The Arrow's Flight 1/?
Title: The Arrow's Flight 1/?
Pairing: Changmin/Junsu (Jaejoong/fc, Yunho/Heechul, Yoochun/Yoohwan [incest], Junho/fc)
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Here is another world that I wish existed in a place other than my mind, but it doesn't and I don't own them and I can only place them into this delusion.
Summary: Greed and corruption rule two neighboring kingdoms: The Kingdom of Mountains and the Kingdom of Trees. Two princes are planning a coup. Their success or failure depends on the shadow in the woods, the rogue of the forests, the arrow in the sky.
A/N: Totally inspired by Robin Hood. Can you blame me?
Part 1:
The shaft is the primary structure of an arrow. It is what the other parts of the arrow are attached to.
Changmin stood on the thick tree branch, legs spread for balance, bow pressed to the bark. He held a tree limb above his head, watching the plain carriage make its way through the woods.
From where he was at and the angle of the sun, his body (clad in brown patterned trousers and a green tunic) blended into the trees. His brown, soft-soled boots, kept him quiet. The knife in his boots and at his wrists and the bow and quiver of arrows on his back kept him deadly.
“Max?” someone whispered.
Changmin held out his hand and shook his head. “Not yet.”
The driver whipped the reins, glancing back and forth, looking for what his horses already sensed. Behind the carriage followed four guards on horseback. The metal armor and decor on the horses’ harnesses gave away the identity of the noble.
Changmin was disappointed. Though, the noble had been smart about traveling in a carriage less bold and colorful than the royal carriage. Changmin was going to have to keep trying to teach him.
“Detain the guards,” Changmin whispered and then he dropped to the ground. “Do not kill them.”
More than one of the men around him groaned, but they did as they were told. Changmin waited until the small skirmish was over. There were twenty of them and only six guards. One of his own took a sword to the arm. Painful, sure, but as ordered, he only knocked the guard to the ground and did not run him through afterwards.
Changmin walked up to the carriage door. The driver was held in the strong grip of Yoochun, one of Changmin’s most loyal friends.
“Search the baggage and take any gold you find,” Changmin said to Yoochun, and then rapped lightly on the door. “Your highness. Open up.”
The door opened, and a sword came through it first, barely missing Changmin’s neck. Okay, so there were seven guards. He reached into the door, grabbed the arm of the assailant and yanked him to the ground. The man scrambled to his feet, and Changmin rolled his eyes, waited until the guard took a step to him, and then used his bow to smack the guard across the face. The guard spun, wobbled and fell.
“Watch him.”
Changmin opened the door again and stepped up and into the carriage. He shut the door and sat on the soft, red velvet bench. The finery was not missing inside the carriage. Crossing his long legs, he put his hands behind his head and smiled. “Hello, your highness.”
Prince Junsu returned the smile. “Hello, Maurdering Max.”
“That is such a stupid nickname,” Changmin said as he fought the shiver. Junsu’s smile always brought down his defenses. He had a scar on his arm because of that smile from their first meeting outside of the palace walls.
Along with the plain carriage, the prince had also dressed down in nothing more than brown breeches and a gray tunic. Though, Changmin was sure that both were made of cloth much richer than anything he had.
“Changmin-ah. This gold is for the Kingdom of Trees.”
Changmin waved his hand in dismal. “Prince Jaejoong won’t mind and you know it. Would you like me to destroy your carriage and kill a few guards to show you were robbed?”
“Not necessary.” Junsu leaned forward. “You really need this?”
“You know it’s not for me.”
“You don’t have to steal our money to give to the people.”
“Steal is such a dirty word.” Changmin smirked. “I prefer, re-appropriate funds.”
Junsu leaned back with a huff. “We are trying. Jaejoong needs this money.”
“I know that. And I know that you are trying. Jaejoong is trying. But your fathers are taxing our people, your people, to poverty, and you know it. So for the next two months, I’m re-appropriating Jaejoong’s inheritance funds.”
“He needs it.”
“Your people need it more.”
Junsu sighed, hands fisted on his knees in frustration.
Changmin leaned forward this time. “Are you... Kim Junsu! You have to wait!”
“Sh,” Junsu begged. “I am not.”
“You are. By the Queen, you are ...”
“Do not swear by my mother,” Junsu said, eyes blazing.
Changmin rolled his eyes. “It’s just an expression.”
“Then express your outrage with someone else’s family!”
“That is not important right now, Junsu.”
Junsu continued to glare. “I have to. And soon.”
“I know, and my offer continues to stand,” Changmin said.
Junsu nodded. “I am aware.”
