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readyplayerhobi · 5 years

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A Court of Moonlight | 01

; Werewolf!Yoongi x Witch!Reader

; Genre: Fantasy, fluff, future angst, future smut

; Word Count: 14.7k

; Synopsis: As Prince Hoseok’s personal attendant, you travel with him on a diplomatic visit to Lunatis, home of the werewolves. There, you meet the enigmatic and intrguing werewolf prince, Min Yoongi, and discover more than you expected as a mere attendant.

; Spin-off from A Court of Curses

; A/N: So...this is only part one but as you can see, it’s already almost 15k so I thought it better to split in two! I’ve been working on this for a while; I hope it’s okay and you enjoy! Please, please reblog if you enjoyed so that other people can see it alongside liking it and I would love you forever if you leave me a comment or ask giving me feedback or your thoughts! :3 it helps encourage me on!

Folding the silk shirt in your hands carefully, you placed it down alongside the other articles of clothing that take up the large, ornate leather luggage case before running your fingers along the incredibly soft material gently. Turning your attention to the next shirt that has been passed to you by Soyeon, you give her a soft smile as she smiles in turn at you.

“Are you excited? I’ve never travelled beyond Hekatalia before.” She asks, her face sweet while her pretty eyes are wide and round with excitement for you. Soyeon is the Queen’s personal attendant, working almost solely to accommodate the Queen of Hekatalia’s wishes and demands.

Due to her busy life of ruling the kingdom, the Queen of the Witches was unable to travel to foreign kingdom’s herself. For the first 100 years of her rule, she had emissaries sent to her or hosted visiting royals and leaders while Hekatalia sent out its own emissaries to foreign nations.

But the last ten years had seen her husband take on a larger role in Hekatalian Court. Prince Hoseok, the Crown Prince of Sanguinus and Prince Consort of Hekatalia, had slowly begun to undertake diplomatic journeys to neighbouring kingdoms to provide a personal touch from the royal family that had been simply impossible beforehand.

The Queen’s entire family had been killed during the Great Demonic War, which had left her physically unable to leave her lands rulerless. Her marriage to Prince Hoseok had been forced upon her by the Faerie and werewolf kingdoms which had combined the vampires and the witches for the first time in history.

But it wasn’t a typical marriage; the marriage bonds also resulted in a curse being laid upon them both. Immortality was granted to them, but they had been forced to spend six months of the year in one another’s company and the remaining six months apart.

Any attempts to stay away or see each other during the respective time periods resulted in great pain for them both. Their kingdoms had to remain invested in the curse as well, as if the curse was ignored then the pain would spread out to the people of their kingdom, slowly killing until there was nothing left.

As such, both kingdoms had grudgingly accepted the marriage and curse itself.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the first one hundred years of their marriage had been cold and glacial to onlookers. Centuries upon centuries of hatred, anger and bloodshed did not merely vanish overnight. Or so everyone thought.

Ten years ago however, Prince Hoseok had returned only three months after he had left. It should have been impossible, and they should have been screaming in agony at the pain of being near each other. And yet the Queen had ran to him, hands trailing over his face gently before they had sealed their reunion with a deep and passionate kiss.

While those closest to the Queen had been aware of the kindled love between the star-crossed lovers, the rest of the kingdom’s had been shocked to find out that the cursed couple had fallen in love decades before.

Despite this, the vampires were still not trusted by the majority of the witch population of Hekatalia, but Prince Hoseok had become slowly beloved by the population. His obvious adoration of the Queen likely had something to do with that, alongside the much heralded arrival of Princess Soo-Ah nine months ago.

For one hundred and five years, Prince Hoseok had not been assigned a personal attendant when he resided in the palace and simply had various servants serve him temporarily. As far as you understood it, Soyeon had acted as an informal personal attendant for him sometimes while she served the Queen as well. But Soyeon’s marriage to the Keeper of Words, Park Jimin, had meant Prince Hoseok had required a legitimate attendant.

Which is where you came in.

For five years now, you have acted as Prince Hoseok’s personal attendant in Hekatalia. You have dressed him, cleaned his room and his clothes, attended to his every whim and ensured that he has been happy in the palace. The appointment had been nerve wracking to you, still afraid of being around a vampire but you’d been pleased to find Prince Hoseok was a kind and sweet master.

This would be the first time that you were to travel with him outside of Hekatalia to accompany him on his diplomatic travels though. His normal attendant who accompanied him on such journey’s unable to due to illness. And it was to the strange wildlands of the Lunatus Pack, the ruling werewolf class of the Lupine nation.

“I am excited, but nervous as well. What if I do something that reflects badly on Hekatalia?” You chew at your lip nervously as you finish folding the remaining clothes and pack them away carefully, closing the lid of the luggage case and securing it so that nothing will fall out during the journey there.

Soyeon lets out a light laugh; the sound airy and sugary sweet. You watch her for a moment as she finishes packing a second luggage case that is filled with Prince Hoseok’s formal clothing and locks that case up too. Gesturing to the two guards who stand just inside the doorframe, they immediately whisper a spell that has the cases levitating slowly and following them out of the room.

“I doubt you will do anything that will make Hekatalia look bad. You’re not going to be meeting any of the royalty while there, that’s Prince Hoseok’s job. So unless you plan on destroying his room for him, or doing something illegal then you will be fine. And His Highness will protect you, you know that. He’s got a soft spot for you.” She grins, nudging you lightly in the ribs as you both leave his rooms.

Rolling your eyes, you stick your tongue at her rather childishly. Soyeon was right though, Prince Hoseok was incredibly kind to you and part of you thought it was simply because he appreciated someone being nice to him in turn. He had spent a long time being lonely in the halls of this palace, so just as Soyeon had become a friend to the Queen, you had become a friend to him alongside his close friendships with Soyeon’s husband, Jimin, and the Captain of the Guard, and your cousin, Jeon Jungkook.

“Is the Queen saying goodbye to him?” You ask, reaching the corridor upon which the door to the carriages resided. Soyeon chuckled and shook her head, fingers lifting up to place a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“She said goodbye to him earlier, unfortunately she has the dignitary from the Sídhe to court today. I believe Prince Hoseok was going to the nursery to say his goodbyes to little Princess Soo-Ah, so you will likely need to go retrieve him.” Face breaking out into a smile, you chuckle in response and bow your head slightly.

You wait to leave until she disappears behind the door, likely to go say goodbye to her own husband who will be accompanying the prince on his journey due to his knowledge of werewolf society and trade agreements.

Turning, you move through the halls of the palace with an experienced ease, the intricate routes written into your brain from years of travelling them. The nursery is a new addition to the palace, an old storage room on the first level being converted into a room that Princess Soo-Ah would use as she grew up.

Her days were spent here, in the company of nursemaids and assistants while her parents attended to their day-to-day jobs. They both came and spent as much of their free time as they could with her, and Princess Soo-Ah slept in their bedroom at night.

The Queen and Prince Consort both maintained their own rooms, though it was well known that they both slept in one bed. Princess Soo-Ah, by their command, was to spend her nights with her parents. Even if it meant they lost precious sleep.

Due to his lesser schedule, it was usually Prince Hoseok who could be found in the nursery with his daughter. His complete and utter adoration for the tiny ball of dual sunshine and thunder was well known to all citizens of Hekatalia by now, and there was nothing that could put a smile on his face quicker than the sight of his tiny daughter.

Which is why you knew he would still be here, cuddling with her and likely reluctant to leave her for three months.

Opening the door, you look around the vast room with an idle eye for a moment. The walls had been painted a soothing pale yellow with an alternating white that had been specifically created to make everything seem cheery and bright. Princess Soo-Ah was deeply beloved by her parents and they wanted her childhood to be as happy as possible.

As such, exquisite handmade wooden toys sat around the room on cabinets and shelving units, simply waiting for the little princess to be old enough to play with them properly. Comfortable, plush armchairs sit beneath the giant window that looked out onto the gardens, a bookcase already filled with famous nursery rhymes and stories from both Sanguinus and Hekatalia.

In the corner of the room is an intricate rocking horse, its skin a gleaming midnight black with a soft mane and tail of silver stars that fell to the floor. The dip in the horse’s face gave away it’s Sanguinati breeding while a delicate, red leather saddle and bridle sat waiting for the princess to ride. It had been a gift from Prince Hoseok’s parents in Sanguinus to celebrate the birth of a child that no-one had thought was possible.

