Kingdom

129. Moonlight (1)

a/n: This is a short update (more like a teaser). I decided to post it because it has been a long time since I updated this story. I hope you enjoy it. I will add more notes at the end.

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The sun blazes over Yoongi's head, the heat of its rays pierce through his hat and turns his brain into a soup. It's not lunch time yet, but why is it so hot? Has the Sun a personal vendetta against the King of Daegu? Or did Yoongi put too many layers of clothes on?

He looks down at his attire to double check if his hanbok didn't magically change into a winter robe. Well, it didn't. It's still the same one he chose this morning. Initially, he was ready to leave with whatever clothes he wore last night, embarrassingly eager to go 'teach her things' but Nori insisted they wash up and change.

Yoongi dressed in a humble gray hanbok and a hat, resembling a wandering scholar. Nori took a bit more time to get ready. She tied her hair into a braided bun, adding a flower pin to hold it together. She looked very pretty with that hairdo. Prettier than usual somehow.

Mira had left her a lot of fancy clothes but the Princess chose a less glamorous outfit - a rose-colored hanbok with a light top. It is so simple, yet the color looks so good on her. And now, under the sun, that color shines brighter and makes her stand out like a magical flower. Why is she so irresponsibly pretty?

It makes it hard to deny her anything she wants. And she wants many weird things. Such as straying out of the path to collect herbs... in the middle of a meadow.... under the scorching sun... Who ever thinks that to be a good idea? Well, Nori of Ilsan does.

"Look," She points at another bunch of tiny flowers. "There are more herbs over here. I should pick a few of those as well. I will make you tea later."

Tea? Tea is the last thing Yoongi wants right now. He wants to jump into an icy spring.

"Hurry up, please." he says, "We have an hour more to walk."

"Sure, sure, just a second." Nori hurries towards the other side of the meadow, way too eager to pick more herbs. How can she have so much energy? Yoongi might faint from a heat stroke and she doesn't even care.

Nori crouches down and starts picking up more herbs to put in her bag. She seems so innocent and fragile now but last night she was using magic and fighting tigers. She was kind of ... cool. Not too much. Just a tiny bit.

And Yoongi... he said many lame things last night. It's embarrassing to remember. Was he out of his mind? Probably.... He felt so warm in her arms; he felt safer, better. She knows more about him than anyone else and that is a concerning fact, but also...it's liberating somehow. There are less doors he needs to guard when he is around her. He would very much like to feel closer to her again, he would like to...

Yoongi jerks his head to the side. It's hot. His brain is getting fried and his thoughts are getting weird. He looks at the road, trying to think about anything else BUT Princess Nori.

But all he thinks about is her. He remembers what she said and did last night.... and what she suggested this morning. Yoongi teaching her things... What is he to teach her exactly? What is okay to do and what is not okay to do? Does she even know what she wants? What if things go too far? How would Yoongi know when to stop?

The last thing he wants is to be pushy and cross the line. He needs to be careful. He should remain level-headed and on his guard. He should not allow his desires to cloud his judgment.

But the second he thinks of them alone in that Royal villa his heart races and his stomach tightens. Damn it. He should not get excited. He should not anticipate much. Nori always gives him fake hopes and leaves him with nothing. And it's not like he is desperate to do anything with her. It's okay if they do nothing. As long as she is comfortable.