Autumn Nights: A SJ Fanfiction Site

Bye for now.

2011-10-06T16:45:00.003-04:00

It's already October, which means my semester just went from a level 5 difficulty to a level 12... on a 10-point scale. So, for those of you who have been following along with me for the past few years, know that it's time for my usual hiatus. Actually, this is pretty late in the semester for me to put all updates on hold, but that's because of all the injuries I sustained this past summer which made it impossible for me to update as much as I had planned/wanted.

So! Some updates...

Mourning Song series is coming along nicely, and I know I don't update this one as often as others, but that's because this series (along with Scarlet Night) is my longest to date. It's difficult writing a series for so long because a writer needs to be able to keep the readers entertained. I know the wait-time between updates doesn't help, but I want to make sure each chapter has a purpose and advances the plot rather than just some filler to post between actual plot-affecting events. So, the reason it does take some time between updates is because I'm being really careful with each chapter to ensure the characters are growing, but that they're still who they were in the original series. If you think about it, 3 years has passed between the end of Scarlet night (or, 2 years from where the epilogue left off) and the beginning of Mourning Song. That's a lot of time for people to grow, and I try to give the characters as much depth as possible, especially since this is a dramatic series. On the hiatus, perhaps a few of you will try to pick up some of the clues of what's to come in the series. I promise there's at least two dozen in the chapters posted so far.

Reign on Me, I know, isn't as popular as mourning song and some of you have explained why that is (i.e. not wanting to get the two series confused) and I understand that, especially considering I have a tendency to have the same characters appear in my stories/series recently (i.e. Sungmin, Taeyeon, Kyuhyun). This series actually moves at a quick pace (For those of you following this story, only one week has passed and already eleven chapters have been posted!) so relationships and character growth are a little more difficult to establish and show. I wanted this series to be different than my others, and it's because of that quick pace. It meant I had to show characters differently, show their growth differently. Hopefully, I didn't disappoint!

I know some of you have wandered over to my tumblr. For those of you that did, you may have noticed that while I throw up mini-previews to various stories (old and new), I've also been throwing up mini-previews of an untitled series and stating it will be on my site in 2012. What I never clarified was that, when I say 2012... I mean April-ish, but that could be pushed back to June. (I finish classes end of March, final exams throughout April, have 2 weddings in May & I'm maid of honour, graduation & board exams for my license in June)

But, yes, this as-of-yet-untitled-series is the one series that I am most excited about. I have never been this excited for a series in the 10 years I've been writing fanfiction. I haven't released any character names, but I have thrown quite a few mini-previews on my tumblr. This series will be different from my others. It will be split into four parts and each part of the quartet will span 1 year in the story.

I've already developed main characters, elevated-secondary characters and secondary characters (yes... there is such a thing as an elevated-secondary char =P ...) I've actually been planning this out since mid-August and have up to part 2 of the quartet plotted and planned. What some of you don't know is that I do research for my stories. If I state a real-life fact it's only after I've researched and confirmed it first. For this series/quartet, I have done an extensive amount of research, more so than ever before. I know there will be some allusions readers will not understand, but I hope it entices people to do a bit of their own research. If not, I'll just start stating things at the end of chapters.

There's a certain amount of risk I'm taking with this particular series and I know some readers won't read it, but, hopefully, the way that I've planned it out, that shouldn't be too big of a problem (I know this is a pretty vague statement, but I just wanted to put it out there. It'll make more sense once it's up).

There's a few more things I have plans to write, but at the moment, I just want to concentrate on finishing up MS & ROM. I want those two out of the way for when I start posting the quartet so then everyone can just concentrate on that particular series.

Well, that's all for now, so I guess it's time to officially be on hiatus.

Take care & much love!

Yours etc.

p.s. for those who sometimes wander over to the sister-site, HP Nights... I have a mini-series & a one-shot planned... DM/HP ^^;

p.p.s. if you want/need to contact me, feel free to tweet me on twitter, leave a message on the facebook page, throw something in the ask box on tumblr, or just email me. I usually check-up on the social networks at least once a day, so within 48 hours, you should get a reply. If not, just prompt me again, the message could have been over looked/not delivered/ended up in the spam box. =)

[MS11] To See the Sun

2011-10-01T11:03:00.003-04:00

words: 7005
rate: PG13
(11th Cycle of the Mourning Song series.)

11th Cycle: To See the Sun

No one ever said
growing up was simple.
No one ever said
telling the truth was hard
and that lies were easy.
No one ever said
I might lose you one day.

Kyuri quickly took in the movements of the pureblood as the Hunter fought with him. As much as she could, she gathered patterns, possible blind spots and if the pureblood seemed to favour right over left or vice versa. She ran right into the fight, her fist whipping out and catching the vampire’s temple in a powerful blow. The vampire stumbled backwards and the Hunter took up a stance, hands fisted and ready for when the enemy struck back,

“Ma’am,” he huffed, his face already drenched with perspiration, his body bobbing slightly with the effort it took to fill his lungs properly,

Kyuri didn’t have time to reply as the vampire charged at her. The Hunter stopped, hooking an arm around its chest and pulling the vampire away. He caged the vampire, trying to throw it against the side of the alley. Its fingers dug into his arms and he ground his teeth to stifle a cry when sharp nails pierced his skin. Suddenly, he was flipping through the air and thrown onto the ground, his entire body tensing at the shock of the blow. He gasped for air, the wind knocked from him as his lungs fought desperately to open up again.

Kyuri came up behind the vampire, one arm wrapping around its neck, her other arm going behind his head, her hands planted firmly on the sides of its face, preparing to snap its neck. However, the vampire grabbed her arms. She loosened her body, preparing for what she knew would happen. The vampire hunched over, using the motion to propel the Head Hunter over its head. Kyuri kicked out a foot to the side, caught the alley beneath the souls of her shoes and was able to twist in the air and land on the ground. With her grip on the vampire’s neck, she tried to twist its head, but her position in front of him made it awkward and she was only able to throw its larger body into the alley wall.

The vampire recovered quickly from the blow, swinging around to face her just as she began reaching for the gun. It lunged for her and, with horror, she realized the gun was no longer where she had kept it. It came so close she could practically feel its breath against her neck before it went sideways, the Hunter having jumped from the ground and tackling it down.

The Hunter began to scrimmage.

