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The whisper of the wind, the frizzle of the fire, the wallow of the water—they provide quiet company for the restless minds, lonely hearts, and cowardly spirits tossing, yearning, and escaping as midnight befalls the kingdom of Solgana. Among the cowardly spirits is a woman hauling sacks of something in her boat, looking back every now and then as if afraid that someone will catch her. There’s a girl beside her, presumably her daughter, playfully throwing pebbles in the river.
The view from above allows him to see the guards marching toward the mother and daughter. His eyebrows creases, trying to channel his power to speak with the guardian that resides in the river.
The guards are nearing them now. The woman calls for her daughter and gets her to the boat. She pushes it to the water but the force of her frail body—a result of unjust labor—doesn’t give her any real progress.
“There they are!” one of the guard shouts.
The boat is almost in the water but the guards would reach her before she can even get in.
The river guardian remains silent.
You must help them, he tries again. Please.
“Get them!” The guards dismount their horses and charge forward.
The mother has started paddling but they have not gone far enough.
The first guard reaches the river and the water surges forward to push him back to surface. The mother doesn’t notice, she keeps rowing while reassuring her daughter.
“We’ll be okay, darling.”
She doesn’t notice as one of the guards shoots an arrow. She doesn’t see how the river creates a wave to swallow it down. She doesn’t feel how the current flows a little faster, guiding them to the new beginning that the mother has always dreamed of.
He’s certain that they will be safe from there on, the river guardian will make sure of that. He takes a deep breath and slowly opens his eyes. The omniscient view of the whole kingdom becomes the sight of the night sky.
“Prince Taehyun?” his handmaiden calls softly.
“Soobin must be awake still,” Taehyun starts, “Tell him that a summon letter be sent to the Demisette family first thing in the morning.”
The handmaiden bows and immediately leaves to find Soobin—most likely in the palace library he always frequents.
Taehyun makes his way to his room. He heads straight to his desk once inside, taking his quill and paper to write a letter of his own. He hasn’t spoken to Yeosang in a while but he’s sure that the Lord of Pomihan will be all too happy to receive a gift from his closest friend.
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆
Yeosang arrived after five days. The Lord and Lady Demisette’s trial has already passed by then. They were exiled after having found guilty of mistreatment of their workers and actively attempting to harm them when one of them escaped. The loss of their masters could have left the employees jobless. It’s why Taehyun came to Yeosang for help, the winery that the Demisette was running could easily be handed to a Lord who runs his own winery.
“How was the family that escaped?” Yeosang asks.
“My sister has put in a word in to the House of Nakasaka, she and their Lady are good friends. They’d be willingly to take the mother as maid.”
Taehyun has led Yeosang to the nobles’ grape farm. The harvest season has passed so there isn’t anything of significance to look at besides budding grapes and hectares of greenery. But it’s important to Yeosang, Taehyun shouldn’t dismissed it as much.
“I want to thank you once again. For accepting and coming all the way here.”
“My father was eager to help the crown of course. It would be good for us as well; I can’t fully take over until Father steps down so this is an opportunity for me to see how I’m able to handle everything. Your mother wrote to him as well, we’d have to come here anyway.”
Taehyun sighs.
“It’s your 21st nameday! Why do you sound so resigned?”
“You know why.”
Although blessed by the goddess Mayari, adept in combat, able to enhance weapons to assist in fighting, the King and Queen—mostly the Queen—still worries that Taehyun’s moon magic isn’t strong enough to protect him from any threats. And maybe it isn’t, the blessing that Mayari gave him primarily deals with divination and enhancement. It isn’t like Lumika’s control over lighting and weather or Tala who can summon the stars, but Mayari is still one of the 7 gods and her blessings are just as powerful.
“Oh none of that. Trust me it will be great.”
“For you perhaps, you were fortunate enough to meet Jongho.”
Yeosang hums, picking up a single grape and eating it. His face scrunches and he shake his head. Taehyun chuckles.
