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Chapter Text

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom blessed by the sun. 

There; the children did not fall ill in the winters. No harvest ever left the farmers feeling unsatisfied. Kingdoms around always remained on their knees just to get a glance of this kingdom's blessing.

Magical forest filled with creatures beyond imagination, covered one-third of this entire kingdom, never attacking the humans unless provoked.

The Seseong kingdom was the envy of everyone who laid their eyes on it and the sun's blessings, naturally, shone the brightest in the royal family.

However the king's blessing paled in comparison to his own son.

The king, despite bedding so many wives, omegas, only had one son.

It was a sight never seen before in the history of Seseong. At the celebration of the prince's birth; the moon itself adorned the child with blessed chains that danced to the child's wishes.

A son so blessed by the sun, even the moon was enamored of him.

Han Yoojin's reread the sentence a few times. Enchanted by the way the author described the prince. The little boy looked at his mother as she arranged, and then rearranged the books in the royal library.

Yoojins was only two years old, almost three. But he was very different from kids his age. Kids his age cried at the lack of their parents' attention, they cried when their parents were late in feeding them, they cried over every inconvenience that came their way.

But he didn't; Just because of the memory of a smile he had.

His mother was smiling at him. It was a foggy memory, he remembered nothing but the warmth of her bosom and the happiness in her face as she looked down at him. 

The young boy only wanted that expression from his mother. And he does receive... a tenth of that every now and then.

An expression of guilt with a small smile as she hands another book with sufficient drawings to keep her son entertained.

He didn't know how to read at first, still didn't, But maybe it was the influence of the place (the royal library) where he spent every waking moment, that he started understanding, little by little.

The frantic turning of paper turned slow as Han Yoojin started to make an effort to understand words and pronounce them.

A son so blessed by the sun, even the moon was enamored of him.

It was the first complete sentence Yoojin had read all on his own. He looked up excitedly to tell his mother about it... but the older woman had already walked off with another pile of books.

The boy was sitting in the farthest corner of the library and just imagining the thrill of walking among the shadows of the columns upon columns of books filled the boy.

Never disturb anyone.

His mother had told him once and Yoojin always followed the word of his mother carefully without condition...

But today... The boy was feeling too ecstatic about himself. His young brain told him he had to recite the whole sentence to his mother.

So the little boy stood up, the book clutched to his chest as he started to wander about.

Han Yoojin always thought of the library as some kind of magical land. The boy, young as he was, did not understand that it was the books that made the place magical and not the place itself. Always on the lookout for any potential fairy that might be looking at him partially hidden behind a shelf with their beautiful wings and fairy dust.

He plodded away in the library keeping an eye for both his mother and the fairies. 

But he just couldn't find her or the fairies. 

They are shy, darling, you will see one if you are patient and helpful.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he clutched the book tighter.

Not really worried for the fairies, they will find you, the boy couldn't he find his mother? He read an entire sentence all by himself. He did good, did he not? He was patient, was he not?

He raised his hand and wiped away the tears with his sleeve, an act repeated so often the sleeve had a stain that his mother could not wash out. He decided to check one last place before going back to his sitting place.

It was a small sitting area on the far side of the library, the last point where the sunshine fell beautifully. A window wall that overlooked the gardens and filled the space with natural soft sunlight.

Han Yoojin had never missed an opportunity to be there when the place was empty. But with his mother. Only with his mother. His mother had forbidden him from stepping a foot there. Along with a few other places but none as beautiful as this one.

Well if his mother was already there, that means he was allowed. yes.

The little boy's brain reasoned as he plodded along the shelves till he finally saw the soft evening sunlight illuminating the...

Han Yoojin's breath got caught in his throat as he audibly gasped.

He had a total of five pairs of eyes on him but he only saw one, looking straight back at him.

Gold was not an uncommon color. It was in fact one of the very first color he came to know off.

Never touch things of this colour Yoojin. Be good.

Along with red and green, golden was the color of nobility, of royalty. He had seen cloths, pins,  jewelery and even some of the statues were of this color.

Very common. Very still. Very unalive. But...

This was the first time he had seen gold that was alive.

It felt like the water from the fountain. Just golden in color and wild like the waves from one of the drawings.

He was so entranced by it, unable to look away at all. The golden eyes crinkled slightly and Han Yoojin finally remembered to blink and close his mouth.

And then he saw a flutter of golden thread atop those eyes, illuminated by the sunlight coming from behind him.

Han Yoojin couldn't stop himself, all the drawing he had seen, every tid bit he read, every illustration flashing in his mind was materializing before him.

He really couldn't stop himself as he softly shouted, "Fairy!"

The young boy's eyes were blown as wide as saucers as he carefully maneuvered around till he was half covered by a nearby bookshelf to not scare the fairy away, never loosening his hold on the book.

The other four pairs of eyes exchanged wordless conversation as they decided on what action to take before they finally stepped forward, fully prepared to remove the child from there.

A single raised hand stopped all moment, the men all falling back to their position making sure to keep their eyes on the boy.

The older younger boy opened his mouth, softly mimicking the tone the tiny had used, suppressing his mirth, "...I'm not a fairy."

Yoojin blinked, rolling around the words in his young brain  and as he was doing so, the curtain of light he had imagined around the fairy finally subsided allowing him to look at the other.

He was not a fairy, just an older boy.

Han Yoojin blushed. "Sorry..." he mumbled as he shifted on his feet leaving the cover of the shelf behind. 

He looked around, finally noticing the other people surrounding the fai - boy. 

One look at the others and the toddler stiffened, realising that maybe he shouldn't be there after all. He looked down, not liking the look on their faces one bit. Not at all.

His lip trembled, as moisture collected in the corner of his eyes. With every ounce of effort that the toddler could manage, he looked at the older boy again, sitting in the chair.

He looked just like a fairy. Fairies were kind.

"H-have y-y-you seen my mam-mother- my mother?" Han Yoojin said, correcting the way he refered to his mama. His father had taught him to not use baby words when talking to other people.

Golden eyes squinted, a small interested smile playing on his lips as they looked at the boy and the book he was holding.

"I'm afraid... I don't know who your mother is. Does she work here?"

The little boy nodded shuffling from one foot to another growing more and more agitated by the second at the scrutinizing gazes, "s-sh-she ta-takes care o-of the b-books." 

Unable to bear their own weight, a few tears slid down Yoojin's face as he quietly sniffled. 

His little grips turned white on the book in  his hold. Having reached his limit at the way the other four people were looking at him...Yoojin bolted away from there as fast as his little feet could take him.

Looking back, this would be the fastest Yoojin ran as a child. But to others the young kid may have just been crawling.

He stopped after a few rows and sat in a particularly dark section. Heart threatening to pop out of his chest, he took huge gulps of breaths, sniffling a few more times as he heard soft steps coming towards him.

Han Yoojin looked up just as the teen boy peeked around to look for him.

The older boy smiled kindly as he came forward, "Can I sit here?" He said softly almost in a whisper.

Yoojin sniffled one last time as he nodded and wiped the remaining moisture from his face again with the same sleeve.

"Those four are scary right? I don't like them." The boy said softly as he sat mimicking the toddler's pose and pulling his knees to his chest.

"Their eyes are scary..." the black haired child mumbled as he fidgeted with the book, before adding, "I don't like them either."

The teen softly laughed into his fist, thoroughly amused by the expression made by the tiny kid and the sheer unawareness. He liked it very much.

"Say..." he paused, fountains of mirth dancing in his golden eyes as he looked down at the child to his right, "...that's a big book you have there. Did you read it?"

Han Yoojin turned red at the question. He couldn't read yet... not properly. He just knew some words, he knew how to pronounce some words, but he didn't know them all together.

"I-I r-read one s-sentence." Yoojin stuttered. 'I can't read properly yet' hung very heavily in the air that the teen had already guessed.

Still even one sentence sounded interesting to him. The prospect of hearing a tiny baby try to read a line out of the 'Modern history of Seseong'...  

His lips curved by a fraction expecting a mess of words out of the child's mouth, "Which one?"

Han Yoojin first looked at his face, saw the golden in his eyes dancing with... something (anticipation; poor boy did not know the word yet) then looked back at the book.

He wanted to tell his mother first...

But the older boy looked like a fairy,

And fairies are kind.

Like spellbound Yoojin nodded as he opened the book, flipping through the pages till he found the familiar one.

And placed his tiny index finger beneath the letters.

"A son so blessed by the sun, even the moon was enamored of him."

Han Yoojin recited without a stutter exactly in the tone he had heard some of the more passionate adults speak in.

Smiling, he looked at the older boy expecting praise but...

the boy's smile fell. His heart was beating fast enough for him to feel it in his throat. Accompanied by the very new and very sudden urge to run far far away from the older boy.

Outwardly nothing had changed, their appearance remained the same but those eyes...

Yoojin hiccuped.

Golden eyes blinked.

He hiccuped again, then again and then again, then aga-

A tiny hand clasped around the tiny mouth muffling the sound. 

Then the tears fell.

It was the first time in his life that the prince did not feel satisfaction by bringing another to tears with just his eyes.

He sighed, relaxing his shoulder, raised a hand to the tiny child's head and softly (awkwardly) petted hoping to calm him down.

"D-D-Di-Did I hic re-read it w-w-wro- sniffle -wrong?"

"...No...you read it so beautifully...it almost made me believe it."

Chapter Text

Lights gleamed around the grand banquet hall. People, nobility, dressed in bright bold colour enthusiastically talked about the prosperous future that awaited them under the rule and lead of Sung Huynjae.

They danced, ate and anxiously awaited the royal family to finally join them.

But their wait was not for long. An hour into the celebration the herald finally announced, "All rise!" 

People stilled, those who were sitting stood up, all eyes at the door behind which the present and future of Seseong were.

"His majesty the king and the queen consort."

The doors opened and in walked the current monarch of Seseong. The king, heavily dressed in magenta and laddered up in gold silver, ostentatious in every way.

The queen (current one) wore green and too much adoration for the man by her arms that probably spared her not a look more.

They were the royalty of Seseong and if anybody still had doubts about their stature... one look at the crowns of solid gold sitting atop their head was enough to vanquish any doubts. 

The man looked around as stood before his throne, his chin raised, golden eyes scrutinising, as everyone bowed and curtseyed.

Satisfied the king sat, followed by the queen. A servant stepped forward with two chalice of gold and the king and queen took each.

"I cannot thank everyone enough for gracing us with your presence at the gracious celebration of my son's presentation... late as it was." 

The royal couple clinked their drinks as the crowd rose cheering in joy. 

Everyone was too accustomed to the crude way the king spoke.

Outside the hall, behind a shut door, the young seventeen year old prince. Golden eyes glowing with calm, waiting for the king to complete his speech. 

"Your highness." The prince glanced to the side, his attened- mila, holding a plate with a glass and a neatly folded handkerchief.

Seeing the sight made the prince sigh.

"Is it necessary? I had a dose not even an hour prior to this."

The maid answered with a solemn expression, "...the effects are wearing off your highness... it is not my place to say it but... please take this, it is for your own benefit."

The prince looked ahead to the closed door, a frown etched on his face. He did not like the effect the medicine had. It made him slow in his judgement, often blurring the line between his wants and needs and duties.

Yet not taking it just made it all about just his wants. Aggressively so.

Silently the prince took the medicine, wiping the corners off his mouth as per proper etiquette even though there was nothing there. 

Another man standing by the door nodded to the prince as the said man stood straighter and he heard,

"Now presenting-

How ironic

"-his highness the prince!"

The door opened just as all of Hyunjae's attendees retreated to the shadows and he stepped into the mana lights.

The reaction was instantaneous and different.

There were gasps and awes and maybe someone with a delicate heart even fainted.

And why wouldn't they? After witnessing the epitome of the sun's blessing.

The prince walked forward, towards the thrones. His longer front golden locks braided a little to the side of his head to support the silver vine crown embedded with different flowers all made out of precious stone.

Yet it looked so delicate sitting atop his head.

His face yet to lose some signs of youth smiled kindly as he looked forward.

Nobody bowed or curtseyed. Too stunned to even breathe .

Dressed in cream and ivory with a red shoulder cape, and his golden Broach, the prince stood before his father and bowed,

"The son of the sun greets his majesty the king." 

There was another thud. Some poor soul fainted from his voice. The prince's smile took a sharp upturn but none could see as he faced the floor in his bow.

"hah!" The king laughed somewhat condescendingly.

The monarch continued but the prince couldn't register even a fourth of it. His medicine was kicking in.

In the completely opposite part of the Seseong royal castle, in a secluded warehouse that was unofficially the servant's party hall, people clucked their wooden bear mugs as they cheered for the prosperous future awaiting them.

"Man the prince is an alpha! Now only if the king can drop dead our lives will be fulfilled! Cheers to the future king!!" The crowd cheered, alcohol and food passed around among everyone.

All the people present were carefully selected and observed before they were invited to celebrate the prince.

And today was the day for celebration and nobody wanted to be executed just because they accidentally invited any of the king's eyes.

"Dear," a woman held her husband's arms, grabbing his attention away from the friends he chatted away with, "Where is our son?"

The man looked back, his chiselled face dusted with pink because of the alcohol, opened his mouth but before he could say anything another man much more drunk than the woman's husband said, "Yoojin, that precious thing’s out playing with my daughter, Mrs. Han"

The group laughed, clearly under the influence. "Man! That's a truth if I've ever heard one! Your son is beautiful! takes too much after our sister-in-law, brother." 

The group laughed and clasped the father of the said boy on his back and the woman blushed, her face dusted with pink.  

The husband clearly overjoyed with his life looked at his wife, eyes filled with so much love.

Mrs. Han could count more than a handful of women who had tried to covet that gaze for themselves.

"Tell me about it! And here I am starting to think that one is just not enough anymore."

The woman turned red as her husband pulled her in to claim her lips. 

The crowd cheered around again.

Unbeknownst to the two in-love, their son was not in fact with another child but on a heist of his little four year old life.

Those in the upper nobility who were not complete fools knew that the king held a complex against his own son and it showed blatantly in the way they greeted the royal family.

"Your humble servant greets the sun of the empire, Queen consort and the Moon's muse. Congratulations on his highness's successful presentation, your majesty! "

The chubby man greeted, kneeling before the royalty of Seseong. The king laughed, the current queen consort smiled and the prince...

He smiled. Knuckles pressed against his cheek as he sat comfortably in his throne, one long leg overlapping the other.

Count... someone, stood up at the king's command, presented his gifts and moved aside to let another obnoxious fool repeat the same mundane routine.

Greetings and gifts, with occasional wedding proposals were all laid down before the royalty. 

The prince opted for complete silence only opening his mouth to repudiate any of the said proposals with as much politeness as he could.

The inhibitor that he had taken only made that as hard as they made it easy.

While sitting there, to others, the prince was the picture of grace and elegance but the usually sharp prince, who was so sensitive to his surroundings (to the point where the knights joked he had eyes all around his head) was sitting in his seat suffering from ‘tunnel vision’.

His brain was unable to process anything but what was in front of his eyes. 

Just like his father.

Behind his perfect smile he had his jaw in a lock, shoulder tense,  eyes constantly glancing around to keep check of his surroundings.

Something that came as easy as breathing to the prince was a chore at the moment. 

It wouldn't be a surprise to him if someone tried to kill him during this grandois celebration. After all it had happened before multiple times to the point he was bored.

