╰┈➤ ❝ [𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 || 𝗠𝗝 ꒱꒱
━━ ❪ prince!jun x duchess!reader || part one ❫
━━ ❪ . . . description : with the war long over, your home borders on bankruptcy that only the higher kingdom can provide aid in, but aid requires a marriage. however, you're suprised when it is the oldest of the seven, that chooses you ; ❫
━━ ❪ . . . royalty au, marriage of convenience ❫
━━ ❪ . . . disclaimers : this features ricky of zb1, renjun, chenle and kun of nct, and the8 of seventeen, and most of them are asses in this au ! also featuring as your siblings is xiaojun of nct, xiaoting of kepler, and handong of dreamcatcher ! ❫
━━ ❪ . . . warnings : none ❫
( next part ) coming soon !
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A snarl pulls at your upper lip as as grimace at your reflection.
"I assume you have words, my lady ?" your handmaid inquires from your side, hands clasped respectfully behind her back.
You grunt once as I raise a single finger to point at my perked up, suffocating, breats.
"Is this necessary ? It leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination and," my sharp gaze cuts to the handmaid, and instantly her haze drops to the ground. "Last time I checked, I was to be a princess, not a whore."
There's a stiffle of laughter from the doorway, and you watch as your oldest sister gestures for the handmaid to leave. As if she couldn't leave fast enough, she all but scurries away with the kind of haste she could've used earlier with bringing your tea.
"You're very mean to her, you know." Dong chirps, sauntering in with poised grace. Unlike yourself, she, was made for this life of ballgowns and pleasantries.
You were made for a sword and armor.
"It's not like she likes me all that much anyway, sister," you glare at the low neckline of your dress one more time before turning your full attention to her. "Or have you forgotten the many times she's purposely dropped my food and drinks on me."
A knowing smile pulls at lips, and she nods slowly, but says nothing further on the topic. Dong comes to stand before me, placing her gentle hands on your tense shoulders.
"The war is over, sister. We've won, thanks to you who led our men. Now, it is time to lay down your sword, and place that crown on your head that you so rightfully deserve." Her gaze is soft, but her tone fierce.
"It was not meant to be me-"
"But it is you, sister."
A cloak of silence settles over the two of you, your mind not able to find the words to explain how wrong this whole situation is. One of your sisters should be the ones to marry first, they're fit for royalty. You, are not.
A knock at your open door echoes painfully loud through my room, and my gaze shifts to see the rest of my siblings standing in waiting.
"Are you ready, sister ?" Xiaojun inquires, swallowing hard as he stares at you. He's the only one who hates this idea as much as you do, because it means no longer sharing a home with his twin, his best friend.
You make to deny, but Dong doesn't allow it. "She is."
Your gaze flits back to her intense ones, and you let out a breath.
"Because you are Han Y/N, Duke Han's fierce and mighty last born. You, are ready for anything."
You take a staggering breath, willing your knees to quite their shaking as if meeting seven men is more frightening than going into battle with thousands of them at your command.
With one arm through your brother's, you other hand clasping your older sister's, Xiaoting's, tightly, you lift chin and straighten your posture.
Just like Dong told you, because you are the woman who led men into battle, and if anyone should be afraid, it's the seven that are waiting for you in the next room.
Nodding once, the guards pull open the double doors to one of the many ballrooms that sit in your home. Eyes forward, you do your best to not meet any one of their scrutinizing gazes as you walk, opting to just state at a family painting that hangs on the opposite wall, standing at seven tall.
As you stand, you can feel all their gazes inspecting, noting down my every feature, flaw. You make sure to settle a minuscule glare in your eyes, because if they think they can treat anything less than a noble lady, they'll be very sorry.
This process should be anything but slow, and yet, with how closet they analyze me, it feels as if an eternity passes until their steward speaks.
"The princes will now make their choices." the older man speaks, his silver hair glinting in the sunlight that hits through the floor to ceiling windows.
Yippee.
The youngest steps forward, his white hair styled to perfection with a few lose strands left out for the purpose of adding to his beauty – because although younger than you, he is beautiful, and you cannot deny that.
But Quanrui is as arrogant as he is stunning.
"Your beauty is not to the standard I expected, Lady Y/N," you feel Xiaojun stiffen beside you, and you have to dig your nails into his sleeve before he lunges and gets you all into major trouble.
"Therefore, I decline you, Lady Y/N of Duke Han."
Thank God, he's too young and is better off marrying his own goddamn reflection.
Quanrui steps back, his incredibly sharp eyes giving you one last once over before refocusing on Xiaoting beside you. Ha, good luck with that one kid.
The fourth borns step forward simultaneously, twins, but their features couldn't be more different. Chenle you don't know all that well, but one thing is for sure, he has absolutely no desire in what you have to offer.
He'd much prefer someone with a...yeah.
But that is not your secret to tell.
