Jeonghan caught the prince in his arms before his head could hit the ground. Seungcheol and Chan quickly got up from their seats to help their brother.

Only Kim Mingyu and his companion, who until now had not said a single word, remained seated. Kim Mingyu even took a long sip of his tea, completely uninterested in what might happen to his fiancé.

That couldn't be true.

Wonwoo must have been having another of those nightmares that kept him awake on stormy nights, only instead of tearing off his skin and gouging out his eyes, this time the demons had taken the form of Kim Mingyu and were torturing him in a much more cruel way.

He couldn't get married, no. Much less with a man he didn't know.

With his eyes closed he could feel his face being fanned, a hand that he knew was Jeonghan's brushing his hair from his forehead. A gesture that was too soft and intimate, and one that had undoubtedly caught Seungcheol's attention.

"Prince Wonwoo, please open your eyes," Jeonghan asked, and although his words were soft, Wonwoo knew they contained an order.

That couldn't be happening to him.

"You see," Kim Mingyu pointed out, finally standing up. His attention directed only to Prince Seungcheol "he is a weak man, we all know that he is also a coward, and rude. He abandoned his place in the palace and will surely abandon his duty to us as well. A man who has no honor is not worthy of marrying a general."

Wonwoo opened his eyes then and Jeonghan could see the flame burning in them but he reacted too late.

"Who would want to marry a brute, ugly like you!" he yelled at Mingyu, acting like a child.

Mingyu rolled his eyes.

"You see it? Even though he is already twenty-seven years old, he is like an immature child," he complained, "is this the person your father wants to present to his subjects as the husband of his general?"

Wonwoo rolled his eyes, it was incredible how important that Kim Mingyu felt, even though his dad had freed them, that didn't give him the right to be a jerk.

"Peace Mingyu, this took prince Wonwoo by surprise" Seungcheol defended him, to Wonwoo's surprise "As you yourself have said, it is tradition that it was the crown prince who married, Wonwoo has lived his entire life with the possibility of choice and now he has to suddenly face having it taken away from him."

Wonwoo wanted to retort that he hadn't really had a life full of options, but he kept quiet because his brother always had it worse, and because getting married was a matter where Wonwoo had believed he had at least a little power.

It was clear that he couldn't marry just anyone, but being the second son he would have hoped to marry at least some high-ranking man of his choosing.

If things kept changing he would have to take more care of Chan.

Surprisingly, Kim Mingyu left him alone, but not before muttering some insult to him.

"Your majesty, do you think I can talk to Prince Wonwoo alone?" asked Jeonghan, who always seemed to know exactly what Wonwoo needed.

At this request Seungcheol seemed thoughtful, and Jeonghan didn't miss the way Kim Mingyu looked at him, how his eyes stopped at the hand resting on Wonwoo's soft cheek and how the man frowned.

It was clear that he suspected that he was Wonwoo's lover, and Jeonghan would let him believe it for now.

"Go ahead," Seungcheol finally agreed, with a headache. "Anyway, since it's established that we're going to stay here, we should get our room ready, let him rest for a while and we'll see you at dinner. Can someone help us?"

"Of course," Jeonghan responded immediately, "Hong Jisoo and our servants will take care of everything," he assured the crown prince, helping poor Wonwoo get up.

Chan made to leave with Prince Wonwoo and his spokesperson, and since Seungcheol knew that Wonwoo would need him, he let them all go.

"WHAT?! GET MARRIED?!" Soonyoung asked for the thousandth time. "Your father is crazy, he has lost his mind, that old man..."

"Soonyoung!" Jeonghan scolded. "It's the king you're talking about."

Jeonghan, of the three friends, was the one who maintained the most ownership in situations like these, however his scolding seemed like a lie even to his ears, he was furious.

"I'm so sorry, nonu," Chan said, stroking the back of his brother, who had his head buried in his hands. "It took us all by surprise, Seungcheol and Mingyu actually thought they would be the ones getting married, and believe me, they tried to stop Father, but he insisted that it should be you that he married, and Mingyu's father agreed."

"I just don't understand," Wonwoo almost whimpered, laying down on the bed. "Why does he insist on ruining my life, he really wants me to return to the palace so badly? I will do it then, I will do whatever it takes to not marry that man."

