Thousands of years ago, many kingdoms were scattered around the world.
Civilizations from the Egyptians to the Mesopotamians, everyone lived in their respective territories without any concern. However, war usually broke out among these human kingdoms and sometimes, found victory to be too far away so they enlisted the help of the Underworld.
This world remained hidden from plain sight with the use of magic and they couldn’t risk the revelation of these curious little humans. From faes to werewolves and vampires to witches, the supernatural beings of the unknown world were trying to be safe.
However, as the great Pharaoh Khufu neared his deathbed, his doctors gained information about ways to preserve his life and his legacy. The Great Pyramid of Giza was only made possible by the help of the witches from the Kingdom Meraki. Khufu exchanged his soul for the creation of his pyramid, including spells and enchantments specifically to keep out unwanted visitors and robbers. Due to Meraki’s reputation of being the artistic and architectural kingdom, the pyramid remained intact for thousands of years.
This agreement between the Merakis and the Egyptians formed the first alliance of the Human and the Underworld. Egypt became a superpower during its time.
But of course, there comes a time where everything will eventually fall apart, no matter what spells or enchantments were placed to preserve the pact.
An arranged marriage between an Egyptian prince and a Meraki princess was supposed to strengthen the alliance but with the news of the death of the princess crushed that hope. Furthermore, the prince was accused with killing the girl as he was thought to experiment and research their kind and what made them so different.
With anger from the betrayal of the humans, Meraki, along with their Underworld kingdom allies, snarled at the Egyptians and the rest of the Other World, developing a deep hatred as one of their kind was killed by the hands of a human.
The High Meraki King, Suleimon, was driven mad with the death of his daughter and forever cursed Egypt, never letting them be a stable kingdom for as long as they stand.
A crime in one of the Kingdoms was a crime to all of the Underworld.
Although you’ve never been good at planning, this auction seemed to be taking a lot of your energy. With the stress of it and combined with the sudden intense thirst for blood made it hard for you to even focus at all. Inviting Jisung for a midnight hunt in Australia, you both satisfied your hunger from this town called Riverun, disguising the mangled corpses as murdered bodies.
Jaemin noticed your skittish and different behavior and-he couldn’t believe it himself-was slightly worried.
He often found you slumped over your desk in your office or already passed out on the bed by the time he got home from hanging out with the others. It was known that vampires don’t get physically tired but they were most vulnerable and capable to breaking down under mental exhaustion.
Holding a glass of pig’s blood and walking towards the familiar gold door on the right, he casually walked in without bothering to knock.
“What is it, Orendian?” You didn’t even look up as you knew who it was based on the scent he carried.
“Visited Mother and Father today. It wasn’t a pleasant appearance but they have grown to live with it. After all, the fate of their country rests on my hands. It’s best if they don’t anger me otherwise,” he answered.
A sigh escaped your lips and you massaged your temple with your right hand. “What do you really want, Na Jaemin? Because I know for sure you’re not just here for small talk.”
Placing down the glass on the coffee table in front of the fireplace, Jaemin leaned against the wall and crossed his arms before speaking. “I have grown worried about your health, Kalon spawn. This auction is not as big of a deal as it is. You being too exhausted to even speak to the press with me, or even being too tired to make love to me at night, has caused quite a concern.”
Finally looking up and peering at him through your circle glasses, you sent him a glare and growled. “You’re nothing but a face to the kingdom and a horny little shit. I’d hate to kill you before you could even wear that ridiculous green crown of yours.” Your fingers went up to slowly take off your rims and held it for a second before sending him a sickly sweet smile. “So if you could, the door is right there. I can’t be bothered to show you out.”
It seems that little comment angered him as he marched up to you and roughly placed his hands on the oak table. His red eyes glared into your own and he slightly bared his fangs.
“Do not speak to me like that, you dirty blood spawn.”
“Then don’t treat me as if I’m just a toy that you can play with and take with you wherever you want. I’m a woman, Na Jaemin. So treat me like one.”
Days after your spat, you haven’t exactly spoken any words to him as you were usually asleep when he arrived or he was asleep when you climbed on the bed. This time, it was the same thing. Except today, he wore nothing so you were able to see his bare chest. Propping yourself on your elbow, you laid on your side and examined every little eyelash as you couldn’t fall asleep. It wandered down to his ridiculously perfect nose, to his cupid’s bow, and to his plump lips that looked a little dry from the gusts of wind that came in through the small window.
If he wasn’t such a dick and a bitch, he would’ve looked handsome to your eyes. But the way he has treated you has made it nearly impossible for you to be able to see him as nothing but a little shit.