Princess Soo-Ah’s nursemaid sits in a rocking chair in the opposite corner, hands working diligently on a knitting pattern and you recognise the beginnings of a warm and cosy jumper. Unlike her parents, Princess Soo-Ah was always dressed in what looked comfortable and warm. They felt that there was no need for a baby to be dressed to impress and simply wanted her to be happy.

Her crib stands against a wall, the dark and rich wood sourced from a copse of trees that have been soaked in magic from a nearby Source before being carved by master carpenters. All along the elegant wood are tiny engravings symbolic to both the vampires and witches, combining her heritage together.

And in the centre of the room, on a pale white rug, lay perhaps the most important person to the entire kingdom right now. Princess Soo-Ah is tiny, even at nine months old. She had been born two months early, likely due to her dual nature according to the physicians, and there was a worry that she would remain small.

But you had seen how quickly she was growing, and had no concerns about the sweet girl. She was likely going to grow up big and strong, just like her parents.

The man you had come to coax away was laid next to her on his side, his head resting on his arm where it lay underneath him while his other hand lay on Princess Soo-Ah. She was still so small that his hand took up almost her entire stomach, causing you to smile at the sheer love and adoration that radiated from his eyes.

You couldn’t hear him, but you could see the way Prince Hoseok’s lips moved as he whispered to his precious daughter. She gurgled in response, legs kicking happily as her head moved to face him and give him the brightest smile of happiness.

He grinned in response and you heard his soft laugh as his body shook before he shuffled closer to press a sweet kiss to her head before pulling back to watch her some more.

It was quite the dichotomy to watch, the large and astonishingly handsome vampire wearing all black, from his leather boots to his coat, in the middle of a room that was everything soft and mellow. You found it hard to believe vampires were capable of extreme bloodshed and violence while watching the gentle and tender way he handles his daughter.

“Prince Hoseok? We are ready to leave now and are waiting for you. Please can you accompany me to the carriage?” You keep your words low and quiet, noting how he doesn’t even give any indication he was surprised by your arrival.

He wouldn’t be of course; vampires had superior hearing to witches.

Sighing, his lips turn down in an unhappy frown as he moves even closer to her until he’s got his nose in her downy soft hair, inhaling her scent deeply with closed eyes. “Daddy has to leave now princess. I’ll be back before you know it though, so be good for your mummy okay? And...don’t grow too fast while I’m gone. Please. I love you sweet girl, daddy loves you. So much. I’ll miss you.”

He presses a final kiss to her head before getting up, simply kneeling there and watching her for a few moments with a forlorn look upon his face before he stands. Looking at the nursemaid, he bows his head to her. “Please take care of her. And make sure she gets her mid-morning cuddles.”

“Don’t worry, Your Highness, I’ve already cleared out my schedule to make sure she doesn’t miss out.” The voice comes from behind you, causing you to jump with a squeak. Turning, you spot the adorable smile of Jeon Jungkook and scowl at him. Your cousin has always had an annoying ability to jump up on you.

With a final glance to his daughter, Prince Hoseok follows you out of the nursery and to the carriage, slapping a hand onto Jungkook’s shoulder with enough strength to make the younger man wince. “What does that mean?”

“It means...I know you’d worry about her so I’ve made sure that I can give her the cuddles you can’t. She’ll know it’s not you, but it’s her routine now right? And I’m not saying no to some cuddles with my favourite girl.” Jungkook smiles sweetly and you can’t help but shake your head with a smile. He’s always been a giant softie underneath his hard exterior, but you can see how much it means to Prince Hoseok as he struggles for a moment to keep a composed face.

This is the longest he will be apart from his daughter and wife, and despite spending years used to not being able to be near the one he loves, it obviously hasn’t gotten any easier for him.

“Thank you. I appreciate it.” He whispers, nodding at Jungkook before heading out the door. Watching as he leaves, you turn to Jungkook before giving him a quick hug and patting at his chest.

“You are so soft. He really does appreciate it though, I hope you know that.” You grin, opening the door and turning to face him. Jungkook laughs and nods, resting a hand on the pommel of the sword at his hip.

“That’s why I did it.”

The journey to Lunatis, the land of the werewolves, was a long one and it passed through a wide variety of landscapes that changed drastically, including Sanguinus. Prince Hoseok’s own homeland was to the north of Hekatalia and according to all you had heard and read, it was a land that was vast and varied in its geography.

Barren sand dunes ate at the land in the west in vast deserts that shifted constantly before giving way to rocky peaks that soared into the sky in the east. Hills bucked their way in the land inbetween, and it was only as their land reached the Hekatalian border that it calmed and became gentle fields fit for growing crops and other plants.

The magic that enriched the very soil of Hekatalia also calmed the lands you and all your ancestors had been born onto. Forests were a rarity in Sanguinus apparently, but they were fairly common in the witchlands. Magic adored nature, and the careful use of it over the millennia by witches had soothed it into a pleasant presence that explained the absence of any extremes in either weather or landscape.

Lunatis however, was a land that was wild even by the vampire’s and the faeries standards. The people who inhabited it were closer to nature than anyone, even the witches. You lived with your magic in harmony with nature, but the wolves were a part of the very fabric of the land. The link between animals and humanity, joining the two together in an eternal bond.

You’d heard many rumours over the years about the wolf clans that inhabited the mountainous forests of Lunatis; situated to the east of Sanguinus and the north of the Fae lands. Some said their animal natures were a curse from a long dead witch, others said it was nature’s punishment for doing something so evil it had been forgotten in the minds of all.

Even the immortal Fae claimed ignorance of their origins, proving them to be one of the original races of the world you inhabited. The vampires were the newest, created millennia ago by a rogue sect of witches according to the Queen.

Still, you were excited and nervous to travel to the heart of their wildlands. During the long days it had taken to finally cross into the border of Lunatis, moving through Sanguinus at a steady pace, Prince Hoseok and Jimin had informed you of many tales involving the werewolves.

Apparently Prince Hoseok had visited their lands a few times as a dignitary for the Sanguinati court and was more acquainted with the Lunatus Pack than any other. It had been with fascination that you’d listened to his stories of their Great Hunts upon which the howls of hundreds of wolves could be heard echoing through the dense forests.

He always seemed to be half fascinated and half disgusted with them, but Jimin had informed you with a sly grin that it was purely because the two races didn’t get along very well. At their very nature, the vampires had originated from witches and so when they weren’t trying to kill each other the two got on surprisingly well.

Particularly given the positive interactions over the last ten years since the revelation of the Amendment to the curse.

But the vampires were a prim and proper race, a society that thrived on rules and fashion and elegance. It was a rare day to see Prince Hoseok without looking like he could take the starring role in an epic ball, dancing his way through a ballroom with royalty from any nation with a grace and poise that had been drilled into him since childhood.

The wolves apparently, were a little more baser in their instincts. An incredulous look had often appears on Prince Hoseok’s face when he talked about some of their customs. Their love of leather and fur seemed to be a particular sticking point, along with their complete lack of fighting skills.

You had pointed out many times that they could turn into wolves, so what did they need to fight for? To which he’d sneered lightly and pointed out that witches could use magic, so why did your soldiers learn to fight too?

It was a good point, but you’d simply retorted that you thought he sounded a little snobby and prim. That had Jimin chortling for a good five minutes while Prince Hoseok had looked distinctly unimpressed.

He wasn’t stuck up, he’d insisted, he had just learnt how to be proper.

As much as you enjoyed working for him, and he was your Queen’s husband which automatically meant he had your respect, you couldn’t help but tease him constantly about it on the journey in the cramped carriage. Which was why the topic was being repeated once more as you looked out in wonder at the towering forests.

The forests of Hekatalia felt like home, welcoming and warm with a current in the air that whispered of magic that had kept your ancestors going through tough times. Lunatis truly did feel wild and untamed, the magic here almost crackling with energy from the lack of a source and a conduit like your Queen.

Your carriage was moving along a mountain road, bumpy and uneven yet still well used. The vantage of being so high up the mountain meant that you could see ahead for miles, and all you could see was a veritable ocean of rich, sumptuous green as conifer trees spread far into the distance.

They grew untamed along the sides of the great, heaving mountains that had punched their way out of the ground in angry bursts, jagged peaks covered in layers of crystal white snow. Endless blue sky stretched ahead, making everything look so bright and vivid and you found yourself pressing your face closer to the glass window.

