Passion before duty (for estivaate)
For: estivaate
From: sleighlay
Title: passion before duty
Rating: PG-13
Length: 5445 words
Summary: Prince Joonmyun is torn between his duty to the Seelie court and the love he has for an Unseelie commoner (also known as the fairy custody battle over a human child).
Deep in the realm of the Fae, underneath towering elven oaks and canopies of copper leaves, the prince of the Seelie court laid, fast asleep, on a bed of spongy moss and soft ferns.
Curled up against his side was a cait sith, one of the fairy cats that roamed the highlands. As big as a dog and twice as nasty, the cait sith was completely black with the exception of one white spot on its breast.
They were known to be dangerous with fangs that could rip a man’s throat out, and claws that could shred leather to tatters, but the delicate chain and tag with ‘Prince Joonmyun’ inscribed on it implied that this cait sith was loyal to one person- and one person only.
The cait sith opened one brilliant green eye and blinked slowly. A low rumble erupted from its chest and it nuzzled the prince’s face with its wet nose, gently purring.
Joonmyun stirred, lifting one pale arm and draping it over his eyes with a soft groan. But the cait sith wouldn’t let up. It swiped its tongue across the prince’s cheek, causing Joonmyun to startle awake. He sat up, wiping off the cat’s drool with his shirtsleeve.
“Clystia,” he yawned. Slender fingers made their way to the base of the cait sith’s ear, scratching the fur there softly. “You could have let me sleep a little more.”
Still sitting in the shallow alcove at the base of an ancient willow, he stretched his arms above his head and loosened his stiff muscles. His sheer, white satin shirt rippled as he moved, fluid as the dainty pools dotting the forest.
Clystia continued to purr. She head-butted his shoulder and flicked her tail toward the edge of the clearing where another fairy stood, leaning against one of the tree trunks with an impish smirk.
“Jongdae!” Joonmyun grinned, delighted. “You haven’t come to visit me in a while. I was starting to think you didn’t want to see me anymore.”
Jongdae’s copper hair glistened in the dazzling sunlight as he walked forward, collapsing onto the ground beside Joonmyun and Clystia.
“I highly doubt I would have been welcomed at the Seelie courts, your highness.” Jongdae said, folding his arms behind his head. “The feud between my court and yours is nasty enough as it is.”
Joonmyun frowned. “I told you not to call me that. And my brothers ought to make up soon, don’t you think?”
Jongdae grinned. There was a teasing glint in his eyes. “Do I, Jongdae, a common fairy of the Unseelie court, know the Seelie Code of Honor better than you, the young Seelie prince?”
“What are you saying? Of course not.”
“Beauty is life.” Jongdae recited. He turned onto his side to face Joonmyun. The prince was still seated, crosslegged, next to him. He continued, repeating words that Joonmyun knew well. “To belong, a fairy has to be beautiful, and all beauty is protected. Your court is known to go to war to protect beauty, Joonmyun, whether it be a person, place, or thing.”
Joonmyun waved his hand carelessly. “Yes, yes. I know all of this. What does it have to do with anything?”
“Your brothers aren’t going to stop their petty squabble until King Minseok returns Sehun to the Seelie court.”
Joonmyun carefully considered Jongdae’s words, and he knew that he was absolutely right. “My brothers are idiots.” He sighed, resting his chin on one hand. “Who in their right mind let them be in charge?”
Jongdae reached out a hand and gently pulled Joonmyun’s away from his face. Their palms pressed against each other, warm in the cool autumn air.
“You know…” Jongdae said slowly, threading their fingers together. “I have an idea. I know how we can get the two kings to reconcile.”
Joonmyun grinned. “You do?”
Jongdae nodded. “Yup. But first,” he tugged the prince forward and Joonmyun fell onto him with a slight squeal. He could feel every rise and fall of Jongdae’s chest as he laid on top of him, their faces inches apart. Jongdae smirked, and Joonmyun’s face flushed a pretty pink. When Jongdae spoke again, his voice was low and husky. “I think I need to educate you on the Unseelie Code of Honor.”
“Go on,” Joonmyun whispered. A shiver ran down his spine as he stared into the endless depths of the other man’s big, dark eyes.
Strong arms wrapped around the prince’s neck, pulling him closer to Jongdae until their noses were brushing. “Let’s start with my personal favorite.”
“Which is?”
Joonmyun felt a pair of plush lips brush against his own and his eyes fluttered shut.
“Passion before duty.” Jongdae breathed against his mouth.
Joonmyun's head felt as though it was about to burst, and his heart beat a million miles an hour as Jongdae's lips moved against his own, soft but sure. He tasted like sweet citrus, tangy and refreshing, and Joonmyun loved it.
All of a sudden, the air outside felt like it had been raised by a good twenty degrees, and Joonmyun felt like every subtle touch burned straight to his core. Jongdae twisted their bodies so that Joonmyun's back was against the cushiony grass and he was on top, pressing their chests, and bodies, together with a frenzied sense of urgency.
They were interrupted by a low growl. Joonmyun’s eyes fluttered open as Jongdae quickly pulled away. Alarm pulsed through his veins.
“It’s Clystia.” Jongdae whispered, eyes darting around the clearing. “Someone is coming.”
Joonmyun sat up and pushed Jongdae to his feet. He knew it was probably one of his brother’s guards making sure he was okay - he had missed breakfast, after all - and he knew that Jongdae couldn’t be caught in the Seelie part of the forest. Not until the rift between the two courts had been mended.
“You need to go,” he whispered. There was a certain urgency in his voice.
Jongdae nodded, and slipped away into the forest, but not before stopping at the edge of the clearing to turn back and mouth an “I love you.” And then, just like that, he was gone.
Something large and warm plopped into his lap, and he looked down to find Clystia purring softly. Her eyes drooped slowly, and Joonmyun smiled. He ran a hand over the glossy black fur on her side, and he felt it rumble with her happiness. He was happy too; Jongdae was safe.
“Prince Joonmyun.” A fairy stood at the treeline wearing the gleaming silver armor of King Luhan’s court. His short brown hair swept across his forehead as he gave Joonmyun a deep bow.
“Yes, Kyungsoo?”
“Your brother, the king, wishes to see you.”
Joonmyun sighed. “Which one? I have two brothers, Kyungsoo. And they’re both king.”
Kyungsoo bowed again, “My apologies, your highness. King Luhan, of the Seelie court, asks that you join him for lunch.”
Joonmyun nodded. “Yes, yes. Of course. I’ll be there shortly,” he said. “You may go.”
Kyungsoo bowed one final time. Sunlight glinted off of his uniform, and then he was but a whisper in the wind. Joonmyun was alone. Well, as alone as he could be with a giant fairy cat draped across his lap. A breeze swept through the clearing and a shower of gold and red leaves danced toward the ground.
“C’mon, Clystia,” he said, pulling the cait sith off of him. “Time to go.”
He clambered to his feet. Little pieces of moss clung to his shirt and pants, but with one quick swipe of his hands they were gone.
Luhan’s palace wasn’t too far, and he returned to the castle grounds without any difficulties. The assiduous guards at the gate bowed as he approached.
