Frozen Fate 4/?
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.
“Shouldn’t you be with the Prince right now?” Yoochun asked.
“I came to invite you,” Jaejoong said with a smile. “I thought we could all have lunch together.”
Yoochun quirked an eyebrow. “You do understand that we’re your rivals, right?”
Jaejoong made a face at him.
Junsu got the feeling these two had known each other longer than a day. There was a familiarity between them that couldn’t just be due to that first evening of conversation he’d missed. It didn’t surprise him. They were neighbours, after all.
“I don’t plan on sharing my prince with you for the rest of the day,” Jaejoong said, “but I thought eating together would be nice, so you won’t feel isolated in this big palace in this strange land.”
Yoochun shrugged and said. “As long as you don’t expect me to do the same for you.” But Jaejoong was looking at Junsu.
Junsu knew that look. He’d been looked after by an older brother his entire life. Jaejoong was raised in luxury by the arrogant Golden Lord, but he seemed to have a good heart. That was a quality Prince Changmin would probably appreciate.
“Well, come on,” Jaejoong said. “My future husband is waiting for us in the dining room.”
This room was different from the one where Junsu had eaten his dinner yesterday. It was smaller but more elaborately decorated, and there was only one table. Junsu imagined this was where the royal family enjoyed their meals in private.
The Prince was seated at the head of the table, and Jaejoong quickly took the seat on his right. Two extra plates were placed a bit further down the table, so Junsu and Yoochun sat there, facing each other.
Prince Changmin nodded to acknowledge their presence when they bowed their heads for him and then turned his attention to Jaejoong.
“Have you warmed up a bit?”
The Prince’s voice was cool and restrained, a bit icy maybe, Junsu thought. But the fact that he bothered to ask the question at all spoke of some compassion.
Jaejoong smiled and pulled the fur coat a little tighter around his shoulders. “Yes, this is very warm, and so soft. Thank you.”
The Prince’s lips formed a modest smile.
Junsu decided that Jaejoong looked perfectly attractive right now, if you were looking for a beautiful man in need of a strong husband to protect him against the elements.
In turn, Jaejoong could definitely teach the Prince something about facial expressions and a pleasant tone of voice. That might come in handy when ruling a country.
Not that Junsu had any experience in that field. “Won’t the Queen join us?” he asked, just as servants started to carry in steaming dishes.
Prince Changmin looked at him. “The Queen has left the decision of choosing one of you to me, and won’t interfere in the process. She’ll receive you all after I’ve made my choice.”
The Prince didn’t bother being subtle about the fact that they were all part of some big competition with their future at stake. Junsu liked his bluntness. And he liked that the Queen trusted her son to this extent, if only his parents let him make his own decisions.
The food had arrived at the table now, and Junsu immediately recognised every dish. The way the meat and vegetables were presented, the aroma of the spices, it reminded him of the food back home, and the food at the inns in the capital, where his father or Junho would travel for business and sometimes take him along.
“Did you ask your cooks to prepare only Sorisian food for us, or does your country not have its own specialties?” he bluntly asked the Prince.
Jaejoong’s eyes widened at his impertinence, but the Prince seemed completely unfazed. “Is this kind of meal not to your liking?” he simply asked.
“It’s just, if we want to get to know this country, which we probably should if we’re going to live here, shouldn’t we also taste its unique flavours? I’ve heard your people hunt everything they see. Do you also eat the white bears? What do they taste like?” It wasn't exactly how Yoochun had worded it, just Junsu's...free interpretation.
The Prince only stared at him after that. His expression hardly changed, but the silence dragged on so long that Junsu wondered if he’d managed to say something seriously offensive this time.
“My people don’t simply ‘hunt everything they see’, we can discuss that later,” Prince Changmin finally said. “But to answer your question. No, no, we don’t eat the bears. They are sacred. I admire your literal taste for adventure. The flavours Cryan has to offer are unique indeed. You will get to know them in time, perhaps. But I think the rest of us are hungry, right now, let’s eat this boring meal our cooks have prepared especially for our honoured guests.”
Junsu felt only a little bit embarrassed. He was somehow already succeeding at his mission, even if it made him look bad. He only wished Jaejoong and Yoochun hadn’t been here to witness this conversation. Their fathers already enjoyed making fun of his too much as it was.
Jaejoong drew the Prince’s attention with a few soft, sweet words about the meal and his day in general. The Prince gave him that small smile again and offered to fill his glass.
