She paced herself in her walk, stepping across a long carpet meshed with red and the crest of the kingdom she was born with. Her eyes hovered in fear, her hands tightly intertwined with each other. 

The rest of her family stood outside, the clouds depressing with no sun in sight, she was the last one to arrive of the five girls that wore gowns as long as the ground could go, with a crown placed on their heads to symbolize their royal heritage.

She stepped, slowly and surely down the golden steps accented in bronze and red, rose bushes looming on the side swaying in the heavy wind. She was the youngest of the sisters, an almost identical image of her oldest sibling. Her sisters were anxious, more fearful than the world could know. 

Her father and mother laid still in the middle, their stone like faces hardened as they watched the barren roads outside of the palace gates. In some ways they were trembling inside as they glared through the piercing wind that made their eyes go dry. 

Yes, it was the day none of them dared to hope to happen, the day the rightful heir to the throne of the country of New Cantum would return to the palace and be inducted as king. She could smell the fear of the atrocities that this royal family committed to the person returning home for the first time in years, but she knew none of the history, she was too young when that person had left, and too young to understand why. 

Though, among the outside of the walls of this boring palace laid the bustling city that knew more rumors of this heir, but never knew that this person lived among them, but why shall the heir return now? That has yet to be mentioned among anyone in power, and she was curious to know why.

——————————

He stood in the mirror surveying his reflection, the long black tailcoat that matched his white button-down shirt so elegantly with his hair styled up out of his eyes and mind. It felt odd that after living all these years as a commoner, he was now dressed in suits made by a personal tailor sent by the royal palace, that he had butlers on standby for every little duty he had no desire to finish, or every little thing he'd always wanted at his fingertips. He no longer walked barefoot, or had an odor so hard to clean. The life he was born into, but stripped away to early seemed...quite boring to the lad. He, still looking at his reflection, frowned as the tailor left his quarters, he was to wait until a palace car came to him to the Royal Palace of New Cantum. 

But, at the sight of his less desirable change in his life, a person that he couldn't due without stood in the doorframe, his eyes bright like the sun that didn't make its way out today. 

"It's a new look for you." His voice was soft, not too loud, nor too quite. He was mellow and riddled with tiredness, but the man before him hadn't the slightest sight of a smile until he heard his voice.

The other, not scribed with fancy clothing, or draped in fine materials, was to the lad before him at least, the brightest thing in the room, something that didn't seem real, but rather out of a fantasy book or a painting that had no room for error. He walked close, dangerously close into the fancy man's personal space, but that didn't seem to bother the other.

"Do you like it?" His eyes peered down at the plump lips, a grin hovering over his facial features. 

The other adorably shaking his head with a pout, "If only it had a little more flare, color is key, you look like your going to a funeral not a bloody family reunion!" The other's response was hardly contained, it was spiced in laughter due to the calming voice that held a hint of rage. His hands gently creasing the other's cheeks as he brought him in for a kiss. The other rested his palm on his wrist, a ring glittering on his left ring finger, similar to the other's. 

"Your Highness—" A maid stopping in her tracks at the sight of the intimate moment, "Oh dear! E-Excuse me Your Highness!" She hid behind the door as a blush heated her cheeks, though in her mind she was thinking of a way she could turn such an event into a full blown story. 

The young lad released the other as he stood up, gripping his hand in teasing manner, as if he knew what the maids thought. “It's quite alright, you are permitted to enter, we won't bite." 

The maid nodded with a humble apology. "Sorry for the interruption, the head tailor needs Lord Mark right away." She bowed. 

Mark sighed, looking up to his lover's eyes. "Duty calls, "Your Highness"..." He muttered with a mocking tone, the other giving him a giggle, kissing his forehead. "If I could give my husband freedom of this torture I would in a heartbeat..." Mark chuckle as he pulled his fingers away from the other, following the maid that still hid a sense of embarrassment. Though the kind man only give her a pat on the head, something only a commoner would do and was frowned by those in the royal house. 

He watched his beloved be whisked away from the unnecessary tailoring to look the part of a returning heir that had lived in luxury due to the families unwavering support despite the exiling, but that was just propaganda. Anything dealing with his highness was propaganda, not in the slightest a true might of his family cruelty will ever be shown to the people. The torment he was saddled with began from that family, and he could never forget. 

He turned his gaze to the window frame, the bustling city of Cronious was, as always, like a paradise. There was nothing dividing the people, and there was a enough to go around that crime was almost nonexistent. They even held exotic resources that wielded much potential in extraordinary technological advancements. It was his country that he was extremely proud of, but more so the determination of the people to keep it that way.

"Jinyoung." A husky voice spoke from the door, he turned around to see an old friend, his personal butler Jaebum. He smiled as the man made his way giving him a warm hug. "I didn't think you'd be the one to me, knowing the bond we share as adolescents." 

"Like wise Your Highness, it took some strings and a substantial amount of inveigling to get here, but I had to entertain an audience with you as soon as I heard the news." 

Jinyoung nodded as he gestured the friend to take a seat. It wasn't long before Jaebum noticed the ring on his left ring finger, he looked up at the prince. 

