Dashing | N and Leo

WhiteTigeress

Happy (Belated) Birthday N!

The Lionhearts had ruled the kingdom of Amassaar for as long as records of such things were kept, and each monarch from that noble line had the same feline features for which they had been named. Every Lionheart king and queen were known for possessing three key traits: fierceness in battle, deep loyalty, and boundless charisma. When the twin princes were born, however, it seemed that those traits had been split between the brothers. Leo, the elder twin, was a born warrior: athletic, strong, and a brilliant strategist. On the battlefield, he was unmatched; the moment he stepped outside of the sphere of battle, though, he became stoic and uncomfortable. The crown prince was known to go an entire banquet without saying a word to anyone – even the wait staff. He would simply eat as quickly as possible, hiding as best he could in plain sight by ducking his head and avoiding eye contact. Seunghoon, on the other hand, could charm the stripes off a tiger. He had a way of making anyone he met feel as though they had been friends since the beginning of forever. But, he was also rather flippant – preferring to play instead of work. There were times when King Jong Kook wished his sons were one person: together they would be the perfect ruler. As time marched on, it became clear to the king and queen that their eldest would need a particularly advantageous bride, since Leo seemed intent on avoiding anything resembling public speaking or politics.

“If you could just marry someone outgoing,” King Jong Kook would say, “then the future would be certain. A charming, diplomatic bride would serve you well.”

There were, however, two problems with the king’s plan. The most obvious issue was Leo’s reticence: He refused to speak to anyone, let alone court them. (And Queen Ji-Hyo had held onto the hope – however frail – that her sons would be able to marry for love.) The second issue was a bit more complicated. In the decade prior to and following Leo and Seunghoon’s births, there had only been one princess born throughout the many neighboring kingdoms; she had been betrothed to the son of King Jin Young almost the moment she was born. How could Leo marrying an outgoing princess if there were simply no princesses to be had?

One night, King Jong Kook looked at his sons and came to a decision: “We are going to have a ball in order to find Leo a spouse.”

Turning to her husband, the queen raised an eyebrow – giving him a dangerous look. “And just who do you intend to invite? Neither of my sons will be marrying a child or a withered hag.”

The king flashed his most charming smile at his wife and shrugged. “There are plenty of eligible princes. I’m sure one of them would work.” Which was how Leo found himself standing in a ballroom full of princes – hating his life.

Standing silently on the dais, Leo stared straight ahead as the various princes were presented. He had no idea what he had done in his previous life to deserve this punishment, but he was determined to loath every single young man presented to him. If he did not like any of them, he figured, his dear mother would not make him marry. It would be far better to be single than to be forced to marry one of the pathetic peacocks being paraded before him. Seunghoon – as though he were determined to be his brother’s opposite in everything – was having a wonderful time. He greeted each prince, asked them about their country, and even had the gall to flirt with some of them. Leo only just resisted the urge to roll his eyes at his brother’s antics. How are we even related? the prince wondered, watching Seunghoon wink at a doe-eyed prince from the north.

King Jong Kook, as though determined to force his son to meet their guests, appeared at Leo’s side and gave him a sharp look. “My son,” he drawled, curling his finger’s around the brunette’s bicep, “there is someone I would like you to meet.”

Leo desperately wanted to protest – to tell his father it was a bad idea – but he knew it would be fruitless. When the king wanted something, it happened as soon as the desire was uttered (sometimes even before). So, the sighing brunette allowed his father to pull him over to where a handsome young man stood at the side of none other than King Jin Young himself. The crown prince not help but feel the burn of envy as he thought of the princess that was set to marry King Jin Young’s eldest son; it was unfair that the whole matter had been decided without giving any other kingdoms the chance to put in an offer. And the prince, who appeared to be younger than Leo, seemed like everything the brunette abjured in a potential partner: cocky, self-absorbed, and male. Because, no matter how much his father pushed the idea of marrying a prince, it would not change the fact that Leo was utterly disgusted by the thought. He liked women; he had even bedded a number of the pretty servant girls around the palace. There was no way he would ever find a man who would change his mind on such an important matter – no way.

The introduction went poorly.

Very poorly.

As do the next ten – all popular princes from powerful kingdoms. It is not Leo’s fault, he thinks, that each princes asks him a question and then awkwardly waits for him to answer. If they had truly been interested in him, they would have had the decency to ask a servant what he was like or at least ask for gossip surrounding his character before coming. With each introduction, his father became more and more annoyed, which in turn caused Leo to become colder and more withdrawn from the situation. Truthfully, at heart Leo hated to disappoint his father – he loved him dearly – but this seemed to be a matter utterly out of the prince’s hands. How could he force something that simply was not there?

Thankfully, a break came in the form of a talent portion for the evening. It had been decided that Leo could not go about meeting every prince in the time allotted, so they would instead each be given a few minutes to present themselves to the prince by demonstrating a key talent. Thus began an endless litany of sword dances (Leo could do better), songs (Leo could do better), poetry recitations (which Leo hated as a rule), and strange imitations (which just got on Leo’s nerves). It did not seem that anyone would manage to catch the Lionheart’s eye.

