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Chapter Text

Rumi opened the door to Zoey’s room and saw her sister on the floor writing in a notebook. “Zoey?”
“Rumi!” Zoey looked up. “What are you doing here?”
Rumi smiled. “Celine wants to know why you passed up on another ‘handsome boy’.”
“What? When did I do that?” Zoey frowned and tried to remember what Rumi’s talking about.
“When you failed to notice he was flirting, rather than just being absurdly nice.” Rumi giggled when Zoey’s eyes widened in horror.
Zoey sighed. “Oh no. I didn’t mean to!” She whined.
Rumi laughed again and hugged her sister. “C’mon. Mira’s picking apples!”
At the word ‘apples’, Zoey perked up and started following Rumi. Ever since the girls were little, the three have loved picking apples. Their mother used to do it all the time before she died. Technically, the three girls were only half-siblings since Rumi was born of a man that wasn’t the king, but Mira and Zoey never treated her like a bastard child. The queen used to sing to the girls and she told them that their voices could lift up someone’s spirit.
“Mira!” Rumi called when they got close enough to see her.
“What?” Mira had a basket of apples, along with a half eaten one in her hand. She turned, her pink hair swishing as she flipped it over her shoulder.
“Can we help?” Zoey asked, moving to pick up an empty basket off to the side. After a ‘sure’ around a piece of apple, Rumi and Zoey picked up two of the discarded baskets and started to pick the ripe apples from the trees. The three girls talked the whole time, laughter echoing off the walls around the orchard.
In a gap of silence between the girls, Rumi started humming. Nothing special, just an aimless tune, something their mother had often sung. The other two girls started humming with her and soon, the aimless tune was a song, words vibrating around the apple trees. A three part harmony passed between the princesses, each singing a separate part.
When they were finished singing, Zoey gasped. “We should write that down!” Her sisters laughed, but agreed nonetheless. Zoey raced back to her room and grabbed her notebook, scribbling furiously (In speed, not emotion.) When she came back, Mira and Rumi were holding their baskets of fruit to take to the kitchens. Zoey grabbed hers and the girls started their ‘cold, perilous journey’ past a flight of stairs, which tripped Rumi, and a long hall of silence, broken only by the girls’ chatter. When the girls reached the kitchen, they were greeted by the staff warmly as they set down the baskets.

