“What happened to him?”

“I do not know,” Junsu whispered to answer Lord Yunho’s question. His own voice trembled as he watched over the unmoving form of his husband. The King had not yet awakened and with each passing second, Junsu knew he was closer to death. King Changmin’s heartbeat now was not as strong as it was four hours ago. Knowing this, he had called the other three lords to confer, for they also wished to know what had happened to the king.

Yunho said that Lord Dongwook and Lord Seunghyun had now been imprisoned under the charge of treason, and they would remain there until further inquiries by the Council. The other nobles and advisors had whispered, guessing on what had truly happened and now even the lord from the House of Tree, the one who had been seen whispering in dark corners with Lord Dongwook, now began to second guess his ally. 

It seemed that what King Changmin had predicted had come true. With this act being done in public, in front of their own eyes, all nobles had lost their trusts to the House of Harp. Their leaders, Lord Dongwook and Lord Seunghyun now could do nothing. Yunho had ordered the rest of the nobles from the House of Harp to be imprisoned as well, for they might try to free their leaders if they were to roam free. What remain were only distant relatives and they hardly appeared at the Court.

With all things that had happened, Junsu was sure that the unity from the Five Noble Houses would be soon. And perhaps, perhaps they now might stand a chance against the Dark Kingdom.

But it came with too high a price. The King was now near death. The healers had been summoned, and none of them might tell what had gone wrong. Suddenly all of this plan and effort seemed foolish. Everything had lost their importance for Junsu knew nothing would compare with the King’s presence by his side.

Junsu had no longer wept, for he neither had the strength nor more tears. The King’s Consort merely stared at his husband’s form, wishing with all his heart and prayed to the Valar that the King would open his eyes soon. His heart ached. 

“Perhaps,” he heard Lord Yoochun spoke, “If we give him more antidote-“

“No,” Junsu cut the other immediately. “I have given him as much as I could. One more drop and it would only make things worse. With sufficient doses, what cures can kill.”

“But he is now as good as dead!” Lord Jaejoong exclaimed. “What use of him if he is not awake? Have we lost our King?”

Junsu closed his eyes, for he himself feared to answer the Lord from the House of Golden Flower’s question. By all healing skills in Arda, Junsu realized in his mind that the King must now be dead. His heartbeat continued to weaken, there was no sign for him to be awake anytime soon, but somehow, somehow deep in his heart Junsu still linger with the last fragment of hope.

He held his husband’s tightly, as he chanted again and again and again, “Please.”

 

Changmin felt as if he was dreaming. He had been wandering in a dark hall of his castle, only to find no other elf. He had been confused for he did not know where the others were. Where were his advisors? What of the guards? Where wasJunsu? What had happened to his beloved Consort?

His feet took him to the throne room. And in there, what greeted him was a sight he used to see when he was a child. His father was sitting at the throne, clad in dark maroon silk robes and diamond-encrusted circlet.

“Ada,” Changmin breathed. Now he knew that he was dreaming. His father had been long gone. And now that he saw his father once more, there were only two possibilities: this was a mere dream or that he was already dead, the poison had killed him.

But the longing to see his father again overwhelmed him. Changmin crossed the throne room in quick steps, only to fall on his knees in front of his father. Tears gathered in his eyes, for he was suddenly reminded a time when life was so much simpler and he had the protection of his father. He wished he could go back in those times. Right now the responsibility was too great and he was not ready, never ready for it. It was just too much. 

Changmin put his head on his father’s lap, and as he felt his father’s fingers gently caressed his hair, he whispered, “I’ve missed you.”

It was as if he could see his father’s smile. The older elf answered, “I know ion-nin.”

Faced with his father once more, he felt as if he was a mere young boy, whose actions were disapproved and frowned upon. In this universe –realm–, all that had happened with the House of Harp and the Dark Kingdom felt so far away. Changmin wished he could stay here forever, where no problem came to him and his responsibility was none.

“Where is this? Am I dead?”

“No pen-neth, you are not yet dead. But you are very close to. What have you done?”

For that the King had no answer. It had seemed like a good idea at that time, to drink that poison and frame the House of Harp but now it felt as if it was a foolish action. But what he was to do? There was no other way. He said this to his father and with that, all his agony came pouring out with no means to stop. Before he knew it, Changmin had spoken of how hard it had been since his Ada was gone, how the Council and the advisors viewed him as a foolish boy.

He also spoke of the growing darkness from the Kingdom of Kuveth and that he needed to unite the Five Noble Houses as soon as possible. He spoke of the treason from the House of Harp, and how they had pressured him and influenced the Council, which in turn led to his decision to frame them.

His father had listened carefully, fingers never stopped caressing Changmin’s hair as if to encourage him to not stop talking. But in the end, Changmin heard his father asked, “Tell me, what in the name of Arda was in your mind when you drink that poison?”

“…It was the only way, Ada.”

“Was it? Perhaps there were other ways pen-neth, perhaps there were none and that you are right. But every action and decision has its own consequences. Now you are at the brink of death, for the poison was too strong. What will you do if you do not make it back to the land of living?”

The answer was clear to Changmin. “Then I will stay here with you.”

The smile that his father gave him was indulgent, as if he was humoring a child. He bended down and cupped Changmin’s cheek. Staring straight at his father’s eyes, Changmin heard his father speak, “As much as I want you to be here, ion-nin, this is not yet the time for you. What will happen to our Kingdom?”

“Junsu can lead the people. I know he can.”

