The Red Caravan [7]
Oct. 17th, 2011 12:47 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poppy_skyPairings: YunJae
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: boyxboy, no historical/geographic setting, AU, adult themes.
Summary: It's Spring time in the capital and everybody rejoices when the Red Caravan and its performers arrive, signaling the start of festival season, however, Prince Yunho is also in town, returning after three years battling in the Holy Land. What happens when the Red Caravan's most famous peformer, Kim Jaejoong, and Prince Yunho meet?
A/N: I'm missing sleep to update, see how much I love you? :) It's a little short, so I apologize. Enjoy~
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: boyxboy, no historical/geographic setting, AU, adult themes.
Summary: It's Spring time in the capital and everybody rejoices when the Red Caravan and its performers arrive, signaling the start of festival season, however, Prince Yunho is also in town, returning after three years battling in the Holy Land. What happens when the Red Caravan's most famous peformer, Kim Jaejoong, and Prince Yunho meet?
A/N: I'm missing sleep to update, see how much I love you? :) It's a little short, so I apologize. Enjoy~
“Fire!”
In an instant half a dozen arrows flew across the grassy field. Some of them lodged themselves in the crude targets set several yards away from the archers while others fell uselessly to the damp ground. Two slaves went to pick up the fallen arrows, their movements quick and nervous.
“Again!” Yunho shouted.
He watched as the small group of training soldiers grabbed another arrow and set it ready to fire, the longbows in their hands creaking from the stretch as the strings were pulled. They had been at it since dawn and the archers were more than a little weary.
The prince was pushing them too hard, their shooting getting worse by the hour. They were new recruits, never haven’t gone to a battle in their lives but Yunho did not feel too bad about giving them hell to quell the turmoil of feelings within himself.
Two days had gone by since the day at the river and he could still feel that sinful blonde on his lips, taste him on the tip of his tongue. When he closed his eyes he could still feel warm breath on his cheek and the steady hand against his hip. When caught unawares by his treacherous thoughts he recalled that brief moment of weakness when he had parted his mouth in pleasure, a shy tongue brushing hesitantly against his teeth as the fiery kiss continued between the two men.
“Hold your arms steady, Shin, or I’ll break them, you hear me?”
The Shin boy, son of a dairy farmer, had only seen ten springs when he had been taken from his parents’ farm and into the King’s army barracks. Most were like him, kids with big, scared eyes that could barely stand under the weight of a sword, let alone hold a bow steadily. However, the threat was not a light one, and he and the others managed to fire another round, their arrows still failing to hit the targets and falling like wisps of straw thrown about by the wind.
Yunho had regained his composure of course, albeit a whole minute later, roughly pushing Jaejoong off him and sending him splashing in the river. They had stared at each panting heavily, Yunho with a bewildered look and Jaejoong with barely concealed hurt clouding his eyes before he transformed his face into an unreadable mask.
They had dressed in silence neither of the two daring to utter a single word of what had happened between them. The walk back was even worse, with the suffocating silence between them making the trek while still in damp clothes even more uncomfortable.
When they returned to the caravan, Changmin was waiting for them outside, the small smile adorning his face quickly disappearing upon noticing the heavy air hanging between the two approaching men. He handed the prince the finished ointment and watched him ride away after muttering a quiet word of gratitude.
That night, Yunho kneeled at the side of his bed and prayed for the first time in months. He prayed for his soul, for his thoughts, for his heart, but also for his kingdom and for his holy destiny as the heir to the throne. He had gone astray from it and hoped no punishment would befall upon his right to rule.
An hour later he stood from his kneeling position on shaky legs, calves stiff and tingly with lack of circulation and knees aching from being in contact with the hard floor for so long.
Not feeling much better, Yunho climbed under the covers, ready to face the sleepless night ahead of him, plagued with mental reruns of what happened that day, interrupted only by his own whispering of a prayer.
He watched as another rain of arrows fell upon the targets. After his threat to one of the archers their aims improved, however some still fell a few ways before the wooden circles.
