Royals and Diamonds || Wang Lin Kai / Xiao Gui
A/N : An original work of mine for a new start. Overall, happy birthday to our Lil Ghost as this is a gift from me to him and to all of you. Inspired by this beautiful picture of him, Enjoy
Pairing : Wang Lin Kai - Reader
Summary : Born to be polished without any flaw, you’re pressured to be the perfect royal when you’re not. Linkai sees a lot from you, to him you’re far than perfect. Beautiful like a diamond shining in the night sky
“Sit straighter”, your mother hissed. Her voice rang in the silent dining room, enough to give it a small echo. You stopped your hand movements on the plates, you stared at her. You nodded before fixing your posture, into a more uncomfortable forced posture that is surely going to make your back ache.
You tried to pick up a butter knife, but your cold sweat wasn’t letting it going easy. A small clink left as it fell, impacting the marble table. You gasped.
Your father slammed on the table, his eyes cold and hard. “A proper lady doesn’t tremble and throw her utensils on the dining table”, you felt shivers down your back and gulp hard. “I’m sorry, father”, you managed a small weak whisper.
It didn’t take too long for you to excuse yourself from the dining hall, ready to go away from all of the judgments, from all of the cold gaze. “Hold”, your father said. It made you jerked by his loud audacity, you obeyed. Your father gave out an envelope towards his nearby servant as they passed it to you. You stared at it before taking it gently.
“Wang Lin Kai, or Prince Wang is having a gala to celebrate his 19th birthday. And we’re invited as one of their guests tonight”, your father said. You nodded, eyes still glued on the piece of paper. The envelope is the color of lemon yellow, with gold embroidery pattern lacing around it. On the far bottom right rest the name of the first born from the Wang region, his name written in the most elegant way. Rest on the mouth of the envelope was a red wax with their kingdom’s logo, a dragon with a ‘王’ printed in the middle.
“I expect you to be polished and behave properly when we’re are there”, he hissed out. You gulped and nodded a little. Feeling the sick feeling down inside of your stomach, as if the breakfast was digested too quickly. “I don’t need my own heir to bring me shame with her etiquette”
You quivered, trying to hide the fact how the words are effecting you. One by one piercing into you. “Y-yes father”, you managed out before dashing out of the dining hall. Away, hiding in your own safe bubble where you tried to stay unknown.
This is you, your life you’ve lived for 18 years and it’s slowly killing you. Born as a royal, you were already in the center of attention. By your own family line, their acquaintances, and by the society’s eyes. You were expected to be polished without any flaw, as it’s your family traits.
For many decades your family line had been well known in a large range, even until the smallest kingdom spread across the Asian countries. Known to be so polished, with proper etiquette and manners. Born with natural talents, beauty and power. An icon of perfection, the family line that made others envy on how posh they are.
You were born as the youngest, the second in line for the throne. But being the youngest doesn’t mean you’re out of the royal torture to be the perfect Zhuo, no exception. Your brother often pities you, not because of the torment. But because your parents expected more from you than him. He often say you had it the worse, far worse than his time. Because when you were born, your parents took you in their robes and give out everything. From the way a proper lady should walk, to manners, resolving to learning extreme complex etiquette on your daily lives such as dining manner, how to laugh, sitting posture, dancing or waltzing in balls or royal party or gala, until the way you should never reject a royal offer from any kings or princes.
When you told people your parents torment on your life, they want you to achieve the perfection that’s impossible for you or any human being but possible in their minds. They would often brushed it off and joked on it, It’s part of the royal life darling. They would often say.
You were sick of it. Never had you wished so hard to only have a normal life. Not being ungrateful, but the pressure was too much to handle. All stares that are directed to you even though you’re the second in line for the crown. The harsh words, hissing your parents directed to you as they tried to polish you. To be a true royal? You wouldn’t say your life is hectic nor stressful, but you concluded you’re miserable.
