Characters: Jeongguk & fairy!you

Setting: Beauty and the Beast au (final part of the destiny trilogy)

Genre: finally the happy ending i swear

Summary: With the war going on, he asks you to stay. With an aching heart, what will you say?

Warning: mentions of war and death

Words: 3.1k

(This AU got ridiculously long compared to what I planned but hope you enjoy!)

Oh the irony.

The same long wooden table, the same throne room and the same people at the two ends. Or are they? Two years ago, an arrogant and selfish king was seated on the gilded armchair and in front of him sat a proud, powerful princess. By now the king has matured and became wiser while the princess went into hiding. They both lost a lot. They’ve grown by pain.

“Where’s the Queen?” Jeongguk fills a crystal glass with red wine taken from the basement’s oldest section. His voice cuts through the thin canvas of memories swirling around them. They both remembered this place too well.

“Dead. The Kims killed her. They were really proud of it,” the princess says in an emotionless voice, eyes hazy but her grip tight and white on her napkin. “You would know if you didn’t isolate yourself totally.”

There’s a hint of mocking in her always all-knowing voice.

“Then aren’t you the Queen?“

"The Queen of what?” The fairy princess snorts, laughing bitterly without an actual sound. “You need land you can rule over to have a kingdom to begin with. We lost and the island has been taken by the Kims.”

Jeongguk nods, he’s gathered that much but he didn’t expect the royal ridiculing her own role in the equation. He knows fairies have never had many allies and the Jeons used to be their last hope. The king couldn’t help but wonder if that was the reason behind the disappearance of the curse’s symptoms. Fairies are said to be naturally manipulative creatures after all and he learned not to trust in the Princess, even if she says she wants to help. But everybody deserve a second chance, don’t they?

“So that’s the reason you really help me? Because you need me.”

Even though he knows it’s not wise to accuse a possible ally of something like this, Jeongguk also knows that fairies can’t lie and he has to know the truth before agreeing.

“No, I help you because you’re a better person now and you have the potential to be a wiser and more just king than any of The Kims,” the Princess says and she looks like she actually means it.

Jeongguk considers it and runs his fingers through his soft brown locks. He still couldn’t get used to that he’s back in his original form. In the mirrors he still expects a monster to look back at him. But his own reflection in the glass is just as fine as the wine according to what he hears of whispers behind his back. He paid a huge price to learn to be considerate and humane. But he wasn’t the only one, the Princess paid her part too.

Out of simply curiosity he asks: “Do you regret it?”

“What? Not marrying you or cursing you?” The fairy sounds amused but her darkened blue eyes are solemn. “No to both. Then your arrogance would have ruined us. Maybe not so soon but eventually.”

And no matter how much it hurts his pride, Jeongguk has to agree with her.

It’s been days and each one feels like a decade as looking back, you realize you had absolutely no chance to spend some alone time with the king. He has daily strategic meetings with the general of the knights and long politic talks with the Princess. Day by day, fairies keep coming upon hearing the news that your Court is finally formed again after such a long time. Everybody is hopeful around you but you can’t help your blue mood.

Of course, you’re aware that Jeongguk has no choice and it’s not his fault. To win this battle is the only chance to get back what’s his… And your kind’s. Yet, it hurts to be neglected.

“Were you waiting for me?” A familiar, melodic voice reaches your ears in the dead of the night and you whip your head towards the entrance of the greenhouse. At first you don’t even believe your eyes because Jeongguk look so ethereal under the moonlight like he was from another world. Even if he’s just standing still among the beautiful flowers you and your kind helped to bring back to life. You couldn’t stand ruined greenery around you.

Your traitor mouth curls up in a smile without your own accord and even though you could play around with words and find a way to deny his statement, you don’t even try.

“I hoped you’d come by,” you admit with a small shrug. Your fingertips touch the colourful petals of flowers on your way to the king. You feel nervousness seep into your veins and bones which is ridiculous, isn’t? He’s the same then why are you so afraid to look him in the eye? Maybe, whispers a little voice inside your head, you fear that your eyes can’t lie either.

“It’s just that you have been busy with royal affairs and I wouldn’t…” want to be a burden.

You ramble, trying to take your mind off the heavy truth when Jeongguk steps a bit closer and your breath hitches. He looks like a vision: tanned skin glowing under the silver hues, skin flawless and velvety. His hair is messily styled, it’s obvious how often he ruffles up the stands. The brown of his beautiful eyes is like liquid walnut cream, sweet and soft, genuine. He wears leather pants with boots, a sword on his belt and his white shirt is ed on the very top. He’s so dreamy and yet, there so much human vulnerability in him as he nibbles on his lower lip trying to form the right words.

“I missed you,” he blurts out and your heart sings the same song. Isn’t it funny to miss one who’s so close you could touch their face?

But as the matters stand, you ought to be careful.

