could flourish on the throne and not wither away. You’d noticed over the last few weeks that Hyunjin was nothing like the royalty or nobles you’d met in your life. Maybe with the exception of the prince from Perth, Christopher, most of them were pretentious little puppets who could strategize their way out of a low hedge maze. You wanted better for your kingdom, you wanted better for the man you were growing to call your friend, Hyunjin. 

You’d read about what a king was supposed to be and his father was far from it. He was cruel to his subjects, he didn’t care about the blood of the men, women, or children that was shed for his stupid war. He had no concern about the people in his own castle city that were dying from the illnesses that plagued them or the fact that most of them went hungry everyday while he threw feasts in his name. He wanted monuments built of him, for people to fall at his feet and worship him as if he was a god. 

You needed better from the next king. One that was kind and understanding of the plights his subjects went through. You were so deep in thought over what the kingdom needed and how you hoped you and Minho could help mold the future king that you didn’t even notice Hyunjin taking your distraction as an opportunity until it was far too late. He swept your legs with his long ones, causing you to land on your back in the mud beneath you with a thud. The move knocked the wind out of you, making Hyunjin panic.

“Oh no- I’m so, so, sorry.” He reached down to help you up, but in the spirit of pure pettiness, you take his hand and pull him down with you. Taken completely off guard, he falls forward, face coming dangerously close to your own. Your eyes shut tight, waiting for the impact, but it never came. Hyunjin hovered over you, his breath lightly dancing over your features.

He had you caged beneath him, successfully catching himself before crashing his face into yours. Blush immediately painted his cheeks when you looked up at him. “Never take your eyes off of your opponent.” He looked away, clearing his throat. “I’ll keep that in mind.” You broke eye contact first, feeling a strange heat creep up your neck and moving fairly quickly to your face. 

“Okay, you can get off me now.” He lingered, eyes desperately searching your face, waiting for you to connect with him again. But you kept your head turned. You couldn't understand the feelings that were swirling around in you with part of his body partially pressed to your own.

He moved away, sitting back on his knees. “Don’t get distracted.” You cleared your throat, wondering why it sounded shaky. Could it have been the fall? “Battle doesn’t stop because you fall. It's an ongoing assault until you or your opponent claims victory.” He nodded in understanding, but made no moves to get up from his position.

“Let’s call it a night.” You stood, dusting off your dirt slicked pants and shirt. Finally the prince stood to his feet, but surprisingly, he didn’t attempt to make his appearance more clean. You suppose he’d just been hanging out with Minho, he’d picked up the habit from soldiers who frequented the battle fields during the war.

“Min has probably started cooking, since I can smell the fire going. You should probably join him.” There was this strange awkwardness growing between the two of you and instead of facing it, you decided to run off. You need to clear your head and get some of this dirt off your body. 

Guiwei was a beautiful town. The architecture of it was ancient with the town being older than the kingdom itself. This used to be the hub of trade for the people who lived in the Jade mountains and the people from the southern isles, or at least that is what your grandmother told you. A bustling little town with plenty to offer.

Jade from the mountain caves, jewels and fish from the southern isles, spices from the east, meat from the borderlands, anything you needed could be found in Guiwei. Any magic ailments could be healed, any potion concocted. You could feel the remnants of magic in the stone of the buildings when you passed through the town. It buzzed with a current you couldn’t explain even if someone asked you to.

Even way out here in the outskirts, you could feel it in the trees, magic seemed to brush over your skin as it mingled with the wind. You’d never felt so in touch with yourself. You even understood why they named this Shimmering pond. As the sun started to set, the magic truly started to show. There were three or four waterfalls that flowed into this waterway.

The sound of the roaring waterfalls falling into the pond could be a remedy for any type of stress. The way that the sun hit while it set made it look like diamonds, lapis lazuli, rubies, and jade were beneath the surface. The water sparkled, painting the tall cliffs surrounding it in a beautiful kaleidoscope of colors. The landscape was painted with this pinkish-purple hue that reminded you of the otherworld, Elysium.

