The prince and his three knights: Chapter 19

[lilly0]

Title: The prince and his three knights: Chapter 19/20
Pairing: It's going to be a Jun-pairing, but I don't want to spoil it yet. It's either: Sakumoto, Matsumiya or Juntoshi. Jun/Aiba as brothers, and Aiba might get his own pairing.
Rating: up to R
Genre: royality!AU, romance, a bit fantasy,
Plot: To seal the new peace agreement Prince Jun is handed over as a gift to the neighbouring kingdom, the Highlands of Ice. There is a legend surrounding Jun and his sisters and brothers, namely that they hold a secret power which will only be awakened to the fullest when their owner falls in love.
Tired of reigning the Highlands of the Ice the king announces that one of his three sons - Sho, Satoshi and Kazunari - will inherit the throne. As all of them are good men, loyal and talented, he decides to put a challenge to it: Whoever wins the young mysterious prince's heart will marry him and get the throne.*
*Important sidenote: I will not make a love triangle or anything alike. Once Jun decided, he decided. Also Sho and the others won't play dirty.
Note: This is going to be really romantic, I promise :D and I promise you all (!) that the brothers won't treat each other like sh*t. It's super fun to write this! Please tell me what you think <3

Shun switches into Jun’s personal guard. One part of Jun feels happy about it, the other part almost guilty. He decides to address it directly instead of carrying it around forever, until the doubts will break him down.

 

“Shun-san,” he starts one day when Shun brings him tea into the garden, a task he doesn’t really need to do. “You don’t need to serve me, you know that, right? Your position is far higher than the one of a normal servant. You are a soldier and come from a noble background.”

 

“But I want to,” Shun states.

 

Jun eyes him carefully for a while before he takes a deep breath, not sure how he should say what he wants to say and not make Shun upset while he does so. “What happened isn’t your fault,” he says carefully. “In fact I don’t even know how I would have made it through these days without your help and secret support. You were a victim too, please don’t forget that.”

 

Shun grows pale for a while, shifting around like he isn’t sure what to say. Jun pats the empty space next to him on the bench, smiling contently when Shun sits down. “It’s not that easy,” Shun starts after a while. “I mean, I know I didn’t do anything bad, but I wasn’t able to save you. And it’s still my family…”

 

“You are not responsible for how you were born and which family you were born into,” Jun points out. “Just like I’m not responsible for the family I was born into. And don’t say you didn’t save me. Shiniji might have raped me if you hadn’t come and put your own life on risk.”

 

“It’s nothing, really.”

 

“I think it is. Because if it was nothing, I wouldn’t have felt afraid back then,” Jun states.

 

Shun blinks, eyes widening. “That’s not what I meant. Of course Shiniji hurting you isn’t nothing!”

 

“See,” Jun chuckles. “So, can we agree that you did save me?”

 

Shun sighs. “It’s really difficult to win against you,” he points out much to Jun’s surprise. To win against him? It’s difficult to win against Satoshi, but not against him.

 

“Shun-kun, why did you become part of my personal guard? Because you felt guilty?” Jun wants to know.

 

“That’s not all to it,” Shun admits. “Of course that’s also part of my reason, but I’ve realized that I really want to protect someone. You and Satoshi-san will have children eventually, and you’ll be ruling this country. It would fill me with pride to protect you and your future children.”

 

Jun blushes slightly. “Is that true?”

 

“I realized that protecting someone is actually something I enjoy doing,” Shun repeats. Jun looks into his honest eyes and sees no lie in them.

 

“Well then,” he smiles slightly. “I’m happy to have you at my side then. Just-“ He takes the plate with tea away. “Leave this to the maids. They are not going to be happy with you taking their tasks away. I have already heard them gossiping about you. So better leave it.”

 

Shun smiles. “I promise.”

