mea rosa aurea || seongjoong || ATEEZ

Chapter 4 : The Golden Dragon

Like a murder of crows, the young prince was surrounded by dark feathers that blocked out the warming sunlight.

There was a certain presence to it, one that the prince would describe as like no other. It was a heavy presence, one that not even his father could compete with. Dark, but not in the mysterious and intriguing way, no the presence was that of an unsettling deity that loomed over a child as they slept and infused themselves into their harmless dreams and turned them dark.

Much like how a murder of crows would sit in a tree and wait for its prey to fall dead in the open meadow before it could feast upon the meat of a deer, Seonghwa knew that he had become the target of such aggression that would only come from words. The body that circled his was tall and broad, practically covered in large dark feathers that gave away the true intentions that laid behind the deceitful mind that could convince even the strongest of minds of whatever they wanted.

Unlike the King's majestic deep, red robes that stretched on for miles with the finest of needlework the land had to offer- the clothes the man before the young prince wore were dark black, the cloak he wore was covered with the feathers of many plucked crows. It was majestic in its own way, but to those who knew what it meant, then the magic behind the presentation diminish and the only thing left behind was the truth of the act.

The young prince stood tall and still, his arms plastered to his sides as he only looked forward instead of at the circling beast. Much like a dragon, fierce as it spun coils around its victim, the man who looked him up and down had a smile just like the ancient dragons who were painted in the history books.

But the man stopped right in front of the prince, his feathered cloak spinning around him as it too settled around his feet. He was taller, not all that much, but enough that his eyes had to shift down to regard the young prince. His eyes were just as dark as his hair and clothes, but not even Seonghwa could see his reflection in them, it was just a void of nothingness.

"Long time no see," he spoke, his voice much deeper than the prince remembered. It was unsettling, just like the character of the man in front of him, though in the prince's defense, he hadn't seen the man for at least thirteen years if not longer. "Little brother."

"Is this how you greet people? Stalking them like a snake ready to strangle a field mouse?" The prince fought back, somehow not finding his brother's threatening presence to be suppressing. "I know you've grown up in a barn, perhaps I shouldn't be surprised you've learned your manners from the animals."

The taller didn't take the bait, instead he took a step back to laugh loudly enough that it echoed throughout the walls of the castle.

"My, my, it's good to see my little brother can hold his own finally. I was worried when I heard you were such a pushover when we were younger, so weak-minded and frail."

"A lot has changed since then," the young prince's nose flared a little, but he kept his composure.

"Clearly," his brother replied, his lips curling up into a challenging smile. "You've grown up it seems, father seems ready to hand the crown over to you. You must be ecstatic, having that much power drip through your fingertips every day."

The prince's eyes narrowed a little, his eyebrows furrowing as well as he zeroed in on his brother before him.

"If you think that then you don't know me at all," Seonghwa answered, his fingers weaving between the fabrics of his own brighter colored clothes.

"Know you? How could I know you when I was sent to live far away when we were so young? Sure you are my little brother but I do not know a single thing about the man you've grown up to be besides the gossip that whistles throughout the town."

There was a burning urge to ask just what he had heard, but the prince shoved that thought away as best as he could. His brother was cunning, Seonghwa knew that much, much more than the prince was himself. There was no lie that neither of them really knew who the other was, they had been separated at a young age and forced to live different lives. But the prince had heard stories- he knew that just because the man in front of him hadn't grown up in the castle, he was not to be underestimated.

"Why are you here?" The young prince asked instead, taking a step closer to reduce the space between them.

If his brother wanted to fight for dominance, then a fight he would get. Seonghwa was grown up now, he could finally stand his ground with the knowledge that had strengthened both his mind and body. He too knew he reeked of power, as much as he hated to admit that he knew he carried around a sense of authority to him, the young prince knew of the power he wisped with him every step he took.

He wondered if his brother could feel it now?

Judging from the lack of dilation in the man's eyes, the prince doubted it, but he didn't let that deter him. It would be a mental battle, one that the young prince had been preparing for since day one.

"Perhaps you should act as if you are happy to finally see me. I am your beloved brother after all," the upwards curl of the man's lips was there again. It made Seonghwa's stomach tighten into a painful knot.

"Hardly that," he pushed out through gritted teeth, his fingers tightening further in his clothes. "I asked you a question, why are you here? I do not remember inviting you, nor did anyone else in this castle. Do they even know who you are?"

His brother's eyes darkened finally, a snap in his temperance that made Seonghwa's inner soul dance around in joy.

The man then gripped at the feathered cloak around him, gesturing to the hundreds of sewn-in feathers, and showed it off proudly, even though it was not something one should be proud of.

"How could they not know who I am when I am forced to wear such things? It's such a shame as this truly is a splendid piece of artwork, I wish it did not have to mean such things."

"Why are you here?" The prince asked once again, his voice deeper as he punctuated each word. It was clear to see that his own temper was cracking too, he had hoped that he could've kept it together better in the presence of his brother, but it did not appear to be that way.

At least they both angered each other, so far they were one for one. It was to be expected, they were sired from the same poisoned man after all.

"Aish, so hostile, just like everyone else in the wretched castle," his brother stepped back once more, a frown appearing on his face as he went back to slowly walking around his brother in a circle once more. "I am here on an invite, it seems father was feeling sentimental. We both know I wouldn't be here unless it came from his order. It was under the command to be present for your coronation, dear brother."

"The coronation isn't until the spring," Seonghwa turned to look over his shoulder at his brother who was walking very slowly behind him. "We have just entered the fall months. If you truly are here to witness the coronation then you are many months too early."

There came another booming and sinister laugh, the man's knees bending just a little at his younger brother's words.

"Quick-witted aren't you? The elders really weren't kidding when they said not much seems to get by you. You're right of course- I was invited early to make sure you actually do your duties. Think of me as a watchdog from now, your highness, I will be watching your every move to make sure you don't mess up."

The prince felt a cold shiver run up his spine, his fingers twitching by his sides. There was a moment where he felt his mask of confidence crack horribly, and like the vulture his brother was, the man drank it up like he was starving.

"Oh-?" Seonghwa felt the heavy presence behind him getting closer, one step closer to impending doom. "Does that scare you, little brother? Knowing whether or not the crown becomes yours will depend on my opinion plus the elders' and father's?"

The prince turned to meet the man behind him, his fingers trembling in desperation to reach up and wrap around his brother's throat and throw him to the floor where he belonged.

"Hardly," came the response, more of a hiss than an actual word. "I know what I am capable of and what I am not, I will not have a problem completing my duties flawlessly. Your opinion means nothing here, do not forget that."

The young prince swore his brother had real fangs sometimes, pointed teeth that dripped with deep, red poison.

"You're scared," the man hissed back in a challenge, trying to regain the power and momentum he held previously.

The prince pressed his lips together in a fine line and tilted his head just a little, the jewels that held pieces of his hair back clinched together. In a way, the clinking jewels were an odd display of dominance, as the man dressed in midnight black and feathers did not have any jewels covering his own skin.

"I am no longer scared of you," there was a slight bubble of a growl in the back of the prince's throat as he said it, the tone of his voice hardly above that of a whisper. "Your days of terrorizing me are over."

There was no movement from either one of them for a long time, the outside sounds of activities happening around the castle were blurred out in the bubble they had created around themselves. There was a small part of the young prince that was proud of himself for how he had grown into himself and his confidence- how he was able to finally stand up to his brother and say what he had always wanted to say.

But there was another part of him that was in direct conflict with himself, the part that knew he should be scared of the man in front of him. If the looming presence that oozed out of his brother was anything to go by, especially if it was stronger than that of their father's, should have been a warning.

Slowly the prince watched his brother raise his arm up, pointing right over his left shoulder. Seonghwa didn't have to look to know what his brother was pointing at, the hallway they were in was the one the young prince was the most familiar with. He knew that maybe fifty steps behind them would be the lion and the lamb, and under that would be the rose that had grown to full bloom and was ready to be cut and doused in liquid gold that was to be presented as a gift.

