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Content Warning: i. Mention of Execution
ii. Extramarital affair

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While heating his sword by a glowering torch,Seokjin kept his eyes fixed on its flames, furious...as if trying to swallow him up.

"Seok...jin!",A little boy ran across the silent hall,calling out Seokjin's name with his small,sweet voice.

The man trailed his eyes from the fire towards his little visitor, his lips creating a wide smile as he shoved his sword inside its hilt.

Kneeling down infront of the boy who had a thin flower-crown on his head,he tilted his head.

"What can I do for my prince?!",he chided, adore and affection dripping from his voice.

"Seok...jin...",the boy panted."Abbeon..Abbeo...nim..."

A frown appeared on Seokjin's face.

"Taehyung...?!"

"What happened to him?",he demanded.

The prince whimpered, lips puckering as he rubbed his eyes that were just about to get teary.

"Abbeo...nim...",the poor boy could only stutter out before Seokjin engulfed him in his own arms and stood up.

"Don't worry, my prince...",he murmured, giving soft strokes on the boy's back while he carried the little prince out of the hall.

"Your Abbeo-nim will be absolutely alright..."

💜

-"Taehyung...Taehyung, its me... Eomonie..."

-"Why isn't he opening the door?!"

-"Lalisa! You can go if you only have come here to make a chaos.Let me take care of my child..."

-"He is my husband !"

"Queen Mother...",Seokjin's voice made the two ladies infront of Taehyung's closed door stop their verbal fight.

Taehyung's mother rushed towards Seokjin.

"Seokjin!",she breathed."Only...only you can do this.He is not answering any of us! Seokjin-"

"Queen Mother...",Seokjin breezed.Holding the lady's hands,he looked at the worried mother's glistening eyes.

"He wouldn't do anything.",he assured."I promise he wouldn't..."

"But before that...I need all of you to clear this hallway, Queen Mother. Please...I have to talk to him..."

Taehyung's mother nodded.Sniffling, she turned around and glared at her daughter-in-law.

"Didn't you hear what Seokjin said,Queen Lalisa?",she hissed,the frown on her forehead getting deeper by every passing moment.

"Why should I leave?!",Lalisa yelled.

"I'm his wife! I'm his queen,I've the right to be here;Why should I leave?!"

"Because you've tried enough, Queen Lalisa. Because we all have tried a lot but he hasn't opened the door. So it'll be better if we give Seokjin the chance that he deserves...",the older gritted her teeth, frustration getting the best of her.

"We have to leave, Lalisa... Now."

Taehyung's queen stared at Seokjin with an unreadable expression on her face.

"What's your problem with me?!",she howled, pure and blatant hatred laced withing her words.

"Lalisa,don't be stubborn!",the Elder Queen snarled.

The younger lady completely ignored her warning as she went towards Seokjin.

"I'm his wife. He needs me right now.",she claimed while staring at the man's face with utter disgust.

"He doesn't.",Seokjin answered without thinking for a single second."A-at least...not now..."

Clenching her teeth, Lalisa gave her son a harsh call,-

"Daehyun! Let's go."

Even though the prince didn't comply to his mother and remained glued at his spot, Lalisa didn't really wait for her son and stomped out of the hallway.

The older lady gave Seokjin a look of plea for her son's safety and finally took her leave.

Seokjin let out a sigh.Getting closer to the closed door,he muttered,-

"Taehyung..."

"Taehyung, please open the door..."

The man placed his palm upon the wooden door, softly murmuring the King's name who has become the breathing definition of power and terror in the whole subcontinent.

"Taehyung... Please... Let me in,please."

As the door finally opened, a disheveled Taehyung stood infront of him with his red eyes and tear-drenched cheeks.

"Abbeo...nim w-what happened to y-you?",little Daehyun wondered, his voice still teary.

"Nothing has happened,my prince.. Go,play inside.We will join you in a moment." Seokjin was quick to usher the prince inside his father's chamber. Taehyung too,didn't stop his son from invading his own room.

"Taehyung...",the older muttered worriedly as he cupped the King's face.

"What's wrong...?"

"P-princess Irene...",the younger mumbled,his blank eyes staring right into Seokjin's.

