Arthur ° Lee Seokmin

I

✅ 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚜: 𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙙 ✅

Everything was going fine inside the Palace. Everything was smooth. The banquet carried on to celebrate the marriage of the Eldest Prince Matthew, Jihoon. The Prince was happy, knowing he got married to the one he loves and the one who loves him just as much.

The Middle Prince Arthur, who was just a year younger than him, smiled happily for his older brother. He deserved that, Jihoon was the best brother he could ask for. He deserved the Princess and their happiness.

The Youngest Prince Ashton, who was two years younger than the second Prince, was also very happy.

I mean, he gets the food he wants.

Kidding aside, he wishes nothing but happiness for his family.

"Arthur." The second Prince looked over with a scowl plastered upon his dashing sharp features. His mother did not just call him by that, did she?

"Mother, please. My name is Seokmin. Lee Seokmin. Don't call me by that name." He looks over at the fancy glass of wine before him, before lifting it up and drinking it down with such grace and discipline.

"But, that is your royal name," His mother smiles softly before taking her son's hand in hers with a gentle caress of her thumb. "Okay fine. Seokmin-"

The Queen wasn't able to finish her statement when a deafening siren echoed throughout the palace. Everyone stopped talking as well as the musicians.

They were confused and scared, they all thought the same thing. This must be an another false alarm– That, until when a palace guard ran in and dropped the bomb.

They are in danger and must escape now.

"W-what is going on?" The King gulped down his last wine before glaring at the guard.

"Y-your Majesty. The Palace is under attack! The rebels have made their way in through the front gate. A lot of servants, eunuchs and guards have lost their lives trying to fight back. Please, Your Royal Majesties. We must go!" The guard babbled and fidgeted. The guests ran frantically around when the door not too far away from them, busted open and showed the rebels.

Seokmin's eyes widened. He frantically grabbed his younger brother's wrist after his father pushed him back to stall time.

Jihoon was pleading with his life to let whatever his Father was planning, to stop.

"Go, son. Take care of your brothers. I have served the country long enough to keep on ruling. F-forgive me for I was an incompetent King. The rebels are just our people who turned their backs against me because I couldn't hear their voices and pleas for the country. Matthew, live with your brothers. When time comes. Get back what is rightful to be yours." His father was determined. Jihoon knew he can't change his mind. Shit, what should they do-

"Go! Quickly! Take your brothers and your wife! Be a good pillar. Never forget I always love the three of you. I hope you can forgive me." His Father lets out his tears after he smiles in sadness. "At the very least.."

As much as Jihoon wants to disobey and stay, he can't. His wife was pregnant and he has two younger brothers to watch over in place of his parents as the first born child.

"H-hyung! What about mom and dad!?" Jihoon ignored the cries of his youngest brother as they ran away in tears. The clashing of swords, cries of pain and war, deafening ringing of his ears, now how the tables have turned.

They were all in carriages and Seokmin looked at his home. The Magnificent White Palace he grew up on. The garden him and his brothers would run around back then when they were younger. The glass dome on the highest tower which allowed them to stargaze at night.

All. Gone.

Burning under fire and covered with a thick black smoke. He looks away and refuses to shed a tear. Jihoon was on the first carriage before them with his wife, and Chan was with Seokmin, still crying hysterically. He side hugs the younger who cried in pain on his chest.

Damn. Jihoon was only 22, He was 21 and Chan was just 19.

Now he remembers and finally understands what his Late Grandfather used to tell them when he was about 4.

"You should always be prepared. The tables can turn in a blink of an eye. Arthur, be tough at heart, son. Never give up. Can you do that for me?"

"Your Highness! Hold on tight! I'd have to drive the horse faster. The rebels are catching up!" He hears the coachman and holds tightly on the side of the carriage with one hand, while holding Dino's head close to his chest with the other.

"Hyung, are we going to be okay?" Seokmin looks at his brother with a soft smile.

"Of course, just close your eyes." Chan shakily nods and does as he's told. The carriage speeds up making Seokmin almost lose his grip on the side.

It all happened too fast. The next thing Seokmin knew, one of the wheels broke making the carriage tilt rapidly on one side making them lose their balance. The sounds of yapping and angry mobs were heard and then.. they fell off the cliff.

Seokmin coughs harshly when his ribs started burning and clenching. That was a very harsh fall and the ground wasn't smooth. With blurry eyes, he could see Chan was unconscious beside him and Jihoon with his wife also out not too far away.

He grunts and holds his head in an attempt to stop the throbbing pain. As if it was gonna help.

"You!" It was blurry but he could barely hear and his sight was spinning. "Father..... Betrayed..... Country..... Hunger." Were the words he heard before an object in the air flew and an arrow was shot. Almost half of the mobs nearly died after being showered with sharped poisoned arrows. Looking at who shot the arrows, they glared before running away back to the direction of the palace.

The face of the person who literally just saved their lives was unclear. Seokmin tried to reach out to them but he passes out cold.

"Jeez, this is a lot of work. Guys! Help me out! Father's gonna kill me if he finds out I escaped out again!" They call and a few other boys come running at her.

"What the- did you kill them?!" A noisy brat spoke, immediately getting a smack at the back of his head.

"Shut up, Seungkwan. Help me with getting them up already!" The younger boy huffed and rolled his eyes before helping out anyways.

"Y/N, what did you do this time?" A soft voice spoke making the girl look at him with a resting bitch face.

"I just wanted to come out to get berries for the pancakes, Minghao. I didn't expect there would be a chase today for who knows what reason. Luckily I brought my bow-" she tries to explain but gets cut off mid-sentence.

"Oh come on, sister. You always have that bow on you. It would be a very big shock to not see you with your sword, bow and arrows or your daggers." She hits the man who spoke, clearly annoyed.

"Shut up, Jeonghan. You aren't helping. Joshua! Stop hitting Seungkwan already and help these up." She grumbles in frustration. She was a petite lady but she's physically strong and skilled.

She looked at what seems to be a boy younger than her and helped him up. He was the thinnest among the men surrounding her, but still not as thin as her.

She heaved him up and the four other men carried the remaining three lads on the ground before walking back to the deep part of the forest.

Oh, she's gonna be so scolded by her father again.

———❤———

Question of the day: during your first few weeks of stanning Seventeen, who originally did you think was the leader?

I genuinely thought that it was Woozi. He had this, "obey me or obey me" kind of aura when I first saw him. 😭