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While heating his sword with a glowering torch, Seokjin kept his eyes fixed on its flames, furious... as if trying to swallow him up.
"Seokjin!", A little boy ran across the silent hall, calling out Seokjin's name with his small, sweet voice.
The man trailed his eyes from the fire towards his little visitor, his lips creating a wide smile as he shoved his sword inside its hilt.
Kneeling down infront of the boy who had a thin flower crown on his head, he tipped up his chin.
"What can I do for my prince?", he chirped, adore and affection dripping from his voice.
"Seokjin...", the boy panted. "Abeon- Abeonim..."
A frown appeared on Seokjin's face.
"Taehyung...?"
"What happened to him?", he demanded softly.
The prince whimpered, lips puckering as he rubbed his eyes that were just about to get teary.
"Abeonim...", the poor boy could only stutter out before Seokjin engulfed him in his own arms and stood up.
"Don't worry, my prince...", he murmured, giving soft strokes on the boy's back while he carried the little prince out of the hall.
"Your Abeonim will be absolutely alright..."
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-"Taehyung... Taehyung, its me... Eomonie..."
-"Why is he not opening the door?!"
-"Seona! You can leave if you are here only to create chaos. Let me take care of my child-"
-"He is my husband !"
"Queen Mother...", Seokjin's voice made the two ladies infront of Taehyung's closed door stop their verbal tussle.
Taehyung's mother rushed towards Seokjin.
"Seokjin!", she breathed. "Only- only you can do this. He is not answering any of us! Seokjin-"
"Queen Mother...", Seokjin breezed. Holding the lady's hands, he looked at the worried mother's glistening eyes.
"He will not do anything.", he assured. "I promise you, he will not..."
"But before that... I need all of you to clear this hallway, Queen Mother. Please... I have to talk to him."
Taehyung's mother nodded. Sniffling, she turned around and glared at her daughter-in-law.
"Did you not hear what Seokjin just said, Queen Seona?", she hissed, the frown on her forehead getting deeper by every passing moment.
"Why should I leave?", Seona demanded.
"I am his wife! I am his queen, I have the right to be here, Why should I leave?"
"Because you have tried enough, Queen Seona. Because we all have tried a lot but he has not opened the door. So it will be better if we give Seokjin the chance that he deserves...", the older woman gritted her teeth, frustration getting the best of her.
"We have to leave, Seona... Now."
Taehyung's Queen stared at Seokjin with an unreadable expression on her face.
"What issues do you have with me?", she sneered, pure and blatant hatred laced within her words.
"Seona, do not be stubborn!", the Elder Queen snarled.
The younger lady completely ignored her warning as she went towards Seokjin.
"I am his wife. He needs me right now.", she claimed while staring at the man's face with utter disgust.
"He does not.", Seokjin answered without thinking for a single second. "At least- not now..."
Clenching her teeth, Seona gave her son a harsh call,-
"Daehyun! Let's go."
Even though the prince did not comply to his mother and remained glued at his spot, Seona did not really wait for her son and stomped out of the hallway.
The older lady gave Seokjin a look of plea for her son's safety and finally took her leave.
Seokjin let out a sigh. Getting closer to the closed door, he muttered,-
"Taehyung..."
"Taehyung, please open the door..."
The man placed his palm upon the wooden door, softly murmuring the King's name who has become the living and breathing definition of power and terror in the whole subcontinent.
"Taehyung... Please... Let me in, please."
As the door finally opened, a disheveled Taehyung stood infront of him with his red eyes and tear drenched cheeks.
"Abeonim w-what happened to y-you?", little Daehyun wondered, his voice still teary.
"Nothing has happened, my prince... Go, play inside. We will join you in a moment." Seokjin was quick to usher the prince inside his father's chamber. Taehyung too, did not stop his son from invading his own chamber.
"Taehyung...", the older muttered worriedly as he cupped the King's face.
"What is wrong..?"
"P-princess Min-jung...", the younger mumbled, his blank eyes staring right into Seokjin's.
"D-did you see her today? She was... she was so scared of me! Did she think that I will kill her and her family too? D-does everyone think that- that Kim Taehyung kills women and innocent children too?!"
