donghyuck didn't think he would find himself in royal clothes any time soon, and yet, no later than two days after agreeing to accompany mark to his father's death anniversary banquet, here he was, staring at his reflection in the mirror of mark's bathroom, admiring the way the royal robes fit him so beautifully.

the ones he had on were a beautiful sand colour, tightly fitting around his waist and hiding his legs behind flowy pants that reached the floor. the top part of those robes hugged his chest comfortably, and was cut in a v-shape above his pectorals, like a bustier that left the boy's tanned collarbones and neck in plain sight. his arms were enveloped in tight sleeves as well which didn't reach all the way up to his shoulders, but stopped at the top of his biceps, revealing his tanned shoulders to the world. the sand-coloured robes were also adorned with golden pearls and embroideries to ensure that donghyuck was truly glowing. and if this wasn't enough already, there were long and see-though pieces of fabric flying around him, attached to various places on his robes, and creating beautiful swirls in the air as he moved his body around.

yes, it seemed like they had been tailored specially for him.

"donghyuck?" the peasant was interrupted in his staring by a knock on the bathroom door. "is there a problem with the robes? do they fit?"

the younger male gulped, looking at his reflection one last time. "wait, i'll come out and show you." in an instant, his right hand reached for his left wrist out of reflex to check that his mother's bracelet was still there, smiling at the feeling of the chain under his fingers. he knew his mother would be so happy for him if she was still there...

he heard mark taking a few steps away from the door before he finally allowed himself to open the bathroom door and step inside mark's bedroom, making a turn on himself to show mark the robes.

he didn't miss the small 'oh fuck' that mark muttered as he laid his eyes on donghyuck upon him exiting the bathroom, and as much as he didn't want to put too much thought into it, this little interjection was enough to boost his confidence level and make his heart flutter.

mark wasn't too bad himself, dressed in traditional aes clothes, tailored pants and a tailored long suit made with metallic fabrics that shone in various shades of gold and bronze depending on the lighting. and on top of his head rested a small golden crown, one that donghyuck had never seen on the boy before today.

it would be a lie for donghyuck to admit that mark didn't look handsome like that, and donghyuck's heartbeat suddenly became super-aware of mark's beauty, causing his whole body to flush and radiate some sort of heat.

"y-you look..." mark gulped before saying his next words. "...stunning."

donghyuck's cheeks turned a bit redder. "thank you..." he mumbled. "you look stunning too..."

mark flashed the boy a smile before taking a few steps closer to him, reaching for the sand fabric of donghyuck's robes and moving it around to ensure that the robes did fit him perfectly.

he moved the pieces of flowing fabric away, pinching the clothes on the sides of donghyuck's waist and around his ribcage, wating to make sure that the fabric wouldn't slip during the banquet, causing donghyuck to find himself bare chested in front of everyone – and thus reveal a somehow malnourished stomach and apparent ribs, something a royal body shouldn't know about.

"i am glad i didn't listen to them for the measurements..." the royal muttered after a while.

"huh?" donghyuck questioned, tilting his head to the side.

"i ordered these dresses at wonders alley yesterday. the merchant tried explaining to me that the measurements i gave them were too small and wouldn't fit you, but i refused to listen to them. and it seems like i did good." mark explained, keeping his eyes on the expensive clothing.

"y-you o-ordered new dresses?!" donghyuck repeated surprisingly. "i thought they were old robes of yours..."

"oh..." mark chuckled, looking into donghyuck's eyes. "i could never wear something like that and make it look half as beautiful as you do."

donghyuck's cheeks flushed again at the compliment, his heart threatening to burst out of his ribcage if mark dared saying another flattering thing.