Eventually wandering down to his neck and Adam’s apple, you noticed about a dozen green lines that looked really familiar to you. Seeing the faint lines trailing farther, you clenched your jaw in anger and fury.
You may hate his guts but you weren’t able to let him be killed by someone else.
You will be the one to do so.
After a particularly late night with just hanging up on the phone with Donghyuck, you entered the bedroom with Jaemin sipping his nightly tea and Jun bowing towards you before starting to the door. Smelling a particularly strong smell, you almost stumbled walking towards the bed and your eyes widened, immediately recognizing it.
With a quick flick, the delicate China cup fell from his hands and the contents of it spilled below on the beige carpet. Jaemin looked at you irritably and just looked at you with a slightly glare and furrowed eyebrows.
“What the fuck?” he drawled out. Your eyes flickered from the wet stain to his eyes and you scoffed.
“Are you a prince or not? More, a vampire prince? You idiotic excuse of royalty! How could you regard the cup was practically filled with poison! What’s more, fucking holy water!” You shrieked and Jaemin’s face shifted.
At first, he was shocked and completely confused but now, he was more than angry. He was murderous and livid.
“What did you just say?” An angry whisper pushed itself from his mouth and you grabbed his chin and pushed it up, making the view of his neck more visible.
“I noticed these green lines a few nights ago. I didn’t think much of it but I’m pretty sure what this is from. Someone has been poisoning you, Jaemin. I can smell that holy water and they must’ve used it to brew your tea.”
The only logical reasoning made you look up at him, teeth biting at your bottom lip. “The only thing I can think of is Jun-”
“Jun would never betray me like this. He’s been with me since I was a child. He would never do such a thing.”
“What else is there? Who else is there to blame?”
He wasn’t sure if he even believes you.
You can tell by the way his eyes inspected you that he thought you were just playing a game. Lying to him. But you bent down, bracing yourself as you touched the little bit of liquid still resting on the cup. You hissed at the slight pain and it confirmed your suspicions.
“it’s poisoned, Jaemin.” You confirmed and his brows continued to knit together. “However, I don’t know how you or Jun don’t smell it, or even feel it. There’s no marking on your body that indicates a charm and these faded lines show that this has been happening for a while. If I’m correct, even way before we were married.”
Jaemin just stared at you, emotion clear from his face. Such a serious accusation against one of his trusted men by a Kalonian princess. Who was he to believe?
“I believe you have been tricked so much in your life that you have no problem but to look past everything else and accuse my butler immediately.” Jaemin’s voice deepened considerably and you knew he was a little angry at your lack of faith to Jun.
A hint of a smirk flitted past your lips. “He’s nothing but a butler to you, prince. Yet, why do you protect him so?” Your head cocked to the side, curiously. “We can keep our friends at an arm’s length but our enemies can be hidden in the shadows behind us. That’s why I have no problem mentioning him as a suspect. In the end of the day, I am alone. You are alone. So what kind of fool lets himself be fooled by a little bit of friendship?”
In a blink of an eye, Jaemin has pinned against his wall beside the long window with his arm pressed against your throat.
“What did you just call me?” He hissed, expecting you to cower away from his fangs.
But you just placed a sly smile. “A fool.”
He pressed harder and your eyebrows knitted together, slightly pained. “But it’s okay. Sometimes you have to change your role as a prince to a fool. To be the fool to fool the fool who think they’re fooling you.”
He paused and looked at you different. “This is not a simple play that I can easily change my character and expect an understudy to take over. I am the future king of Kalon and Orenda, princess. I can’t trust anyone to bear the weight of that title other than myself.”
The pained expression behind his cold facade in his eyes made you wince as it felt familiar to you and you just can’t help but softly place a hand on his cheek. The bags under his eyes made it clear of the pressure being placed upon by his parents as he neared his coronation age. Although he never mentioned it to you, the reason for his visit to his family’s house was to prepare him for what’s to come.
“What do you expect me to do with Y/N?! Huh? What about her?!”
“It should be easy to you, Jaemin. She’s just a girl. A princess, sure, but just a girl. Once this is all over, you can have your pick at any girl you’d like.”
It took a bit of legilimency and it wasn’t easy as you were out of practice but with the help of the library and ancient Meraki spellbooks hidden away, you were able to look into his memories and you were shocked to see his defiance and refusal to betray you.
Despite everything he has done to you, you have equally tortured him and you didn’t think he was so bad. If anything, you were both the same.
“I was wed to you because my purpose is to share the burden with you, not to just be a handbag on your arm for the public. And I still stand by my statement. It’s okay to not be the prince for a second. You’re still a child, for devil’s sake. A foolish child, but it’s okay.”
