twenty

“I must get going,” I politely announced, feeling the energy of the table wane away. It started to feel like a waiting match where the Duchesses had stood, or sat, their firm ground refusing to be the first to leave. I wasn’t much of a willing participant. I also didn’t mind losing not when I had already gained what they desired.

I gave the Queen my warmest gratitude for extending an invite and thanking her for congratulating me on what she believed was tomorrow’s upcoming wedding.

Prince Baekhyun, who had disappeared for a moment to wash up, came back to the balcony eyes wide to find me standing up, mid bow.

“Kaira?” He breathed out, receiving an annoyed look from the Duchesses Mother for addressing me so informally.

“Your Highness,” I bowed my head, “I shall be taking my leave, as you know, I have a very important day tomorrow and I will need my rest.”

Baekhyun let out a small smirk, “Ah, that is true. Then allow my brother Junmyeon to you to your carriage.”

“What!” Junmyeon, who was comfortably lounging by the edge of the balcony chatting casually with Prince Sehun, sat up straight and exclaimed, “Why?”

Surprised by his reaction, Baekhyun looked at his mother, “Then I suppose I can -”

“Junmyeon,” The Queen snapped, “ out dear Kaira.”

Junmyeon huffed and gave his brother a slight glare as if to tell him, he had already done enough for Baekhyun, and needed to remind him of it.

Prince Baekhyun cleared his throat and thanked his brother but not before requesting for one more thing.

“Would you please ask our servants to prepare my room.” Baekhyun asked, “I think I’ll stay for a bit here and then retreat for the night.”

Junmyeon inhaled and exhaled, “Yes, brother. I’ll make sure to have someone tend to it. Actually, Kaira would you have a spare moment of time? I believe your brother is here and I believe it is best to have you home together.”

There was another flinch from the Duchesses mother as Junmyeon stuck out his arm for me to link through it.

“Ah, yes. I don’t mind waiting a bit more for my brother.” I nodded, “I know he usually studies pretty late, but I think I can convince him to leave a bit early for me.”

I took his arm and bowed once more before Junmyeon lead me out of the Queen’s Quarters.

The night was just about to settle in, casting a dark velvety blanket across the sky.

“You have a lot of nerve showing up after your wedding night,” Prince Junmyeon playfully glared, “I suppose bravery was always in your family’s blood.”

I shot him a look, holding in a smile.

“Are you displeased with me your highness?” I questioned him in a soft voice, “I hope you know this was none of my doing. My presence was requested by the Queen.”

He sighed and shook his head, “Your presence might have been requested by the Queen but not without any reason.”

“Does she suspect?” I asked directly.

“It is hard to tell.” He admitted, “But I have my strong suspicions she does, not based on any evidence but on her motherly instinct.”

I inwardly groaned, “Do you think I passed the test she was observing me on?”

Junmyeon shrugged and began to lead me to the scholar’s library. We slowed down as we walked past a beautiful path lined with weeping willows, that lead straight to the massive library.

“Your brother might take a while,” He admitted, “He’s been looking over all the scrolls your father examined.”

I gulped feeling a fan of heat brush over the back of my neck. I gently rubbed the area as I gave him an apologetic look. I wasn’t aware that Jongdae had told him about our plan especially because it was his family after all that I highly suspected of. Prince Junmyeon gave me an empathetic look and smiled.

“You don’t need to worry, your brother told me all about it and if it wasn’t for his earnest love for you, I would have mistaken him for a conspirator.” He let out a light laugh, sticking his hand out to play with the thin branches of the willow, “You know that he trusts you with all his heart.”

I inhaled and nodded, “I suppose he wouldn’t go through the trouble of ensuring my happiness if he didn’t.”

Prince Junmyeon gave me a sad smile, “I would risk it too if I was blessed with a sister like you.”

I held pointing out that Junmyeon has made the same sacrifice as my brother had but I remained quiet as we lightly and slowly padded our way down to the library.

He turned to me when we reached the doors of the old building.

“Would you like me to read you another story, once more, Miss Kaira?” He cheekily smiled. Recalling how he had read to me when we were children, it warmed my heart to hear him suggest it. I slowly nodded in awe that he remembered how he had enchanted me years ago.

We went up the grand steps of the Royal Library. A few scholars were seen in the left wing of the entrance, looking quite involved with a map that was in the center of their circle. It seemed like their conversation was quite heated, but Junmyeon had managed to catch my attention by flying up the stairs at an alarming pace.

I took two steps at a time to catch up to him, stumbling over my feet. I caught myself on the thick wooden handrail and looked over at the scholars. They had hardly noticed our presences much less saw us climb up the elegant staircase as they debated amongst themselves. We had reached the third floor out of breath and settled into a small corner of the top floor.

Hardly anyone came up here due to the difficulty of books in their royal collections, mainly because it was written in another language.

