It is the most remarkable ship in the entire star system. Not just because it's a state of the art space cruiser, fastest ship in the galaxy. Only three were ever made, all for the exclusive use of the royal family. Or because it has never lost a fight. But for the reputation of the people who inhabit it, the ship has never seen a drop of blood shed on its pristine floors.

It didn't start off as the Princess Jin, but with a long federation name with too many letters and numbers that no one but Namjoon could remember. Kim Namjoon, the commander of the king's security forces, one of the most dangerous men their galaxy has ever produced, and especially tasked with protecting the crown prince.

Crown Prince Seokjin. Better known as Jin by his friends (and princess Jin for the rarest few) and the common people alike, and infinitely better liked than his father who had waged war on multiple worlds until he had unified multiple star systems together. He had won many allies. But he had gained even more enemies who relentlessly continue to plot the destruction of the king's blood line.

 

It is not meant to be an especially dangerous journey, to one of the outskirt worlds where they had been told that unrest is brewing. The prince is to simply visit the planet, Chandra, meet with the caretakers and placate the people. He has done this before, enough times so successfully that this should be a clinch.

His usual retinue of guards and assistants (who are also highly trained in multiple forms of combat) accompany him on this journey. Of all the people that the king has surrounded the prince with (and those who accidentally fell into the prince's circle), these six people are the ones he has kept. Some of them, the prince has known since childhood, and others have joined later but he loves them. And the people say that this is the difference between the king and the prince, the prince loves the people while the king rules them.

Namjoon, already holding such a high post in the court, never fails to follow the prince wherever he goes, at times to the displeasure of the king. But Namjoon knows how valuable his skills are to the kingdom and how much the king needs him. After all, it had been Namjoon who had cleared the path for the king to come into power. The day when he becomes obsolete, well, Namjoon will deal with that when it happens. But the prince does not go anywhere without him, the prince will never come to any harm under Namjoon's watch.

 

Yoongi makes one half of the prince's personal guard. He's known the prince for the longest time. His earliest memory of the prince is playing in the royal gardens, and accidentally becoming stranded on top of a tree until they had to be rescued by the palace guards. A year older than him, the prince had held his hand and promised him that everything will be alright. The thing is Yoongi doesn't remember being scared, all he remembers is how warm the prince's hand had been, and how he'd smiled even though his eyes were a little teary. Then he'd left for training, only visiting the capital twice a year and the prince always smiled at him as though he never left. As they grew up and Yoongi assimilated more and more scars on his body and the prince's shoulders became burdened by responsibility, Yoongi had made him a promise.

 

I will never leave your side, Seokjin, my Seokjin, don't ever lose your smile.

 

Yoongi had graduated the best knight the kingdom has ever seen. And he intends to keep his promise to his last breath. The prince always shakes his head whenever he says this.

 

That's crazy, Yoongi, how can I smile if you're not there?

 

The other half of the prince's personal guard, Jeon Jungkook, lived in the slums before the prince found him. A scrawny kid, too small for the fierceness in his eyes, he had been getting a beating from a bunch of older kids when the prince found him on one of his weekly pilgrimages outside the capital walls. Jungkook knows he would have died if the prince hadn't intervened. He had woken up on a soft mattress, scrubbed clean of a lifetime of grime and the prince had been sitting by his side. Jungkook had honestly thought he'd died and gone to heaven. Surely no one but an angel could be as beautiful or smile so sweetly. He became the prince's shadow from that day on, and miraculously the prince didn't send him away, much to the displeasure of that idiot Yoongi. Of course then he'd chosen battle school because he wanted to be able to protect his prince. He'd endured those three years holding on to the knowledge that at the end of it, he'd never have to leave the prince again.

 

Taehyung and Jimin are his personal assistants, there to help the prince with whatever he needs, everything that lies between waking up in the morning and getting ready for bed at night. They are sons of minor nobles, introduced to the court during those lonely years when both Yoongi and Jungkook were away from the castle. They had attached themselves to the prince who had been willing to endure their wild levels of energy to ward away loneliness. (Taehyung also fills in as the ship's pilot. Although the others, mostly Yoongi and Hoseok, had thought this a bad idea, the prince had allowed it on the grounds that Taehyung does not make any unscheduled detours along the way. Last time he'd nearly gotten them all into a black hole because he was curious to see what was inside).