“Your family’s wine is certainly much better. I don’t even know how they managed to have patrons.”
“By the gods, you gave me a lot of work.”
Yeosang kneels down. He places his palm on the ground and closes his eyes.
“By the gift of Sarinana, grant vitality to this cursed soil.”
The berries fall off and the leaves withers for a moment. The earth emits a green light and the vines starts to sprout little flowers. Yeosang loses his balance, almost collapsing in the ground but Taehyun is by his side in an instant.
“What did you do?”
“Granting vitality to this much of lot took a lot from me, but it’s healthier now so the grapes will grow better.”
“I imagine working under a tyrant wouldn’t make the workers very productive.”
They get back to their carriage and made their way back to the castle.
“It won’t be too bad, you know?” Yeosang says.
Taehyun raises an eyebrow.
“Being married to a strong, nice, and powerful noble to strengthen your country and protect you. You know how Queen Youngil worries.” Yeosang continues. “As long as they aren’t a prick, you two could work, maybe even fall in love.”
“Just like Jongho and you?”
“Just like Jongho and I.”
Taehyun has taught about it several times. He knew that he was going to get married off as soon as he comes of age, he has long accepted that. He loves his people and his kingdom, he’ll do whatever he needs to, whatever his duty calls for so long as they stay safe and protected.
“You must help me then.”
“Of course, I would not want nothing less from my good friend and future king.”
Taehyun rolls his eyes but smiles regardless. Maybe it wouldn’t be too bad being married to a strong, nice, and powerful noble as long as it ensures his kingdom’s prosperity.
Perhaps Yeosang is right.
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆
Three days of cooking, fitting, woodworking, and flitting around the castle, Taehyun finds himself in the grasp of an earth golem facing against a giant burning snake.
“Prince Taehyun!” the earth user roars. He’s twice Taehyun’s age and frankly, Taehyun doesn’t know why he thought he could join to compete for Taehyun’s hand. “This is my greatest creation! Marry me and I shall protect you from any threats!”
The fire snake hisses. Taehyun looks at Soobin, he looks apologetic. But he couldn’t have foreseen that, in the verge of losing, a competitor would resort to abducting Taehyun.
Soobin runs to the arena and gets in between the nobles.
“By the name of Melmera, grant me the power of words!” He points to the earth user and writes something in the air. “Bind!” A white text materializes in the air and the letters start to unravel into string. It moves to the golem, wrapping around its lumpy body. Soobin holds on to one of the strings, pulling him towards the golem as well.
“Prince Yeonjun!” the fire user, Prince Yeonjun of the Sunjin Kingdom, who had been frozen in shock when the golem grabbed Taehyun, comes to his senses and commands his fire snake to attack the earth user.
“Sword!” A silver text appears this time and slowly morphs to the intended item. Soobin catches the weapon mid-air and uses it to stab the hand holding Taehyun captive. Its master distracted by Yeonjun’s magic; the golem easily releases Taehyun.
The earth user is easily subdued and the golem crumbles. Soobin and Taehyun lands on the ground, the two of them rolling on the dirt.
Soobin recovers first. Taehyun thinks he hears someone whistling.
“Under the terms of rule violation and putting Prince Taehyun is harm’s way. Duke Tsukino is hereby disqualified. I hereby declare Prince Yeonjun—winner!”
Taehyun goes back to his seat. Yeosang raises his eyebrow at him.
“Graceful display of nobility from that Duke, I must say.”
Yeonjun moves up to the next round and the next challenger enters the arena.
“Prince Yeonjun of Sunjin Kingdom! Prince Beomgyu of Demtori Kingdom!” Soobin announces. “Begin!”
“By Tera’s blessing, lend me the—” Yeonjun starts but Beomgyu interrupts before he can summon the snake.
“Hold!” Beomgyu turns Taehyun. “Prince Taehyun. I came fight here and asked for your hand.”
