“Good morning”, I mumbled.

Baekhyun shifted onto his side and fluttered his eyes open. The fresh, innocent look had returned to his face, and it made him look younger and less worried.

“Good morning, sleep well?” he asked. I nodded in approval and settled my head in the crook of his neck. His natural touch took me by surprise when he wrapped his small arms around my waist. There was nowhere in the world I would rather be than in this man’s arms. Even though he was a prestigious king of a very successful, but small village, that did not matter to me. What mattered was that this man who was so incapable of love, finally found his break. A sigh of relieve showed in his face, and I never want it to disappear. Baekhyun is the greatest thing that ever happened to me, and I cannot help but think that it could all end with one wrong move.

“What are you thinking about so hard?” Baekhyun asked.

“Nothing, just reminding myself how lucky I am”, I confessed.

“Not as lucky as me”, he purred.

*~*~*

We made our way to the common room and took a seat on his heavily embroidered couch. All satin coverings bound with silk, it screamed royalty.

“I can’t believe you own a couch like this”, I chimed. Baekhyun turned his head in my direction giving me a thoughtful look.

“Why you don’t like it?” he asked.

“No, I love it, its just…really expensive”, I smiled. He turned back to reading his paper with a slight smirk on his face.

I make him laugh.

Just then, a man of short stature walked in and cleared his throat, getting our attention.

“Your majesty, your mother calls for you”, he informed. Baekhyun lets out a big sigh and takes my hand. We make our way to his mother’s quarters while mentally preparing ourselves for what she has to say. I suddenly feel small at the thought of seeing his mother again. Her demeanor petrifies me, and makes every bone in my body chill.

At last, we arrive at her door. Cast in steel, and cold like her heart. Never in my life would I see the irony in a door. I laugh at the thought.

Inside, his mother is perched over the railing that leads to her study upstairs. She is peering down at the two of us holding hands. Already, I can feel the disapproval seething from her body.

“Good morning boys, I supposed you had a good night?” she scoffed.

Ouch.

“Yes mother, we had a wonderful night”, Baekhyun says while pulling me into his embrace.

On the inside, I wanted him to let go of me. I didn’t want her to continue to judge us in a way that only she can.

“I’m glad you did, now bid him farewell”, she beamed.

My heart dropped into the deepest depths of my body. I could feel my mouth dry up just at the thought of her words. They stuck in me like a knife to the heart.

“What?” Baekhyun asked.

“You got what you wanted, now tell him goodbye”

“Mother, he’s not leaving, he just got here”

“Baekhyun, darling, you didn’t really expect me to have agreed to this ridiculous arrangement”, she spoke. I swayed back and fourth in his arms, losing my balance. Baekhyun’s arms only tightened around me when he felt me going weak in the knees.

“I expected you to support me, and be happy for me”, he barked.

“Look son, he can’t stay here because he isn’t a suitable partner”

“And who are you to tell me who is and isn’t suitable for me?”

“I’m your mother, and you will do as I say”, she threatened.

I looked down at my feet, too scared to look her in the eyes. She could sense the uneasiness of her son, but still chose to ignore it. How can a mother strip her son of something so special?

I turned around to look at Baekhyun. Anguish and fear were clear in his eyes. I gave him a lets-get-out-of-here look and took his hand. He followed me out the door and into the hallway.

“I’m so sorry Chanyeol, I can’t let you go, not like this”, he whispered.

I felt bad for him, truly and utterly bad. To have come so close to getting what he wanted, only to meet face to face with the devil. At that moment, I did not want to leave. I wanted to prove to his mother that I was capable of being the best husband to Baekhyun.

“I’m not going anywhere Baek, I love you”

“I love you so much Chanyeol, I was so worried back there. I know the things my mother is capable of, and it tears me to think that she would even consider hurting you. You are more than suitable to be my partner, more suitable than any other man I know”, he wept.

Oh my.

“It’s okay Baekhyun, I wouldn’t run even if she came at me with a flaming axe”, I assured him.

He flashed me that radiant smile of his, and I knew that all was well.

*~*~*

She sneers at one of her servants and looks back at her document. Her actions are skewed and erratic.

“He doesn’t know who he is, yet he dare comes into my son’s life threatening to take his glory? No, that won’t do”, she giggles.

The rational part of her mind is already long gone, and it is replaced with pure evil.

“My queen, how are you to stop it?” the small servant asks.

“I have my ways, I have my ways. As long as he doesn’t find out who he really is by then, all should go as planned” she chided.

“Do you think it will work my queen?”

“Oh why ever not? Wouldn’t my son want to know that he’s been fooling around with his own brother?” 

____________________________________________________________________________________

Crappy cliff hanger, I know.

I couldn't figure out how to make it shocking...

I don't know when I will be updating again, I'm going through a bit of a rough patch right now. (A slump for lack of a better word)

Please undrstand that this is out of my jurisdiction and would really appreciate it if people would not send me horrible messages like the last time I failed to update.