Days in the Sun- Chen
Royal AU
AU List
word count:11,697
Prince Baek, Prince Jongin
Days in the sun Will return, we must believe As lovers do
That days in the sun will come shining through (x)
“Welcome, Princess. We hope you enjoy your stay here.” the radiant queen held your hands in a generous welcome.
You smile and nod your head. “I’m honored to be a guest in your beautiful home.”
The king and queen smile brightly but your eyes drift past them, to the prince who stood brooding in the back.
“Our son is also excited to meet you. We hope you two will bond well during your stay.” the king adds.
The prince’s eyes meet yours in the most uninterested fashion. You could of sworn he was trying his hardest not to roll his eyes.
“Yes, I wish to leave a good impression before I depart.” You politely say.
“And there is plenty of time before that! You aren’t too homesick yet, are you?”
You shake your head. It has been a long few months of traveling to various kingdoms, but this was your last stop before returning home. “Not in the slightest. It’s been a wonderful experience to travel abroad.” You explain. The statement was true for the most part. There were some kingdoms you wished you never had to step foot in again, but they didn’t need to know that. And you were sure they were aware of why you were on such diplomatic travels to begin with.
The king and queen nod in understanding, and then call upon a servant to take your belongings.
“Our home is your home, princess. Feel free to roam around and acquaint yourself, or you can follow the servants to see where you’ll be staying and rest up before dinner.”
You curtsey to the king and queen and they bow their heads in return before departing. The prince stands for a moment longer as his parents pass, scrutinizing you before turning away.
“Will I have the honor of having a proper introduction from the prince?”
He stops mid step, squaring his shoulders before he turns back to you. When he walks back to you, you almost want to step away in intimidation. His sharp features add intensity to his gaze, making you feel small despite the prince not being that much taller than you. With ample distance between you, he bows a full 90 degrees for a long moment. When he doesn’t move, you take your cue to curtsey just as low. Together, you both rise to standing, eyes on one another the entire time.
“Prince Jongdae, at your service.”
You tell him your name in return, but he doesn’t so much as blink at the mention, just bows his head and then turns to leave.
You watch his retreating back, getting lost in thought over the enigma that is the prince.
“Don’t worry yourself, your highness.”
The servant’s call startles you out of your contemplation.
“He comes off very cold, but I assure you, there is good in him.”
You nod, mulling over her words. Even though he hasn’t made the most charismatic first impression, you will give him the benefit of the doubt. You decide to follow the servant to see where you’ll be staying, knowing you’ll have plenty of time to explore and learn more about the cold prince in the coming weeks.
You received the call that dinner would be served shortly, so you take it upon yourself to find your way there without any help. The castle was large, but not intimidating and windows lined nearly every hallway, leaving no traces of darkness. You memorized your way to your room well enough to trace it back to the main hall where dinner would be held in one of the parlors.
When you were shown the proper room, you enter to find the king and queen already seated, but no prince in sight. Between the two plates left, you sat next to the queen, assuming the prince would sit at the right hand of the king.
“Jongdae should be here shortly, he’s probably washing up after practice. If you’re hungry you may begin to eat, we understand it was a long day for you.” The queen said.
“Not at all.” You reply. As hungry as you were, you would wait for the prince, wanting to make a good impression on him.
The prince strolled in a few minutes later without a word, not even apologizing for keeping everyone waiting. He quietly took his seat across from his mother, meeting eyes with everyone, even you. He held your gaze for an extra long moment before looking away and grabbing a roll off the plate.
“How was practice?” The king asked, breaking the silence.
“It went well.” Jongdae answered, showing no sign of elaborating.
The king and queen shared a look for a moment before trying a different approach.
“Well, if you don’t have any other plans for the evening, maybe you can give the princess a tour of the palace grounds.”
Jongdae’s eyes looked up to meet yours so quickly you almost missed it. He remained silent as he continued to eat his food.
Next to you, the queen adjusted herself before taking the situation into her own hands. She turned to you before speaking.
“So, princess, how have your travels been?”
“Quite well.” You mimicked the prince’s earlier response. The queen gave a smile as you looked to see if the prince was paying attention. “It’s been almost a year since I’ve been home for longer than a few weeks, but I’m enjoying the journey.”
“I suppose when you return home it won’t be for long anyway, is that right?” The king asked.
And he was right. The diplomatic tour you were on was to meet potential suitors, which meant that when you arrive home, it wouldn’t be long before one would come forward to offer a union.
“You are correct, your majesty.”
“Hopefully you’ve saved the best for last.” The queen added with a mischievous smile as the king breaks into laughter.
You instantly blush at her implication, looking down at your plate and filling your mouth with a spoonful of food to hide your embarrassment. Hesitantly, you look up to see the prince already staring at you, looking completely expressionless, save for his slightly raised brow.
“I’m only joking, of course. Well, sort of.” The queen tried to soothe. “We understand the decision will be partly yours as well, and only wish you the best. There will be no hard feelings.”
“Thank you, your majesty.”
After dinner was finished, the king and queen retired to another parlor for desserts, offering you an invitation to you as well. But you didn’t miss the look the king gave the prince, who suddenly spoke up before you could accept their offer.
“I can give you a tour, if you are still interested.”
“Of course.”
His parents nod and wander off while you follow the prince out of room.
You walk side by side as he leads you around the various parts of the castle. You retained most of the information well enough to feel like you won’t get lost on your own. The entire time, though, the prince kept his gaze forward, talking more like he was giving a lecture than making casual conversation. It was hard not to feel a bit hurt, but you weren’t planning on giving up any time soon. His hard exterior only made you want to work harder on breaking it down.
He ended the tour taking you outside to the gardens. He explained there were multiple entrances and this one in particular was close to where you were staying. When he was finished talking, he drifted away to lean on the rail that separated the higher level of the garden from the lower. You take a chance to walk up beside him and lean on it as well. It doesn’t go unnoticed how he turned slightly away from you.
“Thank you for the tour, Jongdae. I already feel more comfortable being here.”
He looks forward, and you take it as his version of ‘you’re welcome’.
You try to think of more to say, something light that won’t put him off and will get him to talk to you more openly, but words fail. You watch as he looks up at the full and bright moon.
“Will you be comfortable enough to make it back to your chambers by yourself?”
His question catches you off guard, leaving you only to nod in response.
He steps away from the rail and faces you. “Then please excuse me, I have something I need to do.” He says. He bows fully to you before leaving you alone in the beautiful but chilly night.
The next morning, you have tea with just the queen while king and the prince were off on a morning ride. When they return you would join them for breakfast.