“Prince Joonmyun.” They greeted as he swept past them, and into the throne room.
Luhan was sitting on a throne of gilded oak at the end of the hall, dressed in a deep scarlet red tunic that was laced up just far enough to let his collarbone peek out, and black pants that tucked into soft leather boots. A golden circlet sat atop his honey hair.
An anthousai stood in front of him, prattling on and on about the petty misdemeanors of her neighbors. Her face was as freckled as the night sky, framed by vibrant locks of hyacinth hair. Anathousi were flower nymphs, and notorious for being awful tattletales. Joonmyun admired his brother’s patience and skill dealing with them. He waited patiently for them to finish. It didn’t take long, and the anathousi swept past him, flowery skirts rustling with her departure.
“Joonmyun,” Luhan beckoned for him to approach, smiling. “We missed you at breakfast.”
“I’m sorry, Luhan.” Joonmyun approached the throne with an apologetic smile. “Clystia wanted to explore the woods last night and we fell asleep in the forest.”
Luhan waved him off. “Don’t worry about it. Just remember to be safe - who knows what the Unseelie might do if you ran across them.”
Joonmyun could imagine what Jongdae would do if he ran across him in the forest, and he didn’t really consider it a bad thing.
That made him think. What if he didn’t have to slink around like a bandit whenever he wanted to see Jongdae? Life would be so much better, honestly. And the only thing keeping them apart was the ridiculous rift between the two courts over a human boy. Perhaps, Joonmyun thought, he should say something.
“You know,” Joonmyun began tentatively. “If you and Minseok made up, then we wouldn’t have to worry about the Unseelie in the forest.”
Luhan’s cheerful disposition darkened. “If our brother gives Sehun back, then there would be no need for us to be fighting in the first place.”
“Does a mortal really matter that much to you?”
“He doesn’t matter. His beauty does.” Luhan answered. He stood up and cut off any reply Joonmyun would have made. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Come on, let’s go and eat something for lunch.”
Joonmyun followed his older brother as the King exited the room, but he stayed silent. He hated when his brothers fought, and in order to make things right between them, he had to find a solution to the Sehun issue. But, Luhan’s pride and Minseok’s selfishness were a problem. And he didn’t have an answer.
Sneaking out after dark to see Jongdae was never a difficult challenge. After all, who dared question the authority of a prince?
He slipped through the gardens and into the forest. Clystia followed, slinking through the shadows after him. Even though he had plenty of power at his disposal - magical or otherwise - from being both a fairy and a prince, he was comforted by the cait sith’s silent but reassuring presence.
Soft moonlight filtered through the tangled branches of the trees around him, illuminating the dense undergrowth with a silvery glow. He maneuvered through the forest, hoping that Jongdae was waiting for him back at the ancient willow. He knew that it was very likely that Jongdae might not have been able to sneak out to join him. After all, Jongdae was only a commoner. He was bound to have more restrictions placed upon him than Joonmyun had as a prince.
The prince had just rounded the base of the ancient willow when a slender hand emerged from the shadows and pulled him into the waiting darkness of a large hollow carved into the trunk. Joonmyun gasped, surprised.
A small flame flickered to life in front of him, and suddenly Jongdae’s face was bathed in light. They were sitting in the hidden, but spacious, alcove in the trunk of the willow, and Jongdae had a small pile of unlit cream colored candles sitting at his feet. Jongdae held a small candle in one hand and used it to light a couple of the others at his feet, placing them on the natural ledges of the wood.
As Jongdae busied himself lighting up the hollow, Joonmyun admired the distinct lines of the other’s cheekbones and the sharp edges of his feline eyes. Jongdae was the quintessential example of an Unseelie fairy. He was dark, sexy, passionate; he was everything that Joonmyun, unfortunately, was not.
Joonmyun found himself sitting cross-legged on the soft moss covering the ground, and when Jongdae finished he turned toward the Prince with a delighted grin.
“Hey, hot stuff.”
Joonmyun ducked his head, trying to hide the rosy flush if his cheeks. “Hey, Jongdae.”
“You know, I never did get the chance to tell you my absolutely foolproof plan to get your brothers to stop fighting before we were so rudely interrupted this morning.” Jongdae said, resting his chin on his hand with an amused twinkle in his eyes.
Joonmyun thought back to the events of the morning and his cheeks burned when he recalled the kiss. He should be used to it by now, but he couldn't stop himself from blushing violently. “I know. What was it?”
Jongdae sat up straight and took a breath. “Okay. Please, please, please hear me out before you say or do anything, alright?”
Puzzled, Joonmyun nodded.
“We kidnap Sehun-”
Joonmyun’s eyes grew wide. The mere thought made Joonmyun’s heart speed up in panic. Was Jongdae crazy? “Are you kidding-”
Jongdae held his hands up, and the soft flickering of the candle cast shadows across the shadows across the bark of the trunk. “Whoa, calm down, Joonmyun. I asked you to hear me out, okay?”
Joonmyun trusted Jongdae, but to kidnap the very human that his brothers were fighting over? That was insane. Suicidal. He almost said no, but he didn’t.
The candles cast a warm glow across Jongdae’s face, and he continued telling Joonmyun his plan. “Once we have Sehun, we tell Minseok and Luhan that they need to come to a compromise in order to get him back. They have to figure out how to share. And when they do, we hand him right over. No harm done.”
Joonmyun took a moment to seriously ponder Jongdae’s plan. If they were able to get hold of Sehun, the rest would be a breeze. His brothers were selfish and prideful - but they weren’t stupid. If they did it right… it might actually work.
“Fine.”
“Fine?” Surprise was evident on Jongdae’s face.
Joonmyun sighed. “I don’t like it. In fact, I think it’s wrong and deceitful. But, I really don’t think we have a choice.” He grimaced. “Let’s do it.”
Sneaking into Minseok’s palace was far too easy for Joonmyun’s comfort.
“Don’t worry,” Jongdae assured him as they made their way through the darkened corridors, sticking to the inky shadows. “The guards are all sleeping; Minseok thinks that the possibility of enemies sneaking in at night when everyone is asleep is exciting.”
Joonmyun shook his head. “He’s too reckless. I could never live like that.”
Jongdae’s amused grin was barely visible from the soft moonlight filtering into the hall from the large windows set into the stone. Joonmyun could make out the leafy canopy of the forest through the dirty glass.
“C’mon,” Jongdae beckoned, and Joonmyun obeyed, following closely behind. “We're almost there.”
They slipped past the majestic oak door at the end of the hall and found themselves in a child’s room. Small toys were scattered about, and a tiny lump under a pile of blankets snored softly.
Joonmyun crept over to the edge of the bed. Doubt began to fill his mind - what if the plan didn’t work? What if they were caught? It wasn’t as though he had bad intentions, he just wanted his brothers to get along again.
A warm hand pressed against the small of his back and he turned his head to see Jongdae give him a comforting smile. “You can do it.”
Believing in himself (and Jongdae), he gathered up all of his courage and scooped the small child on the bed up and into his arms - blanket and all. A mop of pale blonde hair peeked out from the bundle, looking almost white in the moonlight, and his button nose twitched slightly as he slept. He was a breathtakingly beautiful three-year-old.
