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takeurexam · 27 days ago

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dynasty || XXI

genre:

non idol au, time travel, romance, rivals to allies to friends to lovers, crown prince to emperor taehyun, reader gets appointed as a concubine

pairing(s):

non! idol taehyun x fem! reader

(warning, this does not reflect the REAL idols personality, and no smut will be written to respect the idol, and i am not comfortable as well, and the taehyun in this ff is not the actual taehyun)

story:

in which you, an excellent law student about to graduate collage suddenly gets dragged into the past, meeting the famous-fawned over emperor of the kang's dynansty. but you getting dragged into this mess was beyond a mystery, and it seems like you have something deep to discover. meddling with the past is a risky decision after all.

•dynasty masterlist

21. Enigmata

"Good... Morning?"

A confused face appears right in front of you, with his head tilting, really confused on why you were so terrified all of the sudden.

"Gosh–" You hold your heart, chuckling from amusement. "I thought heaven had opened its gates for me right there." You control your breathing, trying to calm yourself down.

The man in front of you is no one other than the Crown Prince himself, his delicate pearl eyes staring at yours, his exquisite features standing out even against the golden roof over your bed. With such beauty, who wouldn't be terrified?

You clear your throat, trying to set your boundary of personal space. He doesn't seem to get your point, and touching a royal without his consent would probably be treason. So instead of pushing him away, which is what you wanted to do – a sneeze blows on his face, your saliva exploding over his golden face.

He backs away immediately, his hand shaking as he touches his slightly wet cheek. The maids hold their breath, with their hands clasped against their mouth. Court Lady Choi acted by impulse, grabbing a random cloth and giving it to Taehyun.

"Sorry." You use your index finger to rub your so-called "itchy" nose, while clearing your throat. "It's been cold lately, so my nose has been acting lately without warning." You sheepishly smile.

He grabs the cloth from Court Lady Choi, then wipes his face slowly, still stunned from the explosion. "I-It's... alright." He stutters, questioning his whole purpose of going here.

After wiping every spot, which means his whole face – he turns to you with a look of concern, and observing your figure. He started looking up and down, which you don't take well. "Hey! Eyes up here!" You use your two fingers to signal your eyes, as your glare pierces towards him.

"Have you been eating properly?" He asks, grabbing your arm, then he starts caressing the flesh on it. He checked your arms to make sure you were nutritious, and with all the funding drama, he was worried about your condition.

You raise a brow, not expecting him to ask about your condition. "Fine? I mean I like eating, but so far it's been alright." You shrug, not sure what to answer so suddenly.

"So, why are you here this early in the morning to disturb my beauty sleep?" You pull your arm away from him, then cross your arms together. "Early? Breakfast is over." He laughs, then he sits beside you in your bed. You pull your blanket closer to your knees, and your sheets feel a lot warmer suddenly.

He signals the maids to leave, whilst your eyes begged for them to stay and drag the man out, but who were you against the Crown Prince? They bowed, with Court Lady Choi and Hong-Yeon giving you a second glance before leaving the room, leaving you two privacy.

"I've taken that General Beomgyu has informed you of your missing funds?" He stares at the floor, his mind seemingly drifting somewhere else. You nod, "I did." Even if he couldn't see it.

"I wasn't even supposed to know you started funding me." You grin from ear to ear, already imagining yourself swimming in gold, pearl necklaces, and silk clothing. Your fingers tremble while forming a thumbs up, whilst swimming in your fantasies.

You noticed he was still looking at the floor, mind still afloat. "Hello?" You click your fingers in front of him, trying to wake him up. He flinches, then looks at you. "Sorry, where was I?"

"Did you even sleep?" Now you just noticed a few dark circles under his eyes, and they were also on the verge of fluttering close. "You scolded me for waking up late, yet you look like you haven't even slept!" You scoff.

"Lacking," he mutters. His voice gave up, and the raspy voice he tried so hard to cover finally showed, and all blown away. You sigh, grabbing his head and back then laying him down your own bed. You scooch out of the way, making him lay in the pillow side instead.

You laugh, seeing the Crown Prince in such a vulnerable state. "Aish, sleep more, will you?"

He chuckles, with the last bit of energy he has left. "You're kind today." He snuggled into the pillow, his consciousness about to sleep. You just sigh, then tuck him in for bed. "You're like a toddler." You spat.

Your hand reaches out to the side of his arm, then patting in rhythm as he dozes off. "What's that for?" He says softly, so sleepy and fading.

"It's what people do to children when they sleep, they pat in a gentle rhythm to represent a heartbeat, as if they were in their mother's womb." You add, "It makes them warm and calm."

"Mhmm..." He whimpers, signaling you to just shut up and let him sleep.

"Hong-Yeon! Have you grabbed Her Grace's laundry basket yet?" One of the maids scolded her, as they all lined up to wash clothes together. Hong-Yeon squeals, absolutely forgetting her to-do for today.

She heads over to your bedroom, pressing her ear against the door to confirm if she was disturbing something.

The silence in the other room approved her entry, as she slowly opened the sliding doors. Every tug at it felt like war, the fear of making too much noise would get her executed.

As the doors spread, so did Hong-Yeon's eyes when she saw the bed, even clasping her hand hard against her mouth.

The Crown Prince slept soundly in your bed, yet there you were, looking completely out of place. Your butt was on the edge of the bed, and your whole weight leaning on the prince's back – your legs spread against the floor like chopsticks, and drool dripping out of your mouth.

"Oh dear!" She whispered, while quietly grabbing the basket she was looking for all this time. She opens the door fast but quiet enough to escape such a horrific sight that laid upon her eyes. She was grateful that the basket scooped up in her arms didn't fall while running.

Unfortunately, due to her panic, the door she worked hard to open was left hanging around, the sight of your horrific state open to be seen by others.

Since there was a window right in front of the door, the sun shone through the room, and exactly towards your eyes. You groan, waking up from a nap you couldn't exactly remember starting. A sticky sensation filled your chin, which you wiped only to reveal your drool.

"Do I really drool like, so much?" You wipe the back of your hand to remove the drool, and blink your eyes trying to process the moment. You ponder the time, instinctively trying to grab a phone by your table side to check. It then clicks in your head that you weren't in the modern day era.