Kyuri leaned back against the alley wall, her hands instinctively going to her stomach. She felt no pain and had been careful not to get hit there. Her movements were slower than normal, however, always accounting for the fact that she was several pounds heavier and that extra weight was a precious life she had to protect. Had she only herself to protect, she would’ve fought harder, swifter – she could have won.

She scanned the ground, trying to find where her gun had disappeared to. She guessed it had slipped away when she had been thrown by the vampire. She saw the briefest glint of metal as light occasionally slipped into the alley as cars drove by. She hurried towards the gun only to feel a sudden force at her back.

She was sent flying to the ground. She tried to twist to force herself to land on her side instead of her front, her left arm flexing to break her fall as her right arm curved around her stomach to protect it. The ground scraped across her arm and she heard the tear of her sleeve and the burn of her skin being broken. She also heard the sick sound of a large pop and felt the immediate stab of pain in her shoulder as it felt as if it was suddenly engulfed in flames.

Choking on a sob, she looked over her shoulder just as the Hunter jumped to his feet and lunged at the vampire again. Using her right hand as a prop, she gingerly got to her knees and then to her feet. She quickly bent over and snatched up her gun. Straightening, she checked that the gun was ready as she slouched against the wall, clutching her left arm to her torso, just above her stomach.

She raised the gun trying to aim as the Hunter continued to struggle against the vampire. She had six shots, but she knew that she could easily shoot the Hunter instead of the vampire. The Hunter was thrown against the wall and she heard the sickening crack of skull against brick. The vampire immediately picked up the Hunter by the collar, drawing him up to feed. Before she could think, Kyuri ran towards them, shoving the distracted pureblood with her good shoulder. She heard the Hunter sliding to the ground against the wall as she aimed her gun at the vampire.

Bang!

The vampire was still lunging back at her, his sudden movement causing the bullet to enter his abdomen instead of his chest. He shoved Kyuri against the wall and the force of the blow winded her completely. She was gasping for air as the vampire gripped her neck with one hand. She felt nails biting into her skin and before they sunk in too deep, she was in the air again, being thrown deeper into the alley way. She landed on her back, being unable to curl or twist her body with her protruding stomach and dislocated shoulder.

The impact on the ground was accompanied by fire below her right shoulder blade. The pain didn’t dissipate as it burned, throbbing painfully. She forced her eyes open, blinking back the hot tears as she tipped her head up as best she could, seeing the vampire walk towards the Hunter again. Laying her head back, she raised the gun as best she could. Closing her eyes, she pictured the vampire, where he had been, what angle would be best to shoot from. With his back to her, she shouldn’t be able to get his heart because of his shoulder blade. However, being on the ground, she could shoot at an angle that slid just beneath his left shoulder blade and into the desired organ.

It was a one in a million chance, but it was all she had left.

Struggling to keep her arm raised from the ground, her entire body shaking from lack of air and the constant pain, she aimed with her eyes closed. She tried to figure out the mathematics quickly, using her memory as her only guide.

Bang!

She raised her head in time to see the vampire’s torso jolt forward. From its movement, she guessed that she had hit too low, the bullet embedding itself into the left side of its mid-back.

Bang!

She tried again, this time its right side jerking and she calculated she had hit just right of its spine. She was shaking too much, unable to shoot with a steady hand; she’d never be able to hit it properly.

The shots got the vampires attention. It turned towards her and she momentarily believed she could see its fangs even in the darkness. It approached – no, prowled – closer and she forced her body to move. However, she still could barely breathe and the pain in her back and shoulder had increased in intensity to the point where she felt practically paralyzed. She couldn’t even scramble away as the pureblood towered over her. He picked her off the ground by the collar of her sweater as if she weighed no more than a feather. Her body jolted with pain and she felt air rushing past her as he threw her once more.

She fell to the ground like a ragdoll, the Hunter collapsed on the ground against the wall beside her. The vampire was standing over her again in the blink of an eye. She was picked up again, smashed against the wall and a new pain began to spread on the crown of her skull. She fidgeted, trying to break free of its iron grasp only to feel the pain shoot down her body and, instinctively, she stopped moving, the pain consuming her. She was distantly aware of the vampire’s head moving closer, tilting towards her neck.

Closer.

Trying to grip the gun, only to realize her hand was numb and she couldn’t even tell if she still held the gun.

Closer.

She shut her eyes, ignoring the present, ignoring the situation, unable to fight back for the first time in her life.

Closer, still.

She felt hot breath against her neck, smelt the stench fill her nostrils. Her luck had finally run out.

Then nothing.

She felt that floating feeling as she felt her body lurch towards the ground, too weak, too consumed with pain to stop herself, to steady herself. Arms like warm steel wrapped around her, catching her and she was barely able to raise her head. Her head lolled against a shoulder, the scent of the one holding her up endearingly familiar.

“Kibum,” she managed,

Kibum’s attention swung from the vampire he had just killed, its body on the ground and head twisted at an odd angle, back to his wife. His eyes running over her dirtied but unscratched face.

“Twins… safe?” Kyuri murmured, trying to raise her right hand to Kibum’s face, only to feel the pain slice through her beginning at her shoulder blade and travelling down her limb.

“Yes and the Hunter is okay. Unconscious, but breathing,” Kibum replied as the alley was suddenly filled with people; Hunters.

Sirens filled her ears and the flash of red light filled the night.

All Kyuri saw was Kibum. Her heart soared even as her body seemed to burn with pain before sizzling to numbness.

“Pain… everywhere,” she managed, finding it difficult to keep her eyes open, to keep her head raised from his shoulder.

Kibum was alarmed when Kyuri’s eyes closed and her body became even limper in his arms. He called over a pair of paramedics with a stretcher. With their help, they laid Kyuri on the stretcher, Kibum not wanting to do further damage by trying to lift her all on his own as he would have done in different circumstances.

Once she was safely on the stretcher, the paramedics began to quickly assess Kyuri as Kibum realized the white sheets of the stretcher had begun to turn crimson. He looked down at his right arm which had been hooked behind her back and his entire sleeve was drenched and he smelled the distinct scent of blood.

“We need a bolus, stat!” One paramedic cried as he stuffed pieces of cloth beneath Kyuri’s back at the level of her right shoulder blade.

“We transfer this one first, the other patient can wait for the next ambulance,” The other announced as he began to start an IV line on Kyuri,

“What is it?” Kibum demanded, and added when the other man hesitated, “She’s my wife, damn it!”

