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there was once a king of The Jeon Kingdom who was very rich and good, and much loved by all the people whom he ruled. he had lovely sons, there were three of them. jeon yoongi was the eldest. he was a very scrupulous kid and barely talked much. next came jeon namjoon, the most brilliant and discerning kid in the kingdom. of course mothers never had favourites, but if their mothers had had a favourite, it might have been namjoon with all of his sweet dimply smiles. and the youngest was jeon jeongguk, who was the bravest of the three yet the most mischievous and untamed one, always running off from duties to play outside rebelliously.

gathering all the wise men in the country, king jeon asked them to find out what sort of boys the young princes would be. so the wise men went out into the palace garden on a fine starlit night, and looking up at the stars, said they could see wonderful things that would happen to the princes.

"the stars say they will be very brave," said one wise man.

"the stars tell me that they will have strange adventures."

"and they will live to be very old happily," said another.

the young princes grew up and was taught everything that princes ought to know. the three princes turned out to be very smart for their ages and aced everything they needed to learn; but jeongguk seemed to be never tired to always rebel to be let go outside to play as he was bored out from all the lessons. he was the only one who hadn't shown much of responsibilities and maturity from himself, aside his brothers who were like the perfect picture of a prince. but even with how perfect the elder princes behaved, they were still kids too and deep down, their hearts were longing to be free just like jeongguk. having to learn all the time was sometimes exhausting.

"you will soon be the king of this country," the king once scolded his youngest son. "and i hope you will be a good one." jeongguk only pursed his lips distastefully before reluctantly following his brothers to their chamber. the king almost gave up with jeongguk, he seemed to listen well to his brothers, yet he was stone-deaf over his orders. had it been because of how authoritative and protective of father the king was? the child was super sweet before and now turned up to be a little evil himself.

the king and his wives were perplexed. these three lucky children always had everything they needed: pretty clothes, good fires, a lovely nursery with heaps of toys, books, and lots of places to play at. they had kind, merry, and fun maids and butlers, and also a few pets they could take care of. they also had a father who was just perfect--never cross, never unjust, and mothers who were all kind and lovely. everyone would think that they ought to have been very happy. and so they were, but they did not how happy till the very moment of meeting a certain someone. the dreadful change, that especially happened to jeongguk, came quite suddenly.

when the king decided to court a princess from a far unknown country for jeongguk, he meant well for he thought everything would turn out good for the youngest prince. the boy loved adventure and the folk tale said the mysterious princess was mesmerisingly beautiful as a snow crystal just like what the people called her, snow white. it was probably instinct or just a pure childish believe, but king jeon knew this princess would be the one that was able to tame jeongguk.

jeongguk's response upon the news wasn't unsurprising but the king was glad he didn't put much tantrums when they went off to another kingdom, albeit how reluctantly the prince was.

the queen, snow white's mother, was a beauty herself, and king jeon wouldn't be astonished if her daughter didn't turn up to be finer or just as beautiful as her mother. the queen was so pleased to be visit at, just as king jeon was. at first, jeongguk looked very uncomfortable so the king excused him to play on the palace's garden. being able to do whatever he liked, jeongguk spent most of his time in amusing himself and playing in the wild garden, never once returned to his father until the meeting he had with the queen finished. this apparently happened to every visit.

aside from this odd behaviour of his son, king jeon was confused on why the queen still hid her daughter from him. he had never seen snow white directly but he once spotted a little girl, playing by herself in the garden, collecting wild flowers, white ashen hair and true beauty of a face that he knew already it was the princess. a very good match for his son, indeed, yet so much as he thought more, the more reluctant he got. jeongguk wasn't remotely interested with the arrangement, snow white hadn't even presented herself, and the queen seemed to be more interested in king jeon than his own son. this arrangement was a futile attempt, a failure, and he chose jeongguk's happiness more than anything so he put an end in this immediately.

the queen wasn't joyous upon hearing it, and quickly dismissed him from her country after giving her last gift that was a set of healthy drinks that said could cure whatever diseases king jeon had, specifically made for him, much to king jeon's gratefulness. and that was the last time he saw the beautiful queen whose eyes held more mysteries than its beauty.

