Disclaimer: Some words and sentences are borrowed from a nonkyumin fic because they are interesting.

Warning: First few paragraphs will bore you out because of conversations and to new subbies please read the foreword so you will be very much acquainted with this fic.

He saw the other's swift motion.

The boy's robe glides smoothly along the air while passing past him amidst the royal crowd. He tried to calm his senses and nerves for the sweet scent that lingers in the air. He snickered as he recognized the unique whiff hangin in the air, that was Aries' signature perfume. He mused, the prince from Northern Lights is using their fragrances.

He had never seen such beauty before.

He had never encountered such perfection in his entire life that he is even willing to give up half of his wealth to get that splendid prize.

But Lee sungmin was never and never would be a prize to anyone. Because he is Lee sungmin, the seventh prince of Northern lights, the treasured jewel of that kingdom.

A jewel that is not intended for anybody to own.

But alas, his father told him he's going to marry the boy after the seventh spring.

When he's about to leave, Kyuhyun's eyes met the coal black ones of his Highness, Prince Sungmin who abruptly turned his look the other trying to will the embarrassment away but not the red streaks forming at the supple part of his cheeks.

"God, he's adorable."

Emperor Leeteuk conducted a conversation with Aries's Prime Minister, Cho Hyunjoong. Kingdom Aries was governed by a Prime Minister despite being called a Kingdom, save it for the historians of Aries, just in case you might want to know. The conversation between the two nation leaders was of course somehow or another related to the war that swept the world, the recently opened Arian mine, the newest batch of spices, and the winning team of the latest soccer game aired the previous night.

The Arian mine was supposedly dubbed as the biggest mining operation for oils because for unknown reasons, the best oils come from the deepest part of the mountains situated at the Kingdom of Aries. And the three biggest factions wanted Aries for the large oils it possessed and the spices under their belt because it can feed at least twelve nations, well sounds a lot of money.

"This is ridiculous," Hyunjoong said as he put his glass of wine back to the table.

"Pardon me?" Leeteuk said, blinking the slight drunkenness from his eyes that caused by the two and a half bottle of Chateau Lafitte he had drunk with Hyunjoong . "Are we talking about the war, the Arian mine, the spices, or the soccer game?"

"All of them are ridiculous," Hyunjoong said, flailing his hand a little. It seemed Leeteuk was not the only one in the dire threat of getting drunk any time soon. "I hate that soccer team, their uniform looks stupid. And the new Arian mine, whoever had the idea to dig Mount Fuji? It just ruins her beauty.

Hyunjoong exclaimed. He raised his glass to his lips and sipped some more wine before he continued.

"This stupid war and now every country's representatives are trying to subjugate me into annexing Aries with their country."

That however earned a sour smile from Leeteuk and Hyunjoong just rolled his eyes.

"Well, you have the mine," Leeteuk said. Refilling his glass he then said. "It's like having a very beautiful daughter and now that the entire world sees her beauty, they all are trying to court and win her hand."

Hyunjoong frowned, "I always believe that I only have a son."

"It's figurative," Leeteuk said, waving his hand.

"Ah, right," Hyunjoong said. "So, are you also trying to win my daughter…? I mean my mine?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," Leeteuk said and a look of seriousness passed on his face. "Northern Lights is facing a great peril, my friend. Seeing the current event of the world affair, I can say that there is a high possibility that either The Southern Kingdom or The Central Point would soon launch a declaration of war to Northern Lights. And I do think that an alliance with Aries will help Northern Lights greatly in the upcoming war, though I hope there will be no war whatsoever---“

“---and yeah well the spices,” Leeteuk added sheepishly.

It might look amazing that a half drunken man like him could deliver such eloquent speech like that. But Leeteuk had been Emperor of The Northern Lights for decades so he could do things normal people found arduous, like doing diplomatic speech in the middle of drunkenness or dressing his hair in rolls every damn day.