Suddenly he felt eyes on him. Scanning his eyes across the grassy field he noticed a lone figure standing between the trees on the far end of the field.
The figure of a blonde man.
Jaejoong cocked his head at Yunho—a signal to follow him—and disappeared into the woods.
“That’s enough for today,” the prince called out to the novice archers that were preparing another arrow. They could barely contain their relief at his words, dropping their weary arms to their sides and breaking lines.
He called for his horse, the servant that was holding the mighty beast approaching him with the reins in hand. A pair of guards moved towards their own horses but Yunho stopped them.
“I’m taking a ride alone,” he said mounting the black steed and kicked it to a fast trot in the direction of the woods.
♥ ♥ ♥
He had spent the last two days lying inside the caravan, not even going outside to eat. Junsu would bring him food when he went out and Yoochun tried to cheer him up with jokes and stories, and sometimes he would just sit with him and play some soothing melodies on his guitar. Changmin mostly left him alone and didn’t chide him when he did not help around.
He had acted foolishly. He had not been thinking, that was a given. It was always him and his reckless actions that one day would get him into serious trouble. But he had to know. He had to know if those precious seconds in which the prince had kissed back were a reflection of his true feelings or a moment of lust-weakened resolve.
That’s why that day Jaejoong had woken up at dawn, careful not to wake the sleeping men around him. He climbed down from the caravan, feet sinking onto the ground soundlessly.
Walking through the city he noticed some early risers going about their morning routines. The bakers were already up as was expected, kneading dough inside their shops while their helpers, usually their children, lit the ovens to warm them for the first batch of bread.
He had breakfast at the pub with the nice, plump lady that would secure him a plate of warm food and fresh bread every morning. She stopped her cleaning and tidying to exchange a couple of words with the pretty-faced male that hadn’t come for breakfast the day before.
“I was nursing the wound of rejection,” he answered to her questions about his failure to attend the day before. “Or at least that’s what it seemed like.”
“Who would dare to reject such a charming young man? I bet it was only a moment’s hesitation,” she had said in disbelief, wringing a dirty cloth between her hands.
Jaejoong smiled at her. “I’m going to find out for sure today if my love is reciprocated.”
“Well, good luck, hun,” she wished him and returned to her chores.
He wandered around town, the walk giving him time to think about what he was going to do, before setting towards the castle only to find out from a couple of guards chatting that the prince had left for the fields, taking the amateur archers with him to train.
His feet hurt by the time he made it back through the capital and towards the city gates. He spotted an old man driving a cart full of wool and offered him a pair of silver coins for a ride. The cart was old and rattled on the uneven road but the wool was soft and cushiony under Jaejoong’s tired body.
He jumped off half a mile from the fields, waving goodbye to the old man. It was an hour before noon but he felt no hunger. His stomach was doing flips with every step he took closer to the fields.
Jaejoong went around the perimeter of the grassy area, listening to the air-whipping sounds of the arrows as they sailed through the wind mixed with the prince’s voice as he shouted out commands. The blonde hid behind the trees while he gathered courage to face the prince.
“It’s now or never,” he whispered and walked towards an opening in the trees were he knew he was in plain view.
He watched Yunho, hoping the man would feel his gaze and look towards him. It worked for before long their eyes met and Jaejoong silently called the prince to follow. He went farther into the forest and listened as the sound of horse hooves grew louder.
The ground seemed to shake when horse and rider entered the woods, the war-horse’s hooves thundering upon the root-covered ground. Yunho dismounted gracefully and Jaejoong watched attentively, mesmerized by the sight.
“What are you doing here?” Yunho inquired as he approached the blonde.
There was something unsettling in the way Yunho kept a few steps distance from him but there was certain warmness in his eyes that urged Jaejoong on, gave him courage. He stepped towards the prince and watched him as he swallowed nervously and stepped back.
“There is something I need to know,” he said and took another step. Again, Yunho walked back another step.
