Frozen Fate 3/?
Title: Frozen Fate
Pairing: Changmin/Junsu
Summary: Junsu is living a carefree, comfortable life in his father’s orchards, planning a big adventure. Everything changes when it is decided that the Prince of Ice will marry a son of one of the southern lords. Junsu learns that sometimes life pushes you in an unexpected direction, and fighting it only makes things worse.
The crown prince of Cryan had striking blue eyes.
Junsu briefly wondered if this was how he came by the nickname Prince of Ice, but surely everyone could see that the colour wasn’t pale like frozen water. It more closely resembled the deep blue of a summer sky.
It was a unique feature nonetheless. Blue was rare in the south as well, but Junsu was quite certain he’d only seen brown eyes during his brief walk through the streets of Cryan’s capital. He knew because he’d studied the people closely, looking for any differences between this country and Soris.
During his brief encounter with the Prince, he studied him closely, too, beyond his eyes.
Prince Changmin had black hair like most of his people, only his wasn’t braided but loosely tied, and it reached just past his shoulders, his broad shoulders. The Prince was tall, taller than Junsu and the other two candidates in the room.
His face was naturally stern, although Junsu suspected that the Prince was also angry when they met. It was hard to determine whom he was angry with. Junsu, for looking so unpresentable? Or someone else? Junsu didn’t really care. He didn’t need the Prince to like him, or to like the Prince himself. This uncomfortable first meeting worked for him.
Despite his intimidating height and strong voice, there was something beautiful about the Prince’s features, something almost delicate, something royal.
He wore blue robes that matched his eyes and were very finely and beautifully embroidered with a silver crown, decorated with ice crystals.
Then perhaps his nickname stemmed from his family sigil?
Junsu wasn’t sure about that either and decided to stop tying to find out. Probably the most likely explanation was still his personality.
When he left the room, Aya was waiting for him. She had brown eyes, Junsu confirmed again, but she wore her hair short. Junsu suspected that since she was a guard, long hair would be impractical and a braid an easy way to grab hold of her in a fight.
She looked slightly apologetic, but the first thing she said to him was: “This is why it would have been better to arrive earlier, to get some rest before the first meeting.”
Junsu shrugged. “I will get some rest now.” He almost added ‘the Prince can wait for me’, but that might be a little too rude. Aya looked surprised enough already at his indifference to being dismissed.
It was a very thin line Junsu would have to walk, he realised now. If he wanted to make sure the Prince wouldn’t choose him, he needed to act like the worst guest imaginable, but surely that would also reflect poorly on his family.
His parents and brother had presented him as a suitable partner for a Prince. If the Kingdom of Cryan sent him back as the most mannerless idiot they’d ever encountered, who would still trust their professional judgement?
He would need to be as obvious and yet as subtle as he could, but in any case he would have to limit his actions to times when he was alone with the Prince, who would, after all, be the one to make the decision. Junsu decided to behave like a proper guest in front of others.
He didn’t remind Aya how hungry he was, but waited for her to say: “I’ll lead you to the dining room, if you want. There should be a meal waiting for you, good hearty stew, in the style of the south. You’ll like it.”
Junsu gladly accepted that offer.
Aya disappeared while he ate, only to reappear again at the exact moment he was full and kindly refusing a servant who offered to fill his bowl for the third time. The stew was good, but his stomach protested slightly against being so full after being so empty.
Aya showed him to a room with a bed, and that was the last thing Junsu remembered from his first day in Cryan.
The next day, Junsu examined the room he’d slept in. It was simple but luxurious. He had a soft bed and his own bath, although he didn’t know who he had to ask to fill it for him. There were glowing embers in the fireplace and a bowl of fresh water which he didn’t remember from the night before, so maybe someone had come in here when he slept. But he had been so tired that he just as easily could have missed it.
He suspected that this room was located in one of the towers, even higher than the room where he met the Prince, based on all the stairs Aya had made him climb. When he opened the blinds and looked out the window, the view took his breath away.
