A bit long to introduce the children. Jinseol not forgotten, just not in this scene. 💜
It’s been years since the Queen’s quarters were truly quiet. A decade ago she would have been sitting in her quarters, plotting how she could escape Jungkook.
Nowadays, at night, there is always some noise around her. Footsteps in the corridor,
a distant report from the guards, the soft chatter of attendants outside the doors… and children. Her children. Their children.
Junseol and Ayra’s voices overlap again in the inner room, probably arguing about some senseless subject. Their voices sharp and overly competitive for their young age. Y/N had to keep close eye on those two as they seem to have inherited the lack of empathy of their father.
Areum with her big dark eyes is once again muttering by herself, wandering about kingdoms and princes in her unrealistic idea of the world. Heaven’s forbid her father hearing about her future wedding with the non-existent dashing prince.
Y/N is sure she can’t mediate another argument between daughter and father.
Jia, the quiet studious child, is reading aloud from a text on etiquette, correcting herself every few lines. Her soft whispery voice usually is not easily detected but tonight is way too loud.
Aesul’s small hands slap against a lacquered table in rhythm she has invented herself. The toddler is lively and her adventurous personality is already showing.
And Jin-ah, the latest addition to the litter. A bit small for her age, 4 months fresh out o the womb. A little princess with a life so rich that she will never even know what “No” means.
Perhaps I should read a bit to distract myself. The queen thought to herself.
She could not even reach the end of the first page when she hears glass breaking and a baby crying followed by Jia’s protest and Areum’s scream.
Not one noise at a time, all sounds must come together. Y/N stands perfectly still in the center of all the chaos.
The queen is very composes or at least that’s what an outsider would say. She is dressed properly, expression unyielding.
She very much would like to scream with all her lungs.
A court lady steps forward, bowing low.
“Your Majesty, shall I bring someone to clean…”
Y/N raises one hand and the court lady stops talking.
The queen loves her children with all her soul; so much that sometimes it consumes her whole being. Heck, even right now she loves them more than anything.
Sometimes she misses the nights of silence and plotting.
Y/N’s gaze is slightly unfocused, as if she is trying to find air in a room that has none.
“Tell my husband that I need him here. I don’t care if he’s holding court right now. Just tell him that his queen needs him”
Ayra, being the smart child she is and knowing that she is her father’s favorite, decides to step away from her brother and sits near Jia, pretending to be reading a book.
Jia resumes her reading, Areum stops muttering and focuses on her dolls. Aesul stops her toddler music composition and lays down near Ayra, entertaining herself with her sister’s chima.
Y/N suddenly feels a weight settling down very close to her and a head dropping to her lap. Junseol, the second son that lives and breathes his mother raises his hand to touch her face.
“I promise it was an accident. I’ll clean it” he says carefully. His big starry eyes - a copy of his father’s - analyses her features, noticing that his beloved mother has not behaving like herself for the past few months.
Y/N open and closed her mouth, considering if she should tell him that this wasn’t the point. In the end, she just bottled up her feelings while running her finger’s to her son’s hair.
The council chamber falls silent the moment the palace guard enters. No one interrupts a royal meeting.
Not unless something is wrong.
The guard drops to one knee, head is lowered. “Your Majesty… the Queen requests your presence immediately.”
Jungkook is already standing.
The ministers barely have time to look up before he is halfway to the doors.
“…Her Majesty did not say.”
His stomach twists. The meeting is forgotten.
“Meeting is dismissed. The queen needs me.” that’s all Jungkook says, the minister just look at each other, but they don’t dare to speak another word.
The ministers can wait, The kingdom can wait.
His steps turns into something faster.
Servants flatten themselves against the corridor walls as he passes.
This is always so satisfying right now he doesn’t care because he’s so busy thinking about you and the kids. The truth is that Jungkook hates leaving you alone but duty calls and right now as he’s on his way to you?
Every possibility flashes through his mind.
Were you hurt? Did you collapse?
Not a baby anymore, a growing angel,
One of them? His jaw tightens. He hates not knowing.
He reaches your quarters. The doors open before he even touches them.
