Summary: In a time where to love a knight was considered high treason, a life of chaos was brought to a swift end with your fairy tale ending nowhere in sight. But when the knight plead to Fate, she took pity on him, and thus formed the gamble that would rupture the Heavens.
Y/N Pronouns: Female (She/Her)
[Main Masterlist]
[Ao3 Link] | [Wattpad Link]
This is a rewrite of my previous series A Tricky Game of Fate
Disclaimer: Please remember that this is an AU and a work of fiction, obviously the idols mentioned/written about in this story would never partake in these actions. The idols mentioned in this work are meant to be seen more as face claims rather than the actual idols themselves.
Last Updated: 1 September 2021
Status: Hiatus
Chapters
Character Profiles | {TW: None}
Teaser | {TW: None}
Chapter 1 | {TW: Unsettling Themes, Mentions of Suicidal Thoughts (Non-Explicit), Mentions of Murder (Non-Explicit)}
Chapter 2 | {TW: Unsettling Themes, Mentions of Suicidal Thoughts (Non-Explicit), Mentions of Murder (Non-Explicit), Rifle, Saber, Gunshot, War, Descriptions of Blood}
Chapter 3 | {TW: Unsettling Themes, Implied Major Character Death}
Chapter 4 | {TW: Unsettling Themes, Implied Minor Character Death, Implications of Insanity, Descriptions of a Tense Moment, Mildly Suggestive Themes}
Fate’s Grim Tales
Taeyang - The Greedy King | {TW: Implied Major Sickness, Vampires}
Mingi - The Blood Bearer | {TW: Death Mention}
No One - The Enchanted Forest | {TW: Death Mention}
Requests
None yet
AMMs (Filled with Spoilers and in Order of Received)
Yeonjun | ‘OKAY Whew anyway, did you ever really love Y/N? Or was it always just an obsession?’
Death | ‘I'm trying to think of other things to ask uhhhhh @ atgof death ayo you lookin kinda seccsy 👀😀 I’m so sorry I can’t think of anything lmao’
Seonghwa | ‘I thought of another thing! what's stopped you from just, murdering Yeonjun? Like, just snap his neck or smth’
Fate, Time, and Death | ‘For the sake of my own sanity, I know he said he wouldn't, but would Seonghwa be allowed to kill Yeonjun? Or would that reset the timeline? Coz Noah fence to Yeonjun but I would kill him for Seonghwa 😗‘
Yeonjun | ‘Okay thennnn, how would you react if I called you a sexy mf 👀’
Seonghwa | ‘Genuine question now, how are you bby I hope you're well, have you ever told the rest of Ateez about the whole reincarnation, fate, thing?’
Yeonjun | ‘You know what @ fate's gamble Yeonjun, I apologise for calling you a bitch, that was wrong of me (please don't kill me lmao)’
TW: Unsettling Themes, Mentions of Suicidal Thoughts (Non-Explicit), Mentions of Murder (Non-Explicit), Rifle, Saber, Gunshot, War, Descriptions of Blood
Genre: Drama, Angst
Pairing: Park Seonghwa x Reader, ft. Choi Yeonjun
YN Pronouns: Female (She/Her)
Summary: In a time where to love a knight was considered high treason, a life of chaos was brought to a swift end with your fairy tale ending nowhere in sight. But when the knight plead to Fate, she took pity on him, and thus formed the gamble that would rupture the Heavens.
(2/?) [Previous] | [Next]
[Main Masterlist] | [Fate's Gamble Masterlist]
Word Count: 4.7K
Notes: Hoooooo finally finsihed this! Sorry for the wait, everyone! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, this is where a lot of the story changes from the original so I hope it’s okay haha. Either way, I’ll see you all soon!
This is a rewrite of my previous series A Tricky Game of Fate
Disclaimer: Please remember that this is an AU and a work of fiction, obviously the idols mentioned/written about in this story would never partake in these actions. The idols mentioned in this work are meant to be seen more as face claims rather than the actual idols themselves.
Seonghwa's heart nearly jumped out of his chest when he heard someone banging at his door. He turned to it, watching the old thing shake on its hinges. How long had he been under house arrest? How many “cells” has he been moved to? Every time either he or the others would mess up he’d get transferred to some other unknown location in some inhumane fashion, it was tiring. He was tired. Had he not been doing something more… important, he wonders if he’d have given up already. Seonghwa sat up on the old bed, the barely healed-over scars aching at every movement. He dragged a tired hand down his face when the unknown person banged on the door again
“Seonghwa! It’s me, open up!” Seonghwa’s ears perked at the familiar voice, and he jumped up to answer it, seeing the face of his adoptive brother put him at ease, but the crude sling scared him. “You look… horrible…”
“The King is all but kind,” Seonghwa says, his voice hoarse from lack of use. “And you look worse.”
“It’s not getting any better, Seonghwa,” San shakes his head. He looked down at his broken arm briefly before continuing, “it took us forever to find you this time,” San says as Seonghwa stepped aside to let him in. He looked outside and saw the guard knocked out. “He was asleep when we got here… Wooyoung put something into his drink,” San laughs, it sounded more pathetic than it did joyful, while the remaining four members of the previous Templar knights enter. The six men stood around the table, each of them having different injuries that would’ve usually sent the ex-knight into a spiral of guilt.
“Sorry,” Seonghwa mumbles. Mingi closes the door behind him and Seonghwa walks to the stove, lighting the fire inside of it. “Tea?”
“We won’t be staying long,” Hongjoong says. “Just here to give some updates…”
“How’s the Southern Kingdom?”
“The King has gone missing in battle,” Yunho narrows his eyes on the ground. He rubbed his hand over the bandages stained in red, they were likely the only things keeping his wrist together. “He fought well though, from what we saw.”
That was answer enough, the Southern Kingdom was falling apart. War-Torn and driven to bankruptcy, just like many other kingdoms no doubt. The Northern King called it a move for reunification of the continent, but everyone else saw it as a complete reign of terror. The Western and Eastern Kingdoms have both been conquered alongside a few of the smaller kingdoms in between and the ones under their protection. There were only a few left now, a few independent kingdoms that were smart enough not to sign any defensive pacts with the larger ones. It was now where Seonghwa noticed the absence of someone rather important, he had thought that they left him outside, but no one mentioned him.
“Where’s Yeosang?” Seonghwa asks. An uncomfortable silence falls over the group and Seonghwa deduces what has occurred. The last time he felt this heaviness was three months ago, when the Northern King’s engagement was announced. Wooyoung shifted in his seat, the mention of his childhood friend was obviously one he hadn’t been expecting. He must’ve been long gone at this time.
“I have something for you,” Wooyoung speaks up, wanting to naturally change the subject, and hands a rolled scroll to Seonghwa. “It’s from (Y/N)… you can open it after we leave.”
“How’d you..?”
“I work in the kitchens, no one knows I’m from the Southern Kingdom so it was easy but…”
“How is she?”
“Not… not good,” Wooyoung shook his head. The group fell back into another bout of silence.
“Be careful, Seonghwa, we’ll come visit again soon but with the war raging on the Southern Kingdom has fallen into shambles. Captain Jeon has taken over power for now but it’s only a matter of time until there is a complete annexation of the Southern Kingdom,” Hongjoong informs. “No telling how long martial law will work though. They need a monarch, and with their next in line being engaged to the King who killed theirs it’s all messy, no one knows what to do.”
