“Brother, what is taking you so long?” Yifan asked Sehun as they walked towards the garden, enjoying the radiance of the afternoon sun. Spring has come a few days ago, flowers had started to bloom and the smell of grass filled his nostrils. They walked outside the castle with the excuse of discussing secretive and preemptive tactics against the English but one should not be fooled by this. He simply wanted to breathe in fresh air and Sehun was kind enough to accompany him.

As the brothers rounded up the corner, he walked calmly, still patiently waiting as Sehun looked at him, only now with questions lacing his gaze. “I do not fully understand what you mean, Yifan. I’m sorry.”

Yifan laughed as he looked down, drawing a contented sigh. “These days had been one of my most happiest. I’m sure you could tell.”

Sehun laughed in return, “The whole castle could tell.”

Yifan looked sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck, a habit that seemed to never die. “I am saying, having someone could give you the same amount of happiness I’m blessed to have.” Yifan stopped walking and sat on a nearby bench facing the fountain. “What seems to be the problem? With you and Lady Lu Han?”

Sehun looked resigned as he followed, sitting quietly beside the King. He had been thinking about this for a few days but he could not get the chance to talk and ease things out. “Lady Lu Han has been avoiding me these past few days. I don’t know why or I probably do know but refuse to acknowledge.” He stopped as he felt strange talking about personal matters. Being born from the Royal side has no excuse in keeping their personal lives a secret yet somehow, Sehun has mastered the art of discretion. Their family’s responsibility is only to their country, nothing more and nothing less. Now sitting beside Yifan, his King, still made him feel funny. Truth be told, he missed these talks.

“And here I am always seeing Lady Lu Han.” Yifan softly chuckled. “If you want to catch him, just follow Baekhyun everywhere he goes. His ladies are always behind him, ushering his every move.” He paused as he looked out far into the tinted sky before continuing, “Sometimes, I regret being born as an heir. If I could have my way, I would have probably asked to be born as a Queen and have my own ladies. Imagine the fun I could have!” Yifan laughed, leaning back with his smile still on his face. “But all these, I would never ever trade one single thing for anything. I wouldn't have married Baekhyun if I wasn't the King.” He grinned at Sehun who mirrored the smile back. “You need to cherish these moments, Sehun. We may be royalty but being a King is equivalent to always having your head on a chopping block. We can’t always live in luxury. Even time is a luxury.”

Sehun heeded his brother’s words like a dear bird, eager for keeping. His plan was supposed to happen during the feast but it had been days since he last saw Lu Han. He didn’t know why the other evaded him like a plague, but today, he resolved in knowing everything.

“Go get him.” Came Yifan’s encouraging reply.

He looked at him, eyes holding much depth as he nodded before reality knocked some sense in his head. He stood up and ran towards the castle, leaving Yifan chuckling behind. He needs to end this now, he needs to know whatever it is that seems to hold Lu Han back. He needs Lu Han.

As he entered the castle, he immediately asked the stationed soldier on Baekhyun’s whereabouts, the latter giving specific instructions. He would have laughed if it weren’t for the urgency in his heart. It slipped his mind that it was the Queen’s time for tea.

—

Queen Baekhyun and his ladies have all settled in the far east end of the castle as they enjoy the view of the lake and the beautiful afternoon. Ivory white sheets were laid on the grass and picnic baskets were filled with bread, jam and fruits atop. Having tea on his table alone left a bitter taste in Baekhyun’s mouth and so, he had always asked his ladies-in-waiting to join him.

Lady Zitao had been snickering for quite some time, earning an unamused glare from both Lady Jongdae and Lady Lu Han, but not entirely for the same reason. Lady Jongdae had been glaring for Lady Zitao’s improper attitude as a lady-in-waiting, whereas Lady Lu Han, well, seems to be angered at something else Lady Zitao had said.

Baekhyun, completely relaxed, let his ladies reprimand each other. He reveled in the mix of silence and noise as he sipped his tea. He decided, however, to humor them. “Lady Lu Han,” he cleared his throat while attempting to hide his smile behind the teacup, “pray tell. Do you not have feelings for the King’s brother?” He placed his teacup back in its saucer, masking his smile behind a serious gaze while he observed the latter stilling.