He was one of the few human children that the Fae swapped with changelings. Although they had no powers, the humans who lived in the fairy courts were considered special, revered even, and Sehun’s beauty drew the attention of everyone. That was why his brothers were fighting over the toddler.
A content sigh escaped the child’s lips, and Joonmyun let out a breath of relief when Sehun, still asleep, nuzzled his face against the warmth of Joonmyun’s chest.
“Ready?” Jongdae asked in a soft whisper. Joonmyun nodded.
They exited the room - Jongdae led the way and held the door open for the prince to slip past him into the dark hall with Sehun in his arms. There was a brief moment in time as they made their way out of Minseok’s palace when they thought they were going to be caught.
A guard walked down the hall towards them wearing the traditional obsidian armor of the Unseelie court. Joonmyun froze when he saw him, heart palpitating in his chest. This was it. They’d been caught.
The guard drew closer, and Jongdae gripped Joonmyun's elbow to pull him into a dark alcove set into the stone wall. Loud footsteps echoed through the corridor as the guard approached their hiding place. Joonmyun’s breath caught in his throat.
And then the guard passed them, letting out a soft snore. Joonmyun looked at Jongdae in confusion only to find the other man grinning. “He’s… asleep?”
“Yifan always sleepwalks.” Jongdae explained, pushing Joonmyun back out into the hall once Yifan was long gone. "It's pretty funny, actually."
“Not to me.” Joonmyun grumbled, holding Sehun closer. “I thought we were in deep trouble.”
“Don’t be so uptight. Now come on, we are almost out of here.”
They made their way into the courtyard surrounding the castle and slipped into the forest, melding with the shadows.
Daylight arrived too quickly for Joonmyun. They were hiding in an old, musty cave behind a small waterfall near Luhan's palace. Sehun and Jongdae were both still fast asleep - Sehun was draped across his lap and Jongdae was curled against his side as they sat with their backs pressed against the cold, rocky wall.
He wished that Clystia was there. She always knew how to make him feel better when he was anxious, but she had refused to get her paws wet for the two seconds it would have taken for her to step past the waterfall. At least he had Jongdae with him. Their hands were clasped together, fingers firmly entangled, and Joonmyun slowly moved his thumb back and forth in a small circular motion across Jongdae's warm skin. It was oddly comforting.
He couldn't wait for this to be over. Once peace was restored to the Fae, he wouldn't have to sneak around in order to see Jongdae all the time. His brothers would no longer fight with each other. The forest would return to its calm and natural state - the way it used to be.
Jongdae stirred beside him.
"Good morning, sleepy head."
"G'Morning," Jongdae replied, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before he took a quick glance around the dimly lit cave. "Are you ready?"
"Ready for what?"
Jongdae grinned. He was, for the most part, fully awake now. "It's time for the moment of truth. Minseok should know that Sehun is missing by now, and he probably suspects Luhan is the culprit. We have to find a way for them to meet, one on one, in order to force them to come to a compromise."
"You didn't plan this part out?" Joonmyun blanched. How in the world were they supposed to accomplish such a fear without a plan that was set in stone?
Jongdae's smile faltered slightly before returning, brighter than before. "Well, no. I didn't. But, I have an idea!"
"What is it?"
"I'll go and ask King Minseok to meet me at the border of out kingdoms tonight. When I get back, you can go and convince Luhan to meet you at the same time. Then... They'll have to work something out before we return Sehun."
It sounded like a good idea - with one exception. "Who will watch Sehun while we're away? We can't leave a three year old boy by himself while we go and talk to my brothers."
"That's why we'll go at separate times. You'll stay here and watch him while I'm gone, and then I'll stay with him while you're gone."
"You might as well leave now, then." Joonmyun said, glancing down at the fair-haired child in his lap. "Before Sehun wakes up."
Jongdae nodded and leaned forward to press a chaste kiss against Joonmyun's cheek. It made the Prince's heart flutter in his chest. "I'll be back soon, I promise."
"I'll be waiting."
He watched as Jongdae gave him one last smile before stepping through the curtain of cascading water hiding the entrance of the cave. And then he was gone.
Sehun woke shortly after Jongdae's departure. He yawned, clutching at the folds of Joonmyun's shirt with his child-sized fists. Joonmyun gently stroke the child's hair as the toddler blinked up at him, bleary-eyes from sleep. "Good morning, Sehunnie. Did you sleep well?"
Sehun nodded and sat up in Joonmyun's lap. Joonmyun could see why his brothers were fighting over the boy. His wide, curious eyes were framed by long, dark lashes. His cheeks were round and rosy.
"Uncle Joonmyun?" Sehun scrunched his nose, confused, as he looked around the empty cave. "Where are we?"
"We're in a cave."
"Why?"
Joonmyun took a moment before carefully answering, "Because... We are on an adventure."
"Wow," Sehun breathed, eyes widening. The toddler grinned. "Are we really on an adventure? Really?"
When Joonmyun nodded, Sehun squealed in delight. He wrapped his little arms around Joonmyun's neck and buried his nose into his shoulder.
When Sehun finally pulled away, his eyes gleamed. "Uncle Joonmyun, you're the best. I've never, ever been on an adventure before. Never."
"I'm glad that you're happy." Joonmyun's voice was soft. Seeing the delighted smile on the toddlers face made his heart wrench. He hated lying to the kid.
"Uncle Joonmyun?" Sehun clambered out of Joonmyun's lap and was now poking at the rock wall, full of curiosity.
"Hmm?"
"Where's Uncle Minseok?" Sehun looked back toward Joonmyun. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. "I think he would like to go on an adventure too!"
Again, Joonmyun's heart clenched. "We'll meet up with him later, alright? You'll get to see Uncle Luhan as well."
"Wow," Sehun exclaimed. "Today is the best day ever!" He ran back to Joonmyun, attaching the Prince with a hug. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."
When Jongdae returned, Sehun was in the corner of the cave playing with a couple of pebbles.
"Did you convince him?" Joonmyun asked. He rose from his spot on the floor and pulled Jongdae into a warm embrace.
Jongdae's breath was hot against his ear. "8 o'clock tonight by the ancient, gnarled oak separating our two courts."
Joonmyun breathed a sigh of relief into the crook of Jongdae's neck. "Thank God."
“Uncle Joonmyun?” Sehun’s small voice sounded from behind him. “Who is that?”
Joonmyun pulled away from Jongdae to look at the toddler, but he held onto Jongdae’s hand firmly. “This is Jongdae. He’s going to play with you while I go and do something very important, okay?”
Sehun studied Jongdae carefully. “Is he nice?”
Joonmyun’s laughter echoed off the stone walls of the cave. “He’s very nice.”
“Okay!” Sehun chirped. He ran forward and grabbed the Unseelie fairy’s free hand, dragging him to the back of the cave where a pile of rocks sat, ready to be played with. “Let’s play dropstones!”
Jongdae crouched, back toward Joonmyun, and responded with a cheery, “Alright! How do we play?”
