he had been waiting on his knees when his master had arrived & had found himself pulled from the ground in a rush of strength. minho had taemin in his arms, bruising kisses against his lips & his hands making quick work of the loose tunic on taemin’s shoulders when there was a knock at the door & gwiboon entered.

“prince jongin would like to see you, my lord. i suggest you prepare yourself.”, she said, looking at them pointedly. taemin had barely tied his shirt back in place when there was another knock at the door & the prince’s presence was announced by one of his own guards.

the prince strode directly inside, a stern gaze fixed on minho’s face.

“i would speak to you alone, lord minho. i feel that it is best”, he glanced at taemin before again meeting the soldier’s eyes, “if what we are about to discuss was done so in private.” minho nodded as the prince dismissed his guards, the thud of the door echoing in the room.

jongin’s cursory glance around his master’s chambers did not go unnoticed & taemin’s heart beat a bit faster at what his brother might think of what he saw, remembering the finery of their own palace & knowing that what they stood in today was not half as grand.

“our brother kibum...acted alone. i would like to believe that my word on this matter would be enough for you to trust it’s veracity. however, recent events have proven to us all that words are hollow & actions speak much louder. the betrayal of our two princes, to the point of the loss of a king, is too great an example of how little we might know those closest to us so i will not begrudge any doubt you may hold. i hope, instead, to prove myself in the coming days.

“indeed, there are matters of state that will need to be discussed directly with the king. the loss of an heir & the discovery of his own son’s treachery may be a common ground on which we can forge a new relationship. only time will tell, but it is enough, i hope, to begin communications.”

“jonghyun was as beloved as your brother. his treachery is not so surprising to those who knew him well. his sister will be a far better heir to the throne than he. princess junghee has always been kind & wise, an open ear to the thoughts of the people & far more inclined for harmony than conflict.”

“i truly hope so.” he looked at taemin now, a mix of sadness & resolve in his gaze. “brother.” taemin swallowed at the familiar words & remained placid under his younger sibling’s warm gaze.

“your highness.” jongin’s smile faltered but he pressed on.

“you look well.” taemin nodded.

“as do you.”

the prince stepped forward with open arms, pausing halfway. “may i?” taemin laughed.

“the prince is asking a slave permission?”

“a younger brother is asking to be held by the only brother he has left.” taemin’s smile softened as he took jongin into his arms. they stood there a moment, brothers reunited in a foreign land. jongin pulled away first, taking a step back with his palms pressed against taemin’s shoulders.

“i swear i had nothing to do with the plot & did not find out in time to stop anything. i would take you back, brother, i would. how i wish it were possible. but we know now that it is not. kibum wove a thread of lies that cannot be unraveled. your own actions have made you complicit with his & there is no way for you to return safely. i could not guarantee you would survive even the trip.”

“do your people think so lowly of your status?”, came minho’s piercing voice. taemin cringed.

“yes.”, jongin said, turning towards minho. “how could they not after what has transpired? yet i am the last child of either king or queen: there is no one left in line. i was not bred for leadership & they allow me to rule at this time only at the queen’s behest.” he turned back to taemin whose heart burned at the mention of his mother.

“she believes in your innocence but she has resolved herself to your loss. i believe she keeps me in status as a way of keeping the memory of you close. we are all we each have left of you.”

“and jinki.” jongin grew stiff, defensive. “you have each other.” the air between them turned cold & something in jongin’s eyes flickered: guilt.

“i would not have traded your life away for him. he would never have forgiven me.”

“is he happy?”

“he is safe.” if taemin had listened only to the words the distinction would have been keenly felt. as it was, jongin’s eyes & tone betrayed him & taemin knew his feelings were being spared.

“that is good.”

“taemin will be safe as well, your highness.” he suddenly remembered that his master stood in the room with them & he turned to see his face. his expression was placid, as was common, though he feared he saw something new in his eye.

“that is good. he is quite dear to me & i regret that the greed of two men will now break our bond of brotherhood. but i am glad that he will have your protection. we may never be friends ourselves, lord minho. however, you have proven yourself an honorable man & i will hold you to your word.” minho bowed.

“this is good-bye, brother.” jongin’s voice was not as strong as his stance & his eyes glistened in a way that was reminiscent of their youth. it broke taemin’s heart to see his kind, sensitive brother, one who was so close to his age & yet so much younger, be forced under the mantle of authority he was not prepared to carry. their roles were so reversed & inversed & in every way changed now. he had no right to as a slave but as an elder brother he stepped forward & took the prince into his arms, propping his head on the younger man’s shoulder as the other tried unsuccessfully not to cry, gripping taemin close. he felt the tears prick at his own eyes & he blinked them back rapidly because he would have time for them later: right now he needed to be a strength to the boy he had loved who was now a man about to be a king.

he pulled away first, pressing his hands to jongin’s shoulders & waiting for the prince to regain his composure. his brother wiped his tears with his fingers, a childish behavior at odds with his status that he knew his mother would soon rid him of. he would receive wise counsel from her.

“listen to the queen”, he said, smiling encouragingly, “& to the generals & to the people. listen to them all & then decide for yourself. do not let yourself get swept up in the passions of anger or greed. you are a good man, brother. you have always been the best of us.”

he leaned in again & held his brother in his arms, his hair. there was one last thing he needed to say but he needed it spoken softly so that his master might not hear.

“jongin.”

“yes?”

“it is alright that you love jinki. i am glad of it.”

the door closed & they were again alone.