"I've heard from a little bird that my brother has become interested in a pirate," the man started off slowly, his gaze never leaving the prince's eyes. "And not just any pirate, I know this kingdom is known to cage as least two or three a year- no this is the Great Pirate King that they speak of. I was told that he was only a legend, that the man wasn't even real. Do you know some people regard him as a god? But here he is, locked up with chains and beaten half to death- perhaps there is some sadistic part in you, brother. I'll have to pay him a visit, I do wish to see why you choose to only speak with him and not the other prisoners, they deserve a chance at freedom too don't you think?"

"You of all people know just what type of freedom awaits for them dare I give away that rose," the prince's hand shot up, his rabid fingers curling around the small clip that held the dark cloak over the man's shoulders. The young prince gave a small tug, yanking the man down to his eye level if not just a little under. "Do not play games with me brother, do not patronize me for such things. We both know what happens when a gift is given that wasn't meant to be received. It was never ours to give in the first place!"

His brother did not fight the hold, instead he remained tense where the young prince kept him. They stared a little longer at each other, the aura around them only grew stronger as the prince found himself hoping that no one would walk down the hall for he feared that they would be choked to death by the greedy hands of that dark aura.

"Don't tell me you're growing soft, you know that each of those prisoners locked up deserves the ending they get, especially that pirate. Do you know how much money the kingdom gets from that alone?"

Seonghwa felt his chest tighten, but before he could open his mouth to further speak on the subject, his brother was already speaking over him.

"I will admit that I can't wait to see who you choose to gift the rose to, I've heard there are some popular candidates. And don't tell me for a second that you don't enjoy the power rush you get when you think about it, I can see it in your eyes. You may be trying to hide from the truth inside your head, but I can promise you that fire and desire for the crown were not in your eyes the day I left the castle. You can deny my words as much as you want, but when I look at father and then when I look at you, I see no difference. So don't pretend you are some high and mighty person who is morally better than the rest of the royal family- especially after what you've been doing after all these years."

There was a sick moment where the prince wondered what it would be like to shove his brother into the cell with the Great Pirate King. He wondered how their presence would clash- he wondered who would win. He felt sick to his stomach knowing that there was a good chance that his brother wouldn't stand a chance with the man, even though the pirate was still chained up. The prince figured it was due to the fact that the strong confidence his brother had was only built on a lie, confidence built up only for survival; whereas the pirate's confidence came from a strong foundation that would not crumble.

For some reason, that little piece of knowledge helped the prince not dig his knuckles into the man's face. The corner of his lip curled up in almost a brutal and lethal way before he shoved his brother back a little as he nearly tripped over the cape.

The prince fixed his own clothing before he regarded his brother who quickly gathered himself up alongside his fallen pride.

"Surely you know a mask when you see one, if you can lie and deceive everyone then surely I can too," the prince said lowly, his own eyes lowering and darkening. "I've been doing it for years, so it's only natural you see it in its perfected form."

At that his brother finally stood up straight and started clapping, the sound just as heavy as the air around them.

"Oh, how wonderful little brother, yes- please continue on with the family line of deceit and lies! You'll fit perfectly in line with the rest of the great kings of the past," there was almost a singsong tone to his brother's words, the smile on his lips made the young prince want to hide. "Don't say that will all fall away as soon as you take father's crown- oh I know you know better than that. Habits such as these don't just crumble overnight- you're addicted to it, and the power that will be fed to you on a silver plate will only grow your appetite for more once you sit upon that throne."

The prince's hands tightened again, visibly out in front of him. Seonghwa's brother no doubt was able to see how much his words were affecting his younger brother. But he chose not to say more, even when Seonghwa took the few long strides forward so they were once again within whispering distance.

And just like that, neither of them could breathe.

"Watch your tongue."

"We used to be best of brothers, you know that? But when I was forced away all that changed."

"No- you forced me away," Seonghwa snapped, his jaw squaring up. "I never had any intention of disowning you like everyone else. You brought this upon yourself."

"I was supposed to be crowned king."

"And I would've given it to you!" The young prince snarled, his nose scrunching up to match that of his brother's who was now looming over him.

The silence that followed was probably the most uncomfortable bit of silence that the prince had ever been subjected to and also the most painful. In front of him stood the man that used to be his best friend, the one that would perform shenanigans around the castle when it was late at night instead of sleeping. Sure they had been young, but the bond between young siblings that used to only have each other in a scary world was indestructible.

Well, almost indestructible.

"But no..." Seonghwa's voice nearly cracked, his jaw tight and the fire in his eyes was as cruel as it was unforgiving as he slowly backed away from his brother that was looking at him with a rather unreadable expression. "You never believed me and had to destroy one of the only good things in my life! You do not get to come into my house and tell me right from wrong- you do not have that right anymore. If you have forgotten that then just look at the clothes you've been forced to wear- dark and black- the feathers of crows sewn into the fabric like a scarlet letter. Crows are a sign of an outsider, so do not forget your place here. I do not care if father invited you and gave you a job to do, I have enough of my own preparations to fulfill instead of entertaining your little games. As I said before, I am not scared of you, I am done being your puppet."

The prince could see his brother's jaw tighten and his fingers twitch just a little right before he folded his arms across his chest.

There was a moment where the prince thought he was going to get no answer in return, where the silence and the looming presence of the lion and the lamb behind him grew to be too suffocating for words to be spoken.

"This used to be my house too," was all that was said from the older man, the words cutting deeper into the prince's crumbling heart more than he could ever imagine. "It still is."

The young prince felt the air leave his lungs, collapsing flat deep inside him. He swore his whole body was shaking, though none of it was visible. He wanted to scream and punch at something, or perhaps run and run until his body grew too tired to keep moving forward. He needed a release- something to take away the growing pressure that was building up inside at a dangerous rate.

"Not anymore," he answered, his voice surprisingly calm despite him not feeling that way at all. The prince didn't wait for his brother to respond, already turning on his heel to walk away before his body would melt to the ground and he would cease to exist altogether. There was such hatred laced in with his words that it almost scared the prince as he walked away. Perhaps that was why his body was shaking so much, each step wasn't guaranteed to support his weight as he continued to move forward, exposing his back to the man behind him.

The stained glass window of the lion and the lamb sleeping together peacefully had never made him feel so guilty before, nor had it ever hurt so bad.

-~-

When the weather turned cold enough, the prince liked to stand out on his balcony and watch how his breath would vaporize right before his very eyes. He would stand for perhaps an hour at a time in the morning, right when the sun would rise and he wasn't expected to perform his duties right at that moment, and watch himself breathe out hot air and watch it disappear into the frosted atmosphere.

He would stand in a brilliant white wool cloak that was probably exported in from one of the last boats that sailed from a very far away land before the big freeze hit. It clasped together right across his chest, the sheer weight of it was enough to have him puffing for air when he had to climb up many flights of stairs, but at least it kept him very warm. It was alpaca wool- some of the finest wool ever created.

He loved when the tip of his nose grew bright red and numb to the point where not even the sun's rays that did their best to melt the morning frost off the dormant grass and trees could warm him back up. He liked when his nose burned in the cold, and occasionally when he pinned his hair back his ears would be subjected to the same fate. Though during the winter months, the prince found that he liked to let his hair fall free and would give his ears a little more protection than normal.

When winter came, the town awakened much later. There was no clatter when the prince pulled himself up from slumber, not even the musicians in the castle were busy at work playing their songs. Seonghwa knew that the maids and helpers were busy doing their chores, but it never caused a lot of noise. Though the prince had never gone into the royal kitchen to hear the absolute chaos that went down there (he had been banned from there when he was caught at the bright age of four trying to steal a plum) but he liked to imagine the noise to keep his mind busy when the quietness became too loud.

