*song inspired chapter: listen here [x] [x]

Like a lazy day spent between the sheets and limbs tangled affectionately beneath the comfort of silk and fine material, the morning was still young and the birds still chirped away in a filling sense, letting the silence to fill the void between each sound and reverberation. Baekhyun was leaning against the headboard of his bed, his arm around his precious lover and hand combing through her locks as if he could not get enough of its fine reduction, its essence comforting and ministration soothing. Though slightly tired and still in a sleepy daze, he felt more than awake with the beating of his heart in his chest as he looked down at Mirae, who was sleeping silently with her lips curled into the faintest of smiles and breathing steady through the cold air. The sunlight fills the room, filtered through the curtains in its white light and leaving the room to glisten in the sun's warmth, and Baekhyun couldn't ask for anymore with the time placed between the palms of his hands. 

The prince begins to hum a tune, nodding his head along to the rhythm of his candid notes as he stares down at the appearance of his lover asleep. He begins to feel her stir within her sleep, perhaps beginning to wake from her slumber and soon, a pretty yawn leaves her lips, her eyes fluttering open slowly yet majestically to his palette and her vision focusing upon the prince who has a silly smile plastered along his lips. 

"What's with the canny smile?" She dotes upon his features, nestling within his torso and pressing her bosom against the side of his chest. Baekhyun just shrugs, still smiling like a silly man down at her and isn't also quite sure why he is in such a glee mood other than the fact that he had just woken up to the beautiful sight of his lover and his lover's body bare of any clothing. 

"I just feel lucky, is all." He replies simply, leaning his head back against the headboard and continuing his earlier tune. Baekhyun's fingers are lazily playing with Mirae's hair, enjoying her warmth and wrapping his other arm around her to bring her closer into his embrace. "You know, making love with you every time feels like our first time." 

Mirae laughs out loud at his comment, playfully hitting him across the chest and plastering a fake scowl upon her features. 

"What is seriously up with you this morning, Baekhyun?" Mirae laughs, shaking her head at his absurdity whilst the prince defends himself by throwing his hands up in defeat. 

"Hey," He calls out, staring deeply into the woman's eyes and darting his lips out from his mouth as he takes in the visuals of his beloved, the only woman able to make his heart beat faster and pupils dilate at the sight of. "Can't I just express how much I love making love to you..?" Baekhyun whispers lowly, his hands now making their way down to her waist, caressing her bare skin and gently smoothing her flesh with his palm. "You're like a goddess when you make love, Mirae-ah. Words can't express how beautiful you look when you moan my name—or when you bite your lip and part your lips into a tiny plead for more..." 

Baekhyun's lips trail closer to hers, his flesh barely grazing against hers as Mirae blushes madly at his words and pulls away from him at an instant. She is too flustered to be around him, unable to handle how his words have such grave affects on her heart and pride. He was definitely a man with suave tongue, a man who knew exactly how to make a woman's heart flutter within the confinements of her chest and a man who dealt with the cards given onto him with such affectionate precision it drove her mad. Baekhyun knew how to turn every situation into a heart-melting one, and most definitely knew all of her weak spots in such given time it amazed her. 

"Baekhyun.." She silently pleads, not knowing what for but all she knows is that she doesn't want him to stop; she doesn't want him to stop showering her in affectionate whispers and promises of all hues and tones, nor does she want him to stop being the man he was, the man she came to know through a mere meeting within the forest of a garden. 

"Everything about you.. Oh dear.." He chuckles to himself, as if also unable to believe his words as well. "Everything about you is worth doting upon. You see, my precious princess, there isn't a day where I wake up and think about you. There isn't a mere day where I have gone to retire to bed without thinking of you, and having you by my side when I do both only drives me even crazier."

"Why do you say so?" Mirae questions, trying to hide the blush spreading across her cheeks and the smile threatening to spread across her lips. Instead, she bites down on the flesh, catching his attention which makes the prince smile. 

"Because having you by my side is as if it is a dream or thought come true. Whenever we were apart, I yearned for you. Whenever we are together, I still yearn for you."

Mirae finally breaks into a smile at this, unable to handle the prince's sweet-talk and insanely well-chosen set of words, compliments. 

