Chapter Text
⚜️ Time Skip: Eight years later (Jeongguk is 20, Taehyung is 19)
☯ Jeonha (Your Majesty, use to address the king)
☯ Wangseja (Crown Prince)
☯ Seja-jeoha (His Royal Highness, use to address the crown prince)
There was chaos in the palace because the crown prince suddenly fell ill. The royal physician, along with the best doctors in Hanyang were summoned to check on Jeongguk.
The prince lay in his bed, writhing in pain, his breathing laboured, and his pulse and heartbeat becoming weak and irregular.
"What's wrong with my son?!" Namjoon demanded of the doctors as soon as he entered Jeongguk's chamber. Jin, who was sitting next to his son's bed, gently wiping the sweat from Jeongguk's face, did not look up at Namjoon. Despite feeling hurt by Jin's indifference, Namjoon knew he was to blame for the strain in their relationship. The doctors examining the crown prince stepped aside to allow Namjoon to come closer to Jeongguk. He felt a wave of pain seeing his son's condition.
The royal physician stepped forward. "Jeonha, Wangseja was poisoned with wolfsbane," he revealed.
"What?! How could this happen? We have tight security in the palace and the food of the royal family is always tested before we eat them?" Namjoon yelled, anger surging through him. Jin remained silent as he continued to wipe Jeongguk's face.
"Wangseja is already out of danger. I have given him activated carbon to absorb the wolfsbane from his body. It's a blessing that the crown prince is a true blood or else he would have been dead by now. His wolf was able to slow down the spread of poison," the doctor explained. "We'll take our leave now, Jeonha. Seja Jeongguk needs to rest for his body to recuperate from the poison," he added, bowing to Namjoon and Jin before leaving the room. The other doctors followed behind him.
Namjoon released a sigh of relief and sat beside Jin. "I will summon First Minister Han and his son, who is the head of security, to investigate who did this. I will not spare those who tried to harm the crown prince."
Jin chuckled humorlessly and spoke after keeping silent earlier, "Do you really not know who did this? I thought you were the genius between us." Jin's tone had a bite to it.
"What do you mean, Jin?" Namjoon countered, his brows furrowed in confusion.
"You tell me, aren't you the one who bedded concubine after concubine and fathered seven children who are all fighting to sit on the throne?" Jin shot back, then refocused on caring for his ill son.
Namjoon was speechless after that. How could he defend himself when Jin was right? In his intention to strengthen Hanyang, he created enmity between his consorts and children who were all coveting the throne. But there's no use regretting it now; he has to do something to protect Jeongguk.
⚜️
A week after the incident, Jeongguk was recovering faster than anticipated, but he still wasn't allowed to attend his royal obligations.
Namjoon called for a closed-door meeting in the conference hall. All of his consorts and ministers were in attendance.
"I called you all here today to discuss the incident that happened to the crown prince a week ago," Namjoon began, with Jin, the King Consort, sitting beside him. The other consorts eyed Jin with jealousy and envy. Although they were aware of the strained relationship between the king and the king consort, it didn't change the fact that Namjoon still favored Jin and his son, Jeongguk. This favoritism was evident in the size and luxury of their chambers, as well as in the expensive gifts they received during celebrations. However, little did the others know that those gifts held no value to Jin and Jeongguk. "Chan, as the crown prince's head of security, how did wolfsbane get near him?" Namjoon addressed the bodyguard chief sternly.
"Punish me, Jeonha, for my incompetence. A chambermaid was the culprit. She mixed wolfsbane extracts into the crown prince's kombucha tea," Chan replied, kneeling and bowing his head to Namjoon.
"Where is the chambermaid now? We have to interrogate her to find out who ordered her to do this. I'm sure someone is behind this. A mere chamber maid would never try to harm the crown prince unless she was coerced," Namjoon muttered with conviction.
Minister Han bowed again before speaking, "We apologize, Jeonha, but the chamber maid has already passed away -she was murdered."
Namjoon stood up from his seat, his eyes fixed on the ministers and guards in the meeting. "Minister Han, I want you to investigate this matter thoroughly. I want those involved in poisoning the crown prince to be punished," Namjoon ordered, his voice sharp and cutting through the hall.
"We will do our best, your majesty," Minister Han answered. Glancing around the hall, he continued, "Your majesty, if I may suggest?"
Namjoon turned his attention to the minister. "What is it, Minister Han?" he asked.
"Your majesty, this attempt on the crown prince's life might happen again. Don't you think the crown prince should choose someone among his concubines to have an heir with?" the minister replied, glancing at the other ministers as if asking for their support. The ministers nodded in agreement.