You wonder why you ended up in such a position, feet dragging on the floor, legs spread, and booty slipping off the mattress? The possibility of crazy dreaming must've been high, you think.

But as you scooch your butt over to the bed, a rock-hard thing hits it, bringing you back over the edge of the bed. You immediately look back, wondering what could've been blocking your way.

There, the Crown Prince's body slept, with his back facing you. "What the heck?" You gasp, wondering why on earth he was sleeping in your bed. A wave of remembrance hits you, the memory of letting him sleep and even baby-patting him until you also fell asleep.

You calm down a little, not choosing to bother the prince for now. You look through the sun of the window by the door, observing the sun's position to try and determine the time.

There – you realize it. The door was wide open, and everyone who passed could see you drooling just a few minutes ago and sleeping in such a horrid pose, with the worst part, is having the Prince beside you.

You run for the door, reaching out to close it hastily to avoid more misunderstandings. But your path gets blocked by a huge chunk of black... metal?

With your slow reaction time and the sudden appearance, you of course, bump into the metal and your vision goes black from there.

"Royal Physician, is she going to make it?"

"Prolly not."

"What?"

He coughs, clearing up his voice. "Sorry. A lump got stuck – I mean she probably will."

You jolt awake, gasping for air as you sit up so suddenly that they jumped back from surprise. You look at the faces in front of you, pointing towards them one by one. "Crown Prince," your eyes blink rapidly at the physician. "Don't know who that is but–" Taehyun flicked you in the forehead.

You notice the new additions to the room – General Beomgyu, a man who looked like a eunuch, and still, the Crown Prince. The General's chest piece shines, which you feel awfully familiar with.

"Damn, did I black out from that?" You murmur, sighing to yourself as you remember the events that happened just before you blacked out. A black chunk of metal or whatever it was, blocked your path causing you to slumber a little more.

"Did I bump into you, General?" You scratch your head, feeling embarrassed. He shakes his head, probably out of disappointment, as he clears his throat.

"Absolutely." Even with that dissatisfied look on his face, he looked really mortified. You would too, to be honest.

Creating a story line in your head, you then piece together the puzzle pieces your brain just collected. You bump into the General, with the purpose of entering the room whilst you had the intention to close it. You probably fell back, they panic, and there you were.

You snort, finding the whole thing amusing.

"So, what brings you here?" You ask General Beomgyu, who still had that mortified vibe circling around him. The Royal Physician had left, and the men here with you probably had something to spill either way.

"I've investigated the missing funds more," he cleared his throat. "Usually, the budget is given out to the court ladies – the Empress Dowager first, then to them. What the court ladies get is the final and total amount."

He adds, "I asked about the budget for your other court ladies, and they noticed lighter bags and lack of money too." Your brows furrow, and the prince is fuming as well.

"And if it were to be a court lady to take it, that wouldn't be so easy. It's the budget for their living expenses too." Taehyun adds, holding his chin. He seemed to also know the process, probably the basic training for heirs, or he handles it too.

"So it leaves the higher-ups?" You ask.

They both nod in unison, and everyone's fingers point towards a common person – the Empress Dowager.

The meeting reached its conclusion, and General Beomgyu had to take his leave. Duty calls for him anyway. It leaves only you and the prince, with a silence so deafening you wish you could just disappear or push him out.

Every woman in the palace has a common goal – to marry into the royal family. To be the Empress, and bring glory to their family's name. They were born to be married off and sent to the palace, their value predetermined to scale equal to the Empress.

There, you are sent as a concubine to fight your way to the top. Technically a slave wrapped in silk. You were lucky enough to be supported by a kind family, but the enemies inside the palace won't be.

Your friendship with the Crown Prince is a shield and a sword at the same time. You take advantage of this, yet you make more enemies. He is the heir after all – the future eye to gaze upon the concubines. A good strategy would be to go for him, especially with a failing emperor.

The Empress Dowager can have many reasons to target you: jealousy, annoyance, or pure devilish behavior. She does a tactic like poison, slowly inflicting something inside your circle.

You have a trio of power – General Beomgyu, someone who holds military power and valuable information in the court. The Crown Prince himself wouldn't even need an explanation.

"Hey," he calls out.

You raise a brow at him.

And with a lot more running and avoiding duties, you both had reached the horses which gave you the clue. "Are we seriously going to escape duties?" You snort.

"Let us go." He wastes no time, and grabs your hand to drag you to the door. You yelp, stumbling across the floor as you both ran out of the hall.

He grabbed a simple silk dress hanging around the dryer, both of you sprinting towards something you didn't even talk about.

He grabs a stool and uses it to step over at the horse, the same one you both rode when you went over to the forest. He settles in, then reaches a hand out to you.

"Correct." He buckles his disguise in, attire which just looked like a normal aristocrat. You wonder how he got that so fast, but he was probably too used to this. You clasp your palm over your forehead, not approving this behavior.

He tosses the silk dress he took earlier to you, catching it with a little tumble. You change into one of the stables with no horse, then transform into a normal person with silk clothing.

"Rice soup?" He smiles, with his head tilted. He sparkled, the sun seemed to favor him, and he got the spotlight against the bright sun. You wobble your head, snapping out of your daze.

You nod crazily, grabbing his hand immediately and pulling yourself towards him with all your strength, which made him tumble.

His arms circled the air near your waist, grabbing the lead in front of you. The horse yelps, and you both set off into a journey to satisfy your rice soup cravings. You hold your breath as you feel the air in your personal space be sponged out by the prince's arms.

"You're pregnant aren't you?" You shout a little due to the loud horse galloping and breeze surrounding you both. He coughs, probably choking in his own saliva after hearing such a horrendous question.

"What makes you say that!? Men cannot get pregnant." His voice raises, both louder and pitchy. You laugh uncontrollably, finding amusement in teasing him. Your stomach aches from laughing too much as you held it with all your might.

"You have a strong attraction to such random food." You snicker, slapping your hands into your knees. He groans, wanting to push you off the horse right now. Your absurd questions were driving him crazy.

The horse galloped against the dirt, going through the thick forest you both went to last time. There seemed to be a path leading to the capital by going through the forest, which was way better than going through the main gate.