"they're typical of what they wear in the southern kingdoms." mark spoke again after a while, arranging the flying pieces of fabric to make them look as beautiful as possible. "long and flowy for the style... thin and light for the heat... golden and sand-coloured for the tones... and most importantly..." mark's eyes trailed down, falling on donghyuck's chest and allowing his finger to trace the boy's delicate collarbones, his touch as light as a feather, but leaving a heavy print on donghyuck's heart. "...daring and revealing for the tan..."

if the brunette wasn't already red, his cheeks were now rivalling the colour of tomatoes, his smooth skin littered with goosebumps, courtesy of mark's touch on such a sensitive part of his body. he gulped as mark's finger left his skin, their eyes meeting once again and making both of their hearts miss a bit simultaneously.

he couldn't believe what was happening to him, it felt too good to be true, and yet, he couldn't help but yearn for more. he didn't want mark's finger to trace his collarbones so lightly before letting go, he wanted to prince to keep his hands on him, to whisper sweet nothings in his ears, to hold him close, to run his lips on every inch of donghyuck's skin, to kiss him like he had never been kissed before...

"i-i-i c-could h-have worn the l-lumen r-robes from last t-time." donghyuck fully stuttered, silently scolding himself for having such unholy thoughts about the royal.

"you don't wear twice the same robes at so short intervals." mark replied simply. "plus, southern dresses fit you so much better..."

the peasant found himself shying again under mark's hungry gaze. it seemed like the royal couldn't divert his eyes from donghyuck for long as he stared at donghyuck from head to toe for the nth time in the past instants.

"your highness." a knock was heard at the door. "the guests have started to arrive. her majesty the queen requested to inform you that you could join the banquet."

"thank you, i'll be here in an instant." mark replied instantly as he turned towards the bedroom's door which was still closed.

once the servant was dismissed, the future king diverted his eyes back to the tanned beauty, a smile appearing on his face and he held his hand out for donghyuck to take.

"are you ready?" he asked, never diverting his eyes from the brunette.

donghyuck didn't hesitate to place his hand in mark's hold. "i am." he replied. "as long as i am with you."

and these were the only words of confirmation that mark needed before he guided the two of them outside of the bedroom and across the familiar corridors of the palace.

♕

"your majesty, what a..." the queen paused, looking at the man in front of her from the tip of his shoes to the black crown sitting on top of his head in a judging manner. "...pleasure to have you here." she finished, trying her best to make her smile appear genuine – which she didn't exactly succeed.

"likewise." the king of the lumen kingdom answered, not even bothering to mask his fake-smile.

as the regent queen of aes, it was her duty to ensure her guests were well-served, and that her kingdom stayed in good terms with the nearby ones. she had never really been fond of the lumen kingdom, let alone its royal family, but as the current ruler of aes during such an important event where royals from all of the regions were present, she had to put this animosity on the side and pretend like everything was fine between their kingdoms – well, at least try to.

"how is the weather in lumen these days?"

the king stared at the regent queen of aes with an eyebrow raised, staying silent for a few seconds as if to process her words. "what shit would you even give about the weather in lumen?" he asked with a small snort.

"this is called making conversation." mark's mother retorted immediately. "it is a polite manner to have us discussing about something that doesn't have anything to do with your or my actions and make it seem to the rest of the court like we are actually in good terms."

another snort escaped the king of lumen's lips, this time accompanied with an eye-roll at the queen's words. it took all of the queen's composure not to snap at him after this.

"as if everyone wasn't already aware that lumen and aes couldn't bear each other." the king stated flatly.

"well, considering your inability to act like you don't have a problem with me, they sure know now."the queen tackled back, her brows in a frown.

"as if it was my fault." the lumen king huffed. "you don't look much more pleased to talk with me than i do."

the queen had to hold herself from snapping at the other, despising him harder than ever, and this conversation definitely not helping to make her appreciate him more.

"i'm glad your nephew took more from the southern kingdoms side rather than from the lumen kingdom side." she stated, an image of mark and donghyuck walking side by side across the banquet room a while ago flashing in her mind. contrarily to – what she thought to be – his uncle, donghyuck had been very polite to her, and remarkably gentle. the southern colours fit him so much better than the lumen ones, they reflected his glow much better than the dark and bland robes of lumen. "he's a sweetheart, something that you could never be."

the king raised a brow at those words. "my nephew?" he questioned. "from the southern kingdoms?"

"yes." the queen nodded, hoping that her words would hurt the other king enough. "i was scared he'd be like you when i met him over dinner the other day, but he turned out to be much more pleasant company than you are."

the king of lumen kept looking at her with a brow raised, and soon enough, he let out a laugh, the sort of ugly, loud and undistinguished laugh that would cause the whole court to stare at you in disgust – but it didn't seem like he cared.

