The King held his arms outstretched on either side, head high, chin up, erect and perfect like a doll as his bodyguard watched the process of dressing in some awe.

When Jimin had left the capital seven years ago he left a child behind. A child that had been clingy and somewhat annoying, who never obeyed any kind of order or advice and often had little thought beyond his schoolbooks and board games. And although the Prince had been one of the most annoying types of children, something in Jimin’s chest had felt as heavy as lead as he left the palace. It had come not from a disbelief that his replacement, Jung Hoseok, could keep the Prince alive, but from a desire to protect the child from the political tug-of-war that was being played out on his heartstrings.

He had assumed there would have been some change between the eleven-year-old he had left, and the nineteen-year-old man he was to return to, but the difference between the two was more marked than he could have imagined.

Impossibly, his face had stayed almost exactly the same: he was a handsome, pretty man – not unlike his brother in the smooth planes of his face, or rounded eyes or serene attitude. But where the Prince was almost feminine, distinctly angular and sharp, the King would never be: his face was still round, still held thick, pink cheeks under a light, unassuming brow. His face had remained entirely the same, but the King’s eyes had not remained the same.

The Crown Prince had always had a fondness for the bodyguard who had saved him when he was four: there was always a smile in his face for Park Jimin, a warmth of attitude. When the Prince had played in gardens or even at his books, there was a glint in his eye full of life and vivacity, and of that there remained not even a relic.

The King was stone-hearted, cold and uncaring.

Jimin was fascinated to watch this unknown creature, this porcelain doll be dressed in blinding silks with royal golden embroidery on them: to see his crown placed upon his head by a eunuch, and to watch with some familiarity as the room bowed to their king.

“I’ll come out in thirty minutes,” a cold voice ordered “Be sure I’m not disturbed during that time.” The King sat carefully at his desk, opening a book as his eunuch and maids shuffled their way out: Jimin took his place in the middle of the floor in front of his desk, waiting to be ordered.

The King barely looked up at him. “Park Jimin.”

“Yes, your majesty?”

“You’ve been serving the Royal Guard faithfully in Busan for many years.”

An awkward silence fell: when the King looked up, it was to stare at the guard with round, cold eyes that demanded answer.

“Yes, your majesty.”

“It’s been a while since you were last in Hanyang. Have you been back to see your mother?”

“No your majesty, I came straight here. How could I delay on an order your majesty has given me?” The man gave a smile at the idea. “I hurried to see you, your majesty.”

If the King was impressed, he showed no sign of it. “When you’re done here, go to your mother’s house directly. She’s been waiting a very long time for you to return. Don’t be an unfilial son.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

The King sighed a little and stretched to sit straight, surveying his guard. “You’ve served a long time, and been away from home a long time, Park Jimin. The reason I called you back to Hanyang is because you were my first bodyguard and I always trusted you as a child. Now that I’ve ascended my father’s throne I was hoping you would still carry out that duty, but my thought is entirely selfish and self-centered.” There was a pause. “I won’t ask you to stand by my side as my guard if it’s not something you want.”

A lump formed in Jimin’s throat: why it pained him so to hear the King speak in such a detached manner – as if they had not been joined at the hip when he was a child – he was not sure, but it seemed to stab at him. “Your majesty, how could I refuse such an honor? What a great thing it would be to-”

“I’m not asking if you enjoy the honor,” the King snapped sharply. “I’m not offering you the position to honor you. I’m not offering it because it’s an honor you can’t give up, I’m asking you outright whether it’s something you want to do for me. Don’t say yes because it’s an honor. Say yes because you want to be, or say no.”

The guard frowned. “If I said no?”

“You’ll need a job, of some sort. I could put you on detail for my mother. Or if you’d prefer to work as a sell-sword, I’m sure there’s something I can arrange with one of the ministers.”

“Why should your majesty go to all that trouble for one lowly bodyguard?”

“Because,” the King reiterated, looking up from his book in slight annoyance, “you are the only reason I’m alive today, and you took care of me when I was a child, and they day you left was-” With one single breath the King regained his composure, tone coming up from its dark scale, fierce scowl lifting, back straightening. “Because I owe you my life and I haven’t seen you in a while.”

Park Jimin broke out into a broad smile. “Your majesty, nothing would make me happier than taking my place by your side once more.”

This statement was evaluated for a moment. “Good.” The King slammed his book closed. “You should meet with Jung Hoseok soon to agree on a roster. I have no preference when to see whom, but I will allow neither of you to watch me for more than one day and one night together, so tell him that, as well. The position is not a light one and I will expect you to be by my side every moment of the day. I will have precedence to tell you to go places and do things without warning or given reason. I have no obligation to tell you how or why. I do not repeat myself. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, your majesty.”