“You know Your Highness, I can understand why they wear furs now. It’s quite cold here, so it’s surely just common sense to make sure that you can live comfortably?” The question slips from your mouth as you scan over the top of the wave of the forest, noting the smoke that makes its way lazily to the sky at various points.

Werewolf villages likely, maybe even hamlets given how dense the forest was packed. A ribbon of shame ran through you as a momentary thought of the wolves being too uncivilised to be able to have great cities ran through your head and you shook it carefully.

They lived in an untamed nature, but it did not mean that they themselves were untamed.

You recalled seeing some of the Lunatus Pack a few years ago when they had arrived for a meeting with the Queen. They had looked just as everyone else had, if only their outfits had looked a little more weather worn.

The imposing landscape in front of you made it all the more understandable, and you understand why they retained a part of their wildness. It was likely the only way to survive in such a foreboding land.

Prince Hoseok lets out a quiet murmur, his gaze focused far beyond the mountain range as he rests his chin in his hand. These last few days have been the closest you've seen to him being almost casual, the long hours in the carriage cramped for you all and campsites at night testing all your resolves.

It's obvious that he misses his home though, and most importantly the family in it.

“It's beautiful isn't it?” Jimin muses quietly as he looks out of the window too. You nod in response before sighing.

“It's magnificent. I love Hekatalia but it has nothing on this.” And you truly mean it. You loved your homeland and the way everything seemed peaceful and pleasant, but there was something astonishingly beautiful about Lunatis. As if nature had fought magic for millennia and nature had won.

“You should see Sanguinus if you want natural beauty. Lunatis is beautiful and rugged, but Sanguinus has everything. Mountains, deserts, plains…” Prince Hoseok's voice trails off slowly, almost as if he’s aware of how he sounds, but a glance at Jimin tells you that you both heard the wistful tone to his words and you recognise that he’s not being mean.

He doesn't visit his homeland very often anymore; his duties as a husband and father out weighing those of an heir. You know the vampires are okay with this at the moment, but the future is uncertain.

One day, he will take the throne of Sanguinus. But his wife, the Queen of the Witches, would be unable to rule in that land with him due to the symbiotic relationship between her and the Source of magic in Hekatalia.

Which likely explained why he spent so much time with his family now, because it would be reduced in the future.

Still, you are curious about his homeland. He rarely mentions it, preferring not to stir any potential vampire hatred but the mountains of Lunatis must be somewhat similar to those of his childhood home.

“Do you miss it? Sanguinus? I know you haven't visited in two years,” He doesn't respond for a moment and you bow your head. “My apologies for intruding Your Highness.”

Prince Hoseok waves a hand lazily, his mouth quirking. “It's fine. You both are almost family anyway. And I do. I miss the blazing heat of summer when the winds blow the desert air to us and the freezing cold of the winter when the mountains hold us in their grasp. Hekatalia is wonderful, but it is tamed. There's something delightful about being at the mercy of nature.”

“I feel if a werewolf said that then you'd be snorting and rolling your eyes at them for being savage or something.” Jimin points out dryly, stretching out his legs as best he can in the cramped space.

The Prince let's out a small laugh and nods. “Maybe. I don't really think they're savage though. They respect nature in a way that no one else does and are a very hardy people. We just...don't have a good history. You forget that the wolves have a whole academy devoted to vampire hunting.”

“That's to hunt wayward vampires though. The ones who have gone rogue and won't submit to law.” You watch the conversation with wide eyed fascination.

“Yeah, they do. At the behest of my own kingdom sometimes because they're that good. The perfect trackers. Doesn't stop them from killing innocents too. If you can believe it, the witches are not our bogeyman. Ours howls in the night as a warning.” The small space goes silent then, and Jimin catches your eye with an awkward smile.

Prince Hoseok doesn’t seem to recognise the uncomfortable situation though and that alone tells you that he’s speaking the truth. Only people who have experienced things like that can talk about it with so much carelessness.

None of you speak further for the rest of the day, the night spent in a comfortable inn that had the protection of the guards who had come along with you to protect the Prince. Though as far as you knew, he was military capable himself and could probably deal with whatever came his way.

Although his comments about the vampire hunters made you worry for him that night, fussing over him a little more than normal as you helped him prepare for sleep. To his amusement, you’re sure, because there’s no way Lunatis would murder the Sanguinati Crown Prince and the Hekatalian Prince Consort.

You shuddered at just imagining the destruction your Queen would rain down on this mountainous nation in her grief and anger.

Not that they could actually kill him of course, but this was all just hypothetical obviously.

Needless to say, you’d been a little more anxious throughout the night and the rest of the journey to the home of the Lunatus Pack. Jimin could tell and kept trying to reassure you that all was fine, but it was hard to stop the anxiety that filled you.

The city that the majority of the Lunatus Pack inhabited proved to be an awe-inspiring sight when you finally came upon it, even if it looked almost nothing like the cities you were used to seeing in Hekatalia. Lykos, named for their animal counterpart, was imposing in a way that Hekatalian cities could never be.

Small buildings of timber dotted the outskirts, buried within the expansive forest before they slowly merged into a blend of stone and wood. By the time the carriage had reached what you presumed to be the centre of the city, the buildings were tall and built of solid stone. Further along the road, you noted an impressive looking complex that had been carved into the mountain itself, the solid rock protecting the inhabitants.

Hard to be attacked if your home was literally a mountain.

“That’s Mount Selanus, the largest mountain in Lunatis.” Prince Hoseok noted, peering out of the window to look up at the remarkable peak. Blue-grey stone was dotted with trees along the base before becoming barren rock as it reached into the sky while pure white snow rested atop the crest. It was beautiful.

“It’s impressive. And a good defense, they’ve built their homes into the mountain itself.” Jimin notes idly, causing you to feel pride at the fact you had noticed that too. The prince consort nods slowly, his eyes scanning the surroundings slowly.

“Yes, clever. That mountain is important to them too, I don’t remember the story properly. Something about it being a great wolf god who tried to reach the moon goddess but failed. I believe there’s some kind of pilgrimage every year from all the wolf pack’s who travel here to celebrate it.” He murmurs before shifting back in his seat and running his palms down the front of his jacket.

Your prince consort was no longer wearing his regal attire and had long since swapped it for more temperature appropriate gear. He’d claimed that it was because it was better to fit in with your host, as otherwise it could look like you were trying to be superior to them.

As such, his jacket was tailor made to cope with the colder weather while the outside retained characteristics that portrayed his loyalty to both Sanguinus and Hekatalia. Black with a subtle red accent was his overall colour scheme with silver buttons and fasteners. Prince Hoseok looked suitably regal while still observing the local fashions of the Lunatus.

Finally, the carriage came to a halt for the last time in this trip. You were finally here, the very heart of the werewolf lands and suddenly more nervous than ever. Jimin had coached you extensively on how to act around them, but what if you did something wrong?

The werewolves and the witches had never really had any truly bad blood between them, merely annoyances when the Sanguinati and witch conflicts had spilled into their lands. But still, they were often ruled by an animal instinct in a way that no other magical race was.

After checking over Prince Hoseok quickly, you exited the carriage first with the help of one of the Hekatalian soldiers who had travelled with you. The small retinue was already removing the Prince’s luggage and you eyed it carefully as they were directed by a Lunatus woman to head further into the mountain compound.

Stable boys were already quickly taking the horses from the soldiers who had ridden while others were removing the carriage horses, the tired animals being led away in the direction of the stables where they would be brushed down and cared for during your time here. It made you wonder how they would move the carriages without horses, but you supposed that was an issue for someone who wasn’t you.

The air smelled remarkably fresh here, to say that it was in the middle of a city. A small city yes, it had only taken around fifteen minutes to move from the outskirts to here, but it was a city all the same. In Hekatalia, that would mean the smell of rubbish, sewage, bodies and heat.

Here however, you scented pine and earth alongside the simple smell of the open outdoors. Indescribable, yet instantly recognisable. Perhaps it was due to the close proximity of the mountain and the surrounding forest; even from here you could easily see the towering tops of the striking trees.

The werewolves may live together in civility, but they were never far from the wilderness. You found that fitting, and this small city, strange to you, felt oddly homely to say that you had never been here before. But you liked it all the same.

