(i ended up writing a lot when i first came up with the idea but finally, here's the last part:))) this was fun to write haha))
((ft: nct dream na jaemin))
warnings: sword fights.
<<<
after much discussion, and some arguing:
"we need more strength. we don't have enough people on our side."
when it comes from their leader, it's worrying. they've tried all they could to find others trustworthy enough not to rat them out. but everyone was afraid—smart, maybe.
"when i found kai in the woods, he said he made some friends there," yuna started, "one of them was choi beomgyu. remember him?"
they all did. one in particular, remembered him more clearly than the rest.
"i do," their leader said, knowing that he was exceptional—it didn't go by him that he should have been a part of the balevient circle.
he gave her a nod, and that was all she needed to get up and out of there.
"i'll go to," ryujin said, getting up with her. no one objected as they both walked out, mounting their horses and going into the woods.
"you knew him well, didn't you?" yuna asked, understanding.
the wind blowing through ryujin's hair did little to slow her heartbeat—maybe it would leap out of her chest. in the sunrise, the tears that pooled in her eyes shined gold; they were the happy kind, and she didn't have to reply.
at the sight of her expression, yuna's own heart swelled with the same joy.
<<<
yuna's dagger was special—a spell allowed those with the same one to be able to find it. each of them had one, just in case.
in front of them was a large cabin with flowers and plants growing in the front in neat rows. like a little old grandma lived here instead of four guys. the door opened before they could knock. ryujin's eyes went wide.
it was him. here. in front of her now. she threw her arms around him before he could react. they tumbled to the floor, blocking the doorway. and he held her just as tight. tight meaning death hug—they were squeezing the life out of each other.
neither of them wanted to let go. ever.
yuna, after seeing enough of this exchange, stepped over them and invited herself in.
kai and the two others sat around the cozy living room. yuna learned that their names were kang taehyun and choi soobin.
"can any of you wield a sword?" yuna asked. soobin, taehyun and kai said they could.
"...can you do it well?" she asked, obviously more to kai than the other two. he was offended by this.
"better than them!" he replied, gesturing to the two. she narrowed her eyes in suspicion. he didn't look like he could even raise a blade to someone.
she was proven wrong.
<<<
the clash of metal filled the air. it was constant, the sharp ringing sound cutting through the air along with the pounding of the blood in her head. it's been too long. yuna felt her movements become slurred. she noticed that his was too.
the queen hated her son for being the fairest in the land—everybody knew that much. what they didn't know was that she would've been fine with him sleeping for the rest of eternity if she hadn't found out that as soon as he turned eighteen years old, he would have to take the throne. she couldn't allow her power to be taken away, not that she was doing any good with it. the rest of them were carrying out the rest of the plan—yuna was trying to hold him off.
she was facing a once good friend of hers. na jaemin was a childhood friend, way back at the orphanage she had lived in before it closed. they hadn't seen each other in such a long time—for some unknown reason to her, he had cut her off.
he was also a part of the balevient circle, but he stuck by the queen as her main bodyguard. and he was still trying to protect her.
"why are you doing this?" yuna asked, panting when they pulled apart, withdrawing for a moment. "what did she ever do for you? for anybody?"
"you wouldn't understand," he replied, his voice low, "no one would."
he charged and the clash of metal on metal filled their ears again before she could even think. in a way, this was the final round. they successfully got through the guards.
someone, somehow knew about their plan and told the queen. fighting was only for when things got to it—a "just in case." things weren't supposed to get to it.
yuna slipped up, holding the deep gash across her shoulder. how was she going to beat him? they used the same tactics because they were the ones that he taught to her. she stumbled from trying to stop his sword with her own, the impact making her fall. he stood over her, his sword held firmly in his hand.
"i'm sorry, yuna," he said, jaw clenched tight and eyes glossing over. "i can't let her go."
he wasn't going to kill her, he couldn't bring himself to. but someone pushed him off, thinking he was and drew their own sword.
it was kai, the boy who looked like he couldn't—
with a fierce swing, the sound of the metal was so loud it echoed. yuna sat herself back up with the little strength she had left. she was losing blood, and any attempt to stop it didn't make a difference—her cloak had been soaked through. watching him, she couldn't help but be impressed. his technique was perfect, maybe even matching hers.
and his eyes burned with an anger that didn't suit him.
kai was moving fast, and jaemin was having a hard time trying to keep up. yuna's vision was blurring, but she hoped he heard her.