“Hey,” Yoochun hissed at Junsu from across the table. “Are you deliberately trying to ruin the Prince’s mood? That’s low. Stop asking questions. This is Jaejoong’s day. ”
Junsu nodded and obediently kept his mouth shut for the rest of the meal, wondering what the unique flavours of Cryan could be.
When they’d finished their dessert, served with warm sweetened apples that reminded Junsu of home more than anything, Jaejoong asked: “What are we going to do next?”
“I’ll let you decide,” the Prince said. “But first I want to let you all know that the young lord Kim, or any of you, may say whatever he likes.”
Yoochun flushed at that, and although the Prince didn’t say that he’d overheard him, he did look at him the longest. “I sincerely hope that you will show my people the respect they deserve, but I also value honesty.”
Yoochun refused to speak to him for most of the afternoon.
Junsu minded more than he’d thought he would. He hadn’t come here to make friends, but he felt a bit lonely all of a sudden with Aya pulling her disappearing act again and Yoochun stubbornly staring into the flames.
They had been given books to read. Junsu impatiently flipped through the pages, but they were all books he’d been forced to read during his lessons, or similar ones, books from home. This didn’t tell him anything about what the language of Cryan looked like in its written form. Would it be very different?
He soon abandoned the books and walked to the window. “It gets dark so early,” he said to no one in particular. “It’s not time for dinner yet, is it?”
He got a grunt from Yoochun in response.
Junsu sighed and turned around. “I’m sorry, although I don’t know what it is I did exactly. Did I ruin Jaejoong’s date? I don't think so, and I thought we were his rivals. Did I make you look bad in front of the Prince? If I did, I didn’t do it on purpose.”
Yoochun turned his head to look at him. He was leaning forwards, elbows resting on his knees. “You didn’t notice? You made the Prince react to you. And no, you probably didn’t even do it on purpose. That pisses me off even more.”
Junsu was confused. “What do you mean?”
“Are you blind. Didn’t you see the way he looked at you, that intensity? He had that vacant look in his eyes whenever he looked at Jae, and Jae is fucking beautiful. What am I supposed to do?”
Yoochun had acted so cocky until now that Junsu was taken aback by his confession. He was also shocked by the idea that the Prince might prefer him over Jaejoong, but surely Yoochun had only imagined that in this sudden uncharacteristic loss of confidence.
“Do you really want to marry the Prince?” he asked. Maybe Yoochun had changed his mind, that would be bad.
“Yes, obviously,” Yoochun said. He stared into the fire. “Who wouldn’t?”
Me, Junsu thought, but what he said was: “And you really think I stand a better chance than you do? I did just insult both his kitchen staff and a sacred animal.”
Yoochun thought about that for a moment, then snorted and sat up straight. “You’re right. Pretend I didn’t say anything.”
Junsu thought it was a bit bizarre that Yoochun of all people needed a confidence boost from him. Maybe that cocksure persona was just an act, or this vulnerable one was. Either way, Junsu hoped Yoochun would be honest about who he was with the Prince.
Jaejoong didn’t come back to invite them for dinner, so they let Aya and Yoochun’s bodyguard lead them to the more plain-looking dining room. It was still hard to find their own way inside the palace.
Yoochun was served soup and bread, but Junsu got a plate full of a very dark kind of meat. From the texture and smell he was certain it had to be meat, but the colour was unlike anything he’d seen before, not beef or mutton, certainly not chicken.
“What’s this?” he asked Aya, who hadn’t disappeared - yet - and was standing behind him.
“A local specialty,” she said with an innocent smile. She seemed to find it amusing that Junsu got what he’d asked for, as if she expected him to gag on his first bite and beg for something Sorisian.
Yoochun looked at Junsu’s plate and laughed. “Enjoy your meal,” he said. He tore a piece off his warm bread and dipped it in a small bowl containing oil and herbs, like a true southerner.
“You, too,” Junsu said. He cut a piece of his practically black meat and put it in his mouth without hesitation. The texture was unexpectedly smooth. It tasted a bit salty and a bit raw, although it looked like it had been cooked in some way. Junsu wouldn’t call it delicious, or good, exactly. He decided it was an acquired taste, and why not make today his first step towards acquiring it?
He finished chewing and swallowed his first bite under the scrutiny of both Aya and Yoochun, and shrugged. “Not bad,” he said, cutting another piece.
Yoochun stuck out his tongue. “You’re insane. I wouldn’t even touch that with my fork.”
