A crown or this? | minsung

🌙in the cold kingdom

They arrived north, passing the border and Minho felt as if he had been hit with a shock wave. The snow prickled on his skin, as if it belonged there. He watched the snow flakes absorb into his skin, and his breath turn to frost in front of his own eyes.

Snow covered the long plane mountains, those he had learned the names of as a child. Minho rode out with his soldiers and Jisung had gone back into the carriage with Hyunjin and Felix.

"I..." Jisung started. "I reacted poorly, I'm sorry" he sighed and looked at Felix.

"No it's me...you were right, it wasn't the right place, especially in the west. I...I'm sorry" Felix commented and placed a hand on Jisung's. "We'll be to the castle soon, in less than one hour...what will be your first maneuver when we get there?"

"To give Minho his crown back." He answered directly, no hesitation. "There will be a coronation, arrangements will be made. But right before that...I want to let Minho wonder around the castle a bit...I know how much he missed it."

"Right..." Hyunjin said and looked out the window, calmly. "Do you really think...we can take the south back?"

Jisung sighed and looked at his two friends.

"The south as soldiers that are still loyal to the old king. When we took back the crown, they rebelled and cut off every single shipment between the two lands. The west is rich in many things, they are a very impressive market for food and wood. Since they are cut out, the south grow weaker. Plus, with no one to lead them, I doubt it will hold for long."

"So we just have to strike at the right moment?"

"Precisely...after that, I can finally stop tensing my shoulders and..." he hesitated, as if not sure of the word he was going to use. "Relax...I'll be able to take a breather..."

"Let us hope so...you deserve a break from this entire world"

"We tried to run away once...it did not last very long" Jisung looked over at Hyunjin, who frowned.

"Im sorry i went to get you that day...there was just no hope for the south and I...I was so tired of seing so many die at the hands of traitors-"

"It's alright...I do not blame you for it. If you hadn't come to get us, then this world would still be just as corrupted" Jisung sighed once more and leaned his head back against the seat, feeling the cold weather pierce through the cracks of the door. "I will never get used to the cold."

Felix and Hyunjin both smiled with their pale white skin, the norm for the people of the north. They had gotten more tan with their short trip to the west, but still remained with a cold skin. Yet, jisung had never seen skin as pale as Minho's, he has never even seen him get a glimpse of darker skin.

They all stopped to listen even they heard it.

The sound of crows shouting in the mountains.

"We're close" Felix said without even looking outside.

<3

The carriages were placed and there was a warm welcome already prepared for their long awaited prince.

Minho had gotten off of his horse and stood in the castle he had grown up in, watched it in admiration, like you would in a dream. He was left alone, jisung had ordered everyone to unpack quickly and to give the prince space. To his demand, no one approached him, Minho who was completely lost in his own mind. He laid a hand on the brick walls, the ones he had grown in, the same walls that him and Felix had ran along when they were children.

"I knew that when the crows started to sing in the mountain..." an old voice echoed to him and Minho widened his eyes. "That my favorite student was back" his old sword teacher stood on a cane, barely holding onto anything but his thin white hair.

Minho smiled and they both walked in the halls together. Once, it had been his master helping him to walk when he was a child, now it was Minho, soon king, who helped the old man walk.

"You have made quite the name for yourself my boy" he smiled. "And to think you once didn't believe that you would be a good king"

"I always wanted to be wise, good, loyal...and I'm only here because the right people were by my side."

"And only a good leader would share his glory" the old man said and chuckled.

"I leaned from the best didn't I?" He winked at him and his sword's master grinned.

Before he could speak another word, the old man coughed and seemed to fall before Minho took him by the shoulders. He brought him to his room, the same one he had been at for years and years. Minho went by his side and placed a warm towel on his forehead, lighting a candle next to his bed and taking his hand.

"I do not have long to live my boy..."

Minho clenched his fists.

"What medicine should I go fetch? Surely there must be something-"

"It is painful to walk, painful to breath...I have thought your father as I have shown you how to wield a sword, my time as come"

"He...wasn't really my father" Minho said and lowered his head, but the old man raised it with his frail fingers and smiled.

"Yes...yes he was." He said warmly and held Minho's hand.

<3

Jisung had rejoined with Minho in their chambers and all Minho did was get up and go hold him in his arms.

"I...I feel like I am falling apart" the older spoke and Jisung wiped a tear that feel from his eye, Minho hadn't even noticed he was crying.

"No matter how much you shatter...I will always be there to pick up the pieces." Jisung placed his arms around his shoulders and hugged him, until Minho stopped crying and until his arms hurt from holding him so close.

"I love you..."

Jisung smiled and kissed Minho on the forehead.

"I love you too"

The door opened and Jisung turned around.

"Papa!" Nira yelled with the happiest smile she's ever seen and Jisung opened his arms. She gladly jumped to him and he raised her up in the hair. "You we're gone so long !" She whined.

"I know sweetheart, but I'm back now..."

Minho watched his daughter with wide eyes, he had not seen her in a long time now, she had grown to much. When Jisung set her down, Minho kneeled and watched her look at him, wondering who he was.

"You've grown so much..." he whispered with tears in his eyes and Jisung looked away as to not tear up. "I know you probably don't remember me...because you were so small...but I'm so happy to see you Nira"

Somehow, it felt like he was talking to Bow. She had her eyes, her beautiful hair.

She batted her lashes as she didn't move. Nira looked at Minho before taking a few steps to him, as if figuring out a puzzle. She watched his face and laid a hand on his cold cheek before widening her eyes. Words didn't come out, instead she took one step back and tested up.

"Papa...?" She said in a broken voice and threw herself at him. Minho caught her quickly and patted her hair, while she clung to him. He did not know how she remembered him, but he was so grateful that she had.

Jisung kneeled as well and held both of them in his arms, smiling to himself.

"I will protect you Nira...with all my might, I swear I will"

She cried and held him.

Jisung frowned because deep down he knew...he wanted to save Nira because he couldn't save Bow.

Jisung and Minho exchanged a look, short, but filled with softness and pure love. Jisung passed a hand through his hair and kissed the top of his head.

"You have no idea..." jisung started and felt his own eyes water. "How long I've been waiting to call someone my family..."