Heart on a Silver Plate

♕ ♚

Jongdae stood by the water, looking into the black abyss ahead of him. He looked to his right, in the direction of the castle, where golden lights were lighting up the sky, making stars disappear. The night in the city was quiet, as all of them had been since the royal extravaganza started two weeks ago. There were more guards on the streets than on a regular time, and less citizens stayed out after sunset. From the early morning hours until the late afternoons, the streets were filled with exotic flavors, floods, smells and people, more wealth, gold and shine than they had seen it a long time, a lot more laughter, music and entertainment than Jongdae ever remembered seeing in the city, and above all, the past two weeks had been a constant phase of endless rumors—regarding the monarchs, the guests, the young prince, and the Lord of High Gardens.

“He showed up during the first night, but has never come back again.”

“Well, I’ve heard it’s some black magic to scare the queen.”

“I believe that! It must be a ghost haunting the queen for what she did—or rather didn’t do for that poor child!”

“That’s ridiculous! If you really think it’s a ghost seeking revenge, it’d be a ghost of a child! The young lord was only a few years old when he was supposedly killed! Not a grown man!”

“How do you know it was a man?! Not one living soul has seen him that night!”

“Of course it must have been a man, they wouldn’t let a child into the palace just like that! And someone must have seen him, otherwise, how would anyone know that he was there?”

“But how would people even know that it was the Lord? No one knows what he looks like!”

“Maybe it was just a fraud! Someone looking for an occasion to assassinate the royal family!”

And so, within the last two weeks, the resurrected Lord of High Gardens has been the main talk of the whole town, maybe even the whole country.

Jongdae found it amusing, how all the gossipers had all the answers to their questions right under their noses, but none of them knew. The thief sighed, drowning in the feeling of being invisible, forgotten. A dead man walking.

He laid down on the ground, looking up at the night sky, and a small smile crept onto his lips. The wind blew, taking his mind back to the night in the castle, when he was just lying on the grass with Minseok, being kissed. He slowly extended his hand up, as if trying to caress the wind, grab it, shape it, and create his own prince for himself, just for the night, just for a moment. The grass below him moved softly, brushing over the skin on his back and his waist; the wind twisted around his neck; the stars above him shone, like Minseok’s eyes were shining that night.

His hand fell to the ground, his lungs gave one a long breath out, and his eyes fell shut.

It’s been two weeks since he last saw Minseok. Two weeks since that morning they parted in a hurry.

“Jongdae, wait! Will you come back? Will you come tonight?”

“I—I don’t know…”

“Please.”

“Minseok, I—I cannot. Sorry, I can’t.”

Their last conversation has been haunting Jongdae for days. He still felt the weight of the moment on his heart. The prince’s burning touch, the longing in his eyes, the weak hope that Jongdae crushed… the disappointment, betrayal and confusion.

“Jongdae.”

“Junmyeon. What are you doing here? I haven’t called you… yet.”

“I know,” the fairy responded, sitting next to the thief, “I just wanted to check up on you. We haven’t talked since… that morning. I’ve been waiting, you know, for you to call me… for you to get back there…”

“Why would you? Why would I do it? They want my heart on a silver plate there, we both know that…”

“We also know that not everyone wants it for the same purpose.”

Jongdae turned his head, looking at the fairy, “I think I’d rather give it to the queen then, than to Minseok, you know,” he whispered.

“How come?”

“Death sounds easier than illusion…”

“Illusion?”

“A mighty prince who falls for a thief. This is not the type of story people write about…”

“Then be the first one to do it, Jongdae. You are not just a thief. You are—”

“The Lord of High Gardens. Yes, I know,” Jongdae spat, “I am a legend, Junmyeon. A tale that people picked up on… I am nothing but a story, a rumor…”

“You know this is not true.”

“I am the only person to confirm it, Jun… and I have a whole kingdom that can deny it. Does it really sounds to you like I can claim the title? How do you know that I am not lying? Maybe it is all just a perfect lie of a beggar thief.”

“I know one more person that knows who you truly are.”

“He doesn't… he knows what I want him to know… if I tell him it is a lie, he will believe that… His judgement is dependent on my words.”

“You have to believe in yourself, Jongdae, before you let others believe in you. But I do think you are not giving Minseok enough credit. Don’t let your fear ruin everything. In the end, what do you have to lose?”

Jongdae didn’t reply, but the silence spoko for itself.

“And do you know what you have to gain?”

Jongdae raised an eyebrow.

“Everything,” the fairy whispered, and the boy adverted his gaze to the stars.

“How would it even work, Junmyeon… they will figure out that I am of no status sooner or later…”

“How about we cross that bridge once we get there, huh? How about you just put your best smile on and go write your happily ever after, alright? Close you eyes,” Junmyeon ordered, and Jongdae did as told.

A few moments later, when he opened his eyes, Junmyeon only handed him a small mirror. Jongdae slowly looked into it, and his stomach twisted.

