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Royal Counsel (Part 17)

Happy 2023!

Part 16: https://kpopnlockit.tumblr.com/post/691167643968929792/royal-counsel-part-16

Part 18: Coming soon!

      The ceremony would be quick and presided over by a priest. As far as you knew, Vixx was not a very religious country but even they viewed marriage as a union before God. That sentiment apparently extended to engagements as well. The ladies-in-waiting had delivered you straight to the path that divided the rows upon rows of filled seats. At the end of the aisle was a gilded platform that had been specially made for the occasion. It was raised a half-meter above the ground so that the entire audience could see. An arch would frame you as you stood up there, the arch having been draped with purple chiffon and outfitted with white roses to create a picturesque scene. Two artists had been hired to capture the moment on large canvases. Even the weather was cooperating. It was fairly cloudy but there was no threat of rain, and a gentle breeze cooled the rising heat of the day.

      You had focused on the stage when you arrived, but it did not take long to hear the tinkle of the guests’ finery as they turned to look at you. The buzz of conversation died hurriedly as they realized that the event was starting. You did not allow yourself time to study them because you knew all you would find was judgment. There would be talk of your dress, of your hair, of your face, of anything and everything that could be critiqued. The gossip would come no matter what you did so there was no point in wasting your energy on witnessing it in real-time. 

      The sound of violins interrupted your thoughts. You could not see where the music was coming from, but the sound of harps and flutes could be heard adding to the ethereal ambience that was being carefully crafted. To add to the image, the servants of the manor were outfitted uniformly in lavender livery. They stood in neat lines on both ends of each row of seats, making sure that their polished shoes did not touch the royal purple aisle runner that was meant for you and your promised to walk down. The manor had to have hired outside help for the occasion, as there were far more butlers available to attend to the nobles than you had ever seen in the castle. The ladies-in-waiting curtseyed and followed a path around the guests that had been marked with a generous scattering of white rose petals to their designated chairs off to the side of the stage.

Royal Counsel (Part 16)

Part 15: https://kpopnlockit.tumblr.com/post/687984614623592448/royal-counsel-chapter-15

Part 17: https://kpopnlockit.tumblr.com/post/705375614759256064/royal-counsel-part-17 

     The day of reckoning came sooner than expected. The palace was buzzing with activity. Even Minah could not contain herself. She and one of the Princess’ lady’s maids had come to your room shortly after the sun had risen bearing hot water for washing. You were promptly plucked from your bed and dropped into a beauty routine that could have only ascended from the depths of hell. You asked for breakfast at some point and were allowed a cup of tea and a single biscuit. Anything more and there would be fear of your corset not being able to be tightened to the risk of breaking a rib. As such, your stomach grumbled loudly as your hair was lathered with something oily and floral smelling. 

      It was a trying time, but you made it out alive. You did not immediately don the gown. Firstly, you did not want to damage the dress in the hours still left until the ceremony. Secondly, no one was to see the frock until right before you were presented to King Ravi. With so many people everywhere, the chance of someone accidentally catching a glimpse was too high. Instead, you wore a simple day gown. It was Vixx purple and fashioned in the popular style of a fitted bodice with loose sleeves and skirts. The plan was to allow the corset to squeeze your internal organs until they were pushed up into your ribcage and periodically tighten it further throughout the day, leaving you with a waist a fraction of the normal size.

     There was no day that you cursed women’s fashion more. Where were the eras where a well-fed lady was prized? It did not matter too much though. Once you caught sight of the numerous guests milling about in their finery, you lost your appetite. People were everywhere and the usual quiet of the mansion could not be found at all, not even in your chambers. Voices could be heard in the hallways and through the glass of the windows.

Sunsets

Optional Bias

     The sun took longer to set in summer. The gilded hour that preceded it was beautiful in its own way. It was hazy and thick and cast everything it touched in gold like King Midas. That moment passed in a blink of an eye. The sunset was more careful, more decisive in who it let its light paint. It coated the clouds in a soft pink and pastel and as it deepened, purples scattered across the dimming sky as if it were a footman announcing the nightfall to a crowd of onlookers. You were pleased to read by an open window, letting the warm breeze float over your skin and the barrage of colors illuminate the yellowed pages of your obscure tales. Only when the sun had nothing left to give did you light a candle. Often you would continue to read a bit more before retiring, but sometimes you let nature tell you it was time for bed. There was beauty in the night but that which was fleeting seemed to mesmerize in a way that could only be described as a spell cast with the most innocent of magics.