Changmin uncrossed his legs. “My business here is done. Are you sure I can’t kill a couple of your guards?”
“Don’t be absurd.”
Changmin smiled. “Well, then, until next time. You did well this time, Prince. Next time, tell your guards to dress down the cavalry.”
Junsu’s eyes widened in recognition. “Right.”
Changmin winked. He moved to climb out of the carriage, but a hand on his arm stopped him.
Junsu glared at him, a determined light in his eye.
Changmin lifted an eyebrow in question.
Junsu’s hand lifted to Changmin’s long hair and Changmin let him, to surprised to really move. He pulled, and Changmin followed the direction, down to his knees.
“You trust me way too much,” Junsu whispered.
“I know.”
“I have a dagger in my wrist that I should shove into your neck. There is a substantial price upon your head.”
“You should.”
Junsu sighed and leaned forward, pressing a firm kiss to Changmin’s lips. “I cannot ask you to fix a problem that is mine.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that this is a notice of what is to come. You will not be involved if I can help it, but be prepared.”
“I am always prepared.”
Junsu nodded and kissed him again, falling to his knees as well. Their mouths opened, tongues together, arms around waists. Changmin loved Junsu’s waist, his compact tight body, the way the muscles shifted under his clothes, behind armor. He was short, but lithe and strong. The only one who rivaled him with a bow and bested him constantly with a sword when they were younger.
He waited for the pain of a knife in his back.
“Be safe,” Junsu whispered.
Changmin smiled, head a little light. “You, too. Send Jaejoong my love.”
“He’ll send you to your grave when he finds out that you’ve stolen his gold.”
Changmin pressed one more kiss to his lips. “Tell him I let you keep the chests under the carriage.”
Junsu cursed.
Laughing, Changmin exited the carriage. “Yunho! Your arm, okay?”
“Just a flesh wound. I’ll be fine.”
“Good.”
Changmin went to his horse and mounted. “Prince Junsu!”
“What?”
“A token!” Changmin said and pulled back his bow. An arrow, one with the blue and green feathers of his clan, thunked into the side of the carriage.
Junsu shouted a curse word and his driver snapped the reigns.
Changmin laughed. He waited until the carriage and the guards were out of sight before turning to his men.
“Max,” Yoochun said in exasperation. “Come on.”
Changmin rolled his eyes. “Fine. Just kill two of them.”
Yoochun grinned and jerked his head. His brother Yoohwan followed him into the trees, their long ponytails trailing behind them in the wind.
“You’re going soft,” Yunho said beside him as they rode back toward their camp.
Changmin lifted an eyebrow at him. “Soft?”
“A year ago we would have destroyed that entire caravan and the noble sitting inside it.”
Changmin shrugged. “Why kill off a prince when they are killing each other off?”
Yunho shook his head in disbelief. “When has that mattered? Princes come and go as heirs to the throne change, but our goal has never wavered, not in ten years. The only thing that has changed is --”
“Your attitude?”
“No, yours. You have let Prince Junsu go more times than I care to count.”
“My attitude has not changed and neither has my goal. Prince Junsu is the key to achieving that goal. As is the gold that he often carries. And we steal that gold and give it back to the people. If Prince Junsu is going to be dumb enough to continue to travel with that much wealth, then I am going to relieve him of it as often as I can.”
“You are hiding something.”
Changmin did not reply.
“Trust is what holds us together.”
Changmin nodded. “Then trust me.”
Yunho snorted and surged forward on his horse. The cloak flared behind him, and sunlight glinted off his sword.
Changmin smiled, aware of the wondering gaze of the others around him, and continued on into the trees.
<[---------<<<
“Kim Junsu!”
Something soft slammed into his face.
Junsu shouted in surprise and spun around, glaring at the prince. He kicked the pillow on the ground and felt mildly bad when feathers exploded from it.
Jaejoong laughed as he leaned against the door jam, covering his mouth with his hand. He was dressed in dark green trousers and shirt with a brown belt and scabbard holding his sword. Light gleamed on the intricate guard of silver and green. The dying sunlight caught in his blond hair, turning the strands gold and orange.
“Daydreaming,” Jaejoong sang.
“I cannot help it.” Junsu wandered through the room, to the soft bed and fell with a huff, feet still on the floor. He heard Jaejoong move through the room and then fell on the other side of the bed.
“We need to move soon,” Jaejoong whispered.
Junsu nodded. “I alluded to Max that ...”
“Not safe, Su-yah.”
“I know. I just ... he makes me ... just so ...”
“Angry?”
“Yes.” Junsu growled. “So very angry.”