A man stepped forward, a little girl following closely, leaving the crowd behind and walked up before the royalty.

His dust blonde hair muted in the mana lights, clothes a lavish dark purple adorned with multiple medallions. The clacks of his shoes sounded deafening in the suddenly silent hall as all eyes fell on him.

His Brown eyes met the kings following the bow he took before the royalty, not taking a knee, as he greeted with a simple, "Your majesty."

A muscle visibly twitched in the king's face, his hand clenching and unclenching as he smiled at the man greeting him.

and the prince...

His jaw and shoulder relaxed and his finger migrated a little to his lips, holding them back from bursting into a toothy smile.

"Duke Miller!" The king exclaimed as he stood up with faux excitement (Everyone stood up too, not daring to sit while their king was standing.) to greet the grand duke of Seseong.

He shook his hand placing his other to his shoulder, "Always a delight your presence is although becoming sparser with the seasons. How are you, good friend?"

The king sighed with great melancholy lacing his voice as he patted the duke on his shoulder.

The man, barely in his late thirties looked ashen, bags beneath his eyes unbecoming on his handsome appearance, face sullen with great responsibilities. 

And now a new ache blossoming in his shoulder.

Despite that he smiled as he answered the king.

"Well as I can be your majesty." His eyes narrowed in a way that seemed endearing to all those looking from the outside, "I am sure your majesty can understand, being a father of an only child," Brown eyes glanced briefly at the prince still sitting in his throne.

Golden eyes just turned into crescent as he met the brown ones... and simply switched the leg that was overlapping the other.

The duke sighed, "...worries of the future keep me awake at night." He said and looked down, hand pressing against his chest before he smiled... and extended the same hand to his right.

Just as a much much smaller hand, encased in cream silk lace, placed itself in the open palm.

"I can only be grateful to the holy sun for blessing me with such a courteous and radiant daughter."

Oh how...

A hand encased in gold covered the show of teeth that the prince could no longer hold back, just as all the eyes turned to the girl standing beside the grand duke of Seseong.

Words... The duke sure knew just how to use them in such a manner that the other party is bound to be left grinding their teeth.

Holding on to one of the folds of her skirt, the girl dropped into a curtsy, one that seemed right out of the etiquette's textbooks.

"Evelyn Miller greets his majesty the king, may the blessings of the sun always pour onto the royal family just as they always have."

The king remained silent just as the child remained in a curtsy. 

A moment passed, enough to make anyone uncomfortable, but neither the duke said anything nor his child.

The prince's smile faltered at the display. The king smirked, once he knew he had established his indisputable dominance.

"Ahh! Yes, my friend." The king's golden eyes seethed for a fleeting moment while they were on the girl before crinkling as they looked back to her father as she straightened.

Neither of the Miller's portrayed any signs of being affected by the monarch.

"Children... while called blessings are truly a curse on a parent's heart-"

The prince stood up abruptly, for a moment his vision danced but the boy stayed stable and walked up to stand beside the king just as the said man looked back at him.

"-Speaking of which."

Curses or children?

"Hyunjae you haven't greeted the duke yet."

The boy gave an endearing smile looking up at his father's face, "Pardon my tardiness, your majesty." before turning to the duke.

Left leg crossing back, hand on heart, the prince bowed "it has been too long uncle, I can only hope for your forgiveness for not being able to visit you at all these past few years."

Muffled mummers erupted in the grand hall as the onlooker continued to look with tense backs, waiting for the king's reaction to any of the prince's actions.

The prince straightened from the brief incline and dutifully stood beside his father.

Duke Miller remained silent for a moment, taking in the sight of the father and son standing together, side by side. 

The sight looked so good it belonged in the future history books.

If only the queen regent was still alive, could the two have had any semblance of a normal relationship?

The duke huffed, the answer was so simple, it would never. The king had a very flawed personality; a man who was in complex because of his own child's gift was probably in complex regarding the queen regent too.

He could only hope for the day to come soon when the prince finally takes over his tyrannical father in everything, from height to authority.

"My forgiveness matters not, your highness for I understand the responsibilities that weigh you down. However..."

Brown eyes crinkled, in a manner much too similar to the prince's. 

"Same cannot be said about your dear cousin."

The prince smiled, turning his eyes to the nine year old girl standing beside the duke. Her stature, tall for her age, was barely to the prince's waist.

The young girl wore a beautiful lavender dress with intricate cream color details. Had the prince not been wearing his red shoulder cape, their attire would be considered 'couple'.

Their eyes met, brown and golden. A variety of emotions swirling in the pools of brown and a foggy haze etched in the ocean of gold.

"Lady Miller It has been long." The prince raised his hand asking for the lady's, An age old tradition of hand-kissing.

The girl's eyes narrowed before she huffed and looked away, folding her arms in front of her Chest.

The crowd flinched at the blatant display of rudeness.

But the prince couldn't help himself and just laughed. His brain, no longer capable of discerning whether certain behaviours were meant for the situation or not.

Mellowed on his medicine, the only thing he could see was the child he hadn't seen in quite a long while.

The prince calmed down with a last few chuckles, looking at the child before him made Sung Hyunjae remember another.

One he definitely saw way more than the girl yet... something told him it would be way more fun to see him right now.

The young boy addressed his cousin, "Evelyn, it is very nice to meet you too."

"..."

"Should I apologise for not visiting?"

"..."

"...Should I apologise for not inviting you?"

"..."

The duke coughed in his fist, making the girl internally sigh. She relaxed her hands by her side and finally looked at the smiling face looking down at her.

"...you should apologise for not replying to any of my letters."

"EVELYN!!!"

The duke shouted horrified at his daughter's behaviour.

The air around them was heavy with trepidation.

Tension thick in air, the king smiled in cold satisfaction and the prince's lips pursed in a straight line.

"...yes. I am compunctious for not being able to reply to your letters."

Because I did not receive any.

The last part was unsaid, but they heard it alright, the duke, his daughter and the king.

The air started to take a turn towards frigid, neither or the three authoritarian figures spoke a word.

The girl then took a deep breath, and then she made a display of just why her father was so proud of her.

"Very well," raising her gloved hand to the prince, the girl continued. "Be honoured to have the Regent Duchess's first dance..."

Here at your coming of age ceremony with the regent duchess.

All previous feud forgotten, the prince stared at the girl with awe. He knew his cousin was smart but this was just...

His eyes turned into a soft cresent.s. "I would be very honoured." Golden gloved hand gently held the cream coloured one. "But not as much as I would be to have it at your debutant, Duchess Miller."

The king made a sound but the prince, too far gone, just whisked the little duchess away.

Han Yoojin, four years old, looked around the corner once again. The absolute certainty that no one was around was the key that ensured the succession of his great heist.

A bound booklet with frayed seams tightly clutched in his tiny arms as the boy rushed down the hall, lights flashing from the windows artistically placed at even intervals.

The fireworks exploding in the sky were marking the coming end of the celebrations.

A normal four year old or even an adult would have been stopped dead in their tracks by the marvellous display of light and magic painting the night sky with vibrant hues.

But this tiny one was the reason the prince had increased the frequency of his visits to the library.

Whether to call it a blessing or a curse but Han Yoojin noticed things that others didn't or chose to ignore.

The young boy had seen magical explosions before. Multiple times a year and just a few months back, he saw it go on for seven consecutive nights for the king's birthday.

There were more things like this.

He knew the head librarian didn't like his mother, something about being younger or faster than her.

Or that the royal library always got new books every two weeks, and every change that happened in the book keeping order only happened according to the prince's wishes, taste and actual studies. 

And that children his age don't talk like the way he does, he was the weird one.

He noticed how much harder his parents worked compared to all the other people but he also noticed how he didn't have things to brag about his parents other than their work ethics.

And that prince Sung Hyunjae found him interesting.

That one was something that took a lot of time for the boy to digest.

Not the part about the prince's interest in him but the fact that the fair- not fairy was actually the prince.

And had that revelation been a scene.

Yoojin casually cursed out (like a toddler does after constant egging from their elders around them) Sung Hyunjae as they both discussed a book about animals and magical beasts but the older boy kept on teasing him on and on.

Neither of them saw her coming.

One moment the boy was happily having a conversation about one of his favourite topics with his possibly new friend about a book they were reading together-

-then the next moment he is holding his throbbing cheek(a word to describe pain; he learned during this very incident) and his mother is in front of him kneeling before a bewildered Hyunjae begging for her son to be spared asking for forgiveness.

After this incident, three-year-old Han Yoojin was made to stay home alone, forbidden by both his parents to ever set foot in the vicinity of the royal palace.

But then again who were his parents to forbid Han Yoojin from the palace when the prince wanted him there?

The future of Seseong had personally asked Mr. Han brings the boy back because ‘he missed his entertainment’. 

So after giving extensive rules to the boy on behaviour and actions he finally met the older boy again after three months.

Their reunion had been interesting too. Just not in the way the prince had expected it to go.

The boy greeted the prince with an awkward bow and a 'your highness' instead of the usual runup the boy performed whenever he saw Hyunjae. Or holding and tugging on his pants.

The prince cried, wiping his false tears, going back to his normal routine of teasing and having fun. He expected the boy to get flustered and try to soothe the older boy who was four times his size.

That didn't happen.

Seeing the prince cry, three months worth of frustration just boiled over and Yoojin cried.

Crying so hard he started hiccuping, the second time in his life.

Much of it was a blur to the boy but he did remember waking up on a lush green sofa that was a gazillion times softer than anything he had ever laid on.

In a room lined with books, papers and and then more papers.

The prince was there too, sitting behind a large desk and when he saw the boy was awake he smiled at him... and Yoojin felt that nothing had changed between them or at least not much.

Later the prince ordered different sweets along with warm milk (for Han Yoojin) and tea (for the prince).

The boy learned something about himself that day.

He was not a fan of milk.

That was his first ever visit to the prince's office.

And today was the second.

The boy huffed and puffed as he stopped before a set of huge gold engraved doors praying that the 'you're welcome here anytime' also referred to this time.

The engraved door had no handle or a lock for that matter. The young boy had been fascinated when he learned the huge door worked with magic.

The more welcome you were in the space the easier they opened.

So hoping the welcome he had received six months ago still applied, Han Yoojin pushed the gate.

"You're not-"

"Shhhhh!!!" The prince shushed the girl, before quietly looking around making sure there was silence and nothing more in their surroundings.

On the far side upper terrace, this was one of the more neglected places in the banquet hall due to the eerie feel the thick foliage around it gave. 

Servants avoided it, naturally the nobility did so too.

Once satisfied, the prince leaned against the railing and undid the first two buttons of his shirt. He felt too hot. Too suffocated.

Like he wanted to, he wanted to burst but was being held by some cheap rugged rope that he just couldn't break. 

"You're not well are you. " The young girl said in a whisper as she stood beside the leaning teen. 

Mind positively fuzzy with the buzz the boy rubbed his neck before shaking his head.

"If there are any assassins wanting to kill me now would be the perfect time to try."

"Hyunjae!"

The girl screamed in a whisper clutching his forearm as she anxiously looked around them.

A moment passed with nothing but the owls hooting in the surrounding space. "...there is nobody."

"Did you actually think I would offer my life on a golden platter..." the boy's lips twiched, his composure gone with the wind, "with the side dish of Evelyn Miller."

The boy snickered and the girl blushed.

"Don't worry Evelyn" the prince said as he patted the girl on her head, a lopsided smile on his face as he raised his hand to point out the half moon in the sky. 

"If that can't even keep a few assassins away... maybe it should fall off the sky."  

A slither of silver danced around the prince before his beautiful golden hair suddenly turned pale in the moonlight as he lowered his hand, running it through his (having taken off the crown after his second dance) hair, eyes closed in annoyance and he took silent deep breaths.

“Alright…” he pinched the bridge of his nose, blinking hard and slow, mana buzzing under his shin like static. 

The little girl physically suppressed her awed reaction when she clearly saw the fog lift.

It was fascinating the colour in Hyunjae’s eyes slowly intensified till it stopped. His eyes were glowing like lanterns in the darkness of the night, till finally he closed them again and took a deep breath. 

Mana rippled in the surrounding air making the little duchess caressed her arms.

The prince opened his eyes again, this time back to his ocean of gold, devoid of mirth and kindness.

“...these are temporary measures, my lady duchess, I suggest you hurry because I'm done with these meaningless celebrations.”

“This is better.” the little girl said before she bent down and took The two rolled up bundles of paper attached to her legs.

“Details of personnel, better scholar-” she handed him the paper And the prince took but before he could pull them up, Evelyn stopped him.

“This one here,” she singled out a sheet from the stack placing it on the top.

it contained information from the- 

"...south. don't get medicinal inhibitors. Get it inscribed by a mage from the south. It's less taxing on the body and does not affect the mind at all."

The prince just looked at the girl, a very light sheen on his forehead. "...inscribe?"

The girl sighed, pulling herself back, she turned around and pulled her hair to the side to show the said thing to the prince. 

Mana in-sripture. Purple in color, written on the child's neck. 

Just a look at it eased the prince's growing headache, so much so that he couldn't help the words that fell out his mouth next.

"...incredible..."   hyunjae's eyes were glowing again, wafting a golden glow in the darkness of the night as he looked at the insignia on his dearest (and only) cousin's neck.

The girl shivered at the word that slipped out of the alpha's mouth as she hurriedly let her hair down.

"Do not use that... tone." she hissed quietly as she turned back to the older boy standing beside her.

Brown eyes, with their own maniacal glow glared at the older boy. " Curses... your highness are you not well versed in the  secondary gender? You are not supposed to use that tone to other alphas."

The prince merely tilted his head, he would admit that his knowledge of the second gender was rather lacking (since the king tried his best to limit his only son in every way possible) but having taught himself everything (...well almost everything) he was bound to have some areas he was not well versed in.

And secondary gender, something that most of the people just talked about as if it was only the matters of one's chamber, was something he did not think was that necessary for ruling a kingdom.

It was a part of life but not necessarily a part of politics.

...and judging by the absolutely bewildered expression the nine year old was giving him... Sung Hyunjae may... had made a mistake.

"...I suppose I am lacking something."

"La -cking!?" The girl lowered her voice, looking around with furrowed Eyebrows, making sure nobody was too close.

Pinning the older boy with what she at least hoped was a taxing gaze the girl hissed, “Answer me this your highness: Why is house Miller hiding the fact their daughter already presented that too as an alpha!? ”

The prince smiled, tilting his head the other way, "So that people don't stop sending courting requests per chance you present as an omega?"

Had the insignia had not been the best inhibitor that Seseong had to offer, the entirety of the balcony where the regent duchess and the prince stood would drown in a sharp smell of pines.

Sharp enough to feel like someone was stabbing one in their nose.

The nine year old took a deep breath to calm herself down.

“Because people need to acknowledge me as the duke before they start saying, ‘oh it was bound to happen, she is an alpha.”

The last part was said using what the prince had used. 

Hyunjae couldn't help the shudder that went through him. His chest felt too aired. Too big. Like he was suffocating on air itself.

The prince gasped as he supported himself on the stone railing. 

He looked at the young duchess only to see her giving the smuggest grin he ever saw on her face.

She raised her gloved hand patting the leaning alpha on his cheek.

"And that is why you don't use that tone on other alphas, your highness"

"...what was that?" The prince asked through a clenched smile as he escorted the regent duchess through the doors and towards the carriages.