     You had a small balcony that you sparingly used. There were two not so pleasant wasps that tended to occupy the space and you were not often in a sharing mood. Today it had been particularly humid and mist created a gradient in the sky that you could not ignore. It was warm out but you still wore a jacket to protect any exposed skin from dangerous insects. You braved the balcony and leaned against the dusty neglected wooden railing. There, the sunset was undiluted and vibrant. The smell of moisture was heavy in the air. It was a lovely summer evening. No, “lovely” could not begin to describe the moment. It was so much more.

     The light was dimming when you felt someone watching you. You followed the strange feeling to a terrace on the building next door. There was a young man leaning on the railing much like you were. The only difference was that he rested his head on the palm of his hand and was gazing in your direction instead of up at the heavens. He did not look away when your eyes met his. You startled at his brazenness and hurriedly averted your gaze. He could not have been looking at you. You must have been mistaken. You glanced back and he was still watching you. He wore a faint smile and though you should have been unnerved, you were not. His face was open and friendly and somehow you knew that he too, had simply come out to enjoy the scenery. You had not planned to share the view but you supposed that you could offer some semblance of graciousness to a kindred spirit. You gave him a warbly smile.

Master List

FICTION, FICTION~ ((updated 1/2/2023.))

* indicates rated story

Admin R’s Stories

VIXX

Leo

Ravi

Hongbin

Ken

N

Optional Bias

Big Bang

T.O.P

Daesung

G-Dragon

Block B

Taeil

Jaehyo

Kyung

P.O

Winner

Jinwoo

Mino

BTS

Jongkook

J-Hope

Jin

Jimin

Rap Monster

V

Suga

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Admin O’s Stories

Block B

Zico

B-Bomb

Kyung

VIXX

Hongbin

Ravi

Hyuk

Leo

Bangtan Boys

Rap Monster

Jin

J-Hope

Bastarz

F(x)

Victoria with appearances by VIXX Leo and Winner Mino

One Shots

VIXX

Optional Bias

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Collabs between Admin R and Admin O

Bangtan Boys

Jin

BigBang

G-Dragon

VIXX

Leo

Block B

Taeil

Enough

Optional Bias

     He was beautiful. You would hardly use that word to describe anyone else. Not even yourself. But he was unequivocally beautiful. You hadn’t liked when he had shorn his hair. There hadn’t been anything left to run your hands through. It had finally grown back though, and you couldn’t have been more pleased. You took a lock and rubbed it between your fingers. In that instant, you were happy and your heart was full as he laid his head in your lap.

     The moment was fleeting and you knew that. You tried to sear the peaceful image of him into your brain. Time would pass and he would be off again. Gone for months as he traveled to promote his latest album. While you understood, it didn’t make it easier. He was chasing his dreams and succeeding. You tried to be enthused for him but it was difficult.

     In all truth, you shouldn’t have even been fretting over those things. You were only supposed to be friends. Friends with benefits, yes, but only friends and never anything more serious. It was supposed to be a shallow relationship, with no expectations and the understanding that you could only take what was offered and nothing more. It had been fine at first, each of you extending comfort when able and enjoyable conversation. You were satisfied with that. And then he had shown you how kind he was. That was when your boundaries faltered. Or should you say your heart?

     You had fallen. It hadn’t been planned or intentional. The arrangement had worked out well initially. Dates you had called them. And perhaps they were. Reasonably priced meals with equally reasonably priced bottles of soju or mugs of beer that ended in one of your apartments. His height was often hard to conceal but he did well with baseball caps and a bit of stubble that always left your face red and irritated. But it was always worthwhile to toss his hat across the room as you ran your fingernails across his scalp. He never failed to bend down and teasingly plant a kiss on your lips. He was chaste at first, like an inexperienced boy. That would usually last all of two minutes before it became a battle for dominance. The winner was whoever was most frustrated. 

