이무기의 복 (Mourning Bride)

25. The King's Leniency

San sat by Hongjoong's side on his spacious throne. Between them ruled a polite distance as both kings rested with their legs crossed elegantly. To Hongjoong's right and on the other side than where the shaman was usually supposed to position himself stood Seonghwa with his hands crossed behind his back. His face was adorned by a subtle smile as he attended the rounds upon rounds of court members that came in to greet San. They praised his guidance and asked for his goodwill as their dragon patron. San agreed to whatever words they sent his way with patient smiles and nods.

As the last person of the current round scurried away, Hongjoong turned to San with a chuckle.

"You're doing marvellously. By this time, I usually get cramps on my face from all the smiling."

Amused, for he related so well, San stretched his limbs. When his arm came back down, it fell to rest on the backrest behind Hongjoong. His fingers sprawled over the carved wood and tapped on it in the beat of the melody he could hear from the city.

"I must admit my respect for your ability to do this every day," San said. When his eyes sought Seonghwa's face, he found it closed-off, though his eyes were less defensive than they had been a few days back. San doubted they would become friends, but at least Seonghwa didn't regard him as an enemy anymore.

All of their eyes directed at the massive door when it opened again, expectant of the new wave of people complimenting their way up to San's favour.

However, the smiling face that appeared behind the heavy door belonged to Wooyoung. He came in wrapped in his warm coat he wore ever since the days had grown colder. Over his shoulder, he had slung a brown bag made from matching material.

"I'm here to pick San up," he grinned at them. Instantly softened, San lifted his arms to push himself up in his seat.

"And pick me up, you will. Are we done for today?"

The scribe seated in a dark corner of the room checked his list and nodded at them. Elated, San jumped from the throne. As he went to join Wooyoung and wrapped an arm around his waist, Hongjoong and Seonghwa behind them dropped their facades, too.

Wooyoung leaned into San's embrace as they left the building together. As the cold air of the day hit San's skin, he breathed in deeply. A moment later he reached to tug Wooyoung's collar closer around his frame. The other man giggled, charmed.

"What did you pack?" San asked with a glance at Wooyoung's bag. When he reached to take the weight off him, Wooyoung shouldered him off. His playful glare had San concede.

"It's just food. I brought over some blankets in the morning."

"You've been working hard," San purred. He nuzzled Wooyoung's neck, not minding how the curious eyes of a few servants followed them.

They stepped outside of the palace gates and all watchfulness fell off them.

"I had to busy my hands while you shaped the future of our country," Wooyoung giggled. He wrapped his arm around San's to ease the pace of their walking as they rounded the mighty palace walls. On a path barely visible to the human eye as one used by anything but animals, they entered the forest and started their long trek through the wilderness.

"You praise me too much," San hummed, denying his adoration for any compliment Wooyoung could give him. His heart melted when Wooyoung cosied up to him in an affectionate squeeze before he took the lead on the narrow path.

"No praise is too much for the mightiest of all dragons," Wooyoung guaranteed. Very pleased with that statement, San's dragon senses rumbled. They demanded San to never let Wooyoung go and to add him to his hoarded treasures found in the depths of oceans and seas just so he could relish in Wooyoung's preciousness all the time.