Hyunjoong regarded Leeteuk with a sharp look before he smirked, "And you will have a steady supply of oil for your nobles and majesties, am I right?"

"That also," Leeteuk agreed. It would be a very perceptible lie if he told Hyunjoong he did not think about the oils. "But you will also get your benefit from this. If you join force with Northern Lights, we can help you in dealing with those Chinese men from the Central Point. I am sure you also view them to be nastier than us."

"I have to agree," Hyunjoong scrunched his face. "They have no fashion sense.”

"Terrible indeed," Leeteuk sighed. "Considering that, you can say that my proposal is much more beneficial for you. We have enough military power but we need the oils.”

Hyunjoong laughed like a hyena. More probably at Leeteuk’s undying love for the oils.

“You have a great amount in your country but you do not have enough military force to defend it. And Northern Lights does have fashion sense."

Hyunjoong gave a scrutinizing look at Leeteuk that rested on his rolls of hair a second longer than necessary, "I will need a lot of persuasion to believe that."

"Oh, at least I wear no lipstick," Leeteuk said. "So what is your answer, my friend?"

Hyunjoong had a look of deep contemplation on his face for a moment. Distractedly, he touched the rim of his wine glass. If he were to consider the current situation, he knew that an alliance with The Northern Lights was a very good thing. But it was also an alliance with the greatest risk. Northern Lights only needed his oils and spices and it had military power far surpassing that of Aries. Even though Leeteuk now came up to him with a proposal of friendly diplomatic relationship, in the future, Northern Lights could always breach the treaty and try to conquer Aries into full submission. That was the cunning person Leeteuk could be and Hyunjoong had known it after years he was being friends with him.

"Leeteuk, my friend," he began. "I know how much of a cunning man you are, so please allow me to feel a bit suspicious here. You ask for an alliance with Aries but how can you assure me that in the future you will not try to betray our treaty and declare war to conquer my country?"

Leeteuk frowned. It was reasonable that Hyunjoong felt hesitant about the alliance he just proposed. But during that time, he really needed the alliance with Aries to be formed before those lipstick wearing men, a.k.a. the representatives of The Central Point, beat him.

"So what do you propose?" he asked.

"I need an assurance that is stronger than a mere contract paper with our sigils on it," Hyunjoong  said. "I propose a union of blood between Northern Lights and Aries."

Hearing that, Leeteuk had a look of surprise on his face. "Are you proposing a political marriage between our nations?"

"Indeed," Hyunjoong  said. "I have a son, my only son, while you have so many children. Surely among them you could find one worthy to be the bride of my son? Surely, Leeteuk, you can give one of your children to be married with my son? This way we will become family, not merely accomplices, and thus I will give you all the power I have to support Northern Lights."

If he did not have that much self control in him, Leeteuk must have surely found himself biting his lower lip while he was thinking hard about Hyunjoong 's proposal. True, he needed the alliance. But he also did not want to agree so easily to what Hyunjoong had proposed. A marriage between their two nations would cause a long lasting effect. Should there be any children born from the wedlock, it would only make matters worse. For as long as he could remember, there was never any marriage happened between the royal family with people not of the pure royal blood of Northern Lights. Of course it was to ensure that only those of pure Northern Lights blood could inherit the throne. But if a political marriage happened between Aries and Northern Lights and suppose a child was born from it, there would be a possibility of someone not of pure Northern Lights blood inheriting the throne.

Now that Hyunjoong proposed his notion, Leeteuk found himself in peril. Should he reject the proposal, it would surely be taken as an insult and the possibility of having an alliance with Aries would surely diminish. Should he agree to the proposal, it would mean staking his throne. It was a difficult choice. But suddenly he realized of a thing.

Hyunjoong had said one of his children not one of his daughters.

He smirked. Now he had a solution.

"Though I seldom resorted to marriage as a binding contract between two nations, I have to agree that it would surely form a strong bond between us," he said. "And we hav