breaking up the arrangement seemed to be a good idea because jeongguk began to feel sorry that he was not better prince, whom his people could love as they had loved his father and bothers, as soon as they came back to their kingdom. he turned to be a very wise and good prince, even a little bit too stoic and constipated, that his father was so proud of. jeongguk still went off by his own a few times a year, no one knew where to, but it was hard asking him when he was in the age to explore the world and be as curious as he could be. so the king let him especially when jeongguk asked his brothers and their personal butlers to go along, seeing how happy they were all.

until two years later, king jeon was taken very ill. his health had been not in the best condition since he left snow white's country and no doctors had succeeded to cure him. he had drank the drinks snow white's mother had made, yet it just made it worse. knowing that he was going to die, he sent his oldest son, yoongi, to where jeongguk and namjoon were, a letter. jeongguk was eighteen now, he was still so young to hold such responsibilities of having a kingdom by himself, but king jeon believed that he was more than capable with his brothers beside him. and when jeongguk had arrived here he could finally sleep in peace for ever.

♛♛♛

it was one afternoon of a cold winter's day, when taehyung led jeongguk to their secret place again to play in the new-fallen snow. the field looked as stunning as ever, with now all the overshadowing trees and shrubs were now leafless and their twigs enveloped in the light snow. everything was beautiful, so white and pure, just like taehyung, jeongguk thought. winter now turned to be jeongguk's favourite season after taehyung declared it as his favourite one.

he had asked namjoon and their butlers, jin hyung and hoseok hyung, to come along, knowing they loved winter and were so delighted to meet taehyung again ever since their first encounter. so now here they were, with a hop-skip-and-jump that carried them at once into the heart of a huge snowdrift. at last, when they had frosted one another all over with handful of snow, taehyung was struck with a new idea.

"jeonggukie," said he. "let's make a figure out of snow! won't it be nice? we could make competition with namjoon hyung, jin hyung and hoseok hyung in a team!" he giggled afterwards and it was so lovely that jeongguk never dared to refuse, quickly nodding in agreement.

"oh, yes!" cried hoseok, as plainly as he could speak, for he was a very hyperactive and loud boy. "that will be nice! right, si--i mean, namjoon?" he gulped out of fear when jeongguk and namjoon sent him a glare to reprimand him.

"yes, of course, hoseok," answered namjoon. and at once the boys began this great business of making a snow-figure that should run about. taehyung told jeongguk what to do, while he shaped out all the nice parts of the snow-figure.

"oh, gukkie, how beautiful it looks!" exclaimed taehyung and hugged jeongguk tightly. the prince was stunned for a while and soon reciprocated.

"aw, isn't he so smitten?" jin said to namjoon, snickering quietly. if only taehyung knew what kind of reputation jeongguk had in his own kingdom, the ice prince with heart as cold as winter, never freely smiled like he always did here.

"what you staring at?" growled jeongguk, crossly. his face reddened.

"we weren't staring," said namjoon; "don't be rude to your hyungs."

jeongguk rolled his eyes and taehyung giggled beside him. so the day passed quickly and the sun began to sink behind the mountains as the spent the day happily together, completely content with each other's presences. taehyung was sitting quietly on the ground beside jeongguk, head on the prince's shoulder, gazing at the snowy peaks of mountains which glistened in the evening sunshine in a reddish golden glow. "they look like they're in fire! all the mountains are burning! and the great snow mountain also, and the sky! oh, look at the lovely fiery snow! jeonggukie, look! everything is so beautiful!" taehyung grinned, showing his rectangular smile to jeongguk.

"it's always like that," jeongguk replied with so much fondness. "everything here is so beautiful."

"indeed," taehyung said. "oh, look again, gukkie! everything is turning a rosy pink colour. look at the snow and the high rocks!"

"you sound like you haven't seen this before,"said jeongguk, amused. hand came up to card taehyung's ashen white hair softly.

"mother never let me go out after sun set," taehyung said forlornly.

"and why is that?"

"she will then have me to make dinner and clean the dishes," taehyung mumbled. "i will not have much time to prepare everything if i am still playing here."

"can't she make her own dinner?" jin asked.

"no, she can not. she is always busy inside her chamber, i never dare to disobey her."

"but you're still outside now, tae," hoseok asked curiously.

taehyung giggled. "oh, it is because today is a special day! i don't know why but mother told me that i don't have to prepare lunch or dinner for today! i hope she is learning how to cook now," said taehyung dreamily.