"Nothing but simple acknowledgement. Do you know anything about pack dynamics?"

"The basics. Alpha, beta, omega... but I have not scratched the surface yet have I?"

"I wouldn't say that but yes you lack knowledge. Please arm yourself better, your highness."

The prince hummed in agreement as the carriage came into sight.

The duke stood beside the horses discussing the details of their travel with the coachman.

Seeing the two walking towards them the duke smiled as he dismissed the driver. 

“I will not expect it but still It would be nice to have breakfast together sometime, your highness.”

The prince smiled, his eyes turning into crescents as he shook hands with the duke.

“Take care of yourself, my lord. Live long enough to see a new sun rise on the horizon named Seseong.”

The duke smiled, his face mimicking the crescent smile of the prince.

“I will live long enough for my daughter, your highness. You should live well yourself.” 

After the pleasant goodbyes the carriage took off into the cold night. 

The prince walked back, two escort knights falling in place behind him. 

The boy removed the golden gloves from his hands and brushed his hair back. He couldn't wait to retire to his chamber but he still had to make another stop to store the documents tucked in his clothes.

The doors gave way easily. Almost too easily. Healmostfellonhisface easily.

"Stupid prince and his stupid door." The boy muttered under his breath as he walked in the beautiful earthy room. 

He had admired the room the last time he had been there but right now the boy didn't have the time to marvel at all the miniscule changes made in the room. 

The curtains were new.

Focus .

The party was going to come to an end. And not just of the nobles but the workers too and he knew he needed to get back to his parents before they noticed he was gone.

With the help of the light filtering through the gate that Yoojin forgot to close, he stepped forward. Straight to the giant desk, three times bigger than any desk they had in the library.

To the tiny boy it was rather impractical.

Placing the booklet on the chair the boy removed his shoes and pushed himself up on the chair and then on the desk. 

My bed is smaller than this desk.  

He really didn't like it.

Still all he had to do now was place the booklet on the desk in a neat manner and be on his merry way.

With plenty of moonlight falling on the table through the window, Yoojin didn't notice as the door closed behind him, cutting off the light. 

He didn't notice the figure walking towards him, with the threatening aura flowing around him in the form of thin chains.

Then the figure came to an abrupt pause before the chains vanished and he continued towards the little boy.

The said little boy still straightened and then straightened the booklet again, not quite satisfied with the placement.

Till he was (or just realised that his booklet was never gonna look like it belonged among the fancy ones placed on and around this desk.) and turned back around.

The scream that left Han Yoojin’s mouth that night… 

Well lets just say it was going to follow him for the rest of his life. 

Arms flailing around the boy fell on his butt as a pair of glowing golden eyes peered down at him.

In the darkness of the room with just the faint glow of the moonlight, Hyunjae's figure was rather overwhelming.

The prince placed his hands on either side of the boy effectively caging him, he lowered his face till his nose was firmly planted in the boy's head with his eyes closed.

Breath stuck in his throat, the boy's mind was going blank. 

But then he smelled it, the earthy and sharp scent of sage.

The boy slowly calmed down. He took a sharp intake of air, gradually slowing down as relief flooded his body along with the smell of sage.

Very closely followed by anger.

Now the boy wasn't an angry kid. In fact every adult in his life was rather calm and docile. Situations rarely ever escalated to the point where they had to raise their voices let alone hands.

And after the incident that happened with his mother in the library, Yoojin was wary to even accidently stare at the prince too long. 

But the said young prince just had these ways to push the little boy… just off. 

So when Yoojin reached up and pinched the prince's cheek, pulling as hard as he could, It was nobody's fault but the prince's.

He was the one who encouraged the violent tendencies in Han Yoojin. The boy had all but once kicked (nothing more than a tap for the prince) his shin in utter frustration as tears shined in the corner of his eyes.

The guards were ready to behead the tiny kid and Sung Hyunjae was just elevated beyond reason.

While he sparred plenty with the knights, had plenty of bruises and fractured bones in his life from training. 

This was new though. Such a new reaction to his actions was a breath of fresh air.

The boy just used whatever he got his hands on to use against Hyunjae and while it didn't hurt at all (not that the boy wanted to hurt him). 

The guards took it as an opportunity to bid the boy good riddance.

It was tried and effectively stopped within a full circle of the clock's hand.

The little boy never knew why but he was ecstatic to know the big meanines (word used by Sung Hyunjae and learned by Han Yoojin) were never going to come to the library with the prince anymore. 

Which only fueled Han Yoojin’s growing violent behaviour towards the prince, without the four pairs of scrutinising gazes keeping the boy's growth in check, he was showing all the different expressions he possessed.

The prince smiled, hidden in the tuft of black hair, thinking back to the disgusted face the boy had made when he tried milk.

Why did a four year old never had milk before when that should have been a staple drink in his life?

The prince felt woozy but aware. His actions and thoughts were his but not his at the same time.

 …He really needed the inhibitors suggested by the regent duchess.

"You scared me!" Yoojin shouted, bringing his other hand to the other cheek, making the prince smile brighter as he nuzzled the boy's head.

The boy continued to sputter things that the older boy chose to ignore and took a long whiff of the smell of old books that clung to the boy like second skin. 

He opened his eyes and moved away just enough to look down at the boy, who still had his hands on his cheeks, caged between him and the desk.

Hazy golden eyes to huge obsidian ones.

"I almost killed you." 

…

…

…

…he was not supposed to say that.

Hyunjae smiled lopsided, voice calm as a cucumber.

“But then I smelled you.”

"AND I HAD A GIFT FOR YOU!”

Bless the non-existent attention span of an angry toddler .

“But you clearly don't deserve it after scaring me like that!!" The boy shouted, his voice a pitch higher than usual,  giving a final tug to the prince's cheeks before letting go and grabbing the book he had oh so meticulously placed.

The boy jumped away, escaping the prince's cage, onto the chair and then on the floor but the moment his feet were in his shoes Hyunjae grabbed his vest and held him in the air dangling like a doll.

"Let me go!"

"What is this?" The golden haired boy asked as he took the book away from Han Yoojin.

The boy tried to take it back but the prince simply extended his arm keeping the boy at bay as he peered at the book.

"how to not be a stupid alpha for stu..."

His words trailed off reading the title.

He studied the cover again. And then again. Written in messy writing and black ink. It was a smudged here and there but the title and the au-

The prince flipped the booklet. He carefully examined the messy words, clearly written with great care and effort. And the seams... soooo very badly bound and… Was there a smidge of blood near the end knot.

Sung Hyunjae looked at the boy who had gone quiet in his hold. His face an adorable shade of pink as he looked everywhere but the man holding him.

Golden eyes glanced at the fiddling tiny hands, noticing the tiny badges wrapped on his fingers.

He was feeling it again, the vastness he felt in his chest that he felt on the terrace. 

He was breathless. Again.

Carefully he placed the boy back on the table, on his feet with his shoes, as he carefully held the book with both hands. He opened it, briefing the chapter names that were marked so carefully.

Hyunjae took a deep breath and cleared his throat. His dazed brain told him to do that, not really knowing why.

One hundred percent because of the inhibitors. Author's promise. Because Sung Hyunjae would never actually behave this way.

"...did you write this book?"

The boy scratched his cheek avoiding the golden eyes that after the awakening had gone from the soft golden fountain sprinkle to the ever so deeper ocean's waves.

"...yeah." Then the obsidian eyes snapped back to the golden as he frantically continued. "But not without help!"

The boy waved his hands around like it was supposed to support his legitimacy.

"And this is a booklet for which I referenced twelve books! All mentioned in the bibliography. Then I had one of the other librarians check my work."

The boy went on to explain this and that of the whole process that took to make the booklet possible.

Sung Hyunjae just stared at the boy before glancing at the thing, 16 pages long, and then back at the boy.

"...Yoojin, how old are you?"

The boy's face was threatening to turn red as he meekly mumbled; “ Four.”

The prince hummed. He had no idea what to say but the way the boy had started to fidget he had to say something. Something not too mean.

"...Thank you."

Something polite is not the same as something not too mean!!

A smile played on the young man's face as he studied the boy. "For the very first of Han yoojin's works and-"

You should've had someone else do the stitching. When did you learn to sew?

"-it's already falling apart.” The small smile never wavered, even as the boy's face twisted in annoyance.

“Yeah well so were my fingers trying to keep it together!” He answered, holding up all his fingers, seven of which were covered in bandages.

The prince exhaled, hoping to push the air out that kept filling him in.

"But why this though?" Hyunjae asked, pointing to the title.

The boy actually had the audacity to smirk. (Something he very much learned from Hyunjae) "I noticed. You read a lot of things but not much on this topic. Also it's just ten important things all alpha should keep in mind. This is just an elaborated list stretched in fifteen pages."

The prince simply nodded, suddenly too dumb to say anything or even process anything anymore.

Seeing the lack of response the boy deemed the conversation done, so he got down again and this time the prince didn't stop him as he walked towards the door.

But then remembering the manner engraved in him by his mother and father, he turned back to the prince.

"I have to get going now, your highness." Yoojin smiled, a respectfully playful aura surrounding him which the prince was sure were the inhibitors playing with his brain.

But then he crossed his leg back, with his hand on chest and a light dusting of pink on his cheeks.

The boy, that barely came above his knee, bowed,

"Congratulations on presenting as an alpha your highness. I hope the sun's blessings bring infinite joy and fun to your life."

As soon as he finished his greeting the boy flashed a smile before he quickly scurried away.

How to not be an idiot alpha for late bloomers 

By Han Yoojin

Presenting late can have its own challenges. Especially when the presentee intentionally or unintentionally, may or may not have neglected secondary gender studies as observed by their reading choices. No worries! This book contains ‘must knows’ of the best books on the subject. Happy reading ^^

Morning came. 

And returned Sung Hyunjae's sharpness and spontaneity.

Despite all the daily duties and responsibilities, the prince took special time to personally get rid of the physician responsible for the medicine assigned to him.

Then he hired another. One from the duchy of house Miller. And then sent that one to the south for him to an assistant. 

With that out of the way, the prince of Seseong continued on with his duties and responsibilities.

Then night came, along with some free time. The prince sitting in his chambers, carefully flipped the last page of the little booklet he had in his possession.

He made a list of all the books referenced section before calling for,

"Simyeong."

"Your highness."

"Get me the best magicians, one that has mastered the art of preservation magic."

"Yes, Your highness."

That night the prince went to sleep with plans for an extensive and extended study session in a quiet and calm place.

And maybe just a little tea time… with milk.

Chapter Text

"Did you hear? The prince... killed the two omegas serving him!"  

The spoon full of food stopped right before entering his mouth. People bustled around with their food, shoving it down between the snippets of gossip that was being tossed around like crumbs.

"What!?"  Whisper-shouted one of the other maids sitting right behind where the five year old was sitting.

He placed the food in his mouth carefully, chewing without sound to hear the new piece of gossip surrounding their prince.

Not that he had not heard that one before.

This was the new source of entertainment Yoojin had taken interest in. No way appropriate for the five year old but it was not like his mother was there to cover his ears.

They had taken extra work.

'They didn't needed it' , Yoojin had pointed out one night at dinner but both of them just looked at each other with big smiles before directing them to the five year old.

'We're gonna have another sunshine in the family, sweetheart'

'You're gonna be a big brother.'

The boy had not understood yet what it meant to be a big brother, to him it was just another human being coming to live with them. One even smaller than himself.

'I should focus my reading on familial relationships, structure and history of society along with...ah! Behavior patterns in young children.'

He thought as he swallowed, nodding to himself and making a mental note to ask for recommendations from the head librarian.

Han Yoojin may know a lot of things but they were not in the right order.

He focused his attention back to the ladies sitting behind him in the mess hall. Making sure to chew as slowly as possible so that his ears could pick up the impossibly hushed whispers of the maids.

"Yes apparently those two were trying to bed the prince but I heard from Samantha who heard from Yuhi who heard from another friend of hers that they were being rather forceful, seducing our prince with unhinged pheromones!"

"Oh please!" the other lady hissed, "I wouldn't be too surprised if the prince forced them into his bed and accidentally killed them." Annoyed, she slammed her spoon down, glaring at the others at her table "After all, it's only nature that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

The little boy's eyes furrowed, he didn't know the meaning of that phrase.

And the prince killed someone for wanting to...sleep on the same bed?

Safe to say the boy was thoroughly confused.

Having had enough of the dramatic gasp and stupefied sighs the boy picked up his bowl and walked to the back-barn hoping to finish his meal while looking at the beautiful horses.

Yoojin really, really loved horses.

As much as he hated the riders who use a whip to make the poor animals go faster.

"Hello horsey!!" He whispered as soon as he saw the animals, placing his bowl on the closest window sill, he approached the majestic creature that sputtered shaking and his smooth shining mane dancing with the moment.

He laughed as the animal playfully placed his face near the boy.

"I thought so," A pompous laugh resounded as a girthy man rounded the carriage, "Valiant horses acting and playing like puppies, Han Yoojin must be around."

"Good morning Mr. Woo" The said boy greeted the man with a big smile as he continued to pet the horse.

The man, Mr. Woo, smiled and picked up the boy so that he could pet the horse in a more comfortable position (for the animal. that was why Yoojin liked him).

"How's your parents?" He asked, watching as the boy ran his fingers through the mane of the horse, revering in its soft touch.

"They're healthy. Mother's working less and father’s working more." The boy mumbled absentmindedly, enamored by the beauty of the horse.

"Well, your mother's not working any less boy, your little brother or sister is making sure to work both of them hard.” The man laughed and excitedly asked the boy, “Are you excited to be a big brother?"

Yoojin paused and looked at the man questioningly

What is there to be excited about... I really need to study the subject.

"Sure." The little boy went with the safest answer. 

He had come to an understanding that people found his answers quite overwhelming at times, so opting for short affirmations and refutations are the safest and expected answers from him.

Once done, the older man let the child down to go along with his business. Han Yoojin waved one final goodbye to the horses before he began to trot around letting his little feet carry him wherever, just observing how the world works outside of the pages of the books.

Before the little boy knew it, he was at the far side of the yard, walking along the wall of the warehouse, fingers dragging along the white walls.

White colour does not absorb heat or absorbs minuscule amounts of heat, which make it the best colour for summer and food storage houses.

The boy recalled with a hum suddenly remembering his own food bowl still sitting by the window.

A protest from his stomach made the young boy turn around to head for his bowl but a sudden cluster of hushed voices made him stop in his path.

Curiosity won over hunger as it usually does in young boys.

Carefully, He peeked around the building and saw some men clad in s- butlers- he had read about their suits, the black and white theme going on.

"Sir it has been two days- today marking the third. We have tried every platter to cater to the prince but he refuses to eat. If things go on like this any longer the king may just have our heads."

" ...Somehow I doubt that's going to be a problem. " A middle aged man, dressed in gray, with rectangular glasses said in a whisper just loud enough for only their group to hear and of course.

Han Yoojin.

A tense silence fell on the group and the young boy's eyes watched wondering if it's over... and why the heck is he not eating.

Tiny brows furred, like a detective trying to solve the mystery.

And a tiny hand came up making a gesture of taking a pipe out of his mouth and blowing smoke.

He giggled, not being able to hold a straight face, the prince made a better imitation of the said detective anyway.

"Are we... just supposed to let him starve for the next four days?" Another man among the group sighed, voice heavy with trepidation.

The tone and the words finally made the young boy understand that something was really... not right.

