Firmly Trapped 1/5?
Title: Firmly Trapped 1/5?
Pairing: Kai/Taemin (Exo/SHINee), [Side Pairings: Chanyeol/Baekhyun, Changmin/Jaejoong]
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: These two definitely do not belong to me, but I'm borrowing them for the joys of this story.
Summary: Taemin doesn't want to be a prince, living in the shadow of his perfect father and his father's consort. He wants to be free, no matter the price he has to pay.
A/N: I have been dying to write Kai/Taemin because in real life, the two of them are pretty much fucking. And they are dancers. Sexy, sexy, sexy dancers that must be played with.
A/N2: This story takes place about 16 years after Tightly Bound's epilogue. Taemin is 17 years old at the beginning of this story, with Baekhyun at 18 and Kai at 16. Taemin's older sisters are 21 years old.
A/N3: Inspiration for this fic came from the first few minutes of the movie The Clown and the King ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zdMgghw4VY ) and from its portrayal of the Namsadang.
Warnings: Prostitution
Part 1: The Honor Trap
Spring
Taemin stood in his father’s office, hands in fists at his side. He heard wind blowing even though they were inside, even though the spring storms had started to fade and the sun grew warmer as summer approached. There was no wind outside, and no wind blowing through his hair. No rain ruining his silk clothes with water. No lightning destroying the castle around them. Just a storm inside him, raging below the surface, growing, spinning, violent as his father lectured him again for running away from his lessons.
You are the prince. You are the prince. You are the prince.
Everything centered on that. Everything. His entire life.
He heard it again, followed by, “Be respectful.”
And the storm exploded.
“I don’t want to be a prince!” Taemin shouted, effectively silencing his father and even causing his father’s consort to pause.
Taemin looked away, face red with anger, embarrassment.
“Why not?” Jaejoong asked, though not unkindly.
Taemin swallowed. His nails bit into his palms. “I don’t ... I don’t want to be a prince.”
“You have to--”
Jaejoong shut his father up, thankfully.
“It’s an important position,” Jaejoong said softly. Not yelling. Taemin wanted him to yell. He knew how to deal with yelling. “The heir of the throne. Next in line to be king.”
“I don’t ... I don’t want that. I don’t want to be king.” Taemin had to remember how to breathe.
“I am not sure you can stop it.”
Taemin glanced at them both, eyes flashing. “I do not want to be a prince. I do not want to be a king. I am tired of hearing all my tutors tell me that I am nothing like my father. That I am not studious, that I am a thorn in their side. I am tired of hearing their grumblings when they do not know I am in the room. I am tired of it all and I never asked for any of it. I do not want this!”
He had to stop and breathe again. He lifted up his hand, removed the thin golden circlet from his head and took the two steps to his father’s desk.
For the first time in his life, his father looked absolutely stunned. Speechless.
Taemin fought back a smirk of victory. He placed the crown on the desk. “I do not want it.” He spun around and stalked out of his father’s office, and halfway down the hall, he broke out into a run. Baekhyun clambered after him, shouting at him to wait.
He ran all the way to the stables, ignored the servants who tried to help him and just went right to his mare, Meadow, and vaulted on her back. She had reins and a bit and that was enough. He did not need a saddle. He did not need anything else. He spun her around and galloped out of the stables, only pausing to shout an apology at Baekhyun, who he almost ran over.
He didn’t want to be a prince. And he was a prince inside the castle. But outside, he could be free.
---
It took too many minutes for Changmin to understand that his son had just shouted at him, his son had just run out of the office, and his son had just stolen his own horse and left the castle grounds.
“He’ll be all right,” Jaejoong whispered and pressed a kiss to the king’s head, just below his crown.
“What if he isn’t?”
“He will be. He’s smart, he’s courageous, obviously, and he knows how to take care of himself. He’s spent a lot of time outside, on his own.”
“What if he doesn’t come back this time?”
