A Right Royal Mess [Chapter 7]
Title: A Right Royal Mess
Chapter: 7/15+?
Pairings: Joongki/Gwangsu, Jihyo/Haha
Genre: Romance, humour, mediaeval!AU
Rating: PG
Summary: In which the Song siblings are royal, Jihyo runs away from an arranged marriage, and Joongki is left to deal with the situation
Donghoon knocks on the door. “Come in.” It’s strange how sweet Jihyo’s voice can be when she isn’t sounding all irritated at him. He enters the room and is a little surprised to see her normally well-coiffed hair undone as she brushes it.
Her eyes widen as she sees his reflection in the mirror. “Oh! I thought you were Lizzy.”
Donghoon raises a brow and gives himself a mock onceover. “What gave me away?”
Jihyo rolls her eyes and hastily braids her hair, tying it neatly before turning around to face him. “Did you have something to tell me?”
“Two things, actually.” Donghoon hands a rolled-up parchment to her. “This came from your brother, presumably. The messenger boy I hired said that the ‘handsome prince’ gave it to him personally.”
Jihyo takes it eagerly and reads Joongki’s familiar cursive script. Donghoon can’t help but stare at her expression as she reads the letter - going from anticipation to interest, surprise, amusement and then fondness. Donghoon has heard stories of children of nobility hating each other due to envy or greed over inheritance, but it seems that the royal Song siblings have no such problems between them.
“Is everything well back at the palace?” He asks politely.
“Well, my parents are furious over my escape, which was to be expected. The unexpected thing is that my fiancée has started his own search party for me, thinking that I’ve been kidnapped. And he managed to rope my brother into it as well.”
Donghoon whistles in surprise. “He sounds like a capable man.” Jihyo shrugs, not really having much liking for her fiancée as it is. “I suppose he must love you very much to personally go searching for you.”
She scoffs at his presumption. “Not at all. It was an arranged marriage, and I’ve never even met him in person before. Didn’t Lord Gary tell you why I was running away?”
He shakes his head. “He mentioned that it had to do with the marriage but I didn’t ask for details.”
“I just didn’t want to get married to a total stranger with whom I have nothing in common and have no feelings for.” Jihyo explains concisely, though she isn’t exactly sure why she’s telling him all this.
“Surely you don’t intend on marrying for love, Your Highness.” Donghoon blurts out in disbelief. It’s practically unheard of for nobility to do so, let alone royalty.
Her face falls. “No, I’m not that naïve.” It comes off as rather sad and resigned, almost wistful. “But I don’t see why I can’t marry someone who I actually know and get along with; someone who cares somewhat for me, even if they don’t love me.” She laughs a little self-deprecatingly. “I suppose you think I’m being whimsical and foolish.”
“I…” Well, he kind of had been thinking that, but the weariness in her expression makes him think twice before replying. “No, I don’t. Everyone deserves to want love from their spouse, even if they know they won’t get it. I don’t think mutual respect and caring is too much to ask for.”
Jihyo looks rather surprised at his answer. “Thank you.” Donghoon nods awkwardly, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the change in atmosphere. “You said there was a second thing you wanted to tell me.”
“Oh, yes.” He blinks, having forgotten all about it. “Lizzy-yang mentioned that she wanted to visit the night markets again, and I was wondering if you would like to come along. You could keep an eye out for her and enjoy the markets at the same time.”
“Is it safe?” She asks automatically, before realising how insulting that must sound to an experienced knight like Ha Donghoon. Thankfully, he doesn’t appear to take offense at her words.
“I will be going, along with some of my best men.” He replies, and that’s enough for her to nod and agree to go. “From what I’ve seen, I think all of my men would rather be tortured than let anything happen to Lizzy-yang. She’s managed to win over their hearts in the span of a few days.” He grins and Jihyo laughs.
--
“I’m not being paranoid, hyung.” Jaesuk insists, pacing around the classroom. “I really feel that those guards of Prince Jongkook are up to no good.”
“What, do you think they’re going to kill him?” Sukjin scoffs at the absurdity of the idea. “There’s no way they would risk the relations between our kingdom and theirs just because he’s deliberately being a brat on their mission.”
“They could do plenty of other things without killing him.” The tutor muses darkly. “It’s a good thing Lord Gary agreed to go along and keep an eye out for him.”
“That pretty face of his sure does attract a lot of unwanted attention.” Sukjin agrees with a sigh. “You won’t believe how many servants and stable boys I’ve had to pay off - discreetly, of course - to keep quiet about Joongki’s little midnight trysts.”