“It seems like she has a pneumothorax and her pulse is alarmingly low,” the first paramedic explained as he was desperate to stop the bleeding.

“Okay, let’s get her into the ambulance!” The second paramedic announced as he finished setting up the IV, holding the bag high above her as they began rushing her to the vehicle.

“I’m coming with you!” Kibum exclaimed, his tone and expression brooking no argument even as he jumped into the back of the ambulance behind them. “Hankyung!” He looked back to the sidewalk,

“Don’t worry, I’ll get the twins,” the older man insisted as he turned and ran into the building.

The back doors of the ambulance shut close. A slight jolt signaled the ambulance beginning the journey to the hospital.

Kibum clasped his hands before him, his lips pressing to them as his eyes stared unwaveringly at his wife’s face. She was all he had since he was twelve. Had it truly been ten years since he first met her? She had become his first friend and it had not been an easy path. She had said his piano playing had caught her attention, enraptured her. She said asked him why he was lonely that first meeting and he had called her rude. From that moment on, she had walked past the window every day.

He wasn’t sure what had made him do it, but one day he asked why she had such free time during the day when she should be in school. With an unwavering gaze and an even tone, she had said that she had no school. After she had left him that day ten years ago, he had secretly followed her. She had walked around aimlessly and, once night had fallen, she had sought out a shelter, the worker at the door regarding her as a ‘regular’.

It was none of his business, he had originally told himself. However, it took one restless night’s sleep to convince him otherwise. When she came by his window the next day, a Council Member had been in attendance and offered her a place in the Council. He had believed their association with one another to end there.

Unfortunately, they kept running into each other at the Council and she continued to visit him everyday when he was in the music room. Her temper made the other trainees too scared to even approach her just as his own cold exterior dissuaded people from approaching himself. How ever it had happened, he was the only one who dared challenge her whenever she was in a temper and she was the only one who riled his emotions. They had both been alone in the world and found solace with one another.

Now, they had so much more. They had family and friends. They belonged. He fought to keep family in their lives, trying to orchestrate them staying in Korea when they first came three years ago to SJA. He fought to keep friends in their lives, first, ensuring their Japanese Hunters remained safe when one become a turned vampire, then, convincing Kyuri that they move permanently to Korea. They had built a life together in Seoul and their children were happy and healthy. After so much fighting, he refused to lose his wife, the first light in his life.

He reached out tentatively and clasped her cold hand.

His gaze did not once leave her hauntingly beautiful, pale face.

All the while, he had forgotten to worry about their unborn child.

What happened to running
to the ends of the earth?
What happened to staying up
to see the sun rise?
What happened to you and me?

…

No one ever said
that we had to stay together.
No one ever said
that we couldn't stray
from each other's lives.
No one ever said
I might hate me one day.

Midnight

“Kibum!”

He looked up just before he was almost tackled to the ground, a pair of slim arms wrapped around him and hugging him tightly. He immediately relaxed the moment he recognized his cousin-in-law. He hugged her back before she pulled away, her gaze wide with concern,

“I couldn’t get a hold of Sungmin, so I came here before trying more than once,” She explained, “What happened? Hankyung didn’t say anything when I saw him and the twins in the waiting room.”

“Kyuri was outside with a Hunter beside our apartment. They were attacked,” Kibum explained, “At some point she had gotten one of the building’s security guards to call both me and Hankyung. I was at SJA finishing some work, so, when I got there she was… the vampire was close to feeding from her.”

“How is she doing?” Taeyeon asked hesitantly, eyeing the door just behind him. She knew she sounded idiotic considering they were in the intensive care unit.

“She… she wouldn’t stop bleeding,” Kibum stammered as he turned and practically collapsed against the door, “They said something… something had pierced her lung from her back and… and it kept bleeding. She… Her heart stopped twice on… on the way here.”

“Kibum!” She gasped, gripping his arm tightly.

She had never seen her cousin’s husband look so emotional, so defeated. Even his voice, which was always monotonous, was filled with depths of despair and sorrow that she could practically feel waves of the negative emotions flowing out from him.

“They…” He turned, pressing his forehead against the wall, his hands fisted on either side of his shoulders.

Taeyeon kept her distance. She wanted nothing more than to comfort him, to hug him fiercely and lessen the pain and guilt that was evident in every line of his body, in every word he said. However, she knew he wouldn’t welcome such comfort. He had always been strong and silent, his schooled expressions and flat tones more often a mask than not; they were his shields. To show such emotion, to be so vulnerable was something she knew her cousin-in-law hated. So, she remained silent, she remained physically distant as Kibum reigned in his emotions.

After endless minutes, he said quietly, “They had to perform surgery the moment we got here.”

Taeyeon gasped, “The baby!?”

Taeyeon didn’t know what it cost him, but Kibum managed a small nod.

“Is the baby okay? Kyuri was only five months along!” Taeyeon said, hating how redundant she sounded, but it was all she could do,

“Just shy of twenty weeks,” he confirmed, “She’s so small, Taeyeon,” he said quietly, his voice gravelly and thick with emotion, “She’s in the NICU right now, but… they don’t… they don’t…” He shut his eyes and his fists tightened until his knuckles whitened, “They don’t know how long she’ll live.”

“Oh, Kibum,” she said softly, laying a hand on his shoulder.

It stiffened and she was prepared for him to pull away from her touch. But, slowly, ever so slowly, his muscles relaxed beneath her hand and accepted her comfort.

“I… I… I want to be with her, but I don’t want to leave Kyuri,” Kibum confessed,

“I can stay with Kyuri?” Taeyeon offered,

Kibum shook his head, “I… I need you to watch the twins at least… at least until we leave the hospital.”

“Of course,” Taeyeon agreed, “I can call Kyuhyun? He more or less knows his relationship with Kyuri. I’m sure he won’t mind staying with her so you can stay with the baby.”

“No,” Kibum shook his head as he turned to face her again, his water eyes avoiding her gaze, “He doesn’t understand everything right now and it’d be selfish to force this on him when he doesn’t remember anything, still.”

“What about my aunt?” Taeyeon suggested tentatively, “Kyuri mentioned how she calls all the time.”