 

Jung Hoseok is the prince's advisor, political and otherwise. He was appointed by the king to try to convince the prince to let go of the unsuitable company that he keeps. But it did not take Hoseok long to realise that low born does not mean a thing to the prince and it'd be easier to convince the prince to abdicate than to expect him to let Yoongi or Jungkook go. Hoseok sincerely thinks the prince would be a much better king than the current one, although he's never told the prince this, he simply bides his time until that the day comes when the prince would finally ascend and knows the whole galaxy would be a better place for it.

 

 

Yoongi and Jungkook are sparring again. They do this a lot. Yoongi wins most of the time, and the few times Jungkook has won, well, he never lets Yoongi forget it. Taehyung is in the central command room, steering them through an asteroid cloud. Namjoon is looking over the flight path, while keeping an eye on the frown that is growing on the prince's face. Jimin is rubbing the prince's shoulders because the conversation he is currently having with Hoseok is making the prince increasingly frustrated.

"The drill is destroying their forests, of course they're angry," the prince says slowly.

Hoseok sighs. "Yes," he agrees, "but my prince, you have to remember that it was your father who have the drilling rights to his best friend's brother."

The prince's eyes narrow, his hands clenching at his sides. "I won't have a whole planet dying for the sake of a few gallons of oil."

"It's more like a trillion credits worth of oil, my prince," Hoseok reminds him carefully and holds up his hands when the prince looks at him angrily. "I understand how you feel. But you cannot rebuke them outright. They are one of the wealthiest supporters of your father's regime."

"The people shouldn't have to pay for the greed of the wealthy, Hoseok," the prince says softly, rubbing a hand over his eyes.

"Prince Seokjin, you have to relax," Jimin reminds him, "your muscles are going to be all knotted otherwise."

Yoongi, in the process of slowly dislocating Jungkook's shoulder, looks up. Jungkook uses the opportunity to pull away from Yoongi's grip.

"I need to be alone for a while," the prince announces, walking away.

Jungkook shares a look with Yoongi. Yoongi follows after the prince, Jungkook only a step behind.

Hoseok sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

"He will be a great king one day," Jimin says, not only to comfort Hoseok, whose job he does not envy.

"But he needs to survive being the crown prince first," Hoseok tells him, shaking his head when Jimin's eyes widen. "This will be the most dangerous thing he's done in his life."

"That's why he's got us," Namjoon says, "we won't let anything happen to him."

Jimin looks to him. "Is it going to be that bad?"

"None of the other resistance groups have lasted this long," Namjoon tells him, sharing a look with Hoseok, "we think Red Planet is supporting them."

Red Planet. With an unyielding resistance to the king and his reign, is made up from those inhabiting the planets the king had invaded. They are spread all throughout the galaxy and have been causing more than enough trouble for the king. Their last major attack had been three years ago when they had dared attack the kings royal transport as he was visiting one of his moons. Namjoon had gotten wind of their plan only hours before the king had left. They had hit Red Planet so hard that Namjoon had hoped they'd disappear but his sources tell him that they're stirring trouble again and he wishes that the king had not sent the prince here. And he wishes he could have brought along a larger force, if only to deter any potential attacks.

Jimin's eyes widen almost comically. "And you brought the prince here! How could you? Why would you?"

Namjoon raises an eyebrow. "Do you somehow think it was my decision?"

"But-"

"We're going to protect him," Namjoon tells him firmly, "we can protect him better than a thousand men. Do you doubt this?"

Jimin stares at Namjoon for a moment, then shakes his head. "I know we can."

 

Seokjin loves to cook. Yoongi knows that at the palace he doesn't get the chance, it is inappropriate for a prince to do such menial work, but out here in space, the Seokjin insists. And since none of them, even Hoseok who is the designated cook, can cook as well as the prince, they never really complain.

Seokjin is currently stirring some vegetables with more force than necessary. Jungkook is beside him, beating some eggs and Yoongi is leaning against the table, watching the prince stab at the vegetables. He sighs when a piece of carrot goes flying and straightens up.

"Jin."

Seokjin's shoulders draw together. Jungkook looks at the prince and then glares at Yoongi.

"I'm okay," Seokjin tells them.

Yoongi steps closer. "You're angry."

The prince sighs and turns around. "I love my father, I do. But-" Yoongi knows, Yoongi knows how much the prince loves his people and how much it hurts him that his father does not. He reaches out a hand and Seokjin catches it.