"Wonwoo-ssi, I don't think your father put all this together to make you come back," Jeonghan commented, touching the prince's knee. "After all, Kim Mingyu is an important man, and your father's reputation depends on this marriage as well. I don't think he would dare play with such a serious matter."

Well, Jeonghan was right about that, his father was a hard man who often bordered on cruelty, but he never went off with stories or childish games.

"Then why me?" He couldn't help but ask, knowing that when he spoke in that tone he sounded like a spoiled child.

"Maybe your father really thinks this is a good marriage for you and..."

"Jeonghan, please," Wonwoo asked, standing up exasperated. "Look at me and look at him, it's obvious that we could never get along, much less love each other. I was not born to be the husband of a general, can you imagine me with a rigid, rude, and pedantic man...?"

"Kim Mingyu is kind," Chan said softly, earning a surprised look from his favorite brother. "I know...he didn't give the best impression, but he's generally very kind, he and Seungcheol are good friends for the same reason, and he treats me very good"

"Who could treat you badly, Channie?," Wonwoo said immediately, cradling his brother's face in his hands. "Only the most ruthless of monsters, that says nothing about him."

"He and Prince Seungcheol are very good friends, right?" Jeonghan asked, crossing his arms. "I already had the impression."

Chan's noncommittal look at Jeonghan's remark was all it took for Wonwoo to want to faint.

"Great, he's in love with my brother," he lamented. "Father is not only ruining my life, but Seungcheol's."

"Stop, stop," Chan asked, standing up as well. "I don't know if they're in love, okay? I just know...that's what people say, and one time I saw them...kiss."

"Seungcheol kissed someone?!" Soonyoung and Wonwoo asked in unison, surprised.

That was something that Wonwoo couldn't imagine, Wow, he must have liked this Mingyu very much to divert him from the only love of his life (doing his duty)

"Maybe you can convince your father," Soonyoung suggested.

"I doubt it, if Seungcheol couldn't, I certainly can not do it" Wonwoo sighed "Wow, this is really something..."

Chan hugged him again, and Wonwoo let his little brother comfort him. He was now sure that the idea to bring Chan must have been Seungcheol's, and he was grateful for it, because if Chan wasn't there he would most likely jump out the window.

"Wonwoo, I'm really sorry," Jeonghan said, putting both hands on his shoulders. "I know we can't disobey direct orders from the king."

But... Jeonghan had not said it, he had stopped with the fact that they could not disobey the king's orders, however Wonwoo and Soonyoung who knew him better than anyone understood perfectly. Wonwoo couldn't disobey his father, but they would help him get rid of this arrangement and Kim Mingyu.

As intelligent as Jeonghan was, Wonwoo had no doubt that he would find a solution, however the sadness and tightness in his chest would not leave him, because as long as that solution was not on the table, he was effectively Kim Mingyu's fiancé.

Seungcheol chose a room with a view of the beautiful and well-kept garden. He had no idea that Wonwoo paid attention to such details, he had never even seen him stop to smell a flower, however there was a lot about his brother that unfortunately he did not know, being the crown prince had built a barrier between them that Seungcheol sometimes thought was impossible to knock down.

Still, he enjoyed the view. From the small bushes and the dried leaves that fell from the trees, painting the ground orange, copper and gold.

"I don't want him," a voice said from the door frame and Seungcheol didn't have to turn around to know who he was.

Of course, efficient as always, Kim Mingyu had already finished arranging his belongings and came to harass him.

"You don't have a choice," Seungcheol reminded him. "None of us do. It's not that he was delighted with the situation, the poor guy even fainted."

"I know," Mingyu said, rolling his eyes to the sky and throwing himself onto the soft-looking bed.

It was strange to see Mingyu there, in that room that seemed so desolate and cold with its dark sheets and generic decoration. Maybe because Seungcheol had gotten used to seeing the young man in his chambers, surrounded by paintings, maps and half-finished drawings, swords and expensive clothes.

Seungcheol sat next to him on the bed and patted his knee.

"Wonwoo is a good man, Mingyu," he assured him softly, and before his friend could respond with a protest he added, "what happened...it changed him, and I know that what people say about him in the palace is not good, and we haven't been together in two years, but you saw it yourself with Chan, Wonwoo has a big heart."

