mea rosa aurea || seongjoong || ATEEZ

Chapter 5 : Dazzling Dance

a/n: this chapter is 18+ content heavy. read at your own discretion. this is also the second to last chapter... and literally 21k words... bruh idk what happened :')

Ogres and trolls, large creatures that stood nearly as tall as the gentle giants that were said to have graced the earth since the beginning of time. Probably about twelve feet in height, as tall as some of the smaller trees in the grove surrounding the castle, there were rumors of ogres and trolls that roamed a land so far off it could take a lifetime to travel the distance. They were said to have taken the land for themselves, forcing the giants out to find a new home during a great war that had happened centuries before the prince's own lifetime.

It had been an old tale, one that he rarely looked at because it hadn't quite piqued his interest like the sea dragon or sirens had. Though it still laid deep in the back of his mind, a secret interest that he dared not to tell anyone, not even to the pirate who had told rather heroic stories of his own experiences with the mythical creatures that were once only real in the young prince's book.

But it seemed that the pirate wouldn't be quite himself if he hadn't kept taking Seonghwa by surprise. It was more than just a game now, it was even beyond a routine.

" 'Ave ye ever fought with an ogre before, wee prince?" Hongjoong asked one early morning when the prince had come to the cell right after the sun had risen. It was much earlier than he ever would show up, but Seonghwa attributed it to the fact that the warmer weather gave him the energy he needed to start his day off earlier.

The prince had been sitting where he always was, resting back in his chair with the book in his hand that he had left there the night before. He only looked up for a moment, his gaze finding the pirate before quickly looking back down at the words written on the page. He ignored the fact that the language written there was not one he could read, he knew the pirate couldn't read so it would all look foreign to the other man regardless. The translations would be on the later pages, not that it mattered.

"What makes you think that I would participate in such violence?" The prince asked instead of answering, his own eyebrow rising upwards.

"Ye 'ave a cutlass, a sword, attached to yer waist. I know the royal family has guards 'n warriors to do the dirty work fer 'em, so I am surprised to see the crown prince with a weapon such as that," the pirate walked closer to the prince before squatting down slowly by his side, no doubt just to admire the weapon that was indeed attached to the prince's waist.

Truth be told, Seonghwa had forgotten he had tied the sword just under his main garments that morning. He had become quite used to its presence over the years, so the sword made from silver and metal wasn't something he constantly thought about as he walked around and it would tap against his leg or the wall if he walked too close to it. Though it had been the first time he had worn it when in the presence of the pirate kneeling before him, so he decided to be merciful.

"The men of the royal family are taught proper swordsmanship at the age of fifteen," the prince replied, his body stiffening when the pirate reached out to touch the sword that was buried deep in its sheath so it wouldn't cut anyone.

"So young," Hongjoong murmured, his eyes fully on the sword as the tip of his finger traveled up and down the length of the weapon.

"War can happen at any age," Seonghwa forced himself to keep his eyes on the book in front of him. "If one were to break out, it is required of each able body male in the kingdom at the age of fifteen and above to report to the draft. The royal family is not above that, it is in fact our duty to lead our people no matter how dark the hour is."

"So the wee prince knows how to wield a weapon," the pirate mused softly, letting the filled sheath rest in his hand like he was weighing potatoes that the market.

"Of course I do," Seonghwa felt his nose crinkle, the urge to raise his foot and kick the man away was nearly too hard to contain. "I can wield a sword better than you can."

The young prince was used to making many bold statements, all ones that he could back himself up with facts and proof. There was no doubt in his mind that he was good with a sword, especially the one tied with a red ribbon around the fabric-like belt at his waist. It had been made especially for him when he began practicing the art of sword fighting, and ever since then, he was highly praised by his teacher for his quick and flexible movements. The prince was known for being a quick learner, even with his education and studies. He was able to pick up the moves and stealth required for sword fighting very quickly- and if he was being honest it was a good thing he did because his teacher was not a man of mercy.

But as soon as the cocky words left his mouth, the young prince felt his body turn rather cold when the pirate looked up at him from his kneeling position. It was an odd look, with his eyebrows raised and only one side of his mouth curving up in a surprised and oh? look.

And the pirate said just that, the tone of his voice was something the prince just couldn't seem to get used to no matter how often he was now hearing it.

"Oh? Better than me ye say? I reckon we'll 'ave to put that to the test someday. A mighty bold statement to say to a pirate, dearie."

The cold feeling in his body was long gone, instead, it was almost as if the shiver running up and down the prince's spine was burning hot. Seonghwa was thankful for a good majority of his garments being red, because then hopefully the color on his cheeks could be explained by a mere reflection.

There was a moment when the prince wasn't sure what to respond with, his mind going blank for an embarrassingly long period of time. It didn't help when that feeling made him only angry inside, his lips pressing together tightly like it would help him come up with another snarky response.

But Hongjoong was never a man to dwell on a single subject for too long, his need and drive to send the prince into at least eight different whiplashes in a single sitting was too strong for him to ignore. He took every chance to strike that he could, slowly but surely eating away at the prince's patience and control- driving him mad one day at a time.

"It's thin 'n long," he spoke, wrapping his hand around the sheath and squeezing the weapon from what the prince could see. "I 'ave nah seen a sword so wee 'n dainty like this."

"It's lighter, less weight to carry and hold when fighting," the young prince breathed out, feeling the need to defend an inanimate object.

"Less weight means less power behind a swing. Surely a weapon like this won't cause much damage in a pirate fight," the pirate tilted his head to the side. "Reminds me of its owner. Wee 'n dainty."

The prince pressed his lips together tightly, his fingers digging into the long forgotten book in his hands and no doubt crinkled some of the pages as he did his best to keep the fire in his throat from escaping.

"Less weight means quicker movements. Your thick swords may carry more power behind a single swing, but I can strike you three times before you can bring your sword over your shoulder," the prince nearly hissed, watching the way Hongjoong seemed to take delight in his answer. "A thin blade means it's sharper, sanded down to a fine tip that can pierce even the toughest skin. I'm sure your large and bulky blades have grown dull and rusted."

"Perhaps, but which do ye reckon will hurt more- bein' skewered 'n havin' the sword twisted within from a smaller or larger blade?" The pirate pulled his hand away finally, allowing the prince to catch his breath as the man stood back up, circling the table like the sharks did when a seal drew closer to the cliffs from a long swim out at sea.

The young prince grimaced. "How dare I forget you live to torture people. I should've known the mechanics and efficiency of a weapon would not interest a pirate."

"Do ye nah also torture others?"

"Against my will. You know I would never be a part of this if I had the choice."

"There be always a choice."

"I wouldn't expect a pirate to understand," the prince forced the book open to a random page before his own anger blew from the top of his head. But the pirate reached over the table and plucked the very book right out his fingers and pushed it down on the table with his palm, leaning his weight on it so the prince could not pull it back. From that angle with the pirate leaning over the table, the prince could practically see down the opening of the man's shirt, his collarbones on display before his hair dropped down to cover them from the prince's heated gaze.

Seonghwa didn't even try to reach for the book, his fingers twitching where he still held them up like the book was still in his hands.

The pirate was gleaming at him with just his eyes, no other expression was found on his face as he leaned more forward over the table causing the prince to catch his breath and subconsciously lean back.

"I know a lot more than ye reckon I do, princelin'," he spoke slowly, the tone of his voice deeper than before. "That's why I am nah so hard on ye. If I had people who knew me as a captain here they'd reckon I be a completely different man."

"So you treat your men poorly?"

"Nah, I simply demand their respect which I had to earn first. I don't let 'em talk back to me the way ye do."

"And if they do?" Seonghwa asked, finding the courage in himself to finally lean forward in his seat. It irked him that the pirate did not move backward as he had, the man seemed too comfortable in their newfound closeness while the prince found the urge to crawl away when the pirate only tilted his head and poked his tongue into his cheek.

"If they decide to act like a brat, I tell 'em to come to me quarters where I deal with 'em there."

The smirk on the pirate's face was too sly to mean anything other than something the prince was not too familiar with himself. It left him feeling hot again, which he had always associated heat with anger, but then left him feeling even more confused when it didn't quite feel like the emotion anger that he knew a little too well.

"Good thing I am not a part of your non-existent crew then," the prince hissed back, slowly sinking back in his chair so hopefully the pirate wouldn't notice the growing distance between them.

The look on Hongjoong's face only grew and it left the prince completely out of his element, cheeks burning hot with his mind angry with unsettled confusion.

"Nah yet," the pirate whispered, his eyes twinkling like the stars above as he winked once that nearly startled the prince.

It left the young prince blinking a few times, his mind trying to process the words spoken and the meaning or possible joke behind them. His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water and he figured it was a horrid look on him, even though the pirate seemed to express no emotion other than delight upon seeing the way Seonghwa struggled to figure out what was really happening.

It felt almost dehumanizing the way the man leaning over the table was looking at him- but only in the sense that Hongjoong's heavy presence was so suffocating that the prince, who took great pride in his composure with anyone, could hardly breathe and allow his brain to process words that actually meant something.

In all the time they had spent together, about three seasons of time, the young prince still hadn't quite figured out how to properly handle the aura in front of him. He thought he had about halfway through the winter, but the pirate always threw something different at him that never allowed him to rest or let down his guard. It was horrifying in a way, but the prince's heart was never able to rest from the second he stepped into the cell with the pirate until he had left the dungeon altogether.

"So I am guessin' ye've never battled with an ogre?"

The prince rolled his eyes when the pirate finally stood up straight and opened the book that lay captive under his palm. He seemed to flip through a few of the first pages, and Seonghwa watched the way his eyes seemed to shift across the words and the pictures drawn there.

"Yer book says the ogres made an alliance with the trolls to overtake the giants, I find that hard to believe," the pirate furrowed his eyebrows as he flipped the pages twice more. "Ogres 'n trolls hate each other- I can nah reckon a reason they'd fight together."

"Giants may be gentle, but they are bigger and stronger. The tale later says that the ogres and trolls were able to put aside their differences to be able to overthrow the giants-" the prince scoffed, but then widened his eyes as he reached forward and snatched the book right out of the pirate's fingers before holding it close to his chest protectively. "How did you know that?"

The pirate looked at Seonghwa like he was dumb. "I didn't, I jus' read what was written yer book."

"You can read?" The young prince muttered out in a whisper like he couldn't believe it.

"Nah every pirate be illiterate, dearie."

The prince felt his eyes twitch. "How did you learn to read? Can you write too? You must be lying, there is no way this is true."

The pirate didn't seem to take offense to the accusation and instead shook his head rather playfully with a small laugh passing through his lips. "I learned the same way ye did. 'N if ye require proof of such, then bring paper 'n a quill fer me to prove it to ye. But may I ask first why ye believe me without question about me tales of sea dragons 'n sirens, but can nah fathom that a pirate can read 'n write?"

The prince felt himself freeze where he was, something inside him felt foolish as he was called out. The man in front of him didn't necessarily look angry or upset at what the prince was saying- but rather held a curious and sad look upon his face. It made Seonghwa second guess everything, and despite how much he hated when the pirate would come at his beliefs and tear each and every one of them down by simple logic- he found himself feeling more ashamed than angry.

