The Arrow's Flight 10/?
Title: The Arrow's Flight 10/?
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?
All archery terms are taken from TradeBow.
Warning: het
Part 10:
The Target Panic
The inability to loose the arrow, but more commonly letting the arrow fly before full draw is reached. Once called "archer's catalepsy."
Junsu slept all night and into the next day. Minho and Jonghyun took turns guarding him. Junho only slept because of his wife’s attentions and demands. She continued to whisper sexy things about finally being inside of her again that had Junho throbbing. By the Mountains, he loved her, even if their marriage had been arranged. Their friendship before had turned into passion after, and it was more than Junho had ever hoped for.
When he stuck his head into the room to check on Junsu, he found his brother awake and sitting up, with his wife next to him, helping him eat something from a bowl.
“Busted,” Junsu whispered with a grin.
Taeyeon smiled over at her husband. “Oh well. You got some food in you before he started interrogating you.”
“Darling,” Junho said and kissed her forehead. “You are such a meddler.”
“I care about his health. You only care about--”
Junho covered her mouth and shook his head. “Not here.”
She licked his hand and Junho smiled, removing it and wiping it off on his pants. “I was going to say orgasms,” she said and nodded with her head to a parchment on the dresser.
Junho took it with shaking hands, and read his brother’s normally neat handwriting, the words wobbling in probably his haste to get it all down.
Max is taking over. His plan has always been to unite the kingdoms and the only way that is possible is with you and Jaejoong as kings. He told me that we are no longer allowed to plan. We have no idea who is watching us, or who we can trust.
Max will fulfil our plan. Our part is to hold the festival as we always have. Someone here knows that we are planning something. We need to stop before one or both of us is killed.
I trust him. Trust me when I say that you can trust him.
Junho swallowed roughly, eyes wide as he looked at his brother.
Junsu said nothing with his words, but his eyes were pleading, his mouth a pout.
Rolling his eyes, Junho said, “This doesn’t explain love.”
“Love?” Junsu said, voice cracking.
Junho smirked. “Yes. Taemin said something about love.”
Junsu’s cheeks flushed and he cleared his throat. “Well, ... I ... we ... After. He promised after, we would ... talk.”
Junho laughed. “After, good. I like after. That means we’re all going to tease you so much after.”
Junsu moaned and buried his face in his hands.
Junho laughed harder and then said, “I will leave you to my wife’s care. I need to get back to Father’s rooms to keep organizing the Festival. I will tell him that you are resting and you will be just fine. Except in the head.”
Had he the energy, Junsu probably would have thrown a pillow at him. Junho ducked out of the door and shut it on Junsu’s loud protest. He met Jinki’s eyes and then glanced at Minho. He had to trust them. He had to. The thought of them betraying him like Junsu’s guards had made him sick to his stomach. But he did not trust them enough to tell them about the Festival of the Stones. He could not risk it. He crumbled up the parchment and tossed it burning embers of his fireplace. The paper caught immediately, burning bright yellow and quick, before the embers went back to smoldering red.
Jinki frowned but he nodded. “There are some details I am still unclear about it.”
“And they will stay that way,” Junho said.
Only Kibum looked disgruntled about that, but Junho understood. Kibum was meticulous with details and he hated not knowing information.
“I trust all of you,” Junho said, “but, I am sorry. Please understand that everyone has a price. I trusted Junsu’s guards too. As soon as I know the exact date of the Festival and the placement of all the vendors and craftsmen, Taemin you’ll take that information to the trees.”
Taemin nodded. “How long?”
“We will know within the next two weeks.”
Junho did not like the idea of his plan being out of his hands. He did not, but with Junsu’s guards dead and his own father suspicious, the two of them had to do everything they could to be as innocent as possible. And if that meant letting Max release that impending arrow, then so be it. If Max was not to be trusted, then they would need another plan, one that happened a bit closer to the birth of Jaejoong’s baby.
<|---------<<<
Jaejoong paced in his room. He had become very familiar with his room over the last five days. With his father still sick, he was barricaded there, for his protection, the guards said, but Jaejoong knew it was because they all suspected him. They had every right to suspect him, he was indeed planning his father’s death, just not this soon!
