"We found them floating upon the lake,Your Highness.",Chanyeol stated.

"After three days?",the Queen inquired.

"Yes,Your highness.According to their family,they went to the fair that was held four days ago at my region.The last person who saw both of them was their friend Ban Yeowool.After inquiring him,we got to know that they were scared about something, which...took place at the fair and they mentioned to him that they wanted to inform me something as soon as possible. But...nobody got a sight of them after that until yesterday morning.",the duke explained as the furrow on the Queen's forehead deepened.

"So it is clearly a case of murder...?",the female alpha wondered.

"There is no doubt about it, my Queen. But, what confused me is the fact that none of the corpses has any sign of abuse on them.Except....", the duke trailed.

-"Except?"

-"Except two deep holes on each one of their necks."

It was as if the entire courtroom gasped collectively.

"Have the corpses turned pale?!", one of the Nobles asked with a hollow voice.

"You see, they were almost drowned inside the lake. Naturally, they've become pale.", Chanyeol answered before the room went silent once again.

"Your Grace, could it be a deed of... one of them ?", General Jung, Hoseok's father asked worriedly.

The Queen clenched her jaws while looking at the eldest alpha present in the courtroom.

-"You mean....the Northerners?"

The middle aged man only nodded as an answer.

"I think General Jung is right, Your Grace. The way Duke Chanyeol-nim interpreted the condition of the corpses, it seems like this can be done by those soulless creatures only.", a knight commented.

Jeongguk frowned. He knew whom all of them were talking about. However, he seemed to focus on something else rather than finding if it was a northerner or not.

Chanyeol said that those alphas wanted to inform him something; urgently.

Usually the peasants try to meet the dukes when they want their requests or messages to reach the throne.

Otherwise, they can solve their own regional problems by the help of the vassals only.

Maybe.....maybe those men wanted the Queen to know something.

Maybe it was.....really important.

What made the crown Prince more curious was the fact that those men mentioned the fair to their friend.

They were scared about something that occurred in that very fair where his siblings had gone the same day those two became missing.

Jeongguk glanced at his right where his sister's soon to be brother-in-law was sitting with a serious and thoughtful expression on his face and decided to talk to him after the courtroom would be adjourned.

"We should be more careful about our Kingdom's safety from now on.If it is true that one of those northerners has invaded our province and has dared to kill my peasants, then that barbarian would definitely pay for it.",the Queen's growl vibrated inside the hall.

----------------------

"Taehyung-nim?"

Taehyung stopped at his tracks as the younger prince called for him.

The blonde bowed to the crown Prince before politely saying,-

"Yes,my-.... Your Highness... How may I help you?"

"If you don't mind,can I ask you something?", Jeongguk hesitated a bit.

"Sure, Your Highness...", the older assured.

"Did anything.... unusual happened at the fair the other day? I mean, did something... anything strange caught your eyes?", the raven asked curiously.

Taehyung knitted his eyebrows.

After a brief moment, he shook his head as a 'no'.

"I don't.... think so, Your Highness.", he mumbled.

Jeongguk nodded, a bit unsatisfied with the answer. Maybe maintaining a kingdom is not as simple as it seems to be. He thought he would be able to solve the mystery that easily! How naive!

"Uhmm... Your Highness?", the prince woke up from his deep thought as the duke cleared his throat.

He looked up at the blonde, his eyes a bit wider to prove that he was paying attention to the older.

"Pardon me but, I hope you won't ask this question to Jisoo Noona or Elder prince? I mean to say that, they would try to know the reason behind the sudden inquiry and... what if they get scared by the possibility of the northerners in our kingdom?", Taehyung said as a matter of fact.

Jeongguk shook his head.

"Ofcourse I won't inquire any of the four about it. I guess its not that easy as I thought.", he smiled embarrassedly.

.......Meanwhile.......

Seokjin saw his younger brother speaking to the older alpha as he kept fidgeting with his cufflinks.

He was feeling thankful earlier that Hoseok had dragged his and Seokjin's own bestfriend to show something "fascinating" at the Royal garden;but it seemed meaningless to him now.

'It's been three days.Does he even care?!'

He huffed quietly and took a step to proceed towards the garden until a large hand grabbed his arm and dragged him towards a narrow walkaway.

Seokjin started struggling in an instant as he recognized the smell.

Firmly,yet gently pinning him to the wall,Taehyung captured his plump lips.

The omega kept struggling;hitting his fists on the younger's chest.Even tried to push the alpha with his hands;but the other didn't even budge a little.

He continued assaulting the plush lips of his elder until Seokjin kissed back.

The prince couldn't help but melt under the duke's tender touch and the eager movements of his soft lips against his own.

His fists gradually stopped hitting the younger's chest and he wounded them around his neck instead;deepening the kiss.

Taehyung had to pull back as Seokjin released a soft whimper;letting the younger know that he needed a break to breath.

"I missed you so much...",Taehyung murmured while rubbing his thumb on the older's waist;caressing it slightly.

Seokjin looked away.

"I don't think so...You wouldn't have been absent for three days if it was something like that...",he mumbled under his still labored breathes.

Taehyung smiled and tilted his head to look at Seokjin's averted eyes; just the way he always does.

"Did my prince miss me that much?!",he slurred.

The older glared at him.

"Don't flatter yourself,Kim Taehyung! I was ju- mmh!",the omega was shushed by the blonde's lips that were greedily savoring his own cherry ones.

"I have a dukedom,my Prince. I have to be there sometimes due to some important works.Please try to understand,my Prince....",he muttered against Seokjin's lips;slowly trailing them down upon the Elder Prince's jawline and neck.

Sniffing his favorite smell of Jasmines,Taehyung caressed the sides of the omega softly;soothingly.

"I-its...its alright...",Seokjin managed to breath out before the younger placed a lingering kiss on his forehead.

"Should I come tonight to compensate the three days?",the alpha smirked lightly and received an eye roll from his elder.

Chuckling a little,he leaned in once again; whispering "I'll come anyways..." but was stopped by the black haired man's hands on his chest; preventing him to lean further.

"Please....",he pleaded as his heart dropped because of the interruption.

"One more,please.... It was too much to spend these last days without you...",he whispered; his eyes reflecting nothing but sincerity, fondness and immense longing.

Seokjin caught several shades of red flashing in the younger's pleading eyes as he himself leaned in and pecked the alpha's lips.

Before pulling away,he felt the younger smiling against his mouth but as soon as he pulled back,the duke gently tangled his fingers with the older's black strands and claimed his lips once again.

"You said....its the last one...",Seokjin muttered between the kiss.

"One more,please ~",Taehyung answered;clearly forgetting the count.

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Taejin being lovey-dovey coz that's what they actually are in real life!

Yes! 😌

Opinions please.......

And plz do comment......

I feel a a bit of unenthusiastic without them....sorry for sounding desperate.Hehe...

Purple Ya! ^_^ 💜