“You turned my hair into ebony again, but left my eyes as they are. Why?”

“I wanted you to see your true image. Kim Jongdae, the Lord of High Gardens. This is who you are, Jongdae.”

“I don’t like it when you turn my hair black, you know?”

“Why?”

“Because I hate losing them, again and again. My black hair used to be my mum’s favorite feature about me… she had the same ones. Dark like the darkest night…”

“Consider it a gift, then,” Junmyeon said, “it will not disappear once the sun comes up…”

“What?”

“If—If you get up now and go to your prince. Don’t let somebody else live your fairytale, Jongdae.”

“What if he doesn’t want to see me anymore?”

“I know for a fact that he’s been waiting for you every night,” Junmyeon winked, and before Jongdae opened his mouth, the fairy flicked his fingers and the next moment they were standing in front of the castle’s main entrance.

“Show must go on, my Lord,” Junmyeon smiled, walking inside confidently.

♕ ♚

“Lord of High Gardens has arrived!” Jongdae heard Junmyeon’s voice coming from the inside, announcing his arrival, and he laughed to himself a little bit, realizing what the fairy had meant by “show.” He waited a few minutes, knowing that probably all the eyes inside the room were focused on the entrance, waiting to see the mysterious lord. The queen was probably already reading her guards. A chill ran down his spine as he thought about Minseok. Was he awaiting him now as well?

The thief readjusted his black suit and walked up the stairs and through the door. However, instead of walking straight to the stairs leading to the massive room, instantly upon walking into the castle he turned left and hid himself in the shadows. A long corridor was hidden behind a massive tapestry and at the end of it Jongdae saw stairs leading down. He followed them, down two floors, and upon reaching the ground, he realized he was standing in front of a glass door leading to the balcony.

♕ ♚

There he was, in the crowd, talking to a young girl. There was no crown on his head tonight, and now masks on the guests’ faces. There was a glass of champagne in his hand, though, and Jongdae smiled lightly, remembering the terrible taste. And then, just like that, his eyes went to the window and met with Jongdae’s. Laugh died on his lips, and Jongdae’s heart banged against his chest. He was not ready to face Minseok just yet.

But it didn’t matter, because the prince knew he was there, and only a moment later he excused himself and started walking towards the thief.

Jongdae took a step back, then one more, and hid himself in the shadows again. Regardless of what was to happen, he didn’t want anyone to know. For better or for ware, he wanted the prince just to himself for at least a moment.

The prince walked onto the balcony and immediately approached the younger. He stopped right in front of the boy and he hands slowly, unsurely, flew up to brush against his cheek. As if getting a confirmation that Jongdae was, in fact, real, Minseok grabbed the other’s suit and quickly pulled him to himself and kissed him.

Speechless, for a second there, Jongdae didn’t know what was going on. But then he wrapped his hands around the prince’s neck and kissed him back.

“I thought you’d never come back,” Minseok whispered, resting his forehead against the younger’s.

“I didn’t intend to, to be honest.”

“Then what changed?” the prince asked, looking the younger in the eyes.

“Out of all the life threatening risks I have already taken in my life, what is one more?” he joked lightly, shrugging.

Minseok laughed, wholeheartedly, and Jongdae’s chest felt warm.

“Your eyes,” the prince said softly, “they’re not blue anymore…”

“And they won’t be,” Jongdae smiled.

Minseok looked around and then grabbed Jongdae’s hand, “let’s go.”

“Where?”

“Where no one will find us.”

♕ ♚

They were sitting on a bench, over a cliff that overlooked the bay and the harbor.

“Makes you wanna freeze the time, doesn’t it?” Minseok asked, looking at the mesmerized Jongdae.

“It’s beyond beautiful…”

The prince took Jongdae’s hand in his, and squeezed it lightly.

“I’m really glad you came back… I was waiting for you, you know… every night…”

“I’m sorry… I needed some time to think.”

“And?”

“And?” Jongdae looked at a smiling Minseok next to him, and the prince looked so innocent like that, that Jongdae wanted nothing but to steal the moment.

“What did you decide?” the elder whispered, leaning closer to caress the younger’s cheek.

“That there are things worth risking everything for,” Jongdae replied and brushed his lips over the other’s. “However…”

“Yes?”

“You are about to make the biggest mistake of your life, and I am a dead man walking. I don’t really see any sort of happy endings here.”

“Maybe it’s not always about happy endings. Maybe sometimes it’s about the story… and I wouldn’t mind living my fairytale with you,” Minseok whispered, looking Jongdae in the eyes, “I want anything that will keep you with me for longer than just one night…”

“You do know that as the Lord of High Gardens I am currently the most wanted person in the whole Far Far Away, correct?”

“I know, but I was the one who found you, and I am not giving you out to anybody else,” Minseok assured, placing his hands on Jongdae’s waist and moving him from the bench onto his laps. “And do you know that my heart is currently the most wanted item in the whole world?”