Air filled your senses, the warm breeze hitting your face as the horse sprinted towards the capital. You felt a smile creep up your face, finding happiness with just a simple horse ride. It felt so warm like home – the bus rides you took on the way to school were like this, so magical and quiet.

Your ears only perked up at the sound of the forest, the birds tweeting, the branches creaking, and the leaves swaying. Everything moved along the breeze, its warmth bringing light to the hearts of mother birds, it's warmth giving the trees a chance to dance – they could all move by the wind.

If your hair wasn't tied so tightly, it would be flowing endlessly against the wind, hitting the prince's face as he spits out the hair he ate. Wind in your hair, and he was there.

Time slowed down when bumpy roads passed by, your weight jumping off the horse slowly as you laughed as if you were being tickled so much. The whole forest could probably hear how loud you were screaming, and Taehyun's chuckling never left behind.

He then slowed down as the corner approached, a passageway leading to the capital. He led the horse by one of the buildings – a pawnshop with an old man guarding it.

"Ah, Your Highness." The old man bows at him, as he hops off the horse, reaching out his hand towards you. You grab it and crash over his figure, making him scream in terror whilst attempting to catch you unscathed.

"We'll be back for him later." Taehyun points toward the horse, telling the old man. They seemed to be acquainted, and he trusted his horse to him. This makes you think of how often he does this.

You bow a little and smile at the old man, mini waving at him before running off to catch up to the prince who already went on ahead. "Wait for me, hey!" You catch your breath.

"Two bowls of rice soup, and one bottle of-" You point towards the Crown Prince, giving him a threatening look. He clicks his tongue, shaking his head at you.

You curse under your breath, hoping he trips in mud sooner or later. "Fine, no bottle." He nodded, "Two bowls of rice soup!" He shouts at the owner, getting your order.

"Do you really want to drink at this time of the hour?" He sighs, holding his forehead like a disappointed human being. "You really are no better than some royal officials."

You scoff, rolling your eyes at him. "It's rare to go out, okay? Gosh forbid a person has hobbies." You flick your hand at him, showing your annoyed expression with sass.

He sneered, his head falling to the side, and his hand rubbing his lips. Kang Taehyun really kept up with your messy attitude, didn't he?

"Two rice bowls." The lady who owned the shop placed her tray down, serving the steaming rice soup you both waited for. She took it from the tray and placed it on your table, the smoke filling your noses.

You could smell the ingredients' aroma, the smell of the fresh broth cooked from those hot pots behind the store. The rich radish and brisket with some paste added with that cold washed rice – when combined, makes heaven. The cold rice warms up from the hot broth, making the texture feel so warm.

It's drizzled with a lot of meat, vegetables, and served with some side dishes that fit the palate.

The kind of dish that can get stuck in your teeth, yet makes you want to take it out every time to take in more broth and meat. How extraordinary.

You wait for the steam to blow off a little, to get the perfect eating time. You need to enjoy the food, not burn yourself along with it. Every bite must be heaven – slurping the broth along with the rice with a top up of meat would be it.

You scoop up the perfect bite, blowing it off to avoid burning yourself. There, you take a spoonful of the soup, and every flavor explodes in your mouth. The broth was rich in flavors, not tasting plain anyhow. With the rice, the texture leveled up, as the rice engulfed the broth to make it warm. The meat added the sprinkle on top, with it's delicious and soft beef and chicken makes every bite heaven.

"Amazing." You sigh happily, gripping your spoon so tight after the bite. Your elbow rests on the table, as your head leans on it with your eyes closed. You seemed too satisfied from the delicious meal.

Taehyun eyes lit a fire, as he grabs a perfect bite as well and immediately melts into the chair. He grabbed the bowl from its bottom, and started to chug the soup with his spoon and sheer will.

He exhales, dropping the bowl to the table. Wiping his mouth with his clothes, and the soup nowhere to be seen. "One more!" He raises his hand.

You finish the first bowl, glaring at the Crown Prince. Your eyes both screamed competition, as you shouted for one more bowl too. "One more bowl please!" You fiercely shout, roaring like a lion.

And there, both of you started the back and fourth rice soup competition. Who could enjoy the rice soup more? The both of you chugged your bowls down, stacking bowls over bowls one by one. The spoon probably was exhausted from its constant use, getting bit and slurped at.

You lean back on your chair, holding your stomach full of rice soup. You burp, obviously very satisfied with your meal. On the other hand, Taehyun placed his fist on the table, contemplating his very delicious meal, and also burping a lot.

"I'm so full." You groan, rubbing your aching stomach. He nods, also doing the same. You both were down, stomachs so full and tired, and all fierceness and determination already dissolved long ago by the broth.

"Oh! Hey, you!" Your shoulder is grabbed and pulled to the side to face whoever did it, as you and your chair sloppily sway along it. The faces blinding your face were no one other than Hobak and Soobin, your friends from the start.

You sheepishly smile at them. "Hey, guys." Soobin sighs, already knowing judging by the bowls stacked on the table. "You really went out with the rice soup, didn't you?" Soobin mumbled, fixing the hair that fell out from your bun. He tucks them behind your ear, revealing your very full state.

"How many bowls- Whoa!" Hobak points at the stacked bowls, reaching above your head. "You really didn't hold back." But his eyes divert from the bowl to the figure sitting in front of you. At first, he didn't realize who he was since the person's face was covered, but when he looked very closely, he gasped.

"Your High-" Soobin covers Hobak's mouth almost immediately, him also realizing who you were with. Soobin holds Hobak's head with his other hand and tilts it down to bow at him. Soobin bows as well, as Hobak whined how his hair was being plucked out by him.

After paying for the meal, the four of you walk around town to get your bellies some fresh air after inhaling so much food. You and Hobak mess around together, laughing so loud that every passerby had to stare a little at you both. Soobin and Taehyun initiated some conversation, surprisingly getting along well.

You chewed on some dessert in a stick along with the others, talking about random things that seemed to flow around the ocean of your conversation. You four sat on some bench chairs together, as the city lights illuminated the view against the darkness.

"Hey, Y/N, I heard you solved a problem back in the royal camp when you got separated from us. Can you help with another?" Soobin pokes your shoulder, getting your attention.

"Mmm..." Your eyes circle around whilst thinking. "Yeah, I do." You nod. "I practiced law back in my time, but how different is it from this era?" You think.