“Oh. I’m not sure the Princess would be happy to hear that,” you mumble and it’s unfair. If it was anyone but her, you could be angry, you could be jealous but you respect the Princess too much.

According to your laws, she could have anything anyway. She has the right to claim and take anything from another fairy of her Court, everything they have. For the first time you think it’s too much.

“What does she have to do with this?” The king sounds utterly and genuinely confused but you know humans are great liars. Maybe he thinks he can spare your heart from hurting by not telling you but there are curious ears and talkative mouths at every corner.

“Well, you will marry her, won’t you?”

At that Jeongguk’s face falls as if you told him about something dying.

“I…”

“You don’t have to lie. Carrick told me about your history with the Princess. She rejected you but now she needs land and you need soldiers, it’s perfect. I’m happy that it works out, I really am.”

What you aren’t happy about is what it means for you.

Upon hearing your statement, Jeongguk falters, words frozen onto the tip of his tongue. He has so many things to confess, secrets to whisper to the night and the lulling truth he wishes to kiss into your soft skin. You smell like wildflowers that grow in the greenhouse and he yearns to bath in your closeness.

“I want to show you something,” he says the safest of all the things he could say. He offers his hand, a pretty hand with long fingers without burgundy scars and painful thorns. Pianist fingers. Oh how you wish you could hear him play or chase after his talented movements in a piano piece written for four hands.

You let him lead you through the castle. Up the stairs, through secret passages behind paintings, laughing at almost tripping in a threshold and not letting go. There are unfamiliar walls around you since you’ve never been in this part of the castle, in the highest place of all, the stargazing tower.

“Where are we– oh. It’s beautiful,” you mumble in awe as soon as you step out in the open and see flowers pullulating over the fence. The blossoms are red like the blood moon.

“It’s the bush of the rose the Princess gave me when she cursed me. She told me that if I cannot break it until my 21th birthday when the last petal falls, I will stay like that,” Jeongguk explains but it broaches more questions than answers. The wild rose overgrown the whole tower looks far from dying. It’s beautiful and in a way it reminds you of the king’s heart protected by huge glass walls.

“You never told me how you broke the curse,” you wonder out loud while your fingers curl around the fence.

“I’ve wanted to tell you but we didn’t have time to properly talk… you know since the…” appearance of the royal head of Court and her people.

“Oh. Right,” you nod. True. He also noticed it then. For some reason it makes you happy.

“After my parents died, I became cold. I didn’t care about anything just about winning the war. I thought it’s the only way I could make them proud but I lost myself, I forgot what it meant to genuinely care and it’s not something you can force on yourself, so I thought there’s no chance to fight the curse. But then you came, stubbornly stayed in my life and showed me so much empathy, patience and care. It hurt when you left.”

You in a breath. It hurt you, too. You remember the anxiousness bubbling in your stomach, the urge to look back and turn around so strong you had to physically strain yourself to keep going. A part of you wanted to stay but you weren’t sure you were welcomed to. You’re still not sure what it all means.

“Why are you telling me this?”

Jeongguk lets out an awkward laugh like doesn’t know what to do with himself. There’re so many emotions in his reply: hope, trust, affection. He looks straight into your eyes.

“When it’s over and if we both survive, would you stay?” With me?

The weight of the question crashes down on you and it scares the hell out of you.

“I– I can’t. My family…”

“They can come too. I need you to keep me sane,” Jeongguk pleads and even though you know he’d never take advantage of the situation, it disgusts you how others would look at you if you stayed in a castle with him and the fairy princess.

“I won’t be your mistress,” you snap at him harsher than you want to and all colours drain from his face.

“I never asked you to. It was never about that. You can leave, of course, but you made me want to be a better person and you taught me a lot about kindness and love. I’d like you to stay.”

His words are just what you wanted to hear but not enough, never enough.

“It’s your home, Jeongguk, not mine…”

“It can be ours.”

“Jeongguk…” His name falls off your tongue as a cautious warning but he doesn’t let you finish your protest. He can see it all in your eyes: fear, worry and uncertainty.

“You didn’t look at me any differently in my monstrous form or knowing that I’m a king. Why are you looking differently at me now?” Desperation bleeds of his voice and it’s choking you. He has no idea how much you actually want to stay but you know better than to believe in a mirage

“It could never work, Jeongguk. I’m just a simple fairy, I can’t be a queen.”

“By your laws maybe but you can be with mine,” he says finding all the loopholes but the hard lines of your agitated expression doesn’t change, so he sighs burying his face in his hands. “You don’t want to be my queen, you don’t want to be my mistress. What do you want then?” Even with his hovering closeness, the heat of his human body, you tremble at the sound of my queen. Oh you’re so weak.

“I want you. Without titles,” your tongue takes control and your confession has no end as you dive in deeper. It feels like freefalling as you speak and Jeongguk’s eyed soften around the edges. “I didn’t plan on falling in love with you but I couldn’t help and I could imagine staying here, just the two of us, but now it’s too much. You have a war to win, a kingdom to rule. You have greater things on your plate than to worry about a mere fairy. I don’t want to hold you back.