"It's okay, hyung," Jungkook says and Seokjin's face brightens as it always does when Jungkook calls him hyung, "you can fix this. I know you can."

The prince smiles. "I wish I had as much faith in me as you do, Jungkook."

"He's right," Yoongi says. Seokjin looks at him with startled eyes. "You're the only one in the whole galaxy who can fix this."

Seokjin laughs softly. "You believe in me so much?"

Yoongi lifts Seokjin's hand to his lips and kisses the knuckles. "We all do."

 

Trouble comes when they're passing through a patch of barren space. No stars. No planets. Not even a worm hole. Taehyung's got the ship on autopilot, cruising by thousands of miles in seconds. They're playing cards in the kitchen. Jungkook, who has lost the last seven times in a row, is starting to get angry, a vein beginning to pop on his forehead. Especially prominent when Yoongi points at it occasionally and laughs.

Taehyung's head snaps up in alarm a moment before the ship's warning siren sounds.

Namjoon is on his feet in a beat.

"Taehyung, flight control. Jimin, Hoseok, the guns. Yoongi, Jungkook, take the prince to the safe room. Let's go!" He commands, and they rush.

"Namjoon-" the prince hesitates. Namjoon, who'd been about to follow Taehyung, turns back.

"Might be something. Could be nothing. But until we figure it out, you need to be safe, my prince."

The prince swallows, and nods. Then Jungkook and Yoongi hustle the prince towards the safe room.

Taehyung has silenced the alarm and is in the process of accessing the long distance scanners when Namjoon enters.

"Two ships, hyung," Taehyung tells him, bringing them up on the main screen.

Old. Unlicensed.

Red Planet.

Coming up on them fast.

Namjoon patches on to the intercom. "Jimin, Hoseok. On our six o'clock. Take them out."

"With pleasure, skipper," Jimin answers.

"Give us something harder next time," Hoseok chuckles.

Namjoon takes a moment to shake his head.

"Hyung!" Taehyung yells and Namjoon sees two more ships materialize in front of them.

Jimin and Hoseok won't be able to handle this alone. Taehyung meets his eyes. Namjoon nods.

"Go."

Taehyung grins. Namjoon slips into the controls as Taehyung runs for the battle pod.

"I got him!" He hears Jimin laugh over the comms just before he swerves to avoid the laser blast from one of their latest opponents.

"Keep the ing ship steady!" Hoseok snaps.

"Just finish the job, Hobi," Namjoon tells him, veering left.

"Namjoon hyung? Where's Tae?" Jimin asks.

As if on cue, Namjoon sees him. Speeding out into view, placing himself between them and their enemies.

"Let's play!" Namjoon hears Taehyung yell happily.

It is an amazing thing. To watch Taehyung fly. Namjoon has never seen a thing like it. Taehyung flies like he's got wings. Invincible, deadly wings. The first ship explodes within a few seconds. The second decides to make a hasty retreat but Taehyung flies under his belly, firing his lasers directly under the ship. Namjoon fights to keep their ship steady as the shock wave from the blast reaches them.

As Taehyung swoops around their ship joyously, Namjoon puts in a call to the capital. The king's face appears on the screen, the bejeweled crown settled comfortably in his grey hair.

"What is it, Namjoon?"

"Sir, we were just attacked by four Red Planet ships."

The king raises an eyebrow. "And?"

"We were able to destroy them, sir. But for the safety of Prince Seokjin, I ask that you let us return to capital and return with a larger force."

The king's eyes fix somewhere off screen.

"No," the answer comes finally, and the king turns his gaze towards him, "I want this damn problem fixed. I'm sick of these vermin who think they can force my hand."

"Sir-"

"Get it done, Namjoon. I don't care how you do it."

Namjoon stares at the black screen for a moment, then turns when he senses someone shift behind him.

The prince is standing at the threshold. He meets Namjoon's eyes for a moment.

"Thank you, Namjoon, for keeping me safe," the prince says, voice soft.

Namjoon clenches his jaw, fingernails digging into his palms and nods.

He's always wanted to protect the prince. From anything and everything. But he doesn’t know how to keep him safe from the thing that hurts him the most.

 

Yoongi lets Jungkook hover as the prince is getting ready for bed, and goes off to find Namjoon, who he finds standing at the window of the observation deck. The universe sparkles beyond him but Yoongi sees that his eyes are closed.

