A Sacred Promise

[krishoislove]

a/n: Written as a celebration for gaining 1000+ unique subscribers on asianfanfics!

A Sacred Promise


Every year the Kingdom of Shan, located on the peninsula of the Azure Sea, pays tribute to the Emperor of Dragons, who resides in the Northern Mountains. The Emperor of Dragons is the leader of the dragon clan residing in the kingdom, and in times of great need, the dragons rise from their lairs and come help to defend the small kingdom from invaders. The dragons are much-loved and well respected by the citizens of Shan, and every citizen makes the journey to the capitol city during the year to leave their offering to be added to the dragons’ tribute.

Sixteen years ago, all was peaceful, and the end of spring was approaching. As was tradition, festivals in honor of the Emperor of Dragons were thrown all across the nation. In the capitol city, where the Emperor would come to collect his tribute, the largest festival took place, full of events and performances.

Night fell, and the people of the capitol city gathered around the area, their eyes straining to peer up amongst the stars. Soon, they knew that the Emperor Dragon would be coming; soon, soon…

A great burst of fire lit up the night skies, and the people cheered as an enormous dragon soared over the city, fire streaming from his great jaws to light up his form, revealing smooth indigo scales that sparkled in the moonlight, and fierce claws and teeth, with which he protected the people.

The great dragon landed in the courtyard of the Imperial Palace and came forward to collect his tribute. As was the custom, the king and queen were there, waiting to greet him.

The queen had also brought her three-year old son, Junmyeon, with her when she went to greet the dragon, because she wanted the dragon to see and meet, the future ruler of the realm. She remembered the first time she had met the Emperor of Dragons when she was a little girl, and smiled fondly as she recalled how kindly the dragon had treated her.

The great indigo dragon approached the royal couple and seated himself in front of him, folding his great wings to rest on top of his back, and lowering his great head so that he could see the small bundle in the queen’s arms. “Who is this?” The dragon’s great voice rumbled, shaking the very foundations of the palace.

“This is my son,” the Queen smiled, unafraid. She knew that despite his fierce appearance, the dragon would not harm her. “His name is Junmyeon.”

“How old is he? Why have I not seen him before?” The dragon’s tail swished from side-to-side as he surveyed the small child in front of him.

“He’s three years old. Before, I thought he would be too young to greet you, and that he would be frightened if he saw you.” The Queen ran a loving hand over the baby’s forehead, and the King tightened his arm around his wife’s shoulders.

“He is indeed brave, to not be screaming and crying right now,” the dragon rumbled, a hint of affection in his voice. “His name is Junmyeon, you said?”

“Yes, his name is Junmyeon.” The King and Queen smiled down at their child for a few more moments, and then looked up expectantly into the dragon’s eyes, searching for a flicker of approval or affection in his eyes.

Then, the absolute unexpected happened.

The dragon abruptly reared his head back, his golden eyes darkening to a deep ochre. “This tribute is not enough.” The dragon twisted his elegant neck to motion towards the treasures and riches piled in the center of the courtyard.

“Not enough?” The Queen’s eyes widened in shock. “But-but we have prepared such a grand tribute for you this year, my Emperor. What have we done wrong?”

“It is not that you have done something wrong. It is simply that the boy in your arms outshines any treasure that you could hope to offer me,” the dragon rumbled.

“The boy?” The Queen gasped in horror and clutched Junmyeon close to her body. “Oh, my Emperor, please don’t ask me of this! Anything but this! Not my precious son!”

“He need not come with me right away. When he becomes of age, I think he will be suitable.” The Emperor of Dragons sighed and puffed a comforting breath of warm air over the Queen’s head. “Do you know that I also have a son? He is fairly young, only six years old or so. When we are first born, dragons age as humans do for approximately twenty years, and then the aging process slows down immensely because of our magical abilities.”

“What are you implying? What do you wish to do with our son?” The King stepped forward and put an arm around his wife, steadying her as she trembled.

“What I wish from you is a promise that when both of our children are older, my son can have a chance to try for your child’s hand.” The dragon sighed heavily as he looked down at the shocked faces of his two dear friends. “A chance is all that I ask for.”

The King and Queen were at a loss for words. They hadn’t even imagined that something like this might happen. But what choice did they have? Every year, the kingdom offered tribute to the Emperor Dragon as a sign of good-will and gratitude for protecting the kingdom. And if the Emperor wanted their child…

“It will be an honor,” the King choked out. “We will wait until our son is old enough.”

