(no subject)
Title: Turandot
Pairing: Jaechun
Rating: G
For Rae [ fairytokyo ]Based loosely on the opera „Turandot” by Puccini.
Prince Yoochun of Korea travels to China with his friend Jaejoong to try and win the hand of the beautiful but cruel-hearted princess Turandot.
Act І
Long, long ago, in a kingdom far, far away, covered with mountains and neighbored by powerful seas, lived a kind and wise king called Yunho. The king was indeed very good and wonderful, and was very much respected by all his subjects, and all his friends cherished him, and his wife, queen Bomi, loved him, because the king also respected and cherished and loved them all. The kingdom of Yunho was prosperous and the people were happy with their lives, and every morning the king would awake pleased, knowing that all in his land was well. At night he would lay next to his queen with a tired smile, having solved successfully many difficult problems that day. But the years passed, and Yunho and his wife Bomi never had a child. The queen desperately wanted a baby to hold and to cuddle, and the king desperately wanted an heir (or heiress) to teach his wise ways and leave the kingdom to, but month after month their fervent prayers were unanswered.
And so days went on, the subjects happy, but the royal couple miserable, when one morning, after king Yunho had gone to tend to his kingly duties, queen Bomi, unable to erase the pain from her heart, entered the shrine of the palace. So desperate she was to finally have a child, that she promised her life away in exchange of an infant. So it happened that at that moment a spirit had perched itself on top of the shrine and heard the queen’s pleas. “So be it”, it said to itself, and nine months later trumpets announced the birth of not one, but two wonderful plump, healthy babies. The queen had given birth to twins, but, exhausted and pained, had used her last breath to give them their names - Yoochun and Yoohwan. And so the king’s happiness caused by the children’s birth was overshadowed by the grief over his dear wife’s death. Not wanting the children to grow without the kind touch of a woman, but not wanting to marry again, he brought a nanny to live in the palace. The nanny was called Yoobin and had children of her own. Not wanting to separate the family, the kind king permitted her close ones live with her and soon her daughter Sohee and her son Jaejoong became friends with the royal children and they were running around the corridors together, all of them landing in the palace gardens, out of breath but still laughing to the point their bellies hurt. King Yunho, being the wonderful king that he was, just smiled upon this, not berating them in any way, because being as wise as he was, he knew that it was important to live as much as you could as child. And so the two princes grew year by year, becoming most handsome and fair both of appearance and of spirit. However, their characters were very different indeed - young prince Yoohwan was very playful and charming, his smiles made of sun, while the older Yoochun preferred the library to the game fields, smile quiet and melancholic. King Yunho could not understand how his children could be so different, but loved them both dearly and tried to teach them all the wise things he knew. They learned well and he was pleased. And so the pain in his heart was dulled, and happiness returned in the royal palace.
Act ІІ
The princes’ 16th birthday came and passed. Yoohwan gracefully accepted the beautiful bow his father gave him and was quick to try it out in the fields of the palace. Yoochun was also pleased with the book he received and as soon as his friend Jaejoong came back from the province where he was visiting his uncle he started reading it to him. Yoochun had foreseen the near future when his father would decide he and his brother no longer needed a nanny and his friends would have to leave him, so he convinced Jaejoong to become a scholar and stay at the palace. Now their free time was spent in the library, Yoochun teaching Jae how to read and write, or discussing the last book they had read together.
“Look, Jaejoong!” the young prince’s voice ringed through the air. “This is the map of China.”
A genuine smile graced his lips as he heard the other’s laugh. “It’s just like you to get excited over geography. Look, it says here that the royal family has ten castles in the country.”
“Eleven, look there’s the hanja for one on the next row.”
Jaejoong whistled as he lay on the floor. “Eleven castles! What would you do if you had eleven castles?”
Yoochun lost himself in thought and, tired of waiting for an answer, his friend started reading the next page. “Legends will be spoken in later centuries of the most beautiful and cruel-hearted princess this world has ever seen. Her skin white as the moon, her fingers cold as snow, her eyes dark as raven’s hair and her gaze as disheartening as the silence of tombstones. Her fairness has earned her countless suitors and her impossible riddles have sent their heads to her feet. Blood covers the princess’s silver-woven dress - the blood of those who ignored the ice enveloping her heart and were shattered in it.”