You undressed, not bothering to tidy up the clothes you were going to wash anyway. You carefully set the fresh set off to the side so they wouldn’t get wet. You waded into the water, the coolness of it was a refreshing change to the hot stickiness you’d grown used to. When you got to where your feet no longer touched the pond floor, you dove, wanting to get your whole body clean while you were out here.

These waters felt more than just a little cleansing. It was almost like they were cleaning you down to your soul, making you a conduit for the magic in the air. You could live in this space, maybe after getting the prince to the kingdom, you’d consider it. It wasn’t customary for a daughter to leave her parents, especially if she wasn’t married. But you were sure that neither was being an escort to the prince. You could see yourself settling down in a place like this.

He stood there, looking longingly at your back as you retreated. Though things were getting better between the two- well, the three of you, he still wanted more. Even if he didn’t know exactly what that ‘more’ entailed. Downtrodden, he headed back to the camp to see if Minho needed any help.

His shoulders were slumped, an immovable frown etched on his face. The loud thump of Minho chopping into his freshly caught deer, brought Hyunjin back to the present. He could ask for advice, but Minho saw you as a sister and there was no way he wouldn’t see past a hypothetical ‘If there is a girl I like, how do I approach her?’ situation. This was just something he’d have to deal with on his own. 

He stood a few feet away from his friend, stomach turning at the sight of the raw, red flesh he was handling not so gently. He couldn’t understand how Minho had the stomach for it. Even with you telling him all he needed to know about both you and Minho’s upbringing, that didn’t make hunting any easier to stomach.

“N-need some help?” Hyunjin’s brows knit together, disgust evident on his face. The other man glanced up at him, stopping his actions to appraise him for a moment. Minho shook his head, then nodded towards the pond, telling him to get washed up. He didn’t have to tell Hyunjin twice, he was hoping, repeating ‘Do not say yes. Please, don’t say yes.’ over and over in his head, in hopes the Volantian gods would take pity on him and grant him this one simple wish.

He all but ran to get away from the gruesome sight before him. He didn’t bother gathering fresh clothes to use after bathing, he’d just cover himself and walk the short distance back to camp. That's how he and Minho had been doing things, he knew you had to go about it a different way, since you were a girl, even if he didn’t know exactly what your bathing routine was. Was he curious? What man of his age wouldn’t be curious about the person they like in every way?

He wanted to know your thoughts, even the things you found mundane. He wanted you to tell him how you were feeling even when you tried to hide things behind polite smiles. He wanted to hold you in his arms while you fell asleep, since it seemed you struggled to do that on your own. He wanted to be your comfort, your joy, the one you turned to when things were rough and you needed to vent- 

All his thoughts ceased as he waded into the water, the tall grass around the pond initially shielded his view from anything beyond it. The sight before his eyes settled into his bones, shook him to the core. He knew it was wrong to stare, but at the same time, how was he to take his eyes off of the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen? You were more beautiful than the most beautiful painting in the world, but even then, there was no medium to which your beauty could be captured. 

The moon casts its beautiful radiance down on you and the water surrounding you, painting your skin with the soft pale glow of it. The water sparkled like the finest jewels adding to the gleam on your gorgeous skin. Your shoulders were dotted with moistness, your head tilted back, showing off the mesmerizing curve of your neck. Time stopped along with his breathing and movements. His brain stuttered to a halt as well.

He was stuck standing there, staring. You could feel eyes on you, but for some strange reason that didn’t cause any alarm. You slowly turned to the shore, making eye contact with the bewildered prince, a soft smile gracing your lips. This felt like a dream of his. Was this a dream of his? He snapped out of his daze to pinch himself, cursing his actions after the pain rushed to the spot he tweaked. You chuckled at his face of discomfort. “It’s fine, Hyunjin. You can come closer if you’d like. I don’t mind.” 