“Who is Junsu?”

A blush appeared on Changmin’s face and he could feel his heart began to beat faster. He looked down, embarrassed to continue looking at his father and mumbled, “He is my Consort, a Prince from the Kingdom of Sevaecia.”

“Ah, pen-neth,” His father tapped his nose playfully, “There are things you hide from me.“

“I did not mean to!” He said indignantly, and at that moment he was reminded of similar time in the past where he was a young boy and wanted for his father not to know of his secrets. Perhaps all this conversation had brought once more the childish side of him, the one he had buried deep once he had taken his vow as a king.

A familiar twinkle appeared in his father’s eyes. “Does he make you happy?”

It took Changmin a while to consider his answer. Did Junsu make him happy? Changmin had enjoyed the other’s company, that was without a doubt. His Consort made his days worth looking for, and although they had few misunderstanding in the past, they now stood as one force. In his time of need, when Changmin was at loss after the disastrous Council meeting, Junsu had held him and let him cry, to be the young King he really was. 

When they were in Cair Andros, the memory of their first sweet kiss they had shared in the morning that day, and the beautiful smile from Junsu that followed quickly made Changmin’s heart to beat faster. The graceful way his Consort sparred with Yunho was forever embedded in his mind. Changmin then remembered the moment when Junsu said that he loved Changmin and how it had brought so much joy to his heart. 

Did Junsu make him happy? 

“Yes Ada,” he answered with a smile, “he does.”

His father smiled back, “I am glad to hear that ion-nin. You say that he can lead our people, but will he not miss you if you are gone?”

“He will. He loves me.” The determined way he said those words surprised even Changmin himself. A heartbeat later he wondered, when had he been so sure, so trusting of Junsu’s love? It was as if it was the absolute truth, one that he had always known and would never change.

A gentle hand caressed his hair, and Changmin looked up to see a knowing gaze from his father. “Then you should be with him, until death does you both apart. Have faith my son, you will be a good King. You already are. The only thing you have to decide is what to do with the time given to you.”

It was a parting, Changmin realized this. These were his father’s final words, an advice given to him and somehow they lighted courage inside him. Changmin nodded, and whispered his gratefulness.

“I am proud of you,” his father said as he placed a loving kiss on Changmin’s cheek. “Now go, pen-vuil, our time together has ended. And your Consort is waiting for you.”

Suddenly the whole room spun and Changmin gasped harshly. A blinding pain was in his chest, but it gradually became better with every breath he took. His limbs felt as if they were made of stone. His eyes then looked around wildly, recognizing the décor of his own Royal Chambers before finally settling on the beautiful face of his Consort. There were tears in Junsu’s eyes and Changmin’s heart clenched with the sight of it. He never wanted to see the other cry, for it brought him pain now. 

But it was the look of disbelief melted into pure relief that was on Junsu’s face. And before long, Changmin felt warm arms enveloped him, alongside tearful whispered words of his Consort’s, “They gave you back. The Valar gave you back to me.”

 

The news of the King’s miraculous comeback from the dead spread throughout the castle like a wildfire. Noble and advisors alike had various guesses on what might have happened, and what would become of the House of Harp. Well wishers and visitors all wished to seek audience with the King, but Junsu gave very strict order not to let anyone in the Royal Chamber. Even Lord Jaejoong himself could only speak with the King when Junsu was in the chamber with him.

Perhaps it was only his selfish reasons, but Junsu wished to spend as much time as possible with his husband. The near loss was too close, too fresh to be forgotten. His heart still ached as he remembered it. However Junsu now was able to breathe easier, for the King was now awake and was on his way to recovery. He even had given full authority to Junsu to proceed with the Council meeting to determine what would happen to the House of Harp. 

This was the second part of their plan. Yunho had planted the evidence at the House of Harp. How the Seneschal managed to do this, Junsu did not know, but as long as the King trusted Lord Yunho, Junsu would too. 

Junsu walked in the empty hallway of the castle at the White City. Andy’s loyal footsteps followed behind him. Turning at one corner, soon they faced the double door of the Council Room, only instead of being on the second floor, they now stood at the first floor where the main entrance was.

Behind this door, the Council members were all there. They were waiting for him to lead the meeting. By the King’s order, Junsu would be the one who would step in to the King’s full authority in the meeting. Taking a deep breath, he nodded towards a herald who immediately announced, “All hail The Consort of the King!”

The door then opened. All whispers and hushed tones were ceased as soon as Junsu stepped into the Council Room. 

As the nobles and advisors bowed respectfully, Junsu walked across the room to where the King often sat. But he did not sit on it, for it was not his right. The throne was the King’s and under no circumstances would Junsu claim the throne for himself as long as the King was still alive and well.

And so he merely stood in front of the throne. He then addressed the Council. “By the order of the King, I now proclaim a full search to the House of Harp and its accomplices on the charge of treason against the King. The search would begin tomorrow morning at dawn.”

His words were short and crisp, and somehow it managed to get the respect from all Council members, for none spoke against him. Junsu glanced at Lord Yunho, who nodded very little in return, signaling that he had indeed planted the evidence as planned. 

Junsu felt reassured and he sighed slightly out of relief. “I ask Lord Yunho as the Seneschal of the Great Kingdom of Cardonna to lead this search. This meeting is adjourned.”


-End of Chapter Fourteen-


Glossary:
Valar = gods
Arda = time/earth
Ada = father
Pen-vuil = dear one
Pen-neth= young one
ion-nin = my son