My Compromise
Holding the title of a prince is not easy, it is not solely about being a part of the royal family, or being treated higher than others. Royalty is a life most people dream of while not knowing what it truly means. Being a prince means upholding traditions and acting a certain way.
In other words, it means being someone you are not.
Living the life of a prince includes responsibilities he does not wish to uphold, and danger he aspires to run to. Yokohama's Port Kingdom is one of the, if not most, powerful kingdoms in Japan. Their lineage is the oldest and most prestigious in all of East Asia.
It can be tiring upholding the ancestry.
This is not to say that Dazai hates being a prince, he's not ungrateful to have royal blood running through his veins, nor is he overly proud. It's just that the burden of living overlooks the joy of luxury. The guilt of doing stuff he does not wish to do overlooks the thrill of doing it. The anger of being forced to do something overlooks the cause of the matter.
Such as this marriage.
Dazai never agreed to marry Ozaki Kouyou, he was well aware of the fact that this marriage was crucial to both kingdoms, yet he had never consented. That was until his father threatened him with his siblings' lives.
If there is one thing Dazai Osamu cares about in his life, it is his family. His siblings. The only people he considers his family. Perhaps the royal librarian, Odasaku could count as his family too. Heaven knows that man has done more for Dazai than his own parents have.
So according to his deal with Mori Ougai, the devil himself incarnated as his dear father, Dazai had no choice other than to proceed with this marriage. He, quite frankly, did not care about the marriage itself, it was more about ruining the other person's life, binding them to a relationship that the prince was definite would have no meaning.
Especially when he had already spoken with the princess, learning that she is not interested in men at all, and is actively in a relationship with a woman. The guilt threatening to bubble up from underneath his skin was scalding hot, unbearable until he could no longer contain it in. Yet he kept mum.
It was a night before the wedding when Dazai had discovered the true reason for this alliance, the prince had overhead a secret conversation between his father and Queen Amelia. It had been a deal. This alliance, this proposal, this marriage, it had all been a deal.
King Mori Ougai was buying the princess, all because she supposedly has a hidden power that held some sort of key to a unknown fate-changing book.
Now, Dazai is not a fool. He knows powers do in fact exist, he has wielded a hidden one which only him and his siblings, who also have uncanny abilities, are aware of. Powers are quite commonly found in royal bloodlines, it has been a fact hidden from the commoners and subjects for years and years.
This.. marketing of humans, selling and buying people for their powers? this was something the prince had not heard of. Though, if to be truly honest.. Dazai was not surprised upon learning this. Mori is a sick person, appearing with pride and as a perfect king to his kingdom, but a monster in disguise to his own children. It does not surprise Dazai in the slightest, what depths of hell that man has stooped down to in order to to prevail in gaining whatever from which he benefits.
Then when Dazai had overheard the king speak regarding how he had learnt that Ozaki does not hold the beastly power, instead the prince does, Dazai knew he would not be marrying the princess anymore. As much as he hated himself for ruining someone's life, the consolation that the person would not be parting from their lover was enough for him to lessen the burden of guilt he felt.
Marriages between the same gender are not uncommon, especially amongst royal families. The prince has never been attracted to women, he has never been interested in a man either. Except the only difference is that being with a woman disgusts Dazai. He has never wished to be bound to either or.
Nakahara Chuuya, is what Dazai learns the prince's name is merely hours before the wedding. He vows he will not let Mori Ougai's filthy hands on that boy, regardless of the circumstances or relations.
He places a mask of indifference upon his face, and the facade doesn't break from the moment his older brother fixes his tie and crown, it does not falter as he looks into the eyes of his older sister and promises he does not care about this marriage.
Dazai stands at the altar with an expression that can only be described as uncaring, it stays as he completes the ceremony and exchanges the rings.
The mask doesn't break, even as he marries Nakahara Chuuya.
_____
The drive to Yokohama is quite long, it takes them around around four hours to reach the palace. Considering the fact that they did not choose to stop for refreshments or any break, this was quite a long journey.
Thunder rumbles outside and it seems oddly fitting for the storm swirling inside the prince's mind. He tries to avert his attention but all that's comprehensive are the thoughts regarding this entire fiasco.
As their car enters through the large gates of the royal palace, Chuuya doesn't open his eyes until the vehicle reaches to a halt. It feels like a surreal dream if he's being honest, the word nightmare would be more fitting. A few days ago he was preparing for his elder sister's marriage with great joy, and now he was sitting in the car with his- husband, the prince that was meant to belong to his sister.
The palace before them is huge, a matte black stone castle with intricate silver designs trailing up the pillers, attached to them are beautiful white lights. Two black gates stand tall in the center of the building, covered in molten gold, floral patterns. It looks unreal to the point it could be mistaken for a imagination from a fantasy of wonders.
A flash of lightning catches his eye as he opens the door and steps outside, he glances over to the side and catches the Yokohama prince's sharp gaze, boring into him like daggers as he scrutinises Chuuya from head to toe.
Unravelling his existence with a mere glance.
Dazai nods his head to the side, gesturing him to enter, and despite the action of domination sparking a flame of anger inside him, Chuuya quietly obeys. The auburn-haired prince steps in line with the other, as they both cross the threshold of Yokohama's Port Palace.