"well, if you'd rather stay with my nephew from the southern kingdoms, then so be it." he told her. "i'll ask for my niece from the west and my dog from wherever to join you as well next time!"

before the queen of aes could protest further, the king of lumen walked away from her, going god knows where and leaving mark's mother on her own.

"oh god..." the regent queen sighed, hend hand finding its way to her forehead. "servant!" she called as she caught a glimpse of one of the servants walking nearby.

"yes, your majesty." the female servant questioned, bowing slightly.

"get me a glass of absinthe. i need something strong to forget about this conversation with that moron."

"of course, your majesty."

the queen let out a few other exasperated sighs, cursing the black-crowned king multiple times under her breath before the servant was back with a stemmed glass, the bottom of which was filled with a green liquid, and on top of which had been placed a slotted absinthe spoon.

"an absinthe, your majesty." the servant announced, lifting a water carafe to pour ice-cold water through the slotted spoon and into the drink.

"wait." the queen interrupted the servant. "where's the sugar cube?" she asked, staring at the slotted spoon on which a sugar cube was supposed to be.

"i am afraid we are out of sugar in the kitchens, your majesty."

"out of sugar?!" the royal repeated. "i need this absinthe with sugar."

"unfortunately, your majesty, i believe- "

"the king's cabinet." the regent queen declared after thinking for a while. "do you know where the king's cabinet is."

"of course, your majesty. you expressively forbade us to open it." the servant nodded.

"well, open it." she said. "you should find a golden sugar bowl inside. there is sugar left in it. bring it back here." the queen continued with a sigh. "it's powdered sugar and not sugar cubes, but i guess it's better than no sugar at all..."

"i will be right back, your majesty."

the queen waited for a minute for the female servant to be back again, this time having the glass with the green liquid, the water carafe and the king's sugar bowl placed on a small cart that she was pushing.

"here you are, your majesty." the servant spoke, opening the sugar bowl and getting ready to reach for the sugar spoon. however, she was beat to it by the queen who took the small golden spoon between her fingers with a sad smile on her face.

was it nostalgia, the remembrance of the last afternoon tea they had had before the king's death or the countless arguments him and her had regarding the sugar that caused the king's liver disease to deteriorate? she wasn't sure, but she knew that seeing this sugar bowl again after so long brought back in her memories that she could only cherish.

the queen swirled the spoon in the white powder, loving the way the grains of sugar moved around and rolled against each other. she then dove the spoon deeper in the bowl, lifting it slowly to look at the grains of sugar falling back down inside the bowl thanks to gravity; except that something else than grains of sugar fell back in the bowl.

the queen frowned, using the spoon to reach for the small golden object that she had seen fall from the spoon seconds ago. she lifted it into the air, looking at it curiously before reaching for it with her fingers, revealing a golden chain on which was attached a pendant representing half a sun.

mark's mother's eyes diverted from the bracelet she was holding to the servant in front of her.

"did you open the sugar bowl before bringing it here?" the regent queen questioned, her eyes focused on the servant.

"i didn't, your majesty." she shook her head.

"did anyone touch it other than you?" the queen threw another question at her.

"no, your majesty, it was in the king's cupboard. nothing had been touched ever since he passed away." the servant responded. "you forbade us to."

the queen's eyes diverted once again from the servant to the bracelet, then back to the servant.

"do you know who this could belong to?" she asked, motioning to the bracelet she had between her fingers.

"i don't know anyone in the palace it could belong to, your majesty." the servant shook her head again."and the guests are never granted access to the kitchen, so it cannot be any of them."

the queen hummed, looking carefully at the bracelet again before looking back down at the sugar bowl.

after a few seconds, she put the bracelet back in the sugar bowl and placed the cover back on the bowl before taking it in her hands.

"thank you, you are dismissed." she declared, walking away with the sugar bowl tightly held against her chest.

"would you still like your absinthe, your majesty?" the servant asked before the queen was completely out of reach.

"no. not now." she replied simply as she walked across the banquet room right to the doors that lead towards the insides of the palace.

the queen didn't stop walking, perhaps even accelerating her pace as she crossed the maze of corridors without trouble, heading directly to the physician's quarters, a door away from the palace's library.

