Prince Jung Wooyoung, heir to the throne, is to be wed off to one of his many suitors to enrich the kingdom in a blossom of wealth and fortune for many years to come. However, his heart strikes gold in that of a romance he can't have, not of one wit...
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ˏ⸉ˋ‿̩͙‿̩̩̥͙̽‿̩͙ ♕ ‿̩̥̩‿̩̩̥͙̽‿̩͙ˊ⸊ˎ
┗━━ 𝓦𝓸𝓸𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓰'𝓼 𝓟𝓞𝓥 ━━┛
The moment Yeonjun steps further into the castle, Wooyoung's heart seizes. He's confused, albeit briefly, watching as someone from a similar title to his own closes the distance between them with a curt demeanor. He's gallant, maybe a bit stoic, but Wooyoung can sense something bubbling beneath the surface. A curiosity, maybe? Blatant arrogance in theme with his title? Wooyoung couldn't be sure, but he forced himself to silence, composing himself to force a smile onto his lips, feeling the steely gaze of San's eyes boring into him.
"Prince Yeonjun," Wooyoung greets, taking in the full account of the male's attire. "Pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."
"Pleasure's all mine, your grace," Yeonjun replies smoothly, bowing his head in a motion of respect. Yeonjun extends his hand out, which brings Wooyoung to briefly hesitate, if but for a moment before he raises his hand and lays it into Yeonjun's palm. He watches the male carefully as he bends his head down, pressing a gentle kiss against Wooyoung's knuckles.
A part of Wooyoung should've felt flattered, but a bigger half of him feels lost. He knew San was watching all of this, likely clenching his teeth and keeping himself silent, a composed figure in the corner of the room, anticipating everything yet nothing all at once. Wooyoung didn't want to meet his gaze right then, knowing that it'd likely be too charged emotionally, causing his heart to rupture even more than it already had.
"On behalf of all of Auretica, I thank you for inviting me into your home, especially for such a ball," Yeonjun says softly. Wooyoung eyes him for a moment, calming the internal storm of doubt with a small smile, trying to remain as composed as he could manage. His heart felt almost as if it was being ripped at the seams, but he was forced to pretend as if nothing was happening above the surface. He needed to be calm, to receive each gesture as if it were the most normal thing in the world to him.
"We are pleased to have you," Wooyoung replies, keeping his tone steady, almost dignified. "Etheria welcomes you with utmost respect."
"Tell me, your grace–" Yeonjun begins, straightening his posture slightly as their hands part, drifting back to their respectful sides. "What deals are you to propose if we were to unite under the covenant of marriage?"
Wooyoung nods, offering a polite smile as he watches Yeonjun's body language, assessing his behavior in a move to gather as much intel as he could manage. "There are many things to consider, quite frankly. There is the widening of trade routes and supply chains, while also furnishing one's army with utmost care, as well as broadening security for unknown threats."
"Unknown threats?" Yeonjun pries, raising a brow. "Are you aware of something I am not?"
"No," Wooyoung replies, offering a light chuckle to try and alleviate Yeonjun's worry. "We can never be sure of what threats remain hidden in the shadows. Assassination attempts, poisoning, arson–"