"Be it the way I dress? Perhaps it's 'cause I look this way- we dress differently, don't we?" Hongjoong spoke up when the prince wasn't able to find the words he needed. "Or be the way I speak? Shall I perhaps speak in yer own tongue so ye'll see me as yer equal?"

"No-" The young prince forced out, the color probably draining from his face. "I understand you just fine."

"Maybe it's 'cause of who I am then? I am a pirate, 'n pirates can nah read or write. So with that logic, I automatically can nah read or write either, regardless of me background."

Seonghwa blinked a few times, sinking into the chair and feeling the clothes around his body become restricting. They weren't tight by any means, the garments he wore were flowy and allowed plenty of air through them to keep him cool in the warm spring. But the pirate's words made them feel extra heavy, pressing down on his lungs with such force that left them flat and unable to suck in the air he desperately needed.

The pirate's eyes were scrutinizing, almost squinting as he watched the prince sink back and cross his arms over his chest with wide eyes.

"No-" Seonghwa breathed out once more. "I was wrong to say that. I should know not to generalize."

As the words left his mouth, the prince sucked in a deep and painful breath as the man in front of him moved out from the table and walked slowly around it until he was right in front of the prince, his hip leaning into the wood as he looked down at Seonghwa with a stern gaze.

The young prince watched as the pirate brought his hand up from his side, and slide it right under his jaw. The touch made the prince jump before he froze once more, staring at the pirate's arm as if it was a foreign entity. Hongjoong's hand was warm on his bare skin as he pushed upwards, forcing the prince to look up as the pirate demanded it of him. There was a long moment of silence as the young prince did not breathe when he held the tight gaze with the pirate as he leaned forward just a little.

Seonghwa did his best to ignore the way the man pressed his thumb right into the middle of his chin. He tried to ignore how tingly the simple touch was and how it made his heart beat so fast in his chest to the point where the prince grew lightheaded.

"Ye 'ave much to learn," Hongjoong nearly whispered to him. "But at least ye try to learn unlike the rest of the royals. I expected naught less from ye."

The young prince tightened his jaw when he felt the pirate swipe his thumb barely over his chin, the look in the man's eye only growing darker as the silence passed on between them. It grew even harder to breathe than before, and it left the prince not knowing what to do. His face, much less any of him, had never been touched before like the pirate was, and he feared that perhaps Hongjoong was trying to bait him into something before he finally was able to capture the prince in his grasp and kill him.

Though it seemed the touch was too innocent and soft for such a thing- it just made the prince's mind spin around in circles until it grew fuzzy.

"I 'ave fought 'n killed an ogre before," the crooked smile on the pirate's lips grew as he leaned a little closer. His voice was still not more than a whisper, but it rang loudly in the prince's ears. "Would ye like to hear the tale?"

Seonghwa breathed in deeply.

"Tell me."

-~-

There was always a phenomenon with the stars.

The first time the prince had seen the stars move was when he had just turned eighteen. It had shot across the sky like one of the castle archers had shot an arrow and it flew across the sphere dome. Seonghwa had always loved the stars, especially when he could turn them into shapes, and had found that some of those shapes were logged in a book he had found in the town observatory a long time ago.

Constellations.

That's what they were called, and even as the prince grew older, he loved to try and pick as many out as he could. There were a few he could never find, and while it did frustrate him to no end that he couldn't find this one specific constellation called lynx, the prince had a feeling that he'd be able to find it when he needed it most.

He just wished that time would hurry up already.

With stars came the horrendous task of trying to chart them. It had been something that the prince always wanted to learn to do in case he needed to at some point in his life, but it was the one thing that he struggled with. For some reason, it would never click in his mind how to do it properly. Each time the prince thought he figured it out, there was always something that threw him askew. It always ended with many books wasted and the ink splattered all over the table as the young prince grew too annoyed with his non-existent progress and had thrown it all away.

The next time he saw Hongjoong, it just so happened to be the day he had set aside to once again try to chart the stars. He brought all the materials he needed so he could sit in the cell and ignore the other's presence while he did his work.

It had been a perfect idea really, except that the prince had magically forgotten that the pirate was a very curious man. He should've known that from the second he stepped into the cell and set the things in his hands down that the pirate would be invading his space and looking through the scrolls and books like he was their owner.

It was very childish the way they acted- with the prince nearly shoving the pirate away from the table and the pirate cussing at him and going to sit down by the pole he used to be chained up by as he nearly pouted. It was amusing for sure, some sort of entertainment between the two of them, but it left the prince with a weird feeling in his stomach. It was like they knew each other a little too well that they could joke around like that. Seonghwa knew that's what would happen when you spend a lot of time with someone and grow comfortable in their presence- but he knew instantly in their circumstance that would be a horrible idea.

Because in two weeks, Hongjoong would be killed for his crimes.

The Great Pirate King that the crown prince had gotten to know a little too well would no longer be waiting for him in the very cell they both stood in when it was all over. It left the weirdest feeling in the young prince's chest as he looked over at the pirate who was attempting to fix his shirt.

Seeing the pirate sitting there without an ounce of fear in his body language or spirit was odd, and it was even odder knowing that their time together was going to be cut short.

"Stars? What are ye doin' ?"

The prince startled, dropping the quill down onto his lap and no doubt got the ink all over the white fabric. He had to give credit where credit was due... the pirate's level of stealth was near that of a snow leopard. If the man didn't want to be seen or heard, then he simply wouldn't be. That left him startling the prince half to death on multiple occasions- much like the current scenario.

The pirate was right behind him, not close enough that he was touching the prince, but still close enough that Seonghwa could feel his presence and jump forward.

"I told you not to sneak up on me-," Seonghwa hissed at him, fussing over the ink-stained fabric. "Now look at what you've done."

It was clear the pirate was not interested and didn't care that the pure white robe the prince had worn that day had been stained with ink, because he was looking over the prince's shoulder with a raised eyebrow as he attempted to decipher what the prince had been doing on the opened scroll on the table in front of them.

"It's none of your concern," Seonghwa desperately wanted to reach back and shove the pirate's face away from him, but he refrained from doing so.

"It seems to me that ye be doin' a horrible job at trying to chart stars," the pirate mused, his eyes gleaming when the prince scoffed. "Why are ye trying to do this durin' the day? Ye can nah even see the stars."

The prince chose to not respond out of maturity.

"Ye know, me mother taught me how to chart the stars," he then added, the playful look falling from his face as he looked at the open scrolls and books with a more serious face. The prince turned to look at the man leaning over his shoulder to see his eyes looking over everything in front of them with a knowing look on his face. "Ye're nah a pirate if ye can nah chart stars, so she taught me how when I was young."

"Your mother was a pirate?" The prince's nose crinkled a little bit, finally giving up with the fabric and letting his hands fall to his sides in defeat.

"Aye, the best there ever was," Hongjoong smiled, and the look was so genuine and soft that the prince figured he had done it subconsciously.

The prince pressed his lips together as the pirate moved from behind him and then shoved some of the books to the side so he could sit up on the table with his legs dangling over. But before the prince could snap at him for ruining his setup, the pirate was already rolling his eyes and gesturing to the closed books that he set on the far side of the table. "Ye don't need those, they be outdated. I know shortcuts."

"But-"

"Do ye wish to learn or nah prince?" The pirate cut him off, leaning back on the table as if he was bored, the front of his shirt stretching over his chest in a way that left the prince worrying it was going to tear at the few buttons that were actually buttoned.

Seonghwa's fingers tightened around the quill he held once more in his hand. He knew his knuckles looked white with how tense they were, but the prince did his best to keep his cool with the pirate in front of him. He figured that this would be his best chance at ever really learning how to chart stars- and it was second nature to a pirate or even a sailer- so hopefully Hongjoong would be able to set him straight and give some tips and tricks.

The prince found it funny that his past self would rather be caught dead and in the sea than receive advice from a pirate of all people. He couldn't deny the slight irritation and humiliation that he felt in himself at the idea, but at least it wasn't overpowering like it used to be.

But when he put his hands back up on the table, it seemed the pirate was instantly distracted.

"What's that?" He asked, looking down at Seonghwa's left hand that was resting leisurely on the table.

The prince knew exactly what the pirate was referring to. He chose to not look at it, as he was just mildly surprised that the pirate had spotted it so quickly, but then the reminder out of the corner of his eye that the object was gold made perfect sense. Pirates were all but dragons in human form after all, a sickness laid deep inside them for gold.

"It's a ring," the prince answered, trying to sound indifferent about it.

"Aye, but all yer other rings are gone. 'Tis jus' one golden ring on yer left hand," the pirate tilted his head, a small smirk on his lips.

The prince pressed his lips together tightly.

"Yes, I am to be married soon. Until I am wedded, the only ring I wear is this ring as per tradition," Seonghwa raised his hand to show the solid gold ring around his ring finger off to the pirate.

"Married? I didn't know ye fancied someone."

"I don't, it's an arranged marriage. I have to be married before I can be crowned king, as the tradition states I must take a wife."

"Who be the lucky lady?" The look on the pirate's face grew even more as if he was teasing the prince.

"Her name is Seojun. She is a princess from the Northern Kingdom," Seonghwa squinted his eyes a little, setting the quill down on the table. "We've known each other since we were little, she's my best friend."

"Cuttin' the marriage a little close to yer coronation aren't ye?"

"I don't love her," the prince replied bluntly. "A loveless marriage isn't something I'd want to run into with open arms- and I am sure she is the same way."

"So ye're trying to hold off bein' cuffed as long as possible," Hongjoong tilted his head to the side, his fingers playing with the edge of the open scroll. "Trying to remain a free man fer as long as possible?"

The young prince looked away, suddenly becoming very interested in the pattern of the bricks.

"Well forgive me for trying to preserve what little freedom I have left, captain. You might understand what it's like to be chained down physically but you do not understand what it's like to be chained down mentally."

"What makes ye reckon that, wee prince?"

The prince turned back to the pirate who was now leaning over his knees as his eyes seemed to sparkle mischievously.

"You always speak of the open waters and how freeing it is. Have you forgotten the first time we met? You told me that you didn't fear death after I told you how you are going to die in mere days. You claimed that it was because you have lived a life so fulfilling and free, that your impending doom no longer scares you," the young prince's tone had lowered as the distance between them grew smaller. "The adventures you speak of- the places you've seen and the mighty mystic creatures you've encountered... that all contributes to the freedom you speak of. There is a reason you don't fear death, and that is because you have no clue what it's like to see your future as nothing but monochrome gray."

The heaviness of the subject didn't seem to bother Hongjoong. The pirate sat quiet and still, his eyes never leaving Seonghwa's as the prince spoke as calmly as the restless waves in him would allow.

"If ye reckon technically, me future will be nothing but dark. If ye truly are goin' to see me to me death, then me impendin' future also seems quite monochrome 'n melancholy," he answered, though his voice didn't seem upset. "Surely ye 'ave read in the hundreds of books ye read in here to never judge a book by its cover- though that be all ye seem to do. We've lived two completely different lives, so how could ye possibly know whether or nah I 'ave felt the same as ye do?"

The young prince went to open his mouth to resort to a useless comeback but the pirate beat him to it with a shake of his head.

