Lueur| A Yoongi FF| (Completed✓)

22- Knowing

It was 5:00 in the evening as everyone gathered in the ballroom, waiting for the celebratory reception to begin, the waiters making their rounds with various drinks, tables laden with dishes of every kind, Queen mother Narina making her rounds with a smile as everyone waited for the woman of the evening.

Yoongi smiled and nodded as he couldn't get his mind off of Elira. 

Something was wrong.

The trumpets cut out all the chatter in the ballroom as the announcer walked into the ballroom first, 

"Her Majesty, Queen Elira," his voice echoed as the heavy wooden doors swung open, revealing Elira in a light blue ballgown, her hair loose behind her, a crystal crown on her head and a confident smile on her face as she walked into the room, everyone simultaneously bowing to her.

"As you were," she said before making her way to the nearest dignitary, thanking them for coming.

She made her way through the crowd, people parting for her with beaming smiles as she thanked people for making time for this momentous occasion.

Soon she turned and walked towards Ye Jun, Narina following her as both of them nodded at each other, reaching her hand out

"Thank you for making it here for the occasion. I look forward to our alliance, and to see where this leads for both our countries," she said with an amicable smile.

"And I thank you for inviting us and trusting in us, your majesty. I am very much looking forward to seeing where this goes as well,"

Elira smiled and nodded, proceeding to stand in front of Yoongi, an elbow extended, "And now, shall we?" she said with a smile, her eyes glinting with mischief

"I believe, I'm supposed to do that," Yoongi said as he extended his elbow, Elira wrapping her arm as the crowd parted for the both of them as they made their way to the centre.

Yong Saeng grabbed a glass of wine off one of the servers and gulped it down in one sip as Yoongi placed his hands on her hips, her hands finding their place on his shoulders as the soft classical music began.

A celebration of kingdoms again, but this time, it was different. There was no unspoken tension, no two-faced smiles. Just the two of them relaxed and smiling as they glided across the ballroom, everyone else looking on in hushed silence.

Yoongi looked down at their feet, his eyebrows creased as he made sure to not step on her voluminous skirt

"Hey..." she whispered, making him look up, right into her eyes as they curved with a smile,

"You're doing amazing,"

Yoongi laughed softly, "I should be the one saying that, it's your day after all."

Elira smiled as he twirled her before they moved back to the centre, the music ending with a flourish, more couples moving to the dance floor as the next song began. Elira led Yoongi off to the side, holding on to his hands firmly, her knuckles white as she looked at him intently. Yoongi looked at her, slightly confused, 

"Yoongi.. thank you..." she said, the smile on her face not reaching her eyes

Yoongi shook his head, "Elira... are you okay?"

Elira tilted her head, "Is it that obvious-"

"No it's not but I could not help but notice that it looks like something is preying on your mind..."

Elira smiled weakly, her hands still not leaving his, "This cannot be told over letters or texts... I'll tell Alder to come get you after the ball if that's alright-"

Yoongi freed his right hand from her grip and placed it on her hand, gently rubbing her knuckles with his fingers, "If you want to talk, I'm here, you can count on that,"

Elira smiled gratefully, before giving his hand one final squeeze and walking away into the crowd again.

.....

The gala ended at around 12 in the night, the loud bells from the guard tower chiming 60 times to welcome the era of the new monarch. Everyone in the ballroom was silenced as the sound echoed through Leas, Elira raising her champagne glass at the end of it, prompting everyone to cheer.
People started clearing out of the room once that was done, bowing and taking their leave. Soon it was just Elira and Narina again, the both of them walking out of the ballroom, arms interlinked, tired smiles on their faces.

They stood at the fork in the corridor, leading to their respective rooms.

"Do you want me to-" Narina started to which Elira replied, "No it's okay. I'm fine. I have to go meet Yoongi after anyway-"

Narina nodded before saying carefully, "I hope you're careful in the alliances you make from now on, darling. Yoongi seems like a nice boy, but everyone has an agenda for their own benefit, remember that... As queen, you've made new enemies just by virtue of your position. So please be cautious,"

Elira's lips drew into a thin line as she considered those words.

She hadn't told Narina about the tampered envelope just yet.
She didn't need to add more fuel to the fire.
Not until she had figured out some things.

She gave her mother's hand one last squeeze before walking away to her room.

.....

Yoongi had a cup of coffee in his hands when Elira entered the Queen's private balcony, her hands in the pocket of her hoodie as she smiled at Yoongi in his PJs.

They stood near the railing, the cool breeze and comfortable clothes providing some relief from the stuffy ball of the evening.
Yoongi tilted the cup in question, Elira waving it off as her back leaned against the railing, facing Yoongi.

"So..."

"Hmm?"

Elira took a deep breath and continued, "the autopsy reports of my father and sister, may have been tampered with..."

Yoongi stiffened, walking back to put the cup down on the table behind him, "What?!"

Elira nodded, "The envelope seal has a residue for some reason. The general brought it to my notice this morning because Alder noticed it when he went to put the papers in the archives-"

Yoongi stood next to her, in contemplative silence.

"My- my mother had told me something the day I had arrived from Korea... She had told me my father and sister had been murdered." Elira said softly, "and I told her that that was a ridiculous notion... since no one found anything odd about this. Not the soldiers who recovered the wreckage and their bodies, and not the doctors who performed the needful.

But now, it looks like I cannot trust anyone," she said as she turned to face the moonlit palace grounds, her elbows on the railing as she leaned ahead.

Yoongi looked at her, his eyebrows creased, his eyes lost in thought as he considered what he had just heard.

"So... What do we do?" he asked softly

Elira chuckled, "I honestly don't know,"

Yoongi placed his hand on hers, as she whispered

"I don't know..."

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A/N:

Coincidences reached 25k+ reads and 2k upvotes and I'm just ???????????????????

The confusion and gratitude are overwhelming...

Thank you <3

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