 

 

~~~

 

 

It seemed forever, like they would need to wait for years, but the few months left to their marriage date went by faster than expected. And soon snow covered the landscape again, just that this time everyone knew it would turn spring again and hence everyone could enjoy the white cold.

 

Jun is pacing around in his own garden when Sho finds him. “Jun-kun,” he says with a chuckle. “The tailor is here to fit your clothes for the wedding. You need to come.”

 

“I can’t do it,” Jun stutters, his stomach clenching painfully.

 

Sho blinks. “What? Talking to the tailor? He is a very nice man, I promise.”

 

“That’s not it,” Jun mumbles.

 

“Then you can’t talk to him now? The time is unfitting? We probably could delay it,” Sho muses. “I’m going to have a talk with him and see if he can-“

 

“That’s not it!” Jun interrupts fiercely. When Sho blinks at him, he blushes. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to yell at you. .It’s just…”

 

His voice trails off, not sure how to continue.

 

“You are nervous about the wedding?” Sho finally says, finally making the conclusion. “Are you having second thoughts?”

 

“What? No!” Jun grows pale. “That’s not it.” He continues to pace up and down until he feels dizzy enough to sit down, resting his head in his hands. Sho shifts around for a while before he sits down next to him. He looks helpless. In another moment his reaction might have been amusing, but now Jun doesn’t feel like laughing.

 

“Talk to me?” Sho asks carefully. “I would ask you and be all smart, but I’m bad at asking the right questions.” He pauses, patting Jun’s back. He smiles brightly. “We are brothers now, remember? So you can always talk to me. You don’t have second thoughts?”

 

Jun sighs. “Of course not. Just…”

 

“Just?”

 

“I’ve been waiting so long for this, and everything gets serious now, and the date approaches, and I just wonder if I’m good enough for this.” The words basically leave his mouth on their own, like he was just waiting for someone to ask him about it. “I don’t want to disappoint Satoshi or anyone else.”

 

Sho blinks in surprise, before he resumes patting Jun’s shoulder. “Jun-kun, you won’t disappoint anyone.”

 

“But Satoshi will be king and I’ll be representing this country with him. I’m not fit for such a position,” Jun argues.

 

“You are fitter for this than most other people,” Sho interrupts him, frowning now. He grabs Jun’s shoulders to turn him to face him. “Stop working yourself into a panic attack. Now! Take a deep breath.” Jun follows Sho’s orders, indeed taking a deep breath and trying not to work himself into a panic attack. “And now try to think how Satoshi feels at the moment. About becoming king.”

 

“He is probably very anxious,” Jun mumbles.

 

“Right,” Sho agrees.

 

“It’s a huge responsibility for him and he might feel like it’s too much and that the people won’t take him seriously because he is so young. Though that’s not going to happen, he is going to be a good king. We all know that!”

 

Sho smiles. “Exactly why he needs you. He needs you to be at his side and push him and tell him that he can do something. You communicate well with people, you can make them smile and laugh, and you react fast. Sometimes your reactions are strong, but even that comes to your advantage in many cases. People will relate to you. And it will help Satoshi to gain the respect he deserves, because after all everyone knows you respect him.”

 

Jun takes Sho’s words in for a while, feeling embarrassed suddenly for his almost breakdown. “Satoshi needs me,” he mumbles before hugging Sho swiftly. He let’s go of him with a smile. “Thank you, Sho-kun, for remembering me of my task. I almost lost sight of my path.”

 

“Anytime, you are now my little brother after all,” Sho smiles proudly. “So, can we go to the tailor?”

 

Jun smiles, trying to fight back the nervousness and think of everything he looks forward to. “Yes.”

 

After he has talked to the tailor, he finally decides to look for Satoshi and talk with him about things that might bother the both of them. Bottling it all inside won’t help anyways. Weirdly enough though Satoshi is nowhere to be found, which is a bit suspicious to Jun as he said he had work to do outside.

 

After a while Jun decides to take a chance and look in Satoshi’s chambers, maybe he retreated there, although the possibility is rather low. To his surprise though he hears Satoshi’s Yes? once he knocks at his door.

 

Jun slips inside. “Satoshi-kun?”

 

Satoshi turns around, eyeing him in surprise. He is standing in front of a canvas at the moment, obviously painting something. So he was doing his art.

 

“You are painting?”

 

Satoshi nods, before turning back to dive his brush into some colour.

 

Jun sits down on the arm chair next to the window, watching his soon-to-be husband painting. Satoshi’s face wears a frown at the moment, like he is deep in thoughts, also sometimes he halts his movements, seemingly pondering over something. “Satoshi-kun, is everything alright?”

 