"Though, I 'ave never had a coronation date set, that much be true. I 'ave also never been forced into a loveless marriage. Ye could say that I am married to the sea, as it is the first thing I see in the mornin' 'n the last at night," the pirate sat back once more, grabbing onto the scroll and pulling it off the table and into his lap as he looked over it with a small smile on his lips. "I will 'ave ye know that in the many years of life gifted to me, I 'ave had to fight fer the mighty freedom I speak of. 'Twas never given to me like ye may reckon, I too once had to make a life alterin' choice to give me a better life."

"We are not the same," was all the prince was able to say, a heavy exhale leaving through his nose.

"Nah," the pirate nodded his head slowly. " 'N we never will be. But perhaps yer marriage to yer Lady will be a good one. Who knows the fruits that shall come from it. She stays here, doesn't she? I assume she will 'til the two of ye be to be joined by holy matrimony."

Seonghwa pressed his lips together but nodded regardless, folding his arms over his chest as he did his best to ignore the way that the golden ring on his finger always snagged on the fabric of his clothes. "She will, it's another tradition in the book of courting."

"Perhaps she be the flute player I hear quite often? The sound has been a new 'n recent one, I haven't heard it before."

The prince wanted to pull the scroll out of the pirate's grip but chose not to in fear of ripping the paper. So instead he busied his own hands, playing with the slightly fraying fabric at the end of his sleeves. "Yes, she likes to play in the mornings. She always admired flute players when she was young and decided to choose it as her instrument."

The pirate looked up from the scroll with a lift of his eyebrow. It was a silent question, he didn't have to vocally ask it in order for the prince to understand.

"It is custom that all royal family members are trained in an instrument before the age of eighteen. We are able to choose our own instrument and learn from a young age before we perform in front of the royal court on our eighteenth birthday, almost like a rite of passage."

The pirate groaned a little at that, and it seemed he even rolled his eyes.

"So many customs 'n traditions, I dunno how ye do it princelin', I would 'ave lost my mind trying to remember 'em all," he said, brushing his hair over his shoulder as he looked down at the prince. "Next ye'll tell me that the color of yer clothes represent somethin' more than jus' a color."

Seonghwa nearly barked out a laugh, the back of his hand coming up to cover his mouth as he tried to stifle his laugh. The pirate's eyes only widened a little in disbelief, already catching onto the answer before the prince could either confirm or deny his previous statement.

"Ye got to be pullin' me leg-"

"Perhaps this is the first time I am actually overjoyed to answer your outrageous questions," the young prince sat up straight and pointed the colors of his robes he was proud to wear. "As per another tradition that you seem so fond of, in the few weeks leading to marriage after the courting is made public, both parties are to wear all white. Normally anyone who is not married is to wear at least some white fabric in their daily attire; however, it changes once the marriage date grows closer."

Hongjoong scrunched his nose at that. "Why?"

"It symbolizes purity. White is the purest of colors, after all, so wearing all white means you are showing that your body has remained pure for your future spouse," the prince answered like it was common sense. Though his confidence in the answer seemed to waiver when the pirate's eyebrows lifted rather comically high.

There was a moment of silence between them and it left the prince feeling awkward. He had explained the color meaning to people many times, but he had never gotten a reaction quite like the pirate's. It made him feel uneasy- like he was missing a piece of the puzzle and the man in front of him was holding the necessary piece behind his back.

"Purity," the pirate started. "Do ye know what that means, dearie?"

Once again, the comment threw the prince off.

"It just means purity? The same as the word pure... clean, perfect," he answered carefully.

Hongjoong was silent for a little while longer before he spoke again. "Do ye know what kind of purity this tradition be referrin' to? Why do ye no longer 'ave to wear white once ye be married?"

Seonghwa felt his head start to spin at the man's questions. He had never really thought too much about it before as he had simply just done it because he was told to. A lot of the royal traditions were like that for him, he never questioned and just followed them blindly. The prince loved the color white so he never had a problem with it before and no one had ever made a fuss about it like the pirate was so it left him thoroughly confused why it seemed to suddenly be a big deal.

"It was just what I was taught to do," he answered, which wasn't a lie.

" 'Twas what ye were taught to do," the pirate repeated, moving to set the scroll to the side as he shifted to sit in the middle of the table. "In that case, tell me what happens on the night of yer weddin'."

The young prince leaned back, his eyes focusing on the way the pirate's hands were gripping on the edge of the wooden table.

" 'N I don't mean the party, the ball, the dance, or the holy sacrament itself," Hongjoong leaned forward, his gaze subconsciously calling for the prince to look up at him. "What happens deep into the night, dearie? When do ye finally shed the white colors?"

It was the look itself that gave away the pirate's intentions. The young prince felt his cheeks grow hotter than normal, his throat closing just a little as it grew dry when he tried to swallow. He wasn't sure why his heart started to race away in his chest, but with the way the pirate was staring down at him was enough to make the prince nervous.

Seonghwa wasn't entirely sure what the pirate was hinting at, but he had a pretty good idea. He could play along if that's what Hongjoong wanted.

"During the consummation of the marriage," he croaked out, his voice surprisingly unstable. "After it is completed, neither of us are required to wear white."

" 'Cause the two of ye will no longer be pure, be that right?"

The prince swallowed thickly.

"I assume so," he answered, daring only a quick look up into the other man's eyes. "Why are you so curious of things such as this?"

" 'Cause, dear one, 'twas jus' made painfully obvious to me that ye be clueless on the act of sexual intercourse," the pirate answered smoothly, like the words coming out of his mouth were not ones to be embarrassed about. It made the prince's eyes widen and his face grow even hotter. The clothes on his body grew to be too tight and suffocating, especially the cloth wrapped around his neck. It was nearly strangling. "Nah a bad thing, do nah get me wrong. I should 'ave remembered that virginity be praised 'n sought out after."

The young prince felt himself grow lightheaded. It seemed the pirate could care less about the words he spoke like it was an everyday conversation for him.

"Ye've grown very red. Perhaps ye be uncomfortable?"

"No-" the young prince croaked out with a shake of his head. It wasn't a lie, he wasn't uncomfortable per se, he just wasn't used to talking about the subject as it was rather taboo. "It is just a subject that is never talked about, especially before marriage. Perhaps it is different for you pirates, but here it is taboo to talk about it- even after marriage."

That seemed to further pique the pirate's interest, much to the poor prince's doom.

"Ye had a tutor that taught ye all these things? Did they tell ye how ye need to perform?" He asked, his tongue poking into his cheek as he smirked.

The prince felt his ability to think properly disappear with each word the pirate spoke. His heart continued to race like he had just run up the castle stairs in his thick winter cloak.

"Perform-" Seonghwa shifted in his chair a few times, trying to burn off the nervous energy. "Of course, I was taught what happens during the wedding night. But there were no details, it was just- just uh, the basics?"

"The basics?" The accusing eyebrow was raised again as the pirate chuckled softly, clearly having a lot of fun teasing the prince who did his best to keep his hands busy. "Forgive me dearie fer laughin'. I jus' find it rather cruel that it seems they jus' throw the two of ye into a room without ever teachin' ye how the act truly works. I can already tell ye that she will know absolutely nothing, 'tis up to ye to lead."

The prince felt his lips part at that, turning his head away in embarrassment before he completely crumbled under the pirate's gaze.

"I will do my best," he forced out, hardly above a whisper. The urge to shred his clothes off was almost too strong to ignore, especially with how hot his body had grown. He knew he was probably visibly sweating- it was something that happened to him anytime the subject was brought up. It had always been on the rarest occasions, and only for small educational purposes like when his teacher very vaguely described what was supposed to happen in order for the consummation of his marriage to Lady Seojun to be complete.

Even weeks leading up to that fated date, he found himself feeling rather clueless and almost fearful of the act especially after hearing that there could be blood staining the sheets afterward.

"Do ye know how to touch a woman?"

The prince swore his head was spinning before but now it was very clear to him that he could very well pass out from it. He felt antsy, the need to move around, perhaps pace in circles was growing very high on his to-do list. He had never expected to hear such vulgar words to be spoken directly to him like that in such a nonchalant way.

"Do ye know how to lay in bed with one?" Hongjoong further asked, his eyes glinting positively as he enjoyed the prince's resolve crack and crumble with each question. It was odd to see how the prince was nearly squirming in his seat, occasionally pulling at his clothes and wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. More endearing than not to witness such a proud man crumble with just mere and vague talk about a certain subject.

"Well do you ?" The young prince hissed back, clearly doing his best to try and fight back and gain some upper ground. The small look of confidence on his face really had the pirate chuckling again, leaning back on the table and sliding his tongue over his bottom lip as he appeared to be thinking.

"Of course, I 'ave taken many lovely beauties to bed," the pirate replied, nearly laughing again when Seonghwa's mouth dropped open more than it probably should've. "Jus' as I 'ave also taken men to bed too. Once ye get a taste of the sweet pleasure the act brings ye, it's hard to nah desire more."

"Pleasure..." the word left the prince's lips in almost a breathless whisper.

Hongjoong clicked his tongue and winked, his lip curling up on the side as his eyes seemed to look up and down the prince's restless body. "Aye, wee prince. The pleasure that comes from bein' connected to yer partner. It's a deep pleasure that it feels sinful- which perhaps 'tis. But seein' yer partner desperate under ye be one of the most beautiful 'n pleasurable things in all the Seven Seas."

Seonghwa swallowed and crossed one of his legs over the other before moving it back to where it was previously just as quickly. He did his best to nod his head, taking in a deep breath to steady his body and calm his racing heart that the prince worried was going to pound its way out of his chest any second now.

He wondered if he looked as embarrassed and disheveled as he felt. If he had been in his right mind he probably would've already been out of the cell by now and not engaging in such talk with a pirate, especially so close to his wedding date.

It seemed the man before him had taken pity on him and let the prince try and recover a little from their conversation. Seonghwa was very thankful for the breather, subconsciously bitting on his bottom lip as he looked around the cell and did his best to pull his eyes away from the pirate who was busy fussing with the few braids in his hair.

Though the young prince should've known that the pirate wasn't going to let him get away so easily, and it was when the prince was able to relax the muscles in his body again that Hongjoong seemed to have other plans.

"Ye know of that pleasure don't ye? Late at night when the feelin' grows to be too much 'n yer body craves fer a release?"

Seonghwa nearly choked on his own spit.

"What-?" He sputtered, his body tensing again as the prince took to quickly trying to fix his garments and make them completely seamless. "I don't know what you speak of."

Again, not a lie. The prince truly had no idea of the sort of pleasure the pirate was referring to. He briefly thought maybe it was the pleasure he felt when he ate a particular lovely meal that the cooks made in the kitchen- or perhaps it was the pleasurable feeling he received when he brought a good argument to the table during a meeting with his father. He tried to think of all the times he felt this sort of 'pleasure', his head only growing hotter and hotter with each thought.

But none of them seemed to live up to the pirate's look. There was a certain gleam in his eye that was both curious and teasing, just a small hint of his teeth poking out behind his parted lips that let the prince know that the pleasures he was currently thinking of were not what the pirate was referring to.

"Do ye touch yourself?" He asked, the slyest smile on his face like he already knew the answer. "How often do ye find yourself achin' wit' yer hand between yer legs at night?"