For a moment, Taehyun fears that another incident will happen but Beomgyu makes no move to summon his magic. Taehyun urges him to continue.
“And I have no doubt that you will be suitable for me. However!” Beomgyu points to Soobin. “Your adviser has caught my eye. I intend to ask him for marriage should I win this fight!”
Neither Taehyun nor Soobin had the chance to respond as Yeonjun resumes his chant, summoning the flaming snake to lunged at Beomgyu.
“I saw him first! I have dibs on him!”
“You still have to win against me!” Beomgyu dodges and runs the opposite direction. “By the favor of Irisi, turn my will into force!” Water shoots from his palms, dousing the snake out. “But you’re such a bad match for me, Your Highness.”
Yeonjun summons another flame familiar but Beomgyu simply puts it out again. Yeonjun goes for a physical attack that manages to hit Beomgyu. Beomgyu does have advantage in the magical fight but Yeonjun is clearly more experience in combat. It goes on like that for a while—fire versus water, fist versus fist.
“Will this go on forever?” Yeosang says.
“I supposed the entertainment has died down.”
He smiles at Yeosang before he stands up.
“Prince Yeonjun!” He calls. Yeonjun halts the tracks of the flame lion he’s riding on. “Prince Beomgyu!” He limps his wrist to stop the water from projecting.
“The two of you showed magnificent display of skill and magic. As it is Soobin’s hand you competing for, it shall be his favor that you have to win. Therefore, I shall declare both of you winners and grant you my blessings to court him!”
Soobin protests from somewhere, Taehyun will deal with it later.
Several fights follow, Taehyun is slowly losing his interest. The contenders are strong but they aren’t impressive, aren’t enough to protect his people. He’s thinking that perhaps he shouldn’t have let go of Yeonjun or Beomgyu. Mostly Beomgyu, the river guardian would surely like him. He’d be the playmate they’ve always asked.
But it’s down to the last candidates, he just has to endure for a little longer.
The current winner stands her ground proudly and Soobin calls the next challenger. He’s travelled far, Taehyun thinks, his golden hair a tell-tale sign of his origins in the north. It’s a wonder what brought him to this festivity.
“Lady Shyla of the House of Vipanda! and Lord Kai of the House of Haningdun! Begin!”
He is quickly answered as soon as Kai starts the chant.
“By the grace of Tala, manifest the 88 stars! Leo!”
There are gasps on the audience. He feels Soobin staring at him from the arena.
Hanan, Tala, Mayari—the three daughters of the sky—their gifts rarely get bestowed on anyone. Nobody really knows why but some legends states that having three of their favored exist at the same time would cause a catastrophe, something akin to the effects of the eclipse, but far more consuming and enormous. The last recorded favored of one of the three was a southern princess who received Hanan’s gift five centuries ago.
The revelation of the existence of another daughter’s favored did not let Lady Shyla phased her. She transforms into a cat and leaps over the lion with flaming paws as it rushes toward her. She changes mid-air to a hyena and mauls the lion’s neck. It dissolves into yellow dots and shoots up to the sky.
“Perseus!” Kai summons again.
Streaks of light falls from above into Kai’s right hand and forms a harpe sword surrounded by lighting. Shyla maintains her form as the two of them charges to each other. She dodges right when Kai swings, stands on her hind legs, and pins Kai down. Kai loses a grip on the sword. Shyla raises a paw—
“Taurus!”
A bull with horns the size of a tree appears behind Shyla and rams the Lady to the walls of the arena. She transforms back to her human form and falls on the ground as she is freed from the horns.
She stands up and collapses back down. She raises her left arm, two of her fingers pointing down.
“Lady Shyla has conceded! Lord Kai of the House of Haningdun wins!”
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆
Fire shoots up on the dancefloor and Yeonjun spins on his heels, the fire following his movement of graceful hands and nimble feet, accompanied by the sounds of gayageum. Somewhere in the far-left corner of the room, Beomgyu looks hypnotized.