“Good evening Prince Hoseok. I trust your journey was safe and well?” A low voice rolls out to your side, the owner appearing while you had been busy staring at your new surroundings. Turning, you note the newcomer through steady eyes with interest.

He stands shorter than the Prince, around the same height as Jimin it would seem. And unlike the other two, he doesn’t stand with a regal bearing. Instead, he almost slouches in front of them with his hands in the pockets of his brown leather trousers, thick black boots on his feet kicking the floor lazily and causing plumes of pale dust to fly.

A brown linen shirt covers his chest, laces stringing together a gap along the top but even these are left undone to dangle down. His coat is long, reaching down to his knees and is an intriguing mix of dark brown leather, aged until it almost looks like it could crack with a mere movement, while the inside is lined with thick, warm fur.

He looks slim beneath his large clothes, almost like he could be frail, but you have no doubt that he could likely kill you with the barest amount of effort. Given where you are, this man is most likely a werewolf.

It’s only when he glances over to you that you know your suspicions are confirmed. His hair is an ashy-grey, almost silver before shifting to a colour that looks almost dark blue as the light moves through the soft strands. Wolf grey, you think to yourself. His skin is paler than Prince Hoseok’s, still golden but more along the lines of Jimin’s but it’s his eyes that truly give him away.

For a moment, they are simply dark before they flash a vivid amber for a second as they scan you over. A blink, and they’re back to their original dark shade once more. Yes, a wolf to be sure.

“Prince Yoongi. What an honour to have you meet us here.” Prince Hoseok states airily, giving the slightest bow to the man. Your eyes widen momentarily, scanning over the new prince quickly with a confused look. He does wear what you would presume a prince to wear, nor does he stand like he has had any training.

Sure enough, his eyes roll while a despondent breath leaves him. “You’re impossible. You know we don’t have royalty here. You’re the only prince in Lunatis right now.”

Prince Hoseok chuckles, his hand coming to rest on Yoongi’s shoulder lightly as he nods and walks alongside him. You begin to follow, Jimin stepping into line with you before giving you a light shrug in response to your questioning glance.

“True, but I know it annoys you. Which is why I do it. How have you been? My Queen sends her condolences for not being able to travel; you know the story.” Yoongi lets out a low hum, nodding as he strides through the open courtyard towards the entrance of the large building.

It’s a barren courtyard, with stone upon stone upon stone. The only things of note are the beautiful wolf statues that litter the area, standing guard at each entrance and exit. Each one stands taller than you, with the details lovingly sculpted until they look like they could come to life and savage anyone wishing ill harm.

“Thank you. I’m fine. And I don’t think anyone expects her to leave her kingdom honestly. How is she? You have a child now, I believe, a little girl correct?” You can’t tell if the question is just idle chatter or if they are actually friends. Prince Hoseok seems to be very relaxed around him, which is at odds with the centuries old fear and rivalry the two races have had.

But then again, he never misses a chance to wax poetic about his little girl. Sure enough, you see a dreamy look appear on his face as a dopey smile appears. “I do. Soo-Ah. She’s perfect. So tiny.”

You almost expect Yoongi to tease him at that, the way Prince Hoseok’s voice softens and fills with a love that makes your chest ache. Instead, he smiles and pats the Sanguinati on the back. “Fatherhood suits you apparently. I wish her many moons and an easy childhood for your Queen and you.”

“Are they friends?” You whisper to Jimin, confusion threaded through your voice and evident in your body language from the tip to your brow. The Keeper of Words smiled slightly, eyes narrowing as the movement made his cheeks rounder and softer before nodding.

“In a fashion. It’s because of Min Yoongi that Hoseok got the courage to petition the Faerie Queen. We owe our royalty’s happiness to him, and despite their differences I believe them to be friends. Or as close as friends that as Sanguinati and a werewolf can be.” At that, Yoongi turns around with a brow raised at you both.

“I can hear you. And no doubt your prince can hear you too.” Prince Hoseok laughs before gesturing to you both.

“They mean no insult, I think they just forget the advanced hearing of other races. This is Park Jimin, our Keeper of Words who has accompanied me to keep note of our meetings and arrangements. And this is my personal attendant. She normally resides in the palace the majority of the time but my normal travelling attendant is unable to accompany me.” You bow slightly to Yoongi, unsure of what the protocol is for him. Or what he even is. “This is her first time in Lunatis. I believe she is suitably impressed by your beautiful nature.”

Yoongi doesn’t respond for a moment, simply letting his eyes track you up and down until you almost feel naked before him. A silly thought of course, as your hands touch the fabric of your heavy dress while your ribs push at the bones of the corset. And yet...he watches you like you’re his prey.

A disconcerting thought given he is very much a predator.

The moment is gone suddenly when he gives a polite smile, nodding his head. “I welcome you to Lunatis then. It is a beautiful country, if rugged and harsh. I hope it lives up to your expectations.”

As he scans you over once more before turning around, you can’t help but wonder what he thinks your expectations are. For that moment, you’re not even sure what your own are anymore.

A feast was given that night by your hosts, in honour of their royal guest who represented two nations. Delicious food that filled your stomach was brought in continuously; crisp roast chicken cooked with garlic and thyme, butter soaked carrots and parsnips, rich beef stew with hearty onions, potatoes and more than a splash of luscious red wine, seared pork chops coated in honey and mint, a leek and potato soup so creamy the serving spoon almost stood up in it and more.

It was a feast of the kind that you’d never truly witnessed before, the foods all homey and rich in flavour but with nothing too outrageous or exotic. No lemon soaked chicken, no orange drenched beef or anything that would be common in Hekatalia.

This didn’t surprise you though. Where would the wolves grow summer fruits such as that in their cold homelands? The Lunatus pack made their home in the northern reaches of Lunatis, deep in the mountain ranges and far from the mild lands of Hekatalia, the Sídhe or Orkana; the traditional home of tasty fruit and spices that sung of summer and spring.

Instead, the sweet foods that dotted these tables were a mix of decadent baked goods and cold resistant fruits. Luscious cakes with dense sponge layered in sweet buttercream frosting and dotted with apple slices, succulent liquor soaked cherries baked into pies with golden and crisp shells.

Everything was beautiful and made your tongue sing in delight, leading to you deciding that you would most definitely have to assess your own internal prejudices towards the werewolves. The absence of knowledge about them has resulted in a vacuum filled with terrible stereotypes, of which you would fully admit to believing.

You had been convinced that the food here would be basic, heavy on the meat with not much taste. Instead, you had found a veritable bounty of delicious food and even a few that you would happily beg the recipe for the cook's back in Hekatalia.

Jimin, beside you, had been most amused by your quiet yet lustful groans of delight as the flavours had burst on your tongue frequently. It had only been after five minutes of this that you had realised why, when many young male members of the Lunatus Pack had been staring at you with wide eyes.

Yoongi, further down the table, had simply looked amused while Prince Hoseok had laughed quietly to himself.

At least you were appreciating the food and not turning your nose up!

“Why do I get the feeling that people are surprised I’m eating?” The Prince asked his host towards the end, an elegant brow raising as he takes a sip of the strong ale from his goblet. You’re pretty sure it’s iron, but maybe it’s actually silver. Though weren’t werewolves supposed to be allergic to silver?

You didn’t know, though you would most certainly be querying Jimin to find out more after the meal had ended.

Yoongi lets out a low chuckle, spearing a piece of chicken before placing it into his mouth and chewing slowly. “Because they are. It has been a long time since your last visit, almost twenty years I believe, and many in this room have never seen your face. You are the only Sanguinati that we have seen in years and the stereotypes are still strong amongst the people. Not only that, you’re the Cursed Prince. That always gets you looks, as I’m sure you know.”

Prince Hoseok sighed deeply, taking a slice of apple from atop a cake and chewing on it. “Yes, the novel Prince. It’s always amusing to gaze upon someone else’s misfortune. And they are aware that I only drink blood, I don’t entirely rely on it?”

“Oh they know, but I’m sure it’s the same as your attendant over there being surprised that we eat things other than meat,” He gestures to you idly, causing your cheeks to heat as you squeak an apology. “Just ignorance that can be rectified once they are shown. And I believe you came out pretty well with this curse, correct? A wife that you love dearly and a much beloved daughter. There are other cursed beings who would give much for that.”

Your Prince nods sagely before sighing, running a hand down his face. He looks tired, which you have no doubt that he is after the weeks of travel. “Yes, I believe I did. But you must remember that everything good comes with a price for us.”