"Great!" Soobin smiles, "I have a friend getting accused of treason because of a story he wrote. He said something about having more wives will make him Emperor, and some people in the royal court want to file a lawsuit."

You sigh, "He really assumed I can solve such problems."

"But I'm not even a licensed attorney-" He brings a finger to your mouth, then wiggling his brows while moving his cheek bone towards the Prince's direction.

"You're crazy!" You hit him lightly, as he pulls away holding the hit area. "But please! You're my last hope – he's my ultimate supplier of medical news!" He clasps his two palms together and begs, nodding his head along with his hands as he cries out.

"What makes you think I can do it?" You ask.

"You just can." He smirks.

>next chapter

<previous chapter

authors note:

Everyone, I would like to apologize for the very delayed chapter. I went through a little depressive time during june but I'm doing a lot better rn! School also made me very busy, and I'm very responsible for a lot of things 😭 But I hope I can give you guys the chapters way faster, and I am very sorry for the late chapter 🫶

taglist(open):

@yeovnjin @eclipse777 @stormy1408

#txt x reader #txt #taehyun #taehyun x reader #taehyun x you #beomgyu #soobin #hueningkai #yeonjun #kang taehyun x reader #takeurexam

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takeurexam · 2 months ago

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dynasty chapter might be delayed due to health problems & school stuff because i was too busy last month 😔 but dw it will be released by july!!

#takeurexam

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takeurexam · 3 months ago

Text

dynasty || XX

genre:

non idol au, time travel, romance, rivals to allies to friends to lovers, crown prince to emperor taehyun, reader gets appointed as a concubine

pairing(s):

non!idol taehyun x fem reader

(warning, this does not reflect the REAL idols personality, and no smut will be written to respect the idol, and i am not comfortable as well, and the taehyun in this ff is not the actual taehyun)

story:

•dynasty masterlist

20. Aversion

A few days passed by after the spring festival, and things settled down for the meanwhile. It didn't necessarily end, but just quieted down. Minor celebrations only happened during the night, but it wasn't as grand as the one from a few days ago.

Such grand celebrations really just happen for a short period of time. They are to be taken to heart, and to enjoy the most of it.

The spring festival has changed your views on several people around you. It's either grown affection, or grown annoyance. The season of blossom flourishes something in your life.

You have grown affection for your maids even more, and even the general himself. But one person was the complete juggler of both— the obnoxious heir, Kang Taehyun.

Your affection grew for him by seeing a new side to him, mostly his care for the people. It was a sign of good governance and fitting for the title of the emperor. But his annoying personality hits that thought like a train. He's very bothersome and irritating towards you, which shrinks the growth.

Well, you unfortunately had to return back to your palace duties.

"My Lady, I suggest that we take a morning walk for today." Court Lady Choi murmurs, bowing her head to you first thing in the morning. She looked so complete this early compared to you— hair sticking out like wheat, maybe a few drool then and there, and an incredibly messy bed.

"Court Lady Choi," you mumble, still half asleep. "Why are you so up this early, to nag me for a morning walk? It's like," you yawn, "so early in the morning for such a walk. Go back to sleep." You say with half lidded eyes, and probably with the left willpower you had.

She sighs, as if initiating her backup plan. "My Lady, morning walks are necessary for concubines like you, due to the emperor's preferences, he likes women who are ambitious even this early in the morning."

"I don't even like the Emperor... Like that." You grumble, your words might make you accused of treason. So you added something for caution.

"It's your duty, you technically are his." She barks back, standing her ground. But something sparks in the back of her mind, a method so effective yet it might cost her life.

"If you won't, My Lady– I guess I'll have to call the Crown Prince to accompany you for assistance." She finally hits the finishing blow, the one to make you stand up and wake yourself up.

You slap yourself awake, your half lidded eyes becoming alive. "Anything else but that!" You stand up, and smile brightly at Court Lady Choi. "Where do we begin?"

"Court Lady Choi~" You groan, dragging your feet across the cold stone path of the palace. Your eyes were on the brink of closing, and you might as well just sleep in the middle of the palace due to the cold morning. "How long is this gonna take?"

"We must walk more, My Lady." She smiles, but you see her teasing behind it. You swear, you'll make her regret choosing violence.

By every step, you felt that you were going to just fall and sleep on the cold floor. But you had to drag your feet to walk, even if you felt such an amount of sleepiness.

"Anyway, My Lady." Court Lady Choi clears her throat. "You'll be meeting the royal family for today. Firstly and the most important, the Empress Dowager. You'll also meet the Third Prince soon enough, but I assume not this time."

Then it snaps inside your head. You haven't met the Empress Dowager personally besides the concubine test, which left a pretty negative impression on her image for you.

Based on your observations, the Empress Dowager is someone whose main focus is authority and power. You've heard from the other maids that she's quite the terrifying head of the family. That explains her constant scolding to Taehyun.

Another common power-hungry high ranking official. Something not too rare yet too normalized in your opinion.

"There's a third prince?" You notice the mention of the other person, which has you intrigued. You were surprised that Taehyun wasn't the only prince around the palace walls.

"Yes, out of four princes, the Third Prince is the current non-heir prince who resides within the palace. The others have their own lives outside of the palace, but he stays for some reason." She explains.

You raise a brow, curious about the royal family. "Isn't he constantly waiting for the throne then?"

Court Lady Choi shakes her head, denying your question. "He's quite wealthy, and probably doesn't need much. But you never know." She raises her shoulders.

The royal family was more complicated than you thought, with every ounce of history revealing itself to you.

"Is the Third Prince close to Kang Taehyun?" You ask. It's common for them to either stab each other in the back, or be at constant war for the throne.

"A lot, they may even seem like brothers." She smiles, seemingly experienced in the topic. It's almost like she's witnessed it herself.

"They're not blood related, but they seem like it. Some even speculate they were separated from birth or even born together." She grins ear to ear, heart warming against the cold morning.

You snorted as you joked, "I wouldn't even be surprised if you were the midwife."

Theories of backstabbing seemed to close, as they may be as close as Court Lady Choi mentions. Someone like her doesn't go grinning around about two people that much, which means her life in the palace might've revolved around them once.