He could see what he suspected was the entire city from here. There were mountains in the distance to his right, and the hills that surrounded the bay to the left and in front of him. The harbour and ships looked small from such a distance, but the golden sails were still recognisable.
The sun hung just as low in the sky as it had yesterday, and Junsu had no idea what time it was, but he knew he wanted to get down there and explore.
As soon as he’d closed the door to his room behind him and realised he had no idea where to go, Aya appeared in front of him.
“How do you do that?” Junsu asked.
Aya didn’t pretend she didn’t know what he meant. She smiled. “I’m your bodyguard. I follow you like a shadow. It’s my job.”
“Why do I need a bodyguard? Am I in danger inside this castle?”
“Inside I’m not so much a bodyguard as a guide or assistant,” Aya said. “You’re new here, you don’t know the way. Do you need anything right now?”
Junsu didn’t really mind being shadowed, as long as she didn’t follow him to his bed or when he wanted to take a bath. And it was nice to have someone around to answer his questions. A bath didn’t sound like a bad idea actually.
“Is it possible that I take a bath before I do anything else today?” he said.
“The other young lords are already eating breakfast. The Prince might join them later. Do you not wish to be there with them?”
“I’ve just lived on a ship for four days,” Junsu said.
“Of course,” Aya nodded. “I’ll get someone to fetch the water.” She turned around.
“Wait,” Junsu said. He’d just thought of an interesting question. “How many are there? Candidates, I mean.”
Aya looked confused. “Just the three of you. You met the others yesterday?”
“I did,” Junsu said. “Sorry if that was a stupid question.”
So it was just the three of them? That was a disappointment, since it meant less competition. But surely Jaejoong and Yoochun were such strong competitors that he didn’t need to worry about being chosen.
After his bath Junsu told Aya that he wanted to go outside. He’d left the official clothes that bore his fathers sigil in his room and changed into a simple brown tunic that was practically made for climbing trees at home, but would surely do for exploring a foreign country.
“You can’t go outside,” Aya said.
“What?” Junsu said.
“You can not go outside,” Aya repeated, taking care to pronounce each word carefully, either for emphasis or perhaps worried Junsu hadn’t understood because of her accent.
“Why not?”
“It’s dangerous,” Aya said. “But the castle is big, and you can greet the sun in the courtyard if you want.”
No, Junsu did not want that. Courtyards were just about as adventurous as his bedroom back home. “Why is it dangerous? And why does that matter? Aren’t you my bodyguard? Don’t you get bored asking people to fetch me water?”
“The city is not so much a danger to you as you are a danger to it,” Aya said. “And I’m not a babysitter.”
Junsu frowned, thinking he knew what she meant but not quite understanding why it was such a big deal. “Tell me what to do and what not, and I’ll listen. Just briefly explain your customs. I promise I won’t insult or anger anyone.”
Aya seemed slightly offended by that, although her face had been carefully blank throughout the conversation so far.
“My people are peaceful and kind,” she said. “They're not fond of southerners, but they will usually be very friendly, only, you are special. You are one of the strangers who come here to marry our Prince and inherit our land, but the Prince hasn’t accepted you yet. They might act more hostile than normal because they do not know your true intentions. I have orders to follow you everywhere, and they will know who you are when they see us together.”
“They think I’m just here to take over the kingdom?” Junsu asked.
“It is not a strange assumption,” Aya said. “Nothing is certain until the Prince informs us of his choice.”
“And do they believe the Prince will make the right choice and will they accept it? How does he know what my true intentions are?”
Aya looked at him as if she was investigating him herself before she said: “The Prince always knows when someone lies to him. He’s never been wrong. His people trust him.”
Junsu could tell from the tone of her voice that she considered herself one of ‘his people’. “Is there really no way you’ll let me go outside?” he still tried again.
