- sun & moon -
renjun breath hitches when he sees minhyung tremble under his gaze. "ill actually shoot you if you don't stop moving"
minhyung lets out a sigh, composing himself so the apple on top of his head won't fall. "why can't you use the target boards instead? why do i need to put my life on line for your practice?"
renjun lowers his bow, rolling his eyes at the military general standing in front of him. "you don't trust my aim? is that what you're implying, general lee?"
minhyung lets out a shaky gasp and places the apple back on his head. "how can i, prince? even the gods wouldn't doubt your skills"
archery was the least respected weapon for their people. the one that the lowest of the soldiers used, the ones who were not strong enough to carry a sword or brave enough to be near an enemy.
but for renjun it was his pride, the reason for his fame. known as the best archer in the lands of south, renjun's aim never missed, not even once. each arrow was shot with the motive to kill and so it did. with grace in his fingers and precision in his eyes, renjun could perform miracles with his bow and arrow. such a skill, such a greatest only lied with the best of bests and renjun was exactly that.
renjun smiles and grips back on his bow. it rests lightly on his fingers, almost like a feather. ironically looking delicate for a weapon that could kill in seconds. his breath is steady and posture straight, he looks calm for a person who's about to shoot at his friend. "still"
minhyung sees a blur. the arrow leaves renjun's fingers and hits the apple straight on his head. the force so strong that the arrow along with the apple gets stuck on the wooden wall behind him.
renjun calmly places the bow down on the table, looking too relaxed for a person who had just performed such a stunt.
minhyung claps, following the younger to the window. "that was a great shot"
"not my best" the window overlooks the sea and the harbour. renjun looks over the horizon where the sun is setting, a rosy hue blooming over the sky. the sun on his circlet reflects it.
"you can't take praise, can you?"
"praise is like an addiction. the more you get, the more you need it to survive. i don't want to depend on what others think of my skill. i would rather be the judge myself"
they remain silent for a while, the salty sea air tingling their noses as they watch the sky darken and the stars burn to light.
"what is that?" renjun points at the ship that's moving towards their port. "it isn't ours" their ships are marked with purple flags, a yellow sun with five rays in the center. it represents patherica- the land of gold and bliss.
the one on the ship is a dark shade of blue, almost looking black from the distance.
"traders? but it's almost dark" minhyung squints his eyes to get a better look.
"no, look at the structure and the cloth. it's a royal ship" renjun looks at the general, puzzled.
"the flag... it's of itika? lee kingdom?"
getting a better view of the ship, renjun notices the flag is navy blue with a pearly white circle in the center- a moon. indeed it's the lee kingdom.
"they were supposed to arrive today? they didn't send a messenger though? does father know?" renjun questions but the general only shrugs.
'i'll meet father. come with me"
...
they're sitting at the dining halls, all their plates cleared, a glass of cold buttermilk placed in front of them.
his younger sister, daiyeon, is sitting next to him, hands on her laps and eyes casted down. he knows she would prefer the comfort of her own room rather than meetings with kings and their sons.
his father sits in the center, whispering something about making arrangements for the stay of the lee family to minhyung who's standing beside him.
the king of itika, king taeyeol, is taking sips from his cup. his skin looks like old paper, wearied and pale like it would crumble with one touch. the effects of old age.
when renjun's eyes meets queen hyaehi, his breath stutters. she's beautiful. with those slender arms and graceful features she could start wars among the greatest of kings. she has this unnatural glow, like moonlight dancing upon the surface of a quiet lake.
next to her sits the eldest son of the lee family, prince lee jeno. renjun notices how he hasn't touched his glass of buttermilk yet.
jeno, he thinks, has the face of a god, of an immortal. there is finest and precision to it like it has been sculpted by divine hands. renjun looks at king taeyeol and back at jeno, he can't imagine a beauty like his could ever grow old.
princess lee chaerin, sits next to jeno. her features are similar to her mother's, delicate but precise. her white dress makes her luminate brighter than the moon on her circlet.