"Is it really necessary for me to meet the Empress Dowager?" You place your arms behind your back, peeking your face through Court Lady Choi's view to provoke her.

She pauses in her tracks– clearing her throat as she glares at you with that nagging aura surrounding her. You feel shivers down your spine, as you shake your head. "...Forget it."

She truly knew how to scare your bones out.

After a few more steps, you two managed to complete the morning walk. You slopped into the bed as you yawned wearily. Her stamina was truly insane, or you were just weak as it is.

"What time do we meet the Empress Dowager?" Your voice muffles against your pillow, hoping for the meeting to be later on so you can catch up on some sleep.

"About ten minutes from now, My Lady." Court Lady Choi replies, after hearing from someone who seemed to be serving the Empress Dowager. She hears you groan, punching the covers of your bed out of annoyance.

You bring yourself up from the bed, and breathe heavily. "Let's go then."

"You're the... Newly picked Concubine?" The Empress Dowager looks at you with such a look that has doubt and wonder. She looked as if she was wondering if she saw a rat or a mouse, and couldn't tell the difference.

Her tone seemed to be concerned, as if she was too surprised by it. She looks over the others if they were being serious, and it seemed they were.

"Yes, Your Highness." You bow, noticing her obvious dislike towards you already. Your face scrunches as you bow, hiding your bothered expression. It was either you wanted to laugh sarcastically or just look at her disgusted in general.

"She thinks I'm a rat who sneaked into the palace." You think.

"She looks like a rat who sneaked into the palace. How did she even pass?" The Empress Dowager thought to herself.

The Empress Dowager nods slowly, trying to accept the fact you really were the newly elected concubine, even if it meant to look bitter in front of many servants. She definitely was going to be the center of gossip.

"So... How has your stay been?" She asks with a sour tone, her brows furrowing.

You clear your throat, trying to resist to laugh and compose yourself. "Good, Your Highness." You manage to let out a reply without laughing.

"Do concubines usually reply like that?" She laughs, trying to make a fool out of you. The servants look at each other, as the tea fuels even more.

"Oh shes starting. If I grab her and pull her-" You tighten your fist, wanting to snatch her hair but you resist, not wanting to cause trouble. At least for now.

"I apologize, Your Highness, do you have an issue with my manner of speech?" You pretend to smile genuinely, your mind already punching her right now.

She sips on her tea, and looks at you with much dismay. "I unfortunately do, you don't speak with much manners and speak too shortly. You aren't that qualified." She barks first.

Your face twitches, but you hold back your smile. "If I may, I would like to inform Your Highness that my stay at the palace has been nothing but pleasant. I send heartfelt apologies if I have wronged my manner of speech in front of you, Your Highness. I will learn to reflect on my actions from now on!"

You dramatically reply, pouring such emotions into your words, adding a few hand gestures now and there sarcastically.

You heart Court Lady Choi snort behind you, as Hong-Yeon sighs beside her as you feel the stares of either pity or amusement right at you all over the room.

The Empress Dowager gasps, surprised by your sudden dramatic outburst. She didn't expect you to bite back towards you, with the thought of having dominance over you.

"How must you be so-" she slams her hand into the table, fuming with anger. "Nevermind." She calms herself down, knowing her anger could put her in a very difficult situation.

"Compared to the other concubines, you seem to be underwhelming to be an Imperial ranked concubine. Why must it be that you deserve it more than them?" She once again, scratches like a wild cat.

"I guess it's my uniqueness that differs from the rest of them," you flip your hair. "It's that I don't follow such standards set by the higher ups that make me so different." You wink at her whilst grinning, hitting the statement towards her.

She once again, gets bewildered by your answer. The servants shake their heads, sighing to themselves thinking that the whole meeting was pointless.

A servant of hers whispered to her ear, which had the Empress Dowager exhale deeply, probably to compose herself. "This meeting is dismissed for now, for I have duties to attend to."

"Yes, Your Highness." You bow, standing up on your feet before scooching your butt off the ominous room full of judgement.

"So, how did the meeting go?" General Beomgyu crosses his arms, watching the tea pour down into his cup. His gaze focuses over you, brows furrowed and visibly annoyed.

"Horrible, definitely." You scoff, sipping on the tea you had your servants prepare for your little talk with General Beomgyu– you had a sweaty Huening Kai running towards you to inform you that he was by your chambers.

You weren't even exaggerating, imagine a first meeting with your fellow high ranks to be just seen as a ratatouille making dishes in the kitchen. But people are too wary of treason, so you have to be careful.

"I've heard." He sips on his tea, "Kai informed me– he heard rumors from servants." Then he put the cup down.

"It's quite funny, she's just a hater." You reply, the annoyed look leaving your face. People like the Empress Dowager weren't very important in the trajectory of your life, and she was just one of those people who'll become a leech sticking to you, and it only needs some salt to kill it.

But you wonder if the Empress Dowager was somewhat connected to the Emperor's current condition, considering her position and hold.

Hong-yeon did mention once though that the Empress Dowager was not aware of the Emperor's second family, but something in your doubts says that she's aware or involved somehow.

"Aside from that, I have something that you might be interested in." He hands over a record book kept in the palace– a dusty one. He brushes off the excess dust, then opens it to a specific page.

Your eyes flicker across every page, as you ask. "What's this for?" You see records of money spent for every hall in the palace, which you don't seem to get yet.

"It's records for your hall, which holds the budget for your food, clothes and needs." He points toward one record of your meal when you had first become an official concubine.

"This record book is extremely accurate, and maintained properly. The record for your first meal shows this," to what he was pointing to now. "Then here is your meal from two days ago." He points to another record, which shows a significant change in budget and amount in the food, which you raise a brow to.

"I've discovered that your funds from being a lady of the palace have been tampered with, which is a huge concern for we have strict budgets." He skips to other pages, which shows everything– several meals budgeted down, the servant's payment lowered down, and more that involves your necessities.

You scan through the pages, wondering how someone could do such a thing. Your poor servants dragged through your mess, and mishaps for your future to come.

"The palace truly is a dark place." Your face scrunches, feeling disgusted for those pathetic people. "Do you know the culprit?"

General Beomgyu takes a moment to observe your face, as if he was finding a reason for himself to worry. He tried to find fear, anger, or even distress– he found nothing. He raised a brow, confused at your odd reactions once again.

