~Chapter 4~

Prince Suho never thought he would see himself wear his engagement suit so soon. He thought it would happen at least when he was ready to marry and settle down in five to six years. Maybe when he could finally tell Hanako who he really was.

But he never would imagine that in his nineteenth year he be forced into the middle of an arranged marriage with one of the princess's of the worst kingdoms across the land.  He couldn't even get a say in the matter because it was all for the good of Hiiro and for the other eleven Great Kingdoms.

On the bright side at least he wasn't suffering alone. The other prince's weren't too happy about the news either but no matter how much they argued and objected, they were all reminded their of their duty as prince's; their people and the kingdoms had to come first. 

Suho would rather be living as one of the comoners in the city than be in this position. Dramatic as it may be but he was going to be the crowned prince of Hiiro and he wasn't going to start off with a horrible marriage before he was coronated to the throne.

"Um your majesty?"

Prince Suho swiftly looked into the mirror and saw that his tailor had just finished all the adjustments. He nods his head and the servants finally leave him alone to think for awhile. He walks outside to take a bit of fresh air. 

Tonight was beautiful. He sees people from far and wide arrive to the castle. Guests came out presenting their fancy attires before gracefully stepping up to the palce doors. Although there were guests outside the palace, Prince Suho couldn't help and feel tempted to just let out all his frustrations out into the night sky. 

There was so many things wrong with this whole situation but the worse thing he could think of was once he was married, he can never be able to see Hanako again. The thought of never seeing her beautiful smile, her warm and gentle voice, her kindness and wit made his heart ache. He wanted to see her tonight. 

If only she was invited to come to the ball but it was only for other royal families, aristocrats, and dukes and duchesses who were allies to our great kingdoms. 

All of a sudden he hears knocking. Two of the maids opened them to let the other prince's inside. They were all dressed up too and sported different styles that matched their personality. It showed they were prince's but were different in their own way. However, the looks on all of their faces were sour. No one felt excited or happy they were getting married, especially to princess's of a horrible king.  

"This isn't fair. I don't want to be engaged! Not so soon." everyone silently agreed with Tao's blunt statement. Some of them were still young and didn't even think about marriage. Some of them hadn't even experienced falling in love yet. 

"Ugh I hate this. It's because of those terrible Monathalians! If they hadn't invaded innocent villages near our borders, we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place." Prince Baekhyun was the most livid just thinking about this wretched king. He never was one to resort to violence but he was close to punching him in the face the minute he saw his cocky pig smirk.

"This may be one of our worst alliances yet. Imagine it recorded into the history books."

"That's one chapter I don't even want to read cause soon I'm about to live in it." Kyungsoo mutters darkly towards Lay as he couldn't stop looking at the gaudy suit they made him wear tonight. 

"You know there's something odd about him. That king. He just gives me the chills whenever he smiles at any of us."

"Well creepy or not Kris. We'll keep an eye out on him if he does anything suspicious."

Suddenly a couple of the palace maids knock on their door to alert them of the twelve kings and queens. Immediately all the Prince's get up and properly greet them. As always the twelve kings and queens looked regal and majestic. From the crown on their heads to the jewels on their shoes they looked magnificent. 

They weren't the only ones marveling. The kings and queens couldn't help but swoon at all twelve of the princes being together dressed like powerful princes until they all remembered what they were dressing up for. 

"Ah look at all of you. You all look so charming tonight. Why I think you may just make all the ladies weak in their knees." Queen Fumiko always tried to lighten up Prince Suho's mood. Even though it didn't help much, he still smiled for her.

"Son, I'm sorry for putting you and all of you boys through this. I know you're all young and we all agreed that you weren't ready to settle down yet I-" 

"Father. If it's for the sake the people, we will do whatever it takes. Our duties as princes of the twelve great kingdoms is to care for their people above anything else."

All of them couldn't have agreed more. It drew some of the queens to tears and made the kings proud. King Takashi smiles fondly at the prince his son has become and clasps a hand on his shoulder. "I just want to say I'm proud of you Suho."

Prince Suho smiled back at his father before hugging him. "Thank you father."

"Dearie we should get going and greet the other guests that have just arrived."

"Right. You boys can still stay here. We'll get one of the maids to fetch you when it is time to announce you. So good luck to all of you." one by one the kings and queens filed out of the room until it was just twleve of the princes sulking to themselves. 