It also housed the personal collections of the family. Junmyeon asked me to stay put as he lit a candle for myself and for him to go off for a moment. I didn’t waste time. I jump on the opportunity to run my finger through volumes and volumes of the written word. I was thrilled at the chance to see how much I had remembered of the foreign languages I had remembered during my schooling.

My finger, running across the spines of the lightly dusty books, stopped at one. It felt oddly familiar as I turned to it. It was dingy and even more abused than the others in their rightful place. I slipped it out to examine the golden laced cover, it looked muted and of life. Even the pages were wrinkled and stained as if water had done the book much damage.

I took the opportunity to cradled the heavy book open with my arms. All the pictures were so similar from the book that was gifted to me my Junmyeon years ago, in fact…

I looked back at the cover and then inside the book again. There was something eerily familiar about this book.

Junmyeon had finally come back with a candle and another body. When I noticed Chaewon with her hands clasped in front of her and her head down with a bow.

She muttered, “Your Highness.”

I didn’t have time to fully comprehend. Prince Junmyeon gave me a sheepish look.

“You need to switch clothes.” He announced, as if it was a simple task.

“W-why?” I stupidly asked, I was shocked to hear such a plan without warning. I was still in shock that I was being addressed so formally by a servant.

Junmyeon plainly said, “Because you need to go home soon and Baekhyun needs to have his room prepared.”

I blinked giving an uncertain look at Chaewon but ended up nodding as Prince Junmyeon carefully took the book from me.

“I’ll be right at the stairs, keeping guard.” He announced loudly before leaning to the whisper the rest, “Your brother is soon to finish, Kaira. I’d make it speedy.”

With that I was left alone with Chaewon, the servant that had caught my brother’s attention. She shyly looked back at me once Junmyeon had left and began to untie the apron at her waist.

I gulped, “It’s nice to see you again.”

She nodded but avoided my eyes, “Likewise Your Highness.”

I winced and took a full moment to stare openly at Chaewon who neatly folded her work clothes on a chair, undressing herself down to her under slip, a thin cream-colored garment made of silk.

“Your brother told me,” She began to explain sensing the burning question of my eyes. When she finally gathered the courage to look at me she immediately looked away, rubbing her elbow.

“I would much appreciate if you could quickly change, it’s a bit drafty here,” She whispered. I gulped, my hands springing into action to untie the waist of my blue skirt. I handed her my garment and quickly ed the pearled buttons of my lace blouse to hand over to her. She waited until I was in her garment and apron before she spoke up.

“Your brother wouldn’t have had a way to slip the sleeping elixir without my help.” She admitted and that was when things began to make a little more sense. I suppose my suggestion to court Miss Eungyo for more information was an oversight to what I failed to remember.

My brother had had eyes for Chaewon and if she was willing to carry on a huge task like putting the entire royal family and their guest under a dizzying spell, then she must be reciprocating feelings. She must know the danger she was getting herself into especially since she knew the biggest secrets of all.

“Ah,” I breathed out, tying the apron around my waist. I took noticed that Chaewon’s hair was in a simple braid. I pulled my hair out of its bun and shook it loose. When I realized that Chaewon wasn’t moving, I encouraged her to put the blouse on first.

She took a long look at the lace and gave me a weary smile, “I’ve never worn anything as nice as this before.”

She kneaded her hands nervously together and looked incredibly insecure to try on clothes she would never be able to afford. The empathy for her got the best of my and I couldn’t help it anymore, I had to apologize to her for my poor oversight.

“Chaewon,” I began, “Please don’t worry about the clothes. I’m more than happy to give you the garments if you so please.”

“Miss Kai-… Your highness,” She shook her head.

“Assuming that my brother trusted you with so much… I’m sorry if my brother pursuing Miss Eungyo hurt you. It was at my suggestion.” I gritted my teeth in embarrassment, “I really hope you can overlook my hasty decision.”

Chaewon shook her head as if to say it wasn’t a problem and I took the lead to help her slip on the blouse. She shouldered into it as I helped her button up the delicate buttons. She took the soft skirt of powdered blue fabric and made sure she tucked the lace blouse at her waist.I unbraided her hair and twisted it around in a low knot at the nape of her neck to ensure the likeliness of me.

“Your brother has made it very clear to me,” She whispered, “That he has no intentions on continuing the courting when she leaves tomorrow.”

Considering everything my brother has been doing was very much a secret, my brow rose up in curiosity from this information.

“Oh,” I breathed out, “Why? Could it be a certain someone?”

Chaewon who had just transformed herself into a beautiful proper lady with just a change of clothes looked around for good measure.

“I can’t be sure of that but he found out some more damning evidence for your father to look for when he escorts the Prince to Silla tomorrow.” Chaewon whispered, “But there is one thing I am curious about Your Highness.”

I shifted uncomfortable on my feet, still feeling awkward at the new title.

“Yes?” I beckoned her to continue.

