When Hoseok wakes up the next morning he heads to the window sill to see that the workers are already constructing something.

Hoseok can’t see most of it the site is wrapped under white covers.

It must be for the new task. Though, no formal announcement is made everyone is already at work.

Hoseok can only imagine what the next task is. He hopes its nothing too dangerous. The idea of anyone risking their life to please him doesn’t sit right with his morals.

Hoseok practically forces himself to move away from the window. As interesting it is to see the workers attend to their own mundane tasks Hoseok has his responsibilities.

His responsibilities being having an unnecessarily large spread of breakfast with the six Princes.

Hoseok takes a shower, a nice long hot one. He changes into a long white shirt and khaki pants, combs through his semi-wet hair and heads downstairs to find the table empty and one of the maids wiping it clean.

“Where is everyone?” Hoseok asks.

“Everyone already finished with their breakfast,” the maid answers.

“This early?” Hoseok asks.

“They are at the grounds practising,” she answers. “Should I get you something to eat?”

“No...I'm not hungry,” Hoseok answers as hell decides to head outside to the grounds to see the Princes practising. He doesn’t have anything interesting to keep himself occupied.

He strolls in watching the Princes practice sword fighting. One of the guards immediately hurries to put down a chair for Hoseok in shade.

Hoseok thanks him before sitting down his eyes on the Princes.

Hoseok is a Prince so he has had a formal training in almost every self-defence technique. It was a necessity.

Out of all things, however, Hoseok enjoyed sword fighting the most. He would sometimes practice with his father. He was excellent at it but despite that always gave Hoseok easy competition much to Hoseok’s annoyance.

As Hoseok watches the Princes sword fight a smile spreads across his face as he remembers his childhood.

Hoseok stands up and heads to the ground. Everyone immediately stops upon seeing him and bows to him.

“Good morning,” Hoseok says with a smile.

“Good morning Prince Hoseok,” everyone says in unison.

“You’re all practising sword fighting,” Hoseok says.

“Yes, Prince we are,” Prince Namjoon answers.

“I enjoy sword fighting as well,” Hoseok says. “A lot actually”

“That’s great,” Prince Jungkook says.

“Would any of you mind if I were to join you today?”

“Of course not,” Prince Seokjin answers. “It would be a privilege to have you train with us”

One of the trainers immediately rushes to get Hoseok a sword. Hoseok can already feel the memories resurfacing as he grabs the sword.

The trainer in front of him steadies his own sword looking directly at Hoseok before they start.

Hoseok can sense the trainer going easy on him because he gets the upper hand almost immediately. He can feel the Princes all watching him intensely as he fights the trainer and inevitably wins the fight.

Hoseok sighs a little letting the sword fall down to his side.

“Great job Prince Hoseok,” Prince Namjoon says. “You did well”

“Ah, thank you,” Hoseok says with a smile. “He went very easy on me”

“I doubt that,” Prince Seokjin says. “We can see that you have potential”

“Thank you for your kind words Princes,” Hoseok says. “But I wish I could duel in a fair way...maybe one of you will give me the opportunity.

The Princes all share bewildered looks with each other shocked at what Hoseok said.

“I am challenging any one of you to a sword fight,” Hoseok repeats himself clearly.

They all seem shocked at what Hoseok said.

“Prince Hoseok, I am afraid that we’ll have to decline,” Prince Namjoon begins. “We cannot cause risk to you”

“It will be just a friendly fight,” Hoseok shrugs.

“But Prince...we cannot fight with...,” Prince Jimin begins.

“I’ll do it,” Prince Yoongi says suddenly.

Everyone including Hoseok is now looking at them. The rest of the Princes have nothing but rage written all over their faces as Prince Yoongi steps forward.

“I’ll fight with you Prince Hoseok,” he says.

Hoseok can barely hold back the grin that spreads on his face.

“Then let’s begin,” Hoseok says picking up the sword from the ground.

Prince Yoongi only nods his grip getting tighter on his sword.

The clash of the metal of the sword echoes through the grounds. Hoseok notices the rest of the Princes immediately stepping back.

