grand blessings

In a quiet corner of the palace gardens, hidden by dark trees, Princess Taehyun was meeting a man in secret. She was trembling with fear. No one in the royal family knew her biggest secret: she loved someone else.

"Please, Taehyun," the man whispered, holding her hands tightly. "Run away with me tonight. If you marry the Jeon prince, we will never see each other again."

Taehyun cried silently and shook her head. "I cannot," she whispered back. "If I run away, the Jeon Kingdom will destroy my family and my people. I have to marry him to save my kingdom."

Before the man could say anything else, Taehyun heard footsteps. She quickly pushed him away into the shadows just as her mother and her twin brother, Taehyung, walked into the garden.

"Taehyun, what are you doing out here in the dark?" her mother asked gently. "Come inside. The marriage is tomorrow. You need to rest."

Taehyung looked at his sister. His heart was heavy and sad. He loved his twin sister more than anyone else in the world. He hated the idea that tomorrow she would leave across the sea to live with her cruel in-laws. He walked close to her and held her hand, wishing he could stop time.

On the other side of the palace, the Jeon royal family was gathered in a grand dining hall. They were eating a lavish dinner and talking about the big wedding.

Jungkook sat at the center of the table. Around him were his family members: his father Namjoon, his mother Seokjin, his brother Jimin, and Jimin's husband, Yoongi.

"The alliance is perfect," King Namjoon said, nodding with satisfaction. "Tomorrow, our kingdoms become one."

"The princess is very beautiful," Queen Seokjin added with a warm smile. "I hope she adjusts well to our palace."

Jimin smiled and looked at his husband. "It is a happy day. Right, Yoongi?"

Yoongi nodded softly, holding Jimin's hand under the table. "Yes. A wedding is always a blessing."

Jungkook listened to his family talk. He did not say much, acting calm and quiet as usual. He was not rude to his parents, but he did not show any excitement either. But inside his heart, Jungkook was thrilled. He didn't care about love or a happy marriage. All he cared about was that tomorrow, he would win this kingdom. To him, the wedding was just his grand victory.

Both families were waiting for tomorrow, completely unaware of the tragedy that was waiting for them.

Later that night, the palace grew completely still. The loud wedding preparations had finally stopped, and everyone went to sleep.

Jungkook could not sleep. He walked out onto his private balcony and leaned against the cold stone railing, staring up at the dark, starry sky. As he watched the night, a bright shooting star suddenly flashed across the dark blue sky, leaving a long trail of light behind it.

Jungkook just stared at it. He did not care much about wishes or old superstitions. He did not believe in luck; he only believed in his own strength and power. To him, the star was just a streak of light in the night. He turned back toward his dark room, his mind only focused on his victory tomorrow.

On the other side of the palace, Taehyung was also standing outside on a balcony. He looked incredibly sad, his eyes fixed on the exact same sky.

When the bright shooting star flashed above him, Taehyung quickly closed his eyes. Unlike Jungkook, he cared deeply. He brought his hands together and made a desperate, silent wish from the bottom of his heart.

“Please protect my kingdom,” Taehyung wished fiercely. “Keep my family safe from the cruel Jeon prince, and please give my sister a safe and happy life, no matter where she goes.”

Taehyung opened his eyes, staring at the empty sky. He felt a strange, cold shiver pass through his body. He did not know that the gods were listening to his wish, but the future they had planned for him was very different from what he expected. His wish to protect his kingdom would come true, but it would cost him his sister's life—and force him into the arms of his enemy.

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