The prince felt his lungs deflate again, his chest pained with the heaviest of weight on it.

He opened his mouth to speak and try and answer the pirate that had his bottom lip pulled up between his teeth, but no words came forth to little surprise. The prince felt his stomach flutter- a feeling he was not used to- and it left him sitting frozen and trying to swallow the thought of what the man had just asked him.

It was so dirty- now that the young prince had finally picked up on what Hongjoong was asking him- he felt his cheeks burn to the point of boils and he could hardly see straight. But the heat that overtook his body was so addicting in the oddest of ways, the prince found himself not wanting to run away from the man or even put an end to the conversation. The tingles that ran up his spine with each word that spilled from the pirate's lips only made the prince want to lean forward and hear more of it.

It was hypnotizing, that much was clear, and the sultry look from the man sitting right in front of him was opening a new door to a world the prince had never known was open to him.

He was more than thankful that his answer was not needed vocally, the pirate could already tell that even the act of self-pleasure was not something the royal prince was used to. It appeared to make the pirate coo at him as he leaned forward to put one of his elbows on his thighs as he reached his other hand out to press his open palm against the prince's cheek.

It made him jump, his neck twitching when he felt the palm press again his cheek and nearly burn its mark there. Seonghwa found himself utterly confused when his body seemed to lean into the scalding touch, not wanting to part from it. It was like he had forgotten who the hand belonged to, completely ignoring that he wasn't supposed to be touched in that way by a person other than his bride to be.

The hand on his cheek was sturdy, a direct contrast to the prince's body that seemed to be having difficulty functioning. Seonghwa felt the pirate's thumb brush over his burning skin a few times, the feeling making him light-headed again.

"Do nah shy away from self-pleasure, young prince. It's important to know yer own body 'n what feels good to ye."

The prince could feel the vibration of the words through the hand on his cheek, further causing his body to shiver. He had to fight for each breath, only breathing through his mouth as he tried his best to gather himself and remember who he was. He was not to give in to the temptation of the flesh, no matter how warm and wonderful just a simple touch was or how powerful the words the man before him was speaking.

"I'm not supposed to," he breathed out, sucking in a deeper breath when the hand on his cheek slid down to cup his jaw and pull him forward. "It's wrong-"

"Says who?" the pirate asked softly, the expression on his face was pulled into a genuine question.

"The laws- the elders, the traditions, the teaching-" the prince tried to say, his heart hammering against his chest as the pirate leaned even closer, the air between them significantly warmer as the dragon inside him breathed out hot air.

"Says who ?" Hongjoong repeated again, his voice a complete whisper as he gave the prince a playful look before licking his lips again.

The young prince felt a thumb press against his bottom lip, the action so light but his mouth opened easily without a second thought as Hongjoong brought him closer with his grip tightening on Seonghwa's jaw.

Suddenly, the prince couldn't remember who had told him that it was wrong. He couldn't come up with a single reason as he stared into the pirate's eyes that he swore burned bright with golden flakes as they stared deeply into his own.

Locked in a tense trance, the prince held his breath as he watched the pirate's gaze shift ever so slightly down to where his thumb was pressed snuggly against his lip. It was a heavy few seconds as the pirate seemed to lose himself in the tense atmosphere he had created which was another sight that the prince wasn't mentally prepared for.

"I can nah lie 'n say the way ye shiver 'n burn bright red just wit' me touch doesn't do anythin' to me. Ye tremble like a sweet virgin who's touched fer the first time," the pirate continued to whisper as he pushed his blunt nail into the prince's lip, his gaze never faulting. " 'N that's exactly what ye be. It's even better to see ye melt so easily from somethin' so simple after cussin' me out like ye always do."

The prince fisted the fabric in his hands so tightly that they shook when the pirate's eyes flicked up to meet his gaze again.

He said nothing, not even daring to swallow the amount of saliva that had gathered in his mouth. The aura he felt protruding from the pirate was overwhelming enough, but the feeling of the man's hot skin burning into his own was almost too much for the prince to endure.

It seemed that Hongjoong was able to sense that, perhaps it was the way he could no longer feel the prince's breath or could tell that his eyes had become hazy and unfocused because he tapped his thumb a few times against Seonghwa's bottom lip before he was leaning back and giving some much needed space.

The prince hadn't even noticed that the pirate had slid off the table to get that close to him, and it wasn't until he hopped back up onto the wooden frame that the prince seemed to gather some brain function back along with his utter embarrassment. That feeling alone grew even worse when he realized that he wanted more- not even entirely sure what more meant or what more was to be given- the young prince just craved for more.

Seonghwa wasn't even given much time to dwell and self-deprecate over the fact that his body was craving that overpowering warmth and other feelings that made his body shiver and his eyes want to close shut. It seemed Hongjoong couldn't help but tease no matter what state the prince was in, and perhaps the man was just surprised that the prince was still remaining rather pliant than cursing the pirate out like he usually did. But once Hongjoong seemed to return to his normal self, he grabbed at the scroll and opened it over his lap, tracing along some of the lines the prince had previously made.

"I forgot to ask," he spoke, his voice making the prince shiver as his ears seemed to be oversensitive to sound at the moment. "Ye said all royal hands were taught to play an instrument. Which did ye choose?"

The prince couldn't decide if he was angry or relieved with the complete change in subject, still only slightly used to how the pirate would choose the absolute worst times to ask such things. But he figured in the long run it was for the best, and it was only mildly embarrassing that the prince had to try a few times to get his voice to work in order to give the pirate a decent answer.

"The harp."

-~-

It was almost comical how fast time was moving. It was even more comical how often the prince found himself thinking about each of the past seasons and how not only the kingdom and the people around him had changed, but also how he found himself in a more conscious state about his own changes. It was a steep slope he took every night when sleep was not easy to come by the closer he drew to some of the most important dates of his life.

The prince found that the only comfort offered to him was when he could stand out on the balcony and close his eyes. Even though spring brought weather that was warm and smooth against his skin, the young prince always felt like he was trapped in an eternal chamber of ice. Not even the sun's rays could melt his frozen limbs, it grew harder and harder each day when the meetings with the elders and his father grew longer and longer. The added presence of his brother watching his every move- just waiting for the split second he messed up or showed a lick of weakness was almost too daunting for the prince to handle.

It seemed everyone around him was moving at an abnormally fast pace, legs moving at twice the speed of his own and able to conquer each of their daily tasks before the sun struck the center of the sky. He was lethargic, arms and legs numb and heavy. It was easily noticeable, a few of the elders had commented on it when Seonghwa seemed to be struggling to come up with preparations for the annual spring ball their kingdom held every year, but luckily the King played it off with a wave of his hand and told the elders that the young prince was just nervous for the upcoming wedding and coronation- he blew it off as something normal.

And perhaps it was normal after all. Seonghwa wondered if his father felt the same way before he was crowned king. He had half the mind to ask after the meeting was over, but his father had disappeared along with his brother just as quickly as they came, not even a hint of the strong scent his father always carried around with him, practically bathed in the finest of herbs, lingered in the large room where the prince stood idle.

Even Lady Seojun had noticed, and the prince truly was thankful that she had practically been moved into the castle already because her presence was what kept him afloat. Her quiet yet graceful and powerful presence left its mark in each of the halls and was a constant reminder of her power. The young prince often found her staring out the windows, leaning against the bricks and basking in the sunlight, her skin sparkling like purified crystals when the sun poked out from behind the clouds just long enough to allow her eyes to flutter shut and enjoy the warmth.

She was an angel on earth.

More gorgeous than anything the prince could think of, her hands so soft yet sturdy when she would sew in the library when Seonghwa would work. They would never talk much, and perhaps that was the magic between them. The comfort he was able to find in her presence was what kept him from completely crumbling and cracking under all the pressure and responsibility.

Sometimes he would look up from the hundreds of papers in front of him, the quill dragging haphazardly across the page as he watched her sit in the chair across the room with her knees pulled to her chest as she took on yet another sewing project. During the right times during the day, the light from the windows would shine warm colors onto her body, and sometimes the prince would catch her moving her hand from side to side to catch the different colors from the stained glass above them.

There were times when she would catch him staring, more times than not zoned out as his mind was elsewhere in the world. He would smile to not make it awkward, not that it would've been too bad, but her own smile in return was too angelic for him to miss.

Each day was a constant reminder of what was coming, the rotation of the sun and moon hardly was able to calm his racing heart.

The spring ball was to be held a week before the Ceremony of the Golden Rose, and it was almost like the royal planners secretly had it out for the prince because four days after the ceremony, the wedding would take place followed by the coronation at the end of that week. It was happening too fast, Seonghwa found it too overwhelming. While yes the wedding and coronation used to be his biggest worries, it seemed the ceremony where he would choose one last person to run free into the night had flooded his mind.

Two weeks became one in a blink of the eye, preparations had never been busier. Truthfully, when the castle was decorated and finally filled with some sort of color for the balls was when Seonghwa felt like he could call the castle his home. The monotone gray and melancholy haze was pushed down underneath the structure for the night when the halls were filled with candles and drapes of different colors and decorations of every sort imaginable.

The throne room was used all the ballroom, transformed into a place only found in mythical dreams. The low yet powerful light of the hundreds of candles made the atmosphere seem hazy like a distant dream. When the night arrived on that destined day, the young prince knew his mind should have been sharp and excited as the royal balls were truly something he looked forward to, but as he stood in his room in front of the large mirror as some of the caretakers dressed his body with special and majestic robes, Seonghwa could only turn his head and look out where the moon was weeping with him.

There would be hundreds of people gathered already. They would be dancing and eating and laughing, all dressed in the most expensive robes with their fingers and ears dripping in gold and silver. The people that came would be from everywhere, all foreign lands along with those of high enough ranks from the towns of their own kingdom. Seonghwa enjoyed talking with them all- learning the different cultures and hearing their stories because that really was the only time he got a glimpse into the world beyond his horizons.

"Your highness," one of the servants whispered to the young prince before asking him to turn his head back straight. The prince only offered a soft hum, his reflection staring back at him with a face he hardly knew. "You look so sad."

"It is my last ball as a prince," Seonghwa answered, keeping his chin high as more jewels and decorative pieces were attached to his garments. "That is why."

The servant boy only smiled, smoothing down the fabrics and stepping back to allow the young prince to look at himself properly. It was daunting, the fiery red cloth that burned his eyes in a way only the sun could, was powerful. Seonghwa knew that it was him in the mirror, that he was the one standing in a dimly lit room in the quiet of night with the servant boy who he would call a dear friend- but he did not feel himself.

His eyes were dashed with red tones and sparkles, the rest of his face left bare. The red colors always made his face look more sculpted, but as he had grown into his body over the years, he no longer relied on the powerful colors to make his appearance seem intimidating.

"You will be king soon, your highness," the servant spoke from behind him. "Surely that is something to look forward to. That and your marriage to the Lady, the whole town was buzzing with joy when you announced your engagement to her."

When the prince only turned back to look at the moon and did not answer the boy behind him, the servant tilted his head before finishing the last tie of the prince's robe.

"You will make a wonderful king," he whispered, but his words echoed loudly in the prince's ears.

"Let us hope."