Hoseok can feel the pressure. Prince Yoongi is giving him competition fighting equally if not harder against Hoseok and for some reason that makes him very happy. No one wanted to give their best in front of Hoseok, not his father, not his teacher, not the trainer from today. They all wanted Hoseok to get an easy pass and win so that he could be happy for some fleeting seconds over some win that he didn’t even try hard to win in the first place.

But, Prince Yoongi is different from all of them.

Hoseok can feel their competition get harder both of them trying their best to keep steady.

It’s harder than Hoseok had expected. Yoongi is very good with his sword refusing to back down and neither will Hoseok.

Yoongi’s sword clashes again with Hoseok’s. Hoseok stumbles backwards with the pressure and before he can realize he is falling down on the ground as he feels a sharp pain in his hand.

Hoseok groans a little, his sword making a clanging sound as it falls with him.

“Prince Hoseok,” he hears many distressed voices and feet rushing towards him. Hoseok tries to sit up but he can’t make himself to.

He feels pairs of hands snake around his waist and under his arms slowly lifting him up.

“Are you okay?” someone asks.

Hoseok only nods a little.

“Oh my god, Prince Hoseok is bleeding,” someone yells out loud.

Hoseok has to blink twice blinded by the bright sunlight as he looks down at his hand dripping red blood.

“Get the doctor,” he hears one of the guards calling out.

“It's fine...,” Hoseok begins. “I’m fine”

Hoseok tries to extract himself from the tight grip of everyone as his eyes meet with Prince Yoongi’s who has guilt written all over his fence still clutching the sword that has blood staining the otherwise shiny metal.

Prince Taehyung who is standing Hoseok holding him lets go immediately walking towards Prince Yoongi and grabs him by the collar.

“It’s all your fault,” he yells. “You caused this”

Prince Yoongi stays silent.

“How dare you hurt the Prince?” Prince Taehyung asks. “You imbecile...you do not even deserve to be around him”

“Prince Taehyung,” Hoseok calls out in a weak voice.

“No, Prince Hoseok I am sorry but I have to speak,” Prince Taehyung says his voice furious. “I cannot let anyone cause you any hurt”

Hoseok sighs. He should have known that this would be difficult.

“Answer me,” Prince Taehyung says his grip tightening around Prince Yoongi’s collar. “How dare you raise your sword in front of Prince Hoseok?”

“Prince Taehyung,” Hoseok says. “Please let Prince Yoongi go”

Prince Taehyung does not budge.

“Please,” Hoseok repeats himself in a firm voice and watches as Prince Taehyung slowly loosens his grip before letting go and backing off while still glaring at Prince Yoongi. Hoseok knew that Prince Taehyung wouldn’t disobey such direct orders.

“I was the one at fault,” Hoseok begins. “I challenged you all to a fight...it was a competition injuries do happen”

“B-but...,” Prince Taehyung begins, however, doesn’t speak when Hoseok raises his hand.

“Please do not blame Prince Yoongi,” Hoseok finishes.

Prince Yoongi is now looking at Hoseok his face practically emotionless as he bows.

“I am sorry for hurting you Prince Hoseok,” he says and just like that walks off dropping the blood-stained sword and into the castle.

“I think...all of you should get rest too,” Hoseok says. “

“You need to see the doctor first Prince,” Prince Jimin says.

Hoseok only nods as he lets the guards practically walk him. The Princes all disperse off watching Hoseok with concern.

He is brought to the bedroom where a doctor is already present to look at Hoseok’s wound.

“That’s a deep cut,” the doctor mumbles. “Might need stitches”

Hoseok winces at the thought alone watching the old doctor clean the wound before he takes out the needle.

Hoseok doesn’t like pain of any kind and any visit from the royal physician was a great difficulty. He always had his mother sit beside him holding his hand as he would get wounds fixed or get vaccines but today his mother is out in the kingdom leaving Hoseok alone to deal with the pain. Maybe it’s all a part of growing up.

“Look away,” the doctor advises. “It will hurt less”

Hoseok nods turning his head and inaudibly screams as the doctor begins stitching his wound. He doesn’t want to embarrass himself in front of the guards.

“There all done,” the doctor says.

Hoseok looks at his heavily bandaged hand and just nods smiling at the doctor.

“Thank you,” he says.

“A