When the warm sun would kiss his redden cheeks and make him squint his eyes as the young prince leaned against the railing of the balcony was when he truly was at peace. Even if it was just for a moment, it was a splendid moment. Every exhale would be out of his mouth, the cloud forming and then disappearing would remind him once again of a dragon. Though instead of the black-scaled dragons that he saw in books, the ones depicted in horror and spewing out molten lava, the young prince imagined himself as the white-scaled dragon.

Yin and Yang, he'd heard that term many times before. Push and Pull, both as different as they could possibly be, yet fit together perfectly. He wished to be the white dragon, curled around the tops of mountains like the snow itself. Perhaps to a faraway traveler, his white scales and fur would be mistaken for snow.

With one last long exhale, the sun's warmth sparkling off the frosted ground, the prince's eyes zeroing back in to life, the image of himself as the white-scaled dragon disappeared just like his breath in the frigid morning air. One final shiver that came not from the cold but rather from the eyes of the black dragon staring him down from a far distance left the prince clutching the keyring that he had cleaned personally so it wouldn't dirty his hands anymore.

The same keyring that was then tossed into the lap of a shivering pirate not too long after.

The man still sat on the ground with his hands once again unlocked, the shackles freed from his wrists in a very specific and fool-proof routine the two of them had created before the keys were tossed lazily into the awaiting lap as the prince took careful and cautious steps backward until the backs of his knees touched the chair.

The routine was sound, no extra movement was added, and it wasn't until the prince was seated and had wrapped the thick wool cloak around himself tighter that the pirate was allowed to move to unlock his feet as well. They kept eye contact the entire time, the prince's eyes low and tempting, while the pirate's eyes met his with the same energy though more curious.

It would be the sixth time the young prince met with the pirate, the number of entries in his journey proved the fact, even if there was nothing written under each entry. It had been awhile since their last meeting as the prince decided he would actually converse with the other prisoners like his actual job required of him before going back to interrogate a certain pirate. It had been so underwhelming, none of the conversations struck interest with the prince, especially since he knew the kind words and grand stories were nothing more than lies to try and stand out from all the others.

Nothing was genuine, it never was, and the prince knew he'd be doing the same thing had the roles been reversed, but he couldn't help but sigh heavily each time the prisoner would cry fake tears and beg for his mercy and his gift of gold.

"Captain," the prince muttered, the first word between them. Though the way the prince said it was almost in a mocking tone, definitely not what the pirate wanted to hear when he first made the request upon telling the young prince his name. It had been a joke between them, well at least to Seonghwa it was, he enjoyed seeing the pirate's face crinkle a little with his tone. "Your body is shaking."

"Aye, ye don't say," came the reply, Hongjoong's warm breath vaporizing as he spoke sarcastically. "That's what happens when the body be cold."

When the shackles around Hongjoong's feet were unlocked, the chains falling away, the pirate was up on his feet and stretching out his back and legs. The young prince couldn't lie and say that the pirate's quick movements didn't still scare him, because they truly did. His body grew rigid and watchful as the pirate moved around more and more as he was clearly very comfortable in his cell while the prince was out of his element.

The pirate was incredibly dangerous after all.

"Ye know I used to 'ave a big coat like yers," Hongjoong added, pushing his hair back with a hand before turning to face the prince fully. "One big 'n majestic, heavy dark brown furs that nearly dragged on the deck of me ship. Kept me warm durin' the winter, though sometimes I still wore it durin' the summer because a captain best be proud of his coat."

"You talk to me as if we are friends, pirate. You talk so high and mighty of this coat of yours, though I can't help but notice you're bare of one," the young prince glared, quickly gesturing to the very thin, white long sleeve shirt the pirate was wearing that was still torn up and stained with blood. Seonghwa did his best to ignore how the shirt was nearly open all the way down his chest to Hongjoong's pants, half of it tucked into the waistband and the other half hanging free.

"Had everythin' taken from me the night they brought me here. Me coat 'n knives, they even took me favorite pistol," the pirate licked his lips before he moved to sit back down against the pole.

The prince sighed in relief and let his body relax.

"Don't pirate captains wear hats?"

"Aye, but mine fell off when I jumped into the water to draw cannons away from me ship," Hongjoong's arms crossed over his chest, the muscle bulging just a little as he did from what the prince could see. "Though usually I only wear it in battle, me hair be somethin' I be proud of so why cover it?"

The prince grimaced, taking one look at the pirate's hair and squeezed his eyes shut. There was nothing to be proud of it in its current situation- but the prince did his best to imagine it not so knotted and twisted up. However, that seemed to be too difficult to imagine, and it only make him grimace more.

"You jumped ship to avoid our cannons? So they caught you before you even set foot on land?" Seonghwa asked, pulling the cloak around him more to fight off the biting air.

The young prince was brought back to a thought he had long ago, about how he knew that the dungeon was worse in the winter than it was in the summer. It was like a freezer, so cold it wasn't uncommon for some prisoners to be found dead and frozen in the morning after a particularly harsh freeze. He knew the numbers he had to be choosing from would quickly begin to decline, especially as the winter drew on and became more vicious. Seonghwa knew it was so bad because of the amount of water in the air, the humidity from the ocean made the cold weather feel even worse than it would had they been more inland.

The prince could tell that the heat had affected the pirate some in the summer, made him lethargic and incredibly sweaty. He hadn't realized the pirate actually had a bit of energy until they started feeding him more consistently and the cooler weather came. However, it was clear to see that the cold would be a much bigger problem to Hongjoong, especially since he was alone in the cell with a window at the top.

"Yer coastal guards found me dropping anchor 'n tried to blow up me ship before I ever set foot on yer land."

"No one else sails with black sails, it's not hard to spot you," the prince eyed the pirate with a slight raise of his eyebrow.

"Oh? So ye're familiar with me ship?" Hongjoong's face turned smug, his eyes sparkling just like the frosted grass.

"Don't flatter yourself, everyone knows the mechanics of your ship," Seonghwa rolled his eyes. "You're lucky they were kind enough to not blow it up."

"It's the fastest ship out there, even they wouldn't dare destroy a vessel such as mine."

"Why were you even in our waters?" The prince flipped the subject, leaning forward to put his elbows on his thighs. "If you knew that my kingdom was some hotspot for sending pirates to the gallows why would the Great Pirate King think it's a good idea to set anchor in my harbor?"

There must've been a glint to the prince's eye when the question rolled off his tongue that Hongjoong picked up because his eyes squinted just a little like he was both confused and thinking. The young prince absolutely adored the look, he found himself preening with happiness thinking that he was about to catch the pirate in a lie and find out what he really was there for.

"I already told ye why I was here in yer waters," he answered slowly, his own eyebrow rising up high.

"Enlighten me once more, captain."

"Me heart was drawn to this land again," the pirate answered, ignoring the way the prince said his title with a twist of his tongue. "I promise yer kingdom was nah the end goal. The place I held dear be farther away, I would've only camped in yer harbor fer the night 'n then disappeared fer the few days I wished to stay."

"And where is this place? Surely you can't blame me for asking such questions."

Hongjoong stood up again, the joints in his knees popping as he did and the prince did his best to ignore the sound. It looked like the pirate was about to come closer for a few moments, but he stayed idle where he stood and instead pointed to the bare wall right behind him. He said nothing, his eyes watching Seonghwa as the prince tried to figure out what the small gesture meant.

"Two days walk on foot in that direction would've gotten me where I wanted to be," the pirate filled in, the sound of his words rolling off his tongue smoother than before.

"There is nothing anymore in that direction, what used to lay there in a two days journey was burned to the ground. You'd have to walk nearly two weeks until you hit the shoreline again, perhaps your pirate maps have led you astray."