“Did you even think this through?” Soobin says from beside Taehyun. “Prince Beomgyu and Yeonjun are strong and from very good families. Rejecting their proposals was not very wise. Our kingdom would have benefitted from your betrothal to either of them. Prince Beomgyu, most especially, his kingdom is home to rich crops. Lord Kai might be powerful but he’s not a prince.”
Taehyun rolls his eyes. Soobin has been his adviser ever since he was appointed heir at the age of 14 and has proven himself trustworthy. He’s always had good intentions and valuable sage that helped Taehyun be a ruler as effective as he is now. Although, he can be a bit overbearing sometimes.
“Kai is enough and besides, we would be still allied to them,” Taehyun responds.
Soobin’s eyes widen and he shakes his head.
“You cannot be possibly serious about giving my hand to them.”
Yeonjun comes forward to the throne, kneeling and offering up his hand as the music ends.
“Lord Soobin, may you do me the honor of being your first dance.”
Taehyun stands up.
“But I am,” he says, not waiting for another reply as he leaves Soobin in Yeonjun’s hands.
Taehyun ought to be dancing with Kai but he had nobles and royalties approaching him left and right, eager to learn more about the person who earned Tala’s favor in spite of the existence of Mayari’s favored. He wants to ask as well but Kai is already overwhelmed as is.
They have a lifetime to know each other.
The formal ceremony for his nameday has already ended, people now are simply dancing, mingling, and drinking. He figured he could just slip away unnoticed.
He finds his usual spot out in the garden, laying on the grass near the moonflowers where he feels like he can sense the very presence of Mayari.
“By the light of Mayari, show me what the moon sees.”
He closes his eyes.
Solgana is lively. The castle and the village alike brimming with joy brought about the excitement of the earlier tournament.
Two girls are fighting, but it’s nothing to be concerned about, it’s a fight between the two of them, each of them confronting the reason why they drifted so far away. He can see Soobin, Beomgyu, and Yeonjun hiding away in the balcony, Soobin pretending to reject Beomgyu’s smothering while Yeonjun fondly watches from the side.
Someone is heading to the garden, approaching Taehyun in careful steps.
He opens his eyes and see Kai’s face obstructing his view of the moon.
“Admiring the moon, Your Highness?” he says, a mischievous grin on his face.
“She’s beautiful tonight.”
“Must be because it’s celebrating with the Kingdom.”
Kai sits down next to Taehyun and it feels comfortable. He doesn’t know if it comes with Kai’s magic or if that’s just how he is, but he exudes an aura that is both calm and jovial.
“If the moon smiled,” Kai starts, breaking the silence. “She would resemble you. You leave the same impression of something beautiful, but annihilating.”
Taehyun can’t helped rolling his eyes, fondly.
“Your attempts at wooing are futile if the poem you’re using talks badly about the moon, Lord Kai.”
Kai’s head turns to him so quickly Taehyun is afraid it might break.
“Does it really? Sure, the writer may have used the moon to compare but she doesn’t talk badly about it.”
“Maybe so. But because she used the moon to articulate the kind of person their rival is, it goes to show her own thoughts about the moon as well.”
“But she doesn’t hate the moon, I think.”
“She doesn’t. She admires and fears it at the same time.”
The wind is playing its own tune to go with the faint tones of the gayageum and haegeum coming from the castle, they create a peculiar sound, as though they’re anticipating spring. The moonflowers glow even brighter, no doubt because of Kai’s presence, its light pulsing softly as if mimicking how the stars twinkle.
Taehyun stands up and extends a hand to Kai.
“We never had our dance, had we?”
Kai smiles, taking Taehyun’s hand and following him to the middle of the field. Taehyun rests his head on Kai’s chest, he freezes for a second but eventually takes it as a sign to wrap his arms around Taehyun waist.
As they waltz under the moon—whose beams provided blessings for the thousands of lovers that came before them—Taehyun feels comfortable.
