it all felt too amazing and too familiar.

this way of feeling lighter than a feather, of flying without needing to jump from a cliff, of falling but never getting hurt.

being in love felt too amazing, and living this love by the lakeside under the shade of trees felt too familiar. donghyuck would trade this moment for nothing in the world.

just like a few weeks prior, the two young males had escaped the problems that came with their daily lives and status to spend a bit of time together without fearing to be judged. they were both half naked, part of their clothes lying on a rock under the sun for them to dry after the playful splashing battle they had participated in a few minutes after getting there. inevitably, their bodies were intertwined in a mess of limbs, both resting against each other and holding each other tight.

donghyuck would say that it felt good being in love, having this fluttery feeling inside his chest at the sight of mark, having goosebumps all over his body at each touch of the royal, and constantly fighting against the urge to just glue himself to the boy's side. sure, this was good. but being able to show that love he felt so freely, without fearing to be judged or put to shame for it felt even better.

it was so relieving to be able to reach for mark's hand and intertwine their fingers, to pull mark in a tight embrace, to kiss his cheeks and nibble at his lips, to lie down on him and inhale his cologne... and not stressing about whether or not someone could see them was another level of relieving.

here, in the middle of the forest, in this beautifully shaded clearing, they were alone, and no one would even dare approaching them. they were completely free to do whatever they wanted and be whoever they pleased.

this far from the royal palace and from donghyuck's small village, there was no one to tell the future king how he should act and to warn the peasant of how he should behave in front of a royal. here, mark could become as small and mundane as a peasant, and he could make donghyuck feel as important and valued as a royal.

there, they didn't need to fit in the roles that society had defined for them, and that, donghyuck was more than pleased about, the problems coming with being a peasant and the son of an anti-royalist too far away for him to care – well, before mark had to bring them up again, of course...

"are things better between your father and you?" the question came, both disturbing the peaceful silence and donghyuck's peace of mind. the brunette slightly tensed on top of mark, the royal immediately sensing it and letting his hand caress the tanned skin between donghyuck's shoulder blades.

"i haven't exactly talked to him since yesterday." donghyuck answered after a few seconds, his mind getting invaded by all of the memories of his and his father's fight, his cheek that was resting on mark's pectoral somehow aching for a second.

"did he not want to talk?" the royal continued calmly; his hand continued to trace patterns on donghyuck's back soothingly.

"it's not that." donghyuck sighed. "he just hasn't come home yesterday. he must be really upset with me, i don't know..."

it stung a bit to let out those words. actually, it stung to think of all of it again, mostly considering what his co-worker and him had talked about at the restaurant.

donghyuck was ashamed of how bad and arrogantly he had reacted to his father's words, and he had come to hate how offensive he had been to a man that wanted nothing but his good, and who tried his best. his best might not be what donghyuck wanted, but the man didn't have the easiest life, so it was donghyuck's duty to make an effort and understand that.

his father must be so disappointed in him right now, which was probably the reason why he hadn't come back home the night prior. he'd rather spend the night at one of his friends' houses, or worse, outside, than in his son's company knowing how lowly he thought of him – not that donghyuck thought lowly of his father, it's just that considering how he had snapped at him, he might have believed it was the case.

damn, donghyuck truly was a monster. speaking to his genitor this way, the person he had admired for so long, the person who had taught him everything, the person who had loved him unconditionally since the beginning of his life... and this was how he had given it back to him; by telling him straight in the eye that he was a bad father.

"well, maybe it could be better for you to try talking to him... to both of you, i mean." mark stated, looking down at the head placed on his chest to judge the boy's reaction. and seeing how donghyuck didn't seem to have too much of a boad reaction at his suggestion, he kept talking. "i don't exactly know what happened between you too, but he's your father, so if you both have a talk, i'm sure you'll be able to arrange things. i can see how much you value and admire him, and i'm sure he loves you dearly, even despite what happened."

it didn't take much time for donghyuck to understand that mark's suggestion was the best thing for him to do. in fact, he had kind of understood that after his conversation with his co-worker already, but hearing it out loud, from someone else, someone he held in his heart, only comforted him in this decision.

he needed to arrange things with his father. he needed to talk to him, and apologise, and tell him how much he loved him and admired him. but for that, he needed to see his father again.