Mingyu looked at him thoughtfully, and Seungcheol once again felt a pang of guilt.

He felt guilty because even though it was now his brother who was suffering, he was happy not to have to marry Mingyu, whom he could only see as a brother, no matter how hard he had tried otherwise.

When his father finally revealed to him that Mingyu would not be his husband, it had been like being able to take a breath of air after having been drowning for a long time. He loved Mingyu of course, and he knew that with him he would live a good life, but he had never been able to feel for him the love that one feels for his spouse.

Mingyu was handsome, ravishingly handsome even. Tall, athletic, and with an angelic face framed by soft hair that barely touched his shoulders. But his firm, aching beauty wasn't Seungcheol's type.

"I see that he has a big heart," Mingyu admitted, with a venomous tone. "He is very close to his spokesman."

"Did you notice it too?" Seungcheol asked, thinking of the young man with the delicate face of an angel who had held his brother as if he were the most precious and delicate thing in the world.

"I think anyone who pays attention could tell that they are lovers," Mingyu pointed out, irritated. "I'll be the laughingstock of the town."

At this Seungcheol frowned, Mingyu was his best friend, but Wonwoo was his brother, his own blood.

"I'm sure he'll end his relationship with his lover now that he knows he's engaged," he said irritably. "I understand that you dislike the idea of marrying Wonwoo, I even understand that you don't see him as suitable because I know his weaknesses and shortcomings better than anyone, but he's still my brother, and we both grew up within the same walls, reciting the same rules. Wonwoo is not the type of person who would be unfaithful"

At this Mingyu couldn't argue any further and in fact, he acknowledged that he owed his friend an apology. After all, Wonwoo was his brother, and even though Mingyu refused to marry him, he understood that bothering Seungcheol would do him no good. These were orders from his father and from the king himself. There was no use in complaining.

"Peace," he finally requested, raising his hands, "what's done is done. It would be better to discuss other things, such as building a better road to get to this damn place."

At this Seungcheol laughed, and they were back to being friends as always.

Mingyu was, before even a man, a soldier. A general, and therefore, there were things that he simply couldn't stop doing, no matter how much Seungcheol asked him not to worry about them.

That is why, with the sun gently kissing the horizon, he was on one of the high roofs of the residence, half hidden among the trees.

From his position he had been able to get a good view of his surroundings (just dust and trees), and he had observed the formation of the guards (it wasn't the most efficient but perhaps it was enough in a place where nothing was happening). He knew that Jecheon was basically a hideout, and he knew that except for him and a few others, no one knew the whereabouts of Prince Wonwoo nor that now the three princes and the new general were living under the same roof, even so they were a very juicy target, and it was worth making sure he had everything under control.

He hadn't expected to see Prince Wonwoo before dinner, not really, but he had materialized in his field of vision.

Wonwoo was a tall man, taller than Mingyu had initially believed him to be, although he did not have the upright, rigid posture of most monarchs. Also, he had a slender figure, a small delicate waist, and now that he had changed his clothes into a black hanbok he looked more like the son of a king than ever, accentuating his soft light skin and his intense and daring dark eyes like those of a cat.

"He's really not my type," Mingyu muttered to himself.

Mingyu had always liked strong men, with a tough, rough appearance, with a serious and deep look. The only deep and serious thing about Wonwoo was his voice, which had genuinely taken him a little by surprise due to the contrast with his appearance.

Wonwoo was delicate.

Delicate like the leaves currently sweeping the ground, Mingyu felt that if he put even a little pressure on him, the young prince would break.

He understood why his lover had held him with such care and gentleness, and he also understood that, if he wanted to survive a marriage with that man with dignity, he might also have to break him up a little.

You didn't usually wear black to a dinner when you were engaged, but Wonwoo not only didn't care, in fact, it seemed okay to him, considering that he was about to lose his freedom and part of his soul. He was mourning.

He had gone out to the garden before going to eat, telling Jeonghan that he needed some fresh air first. But what he really wanted was for a pair of firm arms to wrap around him again, to whisper to him that everything was going to be okay, that they would work it out.

And now, as the guard rotated their positions, it was the perfect moment.