“I’ve heard of her. So beautiful she is, rumor has it, that the god of wind came from the Heavens to make her his wife, but appalled by her eyes through which death peered he left.”
Jaejoong turned to the next page.
“Yes, it says that right here”
“She asks all who wish to marry her three riddles and those who fail to answer all three lose their heads.”
Not receiving even a grunt for a reply, Yoochun looked down and saw his friend staring at a bright-colored page, breath lost and shaking.
“Look!”
“Move over.”
As Jaejoong did the most exquisite drawing the prince had ever seen appeared in front of his eyes. He couldn’t believe a real human was pictured. All thoughts of the princess’s cruelty and hate left Yoochun’s mind. He could only sigh as Jaejoong caught a hold of himself and closed the book, saying such a beauty is demonic and all who wish for it are doomed. He didn’t hear his friend recite the poems he had learned and excused himself from dinner to the library and steal another look at the heavenly princess. “Turandot”, his lips whispered as his eyes strained to ember the memory of her face in his mind. “Turandot”, he babbled in his sleep as he saw her sitting majestically on her blood-colored throne, with heads pierced by spears surrounding her, their pale and rotten mouths groaning warnings and oaths of love for the princess. “Turandot”, his soul screamed as he lay in the garden and watched the clouds travel north above his head. All and everything around the prince noticed the change, for even though he was melancholic, he was never unhappy, and now he would go around tortured by doubt with a sigh on his lips instead of the usual gentle smile. Only his best friend knew the reason for Yoochun’s behavior, however, and he was very worried and hurt, because during the long years they had spent together he had slowly given his heart away to the kind prince. He saw the dark circles under his friend’s eyes darken a bit more each morning; he saw the book with the cruel princess’s portrait go everywhere Yoochun went. The boy desperately wanted to help his friend, but didn’t know how to do so. For several weeks he slept against the door of the prince’s quarters, for several weeks the prince’s food at the table remained untouched as he was locked in his room with the book. And so king Yunho grew worried for his son. Night after night he tossed in his sleep, bothered because of his child’s pain, and day after day he sat in his throne, chin resting on his hands, trying to discover why the light in Yoochun’s eyes had disappeared. Such one day young Jaejoong decided that it was better to do something, anything at all, than watch his friend hurt himself, and entered the throne room. The king’s worried gaze landed on him.
“What is it, dear boy?” he asked, always kind and polite.
“Oh, King descended from Heavens, I am worried for your eldest son.”
“He has been acting most strangely indeed. Have you a reason for the change in his behavior?”
“Oh, King, may you live forever, this all began when your glorious son saw a portrait of the Chinese princess Turandot. I am afraid my ruler has fallen prey to her fair face.”
The king believed that once he knew the reason for his son’s sighs he could help him out and everything would be fine again, but it did not lift the burden off his heart. If anything, it troubled him further.
“That is horrible news! My beloved son has fallen in love with that statue, you say? But then he is as good as dead!”
As wise as the king was, he could not discover a way out of the situation. He feared the day the prince would come and ask permission to travel to China. And one sunny morning that day came. Yoochun ordered his servant make his bags, he chose a horse and went to bid farewell to his family and friends. After he let go of Yoohwan he turned around, looking for Jaejoong, but he was nowhere to be seen. Yoochun’s heart fell thinking he would have to leave without bidding goodbye to the boy he cared for so much and went looking for him. He found him in the stables, getting on a horse.
“Jaejoong, what are you doing?”
“Someone will have to drag your dead body back here. Because there is no way you can answer those riddles. You’re obviously tired of living and want an original way to die.”
Yoochun fell silent for a second.
“Jaejoong… Can you imagine what I feel like?” he asked quietly. “Do you know how my heart rebels when I think of her? If I can’t be with her I might as well throw my life away.” Jaejoong looked at him downhearted.