“Thank you.” The great dragon bowed his head. “I know it causes you grief now, but if we do this, I believe that the strength of the tie between the dragons and the people of Shan will become greater than it ever has before. Fear not-you have many more years to spend with your precious child! And I will be sure to raise my son to be the best he can be for your son.” The dragon stood and rose to his full height, his great head towering above the palace walls. “Farewell until next year, my King, my Queen.”

The King and Queen watched the dragon fly away, their hearts filled with grief. And as the people of the city watched the great indigo dragon flying away from the city, with no riches or offerings clutched in his great claws, they knew something was amiss.

From that day onward, the Imperial Palace carried an air of mourning and gloom whenever anyone laid eyes on the young prince. Even when the Queen gave birth to a second son, Jongdae, there was little joy. If anything, Jongdae’s birth merely solidified Junmyeon’s fate, to be handed off to the dragons when he came of age, especially since there would be another man to rule in his place.

Junmyeon knew of his fate from a very early age, when his parents told him the story of the great Emperor of Dragons, and how lucky he was to already have the Prince of Dragons vying for his hand. His parents warned of him of the hardships he would have to face, and made sure that he learned the customs of dragons, to prepare him for the life he would lead once he turned of age.

The King and Queen knew that the Emperor of Dragons had only asked for them to give their son a chance. But even with the chance, Junmyeon’s fate had been decided-for what mortal could hold their own against a dragon?

҉

Junmyeon shivered and curled in on himself, safely hidden from view by the satin canopy hanging over his bed. Outside, the great roar of a dragon sounded, and Junmyeon gasped as a burst of light flickered through the dark, some of the light sneaking in to the canopy through a miniscule parting in the window curtains.

Junmyeon itched to twitch the curtains shut, but he knew that if he dared to peek out through the gap, he would surely see the Prince of Dragons, who guarded his tower, sending someone fleeing from his terrible flames.

Junmyeon had ended up in this tower in a remote region of his kingdom, guarded by the Prince of Dragons, through no fault of his own. Sixteen years ago, on his third birthday, Junmyeon’s parents, the King and Queen of the kingdom of Shan on the peninsula of the Azure Seas, had planned a large celebration to pay tribute to the Emperor of Dragons, who resided in the Northern Mountains of the kingdom. Apparently, even as a small child, he had caught the Emperor’s eye as a potential bride to his own son, which led to him being trapped in this miserable tower.

Junmyeon blinked sadly when he remembered the day his parents had told him the reason he was being sent away from the capitol city. His entire family, including his little brother Jongdae, had gathered in Junmyeon’s chambers one night, and his mother told him that there was something he needed to know. Junmyeon shivered as he remembered his parents’ soft voices as they told him the story of his past, and why he had to go to the tower. They must have been in so much pain, and yet they followed their duty and handed him over to his fate.

The deal that the Emperor of Dragons had offered his parents was that on Junmyeon’s eighteenth birthday, he would be sent to live in a tower in the eastern mountain range of the kingdom. The only people who would be allowed near the tower would be people who brought supplies for him, and then they would leave.

The Prince of Dragons, named Yifan, would guard his tower for one year. Anyone who could make it past Yifan and help Junmyeon escape would receive a hefty reward, and could marry him if they wished. If the year ended, and no one was successful, then Yifan would take Junmyeon as his bride.

Junmyeon didn’t like the arrangement. He would be forced to watch, or at the very least listen to people fight over him, possibly to the death, for an entire year, and then he would have to marry whoever happened to win the battle. He could get married off to a complete stranger, or he could get married to a ferocious dragon prince. Neither seemed to be an appealing option.

And yet, Junmyeon knew that he couldn’t run from his duty. The only hope Junmyeon could carry in his heart was that Yifan himself wasn’t cruel or unkind; as the year had passed, Yifan had made an effort to get to know Junmyeon and to speak to him, and Junmyeon felt hopeful about what he had learned of Yifan’s personality so far. Junmyeon was still too afraid to look outside, even when Yifan was in his human form, but Yifan would still sit at his window and talk to him, not seeming to mind that Junmyeon refused to show his face.

Junmyeon felt guilty, but he was still too afraid to try and show himself. He had seen Yifan as a dragon, and he had seen him attack and hurt the many people who had come to try and save him. He had a good reason to be afraid of Yifan, and to hide from him all the time.