“And the Resistance?” Seonghwa thought back to the disjointed group of twenty-three that had been scattered throughout the continent. They were instrumental in the relay of messages, but he had long realized that everything had slowed down.
“Decimated. The Northern forces found Kun and Taeyong and had them both executed. Anyone else who was in the Resistance was either killed or went missing after. Everything’s working against us, there’s just us now and the branch in the Winter League, the Northern forces have been unable to advance past the mountains.”
“Is King Sangyeon paying attention to the matter?”
“From what Juyeon’s been telling us, yeah. He was close with (Y/N) too so he asked a special favor but… no clue,” Hongjoong’s voice was tired and dreary. Seonghwa pulled out a scroll from under the table and handed it to Hongjoong.
“This is our last plan,” he says. “One more push.”
“One more,” Hongjoong nods. Mingi holds the old revolver in his hands.
“Are you sure? There are so many things that could go wrong,” Mingi stammers. “If we screw up, the Northern King might lash out on (Y/N)…”
“He wouldn’t do that, he holds her to this unattainable pedestal.”
“He wouldn’t touch her, but he’d do something to those around her. It’s just too risky,” Mingi continues.
“I actually agree with Mingi on this one, we don’t want a repeat of what happened to Jongho,” Yunho says with a shaky voice. “Our goal is to get her out as soon as possible. Having King Sangyeon wage war on the Northern Kingdom is inadvisable at best. Even from an economic standpoint, there’s no reason.”
“So find someone who’s already at war with them,” Seonghwa offers. “There’s bound to be others, right?”
“Out of the ones that haven’t been entirely taken over?” Wooyoung looks over at San. “There is… there is the Kingdom Tenebris, they’ve been on the defensive though, but King Taeyang might be more willing to talk to us.” The vampire king flashed through Seonghwa’s memories, they had only met a couple of times while on diplomatic visits, but he had an eye for strategy when not clouded by envy. He owed him a favor, at the very least.
“Tell him I sent you, he’ll definitely accept your audience if you do,” Seonghwa states.
“It should buy you enough time,” Hongjoong reasons. Mingi looks down at the revolver in his hands, he spun the barrel and shook his head.
“Fine. But don’t screw this up, Seonghwa.” Mingi stayed behind while the Templar moved out, it was just him and Seonghwa sitting around the table. “This is… this is ridiculous. How many more people have to die in this war? Fine. Just don’t do something stupid, alright? And… if you are, find us first. Don’t take all the stupid with you,” Mingi stood up now and left, Seonghwa watching him leave. Mingi shut the door behind him. Seonghwa didn’t flinch when the bang resounded, it was only a matter of time until he had his next guest, and even with that, there was a half and half chance that it would be who he needed. He unrolled the scroll given to him by Wooyoung. He traced over the smudged ink, a small smile on his face. He knew your writing from anywhere. Written on the parchment was a fable, one he had heard you tell him many years ago.
Allow me to tell you the story of Fate.
~
You didn’t love him, that much was clear. You wondered if he knew, the king whose intellect was rivaled only by your brother’s. Sometimes it felt like he could read your mind, it felt like he could just pry into it and know your thoughts. Maybe, maybe if something was different in the past, you could’ve been lovers. You could see why you would’ve fallen in love with him in the past. What you feel right now, you weren’t sure what it was exactly. Was it pity? Were you just trying to reach out with a false hope that things will change? You didn’t know. But the ring on your finger seemed to symbolize ownership more than affection.
Yeonjun dozed off and you removed your hand from his face. Turning over in the large bed and facing the wall. You stared at the sapphire ring on your hand. The gesture was sweet, asking for your hand in marriage in the gardens, in any other context, it was sweet. But your memories recalled it differently. With the blood and the… dead bodies. You shook your head, trying to erase the nightmare from your head. It was horrific, every time you looked at your hands it was all you thought of. You couldn’t help but think it was your fault. Maybe if you didn’t try to escape that day you wouldn’t be haunted by Jongho’s ghost. You thought that Yeonjun didn’t notice, you thought he believed that you were just taking a walk in the night, but no. You were horrifically wrong.
Again your hand wrapped around the dagger hid beneath your pillow, the thought alone was mere temptation, you wondered if it was worth it. There were so many pros and cons to weigh on your situation, but you couldn’t help but internalize that had you not run away in the first place the continent wouldn’t be in turmoil. Never did you think that you would be important enough to a misguided king to start an entire war and forceful reunification, it was ridiculous. You wanted to rip Yeonjun apart, yell at him for being so rash and impulsive, you wanted to curse him to the end of his days for ruining the lives of many. But no matter what you did, he would still look at you like he did no wrong. He did all of this in your name, and you were certain that the kingdoms above your reach understood that.
It was your fault. Maybe if you just owned up to your fate you could have avoided this mess of whatever this was. The raging guilt inside of you, you wanted to get rid of it all. You wanted a redo, you wanted a way to reset everything and make things right. You didn’t want to say that you had regrets, you didn’t want to say that you wished that you didn’t allow your selfishness to take over you. Because, truly, the last nine years prior to this were some of the best you had ever lived and never would you want to trade it for the world, but still the guilt remained.
You closed your eyes, some sleep is better than none.
~
Watching the carriage leave, you turned around and walked back into the castle, Seonghwa trailing far behind. You turned a few corners, wondering if he’d follow, and sure enough, he did. Every time you’d look over your shoulder he’d stop in his tracks and wave awkwardly. You didn’t want to sound rude, but it was rather annoying that he acted this way, it was only your manners that stopped you from outwardly insulting the knight-in-training, plus, you found it rather endearing. The other kids in the castle tended to stay away from you out of fear of the Queen, but this one was contractually obligated to follow you. Might as well get used to each other, right?
“Why do you stand so far away?” You asked him. He froze. “Come on, if you’re learning to be a knight then I guess someone has to show you the ropes,” you conceded. Seonghwa jogged up to you with hopeful eyes.
“You know how to be a knight?” He was amazed, you wonder how exactly Minho described you to him.
“I used to sit in while my brother’s templar trained because I was bored,” you explained rather nonchalantly. You and Seonghwa walked over to your room. “Wait out here,” you entered your room and closed the door behind you. Seonghwa kicked at nothing in particular while he waited for you to walk back out. You reemerged with a much more comfortable outfit and walked past him. “Well? What are you waiting for?” You turned around and Seonghwa got the idea to follow you. “You have to teach me how to play jacks some time, I always see Juyeon and the other boys play it so I’m curious! But they don’t want to teach me.”
“I can teach you once your free, your highness.”
“Ew, don’t call me that when we’re alone, it sounds weird. Just (Y/N) is fine when it’s just us, okay?”
“Okay, your highness—” he catches himself, “(Y/N),” he corrects quietly.
“You’ll get used to it,” you playfully pushed him and he smiled awkwardly. You both arrived at the training grounds while a couple of the other knights were in training, you recognized them easily.
“Mr. Hoseok!” The aforementioned knight turns around with a wide smile.
“Little princess! And… hello,” Hoseok looks down at Seonghwa with a confused look. “Oh! Captain Choi’s son!”
“Hello, lieutenant, that’s me,” Seonghwa nods his head.
“Ah, I was just talking to your brother,” Hoseok nods. “Park Seonghwa, right? You’re a lot cuter than I was expecting.”
“That’s right, I’m Seonghwa,” he says.