Jaejoong shrugged and smiled. “You’re not dead yet, my love. There is time.”
“But--”
Jaejoong shook his head. “Did you forget that you have two daughters?”
“I cannot take them from the Caravan. Luna would castrate me.”
“Yes, I know that, but they will have children eventually. Do not fret, my love. It’s your own fault for raising a willful, pain in the ass. Taemin is just like his father.”
Changmin sighed. “Fuck you.”
Jaejoong laughed. “He will be fine. I’m tracking him, and I will know within a heartbeat if anything happens to him.”
“My girls?”
“Healthy and happy, you know that.”
“But it is always good to hear it. I love you.”
“You use me.”
Changmin swallowed roughly. “I do ... now. Naked. Bent over the desk.”
“Not exactly what I meant.”
“Now.”
“Yes, master.”
---
Taemin rode until the sun set behind the hills, and then he rode a little farther. He rode until he was sure that Meadow was going to collapse soon and that was not good. He needed her to get him away, far away from his father, from his title, from the expectations.
The last colors of the day bled into the grays of twilight. The moon brightened overhead, and Taemin finally stopped, next to a stream. He fell off Meadow and collapsed, body aching and heaving with the sobs that had remained tightly bound in his chest.
He cried and hated himself for it. Again.
He cried and knew he’d disappointed his father. Again.
He cried and knew that he had to go back. Again.
He hated and hated and hated that he had to go back. He had no idea how long he cried, but when his tears stopped, it was completely dark, the land only lit by moonlight. Stars fell in a thick swathe over the sky, and Taemin looked up, picking out the constellations he had learned during his astronomy classes. He liked astronomy. He liked looking up at the endless sea of stars. He liked to wonder if he could ever explore them.
And then his stomach growled and he realized how stupid he had been, rushing off without being prepared. He knew what to eat in the woods, and knew that he’d be able to be find food during the day, but a few cookies from the kitchen sounded good now that it was dark.
Finally, he sat up, moved to a tree and leaned against it. The darkness enveloped him. The air grew cold.
Movement sounded around him, and Taemin stood up quickly. A horse, running through the fields. He did not have his bow, or a sword. Or even a knife to defend himself. He cursed and kept his back to the tree, waiting.
A moment later, a familiar voice shouted his name. “Taemin!”
Taemin took a deep breath of relief. “Baekhyunnie!”
He saw the body of the horse in the dark, and his servant shouted at him again and then called him a bastard. “Running off without food? How stupid are you!”
“How did you find me?”
“You always come this way,” he said, “and I was only an hour behind you. You’re an idiot. Here.”
He tossed Taemin a loaf of bread. He bit into it gratefully. “Did my father send you?”
Baekhyun glared at him. “Fuck you.”
“Hey!”
“You think I’m here to convince you to return?”
“Well, I don’t know! Are you?”
“Of course not. I’m here because you ran off without your bow--” He threw it to the ground. “--without your sword--” It followed. “And without any bedding or food or anything! You’re going to get yourself killed or die from hunger without me. Where are you even going to go? We live in a kingdom that you father runs and someone is going to say that they’ve seen you.”
Taemin turned his back on Baekhyun and finished eating the bread.
“Ass,” Baekhyun muttered eventually.
Taemin smiled and felt more tears in his eyes. Baekhyun had always been so nice to him since he’d been declared Taemin’s personal servant just a few years ago. Baekhyun was so good to him, so perfect. His best friend in a castle full of subservient, mindless peasants. He hated it. He wanted to walk around without people bowing to him.
“It’s too dark to go find wood for a fire,” Baekhyun said. “I’m exhausted and you owe me, so you’re taking first watch. Get your bow and act like a proper archer for once in your life.”
Taemin smiled, walked up behind him, and hugged him, arms around his chest, chin on Baekhyun’s head. His servant was so short. “Thank you, Baekhyunnie.”