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆
“I think it’s interesting that she says,” Kai points to the page where the passage is and underlines the word with his fingers. “I should have loved a thunderbird instead/ At least when spring comes, they roar back again.” He moves the book to Taehyun so Taehyun can see it as well. “Because it’s her that keeps shutting down, shouldn’t she wish to be the thunderbird instead?”
Taehyun thinks a moment.
“I think she means that if she loved a thunderbird she would know when to find it—when spring comes. She keeps thinking that she made up the you,” Taehyun underlines the subject, “inside her head and isn’t certain when the you will disappear for good. The thunderbird offers certainty, it may disappear but she knows that come spring, it will show itself to her.”
Kai has been directed to stay at Solagna until the wedding. He’s been in the castle for three moons now, they had gotten closer in that duration.
Taehyun found out that one of the constellations told him about Taehyun’s existence. He sought him out to know more about him, maybe to befriend him but he didn’t expect he would find a tournament for Taehyun’s hands.
“Are you certain that this is okay with you?” Taehyun had asked when Kai had told him.
He simply smiled, grabbed Taehyun’s hand, and caressed it with his thumb.
“The most certain I’ve ever been.”
Yeosang would insist that he swooned but Taehyun had simply been flustered.
They’ve sparred a few times as well. Kai often uses Leo as his offense and Taehyun, even with his nullifying sword and laudable reflexes, never stood a chance. Leo has also taken a liking to curling up and laying its head on Taehyun after he’s knocked off the ground.
Kai only laughed and refused to help Taehyun the first time it happened. He still refuses to help Taehyun even now, but he would lay beside Taehyun, getting closer and closer each day, and the three of them would fall asleep under the afternoon sun.
The two of them shared many of their favorite writers so when they’re not sparring or when neither of them is attending to their duties, they spend the time reading together in the library or in the garden.
But by far their favorite place to read is in Taehyun’s bedroom.
Kai takes the book from Taehyun and puts it aside. He repositions himself, putting his arms around Taehyun and lowering so he’s resting on Taehyun’s chest.
“I think I made you up sometimes too,” Kai whispers. “There’s just no way that someone as beautiful and strong as you will be getting married to me.”
Taehyun chuckles, stroking Kai’s hair and leaning to Kai’s touch.
“Is that so?”
Kai looks up, his face a breath’s away from Taehyun.
“Hm, sometimes,” he places a thumb to Taehyun’s lips. “I think that I can only kiss you when the stars are out.”
Taehyun takes the hand resting on his lips, intertwines it with his, and kisses their knuckles.
“Why don’t you come find out now?”
A blink. A smile. A sigh. And then, a kiss.
They had been sparring and Taehyun managed to pin Kai to the ground. Kai had used Hercules and Taehyun had used a divined sword, Taehyun was able stand a chance, he usually does when combat is involved.
Kai was on the ground, smiling at Taehyun as if Taehyun had given the world to him. He looks proud, Taehyun supposes, definitely not what one should look when they’ve lost. But Kai does, and Taehyun, overcome with feelings for the boy he met only just a month ago, was so taken with the smile.
He wants feel it, wants to know how that smile tastes.
He leans in and they’ve had their first kiss.
Taehyun is always taken aback they kiss, like a creature twice the size of a griffin took flight in front of him.
Kai, with his gentle touches, homely presence, and jovial smiles, kisses like a hurricane, destroying everything and leaving nothing but devastation in its wake. Taehyun is caught up in the middle of it.
Kai moves on top of Taehyun, his lips moving to Taehyun’s neck and littering it bites. His hand slips under Taehyun’s chemise and rests it on the prince’s waist. Taehyun bares his neck and spreads his legs, letting Kai have his way with him.
“Kai, Kai, plea—”
“Prince Kang Taehyun, your highness! It’s time for your lessons!” A voice outside Taehyun’s door announces.
Their touches came to halt and they take a minute to catch their breath.