“I’m still coming with you.” he said.
The prince was surprised with his friend’s decision, but was secretly happy, for he did not truly want to travel alone all the way to Beijing. And so they set off within an hour.
Act ІІІ
“We want to rent a room for tonight. Bring our dinner there” Yoochun said to the innkeeper.
Jaejoong brought the luggage to their room and lay down on his bed. The young boys had been traveling together for days now, and they spent more time with each other than they’d ever had. As they neared Beijing Jaejoong felt more and more downcast, because his friend’s madness didn’t show any signs of disappearing. Every night Yoochun went to bed with Turandot’s name on his lips and woke up with a renewed desire. It was torture to watch the boy as his coral lips mumbled her name in his sleep, and each night Jaejoong had to endure it, because he couldn’t fall asleep without seeing nightmares. The name of the princess was embedded deep within his mind and he became to hate it with a passion for the pain it was causing to his dear lord.
The boy closed his eyes for a second and Turandot’s portrait danced on his eyelids. If only Yoochun had never seen it, he thought in despair, if only I hadn’t shown it to him, if only the king hadn’t given him that book.
The door slid open and the prince’s figure entered.
“We have to get up early tomorrow. We’re almost in Beijing!”
“Yes, milord.” Jaejoong said with half-ridicule. At any other time Yoochun would’ve taunted his friend for calling him “milord” but he was so exhilarated with the thought of finally seeing his princess in person for the first time he didn’t even hear the form of address. Jaejoong’s heart sank. Tomorrow he would be losing his friend forever, either because he would be married to that witch, or because he would be lying dead on the ground. Not thinking, he obeyed an impulse and latched himself onto Yoochun, gripping his hanbok. Yoochun’s soul came back to his body and his eyes fell on the other.
“Jae”, he whispered “It’ll be ok.”
“How? How will it be ok? Tell me!”
Yoochun was silent against his friend’s shoulder.
“Why did you have to see that stupid portrait, Yoochun? And how could you fall in love simply by looking at it? Knowing what she is like, too! Do you think you could be happy with her, even if you managed to answer her riddles? She will be as cold as ice forever! People say she can’t feel either happiness or sadness!”
“No! I’ll make her love me! She’ll-”
“Warm up?” a hollow, grim laugh found its way out of Jaejoong’s lips. “When did you become such an idiot? So it’s true, the world really is filled with fools in love.” He let the prince go and again lay on his bed. Yoochun just stood there. For the first time since that afternoon he saw Turandot’s portrait he doubted his love for her. He slumped on Jaejoong’s bed. The other threw him an angry look.
“Can you tell me any other reason for falling in love with her besides her good looks?” he pleaded.
“She… looked so hurt and lonely. I guess I wanted to help her somehow.”
“Pity does not equal love.” Jaejoong retorted. “I’m hurt and lonely too, will you fall in love with me?” he murmured quietly, but Yoochun heard him and his cheeks blushed.
“Jae, what are you saying…” he mumbled.
“I’m saying if you can fall in love so easily with every tormented person out there, fall in love with me and stay home.” Jaejoong looked straight in his eyes and Yoochun’s blush deepened.
“You really are an idiot. I followed you because staying behind in Korea and rotting away with the memory of your stupid smile seemed too painful. Turns out this isn’t any more pleasant. Every fucking night I had to watch you trash about in your sleep and listen to that loathsome name. I’m warning you not to take me with you to the Chinese royal palace, because I swear, if I see her I will rip her hair out.”
“Which one?” a faint chuckle came from Yoochun.
“What?!”
“Which palace?” Yoochun raised his head. “They have eleven, remember?”
Jaejoong was so angry with that stupid reply he couldn’t react when the prince leant in and kissed his lips. After that he was so surprised he couldn’t say a thing.
“You’re quite pretty yourself, has anyone ever told you that?”
Snapping out of his trance, Jaejoong said:
“Only old men mistaking me for a runaway girl in men’s clothing. I usually clear the misunderstanding up rather quickly with a punch in the gut.”
“Ooh, feisty. I’ll have to watch out.”