"Am I a monster, Seokjin?"
"No, Ofcourse you are not!", Seokjin answered instinctively.
-"But her fear is genuine, right? I- I have killed her father, her brothers... Anyone would have been afraid of-"
"Taehyung, it was a war! It all happened on the battlefield. And...", the older caressed Taehyung's cheeks with his own thumbs.
"...You are going to give her the honor of becoming your Queen, are you not..? She will live the life of dignity that she deserves, right? Then why are you forcing yourself to repent for deeds that are already done?"
"Taehyung...", he worded the name with firmness and immense respect while cradling the younger's face in between his palms.
"You are Kim Taehyung. The most powerful Emperor of this subcontinent. The most successful King of your clan. Whatever you are doing... it is for your Kingdom, for the honor of your predecessors."
"My Taehyung does not regret what he does.", the older claimed, thumbing the King's closed eyes tenderly.
"My Taehyung is a fighter... a warrior..."
"He does exactly what is necessary at the battlefield. He does everything for the benefit of his Empire."
"But he does not even trust himself, Seokjin...", Taehyung exhaled, holding the older's hands and giving them a light squeeze.
"He only trusts you..."
"Tell him that I trust him the most. Tell him that I have faith in his every decision, every step... Tell him that to me he is the greatest among the Emperors.", Seokjin stated with determination.
Taehyung chewed on the insides of own lip. Planting a small kiss on the older's inner wrist, he muttered,-
"Seokjin... stay..."
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"Abeonim... are you going to bring- another Eomonie?", Daehyun asked his father as Taehyung placed the boy on his lap.
"Yes... Why, dear?", The infamously "heartless" King cooed at the apple of his eye, an image that nobody in the subcontinent can imagine even in their dreams.
-"Eomonie was saying... that you will not love her anymore..."
Seokjin frowned at the innocent prince's uncertain voice.
"There are many kinds of love, my prince...", he said, pouring Taehyung and himself two glasses of wine.
"True!", Taehyung confirmed as he encircled his toned arms around his son.
"The way I love your Halmeonie, the way I love your Eomonie, the way I love you... or the way you love Seokjin...", the Emperor stole a glance of his oldest, dearest friend and continued, "All of these are different from each other, Prince Daehyun..."
"But do you know which one is the strongest of them all? The love that gives you the strength to fight."
Seokjin's eyes went towards the younger on their own as he was still busy in preparing the drinks.
"This is why we believe that... when you are on the battlefield with the love of your life, you can give your everything into the war. Look at me! I-"
"Still can not win against me in a sword fight.", Seokjin interrupted Taehyung midway while placing the glass of wine infront of him.
"You know what, my prince...?", a small smile adorned his plump lips as he ran his crooked fingers through Daehyun's soft, silky hair.
"Your Abeonim had promised me on the first day we met, that one day... he would defeat me in sword-fighting. Sixteen years have passed and that day still has not come!", he chuckled, causing the young prince giggle on his father's lap.
-"Pardon, Your Highness..."
Daehyun almost jumped on Taehyung's lap as his caretaker's voice rang outside the chamber's door.
"My Queen was looking for young Prince..."
Seokjin looked at the little boy with a suggestive look. Daehyun sighed and stirred. Retreating from his father's lap, he went towards Seokjin with baby steps and the older enveloped his face with his big hands.
"Seokjin... will you tell me more stories about Abeonim?", the boy asked, his brown, feline eyes shimmering with innocence, curiosity and hope.
"Promise.", Seokjin whispered and gave the prince's forehead a quick kiss before the boy ran out of the chamber to join his caretaker.
"He has your eyes...", the older muttered under his breath as he looked back at Taehyung.
Taehyung smiled a little, gazing at Seokjin in such a tender way that it made the older squirm on his place.
"He was...", Seokjin averted his gaze. "so scared for you... You should not make them worried like this, Taehyung."
"But I am always scared...", the King confessed, his right hand reaching out for the older's tentatively.