The queen invited you to her personal parlor where only her guests were allowed to visit, not even the king was allowed inside. It was a small and comfortable room with a tall window perfectly placed to let the morning light pour in.
“How was the rest of your evening, princess? Did the prince give you a proper tour?”
“Yes, I’m already feeling more comfortable here. He even showed me the gardens, which are absolutely lovely.”
“Good!” The queen beamed. “And did he escort you back to your room?”
“Yes.” The lie came very easily. Something within you told you that the king and queen were aware of their difficult son. So if you had a chance to help relieve the pressure they put on him, you would do it in a heartbeat.
“Wonderful. I’m glad to hear Jongdae still remembers how to be a gentleman.” The queen laughed. You smiled along to make sure she wouldn’t suspect your lie. You only hoped that if they ask Jongdae the same question, he too will give the same response.
The conversation went on for only a little while longer. Soon enough someone came in to inform that the king and prince arrived and that breakfast was being served.
Breakfast went along in the same fashion as your tea with the queen did. You put yourself forward to ask how the ride went, but of course, when Jongdae remained silent the king spoke up to cover the awkwardness that began to fill the air. The king in return, asked about your evening and before you could answer, the queen spoke up excitedly how wonderful Jongdae had treated you. The entire time she spoke you kept your eyes on the prince, watching as his eyes widened only briefly, followed by him nearly choking when the king asked him to confirm what was just said.
“Yes.” was all he managed to say. The king wore a matching smile to the queen’s as they continued to chat excitedly, leaving you and the prince to have a staring contest as you finished the meal.
You excused yourself afterwards, wanting to do more in depth exploration of the palace, but as soon as you rounded the corner out of the room, someone grabbed your wrist.
“Why did you say those things?” Jongdae spoke into your ear. He didn’t sound cross, but genuinely curious by your actions.
You turn around and take a step back, surprised at how close he was to you.
“What things?”
“You know what, about last night.”
You looked down, and his eyes followed. When he realized he still held your wrist he immediately let go and placed his hands at his sides.
“Would you rather I let them give you a hard time?” You say honestly.
He struggles to come up with something to say for a moment and then settles with, “No. Thank you, for doing that.”
“You’re welcome.”
He scrutinizes you for a moment longer before speaking again.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
You roll your eyes. “No, I didn’t. But there are bigger things to worry about, so let’s just forget it okay?”
The expression on his face seems unreadable for a second. He looked hurt, possibly even sad, but he quickly schooled his features to the stoic prince you first laid eyes on.
“It’s already forgotten.”
He steps back to bow slightly, and then leaves before you could fit in another word.
The whirlwind of emotions overwhelms you, you weren’t sure if you were really mad, annoyed, or what have you. You didn’t mean to sound angry with him, you were only trying to help him even though he didn’t do much to earn such kindness. In the end, you felt sad about how the conversation ended and how quickly he reverted to his cold personality. You were really starting to believe that you and the prince would never share a happy moment, even though you had only just arrived the other day.
The rest of the day you spent alone for the most part. The prince did well to avoid you because you hadn’t seen him at all since the morning. The queen passed you a couple times and asked how you were doing and if you weren’t too lonely. Of course she offered you to find Jongdae and have lunch with him or ask him to show you the stables or do anything really. You could only smile and politely accept the idea.
Sometime after dinner, you wandered the halls a bit to walk off the big meal. Up head you noticed Jongdae cross the hall, so you do the most un-princess like thing and run after him. You were lucky to catch him just as he was going up the stairs.
“Prince Jongdae!” You call to him. He stops in his tracks and turns to you.
“Good evening, princess.”
You reach the landing and stop to catch your breath. You slightly curse yourself for getting his attention before you could figure out what you were even going to ask. In the meantime, he watches you, eyebrow slightly quirked as if he was entertained by you.
“I wanted to know if you have some time to spare. Maybe we can take a walk outside, the air is lovely tonight.” You felt foolish for being the one to ask, as if he was the one to be courted, but you were getting tired of waiting for him to come around.
“Another time, princess. I have other matters to attend to.” He was just about to bow when you speak up.
“That was your excuse last time.” You state point blank.
“I am quite busy, unfortunately. I will have a better answer for you tomorrow.”
“Do you promise?”
In the darkness of the hall, you don’t miss the slight change in his expression.
“If you wish it, then so it shall be.” He says gracefully, and you can’t help feel butterflies form in your stomach.
With nothing left to say, you nod your head dismissing him.
He had broken his promise. But not flat out.
You waited for him for a little bit by the main garden entrance. He apologized first for being late, and then because he had to reschedule the date. It was very easy to hide your disappointment, so you were sure he believed you when you cut off his attempt at an excuse and said, “Another time, then.” and left before he could say more.
That was over a week ago. You were well into your second week into staying at the palace and you were still waiting to spend some time alone with him. Or at least alone for longer than 10 minutes. Your new mission was to catch him, preferably in the company of his parents and ask him to take you out, where he would have no choice but to agree.
It was a shame you had to resort to a set up, but you were almost convinced he forgot why you were even there in the first place.
You knew he was in a meeting somewhere in the palace, so you traversed the halls innocently, hoping to catch him soon after he finished.
Luck struck when you see him exit one of the parlors just some distance ahead. This time, you don’t even call out to him, but stealthy run up and link your arm through his before he could escape.
“Princess!” he shouts, grabbing his chest. You barely stifle a laugh, really not expecting to have startled him this much.
“I believe we have some business to attend to.” You tell him.
“I’m sorry, I can’t right now-“
“Jongdae!” another person calls, one that was male.
The prince stops walking and you’re forced to stop as well. He doesn’t turn to answer the call, and before you could turn your head, an arm is linked through your other one.
“So this is the princess I’ve heard about.” The new person says. You look up at him and are instantly dazzled by his brilliant smile and aura.
“Yes, Baekhyun. She’s visiting here before she returns to her kingdom.”
“Just for fun? I don’t believe I’ve heard Jongdae talk about you before.”
“I’m afraid it’s not for fun.” You sigh, letting go of Jongdae’s arm to walk with the other handsome boy. “I am to be married soon, so I am here for diplomatic matters.”
“Ahhh, suitor business. It must be very tiring.”
“You have no idea.”
“You’re absolutely right, I don’t. It’s almost always the princess who travels abroad. You women are very commendable.” He adds, which makes you smile instantly. It’s a shame he wasn’t one of your chosen suitors because he was certainly the most charming one you’ve met.