“I… I will… eventually,” Kibum relented,

“My mother?” Taeyeon offered,

“I don’t want to bother –”

“Look, Kibum. Something devastating just happened to your wife and child. It’s not going to bother anyone if you ask them to spend some time at the hospital just so you can be at your baby’s side,” Taeyeon insisted fiercely, “Let me call Kyuhyun. He doesn’t understand everything, but he knows Kyuri. Let him stay with her, it won’t be such a burden on him and you’re allowed to be selfish.”

“I… I don’t know,” Kibum murmured as he looked away, swiping at his wet eyes,

“Kibum, I know you want to, but you can’t protect everyone all the time,” Taeyeon said hesitantly,

“They’re my family!” Kibum exclaimed then, his fist pounding against the wall, “I should be able to protect them at the very least!”

“Then, you should know when it’s time to ask for help!” Taeyeon argued. She sighed before continuing on gently, “Let me call Kyuhyun. I’ll keep Kyumi and Kyuki with me and he can keep your wife company. That way, you can be with the baby.”

“But –”

“That baby needs someone, Kibum. She needs to know she has something to live for,” Taeyeon stated, her hand absentmindedly going to her own stomach. She blinked back the threat of hot tears, “Go.”

Kibum swallowed hard, the lump forming in his throat almost suffocating. He nodded as his vision blurred with tears. He moved to leave, then turned back to her. He hugged her tightly, fiercely and, just as fast, left, running down the hallway.

Taeyeon breathed slowly, deeply, steadying herself as she pulled her phone from her purse. Fighting the threat of tears, she dialed Kyuhyun’s number.

What happened to running
in the rain, playing as it poured?
What happened to secret smiles
and silent promises?
What happened to you and me?

…

Now I look back
and can't help but think that
I would do it all again.
Yeah, I look back
and can't help but think that
I would change how it all ends.

Kyuhyun was running. He had almost fallen down the stairs several times as he was struggled to pull on his shirt. He ignored the curious stares of a few servants who had watched him. He had been sleeping, the unusually bright Saturday making him feel exhausted. When his phone rang, he had almost ignored it, almost let it ring into silence as his head was heavily with sleep. He had seen the name on the display and hesitated in answering it, having not spoken to the singer in weeks. When he answered, he had hardly said ‘hello’ before Lee Yeon – no, it was Taeyeon, wasn’t it? – had told him in a single breath what was happening and what she wanted from him.

He had pulled on a pair of jeans and grabbed a sweater as he left his room, bolting down the hallway to the main stairs as he went. When he reached the front foyer, as he had finally pulled on his sweater, the head butler happened by.

“Young Master?” He asked, concern evident in his old face,

“Driver… need,” he gasped, trying to catch his breath as he staggered to the front door, his energy practically non-existent at that point.

“Of, of course,” the butler replied as Kyuhyun tore the door open,

“Wait… there’s… no need,” he said as he leaned against the front door’s frame.

He stepped into the cold night and saw his assistant waiting for him. He managed it down the front steps to the car parked there. He looked over the car at his assistant. Mijoon stared back before gesturing to the car and getting into the driver’s seat. Kyuhyun glanced to the butler who stood at the front door. He nodded once to the old man before slipping into the passenger seat.

Mijoon tore away from the curb, driving furiously down the long driveway, the gates opening. He drove right through the moment he was sure the car could go between. He didn’t even look at the speedometer as he raced down the silent streets.

“How did you know I was going out?” Kyuhyun asked quietly as he got his seatbelt on, his hand grabbing the door’s handle as the older man took a sharp turn,

“I got a phone call,” was all Mijoon said.

“From who?” Kyuhyun questioned.

Hesitance and, then, “Someone.”

They fell into silence and, although Kyuhyun’s curiosity was peaked, his worry overcame all other emotions. His sister was in the hospital? Her baby was also in care? He didn’t understand. His niece and nephew – as how he regarded them now – were young, but not young enough to be called babies. Then, did that mean… He thought back to the last time he saw his sister. She hadn’t looked pregnant but, if she had had the baby now, she couldn’t have been too far into the pregnancy; surely not beyond the second trimester?

It was strange, Kyuhyun knew, how strongly he had reacted in hearing his sister was in the hospital. His emotions were volatile in their intensity. He had only known about his sister a few short months, had only spoken to her on two separate occasions and, yet, he already cared about her as if she were his other half. It was ridiculous and, yet, it felt right. For not the first time, he wondered if he knew his sister before but his illness had wiped away the memories. If that were true, then at least part of him remembered what he could not.

Parallel to these thoughts, Kyuhyun had also been thinking of what Lee Yeon – no, Taeyeon, he kept reminding himself – had told him. He had still not approached his parents about the scar on his right temple, but he often caught sight of it now when looking in the mirror, fragments seen through strands of his hair. He would run a finger along the faint ridge and wonder, and try to remember. A migraine would set in and he would turn away from his reflection, his past.

Faintly, he remembered the name ‘Taeyeon’ from those first days when he woke up in the small, windowless room. He remembered the name, but could not remember how he had learned it, if someone said it and, if someone did, what that voice sounded like. The name, however, was there in his mind, faintly imprinted on some locked memory. He would chase down ends of memories, only to have them slip away before he grasped them and, then, he was left wondering what it was he was trying to remember. His memories were, as always, elusive, and he was beginning to suspect their connection with his migraines.

If the photograph was proof, he had known the singer since a very young age.

“…I promise you that everything I have done in the past three years has been to reunite with you, Kyuhyun…”

They had been friends up until three years ago, around the time he had woken up in the windowless room. That meant they had been friends for almost his entire life and, yet, he couldn’t remember her, just as he couldn’t remember his sister.

He had said that he needed proof – solid, undeniable evidence. Regardless, he had already begun to question all he had known the past three years. Was his illness truly all it could be? He couldn’t really argue against him being sick since he lived it every day. But, was his illness to blame for his amnesia? He wondered.

"That's what they told you? I knew they had devised some story to tell you but I never imagined..."

Taeyeon – it was getting easier to refer to the singer as such – had said those words to him and it made him wonder. Did something else happen three years ago that caused his amnesia? What could have happened that effectively wiped out his memory? He didn’t remember anyone from before the time in the windowless room. He could barely even remember those he met when he left SJA and returned home with his mother. He distantly recalled someone assuring him that it was his mother whom he was going away with and, yet, he couldn’t recall that someone’s face or voice or even their words. All he remembered was trusting that voice and finding some comfort in it that everything would be okay if he left with his mother.