“A diamond for your thoughts?”, you snapped your eyes from the balcony. Turning around to see the intruder who’s dared took you away from your trance. But it didn’t take too long for a small smile filled with warmth wretched itself on your face.
“Hello, brother”, you greeted him. The male figure who’s been standing on your door frame replied you with a smile. He stood up properly, fixing his posture to show his tall and lean self. He strides over to your side. He stared at the view outside of your balcony, sighing in relief. The spring warmth was hugging both of your figure as the fresh wind blew in, out faced your kingdom’s garden. Blooming in all it’s glory to welcome spring, all shades of colors and it’s sweet scent mixing with the freshly trimmed grass.
“I came back from my trading business in the Huang region, and didn’t see you in the dining hall with our mother and father”, he started. Zhou Yan Chen, your brother. The first line for the crown, the loving sibling that always protected you from monsters in the closet. Who teaches you how to ride a horse, use a sword in battles but also who filled you with the love you never got from your parents.
A brother that’s more capable than you, a brother you looked up to. “Things happened, and I didn’t feel great enough to finish breakfast”, you said back. He leaned on the marble railing and stared at you, his eyes bored deep.
“I can’t believe you could survive so long under their torments”, he sighed. You smiled softly, your pupils slowly losing a tad of light. “I’m okay, it’ll end soon”, you said. You turned sideways and stared at him, eyes drowned in sorrow and pain. “I hope”, you ended with a whisper before enveloped in your brother’s warm embrace, trying to hide your existence away into oblivion.
You were shaking, nervous and in fear. You’re eyes kept shaking, as you played with your fingers unable to calm yourself down. “Stop shaking”, your mother scolded. Your father only stared at you coldly, slowly turning your head down as you find the sudden carpeted floor of the carriage somewhat interesting. Yanchen stared at you worriedly, he slid his hand to your side. Resting it on your back making you jumped by the sudden warmth, but calmed down when you felt the small pat he gave to you.
The carriage jerk to a halt. You felt the pressure as one of your servant jumps down from outside of the carriage. Slowly the door opened and you saw flashing of light. You walked closely on Yanchen’s side, finding all the attention uncomfortable. And soon the sounds was all hidden away from the closed wooden door.
“The Prince and Princess from the Zhou region, Zhou Yanchen and Zhou Y/N”
You brother strode down the stairs as you followed beside him. It was all going well, a few more steps before you can walk on the even floor. But you had to note, wearing heels and a long flowing dress was never good news. When Yanchen hits the ground first, you felt yourself slipping and becoming out-balanced. You gasped out as it echoes on the silent ballroom.
Yanchen widen his eyes, and in an instinct extended his hand to catch you. You shut your eyes, trying to think the darkness would let you hide away from shame, but also from your parents that you knew are staring at you in hard cold gaze.
But you never felt the impact on the hard cold floor, you felt warm embrace on your waist and your hand. But this wasn’t your brother’s embrace, this isn’t that familiar embrace you knew. It’s far from it, but why are you finding this unusual warmth so tempting, as if you want to be drawn in it?
Black hair that falls free on his face, eyebrows that are sculpted perfectly. His dark pupils shines in contrast of the bright light. He had piercings on his ears, making you stare at him more as not all princes you knew had piercings. His fingers slender enough, fitted so right in your hands. You sighed
“Are you okay, Princess?”, a voice broke out. You snapped from your daze and squealed in surprise. “P-prince Wang”, you choked out. His stare at you was first blank, but soon broke out into a sweet adoring smile. His hands rested on your waist and your hand, supporting you from a drastic fall but also gave both of you into an intimate position.
He puts you down slowly on the ground, letting your leg rest on the floor. “Wouldn’t want that pretty face to get any scratches now, don’t we?”, he gave out a cheeky smile before dashing out of your sight to entertain the other guest, leaving you in the worried hands of your brother and a sudden fast beating heart.