“Baekhyun,” you hear Jongdae whine somewhere behind you. The other prince turns to you with a mischievous smile.
“Jongdae is a smart and loyal prince. I think you would be very happy with him.” Baekhyun says to you.
“Oh really? He hasn’t demonstrated any of those qualities to me.”
Baekhyun pulls you closer to whisper so only you could hear. “Give him time. He’s been through a lot, but as his best friend, I can assure you he is what all princes aspire to be. And he will show you soon enough.”
You look up at him, and he smiles at you, one that was warm and genuine. You try to debate if you could really trust him. As Jongdae’s best friend, he could be saying all that stuff just to promote Jongdae as a best friend should. But there was something about the way he spoke that you couldn’t help but believe him. Maybe it was his charm, or maybe it was the way he got extra serious when talking about Jongdae. Either way, the prince would have to thank his best friend heavily because now you were willing to give him another chance.
“I’ll take your word for it.” You whisper back to Baekhyun. He pats your hand with a smile and then let’s you go, pushing you in Jongdae’s direction.
“I believe you owe her a lunch date, Jongdae.”
“And what about you?” You turn to ask.
“I’ll be here for the rest of the week. He has time to make it up to me.” He jokes. “And we’ll have more time to chat and get to know each other.”
Jongdae comes up and links your arm into his. “You’ll be sick of him by tomorrow.” He says to you.
Baekhyun winks before disappearing, leaving you alone with the prince.
“He’s very charming.”
“That’s what he’s known for.” Jongdae replies.
“You’re very lucky to have each other.” You look up to see Jongdae watching his best friend before looking to you. There was a softness in his eyes.
“You’re right. And now, I believe we have a lunch date to go on.”
You made a mental note to thank Baekhyun for being a good wingman.
Jongdae led you outside, where a table was set up in a hidden corner of the garden. You were skeptical since he was taking you where no one would even see you, but you got over that really quickly. It was the most beautiful part of the garden you had seen yet. The entrance was through a large arbor that was blossoming with beautiful bright flowers, the small area was hidden by a tall hedge of rose bushes of all colors.
“Jongdae, this place is beautiful.” You tell him as he pulls your chair out for you to sit. Once he pushes you in he takes the seat next to you, and you notice a smile on his lips.
“It’s a very special place. Not everyone is allowed to come here.”
You blink at him, surprised he took you somewhere so private. If it weren't for Baekhyun, you probably would have never discovered this side of the prince.
“You’re very different with Baekhyun around.”
The prince laughs. “Yes, he brings out sides of me I often forget about.”
The conversation goes quiet while two servants bring out your meal, but once they were out of earshot, you begin again. Since discovering this side of Jongdae, you figured that keeping Baekhyun as the topic would allow Jongdae to be more comfortable. So you ask how long they’ve been friends and how that came to be, if he’s ever visited Baekhyun’s kingdom and stuff like that.
“He has to return soon. He hasn’t told me yet, but I think he will ascend to the throne soon.”
“That’s fantastic news! I take it he has a queen already?”
Jongdae smiles, but you can tell it’s a sad one.
“Oh, I’m sorry. That’s quite a personal question. I just assumed since he’s so lively, surely he’s found not just a queen, but true love as well.”
“Has he told you his life story or are you just really good at guessing?” the prince asks you, and you laugh in response.
“Jongdae, that boy radiates love. Without a doubt I can say he’s in love.”
“He was.”
Your smile immediately drops. “Was?”
“Yes. She loved him too, but it wasn’t meant to be. She wasn’t a princess.”
“Not every queen starts off as a princess.”
“Not every queen starts off as a commoner either.”
You gasp, covering your mouth with your hand. You felt your heart ache at this news.
“Oh, the poor thing.” You say apologetically.
“She left him because she knew she would never be good enough, at least not in other people’s eyes.” Jongdae explains.
“It must have been very hard on both of them to be so in love.”
Jongdae just nods his head, looking a bit detached. Something tells you he’s either suffered because his best friend has suffered with love, or that Jongdae knows the feeling all too well himself.
You bring up your glass to make a toast.
“To us, to finding love and happiness in our lives. And for Baekhyun as well.”
A smile bursts onto his face as he lifts his glass as well and touches it to yours before you both take a sip.
The prince escorts you back to the palace with a smile on his face, and you were feeling like you were on cloud nine. Baekhyun was right, as long as you were patient with Jongdae, he would open up to you. The lunch went well, leaving you both in high spirits. Even though it came to an end, you were feeling a lot more optimistic about your relationship with Jongdae.
“I hate to keep telling you this, but there’s one more meeting I must attend to. Baekhyun won't be there, so you can seek out his company if you’d like.” The prince tells you.
“I understand.” You reply truthfully.
“I will see you at dinner then.” He gives your hand a squeeze before letting you go and leaves to attend the meeting. It was a good opportunity for you to spend some time alone with your thoughts and reflect on the progress you two have made.
The meeting the prince was in goes on longer than you expected. Eventually you and Baekhyun ran into each other and spent the rest of the afternoon in each other’s company. You were careful not to let on about all the things you and Jongdae talked about, but you did delight Baekhyun with the good news that the date went well.
“I’m worried, though.”
“Why’s that?” he asks.
“I’ve been here for two weeks and that date was the most time we ever spent together. During my other visits, the other prince’s were already courting me if not ready to propose before I even had time to unpack.
“Those beasts.” Baekhyun says lowly, causing you to laugh.
“They were very unlikable.”
“So what are you afraid of?”
“That I’ll be on my way home before Jongdae figures out if he has any interest in me. Then I won’t know if he was ever an option.”
Baekhyun thinks it over, leaving you both in a quiet moment.
“What more, I do really like him, Baekhyun.”
He turns to you excitedly. “You do?!”
“Strange enough, yes. Or at least, I’m willing to give him a chance. He’s still detached, like he’s holding back as if he’s doing this more for me than for the both of us.”
Baekhyun looks like he has something to say, but remains silent. You stop, hoping he will chose to say what’s on his mind.
“I’ve said before, he’s been through hard times. I know he’s trying. He will open his heart eventually.”
“I’m running out of time,” you explain. “But I’ll do my best to be patient.”
Baekhyun looks you over before replying. “You’re afraid someone you don’t like will propose first.”
“Isn’t that completely rational? There were some places I was counting down the minutes until I could leave.”
“It is,” he agrees. “I’ll talk with Jongdae. I’ll keep it vague, but I’ll see if I can give him a push in the right direction.”
“Thank you Baekhyun. I owe you 2 debts now.”