"what brings us your presence, king taeyeol" his father finally begins.
"it is always a pleasure to meet you, king hanjae but today i come with a proposal," he says, bringing his hands together as if he's about to reveal the world's greatest secret.
"a proposal?"
"yes, more of a deal"
"and what may that be?" a shadow falls upon his face.
"we're sure you're aware about the rumours of king chaesol declaring a war on patherica" taeyeol looks at renjun, but his eyes are already on him, already piecing the conversation in his head. he might know what brings king taeyeol and his family here. he isn't new to wars and alliances. many great kingdoms have risen and fallen because of them.
"we are" his father says, looking at minhyung with proud eyes. "and we're already preparing for it"
"i do not doubt your army, king hanjae but chaesol is not alone. he has joined hands with the kings from the east and is preparing to attack patherica. he wants the port for trades. i'm sure no matter how powerful your army is, it can not fight against four kingdoms" he is laying out his words carefully, dripping them with honey. sweet and clever words not only affect the brains but also the hearts. growing up in his father's court has made renjun aware of these tricks.
"and you offer us?" he begins when his father remains silent.
"our help"
"how?"
"we want princess daiyeon to marry my oldest son, jeno. this will not only form an alliance between us but also buy us time to prepare for the war. as you know no king will declare war during a royal wedding. that's against the morals of our people"
renjun waits, the weight of his words falling over him. for a moment everything is quiet. the sound of nightingales in the background looms around the hall, the sea roaring against the rocks. suddenly he's too conscious of his breathing.
"i understand that. but what good does that bring you" his father finally says.
"ofcourse, we wouldn't agree to a one-sided deal. if king chaesol somehow manages to defeat you, we would be next. i'm not only saving patherica but also itika."
when the silence drags longer, cold night air touching their skin, spreading chill through their bodies. he begins again "i do not demand an answer right n-"
"no" renjun flinches at the hollowness of his own voice. everyone's eyes are on him. "i'll not marry off my sister for the sake of an alliance"
"brother-" daiyeon begans, but he silences her with his hand.
"you will not do this daiyeon" the voice he is using is the one he uses when he is leading the army, when he is training his soldiers. it's not a sentence but a command that's supposed to be obeyed, not argued.
"prince renjun, you're smart enough to understand what we're trying to say. jeno is a-"
"i apologise for my words, king taeyeol but i do not care how great, kind or rich your son is. my sister is not an object in your games" he looks at minhyung. "take them to their rooms, general lee, ensure their comfort during the stay" that is the last thing he says before storming out of the room. he hears the faint sound of his father calling him but he doesn't hear it over his rage.
"brother, wait for me" her sister comes running behind him, her dress tangling in her feets. she seizes his hand in the dark hallways.
"daiyeon, do not tell me you agree"
"i do" she says, her bangles clanking against each other. "if it helps our kingdom, i'm ready to do it"
"you're not going to sacrifice your happiness for our kingdom"
"isn't that what princesses are supposed to do? or even this right belongs only to the prince"
the words sting his heart. his sister has never spoken to him in this way.
"that's not what i meant. you can help patherica without doing this" his voice is calm like a sweet water stream.
"how, brother? will you let me fight in the war?" she seeks his eyes, but the darkness hides the light in them.
renjun pauses. "no.. no, not because you're a princess but because you aren't trained in warfare"
"fair" she says, this is the first time he hears the authority in her voice. she is not speaking as his sister but as the princess of patherica, the one who has sworn on her blood to serve its people. "then this is my wish. to marry prince jeno and bring us the alliance. even though i'm not trained and don't understand your strategies, i know we can not fight king chaesol alone. and if there is something i can do to protect my people, as the princess, i am going to do it"
renjun sighs, rubbing the gap between his eyebrows. "are you sure?"
"very"
"okay, announce your decision to them but do not demand my presence right now"
she nods and walks back to the dining hall.
