Chapter Text
it was a simpler time, in the beginning.
there were two godly clans who ruled the world above ground since the earth was a mere youth. they were the sanshin, the mountain gods, closely bound to nature, their kind living in havens set further away from humanity, their focus set on keeping the crops grown, the seasons stable, and the harvest bountiful. beside them reigned the bonhyangshin, the village gods who chose to reside within the pockets of civilization, taking leadership roles in tribes and making sure that rules and regulations were strictly enforced and religiously followed within their specific societies.
they reigned in harmony, their relationship easily becoming mutually beneficial. the village gods taking what they need from the mountain gods and turning it into something more accessible for the people. the mountain gods, on the other hand, depended on the village gods to give them enough manpower--stewards who would aid in the time of harvest, till the soil when planting season is nigh. it was give and take, and neither clan took more than what was given, and neither clan gave more than what was needed.
but straw huts and wooden shelters soon grew into concrete jungles, and the village gods evolved with time to turn into the gods of the city. the mountain gods, too closely bound to the nature they have been born unto, receded further from civilization and opted to stay in the quiet countryside. the city gods, on the other hand, intensified their reign and rule in the quickly changing world, their names becoming synonymous to the biggest business conglomerates that made the world run, that made the clocks tick.
chaebol, they were soon called. and the world was at their feet.
because of this, a disparity between the two great powers slowly began to grow, and it became increasingly obvious that the gods of the city held more power over the world than the gods of the mountain. their formerly mutually beneficial relationship turned into something more destructive, the city gods taking whatever land and soil they could see to claim as their own. the mountain gods, ever generous, have decided to continue their end of the bargain at whatever cost, until the balance of the world began to sway into a dangerous tipping.
here they thought that striking a deal with their estranged allies would be the best course of action, and the current clan leaders have concluded that a marriage merger between two young gods of the royal bloodline would be their most convenient way of finding the middle ground between their existence, and keeping the world in a peacefully balanced state.
changgu sits on the chaise lounge in the vast living room, his eyes focused on the geometric chandelier that hangs from the high ceiling. beside him is hwitaek, the current king of the mountain gods and his technical elder brother in their clan's current arrangement. their assigned knight, hongseok, stands politely behind the couch, his noble figure silhouetted by the generous amounts of sun that seeped in from the floor to ceiling windows that showed the expanse of the bustling city below. the penthouse, after all, sits atop a breathtaking sixty stories, the units below being half-residential and half-commercial, all of it owned by the young king of the city gods who goes by the name of go shinwon.
hwitaek has been the one to break the news of his being chosen, and the prince of the mountain gods barely had any complaints to the arrangement he was presented with. changgu is to be wed to the young king at the thirteenth moon, and today is the day he will be introduced to his betrothed to begin the year-long tradition of courtship. it has been set that the prince will be the one to move into the king's household in preparation for their lifetime together. his bags are packed and stowed in a further corner of the room, and though nervous, changgu's eyes glimmered with pure excitement at the adventure that was waiting to unfold.
"changgu..." the king interrupts his train of thought, both of his warm hands covering his delicate own. hwitaek's eyes speak with sincerity, and in those dark pools changgu finds worry, apology, and sorrow. "i'm sorry that it was you who had to do this. it would've been more proper if it was i who would push through with the merger, but i was already bound to another before the elders even thought of the union."
hongseok clears his throat behind their pair, and changgu knows that a blush is coloring the knight's cheeks without even looking.
"no need for apologies, brother." his voice is soft, sweet as it is melodic, his slender fingers slotting with hwitaek's own, squeezing gently for reassurance. "it is a bit flattering that the council of elders thought of me as the best candidate for the merger, but i guess they did not look fondly upon hyunggu's obsession with the more modern world." he punctuates his quip with a short chuckle.