Joonmyun watched for a moment. A fuzzy, warm feeling filled his heart as Sehun dropped a bunch of pebbles into Jongdae’s outstretched palm, laughing merrily. He smiled and turned away from the heartwarming scene, stepping out of the cave and into the forest.
Two of Luhan’s guards were waiting for him at the entrance of the castle. They grabbed him by the arms and dragged him into the throne room where Luhan was waiting. Joonmyun tried to fight against their grip - he twisted and turned - but to no avail.
The King’s face was stone cold and impassive. The guards thrust Joonmyun forward so that he was standing in front of his older brother, and then they backed away. He glared at them as they retreated.
“Where were you last night?” The hard edge to Luhan’s voice sent shivers down his spine. He had never seen Luhan like this before… and it was a little frightening.
He scrambled for an excuse. Luhan looked angry, really angry. “Clystia wanted to explore again. You know how she is…”
Luhan raised his voice. It filled the room, echoing off the walls. “Don’t lie to me, Joonmyun! Clystia returned to the castle late last night - without you.” His face was flushed, and he ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll ask you one last time. Where were you last night?”
“I-I-I can’t tell you.”
“I hate to do this, Joonmyun.” Luhan’s voice was the ghost of a whisper. “But you leave me no other choice.” He snapped his fingers and two more guards appeared at Joonmyun’s sides, seemingly out of nowhere.
“Maybe a night in the dungeon will clear your head and you can be honest with me.”
“No!” Joonmyun gasped, even as the guards grabbed him by the arms. He fought against their grip. “Luhan! You’re making a mistake.” They dragged him to the door. “Wait - 8 o’clock tonight. You need to be at the ancient oak.”
Luhan’s expression never changed. Before the doors to the throne room closed, with him on the other side, Joonmyun yelled, “It has to do with Sehun!”
Once he realized that the guards weren’t going to let him go, Joonmyun stopped resisting, and allowed them to lead him to an abandoned cell in the castle dungeons. They threw him in the cramped room. The walls were a dull, gray stone, and a small, barred window allowed a miniscule amount of light to filter in.
The guards left without a word, and Joonmyun found himself alone. A wave of despair crashed over him. The plan was going to fail. He was stuck in a dirty cell while Jongdae was out with Sehun, expecting him to return at any moment.
He waited in the cell for what seemed like hours with no hope that he would be let out. The sun sank below the window, and once the last ray of sunlight had been extinguished, he heard the dull thud of footsteps approaching his cell. All of a sudden, hope rose within him like a caged dove flying in the wide-open air for the first time.
Joonmyun rose, and rushed to the door, beating at the cold metal with his bare palm. “Hello?” He called out. There was no response. “Is anyone out there?”
Silence - but then, the slow metal click of the lock turning resonated throughout the cell and he scrambled backward. The door swung open, revealing one of Luhan’s guards. His face was obscured by a silver helmet.
“Am I allowed to leave?” Joonmyun asked, hesitantly.
“No.”
At the guard’s answer, Joonmyun’s heart sank. Then, the guard removed his helmet. “Kyungsoo!”
Kyungsoo bowed. “At your service, Prince Joonmyun.”
“But-”
Kyungsoo cut him off. “Sir, I’m sorry, but Luhan just left to the meeting at the oak. It’s imperative that we beat him there - I don’t believe your brothers will listen to Jongdae.” He turned, and walked toward the exit with Joonmyun right on his heels.
“I suppose that’s true - wait, how do you know about Jongdae?”
Kyungsoo held the door open so that Joonmyun could slip through it. He smiled. “You guys really aren’t as stealthy as you think. But don’t worry. I want this stupid ‘feud’ over just as much as you do.”
Joonmyun blinked, completely and utterly surprised at this turn of events. “Really?”
Kyungsoo pushed him through the doorway, ushering him to move forward. “Yes, really. Now go! You don’t have a lot of time.”
The duo hurried out of the castle and into the woods. Low hanging branches snagged Joonmyun’s shirt, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was reaching his brothers before it was too late.
He heard them before he saw them. Their voices rang out through the trees, loud and clear. Luhan and Minseok were so into their argument that they didn’t notice when Joonmyun stepped into the clearing while Kyungsoo remained hidden in the trees
Jongdae stood in the middle of the clearing with Sehun clinging onto him. Luhan and Minseok weren’t looking at him, though. They were too busy staring at each other, faces contorted in anger.
They were the epitome of light and dark. Luhan’s white satin shirt was tucked into cream pants with a thick leather belt secured at the hips.
And where Luhan was light, Minseok was dark. A deep scarlet tunic stretched tight across Minseok’s chest. Pants that were as dark as the shadows in the forest hugged his waist, and his eyes glittered like black ice.
The only similarities between them were the matching golden circlets sitting atop their heads.
The air in the clearing began to shudder, warping and twisting, and Joonmyun knew that things were about to get nasty. They were resorting to magic.
There was a crackle, and Joonmyun ran forward, yelling, “Stop!”
His brothers stared at him, but Joonmyun could still feel the tension of unreleased magic in the air, although he was grateful that they’d managed to restrain themselves.
“Joonmyun,” Luhan hissed through gritted teeth. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m trying to help you two.” He pointed at the toddler in Jongdae’s arms, and he could see warm tears spilling from Sehun’s lashes. “Look at what you’re doing to him.”
Minseok and Luhan shifted, uncomfortable. They couldn't face Sehun. Not when he was upset.
"Stop being so selfish! We're family and you're fighting over him." Joonmyun was on a tirade now, and neither Minseok nor Luhan made an attempt to stop him. "Hell, I couldn't choose between you two. How do you expect a three year old to?"
"What do you want us to do?" Minseok removed his crown for a moment, and ran his hand through his dishes bed auburn hair. "He can't be with both of us."
"Actually, yes. He can." Jongdae spoke up. Everyone turned to look at him. "From Hecate to Beltane, when the Unseelie court is at it's highest power, Sehun can stay with us. From Beltane to Hecate, he can stay with Luhan while the balance of power is shifted toward the Seelie court. Six months each."
The two kings considered his proposal for a long, quiet moment. Luhan agreed first. "Fine."
Minseok agreed after a slight hesitation. "I suppose that could work." He turned to Luhan, extending a hand, "Are we good, brother?"
Luhan clasped Minseok's hand and shook it heartily. "Of course."
A slight squeal of excitement burst from Sehun's lips once Jongdae set him down. "Uncle Luhand and Uncle Minseok are happy again?"
He ran toward them, and Luhan scooped him up. "Yes, Sehunnie. We are good."
Minseok ruffled Sehun's hair affectionately.
Joonmyun was distracted as strong arms curled around his waist from behind. Warm breath tickled his ear. "That means I can do this now, right?"
Joonmyun twisted to snake his arms around Jongdars neck. Jongdae's eyes twinkled, sparkling with amusement, and he leaned forward to press their lips together in a sweet kiss.
"Whenever you want."
1. Luhan, Joonmyun, and Minseok are all brothers. Luhan and Joonmyun have the same father as Minseok, but different mothers, which is why Minseok is King of the Unseelie Court and Luhan is King of the Seelie Court.
2. For those who don't know, the Seelie court is composed of "light" fairies while the Unseelie is composed of "dark" fairies. This is based off an Irish myth.
