Lily-Boy

He too, was a rose

He was sitting up in a tree when he found him. Eyes closed, one foot dangling off the branch, he leaned against the thick trunk of the tree without a care in the world. The sun broke through the leaves in strings and made the rose-gold tint in his hair seem to glow.

      "Oh, Your Highness?" he called up to him. "Come down, now will you?"

      "I was hoping you wouldn't find me," he said, voice mellow, as if still somewhere in that other world of his. He opened his eyes and stretched his shoulders back. Then, with a pleasant sigh, he turned so that both feet fell off the side of the branch, tilting his head at the sight of Jeongguk's expectant eyes down below. He had that smile of his, the one that said: I'm here.

      "So you know your father wants a word with you?"

      "I do."

      Jeongguk had half a mind to climb up into the tree and slap him on the neck. He had been given a rude awakening from his daydreams half an hour ago when Scary Tommy had told him the prince was missing.

      He had spent half an hour running around the castle grounds trying to find him, after all, it was his job to know where he was at all hours (technically he was not even supposed to let him out of his sight) but the prince had a mind of his own, and Jeongguk wasn't one to intrude upon his privacy when he wished to be alone. But the least he could do was tell him where he was going to be alone, so that he didn't have to search for him.

      Not that Taehyung could hide from him. He knew all of his favourite spots.

      The prince jumped down from the tree with ease. "Oh, don't be mad. I had such a nice nap."

      "You truly are an ass."

      "A royal one. That you have to treat with respect." His eyes glinted as he said it. His whole attire was simple, a blue tunic, tied with a brown belt. And he was about to go meet with the king. "I don't think we have time to change ... you're already late."

      Taehyung looked down at his torso and ran a hand across his tunic. "Are you saying I'm not presentable?"

      "As I said, we don't have time to change."

      He wanted to ask him why he'd been hiding up in a tree. But he thought he knew the answer. Taehyung didn't say it out loud, but he wasn't very fond of meeting with his father.

      "You wound me."

      He smiled. "We should get going."

      They made their way side by side through the Royal Garden back to the castle. The sun basked the greenery in a golden glow, making the night-rain disappear, glass crystals sliding off the petals and the leaves, onto the ground. They didn't speak, not around the flowers. Flowers were to be quietly admired, for speaking to them, was speaking to a higher power. One needed to choose one's words wisely when in the vicinity of Vis herself. Although Jeongguk preferred to keep quiet when asking for Her guidance, for he felt that prayer was a personal act, not to be shared with anyone but Her.