He ate food and drank water that was brought directly from the source by his guards. He refused to sleep without at least three of them guarding him.
Daesung had reported that he had talked with one of Max’s pretty whores, his word, not Jaejoong’s, because Max had not been available. He did not know anything else.
Which meant that Jaejoong did not know anything else. He tried to be calm, he tried to be patient, but none of it was working.
The door opened, and in flew his little girl.
“Daddy!”
Jaejoong held out his arms for her and swung her up into the air and then held her close, face buried in her black hair. “Minzy baby! What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in lessons?”
“Yep, yep, but Jiyong-oppa said I needed to come and see you.”
Jaejoong smiled over at Jiyong. He had a look in his eyes that said it was more than that. “Well, I am very glad you are here. I did need to see you. Let’s read a book.”
“About dragons and princesses?”
“Sure.” Jaejoong carried her from the sitting room and into his private study. He had a shelf of books just for Minzy, and he let her pick one out.
“Jiyong,” Jaejoong said. “There’s parchment on the desk. Write down a list of things I need to do with my afternoon.”
Jiyong nodded.
Jaejoong sat in his most comfortable chair and Minzy sat in his lap, curled up in a ball. The four-year-old knew her letters and a few short words by sight, but she was not reading just yet. Even though she usually did not stop talking. Jaejoong knew she’d start reading on her own soon. She took after her smart, intelligent, beautiful mother. His chest ached with more than love, more than want. He was sure that arranged marriages were not supposed to be so perfect, but Seohyun was perfect for him. Even as children, they had been best friends and gotten into more trouble than a prince and noble girl should have.
A few minutes into the story, Jiyong stood by the chair with the parchment.
“Hang on, Minzy-baby,” Jaejoong said. “Let me read this.”
Seungri and I found her with three guards. They said the tutor left her with them, but she shook her head. We did not want to question her where other could hear. We have no idea what they were going to do to or with her. I brought her here to be safe.
“Thank you, Jiyong,” Jaejoong said. “Add a meeting with my father’s advisor to that. Go see if he’ll meet with me.”
Jiyong nodded. “I’ll send Seunghyun.”
Jaejoong had to swallow roughly. He pressed a kiss to his daughter’s head, shoved back his tears, and continued reading the story. He’d focus on the information later, when she was asleep. He’d let himself deal with the fact that someone out there wanted to hurt his baby girl. First with emotions, and then with his sword.
<|---------<<<
Changmin paced in his cabin. It had been too many days since Junsu had left. More than a week, almost the end of the second. And now they had to wait for enough time to pass, for the Festival of Stones.
Changmin had a few spies in every kingdom, so he knew that the King of Mountains still planned on holding the festival despite his youngest son being attacked. He also knew that the King of Trees was still sick, weak and losing more energy every day. The doctors still did not know what was wrong with him.
But they had to get Seohyun back to Jaejoong before he died. Without her there, pregnant and visible, Jaejoong may lose his right to the kingdom before his father died.
Changmin moved to the door and whistled for Yoochun.
He did not have to wait long before both brothers were there. Changmin moved in close to them and let his whisper carry only far enough for them to hear.
“I need you to go talk to Jaejoong,” he said. “We have to get Seohyun back to the Trees Kingdom now. Make sure it is safe for her.”
Yoochun nodded. “We’ll be back before sunrise.”
Changmin gripped his shoulder. “Thank you. Send Siwon to me on your way out.”
The brothers left, melting into the trees. Changmin continued to pace. A few minutes later, Siwon appeared, and Changmin took a very deep breath. “I need you and Yoona to take Seohyun back to her husband. I need to you do anything you can to make that baby come early.”
Siwon’s eyebrows lifted. “That’s dangerous, for the mother and the child.”
Changmin nodded. “I know, but the King of Trees is sick, in bed and dying, and no one knows why. Without that baby ...”
He trailed off and Siwon nodded.
“Take Sungmin and Yuri with you, I’ll probably send Kangin and Hangeng too. The princess must be protected.”