Kyuhyun was pulled from his reverie as the car stopped in front of the hospital and Mijoon’s voice softly stating, “Here.”

Kyuhyun undid his seatbelt and then glanced at Mijoon, “Can… Can you come in with me?”

Mijoon glanced at him before pulling away from the curb and muttering “Okay” as he drove into the parking garage.

Knowing where the ICU was, Kyuhyun more or less ran in its direction, Mijoon always by his side. Kyuhyun immediately headed to the nurses’ station,

“I’m looking for my sister –”

“Kyuhyun?”

Kyuhyun turned around to find Taeyeon standing in the doorway of a dimly lit room. He walked over to her, realizing that she had been in the waiting room. He glanced past her to a couch where his niece and nephew were curled up on their sides and fast asleep.

“I came as fast as I could,” he explained, “Where is she? What happened?”

“She’s in room 203, just…” Taeyeon paused, her eyes focused past Kyuhyun.

“Ah… this is my assistant, Choi Mijoon,” Kyuhyun introduced, “I trust his discretion, so you can say whatever you want.”

Taeyeon stared curiously at the assistant for a heartbeat, before swiftly turning her attention back to Kyuhyun, “Kyuri was… well, she was attacked outside her apartment building.”

“Where’s her husband? I know she’s married,” Kyuhyun asked,

“He’s in the NICU right now,” Taeyeon explained,

“So, she was pregnant…” Kyuhyun murmured,

Taeyeon nodded, “Because of the injuries she sustained, they had to get the baby out if it had any chance of living. However, Kibum – your sister’s husband – doesn’t want to leave either of them alone. I thought perhaps you would be willing to stay with Kyuri so Kibum can stay with the baby.”

“Of course,” Kyuhyun agreed immediately, surprised at how easy, how instinctive the decision had come to him; “But what about the twins?”

“I’ll take them home with me,” Taeyeon answered, “They don’t really understand what’s going on and Kibum hasn’t been able to spend time with them to explain since they got here.”

“Do you have a way home?” Kyuhyun asked, glancing at Mijoon,

“Yes, my driver’s been waiting this entire time. He’s such a dear,” Taeyeon replied, “He already transferred their car seats over.”

“Over from where?” Kyuhyun inquired,

“The one who brought the twins here… um… a co-worker of your sister’s,” Taeyeon explained as she walked back to the twins, squatting before them and gently waking them up. “Mimi, Kyuki, wake up, now. You’re staying with me tonight.”

Kyumi had promptly moved from the seat into Taeyeon’s arms, leaning her cheek against her aunt’s shoulder. Kyuki had sat up, but was rubbing his eyes with little fists as if he could physically push away his sleepiness. As he blinked around the dim room, he caught sight of Kyuhyun just outside the door.

“Uncle?” He said sleepily,

Before Taeyeon could stop him, Kyuki had slipped from the couch and hurried to Kyuhyun, wrapping tiny arms around his legs. Kyuhyun didn’t hesitate to pick up the little boy and, immediately, his mind was filled with images of a dark alley, a man standing before him, a warm, comforting presence beside him and something else shifting in the darkness. The images shifted slightly and Kyuhyun realized that presence beside him was, in truth, his sister holding Kyuki.

“A monster was going to hurt Umma,” Kyuki said, hugging Kyuhyun fiercely,

“A monster?” Kyuhyun blinked, looking up at Taeyeon, “He… He was there when it happened.”

“Kibum didn’t say,” Taeyeon said as she walked over, Kyumi in her arms,

“No, I… I… his mind…” Kyuhyun stammered quietly, aware that his assistant was close by behind him.

Taeyeon’s eyes widened.

“But, why would he think it’s a monster?” Kyuhyun murmured,

Taeyeon hesitated and, finally said, “I’ll explain later. I should get them to bed.”

“I’ll help you bring them,” Kyuhyun said as he followed her out.

They were silent, Mijoon silently trailing them, giving them their space. Once outside, Taeyeon located her driver immediately, the car parked at the curb. As the driver opened the door for her, Taeyeon put Kyumi first into a car seat.

“Uncle?” Kyumi piped up then, moving her head to look up at him,

“Um… yes?” Kyuhyun asked. He had never spoken to the little girl.

“Kyuki said you’re like me and Kyuki,” she said before smiling, “You are Umma’s Kyuki!”

Kyuhyun handed over the little boy to Taeyeon who guided the sleepy child to his own car seat, buckling him in as he sleepily said bye to his uncle. Taeyeon climbed out from the back seats, Kyumi saying bye before she closed the door.

“What… What did she mean?” Kyuhyun asked, not knowing his niece’s name,

“Kyumi? She probably means how Kyuki is her twin, so, in a sense, you’re the Kyuki to their mom,” Taeyeon explained,

Kyuhyun’s eyes widened, “Wait… wait… you’re telling me that not only is Kyuri my sister, but she’s my twin sister?”

Taeyeon sighed heavily, looking at him ruefully, “We need more than a few minutes to answer these questions. I promise the moment I have more time, we’ll stop and talk more.”

“Okay,”

“And, that means you can’t ignore me anymore,” Taeyeon said knowingly, “I’ll come back as soon as I can. If you need me, just call my phone.”

Kyuhyun nodded and Taeyeon watched him re-enter the hospital. She turned her attention to the assistant who hadn’t left his spot, “So… you’re Kyuhyun’s assistant?”

Mijoon hesitated before giving a short, curt nod.

Taeyeon’s gaze swept him up and down, her almond-shaped eyes narrowing ever so slightly as they came to rest on his face, “If you hurt Kyuhyun in any way, you’ll live to regret whatever game this is.”

Mijoon said nothing; his gaze steady as Taeyeon turned back to the car, slipped into the front seat and closed the door. He watched the car drive away into the night. He turned towards the hospital, Kyuhyun no longer visible. Sighing heavily, he steeled himself. He would do everything he could before time ran out.

He had the sudden impression that his time as Kyuhyun’s assistant would come to an end and soon.

What happened to running
to the ends of the earth?
What happened to staying up
to see the sun rise?
What happened to you and me?

…

What happened to running
in the rain, playing as it poured?
What happened to secret smiles
and silent promises?
What happened to you and me?

“Hello?”

“Heechul?”

“Zhou Mi?” He murmured, having been too tired to even look at his phone before answering it.

“Kyuri was attacked by a vampire.”