They kept at it until Yunho’s back was against a tree and he was forced to stop moving when Jaejoong closed the distance between them.
Yunho’s eyes widened when the blonde drew his hand to gently stroke his face with his thumb, before fluttering closed when he felt warm lips approach his own. His only warning was the warm breath upon his lips before he felt the soft flesh moving gently upon his own.
It was over as quickly as it began, and he opened his eyes to a pair of sorrowful gray orbs.
“Was I rejected?” the blonde asked, “I must know from your words because your attitude says one thing but your lips say the other. Which one should I trust? Which one is my answer?”
There was a moment when neither spoke, just looked at each other. Jaejoong was the first one to look away, sadness pooling in his eyes as the realization that Yunho’s silence told more than his words ever would.
He started to move away, intend on going home and forgetting about it, when suddenly he was grabbed by the chin and forced to turn around to look at the prince.
In an instant the prince’s lips were upon his own, kissing him harshly. One of the taller man’s hands was on his neck, the other on his hip holding him steadily. His lips hurt from the onslaught; however, he hadn’t felt better in his life.
“How dare you say you’re not following me when you appear before me like this, when you appear in my every thought, my every dream?” said Yunho, punctuating every word with a peck upon Jaejoong’s lips.
“If my soul is to be damned then so be it. My only consolation is that you’re coming to hell with me,” Yunho continued.
They kissed for what seemed for hours after that. Content to be in each other’s company they sat on the leafy ground of the woods, Jaejoong between Yunho’s spread legs listening to the chirping of the birds. Jaejoong’s lips tingled and he smiled to himself, leaning back on Yunho’s broad chest. He did not mind going to hell one bit if he could spend his living days kissing the prince.
♥ ♥ ♥
Dinner in the royal palace was usually a quiet affair if it were not for the clattering of cutlery and the servants setting several dishes on the table, most of which would return to the kitchens untouched. The king and queen would take their meal together but rarely did they ever speak much during the event. So it was surprising for the queen when the king announced he had something to tell his wife.
“A letter arrived,” he said after swallowing a mouthful of wine. “Princess Sooyoung from the Jeon islands will be paying us a visit this month.”
“That’s great news. I’ll make sure she’s comfortable during her stay,” the queen agreed, happy to organize various social events to entertain the princess. “I’m definitely throwing a welcoming party.”
The king nodded.
“You do that, and make sure our son attends. It’s time he met his fiancée, don’t you think?”
In an instant half a dozen arrows flew across the grassy field. Some of them lodged themselves in the crude targets set several yards away from the archers while others fell uselessly to the damp ground. Two slaves went to pick up the fallen arrows, their movements quick and nervous.
“Again!” Yunho shouted.
He watched as the small group of training soldiers grabbed another arrow and set it ready to fire, the longbows in their hands creaking from the stretch as the strings were pulled. They had been at it since dawn and the archers were more than a little weary.
The prince was pushing them too hard, their shooting getting worse by the hour. They were new recruits, never haven’t gone to a battle in their lives but Yunho did not feel too bad about giving them hell to quell the turmoil of feelings within himself.
Two days had gone by since the day at the river and he could still feel that sinful blonde on his lips, taste him on the tip of his tongue. When he closed his eyes he could still feel warm breath on his cheek and the steady hand against his hip. When caught unawares by his treacherous thoughts he recalled that brief moment of weakness when he had parted his mouth in pleasure, a shy tongue brushing hesitantly against his teeth as the fiery kiss continued between the two men.
“Hold your arms steady, Shin, or I’ll break them, you hear me?”
The Shin boy, son of a dairy farmer, had only seen ten springs when he had been taken from his parents’ farm and into the King’s army barracks. Most were like him, kids with big, scared eyes that could barely stand under the weight of a sword, let alone hold a bow steadily. However, the threat was not a light one, and he and the others managed to fire another round, their arrows still failing to hit the targets and falling like wisps of straw thrown about by the wind.