Lu Han’s grip on his fork tightened as it hovered mid-air. He looked back at the Queen, throat dry from the cake almost blocking his air passage. “Your Majesty,” he  said as he swallowed the cake with difficulty. It took a minute before he got his voice back, “no. I do not have feelings for him.” He looked down, feeling the atmosphere’s tension.

Baekhyun looked dismayed as he let out a heavy sigh. “My dear Lu Han, how many times should I tell you not to address me that unless we are in a public place?” He put his tea down and held Lu Han’s hand as he squeezed it, letting the comfort of his warmth envelope Lu Han’s doubting heart. “Do not mistake me for a fool, my dear friend. I know you have feelings for him.”

Lu Han looked up shocked, stammering on taking back his words. “O-of course not, Baekhyun! I am not making you a fool!” He bit back his tongue, making himself shut up to not cause anymore damages. He was a fool to believe he could hide his feelings from the Queen and from everyone else. If the Queen has seen it, Sehun probably has.

“Well then, why wouldn’t you admit of your attraction towards Sehun? He is dashing, mighty but an adorable sweetheart and a handsome young man, too. Those are the qualities you should be looking for. He can protect you, Lu Han. Or perhaps, it is his title that scares you? Tell me, what hinders you from accepting this love for him?” Baekhyun looked intently at him, eager to find answers. It had been going on in Lady Jongdae and Lady Zitao’s mind as well and so they will not pass up the opportunity to have Lu Han cornered in this very beautiful fine day.

Lu Han looked at each and one of them as he thought of any excuse to say to his Queen, yet he could not even muster a single thought. He desperately wanted to pour out his feelings since the Queen is her friend and only family in this country. “I do,” he trailed before heaving a deep breath and continuing, “I do have feelings for him. It’s just that the social status has been bugging me everytime I realize this love for him. He’s supposed to marry a Princess, not someone like me.”

Baekhyun shook his head, completely displeased at the thought that his Lady is mentally and emotionally suffering from a petty reason. “‘Someone like you?’ Lu Han! I am absolutely appalled that you are thinking this way. Why are you looking down on yourself? You are worthy like each one of us. To be brutally honest, I think you are getting upset over nothing.” Baekhyun let out a sound close to chuckling but instead, only filled with disappointment. “I would have done everything possible just for you and Sehun to have a life together, if only both of you have huge gaps in ranks. But you are not, Lu Han. All of you are not. Sehun is high-born, yes, but he is not the King. Yet.” Baekhyun gave a small smile, retreating back from his dead serious talk with his ladies, as he reached out to cup Lu Han’s cheek. “I want what’s best for all of you, even if that means I have to let you go. I can’t be the Queen who holds my ladies back for my own sake. Please, Lu Han. Give him a chance. He is worthy of your love and affection.”

Lu Han looked about close to weeping and he was about to say something when he caught sight of a running Sehun behind their group. Jongdae beat him to the punch. “Is that.. Sehun.. running towards us?”

Everybody looked in the direction of the running young man, beads of perspiration glittering his face as soon as he came close to the group. He felt rude to barge in on His Majesty’s conversation that his face contorted in anxiousness and embarrassment.

“Your Majesty,” Sehun bowed, face flushed as he willed his breathing to return to normal. He paused to think of how to excuse Lady Lu Han without being too absurd and exceptionally rude than he is now. In the end, he thought it just didn’t matter. “May I have a word with Lady Lu Han?”

Baekhyun was about to grant his request when Sehun interrupted him, “Actually, it doesn’t matter, Your Majesty.” He looked rather determined on whatever he is planning thus he let Sehun have his way and nodded, smiling knowingly. Jongdae and Zitao both have their hands on their mouths, covering the shock as they realized what this entire incident could all be about. It wasn’t what he planned nor was it dictated by the King and Queen of France and definitely not as the King’s brother. It was all his, all that is Sehun.