"I am scared that... one day, everyone will be terrified of me. Even... even you, Seokjin. I am scared that you will hate me one day. That you- you will leave me... Seokjin you-", he gripped Seokjin's wrist gently yet quite firmly.
"You will not leave me, right?"
Seokjin swallowed while looking at the younger's sharp eyes that were conveying various emotions.
"Do you know what they call me?", he asked instead of giving Taehyung an answer. "The people of your kingdom?"
Taehyung smiled.
"The Emperor's Seokjin.", he whispered, his thumb caressing the older's wrist. Seokjin nodded, his eyes fixed on the other's.
"You own my identity, Taehyung...", he breathed, his tone so quiet and soft that the younger felt his heart getting churned. "Where will I go without you?"
"And besides...", the older was the first one who broke the brief moment of silence between the both of them.
"You have a son now, the future heir of our Kingdom. And... and if the heavens want it, we will be soon blessed by another prince from your would be queen too, Taehyung. I have a responsibility of grooming them as the bravest and greatest warriors, have I not?"
Taehyung smiled again. Those words from Seokjin reminded him of his first night with Seona.
That night, when Taehyung was just about to enter his chamber, he had spotted his Seokjin waiting for him at the doorway.
"A small gift for your wedding...", the older had murmured while putting a ring on his left hand's ring finger.
The beautiful sapphire ring- studded with red diamonds is still one of Taehyung's most favorite and cherished ornaments.
"May your happiness, your glory... and your name... conquers time just the way you conquer each and every kingdom.", Seokjin had wished with a shaky voice as they had hugged each other for dear life.
Taehyung still remembers the way the older had shuddered in his arms when he had nuzzled Seokjin's neck, inhaling his smell that was so familiar, so alluring to him.
"I will pray to the heavens to give you a son...", the older had rubbed his eyes on the crook of Taehyung's neck. "A brave, great man... just like my Taehyung."
"You should have a son too.", The King whispered, still lost in his thoughts.
Seokjin quirked his eyebrows. Tilting his head, he went,- "What?"
Taehyung blinked, a faint smile appeared on his face as he brought one of his hands towards Seokjin's chin.
"An ethereal beauty... a valiant warrior... a wonderful friend...", he drew the outline of the older's jaw tantalizingly.
"Who accepts you just the way you are... Who saves you from yourself..."
Threading his long, slender fingers with the other's soft locks, the younger murmured softly,-
"...just like my Seokjin..."
The older's irises flared and he lowered his eyes, a tint of soft pink adorning his cheeks as he let out a heavy breath.
"I am afraid, Taehyung.", he whispered, earning a dark frown from the younger.
Who dared to make his Seokjin afraid?
-"I am afraid to belong with someone else-"
"Oh you would never be!", the younger pulled Seokjin in.
"You are The Emperor's Seokjin... My Seokjin..."
"I am afraid to lose you to someone else...", Seokjin admitted in a hushed voice, as if he was scared to hear his own words.
"Never.", Taehyung growled, gripping Seokjin's chin, he dragged the older's mouth towards his own.
"We will never lose each other.", he declared and the other whimpered helplessly.
"Because I am nothing without you. I... I need you, Seokjin... Always..."
Looping his arms around the younger's neck, Seokjin whimpered once again and Taehyung muffled that soft moan with his own lips.
Crystal like tears ran down the younger's cheeks as both of their lips moved against each other's like soft feathers, their hands roaming all over each other's torsos in the gentlest, most subtle way possible.
Seokjin kissed away those tears, murmuring against the younger's cheeks,-
"My Taehyung..."
"Your Taehyung.", The younger assured, claiming Seokjin's lips with his own.
The King who has everything at his feet, has given his everything to the son of a mere servant.
The cruel King who is believed to be heartless, has given his heart, his soul to his childhood companion.
Seokjin... a mere soldier among millions of other soldiers in their Empire, who has nothing as his own, can ask for the King's life and Taehyung will give it to him without hesitating for a second.
"I'm yours...", the younger sobbed quietly, his lips begging the older's to muffle down his own cries, to which Seokjin's quivering lips obliged with equal fervor.
"Nobody's but yours..."