Aya shook her head. “I’ll take you to the room where you met the Prince yesterday. You and the other candidates can use it for the time you are here.”
That sounded much less exciting than going outside, but Junsu knew he didn’t have a choice. He was sure Aya would easily overpower him if he tried to escape.
Only Yoochun was in the room, sitting by the fire. The sun was shining brightly outside, but there was a chill in the wind. Junsu had felt it when he opened the window.
“Finally up?” Yoochun asked. “How are you feeling?”
“Good,” Junsu said. “Much better than yesterday.” He wasn’t in the mood for small talk with Yoochun, but he knew it was his only option. Aya hadn’t disappeared again but was standing by the door, no doubt watching him in case he tried to tie the curtains together and escape through a window.
“Tell me about it,” Yoochun said sympathetically. “Ships are the worst when you’re not used to them.”
“Where is Jaejoong?” Junsu asked.
“On his date with the Prince. Did you know we each get to spend one day with him and he will make a decision after that? Just one day. He must have even more confidence in his people skills than I do, because that’s a short time to get to know the person you’ll spend the rest of your life with.”
“Really? That is short,” Junsu agreed. He shot one last longing look at the closed windows and finally resigned himself to a seat in a comfortable chair opposite Yoochun.
“What are you going to do to catch his attention?” Yoochun asked, leaning forward. “I have a plan. Do you want me to show you?”
Junsu shrugged. He was staring into the low burning fire, thinking about what he was going to do all day. If he wasn’t allowed to go outside, where could he buy presents for Yunji and Yunho? At least this visit wouldn’t drag on too long, if the Prince would make his choice after three days.
A hand on his cheek pulled him out of his thoughts.
“Look at me,” Yoochun said with a low, sultry voice. He was right in front of him, kneeling on the floor.
Junsu sat frozen in his chair, unable to move. Yoochun’s thumb gently stroked over his cheek. It made him very uncomfortable.
“You have beautiful eyes,” Yoochun continued in the same voice. Then he suddenly switched back to his normal pitch and added: “…is what I would say to the Prince, obviously. Your eyes are kind of plain, like your clothes today.”
That gave Junsu his voice back. “Please say this to the Prince then,” he said, “not to me.”
“Oh no,” Yoochun said, using that low voice again. “Let me practise. We’re not even at the best bit yet. Your eyes may be plain, but your lips are very inviting.”
Junsu was very close to punching him in the face without a second warning, but something sharp and pointy was suddenly against Yoochun’s chest. They both looked down at the same time.
“He doesn’t want you to practise on him,” Aya said behind Junsu. “Back off.”
Yoochun raised his hands and sat back on his heels. “Okay, I’m backing off. You can put the spear away now.” He shot Junsu a look and muttered: “they gave you a crazy one.”
“Thank you, Aya,” Junsu said, pointedly staring at Yoochun. “I appreciate it.”
“What’s wrong with having a little fun together while Jaejoong is off wooing the Prince?” Yoochun said.
Junsu was going to say something along the lines of Yoochun being as far from his ideal type as humanly possible, but Aya interrupted.
“You are both potential partners to the Prince. If you offer yourself to him and then fool around with someone else, it will strongly influence his perception of your loyalty.”
Yoochun sighed. “It would have been fine unless you tell him,” he said. “But I understand. I won’t do something like that again. Happy?”
He sat back down in his own chair and looked at Junsu. “Having a bodyguard can be a bit annoying, but I’m glad they gave us one. Have you heard about the bears?”
Junsu shook his head. He'd recovered from the shock, but his heart was still beating a little faster than normal. “What bears?”
Yoochun leaned forward a bit again, like he was sharing a secret. “My bodyguard tells me there are bears bigger than the brown ones in the forests of Soris. They are completely white and they can swallow you whole.”
The last part sounded like something you’d tell children to scare them, but Junsu was interested in the existence of big, white bears. He turned to Aya. “Is that true.”
