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Author's Note:
Hello my dear readers♡

Before you go onto read the chapter, I would request you to please stop and read this first.

As an author, I am very much puting in a lot of effort to showcase this story in the best way possible and the only thing that keeps me going is your support.
You all have been a great system of support, waiting patiently for updates and I appreciate it. But my loves, your reads and votes matter as much as the comments. So if you are just reading and voting but not commenting it makes me sad.

I atleast want to know your views on certain characters, story development, your excitement for the next chapter, etc. I know there aren't a lot of people reading this book as its still ongoing, so this is for my current as well as future readers. People please read, vote and comment as well. Even if you are satisfied with the chapter or you are impatient for the next one, just put your thoughts out there for me, it will be a big boost for me.

That being said, I also want to talk about the current pace of the story. Trust me I understand if you are getting impatient for the leads to meet and want them to meet as soon as possible. I will just ask you all to trust me and let me guide you on their journey in my own way. I have decided I wont rush the story and go with it just the way I have planned. That way you will be able to feel every single detail I want to present to you. So please have patience but I promise you wont have any kind of absence in terms of subtle romantic moments.

Also, I will inform you when to start playing the song given at the beginning, so don't worry.

Thats it from my side. You may now proceed to read, its a long chapter, hope you all enjoy~

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Princess Viraina always adored a setting like the one she is experiencing at the moment. The fading rays of the setting sun are doing a wonderful job of giving the pale sky an orange tinge. It will soon get dark which is when the scenery would be illuminated with night lights, as all the demons will retire to their homes.

As of now, the sky is eventually getting painted in a pretty shade of pink as the sun rays retract to their origin, faint chirps of the birds continue in the background, the crispy warm breeze adding an extra feeling into the already beautiful evening and this would have certainly pleased the princess on any other day but today is just not it.

Her right hand is feeding her the simple yet delicious street food from the main town, while her left hand is continuosly working on tucking the streaks of hair behind her ear, which are occasionally pushed in front of her eyes by the play of the wind. Thus the mischievous soft blows are successfully making her annoyed.

Not only because she has to set the loose strands of hair time and again, but also because her vision is being temporarily blocked, as if the rude winds are checking her patience. She is ready to throw hands though as the view she is now being gifted with is undoubtedly priceless.

In front of her sits the handsome prince, who had her interest from the very second she saw him, heartily munching on all the food he had politely asked a guard to buy for them, while he himself worked on clearing the way for the stuck royals. Once he made sure that they will reach the palace without any further inconvenience, he had informed the princess that their food will be arriving soon and that they should settle down for a while.

Viri had all but whined after her request of going into the market and exploring it themselves was rejected by the prince, with a reason that the experience wouldn't be a safe one.

"We cant be going into a heavily crowded market on our own princess, they will all make it difficult for us to leave after recognizing us and that can be quite unpleasant. Instead I have asked a guard to bring the most famous and delicious food items they have here for us to munch on. Trust me you will love them and they will be quite filling too as I personally love the food they have here. But lets find a place to settle down first" he had told her while leading them to an elevated clearing not too far away from the market but far more peaceful and comfortable.

Viri had followed him obediently but not before giving the lively market place a longing sad stare. She really wanted to feel the hustle and bustle around her, roam around in the crowds as freely as a commoner, buy the cheapest yet the prettiest things she can and enjoy her time. She was quick to console herself though, telling herself that there is always a next time and she could very much come here again, hopefully, with Jungkook by her side.

The duo, after choosing a place to sit, had small conversations about their interests, food, places to visit in the capital city of Hell, amongst many more. Jungkook had actively mentioned his love for food thrice and the whipped princess had heard it with an equal amount of interest every single time. The guard had later shown up with lots of food, for the prince, princess and the other gaurds too.

Jungkook, like the kind demon he was, had patiently waited for Viri to take a bite of her food first and it was only after seeing her satisfied expression did he start eating himself. Viri got to know that once he started eating, his interest in conversations would vanish into thin air, hence the silence that now lingered between them.