A loud thud causes them to whirl around, only to see Gwangsu in the midst of entering the classroom and a few books lying on the ground. The Queen’s Ward looks uncharacteristically stunned, and Jaesuk winces, realising what the young man must have heard.
Sukjin exhales quickly, clearly relieved that it isn’t one of the royal family. “Oh, Gwangsu-yah, is it time for your lessons?”
“Did you just say…that Joongki…you paid off…” Gwangsu can’t seem to get the words out of his mouth, and Sukjin hurries over to shush him.
“Idiot, don’t say such things in the corridor where people can hear you!” He hisses, and Jaesuk resists the urge to laugh at the sheer irony of his statement.
Gwangsu crouches down and picks up the books hastily. “Sorry, hyung. I just…”
Jaesuk takes pity on him and places a hand on his shoulder. “Gwangsu-yah, I’m actually not feeling too well today. Why don’t you go and study the next chapter of your history manual by yourself for now? I’ll continue with our lessons tomorrow.”
Gwangsu nods and awkwardly leaves the room, nearly colliding into the doorframe on his way out. Sukjin looks at Jaesuk in puzzlement. “What was that all about?”
“I can’t believe you, hyung!” Jaesuk snaps at him. “Did it ever occur to you that Gwangsu didn’t know that the Prince is gay?”
Sukjin’s eyes widen, being utterly taken aback. “He doesn’t know?”
“Well, thanks to you, now he does!”
“How can he not know? Isn’t he Joongki’s best friend?” Sukjin plops down on a chair.
“Yes, but he doesn’t tell him everything. And you can’t blame him, considering how much it’s frowned upon in their social circles.” Jaesuk sighs. “Gwangsu-yah is kind of oblivious when it comes to things like this, so it must be a pretty big shock for him.”
“I didn’t think he would be so close-minded.” The steward frowns. “I thought he kind of had a thing for Joongki, to be honest.”
Jaesuk stares at him, because it’s the understatement of the century. “That’s because he does. He’s had a crush on Joongki for years.”
“Years? Are you sure?” Sukjin furrows his brows in consideration.
Jaesuk throws up his hands in frustration. “You don’t know anything, hyung!”
**
A/N: sorry for not updating earlier - I totally forgot about it due to real life schoolwork getting in the way, sigh. it's also occurred to me that Sukjin and Jaesuk aren't going to be major characters in the story since they're not in the main pairings, but it's fun to write them once in a while :) Please comment - it would make me a really happy camper!
Chapter: 7/15+?
Pairings: Joongki/Gwangsu, Jihyo/Haha
Genre: Romance, humour, mediaeval!AU
Rating: PG
Summary: In which the Song siblings are royal, Jihyo runs away from an arranged marriage, and Joongki is left to deal with the situation
Donghoon knocks on the door. “Come in.” It’s strange how sweet Jihyo’s voice can be when she isn’t sounding all irritated at him. He enters the room and is a little surprised to see her normally well-coiffed hair undone as she brushes it.
Her eyes widen as she sees his reflection in the mirror. “Oh! I thought you were Lizzy.”
Donghoon raises a brow and gives himself a mock onceover. “What gave me away?”
Jihyo rolls her eyes and hastily braids her hair, tying it neatly before turning around to face him. “Did you have something to tell me?”
“Two things, actually.” Donghoon hands a rolled-up parchment to her. “This came from your brother, presumably. The messenger boy I hired said that the ‘handsome prince’ gave it to him personally.”
Jihyo takes it eagerly and reads Joongki’s familiar cursive script. Donghoon can’t help but stare at her expression as she reads the letter - going from anticipation to interest, surprise, amusement and then fondness. Donghoon has heard stories of children of nobility hating each other due to envy or greed over inheritance, but it seems that the royal Song siblings have no such problems between them.
“Is everything well back at the palace?” He asks politely.
“Well, my parents are furious over my escape, which was to be expected. The unexpected thing is that my fiancée has started his own search party for me, thinking that I’ve been kidnapped. And he managed to rope my brother into it as well.”
Donghoon whistles in surprise. “He sounds like a capable man.” Jihyo shrugs, not really having much liking for her fiancée as it is. “I suppose he must love you very much to personally go searching for you.”
She scoffs at his presumption. “Not at all. It was an arranged marriage, and I’ve never even met him in person before. Didn’t Lord Gary tell you why I was running away?”
He shakes his head. “He mentioned that it had to do with the marriage but I didn’t ask for details.”
“I just didn’t want to get married to a total stranger with whom I have nothing in common and have no feelings for.” Jihyo explains concisely, though she isn’t exactly sure why she’s telling him all this.
“Surely you don’t intend on marrying for love, Your Highness.” Donghoon blurts out in disbelief. It’s practically unheard of for nobility to do so, let alone royalty.