Jaemin loosened the pressure and he looked down, his fringe covering his face. His fist shook with anger and he finally looked up to you with raging eyes. “It wasn’t my fault that I was placed into this life and I never asked to be the crowned prince. Don’t you think I have wanted to just be a child before? To go to parties and go to university like the other vampire children? But I can’t. I can’t because I was given the short end of the stick.”
A sympathetic expression graced your face and you couldn’t believe it but you gave him a slightly soft smile, understanding his pain. “I think we all have. But it’s harder for me because I’m just a woman. For me, it wasn’t to be a child. It was to be a man and be able to express myself without the restrictions of my gender. I couldn’t even tell you the amount of times I’ve been shot down and my ideas thrown out of the window because of what I look like. So we’re in the same boat, Na Jaemin. I can’t believe it’s taken us this long but we need to look out for each other. If we want to change the ideals of our families and countries, we must change and break away from the strings of our puppets.”
For the first time since he married you, Na Jaemin looked past your dress and your face. He saw a prisoner trying to get out.
Inviting him out for tea, Jaemin sounded genuinely surprised as Jun delivered the message from you. After several talks about the poisoning, Jaemin has become quite leery of Jun and was very suspicious as you even wanting to do anything with him was very unlike you.
Keeping on guard and watching Jun’s every move, he followed him out to the courtyard and let out a relieved sigh at the sight of you reading. He walked towards the table and saw an array of sweet edibles.
“I thought you didn’t like sugar?” He asked as he sat down. You looked up at him from your book and sniffed.
“Of course, I don’t. But you do.” You answered. “Also, peach tea, your favorite. I was unsure of how many sugar cubes you placed in it so I’ve just left it out.” You added before returning back to your book.
All he could do was look at you in shock.
How could you remember his affinity for sweets? Also, not minding the smell of the sweet tea even though nothing infuriated you more than the smell of peaches.
“Jun, could you leave us for a moment?” You asked without looking up from your book.
Jaemin saw Jun curtly nod and walk away through the doors and back to the house.
“What was that about?” He asked before shoving a cookie in his mouth.
Looking up, your lips curled at the crumbs around his lips and grabbed a napkin to wipe his lips. “Oh, do mind your manners, Orendian.” He stared at your face as it concentrated on getting rid of the bits of crumbs with the white napkin. “Anyways, I have done some research and of course, I was right.”
He chuckled after taking a sip of his tea and wiping his lips. “Quite a confidence there, princess.”
“Well, I touched the liquid and it was indeed holy water and the fainter the lines are, the longer it’s happened. It seems he hasn’t given you any until that night because if he has done it recently, it would be clear and evident. Green symbolizes the holy water and the thin lines were left as it burned its way down-.”
Jaemin listened but found himself distracted at the way your lips moved and the wonder if they have always been that pink.
“-And the question still remains. How do you not feel or smell it and how come nobody else noticed it?”
A playful smile-more like a smirk-appeared on his face to cover up the fact that he hasn’t been listening to your rant. “Oh? My Queen, you seem to be taking on an entire village’s role. You’re a princess, a planner, now a doctor? What else is there I don’t know about you?”
Mockingly smiling, you shook your head. “Ha ha, so funny. You see, there’s a difference between you and I. I’m educated and clearly, you’re not.”
Obviously taking offense to that comment, he widened his eyes at you. “Excuse me, Kalonian? Are you saying I’m stupid and illiterate?”
“Well, did you hear those words coming out of my mouth? But it’s good to know you think about yourself like that. However, now I wonder. If you think you’re stupid and illiterate, why do you act like such a pompous ass all the time?”
A hearty laugh filled the air and you watch in surprise at the way this boy in front of you scrunched his eyes in laughter and the corners of his mouth raised his cheeks.
This was clearly not the same one you married a while ago.
To your surprise, you were actually able to tolerate him for just one afternoon.
And all it took was a simple poisoned cup.
Sitting on the car with Jun sitting at the passenger seat, your fingernails dug into the leather of the seat and you tried to stop yourself from ripping open the door and tearing his head off yourself.
With the things he has done to your husband and the fact that he even tried to kill him with you in the house and probably knowing your goals, you felt disrespected and when that happened, you were going to take action.
“Your Highness, I have received word the Lee’s Butler that Prince Donghyuck is waiting for you at this address.” Jun informed from the front and you bit a cruel grin, knowing exactly where it was without even having to look at it.
“Oh, yes. Tell him we will be right there.”
With the excuse of wanting to have tea with the Lees, you told Jaemin you were bringing Jun along with you in case you needed him. On the plane to Cerilian, you took note of Jun’s odd behavior, knowing that being an Underworlder made him so anxious to be so high up and so close to the Heavens.