"When we land," Namjoon speaks suddenly and if Yoongi was less well trained he'd have startled, "don't leave his side. Not even for a second."

That Namjoon feels the need to tell him this, it is enough to tell Yoongi that he's nervous. Maybe even afraid.

"I won't," he's answers. "They're such morons, Red Planet. Seokjin is the one person who would give them any chance."

Namjoon nods. "They want to end the royal line. They think freedom will be that easy."

"I want-" Yoongi pauses, glancing sideways at Namjoon, wondering how he will take it, "I want to take him away. From all of this. I want to see him smile happily again."

Namjoon is silent for a while.

"He'll never go. Seokjin will never leave his people. But-" Namjoon sighs softly, "but I wish we could take him away too."

 

Seokjin is sitting on his bed when Yoongi arrives. The bed is so big that even with the prince's frame, he looks almost dwarfed by it. Jimin and Taehyung have already retired for the night. Their room is just on the other side of the corridor from the prince's, in case he needs them for anything. Jungkook is sitting beside the prince. He is smiling. So brightly like he only does when he is with Seokjin. They look up when Yoongi enters. Jungkook's smile fades, but he doesn't move away from the prince.

Seokjin smiles.

Yoongi leans against the bed post, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You should get some rest, prince Seokjin, we arrive tomorrow," Yoongi tells him softly.

"I think maybe you need the rest more than I do, Yoongi," Seokjin says.

Yoongi grins. "I'll take first watch," he tells Jungkook, who says nothing but draws himself up on to the bed in agreement.

"Goodnight, Yoongi."

Yoongi holds Seokjin's eyes for a moment. "Goodnight, my prince."

He watches as Seokjin pulls the covers around Jungkook and folds him into his arms.

Jungkook's eyes are already closed. He knows this is Jungkook's favorite part of the day. Yoongi hides a smile and walks over to switch off the light.

He settles into the chair beside the table and watches over his prince as he sleeps.

 

The arrival is as chaotic as they expect. The officials, mixed with the media and security. The prince smiles and waves as expected, Hoseok beside him whispering to him quietly at necessary times. Jimin and Taehyung are a step ahead of the prince, assessing for threats and keeping people from getting needlessly close. Yoongi and Jungkook flank the prince, blank faces not betraying their hyper-vigilant minds. Namjoon follows, watching over the prince from the back. So far, so good. But they've barely stepped out of the ship.

At the dinner it becomes starkly clear that the officials governing Chandra are on the same side as the drilling company, Lee Corporation. Namjoon watches the prince's face darken as every single person at the dinner speak in favor of the drill.

By the time they get back to the royal quarters, the prince is seething.

"How am I supposed to mediate a conflict when I only hear from one side!" The prince snaps, shrugging off his jacket and throwing it on the chair. "I bet they won't even let me meet any of the delegates from the people. How dare they do this? How dare they think that I will simply let this go!"

Taehyung is watching with wide eyes. It is rare to see the prince this angry. It takes a lot to make the prince so angry. Last time the prince was this angry was when palace security had tried to transfer Jungkook and fill his post with another guard from a better blood line. Namjoon had known the king had been behind the attempt, but it had been the palace security chief who had paid the price.

"Your highness, please calm down," Hoseok says in a soothing voice.

The prince turns, eyes blazing. "Did you know this? Did you know they would try to do this?"

To his credit Hoseok doesn't looked cowed at all. "I suspected they might try something like this-" the prince takes a furious breath but Hoseok continues, "-that's why I've arranged a meeting with the leaders of the rebellion tomorrow."

Namjoon who'd known this already, watches as Yoongi's head snaps up but it's Jungkook who speaks.

"Is that safe?"

"The army will accompany us. Even if they don't like it, there's nothing they can do unless they want to refuse a royal request," Hoseok informs them.

The prince finally lets Jimin and Taehyung attend him. "Thank you, Hoseok."

Hoseok smiles. "We're all on your side, my prince."

Namjoon smiles to himself when he sees the prince turn pink.

"I know-" the prince looks around at them all, "-thank you."

 

Yoongi and Hoseok seek him out afterwards.

"You know it won't just be the government who wouldn't want the prince meeting with the rebels," Yoongi says quietly, a restless thumb tracing over the hilt of the dagger he keeps holstered at his hip.