"Your highness, no need to sound so melancholy," the boy chuckled softly, once again stepping away from the prince. "Tonight is supposed to be a night of joy and looking forward to the future. Try and enjoy yourself alright? I have heard that Lady Seojun is turning many eyes this evening, perhaps it would be best to go and greet her?"

"My Lady is too beautiful for a corrupted world as this," Seonghwa sighed, taking one last glance in the mirror before stepping away and following the servent out of the safety of his room. "She shines pure light on a deceitful place, I only hope that the darkness does not distinguish her light."

And beautiful she was. There simply was nothing to compare the beauty that laid within her, both in mind and appearance, it was one of a kind that not even the prince who had been on many journeys through books and tales could claim to have known. She stood towards the front of the ballroom, waiting for him to approach her and ask for her hand in a dance around the middle of the room, spinning into the easy circles of the others who were lost in the trance of music and passion.

Lady Seojun stood tall but quiet, her gown clearly more expensive than most there. Silky blue that flowed way past her feet, dragging on the floor, with white lace decorating the edges of her sleeves. The necklace she wore decorated the bare parts of her chest, sapphires wrapped in gold to match with her earrings that were so large the prince feared that perhaps it was painful. Usually, she wore her hair down, since it was so long the prince figured it was probably more comfortable on her neck instead of tied back like the ladies of higher rank usually wore it- but tonight she stood there waiting for him with her dark hair braided and pinned at the base of her neck, some sorter pieces of hair framed her face that made it look even slimmer than it already was.

Her hand fit almost perfectly in his, still as soft as he remembered. Her feet and body moved in sync with his that spoke for the level of practice they both were subjected to growing up. The art of dance was always taken seriously, and it was clear to anyone in the room that watched the young prince dance with his bride to be that they made perfect partners when the instruments crescendoed into the night.

"You look wonderful tonight, your highness," she told him between a brief pause between songs. It was a genuine compliment, he knew she would not lie to him.

"As do you, my Lady. You grow more beautiful each day," the prince gave a soft smile before the music filled the large room and all the bodies once again danced in a perfect rhythm.

There were eyes on him, too many to count. Heavy and burning on his back, and no matter how many times he spun the woman in his arms or tried to disappear into the center of the floor where it should have been too crowded to spot him- the eyes never left the middle of his back. Seonghwa could hear the gossip, he could hear the distant conversations of the ladies off to the side and then those of the men who crowded around the vast tables of food.

They talked of his mother, the Queen. They wondered where she was and why she was not present at the dance- and even if they were bold enough to ask the prince of that very question, he would not have been able to answer for even he did not know. He wasn't allowed to see her, and as torturous as it was, the prince wondered if perhaps it was for the best that Seonghwa did not see the fruits of a forced and loveless marriage combined with the stress of a kingdom that was not wanted.

They even talked of his brother, who was sitting far off in the shadows- alone and nearly unwelcome. Seonghwa never remembered that corner of the room where his brother sat to be so dark, even with a primarily candle-lit ball. Perhaps it was the darkness of the feathers around him, he sat curled in his cloak that gave the appearance that he was a crow himself. His overall darkness seemed to exude into the atmosphere, the darkness under his eyes rivaled that of his hand that had been slicked back and grown out even longer than the young prince's own hair was.

There were a few times throughout the dance that Seonghwa had caught the eye of his brother, only a few suffocating seconds that left the prince shivering and wondering what the man had up his sleeve. He looked exhausted, slumped over in his seat as he observed the great halls and the hundreds of joyful souls that filled it.

Perhaps Seojun had noticed when Seonghwa's dancing had grown lazy with anticipation because she held tighter onto him and drew his face back to look at her with the touch of her fingers on his cheek.

"Do not worry about your brother," she whispered to him. "He is only upset that he is not in your shoes right now."

"He has changed since you last saw him, my Lady," the prince pressed his lips together, doing his best to push his mind elsewhere as he dipped her low with a hand pressed firmly against the small of her back.

"We all have changed since then," Seojun responded, a knowing expression on her face before she moved to slide her hand back to its place on the prince's shoulder.

The gossip never stopped, and as the night dragged on and on to the point where the prince grew too tired to dance any longer. He heard others around him critique him, discussing behind his back whether or not he was fit for the crown. From what he could tell, the people around him were split down the middle in their answers. Some thought that his gentleness would do the kingdom well and others thought that the lack of hatred and fire in his soul would be the downfall of the kingdom his father had worked so hard to build.

It drained him thoroughly, but he was mindful to keep a sharp gaze with his shoulders up and back so his father would not pubically scold him.

At some point throughout the night, as he sat down in a chair decorated specifically for him with Seojun on his left, his mind drifted far off to a place he tried to not think much of. Even the swarming people and loud music were not enough to wake him from his daydreams as he was brought back to a time when Hongjoong had told him what life was like on a ship in the middle of the sea.

The pirate had told him that they have celebrations of their own, usually after a winning fight or a successful raid. Barrels of ale would be rolled up on deck when the moon struck high in the sky as the captain's crew would eat and cheer to the sound of the music they made themselves. The pirate told him it was more silly, nothing like the formal dances the prince was used to, but it was the championship of those nights that led to a special bond. Arms locked at the elbows as they danced in circles with cups of alcohol in their hands, splashing all over the deck as they all grew drunk throughout the long night and even into the morning.

Hongjoong said that the best nights they had were the ones when no clouds were in the sky and the moon's light was bright enough to light up the entire sea so they could all sea for miles around them. They'd wake up in the morning, still intoxicated with their limbs locked with someone else's as the waves rocked them back and forth steadily.

They were free.

Free to do whatever they wanted without the guilt that would follow if the prince ever dared to do something for himself. They were free to wake up in the morning to the smell of heavy salt and fish and know that each day would bring a new adventure.

There was no denying it, but that was what the young prince wanted. When comparing his life and the party in front of him to the vague image he was able to piece together with the help of the pirate's words- he wanted to be able to wake up each morning to a different view and a new sense of hope.

Without even thinking or much conscious knowledge of what he was doing, the young prince slipped into the shadows to disappear into the night. He had already said what he needed to- he had greeted the guests and addressed the whole room as a whole to welcome them. He had danced and danced, announcing yet again that the woman dressed in blue with a ring so big and extravagant on her finger would be his wife in the upcoming week.

Seonghwa knew his presence was no longer required, the guests would drink themselves silly and probably wouldn't recognize the fact that he was gone regardless, so he slipped away.

Rushing down the long halls in the dead of night was not something he wasn't used to, though the heaviness of everything around him made it more difficult. Instead of thinking about the serious and heavy consequences that would follow from his impending actions, the young prince pushed all that behind him as his shoes hit the cobblestone of the courtyard where not a single guard seemed to remain at their station.

The night was still young. Decisions had yet to be made, and the possibilities that would follow would either lift a heavy weight from his shoulders or burn him to the very ground he walked.

It really did help that there were no guards out that night, and perhaps if the young prince hadn't been so focused on the word freedom, then perhaps he would have stopped to think about it. The easy answer would be that they were all at the party that the prince could still hear even outside of the thick brick walls, the cheers of joy- whether real or practiced- were not going to be drowned out so easily.

With his lips pressed together and his eyebrows pulled tight, the prince snuck through the heavy door that led down, down, down underground where he knew the pirate would get sitting up against the pillar he used to be whipped on, staring up at the moonlight that would shine through the little window at the top of the cell. Seonghwa's heart hammered against his chest with every twist and turn, all the steps memorized as he could navigate his body to that one specific cell with his eyes closed if he ever ended up blind.

If the door was already unlocked by the time the young prince pushed himself inside, he chose to ignore that fact because his heart was beating so fast as he felt like he was running out of time. It was a horrifying feeling truly, the one where he felt like the amount of times he could inhale were decreasing steadily with each intake of oxygen, the anxiousness he felt as he saw Hongjoong turn to look at him only grew a tighter grip around his throat.

The man was already standing, basking in the moonlight and in a state of contentment that had probably been rudely disrupted by the prince's rough entrance. Not that the prince really cared, he didn't feel remorse when their eyes locked together as the pirate regarded him with a confused expression and a tilt of his head.

"Yer highness."

Seonghwa pressed his lips tightly together as the pirate's head seemed to dip just a little, an action he thought he'd never seen in all his life.

"Captain."

The intent of why the young prince was standing in the dark and musty cell with a pirate, the Great Pirate King no less, instead of at the royal party was as clear as night to the both of them. Seonghwa expected to be teased, he had readied himself for the pirate's snarky remarks that should have already come. But Hongjoong stood quietly as he observed the prince in front of him who was slightly out of breath and look more mentally disheveled than physically.

Seonghwa knew that pirates were generally very intuned with nature, they had some sort of special connection with the energy all around them. The pirate in front of him was no different, his eyes looking over the majestic prince that seemed to no longer fret over dirtying the bottom of his robes and being able to see right through Seonghwa's intentions.

So when the young prince held the cell door open and stepped out of the way, no words said between them, the pirate followed. He was hesitant and cautious, ears and eyes focused all around them and their surroundings as the prince led him out of the dungeon. No questions were asked and the prince was thankful because he would not have a single answer to any of them if the pirate were to ask what he was doing.

Act, don't think.

He did not touch Hongjoong once, did not grab onto his loose shirt to direct him or keep the pirate from running away once the two of them had snuck out in the night. But even then, the pirate did not try to run away, he did not stray from the prince's side as he led them through the courtyard and out the castle gate's back door that led out to where the cliffs were. The prince knew the pirate had hundreds of questions, and if he was honest he too had questions lining up in his own mind. They were drowned out pretty quickly by the feeling of his anxiousness, that harsh feeling that told him he was running out of time.

With little care for the garments the prince wore, he lead the two of them down a narrow trail in the deep grass that passed by the pond he visited quite often with Lady Seojun. There was one place he wanted to go, a place he hadn't been able to touch for so long. It was a place he would dream about at night, a place he would imagine was something else when darkness covered the land and allowed for growth of the imagination.

It was the big tree that stood tall and alone in the middle of the meadow. The same tree he imagined was a dark cloud that kissed the earth, so dark and full of pain. It was isolated from everywhere else, a decent distance from the castle, closer to the cliffs that lead down to the freezing sea. It was a magical place, lit up in the rays cast down from the moon and the fireflies that always flew around this time of year. The frogs and crickets were loud that night, along with any other critter that took refugee in the tree and tall grass around it.

From a distance the tree was large, but nothing compared to the sheer size of it when the two of them arrived at the base of the trunk. The prince reached out to press his palm against the rough bark, dipping his head down as he relished the feeling. He allowed the pirate to look around knowing that Hongjoong hadn't seen the outside world for nearly a year now and was probably fascinated by everything he saw. That much was evident as the pirate immediately started touching everything, getting his hands on all that wouldn't hurt him in any way.

The sight of it was more endearing than the prince would ever admit, seeing the bright smile on the pirate's face as he caught a firefly in the palm of his hand before letting it go and trying to catch another.

"How long?" The pirate asked him after a while, turning back to see the prince leaning against the large tree as he watched Hongjoong twist his fingers in the waist-length grass.

The prince didn't need him to clarify what the man actually meant.

"Seven days," he answered quietly, his voice scratchier than he wanted it to be. "A week from now the ceremony will commence."