Baekhyun grunted and gripped his hand. “Ass.”
---
Taemin fell asleep as soon as Baekhyun woke up to relieve him. They were still near the castle, so they were alert for soldiers sent by his father and thieves or bandits. The night passed quietly, and in the morning, Baekhyun gathered some wood to make a fire. They cooked eggs under the coals and ate some dried beef.
They cleaned up their camp and left just as the gray morning sky was turning to blue. Taemin had no idea where to go from there. He had no intention of going back to the castle. And he knew that if his father wanted to find him, he would have overtook them during the night. He had a feeling that Jaejoong had kept his father from following.
Which meant that Jaejoong was probably tracking him. Which meant that no matter where he went, his father would know where he was.
Even free, he was still a prisoner.
“Hey, asshole.”
Taemin looked over at Baekhyun. He held out a waterskin, and Taemin took it with a smile of thanks and had a few swallows.
“Spacing off again.”
“Fuck you.”
Taemin seriously loved Baekhyun. Baekhyun bowed and treated him like a prince when they were around other people. But behind closed doors, Baekhyun treated him like a friend. His only friend really.
“So why’d you run?”
Taemin grunted and did not answer for a long time. “The usual.”
“But you actually told them off this time.”
“Yeah.”
“Not smart.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m not going back this time.”
“Then you’re going to have to do something about the fact that you look like the fucking prince.”
Taemin sighed. “I will when we get to a village.”
“The closest village is going to recognize you.”
“So what? It’s not like my father can send messages telepathically. We’ll beat anyone there that they send.”
“Unless they bypassed us in the night and are waiting for you.”
“Shut up, please. Just ... shut up, Baekhyunnie, okay? Please.”
Baekhyun huffed. “Yeah. Okay.”
Taemin rode in silence, just a bit behind Baekhyun, thinking. Not paying attention. Not really doing much of anything but just cursing his father, cursing his sisters, and cursing his mother. Why couldn’t his sisters have been boys? They were older than him! Why did he have to be the heir to the throne while they played and relaxed in Mother’s Caravan?
Taemin’s favorite memories have never been of those in the castle, but always in the Caravan.
And Ana loved being in charge; she loved working and being a princess. She loved being at the castle. Why couldn’t she be the heir?
They arrived at the nearest village before the sun was at its height.
“Well, aren’t we in luck,” Baekhyun said and motioned toward the main square. There were pennants and banners fluttering in the wind. The sound of music and laughter carried over to them.
The namsadang. Thank the trees.
Taemin and Baekhyun skirted through the outer edges of the town which was mostly deserted thanks to the performers.
“Do you want to stay or keep moving?” Baekhyun asked.
“Keep going. We’ll stick out too much if we wander into shops with a namsadang here.”
“There’s the river just on the other side. We’ll go down the bank aways and find a spot to rest and eat lunch.”
Taemin nodded. “I wonder if the namsadang is going to the castle.”
“Probably not. The queen hates them.”
Taemin snorted because that was an understatement. His grandmother would probably find some reason to arrest them all if they went to the castle.
They heard the river before they saw it, and Baekhyun led him downstream, away from the bridge that connected the two sides. Further up the road was another village, and then vast fields of grains, ones used mostly to supply the castle with food. There was not much chance of him staying hidden along the open plains, not where every farmer had met and seen the future king.
The river split in two and they followed the milder stream around a few more bends and then they stopped.
Taemin took off his cloak. The summer sun was hot, and he was tired. Lunch and a nap under the cool shade of the trees sounded great.
He slept only for a little while, unable to truly relax. Baekhyun had brought a book, probably one of the forbidden ones in the section of his father’s library that they were not allowed to know existed. He walked toward the river and glanced at his servant and the open pages of the book. Sure enough, one page was an illustration of two men curled together erotically.
Taemin snorted. “No wonder you are only a servant and not a scholar.”
“No wonder you are a brat and not a prince.”