Satoshi looks at Jun in surprise, before he smiles slightly. “Of course.”

 

Jun frowns, watching him a little longer how he almost grimly splatters some colour on the canvas. He isn’t even paying attention on what he is painting. Jun gets up with a sigh. “Well, then, as you aren’t in the mood to talk, I’ll be leaving.”

 

He is about to turn to the door and leave when he feels Satoshi’s free hand, grasping his wrist and pulling him back. “Stay please,” he says.

 

“So, you finally talk to me,” Jun frowns. “Seriously what is wrong?”

 

“Nothing,” Satoshi says.

 

Jun huffs. “If you won’t talk to me, I can as well leave!”

 

Satoshi lets out a frustrated sigh. “I saw you in the garden.”

 

Jun blinks. “Fine. And?”

 

Satoshi throws him a surprised glance. “With Sho.”

 

Jun raises his eyebrows in expectance of more explanation. But as Satoshi turns back to the canvas, he assumes it’s all he gets. So, he saw him talk with Sho and…  “You can’t be serious?” Jun huffs angrily. He grabs Satoshi’s arm to make him look at him. “Sho is your brother, you idiot! What are you even thinking of him or me!? I was just worried about something, and he was coincidentally there to support me, like a brother! How can you even believe something so stupid?”

 

Jun glares angrily, about to stomp off, when he feels Satoshi grab his wrist again and put his brushes aside. “Jun-“ he starts softly.

 

“Don’t Jun me!” Jun huffs, deciding he has all the right in the world to act like an annoying child.

 

“That’s not really what I meant to say. I didn’t believe you and Sho would do anything inappropriate,” Satoshi says softly. “I just saw you two together and thought you actually look good. Then I got mad at myself for thinking something like that and went to paint something. Art makes me relax. I didn’t expect you to come and look for me right at this moment. I wanted to be all rational and calm again before seeing you.”

 

“I don’t like that you always think like that,” Jun argues.

 

“Think like what?” Satoshi wants to know. “That I use my art to calm down?”

 

“No! That’s fine,” Jun narrows his eyes. “I don’t like it that you believe someone else would fit me better or looks better next to me or whatever. We look good together too, you know?”

 

“Jun, I-“

 

“No, stop doubting me and my decision and yourself. There is a reason I fell in love with you. And to me you are even better looking than your brothers, I like that you are smart and composed. You are my own solid rock to lean on to, my personal ocean. Being with you reminds me of the sound of the waves against the beach, and makes me feel calm immediately. You were always there for me, and encouraged me and told me where I went wrong. You were the one who once scolded me for not seeing my own strengths, and comparing myself to others. Take your own advice, and stop insulting what we have by doubting why, how and when I chose you!”

 

Satoshi lets out a deep sigh, before taking Jun hands into his. “I’m sorry. You are right,” he admits after a while.

 

“I am?” Jun blinks, surprised by Satoshi admitting his fault. Oh dear, does that mean he is actually winning an argument with Satoshi!? He nods almost happily. “I mean, of course I am.”

 

“Listen, Jun-kun, I’m really sorry. I never meant to bother you with this. I never believed Sho would court you behind my back or you would do something inappropriate with Sho. In fact I’m very happy that all of our family and friends are so supportive, and I’m glad you get along well with Sho and Kazunari. You deserve having a family. And I don’t want you to stop being comfortable with them. I also don’t doubt your feelings for me, although it still surprises me by how lucky I was you chose me. I will try to see my own strengths too from now on.” Jun tries hard not to smile dashingly at Satoshi’s lovely words, he wants to stay grumpy for a while and show how annoyed he was, but it’s really difficult eye on eye with Satoshi. The latter tugs a bit at his hand. “Do you want to know what I’ve been doing here recently?”

 

“Splattering colours on your canvas while doubting me?” Jun asks piercingly.

 

“No.” Satoshi smiles in amusement. “I mean, what I’ve worked here for a while.”

 

“What?” Jun asks curiously, against his own intentions.

 

Satoshi leads him to another separated room where he stores some of his finished arts. He and Jun will move to the southern end of the castle after they married and actually live in a separated area, the royal chambers. It’s a huge area with two bathrooms, one private salon, two studies, a huge bedroom, and two additional ones and three living rooms. Satoshi’s father will remain living in his usual private chambers, as he never lived in the royal chambers, but he has already told everyone he plans on going on a few travels with Nagase-san, and maybe even temporarily reside in an estate in the south of the country.

 