He stands at that, giving a slight nod of his head while Yoongi stands as well. Almost immediately Jimin and you follow, protocol stipulating that you follow your Prince’s movements. And he clearly means to retire for the night, for which you will be needed.

“What price is that? You will be king of Sanguinus one day; your wife is Queen of Hekatalia. Your daughter will rule both the vampires and witches, uniting them both.” Yoongi brow creases in confusion and you sighed sadly, glancing at Jimin who looks just as awkward.

Princess Soo-Ah was much beloved and she had been dearly desired by her parents. But everyone in the kingdom knew the cost to them. It was perhaps understandable that Yoongi did not know or understand, the curse was merely a story for the Lupine nation.

For Hekatalia and Sanguinus, it was their life.

“My daughter will never rule either nation. Our curse states that are our lands and people are directly tied to our lives. I will be king, she will be queen. Our lands will never know another leader, for we are cursed to immortality.” The werewolf still looks perplexed, and you can see his expression mirrored in those wolves who can overhear the conversation with the Prince.

Jimin takes pity on his ruler, and someone he has come to call a friend over the years as well, and informs Yoongi of what Prince Hoseok cannot manage to say. “Prince Hoseok and the Queen are cursed to immortality. Their children are not.”

Your Prince makes his excuses then and leaves, following one of the Lunatus maids as she directs him to his room. You follow behind quickly, glancing back at Yoongi to see the stunned look on his face. It’s almost enough to make you feel sorry for him, for the inevitable guilt he is likely feeling right now.

But there’s nothing to be done for it now.

Instead, you simply help Prince Hoseok to undress before leaving him to bathe in the warm water that has been drawn for him. He promises that he will be fine dressing in his bed clothes and bids you a good night as well, smiling softly as you rest a hand against his arm in a silent message of sorrow and strength.

Your own room is next to his for convenience, though you note it to be much smaller. Understandable obviously, given who he is and who you are. There’s no bath waiting for you though, so you leave to find a passing maid and ask where you can clean yourself as well.

She directs you to the closest bath house, located past a small garden that sits exposed to the world in a tiny courtyard. There’s not a lot here, but the ground has been turned and layered in dirt to allow sparse grass to grow along with a few carefully trimmed trees and colourful flowers.

A stone bench sits in the centre, looking slightly inconspicuous but you note that it once more carries the beautiful craftsmanship of the stone wolves outside. Combined with the awe inspiring compound, house, palace or whatever this place was called being carved into the mountain itself, you were positive that Lunatis contained some of the best stonemasons in the world.

Running your fingers along the edge of the bench, you crouch down to take in the detailed scene that plays out along the sides before spilling onto the back. It’s a series of wolves, painstakingly created until it looks like they could bound into the grass itself, leaping before they slowly begin to shift into half-man creatures before walking and running like the men and women they appear today.

An incredibly simple, and perhaps bastardised, tale of how the werewolves became as they are today maybe?

Either way, it was stunningly beautiful and you can’t help but admire it for a few moments.

“It’s not our history, if that’s what you’re wondering.” You can’t help the squeak that escapes you, jerking sideways before falling into the grass. It feels cold, the ground beneath almost freezing and you shiver beneath your thick fur coat.

Looking up, you sight the tall and lean figure of Min Yoongi before he crouches down with concern on his face. His hands hesitate over you for a moment before he’s gently pulling you up and looking you over.

“My apologies, I did not mean to scare you. I forget that witches cannot hear like we do.” His lips pursed slightly in a pout that looks far more adorable than you think he intends it to, and suddenly his foreboding image disappears. Gesturing to the bench, you sit upon the cold stone and watch as he sits next to you.

There is no ceiling in their garden, and instead you stare up with wide eyes at the awe-inspiring sight before you. Mount Selanus looms astonishingly tall above you, the wide and expansive base glowed a soft orange from the light of nearby fires before seeping into a deep black that blots out the stars.

And what a field of stars it is.

You see plenty of them in Hekatalia of course, but today it’s a pure expanse of tiny pinpricks of light that glitter and dot the surface. As if someone has taken a handful of sugar crystals and carelessly thrown them across the sky.

“You’re at one of the highest points in the whole continent here. We have more stars than anywhere else and Mount Selanus reaches higher than any other mountain.” Yoongi’s voice is soft, the syllables quiet and you find yourself curious as you stare at the large mass of stone and rock.

“Prince Hoseok said that you have a story about it. Something about a wolf god and the moon goddess?” The question you ask is implicit, even if you do not actually voice it out loud. His lips turn up slightly as you glance at him before he acquiesces to you.

“In our folk tales, Selanus was the first of us. In the beginning we were simply wolves, who ran across Lunatis on four legs in our great packs and hunted anything that came in our way. But then one day, Selanus looked into the night sky and instead of the thousands of stars he normally saw, he saw Lunarias, the goddess of the moon. Her face was pale and bright, lighting up the night and letting him see far beyond what he normally could. For years he would wait for her to brighten the dark skies and over time, he fell in love with the beautiful goddess.” Yoongi pauses for a moment, running his fingers over his chin before smiling.

“I mean, how could you not? The moon is beautiful on a dark night, and she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He would howl his love to her, as loud as he could, and she heard his cries of passion even from so far away. She would burn brighter for him, night after night to guide his way. But he was a wolf, and she had the form of a goddess, of a woman. And so he begged and pleaded with her. She acquiesced, and made bargains and pleas with the other gods to let her love take on the shape of a man. For then she could love him as an equal.” You were entirely enraptured by the story, imagining the ancient beings in such a passionate love, their story painting itself across your mind.

“They agreed, and Selanus was given the power to shift to a man. But the gods are fickle, and nothing comes without a price. Their price was that Selanus must forever be a wolf on the night the Lunarias’ power was strongest, her face the most beautiful. And Lunarias was banned from the Earth, forbidden to show her face at its full strength except for three days each month.”

You frown at that in confusion, looking up at Mount Selanus. “But..that means they couldn’t be together? And they did that to be together...right?”

Yoongi nods. “Yes. When Selanus was allowed to be a man, Lunarias was mostly gone with only glimpses given. When she was allowed to face her love, he was relegated to a wolf. She was forced to watch over him from above and the power she had given him meant she couldn’t fight it.”

“That’s terrible.” You whisper softly, looking down at your hands sadly. It may only be a folktale, but stories like this were important to your people and you could tell that this story held great importance to the werewolves.

“Yes, it is. Selanus was despondent with loss and Lunarias cried tears of pain that never reached the ground. He decided that he wanted to be with her forever, and he found the highest peak in the world with the conviction that if he could climb it, then he could reach his love. He climbed to the top of this mountain, but his love was still out of reach. His heart ache over it caused him to curl up at the top, where he eventually turned to stone under the watchful gaze of his beloved.” Yoongi lets out a soft laugh before shaking his head with a wry, almost embarrassed, smile. “I’m not the best storyteller, my grandmother tells it better than me.”

“No, no. We revere stories in Hekatalia. Oral history is important to us as so many of our spells comes from tradition. Thank you for telling me. It’s beautiful, if sad.” The night is quiet around you both, the smell of the earlier feast slowly dancing to your nose before passing by on a cold breeze.

“It’s just a story. I doubt that’s how the werewolves actually came about. But it gives us a reason as to why we have to take wolf form every full moon. Our actual history is lost to time but there is a statue of Selanus and Lunarias carved into the peak of the mountain by a generation long lost. It’s considered an honour to take a pilgrimage there.” He pauses for a moment, chewing on his lip carefully before sighing deeply. “About earlier...I did not mean to upset Prince Hoseok like that. I did not know, or think. The curse is just some story to us unfortunately, just like Selanus and Lunarias.”

You let out a deep breath of your own, stroking the soft grey fur of your coat. “I understand. But you must remember that it’s his life. He refuses to think about it. Princess Soo-Ah will live a few centuries at least and he takes consolation in that.”

“But why have a child if you know that one day you will bury them?” He sounds confused and you look at him with a raised brow, causing his cheeks to redden in the dim lighting of the nearby torches. “I’m sorry. Children are important in Lunatis, family is pack and pack is family. The very idea of having children that you will have to bury every time...it’s anathema to everything a wolf is.”