"I've speculated, and the one who comes to mind most is the Empress Dowager herself or with an accomplice– another concubine like you." He grumbles, tearing his gaze away from you. "Most likely, someone who has access to the budget would be the only one to be able to trample with it." You nod.

"Aren't you anxious about this?" He asks, curiosity filling his mind. He couldn't resist– how could you look so calm with such things happening to you. He can't seem to put himself in your shoes.

"Pshh- it's fine! I'm not that worried unless I get killed, but I really need my servants to be paid properly." You click your tongue, "I am stressed due to the fact my food is quite smaller these days. Does that count?" You tilt your head.

He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. He could never expect such things from you– unexpected things always come out from that mouth of yours.

"Have you told him about this?" You place your chin by the back of your hand, as your elbows lean by the table. You look at him as you wiggle your brows, trying to choke an answer out of him.

He sighs, "I told him. He was concerned for the safety of the ladies of the court, and decided to..." He stops, forgetting that he wasn't supposed to say something.

"To? What– tell me!" You slam your hands on the table enough to shake him up, something every guard in the palace could never see. With his all so nonchalant personality, you could never see him flinching to a woman.

"Hm... I have duties to attend to, so if you may excuse me–" Before he could even stand up completely to walk, you had grabbed his armor, your grip ice cold as if he was face to face with a beast.

"Tell me, General Beomgyu. Enlighten me!" You smile widely, as if your lips were about to stretch to infinity and beyond. He feels shivers down his spine, his sweat cold.

He ended up telling you that the Crown Prince decided to fund your hall himself, to avoid conflict with his grandmother. He was going to provide the budget for your hall, and you could use the additional given budget from the palace for personal use.

"He did!? Seriously!" You clasp a hand over your mouth, as you once again, slam your hand into the table. "Wow, I can't believe he has kindness in his heart– Whoa!" You laugh while holding your chest as you can't breathe from laughing too much.

"You should be grateful for his efforts." General Beomgyu calls you out, whilst you just laughed harder. "I am, but that stunt of his has me rolling on the floor." You wheeze.

General Beomgyu wishes his longed vacation would come sooner as he yearned.

"Have you heard about the new gossip, Court Lady Choi?" Hong-Yeon whispers to the court lady beside her, as if you weren't just in front of her and could hear her so loudly.

"Hong-Yeon, I can hear you." You sneer as they both fix your hair in front of the mirror. She slaps her mouth shut, while Court Lady Choi just shakes her head. "But tell me Hong-Yeon, I am curious too myself."

She hesitates, but starts. "I've heard that a previous rumor that the Emperor recently just had a child with one of the members of the Cheol family, turned out to be actually true."

You and Court Lady Choi pause in your tracks, looking at Hong-Yeon with absolute bewildered faces. "WHAT!" You both shout in unison.

Your mini session of hair fixing turned into an absolute gossip session, as you three sat on a table on the floor with snacks on the table. You almost woke up the other servants by bringing the table and snacks, but you thank the heavens that didn't happen.

"Okay, so when I was washing Your Lady's clothes-" Hong-Yeon speaks, before Court Lady Choi cuts her off. "Hong-Yeon, straight to the point!" She shouts.

"Sorry! Anyway, a previous rumor from ago said that the Emperor had a child with his secondary family, but it died down soon enough. Now, it was confirmed that a midwife had delivered the baby!" You all gasp, eating the sweet snacks you had prepared while listening.

She continues, "and worst of all, the baby turned out to be a boy! National disaster!"

You three make noise, making a big deal out of the drama. With your noise combined, you swear you could wake up the entire palace with your screaming.

"But that really is a disaster, if it's a boy, then could he become an heir to the throne too?" You ask, munching on some sweet treats.

"By law, it does work. He can legally become an heir of the throne– but with the Four Princes in line for the throne, he could become emperor when he's old." Court Lady Choi answers, using her line of knowledge for being a full court lady.

You nod, "I think so too. But what about the Empress? How would she act about this?"

Hong-Yeon squeals, seeming to remember the details. "I found out that the Empress had recently heard about it, and she fumed into the Emperor's hall!"

You all shriek, your voices enough to hit whistle notes. Maybe the servants felt their ears bleed, but you three had a fun time enjoying each other's company.

After a night of screaming, you had all fallen asleep in your respective quarters, and the rest was a blur as you tiredly closed your eyes.

You woke up with your sleeping pants lifted a little by your shuffling in bed, which was normal for someone like you who slept like a log going through a moving lake.

"My Lady, you must wake up!" And again, someone bothers your beauty sleep for either a morning walk, to go meet the Empress Dowager, or even more.

"What again, Court Lady Choi?" You grumble, fighting your half lidded eyes. She patted you like there was no tomorrow, trying to wake you up. "It's me, Hong-Yeon! You have to wake up–"

You sit up, feeling the patting disappear. You yawn, stretching your bones so early in the morning. "What is it, Hong-Yeon? Has Court Lady Choi sent reinforcements to wake me up?"

"It's the-" Hong-yeon's voice cuts off as you see with your half opened eyes, the door opening with a Court Lady Choi making excuses to keep the approaching person out.

"Am I getting killed? Is it the assassin? Is this heaven?" You see the bright rays of the sun against the door, which enhances the shadow of the person. It seemed like heaven was about to take you, or someone came out to hunt you down.

The person walked towards you in slow motion, their figure shining against the sun making them look so powerful. You try to process everything with your sleepy state, but you can't help but yawn.

"If I'm getting killed, I pray for my family in the present, I pray for my friends here and there, maybe myself too, and the palace but-" You manifest inside your head as the figure walks even closer to you.

And there the person's face reveals itself to you, who you make out to be a man with fancy clothing, and the face of a majestic man, whose face card could alone cause a national disaster if used dangerously.

His eyes twinkle like boba pearls, and his skin is as smooth as the silk he uses. He somehow looks like the Crown Prince, if you say so.

"Kang Taehyun?" Your eyes flicker, seeing the shadow fade to reveal the nation's Crown Prince, looking absolutely gorgeous with that sun behind him. You can't deny that his face is amazing.

"Good... morning?"