"i've told him so many times that the council will nag his ears off once they learn of his love for sneaking out into the city, but our youngest is as stubborn as he is talented." hwitaek does his best to sound exasperated, but there is fondness in his brotherly tone. "still. you could have had more freedom in your life as a young god. you have barely reached your prime, my dear."
changgu gives his brother's hands another gentle squeeze. "and at what cost? calamity? typhoons? hellish storms that will ruin our crops and force the population into famine?" his smile turns solemn after his tragic litany. "i'd rather not. the balance of this world is more important than my freedom. besides..." his eyes travel to the gigantic portrait of the young king that hung by the fireplace, and changgu spots a hint of softness in the stern expression captured on the canvas. "...my future husband does not seem too bad."
hwitaek unravels their fingers to cross his arms over his chest. "true. i've heard stories about his talent in business and countless more about his looks. but..." the king looks to the digital clock that hung on an opposing wall, a pout easily forming upon his plump lips. "he is late. i don't think it is proper for a man, much more a king, to keep his betrothed waiting for more than an hour."
the double doors swing open in an almost answer to the king's complaint, but it was not the supposedly modelesque king who emerges from the hatch. it is a man of a considerably tinier stature, with a round face that made him look younger than he is, but the fierce wisdom shining in his dark hues make it obvious that he has been on this earth far longer than all of them combined.
"hello." the man greets with a polite bow, authority surrounding his very aura despite his slight frame. "i am jinho, the head of this household--the king's chief secretary, if you must. i apologize on behalf of his being late, but our shinwon has been tied up by quite a lot of corporate engagements, and we do ask for your understanding."
hwitaek opens his mouth to express his distaste, but changgu beats him to vocalizing his thoughts. "no worries. time does move much quicker in your cities." the prince has on his most gentle smile, and hongseok hides a laugh beneath a cough at hwitaek's almost obvious exasperation at his own brother's kindness. "we have not been waiting long, and your hospitality more than makes up for a little time lost."
there is a ghost of an appreciative grin on jinho's stern lips. "you must be the prince." he walks forward with dignity, offering his hand for an introductory shake. changgu shakes his hand with much enthusiasm. "the portraits do you no justice. you are much more striking in real life."
"thank you." changgu replies with a grateful bow. "is his majesty coming in soon?"
jinho first checks his watch, before fetching a sleek mobile phone from his pocket to look at his past messages. "very soon. his final meeting of the day has just finished. if traffic permits, he'll be with us in less than fifteen minutes."
changgu feels his heart skip a beat at the thought of meeting his fiancé in mere moments. he has heard countless of tales about his countenance--from his wide shoulders to his long legs and his permanently stern expression. his prowess in his trade does not go unnoticed either, and the prince knows that the young king was lauded for his ability to keep their markets stable despite the endless competition that rose in the past years. still, what changgu searches are stories of kindness, and though he has heard of none (he blames the eternally biased old wives tales, really), he has high hopes that his betrothed is just as beautiful and enchanting on the inside.
"good." hwitaek is the one who responds, sounding like a king once more after that moment of softness. "a king who is late for his own betrothal--" his eyes are curled up into crescents, but there is mockery in those hues that changgu gently slaps his arm for. hwitaek merely spares him a short blink. "practically unheard of, but there is a first time for everything."
"you are as headstrong as the stories say, your majesty." jinho calmly banters, his hands clasped behind him. "but i assure you that this will be the last. i already have a lengthy lecture on punctuality prepared for him once our dear prince has settled in to rest."
hwitaek smiles in approval, but before changgu could wave off their hostility for his future husband, the double doors swing open once more. a group of well-suited men and women enter in perfect unison, and a likeness of the portraits emerge after the tenth suited person piled in. the modelesque male is flanked by two seemingly younger boys--two ravenettes who varied in height; one taller, and the other with the same height as the king. the king--if he is the young king, but the portraits fail to do his beauty any justice--is much too wrapped up in a phone conversation to even notice his godly visitors, much less his supposed fiancé.
"for the last time, we are not pushing through with that project," his voice is low and filled with command, his expression stern as he gives whoever was at the end of the line a dignified scolding. changgu uses this distraction to his advantage and takes the time to study his betrothed's entire form, from the broadness of his shoulders to the expanse of his back down to the impeccable length of his sturdy legs. he lets out a breath he did not know he was keeping in, his heart beginning to beat wildly upon his rib cage, both in nerves and in titillation.