Hence why it's no suprise when he steps back after reciting Quanrui's last words. Renjun seems to have a bored expression on his face.
"A place beside me is not fit for a warrior such as yourself, Lady Y/N. Nor is our home truly," he sighs, clearly uninterested in this whole situation. "But alas, my father disagrees. However, I decline you, Lady Y/N of Duke Han."
He steps back, and you fight back a scoff. As if he could handle a woman like you anyway.
Your gaze flicks to the much taller prince, his body lean and shoulders broad. His gaze is anything but full of distaste. You're taken aback most of all by him. Minghao is silent as he simply steps back, not even showing a hint of respect towards you.
This time you're unable to fight back a glare, and Minghao meets yours with a dark one of his own.
Although the line is coming to an end, the worry practically radiates off of Dong as she stands beside Xiaoting. You understand why, because logically Minghao was your last chance. The next two brothers are older, and would have no interest in a younger woman like yourself – and even though you couldn't care less if you return with no betrothed, you know your father would be disappointed, and Dong fears the limit his patience will continue for you.
You realise in this moment how being declined by all the sons of the High Kingdom could effect your family. You'd be left with a disappointed father, possible bankruptcy because the Duke grows old and there's only so much burdens Dong can carry as the eldest. This house can and will crumble if it doesn't recieve aid from the richest. You've been chosen as the offering, and as degrading as it may feel, your peoples lives depend on being chosen.
With that knowledge, you raise your chin once more, standing just a little taller than before.
One can hope.
"I decline you, Lady Y/N of Duke Han."
But that hope cracks with Kun's words as he steps back, joining his younger brothers. He's the only one to grant you a respectful nod, and for that, you offer him one in return.
Lastly is...
Your gaze travels from the gleaming tips of his boots, up his towering stature, his chest broad and shoulders seeming ever so mighty. The eldest son carries himself with the kind of natural confidence every man dreams of possessing, and in your eyes, it is his beauty, that is unmatched.
But Junhui won't choose you, it's highly unlikely. He's the most quiet, barely ever seen roaming outside of castle walls, and has never, ever been spotted with a woman on his arm. Some say he's a cold man incapable of love. Others say there's just no one worthy enough of being at his side.
However, you are not a woman of stories, but one of reality.
His eyes are unreadable as they stare into yours, not daring to violate your figure as his younger brothers had done. In fact, if you recall correctly, he's not looked anywhere but your eyes this whole time. Does that mean he's interested ? Or is he just being polite ?
For Christs sake, put me out of my misery already and say you decline-
"I accept you, Lady Y/N of Duke Han," Jun strides over with more grace than your whole entire being holds.
Your breath catches in pure shock, an unfamiliar spark jolting in the hand he takes into his own, traveling like wildfire up your arm, before raking down your spine. His touch is gentle, soft, but nothing could compare to the tenderness of his lips that kiss the back of your hand; and the whole time, his gaze never leaves yours.
"I make my choice, and it is you, Lady Y/N."
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Sonic Universe Online #53 Behind the Scenes!
Hello again, people! Since last time we covered the behind-the-scenes for StHO #52, today we'll be covering the next and final issue of the Bunnie arc, StHO #53! Admittedly, I might not have as much to say about this issue compared to the last one since I had no involvement in it's production, but I'll still do what I can!
As usual, let's start with the cover. There isn't much to say here since Crim penciled it fairly early into the arc, even before the cover for 52 was made. The biggest change that was made was adding to the bulk of her robotic arm, and moving the sleeves on her coat as a result.
This issue was fully penciled by @dariidrawsindreams, but @katonuchiha4525 provided the thumbnails to use as a reference. Although there had been some issues with artists coming and going, we managed to stick to a remarkably consistent style in this issue thanks to them.
Meifeng was designed by our former artist Pooj, who was meant to be a junior/daughter figure to Conquering Storm, though not her Kommissar. She's obviously more polite and less battle-hardened than her Grandmaster, and although she doesn't personally get involved in the action this issue, she's definitely not to be underestimated. Whether or not she's as easily impressionable as portrayed in the off-panel is yet to be seen.
When Khan has his flashback to issue 92, @alusniper had to correct the colors on the Overlanders' uniforms. But since the flashback was later given a sepia filter, it ultimately didn't make much of a difference.
On page 16, the positions of Bunnie's legionnaire partners ended up being swapped, due to not matching up with the order of the word bubbles in the panel.
One thing that keen-eyed readers may have noticed is that Bunnie is missing her jet pack throughout the issue, even in scenes where she's clearly flying. That was really nothing more than an honest mistake, and by the time it was noticed it was too late to add it back in.
Back in 52, we made sure to add a line about the coil generators carrying the oil shipment throughout the arc, so their role in defeating Jun Kun would be properly foreshadowed. We also made a reference to Espio providing the Fan of Fen Xing to Khan in issue 211, which is how Jun Kun was defeated in that issue.