The time that he could avoid Yifan would soon come to an end though; a year would be up five days from now, and Yifan would claim him as his bride. Junmyeon had slowly begun to enter a state of panic, and he had started spending more and more time recalling the lessons on dragon customs and traditions he’d received all his life. Even though he knew what was expected of him, once Yifan and he were married, he was still nervous.

Marriage meant a lot of things to Junmyeon. Even though Junmyeon knew that he had practically been engaged from a very young age, he had always imagined what sort of marriage he would have. He would be married to someone who liked his personality, and who got along well with him. So far, he and Yifan could carry a conversation just fine, and they had learned a lot about each other’s personalities through the stories they told, but Junmyeon couldn’t help but be somewhat nervous.

He also wondered what Yifan’s human form looked like. He had always been too afraid to lift the curtain and peek out at Yifan, as well as being afraid to show Yifan what his own face looked like. People had always called him beautiful from a young age, but Junmyeon was still anxious about Yifan would think of him. He couldn’t help but be nervous; it was one thing to speak to someone behind a mask of anonymity, and another to meet them in face-to-face and be able to see his reactions.

Junmyeon suddenly realized that it had been quiet outside for some time now. Perhaps Yifan had decided to go to sleep? Junmyeon cautiously peeked through the crack in his sheets, and sighed in relief when he saw that there were no bursts of light jumping through the crack in his curtains. He swung his legs out of bed and softly crept across the room, quickly reaching out to twitch the curtain shut.

He jumped in shock when a voice sounded from the other side of the curtain. “Junmyeon?”

Junmyeon gasped; he knew that voice! He knew that voice very, very well, even though he hadn’t heard it for nearly a year. “Jongdae?” Jongdae, crown prince of the Kingdom of Shan, and Junmyeon’s precious younger brother, was speaking at the window.

“Junmyeon! I need you to step back from the window.”

“Why?” Junmyeon winced; he knew how loudly Jongdae had to be speaking so that Junmyeon could hear him through the glass.

“Quickly, just go!”

Junmyeon backed away from the window, and there was a crashing sound as the glass shattered. Junmyeon jumped back and covered his face with his hands; thankfully, no glass hit him.

A thin young man with warm brown eyes and dressed in a grey tunic, cloak, and long leather boots hopped in through the window, landing gingerly on the broken glass. “Junmyeon? Are you alright?”

Junmyeon stared at his brother in shock. “Jongdae? How did you…why? Why are you here? Why are you doing this?”

“What do you mean, why am I here? I don’t want you to get married to Yifan. You were so scared and miserable when you left…I couldn’t just leave you.”

“I only have five days left before this contest ends, Jongdae,” Junmyeon laughed bitterly. “Why are you coming now? Shouldn’t you be back in the capitol learning how to rule?”

“I’m sorry I’m so late. Our parents would only let me come now.” Jongdae carefully picked his way out of the broken glass. “They thought that someone would surely defeat Yifan before the year was up, but they were wrong.”

“Were you the reason why Yifan was breathing fire at the tower today? I thought people would stop coming by now, I didn’t realize…”

“Yeah, I tried to get up here by climbing over the roof, but it didn’t work.”

“How did you get up here, then?”

“I waited until he flew away. I don’t know what for, but he’ll probably be back soon, which means that we have to go.” Jongdae reached out and grabbed Junmyeon’s hand. “Come on, I have a rope hanging down from your window that we can get down with.”

“What if he comes back?”

“I’ll figure something out. He’s not going to hurt you, I don’t think. Perhaps we can use that to our advantage.” Junmyeon hesitated when he approached the shards of broken glass on the tower floor, and Jongdae insistently tugged at his hand. “Come on, Junmyeon!”

“The glass will cut through my feet…” Junmyeon looked down at his less-than-sturdy shoes. He hadn’t anticipated the need for outdoor shoes, since he had been trapped in the tower all year long.

“I’ll carry you then, come on.” Jongdae came back and prepared himself to slip an arm under his older brother’s knees when the curtain fluttered and a second person entered the tower.

Junmyeon and Jongdae froze and stared at the man in shock. He was several inches taller than both of them, and stared impassively at the two brothers from behind a plain white mask that covered his facial features.

Jongdae gathered his composure first. “Did you have the same idea as I did? Well, it’s too late for you, I got here for first,” he spat defensively.

