fic: The Long Exile {Chapter 3/?}
Title: The Long Exile
Length: Chaptered, Chapter 3/?
Author: M_K Yujji
Rating: PG, likely to go up eventually
Genre: Drama/Angst/Fantasy
Disclaimer: Though real people are used as characters, this fic bears no resemblence to Real Life and these people are not owned by me.
Summary: exile : noun 1 the state of being barred from one's homeland. 2 a person who lives in exile.verb expel and bar (someone) from their homeland.
-ORIGIN Latin exilium 'banishment'.
Notes: Inspired by the Tri-Angle PV. Though there will be a loose resemblance to various mythical/religious figures and places, it's not really intentional.
Edit: I am working on fixing my honorifics, help from those more knowledgeable would be appreciated because I know I will miss some. Also, there are no honorifics in Jae's dream sequences other than those used for the 'king' because the individuals are not really Korean... or any other known mortal race, and as such, would not use anything translatable.
Previous
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
~*~*~
“What exactly are you doing?” Jaejoong asked as he watched Yunho.
If Yunho heard the question, he gave no indication of it, instead biting his lip in concentration and humming something under his breath.
Rolling his eyes, Jaejoong wove his way between the beds and reached out to tug on Yunho’s shirt. “Yunho, what are you doing?”
“Protecting you,” came the absent-minded reply as the younger man dipped his fingers into some sweet smelling liquid and continued rubbing it along the seals of the window. He resumed his humming as well and now that Jaejoong was closer, he could tell that it was actually soft singing, nonsense words that didn’t sound like any sort of Korean he’d ever heard.
Even though it warmed his heart to hear, it also embarrassed him further. “Yunho-yah... It was just a silly nightmare. You don’t have to make so much fuss.”
He quieted when Yunho hopped down and pressed the back of one hand over his mouth.
“Did you or did you not see something in the window last night?” Before Jaejoong could protest, he made a tsking sound. “Please keep in mind that you are a horrible liar.”
“I am an excellent liar, thank you very much.”
“Jaejoong....”
“Yes.”
“Did it frighten you?”
Jaejoong rolled his eyes. “That’s a stupid question. Or did you miss the screaming and cowering in your bed?”
“Would you feel better knowing some kind of measures had been taken to keep it from happening again?”
“Yunho.. It was just a nightmare. Making it more than that is just silly...” He had enough trouble with being teased for being the ‘girl’ of the group. He didn’t need his nightmares to be turned into some kind of big drawn out drama.
The back of Yunho’s knuckles brushed over his cheek, silencing him. “Do you think it’s silly that I always make sure any food or drink we’re given is sealed when we’re working?”
“What? No, of course not.” Jaejoong’s arms instinctively wrapped around Yunho’s waist and he shivered at the subtle mentioning of Yunho’s poisoning. Given what had happened, what could have happened, he frankly thought it was amazing that Yunho let them eat anything anywhere that wasn’t factory sealed. “It makes you feel....” He trailed off, his eyes softening as he began to understand.
Yunho smiled that sweet smile that Jaejoong was happy belonged only to their little family. No fan or talk show host ever got to see that smile. “It’s what I have to do to feel safe. To feel like I’m protecting our family.” His head tilted forward, pressing their foreheads together. “Real or figment of your imagination, something frightened you last night and this is all I can do to fix that. Let me do this for you, BooJae. Let me protect you?”
“Yunnie....” How could he say no to that?
“Hyung deul?!” The moment was interrupted by the ruckus of the other three returning home from their own day out.
Jaejoong pulled away, almost guiltily, though he’d been doing nothing to warrant it.
“Can you keep them occupied and out of here while I’m doing this, Joongie? I need to be able to concentrate... as it is I’m going to have to start over since I stopped in the middle.” Yunho grinned as he picked up a jar that Jaejoong hadn’t noticed before.
“What is that stuff?”
“Just something I picked up while I was out. Guaranteed to send anything with bad intentions scurrying away for fear of their very existence.” He displayed the jar with pride and Jae had to cover his mouth to hide his grin. It was the kind of jar a fortune teller or a self proclaimed witch might sell an unwary tourist.
“Yunho-yah....” He coughed to cover the snicker that tried to escape. “How much did you pay for that?”