“So you want to be a knight. Came to the right place, that’s for sure, you lucked out! If it was Yoongi in charge of training he might have turned you away, but I’m open to all students. I’ll take him off of your hands now, little princess!”
“Wait! But I want to watch,” you rocked on your heels and Hoseok shrugged.
“Well, there’s nothing wrong with that,” Hoseok took a smaller sword from the wall and tossed it to Seonghwa. He fumbled the sword in his hands until it ultimately fell onto the ground. “We’ll, uh, we’ll work on that,” Hoseok says with a concerned chuckle. You sat down on the bench.
“Keep your form up, Seonghwa!” You encouraged him. Seonghwa immediately straightened his posture and took a deep breath.
“You’re the captain’s eldest son, don’t let that get to your head though, your younger brother looks up to you a lot so I’m expecting the most,” Hoseok instructs while he circles the young knight. “The princess is right, form is everything,” Hoseok corrected Seonghwa’s footing. “If you can’t get the foundation, you’ll never advance,” Hoseok now corrected the way Seonghwa held onto the sword.
“You’re doing great!” You reassured Seonghwa.
“Focus! Although the princess is your priority, there are times you have to focus on other things,” Hoseok sounded stern, you weren’t used to hearing that tone from him. He was always more kind and playful whenever he watched over you for the day, but you were interested to see him act this way, when he was in “business mode,” as he puts it. “Now observe those two knights, their forms aren’t perfect, but observation is key for perfection,” he says.
“Lieutenant Jung,” your mother walks into the training ground. The training knights all came to a stop and saluted at her presence. She held her hand up and all the knights relaxed. “Haven’t you better things to do than barking orders at a child?” She gestures towards Seonghwa with an icy tone.
“Your majesty, it is by request of his father and the princess that I do so,” Hoseok explains. “What brings you to the training grounds?”
“I was looking for her,” she now gestures towards you. “I always seem to find her in the most roguish of places.” You sank into your spot in the bench. She walks out of the facility and you knew well to follow, waving a quick goodbye to Seonghwa and Hoseok. Hoseok lets out a loud breath he had been holding and Seonghwa relaxes.
“She’s terrifying, isn’t she?” Hoseok asks him. Seonghwa nods cautiously, having a strange feeling that he was being set up, Hoseok senses this and laughs loudly. “Don’t worry, none of Namjoon’s entourage likes her… including Namjoon. Alright then, your father told me to pay special attention to your training, so let’s get along with it.”
“Where’s my brother?”
“Miss Jihyo is watching him right now, he said he wanted to see his options before settling on knighthood. But you seem very set in stone on this.”
“I am.”
“Mind if I ask why?”
“It’s kind of childish…”
“Are you not a child?” Hoseok looked off in a thought.
“Well… yes, but my father says there’s no room for childish hope in the Templar,” Seonghwa turns the sword in his hands and Hoseok breaks into laughter once again, Seonghwa seems to relax.
“Really? Wait until I introduce you to Jungkook,” he says. “Now, form up. Let’s see what your father has taught you.”
You listened in at the entrance of the facility, you were worried for Seonghwa, no doubt about that. It’s not every day someone decides to be a knight out of nowhere, and you knew the Templar to be strict in their training. From what you saw of him so far, you were afraid he’d get ripped to pieces on the first day, but he looked to have strength in his resolve, and you lucked out with Hoseok being the trainer of the day. Surely, there would be nothing to worry about when it came to Seonghwa, such was a relief.
“(Y/N)!” Your mother’s shrill call sent you running to where you belonged. You stopped dead in your tracks when you heard her conversation beyond the greenhouse’s doors with a voice you only recognized as Minho’s.
“You will accompany her to the Northern Kingdom, make sure she doesn’t make an embarrassment of our family.” You felt your heart drop at her words.
“Pardon me for asking, your majesty, but is it not possible that you or the King accompany her? Or even his highness the Prince?”
“We are in the middle of negotiations with the Western Kingdom, it would be impossible.”
“Might I request that I bring my son then? My eldest, that is. I won’t be around forever, your majesty, and I’m training him to take my place.”
“Under whose jurisdiction?”
“His Majesty the King ordered me to do so.”
“Is that so? I suppose that is allowed then,” your mother fell silent. “(Y/N). I know you’re out there. Come inside already.”
~
Seonghwa placed the letter down, he had heard this story many times already, it was the one you’d tell him, it was the one you’d tell the little children in the village, and it was one you often found solace in. He had it memorized, maybe he even knew it better than the Templar’s Oath, for goodness’ sake. He knew what this was, but he couldn’t think that part of it was ridiculous. Relying on a story now of all things. Or maybe you meant that there would come another time, or another world where you would’ve been together. He wiped away the tear that fell down his face, your vows echoing in his head, he rested his arm on the table and felt his heart shake. There was another knock at the door and Seonghwa prepared himself for the worst, he wiped his tears away, expecting it to be someone from the Northern Forces, but the voice beyond it proved him wrong.
“It’s been a while since you’ve invoked my name,” the deep voice was one Seonghwa hadn’t heard in years.
“Come in.” The door opened and the mysterious king entered.
“The display you left outside for me is one I wouldn’t have expected you to be capable of,” Taeyang chuckles. “Who was it?”
“Mingi.”
“The blood-bearer,” Taeyang laughs. “I’m a fan of his work. What can I help you with, old friend?”
“I need you to confirm something for me,” Seonghwa pulled a chair out for the vampire before taking his own seat. Seonghwa slides your letter towards Taeyang, and he takes it carefully, delicately tracing his hand over the aged paper.
“A letter from the melancholy princess, correct? I can feel it from the handwriting. Paper holds stories, and ink holds emotions, they’re very powerful tools, you should know,” Taeyang murmurs while he skims through the letter. His face grows grim. “Whatever you’re planning, know that it is a foolish move to trifle in matters that you are not capable of comprehending.”
“That’s why I called you here.”
“You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into, accursed knight. I barely escaped the hands of the wretched three myself. Why do you think I reside in Tenebris? Because I’ll, what is it you mortals say, melt in sunlight? Sheer idiocracy. It is by Nyx’s grace alone that I’m still alive. If you think you could beat any of them at their own game, you are horridly incorrect and stupidly naive,” Taeyang’s eyes had a quick flash of red, his anger growing from his tirade, before he calmed himself down and continued. “Pardon me. You want to know where to find the trio, right?”
“I do.”
“I’m still trying to deduce if you are a noble hero or a misguided idiot,” Taeyang scoffs.
“I wouldn’t call a king over for nothing,” Seonghwa continues. Taeyang frowns and finally sighs.
“I may or may not know how to get to them. But whatever happens after that is of your own accord and jurisdiction, I cannot give you anything more,” Taeyang says. He places a vial on the table. “Call this a failsafe. Should you anger either of the three, drink it in one go, and you will find yourself in the safety of Tenebris.”
“What will you do about the Northern King?”