His soft sighs of appreciation for the food, the very faint noises from the market and the low voices of the guards were the only sounds which could be heard. Viri was very much okay with the silence as she focused her attention on studying the demon in front of her in a not so subtle manner.

The demon is nearly perfect in her eyes. Maybe its his soft brown locks, being teased by the same wind which has her annoyed, or his bright doe eyes, the ones which exuded nothing but kindness, or his tall muscular body, or maybe his pale long fingers, just everything about him was purely ethereal.

Viri must have zoned out as she soon felt a gentle tap on her shoulder, as Jungkook calls her out as gently as he can, the same way he did on their first meeting in the palace.

"Princess? Are you done with the food? Uh..I was saying that we should now head back to the palace, its getting dark"

"Yeah? Oh- yes yes we shoud head back..sorry I started thinking about something else" she lied as the prince assured her that its okay and helped her up on her feet. They slowly made their way back to their horses, getting ready to return before the night takes over completely.

The girl mounts her horse and turns around one last time to smile warmly at the pretty place which was now sparkling with night lights. She observes the alluring scene for a moment or two before turning back, after which the small group speeds off towards the castle.

When they do reach the palace, she thanks the prince for the enjoyable evening as she starts feeling cold due to the sudden drop in temperature. She hurriedly wishes good night to Jungkook, receives a sweet wish back all for herself and then walks into the warmth of the well lit abode of the king, which she unknowingly missed even in this short time spent outside.

☆☆☆☆

It was only after the dinner, that the dark night takes over, as the royals slowly start returning to their rooms, fully satisfied with the fun time they had and ready to hit their beds. Taehyung and Jimin personally wished a good night to all of them, making sure they had a hearty dinner. Yoongi's love for sleep had already dragged him to his room, not letting him even bother and wait for his sister to return.

Once out of the dining hall, the bestfriends parted ways, Jimin wanting to complete some tasks before he called it a day and Taehyung wanting to have a walk around his home. He let his legs randomly take him to the different parts of the palace, ultimately ending up in the backyard, which he crosses quickly and walks towards the main entrance with long and eager steps. As he nears the area, he starts hearing the voice he very well remembers by heart.

It was one of his favourite of the handful of demons he loved, who was expertly feeding his horse while giving instructions to the guards on how to feed and take care of the other horses perfectly. Soon Taehyung was standing just a few feet away from him but chose not to disturb his little training session with the royal guards.

The emperor stood there with arms crossed across his chest, hypnotic brown eyes fixated on the prince as they study the latter's concentrated face while he speaks. Not too long after, Jungkook notices the guards suddenly standing straight with their heads bowed in respect, bodies fully turned towards someone behind him. He swiftly turns around and spots his Taehyungie hyung standing right in front of him with an amused expression.

"Hyung!! Waah! Since when are you standing here??"

"Aah you finally decided to notice me Jungkook-ah? I have been standing here for a while now..I actually never saw you give trainings to the guards in the night and moreover, aren't you tired? Couldn't sleep?"

"No no hyung, I didn't even reach my room to try and sleep. Just came back from the main town actually, my horse was looking hungry so I decided to feed him before heading inside"

"Aah yes yes! Jiminie told me about it. Where is the princess though? Did she go inside?"

"Yes, she went inside and now I am heading inside too. Also, I am dragging you along with me"

With that the mighty emperor of Hell was being dragged by the muscular prince into the welcoming warmth of the palace. Taehyung let himself be dragged along and let the prince do whatever he pleases because the younger was way too precious for him.
He can never deny the innocent demands of the cute demon nor does he want to. The pair talks about their day as they walk through the silent hallways, everyone already gone to sleep as the only voice they could hear was their own.

