chapter 21

“So you told the Council anyways?” Disbelief, but more annoyance than anything. Woohyun knew this was coming anyway.

    “I had to. Sunggyu, you understand, right?”

    “I understand… but it was kind of rude.”

    Woohyun resists the urge to stick his tongue out at Hoya. He’s more angry at the fact that despite everything, Hoya went and told the Council anyways. Sunggyu runs his fingers through Woohyun’s hair, hoping to calm him down. It works. Woohyun leans forward and kisses Sunggyu sweetly, yearning to see that blush that Sunggyu gets whenever Woohyun kisses him in front of people.

    “Stop that,” Sunggyu mutters through his teeth.

    Woohyun shakes his head and leans in for another kiss. He’s a breath away when the doorbell rings and Sunggyu pulls away. “I’ll get it.”

    “Oh no you don’t,” Woohyun pulls Sunggyu back by his hips and wraps protective arms around him. “It’s someone from the Council.”

    “How do you know that?”

    “I can smell them. They smell like Hoya.”

    “Oi, I’ve already told you. I’m not really on the Council’s side.”

    “That’s why you told them, right?”

    “Be nice,” Sunggyu reminds him. Woohyun grumbles a complaint but (surprisingly) Sunggyu kisses it off his lips. Myungsoo goes to answer the door instead and Sungyeol plays with Minnie in a corner.

    “Ah, Myungsoo,” they hear. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

    “We just saw each other at Woohyun’s birthday party.”

    “Details, details. Aren’t you going to invite us in?”

    “Woohyun’s having a fit right now. I don’t think you want to come in.”

    Woohyun gapes because Myungsoo makes it sounds like he’s some kid unhappy about not being able to get some toy. It pisses him off. “I think we can handle the prince. We just want to speak with Sunggyu, actually. Woohyun’s opinion doesn’t really matter to us in this case.”

    “I’m sorry, Kibum, but I cannot allow you into this house.”

    There are sounds of struggling and Myungsoo saying something but Woohyun is already picking Sunggyu up and throwing him over his shoulder. “W-Woohyun!” But before Woohyun can flee with Sunggyu, four vampires, one bloodied, drag in Myungsoo who doesn’t look too roughed up at least. “My Hyun,” the one in the middle frowns. His hair is bleach blonde, pushed up to reveal his forehead. “You’re running away from me?”

    “This isn’t a good time, Key. I think you should really just get back to those fun Council meetings you’re always at.”

    “You’re being so mean to me, Woohyun. All we want is to have a chat with Sunggyu. I’m sure you wouldn’t mind.”

    “I do, actually, and so does Sunggyu. So if you’ll excuse us,” Woohyun is nothing but nonchalant as he walks casually towards the nearest exit, which happens to be a large window.

    “Oh no, you don’t,” suddenly there are vampires jumping in from every direction and then everyone is being held down, Sunggyu easily plucked from Woohyun’s hold. “ you, Key!” Woohyun curses and Key just cackles.

    “You’re still as vulgar as ever.”

…

    They end up going to a tall tower in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by thick forestry and the most amazing thing (to Sunggyu at least) is the moat circling the building. Sunggyu almost laughs because it is kind of funny but he restrains himself because he doesn’t think the vampires will quite get it. Maybe Sungyeol would but the atmosphere is telling Sunggyu that this isn’t an appropriate time for joking around.

    “Why did you leave me here?” Sungyeol says over the phone and Myungsoo sighs before explaining that someone needs to look over the house while they have a meeting with the Council. Sungyeol reluctantly hangs up and they’re ushered into the pristine building. Sunggyu doesn’t have much time to look around, though, because they’re hurriedly being pulled through a set of large doors leading to a large, round room. It looks like a courtroom, rows of seats circling an opening in the middle. In the middle of the room is a chair and there are shackles bolted to the floor. Sunggyu is pried away from Woohyun and guided to the chair in the middle where they sit him down and lock him up in the shackles. “It’s just procedure,” one vampire tells him but he thinks they’re kind of having fun with it.

    “I can’t believe this,” Woohyun grumbles, voice echoing in the large room. Sunggyu sits, shaking slightly, as a crowd of people enter the room. Sunggyu is so very confused. It takes him minutes to realizes he’s being forced through some sort of trial, although he’s not completely sure what for. The jury take their seats and Woohyun, Myungsoo, and Hoya sit close to the judge’s seat.

    The judge that enters is young and unbelievably pretty. “Judge Sungjong has entered,” someone (Sunggyu doesn’t know who) announces. The pretty boy takes his seat and settles in comfortably, looking at Sunggyu with an unreadable expression.

    “So he is the one,” Sungjong says more to himself than anything. The next time he speaks is louder and directed at the jury. “We’ve gathered here today to discuss Kim Sunggyu’s fate. As you all should know by now, Kim Sunggyu is Nam Woohyun’s Claimed, and also the one who will show us the way to the Key. Naturally, if this gets out to the other races, Sunggyu will be sought after at every corner. We cannot have that. And so, if each side will present their ideas during this time.”

    The first side, the one to Sunggyu’s right, speaks first. “Kim Sunggyu is important for the Council and it should be obvious that he’s the only way to the Key. We suggest that scouts are sent out to find the entrance of the maze and we will bring Sunggyu to it. He will then lead us to the Key and back out. Until then, we will keep him here where he can ensure his safety.”

    Sunggyu furrows his eyebrows at the suggestion. He feels like a prisoner. The second side speaks after a short pause and Sunggyu already doesn’t want to listen. “We support the first side’s idea, although we cannot trust Kim Sunggyu. He is on the side of Nam Woohyun, and despite the fact that Woohyun is part of the royal family, he is not on the side of the Council. We suggest that, using the same procedure as the first side, we will find the entrance to the maze. Sunggyu will lead us to the Key and we will take it. Until then, the two must not be allowed to see each other.”

