Master or your Majesty?

There once was a Prince

Finally the big day arrived and Jungkook had never been more terrified. Terrified to lose it all and in a way lose himself. They had tried to find a loophole and nothing seemed to work. Jungkook was to marry Elizabeth and Jimin would remain as he was. Just a spare part in Jungkook's life, a hole to be filled. He had grown to accept that but it pained him so much. Pained him to watch Elizabeth put on her dress as he was to help both she and Jungkook.

He thought about what their wedding could have been if it wasn't for that law. That stupid law and Jung Ho-seok blackmailing Jungkook none of this would have happened. He had already lost so much of his self respect and now he was to lose the only man he had ever loved. It was selfish but he had dreamed of what it would be like if Jungkook's mother didn't approve of their nuptial's. He hated what their love had done but watching Jungkook get married would hurt more. He smiled but his eyes were just barely holding back the tears that threatened to spill from him.
"Y—you look beautiful."

He swallowed both his pain and his pride even though the statement was true. Elizabeth did look beautiful and he didn't doubt she would make a beautiful wife and maybe one day even a mother. He didn't doubt that both Jungkook and Elizabeth would make beautiful children. And he could be that servant that got nailed and whispered sweet nothings to.
"Jimin is everything all right?"
Jimin blinked and wiped the wetness away that spilled down his cheeks.

"Of course."
He sniffed feeling so silly.
"I always cry at weddings."
Elizabeth smiled softly and looked to the clock in her room realising it wouldn't be too long now until she was somebody's wife.
"You wouldn't mind checking in on Jungkook would you?"
Jimin's chest tightened but he nodded his head and left the room. Shutting the door behind him and holding his torso, this feeling could only be described as heartbreak. His heart was shattering into a million pieces.

Jungkook was experiencing his own kind of hell trying to tie his own tie, something he hadn't done since he was a child for his dads funeral. He wondered what his dad would think about today. It's what he wanted and it was the only the reason Jungkook was getting married to a woman. He jumped at sudden intrusion as someone knocked on the door but he smiled once he saw it was Jimin.
"What are you—not that I'm not happy to see you."
"The Queen to be wanted to see if your feet are nice and toasty."
"Can't afford to have cold feet today as much as I'd like to just run away."

Jimin nodded sadly feeling the same way.
"Want me to tie that for you?"
"It isn't that bad..."
Jimin's eyebrow quirked up watching Jungkook twist at the tie like he was fighting for his life. He walked over and kept his eyes low focusing on pulling it straight, tying a knot and pushing it through the loop.
"There see it—it looks great..."
Jimin trailed off once Jungkook's soft fingers tilted his chin up so he was forced to look at him. Jungkook's eyes were sorrowful and soft as he stared down at Jimin.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah I'm fine."
"Jimin..."
"Look you've only got an hour till your wedding so I better get out there and greet the guests."

Jimin began walking away but was pulled into a soft embraced and was greeted by an even warmer and embracing kiss. Jimin knew they should be sensible but he really needed this, to know that after all of this Jungkook would still love him. It was silly because he knew that if it was up to Jungkook they would leave and start a new life somewhere. But the reality was this was all he was gonna get but at least he was loved. They kissed until they eventually came up for air.
"I love you..."
"I know..."
"This doesn't change anything just know that."
Jimin smiled softly but that smiled soon faded and his face became as white as a sheet and his flesh felt cold under Jungkook's fingers. Jungkook frowned and followed his gaze and his eyes met with his mother's.

"Well shit," that was Jungkook's first thought and his spluttered and tried to think of how he was gonna get out of this one. Jimin just went red and wished he was a cartoon shaped hole in the wall. But Jungkook's mother didn't shout or scream she just nodded head like she had money bet on this situation and walked out of the room. Which left Jungkook with only one option.
"I have to explain this but I'll be back."
He kissed Jimin briefly on the forehead and ran after her, occasionally saying hello to guests as he ran down the corridor. He followed her into his office and shut the door and she poured herself a drink of whiskey. She necked it back like it was water and paced backwards and forwards across the office.