Yunho had regained his composure of course, albeit a whole minute later, roughly pushing Jaejoong off him and sending him splashing in the river. They had stared at each panting heavily, Yunho with a bewildered look and Jaejoong with barely concealed hurt clouding his eyes before he transformed his face into an unreadable mask.
They had dressed in silence neither of the two daring to utter a single word of what had happened between them. The walk back was even worse, with the suffocating silence between them making the trek while still in damp clothes even more uncomfortable.
When they returned to the caravan, Changmin was waiting for them outside, the small smile adorning his face quickly disappearing upon noticing the heavy air hanging between the two approaching men. He handed the prince the finished ointment and watched him ride away after muttering a quiet word of gratitude.
That night, Yunho kneeled at the side of his bed and prayed for the first time in months. He prayed for his soul, for his thoughts, for his heart, but also for his kingdom and for his holy destiny as the heir to the throne. He had gone astray from it and hoped no punishment would befall upon his right to rule.
An hour later he stood from his kneeling position on shaky legs, calves stiff and tingly with lack of circulation and knees aching from being in contact with the hard floor for so long.
Not feeling much better, Yunho climbed under the covers, ready to face the sleepless night ahead of him, plagued with mental reruns of what happened that day, interrupted only by his own whispering of a prayer.
He watched as another rain of arrows fell upon the targets. After his threat to one of the archers their aims improved, however some still fell a few ways before the wooden circles.
Suddenly he felt eyes on him. Scanning his eyes across the grassy field he noticed a lone figure standing between the trees on the far end of the field.
The figure of a blonde man.
Jaejoong cocked his head at Yunho—a signal to follow him—and disappeared into the woods.
“That’s enough for today,” the prince called out to the novice archers that were preparing another arrow. They could barely contain their relief at his words, dropping their weary arms to their sides and breaking lines.
He called for his horse, the servant that was holding the mighty beast approaching him with the reins in hand. A pair of guards moved towards their own horses but Yunho stopped them.
“I’m taking a ride alone,” he said mounting the black steed and kicked it to a fast trot in the direction of the woods.
♥ ♥ ♥
He had spent the last two days lying inside the caravan, not even going outside to eat. Junsu would bring him food when he went out and Yoochun tried to cheer him up with jokes and stories, and sometimes he would just sit with him and play some soothing melodies on his guitar. Changmin mostly left him alone and didn’t chide him when he did not help around.
He had acted foolishly. He had not been thinking, that was a given. It was always him and his reckless actions that one day would get him into serious trouble. But he had to know. He had to know if those precious seconds in which the prince had kissed back were a reflection of his true feelings or a moment of lust-weakened resolve.
That’s why that day Jaejoong had woken up at dawn, careful not to wake the sleeping men around him. He climbed down from the caravan, feet sinking onto the ground soundlessly.
Walking through the city he noticed some early risers going about their morning routines. The bakers were already up as was expected, kneading dough inside their shops while their helpers, usually their children, lit the ovens to warm them for the first batch of bread.
He had breakfast at the pub with the nice, plump lady that would secure him a plate of warm food and fresh bread every morning. She stopped her cleaning and tidying to exchange a couple of words with the pretty-faced male that hadn’t come for breakfast the day before.
“I was nursing the wound of rejection,” he answered to her questions about his failure to attend the day before. “Or at least that’s what it seemed like.”
“Who would dare to reject such a charming young man? I bet it was only a moment’s hesitation,” she had said in disbelief, wringing a dirty cloth between her hands.
Jaejoong smiled at her. “I’m going to find out for sure today if my love is reciprocated.”
“Well, good luck, hun,” she wished him and returned to her chores.
He wandered around town, the walk giving him time to think about what he was going to do, before setting towards the castle only to find out from a couple of guards chatting that the prince had left for the fields, taking the amateur archers with him to train.