"D-did you see her today? She was...she was so scared of me! Did she thought that I will kill her and her family too?! D-does everyone think that...that Kim Taehyung kills women and innocent children too?!"

"Am I a monster, Seokjin?!"

"No,Ofcourse you are not!",Seokjin answered instinctively.

-"But her fear is genuine, right?! I...I've killed her father, her brother... Anyone would've been afraid of-"

"Taehyung, it was a war ! It all happened in the war field. And...",the older caressed Taehyung's cheeks with his own thumbs.

"...You're going to give her the honor of being your queen, aren't you...? She will live the life of dignity that she deserves, right? Then why are you repenting on everything?"

"Taehyung...",he worded the name with firmness and immense respect while cradling the younger's head.

"You're Kim Taehyung. The most powerful Emperor of this subcontinent. The most successful King of your clan. Whatever you're doing...its for your Kingdom, for the fame of your predecessors."

"My Taehyung doesn't repent on what he does...",the older claimed, thumbing the King's closed eyes tenderly.

"My Taehyung is a fighter...a warrior..."

"He does exactly what is necessary in the war field. He does what is necessary for his Empire."

"But he doesn't even trust himself, Seokjin!",Taehyung exhaled,holding the older's hands and giving them a light squeeze.

"He only trusts you..."

"Tell him that I trust him the most. Tell him that I've faith in his every decision, every step...Tell him that he is the greatest among the Emperors....",Seokjin stated with determination.

Taehyung chewed on his own lip.Planting a small kiss on the older's inner wrist, he muttered,-

"Seokjin... stay..."

💜

"Abbeo..nim... are you going to bring... another Eomonie?",Daehyun asked his father as Taehyung placed the boy on his lap.

"Yes... Why,dear?",The infamously "heartless" King cooed at the apple of his eye,an image that nobody can imagine even in their dreams.

-"Eomonie was saying...that you would not love her any....more..."

Seokjin frowned at the innocent prince's uncertain voice.

"There are many kinds of love,my prince...",he chirped,pouring Taehyung and himself two glasses of wine.

"Exactly!",Taehyung confirmed as he encircled his toned arms around his son.

"The way I love your Halmeonie,the way I love your Eomonie,the way I love you...or the way you love Seokjin...",the Emperor stole a glance at his oldest,dearest friend and continued."All of these are different from each other,Prince Daehyun..."

"But you know what's the strongest of them all?!... The love that gives you the strength to fight."

Seokjin's eyes went towards the younger on their own as he was still busy in preparing the drinks.

"This is why we believe that...when you're on the war field with the love of your life, you can give your everything into the war.Look at me! I-"

"Still can not win against me in a sword-fight...",Seokjin stopped Taehyung midway while placing the glass of wine infront of him.

"You know what,my prince...?",a small smile adorned his plump lips as he ran his crooked fingers through Daehyun's soft,silky hair.

"Your Abbeo-nim had promised me on the first day we met,that one day...he would defeat me in sword-fighting.Sixteen years have passed and that day still hasn't come!",he chuckled, causing the young prince giggle on his father's lap.

-"Pardon, Your Highness..."

Daehyun almost jumped on Taehyung's lap as his caretaker's voice rang outside the chamber's door.

"..but...my Queen was looking for young Prince..."

Seokjin looked at the little boy with a suggestive look.Daehyun sighed and stirred. Retreating from his father's lap,he went towards Seokjin with baby steps and the older enveloped his face with his big hands.

"Seok...jin...will you tell me...more stories about Abbeo...nim?!",the boy asked, his brown,feline eyes shimmering with innocence and hope.

"Promise.",Seokjin whispered and gave the prince's forehead a quick kiss before the boy ran out of the chamber to join his caretaker.

"He has your eyes...",the older muttered under his breath as he looked back at Taehyung.

The other smiled a little, looking at Seokjin in such a tender way that made the older squirm on his place.

"He was...",Seokjin averted his gaze."So scared for you... You should stop making them worried like this,Taehyung..."

"But I'm always scared...",the King confessed, his right hand reaching out for the older's tentatively.