"that is him, correct?" the prince whispers to the head of the household, and jinho nods his affirmation. the smaller man raises a hand to excuse himself from their group, gracefully going to his majesty's side in a couple of strides, the two young boys immediately giving way for his presence.
changgu watches in half amusement as jinho takes the phone from the king's hand and abruptly ends the conversation, and the young king's expression transitioned from shock to annoyance to simple exasperation. it is now that the tall man notices that there is unfamiliar company in his living area, and he does a polite yet obviously obligatory bow at his present guests.
(truth be told, hwitaek is far from impressed.)
"i--" the beautiful prince stills his breathing heart with a deep breath, and he manages a most stunning grin as he walks forward, his hand offered for a formal shake. "i am changgu. from the sanshin clan. you are probably aware that i will be you--"
"jinho." the king, go shinwon, interrupts the other's nervous litany, his eyes lacking any sort of warmth as he inspects the man that stood before him. changgu's hand hangs in the air, unnoticed. "how many times have i told you that i have no intention of pushing through with this ridiculous marriage merger the elders have been rambling about?" he turns towards the prince, the small nod he offered seeming almost apologetic. "no offense to you, mister. but i do not believe that this betrothal would be the answer to our clan's problems."
"shinwo--" jinho begins, his tone ready to reprimand, but the young king had already sauntered off to the hallway, his two knights immediately following suit. changgu remains in his former position, his ignored hand falling to his side, his expression unreadable. the smaller man turns to the remaining pair in the living room, bowing deeply in quick apology. "please give me a couple of minutes. our king is not in his best state."
"clearly." hwitaek crosses the small distance to put a protective arm around his younger brother, the prince immediately softening to his touch, his head almost automatically leaning upon the king's broad shoulder. "please do give us an immediate answer. i do not want to give away my brother to this..." he chews on his bottom lip, searching for a proper euphemism. "...this kind of uncertainity."
jinho bows once more, choosing instead to withhold his answer before disappearing into the same hallway that the trio went off to.
the room is silent for a few moments, until changgu finally regains the strength to speak.
"did he not like me?" changgu asks, a subtle sadness obvious in his query. "i know it's a bit daunting to get engaged to a stranger, but aren't we on the same boat? if it was fear i saw in his hues when he spoke of the marriage, then he should know that i am as scared as he is."
"i don't think it was fear that you saw, dear brother." hwitaek coos, running a gentle hand up and down changgu's arm. "i believe your betrothed is just a grade a arse--"
hongseok clears his throat before the king completes the bad word, and changgu manages a chuckle at their ever-familiar dynamic. "you are too quick to lay judgement, brother. perhaps he is under a lot of stress." the prince reclaims his perfect posture, though he gives the king a final squeeze of reassurance on his arm. "he did not sound bright when he entered the room, after all."
"and you are too nice." hwitaek reaches up to flick the younger's forehead. "you could learn a thing or two from me, changgu."
jinho comes back into the room after several minutes, pinching the bridge of his nose tight before offering another dignified smile to his waiting guests. "again, i offer my deepest apologies. on behalf of our most stubborn king."
changgu merely nods, his hand grasping hwitaek's arm to keep him from making any sort of snarky comment. "shall we take our leave?"
the smaller male shakes his head, clapping twice to alert a couple of attendants to pool in and take changgu's belongings into the inner rooms of the mansion. "no, not at all. the merger will go as planned. his dear majesty was simply not in a proper state of mind."
changgu releases a deep breath he did not realize he was keeping in. "oh. that...that's good."
jinho offers him a gentle smile. "truly. now let me show you to your room."
the prince chews on his bottom lip, his heart feeling a cocktail of emotions as the reality begins to sit in. this is the furthest he will be from their countryside home, and he is to stay with a most uncertain fiancé. he looks at his elder brother and their shared knight, tears threatening to spill from his kind eyes, the farewells and goodbyes stuck in his throat.
"i will keep in touch." hwitaek pulls him into a tight embrace, and he feels hongseok join their circle after his first and last sniffle. "make sure you have water and a mirror in your room or close to you always. you may be in the city, but i prefer we keep to our old ways of correspondence."
changgu nods as he pulls away from the group hug, wiping the last remnants of tears from his eyes as he offers a bright grin. "of course. new technology does confuse me, after all. but i guess i will have to learn."