From: sleighlay
Title: passion before duty
Rating: PG-13
Length: 5445 words
Summary: Prince Joonmyun is torn between his duty to the Seelie court and the love he has for an Unseelie commoner (also known as the fairy custody battle over a human child).
Deep in the realm of the Fae, underneath towering elven oaks and canopies of copper leaves, the prince of the Seelie court laid, fast asleep, on a bed of spongy moss and soft ferns.
Curled up against his side was a cait sith, one of the fairy cats that roamed the highlands. As big as a dog and twice as nasty, the cait sith was completely black with the exception of one white spot on its breast.
They were known to be dangerous with fangs that could rip a man’s throat out, and claws that could shred leather to tatters, but the delicate chain and tag with ‘Prince Joonmyun’ inscribed on it implied that this cait sith was loyal to one person- and one person only.
The cait sith opened one brilliant green eye and blinked slowly. A low rumble erupted from its chest and it nuzzled the prince’s face with its wet nose, gently purring.
Joonmyun stirred, lifting one pale arm and draping it over his eyes with a soft groan. But the cait sith wouldn’t let up. It swiped its tongue across the prince’s cheek, causing Joonmyun to startle awake. He sat up, wiping off the cat’s drool with his shirtsleeve.
“Clystia,” he yawned. Slender fingers made their way to the base of the cait sith’s ear, scratching the fur there softly. “You could have let me sleep a little more.”
Still sitting in the shallow alcove at the base of an ancient willow, he stretched his arms above his head and loosened his stiff muscles. His sheer, white satin shirt rippled as he moved, fluid as the dainty pools dotting the forest.
Clystia continued to purr. She head-butted his shoulder and flicked her tail toward the edge of the clearing where another fairy stood, leaning against one of the tree trunks with an impish smirk.
“Jongdae!” Joonmyun grinned, delighted. “You haven’t come to visit me in a while. I was starting to think you didn’t want to see me anymore.”
Jongdae’s copper hair glistened in the dazzling sunlight as he walked forward, collapsing onto the ground beside Joonmyun and Clystia.
“I highly doubt I would have been welcomed at the Seelie courts, your highness.” Jongdae said, folding his arms behind his head. “The feud between my court and yours is nasty enough as it is.”
Joonmyun frowned. “I told you not to call me that. And my brothers ought to make up soon, don’t you think?”
Jongdae grinned. There was a teasing glint in his eyes. “Do I, Jongdae, a common fairy of the Unseelie court, know the Seelie Code of Honor better than you, the young Seelie prince?”
“What are you saying? Of course not.”
“Beauty is life.” Jongdae recited. He turned onto his side to face Joonmyun. The prince was still seated, crosslegged, next to him. He continued, repeating words that Joonmyun knew well. “To belong, a fairy has to be beautiful, and all beauty is protected. Your court is known to go to war to protect beauty, Joonmyun, whether it be a person, place, or thing.”
Joonmyun waved his hand carelessly. “Yes, yes. I know all of this. What does it have to do with anything?”
“Your brothers aren’t going to stop their petty squabble until King Minseok returns Sehun to the Seelie court.”
Joonmyun carefully considered Jongdae’s words, and he knew that he was absolutely right. “My brothers are idiots.” He sighed, resting his chin on one hand. “Who in their right mind let them be in charge?”
Jongdae reached out a hand and gently pulled Joonmyun’s away from his face. Their palms pressed against each other, warm in the cool autumn air.
“You know…” Jongdae said slowly, threading their fingers together. “I have an idea. I know how we can get the two kings to reconcile.”
Joonmyun grinned. “You do?”
Jongdae nodded. “Yup. But first,” he tugged the prince forward and Joonmyun fell onto him with a slight squeal. He could feel every rise and fall of Jongdae’s chest as he laid on top of him, their faces inches apart. Jongdae smirked, and Joonmyun’s face flushed a pretty pink. When Jongdae spoke again, his voice was low and husky. “I think I need to educate you on the Unseelie Code of Honor.”
“Go on,” Joonmyun whispered. A shiver ran down his spine as he stared into the endless depths of the other man’s big, dark eyes.
Strong arms wrapped around the prince’s neck, pulling him closer to Jongdae until their noses were brushing. “Let’s start with my personal favorite.”
“Which is?”
Joonmyun felt a pair of plush lips brush against his own and his eyes fluttered shut.
“Passion before duty.” Jongdae breathed against his mouth.
Joonmyun's head felt as though it was about to burst, and his heart beat a million miles an hour as Jongdae's lips moved against his own, soft but sure. He tasted like sweet citrus, tangy and refreshing, and Joonmyun loved it.
All of a sudden, the air outside felt like it had been raised by a good twenty degrees, and Joonmyun felt like every subtle touch burned straight to his core. Jongdae twisted their bodies so that Joonmyun's back was against the cushiony grass and he was on top, pressing their chests, and bodies, together with a frenzied sense of urgency.
They were interrupted by a low growl. Joonmyun’s eyes fluttered open as Jongdae quickly pulled away. Alarm pulsed through his veins.
“It’s Clystia.” Jongdae whispered, eyes darting around the clearing. “Someone is coming.”
Joonmyun sat up and pushed Jongdae to his feet. He knew it was probably one of his brother’s guards making sure he was okay - he had missed breakfast, after all - and he knew that Jongdae couldn’t be caught in the Seelie part of the forest. Not until the rift between the two courts had been mended.
“You need to go,” he whispered. There was a certain urgency in his voice.
Jongdae nodded, and slipped away into the forest, but not before stopping at the edge of the clearing to turn back and mouth an “I love you.” And then, just like that, he was gone.
Something large and warm plopped into his lap, and he looked down to find Clystia purring softly. Her eyes drooped slowly, and Joonmyun smiled. He ran a hand over the glossy black fur on her side, and he felt it rumble with her happiness. He was happy too; Jongdae was safe.
“Prince Joonmyun.” A fairy stood at the treeline wearing the gleaming silver armor of King Luhan’s court. His short brown hair swept across his forehead as he gave Joonmyun a deep bow.
“Yes, Kyungsoo?”
“Your brother, the king, wishes to see you.”
Joonmyun sighed. “Which one? I have two brothers, Kyungsoo. And they’re both king.”
Kyungsoo bowed again, “My apologies, your highness. King Luhan, of the Seelie court, asks that you join him for lunch.”
Joonmyun nodded. “Yes, yes. Of course. I’ll be there shortly,” he said. “You may go.”
Kyungsoo bowed one final time. Sunlight glinted off of his uniform, and then he was but a whisper in the wind. Joonmyun was alone. Well, as alone as he could be with a giant fairy cat draped across his lap. A breeze swept through the clearing and a shower of gold and red leaves danced toward the ground.
“C’mon, Clystia,” he said, pulling the cait sith off of him. “Time to go.”
He clambered to his feet. Little pieces of moss clung to his shirt and pants, but with one quick swipe of his hands they were gone.
Luhan’s palace wasn’t too far, and he returned to the castle grounds without any difficulties. The assiduous guards at the gate bowed as he approached.
“Prince Joonmyun.” They greeted as he swept past them, and into the throne room.
