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nctlvghts · 6 years ago

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Armoured heart (Part 1) {Cross Posting from ao3}

Comfortable spring breeze carried the sound of clanking swords. The trees around him green and flowering, Jaemin took a deep breath.

He watched as his prince pranced around in a make-pretend sword fight, though the swords were real, and the opponent was skilled, but they were in no battle field. Surrounded by servants dressed in fine fabrics and standing in broad daylight only some minute space away from the sea.

The sea. The only thing squire Na Jaemin would rather look at rather than watching his prince fight. He grew accustomed to standing outside in whichever type ofweather, tracking Jeno's movements, every little one, and he's been doing it for years on end. He could successfuly predict Jeno's next move in most situations, the way his feet shift across the floor, where his sword-free hand goes when he doesn't need it, even where his eyes trail when he's far enough from his opponent. He's been trained so thoroughly and he knew exactly what he needed to know.

Some servants in the castle spread rumors saying that Na Jaemin, the prince's squire, was more skilled in combat than the prince himself, to which Jaemin replied saying that it's a load nonsense and that he can not possibly be better than someone he's been training to be like for years, let alone a prince, with conquerers' blood. Granted, he's been trained by the same masters, and is one of the most highly skilled with the sword in their kingdom, but in no way better than his prince.

The sea was particularly blue on that spring day, the subtle breeze creating small waves Jaemin could follow with his eyes. He had always said that he envied the waves, so light and free, and it surprised him how he always got the same reply, regardless of who it was, they'd always say, "knock it off and stop being so dramatic"

"Jaemin", the prince was suddenly very close to Jaemin, it appeared he had been calling for a while longer than he intended.

"Your highness", Jaemin said, startled. He would always get lost while day dreaming about his surroundings, but Jeno's voice calling his name would usually wake him.

"Allow me to assist you" Jaemin said, carrying Jeno's sword and sheathing it.

"Take this" Jaemin spoke, handing the sword to the servant on their side, who placed it on a soft velvet bed. Jaemin often thought about how that sword's bed was more comfortable than two third's the kingdoms pillows.

Once Jaemin freed his hands, he moved on to Jeno's light armor, reaching to unbuckle the strap on his shoulder.

"No" Jeno said, briefly looking Jaemin in the eye.

"Inside" he completed.

Jaemin understood. Jeno's sword fight practices often lead to him getting tired and slightly pissy, but he was the nicest pissy person Jaemin knew.

He couldn't imagine the miserable lives of servants who had to take care of most of the people in the castle. He was glad he squires for Jeno. Not only was Jeno the prince, he was also Jaemin's childhood friend, despite the power dynamic, so he mostly enjoyed his role.

The prince walked ahead of his squire and towards the oak door leading to the indoors of the castle. The whole walk up to his wing with the two guards is silent, absolutely no words spoken. Jeno barely even breathed in Jaemin's direction. Heavy footsteps thomped on the stone floors.

Once they got to their destination the guards opened the wooden doors leading into Jeno's room, bowed down, stood on either side of the door, one holding a banner with the Lee sigil, and shut it once again.

The doors had barely fallen shut when Jeno pressed his lips onto Jaemin's. For a moment there were no hands, no touching, just lips pressing so passionately against Jaemin that the poor squire would have fall to the ground if not for his solid stance. Jaemin giggled quietly while pulling his hands up from between him and Jeno's close bodies and placing them on the back of his neck. Jaemin pressed further into the kiss, slithering his long fingers between the black hairs at the back of Jeno's head. Jeno wrapped both of his arms firmly around Jaemin's thin frame, gently yanking him closer by the waist. Jaemin broke the contact and pulled his head away in order to be able to see Jeno's full face. The squire's fingers found their way to a strand of hair on Jeno's face, twirling it around. Jaemin took a long look at Jeno's face, admiring his eyes, his cheekbones, his skin.

"mm...", Jaemin made a small satisfied sound, staring deeply into Jeno's features.

Jeno chuckled and blushed, flashing Jaemin his eye smile before burrying his face into Jaemin's neck and rocking their bodies from side to side on the cold floor, like they were doing a small still dance.

"I missed you", Jeno semi-whined, the sound muffled into Jaemin's neck.

"Me too" the squire says, smiling to himself and wrapping his arms crisscrossed around his prince's head.

Jeno turned his head so that his head was still resting on Jaemin's shoulder, but this time one side of his face facing up, tip of his nose barely touching Jaemin's neck. He breathed out gently, which tickled Jaemin.

"Stop, you're tickling me", Jaemin giggled and lifted Jeno's head in his hand, cheeks in palms. He looked into his eyes deeply this time, pecked his lips and maybe took a slight bit longer than usual for a peck. Their lips made quiet sounds when they pulled away, Jeno still had his eyes closed.

"You need to change out of your armor" Jaemin said,

"Must be very uncomfortable"

Jeno nodded in confirmation, allowing Jaemin to undo the buckles that kept his breastplate together.

Jeno was down to light clothes, which made him feel releaved in the warm weather.

"Tell the guards to call a servant to fetch me a bath" Jeno said before he pecked Jaemin's cheek gently.

"I'll do it" Jaemin's eyes lit up, and was ready to get going

"No, don't" Jeno pulled him by the waist into his chest once again

"You stay here with me" Jeno completed, "They go fetch a bath and get that bucket to my room, you stay here. This is your place"

Jaemin didn't know what to say, just blushed and relaxed into the backhug. Jeno was never much of a talker, let alone anyone to speak in such manner of possessiveness but he reminded himself that Jeno was a prince after all, he was born with the role of demanding people to do things.