"You mean Lee Corp has more to lose if the prince gets swayed by the rebels? I know that. The prince is not safe whichever side he turns."

Namjoon runs a hand through his hair. And he doesn't know how much he trusts the army to protect the prince. Not when he doesn't know whose pocket they're in.

"So you still think tomorrow is a good idea?" Yoongi asks.

"Doesn't matter what I think. The prince won't change his mind."

Yoongi holds his eyes for a moment before cursing fiercely.

Hoseok laughs. "Never thought I'd say this but I'll be happy when we're back in space again."

 

Jungkook is on watch duty first. Yoongi lies on the bed facing the prince as he traces patterns on Yoongi's skin.

"You make me brave," Seokjin whispers, a finger tracing down over Yoongi's nose. "I'd never be able to do these things if you weren't here with me."

Yoongi leans in and presses his lips against Seokjin's. "You'd be brilliant if I was here or not."

Seokjin shifts closer and buries his face in Yoongi's shoulder. Yoongi folds him close. "I prefer to be brilliant with you."

Yoongi smiles, even if Seokjin cannot see him. He threads his fingers through Seokjin's silky hair. "I prefer that too."

 

Namjoon isn't even surprised when trouble comes. But it doesn't mean he welcomes it. It doesn't mean things are going to turn out the way he hopes.

Taehyung veers the car a sharp left when the first grenade explodes in front of them, throwing the truck full of soldiers, which had been preceding them, into the air.

"Turn back!" Namjoon shouts, gripping onto the side of the car and twisting around to check that the prince is safe. Yoongi has the prince crouching low, leaning over him protectively, narrowed eyes searching for danger. Jungkook has two guns in his hands, ready to take on anything.

"Don't!" Hoseok yells, and Namjoon cranes his head back and sees the barricade of soldiers barring their way.

The bastards! Namjoon grits his teeth. He'll be damned if he lets them have their way.

"Taehyung, hard left. Don't stop."

Taehyung steps on it, and steers them out of a blaze of gunfire within moments.

Of course it is not so easy. They are followed by squads of black clad soldiers in vans. Jimin calmly pulls out his long range rifle, sets himself at the back, Hoseok flanking him, and sets about taking out their enemy, one blown tire at a time.

"We need to get back to the air base!" Yoongi shouts over the gunfire, Jungkook has also joined Jimin and Hoseok at the back, "we need to get off this damned planet."

"Taehyung-" Namjoon swears when another enemy truck materialize in front of them and Taehyung breaks so hard that they skid forward a few meters, tires squealing in protest.

For a moment they just stare, both Namjoon and Taehyung levelling their guns at their new opponents.

Then two motorcycles appear next to them. What happens next happens so fast that Namjoon barely has the time to react.

One motorcyclist lifts up a grenade launcher and aims it at the truck in front of them. The launcher fires.

"Everybody get down!" Namjoon yells, pulling Taehyung down as debris fly past them and their car shudders with the impact of the shock wave from the blast.

"Come with us if you want to live," says the other motorcyclist, his face hidden by a black helmet.

Namjoon meets Yoongi's eyes, then the prince's.

The prince nods.

"Taehyung, let's go."

Taehyung straightens up, wiping the blood dribbling down his face with one hand and grins.

"Go go," he laughs, stepping on the accelerator.

They hear another explosion behind them as they scramble down another alley way.

And they get away. Namjoon doesn't know how they do it but they manage to leave the army behind as they follow after the motorcyclist.

"Namjoon," Hoseok calls, and there is something in his voice, a tremour, that has Namjoon turning back immediately. And there at the back, with the Prince bending worriedly over him, is Jimin. Jimin, with his eyes squeezed shut and face twisted in pain. Namjoon's heart skips a beat.

"Keep going," he instructs Taehyung, who doesn't appear to have noticed anything wrong, before passing over to the back.

"The bullet passed through his shoulder," Hoseok says, keeping his voice low.

"I'm okay, hyung," Jimin tells him with gritted teeth.

The prince has taken off his jacket, pressing it to the wound, and he looks at Namjoon with worried eyes.

"Who is it that helped us?"

"My best guess, my prince, is that they're part of the rebel group. No one else gains anything by helping us right now."

"But can we trust them with prince Seokjin?" Jungkook asks.

