Taemin looked out the window of the Swamp Kingdom fortress, watching as his Appa was helped into the carriage by Key. It had been a week since his marriage to the frog and after Onew had set up a temporary treaty, that protected his Kingdom and his son from any foul play, he had announced that it was time for him to return to his Kingdom.  Taemin had protested, asking why it was necessary for him to stay when it was clear he was an unwanted presence and stating that the wedding should just be counted as a fluke (because it’s not like they were going to consummate it). He had tried to convince Onew to take him home as he watched his Appa pack; however, his Appa’s reasoning as to why he couldn’t was still ringing in his head.

“Taemin, I don’t want to leave you here, but we can’t go against the laws that bind all the Kingdoms together. That could cause repercussions in the peace and magical balance that is held throughout the land. And before you ask, there’s not a loop hole for this. Trust me I tried to find one once I realized my only option was to marry you off. Even if you don’t consummate the marriage the vows you exchanged are still counted as binding.” Onew tried to explain to his son as he folded clothes and put them in his trunk.

“But Appa, why is there a stupid law causing royalty to stay married for a year in the first place? And why do I have to stay here for that year?” Taemin whined because normally whining made his Appa give into his wishes.

Onew looked at his son with sadness in his eyes, “Don’t whine Taebaby, I can’t do anything about it. When two magical royal beings marry one another it causes a shift in the magic. The shift doesn’t settle down until a year has passed.”

“But, that’s for magical royal beings. Minho can’t be magical, and even if he is, wouldn’t it make more sense to annul the marriage before the shift settles?”

Onew gave his son a stern look, “Don’t delude yourself, you know as well as I that Minho is a magical being. You can sense it the moment you enter a room with him in it. And annulling now would only cause another shift, making magic even more unbalanced. This is why royal weddings normally take forever to put together.”

“Stupid, over-eager, frog face,” Taemin grumbled, “Still doesn’t explain why I have to stay here for a year.”

“It’s just another stipulation of the law. The couple has to stay in the same proximity for the magical shift to settle.”

Taemin was getting annoyed, “How do we even know all this is true?”

“Records of past experiences. That and, your great, great, great grandfather told me that in his time the magic became so unbalance due to fluctuating marriages amongst royalty that dark beings that had been locked away for centuries reappeared out of nowhere and started causing mass destruction.”

“Oh,” was all Taemin could say. There was no way of getting out of this. He was going to be stuck in the Swamp Kingdom as the unwanted husband of a frog for a year.

Onew pulled his son into a hug. “Don’t look so glum. I’m not leaving you here alone. I’m still making Key stay. He’ll keep me updated as to what’s going on and make sure you don’t get into too much trouble. Although, if you cause some for that idiotic husband of yours, I’ll reward you when you get home.” The statement caused Taemin to chuckle and he smiled up at his Appa.

“I’ll make sure to do that then.”

“What’s so funny?” a croak from behind Taemin brought him back to the present. Key was just closing the door to the carriage, after receiving last minute instructions. He waved Onew off as the Dragonflies took flight.

Taemin turned his attention from the window and to Minho, “Nothing much. Just thinking of all the havoc I can cause in a year.”

“Don’t you dare, I have enough problems without you adding more.”

Taemin started walking away, “Then you should have thought of that before you married me.”

“Arrg, here I was trying to get to know you better‒”

Taemin quickly turned around and hovered a little off the ground to tower over the frog, “Get to know me better! Now you want to get to know me better! This entire week you’ve treated me no better than a pest in your home!”

“I’m sorr‒”

“Don’t say things you don’t mean. I’m going to find Key.” Taemin turned to fly off down the hall. He made it a few inches before he was tugged backward at a terrifying speed and then surrounded by slime.

“What the hell, Minfrog?! Let me out of your mouth!” Taemin struggled against the frog’s sticky tongue.

“I sorwy it’s a wreflex,” Minho tried to mouth around the fairy.

“Whatever, just let me go!”

“I down’t know how.”

“Uhg, just stop talking. I’ll just use my magic to‒”

“Moooo! Mo magic!” Minho started hopping around the hallway jarring Taemin.

“You stupid frog! Hold still!” Taemin was able to use the wind to immobilize the frog then he had a nearby plant pull him out of Minho’s mouth. “Gah, now I’m all slimy.”