Bobby, the butler and best friend to the girls, walked in an hour later and found the princesses covered in flour and pulling pastries out of the various ovens. “Hi Bobby!” The girls chorus.
“Hi. You're late for your lessons." Bobby smiles.
“What?” Rumi glances at the clock. “Oh shoot! We are. Sorry Bobby.” Rumi pulled off her apron and waved goodbye to the chef and kitchen staff, then followed Bobby, Zoey and Mira close behind.
They reach the ‘schoolroom?’ and are greeted by Celine, the royal advisor and acting ruler until Rumi turns 21. “Girls, you are late again.”
“We know Celine. We lost track of time. We’re so sorry.” Zoey apologised.
“Do I at least get an answer to my question?” Celine asks.
The girls exchanged confused glances and looked back at their mentor, who shook her head.
“Why Zoey keeps tormenting the poor village boys?” Celine asked, earning a couple ‘ohs’ in response.
“I’m sorry! I don’t mean to. I didn’t even notice he was flirting until Rumi told me he was.” Zoey explained quickly. Celine chuckled.
“Well that explains everything. Now, for the lesson.” Celine stood and turned to the three princesses. She started explaining simple details on what to do if a guest or visitor arrived unexpectedly. The girls followed along, taking notes on nature’s notepad, their brains.
*~*
After the lesson, Rumi walked to her room. She figured that Celine had probably gotten word of an unexpected guest if she was teaching them how to deal with them. Her only question was why Celine didn’t outright tell them.
Closing her door, Rumi ran through a list in her head of all the possibilities. There was the king and queen from the north, but they had no heir and were content with the way their kingdom was doing. To the east, the kingdom was greedy and always asking for things, but with Rumi’s coronation so close, they had gone silent. The kingdom on the west was bordered by another kingdom and the two were always either fighting or making big trades and rarely looked twice at the other kingdoms. Then there was the kingdom to the south. With no queen to produce and heir, the king had adopted five sons. Of the four kingdoms, the kingdom to the south had the best relationship with Rumi’s, so why keep a visit from them secret? And why would they come unannounced?
Sighing, with no clear conclusion, Rumi flopped on her bed and groaned into her pillow. Why was guessing so hard? Couldn't Celine just tell them who was visiting? Rumi pulled out her favourite book and began reading.
*~*
Zoey walked behind Rumi after the lesson, branching away into the hall toward her room. Pulling out the notebook she had been writing in before Rumi had come in, Zoey sighed. She read through the list she had made after a maid had asked her what her ‘type’ was. It was a short list, but a very hard one to achieve. Throwing the page in her trash bin, Zoey began writing about her day like always. Writing helped calm her mind and could pass the time quicker than baking could. If given the chance, Zoey would never stop writing. Pages cluttered her desk and notebooks covered almost every other available space. Outside, Zoey could hear rain starting and she yawned and stretched from her crouched position. Grabbing her coat, she wandered outside. As she navigated the familiar halls, Zoey slowly realized she still had her notebook. Oh well. She thought. When she came upon the apple orchard. Zoey sat beneath the biggest tree and closed her eyes, listening to the rain on the leaves and feeling the drops slip through the foliage and onto her face.
Zoey remembered sitting like this with her mom. She hadn’t been able to sleep and had gotten lost on the way to her mother’s room. It turned out to be perfect when Zoey wandered into the orchard and found her mom. The queen had pulled Zoey close and told her a story of a prince who had traveled through acid rain to save a princess, only to be rejected. He had left sad, but ran into a runaway princess and the two fell in love. Happily ever after with a jealous princess to complete the story. Zoey had laughed when her mom said that the princess who had rejected the prince was jealous of the love between the runaway and the prince.
“Mommy?” She had asked. “Why did the princess reject the prince?”
“Because,” her mom had answered. “The princess was greedy and her standards were too high, so she passed up on the lovely prince.” The two had smiled at each other and Zoey had drifted to sleep with the rain on her face.
Zoey remembered the story every time it rained, and she often relived the moment in the apple orchard. She missed her mom. Rumi was the closest they had, other than Celine, and she was always putting her sisters’ feelings above her own. Zoey sighed, but smiled. “I love you Mama.” Then she got up and headed back to the palace, content with sleeping for a while.
*~*
Mira walked the opposite hall than her sisters, heading for the training grounds rather than her room. Moving past maids and bustling servants, Mira walked into the open space of weapons and dummies with a content sigh. Grabbing a gok-do, Mira slashed at dummy after dummy, finding a familiar rhythm. Humming the melodies her mom taught them, Mira practically danced to defeat the straw bags in the shape of humans. After she finished her tenth melody, Mira looked around and realized there were no more dummies. Sighing, she returned her weapon beside Rumi’s saingeom and Zoey’s shin-kal knives. She hadn’t realized it had started to rain until she saw the water on her gok-do. Looking at herself, Mira was soaked. The training arena was covered in puddles, proving that it had been raining for a while. Walking to her room, Mira listened to the drip of the water from her clothes hitting the floor. When she finally reached her room, she noticed how tired and sore she was. She walked over to her bed and flopped down, sighing. Mira drifts off, lulled by the rain and the songs stuck in her head.
Dreams followed the three girls. Rumi was chased through a maze by a threat she knows won’t hurt her. Zoey was wrapped in a hug by a person she couldn’t see the face of, nor recognize. Mira held her gok-do to the throat of a burly man with a blurry face, pink hair and raised hands in a surrender.
The sun didn’t show his face the next morning, rain pouring, as if knowing it needed to set the mood for the day. The sound followed the three girls in their tasks for the day, ominous, yet comforting. Preparing them for the worst without them knowing.