>next chapter

<previous chapter

authors note:

so i am so sorry for the one month wait 😭 vacation has me busy too not gonna lie but that doesn't mean i'm gonna abandon my duties 🔥 thank you for reading and i appreciate every ounce of support!! see you next chapter or post 😉

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takeurexam · 4 months ago

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guys im actually into honkai star rail so yes mydei royal au coming soon 😈😈👏

#takeurexam

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takeurexam · 4 months ago

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dynasty || XIX

genre:

non idol au, time travel, romance, rivals to allies to friends to lovers, crown prince to emperor taehyun, reader gets appointed as a concubine

pairning(s):

non!idol taehyun x fem! reader

(warning, this does not reflect the REAL idols personality, and no smut will be written to respect the idol, and i am not comfortable as well, and the taehyun in this ff is not the actual taehyun)

story:

`dynasty masterlist

19: Season of Blossom

"Out of the way!" Kai shouts, as the three of them carry your 'limp' body. The saleslady from not long ago reached out her hand as if it could do something, and all she could get as a response was nothing but air.

After you four leave the woman's sight, you all stop by the middle of the street, gaining stares from the people walking by.

"Go to that corner!" General Beomgyu thinks fast, then he whispers, yet it comes out like a shout. The two nod, changing their steps into the direction of the corner he had pointed.

There, the dark and secluded corner consisting of royal guards, waiting for the General's order. His plan seemed to progress further, and you were all one step to success.

You open your eyes, wondering where on earth you were. You raise your head a little, as you see your group and some guards in some corner. You pat them, signaling them to put you down.

"Owh, you guys carry women like bamboo sticks." They put you down slowly, taking precaution. You stretch your back, feeling about a hundred bones crack, which makes you sigh in satisfaction.

"You're unusually heavy for a woman." Taehyun groans, stretching his aching arms. You roll your eyes, ignoring his teasing remark.

You blink, suddenly remembering you had a literal sword hidden inside your skirt.

"Guys," you cough loudly, resisting the urge to laugh. "Where's the sword?" You feel everyone's eyes on you, feeling as if the whole world had stopped, and everyone couldn't move except you.

"What-" they all blurt out in unison.

"I'm sorry. It's here." You grin sheepishly, pulling out the sword from your humongous skirt. The sword slips out of your skirt, revealing the treasured family heirloom. You hear their assured sighs, yet you can feel the General and Prince's glare.

The duo takes slow steps towards you, as you gulp in fear, backing off from them.

"Ow! Okay, I'm sorry!" You squeal, as General Beomgyu pulls on your ear. Taehyun has his arms crossed in front of you, as if getting ready to lecture you for a whole hour.

Beomgyu shakes his head, then lets go of your ear as you drop to the ground, wincing at your now burning ear. You squat at the ground, massaging your aching ear whilst glaring at him.

"Huening, transfer the sword back to the palace safely." The General grabs the sword, then throws it over to Kai, who catches it in a swift motion. The younger boy nods, signaling the guards to engage.

They leave in a hurry, keeping the sword safe in their hands. It leaves the three of you to handle the rest of the situation.

"I have recovered." You stand up, wiping off the excess dirt on your skirt, then clearing your throat. "I deeply apologize for my- OW! Actions!" Before you could broach your deep apology, Taehyun flicks your forehead lightly, and you react to it by shouting. They were taking turns getting their revenge for your strange plots against them.

They both chuckle, leaving you behind as you complain about their annoying plans, as if you didn't do it first. That's saved for another topic.

After declaring a truce between the two, you all head over back to the palace to prepare for the appearance of the Prince later at the spring festival.

You've later noticed the connection between the season of blossom and the Crown Prince. It was a sign of blossom for the throne, and with more springs to come, he will come to blossom into the future Emperor of the nation.

It was a nice connection between the Crown Prince and the season itself, as the position as the heir is one heavy weight on the shoulders. It somehow takes a little weight off the heir.

But to successfully accomplish the mission, you had to return back without being noticed. Luckily, General Beomgyu knew a hidden entrance to the palace meant for deliveries, which can be used for a sneak in plan.

After walking through a mini field, you probably had arrived due to the fact you saw the palace back right in front of your eyes.

"Okay, we're going to have to distract the men in order to jump into the cart unnoticed. We'll be split apart in carts for the meantime. Got it?" Beomgyu points towards the many carts full of ingredients for the festival.

"I'll send off an arrow-" The General pulls on his arrow, but you and Taehyun hold it back with unexpectedly the same intentions. You both look at each other, surprised.

"No." You speak up, "That'll most likely be a bad idea."

He raises his brow.

The Eunuch whistles, as he takes a smooth journey back to the palace to deliver the goods for the festival. He whistles a tune, unaware of the danger about to approach him.

As he sees the palace gates, his vision suddenly goes pitch black, and his mouth suddenly covered. His screams are muffled as he doesn't know a single thing going on.

Shockingly, he manages to break open the shackles set upon him, as the world flashes its brightness back to him as he comes to his senses.

"What just happened?!" He stops the horse, needing a minute to process himself. He looks back, only to see the curtain covering the cart had maybe just trapped him, and he was probably hallucinating due to the lack of sleep in the day.

He shrugs, then signals the horse to move forward once again, his smooth journey not halting.

Whilst everything, you three managed to sneak in the carts, squeezing yourselves in. It was the worst idea, yet it somehow worked on him.

"Okay, look- Eunuchs like him probably have gone from far lands to pick up such ingredients, so he might be lacking sleep." You point, noticing him dozing off once in a while, then waking up in a jolt.

"Look at those curtains, they don't seem out of place." You analyze, "so he won't notice someone possibly tying him up, because of his lack of sleep and the curtain being behind him wouldn't seem weird, as it creates an illusion that he gets trapped."

The two of them blink, yet nod at your idea.

And that's how you managed to sneak in. Yet something changed during the process, and you didn't have enough time to go to another cart, and so you had to squeeze yourself in with the Crown Prince. How awful for you.

"Can you squeeze a little farther?" You sharply whisper at him, seeming agitated. You both were squashed together, with the ingredients at your foot not being able to give space to the both of you, and in a situation of forced proximity.

"I can't. I'm also struggling here." He replies, trying to move out a little for you. Even if you label him as a jerk, he was respectful and understanding enough.