"your majesty." the physician stood up upon the royal's arrival, bowing as low as the table in front of him allowed him to.

"i have a task i need you to complete." the queen was quick to explain, standing right in front of the physician's desk.

"of course, your majesty. what would that be?"

the regent queen placed the sugar bowl on the desk, opening the cover and reaching for the spoon to scoop the bracelet up.

"i found this bracelet in the king's sugar bowl. it has never been opened since the king's death, meaning that it must have been put there before his death."

"it is most likely, your majesty." the physician nodded, eyes on the bracelet.

"i need you to run a few tests on the sugar from this bowl for me. and the bracelet if necessary." the queen ordered.

"of course, your majesty. i will do so right away."

mark's mother placed the spoon and the bracelet back into the sugar bowl before covering it again and pushing the bowl towards the physician.

"how long would you need?" she questioned.

"a few hours should be enough, your majesty." the physician responded.

the queen nodded. "perfect. i'll be back at the end of the banquet."

♕

"wow..." donghyuck couldn't help but let out, his eyes trailing over the hundreds of small lights littering the dark lands in front of them, like a field of blossoming flowers. they were the lights from the different villages of the lands of aes in which peasants like donghyuck lived under the influence of royals. "the view from here is so beautiful at night..."

next to him, mark couldn't help but chuckle at the younger's amazement. he had that same expression on his face that each time he discovered something new about aes and royals' lives, this little shimmer that mark loved so much he was willing to show him every detail of his life to ensure he could fully enjoy this look on donghyuck's face. "it is, isn't it?" he replied, never diverting his eyes from the tanned beauty in southern robes that was just by his side.

"yeah..." donghyuck nodded innocently.

the two of them had ditched the banquet quite quickly. they had made an appearance at the beginning of the festivities, waiting for all of the guests to get there and greet mark, intending to get in the future king's good papers. as the night went on, donghyuck and mark had enjoyed the tasty delicacies that the royal chefs had prepared for the banquet before deciding that they both had had enough of this lame party and heading away to create their own little party.

the two males had carelessly wandered across the palace, chasing after each other and laughing together, their hearts light and their minds free until mark had decided to lead donghyuck to one of his favourite spots inside the palace.

the tanned male had followed the future king up a few stairs until they arrived in a dark room, surely a study judging by the shelves on which were stacked different books and the desk that was pushed in one of the corners of the room. the room was dark, the only source of light coming from the moon outside the glass doors which allowed mark and donghyuck to see where they were going.

mark had then dragged the peasant across the room pushing open the glass doors to reveal a small round balcony from which they could see the view donghyuck had found so beautiful.

"can you see your village from there?" mark asked as donghyuck's eyes were focused on the view, his body leaning against the ledge of the balcony.

"i think my village is on the other side of the palace." donghyuck answered squinting as he tried to recognise the familiar lands.

as he looked at the beautiful male, mark couldn't help the pulsion that went through him and urged him to get closer to the brunette. he gave in easily, taking a step closer to dongyuck and standing behind him, his chest pressed to the peasant's back as his hands reached for the ledge of the balcony, caging donghyuck between his arms.

the brunette tensed at the sudden movement, his body stiffing between mark's arms as he became conscious of the position they were in.

"is this okay...?" mark whispered against the shell of donghyuck's right ear, his chin propped on the boy's bare shoulder, the warmth radiating from his skin pleasantly tickling his own chin.

"i-it is..." donghyuck murmured, slowly giving in to the temptation as well and letting his body melt against mark's his back now fully pressed against the royal.

the two boys stayed in that position for a while, neither of them daring to speak up, too comfortable that way to disturb the peaceful atmosphere that they had managed to create.

eventually, mark's left hand had slid away from the ledge of the balcony, finding its place in the crevice of donghyuck's waist, caressing the boy's body over the fabric of his robes oh-so-lightly in a way that had donghyuck's insides feeling all jittery.

