the grand hall was dimly lit with chandeliers & candles, the soft strumming of an unseen harp the backdrop to the celebration. the prince was toasted & a small speech made & the crowd cheered as princess junghee kissed her brother on the cheek. the familiarity of a royal banquet felt like a dream, a hazy memory of a life he had existed in before he had begun living in seclusion with only eunsook for companionship during the day while his nights were spent as a slave in minho’s bed. he stood behind his master quietly, a display without purpose as he was not allowed to serve either food or drink. he fought the urge to tap his feet & held his head up as confidently as he could.

he felt eyes on him & he glanced around, attempting to locate the source & finding himself the recipient of the returned prince’s gaze. a smile formed on the other’s lips when he saw that he had been caught staring. taemin frowned & his stomach tightened at the expression on the other’s face. he turned away & his lips & took a deep breath. prince jonghyun was one of very few who might recognize taemin for what he was & while minho seemed to have not there was no mistaking the knowing glint in the prince's eye. more than once he again caught the prince watching him throughout the evening, a look of satisfaction & a hint of desire, one that caused a shiver to travel down his spine. he was owned by the king’s right hand & he believed in minho’s integrity enough to trust that his master would not willingly allow another to have him, however he wasn’t certain minho had enough standing to protect him from royalty.

the banquet went on for hours, the members of the court growing progressively louder & more aggressive in their pursuit of the pleasure slaves that surrounded the room. many of them disappeared with varying looks of anticipation & taemin was one of only a few that remained as the evening drew to a close; one of the few present who belonged to a master who would not trade them in celebration.

minho turned to him.

“i will speak to the king. wait for me in my chambers. minjung will you.” taemin nodded & minho beckoned the soldier who then guided taemin through the unfamiliar halls of the palace to the room that had been set aside for minho as the king’s right hand. minjung was as kind as ever, opening the door for taemin & wishing him a good night before pulling it shut. the room was much larger than the one minho kept at his fortress, far more ornate in both design & decor. gold & crimson & heavy wood: the weight of wealth was felt throughout.

there was a knock at the door & taemin was on his knees before he realized that his master would have no reason to take such an action. unsure of how to respond he stood & said nothing, waiting for the sound to resume. another knock at the door as it opened, a smiling prince entering the room. taemin was so stunned that he nearly forgot himself, fighting instinct & kneeling again in the presence of royalty.

“your highness.”

“ah, now is this any way for a prince to address his peer?” taemin swallowed & kept his eyes to the ground.

“i am sure i do not know what you mean your highness.”

“i am sure minho does not either.” at the mention of his master’s name taemin’s eyes rose & he found himself beneath a leering gaze that made his blood run cold. “should i tell him?”

“he is aware.”, taemin lied, hoping that his statement rang truer in jonghyun’s ears than it did in his own.

“of course he is not. why do you lie?” taemin remained silent, begging minho to return & regretting that minjung knew that he was alone with the prince. jonghyun tilted his head to the side with a small smile. “what would he think if he knew that my little gift was so much more than he thought? would ing the son of a fallen enemy bring him joy or disgust?” he leaned down & taemin felt the breath of his words blow across his face. “a royal . a gift better suited for a prince than a soldier, do you not think?” he stood, still smiling. “enjoy your evening.”

he turned then, walking towards the door, & leaving without a look back.

taemin stayed on his knees, shaking, his heart beating erratically. when minho returned he searched his face for any hint of new knowledge, terrified that he might now know. there was nothing there. the same placid expression he always held sat across his gaze as he looked down at taemin & bid him to undress. despite his best attempts the words “royal ” echoed in his ears as he braced on his elbows & knees on minho’s bed, his body shuddering as his master into him from behind, & he too began to wonder what minho would think if he knew who he had in his bed.

a week passed with no further visits from the prince.