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Jongdae smiled as he heard his handmaiden –she’s actually Yerim’s handmaiden but Jongdae steals her from time to time because she knows all the gossip that circles around the castle and they have impromptu duets of the old hymns so he likes to think that she’s his- Seungwan inform him regarding something that he knew would happen: Junmyeon’s betrothal to the Crown Prince of Yiwen. Sure, his father had only told Junmyeon and Queen Boa to make it small and he’d tell the news tomorrow when he called court but Jongdae had connections so he would know before the others did. He simply hummed drinking his cup of tea that he was nursing in his lap before he quickly turned to Seungwan, successfully startling her.

“Oh! Prince Jongdae, don’t do that!” She lightly scolded him as she whacked him on the knee, Jongdae kept chuckling before he caught her hand not wanting the staff to see the prince getting whacked by a handmaiden. They were sitting in the gardens watching the castle staff and lords/ladies bustle around the castle doing their duties.

“Tell me, Lady Seungwan what do you know of the Crown Prince of Yiwen?” Jongdae questioned the silent Lady who began to think and glare at the prince. “You know I love my hyung oh so dearly. I need to know about the man who he is intended to marry.” And to know whether I need to go with Junmyeon or not. Even if I at fighting, I’m good at making a diversion for Junmyeon to escape.

“Well, Your Highness. From what I’ve heard, Crown Prince Yifan is handsome, very intelligent, very skilled in battle, an extremely adept swordsman, also he’s-“

“From what I remember hearing, there were mentions of him hating us: our country. What is to assure me that my brother will be safe with a man who supposedly hates my countrymen and by consequence might hate my brother? That I won’t be informed that my brother was executed on whatever stupid charges that man could make against him? I’m worried, Seungwan.” Jongdae questioned Seungwan as he looked her in the eye and he could see that she was also worried.

Jongdae loved Junmyeon with all his heart, that was something everyone knew and it wasn’t a surprise in the royal household; when they were children –despite Junmyeon being a year older than him- Junmyeon played with him after a long day of lessons, Junmyeon let him sleep in his bed with him whenever he had nightmares after his mother had told him that he was too big to sleep with his father and her, Junmyeon helped him with his own lessons because he never understood the tutors, Junmyeon (and Minseok but we’re not talking about Minseok and his safety right now) taught him to ride a horse, Junmyeon understood when Jongdae proclaimed that he would never hold a sword nor learn how to fight when others called him a coward and Junmyeon was his super hyung so he should know whether his super hyung would be safe or not.

“True. Are you planning something, Jongdae?” Seungwan squinted her eyes as she took in Jongdae’s expression.

“Seungwan, how would you feel about moving up north?”

“Do you forget that I’m your sister’s handmaiden?”

“She won’t notice with how much Joohyun coddles her.” Jongdae scoffed as he picked up the last pastry. “If I didn’t know any better I’d think that Joohyun was Yerim’s mother.”

“I’ll think about it. Besides who knows if I might find myself a handsome husband in Yiwen?” Seungwan wiggled her eyebrows at the prince who started laughing loudly and had almost choked on the cookie generating the worry of Seungwan and the castle staff that was around them.

Luhan pursed his lips as he tasted the bitter tea before placing the cup back on the table. “Why am I drinking this again, Tao?” He whispered to the lord who had accompanied him on his travel to Asterrania who simply stared at the prince with an unimpressed look on his face before he picked up his own teacup and changed his expression at the prince.

“Because I made the brew thus you know I at making the brew for the tea and I have the desire to gossip with you so indulge me, Your Highness.” Tao smiled at the prince as he took a sip of the tea before choking due to the flavor and asking one of Luhan’s handmaidens –Meiqi- to make another brew and if she could, to throw it out to the sea when no one was looking.

“So how has your time with the prince been?” Tao questioned as he leaned forward with a coy and flirtatious smile on his lips. “Has he seduced you? Or have you seduced him already? Have you already been in the contact of the deeper parts of his flesh in the throes of passion?”

“It’s been fine, thank you for asking my dear friend.” Luhan replied with a smile before answering the other questions. “He hasn’t seduced me yet besides you know that that’s my specialty but I haven’t been able to use it yet.”

“I have been told that he’s a prude. That’s he’s never had a lady in his chambers, that the ones who have gone there or have been sent were all sent away with a warning, you would be his first Your Highness. Make him feel so many things that he’ll only want you in his bed and as his wife/husband.” Tao mused along with the other handmaidens who were also listening to their conversation –as it was normal for them- and pitching in their ideas. Luhan appreciated Tao’s information despite it being something that he had determined a while ago; Minseok was very nervous and silent when they would spend time together and would be okay with a chaperone accompanying them.

“Did that work with my brother?” Luhan asked Tao with a smirk on his face as he drank the new cup of tea that Meiqi brought to him –which was 10 times better than Tao’s but he wouldn’t admit it to the younger for he would cry for a fortnight which was something that Luhan wasn’t very keen on-, Tao’s face blanched and reddened as the handmaidens all laughed at Tao’s misery as he spluttered trying to cover for himself.

“I knew he was off limits so I made sure I didn’t show him everything I could do because if I had done so then I’d be the next Empress not Prince Junmyeon.” He had said as he wiggled his eyebrows to make sure everyone knew what he was talking about. Luhan called bull but simply sipped his tea as Tao tried to make everyone believe his story. “But you have to make sure that the Prince only sees you so he won’t disrespect you. Your father would wage war if he found out that the Prince disrespected you.”