It had slipped his mind that you’d grown up with a boy around your age in the house. Has Minho seen you naked? His eyes widened at the thought, but relaxed almost immediately upon remembering, he was raised as your brother. Everything between the two of you was purply platonic. He trudged forward, moving closer to where you stood in the water. 

His heart beat fast with every step he took, he feared you’d be able to hear it. He certainly hated the fact that he could. He stopped a few feet away, just out of arm's reach. Afraid that if he got any closer he’d be tempted to do the things that were playing behind his eyelids every time he blinked. Indecent things that normal people wouldn’t want to do with their friends.

“See, I won’t bite.” You finished your words with another heart wrenching smile and he gulped, because something in him almost wished you would bite him. “It's beautiful isn’t it? It's almost like it’s enchanted.” You looked out at the waterfalls, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of you.

He nodded, forgetting briefly that he needed to respond verbally. “Ah- yes. More beautiful than you can imagine.” You looked back at him and he looked away, gazing at the glimmering crescent in the sky. He didn’t have to look to know you were smiling again, he could feel the presence of that effervescent look on your face. Could it be that you were happy because of him? Because of his presence here in this space with you? Just the thought filled his heart with joy.

“Hyunjin…” You turned your body towards him and he was thanking whatever higher being out there that there was steam coming off the water, hiding whatever glorious sight was underneath. He didn’t think his poor little heart could take it. “Do…” You paused, making him grow worried about what was on your mind. “Do you know.. Anything about your mother’s side of the family?” You chewed on your lip as you waited for him to answer. 

He sighed. He had tried to pry as much as he could about his mother’s side of the family. Looked for books on her people in both the castle library and well as the keeps, but he never found a thing. “Not really. I knew she was high born, from the Jade mountains. Venia let it slip that she had a sister, but that is all I know. Why do you ask?” It wouldn’t have surprised him if the outside world knew more of his mother than he did, that was by design, courtesy of his father. The king felt Hyunjin didn’t have the right to know about the woman he supposedly killed.

“Well, what if I tell you that I visited with your mother when I was knocked out.” His eyes bulged. Was she that delirious that she was seeing the dead? She put a hand up to stop him from jumping to conclusions. “You and I aren’t so different.” She spoke with a sureness to her tone.

“Our mothers are both from the Jade Mountains, well at least my mother’s family is. There is a limbo that people from there go to when they die. I was summoned there by Aeri. She wanted me to tell you that she’s watching over you and that she loves you very much and wishes that things wouldn’t have gone the way they did, so that she could be in your life.” 

Something deep down in Hyunjin always made him think that his mother hated him. His father had told him as much over the years. He always felt that maybe his words were true, that his mother might have held a grudge against him, that's why he had faced so many hardships in life. Venia tried to tell him that his father's words were untrue and that his mother loved him more than life itself, which is why she so willingly left this plane of existence so that he could live.

But he could never understand how or why she abandoned him, leaving him with his tyrant of a father. “You dream.. Often, don’t you? Not about things that you should be dreaming about. I mean, you see things… like the future or what could be the future.” He couldn’t look at you. How could you have possibly known about his dreams? Did you really meet his mother? Were his dreams because of her?

“I will answer your question, but first I want you to answer mine..” You nodded for him to go on. “D-did you really meet my mother? Wh-what was she like?” He could feel himself shaking. It wasn’t from the cool breeze that was carried to them by the waterfalls or the contrast of the warm water that they stood in.

No, he was overwhelmed by the thought that you of all people might have had the chance to do something he hadn’t even had the pleasure of doing, meeting his mother. It seemed that no matter how hard he wished, or how many dreams he had, he could never see her. Despite how hard he yearned to.

You did something unexpected. You reached out and caressed his cheek, “You have her eyes, Hyunjin. You are sweet and kind just like her. She was beautiful and she just had this aura about her that made me feel safe and taken care of, like I could trust her with all of my problems.”