    “Objection,” Woohyun says (yells) and stands.

    “Quiet,” Sungjong orders. Sunggyu’s seen some court shows but this doesn’t even seem like a normal trial (other than the fact that it’s consisting of vampires). It’s weird and Sunggyu doesn’t like it. Especially since they are talking about him as if he’s not even there.

    “I agree with Woohyun’s objection. We can’t expect them to be apart for very long and we don’t know how long it will take to find the entrance to the maze.”

    Sunggyu bites his lip. Someone already knows it but he’s not sure if he really wants to say that. “Yes, it could take us hundreds of years to find it. No one has found it yet and people have been searching for centuries already.”

    Woohyun, satisfied, sits. “Sunggyu should be able to stay with me. I can protect him,” he adds.

    “We understand that you, Hoya, and Myungsoo are more than capable but this is something we have to take every precaution with. We cannot let anything get him.”

    “And I will make sure of that.”

    “If you will not cooperate then we will take him by force. Do not underestimate us, prince.”

    “Enough,” Sungjong calls. “Let’s go over this again.”

    It takes hours for the trial to come to a conclusion and all they do is bicker about what to do with Sunggyu. Sunggyu almost dozes off (almost) but forces himself to stay awake. “Sunggyu, do you have anything to add?” Sungjong asks and Sunggyu takes a moment to register that they’re actually allowing him to speak.

    “I know it might take a while to find but I know someone who says he knows where the entrance is.”

    “And who might that be?”

    “Sungjae.”

    Sungjong sighs. “Well, I suppose it doesn’t change much about my decision. Which brings me to my conclusion - we will hold Sunggyu here with the utmost security until we find the entrance to the maze. We will bring Sungjae in and get him to tell us where it is. When we do find it, Sunggyu will be taken there and he will lead us to the Key. We will then take it and Sunggyu will be released. Woohyun will be allowed to visit Sunggyu while he’s being held here but he will have to follow a strict schedule that will not bend for a prince.”

    It ends with a few closing statements and Sunggyu is released from his shackles. He rubs his wrists, red from the metal that restrained him. The jury leaves and Woohyun is by Sunggyu’s side in a split second. “Not happy,” Woohyun mutters through clenched teeth.

    “It could be worse,” Sunggyu says. Woohyun lifts Sunggyu’s wrists, kissing them soothingly.

    “It’s good to think positively. Considering your situation, after all.” It’s Sungjong, the judge, walking up to them. Woohyun glares and shakes his head.

    “I can’t believe you’re not even letting me stay with him.”

    “Hey, I’m letting you see him. I wouldn’t complain so much if I were you. You’re lucky you got me as a judge, otherwise you wouldn’t be allowed to see him at all.”

    “I don’t understand what the point of keeping me away from him is.”

    “One, you’ve got a lot of enemies which means Sunggyu has a lot of enemies. Two, there’s a chance you’ll snap. You never know when it’ll happen. It’s enough of a risk letting you see him and we can’t risk anything more.”

    Sunggyu pouts beside Woohyun. “You’re lucky you’re pretty,” Woohyun makes a tsk sound.

    “So when are you taking him from me like the evil fiends you are?”

    “Your room is being prepared right now, actually. We’re trying to make it as comfortable as possible because even though I am certain Sungjae knows, I am also certain that he will not tell. Not for the Council’s benefit, at least. So it may still take a while to find.”

    “Hoya doesn’t get to visit, though, right? Please tell me Hoya doesn’t get to visit.”

    “Actually Hoya will be one of his main guards.”

…

    “Woohyun, we can’t do anything about it. And you said you’d get along with Hoya,” Sunggyu tugs on Woohyun’s shirt, upset that Woohyun’s upset and that he will now only have a limited time with Woohyun and they’ll always be watched.

    Woohyun’s angry, but he can never be too angry with Sunggyu being so adorable like this. He turns around, looking at Myungsoo, Hoya, and Sungjong who are the only ones left in the courtroom. Sungjong and Myungsoo nod at each other before dragging Hoya out. “We’ll give the lovebirds some time to be together alone.”

    Woohyun waits until the door shuts before kissing Sunggyu hungrily, tongue running along Sunggyu’s bottom lip. His lips part and their tongues meet. Sunggyu wraps his arms around Woohyun’s neck, fingers curling into the hair at the nape of his neck. Sunggyu tries to pull him closer, tries to close each miniscule space between their bodies. Woohyun’s kisses are fire and Sunggyu feels himself burning up with each little touch.

    Somehow (Sunggyu doesn’t really know) Woohyun ends up sitting in the judge’s seat with Sunggyu sitting on his lap, straddling him. A hand crawls up Sunggyu’s shirt and he spills “I love you,” into Woohyun’s lips and Woohyun breathes them back. Woohyun moves to leave burning kisses down the curve of Sunggyu’s jaw, down the expanse of his neck and the skin. Sunggyu clings to Woohyun, the back of his shirt desperately as if his life depends on it.

    The doors take the opportunity to burst open, interrupting the two. Sunggyu scrambles off Woohyun, red spreading across his neck and cheeks. He still clings, though, fingers intertwining with Woohyun’s. Myungsoo is the one to come fetch them. “You’ll see each other. You don’t need to cling to each other like otters.”

so a little short but thats okay. 

and that definitely did not count as any sort of trial - they just had a meeting. 

welp. for woogyu. its okay though - near, far, wherever they are, their hearts will go on.