Junmyeon stared at the tall man with a sense of foreboding. “Jongdae…”

“What?” Jongdae turned back to the man. “Come on, get out of the way. Who are you anyways?”

Understanding hit Junmyeon in a flash, and he lunged to the side to cover his little brother with his body. “Jongdae!”

But Junmyeon was too late. The stranger lifted his hand and uttered a single word, and a bright flash of light darted past Junmyeon’s reaching arms and struck Jongdae’s body. Jongdae vanished in an explosion of sparks, and Junmyeon crashed to the ground.

Junmyeon groaned in pain and winced as he slowly began to pick himself up off of the ground.

“Are you alright?” the stranger came forward to help Junmyeon off the ground, but Junmyeon flinched away from his hands.

Junmyeon twisted away so that his face was hidden in the shadows, even though he knew that it was pointless since the stranger had surely already seen his face. “You’re Yifan, aren’t you?”

“That is correct.” When it became apparent that Junmyeon wasn’t going to accept his help to stand up, Yifan backed away. “Don’t worry about your brother. I simply cast a spell on him that sent him back to where he came from, completely free of harm.”

Junmyeon huddled down on the floor, ducking his head to hide his face even though he knew that Yifan had already seen what he looked like. “Thank you.”

“I’ll fix your window too, you won’t have to worry about the glass.”

Junmyeon shivered slightly at the deep timbre of Yifan’s voice. “Thank you.”

Yifan hesitated by the window. “You know…while I’ve been guarding you, I’ve fought against several of your acquaintances, who have seen your face. They told me that they you were one of the most beautiful beings to grace the land, a true treasure of the kingdom. That was what some of them were fighting for, even, saying all manner of ridiculous things about how your beauty would surely cast fate in their favor.”

The corner of Junmyeon’s lips twitched slightly. He could imagine some of the princes from neighboring kingdoms or higher nobles of the land saying such nonsense.

“But in reality…their words didn’t even begin to describe what an exquisite being you are.”

Junmyeon’s head snapped up in surprise, but Yifan had already vaulted out the window. Junmyeon watched as the glass floated off of the ground and reassembled in the window pane, leaving no evidence that the window had been smashed in in the first place.

Junmyeon hesitantly walked over to the window and gazed down at the green area in front of his tower. A tall man in a plain white mask was standing out on the green, facing the tower.

Junmyeon gasped and yanked the curtains shut, his heart beating fast.

Only five more days to go…

Five days later, Junmyeon found himself curled up on his mattress, hiding within the hanging curtains around his bed once more. Yifan had been roaring and breathing fire seemingly non-stop for the past few days. It seemed that as time ran out, a rush of people were coming to try their hand at the tower and Yifan.

Junmyeon wasn’t totally sure how the time restrictions would work out. Would the contest end at midnight? Sunrise? At a specific hour? He had no clue, and all he could was wait for Yifan to enter and come get him.

Junmyeon sighed and shivered, even though there was a warm quilt wrapped around his shoulders. He was afraid; the only encounter he’d had with Yifan before was when Yifan had entered the tower to fight off Jongdae. Junmyeon shivered as he remembered the smooth white mask Yifan had worn, and the clinical coldness of his voice as he cast the spell. Even though Yifan had spent time talking to him through the window, and he seemed kind, Junmyeon wouldn’t be reassured until they met face to face again.

It probably wouldn’t do to greet Yifan on his bed, hiding under a blanket. Junmyeon sighed and disentangled himself from his sheets, neatly folding and straightening out his pillowcase and blankets. He carefully folded the blanket that had been sitting on his shoulders and put it at the edge of the bed and then looked around his room; the tower was uncharacteristically clean, as Junmyeon had been cleaning a few hours prior to try and still his nerves. Normally, there would be a few clothes strewn around the tower and there would be all manner of books lying open on the floor, but Junmyeon had discovered that having something to do with his hands had helped him keep his mind off of Yifan, and so the tower practically sparkled in the dim candle light.

Junmyeon sat on the edge of his mattress and contemplated going to the window. It seemed as if Yifan was still battling an adversary outside, judging from the light that danced against the thick curtains covering the tower window. And besides, Yifan had already seen his face, so what was there to be afraid of?

