The Crown Prince [COMPLETED]

𝟜𝟟

The castle was a lot quieter without Jisung there, Chenle noticed. There was no one giving him flowers or pecks on the cheek, no one surprising him with a hug. It was quiet without his brothers or Jisung. And he hated it.

He had things to keep him busy - he had training to do for kingship, and preparations for the upcoming wedding, which was hardly more than a week away. It was going to be held in Taerid, then they'd go their respective ways. In fact, they were leaving in a day.

It was probably good for Chenle to be moving this much; since both of his parents had yet to be home, they'd agreed to wait until Jaemin and Jeno got married to pass on the crown to Chenle.

However, they still had to announce Renjun's death, and that was just a few hours ago. Now the castle doors were open for those who wanted to pay their respects, Yongsun standing before the raised platform in a black dress and veil while Chenle stood next to her, his hair a shocking shade of white in contrast to his dark suit.

Renjun's chair was overflowing with flowers, gifts, and letters. It was tradition in Lelidan to respect the dead with a bonfire later, and the townsfolk had asked, and Yongsun had said later that night in the Royal Sepulchrum. When YangYang came in, he couldn't stop sobbing to the point where Dejun apologetically removed him, Hendery leaving the flowers for all of them and giving Chenle a little frog keychain personally.

"It was Renjun's and he left it at YangYang's house, but we thought you'd like it back." Chenle thanked him, looking at the little frog with a comical face. He'd seen Renjun with the keychain, and had wondered where it went.

"We'll see you tonight?" Yongsun asked, and Hendery nodded.

"Hello," a soft voice said, and Chenle looked up to see Daehwi standing there, his eyes sad.

"Daehwi, have you seen anything?" Chenle asked, hoping against hope that somehow, Renjun had gotten out.

"I'm sorry. The trees have told me no one inside the fire has made it out alive. Their roots hurt from it. But they did send this for you." Daehwi held out a woven crown on multiple trees, and Chenle smiled a little. "I have a friend here as well, he wishes to pay his respects."

A man with dark hair and goggles on his head popped out and waved, his clothing clearly made for travel. "Hello. My name is Ong Seongwu, and I would like to discuss something with the queen."

Yongsun nodded and walked to the outside of the throne room, Seongwu following. Chenle watched curiously as Seongwu said something and his mother broke into devastated sobs, and Seongwu pulled something out of his backpack and gave it to her, bowing deeply. She grasped it tightly, holding it to her chest.

Chenle made his way over, pulling her into a hug. "What is it?" Chenle asked softly, seeing the folded canvas in his mother's hand, thick and stained.

"According to the reports, Renjun was working on a painting that they forced him to work on. It was in his blood, sweat, and tears, and was protected from the fire due to the room it was in, an underground gallery. I recovered it and brought it here. I'd suggest opening it in private."

"We'll be closing the Seeing now," Yongsun said softly. Chenle nodded and ushered everyone out, apologising and saying that the bonfire would be later tonight at the Royal Sepulchrum.

Only Daehwi and Seongwu remained at Yongsun's request, and Yongsun began to unfold the painting, revealing a man with blonde hair, tousled, and blank eyes staring at the painter. His back, though defined by muscle, had ugly scabs running vertically with dark feathers surrounding his bent legs. In the corner, it had Renjun's signature, a small Moomin. Then, in even smaller Lelenese, it told the reader to turn the painting around.
When they did, they found a letter.