Heechul, who was lying on his stomach in bed, the phone barely held securely by his ear, shifted so when he spoke, his words weren’t muffled by his pillow, “I know.”

“Ah… Geng is with you,” Zhou Mi replied,

Heechul didn’t reply, the sleeping body beside him was evidence enough.

“I… I’m at the hospital,” Zhou Mi said quietly,

“Why do you sound like you shouldn’t be there? Too many tasty morsels walking around?” Heechul muttered, teasing lightly,

“No,” Zhou Mi defended before adding tentatively, “Kyuhyun’s here.”

Those two words woke up Heechul like nothing else. He sat up immediately, almost kicking Hankyung out of the bed in the process. He clutched his phone to his ear, “What? You saw him?”

“He came here with his assistant,” Zhou Mi answered, “I just saw Taeyeon leave with the kids.”

Heechul pressed the heel of his palms to his eyes to rub away the sleepiness, “Okay, but you’re at the hospital?”

“Yes.”

“And Kyuhyun’s at the hospital?”

“… Yes.”

“This isn’t some part of your plan, is it? Because I think it’d be a little overwhelming considering what his sister just went through,” Heechul more or less hissed at the other man,

Zhou Mi sighed heavily, “I know that. I’m not an idiot, Heechul.”

“Wait… and his assistant is there, too?” Heechul questioned,

A longer pause before the younger man replied, “Yes.”

Heechul ran his free hand through his short hair, “Zhou Mi, promise me that you’re not going to confront this assistant or whatever? You’ll leave well enough alone in the mean time?”

Zhou Mi hesitated before answering, “I’m not going to reveal anything to Kyuhyun.”

“Somehow, your words aren’t reassuring,” Heechul said drily,

“I’m not that selfish, Heechul,” Zhou Mi defended, “Kyuri could have died tonight. Kyuhyun will be shaken up enough dealing with his sister being hospitalized. I’m not going to pounce on him at a time like this!”

Heechul absent-mindedly slapped away Hankyung’s arm which had risen to try and pull him back to the bed; he was sure the foreigner was doing it out of sleepy instinct rather than purposeful intent. “Do you know what state Kyuri’s in?”

“She’s in the ICU and the baby is in the NICU,” Zhou Mi reported,

“The NICU? Wait – the baby? She was pregnant?” Heechul questioned, his alarmed voice loud enough to awaken the other man in his bed. Before Zhou Mi could say more, he swore, “Damn it… and if she was attacked… Where’s Kibum?”

“I just ran into him before I called you. He was heading to the ICU to settle Kyuhyun in,” Zhou Mi answered; “Kyuhyun is supposedly staying with Kyuri so Kibum can stay with the baby.”

Heechul blinked into the dimness of his room, the darkness occasionally pierced by soft moonlight. Slowly, his gaze dropped down to Hankyung’s, not surprised to find the younger man staring up at him; “Zhou Mi… why did you call me? What’s going on?” He asked, suddenly alert,

“Kibum didn’t say much, but I can tell he’s… well… he just doesn’t know what to do,” Zhou Mi said, “Kyuri and the baby are… on the edge… and, he’s not sure what to do to pull them back; to save them.”

“I’ll call you back, okay?” Heechul said as he slipped from the bed, pulling a shirt on, “Just… Just try to keep Kibum calm right now. He needs support and Kyuhyun doesn’t know him, so he can’t give it.”

“Alright,” Zhou Mi replied hesitantly,

“I’ll call you back,” Heechul repeated firmly before hanging up the call. He glanced at Hankyung, “That was Zhou Mi. He’s at the hospital.”

“And?” Hankyung sat up,

“I need to talk to Kangin,” Heechul said as he headed for the door, slipping on shoes as he unlocked his door, “I’ll be back soon, but I need to talk to Kangin right now. I’ll explain things when I get back.”

Before Hankyung could say anything, Heechul had slipped out the door.

Heechul walked quickly, the Headmaster’s bed chamber only accessible from his office. When he got before the double doors which opened to the Headmaster’s office, he was frustrated to find it locked. He ran to the nurse’s office and grabbed what medical utensils he knew would help him. Returning to the doors, he made quick work of the lock, effectively breaking into the office. It was barely a minute when he stood before the Headmaster’s bedroom door, pounding a fist against the solid wood.

The door ripped open and Kangin stood there in his dark glory, his eyes narrowed dangerously and bared to the waist, not evening stopping to put on a shirt before confronting the knocker.

“Heechul? What the hell are you doing at two in the morning?” Kangin practically growled,

Heechul didn’t even flinch at his friend’s intensity. He knew Kangin hated being woken up, but some things were more important than his best friend’s beauty sleep; “I need to talk to you.”

“Now?” Kangin questioned before Heechul’s somber expression broke through his anger. He sighed, “Now,” as he edged Heechul away so he could step out of the bedroom and close the door behind him, “What’s going on?”

Quickly, Heechul explained all he knew of the situation, which, in truth, wasn’t very much. He knew the bare bones of what Zhou Mi had told him and, that was all he could relate to Kangin. However, it was all they had to work with and they needed to formulate a plan immediately.

“If it was any other situation, I would say let nature run its course. If it was any other person, I would say the same thing,” Kangin said as he leaned back against the wall beside the door, his muscled arms crossed over his bare chest; “However, we have resources others do not. They can do a blood transfusion.”

“Will it work?” Heechul asked,

Kangin didn’t need to ask for elaboration, he understood perfectly to what Heechul referred to; “A turned vampire, essentially, has two blood supplies. The one they were born with and the one that gives them sustenance.”

“That’s why when I had them do a blood transfusion three years ago, I wanted a blood match for Kyuhyun,” Heechul said, “because I wasn’t sure how blood types worked for vampires.”

“Vampires can drink any blood type and the same goes for turned vampires. Vampires, if for some reason they were to get a transfusion, can still have any blood type. Turned vampires, however, were once human and had a blood type. So, it’s fortunate you based the transfusion on Kyuhyun’s blood type back then,” Kangin confirmed, “Because he still, essentially, is half human, Kyuhyun can give blood but it will carry his blood type.”

“So, because Kyuri and him are the same blood type, the transfusion will work both ways,” Heechul concluded.

“Do you know the baby’s blood type?” Kangin inquired,

Heechul shook his head, “More likely than not, it’ll be a positive blood type, but that won’t be a problem. The problem will be if its blood type is O or B.”