She nodded. “But they don’t often venture this far south and they tend to avoid the city. I’m not here to protect you against bears.”
“There are all sorts of crazy animals around here though,” Yoochun continued. “And these people hunt them all. Have you ever seen white fur and the whale oil they use in medicine, it all comes from Cryan.”
Junsu already knew that. He knew a little about the basic trade routes, even if he wasn’t interested in politics. Yoochun probably assumed he wouldn’t, because he lived in such a small place far from the sea. He just nodded.
“It’s a dangerous place,” Yoochun said. “Did you sail past that big mountain on an island on your way here? That’s a volcano that still leaks fire sometimes.”
Junsu wouldn’t know because he had been asleep. He would have liked to see it. That was something he needed to remember for the journey home.
If there would be a journey home.
“Do you think we get a say?” he asked.
“What do you mean?” Yoochun said.
“You know, the Prince gets to pick one of us, do we get a say in if we want to marry him or not?”
Yoochun gave him a weird look. “We had the choice of signing up or not, obviously.”
“...of course,” Junsu said.
He didn’t think that was fair. Junsu hadn’t signed up, his parents had done it for him. And the Prince got to meet them first and make his decision after. But maybe he could do that because he was a Prince and they weren’t.
“It’s almost time for lunch,” Aya reminded them.
Junsu’s stomach reminded him that he’d skipped breakfast.
Suddenly, the door opened and Jaejoong came in. His cheeks were flushed, his hair tousled and he was wearing a beautiful fur cloak, white as snow.
Yoochun jumped to his feet. “That’s the Prince’s. What have you been up to?”
“We just went for a walk around the courtyard,” Jaejoong said, grinning. “It’s so cold outside. I wasn’t dressed properly.”
“Didn’t you just pretend?” Yoochun asked suspiciously.
“I really was cold.” Jaejoong smiled. “But why shouldn’t I use that to my advantage?”
Junsu sat back in his chair and let them bicker over what was and wasn’t fair play.
These two even had plans and tactics.
He would be fine.
NEXT
Previous
Pairing: Changmin/Junsu
Summary: Junsu is living a carefree, comfortable life in his father’s orchards, planning a big adventure. Everything changes when it is decided that the Prince of Ice will marry a son of one of the southern lords. Junsu learns that sometimes life pushes you in an unexpected direction, and fighting it only makes things worse.
The crown prince of Cryan had striking blue eyes.
Junsu briefly wondered if this was how he came by the nickname Prince of Ice, but surely everyone could see that the colour wasn’t pale like frozen water. It more closely resembled the deep blue of a summer sky.
It was a unique feature nonetheless. Blue was rare in the south as well, but Junsu was quite certain he’d only seen brown eyes during his brief walk through the streets of Cryan’s capital. He knew because he’d studied the people closely, looking for any differences between this country and Soris.
During his brief encounter with the Prince, he studied him closely, too, beyond his eyes.
Prince Changmin had black hair like most of his people, only his wasn’t braided but loosely tied, and it reached just past his shoulders, his broad shoulders. The Prince was tall, taller than Junsu and the other two candidates in the room.
His face was naturally stern, although Junsu suspected that the Prince was also angry when they met. It was hard to determine whom he was angry with. Junsu, for looking so unpresentable? Or someone else? Junsu didn’t really care. He didn’t need the Prince to like him, or to like the Prince himself. This uncomfortable first meeting worked for him.
Despite his intimidating height and strong voice, there was something beautiful about the Prince’s features, something almost delicate, something royal.
He wore blue robes that matched his eyes and were very finely and beautifully embroidered with a silver crown, decorated with ice crystals.
Then perhaps his nickname stemmed from his family sigil?
Junsu wasn’t sure about that either and decided to stop tying to find out. Probably the most likely explanation was still his personality.
When he left the room, Aya was waiting for him. She had brown eyes, Junsu confirmed again, but she wore her hair short. Junsu suspected that since she was a guard, long hair would be impractical and a braid an easy way to grab hold of her in a fight.