Before Namjoon can answer, the prince speaks. "We trust whoever can help Jimin right now." He looks at Namjoon with resolute eyes, "do whatever you can to save him."

Namjoon nods.

 

They come to a stop at an old warehouse, one that is so run down that no one would think it is inhabited. The black rider hops off his bike and beckons them in.

The prince shifts Jimin into his arms and steps out after Jungkook, ignoring protests from Hoseok and Jimin himself. Yoongi follows behind and witnesses the moment when Taehyung notices the injured Jimin. He gasps, a choked little cry, and runs over.

"Jimin," Taehyung whispers, reaching out a tentative hand, and Yoongi is close enough to see Jimin's eyes open slowly, to see him try to smile.

"I'm okay," he promises, and his eyes widen. "You're hurt."

Taehyung shakes his head, wiping at the blood smeared over his forehead, "I'm not. I'm not."

Jimin's eyes fall shut again and Taehyung looks up at Seokjin with wide eyes.

"He's going to be fine," the prince promises softly, and Yoongi sees the moment Taehyung decides to trust Seokjin with Jimin's life. Taehyung nods.

"Let's head in," Namjoon says.

Yoongi pulls out his guns and flanks the prince with Jungkook on the other side, with Namjoon before them and Taehyung and Hoseok behind them.

The black rider waits for them beside the door.

"Who are you?" Namjoon asks, coming to a stop. The rider takes a moment, but eventually takes off his helmet. He's young. Probably close to his own age. There is a scar, jagged and long, that stretches over his left cheek and makes his eye droop.

"We are the people who love this world," the rider answers, his eyes on Seokjin. Yoongi bristles at his insolence.

"We are not against you," the prince says, "I am not."

The rider watches Seokjin for a long moment. "But your father is."

Seokjin's face tightens for a moment. "I can help you."

The rider's eyes flicker down to Jimin, asleep now, in Seokjin's arms.

"Looks like you need our help first."

 

There are seventeen people, eleven men and six women, scattered throughout the warehouse. The noise level rises when they enter and falls afterwards. They look remarkably calm for having the crown prince and his retinue break into their secret hideout.

After Jimin gets taken away for some emergency medical intervention, Taehyung and Jungkook by his side, they finally sit down to talk to the rebels.

The rider offers them steaming bowls of something that smells delicious and makes Namjoon realise he's starving. He looks at the prince, who is used to eating food that don't come out a packet, but he is eating the soup happily.

"You're Red Planet, aren't you?" The prince asks, halfway into the bowl.

The rider, Hyosang, he'd introduced himself, Namjoon doesn't know if that is his real name or not, nods.

"We're the only ones left of Red Planet after you-" Hyosang looks accusingly at Namjoon, "-nearly wiped us out three years ago."

"But clearly you still have enough resources to attack us in mid space," Yoongi growls, setting his empty bowl down on the floor.

"What are you talking about?"

Yoongi scoffs out a laugh. "Should we refresh your memory? Or do you just expect us to be so ing grateful that we don't even mention how you sent four fighter jets to destroy us two days ago!"

Hyosang looks stunned. "We barely have enough resources to keep ourselves fed, let alone have four fighter jets."

"If it wasn't you, then who was it?" Hoseok wonders, just as the answer clicks in Namjoon's brain.

"Who gains the most from the prince never arriving at his destination? With one attack, they remove the prince and doom Red Planet at the same time," he says softly.

Hyosang runs a hand through his shirt cropped hair, face twisting into a grimace. "They've been parading around as us ever since we lost the power to fight back. They're using our ghost for their own ends."

"Things are worse than I thought," the prince whispers, "I never thought Lee Corp would dare."

"When trillions of credits are on the line, your highness, they've definitely dared," Hoseok comments. "But that still doesn't explain why you chose to help us? To put it mildly, you've despised the royal line since it began."

Hyosang chuckles, eyes on the prince. "We saw what you did on Aurora. You saved those people. You even offered yourself as a hostage-" Namjoon barely suppresses a shudder. Aurora is one part of his history that he wishes to forget. Not because he had nearly died. But because he had nearly lost the prince. He knows the prince doesn't regret it. He knows the prince would do it again in a heartbeat. But Namjoon would never, in all of his lives, ever repeat that mistake again. "-you're not like your father."

"My father is king," the prince reminds him.

Hyosang shakes his head. "You should be king. But they'll never let you, your father's powerful friends. They'll never let you ascend the throne. They know you'll never be on their side."