Jungkook couldn't keep still and twitched nervously like a junkie needing their next fix.
"Mum it's not what you think—he was—I—I was—"
"Jeon Jungkook."
He shut up almost instantly hearing the ice cold tone in her voice as she stared him down. It was the same look she had given him once when he was five and nearly set a fire in the downstairs kitchen.
"I maybe old but I'm not stupid."
"Bu—."
The words halted in his throat when she lifted a single finger to silence him. She walked to the middle of the room and started pulling up one of the floorboards in particular. He didn't say anything but just watched as she pulled a tiny but old looking tin with rust on the sides out of the ground. She got up, walked over to the armchair near the window, plonked down and patted the space near her.

Jungkook sat down next to her not understanding what was going on but just trusted her.
"Do you remember a man called Caleb that worked here until your dad died?"
Why was she talking about this now when she had quite literally watched her son suck face with a man on his wedding day?
"Yeah I remember him."
He did remember him but didn't quite see how this was relevant but he'd indulge the idea out of curiosity.
"He was here longer than you were alive."
Jungkook's mother went on as she opened the tin and showed him a picture. It was a picture of his dad with Caleb laughing about something that obviously had their sides splitting.
"Me and your father never really married for love."
"Mother why are you telling me this?"
"Because you need to understand."

Jungkook winced as his mum snapped at him with tears pooling out of her eyes and he had never seen her look so serious.
"There once was this prince you see and his dad forced him to marry someone just anyone..."
His mother sighed heavily and shook her head before finally looking at him.
"But he was already in love with someone else and this person had to go through so many years of such pain..."
She inhaled deeply this time and Jungkook became even more lost.
"And then the man they loved became very sick and died leaving them all alone."
"I don't understand...mum was dad having an affair with another woman?"
"No baby."
Jungkook's mother smiled sadly and smoothed some hair out of his eye.
"Your father loved Caleb."
"Caleb as in..."
"The man in that picture."

They say your life will flash before your eyes when you're dying but Jungkook didn't think your life flashes before your eyes when you play back moments. Moments that seemed so small until you realised how big they were. It was like a montage as he remembered each glance between his dad and Caleb. Those times he could have sworn he saw them holding hands but second guessed it, times he doubted himself.
"You knew they were having an affair?"
"It wasn't an affair Jungkook."
"Mum he cheated on you."
"Honey I married your father to keep them together."
"You did..."
"Yes and we both wanted you so don't ever think you were an accident ok we loved you and each other but just not like that."
"But why did you—"
"Your grandfather forced him to marry he was a nasty evil man and I was your fathers friend so I told him to marry me so they could go on as they were and be together always but that came so much sooner than we planned..."

It was a lot to take in but Jungkook was trying his best to keep up. Tears trickled so heavily from both his and his mothers eyes.
"Do not marry Elizabeth."
"But mum...the law says—"
"Sweetie take this from someone who has been an Elizabeth ok? Because I think if she found out the truth she wouldn't mind being a cover story."
"But?"
"But..."
His mother sighed heavily once again.
"But it is the hardest thing to do because she would be giving up a chance to marry someone who would genuinely love her. And I saw how hard it was for Caleb to be your dad's secret and I don't want Jimin to spend his life in the dark being your secret."
She wasn't even mad at him for being gay? She just didn't want him to spend his life ruining someone's chance of a proper marriage and didn't want Jimin to suffer.
"Your father was so scared of your grandad and I don't think he ever recovered from it. He spent his whole life pretending not love a man who he couldn't have fully."
"But the law says..."
"The law can say whatever it wants Jungkook but you only have one life and I just want you to be happy."

His mother sobbed heavily holding onto to him and he couldn't help but wrapped his arms around her and bawl like a baby. Something he hadn't done since his dad died.
"Go do the right thing son please."
Jungkook choked up and held her in his arms for a while before he finally realised the wedding would start in ten minutes.
"I have to tell Elizabeth the truth mother."
"I know honey now go."
"Are you sure?"
She nodded her head and watched as Jungkook ran to the door, but not before looking back to smile at her.
"I know I don't say it enough but I love you and thank you for giving up everything for us."
"It wasn't all a waste Jungkook I got to have you."
Jungkook held back the tears and ran out of the room ready to throw it all away for love. And for the first time in his life that weight on his shoulders felt a little lighter.