Blushing, Yunho grinned self-consciously. “Ah.. Just one of those autographed cds that Manager hyung keeps handy for promotionals. Don’t tell him I took one, okay?”
“Jaejoong hyung? Yunho hyung? Anyone ho~ome?”
Far be it for Jaejoong to be the one to call Yunho a sucker. Nor would he allow the rest of the band to do so. “I’ll see if we have anything in the house to cook for dinner. That should keep them out of your hair for a while.” He turned back to Yunho at the door. “Yunnie... Try not to take too long, all right?”
“I’d be done more quickly if you’d be a good umma and go take care of the kiddies, Boo.”
Jaejoong just stuck his tongue out at the other man and went to do just that.
~*~*~
“Hyung.... what is that smell?” They were half way through the fourth Harry Potter movie that had finally been released on television when Yoochun asked the question. Changmin was hiding away in the workroom he shared with Junsu, probably watching porn, and Junsu had gone to sleep right after dinner, saying that he hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before.
Yoochun and Jaejoong had staked out the couch and curled up, half piled on each other as Yunho had flipped through the channels until he’d found what he wanted to watch.
Yunho didn’t even look up from where he was stretched out on the floor, a pillow tucked under his chest and a blanket draped over his legs. His full attention was focused on the screen where Harry was currently zipping around a very angry dragon. Shortly after seeing the first movie, their leader had declared Quidditch the coolest sport ever and had lamented over the fact that he was a simple muggle who couldn’t play. The others had teased him for weeks about it, still did occasionally, but Jaejoong had secretly thought the whole thing was cute. Since the fourth movie had first come out, dragon baiting seemed to be the new ‘coolest sport ever’. “Incense. To ward off evil spirits.”
“Wha-“ Before Yoochun could actually give voice to any of the questions or snarky remarks that were obviously about to try to sneak out of his mouth, Jaejoong elbowed him sharply.
Jae’s eyes darted around for a moment before alighting on the mostly full bowl of popcorn in front of them. He snatched it up and dumped the entire contents under the blanket he and Yoochun were sharing, the sound of the movie masking the sound.
“What the-“ The question ended in a squeak as Jaejoong elbowed his friend again.
“Yunnie?”
“Hmm?”
“Can you get us some more popcorn? We’re all out.”
He ignored Yoochun’s incredulous look, instead focusing on Yunho who had finally turned to look at them.
“Already?”
Jaejoong held the empty bowl up for inspection, biting his lip and looking both apologetic and pleading. At least, that’s the look he was going for at any rate.
“Can’t it wait for a commercial break, Jaejoong-ah?”
He feigned disappointment. “I... I guess.”
The desired response was almost immediate. Yunho sighed and hopped up. “You are so spoiled.”
Yoochun snorted and dug out a piece of the hidden popcorn to throw at Yunho. “Whose fault is that, I wonder?”
“Everyone’s,” was Yunho’s mild retort as he sidestepped the kernel. “And I hope you know that you’re picking that up. Jaejoong and Junsu worked very hard to clean everything up earlier, you know. You shouldn’t go messing up their hard work.”
Then he disappeared into the kitchen to make a fresh bowl of popcorn.
“What the fuck was that all about?” Yoochun growled, fishing out a handful of popcorn to pop into his mouth. “And why the hell does the apartment suddenly reek of incense?” He stretched out more comfortably. “Please tell me this isn’t about last night? We’re ten stories up, there’s no way someone was actually hanging outside the window. If you were actually awake and not having some especially vivid nightmare, then it was probably a bird.”
“You know his protective instincts and control issues have been in overdrive lately. None of you are allowed to tease him about this. We will all smile and nod and thank him should it come up and there will not be a single negative or sarcastic remark made about it.” Jaejoong grabbed hold of the flesh of Yoochun’s arm and twisted hard, making the younger man yelp sharply. “OR ELSE.”
“Ow, ow, ow, okay, okay, leggo!” He increased the pressure briefly, just to make sure his seriousness had been properly conveyed before finally relenting and letting go. He patted the spot briefly and smiled apologetically. Yoochun just shook his head and rubbed the assaulted area. “Has anyone ever told you that you are absolutely insane, hyung? And vicious. Don’t forget vicious.”