Aya didn’t say anything, and when Junsu looked over his shoulder again, she’d disappeared.
He managed to finish almost all of his meat before he started to feel a bit queasy. There was still some left on his plate, and it frustrated him to no end that he would have to send it back to the kitchen. It felt like giving up. But he also didn’t want to be sick in front of Yoochun, or anyone else, or in general.
Just when he was contemplating taking one more, final, bite, the Prince walked through the open door in front of them.
Yoochun noticed first, almost choked on his soup and nudged Junsu’s shoulder. They both got to their feet, but the Prince said: “Don’t mind me. Continue. I didn’t mean to disturb your meal.”
Good job there, Junsu thought, walking your royal presence into this room unannounced. But he didn’t say it out loud.
The Prince seemed to glance at Junsu’s plate for a second. He didn’t comment on it, or show any other sort of reaction, but Junsu shot him a challenging look anyway. He might not have finished it all, but he had eaten most of it, without complaining.
“I've come to ask which of you would like to keep me company tomorrow.”
It didn’t really matter, did it? The other would get his turn the day after. Junsu looked at Yoochun.
“Perhaps you, young lord Kim,” the Prince said. “I don’t know who has been telling you lies about my people, but I think we have a lot to talk about.”
“If you say so, my Prince,” Junsu said. He paused. “But Yoochun has been looking forward to spending time with you since the moment he arrived. I think he’d be a more worthy companion.”
Yoochun looked at him, eyebrows raised high, but when Junsu looked at the Prince again, his face was still blank. If there had been a reaction there, he’d missed it.
“Very well,” the Prince said. “Do you agree, young lord Park?”
“Of course, my Prince,” Yoochun said with a slight bow. “It would be my pleasure.”
“I’ll send someone to pick you up tomorrow morning,” the Prince said. “Enjoy the rest of your meal.” He left again.
“What did you do that for?” Yoochun asked, incredulous.
“I don’t know,” Junsu said. He shrugged. “I think it might be an advantage, being last. He’ll remember me most vividly when he makes his decision or something.”
Yoochun seemed in doubt for a second, then he snorted. “I don’t think it works like that. But who knows, we’ll see.”
Junsu had just earned himself another day of freedom, but he would have to come up with something to do, because he was starting to tire of being cooped up in this castle, big as it was.
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.
“Shouldn’t you be with the Prince right now?” Yoochun asked.
“I came to invite you,” Jaejoong said with a smile. “I thought we could all have lunch together.”
Yoochun quirked an eyebrow. “You do understand that we’re your rivals, right?”
Jaejoong made a face at him.
Junsu got the feeling these two had known each other longer than a day. There was a familiarity between them that couldn’t just be due to that first evening of conversation he’d missed. It didn’t surprise him. They were neighbours, after all.
“I don’t plan on sharing my prince with you for the rest of the day,” Jaejoong said, “but I thought eating together would be nice, so you won’t feel isolated in this big palace in this strange land.”
Yoochun shrugged and said. “As long as you don’t expect me to do the same for you.” But Jaejoong was looking at Junsu.
Junsu knew that look. He’d been looked after by an older brother his entire life. Jaejoong was raised in luxury by the arrogant Golden Lord, but he seemed to have a good heart. That was a quality Prince Changmin would probably appreciate.
“Well, come on,” Jaejoong said. “My future husband is waiting for us in the dining room.”
This room was different from the one where Junsu had eaten his dinner yesterday. It was smaller but more elaborately decorated, and there was only one table. Junsu imagined this was where the royal family enjoyed their meals in private.
The Prince was seated at the head of the table, and Jaejoong quickly took the seat on his right. Two extra plates were placed a bit further down the table, so Junsu and Yoochun sat there, facing each other.
Prince Changmin nodded to acknowledge their presence when they bowed their heads for him and then turned his attention to Jaejoong.
“Have you warmed up a bit?”
The Prince’s voice was cool and restrained, a bit icy maybe, Junsu thought. But the fact that he bothered to ask the question at all spoke of some compassion.
Jaejoong smiled and pulled the fur coat a little tighter around his shoulders. “Yes, this is very warm, and so soft. Thank you.”
The Prince’s lips formed a modest smile.
Junsu decided that Jaejoong looked perfectly attractive right now, if you were looking for a beautiful man in need of a strong husband to protect him against the elements.
In turn, Jaejoong could definitely teach the Prince something about facial expressions and a pleasant tone of voice. That might come in handy when ruling a country.