“Sorry, but can you let me go now,” Minho croaked, still immobilized by air.

Taemin glared at the frog, “I don’t know, you’re less annoying this way.”

“Let me go!”

“Taemin! Let His Frogginess go,” Key called from behind Taemin.

“But he tried to eat me!”

“He what?!” Key exclaimed as Jonghyun moved toward the frog growling.

“It wasn’t on purpose!” Minho tried to defend.

Key sighed, “Taemin, let him go. Jonghyun come back here. We need to talk on an equal footing if we are going to live together for a year without killing each other.”

Taemin pouted, “But‒”

“Taemin,” Key said in his Umma voice.

“Yes Umma,” The fairy prince let his husband go.

“Right then, I think you two need to set down some ground rules,” Key started.

“You mean like not eating me,” Taemin jabbed at Minho.

“How about not using magic on the King,” Minho jabbed back.

“Frog Face.”

“Bratty Bug.”

“Don’t call my baby that!” Key interrupted, “Minho just state your rules so we can get this over with.”

“Fine, don’t use magic on me, don’t leave the castle grounds without an , and don’t go near the East Wing’s garden.”

“Done, now Taemin,” Key prompted.

“Control your tongue, don’t expect me to treat as you as my superior, and never enter my rooms without my expressed permission.”

Key looked at Taemin in surprise, “Wait, did he try entering your rooms?”

“No, but our bedrooms connect so, I’m just making it clear.”

Key glared at the frog, “Is that so?”

Minho shifted uncomfortably, “My staff did it. We are married after all.”

Key gave Minho an ‘I’ll be watching you look’ before asking, “Are we agreed on the ground rules then?” The frog and the fairy nodded, “Then I believe it’s time for lunch.”

“Actually, I have business to attend to, so if you’ll excuse me,” Minho gave a slight nod of his head and then hopped off.

“And I need a bath,” Taemin said pointing at his clothes.

“Do you need help with that?” Key asked.

“Nope,” Taemin started walking towards his room, “I’ll be fine Umma.”

Key turned to look down at Jonghyun, “Guess that just leaves us.” Jonghyun wagged his tail then started to push Key down the hall, “Jonghyun this is not the way to the kitchen.” Jonghyun barked an affirmative. “Hmm, well I guess no one will be needing us for a while and we can get to the bottom of what’s going on in this Kingdom later,” he said before the two raced off to their room.

~

Minho hopped his way into the East Wing garden, “Have you two figured out a different way to break the curse yet?” he addressed Thunder and his other advisor, an alligator named G.O., actually, when he looked up he realized he was only addressing G.O. “Where’s Thunder?”

“In this over grown lizard’s mouth,” came the muffled reply.

“That’s unhealthy, G.O..  Spit him out, you don’t know where he’s been,” the alligator opened his mouth and the bird came tumbling out. “Would you please stop trying to eat him?”

“Like you’re one to talk,” G.O. pointed out, “How does your ‘bride’ taste?”

“How did you find out about that already?” Minho asked slightly ashamed of his earlier uncontrolled actions.

“I have my sources, since I can no longer enter the castle thanks to a certain someone,” Thunder looked meaningfully at Minho.

“Yes, we know you’re bitter, but we have found another way to break the curse,” Thunder informed preening his rumbled feathers, “Although, I’m not sure you’ll like it.”

Minho turned all his attention to Thunder, “I don’t care, let’s hear it, whatever it is.”

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Hi! So I want to thank everyone who is commenting and subscribing. You guys are great and I'm glad you catch my jokes. Anyway, um this chapter, yeah I have no idea why I had them trying to eat each other. Although, G.O. eating Thunder, was Bre's idea. And as for the cliff hanger, I'm not sorry. I am sorry for the fact that this might be the last update for a while because I have writers block and I've hit the end of my stock pile of chapters I had from school (my freetime gets limited when I come home). So I'm really sorry there might be a long wait after this but I promise I do have a plan for the story I just have to write it out. Continue to subscribe and comment please because it feels really great when you do. Until next time, bye.

So my editor is taking forever to put in her side notes because she has a real job and a social life, probably, so I updated this without them. Maybe she'll add them in later.

Anyway picta spam by author

 Wink, Wink Puppy's up all night to get lucky