“I-I’ll be with you a minute,” Taehyun answers.
Kai kisses Taehyun’s forehead and moves away.
“I’ll see you later, alright?” Kai says.
“But I want you now.”
Taehyun sits up to kiss Kai again, they kiss some more for a little bit until the servant summons Taehyun again.
“Meet me at the gardens later,” Taehyun whispers. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”
“As you wish, Your Highness.”
He kisses Kai one last time and gets dressed to head out for the day.
Their days are rarely idle. Taehyun mostly spends his days performing his duties and taking lessons and with the betrothal in place, all the wedding preparation has occupied most of his time as well. Kai has started to integrate to Solagna, learning their customs, studying their culture, and getting to know the people.
“A spear and shield, the two of you,” Soobin says from where he stands beside him.
He waits Soobin to elaborate.
“From the time you were favored and learned to use Mayari’s gift, Solagna has been protected by the moon’s divinity, attempts of invasion has never been successful. Crime is almost nonexistent because you can see everything that happens in our kingdom. Our people know they are safe as long as you’re there.”
“But we can never be too complacent?”
Soobin hums. Taehyun stops writing to see what Soobin is looking at.
Below the window of Taehyun’s office chancery is an open field often use for military training. Taurs, Leo, and Capricorn are battling several soldiers on ground, Ophiuchus and Pegasus are toying with the arches in the air. Leo carries Kai on his back.
“Our forces will grow significantly stronger with him.” Soobin turns to Taehyun. “Solagna will be impregnable.”
A stray arrow propels to Kai but he swats it away with his sword, causing him to look up and meeting Taehyun’s eyes from the window. He might have smiled or waved at Taehyun, but the distraction gave an opening for the soldiers to knock him off Leo.
He shuts his eyes. Solagna is vulnerable in the morning, the moon’s divinity is weakened and he is unable to see anything when the sun is out. But the stars are always around. He lifts his lids; Kai is looking at him as though the 88 constellations are dancing around him.
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆
They met in the garden a little bit after dinner. Their conversation as they walked the path to Taehyun’s favorite place revolves on how they spent their day. After sparring with the soldiers, Kai told Taehyun about his spar with Beomgyu as well.
Beomgyu is the second son of Demtori, a position that grants him freedom from the throne. He’s stayed in Solagna to continue courting Soobin.
“It really is a shame Yeonjun had to go so soon. Will Beomgyu win at this rate?”
“He’s the only son, after all. It’s his duty and trust me, those two aren’t even competing for Soobin anymore.”
“So, I wasn’t seeing things,” Kai laughs. “Soobin will be prince of two kingdoms soon. Isn’t that amazing?”
Taehyun simply hums. They proceed with silence the rest of the way, their pinkies shyly linked to each other. They’ve long since left the neatly trimmed grass of the castle grounds, their polish shoes starting to lose their shine and their white tights accumulating little brown specks from the raw soils of the forest they trek. The air moves in a strange way as though something is pulling against it.
When they reach a clearing where a river flows gently, a contrasting image of mushroom-like creature thrashes about above the water.
Kai lets go of Taehyun’s pinky and proceeds to grab his hand completely. Taehyun squeezes it in reassurance.
“Are you in a tussle with the wind sprites again?” Taehyun says, calling the attention of the creature.
It’s the size three full grown horses, blue in hue with head shaped like a mushroom or maybe a chandelier but instead of glass beaded lights, threads of water glow below the head, serving as its legs.
The creature halts its movements and goes straight to where Taehyun is, legs going to Taehyun’s head and ruffling his hair. Once it’s done cooing over the prince, one of the leg points to Kai. Taehyn turns to him.
“Kai, this is the river guardian, Alluka. Alluka, this is Kai, my betrothed.”
[A favored of Tala? ]
“He is. The whole nation was surprised as well. I was surprised.”
“You’re talking? You can speak with them?” Kai asks, looking Taehyun with wide endearing eyes.