"I yearn for you as much as you do for me, Baekhyun-ah." Mirae admits truthfully, bashful beneath the prince's gaze. "You make me so sheepish yet the words you tell me.. They bring so much beauty and reassurance it drives me crazy." She jests, making the two of them laugh between the silence of the early morning, and the chirping of the birds just outside the window, sitting upon the sill and talking amongst each other in their own language.

But before Baekhyun could reply to her, there is a knock on the large, grand wooden doors that separate the outside from Baekhyun's chambers that catch the both of their attention. Pulling the ivory sheets over their bodies, the prince clears his throat to let whoever is outside know that he is listening, and aware of their presence. 

"Your Highness, the King and Queen are bearers of good news and request that you see them as soon as possible. What shall I tell them?" The maid announces from outside the door, and as soon as the sound of good news registers among the couple, they both look at each other both curiously yet excitingly. Smiling, Baekhyun plants a gentle kiss upon the apple of Mirae's cheek and brings her closer to his torso, his warmth engulfing her in its embrace and leaving her in the cocoon of his affection. 

"Tell them we will be down in a few minutes." Baekhyun responds. 

"Yes, Your Highness. Enjoy the rest of your morning." The maid says finally before the sound of distancing footsteps and leaving marks of presence whisk into the morning glow. Immediately ecstatic and excited at the thought of good news, Baekhyun helps Mirae up from the bed, helping to dress her in the gown she had worn the night before that had been taken off during one of their countless nights making love through the crack of dawn. The rest of their morning involves sneaky kisses upon the apples of cheeks, wide toothed grins spreading from cheek to cheek, and glistening eyes full of admiration for the other. It was as if the two could never get enough of each other, like the tides of circumstance had held them behind until the waves kissed upon their fate. 

Like every morning, the maids and head servants had greeted them a fair morning, bowing respectfully and as well as revering in the beauty Mirae bestowed upon them. She was doted upon by the maids, and no matter her status compared to theirs and Baekhyun's, she was still considered the apple of their eyes and a type of beauty they had never seen before. Whatever she exuded was pure elegance, similar to that of the Queen's but the innocence in her gaze was what separated her from the royal head. Though her lack of experience and knowledge, Mirae was still well-spoken and gentle-hearted when it came to the maids and servants, never once demanding and always understanding. If she could do the duties asked of them, she would, almost always. 

And as the head servant approaches them, Mirae bows respectfully back and clings onto the arm of her prince, the later reciprocating her gentle touch by pulling her close and caressing her shoulder lovingly with his other arm. 

"Good morning Your Highness, and fellow maiden." He begins. "The King and Queen are waiting in the Gathering Quarters." 

"Thank you, we will be on our way." Baekhyun replies with a smile, leading Mirae away into the corridor and walking her to the Gathering Quarters where he sees his mother and father, enjoying their cups of tea and smiling to each other lovingly, a sight he hasn't seen quite often. That doesn't stop the later from smiling to himself, grateful for the things Mirae has done to bring them two together through reminiscence and places a gentle kiss on the crown of her forehead as he walks into the spacious room, crowded with bountiful artwork and elegance of all essences through pieces of furniture to chandeliers hanging as fixtures. The room has become Mirae's favorite, the large portraits of the kings and queens done to such fine detail it makes her awe in reverie. 

"Baekhyun-ah, Mirae-ssi, please take a sit. We have something quite exciting to share with you both." The Queen begins, but is soon interrupted by her son's interjecting response. 

"Mother, I just have something to say to you both before you tell us, whatever this good word of mouth is." Baekhyun begins, sitting down on the couch opposite from his mother and father with his hand clasped in Mirae's tightly. Nodding him along to his proposal, the prince sighs deeply, before looking back into his parents' eyes with a genuine flicker of sincerity, his gaze full of promise and persistence.

"I.. I am very in love with Mirae and.." He trails, looking back at her with a gentle smile before squeezing her hand. "I will do whatever it takes to marry her, I won't back down."

"I don't care what the rules say, I don't care if I jeopardize the well-being of my own lineage of blood or the rest of who will inherit the throne, I am just that willing and needing to be with her." Baekhyun speaks, his words taking his parents aback. 

"When I was about to be forced into that marriage with Nara, I felt as if my entire world was collapsing because I knew that I had just met Mirae. I don't know what kind of effect she has had on me," Baekhyun j