46

WHEN THE KING left the majestic golden and garnet courtroom, the three guards helped their crown prince onto his feet and dusted off his clothing for any specks, guiding him to his bedroom.

It had been long since the crown prince had seen and been in his bedroom ever since his father wedded him off to the famous Robin Hood, Jung Hoseok, so he would know everything the young dark brunette intended to do for humanity and saving the world.

He felt his eyes well up the moment his feet touched the dark red carpet sitting on the hard ground and his king-sized bed. His blanket was red and golden laying on the crimson bed, pillows accompanying the dark brown header. There was a small alarm clock on the nightstand and a large book containing enchanted fairytales he recalled, almost as if he was a princess instead of a prince. 

To be frank, he was always fond of fairytales, hoping one would unravel for himself, but it gave him a heartbreaking one the moment he found out about his mother's illness.

"I'll be fine son. Your mother is fine! I only request you to be happy and healthy, be kind, courageous, brave, humble, and respectable, that is my wish. I know your father had destined himself after hearing about my illness and has shut himself from the world, but deep inside, I know he's a good person. He just doesn't have this feeling that comes from here as before," the queen touches the right side of the crown prince's chest, smiling as she feels the ten-year-old's heartbeat, his eyes glistening from the tears threatening to fall.

"What if Father never comes to obtain this feeling ever again?"

"My son, everything takes time. Just like how it takes time to heal . . . " but before she could continue her words of wisdom, the queen's breath came to an end, eyes fluttering shut as the heart monitor showed the heartbeat's line straighten like a flat tire.

Seokjin's grasp on his mother's hand tightens and tears gingerly flow down his soft cheeks onto the crimson mattress as he realizes his mother isn't breathing after checking for her heartbeat, albeit the heart monitor standing beside him.

His body starts shaking. His heart drops acknowledging his mother has left the world. Instead, he thinks his mother has fallen into a deep slumber because the truth hurts.

"Don't worry mother, your son will make you proud." He says as tears continue to stream down his round cheeks, his grasp on his mother's hand tight, and then loosens.

It's time to let go, and stand strong, he thinks.

"Hey, Seokjin, you alright?" Hyunki comes behind the crown prince, hand traveling to his shoulder, giving it a squeeze as they meet eyes. The young prince is crying, and the raven notices. Not knowing the reason behind it but helps him sit down on the bed and moves a comforting hand down his slender back.

"Did it ever occur to you how long it has been since my mother's death?"

 The word death on the tip of his tongue burns and screams like sirens. His mother didn't deserve to die . . . . "Why do all the good people die first?" He says in a loud voice, eyes sharp and cloudy, fists clenching the bedsheet in anger.

"Good people go away first so the bad ones can hopefully turn around," Hyunki whispers, throwing an arm around the crown prince, pulling him for an embrace as the brunette silently cries.

. . . 

Before the brunette knows it, he's pulled away by the maidens to prepare him for the wedding and coronation. His new friends, the three guards are waiting and defending his security outside of his bedroom, silently chatting with each other through sign language. 

The crown prince stands quiet, eyes wandering around the dressing room as the two maidens focus on preparing his elegant white button-up shirt accompanying a floral golden design traveling from the shoulder to the wrist where the cuffs are. His white pants holding the same pattern and color. Seokjin accepts the outfit from a short dark brown-haired maiden and dresses once the maidens leave for his privacy. 

Arriving from the closet with a never-ending of gorgeous outfits, he smiles at the elegant outfit he slipped on but the smile falls as he remembers the reason he's wearing this.

His official marriage with a fair maiden he has no idea about and his coronation.

"You look handsome, Your Royal Highness." 

Handsome, my aerospace engineering idiots. 

Yes, aerospace engineering because the maiden's love interests when they were in their teens were aerospace engineering students and they developed a liking towards space, airplanes, and everything else related. Once the crown prince had finished dressing and his hair was combed neatly, he was amazed at how he seemed to glow, looking at himself in the mirror before him. 

He didn't feel handsome, though, he wanted all of this to end. He wanted this nightmare to finish.

Seokjin along with the maidens exit the dressing room and make their way outside of his bedroom where the guards stand. Their eyes become wide and shine at the gorgeous young man revealing himself after the maidens give space for the crown prince to make an appearance as the door shuts behind them.

Seokjin moves his head up, eyes slowly drifting up to lock with the guards, imagining it's the young dark brunette nicknamed Robin Hood he loves and wishes were here right now. That didn't matter right now. He had a mission to accomplish. He mentally recites the procedure the latter and he went over before they separated.

The courtroom is lit with chandeliers hanging from the white ceiling as royal guests and the invited city members take a seat on the garnet chairs around the large circular table with red clothing over it. A flower vase sits on it and the basket of snacks accompanies the vase, inviting the citizens' hunger other than for the young prince's crowning and marriage. 

The priest stands by the king's throne and the guards stand next to him as the young prince's best man.

Seokjin walks with his father down the aisle. Music starts playing, piano, and violin setting the courtroom into a lullaby yet a fancy moment of excitement as both smile. Hansol says a few words to the crown prince, boiling anger in him. 

It's just an act. Nothing else. The crown prince reminds himself.

Hoseok and his friends will arrive and then the plan starts from there. Earlier was just the prelude. 

When he arrives at the throne where the priest is, he holds a long document of what is probably the vow of becoming king of Rekinia, and under it a book for marriage. 

The king's best man reads out loud the vow of their kingdom and their city for becoming king, taking a moment to comprehend if the king and his son have accepted everything that has been mentioned. 

The man stops reading, sets the book aside on the throne, and picks up the golden crown sparkling with red diamonds, stepping in front of the crown prince. 

There's a smile on his father's face as the crown hovers above the brunette's head, lingering a remarkable satisfying affection around the courtroom and the king's heart as the crown finally adjusts on his head, eyes boring into the red, golden, bright carpet. 

"Kim Seokjin is now king, of Rekinia!"

The guests' applause as he has been crowned.

The second part of the coronation begins before the masquerade dancing leaves the guests with an enchanted fairytale sensation. Seokjin turns around, hearing the large doors open to a beautiful maiden, her blonde hair tied elegantly, light brown eyes shining, and her cheeks crimson. Silly how innocent she is when she smiles, her cheeks flushing when she makes eye contact with Seokjin. She arrived next to Seokjin with her father standing next to Hansol, smiling at his pretty daughter.

Seokjin hated how he would probably hurt the young maiden's feelings pretty soon.

The crown prince stood tall, shoulders wide but at unease, as his dark brown eyes bore at the elderly man before him reciting a vow to the kingdom and for marriage, he must acknowledge.

"And he shall be king to this day and for many years to come . . . promise to love her in all conflicts."

Why hasn't Hoseok and his friends arrived yet? 

The uneasiness starts to consume him in all one go, his legs light, mind imagining various scenarios in which the brunette faces grave conflict. 

He could feel the inside of his cave-in, hear his heart pound loud in his ears, and suddenly his heart dropped upon the large golden doors flying open.

"Stop this marriage!"