For a long moment, it was silent, not even the dripping sound from the source of water Seonghwa could never find was making an appearance. It had probably frozen over if the temperatures in the cell were anything to go by, especially with the hot, white air spilling from the pirate's nose every time he exhaled.

It was mesmerizing to watch, almost in an artistic way. The rise and fall of the pirate's chest with the immediate cloud of steam that followed wasn't quite like the royal steeds that snorted fire when they came racing back from their journies with their riders outside the castle gates. No, it wasn't quite as vicious, despite the burning fire for an adventure in the pirate's eyes, but the exhale Hongjoong let out seemed to be more controlled- less like he was gasping for air and releasing it like he was ready for battle.

It was more like a dormant dragon, which brought the prince back to his own thoughts earlier that morning and it almost made him laugh. The dormant dragon, curled up in its cave to sleep through the winter and wake up when spring called its name. Perhaps the pirate in front of him was a dragon.

And perhaps he was hibernating.

"Aye, but what I am lookin' fer ain't on a pirate map."

The young prince leaned back in his chair, sucking in a breath of his own.

"You mean to tell me that you're not here for revenge of your comrades that have been killed by my hands? I find that hard to believe- what happened to pirate loyalty?" Seonghwa asked lowly, his eyes squinting as Hongjoong took a step forward, his feet dragging against the floor.

"By yer hands? Ye've been the one to hang me men or to pierce a dagger through their hearts? Surely the prince who be pure, who wears white, hasn't sliced their heads clean from their shoulders before," Hongjoong spoke just as lowly, his tone deepening with each step he took until he was nearly a few inches from the table where the prince was sitting. "I don't believe ye've killed anyone before wee prince. Me grudges are not held on ye. As fer the guards that 'ave me men's blood on their hands, I can not say the same- but it's like ye said dear one, piracy be a crime condemnable by death."

Seonghwa sat there rather frozen, hyperaware of the pirate placing his palms on the table and leaning over it.

"We know what we be gettin' ourselves into when we sign our lives away to the sea- to the breath of freedom. I reckon ye've forgotten that a pirate thrives on the fear of death, it's what keeps us goin'," there was almost a little bit of a smile on Hongjoong's lips, the slightest curve upwards.

"What about pirate loyalty? Aren't you here to avenge your men? Isn't your own crew coming to rescue you- or hundreds of other pirates?" The prince scooted back a little, the chair scraping across the floor in a way that gave away his intentions. He couldn't deny the way his heart raced as the pirate kept coming closer, perhaps it was the fear that the prince knew if the pirate wished to kill him, there would be no hesitation. "I thought they were coming for you."

Finally, there was the wicked grin the prince had become so used to. The grin that made Seonghwa shiver and grow even unsteadier than he already was- that one look that made him swallow and want to cower away with his tail between his legs.

"Crew? I 'ave no crew," he said slowly, Hongjoong's tongue coming out to swipe over his bottom lip. " 'N sure pirate loyalty exists, but only fer the ones who 'ave respect."

The prince pressed his lips together tightly, his hands clenching where he held his cloak tightly around himself.

"Are you trying to tell me that a pirate who holds your title doesn't have respect from all the other pirate scum? You're talking yourself in circles, this isn't helping your case."

The man in front of the prince stood up straight, a slight shake of his head that caused the beads tangled in his hair to click together. "Ye royalty folk only wish to hear what they want, rather than what be bein' spoken to 'em. Ye thrive off of rumors 'n gossip rather than doin' yer own investigation of what be real. That be yer downfall, each 'n every time. I 'ave told ye many times that I am nah here for revenge, no matter me hatred for yer rules or how much I despise the royal family. Yet ye still come here 'n ask the same riddles over 'n over like ye expect my answers to change."

"You're a pirate- you lie and you're deceitful- why should I even think to trust you?" The prince raised his own voice, the ego deep inside him feeling oddly attacked.

"Ye dunno me."

"I know of you. I know what you've done- I've heard of the things you've stolen, the people you've killed. I've heard many things and tales about the Great Pirate King, I know better than to trust a pirate."

"There ye go, listenin' to the rumors of the sea. Maybe, wee prince, ye should spend some time gettin' to know me before ye accuse me of bein' this fearful person," Hongjoong bent at the waist again, the shredded fabric of his shirt showing more skin than the prince was used to. "Me crew a long time ago would say that I was someone worth followin', a great captain that cherished man over treasure. Nah every captain has the honor of hearin' that from his men."

"Says the captain who no longer has a crew," the prince found himself gritting out, carelessly pulling at his cloak in a way that would nearly tear it.

The prince had hoped dearly that his words would strike something deep in the pirate and make him lash out enough that the young prince would have a reason to keep him chained to the ground. He had silently prayed that Hongjoong would become hostile and prove that a pirate was someone who had no self-control because then the prince would feel more justified in the punishments he was giving the man.

It was hard when Hongjoong acted so properly. Sure he teased and his words were sultry from time to time, but he never lashed out. His hand was never raised and he never acted like all the other pirates the prince had come to meet. Instead, the pirate before him only spoke words that infuriated the prince to his very core because the pirate wasn't technically wrong when he was supposed to be wrong.

If the prince hadn't known the man in front of him was a pirate, then he probably wouldn't have guessed. Putting Hongjoong's hairstyle and the way he talked behind him, the pirate seemed to have a very clear head and knew what he was talking about. That was the most infuriating part, and it was even worse that the prince knew he was dropping down low to take cheap shots that didn't even seem to rub the pirate in the wrong way.

He felt useless.

And even at his comment, the pirate didn't bat an eye. It was like he knew something the prince didn't- especially with the way his eyes seemed to twinkle each time Seonghwa roared up a shot and it kept missing its target.

"Yer brother, I've heard some things about him."

There it was, the common subject change. The young prince hated when the pirate did that. Hongjoong would flip the subject right when it was convenient for him, and each and every time it always gave the prince whiplash. It happened every time they talked, it was like the pirate found great pleasure in finding out every secret detail about the prince.

The pirate wanted to know him personally it seemed, and that bothered the young prince who desired to remain a mystery to everyone.

But even with that knowledge of what the pirate was doing, Seonghwa fell for it every single time.

"What about him?" He asked, leaning forward just a little to try and put more pressure on the pirate, even though it seemed to cause the man no discomfort.

"I hear the guards speak about a flightless crow," he tilted his head to the side, his eyes piercing into the prince. " 'The blackbird has returned to the castle.' Surely they wouldn't treat the prince with such words 'n insults, especially the eldest son to the King?"

Hongjoong stood back, walking back from the prince until he was nearly backing up into the pole he was usually chained to. The look in his eyes had grown quizzical like he now was the one investigating the prince instead of the other way around. "I find it odd how the youngest is to be the heir to the throne 'n nah the oldest. 'Ave customs changed recently? I don't remember it bein' that way when I was a young lad."

"The customs and traditions are the same as they have always been," the young prince furrowed his eyebrows. "The firstborn and legitimate male is the heir to receive the crown when they have become of age and the king and elders deem him worthy."

There seemed to be something that clicked in the pirate's eye, another smirk curling at one of the corners of his lips.

"Legitimate?"

"It is common for kings to take concubines alongside their queen. The marriage between a king and queen is arranged, there is no love or support. More often than not, the king falls in love with another woman of lesser rank and takes her as his concubine, alongside his wife," the prince sat back in the chair, switching his crossed legs. "Producing an heir between a king and queen can take a long time because of that reason- because it is a duty and responsibility rather than something they want to do. So a child coming from the love between a king and concubine is much more common."

"Aye, so yer King laid with another woman he loved 'n yer brother came from that night they spent together?" Hongjoong asked, a sly look on his face.

"I came to learn that as true."

"So he be a bastard child then," The pirate raised an eyebrow, shaking his head like he found it almost funny. "I knew that from the very beginnin'."

The young prince stood up at that, a little too quickly as his head became dizzy, then leaned against the front of the table and crossed his own arms over his chest as he looked down at the pirate.