"Aye," the pirate nodded his head, looking up at the moon for a brief moment. "I suppose by the look in yer face ye've decided that I will nah be the recipient of yer golden rose."

The prince was silent for a long time, a rather pained expression coming across his face when he could hardly find the words to answer the pirate.

"I understand," Hongjoong continued, a small sigh escaping his lips. "If I was anyone else, the decision would've been easier to make. It's me title that already put me at a disadvantage."

The prince felt his chest constrict painfully, the heavy pressure once again back and more vicious.

"Giving you the rose was never an option," he whispered, heavy guilt burning his throat as he did his best to return the pirate's gaze. "My father would never allow it, even though it is my choice to decide who gets the rose. At the end of the day, it never is my decision."

"There's naught I can do?"

The young prince shook his head stiffly.

"I will be sentenced to me end in seven days?"

This time instead, the prince nodded.

"So," the man spoke out, the expression on his face too hard for the prince to read. He walked closer to the tree, sitting down on a large uprooted root that worked as a wonderful seat. "Ye've taken me to see the world one last time."

"Don't say it like that."

At the tone of his voice, Hongjoong chuckled with a shake of his head. The pirate was a lot calmer than Seonghwa expected him to be and he couldn't tell if that made him feel worse or better about the subject.

"Well it be true," the pirate raised his eyebrow, and then grew silent before lowering the volume of his voice. "Ye've grown soft, wee prince."

"What-?" Seonghwa choked out.

"The prince I knew a year ago- the one that would've torn me head clean from me shoulders if he could've- wouldn't 'ave thought to do somethin' like this."

"You don't know what I am doing, pirate," the prince pushed away from the tree, moving to stand in the moonlight instead of the darkness. "Do not mistake my guilt for kindness."

The pirate raised his eyebrow again, a mysterious look in his eye that said he did not believe the words coming out of the prince's mouth. It was almost infuriating how well the pirate could read him, his people skills were too good to be true, which was a valiant quality for a captain. But there were times like these that he wished the pirate in front of him would look at him and see nothing but a wall instead of seeing right through him as if his body was not there.

"I know what ye're doin', I know why ye brought me here in the dead of night while everyone be busy drinkin' 'n dancin' in yer great halls," Hongjoong challenged, leaning forward over his knees. "Here we be invisible, no one can see us. I know what yer intentions are. Ye be nah the evil 'n unjust man ye force into yer head."

The prince felt all air leave his lungs. He squinted his eyes as a dangerous feeling crept up his spine. "I haven't made my decision yet, I wouldn't pin me as your savior so early."

The man in front of him looked at him for a long time, long enough for the crickets to start chirping again as the silence dragged on. It was a horrible few minutes, ones that dragged on for centuries as the prince found himself at war with himself inside his own head. He was constantly used to making himself seem like the bad guy- that he was the enemy in the story. He was so used to it that he believed it himself, the words he spoke were nothing more than rehearsed lines that he believed were the truth. But even if they were the truth, the prince found himself begging the man in front of him internally to not believe the poisoned words that spilled from his mouth.

Hongjoong tilted his head to the other side, the beads in his hair clinking together as he smiled.

"Aye, ye 'ave."

There was a moment when the world seemed to stop. All the sounds around them blurred to a deep tone and the lights dimmed. The young prince swallowed once as all his previous thoughts from before came back to him like a slap to his cheek. There was a decision before him, a heavy one at that. Had he truly realized his real intentions when he dragged a captive pirate out into the night with no restraints or guards- then maybe he wouldn't have found it so difficult to breathe.

"Tell me," the prince started, his throat so dry that it hurt to even speak. He sounded desperate, which in all honestly he was, he just needed to hear a very certain thing. "I need you to tell me one thing."

"What be it? I'll tell ye anythin'," the pirate answered immediately, his body and attention drawn in even more.

The prince didn't hesitate.

"When you came here, you told me you were looking for something your heart desired," he started, once again trying to swallow. "It was off somewhere where nothing lies there to this day. You risked your life coming to this kingdom just to see something that no longer exists... why?"

"Memories, dearie," Hongjoong answered, his expression turning soft. "Never underestimate the power of memories. Memories can be a person, perhaps even a place, regardless if it still stands tall. Ye know nah everyone wants to remember who they once used to be or the fate of their lives had they nah followed their heart. I 'ave never been that person that wanted to remember- but somethin' in me heart told me that I needed to."

"So it's true," the prince whispered, a statement but a silent question. The heavy realization that hit him about what Hongjoong was talking about was stronger than he was physically prepared for. "It's true then."

The pirate only smiled but did not further answer. Instead, he reached down to the waistband of his trousers to move some fabric around that most likely belonged to his shirt before he pulled out what looked like a small flute. It was half the size of the flute Seojun played, in fact even less than half the longer Seonghwa stared at it. The prince felt his legs go numb as he slowly sank down to sit on the ground, his eyes widening in both shock and surprise.

The pirate only regarded him with a quick glance before bringing the small instrument to his lips, sucking in a breath to blow through the flute.

His fingers moved skillfully- a song the prince did not know- but the hard rush of deja vu was something he was used to. He sat paralyzed, listening to the pirate play the flute as the world around the two of them became distant yet alive. It was like they were the only ones in the world, surrounded by fireflies and crickets as the moon wished them only good thoughts and prays as the goddess herself passed over the night sky.

The young prince listened, hypnotized and nearly scared. The sound that filled his ears was too familiar for him to bear and the meaning behind the familiarity only scared him. His heart pounded to the beat of the flute, its rhythm matching that of each note played. The flute player watched the prince carefully, knowing eyes gazing at him like he knew something that Seonghwa did not.

It wasn't fair. None of it was. It seemed as if the world only wished for him to crumble and burn- it wanted him to give in and push against everything he knew to be true.

The song was quick, but it left Seonghwa's mind swirling as Hongjoong's hands dropped back into his lap, the small flute disappearing yet again. For a long time, neither of them spoke. The quiet was deafening and Seonghwa's heart no longer had something to follow so it became rushed once more.

"Where will you go?" The prince asked, voice hoarse and unsteady. Even his fingers trembled where he had fistfuls of dirt between his fingers because the earth seemed to be the only thing that grounded him. There was too much that just happened- too much that was just revealed without the direct words spoken. "If I let you free into the night, where will you go?"

The pirate only looked up, closing his eyes briefly as the breeze blew his hair around just a little before he looked back down at the prince who looked like he saw a ghost.

"Tell me-" the young prince pushed out desperately. "If I allow you to run free into the night to never look back and forget any of this ever happened... where will you go? Tell me of the adventures you will seek out."

Hongjoong sucked in a deep breath and ran his fingers over the grooves in the tree root he sat on. Their gaze locked sharply, the pirate's expression turning to one of hope and greed for the future- a look the prince knew that meant he was about to hear something wonderful.

"If ye were to let me free tonight," he started, an adventurous look on his face as he leaned forward again. "I would return to me ship 'n set out on an adventure no pirate has ever dared before. I would take to all the seas 'n follow a map I found buried in a dragon's layer. They say the greatest treasure continues to live out there- the prettiest gold 'n jewels a man could ever lay his eyes on."

The prince felt a strong sense of desire fill him, a rush of adrenaline filled his veins as he imagined it with his own eyes. Valient and strong, a rough and life-taking adventure waiting out there, waiting for a daring person who longed for a challenge and to see the world to attempt it.

"That adventure would claim me life most likely, 'n anyone else who dares to join me. They say in order to find that desired treasure ye must pluck a scale from a siren, take what an ogre most desires, breathe fire wit' a dragon on the top of a snow covered mountain to obtain a special ore, 'n sacrifice what ye hold dearest in yer heart," the pirate gave a soft smirk, a bold and proud one that made the prince fall breathless. "That be what I plan to do. I plan to live a pirate's life 'n live it to the fullest so I never come to fear death or sit solitary 'n wonder what I could 'ave done better with me life."

"You will not waste your life..." the prince breathed out rather breathlessly.

"Aye, wastin' one's life be never an option once ye step on the deck of me ship."

Seonghwa sucked in a deep breath, his heart skipping a beat as he sat on the cold and hard ground, watching the way the fireflies seemed to be drawn to the pirate who sat tall and proud. It was a sight that the prince would never be able to shake, he would see it every time he closed his eyes and begged for sleep to take him.

The prince claimed he had a choice to make. That was the only piece of sanity that was clawing at his ankles to keep him floating away into the clouds and burning in the sun. He wanted to know if the man in front of him, the one who was the personification of freedom and adventure, would keep true to his nature and not waste away his life. The prince wanted to know if Hongjoong still wished to sail the seas and see the few pieces of earth he hadn't already.

Seonghwa wondered if the pirate was like him and wished to live for centuries more and feel the sun warm his frosted nose early in the morning with a promise of something new.

Deep down he already knew the answer to all of that, it was clear to see that there was nothing that could distinguish that innate desire for a breath of fresh air in the pirate.

The young prince had already made that decision long ago. From the moment he had met the Great Pirate King- he already knew.

"Come wit' me."

The prince's eyes shot up to once again look at the pirate who had nearly whispered those few words, yet had said them so surely.

"What?"

The look on Hongjoong's face was strange, almost like a new look the prince hadn't seen before. Hopeful, wishful, wanting... it was a lot to look at. So much that the prince wasn't sure he had heard the man correctly.

"Come wit' me," he repeated, eyes tense and stern, lips pressed together in a way that seemed to give away the fact that perhaps the pirate was nervous. "Ye can run away, leave this life behind, 'n live yer life the way ye were always destined to."

The prince swore the wind picked up at that moment and the moon seemed to shine brighter, a small flicker of sparkle and light.

"You know I," Seonghwa said, still rather shell shocked about everything that was happening, but felt his chest opening and pouring out everything that had been building steadily for years. "I stood idle in the great hall, staring off at the flickering candle lights, wondering how I would feel twenty years down the future knowing that I would be the reason for your death. It was like time slowed down as I watched everyone dance around me without a clue of how cruel the world around them was. I couldn't stop imagining the feeling I would have, the guilt that would never go away because I just..."

As his voice died down slowly, Hongjoong stood slowly, careful steps forward as the ground crunched under his weight. He settled down, squatted in front of the prince who could hardly breathe and the words would not stop spilling from his loose tongue.

"Usually I don't dwell too much on it, especially in the past years. But I can't shake this feeling and I know it's because I see myself in you to some degree. If I can't leave this life behind- then at least one of us should get to go free and live," the prince continued, forcing himself to keep eye contact with the man in front of him. "I can't shake this sense of duty I have, to both myself and this kingdom. I can't leave my mother, I have to know she's okay... and then there is my Lady. I have made promises, ones that I can't break. I'm in too deep, Hongjoong."

It was silent between them. The prince held his breath, peeling his gaze away from the pirate when he could not bear it anymore. Hongjoong didn't seem angry or didn't seem anything for that matter. He remained still and silent, his eyes no doubt still looking at the prince like he was trying to understand what was going through Seonghwa's mind and what was holding him back.

But then he was speaking again, his words soft but had a slight edge to them. A hand slipped under the prince's jaw, the touch still so burning hot as the pirate forced Seonghwa to turn and look up at him.