Jongdae rested his forehead against the elder’s, “don’t you worry, my little prince. As long as mine is beating inside of my chest, yours is going to belong with mine.”

The looked into each other’s eyes, and for a moment both of them felt invincible. As if all the words they just said could really be true.

“Somewhere there,” Minseok, “is a different universe, our lives must be so beautiful.”

Jondgae smiled sadly, pushing a lock of hair behind the prince’s ear, “it must be a truly wonderful world.”

“This whole freak parade is coming to an end, Jongdae. Soon, my mother will make me marry someone.”

The thief sighed heavily, getting off of the prince’s laps and standing at the edge of the cliff.

“What are you thinking about?” Minseok asked.

“The day I ran into you. The day you brought all that food for the kids. When you gave me that apple. The day you saved me from that butcher. The day you took care of wounds… when you wanted to ran away. I think I was wrong, you know…”

“About?”

“About you,” Jongdae said, turning around, “you’re not like white canvas. You’re a mosaic of colors, Minseok. If there truly is a world in which our lives our lives are different, where maybe my parents never died, and I grew up along your side, I really hope that other me appreciates how lucky he is to have someone like you in his life.”

“I hope the other me realizes that ever letting you go would be the biggest mistake of his life…” the prince whispered, and they remained silent.

♕ ♚

“This is not how you do it!” Jongdae yelled, and Minseok rolled on the grass, laughing.

“You’re just a terrible teacher, Dae!”

“Shut up, I’m amazing. I told you,” he said, taking a bunch of intertwined flowers from the prince’s hand, “you take this, put this through, make a circle, create a knot, and voila! And you just need to repeat it each time! It’s not hard, Minseok, seriously…”

As Jongdae was mumbling and creating a knot after a knot, Minseok laid on the gross, his head resting on his hand, observing the younger. There was a soft and content smile on his lips as he looked at the way Jongdae’s lips curled up, the way his eyes shone in the dark, how few bangs were falling on his long eyelashes, and all Minseok wanted to do was to push them back, because Jongdae didn’t seem to notice.

He looked at the way the younger’s complexion was reflecting the moon, and his nose wrinkled a little each time he placed the flowers too closed to his face.

“You see, and it’s ready!” Jongdae beamed, holding up a daisy flower crown, “it’s extremely easy, you’re just a terrible student.”

Minseok chuckled.

“Put it on,” he said quietly, resting his head on the ground.

“Huh? You’re the prince here,” Jongdae just said, extending his hand to place it on top of Minseok’s head. But the elder only grabbed it half way and once the younger’s let go, he softly placed the flower crown on top of the thief’s head.

“Crown suits you,” Minseok whispered softly, and Jongdae’s cheeks turned a light pink. The prince pushed a lock of hair behind the younger’s ear, and leant in to place a soft kiss on his little thief’s lips.

"Tell me a story," Jongdae mumbled, lying down next to the prince.

"A story?" the elder asked surprised.

"Your life story..."

"There's not much to tell, really.  I was born March 26th, 1099, here, in Far Far Away. I don't have any siblings, when I was five my parents got me a dog, but he commited suicide three years later--"

"Suicide?" Jongdae asked surprised.

"He jumped out of the balcony."

"Wow, harsh."

"That was my first heart break. I really loved that dog."

"What about your friend girlfriend?"

"Seven years old, she a duchess of Northumbia, I think she was the first one my parents considered for my marriage."

"First one? How many were there?"

"I believe around fourteen."

"Fourtneen?!"

"There was Adela, the duchess of Northumbia; Ariel, the youngers princess from the Northern Islands, Tatiana of New Orleans, Aurora of the Habsburgs from Bavaria, and then her cousin Snow White, but that was just a real disaster. Later we had Fa Mulan, daughter of a Han warrior, Merida of Scots, Helena of Troy, Alexis from the privince of Londinium, and princess Alexa from Upon Thames--"

"Okay, I get it, a lot of names," Jongdae stopped him, feeling a little dizzy.

Minseok chuckled, "yes, a lot of names."

"What happened that they stopped looking for them?"

"Well, I told them I wasn't interested."

"In marrying?"

"In girls," the prince said, winking at Jongdae.

"Oh..."

"Literally my mother's reaction," Minseok laughed, "just after that she started throwing paltes and glasses against walls."

"I'm... sorry?"

"Ah, we let bygons be bygons!"

"You speak of it so lightly..."

"It's been some time, there's no need to keep a grudge the whole life... not against your family."

Jongdae just looked up, looking for his parents in the stars.

"What about you? Do you wanna tell me your story?" Minseok asked cautiously.

"There's nothing to tell. My parents died when I was a kid, then I was abducted, I ran away, been living here for the past fourteen years of my life... " the boy said, never adverting his eyes from the sky. Minseok only observed him, looking at his profile, realizing just how deep and wide is the gulf between them.

A litt bit of *incredibly* overdue xiuchen... fluff? Did I manage that?