"I'm scared that...one day,everyone will be terrified of me.Even...even you,Seokjin!I'm scared that you'll... you'll leave me... Seokjin you-",he gripped Seokjin's wrist gently yet quite firmly.

"You won't leave me,right?"

Seokjin swallowed while looking at the younger's sharp eyes that were conveying various emotions.

"Do you know what they call me?",he asked instead of giving Taehyung an answer.

Taehyung smiled.

"The Emperor's Seokjin.",he whispered,his thumb caressing the older's wrist.Seokjin nodded,his eyes fixed on the other's.

"You own my identity, Taehyung...",he breathed,his tone so quiet and soft that the younger feels his heart getting churned."Where would I go without you?!"

"And besides...",the older was the first who broke the brief moment of silence between them.

"You have a son now,the future heir of our Kingdom! And... and we're soon going to be blessed by another prince from your would be queen,Taehyung! I have a responsibility of grooming them as the bravest and greatest men,haven't I?!"

Taehyung smiled again.Those words from Seokjin reminded him of his first night with Lalisa.

That night,when Taehyung was just about to enter his chamber, he had spotted his Seokjin waiting for him at the doorway.

"A small gift for your wedding...",the older had said while putting a ring on his left hand's ring finger.

The infinity shaped ring which was studded with red diamonds is still one of Taehyung's most favorite and precious ornaments.

"May your happiness,your fame...and your name...conquers time just the way you conquer each and every kingdom...", Seokjin had wished with a shaky voice as they had hugged each other for dear life.

Taehyung still remembers the way the older had shuddered in his arms when he had nuzzled Seokjin's neck, inhaling his smell that was so familiar, so alluring to him.

"I'll pray to the heavens to give you a son...", the older had rubbed his eyes on the crook of his neck. "A brave,great man... just like my Taehyung."

"You should have a son too...", The King whispered, still lost in his thoughts.

Seokjin quirked his eyebrows. Tilting his head,he went,- "What?!"

Taehyung blinked, a faint smile appeared on his face as he brought his hands towards Seokjin's chin.

"An ethereal beauty... a valiant warrior... a wonderful friend...",he drew the outline of the older's jaw tantalizingly.

"Who accepts you just the way you are...Who saves you from yourself..."

Threading his long,slender fingers with the other's soft locks, the younger murmured softly,-

"...just like my Seokjin..."

The older's irises flared and he lowered his eyes,a tint of soft pink adorning his cheeks as he let out a heavy breath.

"I'm afraid,Taehyung...",he whispered,earning a dark frown from the younger.

Who dared to make his Seokjin afraid?!

"I'm afraid to be anybody else's-"

"Oh you would never be!",the younger pulled Seokjin in.

"You're The Emperor's Seokjin... My Seokjin..."

"I'm afraid to lose you to somebody else...",Seokjin admitted in a hushed voice,as if he was scared to hear his own words.

"Never.",Taehyung growled, gripping Seokjin's chin, he dragged the older's mouth towards his own.

"We would never lose each other.",he declared and the other whimpered helplessly.

"Because I'm nothing without you. I... I need you,Seokjin... Always..."

Looping his arms around the younger's neck,Seokjin whimpered once again and Taehyung muffled that soft moan with his own lips.

Crystal like tears ran down the younger's cheeks as both of their lips moved against each other's like soft feathers,their hands roaming all over each other's torsos in the subtlest way possible.

Seokjin pecked away those tears, murmuring against the younger's cheeks,-

"My Taehyung..."

"Your Taehyung.",The younger assured, claiming Seokjin's lips with his own.

The King who has everything at his feet,has given his everything to the son of a mere servant.

The cruel King who is believed to be heartless, has given his heart,his soul to his childhood companion.

Seokjin...a mere soldier among the thousands of soldiers of the Kingdom, who has nothing as his own,can ask for the King's life and Taehyung would give him without hesitating for a second.

"I'm yours...",the younger sobbed quietly,his lips begging the older's to muffle down his cries,to which Seokjin's quivering lips obliged with equal fervor.

"Nobody's but yours..."

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A quick oneshot while Authornim is on hiatus.

Let me know your opinions.

Purple Ya!^_^💜