As the night drew on, Prince Hakyeon worried he would not have the opportunity to show his talent. His kingdom was lovely – with its rolling hills and beautiful hamlets – but it was also very poor. In fact, many of the other princes had mistaken him for being a servant because he was dressed so simply. It made Hakyeon’s cheeks burn to hear them ask for drinks or to watch the absolute disbelief when he was introduced as a prince. Was it truly so hard to believe that he was as royal as they were? He just knew if he could have three minutes to show his talent, they would all understand that he had done everything to refine himself – they would understand he was a true prince. And perhaps, if he were lucky, Prince Leo would notice him too.

When at last his name was called, the prince almost stumbled over his own feet in his eagerness to get to the center of the floor. Some of the other princes laughed at him, but the redhead ignored them. He bowed to King Jong Kook, Queen Ji-Hyo, and then the royal princes before flashing them a wide, warm smile. “I am Prince Hakyeon of Cha.”

The king gave him a somewhat tired nod; the royal family was nearly at the end of their collective patience. “And what talent will you be showing us, Prince Hakyeon?”

He stood a little straighter and announced in a bright, firm voice, “I will be dancing.” A collective murmur arose at that, and the younger Lionheart prince sat a bit straighter in his seat. Dancing was a very risky choice – one the other princes had dared not make – because Prince Seunghoon was known for his skill as a dancer. To take on his forte was asking to be compared to a man who was considered to be a master of his craft, and on his home ground at that. Hakyeon knew it was risky, but he could not help noticing that Prince Leo’s gaze had lifted from the floor for the first time in the evening. His burning dark eyes were locked on Hakyeon; it had been a daring enough choice to catch his attention.

King Jong Kook shrugged. He liked a man with a certain amount of bravado. “Very well. You may begin.”

The prince further surprised everyone by pulling out a blindfold and tying it over his eyes. He then nodded to the musicians, signaling them to begin. As soon as the music began, the charming smile vanished and was replaced with a stern frown that radiated haughty concentration. Leo leaned forward slightly in his seat. There was a moment of silence before the Cha prince launched into the steps of the dance. To say that Hakyeon danced to the music would perhaps be unfair: He flowed through the movements, following the rocking cadence – each change in tempo and the gathering tension – with an ease that was unsettling. Even King Jin Young and Prince Jackson watched in silent awe as the prince from the poorest kingdom moved with a liquid grace that was as predatory as it was sensual. Even as the music sped up, the room collectively held its breath as was entranced by the willowy, sinuous movements the redhead made – a delightful recklessness in every gesture. When the prince hit the last pose, a nigh thunderous applause sought to shake the very palace down around them, so vigorous was the response. But, as Hakyeon lifted the blindfold, his gaze sought only one face.

Prince Leo… was smiling.

It was only a little smile, something that could easily be mistaken for a shadow beneath the man’s lips, but Hakyeon could see it. A flush of pleasure burned across his cheeks, and he bowed once again to the royal family. “Thank you,” he murmured, not even registering that Prince Seunghoon had even risen to his feet to applaud the dance.

But, no matter how much Prince Leo wanted to speak to – or rather, lurk near – the handsome dancer, he had duties to think of. After the talent portion finished, he gave the first dance to Prince Jackson (to appease his father), the second to Prince Sungjae, and the third to Prince Suga. The three princes were very different, certainly, but none of them so much as caught Leo’s attention. He could tell that his father had hoped that one of them would be chosen – their kingdoms each shared borders with Amassaar – but it seemed about as likely as Seunghoon becoming a priest.

When the dance with Prince Suga was finished, Leo took the opportunity to signal for a drink. A servant quickly appeared with a glass of wine, which the prince gratefully began to sip on. He let his gaze scan the crowd as he drank; he would need to select another dance partner as soon as it was gone. His eyes happened to catch on a figure dressed completely in black leaning against a pillar – hair a shock of red against the stark white marble of the pillar. The Cha Prince. Leo was somewhat irked to notice that Prince Hakyeon seemed to be surrounded by princes – even Prince Jackson, Prince JongHyun, and Prince Jinwoo. What do the big three think they’re doing? He came here for me, not them. With that thought in mind, the brunette passed of his half-empty glass before cutting through the crowd.

As he came upon Hakyeon and his gaggle of admirers, Leo noticed that JongHyun was trying to lean over the prince – even though the redhead was a full three inches taller than the blond. He even caught the way JongHyun was attempting to schmooze the younger prince by complimenting how very fine his legs had looked during the dance. Like a dark storm cloud, Leo loomed behind the much shorter prince. Hakyeon’s eyes widened at the sight of the Lionheart, and a playful little smile flitted onto his lips. “Good evening, Prince Leo,” he said, his voice as bright as it had been just before his dance.