“Shut up and kiss me again.”
Pairing: Jaechun
Rating: G
For Rae [ fairytokyo ]Based loosely on the opera „Turandot” by Puccini.
Prince Yoochun of Korea travels to China with his friend Jaejoong to try and win the hand of the beautiful but cruel-hearted princess Turandot.
Act І
Long, long ago, in a kingdom far, far away, covered with mountains and neighbored by powerful seas, lived a kind and wise king called Yunho. The king was indeed very good and wonderful, and was very much respected by all his subjects, and all his friends cherished him, and his wife, queen Bomi, loved him, because the king also respected and cherished and loved them all. The kingdom of Yunho was prosperous and the people were happy with their lives, and every morning the king would awake pleased, knowing that all in his land was well. At night he would lay next to his queen with a tired smile, having solved successfully many difficult problems that day. But the years passed, and Yunho and his wife Bomi never had a child. The queen desperately wanted a baby to hold and to cuddle, and the king desperately wanted an heir (or heiress) to teach his wise ways and leave the kingdom to, but month after month their fervent prayers were unanswered.
And so days went on, the subjects happy, but the royal couple miserable, when one morning, after king Yunho had gone to tend to his kingly duties, queen Bomi, unable to erase the pain from her heart, entered the shrine of the palace. So desperate she was to finally have a child, that she promised her life away in exchange of an infant. So it happened that at that moment a spirit had perched itself on top of the shrine and heard the queen’s pleas. “So be it”, it said to itself, and nine months later trumpets announced the birth of not one, but two wonderful plump, healthy babies. The queen had given birth to twins, but, exhausted and pained, had used her last breath to give them their names - Yoochun and Yoohwan. And so the king’s happiness caused by the children’s birth was overshadowed by the grief over his dear wife’s death. Not wanting the children to grow without the kind touch of a woman, but not wanting to marry again, he brought a nanny to live in the palace. The nanny was called Yoobin and had children of her own. Not wanting to separate the family, the kind king permitted her close ones live with her and soon her daughter Sohee and her son Jaejoong became friends with the royal children and they were running around the corridors together, all of them landing in the palace gardens, out of breath but still laughing to the point their bellies hurt. King Yunho, being the wonderful king that he was, just smiled upon this, not berating them in any way, because being as wise as he was, he knew that it was important to live as much as you could as child. And so the two princes grew year by year, becoming most handsome and fair both of appearance and of spirit. However, their characters were very different indeed - young prince Yoohwan was very playful and charming, his smiles made of sun, while the older Yoochun preferred the library to the game fields, smile quiet and melancholic. King Yunho could not understand how his children could be so different, but loved them both dearly and tried to teach them all the wise things he knew. They learned well and he was pleased. And so the pain in his heart was dulled, and happiness returned in the royal palace.
Act ІІ
The princes’ 16th birthday came and passed. Yoohwan gracefully accepted the beautiful bow his father gave him and was quick to try it out in the fields of the palace. Yoochun was also pleased with the book he received and as soon as his friend Jaejoong came back from the province where he was visiting his uncle he started reading it to him. Yoochun had foreseen the near future when his father would decide he and his brother no longer needed a nanny and his friends would have to leave him, so he convinced Jaejoong to become a scholar and stay at the palace. Now their free time was spent in the library, Yoochun teaching Jae how to read and write, or discussing the last book they had read together.
“Look, Jaejoong!” the young prince’s voice ringed through the air. “This is the map of China.”
A genuine smile graced his lips as he heard the other’s laugh. “It’s just like you to get excited over geography. Look, it says here that the royal family has ten castles in the country.”
“Eleven, look there’s the hanja for one on the next row.”
Jaejoong whistled as he lay on the floor. “Eleven castles! What would you do if you had eleven castles?”
Yoochun lost himself in thought and, tired of waiting for an answer, his friend started reading the next page. “Legends will be spoken in later centuries of the most beautiful and cruel-hearted princess this world has ever seen. Her skin white as the moon, her fingers cold as snow, her eyes dark as raven’s hair and her gaze as disheartening as the silence of tombstones. Her fairness has earned her countless suitors and her impossible riddles have sent their heads to her feet. Blood covers the princess’s silver-woven dress - the blood of those who ignored the ice enveloping her heart and were shattered in it.”
