^{Hi guys! Sorry for the super long wait again :') But i'm sure you guys will love this chapter!}

The following days spent in the castle had Taehyung in a pink haze. His heart felt so light yet so full. He spent any time he could in Yoongi’s presence when he was done with his tutoring sessions.

It was so thrilling to anticipate what new spot Yoongi would find to kiss him on. The prince seemed to favor Taehyung’s knuckles and forehead the most, but Taehyung couldn’t deny that he looked forward to the cheek ones out of all of them. He didn’t know why, but just feeling Yoongi’s lips softly press against such an innocent spot set his nerve endings on fire.

“I should take you to the lake today.”

Taehyung looked up from where he was reading over one of Yoongi’s spell books. It was more of a journal, since it was filled with a lot of Yoongi’s original spells that he put together himself. Taehyung found them fascinating.

“The lake?” Taehyung asked with a tilt of his head. “You mean like the stream that we saw on our way to the border?”

Yoongi rubbed his chin and sat back in his chair, with his right ankle propped on his left knee. “Yes but the lake is a lot more still than the stream. It’s very serene there, and sometimes you can find small animals stopping by to take a drink. I think you would greatly enjoy it. Care to join me?”

Taehyung smiled, a slow and careful smile that was full of adoration for the man sitting in front of him. “Yes, Prince Yoongi. I would love to.”

Yoongi flashed a smile of his own and glanced at the viles on his work table. “Excellent, we can leave in a bit. I’m almost finished with this potion.”

Taehyung nodded and went back to reading the journal. He was halfway through a sentence when he felt a hand push back his hair and press a soft but sure kiss to his exposed forehead.

He looked up again and found Yoongi staring back at him with nothing but content in his eyes.

Almost like a reflex, Taehyung returned the kiss with one of his own, this time right on Yoongi’s chin. Ever since that day he got so dangerously close to kissing the prince directly on his lips, he kept testing the waters and seeing how close he could get to the man’s mouth without actually doing it.

It was clearly driving Yoongi crazy, and Taehyung didn’t regret enjoying it so much.

“Little Flower--”

“Your highness?”

Yoongi quickly pulled away from Taehyung and turned to see who had interrupted them. It was one of his personal guards and the man looked like he was trying to stare everywhere but at the two of them.

“What is it?” Yoongi demanded. “Why have you interrupted us?”

The guard cleared his throat and bowed low out of respect. “Prince Jimin of Busan wishes to speak with you, your grace.”

Yoongi raised a single brow. “Right now?”

“Yes, your highness,” the guard answered. “He is currently waiting outside.”

A frustrated sigh escaped the Prince’s lips and Taehyung already started closing the journal.

“I should go, Prince Yoongi,” he started to say. “Your meetings with Prince Jimin are private and--”

“No, you will stay,” Yoongi said with a sure nod of his head. “Prince Jimin is simply stubborn and persistent, but I know how to deal with him. I still wish to take you to the lake.”

Taehyung blushed a light red and sat back down. “Ok, Prince Yoongi.”

Yoongi smiled and turned back to his guard. “Tell Prince Jimin he may enter now.”

“Yes, your highness.”

The guard was only gone a few seconds before Jimin came barging in. He was clearly upset about something with the way his cheeks were puffed out and his crown sat askew atop his head, but Yoongi had that same unbothered look on his face that he always seemed to wear around the Prince of Busan.

“Prince Yoongi,” he greeted with a sneer.

“Prince Jimin,” Yoongi answered back, just as unpleasantly.

Taehyung stared back and forth between the two like he was watching a sword fight. Something in the way Jimin stood and glared told him that the young prince would not be taking no for an answer again.

“You would be a fool to ignore my offer,” Prince Jimin spat. There was a fire in his eyes that didn’t plan on going out anytime soon. “I don’t know if you have forgotten, Prince Yoongi, but war isn’t just a possibility anymore. It’s imminent!”

Taehyung watched as Yoongi continued to stare up at Jimin with a straight face.

“I am the youngest of my five siblings,” Prince Jimin said with a balled up fists. “Father believes that this is the best I can do for my kingdom, and he’s right. Now it is your turn to do what is best for yours.”

Yoongi glanced at Taehyung for a fraction of a second before staring up at Jimin again.

“And this is really what you want? You aren’t just doing this to prove a point, are you? Something of this nature… it cannot be undone.”

“I know that,” Jimin quipped. “Besides… I don’t believe it will be terrible at all… spending the rest of my life with--”

“And a heir?” Yoongi quickly cut him off. “You may be the youngest in a long line of successors but I am my father’s first born. A heir is expected of me.”

