Of French Customs and Old Times. Part 3
Title: Of French Customs and Old Times.
Status: Part 3 of ?
Author: xxqod
Pairing: Jonghyun/Taemin/Minho
Rating: PG-15
A/N: For bopeep_achu who requested this, 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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Go back to the Previous Chapter
Taemin's parents came by ever so often to check upon their son and he always fooled them, saying he was alright and he liked living in Versailles. The truth was, he wasn't happy at all. Sometimes they brought Jonghyun along with them and Taemin's face would lit up, smiling a true smile, before falling back in his role, feeling Minho's dark aura overpowering him.
One time his parents didn't arrive at the appointed time and Taemin felt anxious. He asked Minho if something happened, but the older boy shook his head, indicating he didn't know anything. Guards were sent on a search and it didn't take long before the message arrived their carriage was found, burned to ashes. Taemin fell to the ground in a lifeless, crying mess and Minho awkwardly tried to comfort him, before Kibum butted in and took Taemin from Minho, bringing him to his own bed.
Jonghyun visited the day after, truly heartbroken as well when the news arrived him. Taemin's parents were much like his own parents and he couldn't phantom the thought he lost his parents twice. He now had inherited their land and castle, becoming the duke after Taemin's father.
Taemin and Jonghyun cried in each other's embrace, watched from the door by a sad Kibum. As Kibum wanted to close the door he got roughly pushed aside by two guards who stalked into the room and took Jonghyun by the arms. The screams were piercing through the air, both Jonghyun and Taemin are separated again in a brute way and Kibum could do nothing about it. He sat back against the wall, trying to block out the voices. He didn't want Taemin to get hurt more than he already was. Kibum felt like crying, but he had to be strong for Taemin, he swallowed the lump in his throat.
Jonghyun was trying to escape the guards and Taemin ran after him, but Kibum was fast in pulling him back. He held Taemin tight, took all the elbows and kicks aimed at him and the curses thrown at him. He watched Taemin break down more with every meter Jonghyun was taken away.
After Jonghyun's screams died away, Kibum slowly steered Taemin into the room, seating him on his own bed. He crawled onto the bed, settling behind Taemin and pulled him back against his chest, coaxing him to relax. Kibum looked up to the door when he heard a small sound and saw Minho with an unreadable, but seemingly satisfied expression, before said person turned and left them on the bed.
Taemin never saw Jonghyun again, Minho forbade meeting him and Jonghyun wasn't let into the castle. Two years of only having Kibum and Minho around, [the other servants avoided him, probably Minho's doing], went by slowly. Minho was around him every single day, except for the meetings with dukes from all over the country and Taemin spend that time in Kibum's room or outside in the immense garden.
At balls and meetings Kibum dressed him every time in a new dress. He never wore the same twice at a banquet or dance and Taemin slowly began to like it. Minho proved himself to be a good dancer and Taemin liked it. He slowly learned all the dances in his private time with Minho and Kibum taught him the steps, so he wouldn't be embarrassed later on. Slowly Taemin forgot about Jonghyun, Minho gave him all the attention he needed.
One particular day Taemin found the feeling of butterflies in his tummy when Minho looked at him. He told Kibum about it and asked him what this feeling was, was he sick? Kibum patted him on the back, saying something good happened to him, before he claimed he had to see Minho.
That evening they had a delicious meal with fish and even lamb was served. Taemin didn't know what to think of it, but when Minho placed his chair next to his and held a fork with a piece of meat on it for him to eat, Taemin thought Minho probably knew about him feeling not well. He slowly bit the meat of the fork, blushing when Minho smiled at him. He felt hot, not really comfortable sitting so close. Minho leaned even closer.
"What do you feel when I do this?" He whispered and Taemin involuntarily shuddered when the breath abused his ear.
"My stomach does these flips. I think I'm sick or something…" Seriously, Taemin never felt this before and Minho could only chuckle slightly at his cuteness.
"I think I know what's wrong." Minho said, making Taemin widen his eyes. He cupped the younger boy's face.
"I think you're in love with me." And he kissed Taemin on the lips for the first time in all those years. He snaked his hands around the boy who gasped when fingers stroked his neck. Minho took this opportunity to deepen the kiss, making Taemin squirm in his seat. Kibum silently left the room with the other servants, throwing a fist in the air in joy.
Their lips were connected the whole time while Minho stumbled them to the bedroom, almost tripping on everything and nothing. Taemin clung onto his neck and waist, like a baby koala refusing to let go. They fell on Taemin's bed and Taemin wondered for a brief moment why he never saw Minho's room, but when a hand slipped under his gown, he became lightheaded.
That night Taemin didn't know what they did, not exactly. He only knew it hurt less than the time Minho forced himself on him and this time there was a warm feeling accompanying the intimate actions. Taemin felt his body spasm when his vision became white. He kept repeating Minho's name and eventually fell asleep in a pair of strong arms, still murmuring his name.