“Ass.”
Baekhyun smiled. “Not from you.”
Taemin stuck his tongue out and rolled his eyes. He smiled when Baekhyun was not looking. While Baekhyun was his best friend, that is as far as their relationship went. A few times, Taemin had wondered asking Baekhyun about it. He’d overheard his father’s servant lamenting over his relationship with Jaejoong because that meant his father no longer crawled into bed with him. He doubted Baekhyun would deny him, but Taemin did not want to do that. Not if it changed their relationship.
And besides, Taemin was supposed to get married to a girl. Eventually, but he wasn’t even sure if he liked girls. His sisters were annoying. The ladies of the court were even more so. Already their mothers were bringing them to the castle to see if they got along with Taemin.
Taemin barely talked to them.
At the bank of the river, Taemin stripped. He hung his clothes on a branch and waded into the shallows. The water had a bite of cold to it at first, fed by the mountain lakes and streams to the north, but Taemin grew used to it. He went a bit farther out and ducked his head under the water. It felt good, and it felt even better to let the current drag him downstream a little bit further. Just floating along. Relaxed. No concerns. Maybe a few rocks to avoid.
Probably not smart.
Taemin stopped floating and turned around. He swam against the current, gaining only a little bit of ground, but he needed the exercise, and he did not mind too much. He swam to the edge of the river and then walked back to where Baekhyun still sat against the tree reading a book.
Baekhyun glanced up and then looked back at his book with a smirk. “Mine’s bigger.”
“Fuck you.”
Baekhyun chuckled. “Go put your clothes on, you brat. You’re scaring the animals with your scrawny body.”
“Least I’m taller than you,” Taemin muttered but went to the river for his clothes. He slipped only his pants on and then used his shirt to dry a bit of his hair. He was still rubbing his head, the cloth covering his face when he heard Baekhyun stand up suddenly.
Alert, Taemin pulled the towel away, gripping it tightly.
A boy stared at them. A tall boy. Taller than Taemin. He had dark skin and wore colorful clothing. His brown hair was messy in curls around his head. His eyes were so wide, dark and surprised.
“Hi,” he said suddenly, and then blushed and looked down. “I did not mean to intrude on your privacy. I ... water ... and ...
Taemin laughed. “It’s okay. You did not interrupt anything private. Baekhyun is just my ser--”
“Friend,” Baekhyun said.
“Yeah.” Taemin cleared his throat. “My friend.”
The boy looked between them and then he smiled, and Taemin took a step back because his breath was just gone, for a moment. The boy had a pretty smile.
“Are you part of the namsadang?” Baekhyun asked.
The boy nodded. “Yep! I’m a dancer. I’m learning the tightrope. I hope to get on there today for some practice.”
Taemin grinned. “It looks like fun. My father freaks out whenever I try it at home.”
“It’s dangerous!” the boy said gravely, but still a bit enthusiastically. “One of our main performers fell off last month and broke his leg, so now he just plays a drum while he heals. I really have to get going. I came to get water.” He held up a jug.
Taemin motioned to the river, and the two of them watched the boy move to the riverbank. He started humming, not really in tune, just music that Taemin recognized as the song that played when they rode through the town.
When the boy was finished, he hefted the full jug over his shoulder, muscles tightening. It looked really heavy. He smiled at them.
“It was nice to meet you,” he said, and then winked, “your highness.”
Taemin gaped at him, mouth open, eyes wide, and the boy laughed and walked away.
“What ... how ... Wait!”
The boy turned easily, almost like a dance move even with the jug on his shoulder. He smiled. “Your cloak has the royal seal on it.”
Taemin huffed.
The boy laughed and said goodbye again, followed by a, “You should come and watch the show.”
Taemin watched until the boy disappeared, and then he pulled on his shirt in frustration.
Baekhyun rolled his eyes at him. “You’re an idiot.”
“Ass.”