He laughs, pulling you close to him as you continued your walk.
“Nothing for nothing, you really think you can be happy with him?”
You don’t hesitate to respond. “I do. I know that he won’t mistreat me at least, the way I fear others will. Detached as he may be, he’s not doing it to hurt me, but protect himself. That much I’m sure.”
“Fair enough.”
And that was the end of that conversation.
It ended up being just you and the queen at dinner. You politely asked to remain after it was over to ensure Jongdae would have his meal. The queen looked impressed and thanked you for the company as she left. In the meantime, you asked the servants to prepare food for the prince so that it would be warm when he arrived.
He arrived shortly after, you hadn’t even gotten that bored waiting for him. Noticing how tired he looked and how he massaged at his temples immediately made you want to go up and relieve him of the stress, and you weren’t entirely sure why.
“Here’s a warm plate of food for you.” You tell him. He looks up as if he didn’t even know you were in the room.
“Oh, thank you. I didn’t expect you to still be here.”
You smile. “It wasn’t that long of a wait.”
He sat down next to you but he didn’t touch his food yet. “I'm sorry I’m late.”
“You’re forgiven.” You couldn’t harbor any ill will after seeing the toll the meeting has taken on him.
He replaced the cover on his food and stood up abruptly. “I’m going to take my dinner to my room.”
“Are you sure? If there’s something you need to talk about, I will listen.”
“No. It’s not a burden to share.”
You make your way to stand, but he holds out his hand.
“I appreciate the offer. But I need to be alone.”
Your watch him take his plate and leave, your mouth agape. Whenever you believed you could make progress, he surprised you by taking 100 steps backwards. All you were trying to do was show you can be considerate, loyal, and understanding companion. What more could you possibly do to earn his trust?
Days continued to pass and you found yourself spending most of them with Baekhyun rather than Jongdae. Of course, on his last day, Jongdae appeared out of the blue and you both sent Baekhyun off with well wishes. As soon as Baekhyun disappeared in the distance, Jongdae left without another word, and you couldn’t even bring yourself to attempt to stop him.
You spent most of the afternoon in the library, hiding away from everyone. Not that you had much company to begin with. Unexpectedly, someone finds you in the corner you were hidden in.
“Your Highness, there is a letter for you.”
You put your book down and accept it. “From whom?”
“Your family.”
You start to tear open the envelope, and the servant takes the cue to leave. You hardly ever received letters while you were abroad, so something serious must have occurred.
Holding the letter out, you scan the contents very quickly, and then your heart stops.
Dearest daughter,
We request you make preparations to return home. A suitor has requested your hand in marriage, therefore you will no longer need to continue your travels.
A troop has been sent to retrieve you. We can’t wait to see you at home. Travel safely.
Love, the King and Queen.
You leave the letter discarded somewhere on the floor as you rush out of the library. You had to tell Jongdae.
Luckily you didn’t have to go far once you exited the wing because he was standing by the gardens entrance not too far off.
“Prince Jongdae,” you call to him. You surprised yourself by the sudden formality. “I have to tell you something.”
He turns around, waiting for you to continue.
“I just received a letter, asked to return home. Apparently someone has requested to propose.”
“I know.”
You stop short. “You what?”
“I know of the arrangement.”
It takes all your might not to strangle him on the spot. “Do you know to whom?”
“Yes. They were here to inform me that you are no longer eligible for marriage.”
Your stomach dropped. You knew exactly who the suitor was. And now you knew why Jongdae was so stressed the week before. The suitor in question was capable of bringing anyone to their knees.
“And you just allowed him to tell you so? Did you even attempt to fight for your chance?” You nearly shout. It upset you that Jongdae allowed himself to be walked all over, but it made another thing clear. “You were never interested in marriage. I see.”
“That’s not entirely true.”
“Isn’t it? You haven’t shown an ounce of interest in courting me and now some monster has scared you out of even trying. Can you imagine how he's going to treat me if this is how he treated you, in your own home?!”
You were nothing short of hysterical. Fear was creeping up into every inch of your being. And if this monster could bully the prince, in his own home, then how were you going to survive being this monster’s queen, or plaything for that matter.
Something within the prince seemed to change as he came up to you and placed his hands on your shoulders.
“I think you’re scaring yourself more than necessary.”
You push him away. “I’ve been in his home. I’ve lived with him for barely two weeks, I know what he’s capable of.”
Jongdae’s demeanor changes once more. “Has he hurt you? Did he lay a hand upon you?”
His change in character is nothing short of surprise to you. “Thankfully, no. I’ve always had a personal guard with me. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t tried other means.”
You watch the prince process the information. A stern crease is between his brow, giving the illusion he was seriously considering something.
“I will court you, then.”
You raise your brow. “It’s too late for that.”
“No.” He cuts you off. “We still have time until your escort arrives, and when they do, you can send a letter back with them.”
You eye him skeptically. “If you really believe it will work,”
“It will.” He says firmly. You aren’t entirely convinced, but momentarily you are relieved of fear. You step back, examining him in full. He looks stressed once more, but you can’t feel pity for him because you are just as stressed on the inside. You begin to step away, and you see him hesitate to say something. But you don’t wait to see that he does, and return to your chambers.
Since the talk of marriage proposal, the prince has been an entirely different person. All of a sudden he has time for you, and spends most of the day either with you or asking if there’s anything he can do to take your mind off things.
The king and queen are none the wiser. They don't ask questions and take it for what they see, their son finally opening up and showing interest in someone.
Sometimes, you liked to test the prince’s boundaries, just to see how willing he was to play along.
You were tucked away in the library most of the day, with the prince stopping in from time to time to remind you that you had to eat and things like that. You returned back to your spot after dinner, and shortly after Jongdae joined you.
He sat across from you on a comfy couch, reading through some notes he had from a meeting. “Would you like me to bring us dessert? There are some fresh pastries in the kitchen.”
You shake your head. “No, but I would like to go out for a little. We’ve been inside all day.”
He follows you, putting down his reading material and offers his arm to you as he leads you out of the library.
Outside, the air was crisp now that the warm months were transitioning to cool ones. You instinctively leaned closer into him, trying to absorb his body heat as you two walked around the gardens. He stops on the balcony where he took you your very first day.
You let go of him, finding a spot of your own, but he keeps close, whether it was to keep you near and warm or because it was a part of this new act he was doing. You didn’t know which you preferred.
“They will arrive any day now.” You begin. Jongdae looks to you, knowing exactly who you referred to.
“I promise, I will stand up for you.”
