#the price for that pendant….criminal!! awful!! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

carat-archive · 5 years

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hall of gilded dreams [preview]

ᴍᴏᴏᴅʙᴏᴀʀᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇʟʏ @wennjunwho!

➝ summary: Jun doesn’t remember his past, and he doesn’t need to, not when he’s nobody… but the vivid dreams he keeps having might be telling him something different.

You need a lucky break, and the street performer you just caught does look an awful like the lost prince they’re looking for… even if it’s been ten years.

➝ pairing: jun x female reader (ft. jisoo of blackpink, monsta x, kyulkyung of pristin, and other possible mentions)

➝ genre: fluff, angst, space opera, sci-fi, anastasia au

➝ warnings: black markets and other illegal things that involve smuggling. may include cursing, (implied) violence, suggestive content, and more in the future!

➝ words: ? (858 for the preview)

➝ notes: one of the (late) birthday presents for @nothaechan! i hope you like this darling, even if it’s very late! heavily inspired by star wars (especially han and leia) and anastasia, part of the stardust series. special thanks to jane (@wennjunwho) for the moodboard! (also: @choco-seventeen, for my favorite long-haired fire prince jun enthusiast!)

It’s a glimmer of a distant memory. Something tucked away and hidden, like a torn page from a children’s book of fairy tales. He knows that this can’t possibly be real; the high arches and gilded halls belong to a world that’s not his own, far away from the cots and tents and busy marketplaces that are familiar to him. He sees people outfitted in the finest swaths of fabric money can buy, silks draping off shoulders as they slowly make their way down the hall, wrists and necks adorned with thin metallic bands and sparkling jewels. Pleasant chatter bubbles out of them like the foam of a champagne bottle.

He realizes that this is a dream when he turns to find himself looking down at a young boy. He can’t be more than eight years old, yet there’s something familiar about him, something that reminds Jun of himself. He takes in the suit lined with golden thread, the red brooch pinned to the boy’s chest, and the golden circlet atop his black hair. It’s clear the boy doesn’t see him, not when he walks right by him, not sparing him another glance, and, despite his better judgment, Jun follows him.

He runs through swirling skirts and outstretched arms, finding himself in a lavishly decorated ballroom, the boy still out of reach somehow. The waltz in the background abruptly ends in a screeching dissonance that sends his head reeling. The image crumbles, the walls collapse inwards, and the people simply fade away into dust as flames consume the rest of the scene. Only darkness and fire surround him now.

He wakes up in a cold sweat, eyes meeting the canvas ceiling, and lets out a breath of relief. It may not have been the first time he’s had this dream, but it’s the first time it’s been that vivid. He turns on his side, reaching for his sand-covered pack. His fingers close around the smooth red stone hidden inside. He pulls it out, blinking away sleep to take a closer look. It’s covered in sand, dull from years of neglect, and attached to a single gold chain. There’s no denying that it bears an uncanny resemblance to the jewel in his dreams. He blows the sand off, rubbing it with a spare cloth, attempting to return it to its former sheen, before slipping the chain around his neck, pendant resting against his skin.

Jun doesn’t believe in past lives, or destiny, or anything of the sort, but how can he explain what he sees in his dreams and the object he wears on his chest?

“Y/N! Wake up!” screams the small metallic voice beside your bed.

You cover your ears with a pillow, turning away from the floating sphere buzzing around your head.

“Emmy! Can a girl get some rest on her own spaceship?” you grumble.

“This piece of junk?” Emmy mutters, with what looks like annoyance blinking across her small screen, “anyways, it’s an emergency!”

“Fine,” you say, throwing back the blanket to slip into your worn boots and jacket. “What’s this about?”

“Um…” Emmy begins to float around nervously in circles, attempting to avoid the question. She lets out something reminiscent of a sigh, “it’s MX.”

You curse under your breath. A message from MX never meant good news. They control the planet of Rhacanwe, the black market hub and safe haven of criminals, despite the planet’s “no rulers” policy. As much as you would hate to do so, you have to pay the required tithes, or you can’t sell your goods in any of the big marketplaces or even use Rhacan services, leaving you to peddle illicitly in various planets, without the protection and stability that came with Rhacanwe.

You run through sleek, winding hallways into the central hub of command, hearing Jisoo argue with the transmission of Hyungwon, MX’s chosen representative.

“That is absolutely ridiculous! We can’t pay these prices, Hyungwon! Friend of the people, my ass!”

“It’s business, darling, nothing personal.”

You clear your throat, causing both parties turn their attention towards you.

“Nice to see that the queen has finally deigned to join us,” Hyungwon drawls out. “What’s wrong Your Majesty, did I interrupt your beauty sleep?”

“Hyungwon, nice to see you’re still playing lackey to the big dogs,” you snap back. “What do they want?”

“Well, they want us to pay their ridiculous tax, all so we can keep selling goods in Rhacanwe,” Jisoo says, rolling her eyes. Her arms are crossed in front of her, clearly annoyed with the demands.

“You’re behind on your tithes, and with the increases and interest, not to mention damages,” he starts.

“Hold on,” you rub your temples, “increases? Interest? When did those happen?”

“Recently,” he responds, placing his hands under his chin, “which is why I decided to let you know.”

“This isn’t a friendly ‘just to let you know!’” you grit out, your hands splayed on the dash in front of you.

Hyungwon sighs, “One million credits. You have two weeks,” and the transmission blinks off.

How the hell are you supposed to come up with one million credits in two weeks?

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