Azure, dry leaves bristled in the soft autumn breeze while Jinki walked the gardens of the Kingdom he was visiting with his father. There was still time for him to be King, but his father had insisted his presence in these travels, so every King that signed the treaty would regard him with the same favor in the future.

He had never been to this Kingdom, to Miryn, for it had forever been hostile land, not to all but only to his own Kingdom, Aryn. Their people weren’t forbidden to pass through, nor were attacked, but they were neither welcomed, for, there was too much blood in the history the two kingdoms shared.

Jinki’s dull, green eyes suddenly sparked, having caught a beautiful glimmer of color in his view. He walked towards it in interest and found the source to be the colorfully glimmering water in the fountain. He walked around it in admiration, only for his eyes to fall upon another sat upon the balustrade of the fountain, hand dipped in the pond, colors leaving in ripples from the elegant movements of his immersed fingers.

His hair was a light auburn that seemed gold at the roots due to the soft sun, his eyes were gold too, turning from dark to light as he gently shifted, basking in the pouring sun. There was a charming smile upon his lips and as Jinki got closer, he noticed the soft hum that was escaping them, that made his sight ethereal.

But he noticed Jinki’s steps and looked to his side, towards Jinki, halting the rhythm he had let loose. His eyes widened when he noticed the thin band upon Jinki’s head and he withdrew his palm from the water, dulling the fountain in moments.

He looked back again, but averted his gaze eventually and Jinki could not help but notice the faint blush in his cheeks. It took him a while to realize the reason of his bashfulness.

It had been his own shameless, enamored gaze.
 

It took nothing more than indirect questions to find out the young man’s identity. His name was Jonghyun and he was one of the many princes ofMiryn. He was no crown prince, and hence he never cared to show it. His hair was forever ungroomed, his clothes, plain and not quite much like a prince’s, no band upon his head, no arrogance in his stride. He might have been the rebel of the lot, never making an appearance with the rest royalty. He was far in line, hence his absence in any meeting, at any table was never cared for, but Jinki’s eyes sought him within the attendance, hoping to find him.

But Jonghyun always found him at the end of the day, near the fountain, attracting Jinki’s attention with the glimmering hues he let loose in the water.

It took two meetings for Jinki to finally utter a word to him, and with the way words began to flow between them, Jinki regretted not having started a conversation earlier.

Jinki was enamored more with every passing day, relishing how unrestrained Jonghyun’s laugh was, relishing the handsomeness of his features, doused in his own light. He was enamored beyond comprehension, relishing Jonghyun’s awe when he showed his own magical prowess by making the wildflowers bloom even in the night, by making the trees tilt a little more, expanding their shade. He felt, he might have been enamored too much, so much that there was no return, relishing how Jonghyun grew more comfortable, more forward, more courageous, more flirtatious in his presence, his eyes still modest, despite it all.

He was a dangerous temptation roaming free, a dangerous temptation, perhaps seeming everything that he wasn’t…but Jinki could not help but give in, his senses stuck upon him entirely, and all he wanted was to lose himself into the changing gold of his eyes.

It happened one night. Jinki had grown guiltily courageous and Jonghyun recklessly responded to him.

It happened another time, then another, and Jinki lost track of the mornings he had woken to Jonghyun’s handsome, peaceful face, the sun pouring in and spreading warm, beautiful hues upon his existence.

Jinki lost track of every night that they walked together in the soft breeze, of the number of flowers that he had bloomed to appease Jonghyun, of the number of smiles that he had watched bloom upon Jonghyun’s countenance.

Jinki lost track of everything, lost in the entirety of what Jonghyun was, lost in every little detail of him, that everything halted and began to spin in his head, in erratic directions, when he was notified of the day of his departure.

When he stood before the King of Miryn with the others, speaking his farewell, his eyes caught an anomaly. Light auburn hair, finally groomed, robes that were befitting a prince, an intricate royal band encircling those beautiful locks. Jonghyun was standing in line with his brothers, his eyes brashly upon Jinki, a little playful smile upon his lips that made Jinki’s heart soar, making him forget of the whirlwind within his head.

Finally, Jinki stood before Jonghyun to speak his formal farewell.

There was something different about his eyes, yet Jinki could not ascertain it, distracted by the sly mirth upon his face, that had now begun to make his soaring heart bitter, bringing back the whirlwind of his mind.

“Stay safe on your travels,” Jonghyun spoke, his tone on the verge of mocking.

Jinki felt his heart twist, and he lowered his gaze, furious yet afraid, that another glimpse of Jonghyun might let loose the storm within him.
 

Months had passed and the bitter, painful heart that Jinki carried, grew no less bitter, no less painful. He had learned to forget of his ache, distracting himself in numerous activities, in numerous books, in numerous people.

A day had come when the court was in an uproar but Jinki had not been summoned until the end of the day purposely. When he walked in, he noticed a difference in the silence that reigned the court, yet he walked through it, to stand before his father. His father handed him a scroll, “Miryn has declared that they no longer want to be part of the treaty.”

Jinki tensed, realizing the gravity of the situation.

Miryn’s hostility to them was of utter harm. They were a strong and bigger kingdom, holding long-standing treaties with many others. Their hostility would mean that the other kingdoms would second their own agreements to Aryn, and if the situation worsened, it would not even take a war for Aryn to lose its independence.

He opened the scroll and went through its contents, his mien stiffening as the words flew by and settled within him.

“The court cannot take a decision without hearing your side of it, son.” The King sighed, “Is there any truth in the words you read?”

The silence grew heavy, impatient for Jinki to answer. Jinki took a deep breath, feeling the dormant whirlwind within him grow as he pressured himself to make a decision and answer.

“Yes.” He finally said, “I do not deny what is written here.”

A loud murmur suddenly grew amongst the nobles, which the King silenced, raising his palm, “You have the right to deny all of it.” His father spoke, “Deny it now, and no one will repeat those words another time. Deny it, and Aryn will fight to protect the honor of your denial.”

“We are not fated to survive a denial, father.”

The King remained silent for a while, “Speak your decision, unrestrained, as the future King of Aryn. Speak it, and it shall be obeyed.”

Jinki glanced at the scroll another time, knowing what to speak despite his stormy thoughts.

“I wish to wed him if it would be accepted, father.” He spoke, strong and clear, “I wish to wed him.”
 

The ride toMiryn was rather stifling for Jinki, for, it was too hard to not overhear the opinions his people had of his decision.

“He’s the fifteenth prince, last in line, and his mother a concubine. Our Prince, is of pure blood, the crown prince, is he not settling for less?”

“What if it is a lie? He should have denied the claim, his acceptance brings Aryn dishonor.”

“Miryn would have wiped us out-”

“Would they really? For a worthless prince? Are they not just intimidating us? To be dominant in the treaty despite us being the initiator?”

“The fact…” Jinki interrupted the soft, spiteful conversation of a few nobles, making them straighten up and bow to him immediately, “…that he resides in the palace,and is respected and accepted as a Prince by the king of Miryn proves that he is worthy of his title, worthy of declaring war…and worthy to be my consort.”

He paused, his anger calming when seeing their shivering, bent figures. “If he agrees to my proposal, he will be your King in the future, he will be no less than me…moreover, he will be my honor, and your words to dishonor him, would dishonor me. Henceforth, remember my words before you carelessly speak your own.”

Jinki turned away from them after they had bowed deeply in apology, but halted again, chuckling a little, “Ah, he is a Mizj as well.” He turned back to them, “Do I need to remind you, what being a Mizj means?”

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