“The Northern Behemoth would be ignorant to launch an all-out attack on Tenebris, his forces would fall prey to the darkness within moments. Do not take our defenses lightly,” Taeyang says in his well-known smoothness. He stands up. “Take care, Knight, you will soon find yourself in a labyrinth of troubles and you will then be the center of a trial of tribulations. I hope you are prepared for that. Not many are,” Taeyang snaps his fingers then gestures to the table in front of him. Seonghwa looks down and sees the ornate case laid on it. “A gift from the previous chancellor of the Western Kingdom. He asked that should I ever run into you to deliver it. I was about to send Chanhee but I figured I’d do it instead. Go on then, open it,” he says. Seonghwa obliges, pulling the golden locks open. A rifle with golden embellishments lay across it, resting in a bed of satin. “Chancellor Ju-ne sends his regards. I took the liberty of, er, modifying it for you. You will find it to be rather helpful but know that there are only eight rounds. Use them wisely,” Taeyang pushes in his chair and is about to leave before Seonghwa spoke up again.
“Is there anything else I need to know?”
“Keep your wits about you, all three of them will be working against you, no matter what you witness, remember that you are the only thing alive within that forest.” Then Taeyang was gone. Seonghwa slung the rifle over his shoulder and walked to his old and falling apart bed, then he reached under the old boards under it, pulling out an old case. He opened it quickly, staring at the weathered saber inside of it.
“Hello, old friend,” he took the sword out and spun it around in his grasp a few times. “You’ll have to help me once again,” he buckles its hilt around his waist and sheaths it with precision. “Onwards,” he says to himself. He exits the small cottage and walks down the dirt roads, clutching your letter in hand. First destination, the river’s edge.
~
The Northern Kingdom, without a doubt, is a beautiful place.
You ended up leaving the room, you couldn’t sleep, your heavy mind prevented you from doing so. Instead, you figured, you’d go for a walk around the castle grounds. It was the middle of the winter, and the snow was thick on the ground. It chilled you to the bone, but you didn’t mind it. You enjoyed the blanket of white and the fluttering bits of snow that adorned the flora. The vast amounts of ice, you found, had a hint of warmth in them. They comforted you more than the heat of the indoors. You stopped by a patch of azaleas and sat down at the stone bench there.
You remembered the first time you came to the Northern Kingdom as a child. You thought it to be a wonderland, you had never seen such a large amount of snow. Sure, you fell ill within a few days just from not being used to the temperature, but it was still some of the best times of your life. You and Yeonjun were so young then, playing in the snow without a care for the world and its politics, without a care for the kingdoms beyond. Just two kids doing what two kids did.
Now, whenever you looked at this vast landscape, all you could think of was the horrors beyond it. Your hand brushed the ground, pushing aside a blanket of snow, and you pulled out the silver chain that was buried in it. So no one has come here since that incident? You held it in your hands with the same amount of care one would have with a piece of glass. The silver necklace represented much. The chain itself came from your kingdom, silver being a large export, the circular pendant represented the Templar, and the gem inside represented the Princess’ entourage. You wondered when Jongho had the time to take it off or the time to hide it. You just remembered him saying to meet him by the azaleas.
You held the pendant up to the moonlit sky, the alexandrite stone reflecting in every which way, then you noticed something peculiar about it. You turned the pendant around in your hands, then you saw it, there was a small notch in between the gem and its holder. You carefully pried the gem out and a small piece of parchment fell onto your lap. You unraveled it carefully and read the message inside.
‘When you find this, meet me at the river’s edge.’
The message brought chills down your spine, then again, you were sitting in the cold so it could be that too. You wondered who it was from, you didn’t recognize the handwriting to belong to Jongho, at the very least. You stared at it longer, tracing your index finger over the letters, but soon you noticed a very familiar scent that it had adorned, it held faint scents of lavenders and you knew. Your hands shook slightly, was it true? You had heard that he was killed, but you didn’t want to believe it. You flipped the note around, surely he would have left another indication if it was true, and then again he may have been smart enough not to should someone else have found the note before you. You wondered if it was true, if your brother had truly found a way to find you, and although you wanted to hope for the best, your time in the Northern Kingdom has taught you to become cynical, to be more careful of what you saw and what you heard.
But you were more concerned about escaping the castle to meet this unknown person. You looked to your bedroom, it was still late in the night, you could make the trip fast and return home before the King awoke. The river wasn’t as far as many would think. You pushed the gem back into its spot and clasped it around your neck and left the Gardens, a clear destination in mind.
General Tag List: @vickylamore @yeongwvnhi @mizzdivagirl7-blog @sehunnies-hunnie96 @roses09020617 @bat-shark-repellant @cloudreads @raeincitizen @here-aeth @lofied @moonlight1897
TW: Unsettling Themes, Implied Minor Character Death, Implications of Insanity, Descriptions of a Tense Moment, Mildly Suggestive Themes
Genre: Drama, Romance, Angst
Pairing: Park Seonghwa x Reader, ft. Choi Yeonjun
YN Pronouns: Female (She/Her)
Summary: In a time where to love a knight was considered high treason, a life of chaos was brought to a swift end with your fairy tale ending nowhere in sight. But when the knight plead to Fate, she took pity on him, and thus formed the gamble that would rupture the Heavens.
(4/?) [Previous] | [Next]
[Main Masterlist] | [Fate’s Gamble Masterlist]
Word Count: 5.3K
Notes: WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S BEEN THREE MONTHS SINCE I UPDATED THIS I am so sorry seriously I... it's okay, the chapter is here now!
This is a rewrite of my previous series A Tricky Game of Fate
Disclaimer: Please remember that this is an AU and a work of fiction, obviously the idols mentioned/written about in this story would never partake in these actions. The idols mentioned in this work are meant to be seen more as face claims rather than the actual idols themselves.
Faster.
Your mind was racing while your bare feet ran through the forest. You didn’t look back, you couldn’t out of fear that it’d slow you down. The further you ran into the woods, the denser it became. The light began to draw further and further back and the darkness began to enshroud you. You held the hood of the cloak down while you ran. So long as you followed this rugged path, you’d reach the town known only as Prayer. The quaint area that was once an ally of the Northern Kingdom, and soon denounced it after Yeonjun went on his reunification campaign. You wondered how it’d change, you wondered how they would take to you, the queen of their now most hated nation. You don’t know why he did it, Yeonjun, what was the point of this reunification? You knew how it started, it started as a means to find you, but even after he did so he didn’t stop. You asked him why but he didn’t answer you. You’d find these answers one way or another.
“Your majesty!” An unfamiliar voice. “This way!” No, wait… could it be?
“Yeosang?!” You stopped, your feet skidding in the snow that dampened the bottom of your nightgown. “Yeosang! Where are you?” You took the hood off and looked all around you. You saw nothing more than the looming trees and forest all around you. It was foreboding, and you knew of many who had run in here in hopes of escape and then to be never seen again.
“This way!” He repeats. You couldn’t see him at all.
“I can’t see you!”
“Follow my voice!” He says again. You turned around, it was further away from the path. You looked down the path you were currently on. “Come on! They’re waiting for you!”
You had heard tales of an enchanted forest, one that lured its victims in when they were their most vulnerable. But, fairy tales are just that. Or so you thought until you had the pleasure of meeting his majesty the king of Tenebris, and it lead you to reconsider many things. You recalled in the tale that it told of a monster, one of three, who hid in the thickest and densest part of the wood. A monster who stole the voices of the dead and used them to hunt. Then, a new kind of fear settled in you.
“Your majesty! We’re running out of time!”
There was this strange feeling in your stomach about this. You continued down the path towards Prayer.