Her face falls. “No, I’m not that naïve.” It comes off as rather sad and resigned, almost wistful. “But I don’t see why I can’t marry someone who I actually know and get along with; someone who cares somewhat for me, even if they don’t love me.” She laughs a little self-deprecatingly. “I suppose you think I’m being whimsical and foolish.”
“I…” Well, he kind of had been thinking that, but the weariness in her expression makes him think twice before replying. “No, I don’t. Everyone deserves to want love from their spouse, even if they know they won’t get it. I don’t think mutual respect and caring is too much to ask for.”
Jihyo looks rather surprised at his answer. “Thank you.” Donghoon nods awkwardly, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the change in atmosphere. “You said there was a second thing you wanted to tell me.”
“Oh, yes.” He blinks, having forgotten all about it. “Lizzy-yang mentioned that she wanted to visit the night markets again, and I was wondering if you would like to come along. You could keep an eye out for her and enjoy the markets at the same time.”
“Is it safe?” She asks automatically, before realising how insulting that must sound to an experienced knight like Ha Donghoon. Thankfully, he doesn’t appear to take offense at her words.
“I will be going, along with some of my best men.” He replies, and that’s enough for her to nod and agree to go. “From what I’ve seen, I think all of my men would rather be tortured than let anything happen to Lizzy-yang. She’s managed to win over their hearts in the span of a few days.” He grins and Jihyo laughs.
--
“I’m not being paranoid, hyung.” Jaesuk insists, pacing around the classroom. “I really feel that those guards of Prince Jongkook are up to no good.”
“What, do you think they’re going to kill him?” Sukjin scoffs at the absurdity of the idea. “There’s no way they would risk the relations between our kingdom and theirs just because he’s deliberately being a brat on their mission.”
“They could do plenty of other things without killing him.” The tutor muses darkly. “It’s a good thing Lord Gary agreed to go along and keep an eye out for him.”
“That pretty face of his sure does attract a lot of unwanted attention.” Sukjin agrees with a sigh. “You won’t believe how many servants and stable boys I’ve had to pay off - discreetly, of course - to keep quiet about Joongki’s little midnight trysts.”
A loud thud causes them to whirl around, only to see Gwangsu in the midst of entering the classroom and a few books lying on the ground. The Queen’s Ward looks uncharacteristically stunned, and Jaesuk winces, realising what the young man must have heard.
Sukjin exhales quickly, clearly relieved that it isn’t one of the royal family. “Oh, Gwangsu-yah, is it time for your lessons?”
“Did you just say…that Joongki…you paid off…” Gwangsu can’t seem to get the words out of his mouth, and Sukjin hurries over to shush him.
“Idiot, don’t say such things in the corridor where people can hear you!” He hisses, and Jaesuk resists the urge to laugh at the sheer irony of his statement.
Gwangsu crouches down and picks up the books hastily. “Sorry, hyung. I just…”
Jaesuk takes pity on him and places a hand on his shoulder. “Gwangsu-yah, I’m actually not feeling too well today. Why don’t you go and study the next chapter of your history manual by yourself for now? I’ll continue with our lessons tomorrow.”
Gwangsu nods and awkwardly leaves the room, nearly colliding into the doorframe on his way out. Sukjin looks at Jaesuk in puzzlement. “What was that all about?”
“I can’t believe you, hyung!” Jaesuk snaps at him. “Did it ever occur to you that Gwangsu didn’t know that the Prince is gay?”
Sukjin’s eyes widen, being utterly taken aback. “He doesn’t know?”
“Well, thanks to you, now he does!”
“How can he not know? Isn’t he Joongki’s best friend?” Sukjin plops down on a chair.
“Yes, but he doesn’t tell him everything. And you can’t blame him, considering how much it’s frowned upon in their social circles.” Jaesuk sighs. “Gwangsu-yah is kind of oblivious when it comes to things like this, so it must be a pretty big shock for him.”
“I didn’t think he would be so close-minded.” The steward frowns. “I thought he kind of had a thing for Joongki, to be honest.”
Jaesuk stares at him, because it’s the understatement of the century. “That’s because he does. He’s had a crush on Joongki for years.”
“Years? Are you sure?” Sukjin furrows his brows in consideration.
Jaesuk throws up his hands in frustration. “You don’t know anything, hyung!”
**
A/N: sorry for not updating earlier - I totally forgot about it due to real life schoolwork getting in the way, sigh. it's also occurred to me that Sukjin and Jaesuk aren't going to be major characters in the story since they're not in the main pairings, but it's fun to write them once in a while :) Please comment - it would make me a really happy camper!