Why would the prince remain hungry for the next few days?

"We can only pray..." The man with glasses started speaking again but as if an epiphany came to him, he suddenly looked alive and barked out orders to his (probably, he has that air) subordinates.

"...and order mana recovery potion along with stamina recovery potions; focus the food budget to high class, preferably S or SS, recovery potions. And do it discreetly. His royal highness won't touch a grain of food that comes from the castle but may be partial to the produce of the magic tower."

Everyone surrounding the man muttered with renewed vigor, "Remember everyone, discretion is the key, this is for our only prince, safety of his honour and dignity takes priority over his health right now. Am I understood?"

No you're not.

"Yes head butler." The group muttered before dispersing.

Han Yoojin thought as genuine confusion marred his face and he walked away lost in his thoughts.

How is honour and dignity more important than health?

And isn't there a simpler answer... the five year old thought, his brain churning out an idea much more simpler that the group of men had.

If he won't eat anything from the castle, why not just get him something that's not from the castle.

The boy sighed, feeling disappointed in the adult like only a young kid could.

He walked back looking around; The butlers had said it was a discreet matter so Yoojin decided against just walking up to them and giving his piece of mind. The last time he did that, his mother had to beg for forgiveness on her knees.

But the stupid alpha wasn't even mad!

He sighed, remembering the feeling of being wronged but it was in the past and he had read that unliked experience should be left behind. So instead of moping about something that happened a long time ago, he focused on how he could put his plan into action.

He really didn't wanted to approach any adult he didn't knew… which only left one option but…

Oh well! It had been a while since the little boy last saw the prince.

He can just handle it himself.

The black haired boy quickly ran back to the carriage hoping it was still there, which it was but this time instead of the horses the boy approached the man who he knew made all the daily grocery trips for the kitchen.

"Mr. Woo!" The boy caught his breath, grabbing the older man's pants.

The said man looked down, away from the woman who he had been talking to and smiled, kneeling to the eye level of the boy.

The woman pouted, having the attention stolen from herself.

"Mr. Han!" the older man teased and the young boy giggled.

"But that's my father."

The duo giggled before the women made a sound of annoyance and left the child and man-child to their antics.

"Anyway... are you going to make any trips to the market soon?"

"Leaving in five, actually, need anything boy? or you wanna come with."

"No, no, I don't wanna disturb your work." The kid refused profusely and the older man's face twitched, suddenly remembering how the father of the boy had scolded him for going with him unannounced.

That day Woo wasn't sure if it was just worry or... something .

"Sure... um... can you get some..."

The boy whispered something and the man laughed before he started to explain something.

There were oh! and ah's involved as the boy for the first time learned currency and economy.

Both of them went their own way to do their work and Han Yoojin...

Completely forgot about the food in his bowl sitting in the windowsill.

The boy struggled, putting down the bag he had bought with him.

He was exhausted, sweat dripping down and the boy wiping it off with his sleeve.

Then proceeded to frown at the wet patch on his sleeve although that was still far from the uncomfortable way his shirt was sticking to his back.

Yoojin never felt this tired.  

He never sweated this much. He never felt this... heavy... never felt his stomach twisting the way it was doing now.

The boy took a breather beside one of the tall windows in the hall. The sun, orange in colour, reminded the young boy he had to go back to his father soon.

Then go back home to his mother.

The child smiled, clutching the bag tightly in his hands as went back on his way to the prince's adobe.

He had also been there but just once and even then they had barely stopped by because the prince needed a robe. Also at that time there had been guards who announced to the prince if anyone was there.

So that was the dilemma.

Should he just walk in, knock or announce himself because as far as he could see there wasn't a single soul in sight around the prince's room.

The air was thick and musky, like there was something hidden just ready to pounce.

But that was alright. Yoojin had gotten used to the feeling that followed the prince around everywhere he went. At this point it was nothing more than a 'I am here, your prince that is, bow before me.' to the boy.

Just as obnoxious as the prince was.

After much thought the five year old decided to combine two of the three ways he had though off and knocked on the humongous door before him, the sound of his knocks barely above a whisper and his sound,

"I greet the prick- prince, I said prince please don't miss-hear!" The boy stumbled over his words for a good few minutes.

Unbeknownst to the senses of the child, the literal smell of death that lingered in the hall lessened and calmed down a little bit.

"Anyway..." he muttered, face red at his inability to do a simple greeting that people normally did like breathing.

"I can come in?"

...silence followed his question(?)

Han Yoojin tilted his head at the lack of reply, but said nothing because he could hear a very faint sound of shuffling, it sounded like clothes, curtain? window? before finally feather-like footsteps approached the gates.

Like a fairy. Han Yoojin mused with a little smile.

The face that appeared when the door was finally opened, in fact, did NOT look like a fairy's.

"Are you asking or telling?"

Rough, Coarse, Parched.

"You're white." The child muttered the first word that came to his brain, craning his neck back to look at the young man standing before him.

His face was the same but he didn't look right. his face was completely... Do I know a word for... this?

"...Ashen is the word I think." The young prince spoke as if he'd read his mind, in a voice that was his, in a voice that Yoojin was so used to, a voice he had heard so many times before but it just wasn't it, despite being it.

The boy hummed, slotting the word in the back of his mind to check later.

"May I come in?" he said, asking correctly this time.

Then a wave hit the boy. Exactly like the one that hits when he lays down in his bed after a warm shower.

The prince's eyes gleamed, so right yet so soo wrong, he opened his mouth, huh? his teeth are wrong, and said a commanding “No.”

Now had there been any other person, man or woman, beta, omega or even an alpha... they would have shot straight to their knees bearing their necks to the prince. Their actions portraying their regret to have ever associated with the young monarch-to-be.

But this- this child just stood there. Blissfully ignorant of the promisee-of-pain that loomed in the air around the Alpha.

Like he was never affected by the way the air turns sharp at the slightest narrow of his eyes or a little twitch of his finger, nothing ever seemed to bother this- this- this- thing.

Perhaps that was part of the reason why just the sound of its tiny feet had calmed the alpha down just enough so that he had stopped tearing the painting off the walls.

Its tiny grunts made him straighten up a remaining chair and flunk out the broken pieces from the balcony.

Its little knock made his magic flow out, throwing all the windows open in its wake,  curtains pulled back allowing the room to bask in the warm orange glow of the sun.

With its absolutely horrendous attempts at announcing itself, the young man felt his rage calm down enough to not feel the need to tear his clothes apart.

And when he finally had his eyes on the... tiny, tiny thing, he remembered how to use words again.

His alpha calming down, uncharacteristically, more calm than he had ever been in the last four days…

Hyunjae had tried his best to ignore what his alpha had been screaming out ever since he had presented.

It was his. His alpha’s to be precise. So tiny but interesting enough for the prince to continue indulging it.

And now he was finally satiated to have its eyes on something that was his. 

Where I could keep an eye on it-

No. 

Despite the screeching of his alpha, The prince said no.

He was not yet ready for the innocent eyes to look at the animal he is. The animal his alpha is. He liked the way they looked at him- like he was a friend with complete trust.

but then again... The thought came to the prince making him smile ... he must just be biased to fairies.

The boy just blinked and tilted his head, his brain neither quite registering what the prince just said nor the small smile gracing his lips. Nope. His brain was busy trying to decide which one of the princes actually looked more... ashen.

"...Okay..." The boy mumbled, his eyes looking between the two, not noticing how the smile just fell off both their faces, eye narrowing, and the sudden... heaviness in the air.

Vision darkening around the edges, "but... why are there... two of you?" The boy asked before his body tilted but before he could lay on the floor, warm hands held him from his armpit and cradled him against a chest.

Yoojin felt a loud, absolutely racing pulsation against his ear, followed by what could only be described as the roar of a beast.

And despite it being all that, it felt just so calming to the boy, he actually pushed his face in, snuggling in the warmth. It felt so pleasant, probably more than his own mother's bosom.

Warm, Safe, Content.

"...just… eat the…strawberries..." The child mumbled drunkenly before succumbing to the darkness.

Hyunjae felt his heart race. In a manner that it hadn't done before.  

Consciousness felt like a matter of death and life to him as he held the limp kid in his arms. Sharp claws scratching in his brain, demanding to swallow anything and everything. Himself included.

The only saving grace of the prince was the slow, almost unnoticeable movements of the boy's shoulders as he calmly breathed in and out. Also the way he snuggled in closer may or may not had something to do with how the scratching in his brain calmed down enough to notice a man rushing towards him followed by three guards.

A look towards them had all of them on their knees but the man, the butler, barely holding himself up spoke hoping to calm the prince. 

“Y-your h-h-highness…” 

Golden eyes narrowed down into slits, invisible hands cut off his air supply making the older man’s knees buckl-.

And just as soon they vanished, with a high pitched whine.

The prince’s aura dissipated to a mellow threat as he turned around and walked back in his room.

The butler, sparring not a glance more to the fallen soldiers, walked inside the room just as the prince laid a little child down on his bed.

His eyes narrowed, he had seen that boy before. In fact the boy was rather famous among the staff with a completely split opinion. 

An angel he is, always helps clean around the messes, head butler Seok.

He speaks in a devilish manner sir! I asked him about the sweet and he started talking about sugarcane harvest, are we sure he is a child.

Seok Simyeong was wary around everything and anything he could not put in simple categories.

Was he a harmless child or was he someone being trained for unpleasant reasons.

The boy twisted and turned, clearly looking for the missing warth with his body but settled down as soon as the prince placed his heavy duvet on him.

So far the boy seemed harmless.

“Bring that bag here.” The prince spoke curtly gesturing to the bag sitting just outside of his doorway and the butler ever so compliant followed.

A bag filled with strawberries. Simyeong noticed as soon as the prince opened the bag. 

Strawberries that were not up to the standard of the place. There were some squished, some half cut (the way the vendors sell after cutting off the rotter parts) clearly the strawberries that could only cater to the common people.

The thought came to the butler in a flash. He understood the meaning behind them and was no stranger to how the most underwrap thing could reach ears they were not meant for.

And by the way his hair had started to stand in an almost painful manner so did the prince.

A chair flew right past him and slammed on the wall breaking into bits with a bang!

"WHO GAVE HIM THE IDEA!?!” the prince screamed, his eyes clear golden slits as his shoulders heaved up and down in an effort to keep his mana in check.

“My workers seemed to be lacking bones in their back to have resorted to usING CHILDREN!!!"

The butler never ran faster in his life to find the person for the cause of his prince’s anger. 

Thalia. To flourish. That was the name of the grand castle where kings and queens once lived as princes and princesses before ascending to Anneth Solaris- The home of the sun.  

Seok Simyeong served as the head butler of the Thalia Palace, chosen from a group of twelve by his predecessor, the former head.

By tradition of Seseong—the head butler of Thalia—followed the monarch who rose to the throne, continuing their service as the head-butler of Anneth Solaris.

And it was the testament of his capabilities when a palace physician came soon after he left. 

That played a significant part in calming the prince down. 

A warm light flared above the boy as a dark skinned man performed his healing magic, the kid snuggled his face, hiding it in the duvet, shying away from the bright light.

“The boy is just asleep from exhaustion, your highness.” the physician reported dutifully, bowing to the prince.

The prince’s terse shoulder barely relaxed. His alpha’s watchful eyes on the hand that moved around the boy and then on the whole of that man till he left the room.

Only when his territory was devoid of unnecessary things did he relax. Golden eyes landing on the bag of the berries sitting on top of the table in his room.

Slender fingers picked up the strawberry, with its side cut and the colour a little too dark. Sung hyunjae knew that he should throw it away, the thing was almost rotten but-

He put the berry in his mouth, savouring the sour taste.

-he was a slave to his instincts. Has been for the past four days and according to the physician he was going to remain that way for another four.

Don't try to resist your instinct, your highness, it will not be in favour of your health in the oncoming years.

As much as he hated not having control over his actions the prince also loved the way his senses had sharpened to the limits he thought were impossible before.

He could sense the people talking in the hallway, one hesitant another blatantly dismissive and angry and no sooner were they in his presence, kneeling to superiority.

"This is Arrak Woo. he is-"

"diD you GAve this brAT the berRIEs."

"...yes, your highne-"

Crash Thud Choke  

" uhhgk-"

" On whose wo rd- who fuc-"

" ghhh - he- sked- eh - too"

"...Your highness” Seok Simyeong interjected firmly, his voice calm, barely masking his own flight response. “Please allow him to explain... breaking the chain here may give the true perpetrator a chance at freedom."

The room was silent, tension coiling in the air like a serpent ready to strike. 

Then… gasp.

" Speak you cur. Depending on your next words I will decide how far to hunt your blood.”

"...hah...hah…” Arak took as much air as he could and worked hard to find his voice again. “please...kill me your majesty-" 

A hand, clawed, reaching to grab the bowing head 

"-but spare the child!"

The clawed hand stopped.

"He asked me to buy them, he gave me the money for it, but he said it was for a friend! had I known sob Yoojin would... gasp…

“Please... just please spare him. he's but an innocent child! he didn't knew an-"

"What did he say!?"

"Please your high-" The hand reached his head yanking his face up by the hair.

"WHAT DID HE SAY!?!" aura growing wild digging its claw into the beta.

"HE SAid it was for him and a friend!!"

The man was thrown back and lost consciousness upon the moment he met the wall.

"...I will find a better lead. I apo-"

"Enough."

Silence befell the room. The single word carrying the weight of finality.

"...get him treated, compensate for the injuries if he can't work anymore and by the sun if this goes out Seok Simyeong I will be the end of this land. "

"I will take this to my grave, my liege."  

Warmth dipped back into the bed, heavier than before.

"What!"

"The boys father-"

"Deal with it"

And then the door closed with just silence behind.

Yoojin raised his arms above his head for a big stretch face scrunching up in focus to feel every bit of it.

When did my bed become this soft? The thought went as soon as it came as his body jolted up looking around for the, "Strawberries!" 

The tiny kid exclaimed as his eyes moved around before landing right beside him.

"Good morning." Sung Hyunjae greeted without looking at the boy, eyes glued on the book in hand as he popped another berry in his mouth, leaves and all.

The boy blinked, looked around the room one more time then wiped his eyes and again looked at the young man beside him.

Then he looked at the sun almost out the horizon. Then he looked back at the prince.

"My father is going to kill me."

Eyebrows furrowed, he looked at the boy.  

Black eyes blinked. Then golden eyes blinked. Shaking his head, Hyunjae went back to his book.

"Just tell him you were with a friend,” the prince said nonchalantly. "And only the term friend."

The kid slowly nodded, eyeing the prince as he ate another strawberry. Again with the leaves.

He couldn't help it. "Leaves aren't supposed to be eatt-"

"Shut it!"

And that's what Yoojin did.

"What are you reading?"  

"Parent guide to children: What to expect in children's behavior by-"

"Martha Kure. I was going to read that this week."

"... Why? " Hyunjae asked, flabbergasted.

Yoojin drank the last of the milk in his tall glass(forced to do so; he doesn't like milk but who’s to go against the prince of Seseong) and placed it back on the table.

"I'm going to be a big brother. But why are you reading it?"

The prince gave the boy a look... and promptly went back to reading.

"How much did you pay for the strawberries?"

"Five silver, that got me five dozen and one dozen is twelve strawberries. So sixty berries for five silver."  

"...You don't know any mathematics."

"...I do know it was ten months worth of my pocket money so you better pay up."