“Vampires have healing agents in their blood. Turned vampires have it but its weaker, diluted,” Kangin stated, “If Kyuhyun does the transfusion, it can speed Kyuri’s healing and help the baby to live.”

“Will Kyuhyun do it, is the question,” Heechul said, “Even if he’s aware of Kyuri, he still has no memory. Sungmin told me that Kyuhyun told Taeyeon he believes himself to be very sick. If that’s what he thinks, he might not do the transfusion because he’s sick and wouldn’t want to transfer his illness to his sister or the baby.”

“It might be time to tell Kyuhyun the truth… everything,” Kangin suggested quietly,

Heechul’s eyes widened, “The risks…”

“At this point, I think the risks are worth it if it means we can save two lives,” Kangin answered quietly, steadily, “I know that, in telling Kyuhyun, we risk his sanity… we risk any ground we’ve gained with him thus far… indeed, he could run off and disappear after we tell him the truth, but I don’t see any other way to ensure both Kyuri and her baby live.”

“Medicine…”

“Is always a gamble. Even as a nurse, you know that. Nothing in life, in health, in healthcare is 100 percent,” Kangin countered, “But, this transfusion, this risk, can push us closer to that 100 percent.”

Heechul walked over to Kangin’s side, turned and leaned back against the wall, shoulder to shoulder with the turned vampire. Sighing heavily, he held up the cellular he had been gripping the entire time. Dialing Zhou Mi’s number, he raised it to his ear and waited for the line to be picked up.

“Heechul!” Zhou Mi answered almost immediately,

Heechul hesitated. He turned his head just enough to lock gazes briefly with his best friend. Inhaling slowly, he steadied himself. The words were too easy to say,

“We have to tell Kyuhyun he’s a vampire.”

What happened to you and me?
You and me?

(Next, 12th Cycle - Fragments of Glass)

A/N: For those who don't know...
ICU - Intensive Care Unit.. patients who need a higher level of care, constant monitoring would be placed on this unit.
NICU - Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.. newborns who need a higher level of care, constant monitoring would be placed on this unit. A neonatal is traditionally considered from birth up until a month after their born.

Also, on blood types.. if you've forgotten, Kyuhyun & Kyuri have A- blood type.

[ROM11] End of the Light

2011-09-20T16:31:00.002-04:00

words: 8180
rate: PG13
(Chapter Eleven of the Reign on Me series.)

Chapter Eleven: End of the Light

Lunch was underway with only Kyuhyun, Sungmin and Taeyeon in attendance, when a butler approached Prince Kyuhyun in the dining room. Kyuhyun, who had been awoken just prior to lunch, still had a slight sleepiness about his demeanour. He glanced with hooded eyes at the butler who bent to his ear and whispered,

“The royal advisors are here to see your brother,” The butler informed,

Immediately, Kyuhyun seemed to become alert. He sat a little straighter in his chair and his eyes widened, “They are? Wait, why are you telling me?”

The butler blinked at him before asking tentatively, “If I may be so bold, Your Highness?” Kyuhyun nodded, “I don’t trust the advisors. They seem dead-set on something and ever since your father’s fallen ill, they’ve been trying to pressure your brother on certain decisions. Fortunately, your brother has always consulted your father prior to deciding anything.”

“They’ve always been manipulative where my brother or I are concerned,” Kyuhyun conceded,

“They wanted their presence here to be an absolute secret. They stated, specifically, in regards to certain guests in the castle,” The butler explained,

Kyuhyun’s eyes lit up in realization, “They know about the guests… Could any of the staff have told anyone?”

“No, Your Highness, they are all completely loyal to you and your family. Indeed, they’re all a little afraid of the… erm… guests,” the butler answered,

Kyuhyun sighed heavily, “You’re right not to trust them, especially this time. I will inform my brother of their arrival. We’ll send word afterwards whether or not to admit them to the study, understood?”

“Very well, Your Highness,” the butler bowed before retreating from the dining room.

“Is something amiss, Prince Kyuhyun?” Taeyeon eyed him with sympathy only another royal could display,

“Apparently, the royal advisors have decided to grace the palace,” Kyuhyun sighed heavily as he stood from his chair,

“From your tone, they sound just as friendly as… other advisors I know of,” Taeyeon replied, offering a small smile,

“Do you think it’s a part of the job description?” Kyuhyun prompted, “That they must be insufferable?”

“I am quite sure that the subheading to their title reads ‘pest’,” Taeyeon added,

Kyuhyun chuckled softly, “Indeed, Taeyeon. Well, please, continue your meals… I have a feeling I will not be able to return shortly.”

With a glance towards Sungmin who watched him with slight concern, he left the dining room. He glanced towards the front foyer and saw a nod from one of the footmen standing outside a door, signaling him that the advisors were shown to a front parlour for the time being. He replied with his own curt nod before heading deeper into the castle towards the study.

As per usual, he burst into the study without even thought to knock. Kyuhyun’s eyes immediately rested on his brother who, already used to his younger brother’s antics, didn’t even look up from the papers before him.

“You skipped lunch to read?” Kyuhyun asked with mock-incredulousness,

“There are some problems with crops in the outlying lands,” Siwon explained as his eyes swept over the page he was currently reading, “They ask for assistance and advice. I will visit them to see the problems myself.”

“You? A prince of the kingdom?” Kyuhyun asked, this time his incredulousness completely serious,

“If it’s crops, I could perhaps help with a bit of magic,” Siwon shrugged his broad shoulders,

“I understand the sentiment, but if you decide to help every other family with a bit of magic, eventually that will add up to a lot of magic and –”

“It is my decision, Kyuhyun,” Siwon interrupted, his voice calm yet unmoving.

Kyuhyun thought on his curtness for a bit. His brother would ascertain his superiority every once in awhile, but never so rudely. He swallowed his pride, knowing that his brother had been unsteady as of late.

“Fine, that’s not why I’m here,” Kyuhyun explained, “The royal advisors are here and they know that we have particular guests here.”

Siwon looked up then, his thick brows raised in surprise, “Really? I wonder… Ah, of course.”

“Of course?” Kyuhyun repeated,

“The consorts,” Siwon said, “And not all of them, one in particular would feel… spiteful… towards our guests.”

“Taeyeon in particular, I’m guessing,” Kyuhyun stated,

Siwon said nothing, merely tapped his fingers on the desktop. Eventually, he stated, “I will see the advisors. They won’t calm down simply because we allow them to stew for a bit.”