...
the bow rests steadily in his hands, three arrows firm around his fingers. the bow is pearl white with a pale yellow shade on its ends, like the shells he finds on the shore. it's the one his father gifted him on his tenth birthday. a special gift. it's comparatively heavier than the other bows in the room, larger too. it's shaped only to fit his hands.
he stands at ease, away from his target board. the practice room is chill, but renjun is used to the extremes of weather.
he shoots the three arrows at the same time, turning around, not waiting to see the result. he knows it already.
he notices someone's presence in the room, not just because he is trained to but also because the person is staring very intensely.
"prince jeno?"
jeno steps out from the curtains where he was half hiding himself and walks up to the older. "didn't mean to disturb your practice, prince renjun, i was just walking by and saw you here. wouldn't miss a chance to see you with your bow"
renjun lips lifting up just a little. "you flatter me, prince. you're a great warrior yourself"
"i may be, but i am not the best bowman known" he meets renjun's gaze, his eyes are the colour of damped earth.
"would you like to practice with me?"
"it would be my pleasure" jeno picks up the two wooden swords from the racks but the other passes him the copper one. wooden swords are used for practice. but copper swords, those are for battles, only to kill.
jeno smiles at the implication "are you challenging me for a battle?"
"i wouldn't dare" he returns the smile.
renjun picks up the jewel chipped sword and a shield whereas jeno picks up two swords, no shield.
the morning sunlight falls upon his sword, reflecting on his face like melted gold.
jeno stands in position and even if renjun has never seen him fight, he has heard stories about him. the little prince of itika who fought in the war at the young age of twelve.
their swords meet midway, the sound echoing in the empty room.
renjun decks when jeno's sword cuts through the air above him. he thrusts forward his sword, which only clashes with the second one in the younger's hand.
jeno's movements are quick, renjun notes, swiftly avoiding every blow as soon it's thrown. his feet beat against the ground. his speed reminds renjun of lighting on a stormy night- fast, fierce and deadly.
their jewellery rattle against each other as they glide across the floor, none of them letting their guard down.
renjun pushes his shield forward, blocking a strong blow that would have rather sliced through his left shoulder. it causes the sword to fall from the younger's hand due to the force.
they stop, both taking a step back. renjun throws away his shield on the ground. the look on jeno's face is similar to a wild rabbit. renjun smiles. they're equal now.
renjun attacks first, his sword piercing through the silk cloth wrapped around the younger's waist. he pulls it back, realising a little too late that it was a bait. jeno launches forward at the opening, making the older stumble two steps back, giving him the chance to catch his wrist and turn him around.
renjun's hands are held behind his back, jeno's sword resting on his neck. one small move and it would cut open his throat.
renjun chuckles, making jeno tighten his hold on his wrist and press him further into his chest.
"you're good at this" renjun's voice feels softer to his ears after hearing the sound of swords and shields clashing.
the younger's breath tickles behind his ear, cold as the morning dew. he uses the tip of the sword to lift his chin up slightly. "at holding you down or fighting?"
renjun pushes the younger's sword away from his neck, turning around to face him. his expression mirror's the other.
"guess"
renjun's smile is sweet as the nectar found in wild flowers. jeno feels the fire burn in his bones.
...
renjun sits on the edge of the bed when minhyung enters his room. he has changed into a lighter tunic, his gold-pearl laced jewellery lying on the bedside table.
minhyung stands at the foot of the door, not wanting to step into the prince's personal space at this hour of night. the room is quiet and he hears his voice echo inside it. "you called?"
renjun looks up, calm like the gentle waves brushing against the shore. "yes, something happened"
minhyung's grip tightens on the sword around his waist. "is there an attack? are you okay? should i alert the guards?"
"no" the younger says, not clarifying further the desire of the general's presence.
"sit" he gestures at the chair in front of him and minhyung, as been trained to follow the royals' orders his entire life, obeys.