Chapter Text

Mira woke to the sound of rain and a few birds chirping. Sighing, she pulled herself out of bed and made her way to Rumi’s room. The familiar halls were absent of servants, which should have struck Mira as odd, but she was too tired to notice. Red and black carpets lined each twist and turn she took and windows showed a grey sky. The pale yellow of the walls sharply contrasted the rest of the castle, but no one wanted to change that. The halls wound through the whole castle, snaking past every door. Mira followed the path until she stopped at Rumi’s door. Knocking, Mira was greeted by Rumi when the door opened.
“Mira? What’re you doing here?” Rumi motioned for Mira to step inside.
“I woke up and felt that something was wrong, so I decided to drop by, since you’re awake at the unholy hours of the morning.” Mira settled on her sister’s bed.
“First, rude. And second, I am not.” Rumi argued, closing the door and crossing her arms. Mira looked at her with a deadpan stare. “Fine, but what do you mean you felt something was wrong?”
“I don’t know. Something just feels…off.” Mira sighed. “I don’t know.”
Rumi considered Mira’s words for a second. Nodding, Rumi sat next to her sister. “I think I know what you mean, but the last time one of us felt this way, you found out I was a bastard child.”
“I know, but this feeling has to mean something, right?” Mira fidgeted. Rumi nodded, sighing. Mira nodded back, getting up to leave.
“I wish I could tell you what it meant.” Rumi stood too. Mira nodded and walked out, absentmindedly heading to Zoey’s room.
Murals covered the walls in the hall to Zoey’s room. They were painted when Zoey was 10, and their mother had refused to wash them off. One mural showed their mother. It was a rough depiction, but impressive for a 10 year old with crayons on wallpaper. The whole family was there, on the walls. Mira walked past the pictures, stopping in front of a door with the sisters painted on it. Raising her hand to knock, Mira steps closer to the door. Zoey opens the door after the second knock. “Mira?”
“Something feels off.” Mira muttered. Zoey pulled Mira into the room.
“I know, I can feel it. Even my dream was weird.”
“Same.” Mira sighed. With a look from Zoey, Mira continued. “I held my weapon to the throat of a pink haired boulder with a blurry face.”
“What?”
Mira shrugged. “He was able-bodied. Anyway, what was yours?”
“A hug. I couldn’t see his face, but it was because of bangs.” Rumi walked in in time to catch Zoey’s dream.
“What?” Rumi asked.
“We both had weird dreams. I held my gok-do to a man’s throat, but his face was blurry.”
“Oh. I was chased through a maze, but I knew that whoever was following me didn’t want to hurt me.” Rumi shrugged. Her sisters looked at her. “What?” When she’s met with silence, she continued. “Anyway, Celine has called us to the throne room.”
“What?” Mira stood, worried. Rumi shrugged.
Zoey stood too, walking to her door. Mira and Rumi followed her. The three princesses followed the decorated halls, the twists and turns familiar. They passed doors, open and closed. Pushing open the doors to the throne room, Rumi led the trio to their thrones. In front of the dias, six cloaked figures stood, five of them behind the other.
“Show yourself.” Celine commanded from her spot next to Rumi’s throne. Rumi held up a hand to calm her mentor. Celine sighed, tension easing slightly, but not completely.
“We come in peace.” The man in front removed his hood, revealing a man with purple hair, similar but not quite matching the shade of Rumi’s hair.
“King Gwi-ma. Why are you here?” Celine asks, crossing her arms and shifting her weight.
“I heard that your princesses were of… courting age, and I know that the law states no one can take the throne unless they are open to having a consort, or having one already.” Gwi-ma studied Rumi, but shifted his gaze back to Celine.
“You brought suitors?” Mira asked bluntly.
“Yes, but you don’t have to accept them. They know that you have free will as well.” Gwi-ma nodded.
“Um… why do I need a suitor? I mean Rumi is about to take the throne, and Mira is a ‘back-up’, but why me?” Zoey asked, shifting in her seat.
Gwi-ma nodded again, answering. “I have a sense that though it is not necessary, it is a precaution. Also, I didn’t want to leave you out of the fun.” The king smiled.
“Take off your hoods.” Rumi directed at the princes. One by one, five hoods fell to the boys’ shoulders. The one directly behind the king had black hair and a kind smile. To his left, bright teal hair and a bored expression define the youngest prince. To the left of the teal-haired boy, a prince fidgeted with his heart shaped pink bangs. He smiled when he met the eyes of the princesses. To the black-haired’s right, a brawny man with cropped pink hair and a weird hat stood almost protectively in front of the last prince. Zoey gave a small gasp when she saw the prince. His bangs covered the top half of his face, the grey colour shining in the firelight of the throneroom. No one could tell where he was looking, but their attention was drawn away by the black-haired prince clearing his throat.