Two weeks passed, everything falling back into routine after the prince's... for the lack of better word; rut.

'It's normal to not have Intercourse during ruts your highness just as it is normal to behave in a manner completely different from your usual self. You're a young alpha and you must remember, an alpha's first instinct is not to mate but to protect. And while I'm not an specialized doctor for secondary gender, I'll recommend being seen by one'

The doctor did in fact had sent an 'expert' who (an omega):- 'research is rather lacking in ruts and heats your highness. Due to its...' the doctor blushed under the golden gaze, 'rather private nature.'

  - was kicked out in a moment when she showed unprofessionalism.

'If I may, your highness... I don't think we can find a person who will not go red in the face in front of you... please lower your standard.'

The head butler had said and was, ceremonially, kicked out as well.

Chapter Text

The work chamber of the prince was a very private space, with only a select few individuals ever setting foot in there since the prince took charge of Thalia at the age of thirteen.

A little over five years and a few months later, the monarch had little to no power over the fortress of loyal servants the prince had built.

Which is why, while most people would show panic or trepidation to the sudden presence behind them, well… the prince was not most people.

There was no sound in the room except for the scratches of quills against papers, the room was illuminated in a warm glow despite the sun glaring down on the world from the highest point. It made the figure cover in black distinct like a sore thumb.

The man, who emerged from the shadows of a tree that was by the prince’s balcony, took soundless steps before he knelt just adjacent to the prince behind him, with his hand on his heart and face to the floor.

"I greet the blessed sun of the Seseong." 

The respected figure did nothing. He didn't show any indication of acknowledging the presence behind him.

But the man remained kneeling.

Minutes passed, close to an hour, and only after the final paper was placed in the completed pile did the prince react. He contracted the muscles in his shoulder before relaxing into his chair, "Speak."

"His mother gave birth, your highness. It is a boy. It does not seem like the boy will be here at the castle for the entirety of his mother's maternity leave.”

Hyunjae knew that. The boy told him himself before leaving.

"Where does he live?" He asked blankly, staring forward, devoid of any interest.

It was just knowledge that he wanted to know. The prince knew about and asked about a lot of things, to the point that there was no pattern to his interests, no predictions for his actions.

That is, of course, to the eyes that always looked for complexity in his patterns.

If the prince was interested he was invested. If he was not then he was not. If he loses interest, he'll simply stop investing.

"The Hans hold a house, near the west border of the capital, a two story building, four bedrooms, one living, one study, a porch and a yard. They have a twenty five year payment plan for the house with four years and seven month paid-"

They bought it after Yoojin was born.

"-a tenant family of four live on their first floor. Father: alpha, mother: omega, eldest child- daughter: showing avid signs that she is an alpha, two years older than Han Yoojin. Younger child- son, three years old."

The man paused his report, waiting to hear if the prince would interject. He could go on and on reciting his thirty page report but he rather not waste the prince's time.

"Alpha tenant in a beta household, I'm assuming they were somehow related?"

"They were classmates of Mr. Han in the Seseong academy."

"He's stable?" The prince asked, fidgeting with the emblem of Anneth solaris that the prince uses as one of his paper weights. One had to be in a house with four children. 

The silence stretched a few seconds too long making the monarch-to-be narrow his eyes.

The man chose to continue before there could be any property damage.

"He is mostly. The man had taken to drinking recently after losing his job. It was not deemed noteworthy because even before the awakening the daughter had an over-looming presence on her father. The child has enough to keep him in check."

He hummed, content with the report for now. He flicked his hand and the man vanished into the shadow of the tree.

It had been over a week since Mrs. Han's six month maternity leave had ended. 

He knew he wasn't in the library before even setting a foot inside.

The atmosphere of the place is more breathable with the child's presence. It wasn't. Not right now.

The prince had waited a week, hoping the young boy would seek him out first but when he didn't show up for the Eighth day…

Sung Hyunjae has the sudden need to fetch his books himself.

He  entered and followed the distinct smell of the beta woman he had picked up on Yoojin far too many times.

And there she was going through a catalog and marking what the library had received and what was remaining.

He stood there for a moment, kind enough to let the woman finish (and noticing how similar the focus of her was to her son’s).

The world could be burning and the woman would die without noticing it.

The boy wasn't like that. Probably because of his father. The prince moved and so did she.

She looked up briefly, her nerves betraying her in the presence she had been in far too many times for her linking, before rising hurriedly to bow. Before she could lower her head fully, the prince spoke, his words halting her mid-motion.

"Don't waste my time."

The woman stood still awkwardly, eyes cast down, not daring to look at the young man in all his royal presence.

He opened his mouth before closing it again with a twitch of his finger. The prince didn't like the unwanted filter that was his alpha. Always questioning his words before he spits them out anyway.

It took a lot of resistance but the prince was apt enough now to not have his alpha influence his words or decision.

But there were instances where the man would agree with his instinct and on rare occasions he would induled it outside of his rut.

Right now was just one of those instances. He did not like how similar the woman looked to the young thing he owns. Her face was soft, just like the boys, and her eyes... a complete replica of the obsidian.

Hyunjae sighed, closing his eyes and raising a hand to his cheek, falling back to his courtroom image, completely erasing his aura.

He opened his eyes again, a light playful gold as he lightly folded his arms in front of him, a hand slightly raised but not quite resting on his chin.

The tension visibly vanished from the air and the woman's shoulder.

"I was walking around and noticed you, How are you children Mrs. Han." The prince smiled, giving his best one that made people lay down at his feet asking to be walked over.

The woman took a peek at the young man and she relaxed completely. She tugged a stray strand of hair behind her ear, cheeks dusting a light pink. 

That was different from her boy. He alway made a very interestingly disgusted expression wheneven the prince smiled like that.

"They are both very well, your highness. Yoojin often tells his younger brother how lucky he is to be born since he will grow up in a Seseong under your highness's rule." The woman bowed slightly, placing a hand over her heart, thanking him.

Hyunjae's smile didn't change but those who saw him often would notice the sharp upturn of his lips on the left.

"Mrs. Han knows just what to say in order to appease royalty." 

The woman flinched and bowed a little deeper. "T-Thank you your highness."

Fear doesn't suit that face. 

The prince sighed internally while putting a cork in his instincts.

"Still your older boy must love his dongsaeng very much to not have visited the castle once in the last six months." 

The way the older woman flinched did not go unnoticed by the price. "Y-y-yes your h-highness Yoojin loves... o-ou-our l-little Y-Yoohyun."

What kind of mother hesitates talking about her child?

"He must be very lovely, your jageun adeul?"

"Y-yes Yoojin finds him very l-lo-lovely."

Hyunjae blinked a plan churning in his eyes and a smile growing on his lips.

"Very well. Mrs. Han please send an assortment of five books. Two picture books by Maticeè Laurada and three... hmmm, something light to read on economics and culture and- right! Are there any new publications by Jude Sartha?"

"Two, your highness- Water and land: new evidence of fairies habitats and the magical forest and creatures we know."

"Perfect!" The prince beamed, like actually freaking glowed. "Please make sure they are in my room before the quarter of the hour.”

Without waiting for a response, Hyunjae turned around and left the area.

"Taewon." 

A man appeared from the prince’s shadow, his face solemn, drawn in disconsort as he fell in step with the prince.

"Please don't." 

The golden haired young man beamed (again) at his shadow knight, excessively satisfied with the weariness growing on the other's face. 

"Don't worry. I'll be extra careful not to get caught."

"You're nineteen."

"So are you."

"-point is. You're not a child. The prince has duties to-"

"Let's not drag this out shall we, you'll say something, then I'll say something, and we'll repeat till I'm stultified and use my authority to make you do it anyway. So Let's just cut right to it."

The prince looked at the man beside him making sure the man was looking back at him.

"This is an order, vice-captain of the shadow knight, please prepare for it."

Song Taewon sighed wondering why he even tried anymore before vanishing into the shadows.

A man stopped before the wooden gate opening way into a small yard before the porch. His bronze eyes observed the property before him. 

Surrounded by a five feet stone boundary, with an ample yard in front (and back with a small flower and veggie garden), the two story stone house was probably the most glowy in the area. Perfect to raise children in.

Now only if this was not so close to the magic forest. 

Bronze eyes eyed the boundary of the magic forest that was barely fifty meters away from the house.

Magic beasts don't roam within two kilometers of their forest boundaries. If the place wasn't safe, a living establishment would not be permitted here.

His voice of reason(read: Taewon) reminded the man as he sighed and pushed open the gate. 

Not even three steps in and the stench of an alpha preventing him from taking the fourth.

He took that step anyway.

"Who the fuck you think you are!? Stepping on my fucking property, you snotty shit!?"

A man, the same height as the prince outed the house, promising pain to anyone who intruded on his domain. 

He tried to get in the young man's face but the said young man stepped back, his light brown cloak swishing around his feat. 

Not because of fear of course, it was to avoid the spit projectiles the drunkard was spewing.

And don't get him started on the stench of alcohol.

"Yeah! crawl back to where you came from!?"

The man in the cloak barely hid his amused smile, "Pardon me, sir, this is Han's residence, isn't it?" 

The man blinked, not really registering what the intruder was saying. He just flared his pheromones and opened his mouth, probably to scream, shout or cry, who knows? 

Because before he could utter anything at all, a wooden stick slammed into the side of his face, effectively knocking the man out as he crumpled to the floor.

Bronze eyes blinked.

As a little girl landed before him.

She giggled, sighed and looked way too pleased with herself.

"Sorry about him, this is Han's residency and you are?"

Brown eyes blinked in complete innocence like she hadn't just knocked a guy black out four times her size.

He likes her.

"Sigma." The man nodded. "I am sent from the palace to deliver something for Mr. Han."

The girl blinked, then hummed, spun the stick with way too much efficiency before pointing it to that man's face.

"Two scenarios. First - you're telling the truth but got the timing wrong, Mr. Han's at work. If it's urgent you can just take it back and give it to him. Second..." 

The stick inched closer to his face, almost touching his nose.

"You're lying to get into their house to steal valuables, in which case you're more than welcome to join this piece of work on the floor." The girl smirked, tightening her grip on her weapon of choice. 

Inwardly, Hyunjae smiled. Oh! How he wanted to keep her.

Outwardly, Sigma blinked, again, "...it's for Mr. Han Yoojin."

The girl's smirk fell, eyes worriedly glancing back at the house before looking back at the man, putting on her best poker face.

It needed some work.

"Yoojin’s not at home either. Just hand it to Mr. or Mrs. Han." The girl shrugged before she placed her hand behind her head and started whistling.

How inconspicuous, he thought, barely holding back a smile.

"I'm sorry young lady but I have direct orders from the blessed prince to see that this," Sigma presented a bag at his hip by lifting his cloak before letting it down again. "Reaches Mr. Han Yoojin’s hand safely."

The little girl appeared conflicted, she glanced back at the man laying on the floor before looking around at nothing, trying to decide what to do.

"I can pass it to him. You can leave it to me."

"I can't. Prince's order to hand this in his hand."

The girl looked visibly frustrated and scratched her head, her dark brown hair flowing just a little past her shoulder.

"Look buddy I-" 

"Hyuna." The voice came from behind the man as the door opened and closed. 

He was here right behind him. 

His heart beated to a happy tune, definitely the work of his alpha.

Sigma turned, bracing himself for the change that had occurred to his item that he hadn't seen for the past six months.

And then he paused.

… it hadn't changed a bit.

Aren't kids his age supposed to grow fast, his cloths were a far cry from what he wear at the castle (a white peasant shirt that had clearly seen better days with a simple brown pant and a flat sandal clearly, two sizes too big.), if anything the boy seemed to had shriveled up. 

No he hadn't. That was just his alpha's interpretation.

Obsidian eyes blinked at him, so soo bright, then turned to the little girl behind him.

He had a bag with a loaf of bread peeking out of it, fresh from the smell of it.

"Yoojin, you're back!" The girl bounced over to the other boy and ruffled his hair.

I want to do that too.

Sigma smiled at the smile that spread over the young boy's face.

"Yeah, thanks for letting me borrow your sandals." The boy said as he took them off, standing bare feet on the grass, and the girl took them sliding in her feet, a perfect fit.

"You wouldn't have had to borrow it if you just waited- ah! forget it," Hyuna turned to the man, "See! told you he wasn't home!"

Sigma smiled, eyes turning into crescent yet not.

"Yes, I'll remember that hyuna is a simple person from now on."

The girl blinked wondering if it was a compliment or the man was making fun of her.

Yoojin wasn't having that kind of contemplation, he knew.

A frown etched on the six year old's face.

Oh! That is new!

Indeed it was.

"Hyuna, who is this guy?"

"I'm Sigm-"

"He's from the castle. The stupid princ-" 

Small hand slammed on the girl's mouth as the bag of bread fell to the ground.

"Hyuna!!!" The boy hissed, worriedly glancing between the girl and the man, "We've talked about this!!!"

Obsidian eyes, panic stricken, looked between the girl and the man standing there. 

Hyuna, for her part at least looked guilty choosing to fiddle with her dress as Yoojin removed his hands.

"Ummm... so..." The six year old tried. Desperately trying to come up with something to cover up his little secret with Hyuna.

Sigma saw an opportunity and he grabbed it with both hands.

"Ahh yes, the prince, he's very smart."

"Yes," Yoojin sighed in relief, he had been fast enough all along. "The prince is very smart!"

"Of course! He is very handsome. It wouldn't be wrong to call him the most handsome man in the entire Seseong."

Yoojin’s eye twitched. “Yes. The prince is the most handful person in the whole of Seseong!"

"...Pardon."

"Handsome!!! I said handsome!!!"

Sigma held his lips to hold back a chuckle. 

Oh! he had missed this so much.

The boy was going to start stuttering, he knew, if he pushed him just a little more...

Stop it! That is enough.

His hand twitched. He did not like the way His instincts flared in the boy's presence, and if Not for the ample entertainment he provided, Hyunjae would not hesitate to cut ties.

"I am here sent by the prince Mr. Han Yoojin. My name is sigma" The man in the cloak said, bending down to the boy's level but making sure his knee didn't touch the ground lest he give the man in his shadow a heart attack.

Despite that he heard a sharp inhale from his shadow which he pointedly ignored.

"His highness?" The boy mumbled looking the man straight in his eyes.

The man nodded and brought the bag forward showing the boy a glimpse of it.

"He asked me to give you these. May I help you take them inside? These are heavy."

Curiosity was instantly changed to wariness as the man talked about entering his house.

Good. Very good. Don't just let anyone enter your house. Good job Yoojin.

These were one of those instances where he agreed with his instinct.

He raised his hand and pulled the hood of the cloak back to let the rays of the sun fall onto his brown locks.

"...please take these back. Or at least come at night when my parents are home."

Good jo-

"Very well!" Sigma stood back to his full height, dusting his clothes despite not having a speck of dirt on them.

"I shall come at a later time  even though it's tiring to carry these books back and forth."

The boy blinked, head tilting sideways.

"Books? What books?”

The brown haired man smiled. Hook, line and sinker.

“Oh nothing, there were two new Jude sarth-"

"This way!" The boy all but yelled, hurriedly picking up the bag of bread, he handed Hyuna a bun from it. Before grabbing the man's cloak. 

"This is a two story building but the second floor is only accessible through the stair in the back garden. Come quick Sir Sigma!"