Jaejoong chuckled and reached above his head, finding Junsu’s hand. He gripped it tightly. “You’ll be together soon, if that is what you want.”
“We need his help. He has agreed to help us.”
“His way? Not our way?”
Junsu nodded. “It is dangerous for me to be here.”
“It is dangerous for anyone to be anywhere. That is the point. Dinner will be served in a half hour.”
Junsu sat up suddenly and rubbed his face. “I must be honest with you, JaeJae. Changmin is ... he ... we ... I ... I like him, a lot.”
Jaejoong chuckled again and walked across the room. “I already knew that, Su-yah. Like I said. You’ll be together soon, if that is what you want.”
Junsu huffed and fell back toward the bed. “Two months. We can plan in two months.”
“Yeah, two months.”
The door shut softly behind Jaejoong.
Junsu stood up and went back to the window. He leaned on the rough brick and stared out over the tops of the trees, the acres of forests, up through the hills and to the Kingdom of Mountains. Soon, it would be joined, no longer divided, a truce, with two nations but one people. The fighting between them would stop. The taxation of their people would end when there was no war to support. They would be allies.
And it all depended on the birth of Jaejoong’s child. Boy or girl. Heir or offspring.
Jaejoong needed a male heir before he could become king. A male heir and a substantial amount of gold. The kingdom was rich, but Jaejoong had to have his own wealth.
Junho had set up markets and shops within the Kingdom of Mountains. He had a steady stream of wealth, but Jaejoong did not. He needed more. If he did not acquire enough gold to be considered a prince in the Kingdom of Trees, then the title of Heir Apparent would go to Jaejoong’s cousin, the son of the current king’s brother. But he was only fifteen, not nearly old enough to be named heir. They had time even if Seohyun did not give birth to a son.
Junsu’s older brother Junho also had three sons already, a secure line for king. Jaejoong had a daughter. Junsu adored little Minzy. She had her father’s blond hair and green eyes, but her mother’s temperament and sense of adventure. He knew Jaejoong would have made Minzy heir if the others of their kingdom would recognize the claim.
Instead, Seohyun carried a second child.
If only there was a way to see if the child was a boy before it was born. Then again, he worried enough for her safety. If anyone in Junsu’s kingdom knew that Seohyun carried a boy, she would be taken, kidnapped, possibly killed. She was already in enough danger just being pregnant.
Two months.
Part 2: The Grip
.
Pairing: Changmin/Junsu (Jaejoong/fc, Yunho/Heechul, Yoochun/Yoohwan [incest], Junho/fc)
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Here is another world that I wish existed in a place other than my mind, but it doesn't and I don't own them and I can only place them into this delusion.
Summary: Greed and corruption rule two neighboring kingdoms: The Kingdom of Mountains and the Kingdom of Trees. Two princes are planning a coup. Their success or failure depends on the shadow in the woods, the rogue of the forests, the arrow in the sky.
A/N: Totally inspired by Robin Hood. Can you blame me?
Part 1:
The shaft is the primary structure of an arrow. It is what the other parts of the arrow are attached to.
Changmin stood on the thick tree branch, legs spread for balance, bow pressed to the bark. He held a tree limb above his head, watching the plain carriage make its way through the woods.
From where he was at and the angle of the sun, his body (clad in brown patterned trousers and a green tunic) blended into the trees. His brown, soft-soled boots, kept him quiet. The knife in his boots and at his wrists and the bow and quiver of arrows on his back kept him deadly.
“Max?” someone whispered.
Changmin held out his hand and shook his head. “Not yet.”
The driver whipped the reins, glancing back and forth, looking for what his horses already sensed. Behind the carriage followed four guards on horseback. The metal armor and decor on the horses’ harnesses gave away the identity of the noble.
Changmin was disappointed. Though, the noble had been smart about traveling in a carriage less bold and colorful than the royal carriage. Changmin was going to have to keep trying to teach him.
“Detain the guards,” Changmin whispered and then he dropped to the ground. “Do not kill them.”
More than one of the men around him groaned, but they did as they were told. Changmin waited until the small skirmish was over. There were twenty of them and only six guards. One of his own took a sword to the arm. Painful, sure, but as ordered, he only knocked the guard to the ground and did not run him through afterwards.
Changmin walked up to the carriage door. The driver was held in the strong grip of Yoochun, one of Changmin’s most loyal friends.
“Search the baggage and take any gold you find,” Changmin said to Yoochun, and then rapped lightly on the door. “Your highness. Open up.”