Not that Junsu had any experience in that field. “Won’t the Queen join us?” he asked, just as servants started to carry in steaming dishes.
Prince Changmin looked at him. “The Queen has left the decision of choosing one of you to me, and won’t interfere in the process. She’ll receive you all after I’ve made my choice.”
The Prince didn’t bother being subtle about the fact that they were all part of some big competition with their future at stake. Junsu liked his bluntness. And he liked that the Queen trusted her son to this extent, if only his parents let him make his own decisions.
The food had arrived at the table now, and Junsu immediately recognised every dish. The way the meat and vegetables were presented, the aroma of the spices, it reminded him of the food back home, and the food at the inns in the capital, where his father or Junho would travel for business and sometimes take him along.
“Did you ask your cooks to prepare only Sorisian food for us, or does your country not have its own specialties?” he bluntly asked the Prince.
Jaejoong’s eyes widened at his impertinence, but the Prince seemed completely unfazed. “Is this kind of meal not to your liking?” he simply asked.
“It’s just, if we want to get to know this country, which we probably should if we’re going to live here, shouldn’t we also taste its unique flavours? I’ve heard your people hunt everything they see. Do you also eat the white bears? What do they taste like?” It wasn't exactly how Yoochun had worded it, just Junsu's...free interpretation.
The Prince only stared at him after that. His expression hardly changed, but the silence dragged on so long that Junsu wondered if he’d managed to say something seriously offensive this time.
“My people don’t simply ‘hunt everything they see’, we can discuss that later,” Prince Changmin finally said. “But to answer your question. No, no, we don’t eat the bears. They are sacred. I admire your literal taste for adventure. The flavours Cryan has to offer are unique indeed. You will get to know them in time, perhaps. But I think the rest of us are hungry, right now, let’s eat this boring meal our cooks have prepared especially for our honoured guests.”
Junsu felt only a little bit embarrassed. He was somehow already succeeding at his mission, even if it made him look bad. He only wished Jaejoong and Yoochun hadn’t been here to witness this conversation. Their fathers already enjoyed making fun of his too much as it was.
Jaejoong drew the Prince’s attention with a few soft, sweet words about the meal and his day in general. The Prince gave him that small smile again and offered to fill his glass.
“Hey,” Yoochun hissed at Junsu from across the table. “Are you deliberately trying to ruin the Prince’s mood? That’s low. Stop asking questions. This is Jaejoong’s day. ”
Junsu nodded and obediently kept his mouth shut for the rest of the meal, wondering what the unique flavours of Cryan could be.
When they’d finished their dessert, served with warm sweetened apples that reminded Junsu of home more than anything, Jaejoong asked: “What are we going to do next?”
“I’ll let you decide,” the Prince said. “But first I want to let you all know that the young lord Kim, or any of you, may say whatever he likes.”
Yoochun flushed at that, and although the Prince didn’t say that he’d overheard him, he did look at him the longest. “I sincerely hope that you will show my people the respect they deserve, but I also value honesty.”
Yoochun refused to speak to him for most of the afternoon.
Junsu minded more than he’d thought he would. He hadn’t come here to make friends, but he felt a bit lonely all of a sudden with Aya pulling her disappearing act again and Yoochun stubbornly staring into the flames.
They had been given books to read. Junsu impatiently flipped through the pages, but they were all books he’d been forced to read during his lessons, or similar ones, books from home. This didn’t tell him anything about what the language of Cryan looked like in its written form. Would it be very different?
He soon abandoned the books and walked to the window. “It gets dark so early,” he said to no one in particular. “It’s not time for dinner yet, is it?”
He got a grunt from Yoochun in response.
Junsu sighed and turned around. “I’m sorry, although I don’t know what it is I did exactly. Did I ruin Jaejoong’s date? I don't think so, and I thought we were his rivals. Did I make you look bad in front of the Prince? If I did, I didn’t do it on purpose.”
Yoochun turned his head to look at him. He was leaning forwards, elbows resting on his knees. “You didn’t notice? You made the Prince react to you. And no, you probably didn’t even do it on purpose. That pisses me off even more.”
Junsu was confused. “What do you mean?”
“Are you blind. Didn’t you see the way he looked at you, that intensity? He had that vacant look in his eyes whenever he looked at Jae, and Jae is fucking beautiful. What am I supposed to do?”
Yoochun had acted so cocky until now that Junsu was taken aback by his confession. He was also shocked by the idea that the Prince might prefer him over Jaejoong, but surely Yoochun had only imagined that in this sudden uncharacteristic loss of confidence.