“You’re just now figuring that out, Chun-ah?” They glanced up to see Yunho finally returning with the promised popcorn. He grinned and handed it over to Jaejoong before resuming his original position, although he turned to them to continue the conversation rather than re-immerse himself in the world of Harry Potter. “You’ve clearly had your head buried in the sand.”
Jaejoong pouted. “I am not vicious.” He did not, however, refute the ‘insane’ part.
Yunho’s amused look was full of warm affection and Jaejoong abandoned Yoochun to his couch of popcorn and slid down to lay half sprawled across the younger man’s back. Yunho accepted his weight without protest, simply reaching back to bury his fingers in Jaejoong’s hair. “Have you forgotten that the final scene from Dangerous Love was based on a time when you really did chase me around the studio, threatening to do me bodily harm with a stick?”
“I think it was a knife, Yunho-hyung,” Yoochun supplied helpfully. Jaejoong stuck his tongue out at the younger man.
“Was it? I don’t remember.” Yunho laughed softly. “You can be damned scary when you’re pissed off, Joongie. What was the yelping and whimpering about anyways?”
“I was just showing Chunnie something,” Jaejoong supplied, not even bothering to glance at Yoochun. He stretched out and shifted around until he managed to find the most comfortable position he could, using Yunho as a body pillow, and closed his eyes.
“He was just reminding me of his viciousness, hyung.”
“Brat.”
Soft laughter shook his pillow and he frowned slightly, poking Yunho’s ribs. “Sorry, Boo.”
He tried to watch the movie after that, but found himself drifting off.
The thrill of watching Harry Potter battle his nemesis versus the warm contentedness and safety of Yunho’s very presence?
There was no comparison.
~*~*~
“Enough!”
Jaejoong paused in the corridor at the sound of the beloved voice raised in anger. It took a lot to make level-headed Yunho lose his temper. A lifetime of navigating the frequently treacherous politics that surrounded his life had taught the young ruler patience above all else.
He eased closer to the partially open door of their chambers, curious as to what could have pushed him past that.
“Sire... Yunho.... This needs to be dealt with. I know I’m not the only one telling you this. It’s not right. Your father should have cast him out as soon as he was discovered. He is our ruin and you refuse to even consider it. The Oracle has never been wrong-“
That voice... Jaejoong glowered at nothing in particular. He hated that voice. Almost as much as he hated the halfling it belonged to.
“My sister is not infallible. And even if she were, have you never heard of ‘self-fulfilling prophesy’? Do you really want me to give you a history lesson on how many prophesies only came true because someone tried to prevent it? I could go on for hours, really, I’ve spent a great deal of time researching it myself.”
“He’s not a suitable companion for a commoner, never mind the king. Everyone says so and I know you’ve heard them. He’s a changeling!”
“They also say a halfling isn’t fit to be my right arm, but I don’t listen to that either.”
“That’s different!”
“How, exactly, is it different? The people would condemn you both for conditions of your being that you have no control over. It’s the exact same thing.”
“No one’s ever accused me of bringing doom to the entire kingdom!”
Jaejoong curled in on himself, still listening intently despite the tiny shudders that coursed through his body. He’d known he was not well liked or received, but was Yunho really having to deal with so much censure about him?
“Please go.”
“Are you willing to throw away everything, everyone, for him? Yunho, stop being selfish and act like the excellent leader you are.”
“Who do you think you are to say such things to me?” Yunho’s voice was soft, dangerously so, and Jaejoong was chilled to hear it. That was a voice reserved only for enemies, of which the knight most certainly wasn’t no matter how much Jaejoong disliked him personally. “I will not be dictated to by voices raised in fear of something they don’t understand or stand by and watch as they destroy someone they don’t even know because of that fear.”
“Yunho.... I’m your friend. And as your friend, I’m begging you.”
“A true friend of mine would understand why what you’re asking is impossible for me. Now I do believe I’ve asked you to leave. Do I need to make it an order?”
The silence seemed to stretch on forever before the sound of footsteps finally echoed through the hall and Jaejoong quickly ducked behind the tapestries that were hung along the walls. Between the heavy cloth and the potted ferns, he should be well hidden from anyone not looking for him. The footsteps paused at the door. “For all of our sakes’.... I hope this doesn’t become a decision that you will regret.”