Not even the music playing down in the townsquare or the loud fireworks that lit up the sky could distract any of them from what was to come. 

"Come on guys, cheer up. At least we're all getting married together. I mean whoever thought we all get engaged at the same time. That's a whole level of brotherhood if you ask me."

"Really Chen? That's your bright side to this whole matter? Seriously that is the most girliest and dumbest things I've heard from you." one of Prince Suho's pillows gets thrown straight towards Sehun for being such a brat but their childish fight made some of them start chuckling. 

Meanwhile, Suho kept staring at the view outside his balcony window thinking to himself. Prince Luhan comes over and has never seen his friend this down before. "Hey, you ok Suho?"

Suho's eyes wandered away from the window and nods fervently at Luhan's worrisome expression. Luhan shakes him lightly and looks right at him. "Hey we're going to get through this. There's no way I'm getting married to some Monathalians without a fight."

He chuckles, "Luhan I didn't think you would be so adament about not getting married. What if the princess's are beautiful and kind hm?"

Luhan had thought about it before but he shook his head surprising Suho. "It doesn't matter. I've already met a beautiful and kind girl even if she wasn't a princess I would rather be with her then here." now it was his turn to look out the window and stare at where the forest was. The forest looked so tiny from where he looked but why did he prefer to be in the dangerous scary forest than here? 

Then Leon peeks his head through the door, disrupting the prince's conversations. "Excuse me your highnesses but it's time for you to be heading down to the main hall." 

"Just give us a minute please." 

All of the princes looked at each other some with fear and some with nervous expressions. Suho sighs and gets up from the window. "Let's try to make this an enjoyable night. For our mother and father." 

Some of them grumbled but Prince Suho couldn't blame them. He especially felt bad for the younger prince's as they seemed sad and more quiet ever since the whole ordeal. Sehun and Tao threw a little fit of their own, Kyungsoo looked like he wanted to punch a wall and Kai well he was solemnly looking out one of the windows of the room. He never expressed his feelings. 

"Suho's right." surprisingly Kris spoke up and stood next to Suho so everyone would look at him. "Even if this isn't what we wanted we can't be selfish. We promised each other that we stick together and even if we suffer our entre lives with a bunch of snotty, corrupt princesses, at least we'll suffer together." 

"Kris, you really need to work on your motivational speeches because that straightup made me even more depressed. Honestly do the people in Dukedom get sad whenever you start speaking?" after hearing such harsh criticism from Chen, Kris looked like he wanted to punch his highness out of this room.  

"I think what Kris is really trying to say is, we promised as princes that our duty is to protect the innocent because that's what will make us great rulers one day. We shouldn't worry about being married to daughters of the men we hate because in the end we'll always have each other."

The others finally picked their heads up and Suho couldn't help but chuckle at Baekhyun lightly punching him on the shoulder.

"See you should take notes Kris."

"Don't make me give you a blackeye before we see our fiances." Chen wasn't bothered by Kris's threat since everyone began to feel nervous when they gathered by the door preparing themselves for the worse.

"I just hope these princesses don't get on my nerves." Sehun tiredly comments as he tried fixing a wrinkle on his royal sash.

"I don't think that's what we should mainly worry about." Luhan muttered before the servants opened the doors for them. They all started filing out of the room and Prince Suho tails behind. He sadly glimpses at the medicine pouch laying on his night table before following his brothers to battle.

Once the fanfare began to play, the royal herald came marching forward to announce the princes. "Here ye here ye. Their royal highnesses would like to thank you all for coming to their engagement ceremonial ball. Tonight will be the marriage where the Kingdom of Monathales and the Twelve Great Kingdoms will be conjoined together and restore peace throughout the land."

Everyone in the ballroom politely applauded even though you could slightly hear some of the younger ladies throughout the audience sniffle and begin to cry. "Now Gents and Madames, I present to you their royal highnesses, the princes of the Twelve Great Kingdoms."

The curtains swept aside revealing all the princes standing above the stairs emmitting their charming and regal aura. Together they looked so handsome that some of the ladies couldn't help but swoon. 

Then from the corner where the twelve kings and queens stood, were twelve princesses who looked at them with hearts in their eyes and maybe some predatory