"thank you for spending this moment with me." mark whispered, his breath tickling the side of donghyuck's face and causing goosebumps to litter his body despite how hot he felt.

after debating whether he should or not for a while, donghyuck decided to wiggle in mark's arms, making mark take a small step back and allowing himself to turn around, his back now resting against the ledge so that he faced mark.

in this moment, he realised how close they really were, mark's left hand still propped on his waist, and mark's right hand caging him against the ledge of the balcony, causing their bodies to be flushed against each other's and their breaths to mingle.

mark was more handsome than he had ever been like that, looking at donghyuck like he was the 8th wonder and holding him like he was scared to lose him.

"i hope i could help you divert your thoughts from..." donghyuck paused, looking down for a second, as if he was scared to speak up the words. "...you know?"

"oh, don't worry about that." mark chuckled lightly. "you did very well."

donghyuck's cheeks tinted red, his head lowering again in shyness. "i'm glad." he whispered, looking back up at mark. "i was scared you wouldn't be able to enjoy the day and... that you'd be sad..." donghyuck looked away from mark's eyes. "...your mind filled with bad memories..."

mark could only smile fondly at the brunette, the fire in the pit of his stomach only growing as the need to pull donghyuck close became more important with each second passing.

"i don't want this day to be filled with bad memories anymore..." the royal whispered, his body unconsciously drifting closer to donghyuck's.

"what do you mean?" the peasant questioned, eyes blinking in confusion as he looked into mark's glistening orbs.

"well..." the hand that was on donghyuck's waist left that place so that mark could tug a strand of hair back behind donghyuck's ear. "i want to forget that this was the day i lost my father, and rather make it a happy day..." he explained, his hand sliding down slightly until it was cupping donghyuck's cheek. "a day i remember something amazing that happened to me..."

donghyuck gulped. mark's hand on his cheek did nothing but wonders to his body, causing his heartbeat to accelerate so much that he believed mark would be able to feel it with how close they stood to each other.

"s-something like what...?" donghyuck whispered, eyelashes fluttering in such a seductive way that mark had a hard time holding himself back.

the royal's lips curved up in a smile as he leant forwards, pressing his forehead against donghyuck's to whisper his next words. "something like this..."

and before donghyuck could think about questioning mark further, the space between them seemed to shrink with every heartbeat, the air thick with an unspoken tension that neither of them could ignore. mark's hand, still gently cupping donghyuck's cheek, trembled slightly. the warmth from their bodies radiated between them, and for a moment, time seemed to stop.

donghyuck could feel his heart racing against his chest, erratic and loud, as if it was trying to escape. his eyes fluttered shut for a brief second, his body suddenly acutely aware of how close they were - too close to be anything but something more. his lips parted slightly, the soft rise and fall of his breath matching the rhythm of mark's.

"mark..." the name escaped the tanned male's lips as a whisper but loud enough to bring mark closer.

the royal didn't need any more encouragement. he leaned in, his lips hovering just inches from donghyuck's, his breath mingling with the peasant's in the cool night air. his gaze flickered back to donghyuck's eyes, searching for any sign of hesitation. but all he found was the same vulnerability, the same longing that mirrored his own. without another thought, he closed the gap between them, his lips pressing softly against donghyuck's.

it started as a delicate touch, something gentle and tender. mark's lips were warm and inviting, and the sensation of them against donghyuck's made his breath catch in his throat. he could feel the faintest pressure in mark's hand that still rested on his waist, and it sent a wave of heat crashing through his chest. donghyuck's hands, which had been nervously clasped by his sides found their way to mark's shoulders, fingers curling into the fabric of his royal robes as though anchoring himself to this moment.

the kiss deepened, as if the world outside had faded away, leaving only the two of them in the quiet cocoon of the balcony, lit up by the nearby villages' lights. mark's lips moved slowly, deliberately, against donghyuck's, savouring the softness and warmth, as if trying to memorise the sensation of their lips stuck together. he tilted his head slightly, pushing donghyuck's lips to part just enough for him to slide his tongue against them.

donghyuck's breath hitched at the sudden shift. the moment mark's tongue brushed against his lips, he melted into it, a rush of heat spreading through his veins. his hands moved instinctively, finding their way to mark's chest, his fingers digging further into the royal's robes as if to keep himself grounded.