“Your majesty! You’re going the wrong way!” You shook his voice out of your head. Yes, that was right. You couldn’t find out where he was because it was simply ringing in your ears. “(Y/N)! Don’t be like that! Seonghwa and I are waiting over here!” The name of your once beloved stopped you once again and you zeroed in on the area off the path. Your heart tugged you in that direction, but you second-guessed yourself. After being held captive this long, could he have escaped? Could he have evaded the many obstacles Yeonjun put up? You wanted to believe it, you really did. But your mind has matured and it has learned how to tell of false hopes and lies before they were even spoken of. Even if the tale of the forest was false, you’d be wise to remember the somber ranger that Yeonjun kept close at arms. The ranger who studied magic to better understand the nature around him. This could be him. He always tended to vouch for you in silence, but in front of Yeonjun, he knew his place.
But you were incorrect in that assumption. Although you must have realized, he was there. There, perched atop a tree branch, not looking for you, but rather protecting you. Soobin watched you run, and he reached behind him and grabbed an arrow from his quiver. This was for the best, the others would never listen to him, but he agreed with you when you said that your presence just made his friend the King’s sickness much worse, but his requests often fell upon deaf ears. Now was as much a chance as any to prove that you were both right. He drew back the bow, aiming it at that darkened wolf that followed you.
“Forgive me for this, incarnation of Death.” Then he released the arrow. “Run faster… your majesty.”
You heard the howling of wolves and your heart nearly stopped altogether. Your instincts were right. Faster, (Y/N), you’re nearly there. You could see the hints of light at the end of the path, it was dim, but it was there.
Almost there, the light was getting brighter.
“Don’t turn back,” you repeated to yourself.
Almost there.
You stepped into the light, a large town surrounded by nothing more than wooden fencing was clear. You ran to the town’s entrance, your whole body numb and freezing, and saw the sleeping guard.
“Sir! Sir, please wake up!” You called before you even reached him, he stirred in his sleep but did not awaken. You called to him again and this time he snapped to attention. His eyes grew wide as soon as he saw it was you and he waved you to come in.
“The queen has arrived! Alert the council!” He shouts. You were one foot into the town when you collapsed, your breathing ragged, and all parts of your body sore.
Was this it for you?
~
It was the same routine. A tour of the castle, a walk around the town, and tea time in the parlor. You spoke about the usual, getting to know each other and finding out what he had to offer. It was all a part of the usual suitor visiting process. Every now and then, you’d glance behind the Prince of the Southern Isle and lock eyes with the sympathetic knight behind him. Seonghwa would always match your look whenever Felix did something you weren’t fond of in particular, it was something he had picked up on after the number of suitors that had come to visit.
It was around this time when the line that dictated the strictly business relationship between the two of you began to blur.
It was Yeonjun’s fault, in a way, that you were starting to grow apart from him. As earlier stated, his visits only got less frequent, but Seonghwa was always there, following his father around. When Minho wasn’t there, it would be Seonghwa. Well, to be fair, even if Minho was there Seonghwa would be too. Of course, you would grow closer to the boy who was always with you, as opposed to the one you only saw four times a year. It was a friendship that resulted from continuous exposure, it was bound to happen regardless and you both only grew closer as you got older. You both became each other’s closest confidants, and you thought that you’d grow to despise the night but the opposite was true. Despite the obvious wall of professionalism between you both, there was a link formed between your lives that would never be broken.
While Felix went on about the interesting cultures and customs of the Southern Isles, you felt horrible to admit that your mind was elsewhere. Elsewhere beyond him, specifically at the door leading out of the parlor, where the knight stood in tense attention, neither watching you nor not fully paying attention at the same time. What was this strange feeling you’d get whenever you looked at him? Was it camaraderie? Was it that natural bond that formed through constant exposure? Was it an innocent friendship or was it something more? Something that you couldn’t simply name, it was something that came naturally yet uninvited. Did he feel the same? Every time your wandering eyes met his you felt like he knew.
At what point did you stop looking at Seonghwa as your personal knight’s son, and begun to look at him in a much more intimate aspect? Was it when he found you in the hedge maze at sixteen? When you got lost, when you were afraid, and when you couldn’t find your way out? Or was it when you sat in on his training for the first time as children, when you watched his way with a saber, or the way his eyes changed when he was focused. It could as well have been when the two of you stole bread from the kitchens to feed to the kitten you found outside when you were thirteen. All those late nights when you couldn’t sleep, he always seemed to know, because you would find him sitting beneath your balcony window with a goofy smile on his face and fully ready to help you descend the perilous vines and lattices that crept up the castle side. It had to be when Minho finally properly retired, you think, when you and Seonghwa began to inch dangerously close to that line of separation, it was when he fully took over as your personal knight when things began to get more complicated.
The point of no return is approaching, now that you have turned eighteen and now that one of the incoming suitors may stay permanently.
You wondered if it would be this rather awkward boy in front of you.
You wondered what would happen if it was rather the one who was beyond him, who’d glance at you every now and then, and who’d laugh with you as soon as a suitor left. You’d often find yourself fantasizing about this, your future, and you’d always try to imagine it with the person in front of you. You saw none with Felix, to put it bluntly. You recalled imagining it with the Eastern Prince Renjun, but you soon abandoned it. Even with the Northern Prince Yeonjun, you could imagine living side by side in the snow-covered landscapes of his home, you could imagine running down those halls in bliss, but…
It was nothing compared to that you’d dream of when you were with Seonghwa. It was rather embarrassing to think about it now, away from the safeties of your chambers. But you could clearly picture the grassy fields, the never-ending ocean, and the quaint home that overlooks it. You could see an entire life, an entire fate, and an entire story. You could imagine growing old with him, having a family with him, and so much more. You could feel your face beginning to heat up and you realized that you had to keep your imagination under control, after all, you had guests.
“That’s wonderful, Felix,” you clapped your hands together and smiled. You had read up on the Southern Isles before after they signed a defense pact with your parents, you were more than aware of their lifestyle there already. You could see the sunset behind him and you felt that familiar sense of relief wash over you.
“Well, as it’s gotten rather late, I believe that’s my sign to leave. I do hope you’ll have me over again,” Felix stands up first. Then he was off, like every other prince before him, and no doubt most princes after.
~
Seonghwa walked at a reasonable pace. His journey hadn’t been long, he just followed the sound of water. The night was looming over him, and the full moon shone brighter than he’d ever seen it. He then noticed the faint light of a lantern ahead, and he rested his hand on the hilt of his saber as he continued forward. No doubt his absence has been recorded by now, it was only a question of whether or not the King knew about it and whether or not he had sent out troops to find him. The light got closer and closer, and it was then he noticed that the man holding it was dragging another. Seonghwa pulled his hood over his head and crossed the man, now realizing who the person being dragged was.
“Been a while,” Namjoon stopped first, and at his voice, so did Seonghwa.
“Your majesty,” Seonghwa turned to him. The lantern was hanging off of Namjoon’s cane rather pathetically. “Is he…”
“The chief mage Kang Taehyun? Yes,” Namjoon looks down at him. “He’s not dead, but Jimin gave him quite the scare.”
“Where is he now?”
“On his way to the Northern Kingdom,” Namjoon sighs. “And she’s in there,” Namjoon looks to the forest. “You’re going in after her, right?”
“Surely.”
“I’m not talking about (Y/N),” Namjoon shakes his head. “Don’t trifle with things beyond your understanding,” Namjoon warns him.
“I know.”
“You’re going to go in anyway, huh?”
“I am.”