Kai was in front of him, in his line of sight, his posture as rigid as a statue but a smile played on his lips.

Wonwoo slowly approached him as the rest of the guard finishing their shift dispersed.

" I will be in front of your door tonight," Kai whispered softly, making him blush.

When Kai used to be outside Wonwoo's room he always found a way to sneak into the prince room and make love to him while Wonwoo tried to tone down the screams and soft moans in fear that someone would hear them.

Wonwoo would have loved to spend the night like this again, but now was not the time and due to his newly learned status, it might not be the time for a while.

"Good. Because I need to talk to you," he said, gently brushing his knuckles with those of his lover. "Although I'm sure you've already heard some rumors."

"I heard you fainted" was all Kai said, unaware of the reason for the faint.

Wonwoo had to say that this took him a little by surprise, did Kai know that he had fainted and didn't stop by to see him or ask to call for him?

Wonwoo shook his head, that didn't matter, Kai didn't have that much power, it would have been impossible for him to leave his position.

"It was really impressive news, but we must talk later. Promise me we will."

"I promise," Kai assured, brushing the back of his hand one last time before heading to his new assigned position.

Wonwoo stood there for a while then, alone, breathing deeply, before squaring his shoulders and going to face Kim Mingyu, not noticing the pair of eyes that were watching him from the shadows.

Mingyu's companion was his seamstress and advisor, and also his right hand, his eyes, and his ears.

The man who was in charge of spying for him. And this time, Minghao had done it as perfectly as ever.

While Mingyu was on the roof he also noticed how the prince approached the guard, however he would never have been able to hear their conversation if it weren't for Minghao.

"They just said that?" Mingyu finally asked him, analyzing all the information.

His friend nodded.

"Yes, they only left to talk tonight, but I feel that there is considerable familiarity between them," Minghao pointed out. "He is undoubtedly someone the prince trusts, and if he wants to tell him the news about his engagement to you, he is someone worth keeping an eye on."

Mingyu nodded, he could almost see the gears turning in Minghao's head, thinking about all the possible outcomes of this interaction with the prince. Mingyu was sure that Minghao thought that Wonwoo would order the guard to kill him, however, Mingyu thought otherwise.

He thanked Minghao and walked towards the dining room with a frown. Seungcheol thought he knew his brother and Mingyu understood that he defended him, but apparently he had more than one lover, and if he wasn't fair to them he would never be fair to Mingyu.

Prince Wonwoo had arrived at the dining room a few moments before his fiancé, and was already looking at him impassively as he took his seat and only then did the servants begin to serve the food.

"So...well," Seungcheol began, noticing that the two men were doing nothing but glancing daggers at each other. "I guess, since we'll be here for the duration of your wedding preparations, it would be best to officially introduce ourselves. The man to my right is General Kim Mingyu, son of the legendary Kim Kang-Dae, who freed us from our torture two years ago. Although he was recently promoted to general, I can assure you that he is a prepared, serious and very loyal man."

Wonwoo tried his best not to grimace, Mingyu watched him with narrowed eyes.

"Next to him," Seungcheol continued, "is his seamstress and right-hand, Minghao. He is a man of few words as you may notice, but very helpful, I know that the residence already has seamstresses but Minghao's designs are exquisite, and he will have no problem dressing you too Wonwoo, if you wish."

Ha, as if Wonwoo was going to allow Kim Mingyu's right hand to get close to him.

Once the introductions were over, Wonwoo knew it was his turn, however, he took his sweet time, putting a bite into his mouth. The salmon was fresh and juicy.

Kim Mingyu gave him a dirty look.

"I am Prince Wonwoo, second son of Jeon Yun-Seo. Our king," he said, standing up and giving them a very short bow to be truly courteous. "By my side is my advisor, whom you probably already knew from the palace, Hong Jisoo, and my official spokesperson Yoon Jeonghan."

And that was it, clearly the two men next to him had many characteristics that Wonwoo could boast of, such as their loyalty, their intelligence and also their insights, however he was not willing to give Kim Mingyu that information.

Seungcheol looked at him as if he wanted to reprimand him, but this time he let it go.

"I must ask, your majesty," Jisoo intervened. "How will these preparations be carried out? Jeonghan has indicated to me that you had sent a letter from the palace to us, however it never reached us."