The door opened, and a sword came through it first, barely missing Changmin’s neck. Okay, so there were seven guards. He reached into the door, grabbed the arm of the assailant and yanked him to the ground. The man scrambled to his feet, and Changmin rolled his eyes, waited until the guard took a step to him, and then used his bow to smack the guard across the face. The guard spun, wobbled and fell.
“Watch him.”
Changmin opened the door again and stepped up and into the carriage. He shut the door and sat on the soft, red velvet bench. The finery was not missing inside the carriage. Crossing his long legs, he put his hands behind his head and smiled. “Hello, your highness.”
Prince Junsu returned the smile. “Hello, Maurdering Max.”
“That is such a stupid nickname,” Changmin said as he fought the shiver. Junsu’s smile always brought down his defenses. He had a scar on his arm because of that smile from their first meeting outside of the palace walls.
Along with the plain carriage, the prince had also dressed down in nothing more than brown breeches and a gray tunic. Though, Changmin was sure that both were made of cloth much richer than anything he had.
“Changmin-ah. This gold is for the Kingdom of Trees.”
Changmin waved his hand in dismal. “Prince Jaejoong won’t mind and you know it. Would you like me to destroy your carriage and kill a few guards to show you were robbed?”
“Not necessary.” Junsu leaned forward. “You really need this?”
“You know it’s not for me.”
“You don’t have to steal our money to give to the people.”
“Steal is such a dirty word.” Changmin smirked. “I prefer, re-appropriate funds.”
Junsu leaned back with a huff. “We are trying. Jaejoong needs this money.”
“I know that. And I know that you are trying. Jaejoong is trying. But your fathers are taxing our people, your people, to poverty, and you know it. So for the next two months, I’m re-appropriating Jaejoong’s inheritance funds.”
“He needs it.”
“Your people need it more.”
Junsu sighed, hands fisted on his knees in frustration.
Changmin leaned forward this time. “Are you... Kim Junsu! You have to wait!”
“Sh,” Junsu begged. “I am not.”
“You are. By the Queen, you are ...”
“Do not swear by my mother,” Junsu said, eyes blazing.
Changmin rolled his eyes. “It’s just an expression.”
“Then express your outrage with someone else’s family!”
“That is not important right now, Junsu.”
Junsu continued to glare. “I have to. And soon.”
“I know, and my offer continues to stand,” Changmin said.
Junsu nodded. “I am aware.”
Changmin uncrossed his legs. “My business here is done. Are you sure I can’t kill a couple of your guards?”
“Don’t be absurd.”
Changmin smiled. “Well, then, until next time. You did well this time, Prince. Next time, tell your guards to dress down the cavalry.”
Junsu’s eyes widened in recognition. “Right.”
Changmin winked. He moved to climb out of the carriage, but a hand on his arm stopped him.
Junsu glared at him, a determined light in his eye.
Changmin lifted an eyebrow in question.
Junsu’s hand lifted to Changmin’s long hair and Changmin let him, to surprised to really move. He pulled, and Changmin followed the direction, down to his knees.
“You trust me way too much,” Junsu whispered.
“I know.”
“I have a dagger in my wrist that I should shove into your neck. There is a substantial price upon your head.”
“You should.”
Junsu sighed and leaned forward, pressing a firm kiss to Changmin’s lips. “I cannot ask you to fix a problem that is mine.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that this is a notice of what is to come. You will not be involved if I can help it, but be prepared.”
“I am always prepared.”
Junsu nodded and kissed him again, falling to his knees as well. Their mouths opened, tongues together, arms around waists. Changmin loved Junsu’s waist, his compact tight body, the way the muscles shifted under his clothes, behind armor. He was short, but lithe and strong. The only one who rivaled him with a bow and bested him constantly with a sword when they were younger.
He waited for the pain of a knife in his back.
“Be safe,” Junsu whispered.
Changmin smiled, head a little light. “You, too. Send Jaejoong my love.”
“He’ll send you to your grave when he finds out that you’ve stolen his gold.”
Changmin pressed one more kiss to his lips. “Tell him I let you keep the chests under the carriage.”
Junsu cursed.
Laughing, Changmin exited the carriage. “Yunho! Your arm, okay?”
“Just a flesh wound. I’ll be fine.”
“Good.”
Changmin went to his horse and mounted. “Prince Junsu!”
“What?”
“A token!” Changmin said and pulled back his bow. An arrow, one with the blue and green feathers of his clan, thunked into the side of the carriage.
Junsu shouted a curse word and his driver snapped the reigns.
Changmin laughed. He waited until the carriage and the guards were out of sight before turning to his men.
“Max,” Yoochun said in exasperation. “Come on.”
Changmin rolled his eyes. “Fine. Just kill two of them.”