Satoshi pulls a few linens away, revealing huge paintings, all of them made in an aquarelle style that Jun loves so much. One of them shows a huge landscape of the seaside with the frame of a man standing on some rocks and looking at the ocean. Another one is showing a wide meadow. Jun points at the picture with the sea. “Is that me?” he asks carefully.

 

“Yes,” Satoshi smiles.

 

“How many of these wonderful pictures did you paint?” Jun asks in astonishment.

 

“A few,” Satoshi explains. “I plan on doing some more. For when we move to the northern area of the palace and will have our own huge private space.” He reveals a few more pictures. “Masaki-san told me that in your castle at your home you were used to open spaces and a lot of light, which I can’t give you because of the nature of our country, but he also told me that your walls never were entirely white but covered with ornaments and light colours and pictures.” Satoshi smiles. “I found the idea quite endearing. I don’t like white walls either.”

 

“We can attach these to the walls?” Jun asks, eyes widening in astonishment. “You mean, some of the pictures will cover an entire wall?”

 

Satoshi nods with a smile.

 

Jun’s eyes light up happily, he can’t help but to smile. “This is wonderful, it’s so beautiful. The pictures will look stunning on the wall. It’s going to be the most beautiful place ever.”

 

“Even without the open spaces and the light?” Satoshi wants to know.

 

Jun smiles. “This here is better.” He chuckles as he smacks Satoshi’s shoulder lightly before hugging him happily. “You are not playing fair, you know that? I wanted to remain angry for a while.”

 

“Then I’m lucky I have the one or other strategy to make you forgive me,” Satoshi teases softly, his fingers brushing through Jun’s hair softly “But I told you previously, didn’t I? You will win plenty of times. You were definitely right in this case.”

 

Jun smiles. “Most of the time you really make me happy though.”

 

Satoshi blushes lightly. “I’m amazed at how open you can be sometimes. It’s nice and makes me happy.”

 

“The only thing that bothers me is,” Jun takes Satoshi’s hand into his, playing with his fingers. “You are doing so much for me. You made this beautiful ring, and engagement ring. The wristband. The garden, and now this here. I can never give you anything like this back.”

 

“Jun,” Satoshi says earnestly. “I’m not going out of my way for doing these things. Besides, don’t forget that the whole planning of our wedding celebration is almost your doing alone, and…” he pauses. “I think I haven’t been entirely honest with you throughout the last weeks and months. I talked to my father already, but didn’t tell you.”

 

Jun looks at him in confusion. “What didn’t you tell me?”

 

“You were supposed to be my husband. The husband of the king, and like most partners of reigning kings or queens you were supposed to have more of a representative task. Right?”

 

Jun nods.

 

“But I will be relying on you much more than I told you I will. I’m not good when it’s about communicating with people-“

 

“You are communicating well with met though,” Jun interrupts him.

 

“With you it’s different. Almost natural,” Satoshi points out, and Jun can’t help the happy jump his heart makes at these casually yet honest spoken words. “But with others I’m bad at it. I’m also not good at planning things. And I will need to do all of that, which is why I will be relying on you. I want us to reign this country together.”

 

“Wait a moment…” Jun’s eyes widen. “You want to do what?”

 

“I want to hand some important tasks entirely to you,” Satoshi says earnestly. “I need you.”

 

“Satoshi,” Jun stutters. “I can’t do that. I’m not good enough.”

 

“You are,” Satoshi says firmly. “I know you are. My father thinks you are. Jun-kun, I didn’t find the courage to ask you, because I can’t do it without you. I need you to agree.”

 

“I’m scared,” Jun admits. “What if I fail?”

 

“This is new for me too,” Satoshi points out. “Don’t forget that. We are in this together, and we can rely on each other. You can always ask me or also Sho and Kazunari or anyone else for help.” He takes Jun’s hands. “Please, say yes. I can’t do this alone.”

 

With Satoshi’s honest and open eyes and the way he phrased his question Jun can’t say no, although he knows it’s going to be hard work for him and will mean a lot of struggle with his confidence. But after all the things Satoshi did for him, he wants to pay him back – even if it isn’t much, he can at least do what he can. He just can’t let Satoshi down. “I will try to give my best.”

 

A/N: We are almost at the end! OO I can't believe how far we came :D
So, Jun finally won an argument against Satoshi. (Who believed he could? :D) He can't even believe it himself, but Satoshi charms him with his pictures immediately afterwards, and shocks him with his proposal ^^