Part 2: The Hidden Trap
.
Pairing: Kai/Taemin (Exo/SHINee), [Side Pairings: Chanyeol/Baekhyun, Changmin/Jaejoong]
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: These two definitely do not belong to me, but I'm borrowing them for the joys of this story.
Summary: Taemin doesn't want to be a prince, living in the shadow of his perfect father and his father's consort. He wants to be free, no matter the price he has to pay.
A/N: I have been dying to write Kai/Taemin because in real life, the two of them are pretty much fucking. And they are dancers. Sexy, sexy, sexy dancers that must be played with.
A/N2: This story takes place about 16 years after Tightly Bound's epilogue. Taemin is 17 years old at the beginning of this story, with Baekhyun at 18 and Kai at 16. Taemin's older sisters are 21 years old.
A/N3: Inspiration for this fic came from the first few minutes of the movie The Clown and the King ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zdMgghw4VY ) and from its portrayal of the Namsadang.
Warnings: Prostitution
Part 1: The Honor Trap
Spring
Taemin stood in his father’s office, hands in fists at his side. He heard wind blowing even though they were inside, even though the spring storms had started to fade and the sun grew warmer as summer approached. There was no wind outside, and no wind blowing through his hair. No rain ruining his silk clothes with water. No lightning destroying the castle around them. Just a storm inside him, raging below the surface, growing, spinning, violent as his father lectured him again for running away from his lessons.
You are the prince. You are the prince. You are the prince.
Everything centered on that. Everything. His entire life.
He heard it again, followed by, “Be respectful.”
And the storm exploded.
“I don’t want to be a prince!” Taemin shouted, effectively silencing his father and even causing his father’s consort to pause.
Taemin looked away, face red with anger, embarrassment.
“Why not?” Jaejoong asked, though not unkindly.
Taemin swallowed. His nails bit into his palms. “I don’t ... I don’t want to be a prince.”
“You have to--”
Jaejoong shut his father up, thankfully.
“It’s an important position,” Jaejoong said softly. Not yelling. Taemin wanted him to yell. He knew how to deal with yelling. “The heir of the throne. Next in line to be king.”
“I don’t ... I don’t want that. I don’t want to be king.” Taemin had to remember how to breathe.
“I am not sure you can stop it.”
Taemin glanced at them both, eyes flashing. “I do not want to be a prince. I do not want to be a king. I am tired of hearing all my tutors tell me that I am nothing like my father. That I am not studious, that I am a thorn in their side. I am tired of hearing their grumblings when they do not know I am in the room. I am tired of it all and I never asked for any of it. I do not want this!”
He had to stop and breathe again. He lifted up his hand, removed the thin golden circlet from his head and took the two steps to his father’s desk.
For the first time in his life, his father looked absolutely stunned. Speechless.
Taemin fought back a smirk of victory. He placed the crown on the desk. “I do not want it.” He spun around and stalked out of his father’s office, and halfway down the hall, he broke out into a run. Baekhyun clambered after him, shouting at him to wait.
He ran all the way to the stables, ignored the servants who tried to help him and just went right to his mare, Meadow, and vaulted on her back. She had reins and a bit and that was enough. He did not need a saddle. He did not need anything else. He spun her around and galloped out of the stables, only pausing to shout an apology at Baekhyun, who he almost ran over.
He didn’t want to be a prince. And he was a prince inside the castle. But outside, he could be free.
---
It took too many minutes for Changmin to understand that his son had just shouted at him, his son had just run out of the office, and his son had just stolen his own horse and left the castle grounds.
“He’ll be all right,” Jaejoong whispered and pressed a kiss to the king’s head, just below his crown.
“What if he isn’t?”
“He will be. He’s smart, he’s courageous, obviously, and he knows how to take care of himself. He’s spent a lot of time outside, on his own.”
“What if he doesn’t come back this time?”