     The problem came afterwards. It was the arms slung over bare waists, cheeks pressed to chests, and waking up tangled in limbs and blankets. Those silent specks of tenderness did you in. If only he wouldn’t have offered you such intimacy. But he did, and perhaps that made him a better man. All of it meant for you though, was a broken heart. You kept your feelings to yourself for just that reason. You hoped that if you waited long enough, your crush would pass.

     Just then, he turned his head and looked up at you. You removed your hands from his hair and smiled. He returned the gesture with a groggy smile of his own. Your heart gave a hard twist in your chest and you willed it not to show on your face. 

     “Dinner?” he asked in a rasp.

     You glanced at the clock. “It’s closer to breakfast than dinner,” you replied.

     “Brinner?” he asked sheepishly.

     “Brinner,” you agreed.

     Maybe someday he would travel less for work. Maybe someday he would look at you the way you looked at him. Maybe someday you would drum up the courage to tell him. There were a lot of maybes but right now he wanted you. It may not have been the way you wanted to be wanted by him but it was enough. The brief seconds that you had him to yourself were enough. At least you told yourself that.

Royal Counsel (Chapter 15)

Today is very sad day in the history of the U.S. While I have very strong emotions about what was decided today, I do not want to stew with negativity. I hope some of my writing may be able to cheer someone up.

Part 14: Cake and Didlo : Royal Counsel (Part 14) (tumblr.com)

Part 16:

It was the day of your weekly dinner with King Ravi. The previous evening you had taken your supper in your room and had gone right back to sleep. You had met with Leo at noon and worked with him on more celebration planning. Though, this time you were aware of how much you were handling and limited your responsibilities, leaving Leo with the bulk of management. You did not feel guilty however, as there were not too many items left to decide upon. There were some minor things left of course, but they were of little consequence, such as the types of cherry juices to serve between the rounds of wine and champagne and the scents of incense for the hallways and powder room. You tried not to invest too much energy in pestering him with questions like you usually did.

By evening, you were not nearly as ragged as you had been the day prior. Minah twisted your hair into a plait that fell over your shoulder and weaved jeweled pins at your temples. You selected an emerald green gown made of satin for the meal. The dress was more casual than Minah would have liked, as it did not have a fitted bodice or lacey details that were in fashion. Instead, a simple ribbon cinched in the waist and everywhere else the fabric hung loosely. The neckline dipped low enough to be considered scandalous but the long sleeves and floor-length balanced it out. It was not a far cry from a dressing robe but you did not care. You wanted to be comfortable and it was always dimly lit in King Ravi’s chambers, so it did not matter much.

Royal Counsel (Part 14)

Part 13: Cake and Didlo : Royal Counsel (Part 13) (tumblr.com)

Part 15: Cake and Didlo : Royal Counsel (Chapter 15) (tumblr.com)

White and red. The colors of purity and blood, fitting for a prisoner of war turned bride. Also, fitting for a newly minted queen of a ravenous empire. Those were the colors that King Ravi had chosen for you. The seamstress had come by as entrusted and she brought with her a heavy trunk with her that required the assistance from two of the castle’s footmen. The trunk was stuffed with all sorts of fabrics in the prescribed shades. Her assistant hauled armfuls of catalogs and patterns with her. The meeting took place in the Princess’ chambers as the Princess also needed a new dress for the occasion and had an ample receiving room built into her quarters. It made the most sense to hold the encounter there. Several ladies-in-waiting stood silently alongside Minah as they lined a wall. She fit right in with her purple livery. Her manners were impeccable as usual but somehow, the sight discomforted you. As if the girl you knew was a finely crafted illusion and this might be her true demeanor. 

The seamstress set herself up on the coffee table and began hanging sample gowns on a rolling rack. It seemed like a magic trick, the way she continuously pulled garment after garment out of her bottomless box. You watched the unfamiliar display in fascination from your seat besides the Princess on a firm sofa that you were sure was intended to keep your posture immaculate.