You take his words with a grain of salt. “You’ve promised me something once before, and it never came to be.”
He shifts a bit at being called out, but he collects himself. “I was a different person then.”
You smirk as you turn to him, cornering him into your trap. “No, I don’t think you were.”
He raises his brow but before he could protest, you step right up to him, nearly chest to chest as you continue. “I think you’re exactly as you were before. Your motive hasn’t changed, you’ve only been threatened. And instead of acting on it, you’re prolonging the torture by pacifying the situation.”
“You think you know me that well?” He challenges, inclining his head as he stares down at you.
“If it weren’t for Baekhyun pushing you to court me, followed by me nearly bursting into tears at the thought of being married to a monster, you would continue to avoid me as if I were never here.”
You stare up at his features, attempting to read his annoyingly handsome face but too many emotions were being shown. You tried not to be distracted by his sharp jaw and high cheeks bones, or by the small curl of his lips that almost hinted at a smile. Though, you could tell that it’s been very long since he genuine smiled, so the curl at the corner of his lips nearly disappeared. You wished you could be daring enough to reach up and kiss him, just to see if maybe he’ll entertain that part of the act as well. But you knew some lines weren't meant to be crossed.
“Maybe I’ve experienced a change of heart.” He replies.
You exhale deeply. “I really wish I could believe you, Jongdae. But it doesn’t happen so quickly. Not like this.” You step back, feeling the cold air surround you once more. “I appreciate you trying to play along. Your parents seemed convinced. But I will not force you into a loveless marriage like this. We both deserve better than this.”
He steps forward, close enough that his warmth and masculine scent overwhelms you. For a moment, you felt that you might be safe.
“But accepting that proposal doesn’t ensure your safety, which is worse than a loveless marriage.”
“I will not force you into something you’re not ready for. Besides, this is my duty. I was born to anticipate this moment my whole life.”
He reaches out, gently cradling your arms, and you think just maybe he’ll embrace you and tell you everything will be okay, just like the one and only time he ever did (x). But he doesn’t do more than hold you tightly at this distance, and your faith in him slowly dies. You appreciate all the effort he’s put in up until this moment. And when you leave, you will make sure to properly thank him for trying. But in this moment, you accept defeat and wish to wallow in what could have been. So you slowly back away, leaving his arms to fall to his sides. Before you walk past him, you bid him goodnight. Just as you walk through the doors, you spare one glance over your shoulder, and witness him crumble down onto the floor, his head in his hands. You disappear before he could catch you watching, or see the tear that slipped down your cheek.
Any day came just two days later. Your belongings were already packed the night after you received the letter, ready to leave at a moment’s notice. It was just after breakfast when you were in your room, admiring the comfy suite for as much as you could when a maid came in with a somber expression.
“They’re here, Your Highness.”
“Thank you. I’ll be down in a moment.”
She bowed and left you alone once more. You took one last walk around the suite, making sure no shoes were left under the bed or no clothes left in the bathroom, and then grabbed your suitcase and left.
The halls seemed extra quiet, as if no one was around at all. It made you a bit sad, you were hoping to say to goodbye to some of the palace residents.
When you arrived downstairs in the main room, you were surprised even the king and queen were nowhere to be found. Before you could go looking for them, a familiar face entered the room.
“Your Highness, it’s been a long time.”
You turn and smile at one of your father’s long time advisors. At least he sent one you liked. You hug him, eyes scanning the wide room hoping to catch one of the royals on your way out.
“You must be home sick.”
“It’s not like I’ll be home for long anyway.”
The advisor squeezed your arm in reassurance, and then took your suitcase.
“Where are the king and queen? They must have at least greeted you.”
“Not in the slightest, your highness. It’s a good thing I’m getting you out of here. This is no family we would ever make relations with.”
Odd, you think to yourself. You still remember the beaming king and queen when you arrived. What was going on?
“Come now. We have a long journey home.”
You take one last glance around before reluctantly moving on. Never before have you felt more alone.
In the foyer you meet four of your personal guards, two of which have been with you the entire stay and two new ones who were sent to bring you home. In short, nothing out of the ordinary. Minus the absence of the royal family.
The guards form a square around you while the advisor opens the grand doors to the outside where you carriage awaits. The blinding sunlight overwhelms you, but once your vision cleared, it was nothing compared to what you saw. Your simple carriage was surrounded by a large troop of soldiers, half of them with flags with a coat of arms that is not your own.
You don’t waste time questioning the situation. You go straight into action. Turning around, you try to escape the square and begin shouting. “Your Majesties! Your Highness! Help!!”
You make it out of the square but not quickly enough to make it to the doors. Two troops grab your arms to restrain you and haul you back to the carriage. But that doesn’t stop you from putting up a fight.
“Jongdae, please! Anybody help!” You fight against the troops, as useless it may be. You kick and manage to down one soldier but two more rush up, one was even prepared with a gag for you. “Jongdae!!” You give one last shout before being muffled by the hand of a soldier. Luckily they didn’t cover your eyes.
The doors open and out comes the prince, witnessing the scene before him. His frantic eyes search until they find yours and within seconds he’s down the stairs, sword already brandished.
“Unhand her!” He yells as he goes straight for the attack. He fights with expertise, only going after the soldiers and perfectly keeping you out of harms way. One soldier let’s go of you to hold off the prince but the prince is swift enough to evade and down him in an instant. More troops rush past you to prevent the prince from reaching you while you’re carried off to the carriage. Suddenly a whistle rings out, a signal the prince sent to his own troop who begin to flood the lawn instantaneously.
Your eyes remain on the prince as you fight your own battle, and you see him keeping his eyes on your as he gets nearer slowly but surely. The prince’s troop reach you first and easily get you free, but you’re left to escape the battleground alone. Picking up your skirts, you zigzag around the chaos until you run straight into the prince. He wraps a protective arm around you as he leads you through the madness to the safety of the castle steps. It seems like an endless trek just to cross the lawn, but with the prince protecting you and fighting off the rogue troops, you hope just to make it in one piece.
Safety was just within reach, you could feel the shade of the castle’s shadow being cast by the high sun. Jongdae pushes you to make the last sprint while he hold off the others. You turn back and watch in horror as he takes on three and then two soldiers alone. You desperately wish you had a sword of your own to help him. The soldiers push him up the castle steps, closer to you, but also bringing the danger to you.