Jaejoong shrugged and smiled. “You’re not dead yet, my love. There is time.”
“But--”
Jaejoong shook his head. “Did you forget that you have two daughters?”
“I cannot take them from the Caravan. Luna would castrate me.”
“Yes, I know that, but they will have children eventually. Do not fret, my love. It’s your own fault for raising a willful, pain in the ass. Taemin is just like his father.”
Changmin sighed. “Fuck you.”
Jaejoong laughed. “He will be fine. I’m tracking him, and I will know within a heartbeat if anything happens to him.”
“My girls?”
“Healthy and happy, you know that.”
“But it is always good to hear it. I love you.”
“You use me.”
Changmin swallowed roughly. “I do ... now. Naked. Bent over the desk.”
“Not exactly what I meant.”
“Now.”
“Yes, master.”
---
Taemin rode until the sun set behind the hills, and then he rode a little farther. He rode until he was sure that Meadow was going to collapse soon and that was not good. He needed her to get him away, far away from his father, from his title, from the expectations.
The last colors of the day bled into the grays of twilight. The moon brightened overhead, and Taemin finally stopped, next to a stream. He fell off Meadow and collapsed, body aching and heaving with the sobs that had remained tightly bound in his chest.
He cried and hated himself for it. Again.
He cried and knew he’d disappointed his father. Again.
He cried and knew that he had to go back. Again.
He hated and hated and hated that he had to go back. He had no idea how long he cried, but when his tears stopped, it was completely dark, the land only lit by moonlight. Stars fell in a thick swathe over the sky, and Taemin looked up, picking out the constellations he had learned during his astronomy classes. He liked astronomy. He liked looking up at the endless sea of stars. He liked to wonder if he could ever explore them.
And then his stomach growled and he realized how stupid he had been, rushing off without being prepared. He knew what to eat in the woods, and knew that he’d be able to be find food during the day, but a few cookies from the kitchen sounded good now that it was dark.
Finally, he sat up, moved to a tree and leaned against it. The darkness enveloped him. The air grew cold.
Movement sounded around him, and Taemin stood up quickly. A horse, running through the fields. He did not have his bow, or a sword. Or even a knife to defend himself. He cursed and kept his back to the tree, waiting.
A moment later, a familiar voice shouted his name. “Taemin!”
Taemin took a deep breath of relief. “Baekhyunnie!”
He saw the body of the horse in the dark, and his servant shouted at him again and then called him a bastard. “Running off without food? How stupid are you!”
“How did you find me?”
“You always come this way,” he said, “and I was only an hour behind you. You’re an idiot. Here.”
He tossed Taemin a loaf of bread. He bit into it gratefully. “Did my father send you?”
Baekhyun glared at him. “Fuck you.”
“Hey!”
“You think I’m here to convince you to return?”
“Well, I don’t know! Are you?”
“Of course not. I’m here because you ran off without your bow--” He threw it to the ground. “--without your sword--” It followed. “And without any bedding or food or anything! You’re going to get yourself killed or die from hunger without me. Where are you even going to go? We live in a kingdom that you father runs and someone is going to say that they’ve seen you.”
Taemin turned his back on Baekhyun and finished eating the bread.
“Ass,” Baekhyun muttered eventually.
Taemin smiled and felt more tears in his eyes. Baekhyun had always been so nice to him since he’d been declared Taemin’s personal servant just a few years ago. Baekhyun was so good to him, so perfect. His best friend in a castle full of subservient, mindless peasants. He hated it. He wanted to walk around without people bowing to him.
“It’s too dark to go find wood for a fire,” Baekhyun said. “I’m exhausted and you owe me, so you’re taking first watch. Get your bow and act like a proper archer for once in your life.”
Taemin smiled, walked up behind him, and hugged him, arms around his chest, chin on Baekhyun’s head. His servant was so short. “Thank you, Baekhyunnie.”
Baekhyun grunted and gripped his hand. “Ass.”