Or it could be the guilty conscience.
The drive there felt like you were driving straight to Lucifer’s palace with how long it took but you finally arrived at a manor. The manor that was only used by Donghyuck for special reasons.
Jun opened the door and walked out first before opening your door and holding out a hand to help you out. Biting back your disgust, you daintily hovered a hand over his gloved one and took off your sunglasses, strutting to the main door where 2 tall men stood guard.
“Hello, gentlemen. Pleasant day?” You asked sweetly. They looked at you and returned to their fixed gaze above your head.
“Princess Y/N of Kalon has requested to see Prince Donghyuck.” Jun said and the men stood the side and pushed the door open.
You sent them a bright grin and offered a loud ‘thanks!’ before entering the manor.
Inside, Donghyuck sat on the couch, messing around with what seems to be cocaine. You saw his concentrated expression melt away as he caught sight of you and opened his arms for a welcoming hug.
“Hello, princess! It has been a while hasn’t it?!” You nodded and when his red eyes rested on someone behind you, his grin grew wider. Very sadistically. “Oh! And you brought Jun with you!”
With an angry scoff, you looked at him pointedly. “Can we start, Donghyuck? I promised my husband I’ll be home tomorrow. And I’d love to cram a bit of sight-seeing of your country.”
Donghyuck bowed, “Yes, your highness.” And he stood up, a wicked glint in his eyes. “BOYS!”
The 2 men from outside entered and Jun looked out of sorts as they took him by his arms and legs before dragging him away.
“Y-Your Highness! Princess Y/N! Help! What-!” His yells silenced and you thought one of them knocked him out.
“Shall we, princess?” Donghyuck offered his arm which you took with a polite smile.
Jun woke up a few minutes later and he looked around wildly at the plain room and tugged at the restraints. He saw the 2 men with you and Donghyuck to the side. Trying not to look obvious, he closed his eyes and tried to use his magic to remove the ropes but to no avail, instead making it tighter which caused him to whine quietly.
“I wouldn’t try that, if I were you.” Donghyuck warned. “The more magic is done, the more it’s going to restrict. It can only be done with a Sterilian steel knife and it’s right here.” He patted his pants pockets.
“Your Highness! Princess Y/N! What’s the matter of this?!” He yelled and you only gave him a cold smile.
“What the hell is the matter with you? Poisoning your king and doing it under my fucking HOUSE!” You roared.
He grew quiet until he spoke quietly with venom lacing his voice. “My brothers and my father died in the war between Orenda and Kalon. Then their bodies were taken, blood drained to be dipped into your swords as it is the only thing that could cut vampire skin. You tricked our families and Meraki thinking you were doing good but you were doing it all wrong!” Jun looked up with angry and sad eyes. “All of us! We grew without a male and the only ones left in my family were taken and thrown into a fucking war they weren’t meant to be part of! You and your bullshit lies! All of you! Fraudulent!”
You’d be lying if you said his answer didn’t hurt because it did. Every night you thought about how terrible this alliance was and the lives lost for no reason. A single marriage in exchange for millions of lives.
Donghyuck remained silent so you spoke. “All of that happened under the leadership of our parents and our ancestors. We had no control of that. Jaemin and I? We’re going to change that, Jun. We want to break away from this and change our world to its full potential without the loss of any of our and your kind. We want to make this place a better place!”
“That Merakian princess? King Suleimon’s daughter? We know the truth. She was killed by you lot because of his obsession with her. Rather than taking ownership of it, you let the Egyptians take the blame and let Meraki loathe humans for thousands of years. All of you are liars from the very start. I may be foolish but I’m not a fool. You cannot deceive me with your lies. That’s why I did it. I did it because I had the closest connection to the future ruler of the Vampire World. I may not be remembered but I will avenge my country!”
“You crazy, ignorant son of a bitch,” Donghyuck sneered.
You walked over and placed a delicate finger under his chin to bring him to eye level with you. “Normally, I would understand people like you. Revolutionists, right? But you have tried to kill my husband, Jun. I can’t allow others to do that unless it was me. And bad things happen to the people who interfere with my plans.” You said and slapped his face.
“You will die for this, Kalonian! You and the rest of your kind!” He screamed and it became louder as the guards poured holy water on him.
Donghyuck had a cruel smile on his face as he watched the scene in front of him and he offered a match of fire, which you accepted.
Holding it tightly and ignoring the slight hiss at the proximity of the flame, you stood in front of Jun for the last time. “And Jun, before you go. Only my husband can call me that.”
And you dropped the match.
a/n: and that’s on self quarantine
@d0dges @bobohu-s-ane-yeobo @heyyyun @thwia