The prince's eyes widen and Namjoon realizes that it hadn't even occurred to him. There is an innocence about the prince that defies his station. Prince Seokjin trusts people. He believes in their inherent goodness and it breaks Namjoon's heart every time they let him down.

"They won't succeed," Namjoon tells him, "they won't be able to stop the prince."

The prince's face softens into a smile.

"Can you help us get to our ship?" Hoseok asks.

"You want to go back?" Hyosang asks, eyes on the prince.

"I will talk to my father. I won't let Lee Corp do this anymore," the prince tells him.

Hyosang glances at Namjoon briefly before looking back at the prince. "I don't think that's a good idea," he says softly.

"Why not?" Yoongi asks.

Namjoon thinks Hyosang's eyes are just a little sad when he says, "because he declared you dead yesterday. I don't think he's expecting you to come back."

It takes a moment to process and when it does, it takes every single ounce of control Namjoon has to not hit something.

The chair unbalances and falls when the prince rises to his feet.

"Excuse me," he whispers before turning around and heading for the door. Yoongi follows after him, and Namjoon sees Jungkook detach himself from Taehyung and head out after them.

"," Hoseok snaps. "This is worse than goddamn Aurora."

Namjoon disagrees but he says nothing.

"Show me," Namjoon tells Hyosang and Hyosang pulls a InformaPad from his pocket and after a few moments Namjoon sees for himself the flags half-mast in the capitol, people solemn and black-clad in respect for the dead prince, killed by the Red Planet rebels. The king, in mourning robes, addressing his people, promising them that he will destroy Red Planet and avenge his son, their prince.

"He knows Prince Seokjin is alive but declared him dead," Hoseok states after a moment, voice calmer. "He doesn't expect him to come back. He doesn't want his son to come back."

The king is an opportunistic bastard, selfish and cruel, and the opposite of the prince at every turn. Namjoon isn't entirely surprised. He thought the king didn't care that his son is more popular than him, that people prefer the prince over the king. He doesn’t know if that is the reason, or if he bowed to the pressure from his powerful friends. But whatever it is, the king has decided that the prince is no longer needed, that he is in fact a hurdle that must be eliminated.

Anger sears through Namjoon's heart. After everything he'd done for the king, every drop of blood he'd shed, all he'd asked for was to be near Prince Seokjin for the rest of his life. The king should have known better.

Namjoon doesn't have the reputation he has for nothing.

As long as he's alive, nothing will ever, ever touch the prince.

Seokjin will always be safe on his watch.

 

Seokjin staggers back against the wooden fence as if all strength has left him. Yoongi crouches down beside him, and doesn't look at Jungkook who kneels down at the prince's other side.

"I-" Seokjin looks up, eyes focusing on the grassy field beyond them. He's taking huge breaths as if he cannot get enough air into his lungs, and Yoongi can see his eyes are filled with tears. It's been a long, long time since Yoongi has seen Seokjin cry.

"-I didn't think he hated me. I never thought-" Seokjin gasps, and the tears fall. Jungkook makes a sound like he's in pain and reaches out.

"Hyung." Jungkook's long fingers wrap around Seokjin's wrist. "Hyung, what's wrong?"

"The person who I thought loved me best, doesn’t love me at all," Seokjin whispers, and he drops his head, shoulders shaking as he starts to sob. Jungkook shares a wide eyed glance with Yoongi.

Yoongi wraps both arms around Seokjin, and Seokjin leans into him easily as Jungkook wraps himself around Seokjin from the other side.

"You're wrong," Yoongi whispers into the prince's dark hair, "the person who loves you best in the world, it was never him." He kisses Seokjin's hair. "In the whole universe, we love you best. Me, Jungkook, Namjoon, Hoseok, Jimin and Taehyung. We love you more than anyone else. You will never lose that." He holds on to Seokjin as he cries. "You will never lose us."

 

"What do we do?" Taehyung asks.

They're sitting by Jimin's bedside. Jimin's asleep, worn out from the blood loss and the minor surgery. The prince is sitting quietly, eyes on Jimin. Namjoon hadn't missed the redness of his eyes and the darkened patches on Yoongi's shirt.

"We have to show everyone that the prince is alive and the king is a liar!" Jungkook snaps.

"But we can't stay here, they'll find us," Taehyung says woriedly.