“You sound tired, Seonghwa. Take a break. Yeonjun is without his main tactician, the war will end. (Y/N) should be in Prayer soon, just take a break,” he repeats. “Come with me, back to the Southern Kingdom. We will reestablish things there, and all will be well,” he continues. Seonghwa walks up to him. “I take this as an affirmation?”
“I know an illusion when I see one,” Seonghwa grimaces and unsheathes his saber, the tip of it grazing the rope that kept Namjoon’s cloak tied around his neck and, in a flurry of light, there stood the chief mage.
“What a hassle…” Taehyun shakes his head.
“Where is the king?” Seonghwa kept his saber drawn.
“He’s fine… for now, depends on if he cooperates with Yeonjun or not… I guess,” he says. “What a shame, I was hoping I’d follow you into the forest but… I don’t know anymore… she’s been in there for too long,” Taehyun looks over at the never-ending cluster of trees beyond the river bank. “Soobin was supposed to signal to us when she got out… so Kai could go pick her up… but… he hasn’t, obviously,” Taehyun sounded tired. “Oh well.” Seonghwa discarded his sword and grabbed Taehyun by the collar.
“What do you mean oh well?” He questions him.
“You could go looking for her if you want. I doubt much will come of it, though,” Taehyun’s tone remained monotonous.
“You’re rather calm for someone who lost Yeonjun’s most prized possession.”
“Accursed knight, I am merely preparing myself for the tantrum that will result. If only she just listened and came back… you don’t understand, Yeonjun’s gone mad, and whenever she isn’t around it gets worse. We’ve tried everything, she’s our last resort. Do you really think we enjoyed seeing her locked up inside like that?” Taehyun’s face falls into that of sympathy. “There are ears everywhere, Seonghwa, be careful,” Taehyun grabs Seonghwa’s wrist and pulls it off of his uniform himself. “Allies come in the strangest of places,” Taehyun picks up Seonghwa’s saber and hands it to him.
“And where will you go?”
“Looking for allies, I suppose,” Taehyun said nothing more and continued down the river bank. Seonghwa turned around and neared the bridge. “And avoiding Fate.” He crossed it without another thought and stopped at the forest’s edge.
“I request an audience with the omnipotent three,” he announced right as he stepped into the path.
~
As soon as the newly crowned Prince was out of earshot, you slumped against the parlor chair, a long and exasperated sigh leaving your lips just as Seonghwa entered the room, taking the chair across from you.
“I see he’s not a fan of Miss Nayeon’s famous cookies,” Seonghwa grabs one from the platter and bites into it. “That one was interesting.”
“He’s very textbook, no?”
“He is, he hit all the normal boxes that most others do, nothing much more, though.”
“I know,” you sat up and took the teapot. “Would you like some?”
“Certainly,” he grabbed one of the unused cups and pushed it towards you. You filled it and slid the saucer towards him.
“Goodness… I’m tired,” you finished the small amount left in your own cup. “Aside from the Winter League, do you know if anyone else is coming?”
“Not to my knowledge, no,” Seonghwa answers. He places his cup on the saucer gently, barely a sound emitting from it. “But, you do have your brother’s birthday ball in a few evenings.”
“Oh, stars above,” you buried your face in your hands. “I forgot about that. Not Namjoon’s birthday, just the whole big party that mother decided to throw for him. What does she aim to do, anyway? Does she just want to show him off, or something?”
“Most likely, his highness is due to take the throne soon after.”
“I suppose, mother never missed an opportunity to parade around her golden child,” you wiped the makeup on your hands against the napkin. “Alright, let’s leave, I’ve been feeling so much more tired as of late,” you stood up and Seonghwa followed, dimming the lamps as he exited.
“Oh, your highness!” San’s voice down the hall was enough to put you in high spirits. Behind him were the two other hooligans who had the honor of being in your personal entourage.
“Fill us in on the details!” Wooyoung exclaims as they caught up with you both. “Did he propose on the spot?”
“Were you listening in that entire time?” Seonghwa asks.
“Shh, not the point,” Yeosang silences him and gestures quietly that they were running bets.
“Sadly for you, Wooyoung, he did not,” you laughed while Wooyoung cried in disappointment, pulling out his money bag and dropping five gold coins in Yeosang’s hand. It was a frequent bet between the two that you had caught onto quickly.
“Listen, highness,” San pushes past everyone and wraps an arm around your shoulders, ushering you down the hall. His voice drops to a whisper while he leans his head towards yours. “If all goes wrong, I know someone who is more than happy to—”
“San,” Seonghwa grabbed onto the back of the younger’s chest harness and yanked him back. “Her highness is not interested in your hand in marriage.”
“Now, now, whoever said that?” You turned around to the group slowly. San’s jaw drop and Seonghwa’s face tenses into one of concern. “I’m joking, of course.”
“(Y/N), love, you can’t just say that to me,” San swoons in Seonghwa’s arms and the older of the brothers drops him onto the ground. San winces dramatically. “You have me on my knees, highness, just say the word!” San comically rolls onto his knees and folds his hands, the sight sending you into more laughter. “Joking, of course. Unless…”
“I’m flattered, San,” you offer your hand out and he takes it, allowing you to pull him up. “But of my entourage, I’d prefer Yeosang.”
“Pardon?” The previously silent knight snaps into attention at his name.
“He’s a wonderful listener.”
“I am a wonderful listener,” he now sports a cheeky smile.
“Now, where are the rest of you? Whenever I see you split it typically means trouble,” you looked further down the hall but saw no one.
“They’re fine, no need to worry,” Wooyoung waves it off. Then Mingi’s loud scream was heard outside the courtyard, accompanied by the three other knights' saddened sighs. “We’ll go check on them. You have a good night, your highness!” The three turned tail and ran to the courtyard.
“Dare I go with them?” You asked Seonghwa.
“For your sanity, it’s best you don’t,” he shakes his head with a small but joking smile. “You’re tired, right? I’ll walk you to your quarters then,” he nudges his head down the hall and you matched his pace.
“It’s pretty tonight,” you looked through the large arches and saw the star-filled skies. Seonghwa followed your gaze.
“I must agree,” the shouts and laughter of the rest of your entourage cut through the peace.
That was one of the last things you both said to each other before falling into a long silence, enjoying each other’s presence during the somewhat long walk to your room and, ever so occasionally, feeling that rush of emotion while your hands brush each other. But, something unusual happened once you arrived at your destination, a strange feeling in your chest that you couldn’t explain. There was something about the way the moonlight filtered into the hallway that changed your cognition, something in the nighttime silence that muddled your thoughts, something in the distance between you and your now sole protector that sent your heart into a fluttering mess. Seonghwa opened the door for you and you stepped in. Just as he made a move to close it, you pushed back on the aged wood. Call it a sudden strike of courage, but your mouth was moving before your brain could process.
“Do you…” your voice trailed off, your logic now grabbing ahold of your head. Seonghwa was looking at you, body turned in full attention, ready for whatever you request of him. “Do you want to come inside?” Seonghwa quirked his eyebrow, he wasn’t expecting that.
“That’s something new, coming from you, your highness,” his tone held a light teasing to it, and his lips curled into a small smile filled with muted amusement.
“No, I don’t mean it that way, it’s just that Prince Felix dragged me everywhere in my own town, so you must’ve gotten tired following us around, so maybe you wanted to rest your legs for a bit… And, well, I find that I’m not too tired yet, maybe having a casual conversation will help me,” Your voice shrank at the end. Seonghwa let out a light chuckle, and you knew your silly attempt at bravery was fruitless, now you were more than ready to say goodbye and end this awkward exchange, but his response threw that idea out of the window.
