Sehun stares at his hands as he knits, the needles moving fast as he works. He sits silently in the garden as the sunset air calms him. He felt at peace for the last few days. He went down into town to visit Zitao, every day with a different servant to try and get to know them better. He found out that Minseok and Luhan have been lovers for five years. And how they met as servants and fell in love in the castle. Kyungsoo has never been in love but he grew up in the castle, as a servant as well. He talked about how he always secretly watched after Jongin regardless of the fact the cold prince didn’t want a personal servant. 

Sehun stops when he feels eyes on him and looks up. He slowly lowers his hands when he sees Jongin approach slowly and carefully. “Sehun.”

“Hello Prince Jongin,” he greets, looking back down and continuing his work. “I hope you will forgive me for not making eye contact with you but I am apparently not allowed.” He swallows hard when his husband steps closer, starting to make him nervous.

“Stop looking like that,” The cold prince sighs as he takes a seat beside Sehun; not too closely, of course. “You look as if I am going to hit you. Regardless of anything, I would never do that.” The prince says nothing as he continues to knit. “...You are very skilled at that.”

“Thank you,” He whispers.

There’s a brief silence before Jongin speaks again. “The scarf you...knitted me,” he says quietly. “It is exquisite and I have never seen um…” he clears his throat. “Craftsmanship…” Sehun stifles a laugh when he notices jongin having a hard time. 

“I thought you threw it away…”

“I was going to,” Jongin sighs. “But I...opened it instead.”

Sehun bites his lip to try and hide his smile, trying not to seem happy. But he does feel happy. He slowly sets his things back inside his bag and stands up. “I am glad you like it, Prince Jongin. Please stay warm.” he starts to leave but stops when Jongin up his hand up.

“You will…” he sighs. “I want you to recite poetry to me tonight.”

The prince raises his brows and looks at his husband. “R-really?”

Jongin awkwardly nods. “If you wish,” he clears his throat. “I have time.”

For the first time since they’ve met, Sehun looks into his eyes and slowly smiles. He sits back down and pulls out a book. “Do...you want to choose it this time?”

“No,” Jongin shakes his head. “And...recite it in Chinese this time.” 

Sehun glances at Jongin briefly before opening the pages up and letting out a shaky sigh. “Very well.”

“I’ve been thinking about what you said, Baekhyun,” Sehun announces as he watches the servant as he works. “About Zitao.”

Baekhyun looks over at Prince and smirks. “Oh? Getting some feels for the handsome and charming painter, Huang Zi Tao?”

Sehun huffs and shrugs. “I don’t know...I’m very confused,” He admits. “I feel drawn to Zitao and his...brilliant mind. B-but then again, Jongin admitted that he kept and liked my gift and even asked me to read last night. And during those hours I read to him, I felt so...I don’t know, happy.”

Baekhyun laughs as he lifts some things to clean under them. “This sounds like a love triangle now.”

“Nonsense,” The prince says before sipping his tea. “I only just met Zitao.”

“Still, you’re married to a very handsome man and another man who, in my opinion, is pretty damn easy on the eyes. If not with Prince Jongin, you still have your options. You’re young, pretty, smart, talented-”

“ up to me will not get you paid more,” Sehun interrupts, laughing at his friend. 

“Hey, I don’t need gold; I have a handsome boyfriend and a decent job.”

Sehun shakes his head and looks up when Junmyeon enters the study. “Lunch is served, Prince Sehun,” He says, giving a soft bow. The prince nods as he sets his empty cup down and gives Baekhyun a quick grin; the type of smile you’d share with a best friend after gossiping. Junmyeon leads him away from the study and toward the dining room, where Jongin and his father are already seated to eat. Junmyeon and him both bow. 

“Good evening your majesty,” Sehun greets. “Prince Jongin.”

“Good morning,” Jongin uncharacteristically greets, but no smile. Not yet.

“Come now, Sehun,” The king chuckles. “I am your father-in-law, why are you being so formal?”