Jin couldn't help but scoff at that, "His concubines?" he mumbled to himself. Jeongguk was never even consulted or asked before the king and his greedy ministers set up a concubine wing for him, a place Jeongguk never once checked out or visited. Jin knew very well the hidden agenda behind Minister Han's suggestion. He had been pushing for his niece, Sohee, to be Jungkook's first consort and bear his heir. "Excuse me, Minister Han, but don't you think this matter should be discussed in front of the crown prince? My son isn't a puppet who will bend to your whims and follow what you all decide for him," Jin cut in, his demeanor remaining calm despite fuming inside. "My son is still unwell, yet you wanted to discuss his betrothal. Don't you think it's uncalled for?"
"Your Highness, I'm just concerned about the future of Hanyang. The crown prince is at the right age to marry and mate. He has been experiencing ruts since he was 18, but he has never shown interest in any of the concubines chosen for him. Rumors have been spreading that he is incapable of intimacy," Minister Han replied.
Jin looked around at the other consorts and saw the taunting smirks on their faces. They were among those spreading rumors about Jeongguk because he never asked for help during his ruts, unlike his siblings. They had people cater to them at the very first sign of their ruts and heats.
Jin let out a sardonic laugh, then shot Minister Han a deathly glare, causing the old man to falter a bit. "Are you implying that my son, the crown prince, is impotent?" He then looked at Namjoon, his deep blue eyes piercing through him. "You dare allow such disrespect against my son, the crown prince of this kingdom! Just because my son refused to follow in your footsteps, you are letting your ministers and consorts spread rumors about him."
Second Consort Seola interrupted him, "Do you have proof, King Consort, that we are involved with the rumors spreading about the crown prince? Maybe if he weren't so adamant about maintaining his chastity, there wouldn't be any rumors regarding his abilities in bed."
"Well, I'm glad my son isn't a lowlife manwhore like his siblings," Jin retorted.
"Why don't you just admit that the crown prince isn't capable of intimacy?" Hyuna, who used to be the Second Consort but was demoted for not giving birth to an alpha child, interjected.
"Enough!" Namjoon yelled, and the entire hall quieted at the King's authoritative voice. "Minister Han, I agree with you. The crown prince has reached the age to marry, mate, and produce an heir. We will discuss this at another time."
Minister Han's face brightened at the King's words. "I will inform the concubines to prepare themselves to meet the crown prince after he has recovered," he replied.
Suddenly, the door of the hall burst open. The strong scent of bonfires flooded the room as Jeongguk entered, still a little pale from wolfsbane poisoning. He stood there, exuding so much power that everyone present, except Jin, felt their knees weaken.
Jeongguk walked over and stood beside Namjoon. He looked at each of the ministers and his father's consorts before fixing his gaze on Minister Han. "Has the King's sexual life become too boring for all of you that you're now focusing on mine?" he asked assertively, flashing a fake smile. "If you think you can meddle in my marriage and mating like you did with my father, then you're all fools," he retorted.
"Seja-jeoha, without an heir, your position as the crown prince will not be secured," Minister Han mumbled in a shaky voice. The suffocating scent of bonfires was making his limbs weak and his eyes tear up.
"And may I ask who would dare challenge my position? I think you all need a reminder of the kind of wolf you're dealing with," Jeongguk growled as the hall shook when he shifted into his wolf. Only his omega father, Jin, had been able to see his alpha side in the past. This was the first time the royal court, Namjoon, and his consorts met Jeongguk's wolf, and they were all left speechless and paralyzed. Just like their scent, Jeongguk's wolf was engulfed in fire as he shifted, causing the spectators to gape in shock, except for Jin who had witnessed it before.
The true blood alpha mind linked with the people in the hall. "If anyone here is brave enough to challenge me, step forward," the wolf's voice boomed in their heads causing their knees to weaken even more. They now realized they couldn't challenge the crown prince.
Minister Han folded and answered meekly, "We wouldn't dare challenge you, your royal highness."
The true blood let out a satisfied howl. Namjoon stared at his son with a mix of pride and fear.
Jin gestured for a servant to bring a robe for Jeongguk. The servant hurried over and returned with a robe in hand, nervously approaching the wolf. He laid the robe in front of it and then quickly scurried away.
The wolf shifted back into Jeongguk, who picked up the robe and covered himself. "Now that this circus is over, I have somewhere to be," he said.
"Jeongguk, where are you going? You aren't well yet. Shouldn't you be resting?" Namjoon asked after recovering from the shock.
"Aba mama (king father), as you can see, I'm fully recovered. You shouldn't worry about me. What you need to worry about are your ministers, who will be jobless as soon as I ascend the throne because I will fire all of them," he replied, then turned to Chan. "And you, Han Chan, I'm replacing you as my chief bodyguard. Min Yoongi will arrive tomorrow to take your place. I don't want someone incompetent to stay with me." With those parting words, Jeongguk left the hall, leaving the Hans dumbfounded.
"Well, I think I should leave too," Jin stood up and exited the hall but not before giving the people there a taunting smirk, including the King.
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