“What do you intend on doing with such information?” She reasonably asked. Her question went unanswered as we were joined by another figure, who wasn’t Junmyeon.

My brother stood there looking right at Chaewon. He seemed taken aback at the change of clothes. He even struggled to find the words to say.

Junmyeon appeared right behind him, taking a good look at Chaewon who shyly avoided their stares.

Junmyeon elbowed Jongdae.

“Take your sister home,” He snorted, “It is late after all.”

Jongdae gulped and stuck out his elbow. Chaewon silently took it and was escorted away. She hung her head low in hopes that no one would spot the obvious switch, however, she did look remarkably similar if one was not looking for my face.

Junmyeon turned back to me and sighed deeply, rolling his eyes as he got into a princely character.

“Prince Baekhyun’s quarter,” He ordered, with a wink and slamming a few silk sheets, “He wants his sheets changed.”

I rolled my eyes with a smirk and bowed at my new brother-in-law, accepting his order. Much like Chaewon, I flew down the stairs of the library with my head down in hopes that no one would notice me. The scholars from the first floor were gone and it was hauntingly dark. I used the light from the moonlight that poured from the long running windows to guide me out of the building.

I was thankful that I knew the palace like the back of my hand. It was fairly simple to guide myself to Prince Baekhyun’s quarters, which was nestled behind a quaint garden. Baekhyun’s Princely Quarters was the biggest of all the brothers, which had a place of study and a place to dine where all the brothers would occasionally gather for meals.

I approached it to find it was not lit, making be believe that there was no one inside. When I rushed up the few entrance steps with his sheets in hand, I noticed a few chests heavily packed right at his door steps as a reminder that he will be leaving soon.

I felt a heavy heart. I will miss him when he’s gone.

I shoved those thoughts aside and I slid the door open to tiptoe inside as if I were an intruder.

If I recalled correctly, Prince Baehyun’s room was on the second floor of the left wing. I padded lightly in the dark, still clutching on to the sheets I caught sight of the steps leading up to the second floor.

“Who do we have here?” A voice drawled out, angrily. I heard the thunderous footsteps approaching me.

I nearly spooked me to death and I threw the sheets up in the air in surprise.

Although, I knew who the voice belonged to already, I didn’t stop me from being shocked into submission.

I flinched in surprise as Baekhyun approached me inquiring why his quarters were not lit at all. He cocked his head at me and I sheepishly smiled as I lowered my hands.

It was then when his concern slowly faded away into a slight confusion. While he was processing that it was I creeping around his quarters, I noticed that Prince Baekhyun was indeed not wearing much after his nightly baths.

“I-I,” I stuttered out trying to not look down at the smallest piece of cloth wrapped around low on his hips.

“Kaira?” He questioned and I nodded my head, slowly. He froze, his eyes dart up and down from the change of clothes. I gave him a meek shrug.

“Can’t I use a disguise as well?” I stupidly asked, alluding to his escapes from the palace.

He wasted no time at all to attack me in kisses. I wasn’t aware that I would immediately react to him the way I did last night, but it felt a lot more natural.

He forcefully left a trail of kisses starting from behind my ear trailing down. I involuntarily threw my head back accepting his touch.

“I didn’t know…” He mumbled lowly into my ear causing a violent shiver to go down my spine.

“Me too,” I admitted, “Your brother… I think…”
 

I couldn’t think. Not when he was already expertly pulling roughly at the apron knotted around my waist to have it come unloose.

Before it the cloth had the chance to hit the floor, he stopped and pulled me upstairs to his sleeping room. He muttered that he was now very thankful for the lack of candles lit in his quarters because he didn’t want to waste a single second blowing out candles.

“I don’t intend on sleeping tonight. Not when I can use the time to taste every delectable part of you.” He softly said, pulling his lips away a tiny bit as he placed me carefully down on his bed. He crawled away to turn to his wardrobe for a moment letting his own towel drop to the floor in favor of another hand towel to dry off his wet hair a bit more.

He looked over his shoulders to find me blushing and sitting still, watching him intently. I found it mesmerizing how his muscles rippled from under his skin in the dim light. He let out an entertained huff and proceed to walk around the perimeter of his room, pulling a few curtains closed before he turned to me.

I dared to trail my eyes down. He was ready and the slight pains of yesterday’s marital night didn’t feel so unbearable, not when the pool of heat was heavy at my core, and I was ready to encounter anything this sleepless night would present.

Ooo! It was getting so spicy at the end. >< I suppose you can fill in the blank on what happened next. 

Also, side note. I think I want to make another period fic with one of the brothers.

Which brother would you be most interested in reading next? (If you're interested at all)

Prince Junmyeon?
Prince Chanyeol?
Prince Jongin?
Prince Sehun?

If I'm honest I think I am leaning towards Jongin with a forced union where they are both apathetic towards each other...

What you all think?