"And just how could you possibly know something like that?"

"Aye, wee prince. Takes one to know one," the pirate gave the prince a wink, the sly look back on his face as he looked so proud and confident in himself for saying such a thing.

The prince felt himself shiver again, and he was unable to suppress how his body convulsed physically at that.

But Hongjoong didn't say anything about it, didn't tease him further before he was already pushing and prying deep into the prince's skin to gather more information for his greedy heart and mind.

"Bastard children are always outcasted, it seems yer kingdom didn't fall short on that."

"My father tried to hide the fact that my brother did not come from the Queen's womb. I never cared to learn the details behind it, but they succeeded for quite a few years even after I was born and had grown up to a young boy. The crown was meant for my brother, not for me, and so he was trained for it and he was showing signs of promising things," the young prince scoffed, his chest growing hot with hatred. "But they find out- the elders hear every little thing that happens. There was someone who snitched, a whistleblower of some kind, most likely a maid or someone who knew of this. It was a huge affair that no one talks about these days- but my brother was sent far off to the countryside along with his mother- practically banished from the kingdom."

"So that left ye as the next heir to the throne."

"Perhaps you aren't as dumb as you look, pirate," the price raised his own eyebrow in a condescending way. Still, the pirate did not react. "But you know there are always rules to bend and loopholes to find. I never wanted the crown, even from a young age I would rather travel the world and see all that it has to offer rather than sit on a throne all day dripping in stolen gold and rule over men. My brother... he knew that- we'd write to each other secretly, and I'd tell him that the crown would be his no matter what. I promised him that I would do everything that I could to get him that crown."

"My, my, a dedicated wee lad ye were."

"He didn't do anything wrong, he didn't deserve to be banished simply because he was born from another mother. That whole rule is disgusting and I hated it, so in my mind, he was still going to receive the crown because it was only proper."

"But the way ye speak to each other sure doesn't seem like the loyalty between ye stuck. Somethin' must've happened?"

The young prince rolled his eyes dramatically. "Do you hear everything? You're worse than the elders."

"A good captain must be able to hear all 'n understand everythin', even what be between the lines."

Seonghwa ignored that.

"Being outcasted changed him, I could see the change happen slowly through the letters. But back then I was young and naive, it didn't click with me what was really happening because I simply couldn't understand. Everything went downhill the day he wrote in a letter that he had to wear a cloak made from crow feathers to be able to go into town for food and supplies- it's a tradition- like a scarlet letter," the young prince watched the pirate sit down again, grabbing at the keyring and spinning it on his finger. "My brother had to kill the crows himself and pluck their feathers to create the cloak as a punishment for something he had no choice in. That was when the change happened- that's when he grew cold and distant and decided that even I was not to be trusted."

Hongjoong remained silent, the look on his face was neither upset nor happy.

"He grew resentful of me and decided that he would do everything in his power to make sure I would be punished too. You see, captain, the elders and my father adored my brother- truly they did. So let's say I slip up and make a horrible mistake, they would do everything they could to find a way to make it so my brother can come back and rule the kingdom instead of me. They only sent him away because they feared a horrible uprising in the kingdom because 'no one is above the law'- so if they had a reason to bring him back, they would in a heartbeat."

"I am nah surprised wee prince, ye know how the wicked royals are. They stick to their kind, surely ye know that ye 'n yer brother are very different. Ye can see which one of ye takes after yer father."

"No kidding," the prince agreed, his arms falling to his sides as he sighed. "I was sixteen when my brother tried to kill my mother with arranged poison and blamed it on me. Ever since then he's been trying to frame me- doing everything he can to make me look like the bad guy so he can come back into the light. Now he's back, under the mask of that he's here for my coronation. I might've believed it if he had arrived a few days before the date but winter has just begun. I half expect to find myself dead in a few days."

The pirate laughed at that, the type of a laugh that wasn't mocking but it wasn't exactly not-mocking either. "Ye say all these things about the royal family 'n I know it isn't even a quarter of the evil they've done- 'n dare ye say ye're better than a pirate."

The young prince felt his jaw tighten and his knees nearly lock where he was standing. But before he was about to spit back at the pirate, the man sitting down was already speaking before the prince could get an angry word out.

" 'N before ye go 'n list off all the things I've done, maybe ye shall reckon if the royal family has done 'em too, 'cause I be willin' to bet ye me latest treasure that they 'ave," Hongjoong said in an accusing tone, though the prince found that it didn't sound like the pirate was accusing him directly. "Ye don't need to always defend 'em, ye know? Especially when ye know they've done horrible things."

"That's what family does," Seonghwa's fists clenched up, the word family so foreign and distasteful on his tongue.

"Aye, but last I knew, family isn't trying to kill each other. They aren't poisonin' others behind yer back 'n framin' ye for it."

The gaze in the pirate's eyes was hard to look at, and it wasn't even the powerful one that demanded respect from everyone in the room. No, it was a different look, one that the young prince refused to acknowledge and look at. He didn't want the pity the pirate was offering.

"What do you know about family, pirate?" The prince gritted out from behind his teeth, the back of his throat growing raw.

"I won't claim to know more that ye dear one, but I reckon when it comes to family 'n loyalty, I know more than ye do."

The prince stood still and quiet for a long time, the gears in his mind spinning a million miles per second attempting to come up with some sort of reply, but nothing came to mind. It was upsetting more than it was maddening, and perhaps the prince had been bottling up his emotions too much recently because he felt more like lashing out with angry tears rather than angry words.

That already was horrifying enough- the thought of crying in front of the pirate whom he hated so much. He'd never be able to come back after that, he'd never show his face ever again, he wouldn't be able to bear it. Even though nothing about the pirate's personality gave the prince the idea that the man would make fun of him for crying over such a thing- still he wouldn't risk it. If he cried then he would lose the game they were playing, and the prince refused to keep losing.

Instead, he pushed away from the table and gathered the few things he brought with him and gave the pirate once last glance over, trying to ignore the way the smaller man was shivering and how the cloud of white vapor he exhaled looked less like dragon steam and more like the man that was freezing to death. Deep down he knew the pirate, no matter how resilient he was, would not be able to survive the winter like this.

It irked the prince and made his skin crawl- especially with the decision he made up in his mind long before he had opened the cell door that morning.

But he blamed it on the fact that he needed to keep the pirate alive to be able to see him hang from the gallows on his fated death date... and not because the prince felt horrible for how cruel they were being to the pirate.

"I gave the maids an order to bathe you before our next meeting, I can't stand the stench any longer," the prince said quickly, his hand gripping the freezing metal from the cell door as he yanked it open. "I also know your tiny body can't handle the cold, and to make sure you stay alive until spring, I'll have them bring some spare wool blankets."

He left immediately after that, nearly yanking the door shut on his cloak because he wasn't able to move as quickly as he wanted to. The prince also ignored the fact that he hadn't chained the pirate back up like he was supposed to. Oh well, someone else could deal with the Great Pirate King... and if he perhaps happened to escape overnight- then that would be one last problem the prince would have to deal with.

So maybe for both of their sakes, the pirate escaping would do them both well.

-~-

The winter hadn't been as rough as it had been the past year. It was a blessing in disguise, but that didn't mean the winter wasn't cold and bitter. There were some days the prince wished he didn't have to rise from his bed because the surrounding air was too frigid to move around in. Those days would be when the wind was angry and blew snow right up against the castle walls as if it was trying to break into the warmth of the building.

The great blizzard that plagued their kingdom last winter never showed its face, and it was a good thing it didn't because even though the prince had a certain level of hatred for the cold, he always found himself standing just outside the castle walls, looking down to the cliffs where the sea would crash up against the rocks as the snow would try and blow his body over. He would stand out there for far too long, so long that his fingers would turn blue and then white, his nose no longer being able to feel that he was still breathing.