Lu Han have been keeping quiet the entire conversation with the Queen. He could not believe his eyes that Sehun is right in front of them when they were only talking about him. He looked at him and his emotions just threatens to burst out from being hidden for too long. Sehun stretched out his hand towards Lu Han, smile across his lips and eyes crinkling in delight. He didn’t say anything, nor had any excessive gestures. He only waited for Lu Han to clasp his hand on his own.

Lu Han looked at his outstretched hand, beautiful despite the calloused edges from years of sword fighting and took it against his better judgement. He figured he can face the rumors and everything else later, after this day. After finally getting the chance to hold his hand. He just didn’t care anymore.

Sehun ushered Lu Han in front of him, just a little bit far from the Queen and his ladies who were all obviously trying to pry into their conversation. He saw Baekhyun who smiled like a proud mother as Yifan silently sat beside him and hugged him from behind, making the former startled but eventually melted in his warm embrace.

Sehun took the time to gaze at Lu Han’s beautiful face. He adored everything that is Lu Han— his eyes twinkling like the stars, his thin but cute lips and his perfect button nose. He loved everything about him and it hurts him deeply to be ignored by the apple of his eye. His heart beats rapidly, as if the adrenaline has not calmed down.

“This is not how I planned to do this, but I couldn’t wait any longer.” He paused before he continued, “I wanted to ask you what was wrong that night you disappeared on me. You started avoiding me these past weeks and it felt like the only reason I was living turned his back on me. I was nearly hopeless trying to talk to you, Lu Han. It hurt more than you could ever think of. I was almost at my limit and when I couldn’t even see you, I almost lost my mind. This is tearing me apart, Lu Han. Why did you avoid me? Was it because of Lady Jongin?”

Sehun waited for any answer from Lu Han yet none came. Lu Han, on the other hand, wanted to tell Sehun everything, how he loves him truly and that seeing Lady Jongin with him broke his heart. He couldn’t even compare to him, despite being in the same background. He desperately wanted to believe everything he told the Queen but he knew that even if everything matched between them, it would still be up to Sehun’s decision. Lu Han decided to look away, noting how sad Sehun’s eyes were. He could not deal with this right now.

“I want to tell you that Lady Jongin is no one, Lu Han.” Sehun managed to say despite the growing silence between them. “And that I only need you.” His voice seemed to bring promise, happiness and a better tomorrow and Lu Han wasn’t sure whether it was a good or a bad thing.

Lu Han, albeit shocked, was about to speak but was instantly cut-off by Sehun. “There’s a kind old man who knocked some sense in my head and gave me the strength for this.” With that being said, he hears Yifan call him out for being a disrespectful prick. He smiled before he took a deep breath. His hands, though sweaty and clammy, held Lu Han’s small and delicate hand as he kneeled down on one knee, leaving a very flustered Lu Han standing. “Let us be happy and start our forever, Lu Han. Will you, and I hope you do, marry me and have little Sehuns and little Lu Hans in the future?”

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A/N: Hello! First of all, I would like to thank you for the new subscribers! Weeeeee~~ I love you all! <3 <3 <3 You guys made me happy!! Like suuuuuuper happy lol I was really scared you would all go away if I don't update often but no you did not, so, yay!!!!!! Second, I am really sorry to keep you all waiting. :( I have been contemplating a lot on how this would all flow out and I have actually discarded everything I planned and outlined from the start. I would like to remind you all again that this is a historical fiction and so there will be parts that are based on history and parts that will be entirely fiction. There are also dialogues that are borrowed from the TV series but they are hidden all over the fic. It's all been paraphrased so there will be no plagiarism involved. I want to let you all know that the ending is near but I might not be able to fit it in 3 chapters (I know I promised this would be 5-10 chapters long but I did say it still depends rightttt XD). Also, please expect for the second half of this update. I wanted to let you all have a bit of a cliff-hanger XD

Thank you again for subscribing, commenting and loving this fic! I truly heart you all! <3 <3 <3