“I don’t see why not.”
Most fairy tales start out in gardens or forests with the shining sun and gentle breezes, with the purest of interactions and the most fantastical of events. Most fairy tales are rather straightforward in their themes and their messages. But not this one, no. This fairy tale began in the early hours of the morning, long before the sun rose. This fairy tale began in the dark, illuminated only by the modest fire provided by the small lamp next to your bed. This fairy tale began with a secret, one that you were determined to take to your grave.
Seonghwa sat at the chair next to your bed and situated near the balcony. Next to him was the small lamp and in his hands was one of your favorite books that told a tale of a village girl turned princess. And behind him was the full moon high in the sky. Contradicting your words earlier, the conversation you held was rather short. You asked what he had been up to when not busy with your own matters and he listed it to you rather plainly, then that was it. Although, you had to admit, finding out that he had taken up a small hobby in handiwork wasn’t surprising to you. You, meanwhile, took to organizing the room. It was tidy enough as is, but with your impromptu extended invitation, you found that you needed to do something, anything, to rid this feeling in your chest.
Maybe this was a bad idea.
“(Y/N)?” His voice was quiet. You had always liked the way he said your name, and you wished that he did it more. You turned to him.
“I don’t often hear you call me that,” you snickered quietly. “What do you need?”
“You’ve rearranged your jewelry box six times,” he closes the book and places it on the table, “am I making you feel awkward? The last thing I want to do is overstay my welcome,” he says.
“Yes, a little,” you answered and quickly covered your mouth when you realized that you answered him out loud. Although his shocked expression was certainly one that you found entertaining.
“Ah, I apologize then, I’ll return in the morning then,” he made a move to stand up, but you stopped him.
“Wait, hold on,” you sat on your bed across from him. “I need to ask you something important,” you heard your heartbeat and you felt it pound against your chest. Could he tell?
“Go on,” he looked you in the eye as he said it. If not for the dim lighting he would’ve most likely seen the sheer embarrassment etched on your face. Silence followed.
“I’m not sure… I’m not sure how to properly say this,” you finally mustered out. “I—” Seonghwa cut you off with a sad laugh. He leaned back on the chair and covered his eyes with his hand.
“Stars above…” he mumbles. “We can’t do this, (Y/N).”
So he did know.
But, more importantly, he said we.
“So I’ll take this as a rejection, then,” you kept your voice at a quiet level. Seonghwa looks away, seemingly at nothing. You could tell that he was thinking, he was weighing his options in his head.
And that he was. Seonghwa couldn’t bring himself to look at you, for surely if he did, he’d break right there and profess every single feeling he’s had for you since who knows when. Was it when you first opened your door, when he was awestruck that the princess was just right there. Or was it when he found you in the hedge maze? He had spent hours running through every single intersection to find you, and once he finally did he could not deny the pang that went through his chest when he saw you pushed against the corner of the dead end. He could never forget the guilt he felt, the guilt for not being there sooner, the guilt for not being able to find you before the sunset. He remembered the promise he made to himself then, did he mix up empathy for love? No, perhaps it was that day you stole bread in the kitchens, he could never forget your pure unabashed determination to feed those random kittens you found in the courtyard, he thought it admirable at first, but was it something else? And was this something else the same thing that brought him to wait under your balcony when he saw the dim lights of your lanterns from the knight’s quarters?
Seonghwa took a deep breath and looked at you fully. There was that determination again, but it was hidden with another mask of… what was it, fear? No, that couldn’t have been it. You weren’t afraid of something horrific, you were afraid of the repercussions this would cause on your relationship. Seonghwa’s usual strict expression finally fell.
“No, I wouldn’t call it that,” he finally says.
“Then what is this?”
“Whatever it is, we can’t do it,” Seonghwa shook his head again. “Imagine what would happen. (Y/N), we can’t be selfish about this. You know your place, and I know mine.”
He had a point. Your purpose was always to solidify relations with some chosen kingdom, and his was to make sure you were alive long enough to see that through.
“But that doesn’t mean that we can’t,” you continued. “Don’t you think… we both deserve to be happy? If we both feel the same way, maybe we could—”
“We can’t.” Seonghwa denied it again. “We should just forget this night ever happened,” Seonghwa stood up now and dimmed the light for you. “Good night, your highness.” He shut the door behind you, leaving you in the dark. You stood up to follow him, your hand resting on its handle, but you made no movements. Instead, you pressed your head against the wooden door and sighed. He was right, he always was. You did think about the repercussions every so now and then when you had to pull yourself down from your fantasies and remember the reality of it all.
Your parents would be furious. They made it very clear to you since you were young that your sole purpose to the royal family was diplomatic and they never sugar-coated it. For the longest time you accepted this, you looked at each suitor indifferently and with this in mind. If you were destined to be a pawn of the family then you’d might as well look for the best of qualities in them. So why now? Why now that you’ve decided to be selfish it happens to be with the one person who was just so close, but so unattainable?
Was this even worth it?
You stepped back from the door, still staring at it.
You’ve never wanted anything more in your life.
You opened the door, ready to run after him, but you soon found that you didn’t need to, no, because Seonghwa was holding onto the handle on the other side. You looked at him and he looked at you, it was a conversation that needed no words, as all you needed to know was written in his eyes alone. He took the first step towards you and, in that short instant, his lips were on yours, and all felt right. You pulled him into your room and he closed the door behind him. You separated now, closer than you’d ever been before, and again you gazed at each other.
It all just felt so… right.
Then, pushed to the door, he kissed you again and sparks were shared. His hands moved so that one cupped the side of your face and the other stayed at your hip, while your hands bundled his dress shirt under them. It was now you realized the difference between lover and suitor. You felt him push you back towards the bed now, and he made sure you were lowered upon it with grace.
The internal argument you always had with yourself, was Seonghwa a knight or a friend, was completely demolished with every flittering touch or sweet caress. Any thoughts you had of the previous suitors before left every time his fingers laced with yours. Where every touch sent you into a dizzying spiral of love and desire, every word spoken grounded you and brought you back to your senses.
For eight years he watched your suitors come and go, each trying their best to woo you over from gifts of grandeur to gestures of love, and each time he felt your own mortification inwardly, even after a singular month he had learned what you loved and what you hated. He learned your tastes and preferences from mere observation alone, he learned your smaller actions that signal to your thoughts and he learned your speech patterns that indicated your feelings on who you were speaking to. He knew you so much better than any of the other suitors combined. And now he learned where you liked to be touched, to be held, and to be loved. He learned your ins and outs within one night as opposed to what suitors would never even get close to after years. He didn’t know what surprised him more, the fact that he confessed with his heart, or the fact that you felt the same way.
It was dizzying, it was fantastical, and it was all you both had ever wanted.
Most fairy tales start with symbols of a pure love, but here you were. Your tale begun enshrouded in the safety of night and with a secretive moment.
Then Choi Yeonjun came to visit the very next morning.
General Tag List: @vickylamore @deobis-moon @mizzdivagirl7-blog @sehunnies-hunnie96 @yangsrose @bat-shark-repellant @cloudreads @raeincitizen @here-aeth @lune1897 @gaiyofanfiction
Summary: In a time where to love a knight was considered high treason, a life of chaos was brought to a swift end with your fairy tale ending nowhere in sight. But when the knight plead to Fate, she took pity on him, and thus formed the gamble that would rupture the Heavens.