“I’m Prince Jinu. These are my brothers, Baby” Teal. “Romance.” Heart shaped and fidgety. “Abby.” Weird hat. “And Mystery.” The name fit the grey haired prince.
“It is an honour to be here.” Abby spoke up.
Rumi nodded. Turning her attention back to Gwi-ma, Rumi asked the question that was in all of their minds. “How long will this continue?”
Gwi-ma paused, thinking. “We can go two months, or longer if you prefer.”
Rumi exchanged glances with her sisters, then nodded. “We will start with two months, extending the time if necessary.”
Calling some servants, Rumi made sure the princes reached their rooms. Gwi-ma walked away with Celine to talk about something. Rumi walked to her room, softly closing the door behind her, then stepped out onto her balcony, letting the rain soak her through. The pitter-patter of the raindrops on the roof and the table and floor soothe Rumi as she closes her eyes and finally registers what just happened. She sighs and drew pictures in the rain, taking out her braid and letting the strands fall to the floor. Rumi tapped a rhythm on the rail of the balcony, letting her thoughts drown out the world.
Sometimes she wondered if she was the right one to rule. A bastard child. Celine had always said that neither the king nor the queen had cared if she was born of another man. They had wanted her to rule because they knew she could do it perfectly. At least, better than other kings and queens. But that’s not where her thoughts went. She thought about the princes. She knew about the south kingdom from the history books, but also from Celine deeming it necessary that they knew about the other kingdoms in case the knowledge was needed, so Rumi knew that the five princes were not of blood and King Gwi-ma was barely a father, more of a king to the boys than family. Jinu seemed to be the leader, his introduction and stance in front of the others said as much. Abby seemed to be his right-hand and the stance and positions certainly helped that theory. Rumi sighed again, letting the snow-turned-rain calm down her thoughts. She needed sleep, and to find out what the weird feeling Mira and Zoey clearly also felt was.
*~*
Zoey watched Rumi leave the throne room, knowing that her sister needed some time to think. Celine and King Gwi-ma walked out almost next to Rumi, except for the separate doors. Zoey followed the two leaders, keeping her distance. She wasn’t intentionally eavesdropping, but her room was the same way, so she thought it a bonus.
“-need to be cautious. She can’t find out.” Celine was saying, breaking Zoey’s train of thought.
“I don’t understand why. She’s a grown woman, she can handle the truth.” The king sounded sad.
“She needs to focus on ruling the kingdom, not on family drama.” Celine was angry, that much was clear to Zoey. And they were talking about Rumi.
“She deserves to know!”
“You don’t get to decide what she deserves!”
“You made me stay away and you know that’s the truth. You can’t decide what Rumi gets to know. If she wants to know who her father is, I’ll make sure she finds out.” Gwi-ma was determined.
At that point, they had reached Zoey’s room. She quietly slipped into said room and realized the weight of what the two had been saying. Gwi-ma and Celine knew who Rumi’s father was, but Celine didn’t want Rumi to know, while Gwi-ma was trying to give the princess free will. Zoey sighed and slumped onto her bed. How was she supposed to tell Rumi? What was she supposed to tell Rumi? Zoey knew that Rumi wanted to know her father, but she’d ask to double check. If Rumi said yes, Zoey would find a way to tell Gwi-ma, then let things work themselves out, all while dealing with suitors for her and her sisters. Just a normal 십이월. Zoey heard the rain stop, but when she looked outside, she realized it was snowing. Excited, she threw on a coat and stepped through the window, sitting on the window sill. Giggling like a little girl, Zoey tried to catch the flakes on her tongue. Zoey loved 십이월, mainly because of 크리스마스. Presents and family and snow! What’s not to love? Zoey smiled, unaware that her window is overlooked by a guest bedroom, housing someone who watched her giggle and smile. Zoey kicked her legs, her dress swaying in the wind and getting soaked with melted snowflakes. She sang a song that her mother had taught her about the snowflakes.
