Of French Customs and Old Times. Part 1
Title: Of French Customs and Old Times.
Status: Part 1 of ?
Author: xxqod
Pairing: Jonghyun/Taemin/Minho
Rating: PG-13
A/N: For bopeep_achu who requested this and I promised I would upload it today, but it still isn't finished XD (Don't hit me!!! >.< )
It takes place in France of the 18th Century. Incorrect use of the French language XD lol, I only had basic French. It's not historically correct and I used their Korean names, cause I can't bring myself to change them. (Don't bash me for it! >.< )
~There's a wordlist at the end of each part, stating the French words and their translation.~
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"Mademoiselle Taemin! Please dress properly." The lackey begs, falling on his knees.
"I'm not a mademoiselle! Stop calling me that, Kibum!" Taemin shrieks, "Last time I checked I was still hundred percent male!"
"Mademoiselle, these are orders from le Roi Minho. I can't disobey him." His personal servant bows, "La Reine, please follow me to your room."
Taemin pouts but follows Kibum nonetheless, he can't let the poor guy lose his head over something trivial like clothes.
Taemin eyes the clothes lying on his bed. It's always a hassle to put these on, so he prefers to walk around in a nightgown, it's lighter and easier to move around in. He hates it there are only women clothes for him to wear, but Minho insisted on it, saying his beauty expresses itself more in female fashion.
"If you let me help you dress, mademoiselle." The lackey bows again and Taemin nods absentmindedly, his thoughts by the ball that's this evening. He trades his nightgown for a chemise, before he puts his arms up so Kibum can pull the corset around his torso. He tightens the corset making sure to give Taemin a female figure. The panniers are resting against his hips.
"We're lucky your chemise isn't a low cut one. We can easily fill it up with cloth to give you a bust." Taemin scowls at the man, "Why do I even put up with this?"
"Let me remind you le Roi Minho doesn't want the rest of the royalty to know his wife is actually a male. He would be very humiliated." The tone is serious, but Taemin doesn't care.
"Then why does he have all these concubines? Shouldn't he be satisfied with me?" His voice shakes a little at the end of the sentence and Kibum regards him with a concerned look.
"Mademoiselle, you know he loves you. Or else he wouldn't have married you." Taemin smiles a little.
"Well, let's not longer wait with dressing up."
A petticoat gets pulled over the panniers which make his hips look thrice as broad. Then comes the actual dress with all the frills and excessive decorations. It weighs a ton and Taemin almost goes down, but finds his footing in time.
"Be careful Madame, have you been eating enough lately?" Taemin waves the question away, before holding his arms still so Kibum can attach the frills to his elbow-length sleeves. Then he lifts up his left foot, so the high heeled shoe can be put on, followed by his other foot. The cold necklace around his neck sends shivers through his body.
"If you would like to sit down, I can do your hair, mademoiselle."
"Can we not do that enormous wig? I can't keep my head up. Please put my own hair up, it's long enough anyway and I like the colour better than that hideous greyish."
The lackey nods as he begins to pin Taemin's hair up, making two big corkscrew curls which rest on Taemin's shoulders.
A knocking on the door makes two heads turn in the direction. Kibum hastily puts the last pin in the hair and hands silently the silk gloves and the hand-held fan to Taemin. He looks quickly into the full-length mirror, seeing a girl in his place.
"Taemin, are you ready?" A deep voice says as the door is opened by the lackey. The tall man walks in and eyes him up and down.
"You look stunning." He whispers and kisses Taemin soft on the lips. "Let's go." Kibum bows when they walk past him, smelling the cheap perfume on Minho's clothes and he knows he was with a concubine. He watches the sad expression on Taemin's face before he disappears around the corner.
The guests are all in the ball room and when they reach the door the crier shouts out their titles.
"Please welcome Roi Minho le Charisme Flamboyant et Reine Taemin la Jeune Belle." Everyone who is present bows a little towards the king and queen, showing their respect.
Taemin scans the guests for one particular person but he sees him nowhere. His smile falls a little, but he places it back on his face when Minho looks at him. The musicians begin a jolly tune and Minho extends his hand for Taemin to take. Taemin holds it and makes the first steps of the dance, leading, but then they part in a spin, both doing their own part of the dance and come only back together for the ending pose.
Then the crier shouts again through the music.
"Please welcome Seigneur Jonghyun, Monsieur le duc d'Orléans."
Taemin's head snaps towards the doors, but he stays in his place, it would be considered weird if he suddenly welcomed the young man warmly. His breath catches in his throat when he sees what Jonghyun wears. He has a black breeches on and the light blue waist coat with a white shirt underneath makes a nice contrast with it. His tailcoat has the same light blue colour and the tricorne with the white feathers too. The cravat and the stockings are a nice white too and his low-heeled shoes are shining black. He takes off his hat and Taemin is captured by his unique hair, cropped and brownish blonde, he too didn't bother with formalities in the form of an ugly grey wig.
Taemin watches him greet Minho and can't help but notice Minho's green clothing looks dulls compared to Jonghyun's. He makes his way over to Taemin, and bows while kissing his hand.
"Bonsoir, ma belle mademoiselle." Jonghyun grins and Taemin grins back since they both know Taemin isn't a girl, unlike the rest of the guests in the ball room.
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Go to the next Chapter
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A/N: The next part begins with a flashback, just saying. That's why this is so short XD LOL, sorry '^^
List of French words with translation:
- mademoiselle - young lady / miss
- le roi - King
- la reine - Queen
- Roi Minho le Charisme Flamboyant - King Minho, the Flaming Charisma XD
- Reine Taemin la Jeune Belle - Queen Taemin, the Young Beauty
- Seigneur (d'Orléans) - lord (of Orléans)
- Monsieur le duc d'Orléans - My lord, the duke of Orléans