Then he was gone, and Jaejoong was left lurking behind the tapestry wondering if there was any way he could escape unseen.
“You can come in now, Jae-mine.....”
Caught. He sighed and slipped into the room, gliding easily across the room to where Yunho stood staring out the window. He wrapped his arms around Yunho’s waist and leaned against his back, pouting. “No matter how hard I try, I can never sneak up on you... You always know I’m there.”
“Of course I always know.” Yunho laughed and intertwined their fingers, pulling one set of hands up to rest on his chest over his heartbeat. “You’re here, Jae-mine. If I were blind and deaf in a room filled with hundreds of others, I would know you.”
It was incredibly sappy, but Jaejoong smiled at the sentiment, treasuring this gentle, loving Yunho that no one else ever got to see. Then his smile slipped, the earlier conversation troubling him. “I didn’t realize people were still saying those things.”
“No one is foolish enough to say them to you. Even those who disagree with your presence the strongest know that I was deadly serious when I decreed that exile would be the punishment should you be harmed by their ... disagreement ... again.” Yunho turned and returned his embrace properly. Despite the harsh words, his voice and face were gentle. “As long as my heart beats in my chest, you will never have to endure that again.”
Though touched, Jaejoong hesitated. “Maybe they’re right, Yunho. I don’t want to be the one who brings harm to you. Maybe it would be better if I went-“
Strong fingers covered his mouth. “Don’t even say it, Youngwoong Jaejoong. There’s no where you can go that I would not follow. And then where would the kingdom be?” Those same fingers stroked along his cheek before reaching back and tucking his hair behind his ear. “An eternity without you would shatter me and no one would ever be able to put the pieces back together again.”
“Would you really give up everything you’ve ever known... turn your back on your kingdom.... For me?”
“For us, Jae-mine,” Yunho corrected, pressing a soft kiss against Jaejoong’s lips. “Always for us.”
“Yunnie...”
“There are no riches in all the worlds, no power, no status that I would not give up.... Even my very immortality... For us.”
“For us.”
~*~*~
ON to : Chapter 4
Length: Chaptered, Chapter 3/?
Author: M_K Yujji
Rating: PG, likely to go up eventually
Genre: Drama/Angst/Fantasy
Disclaimer: Though real people are used as characters, this fic bears no resemblence to Real Life and these people are not owned by me.
Summary: exile : noun 1 the state of being barred from one's homeland. 2 a person who lives in exile.verb expel and bar (someone) from their homeland.
-ORIGIN Latin exilium 'banishment'.
Notes: Inspired by the Tri-Angle PV. Though there will be a loose resemblance to various mythical/religious figures and places, it's not really intentional.
Edit: I am working on fixing my honorifics, help from those more knowledgeable would be appreciated because I know I will miss some. Also, there are no honorifics in Jae's dream sequences other than those used for the 'king' because the individuals are not really Korean... or any other known mortal race, and as such, would not use anything translatable.
Previous
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
~*~*~
“What exactly are you doing?” Jaejoong asked as he watched Yunho.
If Yunho heard the question, he gave no indication of it, instead biting his lip in concentration and humming something under his breath.
Rolling his eyes, Jaejoong wove his way between the beds and reached out to tug on Yunho’s shirt. “Yunho, what are you doing?”
“Protecting you,” came the absent-minded reply as the younger man dipped his fingers into some sweet smelling liquid and continued rubbing it along the seals of the window. He resumed his humming as well and now that Jaejoong was closer, he could tell that it was actually soft singing, nonsense words that didn’t sound like any sort of Korean he’d ever heard.
Even though it warmed his heart to hear, it also embarrassed him further. “Yunho-yah... It was just a silly nightmare. You don’t have to make so much fuss.”
He quieted when Yunho hopped down and pressed the back of one hand over his mouth.
“Did you or did you not see something in the window last night?” Before Jaejoong could protest, he made a tsking sound. “Please keep in mind that you are a horrible liar.”
“I am an excellent liar, thank you very much.”
“Jaejoong....”
“Yes.”
“Did it frighten you?”
Jaejoong rolled his eyes. “That’s a stupid question. Or did you miss the screaming and cowering in your bed?”