Your brows knit together as you looked upon the sad look in his eyes. “By no means does this mean, hurry up and die, but I can’t wait for you to meet her. I know you’d love her just as much as she loves you.” Your hand was lingering on his face and despite him trying his best not to hold it there, he lost the battle. His hand covered the one on his cheeks, taking you by surprise.

“Conspiring to take the prince’s life is a punishable offense.” He spoke in jest. “I’m both happy and sad that you got to meet her. Sad that you had to go through all of that just to get to me. I have no doubt that our travels ahead will be… tumultuous to say the least, but I’m happy that it’s you…… and Minho at my side on this journey. I’m also happy that it was you who got to experience what my mother is like. I undoubtedly would have taken it for granted, with the grudge I hold towards her in my heart. You went in with an unbiased heart and came out of it with an enlightened spirit. Thank you, for wanting to share the moments you had with her, with me.”

Hyunjin was usually at a loss for words when it came to you. For the words to flow so easily from his mouth, it shocked both you and him. He sounded so mature and wise. Understanding his shortcomings but not trying to overcompensate for them, instead apologizing for them.

It was the way you were looking up at him, it was pulling his heartstrings. He mourned for what he’d lost for years, even if whom he mourned for was someone he’d never had the chance to meet. So a missed opportunity wasn’t something he thought too much about. In fact, he was happier it was you and not him, genuinely. Your hand was still pressed to his cheek under his own, bodies so close to one another in this warm pond that surrounded the both of you. 

Your eyes darting to his lips wasn’t lost on him. As a matter of fact, he was holding back, trying his best not to press a kiss to your tempting lips. Hyunjin wanted to be a gentleman for you. He’d seen all too well what men could be like. His father was a rough man, and he wanted to be nothing like him. But when your eyes darted to his lips again, he just couldn’t help it anymore. He needed this.

Though the moonlight gave off a beautiful glow, it was hard to see the things around you. Especially the darkness in the young man's eyes standing in front of you. “There is no need to thank-” His lips pressed to yours, shutting you up completely.

At first caught off guard, your body ridgid from the unexpected display of affection, you soon melted into him, eyes closing. He stepped closer when you made no attempts to pull away, a hand moving to your waist, but not making any other moves. 

For a first kiss it was tender but in no ways awkward. He pulled away first, eyes closed just as yours were. He rested his head against your forehead, savoring the moment the two of you just shared. He wanted more, wanted the moment to last. But he was too afraid to make any other moves.

This was his first time having any contact with a woman, he didn’t want to risk being too handsy or doing something that would make you uncomfortable, so he opted to do nothing.

He didn’t account for how you would feel or if you would take charge. Your fingers tangled into his shoulder length hair, as you pulled his lips back to yours. It was his turn to be shocked, but that shock only lasted a few seconds before he was pulling your naked body into his. Never in a million years would he have expected you to reciprocate his feelings, but it seemed like you did.

With no experience to date, he didn’t know how to move further than just a closed mouth to mouth kiss. His nerves were beginning to kick in. What if you wanted to do more than just this? He’d never so much as touched a girl before you came along and turned his world upside down. You nipped at his bottom lip and his mouth and eyes flew open. 

Were you the opposite of him? He’d read about women who were more forward than others, were you one of them? Have you done more than kiss someone before? A bout of jealousy bubbled up in his chest. If this was to persist, would you be his first and him just another conquest?

His mind was jumping from a to z and back again. “Hyunjin?” You pulled back from him, noticing how distanced his mind had become. “If you don’t want to… I understand.” There was a lump forming in your throat from the supposed rejection you were feeling. 

“I- no.” He shook his head, trying to rid himself of his thoughts, which were bringing him down. “Ha-have you do-done this before?” You looked up at him with those beautiful eyes of yours and all his worries subsided. You shook your head and all the tension in his shoulder released.

“Yes, but no. I’ve kissed before, but never like this..” Your eyes traveled down to where the water hit his body, but quickly looked away, the view was almost too much for your eyes. Hyunjin may not have been the most muscular man you’d met, but even before his training began, his body was well built.