Junmyeon faltered as he stood up; he remembered the despair of his early days in the tower, when he had sat by and watched Yifan destroy adversary after adversary as the people of Shan came one by one to try and rescue him from his tower. He had never been brave enough to open the curtains fully, and had merely peeked out past the edge, usually just in time to see someone racing away from Yifan’s grasping claws. It had been terrifying to begin with, but Junmyeon had slowly gotten used to it, his mind numbing the violent scenes before him as he struggled to accept his fate.

But now, there was no point in being miserable. Yifan was going to win, and he was going to be his bride; there was so little time left, it was almost laughable. Junmyeon steeled himself and walked over to the window and pulled the curtains slightly to the side.

He was unsurprised to see Yifan in his dragon form, his golden scales gleaming beneath the starlight as flames licked the air around him. Junmyeon squinted slightly and saw a small figure dashing away from the tower, and he sighed quietly. It was only to be expected; very few people could hold their own against dragons. Junmyeon wondered who the person was, and then dismissed the idea at once. He was going to have to start getting used to thinking only of Yifan now.

Yifan turned his head and glanced back at the tower, and Junmyeon gasped when their eyes met. They shared a long gaze, and then Yifan turned away, leaving Junmyeon trembling by the window. Yifan’s eyes had been warm and kind, but Junmyeon still didn’t trust him; he knew that people weren’t always what they seemed.

Junmyeon gasped in surprise when suddenly, the fire surrounding the tower went out, leaving Yifan standing at the edge of a ring of blackened earth. He watched in wonder as green grass and wild flowers sprouted out of the scorched earth; was Yifan doing this, with the magic that all dragons possessed?

Suddenly, the enormous golden dragon vanished, and in his place stood a tall man with dark hair. Junmyeon narrowed his eyes, but he still couldn’t see his features very well, and he took a step back in shock when the man launched himself up off the ground and began to fly through the air towards the tower.

Junmyeon knew that Yifan could fly; at some point during the year, he’d worked up the courage to ask Yifan how he was able to come and sit by Junmyeon’s window, which stood a good sixty feet up the ground. Yifan had then told him that all dragons could perform magic, even in their human forms, and that he could fly by casting a simple spell on his body. But Junmyeon had always been too afraid to open the curtains and see Yifan’s human form, and he was taken aback by the elegant lines that Yifan’s body drew as he floated through the night sky.

Yifan approached his window and hovered in mid-air, and unsure expression on his face. Junmyeon blanched when he saw Yifan’s cold, harsh features; suddenly, all of his fear came rushing back, and he stumbled away from the window as he struggled to breathe.

Yifan looked at him with an alarmed expression, and the window opened of its own accord. Yifan climbed in through the ledge and rushed to Junmyeon’s side as Junmyeon struggled to draw in a proper breath.

“Hey, are you ok? Here, breathe with me, like this.” Yifan grabbed Junmyeon’s palm and put it on his own chest so that Junmyeon could feel the steady rise and fall of his breathing. “Come on, breathe with me.”

Junmyeon tried to focus and sync his own breathing with Yifan’s. Slowly, his hysteria faded, and he breathed calmly as he copied Yifan’s breathing pattern.

“There we go.” Yifan let go, and Junmyeon quickly withdrew his hand, a small blush forming on his cheeks. “Are you alright now?”

“Yes, I’m alright.” Junmyeon looked down at the floor, embarrassment coloring his expression. “I’m sorry.”

“No, no it’s fine. You must’ve been scared when you saw my face, right? I’ve been told that I look frightening.”

Junmyeon laughed nervously; what was he supposed to say to that?

“Hey, don’t be scared. Even though my face is harsh, I’m not going to hurt you,” Yifan said gently.

Junmyeon swallowed hard. “I’ll…I’ll try. I mean, this is the first time we’ve truly met face-to-face, so it’s hard not to be nervous.”

“I’m pretty nervous too, actually,” Yifan laughed, and Junmyeon blinked at the warm sound. “I was worried what you would think of me…I mean, you’ve been watching me send men running from my claws and flame for an entire year. I tried to show you that that wasn’t the only side of me by talking to you, but…” Yifan sighed bitterly. “I doubt I succeeded.”

“I am a little frightened of the damage your dragon can accomplish, but I do know that that’s not all that you are,” Junmyeon said softly. “It’s…I’m also easily frightened, so,” he smiled helplessly. “Please just…give me time to try and trust you.”

“Of course,” Yifan instantly assured him. “Trust takes time to cultivate, I understand. I’ll also be trying to get used to you too…I mean, I don’t know that much about you either.”