While waiting for Jeno's bath to make its way into his room the boys cuddled on the prince's soft bed covered with silk sheets. Jaemin would often think about how much he hated the fact that Jeno wasn't the king's heir. He loved Jeno's older brother, Taeyong, dearly but he didn't believe he could control the kingdom wholely. He had a soft heart and many would take advantage of that. They would often joke that it would get him killed, but Jaemin was concerned that it won't turn out to only be a joke.

Familiar with Jeno, Jaemin knew he would make a great king. He's a great fighter, a very kind hearted man but had firm boundaries and mostly made good decisions, with the exception of the time they were 13 and he demanded they sneak into the forest which resulted in him getting bitten by a snake.

Jaemin cried violently that day, everybody at the castle assumed it was because he was scared of his punishment or because he failed his role in helping the prince, but in reality it wasn't about himself at all, it was his fear of losing his boy. He couldn't bear the thought of not having him, and so he cried for hours in his chamber while Jeno laid with the maesters, who were able to treat him with enough speed, and the first thing he said when he woke up was "it wasn't Jaemin's fault, please don't hurt him".

They heard a knock on the door.

"Your highness, your bath is ready"

They both jolted off of the bed, arms off of eachother, and stood 10 feet apart. Jeno fixed his posture and fixed his hair, Jaemin looked at the floor and put his hand behind his back.

"Bring it in, please"

Four female servants came in the door carrying the large wooden tub filled with steaming water, they placed it close to the large arch window, curtsied and left. They looked at Jaemin, most of them smiling his way, which he returned. He could even hear them giggling outside about him, but none of them saw anything as suspicious which was exactly what he wanted. The doors were shut once again.

Jeno walked closer to the tub and took his remaining clothes off, but didn't walk a step closer before turning around to Jaemin.

"Come on, come in" Jeno smiled

Jaemin sighed and slowly walked towards him.

"Jeno, I can't" he complained, "someone could see us" he completed.

"Jaem, no one can just walk into my room"

"But your father can." Jaemin stated firmly

Jeno signed and walked over to the table in the middle of his room, naked. He filled two cups with wine and took a sip from his own. He turned to face Jaemin.

"Father is busy today, he won't have the time to interrupt me" he states as he takes another sip.

He walks over to Jaemin and hands him the other cup of wine gently.

"Busy with what?" Jaemin inquires, raising an eyebrow, body still stiff in stance.

"Oh" Jeno makes a soun

"A feast" Jeno replies simply, "We have guests coming over, some royal family" he paused, "The ideal plan is wedding their daughter to my brother to form an alliance" he completed, drinking more wine and filling his cup again.

"Oh", Jaemin barely said much more and drank some of his wine. "Well if you insist"

The black haired boy walks back over to Jaemin, lightly pressing his palms onto his clothed chest.

"I insist" Jeno nodded smiling, carefully taking Jaemin out of his clothes.

The servants in the castle moved frantically. Music coming from the main hall was loud, accompanied with the continuous chattering of lords and ladies, squires and servants and the castles main guests.

Jisung glided into the main hall, wearing elegant light armour and supporting himself by the wall, several feet from the large feasting table that sat in the middle of the hall.

High above the feasting table and stretching across the length of the hall was a large glass ceiling, transparent and allowing the early afternoon sunlight in. Jisung could see the slits in the stone supporting the glass ceiling. The slits hid the arms holding the large, glamorous royal chandeliers. Just as the sun comes down, the chandeliers would be dropped at once, lighting up the entire hall.

Jisung noticed somebody sliding closer to his slide. He turned his face to his side.

"Jaemin!", Jisung exclaimed with a smile on his face

"Jisung!" Jaemin did the same, returning the boy's smile with a grin

They both turned their heads back to the table where the two royal families were seated.

King Lee seemed to be speaking passionately, and everyone else just nodded their heads continuously. The squires noticed the Lee brothers exchange quiet looks.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Jisung asked, having been wanting confirmation on his ideas of reasons a royal family would travel to a kingdom to speak with another rather than sending a messanger or a raven.

Jaemin breathed quietly, "I don't know" he said simply, knowing exactly what they were talking about.

"You have been a generous host, King Lee" King Choi spoke, "I believe it is time to discuss important matters"

Jeno’s father placed his utensils down against his plate and met the other man’s face.

He inhaled deeply, and said in one comfortable breath,

"It would be our house's and our kingdom's honour to ask for your daughter, Princess Choi Eun's hand in marriage to our elder son, Lee Taeyong" King Lee said swiftly. Taeyong tried his best to sit straight up in his chair, and turning his head to meet the princess' eyes, but her face wasn't meeting his.

The Choi's collectively made a suprised face.

"Oh" King Choi spoke, "I believe there is a misunderstanding"

"Princess Eun is already arranged a marriage to the Na family" said the queen of the foreign land, "We came here under the impression that we would arrange a tie between our daughter, Princes Somi, and your son, Prince Jeno" she completed, "I believe they're of the same age, and quite suitable for eachother! I hear you're a gracious fighter" she finished, this time directing her speech towards Jeno.

This time it was the Lees' turn to make a face, but they didn't. The two brothers and their father froze. Jeno stared at the plate infront of him. Taeyong on the other hand, stared at his younger brother with an expression which subtly hinted towards concern, knowing exactly what the problem was.

King Lee cleared his throat and sat pushing his shoulder blades stiffly gainst his chair. He picked up his cup, lifting it up with his hand, after what felt like an eternity.

Jeno’s head buzzed slightly. He was not ready for marriage. He was not willing,

and he loved a man.

His father slightly raised his left hand queing for the entire hall to go quiet, and as soon as they did, he announced loudly,

“To Jeno and Somi!”

#nct #prince au #history au #nomin #lee jeno #na jaemin #lee taeyong #park jisung #nct fanfic #nct fanfiction #nct imagines #nct scenarios #boop boop kids

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