TFL | MW [✔]

05.

It was too late to catch his parents in the morning room, so Mingyu instead had to pass on his request to speak with them through his father's attendant. He did his best to stress the urgency without being explicit as to why it was urgent. Luck was on his side, and an hour before dinner, he joined both his parents in the king's study.

"Now, Mingyu, tell me what's so important it couldn't wait until tomorrow?" King Minho asked as Mingyu took a seat opposite him. His omega father stood behind the king's chair, resting a hand on his shoulder. His gaze was on Mingyu, a little furrow in his brow suggesting he had some sense that Mingyu wasn't here to talk about trivial matters.

"It's about the wedding ball."

Both his parents broke into bright smiles, but Mingyu wasn't finished.

"I think it would be wise to postpone."

Their smiles fell, almost identical looks of confusion on their faces.

"Postpone? What nonsense," King Minho said. "Newlywed jitters, that's all this is—"

"Hear him out, dearest," Mingyu's omega father said.

"It's Prince Wonwoo. He's... unwell."

King Minho straightened in his seat. "Unwell? Have you sent for the doctor?"

"Doctor Tam has seen him, and I've spoken to him several times about Wonwoo."

"Then what is his remedy? Whatever medicine he needs, we'll see he gets it." Their concern heartened Mingyu, even though at least part of it was fear of what might happen to the treaty should anything befall Siwon's nephew.

"It is not as simple as that. It's not a physical ailment, as far as I understand it. It's a wound of the spirit."

"A wound of the spirit," the king repeated slowly, his brow creased.

"I think you'd better tell us everything," Wonjae said, patting his husband on the shoulder before taking a seat next to him.

So Mingyu did. He spoke about his intention to give Wonwoo space to settle into his new home before making more overtures to get to know him, only to find the omega quickly succumbing to a strange lethargy. He barely spoke when they did meet, more absent than present, and Mingyu's few invitations did not seem to have even been heard. And then there was everything the servants reported to him. That Wonwoo slept twice as many hours as he spent awake each day. That he barely touched his food. That he never left their little annex, even to step into the open air of the courtyard.

"I thought I was doing the right thing by giving him solitude, that he just needed time, but now I don't know what to think. This afternoon, I went to speak to him about the ball. He seemed more like an empty shell than a person. Just my presence made him tremble and talk of the ball almost had him shut down completely."

"Then we shall postpone," his alpha father said decisively. "Preparations have barely begun, and we'll think of an excuse to push it back another month. We'll have Doctor Tam see him again. Perhaps there is more he can offer, or we can seek help from farther away."

"No. I had not realized how dire the situation was. We cannot leave him to languish in an annex of our palace any longer, but nor can we afford a scandal within the palace. Not with a treaty hanging in the balance," Mingyu's omega father interjected quietly.

"Then what do you suggest?"

"He has obviously been through an ordeal. He needs a chance to recuperate without the eyes of the palace on him. I suggest we give him that in the only way that tradition allows."

"You mean...?" King Minho started to say, his expression thoughtful.

"Yes. It's not like there isn't precedence. No one will question it."