Luhan was sitting on a throne of gilded oak at the end of the hall, dressed in a deep scarlet red tunic that was laced up just far enough to let his collarbone peek out, and black pants that tucked into soft leather boots. A golden circlet sat atop his honey hair.
An anthousai stood in front of him, prattling on and on about the petty misdemeanors of her neighbors. Her face was as freckled as the night sky, framed by vibrant locks of hyacinth hair. Anathousi were flower nymphs, and notorious for being awful tattletales. Joonmyun admired his brother’s patience and skill dealing with them. He waited patiently for them to finish. It didn’t take long, and the anathousi swept past him, flowery skirts rustling with her departure.
“Joonmyun,” Luhan beckoned for him to approach, smiling. “We missed you at breakfast.”
“I’m sorry, Luhan.” Joonmyun approached the throne with an apologetic smile. “Clystia wanted to explore the woods last night and we fell asleep in the forest.”
Luhan waved him off. “Don’t worry about it. Just remember to be safe - who knows what the Unseelie might do if you ran across them.”
Joonmyun could imagine what Jongdae would do if he ran across him in the forest, and he didn’t really consider it a bad thing.
That made him think. What if he didn’t have to slink around like a bandit whenever he wanted to see Jongdae? Life would be so much better, honestly. And the only thing keeping them apart was the ridiculous rift between the two courts over a human boy. Perhaps, Joonmyun thought, he should say something.
“You know,” Joonmyun began tentatively. “If you and Minseok made up, then we wouldn’t have to worry about the Unseelie in the forest.”
Luhan’s cheerful disposition darkened. “If our brother gives Sehun back, then there would be no need for us to be fighting in the first place.”
“Does a mortal really matter that much to you?”
“He doesn’t matter. His beauty does.” Luhan answered. He stood up and cut off any reply Joonmyun would have made. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Come on, let’s go and eat something for lunch.”
Joonmyun followed his older brother as the King exited the room, but he stayed silent. He hated when his brothers fought, and in order to make things right between them, he had to find a solution to the Sehun issue. But, Luhan’s pride and Minseok’s selfishness were a problem. And he didn’t have an answer.
Sneaking out after dark to see Jongdae was never a difficult challenge. After all, who dared question the authority of a prince?
He slipped through the gardens and into the forest. Clystia followed, slinking through the shadows after him. Even though he had plenty of power at his disposal - magical or otherwise - from being both a fairy and a prince, he was comforted by the cait sith’s silent but reassuring presence.
Soft moonlight filtered through the tangled branches of the trees around him, illuminating the dense undergrowth with a silvery glow. He maneuvered through the forest, hoping that Jongdae was waiting for him back at the ancient willow. He knew that it was very likely that Jongdae might not have been able to sneak out to join him. After all, Jongdae was only a commoner. He was bound to have more restrictions placed upon him than Joonmyun had as a prince.
The prince had just rounded the base of the ancient willow when a slender hand emerged from the shadows and pulled him into the waiting darkness of a large hollow carved into the trunk. Joonmyun gasped, surprised.
A small flame flickered to life in front of him, and suddenly Jongdae’s face was bathed in light. They were sitting in the hidden, but spacious, alcove in the trunk of the willow, and Jongdae had a small pile of unlit cream colored candles sitting at his feet. Jongdae held a small candle in one hand and used it to light a couple of the others at his feet, placing them on the natural ledges of the wood.
As Jongdae busied himself lighting up the hollow, Joonmyun admired the distinct lines of the other’s cheekbones and the sharp edges of his feline eyes. Jongdae was the quintessential example of an Unseelie fairy. He was dark, sexy, passionate; he was everything that Joonmyun, unfortunately, was not.
Joonmyun found himself sitting cross-legged on the soft moss covering the ground, and when Jongdae finished he turned toward the Prince with a delighted grin.
“Hey, hot stuff.”
Joonmyun ducked his head, trying to hide the rosy flush if his cheeks. “Hey, Jongdae.”
“You know, I never did get the chance to tell you my absolutely foolproof plan to get your brothers to stop fighting before we were so rudely interrupted this morning.” Jongdae said, resting his chin on his hand with an amused twinkle in his eyes.
Joonmyun thought back to the events of the morning and his cheeks burned when he recalled the kiss. He should be used to it by now, but he couldn't stop himself from blushing violently. “I know. What was it?”
Jongdae sat up straight and took a breath. “Okay. Please, please, please hear me out before you say or do anything, alright?”
Puzzled, Joonmyun nodded.
“We kidnap Sehun-”
Joonmyun’s eyes grew wide. The mere thought made Joonmyun’s heart speed up in panic. Was Jongdae crazy? “Are you kidding-”
Jongdae held his hands up, and the soft flickering of the candle cast shadows across the shadows across the bark of the trunk. “Whoa, calm down, Joonmyun. I asked you to hear me out, okay?”
Joonmyun trusted Jongdae, but to kidnap the very human that his brothers were fighting over? That was insane. Suicidal. He almost said no, but he didn’t.
The candles cast a warm glow across Jongdae’s face, and he continued telling Joonmyun his plan. “Once we have Sehun, we tell Minseok and Luhan that they need to come to a compromise in order to get him back. They have to figure out how to share. And when they do, we hand him right over. No harm done.”
Joonmyun took a moment to seriously ponder Jongdae’s plan. If they were able to get hold of Sehun, the rest would be a breeze. His brothers were selfish and prideful - but they weren’t stupid. If they did it right… it might actually work.
“Fine.”
“Fine?” Surprise was evident on Jongdae’s face.
Joonmyun sighed. “I don’t like it. In fact, I think it’s wrong and deceitful. But, I really don’t think we have a choice.” He grimaced. “Let’s do it.”
Sneaking into Minseok’s palace was far too easy for Joonmyun’s comfort.
“Don’t worry,” Jongdae assured him as they made their way through the darkened corridors, sticking to the inky shadows. “The guards are all sleeping; Minseok thinks that the possibility of enemies sneaking in at night when everyone is asleep is exciting.”
Joonmyun shook his head. “He’s too reckless. I could never live like that.”
Jongdae’s amused grin was barely visible from the soft moonlight filtering into the hall from the large windows set into the stone. Joonmyun could make out the leafy canopy of the forest through the dirty glass.
“C’mon,” Jongdae beckoned, and Joonmyun obeyed, following closely behind. “We're almost there.”
They slipped past the majestic oak door at the end of the hall and found themselves in a child’s room. Small toys were scattered about, and a tiny lump under a pile of blankets snored softly.
Joonmyun crept over to the edge of the bed. Doubt began to fill his mind - what if the plan didn’t work? What if they were caught? It wasn’t as though he had bad intentions, he just wanted his brothers to get along again.
A warm hand pressed against the small of his back and he turned his head to see Jongdae give him a comforting smile. “You can do it.”
Believing in himself (and Jongdae), he gathered up all of his courage and scooped the small child on the bed up and into his arms - blanket and all. A mop of pale blonde hair peeked out from the bundle, looking almost white in the moonlight, and his button nose twitched slightly as he slept. He was a breathtakingly beautiful three-year-old.