“And a heir you shall have,” Jimin stated with absolutely surety. “This agreement will give you full protection from the kingdom of Busan plus an ally in the upcoming war. As for a heir, I am sure someone of royal blood can be found who meets your father’s standards. She can bare your child and he can take up the throne. Then, you will have not only one ally, but two.”

Taehyung listened to all of this with glazed over eyes and a slack jaw.

Heir?

Child?

Agreement?

War?

It was too much to take in at once.

“Besides, I am sure your magic could make something work as well,” Jimin shrugged, but his eyes were glimmering as if he had just came up with an amazing idea.

“Magic can do amazing things, but some things are impossible, even for it,” Yoongi sighed. “It’s all about equal exchange as well. The risks would be too high.”

“Well it’s a thought that you should keep in mind.” Jimin pursed his lips and glanced around the room. Taehyung noticed the way he slightly flinched at the sight of the former thief.

“You’ve been spending a lot of time with him lately,” Prince Jimin said while squinting his eyes in suspicion.

Taehyung quickly looked away and stared down at the journal.

“I am the prince of Daegu,” Yoongi declared. “I can spend time with whomever I wish.”

Jimin huffed and fixed a few strands of hair that had fallen into his face. “Look this over and get back to me with a definite answer by tomorrow evening. If not, I will return home and you will be powerless against the kingdom of Seoul.”

With that, Jimin slammed a scroll on to Yoongi’s work table and promptly left the room.

It was quiet for a few, painful moments, and as soon as Taehyung opened his mouth to say something, Yoongi was standing up and making his way across the room.

“Come, let us go to the lake now.”

And Taehyung followed after him without hesitation.

~+~

The lake was as still and as tranquil as Yoongi said it would be.

Taehyung thought it looked almost magical, with the way the afternoon sunset reflected in the shimmering water. Wild flowers of different sizes and colors framed the edges of the lake, making it look like an oasis out in the middle of the quiet forest.

The brunet didn’t even realize he was holding his breath until it all came out in one giant whoosh of air.

The prince’s hand landed on Taehyung’s shoulder and slid down the length of his back, causing the younger man to turn and look at him.

“I brought a blanket so that we can relax here,” Yoongi announced, while holding up the folded cloth they had been carrying with them on Tip’s back the entire time. “Watching the sunset should be nice… and this way we will be sure to see the stars as well.”

“Yes, that sounds wonderful,” Taehyung agreed in a hushed whisper. “I enjoyed watching the stars with you last time, Prince Yoongi.”

Yoongi looked up from where he was smoothing the blanket over the soft grass. “So did I, Little Flower.”

Taehyung blushed and quickly took a seat.

After Yoongi tied Tip to a tree, leaving her reigns long enough so that she could drink from the lake whenever she wanted to, he joined Taehyung on the blanket. The both of them simply stared out over the calm waters and took it all in. Being out there in the middle of nature was a lot different in comparison to being surrounded by the cold stone walls of the castle. Even the garden paled in comparison.

Taehyung felt like he had found his new favorite place.

“Maybe I should not have let you stay for Prince Jimin’s visit, after all.”

The former thief slowly looked at the man sitting beside him. Yoongi was smiling, but it was the sad sort of smile. The kind of smile that said he regretted making Taehyung stay to hear all of that.

Taehyung leaned over and pressed a kiss to Yoongi’s temple.

“It’s not your fault. You didn’t ask for these duties. They are just… expected of you.”

Yoongi stared into Taehyung’s eyes for a moment before closing them and leaning forward too.

Taehyung barely had the chance to process what was happening, before the warm feeling of soft lips pushing against his own set his nerves on fire. His eye lids slowly closed as well, and it was like his hands had a mind of their own. They slid up Yoongi’s arms and grasped at his shoulders, holding the prince in place while they kissed all of the stress of the day away.

Taehyung never used to think too hard about kissing. He knew it was something two people did when they liked each other. Every time he saw it done it was always a girl and a boy, never two of the same gender, but in that moment everything he had ever learned about kissing went right out the door.

For one, Yoongi wasn’t a girl, and for the first time ever Taehyung found that he didn’t care about that small fact. Second, he knew he liked the prince, but simply writing things off as ‘liking him’ seemed to pale in comparison to how hard his heart was beating in his chest.

Yoongi’s beautiful hands were reaching up to cup Taehyung’s face and pull him closer. He parted his lips a little more and pulled Taehyung’s bottom lip into his mouth, on the plaint flesh and only releasing it once he was sure it would be stained red.

