"Yes, sir. You are right. I suppose I see where you're coming from, it would be unfair to force you to marry a woman that you don't have genuine feelings for." Wonwoo nodded politely, keeping his head down as he went to cooking.

"I'm glad that someone can see my point of view. I just don't get it. How is it fair to tell me to marry someone I haven't even gotten the chance to know?" Jisoo took his spot back at the small table in the kitchen, having breakfast alone in the dining hall felt so lonely, but sitting in the kitchen while Wonwoo cooked gave him them the ability to talk freely.

Jisoo was incredibly thankful that Wonwoo was his attendant, all the other workers in the castle would gladly string the prince out to dry for so much as complaining, but Wonwoo was the only person Jisoo was comfortable enough with to consider as much as an acquaintance.

"Can I ask you something?" The prince perked up, propping his head up on his palms.

"Hm?" Wonwoo didn't turn to face the prince, but with the visibility Jisoo had, he could see Wonwoo's brows perked up at the question.

"Why do you work for my father?" The question wasn't random, it was something he'd always wanted to ask someone who worked in the castle, but he was seeking an answer other than 'money' or 'notoriety' in whatever forms it would take, and he cocked his head in wait.

"I'm the only one in my family capable of working, it doesn't matter what the job is, I just have to work so I can send money home. And in the many times I have considered resigning from this position, I realize you'd be assigned a new seer, and frankly I'm not sure anyone else could stand you in the mornings like I do." Wonwoo laughed, and Jisoo was absolutely baffled for a moment, of course Wonwoo was a human, but he wasn't sure that he'd ever heard the other joke around so clearly, if at all.

Jaw slack, Jisoo just blinked for a moment, trying to muster up what he could actually say in response. He was right, there was no denying that, even if it was a joke, Jisoo could be a menace in the morning, and the both of them knew that better than anyone else did, but the notion that Wonwoo didn't leave for the fear of what Jisoo might do about someone else trying to wake him up at the ungodly hours of the morning was a little touching.

"Is that all you wanted to ask, sir?" Wonwoo asked in his usual polite tone, all hints of the momentary amusement had all but faded from his words.

"Yes, that was all."

Wonwoo nodded, and still tough at work at whatever he was making.

There wasn't anything else the prince had to say, so he allowed his mind to wander, wondering just how bad he was going to end up feeling after the meeting with his father, if the princess that his father was arranging for him to marry was like any of the girls from neighboring kingdoms, Jisoo truly had no interest in it. He couldn't stand the thought of being used for whatever material objects he had because he was his father's son, he just wanted to be with someone that was going to love him, and be absolutely crazy about him, someone he could wake up with and feel good about the day. That wasn't any of the princesses from local kingdoms, they were all shallow, constantly asking Jisoo about his father's land, and what new deals the kingdom was making.

The thought alone was enough to make the prince scoff to himself, which was enough to earn a quizzical look out of Wonwoo who'd walked over with a plate of eggs, causing the prince's cheeks to turn red as he grabbed a utensil and began munching away.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind today, sir." Wonwoo said, putting up everything he'd pulled out away.

"You could say that." The prince's shoulders shrugged as he shoveled food into his mouth, he was stuck in a rut of thought so deep that he could barely even taste the food, it was equal parts annoying and disturbing. Jisoo couldn't remember another time he'd felt so backed into a corner about a decision, but what was he supposed to tell his father? That he didn't want to do it because he was in love? That was surely a way to earn some kind of formal punishment for being selfish, and immature.

Maybe Wonwoo was right, the tall seer did have a way of putting things in terms that were more adaptable to Jisoo's senses, marriage comes first, and then you fall in love. People had been doing that in this kingdom for hundred of years, and it seemed to work fine thus far, so there had to be some kind of magic about it, right?

Jisoo used his free hand to rub his temples, thinking himself into a headache and almost completely losing his appetite halfway through the meal.

"If you're ready, I guess we'll go see my father now." The prince mumbled, small and defeated in his words.

"As you wish." Wonwoo his heels as soon as he was done reorganizing ingredients back to their homes, and gave a tight lipped smile. He gestured to the door to the dining hall, and Jisoo stood up, burying his hands in his pockets as he walked, vigorously scratching at any potential hangnails in an attempt to make his heart rate calm down.

You'd think that having known his father his whole life, Jisoo would be much more excited to run into the man who gave him life, but these days it felt like the king only wanted to see him if he was in trouble, or needed to sign something.

Jisoo kept his eyes straight as he walked through ornate hallways leading to his father's quarters, and he could hear Wonwoo's footsteps right behind him, something silly to feel so reassured by, but at least with Wonwoo there the prince was at a much lower possibility of throwing a complete tantrum over the meeting.

Each footstep of theirs clicked against the divine marble floors, echoing quietly through the painting-clad hallways.

The prince's skin felt like it was halfway to crawling completely off his form as the elaborate door to his father's chambers came into view. His shoulders remained back, and held high, but suddenly it felt like there was a thousand pounds of pressure riding on them. Jisoo's face felt hot, and there was a chilling feeling manifesting in his chest, but still he pushed open the door to his father's chamber and stepped in, head down.

"Hello, father."

A/N: WHEW, I am so sorry that it's taken me a whole year almost to update this and my other fics, I just haven't been in the writing swing for a long time apparently, but here I am, back again, and ready to churn out more of this story if anyone is even interested in it anymore. Let me know what you think, I've had a whole year to try and tame my writing style to something more satisfactory, so I really do hope that you like this. Anyways, if you made it this far, thank you so much for reading!!!!