"You, you really did it?" Jinyoung was clueless until he looked at his finger, a gaping smile appearing as he sat down. "Yes. I made sure that it happened." Jaebum smiled, "Your determination served you well, it was, after all, that ring that got you kicked out of the palace."

"Nonsense! It was the terrible cooking." Their laughs were filled with remnants of the past, it was clear that these two fellows, despite their difference in status and duties were dear friends of one another.

"Now, go on, what of the business you found it necessary to see me so soon with?”

"Highness, I believe you must stay on guard at the palace. He examined his surrounds before laying a piece of paper on the table. "The tea is never too bloody on the day the crimson flower made its recovery." 

Jinyoung understood the terminology immediately, grasping the paper with a nod. In ways he knew his family would do anything to kill him off if they had a chance thus the saying of bloody tea and the regrowth of a crimson flower, alluding to unfinished revenge.

"Then Your Higness, the New King, I shall wait for you at the car to begin your travels." 

He once again nodded as he closed the door behind the butler, unfolding the paper. 

To his Majesty, the New King, I wish your return would be filled with ringing bells and the rage of hidden demons put to rest, but sadly that is not the case. 

“Your Highness! The car is ready!”

In these troubling times, we have come to find that your father is too old to be courteous of his actions, and your mother is no longer the wise woman she once prided herself to be. 

“Your Highness, it’s imperative that your...um...lover...”

“My husband you mean?” 

“Y-Yes, y-your husband is not allowed to ride with Y-Your H-Highness.” Jinyoung smiled at the small attendant.

“Then am I allowed to ride with my husband?” The young boy was trembling in his feet, not that Jinyoung was scary, but because his situation is quite tricky to untangle among the customs that do not accommodate homoual relationships. 

Jinyoung staring up at Mark who looked beautiful in his tailored black suit, the young man, only a year older than him, walked towards him. He patted the boy’s head as a way of giving him relief. 

“I think it’s well into my husband’s safety to follow what the young boy has said yes?” 

Jinyoung wished he had the argument ability to challenge his husband, but he never won, not against Mark. What he says, is always final. He gulped. A smile gleamed on the other, as he placed a red rose grown with gold tips on the petals in his pocket. A flower only Mark knew how to grow. “Mark...” His slander fingers pressed on his chest. “You are now, for better or worse, a man of royal blood, you must act as one. This includes following the customs.”

It was the hurtful words he didn’t want to hear, the separation that would be apparent. “I’m still Jinyoung before I am king, and I am still whole heartedly yours before either of them. I wish you to know that my heart does not beat of royal blood, but the eternal love I have for you, should I not have the courtesy to have you in my sight at every moment I live so my heart can rest at ease?” 

Mark bit his tongue, he knew of Jinyoung, more than anyone, and his love was unconditional, but the world he is about to reenter has no mercy for such hearts. “I will see you at the palace, Your Highness...” Mark his heels, his heart felt heavy, but a smile appeared as he turned around. Jinyoung who held a seldom look, connected instantly with his eyes. “It’s in the color that there will be an array of light, a light so bright that you can’t help but smile at it. Please remember...” Mark took a bow his knee hitting the ground. 

“You will be King.” Every personal witnessing the heir bowed down at the lad’s feet. His tall structure looking down at his husband’s bending position. He was a royal, was he not, but he couldn’t smile that the one he loved was not extended that status, because he was a male, a commoner, an outsider, a person who never was offered comfortability, and Jinyoung couldn’t stand it.

“Rise.” His voice was small, but surely everyone heard it. He sighed, entering the car and seated. He held the folded paper tightly.

The ride was long and tedious, Jinyoung thought it would never end, it didn’t help that he wasn’t around the one person who kept him calm, but he knew he couldn’t act as a child forever, he was going to be ruling a country soon, he was going to be king. 

This Kingdom needs a real king before it falls in the hands of a blood savaged war, lusted in greed, I have no doubt that you, the rightful heir to this throne of the country of New Cantum can do that, you are equipped with a unique set of skills, only you can muster the courage to change this Kingdom’s fate. This country’s destiny.

After a few hours of driving they had finally made it to the Palace. The long line of cars stopping in front of the gold palace gates laced with bronze and red. It was the same as his memories could recall from his childhood. He was escorted out of the car. Mark aligned to the left of him, his butler to the right, and his ministry of bright young men and women, combined with wise old men beckoned at his every call followed him from behind. The young attendant close to Mark’s side. 

The gates had opened, and there stood his family he forgot long ago. 

You must mend the heart of your broken family as you define what it means to be King, and destroy the customs that outweigh the true might of this home. Our home. It is time to live up to what your ancestors wished for this Kingdom.

From your loving Grandfather, Jisong.

“His Highness, the rightful heir of the throne to the country of New Cantum, one and only son of Queen Jinhee and King Jaewok Park, eldest of the six children, has officially returned home.” 

Jinyoung took a deep bow, then bent his knee to the ground, placing his hand over the flower that Mark had iously placed in his pocket. “I have...returned.” His eyes looked up glaring with a fierce determination to be King. 

And I will be King.