𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘 𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 | 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐱

♡ t h i r t y t w o ♡

Felix stretched while walking upstairs to his chambers. The military meetings were always long and boring. He was dying to finally lay down on his husband's lap and not think about any kingdom matters.

"It's not like Minho's gonna resign from his crown prince title," he mumbled to himself and yawned.

"Hmm? Do you think of slacking off just because I'm the future king?" Minho suddenly approached him and slapped his back playfully. Felix stumbled and glared at his older brother. "What if I decide to elope with my beautiful husband and leave the throne to you?"

"Mum would kill you. If she had to, she would even crawl back from the netherworld just to slap some sense into you, hyung," the younger prince joked. Minho shivered and waved his hand showing he didn't want to talk about it further.

"Okay, I get it. I was just joking. Don't tell mum I said that," he grimaced. Felix laughed and nodded with amusement.

"By the way, are you planning to tell her about the baby?" he asked in a hushed voice. Minho scrunched his nose and scratched it.

"She might be really surprised when she hears about it. I don't know if it's a good idea to tell her at all," Minho muttered. Felix patted his shoulder and smiled softly.

"She'll be happy, I'm sure. Anyways, you can't hide your baby bump forever, dummy."

"Watch your mouth, Lee Felix. You're talking to the future king," Minho sulked and punched his brother's arm.

"Ouch! Okay, okay! I'm just worried your duties will become too burdensome at some point of your pregnancy," he responded and stopped in front of his chambers. "See you at dinner, hyung-nim. Get some rest."

Minho shouted something back but Felix was already closing the door to his bedroom.

"I'm back, love," he called out trying to spot his husband. "Binnie, love? Are you here?" He repeated again and again but there was no one around. Felix stepped outside and started asking the guards about his husband's whereabouts. It wasn't unusual for Changbin to wander around the palace or relax in the gardens, yet when the guards told him they had seen him going out three hours earlier, anxiety started to bubble in the pit of his stomach.

He dashed to the orchard where he found Seungmin and asked him about his husband, but he seemed not to know where the older had gone to. Now fully panicking, Felix ran around the gardens calling Changbin's name but he was nowhere to be seen.

An hour later the whole palace was alerted and everyone was searching every nook and cranny of the palace grounds to find the missing boy.

"Felix," the queen tried to get the prince's attention. He simply bounced his leg while gazing at the wall across him. "Lee Felix," she said again, more firmly. Felix blinked and finally looked at her.

"Did you— did you say something?"

His mother sighed and grabbed a teapot with a freshly brewed mixture of relaxing herbs and flowers. Minho was sitting silently stroking his younger brother's thigh trying to calm him down.

"Drink some lavender tea," she asked while handing him a cup with the fragrant infusion. "I've sent the best guards to look for Changbin. General Yang is with them as well. They will find him soon."

Felix stared at the cup before he stood up abruptly.

"Why can't I go? He's my husband! Why did you lock me up in here trying to have some tea party while he is god knows where and with who. He and the baby might be in danger and you tell me to drink lavender?!" he fumed.

The queen massaged her temples and clicked her tongue.

"Felix, sit down please. You don't understand. We don't know who kidnapped him and what is their motive. The kidnaper might be targeting you and if so, it would be unwise to leave the palace and walk straight into their trap," she explained patiently. "I know it's stressing you out, but please trust me. There are times a ruler cannot act according to his heart."

"What if... it's too late?" Felix murmured barely succeeding in holding back his tears. He was scared and worried about Changbin.

"Lix," this time it was Minho's voice. He grabbed his hand and squeezed it lightly. "It will be all right. No one would dare to hurt him or the baby. He'll be back in your arms soon," he assured him with a tiny smile on his face. He too was worried but there was little they could do. Their mother was right.

Felix looked at their hands and nodded hesitantly. He had to believe it.

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Surprise, surprise!

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