"I understand the sense of duty better than anyone," Hongjoong pressed his lips together, his eyes displaying the only small scrap of emotion on his face. "I wish I could 'ave took ye wit' me this time."

Then the touch was gone, the harsh moment of reality when the prince's body tried to follow the warmth but he could not find it. The pirate stood after that, looking out over where the meadow stopped and the cliffs dropped off. He sucked in a deep breath, looking far off to a place Seonghwa wished he could see.

"At least," he choked out, feeling a need to ease the tension between them. "Once you're gone, the kingdom will no longer be in danger of a pirate attack. Once you are free and reigning terror over the Seven Seas once more, everyone will know that the Great Pirate King is to live on to see the next sunrise and many thereafter."

It was a gentle comment, one that maybe his old self would have said out of spite and anger- as an insult. But now it was different, it was lighthearted and sincere. The pirate looked down at the prince with a raise of his eyebrow and a small quirk to his lip.

"I 'ave told yer highness many times that yer kingdom was never in danger of such an attack," he said.

"So you've said," the young prince stood as well, dusting the dirt and grass off of his red robes and stood next to the pirate who turned to look back at the sea. "I don't understand why no one would come for you."

The pirate let out a rather dry chuckle, his jaw tightening visibly.

"The title given to me, the Great Pirate King..." he started, voice deeper than it was previously. "...was naught more than a joke. The title was never supposed to be somethin' great, the crew I held command over first had saw me as naught more than a joke 'n bestowed the title ye often call me."

The young prince went to open his mouth to ask for an explanation, but the pirate beat him to it, clearly determined to finish what he wanted to say.

"Me mother," Hongjoong turned to look at the prince. "She was the Pirate King. Rightfully given to her, the title was somethin' she earned. The greatest pirate there was 'n ever will be. She taught me everythin' I knew, led all her men into victorious battles 'n hunted down the riskiest of treasures. Me mother was a force to be reckoned wit', her mighty presence caused men to crumble to their knees. She didn't shy away from a fight, even if the odds looked fearful. She was proud, confident, 'n earned the trust 'n loyalty of all her crew. But even wit' all her power, she was still human. A sword can still skewer her skin 'n claim her life- a gunshot wound would still make her blood spill over the mighty deck of her ship. As her only offsprin', everythin' was passed onto me, even if I wasn't ready fer the responsibility."

"Her men didn't see you fit to be their captain..." the young prince took a guess, though he could tell with the way Hongjoong's shoulders dropped that he had hit the nail on the head.

"I could never live up to her name. Nah that I would ever try, her 'n I are mighty different. She went lookin' fer fights, lookin' fer bloodshed wit' any man that dared to cross her. I simply wanted to sail the seas 'n find the missin' wonders of the world. Her crew held her ideals, they saw only weakness in me 'n gave me the title of the Great Pirate Captain to mock me."

The prince felt his stomach twist.

"So don't worry wee prince, yer kingdom be safe," the pirate offered a soft wink and a slight nudge of his shoulder into the prince's body. "Even if ye had decided to kill me after all."

The pirate took a few steps back, pressing his back against the trunk of the tree and sliding down slowly until he sat on the ground with his knees bent. The young prince frowned a little but moved to sit down next to the pirate regardless. They weren't touching, but it was close enough that the prince could feel the itch on his skin.

"It would have been an honor to kill you," the prince muttered, leaning his head back against the bark and closing his eyes with a scrunch of his nose. "You're one lucky pirate. It's best you take advantage of this moment of weakness in my heart before I change my mind. I've been looking forward to your death date since the day I first laid my eyes on you."

Hongjoong only chuckled again, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I would 'ave escaped. No dungeon gates can hold the Great Pirate King. I decided a long time ago that I would choose to live up to the name, reclaim it, 'n make it mine."

"Always cocky. I can never take you seriously knowing you have a soft side."

"If ye spent a day on me ship ye would be scared fer yer life princelin'. I am nah the nice man ye reckon I am. Ye could ask the crew I handpicked meself after I went solo - the one that I shed me blood, sweat, 'n tears fer. I would give me life fer 'em, but I also demand their respect."

"Well, where is this crew you speak so highly of? I do not see them, how do I even know they are real? Perhaps the sea had rocked you silly and you are imagining a loyal crew."

The prince finally opened his eyes, turning to look at the pirate who was not looking at him. Instead, the pirate raised his arm and pointed out to the shimmering water at the faraway horizon.

"Somewhere out there," was all he said, his voice sure of the fact even though there was nothing in the water for as far as they could see.

The prince vaguely remembered the pirate telling him long ago that he no longer had a crew, but had never bothered to clarify beyond that. It could mean hundreds of things- could mean that Hongjoong truly sailed alone on his mighty ship and was thinking of his future crew. Or it meant that the pirate had lost the crew he held dear to his heart long ago to the sea and was just remembering their souls and pointing to where they laid at rest on the bottom of the seafloor.

It was an incredibly unsettling thought. To someone like Seonghwa who had not lost a lot of people, besides his friends when he was young, the thought of that last possibility made his stomach twist into a hard knot. But it seemed the pirate was used to it, with battle after battle, he was sure to lose many of his crew and friends to the sword or the tip of a gun.

With a cautious look to the pirate next to him, the young prince wondered how the pirate captain dealt with all that death as the leader of them all.

"Come here," the pirate spoke, breaking the young prince from his spiraling thoughts.

Seonghwa blinked at him a few times with a scrunch of his nose. "Why?"

Hongjoong did not repeat his words, but instead opened his legs and patted the ground in between his thighs. "I wish to show ye somethin'. Ye can think of it as a partin' gift."

That only made the young prince more hesitant, making him wonder if this was finally the time where the pirate decided to take his life when he was least expecting it. That didn't stop his body from moving on autopilot, his feet digging into the dirt to help push himself off the ground and settling into the space between the pirate's thighs. The prince felt his body come to life, his heart slamming against his chest when he felt warm hands at his waist pulling his body backward so his back was pressed firmly against the pirate's chest.

The hands did not fall away, nor did they wander from where they were steadily holding the prince as if to give him an anchor.

"Ye once told me long ago that ye desired to be able to find all the constellation in the stars that lay in yer area of sight," the pirate said softly, his voice warm at the prince's ear. It sent a shivering feeling down his back, the tingle he felt after was more of a full-body shock that had him biting at his lip.

"I do recall mentioning something like that."

"The constellation Lynx ye claimed was the one ye could never find. 'Tis one of the hardest there are to spot, 'n even wit' a trained eye it can be impossible to find."

One of the hands on Seonghwa's waist lifted and pointed right over his shoulder, gesturing to a location somewhere in the dark night sky that was filled with many stars.

"Look closely, dearie. Sometimes closin' an eye will help ye spot it," the prince could feel the pirate's lips nearly press into his ear, a whisper so husky that it made him shiver physically that time. "Follow me finger, let yer body relax."

"You're breathing into my ear," the young prince choked out, feeling the pirate lean forward to once again keep their bodies flush together.

"Do ye nah like it?"

Seonghwa felt the hand on his waist tighten, the feeling delicious and new all at once. The problem wasn't that the prince didn't like the warm and tingling feeling of the pirate against him, it was actually quite the opposite.

"Why must you ask such things when you already know the answer?" He whispered back, his eyes fluttering shut when he felt the man behind him nosing along the exposed part on the back of his neck.

" 'Cause I do nah wish to do anythin' ye do nah like. I may be a pirate but I am an honest one."

The breath on the back of his neck was scalding hot and the prince would not be surprised if he woke up to boiled skin. His lips parted open along with his eyes, the fluttering of his heart picked up at the man's words. It seemed the moon above them aided the journey, lighting up the pirate's hands where he held the shaking prince nearly in his lap.

When the young prince did not respond, his attention taken by the feeling of the warm body behind him, the pirate was speaking up again, hooking his chin over the prince's shoulder to speak more directly to him.

"If yer highness so wishes, I can offer ye another gift."

The prince could already guess what the pirate was speaking of, but he felt the words tumble past his lips before he could stop them.

"What gift is that?" He asked breathlessly.

The pirate paused for a moment, his eyes looking over the prince's face before running his tongue over his bottom lip. He took the hand that was snug on Seonghwa's waist and moved it to press against the middle of the prince's chest.

"I can show ye stars that are prettier than the ones in the sky."

The pointy nose that pressed into the skin on the prince's neck made him gasp audibly, a sound he wasn't used to making, and he felt his cheeks burn as red as the sun. The intention was clear, the prince could feel his body shiver with both nervousness and shame. What he once never dared to do or even consider was right in the palm of his hand- tempting him and warming his body in all the ways he had desired before.

It brought him back briefly to the time when he laid in his bed, the night after the pirate had asked him such intimate questions. The words the man spoke stuck with him, making him question what was real and what wasn't - what was truly wrong and what was just told to him in order to suppress him. He had never questioned the traditions until the pirate had touched him, he never thought that perhaps the act such as self-pleasure could in fact be something he too desired and wished to experience.

All those thoughts made him ache, the pain between his legs was hot and impossible to ignore. It was unfair, the guilt and all the questioning of right versus wrong were tormenting him. But the sweet feeling of relief he found when he pressed himself down into the mattress of his bed was enough to have his body sweating and shivering in delight.

How could something be so wrong if it felt so good?

It was a sin of the flesh, after all, that was what his teacher had told him. And perhaps it really was a sin because it seemed the ache would never leave. It only grew stronger and stronger, the sensitivity grew to be too much to continue to press himself against the mattress and it felt him nearly in terms with his body trembling. It was overpowering and overwhelming- the prince knew that he had to do something to relieve himself, but he couldn't quite figure it out. It was beyond frustrating, and if he shed a few tears as he rolled over onto his back begging anything in the universe to relieve him- he chose to pretend it never happened by the time morning shined through his windows and guilt filled his stomach.

The feeling of teeth biting gently at his shoulder was enough to bring him back, another silent gasp leaking through his lips. The pirate brought his mouth up to his ear again, whispering his words so delicately like he would tell it made the prince's mind spin and twirl.

"Give me the word 'n I will leave," he said almost as if it was a dare. That alone made the prince more levelheaded, a challenge being a good way to help him see clearly and process what he truly wanted.

Not that he needed to think much, the possibility of this happening between the two of them had been something he could not stop thinking about and it drove him crazy one too many nights.

"Don't leave," he breathed out, closing his eyes and letting a deep breath out through his nose when the man behind him pressed his lips to the shell of his ear, the hint of a smirk very evident.

There were teeth at his ear again, pulling and tugging and it made the prince hold his breath when the pirate squeezed his thighs around his hips tightly.

Once permission had been given, it was like the time slowed down again between them. The light from the moon dimmed and all the sounds mellowed out beside the sound of his own heavy breathing and the man's voice behind him.

The utter nervousness the prince felt made his body tense, muscles ridged when the pirate ran his hands up and down his chest, pressing kisses to the side of his neck. But once he realized that it was more of a dance, the prince felt his body melt and lean back into the pirate and let him play with his body in any way he desired.