Yoochun grinned and jerked his head. His brother Yoohwan followed him into the trees, their long ponytails trailing behind them in the wind.
“You’re going soft,” Yunho said beside him as they rode back toward their camp.
Changmin lifted an eyebrow at him. “Soft?”
“A year ago we would have destroyed that entire caravan and the noble sitting inside it.”
Changmin shrugged. “Why kill off a prince when they are killing each other off?”
Yunho shook his head in disbelief. “When has that mattered? Princes come and go as heirs to the throne change, but our goal has never wavered, not in ten years. The only thing that has changed is --”
“Your attitude?”
“No, yours. You have let Prince Junsu go more times than I care to count.”
“My attitude has not changed and neither has my goal. Prince Junsu is the key to achieving that goal. As is the gold that he often carries. And we steal that gold and give it back to the people. If Prince Junsu is going to be dumb enough to continue to travel with that much wealth, then I am going to relieve him of it as often as I can.”
“You are hiding something.”
Changmin did not reply.
“Trust is what holds us together.”
Changmin nodded. “Then trust me.”
Yunho snorted and surged forward on his horse. The cloak flared behind him, and sunlight glinted off his sword.
Changmin smiled, aware of the wondering gaze of the others around him, and continued on into the trees.
<[---------<<<
“Kim Junsu!”
Something soft slammed into his face.
Junsu shouted in surprise and spun around, glaring at the prince. He kicked the pillow on the ground and felt mildly bad when feathers exploded from it.
Jaejoong laughed as he leaned against the door jam, covering his mouth with his hand. He was dressed in dark green trousers and shirt with a brown belt and scabbard holding his sword. Light gleamed on the intricate guard of silver and green. The dying sunlight caught in his blond hair, turning the strands gold and orange.
“Daydreaming,” Jaejoong sang.
“I cannot help it.” Junsu wandered through the room, to the soft bed and fell with a huff, feet still on the floor. He heard Jaejoong move through the room and then fell on the other side of the bed.
“We need to move soon,” Jaejoong whispered.
Junsu nodded. “I alluded to Max that ...”
“Not safe, Su-yah.”
“I know. I just ... he makes me ... just so ...”
“Angry?”
“Yes.” Junsu growled. “So very angry.”
Jaejoong chuckled and reached above his head, finding Junsu’s hand. He gripped it tightly. “You’ll be together soon, if that is what you want.”
“We need his help. He has agreed to help us.”
“His way? Not our way?”
Junsu nodded. “It is dangerous for me to be here.”
“It is dangerous for anyone to be anywhere. That is the point. Dinner will be served in a half hour.”
Junsu sat up suddenly and rubbed his face. “I must be honest with you, JaeJae. Changmin is ... he ... we ... I ... I like him, a lot.”
Jaejoong chuckled again and walked across the room. “I already knew that, Su-yah. Like I said. You’ll be together soon, if that is what you want.”
Junsu huffed and fell back toward the bed. “Two months. We can plan in two months.”
“Yeah, two months.”
The door shut softly behind Jaejoong.
Junsu stood up and went back to the window. He leaned on the rough brick and stared out over the tops of the trees, the acres of forests, up through the hills and to the Kingdom of Mountains. Soon, it would be joined, no longer divided, a truce, with two nations but one people. The fighting between them would stop. The taxation of their people would end when there was no war to support. They would be allies.
And it all depended on the birth of Jaejoong’s child. Boy or girl. Heir or offspring.
Jaejoong needed a male heir before he could become king. A male heir and a substantial amount of gold. The kingdom was rich, but Jaejoong had to have his own wealth.
Junho had set up markets and shops within the Kingdom of Mountains. He had a steady stream of wealth, but Jaejoong did not. He needed more. If he did not acquire enough gold to be considered a prince in the Kingdom of Trees, then the title of Heir Apparent would go to Jaejoong’s cousin, the son of the current king’s brother. But he was only fifteen, not nearly old enough to be named heir. They had time even if Seohyun did not give birth to a son.
Junsu’s older brother Junho also had three sons already, a secure line for king. Jaejoong had a daughter. Junsu adored little Minzy. She had her father’s blond hair and green eyes, but her mother’s temperament and sense of adventure. He knew Jaejoong would have made Minzy heir if the others of their kingdom would recognize the claim.
Instead, Seohyun carried a second child.
If only there was a way to see if the child was a boy before it was born. Then again, he worried enough for her safety. If anyone in Junsu’s kingdom knew that Seohyun carried a boy, she would be taken, kidnapped, possibly killed. She was already in enough danger just being pregnant.
Two months.
Part 2: The Grip
.