"ah, i really do not feel good about this, changgu." hwitaek gives him a slightly sad smile, his hand easily resting upon the younger's supple cheek. changgu easily nuzzles into the touch. "don't hesitate to use your training to set your betrothed straight, okay?"
the prince lets out a melodic giggle. "i don't think it will have to come to that point, but okay."
"better safe than sorry, always." hwitaek links his arms with hongseok as they prepare to take their leave. "we shall be off." the king turns towards jinho, who has been most patient in letting them say their goodbyes. "please do not hesitate to call us if the need arises."
jinho nods, managing a tiny, reassuring grin. "the attendants will see you on your way out."
"have a safe trip home." changgu says with a wave before the double doors finally close.
"so." jinho breaks the forming silence, quickly appearing beside the seemingly uncertain prince. "to your new room?"
the prince merely nods and smiles, gesturing for the smaller to show him the way. the hallways in the modernesque mansion were vast yet winding, and changgu thinks that it would take him a while to memorize every room and corner of the penthouse. after all, it does not seem in good taste to always get lost in your own betrothed's home, no matter how unwilling the said betrothed is.
"i thought he wanted no part in the merger." changgu asks, his curiosity getting the better of him before he could stop himself. "to be quite honest, i was a bit disheartened by his words. are we really going to be wed by the thirteenth moon?"
"shinwon likes to believe he has a choice in the matter." jinho answers calmly, though changgu can notice the slight annoyance in his dark hues. "like we have a choice in the matter. the council of elders have always reprimanded him for being stubborn, but they all equate it to hubris and youth." the smaller man looks at him, his expression schooled into utter gentleness. "he may be a king, but he's not that much older than you."
changgu nods in understanding, any more concerns coming to a halt once they stop in front of a sleek pair of double doors.
"this will serve as your room. you may decorate it as you like." jinho motions as he pushes the doors open, gesturing for changgu to step in.
the room is vast, with a high ceiling and floor to ceiling windows that showed a great view of the city lights down below. the walls are white with grey accents, and the cabinets have hints of teal on their designs. a sleek, four-poster bed sits in the middle of the room, adorned with white and teal--from the blankets to the soft looking pillows. a bookshelf stands in one corner, a study table across, and a lone flower pot sits atop its marble surface. out of habit, the nature bound prince takes the blooms in his hands and sniffs.
"the attendants have already arranged your clothes in the closet over there" jinho speaks as he points across the chamber, "and you may refresh yourself in the en suite bathroom. should you need anything, you need only to press the buzzer by your bedside table and one of our attendants will come to your beck and call. but--" the head of the household smiles knowingly. "for any questions, i suggest you save them all for tomorrow."
a small chuckle escapes changgu's lips at his obvious curiosity, and he offers a bow of gratitude. "thank you. the room looks wonderful."
"it is the least we can do to make your stay a most pleasant experience." jinho takes a few steps back and sees himself out of the grand chamber. "i shall leave you to rest, dear. you had quite a long day."
changgu gives him a friendly wave before the double doors close. he walks around the vast area, both of his hands cradling the flower pot as he looks upon the skyline below. "this isn't too bad." he mutters to himself, more as reassurance than matter of fact. his heart does ache once he remembers the crude dismissal from his supposedly dear betrothed. "but--" he shakes his head to read his mind of any negative thoughts, turning to the rather monochrome room that lay before him, "it could use a bit of decorating."
with a grin, he sets the flower pot on the carpeted floor, taking a deep breath as he summons his magical energies in preparation for a spell. changgu chants a solemn prayer to the gods that came before his time, the tips of his fingers glowing a subtle yellow as he begins the incantation. soon, the flowers in the pot grow out of the tiny compartment, everlasting vines crawling around the borders and corners--from the bed's four pillars, to the study table's legs, and up to the geometric chandelier that hung from the ceiling. within mere minutes, the room begins to smell and look like an exquisite garden--of lillies and jasmines and chrysanthemums that will never wilt.
satisfied, the young prince lies down on the immaculate bed and lets his form sink beneath the covers, his tired eyes slowly closing, his last view being his favorite blooms hanging from the fixture above.
"better." he quips, yawning delicately as he drifts off to slumber, his thoughts leaning towards modelesque king. "tomorrow should be much better."