The crickets grew to be too loud when Hongjoong's hands found the knots in the prince's robes, untying them with careful fingers to slowly reveal the prince's bare skin. It was agonizing in every way that it was wonderful, the pirate's hands were so rough with calluses from hard days of work, but still so thoughtful as they glided over the prince's bared body to get him used to what touch felt like.

"These robes make ye look like a king, yer beauty remains unmatched. The moon goddess would be jealous of ye. Yer bare skin sparkles in her light, in all me travels I 'ave never seen a creature so pure," Hongjoong spoke to him, pressing his fingers into Seonghwa's stomach and making his back arch into the touch. "I can tell jus' from the way yer body reacts to me that ye dunno how to properly touch yourself."

If the young prince's head hadn't been as foggy as it was from just the pirate caressing him with lover-like hands, then he would have spat back a remark to help his ego not crumble to pure dust. But the pirate pressed his fingers into the prince's bare thighs, squeezing at the muscle there until the prince could hardly breathe and his body grew so desperate for something but he didn't know what it was that his body needed.

"Let me show ye how to touch yourself when ye be alone at night."

The prince didn't hesitate to nod his head, some sort of vocal agreement passing his lips and his head tipped back to rest against Hongjoong's shoulders when both of the pirate's arms moved down his body to where the prince was aching most. The pirate had been kind enough to keep some of the prince's robes covering his hips and legs, not fully exposing his nakedness to the world around them. The amount of layers the prince was wearing had been daunting at first, and with how much he was already sweating with the pirate's hand wrapping around his body and holding him just right, the prince was glad the clothing had been pulled off and away.

He had never been seen naked before, besides the servants that helped him bathe and dress from time to time. But those situations had never been tense like this. They never looked at his body with dark eyes and wet lips, their hands never lingered and they certainly never pulled the soft gasps and other timid noises from the prince's mouth like the pirate was.

The hand was warm around him, wrapped around his cock that was throbbing in a way that made him want to thrash around the second the pirate gave him a soft squeeze.

"Relax 'n breathe," came another whisper, the pirate nipping at the prince's jaw once he began to properly move his hand around the prince.

The young prince wanted to curse at the pirate for even suggesting a thing, especially when his body was burning and melting, unable to stay still with the way the man behind him was stimulating his body so perfectly.

With a hand pressed firmly against the prince's stomach and the hand under the robe moving rhythmically, the pirate kept whispering to him, little words and phrases that only made the prince burn more and more. It was hard to breathe, even the coolness of the night did not aid in cooling the heavy waves coming from the two of them.

They stayed like that, under the tree with the fireflies and crickets, listening to the waves crash into the nearby cliffs with the understanding that this would be the last time they saw each other. It was intense and intimate in the weirdest of ways. The embarrassment and shyness the prince felt at the beginning leaked away when the pirate played his body just right and maybe his word spin with so many questions. The pleasure was blinding, the sounds that came from it were enough to have him try and squeeze his thighs together but the pirate kept pulling them apart each time it happened.

"Do ye trust me?" Hongjoong asked at some point, his hand wet and probably sore as it slowed down with another gentle squeeze that had the prince jolting and the back of his hand slapping over his mouth before he could make another sound.

With both of his hands smoothing down the prince's thighs, Seonghwa nodded, forcing out a hoarse 'yes' and looking down his body and seeing the way his bare chest was heaving and seeing the pirate's hand below the robe that covered his most intimate area from both of their eyes. It was a lot to take in, but it only made heat burn inside him, another set of tingles ravishing his body, no doubt twitching in the pirate's hand.

The pirate's hands then hooked under his thighs and pulled them upward, bending him in half and making the poor prince tremble once more.

"Look at ye, givin' yer body to me," Hongjoong's voice was burning where he nosed at his shoulder, watching the prince lose himself once more to the familiar pleasure when he traveled his fingers down, down, down. "So full of surprises dearie."

It was a feeling the prince had never felt before, or even considered before. The pirate's fingers were wet and curious, touching him in places that made him want to crawl away and hide from. If it wasn't for the fact that it felt so good, the fullness he never expected to feel when Hongjoong pushed his fingers past the ring of muscle between his asscheeks, creating a new rhythm that was much like the one he held when he had the prince's hardened and leaking cock in his hand.

Similiar yet so different, the movement and drag were too addictive. The burn was nearly scary, a feeling so foreign that at first he wasn't sure he liked it... but with time and allowing his body to relax as the pirate played with his chest in adoration, the prince found himself rocking his hips with the movement, surprising them both.

"Ye open up so beautifully," Hongjoong told him, voice deep and scratchy, clearly affected by the sight and feeling. That alone made the prince breathe even harder, pressing his chest up into the pirate's hands just wanting to feel him even more.

At some point that night, the fullness inside of the prince became even more. It was overwhelming, the feeling of being thoroughly stretched out in a way he didn't even know was possible. It hurt, terribly so, which the pirate had warned him as Hongjoong was pushing his trousers down his own thighs before pulling the prince back to sit on him. He wasn't lying, and the soothing circles the pirate was rubbing into the prince's hips and the kisses he was pressing to his neck and shoulders helped more than they should've.

It was a lot, but the prince desired it. He craved the fullness that Hongjoong gave him, each movement pushing out involuntary noises from the prince's mouth, his eyes squeezed shut as he tried to breathe to keep himself conscious. The pleasure was hypnotic, there seemed to be a common rhythm with all the movements the pirate taught him that night- and it was one the prince found himself addicted to.

When the pain melted more into an aching pleasure, the prince swore all the gods on the earth had forsaken him. He wondered if he was truly conscious for a great deal of time after the pirate started pushing into his body and then pulling out in an agonizing way. With one hand pressed firmly to the prince's stomach with the other still hooked under Seonghwa's thigh that was pressed nearly to his chest, the pirate rocked their bodies together in a way that truly did make the prince see beautiful and sparkling stars above them as all he could physically do was melt into the pirate's strong frame and stare up at the night sky as the moon laid witness to the act that was happening right below.

"Ye're close," the prince distantly heard the pirate say, the words almost confusing but with a little more brainpower Seonghwa was able to piece together what it meant. He could feel that deep ache in his abdomen, the sensitivity in his body heightened as it grew stronger and stronger to the point where the prince could not keep quiet. He grabbed onto Hongjoong's arms, digging his fingers into his skin as he tried to fight the feeling. He wasn't sure what it was, but all he knew was that he usually stopped his movements when he was alone because the feeling scared him.

"Hongjoong, I-"

"Shh, dearie, ye're okay," the pirate grunted in his ear, the hips pressed together and the knowledge of their nakedness and the fact that they were connected together was sensory overload for the prince. "Ye're just going to cum. Relax yer body, it knows wha' to do. Don't fight it, let yourself go."

It was most likely the pirate's last words and the deep grunts in his ears with the hot puffs of air against his sensitive neck that tipped the prince over the edge, his body spasming in a way he found himself not being able to control. Seonghwa did his best to relax and let his body do what it needed to, but the intense pleasure nearly hurt as he clenched probably painful tight around Hongjoong if the pained groan was anything to go by.

But during those long and intense seconds where his body grew tense and his throat grew raw from his tireless moans as tears leaked from his eyes- Seonghwa had never seen the stars so bright above him. He had never seen so many either- all different colors in the night sky- shining so bright it was blinding. Maybe a new world had been opened up to him, one that left him heaving and worrying that he would never be able to catch his breath with sweat dripping down every inch of his body.

He felt the pirate move behind him, carefully moving the prince so he wouldn't hurt him. It ached, but when the prince was left empty and dripping, he found that he didn't mind the steady but pleasing ache between his legs that was much different than the burning ache before. This one was relieving, his arms and legs felt completely numb like they didn't even exist as part of his body as he laid against the pirate's chest. He could hear Hongjoong's heart beating like crazy, matching his own that seemed to beat in perfect rhythm.

"Ye be no longer pure," the pirate spoke softly after awhile. He had already dressed himself and cleaned up the prince whose body had become completely useless, using the expensive red robes to wipe off the sweat and cum from both of their bodies. Seonghwa still laid mostly naked, the cloth still covering his hips as he laid on his side with his cheek pressed into Hongjoong's chest. "Yer virginity be gone."

The young prince had been nearly asleep when the pirate decided he wanted to talk, so he grumbled and dug his fingers into Hongjoong's side in retaliation.

"Felt good, I do not regret my actions and will accept the consequences if they come to me," he answered, words mostly slurred together.

"I am more than happy that ye do nah regret it."

With his eyes still closed, the prince nodded his head and spoke softly. "It was more freeing than I imagined to rebel. I don't think I have ever felt this alive, finally doing something I wanted without the guilt that follows. My body feels light and free, if I would have known this is what rebellion feels like then I would have done it long ago."

There came a lighthearted chuckle, the soft rumble in the pirate's chest was more soothing than it needed to be.

"Spoken like a true pirate."

And just like that, the young prince fell deep asleep right there in the arms of a dangerous and wanted criminal. It was nearly funny to him when he thought about it, how quickly everything had changed and how fast the prince had gone from hating the pirate with his entire being to wishing to be like him. It drove him absolutely mad, and more a few moments he thought he truly had gone crazy over what had just happened and the thoughts pouring through his mind.

But once Seonghwa felt a warm hand in his hair, all of that was gone. All that was left, was a gentle breeze on his face as he was transported to a distant place where he rested on a deck with the waves rocking him back and forth. He wasn't soaking wet this time in his dream, but the sun was warm and it didn't burn him like it usually did. When he heard the familiar song of the flute start, the prince didn't even open his eyes to attempt to find the mysterious flute player that haunted him for years.

He had already found him.

And when he had woken up in the morning, he had expected Hongjoong to be long gone, already starting on his new and grand adventure that would claim his life but also fulfill it. He had also expected the sun to be high in the sky when he finally woke- but neither of those things were true.

He had been startled awake.

The sun wasn't up but it was close, the pinkish and purple hues along the horizons were proof enough of that. And when Seonghwa sat up, from the ground, wincing a little as he rolled out his neck and tried to shake the sleepiness from his eyes to make sense of what was happening, he caught sight of Hongjoong standing next to him.

It threw the young prince off by how spooked the pirate looked, his eyes wide as he looked back up the hill where the castle sat proud.

"Hongjoong? Why are you still here?"

The pirate did not budge, and it was only when the prince stood from the ground as well, thankfully dressed in a decent amount of clothing, that a sense of something horrible started building inside him as he approached the spooked pirate.

He felt his fingers tremble along with his legs as he ignored the unpleasant ache in his lower back and body as soon as the loud ringing of the heavy bells at the top of the castle filled his ears. The young prince froze in his steps, his eyes widening when it all seemed to process. The loud bells were accompanied by screaming and shouting, loud sounds bouncing off the walls and well into the town. It was like a chorus of fear, something out of the pits of Hell as the smell of smoke reached his nose.

Fear was immobilizing, that much was evident as he realized the castle and the town were on fire- hundred of people screaming as the darkness around them was glowing in red and orange. The sounds of gunshots made Seonghwa flinched, the sheer number being fired off at a time was direct confirmatiion that the fires and explosions had not been an accident.

And when the young prince heard it- the yelled warning from a large horn at the tops of the castle walls was all Seonghwa needed to hear in order to confirm that his worst nightmare had come true.

"We're under attack! The pirates have taken over the castle!"