Too much silence. It not peaceful. It is careful. Manufactured.
His eyes sweep the room. Broken glass is scattered, but he is not even surprised because this is the routine.
A servant is kneeling beside it.
Jia reading with exaggerated concentration. Areum is suddenly fascinated by her dolls. Ayra pretending she has been reading for hours. Aesul lying suspiciously still.
Every single one of them is pretending. His children are terrible liars.
Then he sees you. You’re sitting perfectly straight.
Hair is immaculate. Robes untouched.
Hands gentle in Junseol’s hair. Anyone else would think you look composed.
He notices the tiny delay before you blink. The distant look in your eyes.
The way your shoulders are just a little too rigid.
The exhausted smile that never quite reaches them.
He doesn’t ask the children what happened. It doesn’t matter. He walks straight to you. Straight to his queen, Straight to his wife.
He can’t decide which frightens him more. He kneels beside your chair without caring who sees. His thumb strokes your knuckles.
Junseol looks between the two of you. “I really didn’t mean to break it, Appa.”
Jungkook barely glances at the shattered vase.
His eyes never leave your face.
He reaches up. His palm cups your cheek. You lean into it and his breath hitches.
Only slightly. But enough.
Enough for him to know you were waiting for this.
“You’ve been carrying too much.” His voice is barely above a whisper and the guilt is starting to hit him.
“Yn I should’ve noticed sooner.”
A flicker of guilt crosses his face.
“I’ve been buried in court…”
“…while you’ve been carrying an entire kingdom inside these rooms.”
His gaze drifts around the nursery.
Five different personalities.
Five endless sources of noise. Five pieces of the two of you.
He loves every single one but he also sees what they’re doing to you.
He looks back at Junseol, “Come here.” The little boy climbs off your lap immediately.
Jungkook ruffles his hair.
“You did the right thing telling the truth.”
Junseol nods. Then quietly gathers the broken pieces himself. Jungkook stands and his voice fills the room. Calm and Firm.
Five little heads snap toward him.
He loves his little family so much. “We’re changing today’s schedule.”
He looks toward the attendants.
“Take the children to the east garden.” Jungkook then looks at the bunch.
“They’ve earned an afternoon outside.”
“And spoil them.” The children are looking at him and Jungkook decides to pause.
Five excited voices erupt at once.
He doesn’t even try to stop them.
He only watches as they rush out, each stopping to hug you before leaving. Junseol lingers the longest.
“I love you, Eomma.” Then he’s gone too.
The room finally becomes quiet. Actually quiet.
For the first time all day, it feels a little weird but in a good way.
He turns back to you and whout a word… He kneels again. This time resting his forehead against your lap.
His arms wrap gently around your waist.
Oh, he’s missed you so much.
Not because he needs comfort. OK, maybe he does but when he saw you with the children, he knows that you’ve been exhausted.
“You don’t have to be strong every minute my love.”
His voice is muffled against your robes.
“You’ve carried me. You’ve carried our children. And you’ve carried this palace.”
“Let me carry you.” He closes his eyes. “I miss you yn… fuck.”
Jungkooks are pressed together in a thin line.
“Not because you’ve gone anywhere.”
“…but because everyone else needs a piece of you.”
He opens up his palm. his long fingers start counting one by one, he recites the names.
He laughs quietly. “And selfishly… my love you have to understand that I want you. Since we’ve started having kids… yn I feel like I’ve lost you.”
Jungkook has always been really demanding and he doesn’t have patience. Not when it comes to you.
His fingers tighten around you.
“I know you love them more than life.”
“They’re allowed to have two parents. You don’t have to be all of them.”
He knows that he is not as present as he would like to be, but nothing is more important to him in the world than your comfort.
His eyes are impossibly soft.
“Yn…Tonight… they’re sleeping with the nurses.”
You open your mouth up to say something, but he waves a hand.
Not at you, never at you. just at the argument.
A faint smile appears. Jungkook knows how to make you happy but most importantly, he knows how to make himself happy., his gaze finds yours.
“I’m stealing my queen back.” His eyes on you feel suddenly so needy. “Even if it’s only for one quiet evening.”