"We have to get our ship back. We need to get off this planet!" Yoongi adds angrily.

"Everyone-" the prince looks around at them all and just by the tone of his voice, Namjoon can tell what's coming. He braces himself. "Thank you. All of you, you've watched over me so carefully. Protected me at great risk to your own lives. But I think it's time to stop." The prince takes a breath, and at the corner of his eye Namjoon sees Yoongi flinch. "I release you. I am no longer a Prince, I don't need protection anymore. So go your own ways, live your own lives. You owe me nothing."

There is silence. Everyone too stunned to speak.

Then Hosoek leans forward. "Your-"

"I'm already dead. I won't have you die too!" The prince snaps.

"What about all the people who love you?" Jungkook yells, and Namjoon blinks, surprised. All this time they've known each other, he's never seen Jungkook speak to the prince this way. "What about all the people who'd follow you? Are you just going to abandon them? Are you going to abandon us?"

The prince looks at Jungkook helplessly. "Jungkook, I'm not- I can't- I have nothing now."

Jungkook shakes his head angrily. "You're so stupid, hyung. Weren't you listening to Yoongi hyung before? Whatever happens, you'll never lose us! If you're a prince or not, even if you have nothing, you'll have us!"

Yoongi is looking at Jungkook with his mouth open in surprise. And Taehyung is crying quietly on Jimin's bed.

The prince reaches his arms out towards Jungkook and Taehyung, both of whom immediately rush into his arms.

Namjoon takes a step closer, Hoseok and Yoongi flanking him on either side.

"Jungkook is right, my prince. We are yours, no matter what."

The prince's eyes are shining when he lifts his face towards them.

"Whatever comes, we'll face it together."

 

Hyosang and the left over Red Planet rebels help them get their ship back. Surprise attack is always a good strategy, get them while they're not expecting it. And there is no one that can match Taehyung in the skies. For their trouble, the rebels get away with two ships of their own, state of the art war birds, that will let them fight back against Lee Corp on the planet and off world.

Namjoon doesn’t know what the future holds. For the moment they're going to lay low, find an out of the way planet and figure out their options. Maybe get in contact with the prince's friends and allies, not to mention his own contacts. Right now, they just need stay a few steps ahead of their enemies.

He walks into the flight control deck, everyone is gathered around the viewing window. Thousands of miles away, a black hole is in the process of swallowing a twin star. It is a spectacular sight, the light of the suns getting trapped within the gravity of the black hole. Hoseok is standing beside Taehyung, most likely to ensure that he does not take them too close to the event. One nightmarish foray close to a black hole was enough for a lifetime, Namjoon agrees.

"I think we should rename the ship," Jimin says suddenly, looking up at them from where he's sitting cross-legged beside Jungkook on the floor.

"To what?" Yoongi asks curiously.

Jimin grins up at them. "Princess Jin."

Jungkook bursts into laughter.

"I like it," Namjoon says, eyes on the prince who is smiling.

"Me too," Yoongi agrees, nodding.

"We like it too!" Taehyung shouts form behind them.

"No one will ever know what it means, except for us," Jungkook says, smiling up at the prince.

Prince Seokjin reaches down and ruffles Jungkook's hair. "Alright, then."

The prince's eyes are happy crescents when Namjoon looks at him. It's the first time after Chandra that the prince has smiled so freely.

"From now on, we're the Princess Jin," Namjoon declares and gets enthusiastic applause in return.

 

They still take turns guarding the prince. Yoongi doesn't think they'll ever stop that. Jungkook has taken the first watch, so Yoongi wraps Seokjin up in his arms and settles down to sleep.

He holds one of Seokjin's hands with his, tracing patterns over the palm. Seokjin is watching him with warm eyes and Yoongi remembers that day on the tree with the guards shouting in panic below them and the way Seokjin had held his hand and smiled. He'd realised that Seokjin is the bravest person in the galaxy.

He knows the future is going to be harder than anything they have ever faced before. Seokjin has a destiny that he will not walk away from and Yoongi had promised to never leave his side.

"Good night, my Seokjin," he whispers, pressing his lips to the prince's palm.

When he lifts his head, Seokjin is watching him. He is smiling.

Then he leans in and kisses Yoongi lightly on the lips.

"Goodnight, Yoongi," Seokjin says softly, and Yoongi leans in and kisses him in return.

 

 ***