---
Taemin fell asleep as soon as Baekhyun woke up to relieve him. They were still near the castle, so they were alert for soldiers sent by his father and thieves or bandits. The night passed quietly, and in the morning, Baekhyun gathered some wood to make a fire. They cooked eggs under the coals and ate some dried beef.
They cleaned up their camp and left just as the gray morning sky was turning to blue. Taemin had no idea where to go from there. He had no intention of going back to the castle. And he knew that if his father wanted to find him, he would have overtook them during the night. He had a feeling that Jaejoong had kept his father from following.
Which meant that Jaejoong was probably tracking him. Which meant that no matter where he went, his father would know where he was.
Even free, he was still a prisoner.
“Hey, asshole.”
Taemin looked over at Baekhyun. He held out a waterskin, and Taemin took it with a smile of thanks and had a few swallows.
“Spacing off again.”
“Fuck you.”
Taemin seriously loved Baekhyun. Baekhyun bowed and treated him like a prince when they were around other people. But behind closed doors, Baekhyun treated him like a friend. His only friend really.
“So why’d you run?”
Taemin grunted and did not answer for a long time. “The usual.”
“But you actually told them off this time.”
“Yeah.”
“Not smart.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m not going back this time.”
“Then you’re going to have to do something about the fact that you look like the fucking prince.”
Taemin sighed. “I will when we get to a village.”
“The closest village is going to recognize you.”
“So what? It’s not like my father can send messages telepathically. We’ll beat anyone there that they send.”
“Unless they bypassed us in the night and are waiting for you.”
“Shut up, please. Just ... shut up, Baekhyunnie, okay? Please.”
Baekhyun huffed. “Yeah. Okay.”
Taemin rode in silence, just a bit behind Baekhyun, thinking. Not paying attention. Not really doing much of anything but just cursing his father, cursing his sisters, and cursing his mother. Why couldn’t his sisters have been boys? They were older than him! Why did he have to be the heir to the throne while they played and relaxed in Mother’s Caravan?
Taemin’s favorite memories have never been of those in the castle, but always in the Caravan.
And Ana loved being in charge; she loved working and being a princess. She loved being at the castle. Why couldn’t she be the heir?
They arrived at the nearest village before the sun was at its height.
“Well, aren’t we in luck,” Baekhyun said and motioned toward the main square. There were pennants and banners fluttering in the wind. The sound of music and laughter carried over to them.
The namsadang. Thank the trees.
Taemin and Baekhyun skirted through the outer edges of the town which was mostly deserted thanks to the performers.
“Do you want to stay or keep moving?” Baekhyun asked.
“Keep going. We’ll stick out too much if we wander into shops with a namsadang here.”
“There’s the river just on the other side. We’ll go down the bank aways and find a spot to rest and eat lunch.”
Taemin nodded. “I wonder if the namsadang is going to the castle.”
“Probably not. The queen hates them.”
Taemin snorted because that was an understatement. His grandmother would probably find some reason to arrest them all if they went to the castle.
They heard the river before they saw it, and Baekhyun led him downstream, away from the bridge that connected the two sides. Further up the road was another village, and then vast fields of grains, ones used mostly to supply the castle with food. There was not much chance of him staying hidden along the open plains, not where every farmer had met and seen the future king.
The river split in two and they followed the milder stream around a few more bends and then they stopped.
Taemin took off his cloak. The summer sun was hot, and he was tired. Lunch and a nap under the cool shade of the trees sounded great.
He slept only for a little while, unable to truly relax. Baekhyun had brought a book, probably one of the forbidden ones in the section of his father’s library that they were not allowed to know existed. He walked toward the river and glanced at his servant and the open pages of the book. Sure enough, one page was an illustration of two men curled together erotically.
Taemin snorted. “No wonder you are only a servant and not a scholar.”
“No wonder you are a brat and not a prince.”
“Ass.”