Time passed away slower than you intended it to, it was as the party wasn’t going to end. You sat down at the rows of velvet chairs at the far edge of the ballroom near the white linen clothed table that’s filled with extravagant food and drinks. Your hand played with the champagne class, slowly tracing the bubble of the slight yellow substance.
Then you heard a cough. You jumped a little and darted your eyes in front but no one was directing an eye contact on you. The cough came again, in a small audacity but enough for you to hear. You turned to your right, and stared in amusement. Sitting 5 seats from you was the star prince himself, a playful grin on his face.
He waved a hand to you, a sign for you to move closer to him. You smiled finding the action somewhat cute, you played along. You waved for him to come to you, he stopped and stared at you. Making you think if you offended him, but no. He laughed at your playful antics anyways.
“I see this seat is not occupied then”, he said when he was seated beside you. “It was never occupied”, you said out softly. That was the last of it as both of you stayed in silence, the loud classical music circling mixing with murmurs of the other royals filling the large ballroom.
“I see you’re enjoying the night?”, he asked. You stared at him, confusion and sorrow mixed in your gaze. Linkai noticed this, he knows that gaze. He peaks trying to see if anyone is staring at their direction, trying to see if the coast was clear. Without any warning, he grabbed your hand and drags you out of the ballroom
You didn’t have time to even register what was happening, because all the things you’re seeing are happening in a blink. A door to another, hallway etching to another, one corner turned into five. Then he stops, both of you huffing for breath. He had a wide smile as he stared in front, confused you stared at his direction also.
Black walls, tall window panes as chandeliers hung on the high ceiling. Rested in front of you was a big glass door, the glass decorated in ragged pattern making it hard to see what’s behind it’s closed gaps. “Why are you taking me here?”, you softly questioned him.
His hand etched on the handle, he locked his gaze on you. “Watch”, he said and pushed it open. You gasped, lying in front of you is his kingdom’s garden. You’ve heard stories that the Wang kingdom are famous for their garden, you’ve heard it so many times you grew curiosity towards it. But now, it lays in front of your eyes.
Lemon yellow roses, strong oak trees, green grass, a pond which waters shines like diamonds. The garden shines in it’s glory, even at night the garden lays at it’s time blooming away. “Beautiful”, you whispered. Linkai chuckled, now noticing your eyes regaining its light.
“My lady”, he bowed down slightly, extending his hand. You stood in silence at first and smiled, giving your hand on his. “Hmm, a perfect fit”, he stared at you hands that rests peacefully on his before he rest a gaze at you. “Let’s go”, he said pulling you slowly in the garden’s embrace.
You sat in silence as you enjoyed the cold breeze of the wind, smiling in content. You finally felt a tad free from the constant gaze of everyone, away from your parents. Unknowingly you left out a sigh that was enough to catch Linkai’s attention.
“Rough night?”, he asked out. His voice filled the surrounding bubbles where only both of you are lost in each other’s trance. “What gives you that certain thought?”, you asked back. He stared at you in amusement, slowly etching a smile. “You seemed to lost yourself dancing in the hand of other kings and princes tonight, so I assume you might felt dead dancing on those killer heels”, he said staring at your shoes. You laughed.
“I couldn’t say no”, you whispered. This gained his curiosity. Linkai grew up as the only child in his family line and he was already raised too properly to be a king since a very young age. He was always told to obey rules, obey his parents commands. But he would also have his limit, where he would etched out a big firm no if he didn’t find things necessary.
“What do you mean you can’t say no?”, you stared at him. His eyes filled with curiosity but mostly confusion. “I was raised like this, proper etiquette and manners. An offer that’s offered to me, I couldn’t say no”, he was baffled by your statement.
How could someone live like this, obeying every single thing without a slight fight in their own mental. “Then if I tell you I want to kiss you right now, you’ll do it then?”, he asked. You spun your head at him in surprise, thinking he was playing a small joke on you. But he seems like he wasn’t. His eyes are blank, his lips firm. He was serious.