Zoey sighed, relaxing her shoulders and letting the tension bleed from her frame. The cool wind bit at her cheeks and ruffled her hair as she sat on the window sill, humming and smiling. Zoey started drawing patterns on the window when she felt eyes on her. Looking up, Zoey saw the open curtains of a guest bedroom, but no one was at the window. Shrugging it off as a servant, Zoey continued her picture. After drawing her sisters and the princes, Zoey noticed just how cold she had become. After adding the finishing touches to the Mystery portrait on the glass, Zoey slipped back into her room, her feet hitting the carpet with a soft thud. Picking up a piece of paper, Zoey placed it on the backside of the window and traced all her pictures. She closed the window and sat on her bed, humming as she touched up the drawings. Looking at the one of Mystery, Zoey ran through everything she knew. 1-She was very bad at noticing when boys flirt. 2-Prince Mystery looked like the man from her dream. 3-The princes were suitors for the girls. 4-Celine and King Gwi-ma knew who Rumi’s father was. 5-She knew someone was watching her from the guest bedroom, but she had no clue who. Sighing, Zoey wrote all of these points down, then continued to draw absentmindedly.
*~*
Mira left the throne room quickly, heading to the arena. Fighting helped her clear her head and she really needed to sort through all the thoughts that were rushing about. Mira rushed through the halls, almost running into Prince Abby. “Ack!” Mira jumped back right before they could collide, her fighting instincts saving both of them from falling.
“Sorry. Are you ok?” Abby held a hand out, but more to be there if she fell, hovering with almost no intention of touching her.
“Yeah, fine. Are you?” Mira asked, noting his hand’s position silently.
Abby nodded, dropping his hand. He stepped aside so Mira could continue her path, but the poor princess seemed frozen. “Um… Princess?”
Mira blinked, her eyes focusing. “Sorry, what?” She shook her head, as if trying to get rid of her thoughts.
“Are you alright?” Abby asked.
“I’m fine, just a bit surprised is all.” Mira nodded at him, then moved around him, continuing toward the arena. Practically running down the steps, Mira grabbed her gok-do and swung it at the nearest dummy. Frustration and confusion bled into her fighting and the dummies were disposed of with cuts that would be very gruesome on a human. At the sound of approaching footsteps, Mira turned, weapon raised, to find Prince Baby standing in the doorway.
“Yo.” He said, looking around.
“Why are you here?” Mira asked, not dropping her weapon.
“Here in the castle or here in the… um… room?” Baby asked.
“In the arena.” Mira answered, keeping a firm grip on her gok-do.
Baby nodded, looking around as he answered her question. “I was wandering around the castle after the maid fainted.”
“The maid… what?” Mira let her shoulders drop, but kept her weapon level.
“I don’t know! I said thanks and she fainted!” Baby threw his hands up, clearly not caring when Mira raised the gok-do more. At that moment, Bobby walked in.
“Oh good. I was hoping to find at least one royal here. Two things. One, there is a maid outside Baby’s door unconscious, and two, no one can find Romance. He managed to escape his porr servant and now we don’t know where he is.” Bobby looked at Baby.
“The maid just fainted when I said thanks, and Romance is a bit overwhelmed, so I say give him some space. If he doesn’t come back in an hour, tell Jinu.” Baby sighed.
Bobby nodded, then started talking to the prince about other things, and they left, with Bobby winking at Mira. She was seriously gonna hug the butler for getting her more alone time. Instead of continuing her slicing of straw figures, Mira hung up her weapon and sat on the steps of the arena, her thoughts painting pictures she really didn’t need. Why would she threaten Prince Abby? Why would Prince Mystery hug Zoey? And who would chase Rumi, even without wanting to harm her? Sighing, Mira got up and headed to her room, hoping she wouldn’t run into any of the princes. Luck was either on her side, or it had no princes to throw at her. She made it without any disturbances. Mira opened the windows and watched the rain turn to snow. 겨울 was the princesses favourite season because their mother loved to tell them stories around the fire and the girls recited them every 크리스마스. Mira missed her mom. Sometimes, she would wake up and stand to rush to tell the queen something, then remember she was gone. Zoey had it the worst. As the baby, she had been the closest to their mom, and all four of them had been very close. People say that time lessens the grief, but all three princesses agreed that it didn’t. Not really. Again, Mira sighed, then flopped back onto her bed and let sleep capture her thoughts.