"you still have a father, you know..." mark's words came after a long silence, his voice slightly strained, surely because he got emotional talking about this subject. "you... you should really cherish him, and take care of him as long as he's here." there was another pause during which donghyuck didn't dare muttering any word. "you never know when he might leave you for ever..."

the words held so much sadness and longing that they had donghyuck lifting his head up from mark's chest to look down at his lover that had been lying on the grass under him.

his heart shattered when he noticed the tears that had escaped mark's eyes and that were rolling down the side of his face to wet the parcel of grass on which they were embracing.

donghyuck didn't waste a second to lower his body again, leaving no space between his and mark's body as his arm wrapped around the royal's torso to tighten his hold on him.

"i'm sorry, mark." he spoke, his own voice becoming frail. it was as if by sharing love, they also shared a heart, and thus emotions, donghyuck's eyes becoming teary as well at his lover's despair. "i'm so sorry..."

mark's answer came after a small sniffle. "you have nothing to be sorry about, sunshine." he sighed. "it's just how things are... you don't have anything to do with it."

and if previously donghyuck's eyes had been teary, they were now ready to go in full-sobbing mode – not that he could lose that much control in front of mark.

it's just how things are.

you don't have anything to do with it.

well, it certainly was how things were. but donghyuck definitely had something to do with it. and even more than that, he was the very responsible of mark's father's assassination.

but it's not like he could say that out loud to the man that loved him so much...

so, he kept his mouth shut, biting his lips to prevent any sob from escaping as more tears cascaded down his cheeks and came mixing with mark's on the grass underneath them.

♕

"what did you just say?!"

the two royal guards that were having the most peaceful chat while strolling around the royal palace's corridors both froze at the voice, their back straigntening instantly as they turned on their heels to face the royal.

"your highness!" they bowed as low as they could, sending mark smiles that seemed overly fake.

him and donghyuck had come back from their freedom at the lakeside a few hours ago, slipping discreetly in the stables to drop off argenti before spending a few more minutes to say goodbye to each other and to have donghyuck leaving the royal palace without getting seen by anyone.

and after this painful goodbye – they all were painful, even if they were for only a few hours – mark had stayed a bit in his quarters to relax and calm his nerves for a while. his stomach growling in hunger after a while, mark had decided to grab something in the kitchens. and it's as he walked across the royal palace to reach this very place that he had come across those two guards mindlessly talking about a subject that had mark very interested.

"what did you just say?" mark repeated on a stern tone, eyes glaring at the two guards who both gulped and exchanged a look.

"w-well..." one of the guards stuttered. "we were just discussing on how we had to ensure that the food sent from the northern kingdom for the coronation had arrived to the kitchens, your highness."

the second guard frantically nodded, looking right into mark's eyes and trying to be as convincing as possible.

the royal crossed his arms over his chest, letting out a huff as he knew that they were lying to him. "the queen told you to leave me out of it i suppose."

"l-leave you out of it, your highness?" the guards were quick to feign innocence. "i don't know what you- "

"tell me immediately." mark cut them, venom in his eyes.

"y-your highness, i-it was an order from h-her majesty t-the queen, we cannot- "

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHAT SHE SAID!" the royal exclaimed, his voice resonating in the empty corridors and making the guards tense.

"y-your highness, we- "

"if you don't tell me what she's hiding RIGHT NOW, I'LL HAVE YOUR HEADS CUT OFF IN PUBLIC RIGHT AFTER MY CORONATION!"

the threat seemed to be enough for the two guards to forget about whatever agreement they had passed with the queen.

"they have found a resistant, your highness!" one of them let out instantly.

mark stayed static, keeping his eyes on the guards and knowing very well that they weren't saying everything that they knew. "what else?"

"t-that's all we know about- "

"WHAT ELSE?!"

"h-he's imprisoned in the dungeon, your highness!" the guard spat out. "her majesty the queen is having an appointment with lord kang from the armed forces, and they'll surely decide of his sort later on."

at that point, the only thing mark could see was red.

he couldn't believe that his mother was aware of the existence of a resistant. he couldn't believe she had organised a meeting with the lord in charge of the armed forces without telling him. he couldn't believe she had hidden to him that the resistant had been caught and imprisoned in the royal palace. all of that knowing very well that mark wanted nothing more than to avenge his father and to get rid of the person who had organised his death.

he knew that he couldn't truly trust his mother.

"get away from my sight." mark muttered.