"i offered a battle with prince jeno" renjun catches the way minhyung looks up only for a moment, casting his eyes back down at the unusual mention of the other prince.
"he won" his voice is cold as the night. minhyung tries to look for deeper meaning in it.
"are you feeling bad that he won? that's very unlikely of you and it doesn't matter. you will always be the greatest bowman know to the manki-"
"i liked it"
minhyung breath stutters, his words being swallowed in the silence that follows.
"do you.. do you mean to say-"
"i mean to say exactly what you are thinking, minhyung" renjun tries to lace his voice with authority but the subtle shake doesn't go unnoticed by the general.
"your sister-" minhyung is already on his feets, walking towards the younger. this time not as the general of his army but as his friend.
"i know" renjun eyes are glued to his lap. minhyung has never seen him with his head down, not out of shame, not out of guilt. renjun- his friend, renjun- the prince, renjun whose aura speaks for his confidence, the one who knows his worth and never stumbles.
he places his hand on his, the younger's fingers quickly wrapping around his thumb. they feel cold against his warm hands like damp wood trying to light a fire.
"injun" the younger smiles at the name.
"whatever you decide in your life, whatever you choose or want, remember that i will always support you" he presses a soft kiss on the younger's forehead and renjun realises how much he has missed it, how long has it been since he last received it.
when minhyung leaves the room later and renjun is left alone in the darkness of the moonless night, he tries not to think about strong arms around his wrist and crescent smiles.
...
renjun looks at the harbour, sailors loading and unloading the boxes from the ships. he is standing in the balcony that looks over the patherica's vast sea. the sun has been up for a few hours but the palace is relatively quiet at the early hours of dawn. the weather is warmer and the sun shines over the clear blue water.
"i have come to love the sea here. in itika we only have lakes" he hears a familiar voice behind him.
"what are you doing here?"
jeno chuckles, standing next to the younger, hands placed on the railings. "no 'prince jeno'? i'm your guest. soon to be family"
renjun looks away in embarrassment, a tint of red blooming over his cheeks. "i apologize, i didn't mean to sound rude. just did not expect you to be here at this hour"
"am i not allowed here? is this balcony only reserved for the prince?" jeno smiles, it reminds renjun of the moon and stars.
"that is not true. you can be anywhere you want" renjun says, his eyes not meeting the younger.
"then can you show me around the palace?" a pause. the look on jeno's face is teasing. "starting from your room?"
renjun mouth opens and falls back shut, gaping like a fish. his hold tightens around the railings, nails scarping the wood, turning white.
"i.. prince jeno, that is-"
jeno laughs, loud and high, voice ringing across the quiet hallways. "i was joking, prince renjun"
"oh" the older turns to look at the other, feeling his blood heat up.
"but i would still like a tour around the palace" jeno smiles and renjun thinks he has never seen him not smile. he realises he likes it this way, realises he thinks about jeno's smile more than one should.
"i will ask general lee to-"
"i would prefer if it was you"
renjun closes his eyes. his thoughts crashing in his mind like waves against rock. when he opens them, jeno is looking at him expectantly.
"sure"
...
"you paint?"
jeno's hands trace along the stem of the flower, green like an emerald. it's a yellow tulip with a cream white fountain behind it.
"a little" renjun says, looking at how jeno's fingers run over the paper, silently observing.
"you don't call this a little" the older points at the room filled with canvas and frames of renjun's paintings. it smells of wet paper and pressed flowers.
"it's only a hobby"
"it is beautiful" jeno says, stepping back fully admiring the art piece. "just like the artist"
renjun looks up in surprise, but that does not last long until the gloom takes over. "prince jeno.. i don't think this is appropriate" his voice is soft, different from the one he uses while making sharp remakes. jeno likes it nonetheless.
"what isn't?" jeno takes a step ahead, his hands reaching for the older's.
"this.. whatever this is" renjun points aimlessly in the air making the younger tilt his chin. in any other situation renjun would have found it cute.