“When?”
“As soon as the brothers return after checking it is safe. So tomorrow afternoon, at the latest.”
Siwon nodded. “I will go prepare.”
Changmin took a deep breath. “Thank you.”
<|---------<<<
Jiyong mentally cursed when a knife suddenly pressed against his neck and a soft voice told him to stop where he was. It was too dark to tell who it was.
“Max wants to bring the princess back now,” a voice whispered, one he recognized.
Micky.
The man who had just sauntered into the castle like he owned the place last time. And was in the royal gardens, obviously undiscovered. How he did it, Jiyong did not know. The voice had come from behind him, not next to him from the one holding the knife, so there were at least two men around him.
“Our attention is focused on the stones and it’s important that the child is born here,” Micky said. “Will she be safe if we bring her back?”
Jiyong fought not to swallow or nod. The knife was so close to cutting his skin. “She will be. We have places to hide her.”
“How is your prince? Our spies have not seen him in his usual places.”
“Jaejoong is confined to his rooms. His father is sick, and Jaejoong is under suspicion. We are looking for evidence to clear him.”
The knife shifted, and Jiyong shut his eyes, waiting for pain. It did not come.
Instead, lips pressed too close to his ear. A brush of breath. The touch of a tongue. “That would be lovely, Jiyong-ah.”
Jiyong growled at the familiar term.
Soft laughter trickled over his skin. “Two nights. Shall we meet here again?”
“Yes. Fine.”
“I’ve already upset my lover enough for the night, but just know that your skin is incredibly sensitive. Whoever gets to share your bed is a lucky, lucky person.”
The presence shifted away, and Jiyong strained to hear footsteps or the man’s direction. He heard nothing until a cricket chirped. He jumped and hurried through the dark shadows of the royal garden and went to go tell Jaejoong that he hated Micky even more than he did before.
A warning whoosh of air had him ducking. A glint of a blade, small but deadly if it had connected. He twisted, around a hedge and moved a little faster, trying to stay silent. Staying still in the gardens meant he could be cornered. He knew every pathway, including the hidden ones, and after a few more breathless moments, he managed to slip through a hidden door and into a servant hallway of the castle.
These hallways were small, but thankfully never dark. He slipped through them easily, seeing only a few maids. By the time he was at Jaejoong’s rooms, he was out of breath and close to panic.
Seungri rushed to fetch him some water.
Jiyong burst into the prince’s room, only mildly apologetic when he woke him up. Jaejoong slept so rarely.
Jiyong waited until Jaejoong had blinked his eyes a few times, completely waking. The small form of his daughter curled on the bed, but she stayed asleep.
“I had a visit in the gardens from your friend Micky. Asshole held a knife to my throat.”
Jaejoong smiled. “Really? The gardens? He and his brother are amazing.”
Brother? Jiyong said. But Micky had said lover. There definitely had to have been more than two of them.
“They are bringing Seohyun back here in two nights.”
Jaejoong’s eyes widened.
“They say their attention is focused on the stones. With your father ill, it is better if she is here.”
“The stones?”
“He did not clarify, but I am assuming he means the Festival of Stones.”
Jaejoong rubbed his face and nodded.
“Oh and someone threw a knife at me in the gardens.”
“What?”
Jiyong shrugged. “I did not try to find out who it was. It could have been Micky or the others with him, but why give me a message and then try to kill me?”
Jaejoong huffed and stood up. “There is not much I can do about some random shadow throwing knives. But I want you guys to watch your back. Only go somewhere alone if you must. Two nights he said?”
Jiyong nodded. “We can bring her in through the north tower.”
Jaejoong stood up, glancing at his daughter with a smile. “It’ll be good to see her again.”
Jiyong agreed. Jaejoong did not take care of himself unless Seohyun demanded it. Maybe his prince would get more sleep even with all the uncertainties bombarding them.
Part 11: The Nocking Point
Part 9: The Fishtailing
Part 8: The Sight Window
Part 7: The Aim
Part 6: The Bracer
Part 5: The Fletching
Part 4: The Limbs
Part 3: The Anchor
Part 2: The Grip
Part 1: The Shaft
.