No! No bad Yoojin! Books are enough to throw off your sense of caution!?

Sigma just quietly laughed.

"I'm home Yoohyun!! Hyunjun!" Yoojin announced entering the house. He turned to sigma.

"Please remove your shoes before entering Sir."

The man smiled a small smile as he removed his shoes. He had learned from his outing that some people preferred to walk barefoot in their homes. 

But it was a lost concept to royalty. 

Yet he took them off as a toddler came running, with striking resemblances to the girl he had met.

"Yoojin you bacm!" The smaller boy hugged the older.

The six year old laughed before taking out a bun out of the bag and handing it to the smaller child.

"Here, don't let Hyuna take any from you. She already had one and thank you for staying with Yoohyun." 

He said before sending the boy on his way. The two people, so vastly different in compositions, entered the hallway and sigma realised something.

His balcony alone is bigger than their entire living room.

There was nothing but a bookshelf a little away from the window with well used cushions around it and a simple table with four seats with gates to the two bedrooms in opposite corners of the house.

Nothing more, and going by the content look of the little boy's face, nothing less.

"You can keep it on the table." The boy said, excusing himself as he went to a bedroom and shouted merrily, "Yoohyun!"

There were a few tiny giggles as the brown haired man placed the books from his bag  on the table.

The young man was thoroughly amused. He had been to many places outside of the castle, even the capital. 

But this was the first time he was in someone's house.

No... this was definitely a home.

If the giggles were anything to go by.

"Yoohyun say hello," Yoojin said as he brought his younger brother out, cradled against his tiny chest. "This is Sir Sigma, he is a..." 

"Kight." The brown haired man supplied smoothly. Looking at the tiny, tiny human attached to his thing.

And then the baby looked at him.

...ill...it...

Ki...t...

Kill...

...it...

...kill it...

......kill it......kill it......kill it......kill it......kiLl It......KILl iT......KiLL it......KiLl iT......kILL iT.....KILL IT.....KILL IT.....KILL IT...KILL IT...KILL IT...KILL IT...KILLLL

The room was still. Nothing changed. But inwardly, it took every fiber of his being to not let the small smile on his lips to falter become tense. 

Stopping his hands from clenching was hurting more than it actually would if he clenched his hand and tore the skin of his palm. 

Ahhhh! Of course the mother doesn't like to talk about the child...he is like me.

It was a miracle Mrs. Han was alive. the prince had devoured the entirety of his mother when he was born.

Sigma suppressed the shudder trying to crawl up on him, his alpha was already sensitive, and so far he had been trying to ignore that. Keeping his mind off of what was to come in two weeks time.

An alpha's rut happens twice a year on its own but external factors (stress, a sudden threat, or an omega's heat and further research required) can and do influence the frequency.

So yeah… he had been pointedly keeping his mind off of it.

He still had two days before his inhibitor insignia needed renewal.

But even the best of it could not stop the actual internal struggle that nobody actually ever seemed to notice.

Well everyone except Taewon. If the vibration in his feet was anything to go by.

The little baby felt it too. Of course he did. He was just like him.

But he was powerless to act. Unable to protect himself, he did the only thing left to him—he began to cry.

Weak little thing! That's right! Know your place.

The six year old boy was instantly alert, "Yoohyun!" He cried, bobbing the little boy up and down to calm him down. "Don't cry, please. Sir sigma was sent by the prince; he won't do anything." 

Moisture collected in the dark obsidian eyes, not quite flowing down.

"Clam down baby... calm" Yoojin lowered his voice trying not to cry himself.

My-

Sigma slammed a lid down on his pheromones and instincts. That was enough for now. He came to focus on his thing. Not to have his thing focused on another.

The boy calmed down a little, focusing on his big brother. Yoojin smiled and leaned his face close to his brother rubbing his nose on the-

Hyunjae blinked.

Suddenly finding himself in a white plane.

He looked around, golden hair flowing with the wind that seemed to flow from every direction he turned his face to.

Where was he? Every direction he looked there was white. As far as he looked was white. 

I should be panicking... I think.

But he felt just so calm.

Golden eyes hid behind the flutter of his eye lashes and he smiled as another gust of wind caressed his face.

He could stay here forever.

...nja...

Closed eyes furrowed slightly. Head tilting into the unnatural warmth on his face.

Hy....ae

He dug his face further into the warmth raising his hands to hold it back only to find out he couldn't.

He couldn't move.

Hyunjae!!!

Golden eyes snapped open... pouring right into obsidian.

"Hyunjae!"  Yoojin whisper-shouted again, holding his face in both his tiny hands.

Golden eyes blinked. He tried to move again only to realise he was pinned to the floor.

An arm pressing his shoulder down with his hands bound in a hand much larger than his.

"...Taewon?"

The other man didn't say anything, just making sure that his friend was safely plastered to the floor.

Looking at the confusion on his face, Yoojin sighed.

"He's fine, vice-captain Taewon." Yoojin said, looking at the much larger man before looking back at the golden eyes. "Safe to release?"

"Am I a rabid dog?"

"You were." Taewon answered, releasing his grip on the prince, helping him to sit up. "Only for a moment. But you were."

Hyunjae didn't say anything. Feeling oddly calm. Now that he was sitting, he just wanted to lie down again and sleep.

"...Are you okay?" Yoojin asked carefully, standing at an angle so that he could lay hand on the prince but the other couldn't. 

"I'm..." hyunjae licked his lips, he looked at his hands then back on the floor. "...gonna...lie down for a few moments." 

And then the only prince of the strongest nation proceeded to lay on the hard cold floor of one of his employee’s.

Chapter Text

"Is it really okay to leave him here?"

Yoojin asked as he adjusted the cushion below Hyunjae's head and watched as his head settled into the little divot of the missing cotton.

"Yes." 

Elaborate to the boy Taewon. He is better to converse with than half the old gooses that comprise the noble assembly.  

"...moving him now may cause unnecessary confusion and... possible distress."

The boy blinked, his big round eyes making him wonder if such a young child could understand the severity of what had just occurred.

Taewon had been assigned to the prince six months ago (which was long overdue) and the circumstances were not what he was expecting.

Looking at the peacefully sleeping face, the vice-captain reminisced the day he first met the prince.

Both of them were young boys no older than seven.

Taewon had been recommended by his orphanage to join the military school because of his larger-than-his age build and meek as a mouse personality.

The instructor had picked him to be the prince's training partner.

And when the first time the commoner saw the prince, he felt small. Smaller than he had ever felt before. Larger than life eyes that portray the rising sun on a round face framed by hair that reflected the actual sun's rays.

He did not know it back then, but the beauty of the young prince had that effect on everyone, he was not a special case.

"Why are you so big?" Seven year old Sung Hyunjae had asked, looking up at Taewon when they first met on the training field. "Aren't we the same age?"

Countless voices muddled in an incoherent whisper buzzed in the black haired boy's head, "...sorry" was the only reply he could give to the prince.

And well… that was all it took to break the hell known as Hyunjae to break on him.

The boy was made to follow on the prince's whims. 

He was forced to eat together. Train together. Learn to ride horses together. Read together…

And on the rarest of occasions, be forced to watch diamonds falling from the setted suns as the prince would sleepily recall his beloved things taken away from him.

Little by little. Very slowly...

They were ten; When they sneaked out of the palace for the first time.

Then they were twelve when they got caught. Which was also their last trip before Taewon 'died'.

"And who is this? The wretched boy that encouraged you to wander out?"

"Nobody encouraged me to do anything! Going out was my own decision, father."

"... my own son is raising his voice before me..."

"...father..."

"Take him away! And bring me the prince's etiquette's teacher. That person clearly has been incompetent at his job."

"No father... wait! Don't take Taewon away. I'm... apo- wait! Sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Sir?"

The said man focused on the scrawny little boy... crouching beside the head of the future king of Seseong.

Do the two of you realise the difference in the pedestals you stand on.

"...Pardon me, you were saying?"

The boy frowned and poked the goldenette. "When is he going to be up? And why is he here?"

Lack of entertainment. “I'm as aware as you are about his intentions Yoojin." 

Having gotten over the fact that a very important person was sleeping in his living room, he turned to look at the prince.

Yoojin had seen many faces of the prince, angry, happy, annoyed, full of horse crap , arrogant and so on. But this was just... but this was the first time he saw the said man literally burst with something so... raw… I think this is the word for this .

Turning back to the vice captain, he opened his mouth to speak but seeing the man standing so off to the side and looking uncomfortable he offered him a seat.

"...Would you like to sit, sir?" The boy got up and walked, half pulling a chair out for the taller man but the said man just shook his head pointing to the man laying on the floor.

"That wouldn't be appropriate."

"Then you can sit here." Yoojin chirped pointing to the cushions laid out by the book shelf. 

Taewon hesitated but seeing the beckoning look in the child's eyes he gave in. As the older man walked by and got comfortable in the offered space, Yoojin took that opportunity to dig through his bread bag and take out another bun.

"...It got cold." The boy muttered, disappointment dripping from his face before he shrugged.

"Here..." he tore through the baked goods, revealing a stuffing of meat and offered the bigger piece to Taewon. 

The older black haired man raised a hand while refusing the offering, "No, thank you."

The six year old pouted, in an unapologetic way only kids could, "This is the best meat stuffed bun in the whole market, even if it's not super hot you'll regret not having some, vice-captain sir." He insisted on pushing the piece in Taewon's face.

This was something the older man had noticed the moment he had met the young boy. 

Despite being complete opposites in every conceivable way, Taewon couldn’t shake the unsettling resemblance—the boy mirrored the prince’s worst habits.

But only when he was around the vice captain of the Shadow Knights.

Almost as if he had been commanded to do so. It was haunting to a certain level. One Sung Hyunjae was enough, the world did not have a need for two.

It was only Yoojin’s kindness that made the man not give up hope; yet to see a boy more kind than Yoojin and of the same age. 

And because he knew of that, he, albeit reluctantly, accepted the offered bun.

Yoojin bit into his share the moment his other hand was empty and made a satisfied sound, speaking through his mouthful, "Even cold these are still the best."

Taewon took a bite on his own piece and promptly made a note to get the boy the same except more fresh.

Having licked his finger clean the boy spared a glance around his room before nodding to himself and, "Make yourself comfortable sir, I'm gonna go check on Yoohyun." before making a haste exit from his own home to the said young sibling who was with hyuna.

The air shifted around Sigma. His brown eyes bursting apart to reveal the golden hidden beneath them as the air shifted, becoming very much like it was often at the palace.

Yoohyun started crying again and just as quickly Taewon slammed the prince to the floor.

"You..." The alpha hissed from the floor as the vice captain held him in place. "Don't you ever do that somewhere else!"  

The boy was left speechless, his head moving in a nod, his body agreeing to the demands without his conscious effort, yet his mind still as a vegetable, frozen with shock.

Hyuna had barged in his home breaking him out of his stupor and just as quickly was made to leave with crying Yoohyun.

Yoojin had the distinct pleasure of meeting Song Taewon six months ago. 

Appearently after someone had sneaked into the prince's room during his rut ( cough co-Yoojin-ugh cough) the king had finally decided to (read: forced by the noble court) assign a shadow knight to the blessed prince.

Safe to say the young boy was pleasantly surprised Sung Huynjae had someone (his age) he called a friend.

Although there was some kind of tension in the air surrounding them. 

Not like the one between lovers that Yoojin had read about, but more like between brother; when one stabs the other for their father's fortune and then return after spending it all to seek his brother's forgiveness, and the other brother has no choice but to let him back in because that is what their old mother wants- kind of tension

Yeah... it was complicated.

Considering this was their third meeting.

The first time they met, it was in their office and Hyunjae was forcing Yoojin to have that obnoxiously tall glass (specifically called Yoojin's and the said boy hated that glass) of milk.

The boy was sitting on the table with the prince in front of him and Taewon at the back.

At the end of his wits, the boy looked around and picked the little golden horse thingy that weighed a lot to hurl at the prince.

As mentioned before the prince encouraged a lot of tendencies in the young child.

It was always the prince's fault. The young man knew exactly how to push the young boy in order to get all the intricate reactions. 

It was purely because of his physical inability to take it anymore when the boy got physical. 

Not that the weird man ever actually stopped him. In fact he was sure as rare as it happened now the goldenette liked it even more.

So to say that his breath was stuck in his throat was an understatement.

The prince loomed over him, the little hand not even reaching his face as Hyunjae's hand was raised going over his head, not touching him while the other was placed beside him, caging the little boy. Not looking at him but behind him.

And the air around them... it crakled. 

The boy slowly lowered his hand, the weight of the tiny horse statue unbearable all of a sudden.

And Just like that the static vanished.

"You're fine." 

The prince said, the hand that was around him, touched his back, moving up and down as he leaned back to look at the boy.

Golden eyes, lacking all the mischief, dared the word be said- mellowed as they looked down to the blown wide obsidian.

"I-i'm s-s-so-so-"

"We're fine." The prince insisted, giving the boy's shoulder a firm squeeze before moving away from the kid's space. "If anything it was Taewon who was being rude, interrupting my fun." 

The boy looked down, unable to peer at golden orbs any longer and just nodded, albeit stiffly. 

Still the thing that was lodged in his throat and was not going away. Anxious eyes glanced around before landing back to the glass of milk that was right beside him.

Yoojin reached his hand out towards the tall glass but before he could grasp it, Hyunjae picked it up. 

"Leave it. It went bad." He said before casually chucking the glass out the open window that landed with a distant crash .

Tiny arms slowly tucked back in, the occasional swinging of his feet vanished, leaving behind an unearthly stillness.

The prince frowned, "...Well that just ruined my mood." falling back into his plush chair, hand supporting his chin, golden eyes observed the two black haired people before him.

The little boy sitting on the table, hands and eyes both on his lap.

The young man standing behind the table nursing his probably broken thumb, eyes cast down.

"...get out. Both of you." Hyunjae said as he shifted forward just as Yoojin dropped from the table. He held the little hand as the said owner of the hand straightened up.

"Where will you be heading?"

"...back barn. That is where mother told me to wait."

He nodded before looking back to his assigned knight. "Wait by him till his mother picks him up."

"Yes. Your highness."

"Did his highness do that to your hand?"

"..."

"He did that because you were going to hurt me were you not... "

"..."

"...I'm sorry. I did not want to hurt the prince. I will not do it again."

"..."

"... I really am sorry."

"..."

"...you should ask for Talia at the infirmary. She is a very good healer-"

"Please be quiet."

"...Sorry."

The second meeting had been way less tense and hearty. It did involve blood though. 

It happened not even a week after their first meeting.

The prince along with his shadow knight were in the open sparring grounds. Swords raised, bodies drenched in sweat under the glaring rays of the sun. 

And deafening clanks of the swords they used. 

Knight and trainees were not supposed to practice during midday, when the sun was at his highest. But they had retreated way before the sun reached that point and had not yet returned. (Too scared to even peek there because of the prince and his escort knight)

"Can we please stop now?" Taewon asked as he raised his sword above his head to block the vertical blow made by the prince.

The two swords clashed with the resounding clank.

"Oh I don't know Taewon!?" The prince shouted, twisting the bland in his hand and making it go straight for the other's torso.

"Can you!?"

Again blocked.

Only this time the vice captain didn't just block, he pushed .

Hyunjae's blade took a wide swing leaving his chest exposed and the knight took this opportunity for an upward slash.