And it’s out, there’s no way to take it back now that the king stares at you so intensely.

"You don’t. Please listen to me…”

“Your Majesty!” One of the watch guards stomps up on the stairs ruining the intimate moment. You can feel Jeongguk’s arm brushing against your shoulder as he turns around.

“I’m busy,” he grits his teeth and the knight ducks his head down in apology but doesn’t waver.

“It’s important.”

“Can’t it wait?”

“I’m afraid not, Your Majesty. The attack is here.”

You lock eyes with Jeongguk knowing that you don’t have a choice to prolong this talk. A moment later the war horn rings loudly.

The Kims only sent a small army since they didn’t expect big confrontation, especially since they attacked at night. Even with this dirty trick, the horde of fairies manages to surprise them. Still, it’s a bloody battle, each one is. Jeongguk gets nauseous just thinking back when his general pleaded him through the door every single day to come out and reassure his people, to fight with them. But back then he was too proud and too much of a coward, so instead he locked himself up in a room. And one day the visits stopped, the castle turned quiet and lonely. Eventually Jeongguk came out but it was too late.

This battle lasts for three days and the utterly demolished mainland army’s single survivor leaves with a written offer: the Kims either let them have the province and Jeju or they will fight until their last breath.

Jeongguk has been distant in these days but you found him easily at a balcony. Your balcony. It reminds you of all those mornings you spent together when the war happened only outside the gates. It all seems so long ago.

“Jeongguk?” you step closer and take a look at the pile of paper scattered around him on the table. His handwriting is pretty on the parchment.

“I hate numbers,” he admits in a rough voice and jabs on each paper with his index finger. “The dead, the wounded, the gunpowder, the assets. We won one battle but in a war like this, there’ll always be more and we’ll lose more than what we did now.”

“It’s okay to focus on today’s troubles, you can worry about the rest when you get there,” you tell him softly and pry his cramped fingers off the pen as you sit down beside him. His right hand is bandaged, so you’re careful with it but seeing him well is a great relief. You heard he got that deep cut on his palm but otherwise he’s untouched and it seems confirmed right now.

When his eyes snap at you, his gaze settles right away on the bloody strain you have.

“Did you…” get hurt? Jeongguk gently touches your temple where a sword grazed you because you were too careless.

“It’s just a scratch, nothing serious,” you whisper and wish to cup his hand, to pull him close and never let go. You remember clearly how scary it was, the very thought of losing him.

“I can’t ask you to stay out of the fight, right?” There’s a hint of smile in the question. He knows you too well, your cold fingers, warm eyes and enchanting smile. He’s fallen for all of it. And what is a greater love than letting you be yourself and fight your own battles even if he doesn’t want you to?

“No, you can’t. It’s my fight too.”

Jeongguk nods, understanding and his hand warm yours as he’s blowing hot air on your pale knuckles in the chilly March weather.

“You said you would want me without titles but… I can’t do that. I’ve already let my people down once,” he whispers still not letting go of you. Hesitation is swimming in his eyes and you hate to be the reason of his inner conflict.

You take a deep breath.

“I know. That was silly of me. This is your rightful place. I can’t care for you any less as a king than I’d care otherwise,” you slowly press a kiss on the back of his hand sweetly after you overcome your own fears and stupidity. In the last days out in the battlefield, you realized there are scarier things to be afraid of. “If the Kims come back with a bigger army and let’s be honest, they will, we can die any day. I don’t want to have regrets.”

The king, young and foolishly in love, looks at you with big doe eyes and takes a sharp breath as he leans his forehead against yours, pulling your whole body closer. You can almost taste the apple tarte he ate on his lips and his name trembles on yours.

“Jeongguk.”

“Hm?” His hum resonates through your bodies as you place your palm over his rapidly beating heart following the rhythm of yours.

“When it’s over and if we both survive,” you echo his earlier words,“ ask me again.”

His kiss is the softest promise you’ve ever tasted.

Months pass, the empire of the three Kims falls apart as the fairies – your family too – join the resistance from all over the country and the old residents of the former Jeon Kingdom also go back home to fight against the invaders. By the Fallfirst Festival, they have to sign the pactum and ensure the autonomy of the country.

Summer has been blazing hot so far and rained rivers of blood but the season of withering not only brings colder breezes but peace, too. It celebrates the king’s birthday with newly picked grape and cherry wine, performances of his heroic acts during the war, a statue of him in the French garden but he doesn’t care about it at all. He’s hiding in the ballroom, playing a four hand piano piece with you and his off-key ending note, a chaste kiss on your rosy lips takes you by surprise.

Then, with stars in his eyes and the slightest doubts in his heart, he asks again:

“Would you stay with me?”

“Always.”