“I apologize,” He chuckles, allowing Junmyeon to pull the chair back for him and tuck him in once seated. “You are looking well today, Prince Jongin,” he compliments, glancing over but not making eye contact.

“You do as well,” He replies. They all look up when Luhan enters, holding something in his hand. He’s surprisingly professional as he heads over to the king and bows while he extends the letter.

The king nods and waves Luhan away as he keeps an eye on the paper. But he pauses and looks to Sehun. “Sehun, this is from your kingdom. Do you wish to read it first?”

Sehun beams at the king shyly and nods quickly. He’s excited to hear from his family; the last letter he had gotten about them was a few days after their wedding when they returned home. Junmyeon takes the letter when prompted and begins to head over to Sehun when Jongin stops him.

“Bring it to me instead,” He instructs. They all furrow their brows at each other, a look of confusion in their eyes.

“Jongin, if that’s from Sehun’s kingdom, he has a right to read it first.”

Jongin glances at Luhan’s expression but when Sehun looks at the boy, a fake smile seems to replace it. “Junmyeon,” He motions. Junmyeon lets out a soft sigh before stepping over to the cold prince. He hands it to the man before stepping back and respectfully folding his hands behind his back. Jongin glances up at Sehun and then at Luhan, who suddenly turns and quickly exits the room; practically running. He opens it slowly, the sound of paper unfolding filling the silent room. Sehun swears everyone in the room could hear his heartbeat. The anticipation makes him start to become extremely uncomfortable.

A few minutes pass before Jongin finally refolds the letter up and set it back into its envelope. “I think Sehun and I will be skipping lunch for the time being,” He announces as he stands. “Father, enjoy your food. Sehun, come here.”

Sehun looks to Junmyeon in confusion, only getting a shrug. He does as his husband says, walking over to him once he gets up. He accepts when Jongin hands him the letter and even allows the cold prince to pull him out of the room and quickly down the hall. 

Jongin doesn’t let Sehun read the letter until they’re alone and somewhere private; his husband’s personal study. Once they’re inside, he locks the door and silently goes over to the window to look out it. “Read it.”

“W-what?”

“Read it.” Sehun stares at Jongin for a moment before finally pulling the paper out. “Sit first.”

“...w-why?”

“Just sit.”

Sehun swallows hard as he unfolds it, his hands shaking as he does so. He takes a deep breath before he begins to read the neat handwriting. He has a hard time wrapping his head around the words written and he finds him rereading them ten times. He stops halfway through the eleventh time. He didn’t want to see it anymore. There’s a tightness in his throat, chest. His father and his mother, The King, and Queen of his own kingdom, had been killed. Assassinated. He doesn’t cry at first. All he does is stare for a few minutes, or at least it felt like minutes.

Half an hour passes before the tears finally come. Before he begins sobbing, his shoulders shaking as he grips the letter tightly in his hands; so tightly that the paper begins to rip. At this point, he’s not acting like a prince but instead, an angry son. Jongin silently stands at the far end of the room but the prince barely registers he’s even there. How could this happen? Jongin’s kingdom was supposed to protect him, so how? Sehun only realized that he had asked this out loud when his husband finally turned to look at him. 

“I-”

“I do not want excuses!” Sehun cries loudly. “I want my parents! I want them alive! Bring them back!” He sounds like a spoiled child. He wails harder when Jongin approaches him, causing him to back up against a wall. He wants to run, he wants to run somewhere; he doesn’t know where but he wants to.

“Sehun,” Jongin sighs softly. “Stop crying.”

His chest tightens more, his head starts to hurt. He cries harder and harder. “You’re selfish! Y...you’re so selfish!” He presses his palms against his stomach, crying now with the force of vomiting. He slowly lowers to his knees before falling slightly; his legs under his body.  “I...I…” He looks up through the avalanche of tears as Jongin kneels in front of him.