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?
All archery terms are taken from TradeBow.
Warning: het
Part 10:
The Target Panic
The inability to loose the arrow, but more commonly letting the arrow fly before full draw is reached. Once called "archer's catalepsy."
Junsu slept all night and into the next day. Minho and Jonghyun took turns guarding him. Junho only slept because of his wife’s attentions and demands. She continued to whisper sexy things about finally being inside of her again that had Junho throbbing. By the Mountains, he loved her, even if their marriage had been arranged. Their friendship before had turned into passion after, and it was more than Junho had ever hoped for.
When he stuck his head into the room to check on Junsu, he found his brother awake and sitting up, with his wife next to him, helping him eat something from a bowl.
“Busted,” Junsu whispered with a grin.
Taeyeon smiled over at her husband. “Oh well. You got some food in you before he started interrogating you.”
“Darling,” Junho said and kissed her forehead. “You are such a meddler.”
“I care about his health. You only care about--”
Junho covered her mouth and shook his head. “Not here.”
She licked his hand and Junho smiled, removing it and wiping it off on his pants. “I was going to say orgasms,” she said and nodded with her head to a parchment on the dresser.
Junho took it with shaking hands, and read his brother’s normally neat handwriting, the words wobbling in probably his haste to get it all down.
Max is taking over. His plan has always been to unite the kingdoms and the only way that is possible is with you and Jaejoong as kings. He told me that we are no longer allowed to plan. We have no idea who is watching us, or who we can trust.
Max will fulfil our plan. Our part is to hold the festival as we always have. Someone here knows that we are planning something. We need to stop before one or both of us is killed.
I trust him. Trust me when I say that you can trust him.
Junho swallowed roughly, eyes wide as he looked at his brother.
Junsu said nothing with his words, but his eyes were pleading, his mouth a pout.
Rolling his eyes, Junho said, “This doesn’t explain love.”
“Love?” Junsu said, voice cracking.
Junho smirked. “Yes. Taemin said something about love.”
Junsu’s cheeks flushed and he cleared his throat. “Well, ... I ... we ... After. He promised after, we would ... talk.”
Junho laughed. “After, good. I like after. That means we’re all going to tease you so much after.”
Junsu moaned and buried his face in his hands.
Junho laughed harder and then said, “I will leave you to my wife’s care. I need to get back to Father’s rooms to keep organizing the Festival. I will tell him that you are resting and you will be just fine. Except in the head.”
Had he the energy, Junsu probably would have thrown a pillow at him. Junho ducked out of the door and shut it on Junsu’s loud protest. He met Jinki’s eyes and then glanced at Minho. He had to trust them. He had to. The thought of them betraying him like Junsu’s guards had made him sick to his stomach. But he did not trust them enough to tell them about the Festival of the Stones. He could not risk it. He crumbled up the parchment and tossed it burning embers of his fireplace. The paper caught immediately, burning bright yellow and quick, before the embers went back to smoldering red.
Jinki frowned but he nodded. “There are some details I am still unclear about it.”
“And they will stay that way,” Junho said.
Only Kibum looked disgruntled about that, but Junho understood. Kibum was meticulous with details and he hated not knowing information.
“I trust all of you,” Junho said, “but, I am sorry. Please understand that everyone has a price. I trusted Junsu’s guards too. As soon as I know the exact date of the Festival and the placement of all the vendors and craftsmen, Taemin you’ll take that information to the trees.”
Taemin nodded. “How long?”
“We will know within the next two weeks.”
Junho did not like the idea of his plan being out of his hands. He did not, but with Junsu’s guards dead and his own father suspicious, the two of them had to do everything they could to be as innocent as possible. And if that meant letting Max release that impending arrow, then so be it. If Max was not to be trusted, then they would need another plan, one that happened a bit closer to the birth of Jaejoong’s baby.
<|---------<<<
Jaejoong paced in his room. He had become very familiar with his room over the last five days. With his father still sick, he was barricaded there, for his protection, the guards said, but Jaejoong knew it was because they all suspected him. They had every right to suspect him, he was indeed planning his father’s death, just not this soon!