"don't kill him."
he was only protecting who was important to him. but when he said 'her,' yuna was hoping it wasn't the queen.
she wasn't sure if kai was capable of killing anyone or if any of this was going to work, but she didn't stay awake long enough to find out.
<<<
this was the happiest day for the kingdom. there was no doubt about it.
the crowds cheered when kai stepped out to greet them from the castle balcony—the coronation had just finished. he was wearing the long, deep blue cloak that his father once wore, and everything fit for a king. but what everyone was focusing on was the shining golden crown atop his head. finally, the queen was put in her place.
the trial took a little longer than expected, considering the way she was screaming at everyone and everything. she had gotten used to the power, and now that she didn't have it, she resorted to spitting harmful words until they took her away.
yuna sat in bed, her arm in a sling she wouldn't move it too much. the gash on her shoulder had to be stitched. it gave everyone a scare when she passed out—notably kai who carried her to find help. they had given her some medicine to numb the pain, but it was making her tired.
there was a soft knock on the door before it opened slowly. it was jaemin. he came around and sat on the edge of her bed.
"she took yooa," he started, the tears pooling in his eyes again. "i couldn't get you involved. i didn't know what to do—she was threatening to kill her and i-"
"hush," yuna cut him off, already understanding even without knowing who yooa was. "i'm fine—forget about it now, okay? really, you should have told me. we could've done this sooner."
he moved to sit next to her, leaning on her shoulder.
"i wasn't going to kill you. you know that right?"
she smiled, resting her head atop his.
"because i'm your little sister—i know."
kai secretly caught sight of them, feeling his heart hurt. ryujin and beomgyu, who were also passing by to visit her saw him looking.
"jealous?" ryujin asked from next to him, making him jolt. she smiled.
"of course not," he dismissed, crossing his arm indignantly. the heat was rushing to his face at being caught. "i was just waiting for him to go before visiting."
he had been visiting her nonstop—especially when he was supposed to be doing something else.
"sure," beomgyu said, a teasing smile on his face. "he probably wouldn't snatch her away."
probably. now he was worrying about something other than fixing the kingdom.
the crown reflected the fading sunlight, making it appear as though it was glittering. from now on, he was going to rule over the kingdom as a king.
"hello everyone!" he shouted with a big wave. "i love you all! sleep well!"
he blew a kiss before going back inside. was that it? everyone was confused but still happy to see him. the sun was setting now, and the sky began to erupt into color.
"seriously?" yuna, who was waiting for him asked. "no heartfelt speech?"
"pfft—no one wants to hear that stuff. it's getting late."
she sighed in response, not bothering to tell him otherwise. taehyun and soobin had left already, reconnecting with the people they had to leave behind—many have gone to celebrate. for now, it was only them.
normally, she wouldn't wear a dress—pants and shirts were just more convenient and easy to throw on. but today, she was wearing a shade of pink that was almost lavender, softly falling to her ankles. it suited her; fierce, yet in a way, soft.
to him, she looked like she would dissapear into the sky like an angel.
"you're wearing the color of unicorn poop," he said instead, laughing when she glared at him.
well, she thought he was right. that was what she was thinking when lia, the most renowned dressmaker in the kingdom, handed it to her.
"and to think i wore the dress for your special day," she replied, turning around to leave. "on second thought, i think i'm too tired to go on a midnight adventure."
"waait i was kidding!" he exclaimed, following her. they had planned this whole thing for a week. "you look...alright."
she crossed her arms, giving him a dead look. she was about to give in though, and he took her by surprise when he said:
"fine. you're gorgeous."
during the time it took to get everything back in place after that day, they ended up spending a lot of it together. the two became friends with not so hidden extra feelings for each other, and neither of them had done anything about it.
until now.
maybe it was the dress catching the sunlight, maybe it was the crown that was now lopsided on his head. but whatever it was gave him the courage to finally say something.
yuna was waiting for the ''just kidding you look horrible." but it didn't come. for once he was serious about complimenting her, giving her a smile.
"really, you looked so pretty today. i should've said so earlier," he continued, sensing her doubt. the words were sincere and she could tell.
she forgot how to respond to compliments all of a sudden and stood there, frozen. after fully processing his words, the heat rushed to face, her hands flying in an attempt to cover it up. like he didn't see how flustered she was already.
"shut up!" she exclaimed before taking off in the other direction, cursing him for making her heart beat so fast—it was his fault for taking her by surprise.
kai was left confused at how the little compliment made her run off like that. but he took a mental note to call her that often.
because to him, the fairest was her—in more ways than one.