The Crown Prince [COMPLETED]

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Jaemin tried not to cry as he looked at the iridescent dragon painted on the walls, the scales shimmering with life.

Life that Renjun no longer had. He heard a noise behind him and saw Jeno pulling himself up the stairs, obviously in pain. Without hesitation, Jaemin rushed over to help him up, making the boy smile at him softly.

"Thank you Nana."

"Of course." Their attention turned towards the dragon, and Jaemin sighed. "Do you ever wonder what was happening in Renjun's mind to make him imagine these? Like the dragon, from the looks, you'd say that it has ice powers or something of the sort. But everywhere it's touching, there's light and growth. The cracks, spilling with flowers."

"The other outline was for a black dragon," Jeno mused, and Jaemin looked at him.

"A black dragon?"

"On the ceiling. He used graphite, see." Jaemin looked up to see the pale ceiling covered in marks, seeing the outline of a dragon. "He was upset that he couldn't find paint though," Jeno said softly, trying to hold back tears. "But he knows - knew - how to mix his own paint. I didn't know that about him."

"Renjun was talented in every area." Jaemin said softly, his tears slipping down his face.
"He was so worried about you when you got poisoned." Jeno said softly. "He refused to leave your side, even for a second. He really tried to be there in the only way he knew how."

"Looking back at that I know," Jaemin managed. "But I just wanted something normal you know? I wanted to show him I truly wanted to support him. I wanted to kiss and cuddle him like I do with you."

"I know."

"Speaking of which, I really need cuddles." Jaemin said like he was trying to make a joke, but the words caught in his throat.

"C'mon then," Jeno said, lacing their fingers together and leading Jaemin out of his old room. "Let's cuddle."

♛♔♛

Daniel grunted as the guards roughly threw him to the ground, the dry sand of the Barren Lands invading his senses and making him cough.

"Must've done something shitty to be thrown like that," A voice hummed, and Daniel looked up to see a handsome man grinning at him. "Hey there."

"Hi?"

"I'm Ong, Ong Seongwu. I'm known as The Traveller around here. You are?"

"Kang Daniel."

"Banished?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Oh, I left on my own free will. Now, a rough explanation, the Barren Lands are split up into North, South, East, West, and Central. Central is the smallest, and run by a group named BlackPink. East is second smallest and run by GFriend. West is run by (G)I-DLE, and there's a patch of land run by Chungha. South is run by Dreamcatcher, and North is run by Twice. Dreamcatcher called me a little bit ago asking for my help with something, so I'm headed that way. Want to tag along?"

"Sure," Daniel said hesitantly. "How do you know I'm not a murderer or something?"

"Because I trust you Kang Daniel," Seongwoo smiled before slinging a pack onto Daniel's lap. "Now hurry up."

♛♔♛

Yongsun looked up when someone knocked on her door, seeing Sergeant Lee standing in the door, looking like his entire heart was torn out by the news he had to deliver.

"Your Majesty, they found a body in the building matching Renjun's rough dimensions. However it was so damaged they can't make a positive identification, but they found this nearby." Taeyong held out his fist, and Yongsun gingerly held out her hand, afraid of what would find its way into them.

Taeyong gently took her shaking hand and steadied it, placing the five beads Renjun had worn around his wrist gently. "I'm so sorry Your Majesty."

"No," she whispered, looking at the little carvings Renjun had made with Donghyuck. The Y² he had made as a joke with YangYang, the little dolphin for Chenle, the sun for Hyuck, the one with a tiara for her and a crown for Yixing. "No, this isn't happening."

"Your Majesty -"

"Give me my son back!" Yongsun screamed, crumpling onto her bed, the beads digging into her hand as she clenched her fist. "Give me Renjun back! I want to see his snaggletooth smile, his excitement at new paint, I want Renjun!"

"Your Majesty I can't provide that, I cannot work miracles."

"I just want my son back. That's not a miracle, it's something no mother should never have to ask for," Yongsun replied, and Taeyong sighed.

"I'm sorry."

"I know," Yongsun replied, composing herself before patting Taeyong on the shoulder. "Take care of your baby okay?"

"Your Majesty?" Taeyong asked, looking at the queen in confusion.

"You've been throwing up a bit haven't you?"

"Yes but -"

"Gotten a little dizzy and had weird cravings?"

"Yes."

"Abrupt mood swings?"

"Yes."

"Congratulations," Yongsun said softly. "You're pregnant."

♛♔♛

Chenle slumped against the door, holding Renjun's Moomin tightly, holding his Neo Stone that had connected him to his brother. They had to leave for Lelidan in the morning to inform their subjects that Prince Renjun was dead and thus, Prince Chenle was next in line for the throne.

Dead. The word still held little to no meaning to Chenle. held little to no meaning to Chenle. He still expected Renjun to push the door he was sitting against with one glass of chocolate milk, one glass of whole milk, and a plate of chocolate chip cookies, scolding him for thinking he'd die that easily.

He was expecting a hug, his brother's warmth, Renjun laughing as he whined over him playing a prank - Renjun saying it was payback for the time he'd dyed his hair red and cut it short.

Chenle would have done anything to be in Renjun's place. He could have been there, but he'd left. He could have done something, stopped something.

He could have done more.

A tentative knock echoed through the guest suite, and Chenle sniffled, wiping his nose with his sleeve. "Who is it?" He asked, hoping he'd hear Renjun's mischievous giggle and hear him say, "Your favourite brother!"

"It's your father," Yixing said, and Chenle sighed.

"Go away."

"You need to eat."

"I'm not hungry," Chenle responded.

"Please?"

"No."

"I'll bring cookies and chocolate milk."

"I don't want them if they're not from Renjun," Chenle whimpered.

"I'll bring them anyways," Yixing defeatedly said, and Chenle nodded.

♛♔♛

It seems like we're coming close to the end of this book :( I'm sort of sad to see it go.