It was a rather simple move. A move simple enough that it could be maneuvered off with the little blade the prince always kept in his left sleeve. 

But it probably looked like the prince was about to lose an arm to those who had no idea or experience of what was going on.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!?"

A brief high pitched scream filled the sparring ground and Hyunjae's hand slipped. The vice captain's blade swung off, leaving a clean cut in the prince's training shirt and it did not take too long for the edges of the cut to turn red.  

Not that the prince noticed. Or cared for a matter of fact. It was nothing but a flesh wound. A scratch, nothing more.

And the only reason he had that was standing around the entrance of the sparring ground, holding a moderately sized basket that looked too big in the little hands. 

Hyunjae knew that scream; Had heard it almost two years ago when he surprised the kid in his work study. 

At that time the boy had at most looked surprised, shocked even. That was hilarious.

Right now the look on the child's face was anything but that. 

"What happened?" The prince questioned casually, hoping to dispel whatever worries the child was having in the bud. 

No reply came. Face twisted in anguish as back eyes started at the thin cut across the prince's chest. 

He sighed. As much as he liked his toy, sometimes it was frustrating to deal with. 

"How the heck did you even find your way here? Nobody is supposed to be here ."

The prince almost snapped, wiping his wound that had stopped bleeding (if a few drops could be considered bleeding). Feeling frustrated at having his match cut short. 

But the boy didn't react. Simply looking between two older boys.

Hyunjae bit his tongue. He had nothing to entertain him in the gloomy castle or at least nothing as interesting as the boy and he had no intention to look for anything new. 

He liked his toy and had no intentions of ruining him. So he turned and walked away to look for water, the sun was starting to get to him. 

Yoojin quietly watched as Hyunjae vanished behind the closed doors of the knight's brake room.

His hands tightened around the basket's handle, the image of sword arching towards- 

The little boy clenched his eyes shut to rid himself of the image.

It was on this day Yoojin decided he was never coming back to the sparring ground. He never wants to see the strongest person he knew to ever be hurt. Or anyone for that matter. 

"That is impossible, son, people who abide by their duties are not afraid to get hurt. Knights, especially, must always be ready to lay down their lives in the line of duty."

"Papa, are you a knight?"

The man laughed, "No! Oh lord! no. I would have loved to but your mother loves me too much."

"That's right Yoojin. And you're not to be a knight either, just continue helping mama with the books okay."

"...Yes, mama."

"Please leave." Yoojin opened his eyes and looked up to the source of the voice and the shadow casted over him. "Nobody is welcome here for noon.

It was the knight. The man was drenched in sweat, holding his blade at an angle where he could easily cut down the child with a flick of his wrist.

Well the child was not feeling welcoming either.

"Is that so?" The boy said as he smiled doing his best to mimic the effect he had seen the prince's smile have, "I'll just ask his highness about that myself. "

He huffed and walked past the imposing man, completely ignoring the knight's attempts to stop him and confidently walking up to the door. 

And plopped right beside it to wait for the man inside. 

Taewon could do nothing but watch, the last time he had tried to touch the boy, he had a broken thumb.

The boy was Surprisingly aware of the things he could or couldn't do when it came to the prince.

As one his age would after being constantly told about them over and over and over again. 

The sun remaind merciless, heat pouring down. It  seemed like it wanted to cook everything alive. 

Seseong was notoriously famous for it’s hot days. While the heat was not exactly to the point it made people unable to move, they were dry and many people were surprisingly unwilling to sweat or drink enough water to make it through them.

Many people took off during the hottest week of the summer and some weak and unwilling personnel even migrated from the capital to the south or north depending on their preferences.

What seemed like forever the boy patiently waited outside the door, his willingness to sit unmoving (Something Taewon found very discerning because children that age weren't capable of being that still) finally drew fruit as the door finally opened and the prince walked out.

Obsidian eyes found the gold like clockwork.

"Are you okay?" The boy asked as he stood, eyeing the prince's face and chest.

Sung Hyunjae smiled, because who if not Yoojin would ask such a useless question.

The prince had heard of the doctor game children played these days and who but him indulged in everything the boy did.

"Do you wish to inspect?" He asked, slightly pulling the fabric away from his chest with a cheeky playful smile.

"I'm no doctor." 

but of course, Han Yoojin was not just like other children now was he. 

"You can ask for Talia. She's a good doctor."

Amusement practically danced on his face as he picked the basket beside the boy and brought it inside, the said boy following behind him along with the vice captain.

"That is the second time I'm hearing that name from you. Is Talia a friend?" The prince asked, taking a seat on a couch by the window and patted the spot beside him.

"...I would like it. She is studying to be a herbalist at the academy." The boy said as he sat on the couch beside the basket the prince placed by his side.

The boy opened the basket to reveal bunches of grapes and strawberries. 

"Let me guess..." the goldenette crossed his legs, placing his elbow on the arm of the couch and supporting his face on his knuckles. "...met her when she came to look for books... books you had no idea existed before."

The boy continued to look through his basket, ignoring the prince's speculation which was spot on if his red ears were to go anything by.

Picking out a large shiny strawberry, the boy offered it to the prince (with the leaves of course), who smiled at the offering as he took it.

Hyunjae loved when the boy brought him anything to eat, not as much as he loved feeding him. But nobody needed to know that .

That was one of his alpha's pleasure he indulged in.

So one can only imagine the frustration and irritation that boiled within the prince when the man standing a little off to them opened his mouth.

"Don't eat that."

"Excuse me?" Hyunjae turned to the black haired man, said man shifted his gaze between the boy and his basket before looking straight to the wild ocean of gold. 

"... I have a duty to perform your highness. Please cooperate and place that fruit back."

"Hah!" The prince scoffed, his eyebrows making a sharp twitch as his finger dug in the berry careful not to crush it. Angry words just sitting on the tip of his tongue, waiting to fall out.

Sung hyunjae's alpha not the man himself, was more than ready to tear into the vice-captain. 

But then he froze.

Small finger gently grabbed his hand holding the berry and brought it down. Just as the prince turned back to the boy as he bit the berry, stuffing his mouth full with the thing.

Silence filled the room, the boy settled back in his seat struggling to chew as the two older men just looked on with bewildered expressions.

The boy licked his lips after he swallowed and held up his index finger, "I just talked about a herbalist." Another finger joined in, "I pulled out a specific strawberry and gave it to you."

Yoojin smiled a toothy smile, as he looked down at his basket and pulled up the first grape his hand found, "Vice-captain captain Taewon is very good at his job and I'm just now realising how easy it is for me to drug you, your highness." 

The boy happily popped the grape in his mouth leaving the two adults dumbfounded.

Well one at least.

"Will you..." the prince asked as he switched his legs and placed his chin on the back of his palm, fingers still holding onto the little strawberry stem in his hand. " Poison me I mean?"

The boy coughed, he purposely hadn't used that word, afraid it would agitate the two adults.

The boy glanced at the guard whose focus was pinned on him.

"Well-" Yoojin coughed, that piece of grape had been tart, and leaned his face closer to the prince to whisper, " will you force me to have milk."

The prince laughed.

Things settled down, along with the three of them.

Despite many protests the shorter of the two men found himself sitting on the floor in front of the two sitting on the couch with the basket in between them.

Yoojin carelessly munched on the sweet berries and hyunjae took particular pleasure in finding the tartest looking grapes and giving them to Taewon. 

But to the credit of the man, he never made a face even after having them

And seeing the two act in such a manner the boy's curiosity was itching again, and the prince who had known the boy for three years had gotten quite good at picking these instances.

"Just ask, you'll have indigestion if you do not." The monarch-to-be said as he leaned back on the couch at an angle where he was comfortably facing the two blackettes.

The boy hesitated, opening his mouth before closing again and glancing back between the two.

The prince tilted his head, "...Yoojin wants to ask you something, Sir Taewon." Smiling at the said man, he continued, "You will answer right?"

"...Please ask." Taewon said, keeping his eyes firmly placed on the three grapes he had been holding for a while now.

He was willing to answer. Not because of the prince, but because he may have felt a little guilty for the way he treats the young boy.

And the said boy had no reserves when it came to his curiosity.

"Why were you fighting?" He asked looking at both of the men, "And don't tell me it was sparring. I know what sparring is, I've read about it. What you guys were doing was definitely fighting."

...

...

...

...

"His highness..." Taewon cleared his throat. "Insisted on that. He feels angry towards me for something that was beyond his control let alone mine."

Yoojin felt the shift of air around the prince. It was subtle, but he had felt that aura at its highest and probably the lowest too. He was very good at discerning it.

So before things got out of hand he asked again.

"...But wha-" the boy paused, his face losing a little color. Again Yoojin was a very observant kid after all, "...is it because of...his majesty." 

The boy whispered, afraid to trigger anything.  

The vice captain worked very hard to keep the surprise off his face as he glanced at the prince, who was already looking at the child with an unreadable expression.

"Go on," Hyunjae blinked as he looked away, focusing on finding the best looking and best tasting strawberry. 

Not that he would find one. The one the boy had given him first was the sweetest still and he knew that because he ate the little left stem, with the leaves.

"Elaborate to the boy Taewon. He is better to converse with than half the old gooses that comprise the noble assembly. "

The vice-captain hesitated, but the authority that was conveyed in the prince's voice left him with no option. 

So he told the five year old everything.

He was taken away to be killed but his talents weren't as insignificant as people had presumed them to be. His enlistment into the shadow knights was proof of that.

He had lived in the shadows for five years, had lived under the same roof as the prince for five years who presumed, dare it be said, his friend was dead because of him.

Five years. Enough to bury the guilt in the same grave that Hyunjae buried his friend in having no idea that the said grave never existed in the first place.

Hyunjae was not angry, he was hurt. 

But neither of the three were emotionally that mature to realise it.

Hence both the older men had their own conclusion as to how they felt. But now they had a third one, one much more innocent than the two.

"You..." Yoojin rolled the words around in his mouth, aware of the delicate air surrounding him, "...are here now. And even if you could not… just... say sorry." He observed the last strawberry in his hand, with the empty basket now sitting on the floor, "and promise to do better."

The boy looked up to the black haired man, who sat with his face looking down in his lap holding (now) five grapes.

Then the boy looked at the prince. Who calmly sat with his eyes closed and face rested on his knuckles.

Yoojin sighed, "...Now I feel sorry."

The nobel man chuckled, opening his golden eyes looking at the boy fiddling with the berry, "Why?"

The boy scratched his cheek. Having had his fill, he offered the strawberry to the prince.

"Because I will not be visiting the castle for the next six months."

The air stilled again. Taewon felt it, heaviness nothing like before threatening to suffocate him.

Then just as quickly it went away.

"Right. Your mother is going to finally take her maternity leave. Han Yoojin is going to be a big brother." The prince smiled and the boy blushed. 

He again pushed the berry insisting to the prince to take it and the young man in the final year of his teens did. 

Ate it off his hand while nipping the boy's finger, making him yelp. 

And just like that air was light and fluffy again as the prince laughed and the boy, nursing his finger, muttered profanities under his breath.

Taewon looked up from the Matha Kure book he had picked out of boredom as he felt movement from the asleep prince.

The said young man was sitting, looking more content than the vice-captain had ever seen him.

"Your highness?" He stood up, placing the book back on the table as he came to his charge's side.

"...Can I take this floor to my chambers."

The black haired man deadpanned.

"That will be quite impossible, Your highness."

"Yeah, yeah." The prince stood up and stretched his arms above his head before he took a deep breath and looked around. "I doubt it was the floor anyway."

When his eyes couldn't find what they were looking for nor his nose could smell it. Golden eyes found his guard’s black one.

"Where is he?"

Chapter Text

The sun had settled in a warm glow, a sharp contrast from its glaring self in the noon. A gentle hum of crickets and the faint breeze rustling the leaves. 

“Put your back in it lad!” the girl exclaimed in a comically gruff voice doing her best impression of an old man. Her voice boomed across the yard drawing out laughter from her younger brother.

Hyunjun clutched his side when his laughter started to hurt his sides, the ball thrown by Yoojin went way off to the side and the boy turned pink at the two Moon siblings snickering at his expense.

“The ball’s too heavy!” He groaned, ignoring the two brats and the weight of the day that was settling in his limbs. “I’m done with this game.” 

Hyuna rolled her eyes, laughing as she picked the ball again fully intent on slamming it in Yoojin's face- not really, of course, but before she could do so, the boy had already retreated inside the house. 

Inside the Moon household, the air was fragrant with the smell of roasted vegetables and a simmering stew and the sound of a sharp blade gliding against wood.

The boy paused in the doorway, his eyes falling on the father of the household. 

He sat in his usual chair near the hearth, carving a spearhead out of wood. The boy watched in silence, the rhythmic scrape of the blade against the wood in a mechanical manner. It was oddly captivating how a dull log of wood could become a sharp blade.

Why don't you try opening your own workshop?

And then what Han? Turn this yard into a pit of fire and soot. Where are these pipsqueak supposed to run wild then!? The forest!?

Mr. Moon was a strange man. 

That is what Yoojin would have thought about him if he still didn't know what responsibilities tastes like.

He wasn’t inherently a mean person. But when he drank himself into a stupor, his bitterness surfaced—anger at a world that valued lineage over talent, and frustration as an alpha unable to fulfill his instinctive drive to provide for his family.

"Yoojin."

And then there was Mrs Moon.

The angel who held this dysfunctional family together, very embodiment of warmth and kindness.

She never discouraged her daughter wherever she attacked her father but always took care of the man afterward.

It was very confusing to the boy till he actually saw the man himself reprimanding Hyuna.

"The last time you attacked it was weak! Put your back in it lass!"

They were a strange pair of father and daughter.

"Yes?" Yoojin asked, stepping forward instinctively, unaware that it was the innate pull that the omega woman had on all the children.

Her gaze flicked apologetically to the table, where the plates and bowls were in a stack. 

The women didn't have the chance to even ask. The boy's face brightened, already moving to help anyway he could. “That’s fine! I’m happy to do it.”

And really that was the least he could do to help the woman for taking care of Yoohyun. 

The boy carefully arranged the plates, unsure to put how many down. 

The woman, noticing the boy's dilemma, encouraged him, "Six, honey."

He didn't have the heart to tell the angle, that whatever she was thinking was not what he was thinking. 

Can he even digest commoner food?

Nonetheless the boy put the plate down, still unsecure how the heck he got away with, ‘oh the knight…he…is sleeping because he was tired after a late night petrol’. and after placing the pot down, Mrs Moon went to check up on the infant sleeping in her room. 

By the time Hyuna and Hyunjun stormed inside, chattering and laughing about the ball that hyuna had shot straight across the yard wall, the table was set and ready.

"Yoojin.” The girl said as she walked past him and took her seat, “That knight is asking for you outside."

The boy didn't bother to throw any reply back, already running outside to meet the said knight. The warm glow of the sky had melted into a muted blue, only a few minutes more before it turned completely dark.

The brown hair was back and his eyes were brown again, the cloak hanging on his shoulders as he leisurely enjoyed the evening wind. 

"Your hi-"

"Mr. Han!" The man said, cutting the boy's words short. The said boy’s eyebrows scrunched together at the interruption but soon relaxed when he heard the woman who had followed him outside. 

"Yoojin. Sir sigma." Mrs. Moon greeted the knight, her voice soft but heard in the quiet evening. The lady briefly bowed, showing her respect to the knight that worked so hard to keep their country peaceful. "Please do stay for dinner." 