He ate food and drank water that was brought directly from the source by his guards. He refused to sleep without at least three of them guarding him.
Daesung had reported that he had talked with one of Max’s pretty whores, his word, not Jaejoong’s, because Max had not been available. He did not know anything else.
Which meant that Jaejoong did not know anything else. He tried to be calm, he tried to be patient, but none of it was working.
The door opened, and in flew his little girl.
“Daddy!”
Jaejoong held out his arms for her and swung her up into the air and then held her close, face buried in her black hair. “Minzy baby! What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in lessons?”
“Yep, yep, but Jiyong-oppa said I needed to come and see you.”
Jaejoong smiled over at Jiyong. He had a look in his eyes that said it was more than that. “Well, I am very glad you are here. I did need to see you. Let’s read a book.”
“About dragons and princesses?”
“Sure.” Jaejoong carried her from the sitting room and into his private study. He had a shelf of books just for Minzy, and he let her pick one out.
“Jiyong,” Jaejoong said. “There’s parchment on the desk. Write down a list of things I need to do with my afternoon.”
Jiyong nodded.
Jaejoong sat in his most comfortable chair and Minzy sat in his lap, curled up in a ball. The four-year-old knew her letters and a few short words by sight, but she was not reading just yet. Even though she usually did not stop talking. Jaejoong knew she’d start reading on her own soon. She took after her smart, intelligent, beautiful mother. His chest ached with more than love, more than want. He was sure that arranged marriages were not supposed to be so perfect, but Seohyun was perfect for him. Even as children, they had been best friends and gotten into more trouble than a prince and noble girl should have.
A few minutes into the story, Jiyong stood by the chair with the parchment.
“Hang on, Minzy-baby,” Jaejoong said. “Let me read this.”
Seungri and I found her with three guards. They said the tutor left her with them, but she shook her head. We did not want to question her where other could hear. We have no idea what they were going to do to or with her. I brought her here to be safe.
“Thank you, Jiyong,” Jaejoong said. “Add a meeting with my father’s advisor to that. Go see if he’ll meet with me.”
Jiyong nodded. “I’ll send Seunghyun.”
Jaejoong had to swallow roughly. He pressed a kiss to his daughter’s head, shoved back his tears, and continued reading the story. He’d focus on the information later, when she was asleep. He’d let himself deal with the fact that someone out there wanted to hurt his baby girl. First with emotions, and then with his sword.
<|---------<<<
Changmin paced in his cabin. It had been too many days since Junsu had left. More than a week, almost the end of the second. And now they had to wait for enough time to pass, for the Festival of Stones.
Changmin had a few spies in every kingdom, so he knew that the King of Mountains still planned on holding the festival despite his youngest son being attacked. He also knew that the King of Trees was still sick, weak and losing more energy every day. The doctors still did not know what was wrong with him.
But they had to get Seohyun back to Jaejoong before he died. Without her there, pregnant and visible, Jaejoong may lose his right to the kingdom before his father died.
Changmin moved to the door and whistled for Yoochun.
He did not have to wait long before both brothers were there. Changmin moved in close to them and let his whisper carry only far enough for them to hear.
“I need you to go talk to Jaejoong,” he said. “We have to get Seohyun back to the Trees Kingdom now. Make sure it is safe for her.”
Yoochun nodded. “We’ll be back before sunrise.”
Changmin gripped his shoulder. “Thank you. Send Siwon to me on your way out.”
The brothers left, melting into the trees. Changmin continued to pace. A few minutes later, Siwon appeared, and Changmin took a very deep breath. “I need you and Yoona to take Seohyun back to her husband. I need to you do anything you can to make that baby come early.”
Siwon’s eyebrows lifted. “That’s dangerous, for the mother and the child.”
Changmin nodded. “I know, but the King of Trees is sick, in bed and dying, and no one knows why. Without that baby ...”
He trailed off and Siwon nodded.
“Take Sungmin and Yuri with you, I’ll probably send Kangin and Hangeng too. The princess must be protected.”
“When?”