“I’ve heard of her. So beautiful she is, rumor has it, that the god of wind came from the Heavens to make her his wife, but appalled by her eyes through which death peered he left.”
Jaejoong turned to the next page.
“Yes, it says that right here”
“She asks all who wish to marry her three riddles and those who fail to answer all three lose their heads.”
Not receiving even a grunt for a reply, Yoochun looked down and saw his friend staring at a bright-colored page, breath lost and shaking.
“Look!”
“Move over.”
As Jaejoong did the most exquisite drawing the prince had ever seen appeared in front of his eyes. He couldn’t believe a real human was pictured. All thoughts of the princess’s cruelty and hate left Yoochun’s mind. He could only sigh as Jaejoong caught a hold of himself and closed the book, saying such a beauty is demonic and all who wish for it are doomed. He didn’t hear his friend recite the poems he had learned and excused himself from dinner to the library and steal another look at the heavenly princess. “Turandot”, his lips whispered as his eyes strained to ember the memory of her face in his mind. “Turandot”, he babbled in his sleep as he saw her sitting majestically on her blood-colored throne, with heads pierced by spears surrounding her, their pale and rotten mouths groaning warnings and oaths of love for the princess. “Turandot”, his soul screamed as he lay in the garden and watched the clouds travel north above his head. All and everything around the prince noticed the change, for even though he was melancholic, he was never unhappy, and now he would go around tortured by doubt with a sigh on his lips instead of the usual gentle smile. Only his best friend knew the reason for Yoochun’s behavior, however, and he was very worried and hurt, because during the long years they had spent together he had slowly given his heart away to the kind prince. He saw the dark circles under his friend’s eyes darken a bit more each morning; he saw the book with the cruel princess’s portrait go everywhere Yoochun went. The boy desperately wanted to help his friend, but didn’t know how to do so. For several weeks he slept against the door of the prince’s quarters, for several weeks the prince’s food at the table remained untouched as he was locked in his room with the book. And so king Yunho grew worried for his son. Night after night he tossed in his sleep, bothered because of his child’s pain, and day after day he sat in his throne, chin resting on his hands, trying to discover why the light in Yoochun’s eyes had disappeared. Such one day young Jaejoong decided that it was better to do something, anything at all, than watch his friend hurt himself, and entered the throne room. The king’s worried gaze landed on him.
“What is it, dear boy?” he asked, always kind and polite.
“Oh, King descended from Heavens, I am worried for your eldest son.”
“He has been acting most strangely indeed. Have you a reason for the change in his behavior?”
“Oh, King, may you live forever, this all began when your glorious son saw a portrait of the Chinese princess Turandot. I am afraid my ruler has fallen prey to her fair face.”
The king believed that once he knew the reason for his son’s sighs he could help him out and everything would be fine again, but it did not lift the burden off his heart. If anything, it troubled him further.
“That is horrible news! My beloved son has fallen in love with that statue, you say? But then he is as good as dead!”
As wise as the king was, he could not discover a way out of the situation. He feared the day the prince would come and ask permission to travel to China. And one sunny morning that day came. Yoochun ordered his servant make his bags, he chose a horse and went to bid farewell to his family and friends. After he let go of Yoohwan he turned around, looking for Jaejoong, but he was nowhere to be seen. Yoochun’s heart fell thinking he would have to leave without bidding goodbye to the boy he cared for so much and went looking for him. He found him in the stables, getting on a horse.
“Jaejoong, what are you doing?”
“Someone will have to drag your dead body back here. Because there is no way you can answer those riddles. You’re obviously tired of living and want an original way to die.”
Yoochun fell silent for a second.
“Jaejoong… Can you imagine what I feel like?” he asked quietly. “Do you know how my heart rebels when I think of her? If I can’t be with her I might as well throw my life away.” Jaejoong looked at him downhearted.
“I’m still coming with you.” he said.