JongHyun had the grace to step aside, even if he glared up at Leo like he wished the brunette’s hair would light itself on fire. Leo, as stoic as ever, simply held his hand out to Hakyeon in a silent offer to dance. The redhead seemed surprised; fourth choice was far above what he had ever expected. But, Hakyeon was never one to turn down a great opportunity. Grinning widely, he slid his hand into Leo’s grip and allowed the still silent man to lead him onto the dance floor. “I can’t believe you asked me to dance,” he said, nearly giggling with glee as Leo pulled him into the proper dance frame. Leo raised an eyebrow, which just made Hakyeon laugh again. “Oh, come on, I have every right to be surprised. Cha is a beautiful place, but it is nothing compared to the legendary Amassaar. I had hoped maybe to be towards the end of your selections for the night, not the beginning.”

Leo narrowed his eyes a little – taking the chance to really look at the other prince. He was confused: It seemed Hakyeon had responded to his expression. But, that was not likely. After all, none of the other princes had done that. Why would some poor pauper of a prince be able to demonstrate a skill that had taken Leo’s family years to master? Deciding to test it, Leo met Hakyeon’s gaze and let his lips twitch a little. Hakyeon rolled his eyes. “That was not an excuse for you to get cocky,” the redhead drawled. 

The prince was impressed…and confused. But, a little slip of a genuine smile slid on his lips as he lead Hakyeon through a difficult passage of the dance. As expected, the redhead performed perfectly. It seemed even when dancing the traditional female role in a dance Hakyeon was the picture of grace and ease. It was refreshing, Leo supposed. All through the steps of the dance, the redheaded prince even managed to keep up a conversation with Leo – mainly by talking and occasionally pausing to read the brunette’s reactions. It was the perfect conversation, in Leo’s mind, because he got to participate without actually having to speak. Hakyeon seemed to understand that the Lionheart simply did not enjoy talking, but that his reticence did not mean the prince was unfriendly. If anything, the Cha prince seemed to embrace the stoic prince just as he was and enjoyed it.

From where she sat next to her husband, Queen Ji-Hyo smiled a little. “Prince Hakyeon certainly made an impression, didn’t he?” she murmured.

Jong Kook looked up from his salad with a slightly bemused look. “Who?” He followed his wife’s gaze and nodded. “Ah, yes. The dancer. He certainly seems like an interesting kid.”

“Leo seems to enjoy him,” the queen said, glancing over at his husband.

The man raised his eyebrows. “You think?”

She nodded. “He’s making eye contact and seems more comfortable with Prince Hakyeon than the others. I’d bet he introduces the prince to us.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Jong Kook scoffed. “The prince might be nice, but I don’t think our Leo would go for someone from such a small kingdom.” Ji-Hyo just gave the king a flat look, one that dared him to degrade smaller kingdoms further. He was wise enough to keep his mouth shut.

Jong Kook had the good sense to smile at his son when the stoic prince came over with the redhead on his arm. “My son, have you been enjoying the evening?” While perhaps not the smoothest comment the king could have made, it was not as bad as his wife had been expecting from him.

Leo’s gaze flickered between his parents before coming to rest on Hakyeon. Before either the king or queen could speak, the redhead said, “Oh, he’s been having a really excellent time. Except for when Prince Jackson stepped on his feet, but that happens to the best of us.” He beamed at the Lionhearts. “I’m Prince Hakyeon of Cha. Prince Leo insisted I meet you.” Belatedly, he even swept a bow. Hakyeon did not even seem to register that he had just translated Leo’s expression for his family.

Ji-Hyo glanced at her son, who was smiling a little. “It’s lovely to meet you, Prince Hakyeon. I enjoyed your dance very much – it was very unique.” Hakyeon had the grace to duck his head and flush; he was humble underneath the bravado. “Where did you learn to dance?”

“My mother is a very talented dancer, your majesty, and she insisted all of her children learn.” Hakyeon smiled winsomely at the queen. “After she taught me all she could, I studied in the neighboring kingdoms with their dance masters.”

“Well, they certainly found a talented student,” Jong Kook said, nodding a little.

“Thank you, your majesty,” Hakyeon smothered a smile and bowed yet again. At his side, Leo stood a little taller. He glanced down at Hakyeon and raised an eyebrow, which made the redhead laugh. “Would you excuse us? It would seem another dance is in order.”

Jong Kook raised an eyebrow at the pair but nodded. “Of course. Enjoy yourselves.”

As they walked away, yet again falling into hold on the dancefloor, Ji-Hyo giggled a little. “They’ll make a very dashing couple,” she murmured. “My love, I think this was the best idea you’ve had since proposing to me.”

Leaning over, he kissed her cheek. “I think you’re right, love.” He hesitated. “I still wish it were Prince Jackson or Prince JongHyun instead, though. For the record.” Ji-Hyo’s response was to hit her husband, making him wince. She adored Prince Hakyeon just the way he was: poor, good hearted, and the perfect match for her painfully shy son.

As the two princes moved across the dancefloor, Leo gave the redhead a small smile. Then, most surprising of all, he opened his mouth and said, "Thank you." At the sound of his surprisingly soft voice, Hakyeon was flustered into silence; the brunette's voice was one of the most beautiful things he had ever heard. And somewhere in the kingdom, Leo's Fairy Godfather Jaejoong happily began to plan what he knew would be the wedding of the year.