She looked slightly apologetic, but the first thing she said to him was: “This is why it would have been better to arrive earlier, to get some rest before the first meeting.”
Junsu shrugged. “I will get some rest now.” He almost added ‘the Prince can wait for me’, but that might be a little too rude. Aya looked surprised enough already at his indifference to being dismissed.
It was a very thin line Junsu would have to walk, he realised now. If he wanted to make sure the Prince wouldn’t choose him, he needed to act like the worst guest imaginable, but surely that would also reflect poorly on his family.
His parents and brother had presented him as a suitable partner for a Prince. If the Kingdom of Cryan sent him back as the most mannerless idiot they’d ever encountered, who would still trust their professional judgement?
He would need to be as obvious and yet as subtle as he could, but in any case he would have to limit his actions to times when he was alone with the Prince, who would, after all, be the one to make the decision. Junsu decided to behave like a proper guest in front of others.
He didn’t remind Aya how hungry he was, but waited for her to say: “I’ll lead you to the dining room, if you want. There should be a meal waiting for you, good hearty stew, in the style of the south. You’ll like it.”
Junsu gladly accepted that offer.
Aya disappeared while he ate, only to reappear again at the exact moment he was full and kindly refusing a servant who offered to fill his bowl for the third time. The stew was good, but his stomach protested slightly against being so full after being so empty.
Aya showed him to a room with a bed, and that was the last thing Junsu remembered from his first day in Cryan.
The next day, Junsu examined the room he’d slept in. It was simple but luxurious. He had a soft bed and his own bath, although he didn’t know who he had to ask to fill it for him. There were glowing embers in the fireplace and a bowl of fresh water which he didn’t remember from the night before, so maybe someone had come in here when he slept. But he had been so tired that he just as easily could have missed it.
He suspected that this room was located in one of the towers, even higher than the room where he met the Prince, based on all the stairs Aya had made him climb. When he opened the blinds and looked out the window, the view took his breath away.
He could see what he suspected was the entire city from here. There were mountains in the distance to his right, and the hills that surrounded the bay to the left and in front of him. The harbour and ships looked small from such a distance, but the golden sails were still recognisable.
The sun hung just as low in the sky as it had yesterday, and Junsu had no idea what time it was, but he knew he wanted to get down there and explore.
As soon as he’d closed the door to his room behind him and realised he had no idea where to go, Aya appeared in front of him.
“How do you do that?” Junsu asked.
Aya didn’t pretend she didn’t know what he meant. She smiled. “I’m your bodyguard. I follow you like a shadow. It’s my job.”
“Why do I need a bodyguard? Am I in danger inside this castle?”
“Inside I’m not so much a bodyguard as a guide or assistant,” Aya said. “You’re new here, you don’t know the way. Do you need anything right now?”
Junsu didn’t really mind being shadowed, as long as she didn’t follow him to his bed or when he wanted to take a bath. And it was nice to have someone around to answer his questions. A bath didn’t sound like a bad idea actually.
“Is it possible that I take a bath before I do anything else today?” he said.
“The other young lords are already eating breakfast. The Prince might join them later. Do you not wish to be there with them?”
“I’ve just lived on a ship for four days,” Junsu said.
“Of course,” Aya nodded. “I’ll get someone to fetch the water.” She turned around.
“Wait,” Junsu said. He’d just thought of an interesting question. “How many are there? Candidates, I mean.”
Aya looked confused. “Just the three of you. You met the others yesterday?”
“I did,” Junsu said. “Sorry if that was a stupid question.”
So it was just the three of them? That was a disappointment, since it meant less competition. But surely Jaejoong and Yoochun were such strong competitors that he didn’t need to worry about being chosen.
After his bath Junsu told Aya that he wanted to go outside. He’d left the official clothes that bore his fathers sigil in his room and changed into a simple brown tunic that was practically made for climbing trees at home, but would surely do for exploring a foreign country.