“Would you feel better knowing some kind of measures had been taken to keep it from happening again?”
“Yunho.. It was just a nightmare. Making it more than that is just silly...” He had enough trouble with being teased for being the ‘girl’ of the group. He didn’t need his nightmares to be turned into some kind of big drawn out drama.
The back of Yunho’s knuckles brushed over his cheek, silencing him. “Do you think it’s silly that I always make sure any food or drink we’re given is sealed when we’re working?”
“What? No, of course not.” Jaejoong’s arms instinctively wrapped around Yunho’s waist and he shivered at the subtle mentioning of Yunho’s poisoning. Given what had happened, what could have happened, he frankly thought it was amazing that Yunho let them eat anything anywhere that wasn’t factory sealed. “It makes you feel....” He trailed off, his eyes softening as he began to understand.
Yunho smiled that sweet smile that Jaejoong was happy belonged only to their little family. No fan or talk show host ever got to see that smile. “It’s what I have to do to feel safe. To feel like I’m protecting our family.” His head tilted forward, pressing their foreheads together. “Real or figment of your imagination, something frightened you last night and this is all I can do to fix that. Let me do this for you, BooJae. Let me protect you?”
“Yunnie....” How could he say no to that?
“Hyung deul?!” The moment was interrupted by the ruckus of the other three returning home from their own day out.
Jaejoong pulled away, almost guiltily, though he’d been doing nothing to warrant it.
“Can you keep them occupied and out of here while I’m doing this, Joongie? I need to be able to concentrate... as it is I’m going to have to start over since I stopped in the middle.” Yunho grinned as he picked up a jar that Jaejoong hadn’t noticed before.
“What is that stuff?”
“Just something I picked up while I was out. Guaranteed to send anything with bad intentions scurrying away for fear of their very existence.” He displayed the jar with pride and Jae had to cover his mouth to hide his grin. It was the kind of jar a fortune teller or a self proclaimed witch might sell an unwary tourist.
“Yunho-yah....” He coughed to cover the snicker that tried to escape. “How much did you pay for that?”
Blushing, Yunho grinned self-consciously. “Ah.. Just one of those autographed cds that Manager hyung keeps handy for promotionals. Don’t tell him I took one, okay?”
“Jaejoong hyung? Yunho hyung? Anyone ho~ome?”
Far be it for Jaejoong to be the one to call Yunho a sucker. Nor would he allow the rest of the band to do so. “I’ll see if we have anything in the house to cook for dinner. That should keep them out of your hair for a while.” He turned back to Yunho at the door. “Yunnie... Try not to take too long, all right?”
“I’d be done more quickly if you’d be a good umma and go take care of the kiddies, Boo.”
Jaejoong just stuck his tongue out at the other man and went to do just that.
~*~*~
“Hyung.... what is that smell?” They were half way through the fourth Harry Potter movie that had finally been released on television when Yoochun asked the question. Changmin was hiding away in the workroom he shared with Junsu, probably watching porn, and Junsu had gone to sleep right after dinner, saying that he hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before.
Yoochun and Jaejoong had staked out the couch and curled up, half piled on each other as Yunho had flipped through the channels until he’d found what he wanted to watch.
Yunho didn’t even look up from where he was stretched out on the floor, a pillow tucked under his chest and a blanket draped over his legs. His full attention was focused on the screen where Harry was currently zipping around a very angry dragon. Shortly after seeing the first movie, their leader had declared Quidditch the coolest sport ever and had lamented over the fact that he was a simple muggle who couldn’t play. The others had teased him for weeks about it, still did occasionally, but Jaejoong had secretly thought the whole thing was cute. Since the fourth movie had first come out, dragon baiting seemed to be the new ‘coolest sport ever’. “Incense. To ward off evil spirits.”
“Wha-“ Before Yoochun could actually give voice to any of the questions or snarky remarks that were obviously about to try to sneak out of his mouth, Jaejoong elbowed him sharply.
Jae’s eyes darted around for a moment before alighting on the mostly full bowl of popcorn in front of them. He snatched it up and dumped the entire contents under the blanket he and Yoochun were sharing, the sound of the movie masking the sound.