The more they kissed, the deeper it got, and Taehyung didn’t know those kinds of sounds could ever leave his throat. He didn’t know tongue would be involved and that he would thoroughly enjoy it. There was so much he could have never predicted before meeting Prince Yoongi.

But he would never go back and change a single thing.

Yoongi pulled away to in a breath of fresh air, and Taehyung panted against his lips, feeling winded as well.

Friends didn’t do what they just did.

“Prince Yoongi--”

“Please, Taehyung,” Yoongi started in a whisper, still trying to catch his breath. “When we are alone together like this, call me Yoongi.”

“Just… Yoongi?” Taehyung asked, just to be sure. His eyes were as wide as saucers.

Yoongi flashed him a smile, looking genuinely happy now. “Just Yoongi.”

“Ok… Y-Yoongi.”

The prince laughed, sounding so much younger and carefree than his usual self, before attacking Taehyung with kisses all over his face.

The two of them fell on to the blanket in a giggling heap.

~+~

When they returned to the castle after watching the sunset and gazing up at the stars, Yoongi was immediately summoned by the King himself. He looked somewhat crestfallen to have to leave Taehyung’s presence, but a request from the King couldn’t go unanswered.

As soon as the messenger was out of sight, Yoongi pulled Taehyung into a dark wing of the castle and kissed him breathless.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” he said, after pulling away and smiling at Taehyung’s dazed expression. “Sleep well, ok?”

“Ok, P--,” Taehyung caught himself and bit his bottom lip. “Yoongi.”

Something in the prince’s eyes warmed over, and he leaned in for one more soft kiss to Taehyung’s mouth. It was like the light touch of a shy butterfly.

Yoongi brought Taehyung back out into the open and Jungkook was there waiting, leaning against the wall. Once he caught sight of the two he immediately straightened up and bowed before the prince.

“Your highness,” he greeted, before raising his head.

“Please Taehyung back to his room,” Yoongi instructed. “In the morning I want him brought before me, for breakfast.”

Taehyung was a little shocked, to say the least, but he didn’t question it. Breakfast with the prince was an honor, and should be enjoyable. It would probably also help him make sense of the feelings swirling around in his gut. He could still feel the warmth of Yoongi’s kisses on his lips. It was almost a dream-like state.

“Yes, your highness,” Jungkook said with another bow, but when he rose this time, Taehyung noticed a knowing glint in his eyes.

“Farewell until tomorrow, Little Flower,” Yoongi said with fond grin, before lifting his hand to place a flower behind Taehyung’s ear.

Taehyung reached up to touch it’s soft petals and quickly realized it was a daisy, specifically one of Yoongi’s magical daisies.

It made the warmth in Taehyung’s cheeks linger.

~+~

After Jungkook lead him back to the room, Taehyung was surprised to see that the knight didn’t leave right away.

Sir Jeon paced back and forth in the already tight quarters while Taehyung prepared himself for a good night’s rest. It seemed like the younger male had something on his mind, and the former thief knew he wouldn’t get anything out of him unless he asked.

So he did.

“Sir Jeon, is everything alright?”

Jungkook jolted to a stop, like he had been caught red handed, and slowly turned around to face Taehyung.

There was a pensive expression on his face, even more pensive than his usually down-turned brows.

“You are… a nice person,” Jungkook eventually managed to get out. “I’m usually very wary of people, but your character is one I’ve grown fond of, I suppose.”

Taehyung couldn’t help smiling from ear to ear. Jungkook always seemed so annoyed with him, so to hear that was extremely relieving.

“Thank you, Sir Jeon, but why are you telling me this now?”

As appreciative as Taehyung was, he knew Jungkook wouldn’t say those things without a reason.

The knight sighed and rubbed a hand over his forehead. “Just be careful, alright? You are a nice person, and nice people don’t deserve to get hurt.”

Taehyung playfully poked Jungkook in the plate of his armor and giggled. “Why would I be getting hurt, silly? Isn’t that what I have you for?”

Jungkook just shook his head and stood more upright, signalling that he was planning to leave.

“I can protect you from a lot of things,” he said, his mouth set into a grim line. “I can protect you from swords, knives, spears, arrows and murderous councilman… but I can not protect you from heartbreak.”

The smile on Taehyung’s face slowly fell.

“Goodnight, Taehyung,” Jungkook said with a nod of his head.

And then he was gone.

^{I kind of gave you guys a break from the angst in this chapter, but as you can tell by the way it ended, things will be getting pretty intense next chapter O__O} 

^{Thank you for reading! Please tell me what you think. Should Taehyung be worried???}