Eclipse *Minsung*

Which to rule the sky?

Minho dipped his head, attempting to hide the small smile that crept onto his face. "A mother always knows, I guess."

"You guess correctly, my dear. Now, what is it you want to discuss?"

Minho hardly slept thanks to several doubts and questions swirling through his head, yet he still wasn't entirely sure how to phrase his concerns out loud. "I am not looking for advice or criticism right now, I only want some answers, if you have them."

His mother removed her spectacles, her full attention on him now. "Let's hear it."

"Why am I set to marry a young princess when there are more practical choices?"

"I'm afraid you've already lost me," she chuckled. "Speak more clearly, dear."

Minho felt the courage in his body dwindling, but he couldn't back down now. "The first born of the Moon, Prince Jisung, would be much better suited to take over the throne with me. Wouldn't you agree?"

The queen tilted her head in confusion. And then her eyes lit up. "Ah, the prince. His father doesn't speak of him and I've only seen him a few times. I wonder why that is."

"I wonder as well, but Mother..." how could he phrase this? "Princess Ida is barely eighteen. She's just a girl, still in her studies and just getting started on life. I do not think I am a good match for her."

Rather than being frustrated with him, the queen seemed understanding. "My dear, some choices must be made, no matter how difficult they are. I know you don't want to get married-"

"Mother, that's not my point here." Minho gathered the words tangling in his mind. "I will do whatever is needed for my kingdom, my people. It's why we're sitting here in the Moon Palace." She chuckled at that. "I'll be blunt. Prince Jisung is far more suited to the throne. He is of proper age, he is skilled, he is intelligent. Why am I marrying his younger sister instead of him?"

The queen's eyes softened considerably. "The King and Queen of the Moon are not as... open and understanding as we are. Two males uniting is improper and unheard of among royals. Even if you loved their prince with all your heart, they would not allow such a union to happen. I don't like the way they view relationships, the way they view love. But I'm afraid we must work with it. I would love for you to be joined with someone older, more mature, more level-headed."

"Would it be possible for you to speak to the king and queen about this?"

The queen shook her head. "The marriage is already arranged, Minho. There is not much we can do without complicating things and creating tension. But I will bring this up to your father, and we'll see what we can do."

Minho nearly melted with relief. He smiled. "Thank you."

She beamed. "Anything for my son. Now, off you go. The festival is coming next week, and there's lots to prepare for."

Minho got to his feet and bowed. "Thank you again. I'll see you at lunch."

He wondered if he was overstepping in approaching his parents about this topic despite Jisung shutting it down on the first night. A small amount of guilt seeped into Minho's bones as he went about his day, and he tried pushing the feeling away. Was it wrong of him to do that?

As the day progressed and the guilt grew, new questions rose to Minho's mind. Why did he approach his parents about the marriage? Was it the good of the Kingdom that he was truly concerned about? Or was it for purely selfish reasons? He could admit that he was drawn to the Prince of the Moon in a way he couldn't completely understand, but that couldn't be the sole reason. Right?