"of course, your highness." the two guards didn't even take the time to bow before dashing away, not wanting to stay a second longer in mark's presence and risking to be threatened again.

mark stood a few more seconds on his spot before reaching for the handle of his sword that was attached around his waist. as soon as he felt the metal cooling his fingers, he turned on his heels, heading directly towards the stairs leading to the dungeons.

he hopped down the stairs in a record time, slamming open the heavy wooden door of the dungeons before bolting inside the room, walking straight in front of the only occupied cell.

"oh, look at that." the prisoner stated, looking up at the fuming royal. "the future king in person. the people of aes had almost thought you had died too with how little public appearance you make."

the desire to pull out his sword got too strong for mark to fight against at the resistant's words. he pulled the blade out of its cover in a deafening metallic sound before pointing it right at the resistant through the bars of the cell. because of how cramped the space was, the resistant had glued himself to the furthest wall from the cell, but mark could still reach him with his blade.

"i am not the one who killed the king." the resistant spoke, as if he was barely intimidated by the blade pointing at his chest. "killing me won't bring you any good."

"i don't know how it could not bring me any good." mark replied, venom laced through his voice. "you're a resistant after all."

"don't you know that to kill a weed you have to get rid of its roots?" the resistant raised a brow. "of course, you don't know. you royal have never even touched a plant with your hand. you have plenty of slaves to eradicate the weeds in your gardens..."

"you're only making me want to get rid of you faster." mark growled.

"did you listen to what i told you?" the peasant tsked, slightly leaning forward to get closer to mark. "the killer of the king is still outside, and yet you're focusing on me." he spoke slowly and eligibly.

mark stayed silent for a few seconds; eyes focused on the man's face to try reading him.

he assured that he hadn't been the one to kill the king, but could mark be certain of this information? judging by how arrogant this man was and how he didn't address mark the formal way, he definitely was a resistant, and killing him sure wouldn't solve the problem, but it would at least allow aes to get rid of one resistant.

"don't think too much, your head might grow bigger and it won't fit in your crown anymore." the resistant said, marking mark wake-up from his little daze and hold his sword up correctly again.

"don't talk too much, your head might end up off your body." mark retorted back with a murderous glare.

"it might." the resistant nodded. "but then you and your little guards will have to go all the way to finding another resistant again to hope finding who killed your dear father."

the future king's jaw clenched at the resistant's words.

he wasn't wrong. having captured a resistant was a big chance, and if mark got rid of him too quickly, they might not have enough information to dismantle the whole network of people fighting against the royal family.

it sucked honestly not to be able to sink his sword into the man's ribcage to stop his arrogant chattering. but the peasant was right, he couldn't die yet, he was still useful.

"wow... and you're the future leader of our land?" the resistant snorted. "getting so distracted after a little talk with a resistant. you don't even hold your sword tight anymore."

mark regained his spirits once again, silently cursing at the resistant for reading him this easily. he was aware that he was only trying to rile him up, but mark needed to stay cold-headed. he couldn't lose control.

"so, now something that i've been curious about." the resistant hummed. "your father. did he tragically die of arsenic poisoning? or did he know a boring death like some food poisoning, or some poor liver condition...?"

a rush of adrenaline flowed through mark's veins at the resistant's words. "you know who killed my father." he growled, brows in an intense frown.

"oh, arsenic poisoning, then." the man in the cell nodded. "that's nice."

"i'm going to kill you." mark muttered, unable to think clear by then.

"you know, i wish your father wasn't the only victim of this." the resistant explained. "i wish you and your mother had also had sugar from that bowl, and i wish that you also had died at the same time as him. that way the people you exploit on aes' lands would have definitely been freed of the scourge that is royalty."

mark reacted instantly at those words, his movement not even stopping by his brain for him to rationalise it. he pulled his arm back, tightening his grip on the sword in his hand before preparing to dive it deep in the boy's chest, right at his heart, and to get rid of him for good.

he didn't care at that point if he was killing their only chance to find who had killed the king. he didn't care if he was killing the person who could have answer. he didn't care to kill someone who might have a family. he just wanted to kill, that's how enraged the resistant had made him.

but what prevented him from sinking his sword deep through the man's flesh and see him fighting for the last seconds of his life in a bloodbath was the feeling of a sharp cold and metallic object on the back of his neck, right at a vital point. that, and the voice that said: "keep your blade away from him."