“I do,” Taehyun leads them to sit closer to the river. Alluka goes behind them and starts playing with their hair. “I found this river when I was five, she approached me then. I had no idea what they were but they were harmless so I let it be. When I brought my sister here with me the first time, she started shaking me and went on about how I shouldn’t be acting friendly with a guardian.”
[She hasn’t come back since. I would like to see her again.]
Taehyun tilts his head to look at the guardian.
“She simply respects the boundary between mortals and deities. Although, she seems to be courting the Lady of Muchae right now. I’m certain that she would want to introduce her to you as well.”
Alluka’s head nudges Taehyun cheeks and he frowns.
“That would never happen, Alluka.”
“What did they say?” Kai asks.
“That marriage, for both my sister and I, would mean I might cease my visits here,” Alluka shrinks down to as little as a single tomato and finds their way to Taehyun’s shoulder, laying down on it and nuzzling the prince’s neck. Taehyun watches the river flow. “They get quite lonely here when I don’t come by. The wind sprites, I have never seen them, but Alluka says they get on her nerves.” Taehyun chuckles. “I think Alluka’s just too stubborn to get along with them.”
There’s a prick on Taehyun’s neck.
“See, she stung me.”
He looks at Kai to share a laugh but any humor left him when he sees how Kai is looking at him, like the one from earlier—like he would conquer the biggest mountain and build a shrine out of it for Taehyun.
Taehyun would answer every one of Kai’s prayers.
“Kai?”
Kai lifts their intertwined hands, kisses the back of Taehyun’s hand and continues kissing along his arm until he reaches Taehyun’s face. He can’t feel Alluka’s presence on his shoulder anymore.
“You truly are amazing. Every single thing is Solagna is protected by you, the land, the people, even the deities.”
He pulls away and abruptly stands up. Confused, Taehyun stands up as well. Kai raises his arms up.
“By the grace of Tala, manifest the 88 stars! Corona Borealis!
Streaks of light falls on to Kai’s hand and forms white crown adorned with blue jewels. Kai walks over the river until his feet is submerged in the water.
“It is customary in the north to present a gift anointed by our priestess to the person one wishes to marry. I am aware that the marriage customs to the east are different, but I believe that practicing the customs of both our land would fortify our marriage.”
Kai places the crown to the water.
“River guardian, Alluka, I pray of you to anoint this crown as sign of my loyalty to Prince Kang Taehyun.”
The river lights up. Alluka emerges from the water and lifts up the water surrounding the crown. Her legs dance around it, the air seems to be moving in synchroneity with the water as well. Alluka’s blue hue turns golden, the water transforming with her, then they turn green, red, purple, then back to blue. The water surges up, rapidly showing all colors as it does so. Then it stops. The crown slowly lowers until the river is back to how it was.
Kai takes the crown. He walks back to Taehyun, kneels in front of him, and presents the crown.
“Kang Taehyun, Prince of Solagna, favored of Mayari. I, Huening Kai, Lord of the House of Haningdun, favored of Tala, promise myself to protect and love you until the last star burns its light away. Will you accept?”
In front of him kneels Kai. The contender who competed for Taehyun’s hand and won, the Lord who attempted to woo him with lines of his favorite writer, the favored of Tala who impressively stood his ground against Solagna’s soldiers.
In front of him kneel Kai, whose lips makes him feel otherworldly every time they kiss, whose hands touches him like he’s divine, whose eyes looks at him like he owns the heavens.
How could he possibly say no?
“I do! I do!”
Kai stands to place the crown on Taehyun’s head. They kiss tenderly, lips touching and smiling at the same time. Kai says that he wishes to marry Taehyun in the north as well. Taehyun nods, anything, he’ll say yes to anything, as long as it’s Kai.
I won’t be too bad, being married to a strong, nice, and powerful noble to strengthen his country and protect him, Yeosang had said. Maybe the two of them could work, perhaps even fall in love.
Perhaps they already are.