“Good. Now go see your mother.”

“Yes your majesty.” He almost got up to bow and leave, but then settled back into his seat. “Your majesty, might I make a comment?”

“You may,” the King answered, flipping his book open with disinterest.

Jimin bridled a moment. “Thank you for bringing me back. I missed you.”

It was the second statement that made the King look up – with a dark look in his eyes, distrustful but surprised, as if it gave him new information to ponder. After a few moments he simply cocked his eyebrows once, dropping his sight back to his book. “Welcome back to the palace, Park Jimin.”

Jung Hoseok stood tall, almost gangly in his height: he was not weak, for sure, but his height and his size seemed out of balance.

“Don’t stand to attention like that, at least not while we’re together like this,” Jimin smiled carefully. “I took care of His Majesty as a child and when I had to leave you took over. We are at least equals.”

“I don’t think so, sir. You outrank me. Twice.”

“That’s alright. His Majesty instructed me that neither of us are allowed to serve more than a day and night consecutively. If you don’t have a preference for either, then we’ll just serve twenty-four hours each.”

“Yes sir.”

Jimin sighed deeply, blinking his eyes, already tired: the motion broke Hoseok’s rigid stance, a smile engraving on his face.

“It must be tough being back.”

Jimin chuckled harmlessly, straightening his back. “God, I met with His Majesty this morning, and I thought the duress was going to crack my skin like clay. Is he always so… so…?”

“Intense?”

“Intense.”

“Yes. For as long as I’ve known him.” The guard cocked his head. “He wasn’t like that as a child?”

“No! No he was… vivacious and light-hearted and warm.”

Hoseok straightened a little at the thought, pulling a face. “If you don’t mind, sir… you might not want to say that in front of His Majesty. Or anybody else, for that matter. You could get yourself into a lot of trouble.”

“That so?” Jimin’s eyes darted around his personal office, taking in the sight of it all. “You’re right, of course. We shouldn’t speak of His Majesty’s personal matters in public. Of course.” He surveyed his now second-in-command. “Hoseok his Majesty has ordered me to visit my mother’s house. It’s here in Hanyang, so I’ll trade you off tonight. Can you watch His Majesty until I get back?”

“Yes sir.”

“Good man. If His Majesty every gives us a night off together, I’ll treat you to drinks.”

Jung Hoseok burst out a broad smile. “I’ll hold you to that, sir.”

The King’s only acknowledgement was a raise on the eyebrows as his bodyguard entered to sit in the corner of his room.

It took him several minutes. “Park Jimin?”

“He has gone to visit his mother, your majesty. He plans to return in time to stay up for Your Majesty’s night shift.”

“I see.” His majesty moved some papers and continued reading. “Did you assess his character?”

“As your majesty told me.”

“What did you find?”

“I believe him to be a man of upright justice and calm inner balance, your majesty. Forgive me, but he seems too peaceful to be your majesty’s bodyguard.”

“Explain,” was the cold order.

“I believe that his resolve to protect your majesty would waver if he found your majesty’s judgement to be clouded or unjust.”

The King’s eyes flashed as he looked up: with what sentiment, Hoseok could not understand. “And yours would not?”

He bowed. “My life’s purpose is to protect your majesty from your enemies, no matter your majesty’s feelings, judgement or otherwise. My life belongs to you, your majesty.”

The King observed the guard for a long moment before returning to his books.

“Your Majesty, it is Park Jimin.”

“Show him in.” The King turned to his court lady, waiting in the eaves in her green robes. “Court Lady Choi, you can take the dishes away now.”

“Your majesty,” a whining chorus came: the head eunuch prevailed over the mistress of the kitchens. “You’ve hardly eaten. Please eat more.”

The gaze his majesty laid upon his eunuch shot something like ice through the servant’s veins: he shuddered at the cold cruelty in them, but maintained his bow regardless. “Please!”

A thick silence fell in the room as Jimin surveyed the situation.

“Head eunuch,” the King practically cooed, “I’m sure you’re far better versed in the law of this country than I am, so please, refresh my memory – about what happens to the King’s servants when they defy their King?”

“Please!”

The look His Majesty King Yoongi laid upon his servants was deadly. “Do not make me repeat myself in my own hallway.”

Within moments the food was taken away, and the space cleared: servants shuffled out and became nothing more than dark silhouettes on the other side of the door. Jung Hoseok waited for his superior officer to let him off and then escaped the tense atmosphere left by the King’s position.

“Reporting as ordered, your majesty.”

“Park Jimin.” His majesty glared at him. “You smell.”