Junmyeon smiled at that. “Of course.” Now that he knew how Yifan felt, and that they had a mutual understanding that they were going to have to spend time to start getting to know each other better, Junmyeon felt much more relaxed.

“So…” Yifan shifted from one foot to the other, and they shared an awkward smile. “Uh, do you know what happens next?”

“I don’t, actually. I’m assuming that you heard Jongdae when he came…my parents weren’t expecting you to last, so they didn’t fully explain to me what would happen when the year was up.”

Yifan smirked, a look of pride entering his eyes. “Yes, I did hear him. But even though I’m a young dragon, I’m not an easy opponent.” He caught the faint shadow that crossed over Junmyeon’s face and coughed slightly. “Uh, sorry. But, since I won the competition, we have to head back to the capitol city, where we’ll get married.”

“Oh.” Junmyeon couldn’t help but blush in response. “I see.”

“Yeah.” Yifan smiled kindly at him. “Don’t think about it too much.”

“How can I not? Marriage means…a lot of things to me.” Junmyeon’s eyes fell to the floor, and he vaguely wondered if he was saying too much, too fast. It wasn’t as if this was the first time he was talking to Yifan, and they had discussed a broad range of topics in the past year. But it still felt a little odd, with the sparkle of something new gleaming in the undertone of his words.

“Just because we’re married doesn’t mean that we have to jump into it headfirst.” Yifan reached out and gently took one of Junmyeon’s hands in his own. “Marriage also means a lot of things to me as well. But you also have to remember that first and foremost, marriage is a title. Even though everyone will say we’re married, we can still take our time to find out about each other, and figure out how we’re going to make things work.”  Yifan squeezed his fingers lightly, and Junmyeon’s hand tightened in response.

“You are very kind,” Junmyeon murmured softly. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Yifan released Junmyeon’s hand and let the space between their bodies remain. “Now, we should probably start back…is there anything here that you want to take with you? Once we leave, thieves will most likely enter the tower and take what’s left before you can recover your possessions.”

Junmyeon immediately shook his head. It had been difficult, living in the tower in an entire year, hiding behind curtains and despairing over his fate and the fate of all of Yifan’s opponents. “No, there’s nothing.” Taking anything with him would only serve to remind him of his darkest times, and he was ready to move forward back into the light.

“Very well.” Yifan lifted his hands and pulled a thin chord over his head. A small pouch was strung onto the chord, but when Yifan opened the mouth of the bag and put his hand inside, he drew out several long strips of cloth and leather, all of which were much too large to be able to fit inside of the small bag.

Yifan grinned at Junmyeon’s bemused expression. “Magic,” he said by way of explanation. “You can consider these to be an early wedding gift from me.”

Junmyeon eyed the cloth in Yifan’s hands with a touch of anxiety. “What are they?”

“I was thinking that you could ride on my back to the capitol. You can use these to secure yourself in place on my back. If I fly us there, it will only take two days of journeying compared to the two weeks it would take on foot,” Yifan said, carefully watching Junmyeon’s reaction. “But only if you’re comfortable with it. I can understand if you’re afraid to come near me when I’m in my dragon form, or if you would want us to…prolong our arrival to the capitol city.”

Junmyeon stared at him for a few moments, fear and duty warring in his mind until he came to a decision. “Couldn’t…couldn’t you use magic to take us back, though?”

Yifan shook his head. “It takes a lot of strength and stamina to send two people to the same place, and I’ve been fighting non-stop for nearly four days straight,” he smiled wryly. “I won’t be able to do it, and I don’t want to risk your safety.”

“Hm.” Junmyeon sighed through his nose; well, there went that plan. But really, what choice did he have? It would be devastatingly rude to reject Yifan’s gift, and it would be cowardly to run from his fate. “The point of this marriage is unity between the dragons and the Royal Family, isn’t it? I’ll ride your back. It will be the best way to show our connection.”

“Are you sure?” Yifan pressed. “We can certainly travel on foot, you are well-loved by your people, and I’m perfectly able to protect both of us on the ground as well.”

“I will not run from my duty,” Junmyeon said firmly. “I’ll be alright.”

“If you’re certain.” Yifan gave him a kind look, and Junmyeon wanted to cry at the tenderness in his gaze. “We’ll have to stop on the ground for a little while anyways, I don’t think I can fly for two days straight.”

“Alright,” Junmyeon agreed. “What am I supposed to do with these strips though?”