"you seem to like it though" jeno is so close to renjun, the older can smell crushed almond and honey from him.
"prince jeno, queen hyaehi demands your presence"
renjun looks past jeno to see his personal guard standing at the door with his head down.
jeno turns around and nods "we will talk later, prince renjun" he smiles, all sweet and charming. it twists something in the older's stomach.
outside he hears the sky thunder. the first rain of the season touches the ground, fragrance of dampened earth filling the air. renjun shivers.
...
"where were you?" they are standing in the hallway opening to the back garden. the only place in the palace that is quiet without any disturbances.
"chef na-"
"you seem to have taken a lot of liking towards chef na" renjun checks minhyung from head to toe, taking in the messed up appearance.
"that is not it" minhyung speaks, rushed and out of breath.
"hm? lying doesn't suit you, general"
"did you call me just to interrogate me?" minhyung questions, pulling him behind the pillar so any passing servant or guard won't see them. rumours always spread faster in the walls of a royal palace.
"prince jeno called me beautiful"
minhyung looks at him in surprise as if trying to confirm if he has heard right. renjun nods.
"that's.. well, i did not expect prince jeno to be so straightforward"
"do you think he says the same thing to daiyeon?" renjun's eyes are deer-like. minhyung thinks he looks more childish than he has ever looked since the age of ten.
"ask her yourself. you know princes like him are known to play with two hearts" minhyung says so casually as if he isn't tainting the honour of itika's prince.
"prince jeno doesn't look like such a person"
"at first glance you don't look like a person who would be interested in their sister's fiance either"
at moments like this renjun wishes minhyung would respect his status as the prince.
"stop it. i'm already miserable. go trouble chef na" renjun whine is loud, he shakes his hands in a child-like way. minhyung takes a moment to appreciate the rare behaviour.
...
the soil is moist and soft, droplets of the first rain still settled on just bloomed buds and flowers. the sky is clear, sun's gentle rays falling over renjun's eyes. he sees jeno sitting on the bench alone, observing the two sparrows drinking water from the fountain.
"oh prince renjun?" jeno looks up in surprise when renjun sits next to him on the bench.
"i am not disturbing you, am i?"
"you are not" jeno smiles, lovely and bright as always. he sees the light being reflected on his moon circlet.
"i'm sorry if i made you uncomfortable yesterday. those weren't my intentions" renjun studies his face and realises someone like jeno could never lie. someone who is as gentle as him could never think of a bad thought. his actions might be teasing but the intention behind it could never be to hurt. goodness lies in every bone of his body and it might look naive at first, but it is what makes him so different from the others. it is what charms renjun so much. that a prince who has spent his entire life forming war strategies and thinking ways of deceiving people still has so much honesty and good in him.
"you did not. though i want to ask you something" jeno tilts his chin, the way he had done in the room, renjun still finds it endearing. "do you like daiyeon?"
jeno looks away and for a second fear creeps into renjun's heart. what if he read it all wrong? what if jeno is just this friendly with everyone? renjun has always been distant with the concept of love. a boy who picked up a sword before a wooden toy does not get the chance to learn about love.
"princess daiyeon is a sweet girl. very brave for her age. but i do not like her in that way. i don't think i could ever like a girl in that way"
a beat of silence follows as renjun tries to put the pieces of jeno's words in a way he could understand the implications. the thought of what it could mean, what it could lead to burns renjun's throat. "oh" is all he manages.
the younger chuckles, his head following down in laughter. "you should see how cute you look right now, prince renjun"
"prince jeno-"
"jeno"
"hm?"
"call me jeno. just jeno. i would like it that way" the younger says, all honey sweet.
"but ... okay then you should call me renjun too," he says, a smile creeping up his strawberry tinted lips.
"i would love that" the younger laughs and it aches something in renjun. so deep and beautiful, renjun doesn't think he will ever recover from it. he does not seem to mind.