@riggo-draws had actually drawn the final page at one point, but after he left the team we ultimately stuck to the version that Darii made.
Finally, there's the preview picture that we teased the day before the issue was released. @leroyalmess had made several drafts of Genesis-style pictures to use, but we ended up opting for a parody of the Sonic & Knuckles logo, but with Bunnie and Khan instead.
That's it for this one! Maybe a bit short compared to the others, but no less work involved in making it a reality! We'll have to say goodbye to Bunnie for now, but until she returns, keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming Blaze arc, and beyond!
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Rating the Husbandos: The Story of Kunning Palace
notes: Spoilers! You really have your pick of men in this drama- but are any of them husband material?
Thoughtfully considered ratings behind the cut:
Xie Wei
A mysterious, tragic past is not a personality.
pros: Sexy as he looms over you in his fur collared capes. Exhibits very progressive thinking on women's issues. Which is strange considering all of his cons (see below).
cons: Explosive temper; violent; acts like he owns you; keeps trying to choke you (and not in a sexy consensual way); expects you to be grateful when he doesn't kill you in service to his grand revenge plan. Tough guy demeanor which he can only back up with the judicious application of his lackeys. Backstory so complicated you kind of lose interest. Looks like he has conjunctivitis a lot of the time.
hobbies: Making qins and tracking the wood shavings all over the house. Being afraid of snow except when the plot requires him not to be.
sexxin: Endless stamina and exquisite anatomy. Too bad he has no idea what he's doing. Cries after sex and gets mad when you laugh about it (why would you do that you monster).
Grade: C-
Zhang Zhe
Sometimes being hot is enough.
pros: HANDSOME
cons: His devotion to truth and justice will probably get him killed in the course of some courtly intrigues but the real tragedy is that he will never lie to spare your feelings. He will, however, compare your cooking unfavorably to his mother's.
hobbies: Restoring antiques; doing his own laundry
sexxin: Pathetic but you have to pretend it's great or he will become obsessed with improvement. At least the view is nice.
Grade: C
Yan Lin
A cheerful sweet ray of murderous sunshine.
pros: Smart, handsome, thoughtful, loyal, excellent martial arts, terrifying military skillset. You're his one and only, his ride-or-die, his day one.
cons: Related to Xie Wei
hobbies: Swordplay (see below)
sexxin: Complete freak in the sheets. Hope you have a strong bed and a soundproof bedroom, you're going to need both.
Grade: A+
Yan Lin's Dad
Reporting for duty.
pros: Has his own army but doesn't make a big thing about it (the Emperor and Xue family do, however).
cons: Frequently has the intensity dialed up to 11 when the situation clearly calls for a 6.
hobbies: Carving figurines for his 3-D map sandbox thing
sexxin: As expected of a military man he is good at taking orders and completing missions. His courage tongue should be awarded for its service to the nation you
grade: B+
Emperor
Heaven must have a sense of humor because it mandated this guy.
pros: Easily seduced by you.
cons: Easily seduced by people other than you. Married. Paranoid. Sickly but that might just be poison (if so add "unable to poison him" to the con list).
hobbies: Marveling at how good he is at seducing people.
sexxin: His game is as weak as his constitution.
grade: a solid F unless you want to murder your way to Empress, then he's a D
Fake Xie Wei
Ain't nothing like the real thing.
pros: social butterfly at parties, everyone knows him, can give you a wild night out on the town even if it's Tuesday and you're in some backwater village.
cons: is an actual con artist
hobbies: Collecting STDs
sexxin: so good you might be tempted to forgive him for his wandering eye. Don't. Just enjoy him if you must and move on.
Grade: D-
Gu Chun Fang
Hear me out.
You've been married more than 40 years. When your parents first arranged your marriage he snuck into your rooms that night to make sure you were ok with it. You fell in love at first sight. You never had children despite years of trying but he has never so much as looked at another woman. You come from a huge family and he has many young subordinates so your mansion is always very lively. Your New Year's parties are the stuff of legend.
pros: In all his years as an official he has never once made you get up early to help him get ready for court sessions.
cons: Would have no clothes if you did not buy them for him, would never eat if you did not arrange his meals, would fall asleep at his desk if you did not force him to come to bed.
hobbies: Collecting weird ugly giant rocks which he deposits in the various courtyard gardens of your mansion. Pretending to fish but really just taking a nap.
sexxin: After all these years you can still make him blush with a whispered invitation. Adorable.
Grade: A+ but he's not available and never will be
Dao Qin
It's always the quiet ones.
pros: Loyal; physique that was created as though by the gods themselves; surprisingly high EQ
cons: Kinda sad life made this guy an NPC when he has such strong main character energy.
hobbies: designing and crafting hidden weapons and/or cat toys
sexxin: You have seen the top of the mountain, and it is good.
Grade: B+
Master list of all show recaps etc.
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