“Again, I understand but...think of it from their point of view. Everyone they know and love right now will die. And they will live. And the people they grow to love afterwards will die. And they will live. And the cycle will continue forever. Is it selfish? Yes. But they have so much love to give and none of us begrudge them the chance to have a family, to give that love to someone. Princess Soo-Ah will one day have children, and they will watch over them and so forth. I don’t envy them their position, and I don’t think anyone who does not have to go through what they will should judge their choices. They only have each other for the rest of time. They’re such good parents too, it would be such a waste.” The words you speak are truthful and you feel an ache in your chest at the idea of having to live forever and watch everyone you love die.

The silence falls once more for a few minutes, neither of you willing to say anything as you both absorb what you have explained. You can practically feel Yoongi turning it over in his head.

“I did not think. I don’t think anyone has. Is he a good father? He seemed happy earlier?” You smile at that, lips turning up as you remember the many times that you have walked in on him with his daughter, sometimes with his wife alongside him.

“He dotes on her. It’s well known in the kingdom that our Prince is completely smitten,” Yoongi smiles and laughs, shaking his head slightly. The poor lighting makes him look even more handsome oddly, and you watch his profile in the flickering light of a nearby sconce while curiosity bubbles in you once more. “If you’re not a prince, then what are you? I don’t really understand the structure of your...pack?”

The werewolf hums quietly, eyes flicking around the place as he chews on his lip while thinking of a way to explain his home. “My father is Alpha of the Lunatus Pack. That’s the equivalent of your Queen, only it is not inherited. Only the strongest take up the mantle of Alpha. Beneath him are his ten Beta’s, who give him advice and help him to run his pack. The Lunatus Pack is the largest and most powerful in Lunatis, which makes him the de facto leader of our nation which is made up of six packs. The five Omegas in our pack each lead a different area of society such as healing, the arts, education and so forth.”

“And you? What are you then? Everyone seems to defer to you here? I apologise if I overstep my boundaries, please tell me if I do. I’m just...curious.” You worry, concerned that you are asking too much of someone who you shouldn’t even be talking to. It’s an odd position to be in, being so close to one of the dual leaders of your own nation yet being only their attendant.

There’s every chance that Yoongi could become offended. But instead, he just gives you a sweet smile as his eyes flash that wolf amber once more.

“No, please. It’s fine. You’re a guest here too, and Prince Hoseok evidently trusts you. We have trials here, to judge the next Alpha apparent to see who will be the one to lead our nation once the Alpha retires or dies. I am the Alpha apparent.” He looks a little meek to be admitting that, and you let your eyes run over him once more.

“So...you’re important then? The Princess Soo-Ah of Lunatus?” A snort is your response, along with an eye roll.

“I guess so. But I’m not a prince. I’m not anything yet. I just stay with my father and learn what he does, because one day that will be me. The unfortunate fact of being born too strong to be anything else.”

“Oh...how ever will you cope.” Your words come out far more teasing than you intended, particularly for a mere personal attendant and almost immediately you bow your head in response while mumbling an apology. He merely waves a hand at you, uncaring of your faux pas and you wonder at the culture of the Lunatus Pack.

Were his own maids allowed to speak to him so casually? Although, you were technically with the guest of honour. So maybe you were being given more freedoms than you would be otherwise.

The night quietens around you, the windows slowly going dark as people retire to their chambers for the night. You note idly that there are no light wisps here, glowing softly amongst the sparse grass. Instead, there’s simply emptiness.

No sound escapes the Grand Hall anymore, nor do any scents and you presume that the kitchen staff are merely washing up for the night before eating their own meals. That’s how it was for the help. Serve first, self last.

It would likely be no different here.

“I presume you are a witch then?” Yoongi asks softly, breaking the silence between you both. For a moment, you simply look him over once more in the gentle warm light of the nearby sconce that burns merrily on the stone wall.

He looks almost soft, with his silvery-ash hair burning a pretty orange from the fire while his skin almost appears warm to the touch. Lips glisten as his tongue runs along them while his fingers trace along the stone bench slowly.

His chosen outfit for the dinner meant he wore less clothing than when he had greeted you all, but it still bore the distinct look of the astonishing wilderness that surrounds you. Supple leather that had been dyed so dark it was almost black clung to his legs while he also wore a shirt of clean white. It had buttons all along the front, each one an intricate piece of ironwork with the sigil of a wolf’s head howling.

For his venture outside, he had donned a black coat, the leather creaking pleasantly as he moved while the thick fur on the inside kept him warm. It pleased you to see that even the werewolves needed to remain warm in this cold place, even if he appeared far more content with the ambient temperature than you did.

“Yes. Isn’t that what Hekatalia is famous for?” Your smile kicks up slightly as you run your fingers along the pleasing fabric of your skirts. A lot of the women here seemed to favour trousers of leather or fur much like the men, and you wonder for a moment if women are allowed into their hierarchies as well.

“True, but it doesn’t mean everyone is capable of doing magic right? We have people who are born and cannot shift into their wolf. Instead, they are stuck in the body of a human.” Turning, you place a leg over your knee daintily as your brow creases.

“Isn’t that bad though? Do your people curse them for that? I would have thought it would be...well embarrassing or something.” You try hard to keep your tone neutral, afraid of offending him in some way but he simply smiles and turns towards you as well, drawing a leg up underneath him on the bench.

“No. I mean...it’s tragic yes, because everyone should have the chance to let their wolf free and run wild as our ancestors did. But we don’t judge them any worse for it. Lunarias makes them nowol’s for a reason. We don’t know what that is, but everything is done for a reason. Besides...why be cruel when they already have to live with their wolf trying to claw free?” At your confused look, he lets out a quiet laugh. “Nowol is what we call those who can’t shift. It’s just a shortened version of no wolf, because their wolf will never be heard.”

“That sounds...awful. I mean no offence when I say that but...I can’t imagine not being able to use my magic. Everyone born of a witch line can use it. Princess Soo-Ah will be able to use it, though it is unlikely that she would be powerful enough to act as a medium of power to the Ancient Oak given the Sanguinati in her. But she will still be able to wield magic of a far greater strength than anyone else.” The wolf heir looks confused at this, his face scrunching up almost adorably until you laugh.

Gesturing in front of you, tiny balls of light appear and begin to glow an ethereal blue-white in the darkness. Yoongi’s eyes widen as they form the shape of a tree, its branches overflowing while a tiny figure stands next to it.

“Magic exists in the world freely, but it is strongest in Hekatalia because there are more Sources there than anywhere else. The Ancient Oak in the Sacred Grove sustains most of the palace and city alone. We believe that these Sources exist as a way for magic to be channelled efficiently, to stop too much power coming at once and keeping a healthy balance with the land. The magic runs through the Sources before diverting through our Queen, and through her we all get a piece. If she was not there, then it would run rampant and wild, too much for us to comprehend. Magic would go haywire.” His mouth is open, the pink interior just visible to you as tiny balls of light filter from the tree to the figure and then back out.

“Like a dam? Your Queen makes it more manageable?” You nod with a smile. “That makes sense. Are you powerful then?”

“I have never been asked to join any of the Great Guilds. Not the Alchemists or the Pyromancers, the Healers or the Warriors, the Potion Masters or the Astronomers. My magic is small and if it was not for the fact that my cousin is Captain of the Guard then I would likely be working the fields with my parents.”

Yoongi watches the lights before they sputter and fizzle out of existence, his face falling slightly as darkness overwhelms once more. “I remember him. Jeon Jungkook right? Big, surprisingly muscular for a witch.”

“Don’t tell him that. He won’t be sure whether to be proud or take offence.” You titter, letting your hand rest against your mouth as you take note of the silver ring that glints on his finger. It too has a wolf’s head engraved in it.

“Witches are connected to the earth right? So can you make proper grass grow here? And not this grass that reminds me of the Deadlands?” He asks, pointing to the sparse and sad looking grass that dots the area in clumps. Attempts have evidently been made to make the earth it grows in rich, but he’s very right in that it reminds you more of the corpse grass that grows wild in the Deadlands to the west of Lunatis and north of Sanguinus.

You only know what it looks like because you have seen specimens grown in the experimental garden in the castle. It’s long and thick, the blades sharp and pale of all colour. There’s no wonder as to how it got its name.

“Well...I’m not the Queen and we are far away from a Source at the moment. It feels like we’re at least one hundred miles from the closest which means the magic here in your forests is wild and harder to control. On top of that...we are on a mountain and that is stone which seems to have...bound the magic almost? The earth cries but is muffled by rock.” But you have the urge to impress him, to make that sweet gummy smile you had seen at the feast come back to life.