Seungcheol nodded, taking a sip of his tea.

"Yes, unfortunately this has really been a surprise to you all," he contemplated, "Which will set us back considerably. However, I plan to send two emissaries to the palace to inform my father while we set out."

"We'll celebrate the nuptials at the royal palace I guess," Jisoo said, it wasn't a question, however there was a cautious tone in his voice as his eyes slid over to Wonwoo.

The prince let out an audible growl.

"Yes," said Seuncheol, resolutely. "It will be held in the palace, however, the king has authorized the couple to live wherever they please, as long as they both fulfill their duties."

At this Wonwoo was surprised, would his father really let him live wherever he wanted? Even if that place was still Jecheon? If so it wouldn't be so bad...

"Which will be the capital, obviously," said Kim Mingyu, as if he were the owner of the last word. "Living in the palace is the most convenient."

"And who said you could decide that?" Wonwoo snapped, offended. "I'm not leaving here."

Mingyu frowned even more, it was incredible how such a beautiful face could be ruined by that expression of anger and disdain.

"You will go wherever I tell you," he announced. "I am a general, my duty is to protect the king, I will not be able to fulfill this if I am not close to the palace."

"In case you have forgotten, I remind you that I am the prince," Wonwoo spoke sternly. "You are not the one to order me."

"I am the general of our army..."

"AND I AM A PRINCE" Wonwoo shouted furiously, standing up and hitting the palm of his hands on the table. "If the king gives us the power to live wherever we want, I will live here, and you can live wherever you want, for all that I care"

That seemed to make Kim Mingyu even more angry, who also stood up, although unlike Wonwoo he did not yell.

"You don't understand it because you've never had any sense of responsibility, and all you do is run away from your duty," he snapped. "We will be a married couple and we are expected not only to be a unit, but to produce a child. How can we do that if we live apart? Do you really plan to embarrass your family like that too?"

A...
a child?

Jeonghan quickly stood up and wrapped Wonwoo in his arms before he could pass out again.

Was Kim Mingyu really thinking about having children with him? Wonwoo couldn't imagine being pregnant, he couldn't imagine doing... those horrors with Mingyu.

He had to break this engagement.

"Let's calm down please," Seungcheol asked, making everyone return to their seats.

Jeonghan carefully made sure his friend sat down again, earning himself a glare from Mingyu.

"I think," the spokesperson began, "that we can leave the talk about accommodation and about...children for later, Prince Wonwoo has had many surprises today."

Mingyu rolled his eyes.

"Is he usually so weak? Or only when it's his turn to really be a prince?"

Without warning or sound, the knife crossed the room, cutting the air, of course, Mingyu being the trained general that he was, was able to dodge it in time, however even though he hated it he had to admit that he didn't notice until the last minute, in fact, He had not even realized that the prince was holding that instrument in his hand.

Seungcheol looked at his brother in horror as he pulled out of Jeonghan's forced embrace and stood up again.

"Don't pretend that you really know anything about me, Kim Mingyu, I am more than what is rumored at the palace" he said threateningly. "And above all, don't call me weak again unless you want the next knife to stop in your eye."

And with that he turned around and left, ignoring Jisoo and Jeonghan who called him worriedly, ignoring his brothers and the bow he owed them out of respect.

Now he just wanted to get out of that place, he knew that despite his training as a prince and his abilities, he had only won this battle thanks to the element of surprise, since Mingyu believed him too weak to even consider him capable of wielding a weapon. He wouldn't be so lucky again.

Soonyoung had been comforting the prince since he entered the room, slamming the sliding door, and throwing himself onto the bed.

Wonwoo didn't say much, he just grunted while his friend stroked his long hair.

"I hate him," Wonwoo suddenly blurted out. "I hate him so much, he hasn't been here a single day and all he's done is underestimate me. This won't work Soonyoung, Father... Father... wants us to have children! He is crazy, I am not going to bring children into this world so that they have a father who does not look at them with love and treat them with harshness and coldness, I already know a lot about that "

"Wonwoo-sii," Soonyoung said softly, kissing him on the forehead, "I'm really sorry you have to go through that, I can't understand how your father thought he would be a good man for you."