His feet hurt by the time he made it back through the capital and towards the city gates. He spotted an old man driving a cart full of wool and offered him a pair of silver coins for a ride. The cart was old and rattled on the uneven road but the wool was soft and cushiony under Jaejoong’s tired body.
He jumped off half a mile from the fields, waving goodbye to the old man. It was an hour before noon but he felt no hunger. His stomach was doing flips with every step he took closer to the fields.
Jaejoong went around the perimeter of the grassy area, listening to the air-whipping sounds of the arrows as they sailed through the wind mixed with the prince’s voice as he shouted out commands. The blonde hid behind the trees while he gathered courage to face the prince.
“It’s now or never,” he whispered and walked towards an opening in the trees were he knew he was in plain view.
He watched Yunho, hoping the man would feel his gaze and look towards him. It worked for before long their eyes met and Jaejoong silently called the prince to follow. He went farther into the forest and listened as the sound of horse hooves grew louder.
The ground seemed to shake when horse and rider entered the woods, the war-horse’s hooves thundering upon the root-covered ground. Yunho dismounted gracefully and Jaejoong watched attentively, mesmerized by the sight.
“What are you doing here?” Yunho inquired as he approached the blonde.
There was something unsettling in the way Yunho kept a few steps distance from him but there was certain warmness in his eyes that urged Jaejoong on, gave him courage. He stepped towards the prince and watched him as he swallowed nervously and stepped back.
“There is something I need to know,” he said and took another step. Again, Yunho walked back another step.
They kept at it until Yunho’s back was against a tree and he was forced to stop moving when Jaejoong closed the distance between them.
Yunho’s eyes widened when the blonde drew his hand to gently stroke his face with his thumb, before fluttering closed when he felt warm lips approach his own. His only warning was the warm breath upon his lips before he felt the soft flesh moving gently upon his own.
It was over as quickly as it began, and he opened his eyes to a pair of sorrowful gray orbs.
“Was I rejected?” the blonde asked, “I must know from your words because your attitude says one thing but your lips say the other. Which one should I trust? Which one is my answer?”
There was a moment when neither spoke, just looked at each other. Jaejoong was the first one to look away, sadness pooling in his eyes as the realization that Yunho’s silence told more than his words ever would.
He started to move away, intend on going home and forgetting about it, when suddenly he was grabbed by the chin and forced to turn around to look at the prince.
In an instant the prince’s lips were upon his own, kissing him harshly. One of the taller man’s hands was on his neck, the other on his hip holding him steadily. His lips hurt from the onslaught; however, he hadn’t felt better in his life.
“How dare you say you’re not following me when you appear before me like this, when you appear in my every thought, my every dream?” said Yunho, punctuating every word with a peck upon Jaejoong’s lips.
“If my soul is to be damned then so be it. My only consolation is that you’re coming to hell with me,” Yunho continued.
They kissed for what seemed for hours after that. Content to be in each other’s company they sat on the leafy ground of the woods, Jaejoong between Yunho’s spread legs listening to the chirping of the birds. Jaejoong’s lips tingled and he smiled to himself, leaning back on Yunho’s broad chest. He did not mind going to hell one bit if he could spend his living days kissing the prince.
Dinner in the royal palace was usually a quiet affair if it were not for the clattering of cutlery and the servants setting several dishes on the table, most of which would return to the kitchens untouched. The king and queen would take their meal together but rarely did they ever speak much during the event. So it was surprising for the queen when the king announced he had something to tell his wife.
“A letter arrived,” he said after swallowing a mouthful of wine. “Princess Sooyoung from the Jeon islands will be paying us a visit this month.”
“That’s great news. I’ll make sure she’s comfortable during her stay,” the queen agreed, happy to organize various social events to entertain the princess. “I’m definitely throwing a welcoming party.”
The king nodded.
“You do that, and make sure our son attends. It’s time he met his fiancée, don’t you think?”
