Warning: mention of harassment and woman vulnerability.

Minho turned around to see who had approached him, it was one of the officials. a frown, thick white eyebrows, a relatively thin mustache, and a traditional hat, the official in charge of the interior. "Where did you suddenly come from?" The old man asked, his deputy standing next to him, a little younger, around the age of thirty. "I came up from the other side," the deputy said. "Your father is right, crown prince, the war in the north is none of our concern." Where did this issue come from? "We need to be prepared for what is happening in the Silla and be alert only to what is being placed here."

Minho clenched his fists. "The Silla and what happens next is the important thing, as long as our citizens are okay, and not threatened and scared we did our job, the fact that pirates are roaming, murderers and thieves does not help the safety of the residents, you understand me, Your Majesty?" The man smiled, revealing his golden tooth. "And the fact that you ignore the peace of the inhabitants and bring girls to the palace, does not make you a good king," the old man's smile annoyed the prince, and the fact that the same official knew he was hiding someone did not help the fact. "You are welcome to come out of your hiding place, girl," the official added.

Taemin realized it was him who the official was talking to. He got out of his hiding place behind the curtain. He suddenly felt scared and uncomfortable,  standing next to Minho. Tae felt the old man's eyes scan him, especially his slender body that was dressed in the yellow Chinese attire that emphasized a feminine body shape. The fact that the old official was scanning him like that made his discomfort overcome and the prince's annoyed mood next to him rose.

"Come here, girl," the old man said. Minho knew he could not do anything about it, it was not polite of him to act as he wanted to act, in addition, women had to obey instructions and be powerless. Taemin knew this and so obeyed the words of the man in front of him knowing that the prince would not be able to do anything with what would happen next. And probably if he decides to do something he will be reported to his father about a relationship with someone who he kept a secret. Minho did not want to endanger his lover anymore, he hoped that Taemin would be fine, that nothing would happen that would put the young man in an even more uncomfortable situation.

Of course, the disguised pirate hesitated, Minho even grabbed his hand so he would not go but released his grip because he knew that if he did not let him go, something terrible would happen, to him, and more importantly, to Taemin. Tae swallowed. He looked at Minho with a frightened look but stepped away anyway. He walked towards the official who did not take his eyes off him.

Taemin understood how women felt and what they experienced in moments like this while they could not do anything, the thought made the chills go through his back. He looks like a girl. He should act like one. Do nothing but be beautiful and be silent. Bull. He bowed to the official. as he stood, keeping some distance away from him, he continued to look at the floor even after he straightened up. Minho looked from the side, he could not do anything, this fact angered him.

The old man used his hand to lift the pirate's head to look at him, the other combed his face, right and left, running a finger over the soft skin. "You know, Choi Minho, I did not think you would find someone so fast, if at all." The man scans Taemin's body now that he is closer, causing more discomfort to overcome and his body to tremble. No one did anything about it, no one dared. Taemin knew this but he kept on mentally shouting for help.

"What do you want?" The crown prince asked, one could hear in his tone of voice how much he disliked what he saw. "I'm very close to your father and you know that very well, Your Majesty." "What does this have to do with her?" "Beautiful women, Choi Minho, you do not find anywhere." Old official winked. A shiver ran down the pirate’s spine who felt the man's eyes in front of him on his chest, even if it had no real volume.

The old man took Taemin's hand and kissed her. "It was nice to meet you, girl," he said. Whoever is standing next to the pirate, snatches Taemin's hand from the official's touch. "What, Your Highness? I've just gotten to know your girl closely." What the man did was not get to know a person up close, the youngest thought while each new shiver went through his spine. "What is your name?" The two were quiet, they had to think fast, "Lee Taeyeon," Taemin replied. It was the first name that came to mind, his mother's name.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Lady Taeyeon," the official and his deputy continued on their way. Minho pulled Taemin after him, and they quickly came back to his room. He felt how Tae felt uncomfortable with everything that had happened. When they entered the prince's room he closed the door behind him. Taemin quickly hugged the prince. He was still shaking from the meeting with the old man. The prince hugged him back his back, cries found their way out of the young man's mouth. 

"It's awful," Taemin said, his voice trembling, "that this is how women have to go through, the fact that they can do nothing, that men are the ones who decide." Pirates did not behave like that, not everyone at least, woman pirates were strong and received a lot of respect from the men. But on land, in kingdoms, women would serve and if not, there was a man behind them who gave them instructions, who decided for them. To get married, to have children, to cook. Their status was so low.

The prince kissed the pirate's head. "We have nothing we can do, even if we try to change it, it will not look good," Minho said. "At sea, we are going against the law, women are strong and we respect them, on the Shining Devil there are no women," Tae said, "but if there were, we would not treat them differently. I do not know how it is in the West, but in the East Sea women are strong." The young pirate looked up to look at Minho. "I'm glad it's that way at sea," Minho said, "that the respect they receive is equal to any other pirate at sea."

Taemin smiled and kissed the lips of the prince who immediately kissed back. The pirate broke away from the kiss and reminded the prince, "Dinner." "Oops, I want to stay here and eat you," the prince said and smiled at him trying to take his lips again, but couldn’t. "I'll wait for you here, I don’t want you to be asked too many questions," the young man said grinning at the pout of the older in front of him. "Okay, I'll ask Jinki to bring you food, but then..." Tae kissed him lightly on the lips to silence him. "Go," he laughed. "Going."

When Minho opened the door Jinki stood there with a hand ready to knock on the door and in his other hand held a food tray. "Please do not flirt in my presence, you are still my little brother," the servant said. "Okay, Hyung, don’t worry, it will not happen," Taemin said, staring at the food on the tray. "Eat," Jinki put the tray on the low table just as the door closed and the prince was no longer in the room. "Thanks."