He was one of the few human children that the Fae swapped with changelings. Although they had no powers, the humans who lived in the fairy courts were considered special, revered even, and Sehun’s beauty drew the attention of everyone. That was why his brothers were fighting over the toddler.
A content sigh escaped the child’s lips, and Joonmyun let out a breath of relief when Sehun, still asleep, nuzzled his face against the warmth of Joonmyun’s chest.
“Ready?” Jongdae asked in a soft whisper. Joonmyun nodded.
They exited the room - Jongdae led the way and held the door open for the prince to slip past him into the dark hall with Sehun in his arms. There was a brief moment in time as they made their way out of Minseok’s palace when they thought they were going to be caught.
A guard walked down the hall towards them wearing the traditional obsidian armor of the Unseelie court. Joonmyun froze when he saw him, heart palpitating in his chest. This was it. They’d been caught.
The guard drew closer, and Jongdae gripped Joonmyun's elbow to pull him into a dark alcove set into the stone wall. Loud footsteps echoed through the corridor as the guard approached their hiding place. Joonmyun’s breath caught in his throat.
And then the guard passed them, letting out a soft snore. Joonmyun looked at Jongdae in confusion only to find the other man grinning. “He’s… asleep?”
“Yifan always sleepwalks.” Jongdae explained, pushing Joonmyun back out into the hall once Yifan was long gone. "It's pretty funny, actually."
“Not to me.” Joonmyun grumbled, holding Sehun closer. “I thought we were in deep trouble.”
“Don’t be so uptight. Now come on, we are almost out of here.”
They made their way into the courtyard surrounding the castle and slipped into the forest, melding with the shadows.
Daylight arrived too quickly for Joonmyun. They were hiding in an old, musty cave behind a small waterfall near Luhan's palace. Sehun and Jongdae were both still fast asleep - Sehun was draped across his lap and Jongdae was curled against his side as they sat with their backs pressed against the cold, rocky wall.
He wished that Clystia was there. She always knew how to make him feel better when he was anxious, but she had refused to get her paws wet for the two seconds it would have taken for her to step past the waterfall. At least he had Jongdae with him. Their hands were clasped together, fingers firmly entangled, and Joonmyun slowly moved his thumb back and forth in a small circular motion across Jongdae's warm skin. It was oddly comforting.
He couldn't wait for this to be over. Once peace was restored to the Fae, he wouldn't have to sneak around in order to see Jongdae all the time. His brothers would no longer fight with each other. The forest would return to its calm and natural state - the way it used to be.
Jongdae stirred beside him.
"Good morning, sleepy head."
"G'Morning," Jongdae replied, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before he took a quick glance around the dimly lit cave. "Are you ready?"
"Ready for what?"
Jongdae grinned. He was, for the most part, fully awake now. "It's time for the moment of truth. Minseok should know that Sehun is missing by now, and he probably suspects Luhan is the culprit. We have to find a way for them to meet, one on one, in order to force them to come to a compromise."
"You didn't plan this part out?" Joonmyun blanched. How in the world were they supposed to accomplish such a fear without a plan that was set in stone?
Jongdae's smile faltered slightly before returning, brighter than before. "Well, no. I didn't. But, I have an idea!"
"What is it?"
"I'll go and ask King Minseok to meet me at the border of out kingdoms tonight. When I get back, you can go and convince Luhan to meet you at the same time. Then... They'll have to work something out before we return Sehun."
It sounded like a good idea - with one exception. "Who will watch Sehun while we're away? We can't leave a three year old boy by himself while we go and talk to my brothers."
"That's why we'll go at separate times. You'll stay here and watch him while I'm gone, and then I'll stay with him while you're gone."
"You might as well leave now, then." Joonmyun said, glancing down at the fair-haired child in his lap. "Before Sehun wakes up."
Jongdae nodded and leaned forward to press a chaste kiss against Joonmyun's cheek. It made the Prince's heart flutter in his chest. "I'll be back soon, I promise."
"I'll be waiting."
He watched as Jongdae gave him one last smile before stepping through the curtain of cascading water hiding the entrance of the cave. And then he was gone.
Sehun woke shortly after Jongdae's departure. He yawned, clutching at the folds of Joonmyun's shirt with his child-sized fists. Joonmyun gently stroke the child's hair as the toddler blinked up at him, bleary-eyes from sleep. "Good morning, Sehunnie. Did you sleep well?"
Sehun nodded and sat up in Joonmyun's lap. Joonmyun could see why his brothers were fighting over the boy. His wide, curious eyes were framed by long, dark lashes. His cheeks were round and rosy.
"Uncle Joonmyun?" Sehun scrunched his nose, confused, as he looked around the empty cave. "Where are we?"
"We're in a cave."
"Why?"
Joonmyun took a moment before carefully answering, "Because... We are on an adventure."
"Wow," Sehun breathed, eyes widening. The toddler grinned. "Are we really on an adventure? Really?"
When Joonmyun nodded, Sehun squealed in delight. He wrapped his little arms around Joonmyun's neck and buried his nose into his shoulder.
When Sehun finally pulled away, his eyes gleamed. "Uncle Joonmyun, you're the best. I've never, ever been on an adventure before. Never."
"I'm glad that you're happy." Joonmyun's voice was soft. Seeing the delighted smile on the toddlers face made his heart wrench. He hated lying to the kid.
"Uncle Joonmyun?" Sehun clambered out of Joonmyun's lap and was now poking at the rock wall, full of curiosity.
"Hmm?"
"Where's Uncle Minseok?" Sehun looked back toward Joonmyun. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. "I think he would like to go on an adventure too!"
Again, Joonmyun's heart clenched. "We'll meet up with him later, alright? You'll get to see Uncle Luhan as well."
"Wow," Sehun exclaimed. "Today is the best day ever!" He ran back to Joonmyun, attaching the Prince with a hug. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."
When Jongdae returned, Sehun was in the corner of the cave playing with a couple of pebbles.
"Did you convince him?" Joonmyun asked. He rose from his spot on the floor and pulled Jongdae into a warm embrace.
Jongdae's breath was hot against his ear. "8 o'clock tonight by the ancient, gnarled oak separating our two courts."
Joonmyun breathed a sigh of relief into the crook of Jongdae's neck. "Thank God."
“Uncle Joonmyun?” Sehun’s small voice sounded from behind him. “Who is that?”
Joonmyun pulled away from Jongdae to look at the toddler, but he held onto Jongdae’s hand firmly. “This is Jongdae. He’s going to play with you while I go and do something very important, okay?”
Sehun studied Jongdae carefully. “Is he nice?”
Joonmyun’s laughter echoed off the stone walls of the cave. “He’s very nice.”
“Okay!” Sehun chirped. He ran forward and grabbed the Unseelie fairy’s free hand, dragging him to the back of the cave where a pile of rocks sat, ready to be played with. “Let’s play dropstones!”
Jongdae crouched, back toward Joonmyun, and responded with a cheery, “Alright! How do we play?”
Joonmyun watched for a moment. A fuzzy, warm feeling filled his heart as Sehun dropped a bunch of pebbles into Jongdae’s outstretched palm, laughing merrily. He smiled and turned away from the heartwarming scene, stepping out of the cave and into the forest.
