Chapter Text
Namjoon silently stared at the view outside his window, eyes sad and his whole being exhausted and glum.
He didn't think it was ever possible for his father to fall like this but the evidence was right in front of him. The kingdom he loved and grew up in was in flames.
He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead on the glass.
Namjoon couldn't lie to himself, he knew this was coming but he hoped...somehow maybe his father would listen. He hoped too much that the royal family was strong enough.
It was a foolish hope.
He sighed and without opening his eyes, stumbled to sit.
Namjoon had ben imprisoned long enough to be familiar with the furniture in his jail.
Though that may be too much of a term for his room. He was still in an exquisite suite. Everything was high class enough that he knew he wouldn't have normally been able to have them in his rooms.
He was only 7th Prince of the GeonSeon Empire after all.
Unwanted. Weak. Just the weed sullying the Royal Family.
A Prince only in name.
If he wasn't...maybe he could've change it all?
The 'Homunculi' system was doomed to fail eventually. He always knew this.
"Homunculus..." He scoffed, opening his amber eyes and glaring at his luxurious ceiling.
Beings with extraordinary abilities...created with magic and alchemy...solely loyal and made for the absolute power of the monarchy.
Ordered to do the Royal family's bidding, they were sent to bring peace and power to the empire.
Supposedly.
In other words, they were no more than slaves without their own thoughts and mobility, living and dying by the whims of the monarchy and the rich and nobles alike.
Of course, there were those who acknowledged as the 'Imperial Knights'. The highest they could reach as the personal homunculus of the Royal family.
Who were more of a Royal Toy than a knight.
He squeezed his eyes shut, clenching his jaw.
He hated it.
He hated all of it.
He refused to participate in this system. He tried to persuade his father to rethink on this but in the end, it was all for nothing.
Who would listen to him?
Certainly not his father, Emperor Beom-seok GeonSeon who did not care for the situation.
Nor would it be Prince Ban-Ryu, who was third in line for the throne, but made the situation worse after becoming the Crown Prince.
The homunculi was treated worse than he thought possible.
Overworked to death on menial labor. Dangerous expeditions and torture from their owner's pleasure. Made to be exploited so that the rich grew more powerful and richer.
Worse off were the Imperial Knights who were the Crown Prince's playthings. Used and abused wil doll like eyes and glimpses of pain the only things you'd see in their expressions.
It was enough to make him want to kill himself for the guilt of it all.
Wondering...if he was the Crown Prince, would things have gone better?
Scoffing he breathed heavily.
Him? The Crown Prince?
He was an eyesore.
The moment his brother became the Heir to the throne, he'd been planning to use Namjoon to further his goals.
A bargaining chip. No more than a pawn to be sold to the highest bidder.
He's been dreading it. His marriage.
He was about to be sold to a foreign, old, Monarch. Not even as a husband Prince but as part of their harem. Essentially no better than a whore.
Then it happened.
He felt even guiltier about it. How he was the tiny bit relieved. When the Hexad Kings of the Homunculi rose to rebel.
Somehow, the Hexad had been immune to the brainwashing of the Imperial Family. They bided their time and when the right time struck, they rebelled.
The rich, the nobles....the Imperial family were no match for all the homunculi in the empire. They were outnumbered 3 to 1.
They won.
The new Kings of the new world.
Sighing, his eyes opened and watched the light on the only candle burning in his room.
Of the Imperial Family, only the twin Roses would remain.
Chung-Ae and Chung-Hee.
The symbol of the Imperial Family's power was the 'Philosopher's Stone'. It only worked for those who had the blood of the Imperial Family flowing through their veins.
The new Kings would need at least one remaining Imperial Family member to be their puppet.
Of course, the twins, who were essentially one source of power in two bodies was good enough. They weren't powerful enough together to even be a low threat, much less if either of them were separated.
They were the perfect puppet. Beloved Roses of the Empire, weak and easily led.
The two were in love with three of the Kings.
Led by the hear....ha.
"7th Prince...I'm glad to see you awake and well."
Namjoon's sharp eyes glanced to the side, where the imposing figure of one of the Kings was visible.
"Ser Jungkook...?"
The famous dark purple, almost indigo hair of the King shined dimly by the candle's light and the King's calm half-lidded dark eyes stared at him intensely.
Ser Jungkook, the rumored strongest of the Kings...and my half-sister, Chung-Ae the 8th Princess' favorite of the twin Roses' trio of Personal Knights.
"It's been a while since we last saw each other..." He calmly intoned, with what looked like the beginnings of a smile on his face.
The instigator of treason.
Namjoon took a deep breath, withholding a sigh, "May I ask, what are you doing here, Ser Jungkook?"
The strongest of the Kings' smile widened and his eyes opened a tad, "Am I not allowed to see you, 7th Prince?"
Namjoon's jaw clenched, "Please don't answer my question with a question of your own."
Jungkook smirked, looking down at the 7th Prince, his posture relaxed even though he stood almost at attention before Namjoon. Which the 7th Prince honestly puzzled over.
"Well, I had some time and I wanted to make sure you were doing alright."
Namjoon scoffed, closing his eyes and leaning his head back. Unnoticed to the 7th Prince, the strongest King's eyes darkened as it travelled along the expanse of the Prince's exposed neck.
"You're taking this too lightly, Ser. I believe you and the other Kings have plenty to be busy about. I don't need a babysitter."
Silently, Jungkook stared at the 7th Prince before he clenched his fists and loomed over the Imperial family member.
"Joon..."
Namjoon's eyes popped open in surprise and he startled back at how close the other's face was to his. He could feel the light breath caressing his lips and he couldn't help but stiffen.
In fright or shock...or something else, he didn't know.