“

“There’s a large hollow at the base of my neck that you should fit comfortably in, right in front of the first spike on my spine. You can go to the hollow and secure your body to the spike so that you won’t fall off of my back.”

“It sounds reasonable.” Junmyeon reached out and accepted the ties that Yifan offered him with shaking hands.

“Hey. You really don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”

“I will not run from duty,” Junmyeon said fiercely. “Stop trying to convince me otherwise.”

Yifan looked a little taken aback. “Sorry.”

“No, I should be sorry.” Junmyeon hung his head. “It’s just…”

“We’re both nervous,” Yifan finished for him. “It’s alright.”

“Thank you.” Junmyeon bit his lip; he hadn’t meant to lash out at Yifan. Normally, he had better control of himself, but it seemed that Yifan just made him too anxious to maintain any semblance of control.

Junmyeon gasped softly and flinched away when he felt cool fingers gently tap at the base of his chin. “Hey. I meant it, I’m not angry.” Yifan let his fingers rest on Junmyeon’s smooth skin for a few moments before letting his hand fall to his side. “It’s alright to lash out at me.”

Junmyeon held his gaze. “But…we just met.”

“No, we haven’t. It’s true that this is the first time that you’ve seen my face, and that this is the second time that I’ve seen yours, but we’ve been meeting before that Junmyeon. We’ve been meeting for an entire year and speaking to each other, and conquering our fears together. We’ve known each other for so long that it’s alright for you to show yourself to me,” Yifan said gently. “I will not make you regret showing me what you truly are to me.”

Junmyeon’s chest tightened, and for some inexplicable reason, he felt tears threatening to spill out of his eyes. “You…I hope the same for you as well.” Junmyeon sniffed and brushed away his tears, embarrassment tinting his cheeks a light shade of pink. “I hope we can both be unafraid to show each other our true selves someday.”

“Junmyeon.” Yifan reached out and gently placed his broad hands on his bride’s shoulders. “Junmyeon.”

Junmyeon raised his head to look Yifan in the eye. “What is it?”

“I promise you that someday, it will be so,” Yifan said seriously. “I promise.”

Junmyeon’s breath hitched; it was said, among humans, that a dragon’s promise was sacred, and could never be broken. Junmyeon felt a small flutter of hope in his heart, and he glanced away from Yifan’s eyes, a little overwhelmed by the sincerity of his words. “I believe you.”

Yifan’s face moved closer and Junmyeon felt his stomach swoop, only to feel a gentle press of lips against his forehead. Junmyeon sighed softly and enjoyed the warmth of being in Yifan’s arms; it was strange to be so close to someone after an entire year of being alone, but Junmyeon still enjoyed it.

At last, Yifan drew away. “Shall we go, then?” He gestured towards the window, and Junmyeon smiled slightly when he saw a faint blush on the edges of Yifan’s cheekbones.

“Yes, let’s go.” Junmyeon carefully held the ties that Yifan had handed him in his hand. “Although, um…how am I going to get out of here?”

“Are you afraid of heights?”

“No, I’m alright.”

“There is a rope hanging down from your window that we can use to climb down.”

“Is it safe?”

“It’s the rope that your brother brought with him. I’m sure it’s just fine.” Yifan grinned suddenly, and a flirtatious glint entered his eyes. “I’ll catch you if you fall, don’t worry.”

Junmyeon laughed in surprise; first, Yifan had seemed uncertain, then calm, then nervous, then serious, and now, he was being playful. Junmyeon was truly looking forward to getting to know the man before him, and he was starting to anticipate how Yifan would see his promise through.

҉

Seven years later, the Kingdom of Shan was at peace. Their ruler, King Jongdae, had successfully secured his throne and the support of his people, and the people thrived and prospered under his rule.

Meanwhile, Junmyeon and Yifan were also happily living their lives. They spent half the year in the city, and the second half of the year amongst the dragons. It had been difficult to adjust to at first; Jongdae still disliked Yifan, and not all of Yifan’s family liked Junmyeon, especially considering that Junmyeon was a human. But even though their families tried to split them apart, Junmyeon and Yifan managed to stay together through thick and thin.

“Yifan?”

“Hm?” Yifan looked over at Junmyeon, who was sitting at his vanity table. “What are you doing?”

“We’re going to eat dinner with Jongdae tonight, we both have to look nice.”

“Just tell me when you’re done.” Nevertheless, Yifan set his book down and came over to stand beside Junmyeon.