You want to see his eyes flash that molten gold once more while he watches you, with the knowledge that it was caused by you and you alone. The thought of that makes you pause for a moment, a tiny frown creasing your brow before you shake your head.

It’s just because you never get to show off your powers. They’re nothing special, and living in a country of people far more talented than you...why would you need to show it off?

Kneeling down from the bench, you can’t help but grimace slightly as the earth presses against your knees beneath the layers of your dress. There’s little wonder that the grass is so coarse and hardy given that the dirt feels like it is made of purely small stones.

You try to ignore the small pinpricks of pain that radiates from the sharp ground, instead leaning forward to rest your hands against the frozen, hard floor. Closing your eyes, your breath leaves you in a long and slow exhale as you call to the magic that lies deep within the earth.

Your queen would probably be able to do this without even touching the ground, without even calling that hard. Even this far north, in this land of great stone where magic had run rampant and wild for millennia before sinking into the Sources that dot the continent.

But you do not have her power, and sweat begins to dot your brow as you call and call. Magic is an intrinsic part of you, as easy to use and wield as it is to write a letter but connecting to something that has been hidden, that has slumbered for so long is hard.

After a few minutes of silence, you have no doubt that Yoongi is probably wondering what the hell you’re doing on the floor but he seems to be too polite to question you outright, you finally feel a flicker responding to you.

Reaching for it, you grasp it desperately and twine your magic through it slowly and gently. It’s a small flame in comparison to the warm, ever burning fire of Hekatalia, but it’s fire and power all the same. Weak and unsure, struggling to reach you as you gently tug it forth through the heavy stone that blocks its way.

The magic follows the path you trail, slipping through tiny cracks that widen as it pushes through and moving the earth as it comes to you like a willful puppy. “That’s right,” You whisper softly, smiling to yourself as you encourage it to stay with it. “Come to me. Bring life to this barren garden.”

Images of what you imagine leave your mind and travel down the tremulous link you have and the magic sparks in response, zipping after you faster until it finally reaches your hands. For a moment, the skin burns before the magic calms down beneath you, soothing the hurts and spreading out across the ground.

The next few minutes are a flurry of energy that sparks and crackles in the air, the hairs on your arms rising as the air becomes electric. Hard stones beneath your palms smooth out before disintegrating and when you open your eyes to look, you smile at the rich, dark soil that cushions you.

But then you notice everything else and your eyes widen in shock. The few flowers that had been there are now overflowing with an abundance of vivid and bright colours; species that hadn’t even been present and are sure to die in the cold weather this far north.

Smuggler’s ivy creeps across every wall, crawling upwards on the buildings and dropping over the edge of the walls while a tree sapling dances in the soft breeze that blows through. From the color of the bark and the leaves, you estimate it to be a witchling tree which causes you to lean back in even more confusion.

Witchling trees only grow in Hekatalia, their bark soaking up wild magic until they are pure white. Their leaves often end up a rainbow of colours, ranging from dark purple through to maroon through to brilliant azure and a hundred shades inbetween. It was a common witch tale that no witchling tree was the same, and they had never been found outside of Hekatalia.

Until now it would seem.

“Err….I thought you said you weren’t powerful?” Yoongi asks from the bench, looking around with eyes so wide that you can see the whites even from here. He stands before crouching down, running his fingers through the silk soft strands of rich green grass before moving over to the tree. “What is this? I think I remember these when I visited Hekatalia last?”

You send a small pulse of thanks to the magic, a little concerned at how strong it suddenly feels whereas before you hadn’t even been able to feel a whisper unless you concentrated. The magic flares in response, tugging at your feet almost childishly and you wince as the tree suddenly grows another foot.

It’s taller than you both now, with the tiny leaves glimmering in shades ranging from rich gold to burnished copper, a few glinting with striking silver inbetween them all. It would appear this witchling tree has taken on the colours of the land it inhabits, with its range of shades representing the colours of the wolf furs that run rampant.

“I...er...well...I’m not. This...I can’t even make flowers grow in Hekatalia. The magic is too refined, too tame there for me to do much of anything with it. Lunatis is too...rocky and barren, at least that’s what I thought. I thought I was just catching a tiny sliver of the magic that slumbers far beneath us, to make the grass grow a little smoother and softer.” Yoongi laughs as he runs his finger down the witchling, turning to you with a bright smile.

“Well...it looks like you did that and more. This is an actual garden now. I’ve never even seen some of these things. What is this? How did it get here?” He asks, reaching up to stroke one of the amber leaves. It reminds you of his eyes when they shift.

“It’s a witchling, and it shouldn’t be here. They only grow in Hekatalia because of the abundance of magic there. The Fae have a similar tree species only theirs looks more like an oak and the leaves are simply purple. Witchling trees are never the same. I...don’t know. I’ll ask Jimin, he’ll know more.” Your voice tails off, hands twisting as nerves take over.

Yoongi seems to be able to tell, his nose twitching with a few deep inhalations before he gestures for you to move ahead of him. You do so quietly, heading towards the bathhouse you had initially intended to enter before becoming sidetracked.

“Well...it’s pretty that’s for sure. If that’s what someone with no real magical skill can do, then I never want to meet your queen in combat. I can see now why Hekatalia has never been conquered despite its indefensible position.” Laughing slightly, you nod your head.

“She is far more powerful, yes. Though I think you’d need to worry about Prince Hoseok first. I’m sorry if...people don’t like that.” You point to the now overflowing garden but he shakes his head while bringing a hand to rest on your shoulder lightly. It’s an innocent gesture, done thousands of times before by hundreds of people and yet you can feel the sheer heat of him through your clothing.

It seems to affect him as well, with his eyes flaring gold for a second before he coughs and shifts away from you. “Don’t worry, no one’s going to complain that we have flowers and nice grass for once. Anyway, I believe I’ve wasted enough of your time tonight. I apologise. I will see you on the morrow.”

You don’t even get a chance to say your goodbyes to him, for he turns immediately and walks away from you. Instead, you’re just left with the sounds of the night and the gentle crackling of the torch nearby.

A final glance to the garden has your head tilting once more, wondering why it had grown so rapidly and why species that shouldn’t be here look to be content. Even just the last few minutes has resulted in the witchling growing another foot, and you have suspicions that when everyone wakes in the morning they will find a fully grown tree in their midst.

You just needed to focus on not doing anything damaging in the future.

The Prince Consort is not in his rooms when you arrive the next morning to wake him, leading to you panicking momentarily and wondering if he has perhaps been kidnapped. You were not in your own lands after all, and the Prince was a race that was not well liked in this land of wolves.

But it only takes you mere minutes to find him when you rush outside to the little courtyard you had discovered the night before. He’s standing with Jimin, dressed in plain black clothing that is lined with grey fur and you wonder for a moment what your purpose is here if he’s just going to dress himself anyway.

Although he was prone to doing that sometimes back at the palace, so used to attending himself over the years.

Neither of them notice your arrival however, their gazes fixed on the small garden before them. Or what had been a small garden last night, before you’d pulled magic through the stone where there had been none before.

Sure enough, just like you’d suspected, the witchling now towered over the building; its enormous branches reaching outwards desperately towards the peak of Selanus and the skies that loomed over Lunatis. The leaves almost shimmered in the morning light as they swayed in the breeze; golds and coppers and silvers and hundreds of shades in between.

The stark white bark of the trunk stood out against everything else, leading down to the dark dirt that overflowed with emerald green grass. Flowers dotted everywhere now, pinks and purples and yellows peeking out from between the grass and even on the smuggler’s ivy that covered the walls.

“Okay...I know that I drank a little wine and ale last night, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t drink enough to misremember this courtyard.” Prince Hoseok states bluntly, confusion evident in every syllable of his voice. You cringe slightly, shuffling forward to take your place beside him.

Jimin hums lowly, his own expression a mirror reflection of Prince Hoseok’s. “No, you’re right. This was not like this last night. I know that for a fact...because that’s a witchling. And they do not grow here. Something happened.”

“Like what? What makes a whole tree appear? And...all this?” His hand waved towards everything and you eyed Prince Hoseok, wondering if he would be angry at what you’d done. You should have known that Jimin would be able to tell what went wrong.