“Do you really want to marry the Prince?” he asked. Maybe Yoochun had changed his mind, that would be bad.
“Yes, obviously,” Yoochun said. He stared into the fire. “Who wouldn’t?”
Me, Junsu thought, but what he said was: “And you really think I stand a better chance than you do? I did just insult both his kitchen staff and a sacred animal.”
Yoochun thought about that for a moment, then snorted and sat up straight. “You’re right. Pretend I didn’t say anything.”
Junsu thought it was a bit bizarre that Yoochun of all people needed a confidence boost from him. Maybe that cocksure persona was just an act, or this vulnerable one was. Either way, Junsu hoped Yoochun would be honest about who he was with the Prince.
Jaejoong didn’t come back to invite them for dinner, so they let Aya and Yoochun’s bodyguard lead them to the more plain-looking dining room. It was still hard to find their own way inside the palace.
Yoochun was served soup and bread, but Junsu got a plate full of a very dark kind of meat. From the texture and smell he was certain it had to be meat, but the colour was unlike anything he’d seen before, not beef or mutton, certainly not chicken.
“What’s this?” he asked Aya, who hadn’t disappeared - yet - and was standing behind him.
“A local specialty,” she said with an innocent smile. She seemed to find it amusing that Junsu got what he’d asked for, as if she expected him to gag on his first bite and beg for something Sorisian.
Yoochun looked at Junsu’s plate and laughed. “Enjoy your meal,” he said. He tore a piece off his warm bread and dipped it in a small bowl containing oil and herbs, like a true southerner.
“You, too,” Junsu said. He cut a piece of his practically black meat and put it in his mouth without hesitation. The texture was unexpectedly smooth. It tasted a bit salty and a bit raw, although it looked like it had been cooked in some way. Junsu wouldn’t call it delicious, or good, exactly. He decided it was an acquired taste, and why not make today his first step towards acquiring it?
He finished chewing and swallowed his first bite under the scrutiny of both Aya and Yoochun, and shrugged. “Not bad,” he said, cutting another piece.
Yoochun stuck out his tongue. “You’re insane. I wouldn’t even touch that with my fork.”
Aya didn’t say anything, and when Junsu looked over his shoulder again, she’d disappeared.
He managed to finish almost all of his meat before he started to feel a bit queasy. There was still some left on his plate, and it frustrated him to no end that he would have to send it back to the kitchen. It felt like giving up. But he also didn’t want to be sick in front of Yoochun, or anyone else, or in general.
Just when he was contemplating taking one more, final, bite, the Prince walked through the open door in front of them.
Yoochun noticed first, almost choked on his soup and nudged Junsu’s shoulder. They both got to their feet, but the Prince said: “Don’t mind me. Continue. I didn’t mean to disturb your meal.”
Good job there, Junsu thought, walking your royal presence into this room unannounced. But he didn’t say it out loud.
The Prince seemed to glance at Junsu’s plate for a second. He didn’t comment on it, or show any other sort of reaction, but Junsu shot him a challenging look anyway. He might not have finished it all, but he had eaten most of it, without complaining.
“I've come to ask which of you would like to keep me company tomorrow.”
It didn’t really matter, did it? The other would get his turn the day after. Junsu looked at Yoochun.
“Perhaps you, young lord Kim,” the Prince said. “I don’t know who has been telling you lies about my people, but I think we have a lot to talk about.”
“If you say so, my Prince,” Junsu said. He paused. “But Yoochun has been looking forward to spending time with you since the moment he arrived. I think he’d be a more worthy companion.”
Yoochun looked at him, eyebrows raised high, but when Junsu looked at the Prince again, his face was still blank. If there had been a reaction there, he’d missed it.
“Very well,” the Prince said. “Do you agree, young lord Park?”
“Of course, my Prince,” Yoochun said with a slight bow. “It would be my pleasure.”
“I’ll send someone to pick you up tomorrow morning,” the Prince said. “Enjoy the rest of your meal.” He left again.
“What did you do that for?” Yoochun asked, incredulous.
“I don’t know,” Junsu said. He shrugged. “I think it might be an advantage, being last. He’ll remember me most vividly when he makes his decision or something.”
Yoochun seemed in doubt for a second, then he snorted. “I don’t think it works like that. But who knows, we’ll see.”
Junsu had just earned himself another day of freedom, but he would have to come up with something to do, because he was starting to tire of being cooped up in this castle, big as it was.
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