”One more thing,” Hyukjae says and then pauses, leaning back against his chair with his hands folded across his stomach and his eyes intently focus on the man in front of him whose quill has halted over the treaty paper.

Several loud murmurs of disbelief break through the ranks of Emperor Namsun’s courtiers and there’s a shift of uneasiness in the air as he hears the stir he had cause ripples across the room to the Tenuan's Ministers, soldiers, and all the way down to the servants attending them in this meeting.

"I want Donghae," he continues, unperturbed and watches Emperor Namsun, sitting across from him and on the other end of the table, stiffens up at the name and he drops his quill beside the treaty paper.

There’s an outrage gasp and voices starting to rise among Tenuans in protests but Hyukjae remains unbothered by it, he just snaps a finger.

Then, he hears the sound of several swords unsheathing around them and the hitches of breath as the courtiers spot the flash of blade from his guards. The Tenuans soldiers, standing behinds the Emperor, steps forward then back down as if unsure if they should rise up to the challenge but all it takes is Emperor Namsun raising a hand up in silence and the soldiers drop back to their positions and the voices quickly dying down.

Hyukjae also gives a signal, the forefinger raise and then back down, and his owns carefully sheathes back their sword.

The Hall goes back to it unsettling quiet but the atmosphere remains stifles and strain between them since Hyukjae’s had dropped his condition on them but Tenuans can’t afford another battle. Hyukjae knows that, and they know that.

Emperor Namsun looks directly at Hyukjae unflinchingly, king to king, and Hyukjae takes a moment to notice the greying at the temple, the shadow beneath the Emperor’s eyes, and he appearing to have age at least five years older since the last time Hyukjae had seen him at the Battle of Musain and had forced him into surrender after the Emperor had lost grounds and ten thousands men in a single bout.

Hyukjae’s memories of Emperor Namsun was a proud man sitting upon a throne of gold and blood of the countries he had ruthlessly conquered and assimilate into his vast empire. At ten, he had seem untouchable to Hyukjae and no matter how people had tried to bring him down they were all unmercifully wiped out and Hyukjae had to quietly stew in his hatred and anger as he watched the Emperor took everything from Hyukjae, his life, his people, and his country.

Even now as he looks upon the worn out and beaten down Emperor, Hyukjae can’t forget that this is the same man the conquered two-third of the Helon Continent and kept that way for twenty years till Hyukjae came and decimate his claim to it.  “No,” the Emperor says flatly, steel cold resolve meets Hyukjae.

Hyukjae smiles, not surprise at all, and leans forward till he can rest his arms on the table. “This is not a bargain or a trade, your Majesty, you lost the war and now you pay the consequence of it. There is not negotiation. You either acquiesce to my demand or,” he pauses to look around at the wary eyes of the Tenuans before returning to meet the Emperor’s, “—or we shall continue fight it out on the battlefield till one of us give.”

The Emperor’s eyes flash angrily. “You already have five of my border states, the Port Aisalan in the Treune Sea and Port Vera in in the Corine Penusala, control of our main trade routes, and annual tributes, so what more do I have to give?” he snaps, his fist pounds against the table, shaking the ink well and quill and paper flutters lightly before laying still again.

"I let you keep your throne and your kin will continue to inherit it as long as your bloodline is alive, your people remains unshackle, your military force untouched, and I won’t ever intervene in your rule. Compare to what you normally demand from your conquered states, I been very generous haven’t I?" Hyukjae asks, raising an eyebrow imperiously.

The Emperor nods stiffly.

"All I ask now is Donghae," Hyukjae says, letting his eyes glance past the Emperor’s shoulder to a crowd of high-ranking courtiers and members of the royal family, and somewhere in there is his prize, quiet but not unnoticed, never unnoticed to Hyukjae.

There’s a quiet murmur rippling through the mass again but Hyukjaes staunchly ignore them. The Tenuans can make a fuss all they want but they can’t afford another war, he knows that and they know that.

"He is my son," Emperor Namsun says, clenching his hands tightly.

"Yes," Hyukjae says, tilting his head in acknowledgment, "but you have several and all I ask is one in particular. Many lives were lost in your fail campaign against me, and how many more are you willing to risk for one person? Because I assure you that I won’t be as forgiving this time around once I force you into another surrender and you will surrender." He direct his grim smile at the crowd of Tenuans.

The Tenuans quiet down to deathly hush, a look of anxious and fear flickers across their face.

Hyukjae turns his head back to the Emperor, whose knuckles had gone white and his face ashy grey. “So what would it be, your son or your people?” he asks, laying down his ultimatum.

The Emperor looks down at the unsigned treaty and then glances at the quill beside it. He glances back up at Hyukjae, and it’s the first time Hyukjae had ever seen the Emperor so unguarded, the face staring at him is in turmoil—his duty as a king to his country warring with his love for his son.

Hyukjae almost feels guilty about it for putting him in that position. Almost.

"I," Emperor Namsun starts, looking torn.

"Father, it is alright," a voice clear as glass cuts into their conversation.  "I’ll go."

Hyukjae’s eyes and everyone else in the entire Hall immediately are drawn to a young dark hair man walking up toward the table from behind the Emperor’s seat.

With a sword straps to his side, a common white shirt, brown trousers, and black leather boots, he stands on the other side of the table, between Hyukjae and the Emperor, and looks nothing like the Tanus’ Seventh Prince that he suppose to be or resemble the wealth and power that he had grew up in but Donghae has always goes against current just because he can. He was more of a common soldier than a pompous spoiled prince and that’s why the Tenuans adore him.

"Donghae," King Namsun says, his voice laden with sorrow and regret.

"It is an honor to be of service to my country," Donghae says, lowering his head in reverence.

Hyukjae could almost hear the sigh of relief among Tenuans because as much as they adore their prince, they want to save their own hide more.

"If that is your wish," the Emperor says, his voice breaking slightly before turning to Hyukjae. "I will sign the treaty now if you have nothing else to add." He picks up the quill again and dips into the ink well, pausing to wait expectantly for Hyukjae.

Hyukjae smiles but it holds no joy. “There’s nothing else I want.” And as he says that, his eyes drift toward Donghae who raises his head and glances Hyukjae’s way.

Their eyes meet, and he’s staring right at Donghae’s unflinching eyes, and Hyukjae has to hold back a bitter smile because his prince is still brazen as ever, even when he’s staring down at the person that is holding his fate in the palm of his hand.

Donghae abruptly jerks his head away but not before making a disgust face in Hyukjae’s direction and that’s where Hyukjae lets a smile creep through his defenses because even when Hyukjae feel an unfettered hate toward him, Hyukjae can’t help the overgrowing fondness for Donghae taking over once again as if he was ten again and Donghae had offered his hand to Hyukjae and declared him as his best friend.

He finds himself equally dreading and waiting expectantly for the day Donghae would be his.

a/n: i wrote this as an intended snippet into warprize 'verse but i realize that when -cough- i write this verse it would be entirely in donghae's pov so this can standalone for now :DD.

if you guys want to know some more about the 'verse and is okay w/ spoilers considers going to this link and scroll all the way to the bottom for more info.