It was the ultimate rule for royal families to marry other royal families, either to strengthen the bonds between the districts they manage, for their power to flourish more, to continue their legacies and family names, or simply because they want to.

 

When the present King Jeon was around the same age as Wonwoo, he met a princess by the name of Yoo Ah In. The prince easily fell for beautiful faces, and Ah In was that young lady he fell hard for. The King, his father, wanted them married even if it’d take years to happen. The other King also wanted the idea for the bonds between them to strengthen.

 

Prince Wonhui was totally in love. They got married with the same feelings, same hearts, at the age of 29.

 

But the King‘s health was deteriorating at that time and Wonhui didn’t know. When Jeonghan was born it was the same time the life of the King was taken from him. Both families were devastated, but it didn’t take long for King Yoo to decide going on with their legacy and leaving the Carat clan behind.

 

Princess Ah In didn’t want to leave Prince Wonhui. With Prince Jeonghan in her arms, they forcibly went back to their land, the prince left mourning like someone permanently vanished from his life.

 

For several years he never saw his family, even when he visited the Yoo Kingdom. When Wonhui turned 50, the kingdom he inherited became the beloved and he was idolized by all his people. But the King didn’t do everything on his own. It was a sin, a curse, but he fell in love with one of his servants and bore a child with her.

 

Prince Jeonghan was 20 years old when he knew about the existence of his real father. He left his kingdom in secret, sinning over his mother, and set off to the Carat kingdom.

 

King Jeon hid his affair but never pushed his second family aside. They raised Wonwoo in secret but the servant mother died from some kind of disease.

 

The King was once again devastated more so when his people knew of Wonwoo’s existence and wanted him gone. The second Prince who was only 7 at that time locked himself and never talked to anyone, growing up from the opposite he was when his family was still happy and complete.

 

The Carat kingdom went problematic. Until Prince Jeonghan made his dramatic appearance, introducing himself as the first born Prince and Wonwoo never felt so small his whole life. He wanted himself gone, Wonwoo even decided to go away and never come back but the King stopped him.

 

“Wonwoo, please!” The King was kneeling on the floor, head pressed firmly on the expensive marble. He was crying his eyes out as he held on his second son’s leg. “Please don’t go. I need you.

 

“I won’t be able to live without you.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It took the Carat clan more than a decade to once again gain their previous power,  for both princes to get along, and for the third Prince and first Princess to be known in their land.

 

Jeonghan was never taught to have a mindset of a king when he lived with his mother. He never knew how to rule, and when his real father gave him the responsibility of running the T district he was scared. He was already 32 years old but he didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know how to act in front of so many people who were looking up to him.

 

It was until Wonwoo decided to help him. The second Prince was 19 years old at that time, one more year and he would be given the V district to run.

 

He taught Jeonghan what the King taught him as he was growing up. That time, he felt reliable. That time, he felt accepted. That time, he was comfortable with the first prince. When he first met Jeonghan the older tried his best to get to know him but Wonwoo pushed him away. He did it to everyone. He thought he was one of those servants or persons close to the King trying to throw him out of the kingdom.

 

They both started managing their own districts when Wonwoo became 20 years old. They became closer, the King was delighted with having all his children and his third wife with him.

 

But Wonwoo’s relationship with his father never returned. They became more distant with each other. Despite King Jeon favoring Wonwoo above everything else the prince didn’t feel the same way.

 

He still wanted to get out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Wonwoo didn’t like something, he’d either be neutral about it or not give his attention but still be respectful. Jeonghan was his opposite. He showed when he didn’t like something, expressed it, and when the third wife of the King showed them her real self, he was angry.

 

Jeonghan’s eyes are moving, scanning the Queen’s face dangerously.

 

“Were you trying to touch Wonwoo?”

 

“Hyung—“

 

“I was not!” She scoffs. “I was only trying to pat him on the back!”

 

“Don’t lie to me!”

 

Wonwoo flinches. He quickly ushers everyone out of the scene. The servants silently follow him but their steps quicker, longer, and they lock themselves in their chambers. Wonwoo enters his own room with the third Prince and Princess crying in his arms.

 

“Hey,” He takes Chan’s small face and smiles. “It’s going to be okay.”

 

But the sounds he’s hearing from the hall don’t sound okay.

 

The Queen knows when to show her true self and not care about her image. The King has no knowledge when it comes to this side of her, and none of their people ever dare tell on her. They know more than to step beyond the line, even if it means saving them from any danger, because the Queen is the next strongest royalty next to her King. No one wants to think of the consequences if they tell him who she is behind all the masks.

 

“You and Wonwoo are not going back to the Exceptions ever again. Or else—“

 

“What?” Jeonghan his head to the side. “What are you going to do? Have someone kill us?”

 

She glares. “If it’