The assistant and the ladies-in-waiting moved to lift and spread the loose fabrics draped on the table across the Princess’ lap so she could inspect them. You watched on in enchantment as she simultaneously thumbed through a booklet of designs and judged the swaths laid out before her. She was clearly in her element. Minah also blended in seamlessly with the sea of women. Only you were obviously out of place, not saying a thing and observing like an outsider. They effortlessly threw around terms you had never heard of and you could only infer that they were referring to the construction of the frocks. The Princess expertly described the way she wanted her gown to look and fit. It was to be aubergine-colored with a tight-fitting bodice and a skirt puffy with tulle and covered with taffeta. You could imagine it, girlish and would give off the impression that she was younger than she actually was. It was of course strategic, as the attention had to be deflected from her in case anyone were to consider her a viable marriage candidate.

Royal Counsel (Part 13)

Part 12: https://kpopnlockit.tumblr.com/post/670237196666765312/royal-counsel-part-12

Part 14: Cake and Didlo : Royal Counsel (Part 14) (tumblr.com)

You wanted to be you again. Just a few months ago, you would have been able to stand tall and proud and there would be no question of the conviction behind your words. Things were different now and you were no longer that woman. For all your fear of dying, you had not realized that you had already died. Or rather, your life as you knew it had expired. You had not discerned that, and therefore, had not mourned. There had not been time to do so. You still had no time to do so. You were very much reminded of that as you tried to avoid stomping on King Ravi’s feet.

As promised, two days after your dinner N had sought you out and brought you to King Ravi’s study. It happened to be right next door to the library, rather than the small one in his personal chambers. Much like the library, the room was dim, with heavy browns being the primary color scheme. Though dark, it exuded a sense of warmth. He sat in a plush red chair whose frame was made of wrought metal behind a beautiful cherry wood desk. The work surface was partially obscured by stacks of paperwork. The study was far more decorated than the King’s quarters but had a similar sense of earthiness. The wall to the left consisted of cherry wood shelves that housed leather bound books and some historical artifacts tastefully scattered throughout. The wall to the right was mostly covered by a sepia-toned world map. King Ravi’s desk was towards the back wall, with the posterior of his chair facing french doors that undoubtedly led to a balcony. The doors were framed by camel-colored muslin curtains.

The desk faced the middle of the room. It was massive, probably the largest you had ever seen. You wondered how they had gotten it through the doorway into the study. More than likely, they built the behemoth right where it stood. There was a small grouping of neutral-toned chairs and a sofa that rested on a large rug that appeared to have patterns hailing from G-Idle. The rest of the room was devoid of furniture.

King Ravi looked up as you entered. He wore a plain black robe and his hair was mildly disheveled, as if he had been running his hand through it. He set down his pen and leaned back in his seat. A sliver of his chest was exposed by the action and you could not help but look away. The way he was backlit by the sunlight and his casualness gave him an approachable level of handsomeness that was hard to ignore.

Royal Counsel (Part 12)

Part 11: https://kpopnlockit.tumblr.com/post/655648680378073088/royal-counsel-part-11

Part 13: https://kpopnlockit.tumblr.com/post/672949916151250944/royal-counsel-part-13

There were some perks to being the live-in fiance to a King. His wealth was also yours to an extent. Once you were officially married, access to Vixx’s royal finances would be increased and it was a wonder that they already trusted you so much. However, you supposed that was because they could behead you at the smallest show of treason.

Your meeting with the Princess had been productive. You had extracted a few good tidbits from her. Combining King Ravi’s money with your new knowledge, you sat down for your weekly dinner feeling like you were wearing armor.

The King’s personal chambers were still dim, but there were more sconces lit as you made your way down the hallway to the dining table. The smell of damp earth tinged the air, but it was not unpleasant. It gave the quarters a sense of familiarity that was welcomed. He had sent another dress, simple and eggplant-colored. The long hem dragged along the granite floors, but you did not worry about it getting dirty. The halls were so well maintained that you could lick them and not be worried about falling ill. You sat in the chair a butler pulled out for you. You exchanged pleasantries with King Ravi as decorum dictated.

“Hello,” he greeted as your chair was pushed in closer to the table by the butler. The man disappeared as soon as you were settled.

“Good evening Ravi,” you returned, straightening your spine and rolling your shoulders back. It was a show of false comfort and dignity that you knew he could see right through. Pretense was everything though.