You take deep breaths, struggling to breathe in the tight space. It wasn't as tight, and it was covered lightly by curtains, you still struggled to breathe somehow. It could've been the lack of space or the proximity between your companion.

Your arms stick together, the arm with your rolled up sleeve felt the fabric of his clothing, as you somehow felt embarrassed that you were this close to someone so noble. As if you weren't too.

Turning your head a little towards him, you try to recall your encounters with this man. He was someone you've heard of in the library books, and their dynasty mentioned throughout history.

It was weird that you were to be this close to him, and to experience the era. You were still clueless about your purpose, but the most reasonable explanation is to change something in the past. Why else were you back here, as someone who serves no title or history?

After the festival, you definitely need to investigate a little more.

"...What?" Taehyun's voice snaps you back into reality, as you realize you had zoned out while looking at him. You clear your throat quietly, embarrassed.

"I zoned out. Sorry." You explain, not needing to add any further detail to cause more embarrassment for yourself.

"Hey." You suddenly thought of something. He looks at you, replying with a "hmm?" You avert your gaze away, as you start talking. "After all this, can we, just enjoy the festival ourselves?"

He seems stunned by your request, not expecting something like that coming from your motor mouth. Yet he lets his guard down, and nods even if he struggled due to the space. "Yes," his voice is quiet. "Yes we can."

The horse seemed slow due to the many deliveries, so the ride seemed a little farther than assumed. But you finally heard the sounds of guards checking, and it was time for the final round of your plan, which you hoped the Eunuch would do.

You peeked under the curtain, counting how many guards or servants were on standby, or any suspicious people peeking on corners.

"One guard, at your side, then two servants in front." You whisper to Taehyun, as he nods. Now you just had to wait.

The Eunuch clears his throat, signaling the servants and the single guard there to come near him, as if he was going to spill such hot gossip.

"You know, I think that the concubine of the Choi family is very humorous." He speaks, and you raise a brow, hearing your title. "Wow, out of all gossip?" You scoff, as the Prince beside you quietly chuckles.

"Just sometime I heard she was called in by the main General and the Prince for something, and I happened to overhear her babbling about how the Crown Prince was going to go hairless due to his attitude!" He laughs, "I couldn't stop wondering about it."

The servants and the guard laugh together with him, as you slowly turn to the man beside you, who glared at you as if he was about to kill you with violent methods.

You smile nervously, praying for your wellbeing.

After a few runs and quiet steps, you managed to return back safely into the main palace, where the Crown Prince's chambers sat. You were honestly forced to come with him, even if it was embarrassing enough to see a concubine heading over the Prince's chambers.

You had removed your masks and hats to avoid any further suspicion, and it was probably fine because you both were by the main palace area. It wouldn't seem too suspicious for him to bring out a woman to the festival.

And you curse him for creating more rumors.

"Your room really screams "Crown Prince," it feels really royal." Your eyes wander around his room, a seemingly decent and elegant room for someone like Kang Taehyun.

"There's a requirement for people like me?" He snickers, pulling off his robe to change. You scream, unprepared to be flashed. "You forget that a woman is with you in this room!" You cover your eyes with your hands, not wanting to remove them anytime soon.

But you do raise a brow. "Don't you have maids to help you with that?"

"They're busy with the festival, and I forced them to take leaves for today. I can manage it anyway." He speaks as if he isn't a Crown Prince.

You scoff, removing the hands that covered your eyes yet your back still faced him. You would never admit it, but you felt a little touched by the gesture he did for his servants. It was a rare opportunity for people like them to enjoy their lives outside the palace.

"How does your public appearance technically work?" You furrow your brows, thinking deeply about how it works. You imagined he was just riding a cottage like Cinderella, or he was thrown in the air with fireworks on the backround. You wiggle your head, snapping out of your weird imaginations.

"Well, I don't plan to be fancy. Even if I just want to go as myself, I need to be the Crown Prince. Then I'll go, but I won't be the main show. Just royalty who wants to enjoy the warm breeze of spring." He pauses, as if realizing the depth of his words.

You let out a breathy laugh, amused by his words.

"Your Grace, are you really sure about taking us out?" Hong-yeon questions for the hundredth time, really determined to be sure of your decision.

"Hong-yeon, if I were to say that I still agree even if I were to be trapped in the palace, will you finally be at peace?" You cross your arms.

"Please don't say that, My Grace!" She sighs, on the verge of exploding. Court Lady Choi just shakes her head, making most of her mini vacation out of the palace. It seemed a little sad that she barely had time to go out due to being a full time court lady.

You laugh at them, focusing back on the road. Night had come, and the lanterns hung everywhere lit up the entire capital, with stalls on the side, and the many flowers displayed to represent the blossom of spring.

It was such a nice thing to see, something fresh and new for you. It was just something warm, and made you tingle.

"I didn't know you were bringing more people." A familiar voice appears right beside you, someone you've known from the very start of your journey.

"Soobin!" You chirp, giving him a warm and comforting hug, which he immediately reciprocates. You missed one of the people who you've met from the start and the cause of your whole ascension. "Is Hobak with you?" You pull away, and you both smile at each other.

"You know, I've never missed the spring festival here in the capital." And the boy who you were looking for did appear. You laugh at him, and you give him a warm and tight hug too.

As the night progressed, even more people you knew had arrived, and the spring festival's sassy impact was true after all. Spring brings that feeling of home, bloom and new life.

You've come to realize that being transferred to the historical era wasn't too bad, and you needed a break from the boring society you lived in.

You've finally felt spring's feeling.

"It seems that Kang Taehyun has finally finished his princely business." You laugh, walking side by side with him. You managed to separate from the big group you had formed, and with the night unfolding, you might as well have a mini talk with the Prince.

"It seems so." He chuckled, his normal formal aura was gone, and all that was left was Kang Taehyun himself. He didn't carry the burden of being the heir, and he felt free after a long time.

>next chapter

<previous chapter

authors note:

guys is it obvious i really love spring <⁠(⁠￣⁠︶⁠￣⁠)> theres really something about the feeling of blossom and the fresh warm breeze, well, thank you for reading guys (⁠ ⁠◜⁠‿⁠◝⁠ ⁠)⁠♡

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