the kiss grew more urgent, more desperate, as if they both realized how long they had been holding back. mark's free hand slid around donghyuck's waist, pulling him even closer, their bodies pressed flush against one another. the proximity was intoxicating - the heat of their skin, the soft brush of their chests rising and falling in sync, the heady scent of the night air mixing with their own shared warmth.

mark's fingers slid down to donghyuck's lower back, pulling him even closer, until they were both breathless, the kiss never breaking as they tried to consume each other in the moment. donghyuck's chest tightened in response, his body completely aware of how badly he needed this, how badly he needed mark. his body shivered under the touch of mark's lips, the feeling of his breath against his skin sending waves of electricity through him.

mark finally broke away after what felt like hours, his lips lingering on donghyuck's for a moment, forehead resting gently against the peasant's as they both caught their breath. their breaths were quick and shallow, mingling in the space between them. donghyuck's eyes fluttered open, finding mark's gaze - the same intensity, the same emotion reflected in those deep, dark eyes.

"you..." donghyuck whispered, his voice strained and breathless. 

without letting him finish his sentence, mark closed the gap again, his lips capturing donghyuck's in another kiss - this time more desperate, more hungry - as if neither of them could get enough. mark's hands moved up, cupping donghyuck's face with both of his hands, as if he were afraid of losing him. donghyuck's hands found their way into mark's hair, pulling him deeper, pressing his body flush against the royal's once again.

there was no hesitation now, no second-guessing. only the undeniable pull of desire, the need to be close, to merge together in this one perfect, fleeting moment. the kiss was everything they had been too afraid to say, every unspoken word pouring between them in the shared intensity of their kiss.

when they finally pulled away again, both were breathless, their faces flushed, their eyes wide with the realization of what had just transpired. donghyuck's lips tingled, his heart racing, and yet a warmth settled in his chest that he hadn't known he was searching for. he looked up at mark, his hands still resting on his shoulders, and found the royal looking at him with a soft, almost reverent gaze.

"i never thought..." donghyuck whispered, trailing off, his mind still spinning.

mark simply smiled, a soft and sincere expression. "neither did i."

they stood there, locked in that quiet, intense moment, the world beyond the balcony forgotten as they allowed themselves to savour the pleasant tingles left by what had just happened.

♕

"what does it say?" the queen asked the question the moment she was back in the small study dedicated to the physician of the royal palace.

"your majesty." the physician stood up again to bow at the royal. "i have run a couple tests on the sugar and the bracelet. among the different tests, it appeared positive to the marsh test."

"the marsh test." the queen repeated. "what is that?"

the physician reached for a book that was placed on the desk, opening it to the marked page. "the marsh test revealed the presence of arsenic in the sugar bowl and on the bracelet." he explained. "if one person came to take a spoonful of sugar, they would most likely be poisoned from arsenic, your majesty."

the regent queen stayed silent for a while, staring at the physician somehow sceptically.

it didn't take long for her to recall what had happened before the king fell sick. the king, the queen and their son celebrating their son's exploits at fighting over a cup of tea, the king asking for sugar and putting three spoons in his cup before drinking it. and then, being sick as hell during the night, a sickness that had lasted three long days before the king's body gave up on its life.

"how could you see whether someone dies from arsenic poisoning?" mark's mother questioned, looking at the physician intensely.

"well..." the man flipped a few pages in the book, looking down at what was written on the old manuscripts. "the symptoms are described as similar to those of food poisoning. they last around three days before death if not dealt with quickly."

the queen stayed silent, not daring to utter a word after what the physician had just told her.

however, it seemed like despite wanting to appear as indifferent as possible, she didn't succeed, the physician seeing right through her.

"is there a problem, your majesty?" he questioned.

"no." she answered immediately, perhaps a bit too quickly for it to sound natural. "nothing." she added. "thank you for this." she added, reaching again for the sugar bowl after ensuring that the spoon and the bracelet were still inside.

and that being said, she left the physician's study with the sugar bowl in her hands, an object she had been associating as a loving memory of her husband for the past years, but that she now saw as nothing but the murder weapon.

because if there was one thing she was sure about now, it was that the king of aes hadn't died from food poisoning years ago, but that he had been murdered.

 @raafirafya  your wishes have been granted (;