...
"renjun, just jump"
"no- what if .. what if somebody sees us?" renjun's looks around, tensed and brows drawn close.
"we are in the middle of a forest. except for the wild bears and deers there is no one that will see us" jeno says, holding his hand out for the older to take.
they are in the middle of the woods, jeno on his horse while renjun is standing on the ground covered with crushed tree leaves. his personal horse tied to the tree trunk next to him. the motive was just to show jeno around, the woods, the lake which is located further deeper and the sunset over the patherica's green draped mountains.
renjun takes jeno's hand, it's scattered with battle scars like his but he still finds it soft as the almond oil he bathes in.
he sits, jeno's chest pressing onto his back as one hand circles around his waist and the other holds on to the rope.
"comfortable?" jeno asks, moving forward so they're flushed against each other.
"you're asking as if i've never ridden a horse before"
"you have but have you ridden one with someone sitting behind you?" jeno whispers right into his ear. his hair tickles the older's neck and his breath is cool like the evening lake water.
renjun blushes, all stardust and sunset hues. jeno finds the need to store the memory into the remote part of his mind. only for his eyes to see and remember.
"let's move. we need to return before dark"
...
they sit next to each other, legs dipped in the lake, hands laced together. renjun's head rests on the younger's shoulder as he listens to jeno point out the different types of fishes and plants in the water. the sun is almost setting behind the mountains, soft orange and pink painting the sky.
"and this one" he points at the fish that's dancing around their feet. "tastes better when it's eaten raw"
renjun hums looking up to see jeno, the blue of the water reflecting on his face.
"sorry, this fish talk is boring," jeno says, his eyes curving down in an apology.
"it is not. i like listening to you" renjun places his hand on the younger's jaw, turning his face around to meet him. jeno places his hand on top of his. the touch burning both of their skins like a wildfire.
"but there are other things i would love doing right now" he presses his forehead to the younger's.
jeno smiles, "like?"
"maybe kissing you?"
they both are smiling, young and sweet. not like princes of two kingdoms, not like royals with the responsibility of an entire nation but just two boys dearly in love.
jeno pulls him closer, hands on waist as he leans in to press a kiss on his lips.
renjun tastes like sea salt and crushed flowers, sweet with the feeling of home. he smiles against his lips as he hears renjun giggle, loud and ringing against his ears.
they pull back, their lips cherry red and swollen. there is a shy smile adorning their lips and renjun loves it so much. if he could, he would fight the gods of fate to let him live this moment forever. just two lovers in love with no other label on their shoulders.
"jeno, but the marriage.." renjun asks, even if it breaks the sweet moment. he needs to put his mind at ease. he needs to know that only he would enjoy his part of jeno. the jeno that smells like almond oil and kisses as light as the butterfly wings.
"hm, but princess daiyeon seems to have some other interests," jeno says, looking at the gold reflected lake again.
"what?" renjun questions, not liking the idea of someone knowing more about his sister than him.
"more like who"
"huh?"
"you siblings really have a thing for the lee family, don't you?" jeno says, looking at him with a teasing smile and it takes renjun a second to figure out the situation. he gasps when the realisation hits him.
"you mean, princess chaerin and .. oh god"
jeno laughs, hands patting renjun's head, careful to not mess up the styling. "yes, i thought it was obvious"
"it wasn't" renjun's mouth falls open, making him look like a child that got his favourite toy stolen.
"hm, enough about our sisters. how about we go back to what we were doing?" jeno moves, long fingers lacing into his.
"what were we doing?"
renjun doesn't get an answer, instead a soft pair of lips meets his and then there is jeno, pulling him by the hips, his mouth tasting like fresh honey and warmth. renjun savours every bit of it.
- ♡ -
prince jeno and prince renjun hehe
i had this idea for sooo long. originally it was going to be a little more angsty but i wanted to get done with it so i kept it all sweet.
anw do y'all like longer stories? this is almost 5k words