The current winter was a mystery, it sparked random days of warmth then random days of ice. There were no patterns, and if the young prince hadn't learned to accept that life had no patterns and that it would constantly throw him curveballs, then the weather might've sent him into a state of pure distress.

Seonghwa had his work cut out for him enough already, with the combination of his outcasted brother who was breathing down his neck along with his father and all the elders, he had enough to worry about. The weather and its unpredictability were not something he needed to fuss over.

At least winter brought less foreign affairs to deal with, the colder weather seemed to make everyone sluggish and so agreements and peace treaties between kingdoms usually waited until the spring or summer. When winter hit, the rulers were busy enough protecting their own. The kingdom Seonghwa would soon have in the palm of his hand was no different.

With the hibernating kingdom and earth, the prince found himself some time to breathe and resume his own self-studies. He had a personal tutor as he was growing up, though the studies he learned then were only about the kingdom and how to be a good and smart king. He was taught the history and the traditions, things like how to dance to each song at a seasonal ball or the proper steps he needed to take and say when he received the crown on top of his head. The prince was taught math and language skills, and the other subjects that most kids in the town learned as well; however, there was an extent to those subjects before his future duties took over and he was no longer required to do math.

After his tutor left, the prince took his own studies into his hands. He was more than happy to self-teach himself on the wonders of the world, like the moon he had grown so jealous over and the stars that danced with it. The maps he had tried to learn to draw of distant lands all around the world were something that he always struggled with. Charting out the stars was nearly impossible to him and it left the young prince frustrated beyond belief every time he tried to do it.

When the prince became frustrated and agitated, he had a tendency to do things he wouldn't normally do. And by things he normally wouldn't do- it would consist of him gathering up a few books he deemed his favorites and would wrap himself in his warm wool clothes before finding himself sitting in a dark and cold cell. It was neither comfortable nor very quiet, especially with the way the pirate would eye him with a weird sense of curiosity as to why the young prince was there and not interrogating him.

Seonghwa excused his actions with the idea that he was tormenting the pirate with his presence and his sense of uncaringness. The prince would sit there in the cell with Hongjoong for hours just reading over the same page and even the same line that made no sense to him no matter how many times he had read the book cover to cover.

The first time he had done it was also the first time the prince had seen Hongjoong after he had told the pirate about his brother. He had brought a book about mythical creatures, but it had nearly slipped out of his fingers as he saw that the pirate had not been chained up as he entered. Hongjoong had been standing up while leaning against the wall with a wool blanket around his shoulders like he was waiting for the prince to open the door. Perhaps he heard him coming, the pirate had said many times before that the jewelry covering the prince's body gave away his exact location.

The prince had been very interested in reading his book again, though it was quickly forgotten when the usual rough appearance of the pirate was not to be found. Seonghwa vaguely remembered saying that he had arranged for a bath for the pirate to get rid of the horrible odor, but he hadn't quite considered the consequences of his actions.

It seemed not only had the maidens scrubbed every inch of the pirate's skin, but they had also gone through the trouble of fixing Hongjoong's hair. It had been brushed out, the few braids in his hair had been redone and the beads were back in and looked more like an accessory rather than something that had been knotted in. It was a stark difference, one that left the prince stuttering in his movements as he fought to ask the question of if they had swapped the pirate with a new look-alike.

His hair was long and black, slightly wavy- and he looked every bit of a pirate's description. Even some of the holes in his clothes had been patched up, finally covering the vast amounts of tanned skin that distracted the prince more than he cared to admit. The black boots that covered his feet looked polished and the young prince couldn't help but shake his head a little bit.

"Thank ye fer the bath, wee prince. The maidens were so sweet 'n thoroughly relieved me," Hongjoong had snickered, his arms crossed over his chest. He seemed to have taken great delight in the way Seonghwa's eyes bulged at the rather suggestive words the pirate had chosen, even if the prince wasn't entirely sure of what they meant.

The young prince had left right then and there, the door closing behind him loudly, but even the sound wasn't loud enough to drown out the pirate's laugh.

He was back later that day, sitting in his chair while the pirate roamed around in circles as if he was observing the cell. For how long the pirate had been in there, the prince knew he had mapped everything out already- he could've escaped if he wanted to. Yet he hadn't, and it left the prince almost angry and antsy that he hadn't.

"Ye keep readin' the same book every time ye come here," the pirate muttered, clearly overly bored as he sat against the pole and watched the prince read that same book for the sixth time. "What's it about?"

The prince bristled with absolute pride.

"Sea dragons," he answered nonchalantly, licking his fingers and turning the page he hadn't even read yet. "Sea dragons and possible sightings. It's a book about mythical creatures, animals, and unknown beings that possibly exist but no one knows for sure."

That seemed to catch the pirate's interest and the young prince finally felt like he had something over him. It was a freeing feeling, one that made him want to dance around and laugh victoriously.

"Each passage is about a traveler that documented their findings," the prince continued, his nose pressed high in the air. "No one knows if these creatures are real or not."

"What do ye reckon? Do ye reckon these sea dragons 'n other creatures are real?" The question seemed genuine, the pirate's face was lifted upwards like he truly was curious about the prince's answer.

Seonghwa set the book down and intertwined his own fingers together, pretending to think. He knew in his mind that they weren't real after all, at least to the common person the mystic creatures along with magic was something only witches claimed were real. The prince knew if he claimed to think that sea dragons the size of large vessels and half-man half-fish creatures called sirens were real- he'd be labeled off as a witch and burned in the town square.

So he shook his head, a part of his heart breaking as he declined.

"No, no one's ever seen them before or at least seen and lived. There's no proof either, just tales that have been passed down of large creatures that shake the waters when no wind blows."

Hongjoong just tilted his head, his eyes squinting a little as he leaned forward. "So ye don't believe what ye can nah see passed the horizon?"

"No, why would I believe in something no one has actually seen or touched before?"

The pirate was quiet for a moment as he sat there, his eyes looking over the prince as if he was searching for something. He then stood slowly, stretching out his arms with a long sigh before he began to gesture with his hands.

"I've seen 'em," he said, his lips curved up as if he was proud of the fact. The prince wanted to call his bluff but at the few words the pirate spoke, the prince was already hooked. "These sea dragons ye speak of. The ones that make large waves 'n nearly overturn yer ship when there are no clouds in the sky or wind in the sails."

Seonghwa did his best to appear unbelieving, but he couldn't deny the child in his heart that was leaping for joy after finally hearing that perhaps all these creatures he dreamed about when he was young were real after all.

"You've seen them?" He asked, crossing a leg over the other as he leaned forward.

"Aye," Hongjoong winked at him. "I've seen the sea dragon only once, the great tales say that there be only one left in all the Seven Seas."

"What did he look like? Was he as large as the tales claim he is? Were his scales are bright as the sun itself? " The young prince asked almost breathless, the sudden tone and energy in his voice must've taken the pirate by surprise, but Hongjoong didn't laugh or make fun of his eagerness. Instead, he sat back down and began to speak with his hands, gesturing along with his words.

"As golden as the sun 'n as big as the great tales claim he be- the sea dragon be everything you dream of 'n more," he started, a gentle smile on his face like he was telling a story to a small child. "I remember I had washed up on the shore one mornin', stranded 'n alone. 'Twas dawn 'n I was bleedin' out- sure to be dead by the time the sun was high in the sky. The tales claim he comes when ye least expect it, a dragon drippin' in water 'n gold, scales as hot as the sun..."

The prince found his heart racing.

" 'N there he was, standin' over me in all his great majesty. I remember gaspin' fer air thinkin' it was me last breath, reachin' me hand out fer just a touch of comfort in me dying moments," Hongjoong seemed far off, the memory of it looked rather pleasant than painful. "I could hardly see, had lost too much blood, but I remember feelin' him curl his body around me in a tight grip. Sometimes I wonder if I had truly died that day, perhaps this is all just a dream of an afterlife."