Chapter Text

Two months seemed like a short amount of time, but to Romance? Two months would be torture, he knew it. Looking back on it, Romance knew that running had probably been cowardly, but the servant had turned his back and Romance had found it so easy to just slip away. After seeing that there was a ladder to the roof, Romance had found himself looking down over the castle from his perch by a chimney. He rarely had any time to himself, so he was grateful for the quiet. He sat in the rain, getting thoroughly soaked before it turned to snow. Pushing his hair out of his face and over the top of his head with one hand, Romance tapped what would sound like a rhythm to anyone else, but to Romance, he was sending messages.

When his eomma had first taught Romance morse code, he’d been 7 and thrilled by the idea of a secret language. His eomma was a smart woman, married happily with 4 kids. Romance was the youngest and the favourite of his eomma, despite being scrawny. His sisters and brother loved him, but they were often gone with their father on hunting trips, so his eomma had occupied him with the idea of gossiping when the others were right there. The first time he had used morse code in front of his father and siblings, Romance had tapped underneath the table discreetly, saying his oldest sister’s scowl looked like the potatoes had personally offended her. His eomma had laughed so hard, she had clutched her stomach. Romance had smiled, looking at his plate and scooping up some peas. The whole family had been baffled.

Now, the memory comes back and tears freeze on Romance’s cheeks. Losing his whole family had been hard, so Romance had closed off. .. / .-.. --- ...- . / -.-- --- ..- / -- .- -- .- he tapped on the roof. A breeze ruffled his hair and he smiled. Using morse code, Romance described his day to his Mama. .. / -- . - / - .... . / .--. .-. .. -. -.-. . ... ... . ... / - --- -.. .- -.-- .-.-.- / - .... . -.-- / .-- . .-. . / -. .. -.-. . ..--.. / -... ..- - / .. .----. -- / .-- --- .-. .-. .. . -.. / .. .----. .-.. .-.. / ... -.-. .-. . .-- / . ...- . .-. -.-- - .... .. -. --. / ..- .--. / ..-. --- .-. / --. .-- .. -....- -- .- .-.-.- / .. / .-- .. ... .... / -.-- --- ..- / .-- . .-. . / .... . .-. . .-.-.- / -.-- --- ..- / .- .-.. .-- .- -.-- ... / -.- -. . .-- / .-- .... .- - / - --- / ... .- -.-- .-.-.- Romance tapped. He got up and started to descend from the roof. He paused and blew a kiss into the 십이 월 air, then walked down the ladder steps.

Romance manages to avoid all human life as he walks back to his room. He silently thanks the universe as he had NOT wanted to have any awkward conversations on where he went. He sat on the bed and just breathed. Counting his breaths usually let Romance think straight and he liked the pattern. In. 1, 2. Out. 1, 2. He didn’t want to be in this castle. In fact, Romance had no desire to be in any castle. He just wanted to be back in his cabin by the woods with his Mama and Papá. In. 1, 2, 3. Out. 1, 2, 3. Romance laid back on his bed, a hand resting over his heart. And that’s how he fell asleep, counting his heartbeat and timing his breathing.

*~*

Abby knew something was up with Princess Mira. She had totally spaced when she ran into him, and at the meeting in the throne room, she had looked horrified and surprised to see him. Which, rude. Why did she have to look horrified? It’s not like Abby did anything wrong. The castle was huge, Abby had also noticed when he forced himself to stop worrying. When he had been shown to his room, Abby had noticed they had walked 5 halls, but some of them twisted, it felt like more. After that, he had wandered around and had happened to run into the princess. She had looked shaken and no longer horrified, but she had spaced out when she had seen who she’d run into. After his run-in, Abby had walked some more halls and counted 125 in total. Walking halls had tired him out, so Abby walked back to his room.

“Abby!” Baby jogged up to his brother.

“What’s up?” Abby responded, turning to meet Baby’s eyes.

“Have you seen Romance?” Baby stopped jogging and walked the rest of the way to Abby, stopping at the older man’s side. “The butler said he just left his servant’s side.”