“What the-“ The question ended in a squeak as Jaejoong elbowed his friend again.
“Yunnie?”
“Hmm?”
“Can you get us some more popcorn? We’re all out.”
He ignored Yoochun’s incredulous look, instead focusing on Yunho who had finally turned to look at them.
“Already?”
Jaejoong held the empty bowl up for inspection, biting his lip and looking both apologetic and pleading. At least, that’s the look he was going for at any rate.
“Can’t it wait for a commercial break, Jaejoong-ah?”
He feigned disappointment. “I... I guess.”
The desired response was almost immediate. Yunho sighed and hopped up. “You are so spoiled.”
Yoochun snorted and dug out a piece of the hidden popcorn to throw at Yunho. “Whose fault is that, I wonder?”
“Everyone’s,” was Yunho’s mild retort as he sidestepped the kernel. “And I hope you know that you’re picking that up. Jaejoong and Junsu worked very hard to clean everything up earlier, you know. You shouldn’t go messing up their hard work.”
Then he disappeared into the kitchen to make a fresh bowl of popcorn.
“What the fuck was that all about?” Yoochun growled, fishing out a handful of popcorn to pop into his mouth. “And why the hell does the apartment suddenly reek of incense?” He stretched out more comfortably. “Please tell me this isn’t about last night? We’re ten stories up, there’s no way someone was actually hanging outside the window. If you were actually awake and not having some especially vivid nightmare, then it was probably a bird.”
“You know his protective instincts and control issues have been in overdrive lately. None of you are allowed to tease him about this. We will all smile and nod and thank him should it come up and there will not be a single negative or sarcastic remark made about it.” Jaejoong grabbed hold of the flesh of Yoochun’s arm and twisted hard, making the younger man yelp sharply. “OR ELSE.”
“Ow, ow, ow, okay, okay, leggo!” He increased the pressure briefly, just to make sure his seriousness had been properly conveyed before finally relenting and letting go. He patted the spot briefly and smiled apologetically. Yoochun just shook his head and rubbed the assaulted area. “Has anyone ever told you that you are absolutely insane, hyung? And vicious. Don’t forget vicious.”
“You’re just now figuring that out, Chun-ah?” They glanced up to see Yunho finally returning with the promised popcorn. He grinned and handed it over to Jaejoong before resuming his original position, although he turned to them to continue the conversation rather than re-immerse himself in the world of Harry Potter. “You’ve clearly had your head buried in the sand.”
Jaejoong pouted. “I am not vicious.” He did not, however, refute the ‘insane’ part.
Yunho’s amused look was full of warm affection and Jaejoong abandoned Yoochun to his couch of popcorn and slid down to lay half sprawled across the younger man’s back. Yunho accepted his weight without protest, simply reaching back to bury his fingers in Jaejoong’s hair. “Have you forgotten that the final scene from Dangerous Love was based on a time when you really did chase me around the studio, threatening to do me bodily harm with a stick?”
“I think it was a knife, Yunho-hyung,” Yoochun supplied helpfully. Jaejoong stuck his tongue out at the younger man.
“Was it? I don’t remember.” Yunho laughed softly. “You can be damned scary when you’re pissed off, Joongie. What was the yelping and whimpering about anyways?”
“I was just showing Chunnie something,” Jaejoong supplied, not even bothering to glance at Yoochun. He stretched out and shifted around until he managed to find the most comfortable position he could, using Yunho as a body pillow, and closed his eyes.
“He was just reminding me of his viciousness, hyung.”
“Brat.”
Soft laughter shook his pillow and he frowned slightly, poking Yunho’s ribs. “Sorry, Boo.”
He tried to watch the movie after that, but found himself drifting off.
The thrill of watching Harry Potter battle his nemesis versus the warm contentedness and safety of Yunho’s very presence?
There was no comparison.
~*~*~
“Enough!”
Jaejoong paused in the corridor at the sound of the beloved voice raised in anger. It took a lot to make level-headed Yunho lose his temper. A lifetime of navigating the frequently treacherous politics that surrounded his life had taught the young ruler patience above all else.
He eased closer to the partially open door of their chambers, curious as to what could have pushed him past that.