“In the letter, it is said that your brother is to become the next ruler,” Jongin speaks calmly and quietly, almost in a whisper. “Tomorrow, we will take a carriage to your kingdom.”

Sehun’s chest heaves as his body fights to let out more sobs. He pants and wipes his eyes. He must look so stupid. He doesn’t care. “W...what?”

“Tomorrow morning, we take the carriage back to see your family.”

The prince sniffs and looks at Jongin with confusion. “W-why would you do that?”

There’s something strange in Jongin’s eyes, like a glint of sympathy. He knows what this is like. He lived this. He stands up, grabbing Sehun and forcing him to do the same. He leans in close to the prince’s ear, his hand gently placed on the boy’s cheek. “I am sorry...Sehun,” He whispers. “I am truly sorry.” Sehun feels another heave but he manages to keep more of his sobs in. Jongin steps back, letting his hand linger for only a second longer before quickly pulling back. “Pick a servant to help you pack and to come with us. You two will meet me at the stables in the morning.”

Sehun watches as he leaves. He turns his head back to the study, staring at it. And then he looks at the letter on the floor. He doesn’t know what to do now. Not at all.

Sehun decided to let the servants choose amongst themselves who to bring. Luhan and Minseok wanted to go but since Jongin said to bring only one of them, they refused. Chanyeol and Baekhyun did the same, as well as Yixing and Jongdae. That left Junmyeon and Kyungsoo; who apparently insists that Junmyeon should go due to how close he is to the prince. It’s true. He was the first servant to greet him, not to mention he’s his personal one. It makes the most sense he supposes. 

Neither of them speaks as Junmyeon packs for him, Sehun only staring forward out the window. He watches as everyone goes about their day, all rushing and working. He looks down at himself and takes a deep breath. His typical light blue apparel replaced by griefing black. He touches the black lace that peeks out from his sleeve, with his fingertips. “Are you ready…?”

Sehun slowly turns to face Junmyeon and nods. “Yes,” he whispers. Junmyeon doesn’t smile as he picks up Sehun’s luggage and opens the door. The Prince is slow when he walks out, not exactly in a huge rush. He’s confused to see Kyungsoo standing with Jongin by the carriage, putting the cold prince’s luggage inside. “Hello,” Sehun greets solemnly.

“Hello, Sehun,” Kyungsoo gives him a heart-shaped smile. He can tell it’s forced and sad. “How are you feeling this morning.”

Sehun tries to swallow the lump in his throat. The one that threatens to make him cry. He looks to Jongin for answers and he isn’t sure why. “I-I…” He manages out. He clears his throat, afraid to speak. He puts his hand on his chest, silky black gloves covering them.

“It is alright,” Junmyeon whispers. He puts a hand on the prince’s back, gently ushering him into the carriage. He slides to the very end of the seat and looks out the window. 

“Sit with Kyungsoo,” Jongin instructs quietly.

“Your grace?”

Jongin says nothing further as he enters as well, taking his seat beside Sehun. The two servants climb in as well before another shuts the door. He looks down when something is gently placed on his lap. The Prince stares at the black scarf and then at his husband. Jongin keeps his eyes out the other window. “Wear it,” he instructs quietly. “It is getting cold out…”

Sehun should be happy. His hands tremble as he unravels the soft fabric, trying to fight the tears that now cloud his vision. His lower lip quivers when Jongin gently pushes the Prince’s hands away and ties it for him. Sehun sniffs and leans his head against the wood of the window. He pulls the scarf up, hiding his face in its fabric. He shuts his eyes tightly. It smells like his husband and for some reason, it calmed him down a little. He must be wearing it a lot. He opens his eyes again when they pass through the town, villagers stopping to stare. Not wanting to worry them, he turns away. Jongin looks at him and nods slowly; a silent conversation between them. Sehun still trembles but he sits up and keeps his head up high. There’s going to be a better time for him to break down again. Not right now, not in front of his future people.