“You can’t go outside,” Aya said.
“What?” Junsu said.
“You can not go outside,” Aya repeated, taking care to pronounce each word carefully, either for emphasis or perhaps worried Junsu hadn’t understood because of her accent.
“Why not?”
“It’s dangerous,” Aya said. “But the castle is big, and you can greet the sun in the courtyard if you want.”
No, Junsu did not want that. Courtyards were just about as adventurous as his bedroom back home. “Why is it dangerous? And why does that matter? Aren’t you my bodyguard? Don’t you get bored asking people to fetch me water?”
“The city is not so much a danger to you as you are a danger to it,” Aya said. “And I’m not a babysitter.”
Junsu frowned, thinking he knew what she meant but not quite understanding why it was such a big deal. “Tell me what to do and what not, and I’ll listen. Just briefly explain your customs. I promise I won’t insult or anger anyone.”
Aya seemed slightly offended by that, although her face had been carefully blank throughout the conversation so far.
“My people are peaceful and kind,” she said. “They're not fond of southerners, but they will usually be very friendly, only, you are special. You are one of the strangers who come here to marry our Prince and inherit our land, but the Prince hasn’t accepted you yet. They might act more hostile than normal because they do not know your true intentions. I have orders to follow you everywhere, and they will know who you are when they see us together.”
“They think I’m just here to take over the kingdom?” Junsu asked.
“It is not a strange assumption,” Aya said. “Nothing is certain until the Prince informs us of his choice.”
“And do they believe the Prince will make the right choice and will they accept it? How does he know what my true intentions are?”
Aya looked at him as if she was investigating him herself before she said: “The Prince always knows when someone lies to him. He’s never been wrong. His people trust him.”
Junsu could tell from the tone of her voice that she considered herself one of ‘his people’. “Is there really no way you’ll let me go outside?” he still tried again.
Aya shook her head. “I’ll take you to the room where you met the Prince yesterday. You and the other candidates can use it for the time you are here.”
That sounded much less exciting than going outside, but Junsu knew he didn’t have a choice. He was sure Aya would easily overpower him if he tried to escape.
Only Yoochun was in the room, sitting by the fire. The sun was shining brightly outside, but there was a chill in the wind. Junsu had felt it when he opened the window.
“Finally up?” Yoochun asked. “How are you feeling?”
“Good,” Junsu said. “Much better than yesterday.” He wasn’t in the mood for small talk with Yoochun, but he knew it was his only option. Aya hadn’t disappeared again but was standing by the door, no doubt watching him in case he tried to tie the curtains together and escape through a window.
“Tell me about it,” Yoochun said sympathetically. “Ships are the worst when you’re not used to them.”
“Where is Jaejoong?” Junsu asked.
“On his date with the Prince. Did you know we each get to spend one day with him and he will make a decision after that? Just one day. He must have even more confidence in his people skills than I do, because that’s a short time to get to know the person you’ll spend the rest of your life with.”
“Really? That is short,” Junsu agreed. He shot one last longing look at the closed windows and finally resigned himself to a seat in a comfortable chair opposite Yoochun.
“What are you going to do to catch his attention?” Yoochun asked, leaning forward. “I have a plan. Do you want me to show you?”
Junsu shrugged. He was staring into the low burning fire, thinking about what he was going to do all day. If he wasn’t allowed to go outside, where could he buy presents for Yunji and Yunho? At least this visit wouldn’t drag on too long, if the Prince would make his choice after three days.
A hand on his cheek pulled him out of his thoughts.
“Look at me,” Yoochun said with a low, sultry voice. He was right in front of him, kneeling on the floor.
Junsu sat frozen in his chair, unable to move. Yoochun’s thumb gently stroked over his cheek. It made him very uncomfortable.
“You have beautiful eyes,” Yoochun continued in the same voice. Then he suddenly switched back to his normal pitch and added: “…is what I would say to the Prince, obviously. Your eyes are kind of plain, like your clothes today.”