“What?” Junmyeon dabbed some cream on to his face and glanced up at his husband, who was staring intently at him.

“You’re beautiful.”

Junmyeon smiled slightly and turned back to the mirror. “Thanks.”

“I remember when you used to blush like crazy every time I said that to you. Now it takes more to fluster you.” Yifan smirked as he reached up and brushed the back of Junmyeon’s neck, causing Junmyeon to gasp and reach behind himself to swat Yifan’s hands away.

“Yifan!”

“Sorry,” Yifan chuckled and let his hands drop, allowing Junmyeon to focus on his makeup once more. “You’re just so fun to tease though.”

“Whatever,” Junmyeon grumbled as he applied the finishing touches to his face. “Alright, I’m done, your turn.”

“Thanks.” Yifan leaned down and brushed a soft kiss against Junmyeon’s forehead before slipping into the seat.

“You know, Yifan…”

“What is it?”

“There’s a saying among humans that a dragon’s promise is sacred, and can’t be broken.” Junmyeon carefully eyed Yifan’s expression for his reaction.

“Oh, is it only a saying?” Yifan casually continued powdering his face.

“What do you mean, ‘only a saying’?” Junmyeon edged forward, a curious look on his face.

“What you speak of is true; a promise from a dragon can never be broken, for if a promise is broken, then we lose our magic and our immortality. A promise is a dragon’s greatest weakness.” Yifan set down the powder he was holding and turned around in the chair so that he could look up at Junmyeon. “I made a promise to you on that night in the tower, and I knew what making it meant.”

Junmyeon stared at Yifan in shock. “You made that promise, even though you knew what the risk was? But…why?”

“Firstly, because it’s also a custom between mates. On the night before their wedding, a pair will exchange promises-usually they’re for things such as happiness, etc. In our case, I promised you trust. It was a bit earlier before our wedding but…well, you know how I am. But I also made that promise to you because I wanted that for us. I didn’t know how long it would take, but…over the year that we spent together, I realized that I wanted to stay with you, and that I wanted you to be happy whether or not we were together.”

Junmyeon blushed, and felt a small pang of guilt. It had taken him nearly an entire year after their wedding before he truly fell in love with Yifan. “Oh.”

“Hey, don’t feel bad or anything. What matters is that we love each other now, right?”

“That’s right.” Junmyeon smiled shyly and ducked his head away from Yifan’s gaze.

Yifan turned back to the mirror, his cheeks a faint shade of pink. “Why did you mention it, anyways?”

“Oh, one of your brothers mentioned something about promises and dragons a few months ago, and I had grown curious.”

“It takes you such a long time to ask questions,” Yifan chuckled. “Well, are you satisfied with the answer I gave you?”

“Yeah.” Junmyeon waited until Yifan had finished powdering his face in the mirror before going to sit in his lap. “Yifan?”

“What is it?” Yifan wrapped his arms around Junmyeon, securing his husband in place.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For everything,” Junmyeon smiled up at him. “I was afraid to marry you at first, but that promise you gave me allowed me to open up to you.”

“I’m glad.” Yifan began rubbing Junmyeon’s back when he noticed tears glimmering at the corners of Junmyeon’s eyes.

“Yifan…”

“What is it, love?”

“I promise to love you forever.” Junmyeon blushed in embarrassment. “I mean, I know a promise from me isn’t worth very much but-”

“Forever is a long time,” Yifan interrupted him. “Are you sure?”

Junmyeon smiled quietly. “I’m sure.”

“I love you so much,” Yifan muttered, leaning in to kiss Junmyeon on the lips. “I’ll hold you to your promise, Junmyeon. Love me forever, my dearest.”

“I will,” Junmyeon whispered softly, his hands tightening on Yifan’s arms as he leaned in towards Yifan. “I will.”

“You know, they say that a promise between lovers is as sacred as a promise from a dragon,” Yifan said, a mischievous twinkle lighting up his eyes when he pulled back from the kiss.

Junmyeon laughed, pleased that Yifan had accepted his pledge. “Alright. You have my promise as a lover, and I have your promise as a dragon. Are we even?”

“Very much so.”

And they both cradled the sacred promises they had made each other in their hearts, carefully guarding and tending to the precious words that resided within themselves.

Fin

a/n: I hope you enjoyed the fluff! Comments are always appreciated :) Come find me as jasminesighs on asianfanfics!