“As soon as the brothers return after checking it is safe. So tomorrow afternoon, at the latest.”
Siwon nodded. “I will go prepare.”
Changmin took a deep breath. “Thank you.”
<|---------<<<
Jiyong mentally cursed when a knife suddenly pressed against his neck and a soft voice told him to stop where he was. It was too dark to tell who it was.
“Max wants to bring the princess back now,” a voice whispered, one he recognized.
Micky.
The man who had just sauntered into the castle like he owned the place last time. And was in the royal gardens, obviously undiscovered. How he did it, Jiyong did not know. The voice had come from behind him, not next to him from the one holding the knife, so there were at least two men around him.
“Our attention is focused on the stones and it’s important that the child is born here,” Micky said. “Will she be safe if we bring her back?”
Jiyong fought not to swallow or nod. The knife was so close to cutting his skin. “She will be. We have places to hide her.”
“How is your prince? Our spies have not seen him in his usual places.”
“Jaejoong is confined to his rooms. His father is sick, and Jaejoong is under suspicion. We are looking for evidence to clear him.”
The knife shifted, and Jiyong shut his eyes, waiting for pain. It did not come.
Instead, lips pressed too close to his ear. A brush of breath. The touch of a tongue. “That would be lovely, Jiyong-ah.”
Jiyong growled at the familiar term.
Soft laughter trickled over his skin. “Two nights. Shall we meet here again?”
“Yes. Fine.”
“I’ve already upset my lover enough for the night, but just know that your skin is incredibly sensitive. Whoever gets to share your bed is a lucky, lucky person.”
The presence shifted away, and Jiyong strained to hear footsteps or the man’s direction. He heard nothing until a cricket chirped. He jumped and hurried through the dark shadows of the royal garden and went to go tell Jaejoong that he hated Micky even more than he did before.
A warning whoosh of air had him ducking. A glint of a blade, small but deadly if it had connected. He twisted, around a hedge and moved a little faster, trying to stay silent. Staying still in the gardens meant he could be cornered. He knew every pathway, including the hidden ones, and after a few more breathless moments, he managed to slip through a hidden door and into a servant hallway of the castle.
These hallways were small, but thankfully never dark. He slipped through them easily, seeing only a few maids. By the time he was at Jaejoong’s rooms, he was out of breath and close to panic.
Seungri rushed to fetch him some water.
Jiyong burst into the prince’s room, only mildly apologetic when he woke him up. Jaejoong slept so rarely.
Jiyong waited until Jaejoong had blinked his eyes a few times, completely waking. The small form of his daughter curled on the bed, but she stayed asleep.
“I had a visit in the gardens from your friend Micky. Asshole held a knife to my throat.”
Jaejoong smiled. “Really? The gardens? He and his brother are amazing.”
Brother? Jiyong said. But Micky had said lover. There definitely had to have been more than two of them.
“They are bringing Seohyun back here in two nights.”
Jaejoong’s eyes widened.
“They say their attention is focused on the stones. With your father ill, it is better if she is here.”
“The stones?”
“He did not clarify, but I am assuming he means the Festival of Stones.”
Jaejoong rubbed his face and nodded.
“Oh and someone threw a knife at me in the gardens.”
“What?”
Jiyong shrugged. “I did not try to find out who it was. It could have been Micky or the others with him, but why give me a message and then try to kill me?”
Jaejoong huffed and stood up. “There is not much I can do about some random shadow throwing knives. But I want you guys to watch your back. Only go somewhere alone if you must. Two nights he said?”
Jiyong nodded. “We can bring her in through the north tower.”
Jaejoong stood up, glancing at his daughter with a smile. “It’ll be good to see her again.”
Jiyong agreed. Jaejoong did not take care of himself unless Seohyun demanded it. Maybe his prince would get more sleep even with all the uncertainties bombarding them.
Part 11: The Nocking Point
Part 9: The Fishtailing
Part 8: The Sight Window
Part 7: The Aim
Part 6: The Bracer
Part 5: The Fletching
Part 4: The Limbs
Part 3: The Anchor
Part 2: The Grip
Part 1: The Shaft
.