He grabs your hand in a tug, sending you to his side. He grabs your waist and etched you closer to him. His fingers glides to your chin, tugging it upwards as he brought your face closer to his. He stared at you, he could feel you shaking in his own two hands. He knows you’re scared.
You knew you were shaking, but why can’t you stop it? Feeling so weak and vulnerable, you thought to yourself are you just going to let this slide? Leaving him to take control of you, take you for his own benefit. You never want this, you never wanted to be forced into things you find that are not appropriate. But what can you do aside of wrenching a small weak “Y-yes” as an answer, letting your eyes decorated by tears.
It never came. You felt yourself being pulled into a warm embrace, you choked out. Linkai lets you rest in his arms, slowly hushing you as he pats on your head in a soft manner. “I’m sorry”, he whispered. You only whimpered at him, trying to calm yourself down. “I’m so sorry, princess”, he whispered once again. He pulled your chin up, letting your eyes rest on his. He smiled.
“It’s okay to say no”, surprised. This is the first time anyone had said something like this to you. “W-what?”, you choked out. Pulling yourself away from him, which you almost regretted when you felt yourself losing his warmth. He took one of your hand slowly, trying his best not to scare you away.
“You’re not a doll that have to obey everything, princess”, he said as he started rubbing small circles on your hand. “If you’re afraid to say no, don’t be. You have every right to exempt yourself from any offer, any command if you don’t feel comfortable doing it”, he said.
“I don’t want you to have any regret, as I was trying to wretched you to say a simple ‘No’ when I told you I was going to kiss you”, he slightly blushed at his statement. You smiled at his cuteness. “Don’t force yourself into things you don’t want to”
“Not when my parents are still by my side, they would never let me”, you whispered to him. He smiled softly at you, you swore you could feel an odd feeling starting to fill in your system. “Then stay by my side”, you thought you heard him wrong. But he was dead serious.
“I-“, you started stuttering. You were far from reality to even think what’s going on. What is this? A proposal? You stayed silent for a while, afraid to speak out. It wasn’t until you hear a faint voice, as seconds went by the faint voice became clearer.
Your brother, how could you even forget you’re in a party and not a simple date. You stared at Linkai apologetically, he knows it was time to go. “I’m sorry, Prince Wang. I have to go”, you stood up. He followed, ready to escort you to the garden’s door.
You waited for him to open the door, he stood in silence as his hands hold on to it’s handle. “I never intended to throw this party to be really frankly, it was my parents idea”, he said. He turned around and gave you an adoring smile. “But I did not regret a single second of if”
He walked closer to you, slowly as he doesn’t want to chase you away. He grabs your hand, locking his eyes on you for another long minute. You can hear your brother’s voice coming around again, but that didn’t matter.
“I was bored out of my mind when the party started, it wasn’t my thing. But when you came in, I was so struck I thought cupids were flying around”, he smiled making you etched a small tug on your lips. “And I hope this won’t be the last time I’ll see you, princess”.
You broke into a bigger grin, noticing the sudden confession from a fellow prince. Linkai raised your hand and pull down to give you a small kiss on your knuckles. His soft lips gives out more warmth and bursts you system with an odd mushy feeling. You thought you would melt.
When he broke the contact off, he smiled at you as his eyes sparkles. “And please, call me Linkai from now on”, he whispered before opening the garden door. When he sees the silhouette of your brother, he puts a finger on his lips and hid away behind the large garden door.
“There you are, it’s time to go home”, Yanchen gasped out of air when he saw you on the hallway. He grabs your hand and soon drags you out of the castle, in to the carriage. Yanchen stared at you in confusion when he sees you’re trying to hide a smile from your face but failed miserably as how wide it was etched on it.
“What’s gotten into you, dear sister?”, but you simply shook his question off. Feeling yourself wrapped in warmth in the cold spring breeze.
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