[Teaser]
[Main Masterlist] | [Fate's Gamble Masterlist]
Notes: Hi all! I’m rewriting the A Tricky Game of Fate series! In short I didn’t like the pacing of it, a couple of the descriptions were off, and I overall just wanted to do a massive rewrite for it. I hope you will support this series nonetheless! (Yes I know I promised no new series but this one is technically a very old one that I’ve been wanting to rewrite so here it is! And I also promised to bring it back by Kingdom, so ta da hehe)
Disclaimer: Please remember that this is an AU and a work of fiction, obviously the idols mentioned/written about in this story would never partake in these actions. The idols mentioned in this work are meant to be seen more as face claims rather than the actual idols themselves.
Kim (Y/N)
Profession: Princess of the Southern Kingdom
Description: The Clever Princess was unknowingly thrown into the vortex that was Fate’s Gamble, forever destined to be rid of luck, but blessed with an unrivaled brilliance, save for her older brother.
Comments from Fate: Time’s Champion is an interesting one, she ran all of her bets through the princess and so far she’s done quite well in reaping her rewards. I envy the little princess, very few people are deserving of suitor who’s willing to go through so much.
Park Seonghwa
Profession: Knight of the Templar (Previously),
Description: The Accursed Knight knows suffering as if it were him. He fears nothing and has willing jumped into the void of the unknown many a time, he had been known for his willpower, but one must question whether it will soon waver.
Comments from Fate: The knight came to me on a rainy day, not a very good look, certainly. But the way he begged and the way I saw his destiny, I couldn’t help but be curious to his infinite possibilities, much to the dismay of my coworkers. However, my Champion has yet to win, and he has the highest stakes.
Choi Yeonjun
Profession: Prince of the Northern Kingdom (Previously), King of the Northern Kingdom (Previously),
Description: The Corrupted King has long been a pawn of Death. He was once known as Death’s Orchestrator, but has since forgotten his roots. Controlling may he be, he knows how to pick his battles, and there have been many a time his ice heart was melted by a certain princess.
Comments from Fate: Death’s Champion is a tricky one, and one I’m not entirely fond of. Whether he chose to forget his once life purpose or if he did so against his own accord I will never know, the workings of Death are beyond my reckoning.
Kim Namjoon
Profession: Prince of the Southern Kingdom (Previously), King of the Southern Kingdom (Previously)
Description: The Intelligent King is one many have become envious of, having achieved great success in many timelines it’s a curious thing that many people are only aware of the most recent reincarnation of the born genius.
Comments from Fate: I have never paid much attention to the King, not until I realized that he often takes favor on the Accursed Knight for reasons that seem beyond my knowledge. I can’t help but think that he is a free agent of sorts, working for someone who I am not aware of.
Fate
Profession: I write the stories of the many lives the walk the Earth, a very pressuring job, I must say, and my library is getting rather expansive.
Description: Oh to write a description of myself, I have been called many names. Clotho, The World’s Author, Destiny, Cruelty, I was among the first to escape the Chaos that was the world and I was among the three to bring order to it.
Conditions: Once my Champion fulfills his condition, I will be granted unequivocal power in the Heavens, one I have long deserved.
Comments from Fate: I don’t quite think it would do me well to comment on myself, I’ve become quite the narcissist as of late.
Time
Profession: Time is that itself.
Description: Time is in charge of how long one gets to be on this Earth, the wretch loves to tear through my stories when I’m not paying attention and limiting how many words and pages I am allowed to ink. Though she does well in remembering that we are not to meddle with the workings of Death.
Conditions: Every time her champion fulfills her conditions, Time is allowed to meddle in the workings of humanity once. The chaos she brings is immeasurable.
Comments from Fate: Mischievous as she is, I would be lying if I said I loathed her presence, I do, however, loath her confidence
Death
Profession: Death is that itself.
Description: Swift and unforgiving is how she does her job. She writes the endings of my stories, and usually very abruptly. To pen one’s fate in red ink is to seal it forever.
Conditions: Should Death’s champion win, she is allowed to write the foundation of the next timeline.
Comments from Fate: Death works beyond my reasoning, our conversations are short for if they were any longer I fear it would bring an end to the carefully crafter harmony that took eons to establish.
General Tag List: @vickylamore @yeongwvnhi @mizzdivagirl7-blog @sehunnies-hunnie96 @roses09020617 @bat-shark-repellant @cloudreads @awesomei @raeincitizen @here-aeth
A Tricky Game of Fate: @lovely-manette @gaiyofanfiction @shiningstar-byulxx
*Those of you on ATGOF’s Tag List, please let me know if you want me to take you off, now that the series is being rewritten to a certain extent.
If you want to be on the tag list please let me know through reply, ask, or dm!
Notes: Every series of mine has a smaller mini series, so I figured I could flex my children’s poetry writing skills for this one. If you’ve read Chapter 2 then I think you’ll know who this one is based off of, hehe. If not once I get to updating the masterlist it’ll explain who it is, and as a hint, no this is not about Yeonjun haha.
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[Main Masterlist] | [Fate’s Gamble Masterlist]
Once a long time ago,
There was a king as pale as snow,
He would watch as the others would frolic and play,
Only for him to be locked away.
Many years later when prince became king,
He heard the death bells ring,
Over and over with their rumbling thunder,
The king was led asunder.
Driven by grief and jealousy,
He did the one thing he could do faithfully,
He snuck into the cottage of the witch Fate,
And stole a vial bitter to taste.
Gone was the heart of gold,
Filled with a void as if it had been sold,
His teeth soon bared into fangs,
And such closed with menacing clangs.
A vial that allowed him eternal life,
One that would keep the sickness at bay,
But with a price that kept his heart in a state of strife,
And the King would soon waste away.
Let this be a reminder,
To never seek more than you deserve.
@ Fate's Gamble crew (the ones who know) is there a possibility of people other than Seonghwa (and sometimes Yeonjun if that's still a thing) remembering other timelines? Whether that's all of the timelines or just 1
Fate: “It is a possibility... When you bend the rules of reality there’s a chance that some stowaways get thrown into the mix, certainly, but myself and the others are quick to be sure it’s not detrimental.”
Time: “There have been a couple of people we had to intervene with to avoid any more complications, yes, but it’s very rare.”
Death: “Indeed, although should they escape us it could cause a rupture in the gamble, and that would be, to put it simply, tragic.”
Bright eyes and with a beautiful intention,
Most of this should go without mention,
And as he is surrounded by those he would love,
He found no reason to allow push to go to shove.
Soft eyes his touch was no more than gentle,
For he feared his strength could bend even metal,
It is with a certain delicacy that he moves about,
And it is this delicacy that would sow the seeds of doubt.
Narrowed eyes and with a speed faster than light,
He charged at the assaulter with a powerful blight,
But it would soon be for naught for he was a step too late,
And in this move he found his first mistake.
Dark eyes and with a ruined intention,
Most of this should go without mention,
For he had lost one of those he had loved,
To forces that he could not dream to be shoved.
Changed the man necessarily became,
With deep-rooted motives mixed with fears,
It became known how quickly he chose to maim
Those who exhibited intentions to harm those he held dear.
Let this be a reminder,
To hold your desires with an iron grasp.