“Go inside!” The prince yells. But you can’t. Your feet are glued to the stone steps until you know the prince is safe. He downs one more soldier, but the danger is so close, you can smell the sweat and blood in the air. He holds one arm back to keep you at a distance while he fights the soldier, but you see him getting tired. The soldier, marked with another’s crest, begins to swing his sword wildly hoping to inflict damage to either of you. Jongdae clashes with him and the swords scream as they slide against one another. The soldier is stronger, pushing Jongdae to almost kneeling. If he wins, he’ll no doubt deal a killing blow. You feel helpless as the prince fights for his life and yours.
Jongdae’s knee buckles and he’s reduced to kneeling on the ground. Despite being in such a weak stance, you think he’s never looked more strong. Suddenly, the swords slip and in the opening, they both strike. Both bodies fall, leaving you open, but no one was even paying attention to you.
“No no no no no.” You start to cry as you collapse onto the ground where prince was. You check and see that he’s breathing, and soon enough he stirs.
“Are you hurt?” He asks.
“Me?”
You both look down and see that you are unharmed, but on Jongdae, a red spot begins to seep through his shirt on his left side. Turning to the soldier, you see he has suffered a worse fate. You help Jongdae up, throwing his arm over your shoulders to support him. When you both face down to the lawn, nearly all the fighting has stopped.
The prince stands as tall as he can without help, the most stern gaze in his eyes. “Get them out of here.” He demands. His troops form a blockade and force your caravan out.
You catch Jongdae as he slumps back, you feel him start to lose consciousness. Yanking the castle doors open, you nearly drag the prince inside and cry for help. The foyer floods within moments of servants and medics as they carry the prince away for treatment. His hand slips into your and you feel him give a squeeze before falling out of reach.
The king and queen rush to you, embracing you as they watch their son be carried away. And in their arms, in this palace, you’ve never felt more safe.
It was well into the evening before you were allowed to visit the prince. The king and queen informed you when he awoke after treatment, and again when he was well enough to see visitors. They urged you to go see him, giving you the privacy to see him alone.
You were nervous, of course. You still looked like a mess since all your belongings were taken. Even with the queen urging you to go take a relaxing bath and change into some spare clothes she has, you couldn’t accept until the biggest weight would be off your shoulders.
The walk to the recovery wing was a long and lonely one. You were still trying to process what occurred today, and what it meant for the future. Without a doubt, the troop that came to escort you home was made up of not only your kingdom’s soldiers, but also your intended’s. He was the kind to make a statement with every action.
But the prince heard you, and kept his promise. He came and rescued you, but by doing this, he also made it clear that he wishes to fight for your hand in marriage. You wonder if he was aware of this.
You reach the prince’s room, the door slightly ajar. Before you had a chance to knock, the prince calls you in. You look him over, examining him from head to toe. His hair was disheveled like he just woke up, his torso was bare save for the bandage wrapped around his lower half, and the rest of him was covered by the blanket. Both of you looked a bit worse for wear.
“How did you know it was me?” You ask after you close the door.
“I’ve been waiting all day for you.”
A blush warms your cheeks. “As have I, your highness.”
He shakes his head at you. “Please, just call me Jongdae.”
The blush scorches you even more. He pats his bed, silently asking you to join him. You oblige and take a seat next to him. He takes your hand and begins to play with your fingers.
“So…” you awkwardly begin.
“I guess I’ve made quite a statement.” He finishes.
“Yes,” you examine his face, looking for signs that he might regret it all. “Was it one you wished to make?”
“I promised to protect you, didn’t I?”
“Promises aside. Did you do it for yourself too, or just me?”
He thinks long and hard, holding your hand tightly. “Yes, it was for me too.”
“Maybe you really have changed.” You joke.
“Like I said!” He laughs, before coughing and wincing. You use your free hand to take a towel and wipe his forehead but he waves you off. “I’m okay, don’t baby me.”
“After what you’ve done for me today? I owe you a lifetime of gratitude.”
“And after the way I've treated you the entire time you were here, I’d say we’re even.”
You smile at him. There was hope for the two of you yet.
“Why the change of heart?” You ask. He looks away, and suddenly you regret asking. “I’m sorry if it’s too personal,”
“No, you deserve to know. I owe you that much.” He sighs. “I once lost someone I loved very much.”
Now you understood how he was so sympathetic to Baekhyun, having gone through the pain on his own as well.
“I never loved someone as much as I loved her. But I was too much of a coward to admit it. And I realized too late how much I loved her, only because she was no longer mine to have.”
“What do you mean?”
“I was slow to court her, but that was because I’ve never felt the way I did before. But once she told me she loved me, I felt like I could do anything. Except propose.”
He stops to catch his breath, tiring out easily from the wound.
“I thought it was quite obvious we eventually meant to marry, but it means nothing with no proposal. Someone beat me to it. And she was taken from me. I never found the strength to fight for her, I just accepted defeat.”
You look at him with new eyes, all the pieces falling into place. The whole reason he kept you at a distance was to avoid falling into the same situation as before.
“But you loved her, surely you could have went after her.”
“I know. I tried to contact her but failed more times than I wanted to count. Eventually I saw her again, some time later. She was well, and she looked happy enough. Of course, our relationship was never the same. But she did assure me she was safe. I met her betrothed and he is definitely an admirable person. I could only wish them well.” His eyes connected with yours once more. “I have met the one who wishes to marry you, and I would give my life to make sure you never, ever, have to live a life in fear or danger. I’m done being a coward and I will not lose another person again.”
“But,” you struggled to find ways to put what you wanted to say nicely. “You don’t love me. We don’t have the relationship you had before.”
“But I like you,” he starts. “I can see myself living a happy life with you. A life where love can grow and be nourished.” The prince smiled as he held your hand tightly.
“I tried very hard to show you I can be a worthy partner.” You admit.
“And you succeeded. Whether I was ready to love another or not, I knew that you were a good person and I would be happy and safe.”
Silence fell upon the room. The confessions no longer weighed you both down and opened up room for you two to start anew.
“Please kiss me.” Jongdae suddenly said. You almost fell off the bed at his bluntness.
“I’m sorry, I think I misheard you.”
“No, I’m pretty sure you heard me judging by the blush creeping up your neck and cheeks.” He pointed out. It was a shame he was already injured because you really wished you could smack him. “I’m actually surprised you haven’t done it yet, what with showing off our great relationship in front of my parents.”
You thought back to a time where you admired his honesty, and now you were cursing yourself for it.
“Did you really believe I was going to plant one on you in front of your parents?”
He began to laugh again, and you realized just how beautiful his laugh and smile were. And you noticed how the curl of lips started to grow.
“Our relationship escalated so quickly within those few weeks I was almost sure we would announce us having a child even before our marriage.”