Two of Luhan’s guards were waiting for him at the entrance of the castle. They grabbed him by the arms and dragged him into the throne room where Luhan was waiting. Joonmyun tried to fight against their grip - he twisted and turned - but to no avail.
The King’s face was stone cold and impassive. The guards thrust Joonmyun forward so that he was standing in front of his older brother, and then they backed away. He glared at them as they retreated.
“Where were you last night?” The hard edge to Luhan’s voice sent shivers down his spine. He had never seen Luhan like this before… and it was a little frightening.
He scrambled for an excuse. Luhan looked angry, really angry. “Clystia wanted to explore again. You know how she is…”
Luhan raised his voice. It filled the room, echoing off the walls. “Don’t lie to me, Joonmyun! Clystia returned to the castle late last night - without you.” His face was flushed, and he ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll ask you one last time. Where were you last night?”
“I-I-I can’t tell you.”
“I hate to do this, Joonmyun.” Luhan’s voice was the ghost of a whisper. “But you leave me no other choice.” He snapped his fingers and two more guards appeared at Joonmyun’s sides, seemingly out of nowhere.
“Maybe a night in the dungeon will clear your head and you can be honest with me.”
“No!” Joonmyun gasped, even as the guards grabbed him by the arms. He fought against their grip. “Luhan! You’re making a mistake.” They dragged him to the door. “Wait - 8 o’clock tonight. You need to be at the ancient oak.”
Luhan’s expression never changed. Before the doors to the throne room closed, with him on the other side, Joonmyun yelled, “It has to do with Sehun!”
Once he realized that the guards weren’t going to let him go, Joonmyun stopped resisting, and allowed them to lead him to an abandoned cell in the castle dungeons. They threw him in the cramped room. The walls were a dull, gray stone, and a small, barred window allowed a miniscule amount of light to filter in.
The guards left without a word, and Joonmyun found himself alone. A wave of despair crashed over him. The plan was going to fail. He was stuck in a dirty cell while Jongdae was out with Sehun, expecting him to return at any moment.
He waited in the cell for what seemed like hours with no hope that he would be let out. The sun sank below the window, and once the last ray of sunlight had been extinguished, he heard the dull thud of footsteps approaching his cell. All of a sudden, hope rose within him like a caged dove flying in the wide-open air for the first time.
Joonmyun rose, and rushed to the door, beating at the cold metal with his bare palm. “Hello?” He called out. There was no response. “Is anyone out there?”
Silence - but then, the slow metal click of the lock turning resonated throughout the cell and he scrambled backward. The door swung open, revealing one of Luhan’s guards. His face was obscured by a silver helmet.
“Am I allowed to leave?” Joonmyun asked, hesitantly.
“No.”
At the guard’s answer, Joonmyun’s heart sank. Then, the guard removed his helmet. “Kyungsoo!”
Kyungsoo bowed. “At your service, Prince Joonmyun.”
“But-”
Kyungsoo cut him off. “Sir, I’m sorry, but Luhan just left to the meeting at the oak. It’s imperative that we beat him there - I don’t believe your brothers will listen to Jongdae.” He turned, and walked toward the exit with Joonmyun right on his heels.
“I suppose that’s true - wait, how do you know about Jongdae?”
Kyungsoo held the door open so that Joonmyun could slip through it. He smiled. “You guys really aren’t as stealthy as you think. But don’t worry. I want this stupid ‘feud’ over just as much as you do.”
Joonmyun blinked, completely and utterly surprised at this turn of events. “Really?”
Kyungsoo pushed him through the doorway, ushering him to move forward. “Yes, really. Now go! You don’t have a lot of time.”
The duo hurried out of the castle and into the woods. Low hanging branches snagged Joonmyun’s shirt, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was reaching his brothers before it was too late.
He heard them before he saw them. Their voices rang out through the trees, loud and clear. Luhan and Minseok were so into their argument that they didn’t notice when Joonmyun stepped into the clearing while Kyungsoo remained hidden in the trees
Jongdae stood in the middle of the clearing with Sehun clinging onto him. Luhan and Minseok weren’t looking at him, though. They were too busy staring at each other, faces contorted in anger.
They were the epitome of light and dark. Luhan’s white satin shirt was tucked into cream pants with a thick leather belt secured at the hips.
And where Luhan was light, Minseok was dark. A deep scarlet tunic stretched tight across Minseok’s chest. Pants that were as dark as the shadows in the forest hugged his waist, and his eyes glittered like black ice.
The only similarities between them were the matching golden circlets sitting atop their heads.
The air in the clearing began to shudder, warping and twisting, and Joonmyun knew that things were about to get nasty. They were resorting to magic.
There was a crackle, and Joonmyun ran forward, yelling, “Stop!”
His brothers stared at him, but Joonmyun could still feel the tension of unreleased magic in the air, although he was grateful that they’d managed to restrain themselves.
“Joonmyun,” Luhan hissed through gritted teeth. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m trying to help you two.” He pointed at the toddler in Jongdae’s arms, and he could see warm tears spilling from Sehun’s lashes. “Look at what you’re doing to him.”
Minseok and Luhan shifted, uncomfortable. They couldn't face Sehun. Not when he was upset.
"Stop being so selfish! We're family and you're fighting over him." Joonmyun was on a tirade now, and neither Minseok nor Luhan made an attempt to stop him. "Hell, I couldn't choose between you two. How do you expect a three year old to?"
"What do you want us to do?" Minseok removed his crown for a moment, and ran his hand through his dishes bed auburn hair. "He can't be with both of us."
"Actually, yes. He can." Jongdae spoke up. Everyone turned to look at him. "From Hecate to Beltane, when the Unseelie court is at it's highest power, Sehun can stay with us. From Beltane to Hecate, he can stay with Luhan while the balance of power is shifted toward the Seelie court. Six months each."
The two kings considered his proposal for a long, quiet moment. Luhan agreed first. "Fine."
Minseok agreed after a slight hesitation. "I suppose that could work." He turned to Luhan, extending a hand, "Are we good, brother?"
Luhan clasped Minseok's hand and shook it heartily. "Of course."
A slight squeal of excitement burst from Sehun's lips once Jongdae set him down. "Uncle Luhand and Uncle Minseok are happy again?"
He ran toward them, and Luhan scooped him up. "Yes, Sehunnie. We are good."
Minseok ruffled Sehun's hair affectionately.
Joonmyun was distracted as strong arms curled around his waist from behind. Warm breath tickled his ear. "That means I can do this now, right?"
Joonmyun twisted to snake his arms around Jongdars neck. Jongdae's eyes twinkled, sparkling with amusement, and he leaned forward to press their lips together in a sweet kiss.
"Whenever you want."
1. Luhan, Joonmyun, and Minseok are all brothers. Luhan and Joonmyun have the same father as Minseok, but different mothers, which is why Minseok is King of the Unseelie Court and Luhan is King of the Seelie Court.
2. For those who don't know, the Seelie court is composed of "light" fairies while the Unseelie is composed of "dark" fairies. This is based off an Irish myth.