“That’s the plan. Make sure that we don’t get into a war and have my husband adoring me.” He laughed with them before quieting down as they heard the door being knocked, Meiqi walked towards the main door to greet the visitor. Meiqi walked back and whispered into Luhan’s ear. “It’s Crown Prince Minseok, he desires to talk to you.”

“I’ll be on my way.” Luhan replied as he got up from his seat, he walked towards the door and found Minseok standing there with a stern face before he saw Luhan which made his face light up. Luhan thought it was cute.

“Your Highness, it’s a pleasure to see that you come to see me in my humble quarters.” Luhan commented as he bowed to Minseok who blushed. “You could’ve sent a messenger. You do have a million servants who would do your bidding.”

“I find asking a servant to do what I can do in mere minutes unpractical.” Minseok smiled but clearing his voice and straightening his posture. “Also I wanted to see you. You brighten my day a bit, Your Highness.”

Luhan stopped in his thoughts at the mention that he brightened Minseok’s day before smiling at the prince. “You must say that to every person that you meet.”

“You’re the first person I’ve ever said that to.” Minseok shrugged before he grabbed a box that was in his coat. “I also have something for you; it’s a common practice over here, a gift for you.”

Luhan gently grabbed the small box that was extended towards him and opened it gently, handing the lid over to Meiqi who was blushing –Luhan presumed that it was because she became their by default chaperone and she actually wanted to give them some alone time- but still looked interested and stared in awe as he grabbed the necklace peering into the glass to look at the unfamiliar flower that was dry pressed inside of it. In Yiwen, the only flowers that grew there –due to the rigid cold climate and the only two months with spring- were winter roses, snowdrops, Lenten roses, winter pansies and more but Luhan didn’t remember their names also all these flowers had muted colors such as blues, purples and whites but this flower that Minseok had given him was red, a ruby red similar to a passionate red.

“What’s this flower?” Luhan breathed out as a natural shy smile came upon his face and Minseok smiled widely, showing off his white teeth, at the sight of Luhan’s smile.

“It’s called baby’s breath. My father and Queen Boa commented to me that baby’s breaths don’t grow in Yiwen and that most of the flowers are blue or white so even if you don’t decide to marry me, I hope that this flower will symbolize our friendship and I’m so awkward.” Minseok started off but gradually lost himself and he blushed a deep pink almost bordering on red.

And it was at this moment that Luhan decided that he was going to marry Minseok one way or another.

Junmyeon stood at the balcony of his room feeling the air impregnated with the scent of sea salt and the oak trees that surrounded the castle grounds as it hit his dampened cheeks. He sniffled before he walked inside his chambers closing the glass doors and locking them to make sure that no one would enter his room even if someone was stupid enough to challenge the prince. He wiped his cheeks dry after making sure that he wouldn’t cry again later as he made his way towards his bed to sleep but heard someone knock on his door, he walked towards the door and was getting ready to dismiss whoever stood at the door but was shocked at who had arrived.

“Sehun?” He breathed out, voice almost breaking from his emotions. He composed himself and tugged Sehun inside the room before anyone saw the taller man. “Why are you here? I didn’t call for you or gave you a signal.”

“I’m not a concubine to need to be called to come see you, I’ll come whenever I want. I barely saw you today which is odd because when you’re back from a campaign I see you all the time because the court demands that you be there.” Sehun started rambling as Junmyeon led him to sit on the couch that Junmyeon had in his room. “What’s wrong? You don’t let me ramble for too long.”

“I have something to tell you.” Junmyeon murmured to Sehun who nodded before he spoke up coming up with something different from what was the issue.

“What is it? Are you with child? I thought that we were careful.”

“No, it’s not that and even if it were that I’d be overjoyed not like this.” Junmyeon mumbled while he stared at Sehun in the eyes, his hands moved to cup Sehun’s own hands who simply held his hands back with a soft smile. It pained Junmyeon to be the one to ruin that lovely smile.

“My father has told me that I am to be wed to Crown Prince Yifan.” Junmyeon whispered so softly that Sehun wouldn’t have heard him if he hadn’t been so silent.

“That bastard.” Sehun hissed as Junmyeon whacked him on the shoulder for disrespecting the king. “Well… I’ll go with you to Yiwen as your royal guard and we can be together there though we’ll have to be discreet.”

“Sehun, it won’t make any sense if the Royal General were to become the guard to one of the most adept princes at fighting and said prince is a Royal Commander as well.” Junmyeon shook his head before lifting his hand and cupping Sehun’s cheek with it. “As much as I would prefer if you came with me, you can’t. You are your father’s only heir; no harm can come to you and especially if it’s for me.”

“I don’t care. I love you Junmyeon, I don’t want to be apart from you.” Sehun whimpered at the end before he hugged Junmyeon and hiding his face in Junmyeon’s neck. “I’m always either so close to you or you’re too far so I can’t touch you.”

Junmyeon pulled Sehun to look at him in the eye with a fierce look in his eyes but tears were already spilling from them. “Sehun I love you so much. With all my heart, I love you and I am yours but I can’t have them do anything to you. I’m not going to Castile or Fáilte, I am going to Yiwen –a country that still thinks that we stole their princess- where I will most likely be a prisoner if something goes wrong. I am of royal blood of a strong nation that could best them in war but you are a nobleman, one that they will have no problem with making you an example if we were caught together. Our connections with Yiwen are too weak for us to do something like that.

“And don’t you ever think that I am saying these things because I don’t want you, I am saying these things –being brutally honest with you- because I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. Because if something were to happen to you Sehun, my heart would break into a million pieces.”

Sehun simply nodded before he kissed Junmyeon with vigor and passion, Junmyeon at the kiss before kissing back fervently. That night, they gave into the throes of passion so many times that Junmyeon had lost count.

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