Curled Horns

16. Dining

Yunho sat at the head of the table on the chair that reminisced a throne made for the king. His mother was by his side, watching royally over the small number of advisors and officials that were assembled. Most of them had accompanied the king and San to the Choi kingdom, including Gunho. The table seemed empty, as well as the servants lined up on the wall. Today, the volume of voices seemed hushed and rather private. Both seats next to the queen and the crown prince were empty, leaving them no direct conversation partner but each other.

The meal on the usually bending table was still sumptuous, with delicious smells wafting throughout the room. They had Mingi's stomach grumble. He hadn't eaten since breakfast, no time left to do so between the bathroom incident and dinner. With his eyes trained on his hooves, Mingi willed his hunger to wait some more. As soon as Yunho dismissed him, he could snatch a meal from the kitchen.

Mingi didn't look at the prince even once. His usual attentive policy of making sure Yunho had everything that he needed got disregarded today in favour of keeping his thoughts at bay. If he looked at Yunho, remembered their position just a few hours prior, Mingi would need to scream into a pillow.

Exhaling inwardly, Mingi played with his fingers behind his back. Dinner seemed to end gradually. Soon, he would get to soothe his starvation cramps and take a long rest after a day that had strained him both physically and mentally.

Yunho never called for him at dinner. So when he did the first time, Mingi thought he had misheard and that the inappropriate images from the afternoon still spooked through his mind. He shivered, trying to postpone the vision of Yunho's lust-filled eyes that had looked down on Mingi so hungrily. The image was vivid behind his lids, and each time it reappeared without a warning, Mingi winced.

"Mingi?" Yunho asked again, and this time, Mingi's head snapped up. When he noticed both the queen's sceptical gaze and the frown on Yunho's features, he ducked his head in shame. Mingi swallowed nervously, and his tail curled around his calf.

Walking over to Yunho's side felt like wading through quicksand. Every step dragged on forever and took all of Mingi's courage. Yunho's eyes pulled him in, making him drown in possibilities and desires that had no place in Mingi's mind.

Like a phantom, Yunho's touch on his horns throbbed in his body still. Mingi bit his lip as he came to stand next to him.

"Yes, Your Highness?" Among the curious onlookers, Mingi made the effort to uphold his facade. If Yunho minded, he masked it well with a graceful smile. As if a cat was clawing at his insides, Mingi's stomach rummaged. Only that this rummaging was deeper in his guts than the hunger and higher than the remnants of desire in his veins.

"Please taste this for me." Yunho's claw pointed at a piece of cake, exquisitely decorated in red velvet and a golden lining sitting on a plate in front of him. The insides were dark, probably tasting of chocolate, and had white cream lining the middle. It looked mouth-watering. Mingi's hands twisted when he regarded it, trying not to show his greed.

When Yunho nudged it over and set down a three-pronged fork next to eat neatly, Mingi faltered. Wasn't that the job of the kitchen? They had food tasters and cupbearers around specifically for these circumstances.

Observant to Mingi's hesitation, Yunho tilted his head that he had rested on his interwoven hands. The elegant golden headpiece wrapping around his horns and skull jingled with the movement.

"Or would you rather I get poisoned?"

"N-No!" Mingi quickly grabbed the fork, nervous. He wasn't ready to be poisoned himself. Only sheer luck would save him now. If Yunho found this cake doubtful, then Mingi likely would experience a horrible surprise in a moment.