The prince was surprised with his friend’s decision, but was secretly happy, for he did not truly want to travel alone all the way to Beijing. And so they set off within an hour.
Act ІІІ
“We want to rent a room for tonight. Bring our dinner there” Yoochun said to the innkeeper.
Jaejoong brought the luggage to their room and lay down on his bed. The young boys had been traveling together for days now, and they spent more time with each other than they’d ever had. As they neared Beijing Jaejoong felt more and more downcast, because his friend’s madness didn’t show any signs of disappearing. Every night Yoochun went to bed with Turandot’s name on his lips and woke up with a renewed desire. It was torture to watch the boy as his coral lips mumbled her name in his sleep, and each night Jaejoong had to endure it, because he couldn’t fall asleep without seeing nightmares. The name of the princess was embedded deep within his mind and he became to hate it with a passion for the pain it was causing to his dear lord.
The boy closed his eyes for a second and Turandot’s portrait danced on his eyelids. If only Yoochun had never seen it, he thought in despair, if only I hadn’t shown it to him, if only the king hadn’t given him that book.
The door slid open and the prince’s figure entered.
“We have to get up early tomorrow. We’re almost in Beijing!”
“Yes, milord.” Jaejoong said with half-ridicule. At any other time Yoochun would’ve taunted his friend for calling him “milord” but he was so exhilarated with the thought of finally seeing his princess in person for the first time he didn’t even hear the form of address. Jaejoong’s heart sank. Tomorrow he would be losing his friend forever, either because he would be married to that witch, or because he would be lying dead on the ground. Not thinking, he obeyed an impulse and latched himself onto Yoochun, gripping his hanbok. Yoochun’s soul came back to his body and his eyes fell on the other.
“Jae”, he whispered “It’ll be ok.”
“How? How will it be ok? Tell me!”
Yoochun was silent against his friend’s shoulder.
“Why did you have to see that stupid portrait, Yoochun? And how could you fall in love simply by looking at it? Knowing what she is like, too! Do you think you could be happy with her, even if you managed to answer her riddles? She will be as cold as ice forever! People say she can’t feel either happiness or sadness!”
“No! I’ll make her love me! She’ll-”
“Warm up?” a hollow, grim laugh found its way out of Jaejoong’s lips. “When did you become such an idiot? So it’s true, the world really is filled with fools in love.” He let the prince go and again lay on his bed. Yoochun just stood there. For the first time since that afternoon he saw Turandot’s portrait he doubted his love for her. He slumped on Jaejoong’s bed. The other threw him an angry look.
“Can you tell me any other reason for falling in love with her besides her good looks?” he pleaded.
“She… looked so hurt and lonely. I guess I wanted to help her somehow.”
“Pity does not equal love.” Jaejoong retorted. “I’m hurt and lonely too, will you fall in love with me?” he murmured quietly, but Yoochun heard him and his cheeks blushed.
“Jae, what are you saying…” he mumbled.
“I’m saying if you can fall in love so easily with every tormented person out there, fall in love with me and stay home.” Jaejoong looked straight in his eyes and Yoochun’s blush deepened.
“You really are an idiot. I followed you because staying behind in Korea and rotting away with the memory of your stupid smile seemed too painful. Turns out this isn’t any more pleasant. Every fucking night I had to watch you trash about in your sleep and listen to that loathsome name. I’m warning you not to take me with you to the Chinese royal palace, because I swear, if I see her I will rip her hair out.”
“Which one?” a faint chuckle came from Yoochun.
“What?!”
“Which palace?” Yoochun raised his head. “They have eleven, remember?”
Jaejoong was so angry with that stupid reply he couldn’t react when the prince leant in and kissed his lips. After that he was so surprised he couldn’t say a thing.
“You’re quite pretty yourself, has anyone ever told you that?”
Snapping out of his trance, Jaejoong said:
“Only old men mistaking me for a runaway girl in men’s clothing. I usually clear the misunderstanding up rather quickly with a punch in the gut.”
“Ooh, feisty. I’ll have to watch out.”
“Shut up and kiss me again.”