“Sire... Yunho.... This needs to be dealt with. I know I’m not the only one telling you this. It’s not right. Your father should have cast him out as soon as he was discovered. He is our ruin and you refuse to even consider it. The Oracle has never been wrong-“
That voice... Jaejoong glowered at nothing in particular. He hated that voice. Almost as much as he hated the halfling it belonged to.
“My sister is not infallible. And even if she were, have you never heard of ‘self-fulfilling prophesy’? Do you really want me to give you a history lesson on how many prophesies only came true because someone tried to prevent it? I could go on for hours, really, I’ve spent a great deal of time researching it myself.”
“He’s not a suitable companion for a commoner, never mind the king. Everyone says so and I know you’ve heard them. He’s a changeling!”
“They also say a halfling isn’t fit to be my right arm, but I don’t listen to that either.”
“That’s different!”
“How, exactly, is it different? The people would condemn you both for conditions of your being that you have no control over. It’s the exact same thing.”
“No one’s ever accused me of bringing doom to the entire kingdom!”
Jaejoong curled in on himself, still listening intently despite the tiny shudders that coursed through his body. He’d known he was not well liked or received, but was Yunho really having to deal with so much censure about him?
“Please go.”
“Are you willing to throw away everything, everyone, for him? Yunho, stop being selfish and act like the excellent leader you are.”
“Who do you think you are to say such things to me?” Yunho’s voice was soft, dangerously so, and Jaejoong was chilled to hear it. That was a voice reserved only for enemies, of which the knight most certainly wasn’t no matter how much Jaejoong disliked him personally. “I will not be dictated to by voices raised in fear of something they don’t understand or stand by and watch as they destroy someone they don’t even know because of that fear.”
“Yunho.... I’m your friend. And as your friend, I’m begging you.”
“A true friend of mine would understand why what you’re asking is impossible for me. Now I do believe I’ve asked you to leave. Do I need to make it an order?”
The silence seemed to stretch on forever before the sound of footsteps finally echoed through the hall and Jaejoong quickly ducked behind the tapestries that were hung along the walls. Between the heavy cloth and the potted ferns, he should be well hidden from anyone not looking for him. The footsteps paused at the door. “For all of our sakes’.... I hope this doesn’t become a decision that you will regret.”
Then he was gone, and Jaejoong was left lurking behind the tapestry wondering if there was any way he could escape unseen.
“You can come in now, Jae-mine.....”
Caught. He sighed and slipped into the room, gliding easily across the room to where Yunho stood staring out the window. He wrapped his arms around Yunho’s waist and leaned against his back, pouting. “No matter how hard I try, I can never sneak up on you... You always know I’m there.”
“Of course I always know.” Yunho laughed and intertwined their fingers, pulling one set of hands up to rest on his chest over his heartbeat. “You’re here, Jae-mine. If I were blind and deaf in a room filled with hundreds of others, I would know you.”
It was incredibly sappy, but Jaejoong smiled at the sentiment, treasuring this gentle, loving Yunho that no one else ever got to see. Then his smile slipped, the earlier conversation troubling him. “I didn’t realize people were still saying those things.”
“No one is foolish enough to say them to you. Even those who disagree with your presence the strongest know that I was deadly serious when I decreed that exile would be the punishment should you be harmed by their ... disagreement ... again.” Yunho turned and returned his embrace properly. Despite the harsh words, his voice and face were gentle. “As long as my heart beats in my chest, you will never have to endure that again.”
Though touched, Jaejoong hesitated. “Maybe they’re right, Yunho. I don’t want to be the one who brings harm to you. Maybe it would be better if I went-“
Strong fingers covered his mouth. “Don’t even say it, Youngwoong Jaejoong. There’s no where you can go that I would not follow. And then where would the kingdom be?” Those same fingers stroked along his cheek before reaching back and tucking his hair behind his ear. “An eternity without you would shatter me and no one would ever be able to put the pieces back together again.”
“Would you really give up everything you’ve ever known... turn your back on your kingdom.... For me?”
“For us, Jae-mine,” Yunho corrected, pressing a soft kiss against Jaejoong’s lips. “Always for us.”
“Yunnie...”
“There are no riches in all the worlds, no power, no status that I would not give up.... Even my very immortality... For us.”
“For us.”
~*~*~
ON to : Chapter 4