“Jongdae!” You squeal, but it only makes him laugh harder, making you realize he was doing this just to torture you. You were also flooded with warm images of being by his side, as the queen of his kingdom, living a life of laughter and happiness and you were no longer afraid of being in a loveless marriage. It would surely grow between the two of you.
“At least then I wouldn’t have to propose, because it would be obvious,”
You lean over and kiss him firmly, to ensure he would stop blabbering. When you were sure he was done talking, you pulled away, but only to stop when he placed a hand on your cheek, holding you still. He parted his lips, deepening the kiss and rendering you immobile. You never would have guessed he wanted it this much.
“Am I making you nervous?” He whispered against your lips. Instead of replying, you take his bottom lip between your teeth and give it a nice bite, eliciting a sweet and satisfying moan from him.
“I did this just to make you shut up.”
“Are you sure that’s the only reason?”
You deepen the kiss once more, melting into him, but careful not to hurt him. His other arm circles around you, his fingers finding their way under your shirt and skimming your back. Never would you have believed that this prince, the one who didn’t know how to smile was capable of such tender touches. But he’s surprised you more in this one day than in the entire month or so you’ve been here. He was capable of love all along, he was just afraid to give it up and lose it like once before.
You snake your fingers through his hair, tightening your grip a little to make him moan again, and you felt his smile against your lips.
“If I had known you were into-”
“Please don’t finish that sentence.” You beg, trailing your lips across his cheeks and to his neck, where you debated leaving a mark on him.
“Fine. But how will you explain the bite you plan on leaving there?” He calls out your thoughts.
You settle for a kiss instead and pull away. “I think you’ve had enough fun for today.”
“Hmmm.” He whines, pouty lips included. You give him another kiss to make the pout go away. “I think we learned a lot about each other today.” He concludes.
“I think you’re right. How are you feeling?”
“Like I can get up and walk out of here no problem.”
You place a hand on his chest. “Please don’t, I won’t be carrying you back here.”
He takes your hand and kisses each of your fingers. “You were very brave today.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“You stayed by my side. Even though I asked you to go find safety.”
“I couldn’t leave you.” The confession felt heavy on your lips. You knew you felt a little something for him, but you didn’t believe it could possibly be love just yet.
“Having you with me gave me the strength I needed to keep you safe.” He raised a hand and wiped under your eye, right were you felt a tear forming.
“I’m so glad you’re okay.” You lean your head on his shoulder as he tightens his hold on you.
“Stay with me?”
“Here?”
“It’s lonely.” He whines. “But first, go change. I can’t believe you’re still in those clothes.”
You sit up with a mischievous grin. “Or would you rather they be on the floor?”
A blush tinted his cheeks for only a moment before he schooled his features and gave you a smirk. “We’ll save that talk for later. Now please, go take a long bath if you need and ask my mother for some night clothes. You can relax now. You’re safe.” He kissed your head as he pushed you up.
“I’ll be back soon.”
“I’ll be here.” He replies. And something told you he meant more than just in being in this spot. But that from now on, he’ll be with you, as someone you can count on.
After almost a week, Jongdae was released from the recovery wing and was nearly back to normal; but you two have been inseparable since that fateful night in the recovery room. No longer was your relationship an act, every action now genuine as you and the prince took each moment to learn about each other and open up. There were no more secrets and no more walls separating you two.
You were in your room, putting away some new clothes you bought with the queen when there was a knock on your door.
“Come in.” You yell. You turn to see the prince enter.
“I’m allowed in here, right?” He jokes.
“Why wouldn’t you be? Just because we are not betrothed?” You ask as he saunters up to you and places a kiss on your lips.
“I was never one to follow the rules.”
“As I’m leaning more and more. I would have never guessed you to be like this, compared to the prince I first met.”
“Hmm.” He muses. “I’ve been reserved for a long time. I forgot what it’s like to be free.”
You smile at him, a warm feeling fills you up. How lucky you were to be the one to bring the prince back to his old self.
“But that’s not what I’m here to discuss. I’m afraid it isn’t good news at all.” He takes your hand and pulls you closer to sit next to him. “We’ve received word from your family. They are confused over what happened last week, but they trust you. They just want to know that you’re safe.”
“I wonder if they were aware that half our troop was replaced with the other kingdom’s.”
“I’ve written a detailed recount of what happened and ensured that you are safe. But that letter won't reach them until after your intended arrives here.”
“He’s what?!” You yell, suddenly standing.
“Your family wrote that he will not accept that operation as a failure and will fight for what he’s claimed. He will expect a duel because I don’t see this going peacefully at all.”
“A duel? What is this, the 1800’s?”
The prince laughs, but it’s not all from the humor. “It may or may not be an actual duel but he’s coming to claim you as his and I have to prove myself as the better match.”
You collapse back on to the bed, exasperated. “You’ve only just recovered.”
“Yes, but I’ve been training slowly to keep fit. I will not let that monster best me this time.” He lays back on the bed and turns to face you. “I’m sorry I’ve made such a mess.”
“It’s not your fault. This could have happened to anyone, you’re just lucky it happened to be you.”
“I guess fate was telling me it was time to forget the past.”
“Maybe not forget, but learn from it.” You tell him. He smiles and kisses you once more.
“I’m glad it was you.”
“Me too.” You curl into his side, the both of you laying there as the afternoon sun shines through.
Another week passed when the royal guard informed the king that the enemy had just crossed the border. They would reach the palace by the next morning.
You’ve watched the prince practice and gain his strength back, but that didn’t stop the thought that something might go terribly wrong.
“Can’t I just tell him that I’m not interested in him?” You ask the prince that night. “Then no one has to fight and get hurt.”
Both of you were already in your night clothes, just lounging on your bed. He came earlier to spend some time with you, but you informed him that it was a pajamas only party. He wiggled his brow at you, and you closed the door in his face and told him to come back once changed. You were warming up to the idea of spending the night with him, and without a doubt you knew he was too.
“You can try.” He answers honestly. “But he’ll probably just throw you over his shoulder and walk away with you.”
You playful push him. “He really is a brute.”
“I've never seen someone that big before.”
Both of you break into laughter, but it was to cover up how nervous you really were. You for the prince, still worried that he needs more time to recover. And the prince, because it was one last fight he had before you both could live in peace.
“I have faith in you, you know.”
He pulls you close so you were laying flush against his side. “I will need all that and more if I plan to win. Not that you are a prize to be won.”
“Trust me, we can talk about the ethics of this another time but right now I will say that I need you to win.” You bury your face into his neck. “Will you stay tonight, or will it be too distracting?”