After that night there were many more nights shared in the same bed. Though Minho still spend time with him outside in daytime, but after a long year those shared nights became less, even to the point where Taemin stood outside Minho's bedroom, pondering on whether to enter or not. He really wanted to ask Minho if something was wrong, but he also wanted to thank him for the horse he got today. He named it Foudre, just as his horse at home, before he came to live here.
Taemin held his breath when he pushed the door to Minho's chambers open, dropping to the floor with a loud thud when he saw Minho hovering above a young lady on his bed. He choked back a sob when his eyes connected with Minho, who was clearly shocked at his presence.
"Taemin…" Minho stood up.
"No! No! Go away!" Taemin scrambled back through the open door, running towards Kibum's room.
"Kibum!" He cried when he practically flew in the other's bed.
Kibum was alarmed by the other's behaviour and instinctively hugged the crying boy closer to his chest making sure they were covered with the blankets. He kissed Taemin's head, rubbed his back and whispered sweet nothings in his ear to calm him down.
"Kibum, you love me right?" Taemin looked at him with big moist eyes and Kibum lightly pinched his cheeks.
"Of course I love you." He exclaimed, kissing Taemin slightly on the lips. "Go to sleep. We will talk in the morning."
Kibum watched Taemin sleep in his arms and couldn't help but feel hurt for the poor boy. He already knew what was going on in Minho's chamber, now Taemin knew it too. He couldn't tell Taemin, even though he wanted to protect the boy from feeling hurt, but it couldn't be helped. Minho really knew how to make people cry. He cursed Minho silently under his breath, before placing another kiss on Taemin's face, going to sleep himself.
Life at the castle became dull after that night. Most of the time Taemin avoided Minho and only talked to him when it was necessary. After a year he felt like he was living a different life under the same roof, but he chose to ignore Minho. He put away his feelings, handling everything with a indifferent mask on his face, never sounding interested or happy. Taemin only opened up to Kibum who was like a mother figure to him and loved him back with the same kind of love.
He thought back to the time where he still lived with his parents and Jonghyun. Every day was filled with happiness before he was forcefully taken away. He thought he could find his luck here after he came to realize he loved Minho, but a year of living in bliss was too short for him to be truly happy. He wanted to see Jonghyun again, talk about the lost time they had. The kisses they shared came into his mind like a snapshot and he blushed a bit. He never thought Jonghyun would like him that way, but it didn't matter anymore right? He was now probably happy with some woman he found. Taemin buried his head in his pillows, surprised at the tears that fell from his eyes.
"Kibum. I want to see Jonghyun." Taemin said one stormy night when the thunder and rain roamed around and Taemin had found his way into Kibum's bed, afraid of the lightning. Kibum hugged him close, slowly lulling Taemin to sleep.
"I'll see what I can do for you…" Kibum whispered in Taemin's hair, tugging the boy's head under his chin and enveloping him in an embrace.
Every day Minho still said he loved him. And Taemin always had trouble to ignore it, but he did an awesome good job according to himself. Heartbreak was something he learned to live with and it didn’t hurt him when he found out Minho had more than one concubine. He still felt a little jealous though. Was he not good enough? But Minho said he loved him, he just didn’t touch him anymore. Kibum would always be by his side to give him a shoulder to cry on and words of comfort. He was also the one who suggested to bend the rules a little bit, so Taemin could learn the essentials of men's lifestyle, he was after all still a man.
Taemin learned in secret how to fight with a sword and other weapons, horse riding was something women could do too. And he was after all living as the queen. Kibum always accompanied him, warning him when others came, so Taemin could put the weapons away in the chest behind a bush in one of the far corners of the land that belonged to the castle.
Soon he was very skilled and could disarm Kibum, who wasn't that bad himself, in two strikes. The first time he jumped in victory, giving Kibum the opportunity to get his sword back off the floor and point it at Taemin's throat. He smirked at Taemin's panicked face, before lowering his sword.
"Always make sure you don’t give the enemy a change to strike back." He winked at Taemin, shoving him playful in his side, maybe a little bit too hard when Taemin almost had tears in his eyes. Kibum threw an arm around Taemin's neck pulling him closer. He glanced around before whispering in Taemin's ear.
"Taemin, did you know there's going to be a ball held in the castle?" Taemin shook his head when Kibum told him that.
"It's in a few weeks and I heard Jonghyun is invited too." And that's where Taemin's heart skipped a beat for the first time in three years.
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Go to Next Part
A/N: Okay, so the flashback was a time span of 6 years, containing some events which are fairly important for the story. Next part starts with the present time again xD So back at the ball room :)
List of French words with translation:
- Foudre - Lightning