DAECHWITA

two

"What a beautiful day! A wonderful, sun-filled morning!"

The delightfully, joyous voice of Jung Hoseok rang across the palace, earning certain looks from the other workers. However, he ignored them, as he skipped into the main court, bowing at the Emperor.

"Good morning, Yoongi!" He exclaimed as the royal rolled his eyes. 

"It's Emperor Yoongi," He reminded. "Just because you and I have known each other for a while, doesn't mean I'm going to relax the rules on you,"

It was Hoseok's turn to roll his eyes as he responded. "Sure Yoongi,"

The man shook his head at the disobedience, but in reality he was amused. The guards who watched craved for the ability that the Jung had, the capability to even joke with the man who was feared by all. If one of them had called him by his real name, they would be executed on the spot!

"What do you want? I'm busy," Yoongi looked at Hoseok, who tutted.

"All you're doing is sleeping, that's not being busy at all. Anyway, I'm here because Namjoon called," Hoseok beamed. "Says to meet him in the library,"

Bowing towards the Emperor once more, the Jung man left, leaving Yoongi to only stare at the empty space where Hoseok had once stood.

"They should be coming to me, yet I have to go to them," He grumbled as he stood up, exiting the main court and heading for the library. "Nuisances. All of them,"

...

"I swear you never leave this place,"

A man with spectacles perched on his nose, staring intensely at a scroll glanced upwards as the Emperor strolled in, his cat-like eyes focused on the scholar.

"Was that a joke, Yoongi?" Kim Namjoon smiled as the said man groaned, dropping into the seat that once belonged to the Kim. "Feeling soft, are we?"

"I can slit your throat using my bare hands, Namjoon, don't test me,"

Despite the threat, Namjoon chuckled at the older's comment, sliding into another seat besides him.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

"This,"

Namjoon's arm was extended, pointing towards a scroll that surely dated back to when the palace was first constructed. The writing was intricate, delicate, and the Kim handled it with precision as he moved it closer to the Emperor.

"I'm sure you may have seen this before- "

"Never seen it in my life,"

Namjoon glared at the older man, who looked extremely bored and simply wanted to leave the library. Perhaps to catch up on some sword practice. 

"It's an ancient scroll that has been in this palace for hundreds of years, and has been followed by every ruler that this kingdom has had," Namjoon explained. "It's a marriage law,"

At that, Yoongi snorted, not quite believing his ears at what he'd just heard. A marriage law! How ridiculous!

"And what does that have to do with me?" He questioned.

"It means that you need to get married," Namjoon urged. "Otherwise the advisors will be after my flesh. They've been meaning to tell you this for ages!"

"And so they told you to say it so that I don't rip their skins out, correct?" Yoongi growled. "I'm not getting married,"

"Yoongi," The Kim took off his spectacles, rubbing the bride between his nose as he tried to find the right words. "Yoongi, even if you don't want to marry, you need to think about the fact that you require an heir when you pass. You don't have any living relatives,"

Yoongi stiffened. "Then when I pass, the kingdom shall be no more,"

"You can't say that!" Namjoon huffed. "There are people in your kingdom who don't have the lavish lifestyle that you have. They need to work and have the knowledge that their lives are in the safe hands of the Emperor!"

"I'm not getting married, you can drop the subject,"

"Why not?"

The Emperor paused. "She will be a weakness. Enemies will use her against me. I don't want a war because of her. She'll be an inconvenience,"

"But she'll be a companion," Namjoon prompted.

"I have you lot!" Yoongi clapped a hand over his mouth, shocked at what he had just said, Namjoon beaming.

"Even if you have us," The Kim boy was still smiling broadly. "We're not exactly able to rule the Kingdom alongside you,"

Yoongi fell silent as he took in the words of the scholar, perhaps the most intelligent and wisest of all the boys that he considered as his friends.

"I'll have a look," Yoongi glared at the victorious expression upon Namjoon's face. "But no promises,"