"Joon...I understand your anger but it's not like there's nothing between us that my concern would be strange to you."
Incredulous, Namjoon glared at the looming homunculus above him and growled, "Concern? What concern would you have to your prison--"
"You should've chose me."
Abruptly cut off, Namjoon stared at the dark eyes above him in surprise, not sure if he hear it right.
"You should've chosen us, Namjoon."
Bewildered, the 7th Prince was about to question the King when he interrupted again, "You wouldn't have to go through this if you've chosen us. Your Imperial Knights."
Namjoon's eyes dimmed, choosing an Imperial Knight...his own personal knights...it was impossible.
The Imperial Knight were nothing more than slaves...he wanted nothing to do with this practice.
But because of that, he was treated with ridicule and the Royal who didn't know their place. Unworthy of the Imperial Blood in his veins.
Closing his eyes, Namjoon took a deep breath before opening them with a glare and slapping the arms caging him, "Don't take me for a fool. It wasn't me that you wanted to choose you. You just wanted the foolish 7th Prince to be your puppet. At least that way, you wouldn't have to put up with two Imperial Family member's left instead."
Jungkook sighed and ran a gloved hand through his hair and for a moment, Namjoon swore he could almost see a pout in one of the King's lips, "You truly are something, 7th Prince."
A knock on the door stopped their stares and Namjoon saw who had to be another one of the Hexad Kings.
He wasn't as tall as the elite of Homunculi was, the ones specifically engineered to be the best of the best, but he had the aura of someone strong enough that Namjoon doubted even the strongest King would have an easy time fighting him.
His long blond hair, almost the color of the Imperial Family's was half tied up and the livid scar that almost blinded the Homunculi stood out on his face.
"Yoongi?" Ser Jungkook asked, his brows furrowing in thought and the other King, Yoongi coldly intoned, "Those trash are whining. Especially the experiment."
Namjoon couldn't help but tilt his head slight, 'Trash? Experiment?'
Yoongi caught the slight action and his intense eyes stared straight at Namjoon's instead.
Though startled, Namjoon's amber eyes could only gaze at the other curiously, fascinated despite himself of another Homunculus who defied all odds.
The blonde did not stop his stare but it broke when Jungkook stepped in their field of vision, looking hesitant and somewhat sullen.
An expression Namjoon didn't think the other was capable of.
"It seems we must go, Joon." The King softly said, using his nickname again and gazing at him steadily.
Flustered, Namjoon wasn't sure what he was supposed to answer to that but the Indigo haired King just nodded before turning around and leaving.
"See you again, 7th Prince."
Yoongi, glanced at Namjoon again before smirking lightly at the other King, "Look forward to it, Princeling."
Namjoon tensed and as he was left alone again and he breathed deeply, 'Look forward....? To his execution?'
"It's been a while, brother." Twin voices spoke and Namjoon turned his head to watch the last 2 Roses left of the Imperial Family.
Chung-Hee was the 8th Prince of GeonSeon. His bright blonde hair was long and curled, reaching his shoulders. His kind face hid the cunning mind behind large red eyes. The same eyes he shared with his sister.
Chung-Ae the 6th Princess of GeonSeon. With the same features as her twin except for her longer hair, they were the twin White Roses of Royalty. Kind and bubbly, everyone loved them.
And they were the only ones left.
As the two walked close to him, Namjon noticed a big difference with his sister.
His eyes widened.
Chung-Ae chuckled, "I believe you've noticed now, brother. I've been quite far along now."
Namjoon almost sputtered, "You truly are pregnant?"
Sitting beside him, Chun-Hee shrugged as elegantly as he sprawled, "Yes. She is indeed. Quite the feat, specially it's Ser Jungkook."
The 7th Prince's head whipped to the other Prince astonished, 'Homunculi can't reproduce...?'
Only a gentle smile showed in Chung-Hee's face and looking back at Chung-Ae who also sat beside him, the Princess was smiling as well, "I know it might seem unbelievable but with the Philosopher's Stone...well, anything is possible with our love."
Namjoon almost scoffed out loud, 'Love?' but refrained and said instead, "You just missed him. He left a while ago."
"Don't be like that, brother. We came to see you." Chung-Hee sighed leaning against Namjoon and he couldn't help but soften at them.
"Really?"
Chung-Ae leaned closer to him as well and answered, "Of course! We heard it...your execution was scheduled today."
Namjoon stiffened, his body going rigid before it went boneless, "Ha~I knew it. It's today, huh?"
Unnoticed to him the twins glanced at each other on either side of him and smirked. Chung-Hee nodded, making sure that he didn't lose contact with his poor brother, "Yes. We wanted to make sure we saw you one last time."
The 7th Prince sighed his hands clasping his twin siblings' as he tiredly said, "It's alright. I was expecting it anyway. Somehow...I knew it's going to be today."
Chung-Ae squeezed his hand and trembling lips parted, "Were you aware of how the rest of our family died, brother?"
Namjoon looked grim, "They were beheaded."
Chung-Hee sighed, "If only....it wasn't all of them. Everyone of them died at the hands of their Personal Knights. Whatever method they used, the Hexad Kings granted it all. Poetic justice, I think they believe it."
The 6th Princess whispered, almost as if she was afraid to even say it, "I guess it depended on how they were treated. Ban-ryu was the worst off. They...I think they stabbed him over and over again before he slowly died by fire."
Namjoon murmured, "Just like how brother preferred to dispose the Homunculus who outlived their purpose for him."
The 8th Prince responded, "Quite so...and your executioner's already been decided, brother."
Chung-Ae nodded, "Where it all began...with the people who had more cause to hate the last of the Imperial Family enemy...the Hexad Kings."
Namjoon turned, unseeing eyes looking outside the massive windows again, towards the fire and smoke.