Baekhyun smiled. “Not from you.”
Taemin stuck his tongue out and rolled his eyes. He smiled when Baekhyun was not looking. While Baekhyun was his best friend, that is as far as their relationship went. A few times, Taemin had wondered asking Baekhyun about it. He’d overheard his father’s servant lamenting over his relationship with Jaejoong because that meant his father no longer crawled into bed with him. He doubted Baekhyun would deny him, but Taemin did not want to do that. Not if it changed their relationship.
And besides, Taemin was supposed to get married to a girl. Eventually, but he wasn’t even sure if he liked girls. His sisters were annoying. The ladies of the court were even more so. Already their mothers were bringing them to the castle to see if they got along with Taemin.
Taemin barely talked to them.
At the bank of the river, Taemin stripped. He hung his clothes on a branch and waded into the shallows. The water had a bite of cold to it at first, fed by the mountain lakes and streams to the north, but Taemin grew used to it. He went a bit farther out and ducked his head under the water. It felt good, and it felt even better to let the current drag him downstream a little bit further. Just floating along. Relaxed. No concerns. Maybe a few rocks to avoid.
Probably not smart.
Taemin stopped floating and turned around. He swam against the current, gaining only a little bit of ground, but he needed the exercise, and he did not mind too much. He swam to the edge of the river and then walked back to where Baekhyun still sat against the tree reading a book.
Baekhyun glanced up and then looked back at his book with a smirk. “Mine’s bigger.”
“Fuck you.”
Baekhyun chuckled. “Go put your clothes on, you brat. You’re scaring the animals with your scrawny body.”
“Least I’m taller than you,” Taemin muttered but went to the river for his clothes. He slipped only his pants on and then used his shirt to dry a bit of his hair. He was still rubbing his head, the cloth covering his face when he heard Baekhyun stand up suddenly.
Alert, Taemin pulled the towel away, gripping it tightly.
A boy stared at them. A tall boy. Taller than Taemin. He had dark skin and wore colorful clothing. His brown hair was messy in curls around his head. His eyes were so wide, dark and surprised.
“Hi,” he said suddenly, and then blushed and looked down. “I did not mean to intrude on your privacy. I ... water ... and ...
Taemin laughed. “It’s okay. You did not interrupt anything private. Baekhyun is just my ser--”
“Friend,” Baekhyun said.
“Yeah.” Taemin cleared his throat. “My friend.”
The boy looked between them and then he smiled, and Taemin took a step back because his breath was just gone, for a moment. The boy had a pretty smile.
“Are you part of the namsadang?” Baekhyun asked.
The boy nodded. “Yep! I’m a dancer. I’m learning the tightrope. I hope to get on there today for some practice.”
Taemin grinned. “It looks like fun. My father freaks out whenever I try it at home.”
“It’s dangerous!” the boy said gravely, but still a bit enthusiastically. “One of our main performers fell off last month and broke his leg, so now he just plays a drum while he heals. I really have to get going. I came to get water.” He held up a jug.
Taemin motioned to the river, and the two of them watched the boy move to the riverbank. He started humming, not really in tune, just music that Taemin recognized as the song that played when they rode through the town.
When the boy was finished, he hefted the full jug over his shoulder, muscles tightening. It looked really heavy. He smiled at them.
“It was nice to meet you,” he said, and then winked, “your highness.”
Taemin gaped at him, mouth open, eyes wide, and the boy laughed and walked away.
“What ... how ... Wait!”
The boy turned easily, almost like a dance move even with the jug on his shoulder. He smiled. “Your cloak has the royal seal on it.”
Taemin huffed.
The boy laughed and said goodbye again, followed by a, “You should come and watch the show.”
Taemin watched until the boy disappeared, and then he pulled on his shirt in frustration.
Baekhyun rolled his eyes at him. “You’re an idiot.”
“Ass.”
Part 2: The Hidden Trap
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