“No, I haven’t seen him.” Abby scrunched his eyebrows in worry.

Baby nodded. “I figured. I was about to check his room.” Baby looked up at ABby, expecting an answer to his unspoken question.

“Which way?” Abby asked without hesitation. Baby pointed and the two princes moved in that direction.

“The princesses sure acted weird when they saw us. Well, not the crown princess, but the other two did.” Baby turned down a hall and Abby followed.

He hummed, thinking. “I noticed too. I thought it was just the thought of having suitors, but they seemed to take that news easily, so I have no clue what’s going on.” Abby shrugged.

“Maybe Jinu would know. He’s always been good at reading people.” Baby stopped in front of a door. He knocked. “Romance?” He called softly. No answer. Abby pushed open the door and the two brothers saw Romance asleep and soaking wet, his hair falling in soft waves around his head, yet still keeping the heart shape.

“Found him.” Abby whispered, walking over and tucking the covers around the sleeping boy. Baby huffed a laugh.

After they finished, Abby closed the door behind him, turning when Baby started talking. “What do you think about the whole…” He waved his hand. “Situation?”

Abby started walking down the halls, tapping his thigh as he walked and thought. “I think that it’s smart, but also kinda…” He paused, searching for the word. “Dumb? If that makes sense. I mean, thinking of a solution to another kingdom’s problems with a solution to our own is smart, but it just feels dumb to have us as suitors. I think.”

Baby chuckled. “I understand, but I don’t think the princesses are very interested.”

“You kidding? Princess Zoey was blushing as soon as she saw Mystery.” Abby scoffed, but smiled.

“Yeah. Sure.” Baby moved to go down another hall. “Goodnight Abby.”

“‘Night Baby.” Abby watched his brother disappear down the hall, then turned and continued down another hall to his own room. He was glad to see that all the rooms were very close together, so he could probably bother his brothers without traveling too far. Abby smiled, then walked into his room, the door closed behind him.

*~*

Jinu walked with Mystery as the servant showed them to their rooms. In Mystery’s opinion, the silence was nice. (Did you think it was Jinu?) The servant left with short directions to the others’ rooms. Immediately, Jinu looked at his brother.

“What’s up?” Jinu always knew when something was bothering his brothers. It was like a weird sixth sense.

Mystery shrugged. Jinu frowned and was not amused, nor satisfied. Letting out a huff of breath, Mystery signed: “I’m confused by the princess’s reaction when she saw me.”

JInu nodded. “I am too.” He admitted. “Especially since only the two had reactions, and to you and Abby.” He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated.

Mystery offered a smile when Jinu sighed. Giving his older brother a hug, Mystery patted Jinu’s head and waved goodbye as he walked into his room. Blue curtains covered the window, so Mystery pushed them aside, looking through the window as rain slowly started to turn into snow. A couple seconds later, the window at the bend in the castle walls opened and Princess Zoey sat on the sill, her legs dangling over the edge. Mystery watched fascinated as she giggled and swung her legs. Zoey drew pictures on the glass. He drew back and settled on his bed, smiling. The princess had seemed so happy with the snow that she’d tried to catch the flakes on her tongue. Mystery looked around his room and actually took in the scene. (Unlike his brothers.) There was a desk in the corner left of the door and a lavender divan sofa at the foot of the bed. There was a small bathroom connected on the wall to the right of the door. The walls were a light blue and the carpet was a dark pastel red. The curtains were a royal blue now that the light from outside was lighting the room.

Amused by the fanciness of the room, Mystery laughed silently, his shoulders shaking and his smile growing. Clearly, this room was meant to show wealth, but for some reason, Mystery knew that none of the princesses knew that the royal advisor had decorated the rooms in that way. He moved from the bed to the divan to see if it was at least nice to sit on. It was, the cushions made the prince sink slightly. The back of the sofa was plump, but firm. When he moved to get up, the cushions almost acted like a spring and Mystery was able to get up quicker than he thought he would. Looking out the window, Mystery saw that the meeting might have run longer than he thought, as the sun was beginning to set. The blankets on the bed were soft, but Mystery really wanted the ones his big sister used to sew. She’d had to leave him and go to another kingdom when they had asked her to become a royal tailor. Mystery thinks forced, but he knows she chose to go and had chosen to leave Mystery as a separate decision. Sighing, Mystery sat in the bed, his back against the backboard, and watched the sun set and the snow continue, increasing in amounts. The wind made noises as it slapped against the glass of the window, and Mystery drifted off.

