@Aamyungv: Replaced, a #taekookau [a/b/o]...

Replaced, a #taekookau [a/b/o]

The prince looks out of the window from the palace's highest tower. His hands grip the letter addressed to him. He holds his breath, looking out into the darkness and thinking about the destruction that is about to fall upon their kingdom.

“My prince,” his butler bows to him, “they have reached the capital's gate.”

The prince of the Ilseon kingdom shivers, grasps the windowsill, “cannot they wait?”

“The wedding is tonight, my prince,” the butler looks at his prince with worry clear in his eyes, “why, may I ask?”

The prince holds the letter out for his butler, squeezes his eyes closed when the butler takes the letter to read.

“𝐼 𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑑𝑜 𝑡𝘩𝑖𝑠, 𝑇𝑎𝑒! 𝐼 𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑦 𝑡𝘩𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑟𝑢𝑒𝑙, 𝑟𝑢𝑡𝘩𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔. 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑚𝑒 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛.”

“Prince Jimin eloped?!” his butler sounds faint, maybe he sways a little on his feet, “oh, my lord! My prince! The king is right outside of the capital! This wedding is the only thing keeping him from attacking this kingdom!”

The young prince, Kim Taehyung, nods, “I know.”

“We have to tell your father right away!” the butler, Yong, bows, “please?”

Taehyung looks outside one last time, sees the dark horizon fading with fireworks, and he can faintly hear the hollers of merriment following the king.

“Yes. We shall. Come on!”

_______

“King Jeon is going to declare war!” his father falls on the bed, shaking his head, “he is notorious for his wrath and I do not wish that upon our kingdom! Oh, stupid Jimin! How can he run away?!”

Taehyung stands, helpless, terrified, “what can we do now, father?”

His father looks horrified, almost at the verge of a heart attack. He frantically ruffles his hair, thinking. His eyes move from the window to Taehyung and then his eyes widen.

“You!” he springs up, “you will replace Jimin in the wedding!”

Taehyung chokes on his breath, “what?”

“Yes! My son! Yes!” The king's eyes glisten with relief, “you will marry him!”

Taehyung shakes his head, “that is impossible, father! He has seen Jimin. He chose Jimin! He did not even spare me a glance! He came here for Jimin, and how would he not notice that it is me?!”

“We will not disclose it is you,” the king comes to stand right in front of Taehyung, holds his biceps with determination, “my son! We will present you like the royal groom, face hidden behind the royal attire. He would not know. Once you are married, he cannot back away!”

“He is a royal in true sense,” his father holds his head high, “he will never back out from the wedding after it is done. He would have to accept you and in return, he would have to respect the treaty between the royal in-laws!”

“What about me?” Taehyung frowns, “father?!”

“My life will be a living hell!” Taehyung begs almost, “cannot we tell him the truth and-”

“And have a war?!” his father roars, “do you think we can afford that, Taehyung?! Our kingdom is nothing in front of his power! His strength! He will destroy our family and our people!”

“We Kims are the protector of this land,” his father holds Taehyung closer, “our men swear their lives to this kingdom since they are born. Take this as,” his face crumbles, “your sacrifice, my son. This is your sacrifice for the people and this kingdom.”

“You, only you, can stop the Eagle of the Frostland.”

The Eagle of the Frostland.

Jeon Jungkook.

A name given to him by his enemies. He is the eagle who brings destruction. Leaves a prospering land and its people in nothing but frost.

A heart made of ice...

“You are the winter prince,” his mother holds Taehyung's hands in her, tears brimming in her eyes because she knows what they are asking of him, “you are the prince of what he spreads. You can do this, Tae, you can win him over.”

Taehyung, lovingly called the 'Winter Prince,' by his people because of his birthday being in the December's second last day.

Taehyung looks out of the window. He can hear the procession. It is coming near. Taehyung closes his eyes, tears trailing out of them…

“Fine,” Taehyung lets out a deep breath, nodding to himself to brace himself for whatever to come next, “I will do this.”

His parents share a look of pure pain. They both feel the loss of their two kids, but they are bound to the throne. They have to think as the royals first.

His father claps, nods to his butler, “get the prince ready for the wedding. Make sure his face is hidden properly.”

Taehyung follows the servant, his eyes trailing over the known corridors of the palace he grew up in. Because he knows, he might never see this place again.

— Repost of my own prompt I posted a few days ago

— Commissioned (my original idea, the commissioner picked it up for me to finish)

“What are you doing?” he asks his maids, “it stinks.”

His maids share a look, “my prince,” she hesitated, “your scent. The alpha might pick up on the scent. We have to cover it.”

Taehyung grips his hanbok, nods, “oh. Right.”

This is not how he envisioned his wedding.

Walking down the corridors to the wedding chapel, Taehyung holds his breath. His eyes scan the crowd the alpha brought with himself.

They are wearing furs and leathers on themselves. All of them look quite a brut as Taehyung passes them one by one.

The alpha stands proud.