Wonwoo wanted to laugh.

"I'm sure he didn't consider him good for me, Kim Mingyu has to be the punishment," he accepted, "it's my punishment for being the disappointment, for being the son he never wanted to have. For not being like Seungcheol"

"I feel bad because I can't do anything," Soonyoung lamented and he was sincere. "Maybe I could ask the cooks to poison him."

Wonwoo smiled at this, the mere image of Mingyu dying from poisoning really made him happy.

"Being the son of who he is, I wouldn't be surprised if he were immune to the poison," commented the prince, sitting up. "But don't worry, I really plan to do something."

Soonyoung smiled at him, he knew his friend Wonwoo, and he knew that he would not give up without a fight, although this problem seemed to have no solution.

"Cheer up, Wonwoo-ssi, you can always count on us for anything."

Wonwoo knew it, and even though he didn't have a solid plan yet, he knew that Soonyoung and Jeonghan would help him with anything, even Jisoo.

While Wonwoo, as a prince, could not abandon his duty, he would make sure that Kim Mingyu and his father rejected him as his son's fiancé.

By midnight, Wonwoo was already lying between his sheets, massaging his head, with a terrible headache.

Jeonghan had stopped by his room hours ago to leave him something to eat, since given the situation the young prince had barely been able to eat a bite, and Soonyoung had already retired to sleep as well, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Luckily for him, the torture did not last forever, because he heard the soft tapping of knuckles against the door panel.

Wonwoo lit a candle as he always did, the signal to indicate that he could enter.

The man who peeked into his room and closed the door behind him had become as familiar as the back of his own hand. Kai.

Kai with his dark hair almost covering his eyes, with the silver scar of a cut adorning his cheek, with his shoulders almost as broad as the prince's. With his mischievous smile.

Before Wonwoo could say a single word, Kai crossed the room and wrapped him in a hug.

"I've missed this," he commented with a smile against his neck.

Wonwoo put his hands on the man's arms, out of instinct and also to push him away. As much as he wanted to be with him, tonight couldn't happen.

Wonwoo had been having this affair with Kai for a few months now, and they both knew that they had no guarantee of anything in the future. A prince couldn't be with a mid-ranking guard, and Kai's family wouldn't be happy to know that he had taken an interest in one. They were honorable people.

However, having to end him for this reason...that the reason was Kim Mingyu made him angry.

"Kai, we can't keep doing this," Wonwoo said with a slightly strangled voice. "No more. We have to put an end to it."

"Why?" the guard asked with surprise and also a little...anger? "No one suspects it, if anything the most snoopers rumor, but no one has proof of anything"

"I know, it's not that..."

"So what is it, Wonwoo?" Kai asked exasperatedly, sometimes, when Wonwoo was a little reluctant to have sex, the man would get like that, Wonwoo could understand it, he supposed, it must be difficult for him that they spent so much time apart, and that was his way of expressing love and...

"You don't understand, I..." the prince began to explain, but the sudden movement of the door as it slid across the floor surprised him.

Suddenly, standing there in his room in the middle of the night, was Kim Mingyu, with a murderous look in his brown eyes.

"Can you explain to me, what are you doing in my fiancé's room in the middle of the night, and why are you touching him like that?" He demanded.

Wonwoo pushed Kai away, seeing that Kai could do nothing but stand still and look at Mingyu with wide eyes.

This was what Wonwoo had wanted to avoid, what he had wanted to prevent Kai from, what he wanted to protect him from.

It didn't matter if Mingyu saw Wonwoo as an adulterer now, because the one who was really at risk was Kai.

For better or worse, Wonwoo really was Mingyu's fiancé. Under the king's law the prince was his, and anyone who dared to lay a hand on him could be flogged to death if Mingyu so desired.

Mingyu then went further into the room, pushing away Wonwoo who had stood between the two men, ready to beg for Kai's life.

"Mingyu... No..." he begged, but the man ignored him.

"Walk to the garden," Mingyu ordered Kai, pulling him roughly by the arm.

In the garden of a royal residence two things happened:

the meetings to have tea and celebrate princes' birthdays.

And the executions that served as a warning to the rest of the servants in the house.

Wonwoo, Seungcheol and Chan had already celebrated their birthdays.