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-10-17 06:20 am (UTC)jae is really sensitive, he must of been hurt really badly. i'm glad yunho got over his denying thingy and accepted yunho. now all yunho has to do now it not break jae's heart too deathly pieces.
"His only warming" = 'His only warning'
-this was the only mistake i saw.
i can't wait for the next part. i wonder what the fiancee's personality is like (two-faced?). good luck! ^.^
no subject
Date: 2011-10-17 12:51 pm (UTC)Gah, thanks for looking out for mistakes. I usually write really late at night and by the time I should be revising I am all cross-eyed LOL *corrects*.
no subject
Date: 2011-10-17 10:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-17 12:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-17 10:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-17 12:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-17 01:54 pm (UTC)“How dare you say you’re not following me when you appear before me like this, when you appear in my every thought, my every dream?”
--Because of this, I made an lj entry. It hit me hard. Gawd, so beautiful!
no subject
Date: 2011-10-17 06:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-17 03:48 pm (UTC)I'm so curious about the princess, I hope she isn't a spoiled and heartless girl rather a new ally for both of them!
Update soon!
no subject
Date: 2011-10-17 06:19 pm (UTC)You'll have to wait for the next chapters!
no subject
Date: 2011-10-17 10:58 pm (UTC)I'm sure Jae and Yunho will figure that one out. I don't think there are many celibate kings and princes anyways.
a little mistake I see:
"but Yunho did not fell too bad about giving them hell to quell..."
I think it should be "but Yunho did not feel too bad..."
no subject
Date: 2011-10-17 11:10 pm (UTC)Thuuuunks~ *corrects*
no subject
Date: 2011-10-18 09:48 am (UTC)anyways, as i was saying.. wait.. i forgot.
-__-
i love this chapter tho. mainly because it didn't take too long for yunho to realise and accept and confess his feelings to jae. awww.. but but they're just about to romance each other and this princess suddenly appears? T_T waeeeee??? no matter, these type of circumstances are what i like best in fics, as cliche as it may sound, i just love how i can feel the tug at my heart every single time.. haha
thank you for the update. i'll be waiting for the next! :)
no subject
Date: 2011-10-19 02:31 am (UTC)I'm not going to say anything about the princess in fear of spoiling the story for you X)
Thank you for the support!
no subject
Date: 2011-10-18 11:00 pm (UTC)OMG~! I thought Yunho will never break his resolve but now I am so happy he did *squeal*
But now the fiancée comes in the picture gah! =.= And I hoped that now it could only become better >.> Silly me...
Thank You for the hard work bb ^^~
no subject
Date: 2011-10-19 02:34 am (UTC)Thank you for reading and commenting ♥
no subject
Date: 2011-11-02 11:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-02 01:37 pm (UTC)Thanks for reading~
no subject
Date: 2011-11-02 01:23 pm (UTC)Yay, Jae wasn't rejected! OMG Took Yunho long enough! Amirite?! xP And now they're gonna have to deal with a fiancée in the mix? Boo. :( ...but I like Sooyoung >.< lol
*goes to read next chapter*
no subject
Date: 2011-11-02 01:38 pm (UTC)See you in the next chapter ^^
no subject
Date: 2011-11-23 07:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-23 09:53 pm (UTC)(btw, thanks for commenting in most if not all the chapters, you're the reader every writer wants hahaha ♥)
no subject
Date: 2011-11-23 10:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-24 07:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-11-24 07:26 pm (UTC)don't kill me if its bad *hides* I'm actually taking time on my new one, but i haven't posted any of it..
link:
http://larlyssa.livejournal.com/3428.html
no subject
Date: 2011-11-25 04:45 am (UTC)And I bet they aren't bad :) *goes to read*
no subject
Date: 2011-12-01 03:26 am (UTC)*kidnaps the princess and hides her forever*
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Date: 2011-12-01 03:28 am (UTC)Either you're reading ridiculously fast or the reply service thingy is extremely slow :|
no subject
Date: 2011-12-01 03:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-01 04:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-12 03:25 pm (UTC)