The young prince could only stare, his eyes wide and his fascination growing.

"The sea dragon saved you?"

The pirate's gaze found the prince's eager eyes, an almost knowing look in his eyes. He smiled gently, nothing crude or sly about it.

"Aye, I reckon he did."

After that day, it had been a little different between them. Neither said anything about it, but the air had shifted significantly. The prince would bring more books and spend his free time in the cell with Hongjoong and pretend to read until the pirate asked what the book was about and the prince would answer and then they would talk about it. It was really odd, and sometimes the prince wondered as he left the cell after each story the pirate told him if perhaps the man was lying to him.

But the child deep down in the prince would not let him consider that thought for too long.

His next visit with the pirate left him hearing about how Hongjooong had witnessed a whole ship go down with a siren attack. It was during the night, the ship had been anchored just outside of a harbor where a famous trading post lay in the far East. The pirate claimed he had heard them singing beautifully, their song had woke him up and he was lucky that he wasn't close enough for their spell to completely seduce him and turn him into a brainless being as it had for the other men on the ship.

"I watched from me own deck in the night, the moon was so bright that I could see 'em swimmin' right up to the ship. Must've been hundreds of 'em to take down a ship as big as the one they did- singin' to the men 'n reachin' up to 'em to only yank 'em over the rail 'n rip their bodies apart in the water," was what the pirate had claimed, his gory details made the prince grimace despite how interested he was.

"It was more horrific than anythin' I've ever done to a man, 'n I've done some pretty terrible stuff. But even with how bloody the water was after, I couldn't help but be amazed at how beautiful the sirens were," Hongjoong sighed almost dreamingly, his breath hot in the freezing air as it snowed steadily outside. "Bloody teeth 'n all, long tails of the prettiest scales ye'll ever see. Sirens are probably the most beautiful of all the mystic creatures the sea holds, but also the most dangerous."

Day after day the prince listened to him, and with each story, he became more and more amazed with what was really out in the world. When he was by himself in his room, he couldn't help but look out to the sea, passed the gray clouds that covered the blue sky, and imagine the sea dragon splashing around in the water. He could almost see the golden scales and feel the warmth of them- he wished so badly to see what was beyond the horizon that the prince began to see things.

"Most of the things ye read about the world 'n the sea be true," Hongjoong had told him after many, many visits.

"How would I know that? I've never left home," the prince answered, his feet up on the table as he turned to look at the pirate. "My knowledge of the outside world is either myth or truth, it's impossible to know what is real and what is not."

"That's what adventures are fer," the man just on the other side of the table said, poking at the books that were scattered over the table. "To see the world, to sail on the seas with the wind in yer face 'n the sun burnin' into yer skin day after day. Ye'll never be bored, the life of a pirate be one full of adventure. There are no limits, no expectations, it's a free life."

"Do I look like a pirate to you?" Seonghwa scoffed, though his tone was not as dry as it normally was. "I was not born as a pirate like you were. Have you forgotten already it is a crime punishable by death? That is why you are locked up here after all. I am a prince, soon to be a king. That is all the adventure I need."

"Nah every pirate be born a pirate," Hongjoong tilted his head, opening the closest book in front of him. " 'N perhaps it is punishable by death, but let me tell ye somethin', wee prince. I feel freer now, bein' chased to me own death than I did bein' tied down to a future that was never supposed to be part of me life."

"You seem to think I hate my future."

"Aye, it's clear to me that the future king of this kingdom ain't fit fer the throne."

The young prince nearly jerked himself out of the wobbly chair. "Excuse me-"

"Someone like ye who longs fer adventure of the unknown belongs on a ship's deck, waitin' to find out what the sea throws at ye as soon as the mornin' sun raises from its slumber," Hongjoong clarified, quickly looking up from the book he was holding and flipping through the pages. "Ye do nah belong in a castle that acts more like a cage. Yer heart be as wild as mine, it deserves the chaotic 'n forever-runnin' life that a pirate lives."

"I do not wish to kill people, I will not raid villages and attack innocent people for no reason other than to scare and murder."

"Nah all pirates do that me hearty, certainly nah the men that take refuge on me ship," there was a small glimmer in Hongjoong's eye.

"I have responsibilities," the prince fought back, his heart beginning to race in his chest again. He felt constricted, finding it hard to breathe as his words came out shaking and insecure. The pirate before him was looking at him like that again, like the prince knew better and was holding back. That in itself was horrifying. "I have duties to attend to. My home is here, I will not abandon it."

"What a marvelous home it is," the prince could literally see the sarcasm drip from Hongjoong's lips. "Each day I see ye crumble more 'n more. Ye'll end up dead before yer coronation ever happens."

The young prince pressed his lips together tightly, his fingers twisting angrily and anxiously in his gown, nearly tearing the expensive fabric apart by the sharp rings on his fingers.

"Then what do you suggest I do, captain?" Seonghwa's voice was equally sarcastic, the tone of his words dropped down deep and was borderline hostile. He leaned forward, his eyes flickering dangerous fire as he watched the pirate hold his gaze easily.

The man didn't flinch once. Instead, the corner of his lip quirked upward, a sinister look that made a shiver run down the prince's spine. Hongjoong placed both of his palms on the wooden table, leaning his body over it as he regarded the prince with a dangerous and wild expression. It was almost scary if the young prince was being honest, a perfect reminder that the man in front of him was indeed wild, his spirit hadn't been broken.

They were so close that their clouded breaths mixed together and then disappeared.

"Run away," he whispered, a wink of his eye following that left the young prince absolutely breathless.

-~-

One breath in, two breaths out.

The flower buds of early spring were always a promise of something new and exciting. They always came right after the frost and ice were melted away long enough for the plants and animals to decide that warmer weather would be the only thing coming their way, and not a new frost.

Warmer weather meant a lot of things. Usually, spring brought a whole list of tasks to be performed and things to get ready, though it was clear that this current spring brought a whole other list in combination with the usual.

The dawn of realization of what was going to happen in the coming months was settling even heavier on the prince's chest than it had when the winter clouds drew close. It seemed that spring came earlier for their kingdom than it did in a lot of other places. In a certain letter the prince had received a week ago from a very special young woman, she had claimed that her own grounds were still covered with a thin layer of snow.

Perhaps the sun god has taken favor with you...

She had written that line at the very end of the letter and it had made the prince chuckle softly. They wrote letters often to each other, and if the weather permitted it, they were delivered and received as quickly as possible. The most recent letter from Lady Seojun had been about her visiting the castle now that the paths between their kingdoms were no longer dangerous with mud and ice. The young prince knew she would be visiting more often, especially now that the spring season had arrived and his coronation would be there before they knew it.

That only meant one thing.

Her arrival was not a surprise as it had been the time before, he was waiting for her and held out his hand to help her down the carriage step before bowing his head to press his lips to the back of her hand. The action had always seemed robotic in the past, but now it was striking him with an even more uncomfortable feeling.

Lady Seojun was as beautiful as always, her gown as blue as the sky above them and her veil still sheer and white. Their smiles met each other like a sweet rendezvous with a friend, and that thought had the young prince nearly tripping over his own silky robes.

They were left alone once more, none of the servants or handmaidens followed after them to make sure they remained faithful and pure to the traditions. Seonghwa was thankful for that, he truly hated being watched, especially as he was being watched with heavy, critical eyes now more than ever.

Neither of them said one word as they followed their usual path- Lady Seojun once again leading the both of them forwards as she always did. It seemed she did not want to stay inside the castle, and she hadn't even asked to see Seonghwa's mother. Lady Seojun must've known that the prince's mother was not to have any visitors after what had happened in the halls, so the young prince was glad the beautiful woman in front of him didn't ask because he was still very sore about the subject.