"that's good for you, then," jeongguk said to taehyung, smiling. taehyung smiled back and snuggled closer to jeongguk's side.

♛♛♛

they finally made it out of the rocky mountains and bumpy roads, reaching some sort of flat forest plane nestled in-between the mountains like a precious pearl in a craggy shell.

it seemed like the entirety of taehyung's country was covered in gigantic rocks, soft green moss and dense forests made out of every single type of coniferous trees in existence. it was also incredibly cold. despite the fact that it was barely november, snow was already coating the grounds and the tree branches like a cosy blanket of fluffy ice. not even his thick fur robe could completely cast away the shivers wrecking through his body every time he rode his horse through the breezing air of the forest. the air smelled like fragrant pine trees, crisp fresh snow and damp, crumbly earth. the land was beautiful, but there had always been oddness that made it different with the other places. the land remained as mysteriously as ever.

a well deserved longer break would have done him and jimin some good since they'd been on the road day and night for almost two days now. but this was urgent and yoongi couldn't stop just to rest.

but now that they had reached the very depths of the land, the thick forests threatening to swallow them whole for almost the entirety of the journey, proof that their journey was almost over. while he did enjoy the picturesque landscapes this land had to offer, yoongi had already reached his patience limit. he led his horse faster, urging jimin to do the same with his own horse.

jimin frowned at the prince, absolutely hating the idea of how distressed the prince was. he was the only one who could comfort yoongi who was usually so collected and calm, but it was impossible to do that now with yoongi looking nowhere near by composed. but he understood why the prince was like that. after all, they were panicked. the king's order might be the last one he could deliver to them and they both never felt this determined to fulfill it, as if their lives depended in it. but of course, it was for the future of the jeon kingdom, there was nothing light about this. choosing to keep silent, jimin raced up to now beside yoongi.

there was light at the end of the road and they both knew they had arrived. the secret path was directed to taehyung's secret field, jeongguk was the one to find it, and it was so useful because they would always find jeongguk playing with taehyung here. and it was right, as yoongi and jimin finally reached the light only to spot the rest of the group stargazing at the sky.

yoongi's horse let out a neigh as it stopped, letting their presence known. soon jeongguk and namjoon ran to his direction, gaze asking for the sudden arrival for yoongi never came without notice. this was the third time yoongi came here, he bowed his head a bit in greeting to taehyung who did the same, expression worried.

"what made you come here?" jeongguk asked, tone serious. yoongi looked even paler than he was usually. this never meant great news.

"father, he is terribly sick," said yoongi. "he sent you this letter, afraid he will not stay longer when you arrive back."

jeongguk reached out to grab a coiled papyrus sheet and read, "i know you will be a great king for our country. do not listen to those who are always praising you, and try to find out the real truth before you punish any one." those were probably the last words of his father, jeongguk's eyes turned watery. as much rebellious as he was before, he always promised to remember his father's words.

"he wishes to see you before he dies," said jimin, sad. and jeongguk nodded, for his father, he would do anything, even flying to the end of the world.

but before jeongguk could walk to grab his horse, a hand stopped him and he was faced with a shocked taehyung. "a k-king?" stuttered taehyung, gripping jeongguk's hand tightly. "w-what does that letter mean, jeonggukie?" jeongguk sighed, his expression softened. he had forgotten taehyung. his deep secret had been uncovered and there was no other choice than to tell taehyung everything now. jeongguk felt so guilty, taehyung deserved to know yet he had hid so many secrets from him. but this moment was bounded to happen, however, and he must not run from it.

jeongguk sighed and started, "taehyung-ah, i'm so sorry for hiding this from you but i'm--"

"--prince jeongguk, son of king jeon. what a lovely surprise to see you here," a voice cut in. there stood from the shadow of the opposite side of forest, a figure with long black gown as dark as the night with a long trainthat reached the ground, long dark hair with one gold catherine-wheel fixed in her hair elegantly, pale face which painted with a cunning smile. a very beautiful sight if only the voice which came from the woman wasn't as cold as the winter itself.

everyone shuddered with the sudden presence, there was like a strange power that withheld them to submit to the mysterious woman. jeongguk's eyes widened because he knew very well who was this woman. she was the queen.

"m-mother?"