For The Reason That

Chapter One

"Your Royal Highness, it's getting late. You should go to bed."

Seokjin continues staring at the palace across from him. Palace of Calycanthus. "I'm not tired. If you are, you can go to bed," Seokjin tells the servant. He continues staring at the Palace of Calycanthus miserably.

"Your Royal Highness, you have not been sleeping nor eating for three days now. For tonight, would you please go to bed?" the servant tells him, worried.

"Do I have to repeat myself?" Seokjin attempts to sound stern only to sound as anguish as he's feeling. "I don't want to sleep."

"But-"

"If I'm tired, I'll go to bed. If I'm hungry, I'll tell you. Just leave me alone," Seokjin's voice cracks. "Please, Hyeon." The servant hesitantly leaves the room.

Once alone, a tear slip from Seokjin's eyes. Palace of Calycanthus stays the same. No one comes in. No one comes out. Seokjin hurriedly wipes his tear. However, more tears threaten to fall.

Holding back his tears, he turns to his gayageum. Putting it over his lap, he starts to pluck the strings of the instrument. The melody that comes out is shaky, sad, and ugly.

'How is it that I find something else more intriguing than this melody?'

The gayageum makes an unpleasant noise as Seokjin recalls a faint memory. His tears escape silently as he looks back at the Palace of Calycanthus. Hoping-wishing for his husband, Prince Taehyung to come and visit him.

***A Few Months Earlier***

Seokjin glances at his new surroundings. So different and foreign. He can't imagine this being his new home. A big part of him wants to turn back and run home. However, if he does so, he'll only be disappointing his parents.

So, he keeps his head high and eyes forward. That is until he meets the King and Queen of the North. He falls into a deep bow that almost makes his head kiss the ground. Then, he raises his head to greet them, "Greetings from the West Kingdom, Your Majesties."

Growing up, he learned to keep his face neutral at all times. So, he let his eyes glaze over the King and Queen silently. He was taken aback by how stoic they looked. Maybe that was just how the Northerners were. As cold as their winters.

The King clears his throat, "The trip here wasn't a bother to you, was it, Prince Seokjin?"

Seokjin wanted to say yes for it was bothersome. There were so many mountains. It was very cold as winter just ended and they ran into lots of dangerous creatures. Yet, he smiles politely. "Of course not, Your Majesty. Thank you for sending your men to accompany me on the trip here. It went smoothly thanks to your help."

The King nods slowly, liking his answer. "You must be exhausted. I'll have you shown to your palace." As Seokjin had learned in his kingdom, the North Kingdom's palace is huge.

Unlike his, where there was one big palace. The North had sub-palaces among the palace. He was currently in the main palace where the King could be found most of the time. However, he too had his mini palace. Together, the main palace and other palaces were called the Imperial Palace.

"Before you go, you should meet the crown prince, your future husband," the King tells him. Seokjin deflates a little. That's right. Marriage. That's why he's here and away from home. The King turns his head to the side and Seokjin follows him.

He had not noticed that someone was sitting there in the first place. A young man who resembles the king quite a bit with soft black hair glances at him. "Prince Seokjin, meet Prince Taehyung, the crown prince and your soon-to-be husband."