Kingdom of Roses | Stray Kids Royal AU

Dead man can tell no story

800 years ago

Three years have passed since the demise of King Jisung and the coronation of King Seungmin.

The burned kingdom of Liliac was turned into a village of agriculture, meant to provide food for the new larger empire where the self-proclaimed King of Dandelions was ruling over.

He was one of the cruelest Kings in history. He didn't spare a soul from work.

No one even dared to look in his direction. Only one loyal servant was allowed to talk back.

-Your Highness! Changbin bowed while entering the room.

-I wanna export.

-Pardon me?

-We can put a price on the food and send it to other Kingdoms. We make alliances and we get more gold for us.

-Sir, I understand your view completely, but we are still growing from the ashes. We cannot afford to waste food when our kids are starving.

-Then cut the ration in half. They don't need that much food anyway.

-Sir, they are already sacrificing their food to give their children more. They will die if you cut more.

-I didn't tell them to make kids.

-But without kids there is no future for this empire.

-It's an order, Changbin! Seungmin shouted.

-Yes, sir! As you wish, he said before coughing violently into his sleeve.

-Get away from here before you get me sick!

-I apologize, sir!

After he closed the door after him, the Knight looked at the blood-stained sleeve and took a deep breath.

He went into the garden and bowed in front of Jisung's grave.

-I don't have much time left either. I hope you will allow me to serve you in the afterlife too, Your Highness, he said feelings sorrowful tears escaping his eyes with every blink. I wanna join you all. But I keep my promise. I swore to protect the royal family until the end. I can't afford dying right now. Not when king Seungmin is still hurting. Wait for me, Your Highness! I long for our meeting in the sky.

It wasn't like that.

Changbin was overworked, helping at plantations in the daytime, guarding the king in the night-time, giving away his food to his soldiers' Kids.

He was exhausted. He was ready to die and rest.

No matter how hard he was trying to do one more thing, his time has come. He had to accept it.

The next morning Seungmin found him dead on the floor, right next to his door, like a dog sleeping in front of his master's house.

He didn't wanna leave Seungmin's sight.

He died there, clinging to life as hard as he could.

Seungmin cried like a baby. He was alone. Completely alone.

Changbin was buried in the garden, right next to his friends.

All the soldiers came in front of the castle and kneeled, holding onto their tears. Everyone loved Changbin. Even their kids started crying and screaming after their favorite uncle.

Seungmin watched the scene unfolding in front of him with a stone-cold face.

Changbin managed to earn loyalty from them through little things and gestures. Changbin was the true leader.

Seungmin was nothing like that. And it was too late to change.

-Take a day off, Seungmin said all of a sudden.

-What? they all looked up in shock.

-Take a day off. Mourn him. Tomorrow we will talk about the food ratio. I want kids to have enough food to grow. Now go!

No one dared to ask what changed. They went home.

That night was the hardest for Seungmin. He had nothing left. No one to hold on to. Completely alone between the towering walls of the castle.

-It's cold.

Seungmin turned around and saw the figure of prince Chan, a little pale and visibly weakened.

Seungmin blinked repeatedly, knowing he was hallucinating.

But the figure wasn't going away.

-It's quite terrifying when no one is here. But you will get used to it. That's what I did in the dungeon.

-Go away...

-You brought me here. Because you feel alone. You are the only one who can make me go away.

-Leave me alone!

-Is that what you really want?

Seungmin turned around and saw Hyunjin all sweaty and pale.

Seungmin ran to him and stopped a few inches away to admire his face.

-What happened, Seungmin?

-I don't know how to rule. I wanna come with you.

-You can't, Minho appeared out of the blue with blood pouring from his opened stomach. This land needs a ruler. You are the only one who's been here all along. You can tell the story of this kingdom, so it won't be forgotten.

-He's right, Jeongin said, his whole body covered in teeth marks. Minho didn't die for nothing. We all sacrificed for this kingdom.

-Why me? Seungmin started crying.

-Because you are the only one alive, Felix came covered in ashes. Dead man can tell no story. But you can write it.

-These people need a ruler, Changbin finally appeared with a warm smile on his face. We did our part. It's up to you now, Your Highness. If you die, they will feel exactly like you feel now. Alone and helpless.

-I'm sorry! I'm sorry for making you work so hard! Please forgive me! I tried. I tried to go through with Hyunjin's plan, to bear Jisung's legacy. I tried... he swallowed his salty tears.

-We know. We are proud of you, Seungmin.

The latter looked to the right the moment he recognized the voice.

-Jisung?

The older was standing right there, blood flowing from his neck.

-I've been watching you. You did great. But you still have a long way to go. We put our hope in you. I'll be here next to you if you wanna talk.

-I miss you!

-I miss you too, brother! Jisung smiled at him. You will make great things.

What happened after?

King Seungmin waited a few more years before exporting food.

He used the gold to build houses and villages for the kids who will make their own families.

He stayed away from any kind of war and focused all his energy on his people.

And he never fell in love again. He refused any kind of marriage. He stayed loyal to his love.

He didn't have an heir and therefore his family bloodline ended with him. As well as the empire.

The moment the king died, the empire was conquered and lost in the pages of history written by Seungmin himself.

The Empire of Dandelions became a legend, a fairytale and nothing more...

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This is how the first timeline ends. But we still have the second one to finish. Are you ready?

Thank you for reading!