“Well...last night there was no magic here. It was as barren magically as it looked in terms of plant life. Now...now there is magic here. Seeping from a tiny crack in the ground. The witchling is absorbing most of it, but the bits that are escaping are causing everything else to grow. I have a suspicion that in a month’s time, when you walk the streets outside that they too will be covered in vibrant colours.” You want the earth to open up and swallow you at that, to ask the magic to take it and disappear back to where it came from.

But you can’t, because that’s not how magic works.

“Is that...going to be a problem? We came here for diplomatic reasons, to negotiate trade. Instead, we’ve apparently decide to send their city to the whims of nature. Will they be offended over that?” Prince Hoseok’s voice is decidedly concerned and your veins turn to ice, wondering if perhaps the Lunatus Pack will take this badly.

“Fear not Prince Hoseok, if anything we will welcome the beautiful nature. It’s hard to find fragile nature this pretty so far in the mountains. And I believe it may allow us to plant crops that are will not grow in our normal stony soil. Besides...it was my fault. I asked your lovely attendant to show me some magic and it appears the magic hidden beneath our land really wants to be free.” Yoongi’s voice is soft and calm as he approaches, his grey hair soft while his mouth quirks up slightly.

At his words though, Prince Hoseok and Jimin both turn and look at you with incredulous gazes. Jimin is the first to speak though, pointing out towards the garden. “You did this? I thought you had no real skill of note?”

He doesn’t mean the words to be offending or insulting, nor do you take them that way. Jimin speaks the truth, and you can understand why they are both confused. “I don’t. It was hard to feel anything but I found a sliver that responded to me. All I did was just...encourage it up. It would seem there’s a well under the Lunatus Pack lands that has been stifled by the mountains. Now it’s free. My apologies for anything that happens, I am not skilled with this.”

Jimin sighs softly, rubbing at his nose before looking back up at the overflowing garden. “I can stem the breach slightly. Magic will still flow but at a much slower pace. Ideally, you’d have a witch here who would be able to weave the magic and make use of it before it goes wild but I’m afraid you’ll just have to get used to the witchling. It will absorb the excess magic for you.”

“I think we’ll be okay with that. It’s possibly the most beautiful tree I’ve ever seen. And given that I live in the midst of a forest, in a nation of trees, that says a lot.” Prince Hoseok chuckled at Yoongi’s words, shaking his head.

“Yeah, that’s the witches. Powerful, but pretty.” He teases Jimin then, smiling as he pushes the Keeper of Words forward with more affection than might be expected.

Jimin rolls his eyes in response, looking markedly close to his ruler, but he said nothing as he instead places his focus on the task at hand. Crouching down, he looks around the area quietly before he places a hand on the ground.

There’s a moment of silence and you note Yoongi and Prince Hoseok looking at each other with raised brows, probably wondering what was going on but you can feel the weaving that Jimin is doing. Even from here, you feel the way he carefully crossed the magic over and under, over and under until it made a barrier woven entirely of itself before feeding the ending back into the ground.

It was skillful work and you half felt ashamed that you had worked magic so badly, particularly given the wonderful show you’d just experienced from the Keeper of Words. There was little surprise as to why he’d gotten to high and lofty position at such a young age.

Your shame must be written on your face as Jimin sighs quietly, standing and brushing his hands clean on his trousers before walking over to you. Resting a hand on your arm, he squeezes in reassurance and gives you a small smile.

“Don’t worry too much about it. You couldn’t have known how desperate the magic was to be released. This is a land which forced its magic underground long ago and we aren’t used to this. Don’t be hard on yourself, this would have taken all of us by surprise. Besides, it looks pretty at least.” He grins at that, gesturing towards the courtyard which now bloomed with a multitude of colours and delightful scents.

“That it does. I doubt there will be many who complain about this. We are a nature loving people.” Yoongi said, moving over to you both with that long and loping stride that gave him so much innate grace. You simply give a strained smile, hoping that he’s right and that you haven’t actually made a huge mistake here.

There could be nothing worse than going to a foreign nation to serve your Prince Consort and ending up accidentally offending said foreign nation. Perhaps you just were not made for diplomacy.

Yoongi stands surprisingly close to you, the sheer heat of him warming you even beneath your thick clothing and you look up at him in surprise. He doesn’t seem to notice his close distance and you choose not to mention it. Perhaps a nation of shape shifters who live in packs wouldn’t think anything strange about being close all the time.

You see the way Jimin’s and Prince Hoseok’s brows rise slightly and know that they’re thinking it’s strange though. You can feel your cheeks warming from the rush of blood as embarrassment curls through you and you hasten to find a way to distract them all.

“Your Highness, I believe the morning feast is available now if the smell is anything to go by. Why don’t we head inside and make sure that you break your fast to start the day well?” Hands move to gesture towards the door that leads to the hall while you give him a bright smile. The slight wideness to your eyes probably gives away your desire to no longer be the subject of attention and his lips quirk slightly before he schools his face into a mask of pleasant indifference.

Bowing his head slightly, he begins to move towards the door with Jimin in tow before glancing back towards you, the corner of his mouth tilted up. “Thank you. After last night, I’m expecting a lot from this morning meal Yoongi.”

The wolf raises a single brow in response, his face carefully neutral and you chew on your lip slightly, wondering whether to rush after Prince Hoseok or wait for Yoongi to enter. It wasn’t seemly for the help to precede their hosts, particularly when their hosts were so high up in the hierarchy.

But this wasn’t Hekatalia, and you weren’t sure what you were supposed to do. Prince Hoseok gave no help, instead looking back once more as he reached the door and giving you a bright, white smile before he disappeared within. You got the sense he was enjoying something, and you disliked the fact that you didn’t know what that was.

“Should we go ins-”

“Would you like to co-”

The both of you speak at once; words rushing over each other and silence is suddenly deafening as you stop. Grimacing slightly, you gesture for him to speak first given his superiority to you. He gives a tiny, awkward smile and bows his head in response, rubbing at his neck.

“Sorry. I, err, would you like to come with me and explore the city? I can show you around...the interesting places and…” He trails off slightly, cheeks pinkening and you frown at him in confusion, wondering why he was asking you this. “Well, I mean...if you want to.”

“Don’t you have to go with Prince Hoseok and attend the meetings? And what about the morning meal?” The words are full of confusion, soft as they fall from your lips almost unsure. You don’t understand what’s going on, yet there’s a warmth in your stomach at the thought of exploring Lykos with only Yoongi and you didn’t know why.

Yoongi’s flush deepens, his eyes shifting amber as he looks away and works at his jaw before he shakes his head slowly. “No, he’s not meeting with me. I don’t need to be there. I just thought...that you might like to see Lykos. You seemed interested in our culture last night. And I know a nice bakery nearby to break our fast on.”

Teeth nibbling at your lower lip, you hum lightly as your fingers twist and play with each other before nodding slowly. You didn’t imagine that you would get much chance to explore with how busy Jimin and Prince Hoseok would be, nor did you want to make them pander to you. But it did mean that you would have many hours of loneliness and potential boredom while waiting for something to do.

“If...if you’re positive. And that I won’t be a burden to you. Then...I would like that very much. Please.” There’s a shyness to your words that fascinates you, wondering what it was about this man that causes such a reaction in you. A sense of relief washes through you as you see his shoulders lower as he lets out a deep breath, his lips widening in a bright and gummy smile that positively lights up his handsome face.

“Excellent. That’s...great. I mean...we should go. Now...because...the bakery,” He fumbles over his words endearingly and you smile widely, wondering what’s gotten into him and why he seems so nervous suddenly. He had no problem talking with Prince Hoseok and you were merely an attendant. “I mean...yes. Let’s...let’s go.”

Without another word, he turns on his heel and strides towards another door that leads off from the courtyard, a low mumbling sound reaching your ears and you chuckle quietly as you realise that he’s grumbling to himself. It’s only when you make that sound that he freezes suddenly, shoulders stiffening before he turns around with a slight wince.

“I...it would be better if I actually took you with me I suppose. Not much of a tour if you’re not there.” He mutters, waiting quietly as you make your way over to him and follow him through the door. Eyeing his slim figure, you smile to yourself and shake your head.

Min Yoongi was an important person in the world, the heir to an important nation. And yet he was like no one you had ever met before. A contradiction of things, all fascinating and amusing and you simply could not figure him out.

This was definitely going to be one of the most interesting times of your life.

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