She led him out the castle walls by the back entrance that lead to a pond that had been created by a low spot in the landscape, surrounded by many large trees and all types of greenery. Lady Seojun walked across the dock, her hands pulling up her dress just a little to step into a small little boat that had been tied to the dock, and stepped inside as she turned to watched the prince follow wordlessly after her.

When they were in the middle of the pond, the only oar in the boat laid over the prince's lap as they sat facing each other, was when she finally decided to speak.

"It's spring," she said, her voice small and quiet.

The young prince only nodded, looking around the pond and seeing how the flowers had bloomed and there were croaking frogs swimming around the lilypads.

"It's spring," she repeated, tilting her head to the side to hopefully catch Seonghwa's gaze. "I am sure, my Lord, that you know what that means."

"Of course my Lady," the prince swallowed. "If all goes well, which I expect it will, in a few months I will be crowned king of this kingdom."

Lady Seojun smiled gently, her skin glowing beautifully in the soft sunlight.

"You have nothing to worry about, I know you'll make a wonderful king. There are a lot of qualities in you that make you a great leader, most of which that were never present in the kings before you," she leaned forward a little, her hands folding neatly in her lap. "I can see that you are tense and stressed, I heard that your brother returned and that the Ceremony of the Golden Rose will be taking place in the coming month."

The young prince gripped tightly onto the wooden oar, trying his best to not think about it.

"Have you plucked the rose yet?" Lady Seojun asked.

"I did, though in the next few days I will be dipping it in melted gold. It was preserved in a special way before winter hit, if you'd like I can show it to you," Seonghwa offered, no doubt feeling a little warmer as the princess before him smiled widely and offered a firm nod of her head.

"I would love that, my Lord," she answered, her voice so smooth like the morning doves around them.

They sat in silence as the small boat drifted about in the water. There wasn't any wind so they didn't move much, just calmly sitting in the middle of the pond, looking at each other and trying to guess the hidden words they both wanted to say but neither were strong enough. The prince did his best to push his nostalgic thoughts away- he didn't want to remember how when they were younger they would paddle around the same pond they were in now. He didn't want to remember how she fell in one time and instead of getting mad at the little prince for rocking the boat too much, she had just laughed and walked around the shallow end of the pond.

As he watched her dip her fingers into the water, Seonghwa knew she was desperate to ask that one very important question that was dangling above their heads but hadn't quite found her confidence to say it yet.

"Our kingdoms will be reunited again, I had made a promise," he pushed out, his fingers twitching around the wooden oar when her head looked up to meet his gaze. "I won't be backing out of it and hurting you."

"My Lord-"

"I'm sorry," Seonghwa breathed out, the desperation to get down on his knees and beg for forgiveness. "I'm sorry that it had to come to this- I know that you never wanted-"

But before he could ramble, the princess was reaching forward with her gentle fingers to press her palm firmly onto the prince's shoulder. The touch and the action effectively made the young prince shut his mouth, his eyes darting to where her hand was burning fire into his shoulder.

"I know," she said, even softer than before. It was basically a whisper, one that could've easily been drowned out by the frogs that were bouncing in and out of the water.

"You know?" He asked desperately, fighting the urge deep inside to press his hand over hers.

Lady Seojun smiled at him again, though the smile was more knowing and sad than it was before. "I know. We both know there are no words to describe how we are feeling. Though I can tell that this decision is more burdening to you than it is to me."

"It is?"

She hummed softly, still not removing her hand. The longer she seemed to hold it there, the hotter it got, and the prince worried that the heat would burn right through his clothes. "I may have been rather wild and rambunctious as a child- and I may have told you when we were younger and would hide away in the stables that the royal life was not something I dreamed of."

"Did that change?" The prince asked, his eyes widening.

The princess chuckled and shook her head.

"No, that is something that will never change. There are people that are destined for that life and there are those who aren't," she said softly, finally pulling her hand away and the prince had to physically hold himself back from following after it. "But there are also those who don't have a choice, especially for a woman like me. I know what my future holds and I have made peace with it a long time ago. I know my duties now, and I know it is in my best interest to follow through with them."

The young prince opened his mouth, but Lady Seojun held up her finger to halt his words.

"I know you have accepted it but have not made peace with it... and I know that you probably will not be able to. Though as your future wife, and more importantly your friend, I will do my best to stand by your side and guide you as best as I can," both of them looked at each other again, a heavy sigh passing through the princess's lips.

"Perhaps if you think of it this way," she continued. "Just think about how lucky I am that I will be marrying my best friend who I know will treat me better than any other king or crown prince that my father would have married me off to. I find great relief in that, even if this is an arranged marriage and I know you will never truly love me."

The young prince drew in a heavy breath, finding it hard to breathe without a small bit of pain erupting in his chest. The unspoken words of that's just how marriage is for people like us did not go unnoticed and it certainly added to the pain blooming brightly deep in his heart.

Seonghwa looked into her eyes as best as he could but had to look away when the moment became too genuine between them.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, knowing that those weren't the words she wanted to hear.

"I know," she whispered. "I know you are for what has been said between us and for what hasn't been said. But we can get through this together."

That was the end of that conversation, the prince's head dropped down to stare at both of their shoes that were nearly pressed together in the bottom of the boat. They sat in silence for a great deal of time, just listening to the nature around them and the peace and quiet. It was like they both knew that their world would soon never be quiet again and it was in their best interest to enjoy it while they could.

After the silence drew out for too long, Lady Seojun was pushing her long hair over her shoulder and reaching into a bag she had brought with her. The young prince already knew what it was that she was pulling out of the bag without having to look.

It was a traditional wind instrument, a beautiful and long instrument that looked rather heavy in the princess's small and slender fingers. She had told him when they were younger that it was called a daegeum made from bamboo. He had heard Lady Seojun play it only three times, once when she was given the instrument to learn and then the other two times when her knowledge about the instrument had grown.

Hearing her now play the instrument once again brought back the nostalgia. She had truly grown to play it so beautifully, the music bonding both of them to nature perfectly like they were the butterflies landing on the flowers and cattails not even ten feet away from them. The prince watched her play- watched how her fingers glided across the instrument and how each note was hit perfectly as she played a song from memory.

It was the most calming thing, even if the song had a rather melancholy tone to it. It was hypnotizing in the best of ways as the prince found himself zoning out as he watched the frogs and other creatures of the pond move about in their daily activities. He sighed once and then twice as the ache in his chest slowly began to fade with time.

The only thought inside his head as the song neared an end was one he wasn't sure he was ready to think about in detail yet- but still decided to.

The dream the prince had of a flute player and the ocean was still as frequent as it had been, if not more as the days grew warmer. Seonghwa remembered wondering if perhaps the flute player was Lady Seojun as she was the only one he knew of that played a type of flute. He wondered if perhaps she would be the one saving him in his future from whatever problems he was drowning from- just like in his dream.

He had found relief in that theory, especially knowing that she would be by his side for a long time.

However, that theory had crumbled very quickly as soon as she started playing the beautiful song that made them one with nature. It was heartbreaking truly, and when she finished it left him feeling more anxious than relieved as it used did.

There was no mistake, the sounds were too different- the style was not the same.

Lady Seojun was not the beautiful flute player that haunted the young prince's dreams.

a/n:  I'm only going to say this once and very quickly- if you do not like the dynamics of the characters in relation to their "positions" then simply don't read the story. There is no need to be rude about whether it's "right/wrong", and there certainly is no need to send de*th threats and or call me (or others) derogatory names simply because you don't like who is top/bottom. I write for my own enjoyment and fun (and of course entertainment for y'all) so please stop begging me to switch up the positions or change them. I only write bottom hwa and top joong (of course no hate to anyone who prefers them switched!!), I know that isn't a lot of people's cup of tea but that's simply what I prefer to write. But please be considerate in the future. I never mind constructive criticism or suggestions- but please be nice about it and respect my decisions. Thank you <333