But since you’ve been training together, you’ve noticed the changes in his body. Not that you were looking or anything. Hyunjin took the initiative, he wanted to kiss you again. It was his turn to cup your cheeks. 

He softly grabbed your face, pulling your lips to his once again. Trying his best to remember every move from every love scene in every book he’d ever read. He licked the seam of your lips and like some strange chant to open a hidden cave’s doors, your lips parted for him. Apprehensively, he slid his tongue in your mouth, tentatively rubbing his tongue against your own until he got the hang of it.

It was when you moaned into the kiss, that's when all of his sanity snapped. He needed you, like a person needs air. With a strength neither of you knew he had, he picked you up, trying his best not to break the kiss but inevitably failing. You giggled, grabbing his face and pressing sweet kisses all over it.

He carried you to a nearby rock, sitting you down on its shockingly warm surface. “I want to try so-something.” He was nervous, that much was evident. He’d read all types of books over the years, mostly they were whatever Venia brought back from her travels. 

Some he’d requested after reading something he liked from a particular author. Even with him reading a plethora of genres, he enjoyed romance the most. With that came some bed scenes, in which some books are spicier than others. He’d read things from a female perspective about what they may like.

He gravitated towards the books, hoping that if he ever got the chance to, he’d do exactly what made the women feel pleasure in the books. He pressed a kiss to your lips, letting them linger there before moving his lips over your jaw, neck, then chest. 

“I-is that okay?” He asked after swiping his tongue over your nipple before moving to the other. You nodded, eyes rolling back. You’d never felt anything quite like this before. It felt like every nerve ending was on fire. When he took a pebbled bud into his mouth, nipping at the flesh lightly, you let out a soft moan.

Your fingers intertwined into his soft, inky locks. Hyunjin couldn’t get enough of the taste of your skin. It was like a drug to him, he needed more after the first hit. He dropped to his knees, the water coming up just above his belly button as he did so. His face was right there between your legs, causing your face to immediately heat up. 

Your mother had taught you about things that could happen during your first time, but never had she mentioned the immodest act of a man kneeling between your legs like this, especially not the prince of your realm. You covered your hot cheeks with both hands as he drug his fingers down your skin. “You were right about me dreaming…” He spoke softly, the babbling waterfalls adding the perfect soundtrack to his pleasant voice. “I’ve dreamed about you countless times. You are all I’ve ever seen, for years now. Your eyes..” 

He leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to your lids, you closed them as he leaned in. “Your lips..” A chaste kiss to your parted lips was next. “You, sitting on the windowsill of your room, looking out at the sprawling land your family owns. The orchard right out front of your door…” He pressed kisses to each of your fingers.

“You have been the only thing I’ve known outside of Venia and I didn’t even know you. I just knew that somehow, someway, you were meant for me.” A kiss was then pressed to your belly button before he made his descent. 

Your body shivered. You’d never felt something so tender yet innately erotic. You could feel tingles from the places he kissed all the way to your toes and back. But nothing felt as good as his tongue tentatively exploring places only you had touched. Your head fell back as a loud moan escaped your lips.

His trembling hands pushed open the thighs you were desperately trying to lock around his head. Not that he would mind though, he was enjoying the sounds that slipped past those beautiful lips of yours. He took pride in the fact that he was the one pulling them from you. 

All of that reading he’d done was paying off. His tongue dipped into your hole, searching for more of the sweet nectar he had by chance gotten a taste of. He was like a man starved when his thirst was quenched. Diving his tongue even deeper, the tip of his nose constantly brushing against the sensitive bundle of nerves that was your clit.

You tugged at his hair, making him groan against you. He was on edge, itching to touch himself, to relieve the tension he felt. But his mind was too preoccupied with trying to figure out if he was doing this right. 

You pressed him further into you, needing more. Teetering on the edge of something you’d never felt before. Granted, you had touched yourself before. Everyone had urges. But your fingers had never felt this good. So good that you felt like you could shed your skin and become a new woman from this experience.