He rolls over, trapping you underneath him. “It depends, princess. Are you trying to seduce me?”
“Is it working?”
You break into giggles as he attacks you with kisses, placing them all over your face and neck and anywhere else he can reach.
The night went on blissfully so, as if your fate wouldn’t be decided tomorrow. You fell asleep peacefully in each other’s arms, and you prayed that this was only the first of many nights you two would share.
You never wanted the morning to come. You stirred as soon as you felt the sun creep into your room, so you lay there, enjoying the prince’s steady and soft breaths as he slept next to you. He started to wake shortly after, and when he realized you were up too, he pulled you close and whispered one sweet thing after the other, reassuring you that you will be fine and today will end in happiness.
It was after breakfast when the squire came in announcing the arrival of the other prince who wished to claim you. You tried not to throw up your meal at the thought.
The you and the king and queen followed behind the prince as you walked to the entrance hall to greet the competitor.
Prince Minho stood tall and intimidating with his confidante by his side, awaiting you. You felt yourself shrink back, thinking if he doesn’t see you he might leave.
“I have come to collect what is rightfully mine.”
“You speak as if collecting a trophy or treasure of sorts. Not a human, let alone a princess.”
“She will be my trophy queen.” Minho corrects.
Jongdae takes a step closer, the distance between the two prince’s barely a foot apart. “We’ll see if you’ll still be talking like this when you’re picking all your teeth up off the floor.”
Minho leaned down to match the prince’s glare. “Bold talk for someone so small.”
You could feel the anger flowing off Jongdae like a source of heat. “You’ve threatened me in my own home once before, but never again. Let’s settle this now.”
The sun was extra brutal today, as if the fury between the two princes wasn’t scorching enough. As expected, to your surprise, the princes were going to duel it out in an old fashioned sword fight. But you had complete confidence in Jongdae. You were aware that it was a skill he’s been working on since adolescence and Prince Minho was too big and bulky to be any good of a sword fighter. Jongdae would wipe the dirt with him.
You sat with the king and queen and other spectators on one side while Prince Minho’s company sat on the other. There was no reason for this to escalate more than a duel between the two princes, but as unpredictable as Minho was, you wouldn’t cross out the impossible just yet.
The princes entered the field from their own sides and met in the middle. They were changed into more suitable clothes for the combat. The referee was with them. He announced the competitors, what they were competing for, and the rules of the duel. It would be not be until death, thank goodness, but until one would no longer be able to continue. You hoped the referee would stop it before death would come.
The princes touched swords and began the duel. They circled one another, but it wasn’t long until the first strike. Minho, of course, went first, swinging wide to gauge Jongdae’s speed and dodge ability. Even with being injured just two weeks ago, Jongdae moved effortlessly like it never happened. You began to cheer and quickly so did everyone else. Jongdae spared a glance at you and you caught his smile. It was enough to boost his confidence, and you watched as he surged forward on the offensive. His swing was much faster than Minho’s nearly catching him multiple times as Minho staggered back in retreat. But his aggression grew, and you hope Jongdae wasn’t getting cocky. Minho did a spin to evade a swing and charged Jongdae, surprising him but not enough to catch him off guard.
They really seemed like they were equally matched with opposing strengths and weakness, but eventually someone would give in.
Minho was advancing and aimed a direct stab on Jongdae’s chest, to which he blocked effortlessly. But he didn’t account for how quick Minho would change direction.
You were worried the brutish prince would notice Jongdae favor his stronger side, and he eventually did. He followed up with a swipe to Jongdae’s week side and left a mark. Jongdae buckled down but was still alert to hold up his sword and fend off more incoming attacks. He barely got back to standing, but he did. You watch in fear as Minho becomes more aggressive, intent on doing permanent damage.
“Jongdae watch out!” You yell. You didn’t want to interfere but the warning just came out of you.
Jongdae kept his focus on his competitor trying to find a weak spot. He rolled out of the way and surprised Minho by coming from behind him. The larger prince lost his balance and that’s when Jongdae found an opening.
You couldn’t keep up with the fight as the swords clashed at maximum speed. They were both inflicting damage, but you couldn’t see who was taking the worst of it. It became clear when Prince Minho fell on his back on the ground.
“Finish it!” He taunted.
Jongdae held his sword at the prince’s throat.He forced Minho to raise his chin, and scraped the sword to leave a mark on his skin.
“Admit defeat.” Jongdae said, all calm.
In the silence, you could see Minho was boiling, enough to gain one last spurt of energy. He kicked up and knocked Jongdae flat on his back, followed by tackling him to the ground. It became an all out brawl between them, which was agains the rules. But the referee made no move to stop them, he would let them fight it out.
Jongdae caught his wits finally and punched back, but he couldn’t get Minho off of him. You watch in horror as Jongdae is clearly losing the battle. In the midst of the brawl, you notice something shiny at Minho’s side.
“Jongdae he has a knife on him!” You call out.
The king immediately stands and orders the referee to end the fight.
The royal guard floods the field to help pull apart the princes and you jump out of your seat to head down as well.
Minho holds the knife against Jongdae’s neck, ready to end him.
“Please stop!”
“Not until you are mine, princess.”
The guards surround the fight but no one made an effort to interfere just yet. You step through the circle to get a better look. You meet the Jongdae's eyes. He looks exhausted, like he just might give up. Tears sting your eyes as you shake your head and plead him to get up. Instead, he stops fighting and let's go, falling back completely. Minho raises the knife to strike, when Jongdae suddenly kicks him off and sending the knife flying. He jumps onto him and connects multiple punches before placing a hand on his neck with startling ferocity.
You hear Minho choking, but you knew Jongdae wouldn’t kill him.
The referee finally appears and calls the fight won. Jongdae doesn’t release the other prince.
“Jongdae,” you whisper, and you see his aggression die down.
He climbs off Minho holding his side as in pain. The brutish prince on the floor gasps for air, finally calling out of the fight.
“Let me make this clear, so this will never happen ever again.” Jongdae comes up to you and takes your hands with one of his.
“Princess. For you, I fought because I believe I can give you a life full of love and happiness. A life where you will be treated with kindness, and most importantly as my equal.” He kneels down slowly, but still looking graceful as ever. “Would you do me the honor of marrying me, and becoming my queen?”
You kneel down as well, wiping his face of dirt and sweat all while smiling. You hold his face in your hands, your smile matching his as you say, “I do.”
As always, I appreciate any thoughts you all might have after reading this :)