That gave Junsu his voice back. “Please say this to the Prince then,” he said, “not to me.”
“Oh no,” Yoochun said, using that low voice again. “Let me practise. We’re not even at the best bit yet. Your eyes may be plain, but your lips are very inviting.”
Junsu was very close to punching him in the face without a second warning, but something sharp and pointy was suddenly against Yoochun’s chest. They both looked down at the same time.
“He doesn’t want you to practise on him,” Aya said behind Junsu. “Back off.”
Yoochun raised his hands and sat back on his heels. “Okay, I’m backing off. You can put the spear away now.” He shot Junsu a look and muttered: “they gave you a crazy one.”
“Thank you, Aya,” Junsu said, pointedly staring at Yoochun. “I appreciate it.”
“What’s wrong with having a little fun together while Jaejoong is off wooing the Prince?” Yoochun said.
Junsu was going to say something along the lines of Yoochun being as far from his ideal type as humanly possible, but Aya interrupted.
“You are both potential partners to the Prince. If you offer yourself to him and then fool around with someone else, it will strongly influence his perception of your loyalty.”
Yoochun sighed. “It would have been fine unless you tell him,” he said. “But I understand. I won’t do something like that again. Happy?”
He sat back down in his own chair and looked at Junsu. “Having a bodyguard can be a bit annoying, but I’m glad they gave us one. Have you heard about the bears?”
Junsu shook his head. He'd recovered from the shock, but his heart was still beating a little faster than normal. “What bears?”
Yoochun leaned forward a bit again, like he was sharing a secret. “My bodyguard tells me there are bears bigger than the brown ones in the forests of Soris. They are completely white and they can swallow you whole.”
The last part sounded like something you’d tell children to scare them, but Junsu was interested in the existence of big, white bears. He turned to Aya. “Is that true.”
She nodded. “But they don’t often venture this far south and they tend to avoid the city. I’m not here to protect you against bears.”
“There are all sorts of crazy animals around here though,” Yoochun continued. “And these people hunt them all. Have you ever seen white fur and the whale oil they use in medicine, it all comes from Cryan.”
Junsu already knew that. He knew a little about the basic trade routes, even if he wasn’t interested in politics. Yoochun probably assumed he wouldn’t, because he lived in such a small place far from the sea. He just nodded.
“It’s a dangerous place,” Yoochun said. “Did you sail past that big mountain on an island on your way here? That’s a volcano that still leaks fire sometimes.”
Junsu wouldn’t know because he had been asleep. He would have liked to see it. That was something he needed to remember for the journey home.
If there would be a journey home.
“Do you think we get a say?” he asked.
“What do you mean?” Yoochun said.
“You know, the Prince gets to pick one of us, do we get a say in if we want to marry him or not?”
Yoochun gave him a weird look. “We had the choice of signing up or not, obviously.”
“...of course,” Junsu said.
He didn’t think that was fair. Junsu hadn’t signed up, his parents had done it for him. And the Prince got to meet them first and make his decision after. But maybe he could do that because he was a Prince and they weren’t.
“It’s almost time for lunch,” Aya reminded them.
Junsu’s stomach reminded him that he’d skipped breakfast.
Suddenly, the door opened and Jaejoong came in. His cheeks were flushed, his hair tousled and he was wearing a beautiful fur cloak, white as snow.
Yoochun jumped to his feet. “That’s the Prince’s. What have you been up to?”
“We just went for a walk around the courtyard,” Jaejoong said, grinning. “It’s so cold outside. I wasn’t dressed properly.”
“Didn’t you just pretend?” Yoochun asked suspiciously.
“I really was cold.” Jaejoong smiled. “But why shouldn’t I use that to my advantage?”
Junsu sat back in his chair and let them bicker over what was and wasn’t fair play.
These two even had plans and tactics.
He would be fine.
NEXT
Previous