"..and then we settled down and I had the best food of my life! The princess loved it too and I made sure to let her taste all of my favourites"

"Aah I see, you had a nice little date with your favourite food and took the poor princess as a side character huh? I hope you didnt bore her much though, because the reason she went with you apparently was that royal dinners bored her and honestly I loved her genuine reason"

"Oh god yes hyung! She told me that and I was just about to burst into fits of laughter but controlled it somehow. She really does whatever she wants to just like Yoongi hyung. And no, she didnt get bored, instead she was quite excited to see that very usual crowded market place you know?"

"Oh really? Hmm maybe because she didnt get to visit such areas earlier? I am glad she enjoyed though"

"Mmhm I am glad too. Aah hyung I am just about to pass out so I will go to my room now, you also go and sleep okay?"

"I will Kook. But before that I want to spend sometime alone and collect my thoughts"

"Alright hyung, good night and rest well. See you tomorrow"

"You too bun"

With that the brown eyed demon watches the young prince disappear down the long hallway before walking towards his next destination, his own little world. With a want to have his alone time under the watch of the magnificent night sky, the young emperor speeds up his steps, reaching the desired place in a few minutes.

☆☆☆☆

Viri knows she is stubborn. Sometimes this stubbornness lands her into trouble, sometimes it doesnt. As of now, it did cause her a little inconvenience because she was currently standing all alone in an empty hallway after failing to find her room.

She should have asked someone for directions but she was pretty much bothered by the cold earlier, she still was but now the bigger problem was that she was lost.

She walks around for a while, ultimately deciding to ask a guard if they knew in which part of the palace were the guests staying in but before she could do that, something caught her attention.

A massive set of rustic red coloured doors with a peculiar aura around them and Viri couldn't conclude if that was a positive or a negative one. Her eyes were busy taking in the whole of those unusually high doors, wondering just what are they holding behind themselves to be that huge. Her questions were answered by a sweet yet bassy voice, originating from behind her.

"That is the throne room. Its the biggest in the entire realm of Hell as the late emperors wanted to accomodate as many demons as a room could during the daily hearings" was the information provided to her by the owner of the voice, Park Jimin.

Viri turns around, a small smile decorating her face as she greets Jimin with a slight bow.

"Aah Jimin-shi, good to see you again and thank you so much for the information. I am honestly shook as to just how big the throne room might be" she spoke, eyes shifting from Jimin to the doors yet again.

"Haha I know right? When I came into the palace for the first time as a kid, I was pretty shook too. Would you like to go and see??"

"Ahh no no, I will see it some other day? Actually, I lost my way and I dont know how to find my room now" she admitted shyly.

"Oh! Aigoo its okay Viri-ah, cmmon I will lead you to your room"

The two demons then made their way to the room as Viri asked Jimin about any good places to hang around in the palace itself. Jimin had replied with quite a few suggestions, including the royal library and throne room but what caught her attention was a small garden he talked about.

He told her that the said garden has the best and the most peaceful vibe in the entire palace, thats why that place is very dear to the emperor as well and thus is hidden away from the eyes of all visitors. A close royal could visit the garden but only when the emperor isn't there.

The short description was enough for her to go look for the garden herself and enjoy its beauty without any delay. Hence, shortly after grabbing a warm sweater for herself, remembering the location of her room and inquiring about the place with a maid she luckily spotted on the way, the princess began her short journey to the secluded part of the palace. She was quick on her steps, soon reaching the large balcony, which held the garden at a considerable height, above the rest of the realm.

As soon as she stepped inside the big balcony her heart rate gradually started increasing but she was quick to push it aside for the excitement to explore the garden. The princess then took a deep breathe before walking further into the balcony, mouth falling open in amazement as she took in the dreamy scene in front of her.

The view was an absolute treat for those elite demon artists who traveled miles and miles just to get a picture perfect scenery to paint and draw inspiration from. It was a source of joy for the little children of the wizards who practice hard from their very childhood to be able to create something as magical as this. No doubt it was kept hidden from the rest of the realm, only a few lucky beings allowed to experience its existence, making it even more valuable.