The man smiled, turning fully to the woman, "That's very hospitable of you ma'am but I'm afraid to impose anymore than I already have."

"Nonsense!" The woman insisted, "You are a guest, and I'm not rude enough to let people go hungry in my house."

His smile barely softened, he was not going to stay and would have left after refusing again. He really would… only if the brat hadn't opened his mouth. 

"He's fine aunty." Yoojin reassured the woman, again with flailing his hands around. “The prince will be mad at him for taking so long in returning.”

What is his obsession with flailing his hands?

Hyunjae was really surprised to find his thoughts to be purely his. No instinct, no nothing whispering anything in his mind. 

A rim of gold surrounded the brown, thoroughly amused by the boy’s words, “Actually…” he coughed in his fist to mask the chuckle that escaped him, “The prince is rather benevolent. I am sure he would not mind if I were to stay for the meal.” 

The boy’s face twisted uncomfortably, he was working hard to keep the disdain off his face as he looked at the man and shameless smile only made him shudder more.

"If you will have me that is." he finished, looking at the woman.

The woman beamed, her omega satiated knowing everyone under her roof would have their stomach filled, "Of course!"

"Hah!" The man exclaimed with displeasure looking at Sigma sitting on the opposite side of at his family table. 

"Honey…” His wife said, placing her hand on the man's arm. “We've talked about this."

"Thank you for having me sir." The young knight said in a polite tone but without a single shadow of sincerity in his words. 

He watched in amusement as the alpha stewed in his place. He liked this. The simplicity of the moment and how different it was from the daily political strifes and power struggle that he was used to.

Also the lack of the monkey banging his chest in his mind, everytime he made people uncomfortable.

How simple life is without instincts brewing in the mix. 

The man grumbled before eventually falling into hush mummers with his wife, something that if the prince-portraying-as-the-knight wanted to hear he could, very easily despite the clatter that the young girl and her brother made.

Yoojin tugged on his pants, propping all his attention on himself.

Safe to say the man was surprised to find himself at the receiving end of such a fierce glare from the young boy. 

"Don't cause any unnecessary trouble." The boy whispered, barely audible over his own breathing.

The man tilted his face, "Eating food is troubling them?"

The look the child gave back… was well something.

Yoojin went back to his stew and the knight, seeing the boy focusing on his meal, finally paid attention to his surroundings.

Oh...

"I can't eat that much." The woman told her husband who paid no attention to the woman and just piled the meat on her plate from his. 

It would have been a very cheesy gesture of affection if not for the glaring lack of meat on her plate to begin with. 

His eyes wandered to the kids' plates before falling on his own. 

Oh...

Sigma took a spoonful of the stew in his mouth savouring the flavor. 

Too salty.

"This is very good ma'am." He complimented and making the woman smile and the man grumble. "Will you be willing to share the recipe?"

"Of course, I'll write it down for you."

"Thank you…” The young knight said after taking another bite and swallowing it before speaking.

Something that was habit and proper manners for others was his way of living.

“And if you don't mind me asking; I couldn't help but notice the spearheads by the hearth.”

The table silenced, Mrs. Moon glanced at her husband whose spoon stopped right before his mouth. 

"What about them?" The man asked, his voice lacking a significant amount of bite. 

Sigma smiled, eating another mouthful of the stew and chewing slowly to make the man, dare I say stew , "I am a habitual hunter and was just wondering if you will be willing to sell any."

"That was Surprisingly kind of you." Yoojin said as he jumped over a particular patch of grass. The garden being illuminated by the torches lit by the porch and the night air carrying a little chill of the on coming season.

He was walking the knight out after having dinner. The said knight who came carrying books in his bag was walking away with a bag full of written receipts of fourteen spearheads, eight of which were custom commissions.

"You speak like I'm the devil." The boy chose silence as the prince leisurely stepped over the same patch of grass that the boy jumped over. "That's an interesting family you're living with."

"I don't live with them, they live with me." The little boy said, pride in his house built by his parents. 

Parents that were nowhere to be seen despite the sky having turned black a few hours ago. 

Parents that were not nearly as affectionate as the tenants of theirs.

And really Hyunjae would not have noticed it. Really, He never would have noticed it. 

Had the eyes of the boy not lingered just a little too long at the way the father rustled his daughter's head. 

Or the way the mother doted on her little son. 

Really the prince had zero interest in other people much less their families.

But his annoying alpha was back, screaming to take the boy with him. 

And he agreed. The palace without the boy was rather uninteresting.

“Your parents are late.”

“They are.” The boy yawned his brain filled with the thoughts of his warm bed with Yoohyun. “Meh! They will probably stay in their lodgings at the palace.”

The knight’s head turned to the boy, curiosity dancing on his brows. “Your mother doesn't have that important of a job and your father…”

The prince closed his mouth. Now that he thought about it he was not completely aware of the father’s role in the palace.

“Yeah it’s my father.”

The prince did not ask for the specific. That bit of entertainment was going to sustain him till the boy came back to the castl-

“Why do you not work at the palace?” The words were out the moment they materialized in his brain.

The boy tilted his head. “I help my mother at the palace.”

The knight smiled, a little magic falling off his face, eyes turning into crescent. “How about helping me?”

A visible question mark appeared on the boy’s head.

The young man chuckled, "You're smart Yoojin." He muttered as they reached the gate, the boy turned to look at the man as he continued. "Will you work for me?" 

The sleep playing at the edge of the boy's mind vanished, head suddenly filled with the image of himself commanding the working personnel at the palace.

It was short lived.

"... What can I possibly do for you that your hundred other workers can't."

"A lot actually..." The prince smiled, bending down so that he was to the boy's level. "You can work as my private library assistant and assist with research. Catalog my readings... just be there to toss ideas back and forth."

Yoojin’s lips remained sealed. The words spoken by the prince playing on repeat in his head.

Hyunjae smiled ruffling his black hair, his eyes shining a beautiful glistening, expectant gold.

"Think about it and Come to the palace tomorrow, I will have a contract ready for you.”

And then he took his leave into the night.

"Four hours of work starting from lunch hours, Twenty gold coins monthly, five days a week." Evelyn read the terms of the contract, her eyes wide with astonishing disbelief.

"For cataloging your reading, assistance in brainstorming , what does this word even mean?"

"Discussions." The prince answered as he placed another sheet on the growing pile. Then picked another from the one that just didn't seem to end. 

Evelyn (who had actually visited the castle the very morning with the prince’s paperwork regarding the businesses established by him away from the prying eyes of the crown) was visiting the palace as temporary aide for the prince. 

And she was tasked with drafting the final piece for the unbelievable contract. 

The twelve years old girl was flabbergasted. 

"What is this?" She asked again, slapping the sheets with her hand. "A play contract? Who offers lodging for four hours of work everyday?"

"I just did." Another sheet joined the growing pile. 

"But-"

"Evelyn." Hyunjae looked up. His eyes, half moons with their shadow being more prominent under them. 

The to-be-duchess sighed as she signed the document that gave it finality and handed it to the prince. 

"So…." She said as she picked up the completed file and took it out to another additional table. "Who is this person scamming the prince of Seseong?"

The prince muttered somethingunder his breath. His face not betraying a speckle of his thought as another sheet marked the starting of another pile. "Gorez theory. Get me that book from the library."

The prince never bothered to look up from his work. Not when he gave his orders, not when Evelyn handed him the documents and not when she left. 

The princess of Miller could not help but admire that focus. 

The grand royal library artfully lived up to its name.

An archive of information whose access was earned by scholars by out-performing hundreds of their peers. The best of the best.

And having your work catalogued there was an honor among many. 

This was the first visit of Evelyn Miller to the grandiose palce. Scholars, nobles and commoners were seen lingering here and there all bound by their duty to knowledge- its past and its future.

The young girl, adorned in purple and accustomed to respect wherever she went, found herself at a loss when faced with complete disregard.

Chin held high, she walked up to the woman sitting behind a desk, checking over the contents of two sheets simultaneously.

"Good morning." The girl greeted the head librarian, gaining the old woman's attention. Her face, marked with wrinkles that were set in permanent frown lines, was twisted in a scrutinizing gaze,  "I'm looking for Gorez Theory."

"Which volume?" The woman asked curtly, pushing her glasses up, going back to her documents. 

The young girl's eyes twitched at the rudeness of the librarian and...

He never said which. 

"The prince is the one asking for it." 

"The prince is an impulsive reader," The woman continued, not looking up from her work, agitating the girl further. "One morning he is on volume one of one work, next morning on volume six of another completely different work."

"How helpful." Evelyn huffed with her shoulder tense and a plastered smile as she stood her ground. "Then I'm sure the head librarian who is apt enough to earn this title will be more than capable of handling such a task."

The old woman looked up, pushing her glasses up, her face scrunched in annoyance.

How rude!

Evelyn would have commented on that. Had the woman not been the head association professor at Seseong academy once in her lifetime. 

The head librarian looked around flagging down a much younger and completely novice looking assistant.

"Yes madam."

"Renece, rush and fetch that Han's lad."

"Yes madam," Renece, the aide, promptly turned around and ran off with hushed steps. 

Sparing a glance to the old serpent Lady Evelyn looked around, not stepping too far away from the main desk. 

She peaked around the columns but from where the young duchess-to-be was, she could not see the other end of the library wall. 

The girl did her best to not let it show on her face how overwhelmed she was with the sheer vastness of the space. 

She was wondering how long she will be waiting for the girl to return with the (she presumed) scholar.

The librarian had used the word lad but compared to her age, the duke of Miller was a lad. So imagine her surprise when a boy (probably no older than four) walked up to the old lady's table and spoke, "You asked for me madam."

The little duchess stared, the boy, young, skinny, clearly hadn't had any sleep last night (if his eye bags were anything to go by), and the librarian had asked for him . 

She had never felt more humiliated in her life. 

And would have continued to do so, had the following conversation not occurred.

"Economics. Gorez theory, which volume is the prince on?"

"...if he hadn't picked it up in... probably seven." 

"Tell Renece to get that too the prince."

"Oh! If he is asking for them, then from six to twelve." The boy chimed. "He could be on any of these."

"...Renece." 

The boy flustered, gave an affirmative, and ran off in the direction he had come from. 

"There, Lady Grand Duchess Miller." The librarian muttered not looking at the young girl before her, using her title almost as an insult. "You can leave now, the books will get ttohis highness before you do."

Evelyn left, her face pink with misplaced humiliation.

And then her face turned red when indeed the books had arrived before her by the time she reached the prince's work chambers.

Hyunjae just gave a knowing smile as he casually flipped a page from volume ten while sipping tea.

"Wait... that boy is the one!?"

"Do not be so mundane Evelyn."

"Mun- you're emp- toying with a four year old!"

"...He is six."

"... How reassuring. "

"With all the aforementioned tasks, you will also be asked to follow the prince's... impulsive orders, for which you will be compensated for according to the tasks." Evelyn resisted the urge to snack the papers in the carefree face of the said prince. 

She was being made to read the contract to the young boy sitting before her. 

And in all honesty the boy was showing  more seriousness than the adult was, so at least that was there to save her dying dignity.

"Here sign." The girl put the paper before the boy. Urging him to just sign the play contract and be done with it.

Things like this, these decisions her cousin made, made her worry for the future of Seseong.

"Go on." She dropped the pen before the boy. Which was a little rude.

She was not used to such a lax environment and was regretting her decision to ever come to the capital in hopes of learning politics from the prince.

But her rudeness was not appreciated.

Or the boy for that matter. 

"...Seseong's law provides three days to a person who is verbally offered a position anywhere in the country if he or she is provided with the written contract within a day." 

Yoojin picked up the papers as he bowed to the duchess, "I am legally allowed three days to ponder over this my lady."

The boy straightened and purposely avoided looking at the girl whose cheeks had, once again, turned pink because of her own attitude. 

Hyunjae could not stop them. 

His eyes despite being full of mirth and thoroughly entertained softened when they met the tired obsidian.

Maybe offering something so life-changing at night time was not the smartest thing to do.

You think!?

"I'll give you my response soon, your highness." The boy bowed, his actions severely lacking the stiffness shown previously.

After that the boy left, only Cold silence remained.

"Retire to your chambers Evelyn."

The girl visibly flinched. The prince chained his alpha back in.

The young man stood up, readying to leave himself inspite the huge piles adorning his room.

But then he paused, 

Oh well the girl was here to learn after all. He could spare some knowledge to his subordinates.

"Curt and apathetic behaviour will only get you servants, my lady. Empathy and compassion will get you allies.”

All of the girl's embarrassment was replaced by bewilderment.

"You and empathy? Compassion!?"

The prince's eye turned to crescent. 

"Well you can always make it work with manipulation."

With that he left.

Of all the ways the prince had predicted Han Yoojin would agree to his term, standing there with his father was not one of them. 

How entertaining.

"I'm rather surprised I never knew Yoojin’s father worked with Thalia's hiring management."

He was to figure out that tidbit out on his own in his free time but Evelyn's sudden appearance had stolen him of his free time. Sung Hyunjae always knew both his parents worked here but had assumed him to work in grunt work rather than administration.

"I am but an assistant, your highness." The man bowed a little again. "My job just entails me writing drafts and contracts for the hiring employee nothing more."

The prince glanced at the boy standing beside the man holding onto his father’s pant leg. 

The boy tightened his hold on his father but resisted bowing to the monarch-to-be. 

Hyunjae rested his chin on his intertwined fingers,  "No wonder Yoojin is so well-versed. Both his parents are well read."

"You praise us too much, your highness." The man looked down at his boy, placing a loving hand on his head. "Our Yoojin is a blessing to us, smarter than both of us combined. Your offer is a testament to that.”

The boy blushed, his cheeks turning pink as he looked down and fiddling on his feet. 

"Then I assume Mr. Han, as his father, has no issues with the contract."

The man hesitated, holding the papers in his hand and another separate sheet on his other. 

"You're contract is more than generous, your highness. In fact as a part of the hiring office I'm compelled to advise against it because it is a little too generous."

The prince tilted his head with a smile tugging at the corner of his lips  "But..."

The man had the decency to look ashamed as he presented the separate sheet to the prince.

"...I have been asked of by my own son to present you with his..." The man looked down, too ashamed to face the prince but duty bound to all hiring personnel. "...demands."

The prince sighed with a helpless expression. "How demanding of my new assistant."

Both the father and son blushed in an identical manner. 

Well if 'let my brother stay with me.' Can be considered that big of demand.

So Yoojin's official working days began. 

Breakfast at the mess hall. 

Oh how cute, Yoojin is such a good big brother. 

Followed by leasure reading in the library with Yoohyun.

Yoojin is reading to his brother, how responsible. 

Early lunch at the mess hall.

You should focus on your food little working man, let this Uncle Arrack handle this handsome little Yoojin's brother.  

Work with the prince starting from his lunch.

The chef sent too much food, Yoojin help me finish this. 

Dinner at the mess hall. 

Oh your parents? They went home. I think something about house maintenance.

And leasure reading before bed. 

The boy missed his friends (Hyuna and Hyunjun) only saw them on weekends and his parents every other weekend.

But honestly he wouldn't change it for the world. 

"Honey, where is Yoohyun?"

"I-I- I'm s-s-sorry. I-I a-am a te-t-terrible m-mother."

"Uncle!"

"Not now hyunjun."

"Yoojin! And big sister! They ran into the forest!"