When he sucked your clit back into his mouth, svelte fingers, prodding at the entrance his tongue had just left, all words and thoughts escaped you. Your body tensed, back arching against the rock beneath you. Words unbecoming of a lady fell from your lips as the hand that once tightly gripped the prince’s hair was now the one to push him away.

He looked over at you, concerned. What part of what he had done had been your undoing? He was curious, but right at that moment might not be the best time for him to ask and find out. “Wha-what was that?” You asked as you finally came down, but was still in the midst of catching your breath.

Your mind was reeling. Thoughts speeding around your mind like wild horses in the plains. “Ho-how did you do that? That…” You paused, heat creeping up from your neck to your cheeks. “That thing… with your tongue?” It was Hyunjins time to blush. Bashfulness painting his perfect skin.

“I don’t know.. I read about it in books and thought that maybe the authors I read would know a thing or two about what women like..” He shrugged a nonchalant edge to his words and actions like he didn’t just go down on you.

Then it dawned on you, the Prince of Volantis just ate you out on a rock a few towns outside of the kingdom. This certainly couldn’t be written about in the history books.

You tried your best to not feel awkward about this. You’d never done anything like this before and to make matters worse, you’d done it with the prince you were supposed to be protecting. Shame started to taint the afterglow you were feeling. “What’s wrong? Did I do something wrong?”

Hyunjin started to panic. The last thing he wanted was to do something that would make you regret this. Regret being with him. His heart started to beat erratically in his chest at the thought. Any sign of the flame of arousal was doused in the iciest waters. “Did-” He paused, tears starting to brim his ebony eyes. “Did I hurt you?” 

His voice was drenched in sadness and just the sound of it broke your heart. You shook your head, “No. Nothing of the sort. I just..” You covered your burning cheeks with your hands. “I was just pleasured by the prince of this very realm.. That’s a lot to take in.” He chuckled, mood visibly lifting. He hides his face in the crook of your neck. 

He wanted to say that he wanted to do this again. He wanted to be honest and a little forward and tell you just how much he hoped that when the dust settled, that you would remain by his side for eternity as his wife, his queen. But the words just wouldn’t come out of his mouth. He was afraid that this was a one and done situation and rather than finding out for himself, he’d rather just leave the words unspoken to not face the possible rejection.

You left the pond first after thoroughly washing up. Hyunjin took some time for himself to really reflect on what this meant. It was evident that there was some sort of attraction between the two of you, but how deep did that go? Was it just physical or was there something else, something much more profound?

Since he laid eyes on you, he couldn’t get you off his mind. Maybe it was because your destinies were intertwined, at least that what he figured was happening between the two of you. With his constant dreams of you now being on this journey with you. He knew there was something there, something that dragged the two of you together. Was it fate? He hoped so. He hoped that you were fated and not in a tragic way either. 

By the time he returned to camp an hour had flown by. You were tucked in, fast asleep. Minho was sitting by the fire whittling wood into some shape Hyunjin couldn’t recognize. Still needed to eat, he took a seat next to the quiet man and fixed himself a plate.

Minho didn’t look up at him at first, which eased the prince’s nerves, but that was quickly replaced with an overwhelmingly anxious feeling. Hyunjin was only a few bites in when he noticed the icy stare coming from his aphasic counterpart. The prince took a chance, looking up into his friend’s eyes. Everything in them saying, “If you hurt her, I will kill you.”

He had seen this man kill, catch, skin, and gut animals with nothing more than a dull knife, he knew that threat was on great standing. Hyunjin simply nodded, receiving a soft but scary smile from the man sitting next to him. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt you, but that threat alone gave him even more incentive to not fuck this up.

© ✐Channieskies 『MINORS DNI! This post contains nsfw material. Please do not interact with it if you are under the age of 18. Do not translate or repost here or on other sites. Please leave a like , comment, and reblog if you enjoyed this story.♥』