*~*

Jinu watched his brother leave, confusion practically coming off of him in waves. Mystery had patted his head like he was a child. “What?” Jinu said to the empty hall. “Just happened?” He turned and walked into his room, startled by the setup, but not actually looking very hard at the details like Mystery had. Walking into the bathroom, Jinu- did you think I would actually put that? Gross!

Jinu made his way to the bed, placing a hand on it as if testing its firmness. He thought about his eomma and his sister, how he had left them when the king had called. When he had found out they had died, Jinu had left the kingdom altogether and had found himself in Gwi-ma’s ‘domain’. In the castle, Jinu had barely any time to think about them, and for a while, that was good. It kept the grief from killing him as everyone knew it would. He’d been told it wasn’t his fault but- No! His brain yelled. Jinu sighed and laid back on the bed and turned his thoughts from that neverending spiral. Sometimes, Jinu wished someone knew how he felt, but he also didn’t want anyone to experience what he was feeling.

Pulling off his cloak, Jinu hung the black cloth by the door and sat on the sofa by his bed. The cushions engulfed him and Jinu sat there, thinking about the princesses reaction and the fact that Mystery had also been worried. Confusion was apparently his brain’s only contribution to the problem and Jinu groaned. He picked at a loose thread on the couch and closed his eyes, exhaustion from the ride and the meeting finally showing itself. Tempted to just sleep where he was, Jinu listened to the wind outside and was surprised when he opened his eyes to the morning light of snow. He hadn’t realized he’d fallen asleep. Stretching, Jinu jumped up when someone knocked on his door. He opened it and was greeted by his brother holding a tray of food.

“Breakfast.” Romance said, handing Jinu the tray. “You didn’t answer when the maid called you and the others refused to help.”

“Oh. Sorry. I hadn’t realized she had called, I guess.” Jinu took the tray and walked to the desk, leaving the door open so Romance could walk in. “Have you eaten?” Romance nodded. Jinu nodded back, motioning for his brother to sit. He did, leaning tiredly into Jinu’s side.

“Are you gonna eat?” Romance asked, looking up at his big brother.

“Yeah. Have you slept?” Jinu picked up a piece of bread and waited for Romance’s answer.

“Yeah. I slept yesterday. Why?” Romance pulled away slightly from the older prince.

“Because you don’t look or act like you have.” Jinu continued eating his food and Romance sighed, but said nothing.

*~*

Baby needed to see Jinu, but he also wanted to talk to Romance. Opting for neither, he decided to gather the other two brothers when Abby walked in.

“Can’t you knock?” Baby huffed, shoving away Abby’s hand when he reached out to ruffle Baby’s hair.

“Hm, no. Where’s the fun in that?” Abby smiled at his brother’s defiance.

Baby rolled his eyes. “I was gonna go get Mystery, and then I need to decide if I wanna see Jinu or Romance first.”

Abby nodded. “I say see Jinu first, but let’s go get Mystery!”

The two boys rushed to Mystery’s room, startling a maid on the way. When they finally got to their destination, Baby knocked, and Abby pushed open the door, startling Mystery. He looked up in shock and pushed his head forward, conveying a ‘what the heck’ to his two brothers. Both looked unapologetic.

“C’mon dear brother. We’re going to see Jinu.” Abby grabbed Mystery as Baby opened the door.

Mystery pulled back in protest as he was dragged down the hall. He’d been reading! His struggles were ignored and they stopped in front of Jinu’s door. Baby was the one to push it open and he smiled when he saw Romance and Jinu look up in surprise.

“Baby? Is something wrong?” Jinu then saw Abby holding Mystery and he smiled. “Ah.”

“I wanted to see two of my brothers that happened to be in the same place!” Baby beamed. Abby snorted and Mystery let out a huff which was as close as he could get to a laugh.

“You’re welcome.” Romance did a half bow while remaining seated.