The incredibly calming vibes and the visually perfect scene had the princess let out a loud sigh of wonder, as her pale blue eyes desperately tried to take in every single detail of the place.

The perfectly shaped trees, all lined up at the boundary, seperating the area from the outside world, a small pond peeking through a set of trees, its water shining under the moonlight, demanding attention of anyone who enters the garden, the bushes had flowers of various colors on them but before they could grab her attention, Viri's eyes landed on someone.

That someone was at quite a distance from where the princess was currently standing and so she found herself focusing more on the distant figure, peacefully seated on a bench, probably admiring the view just like she was a few minutes ago.

The demon was a male, as she figured out by his hair, face tilted upwards, probably gazing at the sky. She could see his body was stiff as if he was troubled and Viri wondered just what had got him like that even in a dreamy place like the one they were breathing in. His side profile was vaguely visible, back facing the princess as he sat in absolute silence.

Something about him was attracting her, as if a spell was cast on her or her legs for she unconsciously took a few steps forward to get a better look but was pulled out of the spell-like state as a voice called her out. She turned around to see a royal guard, face holding a panicked expression as he bows before speaking in a hushed voice.

"My apologies to stop you princess, but I am afraid that you can't go into the garden at the moment. The emperor is currently resting here and he hates having anyone else around while he rests" the guard spoke in a rushed manner, keeping his voice low, desperately trying to not break the peace of the garden.

Viri blinks at him, slowly processing his words before widening her eyes and letting out a silent gasp.
"The emperor?? Was I just going to disturb the emperor himself? Waah that would have been real bad!!" she whisper yelled to the straight faced guard, who didnt leave until she assured him that she will leave the garden without disturbing the king.

(You may start playing the song I have placed in the starting of the chapter now, it will enhance your experience for the further scenes)

The princess then looks back at the demon King once again, who was now standing tall and strong, back still facing the princess, eyes still fixed on the beautiful moon, arms locked behind his back, showing no sign of moving from that position. But it seemed like the princess assumed it the wrong way because the next thing she knew was, the king turning his head to land his gaze directly upon her.

Viraina sucked in a sharp breathe, heart rate shooting up to dangerous levels, unwantedly staring right back at the king as she freezes on her spot. The two demons kept their eyes on each other not at all fazed by the distance. His gaze held confusion, while hers was the one of mild panic and wonder.

None of the two moved, as the world seemed to fade around them, the cold breeze hitting their faces but having no effect whatsoever, the soft rustle of the trees in the silence of the night, were the only things they could feel and hear.

The daze was broken by Taehyung himself as he starts taking slow and cautious steps towards the demon he was looking at. From his vision, she was shining under the moonlight, glowing like a star in the dark night, almost as if she was there for a purpose. The young king was hesitant at first but he really wanted to know who was this girl, who he assumed was probably a royal princess. He wanted to see her face with more clarity and also wanted to know what was she doing in his garden at this hour.

However, the demon princess was apparently not in a mood to talk for she swiftly turned around and speed walked straight out of the garden in the very next moment. Now it was Taehyung's turn to halt and stare at the empty space while blinking rapidly. He expected anything but this.

From his prior experiences, either the royal ladies, throw themselves on him or they gradually try to build a friendship to have their hands all over him, but none of them has ever walked away like this before. He didn't feel hurt or angry, he was just utterly dumbfounded.

After a few minutes of standing on the same spot with a blank expression plastered on his face, Taehyung feels a small smile dance over his lips followed by an amused chuckle as his right hand reaches out to massage his temples.

He didn't understand whatever just happened, but he found it entertaining enough to let his mind register this new found memory and save it permanently.

The emperor then turns around to look at the moon yet again but this time with a genuine smile, relaxed shoulders and a very calm mind.

He was sure to have a pleasant sleep later that night.

~♡~

The mischievous play of destiny has already begun to execute its predetermined plans, as it makes sure that the realm is ready to brace itself for the magnificent moment, soon to arrive, when the king and queen will finally unite to put an end to the long wait.

~♡~