“I’ll inform a footman,” Kyuhyun nodded as he walked back towards the door, calling a footman to send his message.

Walking back towards his brother, he settled in a spot against the wall behind and to the side of Siwon’s chair. He lounged casually, arms folded about his torso, giving the appearance of complete idleness. The advisors would be fools if they believed he was anything less than wholly alert of their presence. Unfortunately for them, they always believed the façade he presented.

A footman presented the royal advisors into the room. Seven old gentlemen appeared. They were all dressed in formal attire, from cravats tied at their thick necks or below their double-chins, down to gloved hands and freshly polished shoes. They arranged themselves in a semi-circle before the desk and Siwon couldn’t help but think how amusing the scene looked with them looking so posh and the prince dressed in simple black slacks and a black button-up.

“Gentlemen, I believe the next council meeting is not for another week or so,” Siwon said as he sat back in his chair. He propped one elbow on his armrest and leaned his chin in that hand. His other hand tapped irritably on the other armrest.

“Your Highnesses,” the advisor standing in the middle addressed both brothers, “We have been informed that Mages of Light are here at the castle. Indeed, have been here for a few days.”

“A week, I believe,” Siwon commented lightly,

“Indeed, Prince Siwon, such a thing is inconceivable!” The advisor exclaimed, “They are from the Light Kingdom.”

“Yes, one would assume that considering they are Mages of Light,” Siwon drawled, “Now, pray tell, why is having them here inconceivable?”

“Prince Siwon, they are from the enemy kingdom!” The advisor persisted,

One of the prince’s thick eyebrows rose ever so slightly above the other, “Enemy? Has it escaped my attention that after eight years we are at war once again with the Light Kingdom?”

“Er… no, Your Highness,” the advisor stammered,

“Then, why would you refer to them as such when we are at a truce? When, indeed, it was my own father – your king – who installed such a truce between our kingdoms?” Siwon questioned, his tone calm and even, but his eyes told the advisors that his question was really a demand.

“Your Highness! If they were to learn of your father’s current health, they could return to the Light Kingdom and inform their king!” The advisor pleaded, his face reddening with effort, “They could declare war on us while your father is in a fragile condition!”

“You would have me throw out the Mages of Light? You would have me do something that disgraces the truce my father established?” Siwon asked as he slowly raised his chin from his hand, straightening in his seat, “I will have you know, gentlemen, that my father knows of their presence in this castle – his castle – and has not once shown concern over them.”

“But, Prince Siwon, surely you must know that your father –“

Siwon silenced the advisor by slamming his palms on the desk and rising to his full height. His dark gaze slashed over all of them, some of them shifting in their spots, “Proceed carefully, gentlemen. I am assuming that one speaks for the whole and, as thus, you are all in danger of treason.”

“Your Highness, please! You cannot truly trust these mages!” The advisor exclaimed.

The ground rumbled, softly at first before it increased in volume and violence. Some advisors fell onto their bottoms on the floor; others grasped the chairs before the desk for balance and stability.

“Kyuhyun,” Siwon said simply, not even turning his gaze away from the advisors; only he and his brother had retained their composure and stances during the tremor.

Slowly, slowly, the shaking stopped. Kyuhyun hadn’t even moved an inch, his posture still lazy, his expression unconcerned. The door burst open as several footmen stood in the hall,

“Your Highnesses, are you both okay?” The foremost footman questioned, not even pretending concern over the royal advisors who were straightening and composing themselves,

“I am fine. Kyuhyun?” Siwon prompted, his face remaining forward,

“Never better,” Kyuhyun replied flippantly, shrugging as he did so,

“However, you may escort the royal advisors out of the castle,” Siwon commanded. When it looked as if a few of the advisors would protest, Siwon silenced them with a dangerous glare, “Regardless of my father’s health, you’ll do well to remember that he is still your king. Should any of you speak of him as otherwise, indeed, even presume to speak to myself or my brother as thus, you will find yourselves immediately in the need of new jobs. Am I understood, gentlemen?”

They all murmured their affirmatives, bowing to the princes before they retreated, the footmen practically herding them out of the study. Once the door closed after them, Siwon returned to his papers,

“Was that necessary?” Siwon asked simply,

“Yes,” Kyuhyun replied without a need for thought. He stepped forward into his brother’s peripheries, “You’re not actually considering asking the princess and the mage to leave, are you?”

“Regardless of their idiocy, the advisors make a good point. Despite the truce amongst our kingdoms, there’s still unrest in the hearts of the people,” Siwon answered as he flipped a page, “If I ask our guests to leave, it would be due to the concern of the people, not because of the advisors’ beliefs.”

“Siwon, you know they’re not a risk to either of us! So many times either Taeyeon or Sungmin had opportunities to kill us!” Kyuhyun stated, slamming his palms on the desk, leaning forward to force his brother to look towards him,

“I can hardly explain that to the people, nor how either of our guests came to the castle,” Siwon sighed heavily as he stood from his chair and walked towards the glass doors which led to the terrace.

“Since when did the princess stop being ‘Taeyeon’ and started being ‘guest’ to you?” Kyuhyun questioned as he turned to watch his brother walk away,

Siwon said nothing as he stared out at the dark skies, surprised to find it was no longer raining. “Did Kangin stop the rain?” He asked, bluntly changing the topic,

“No,” Kyuhyun snapped as he turned and strode to the door.

The study door slammed after the second prince before Siwon realized what Kyuhyun’s answer meant. If Kangin hadn’t stopped the rain, then only one other person would be capable of controlling his Dark Magic and that meant he could've pushed his brother's soul closer to the grasps of darkness, if not completely. He sighed heavily as he pushed open the doors and escaped outside.

…

Kyuhyun strode away from the study, his expression like a storm cloud. As he approached the bottom of the main stairs, he heard familiar voices. As he rounded the banister, he found the princess and lesser mage just a few steps above him.

Hearing the footsteps, Taeyeon looked over her shoulder. Seeing who it was, she turned completely to face him, “Prince Kyuhyun… is anything the matter?”

“Those royal advisors need to be fired,” Kyuhyun huffed as he continued up the stairs on the other side of the princess,

“Is that what the tremor was about?” Taeyeon inquired, “I wondered if it had been an aftershock or purposeful.”

“Oh, it was most definitely purposeful,” Kyuhyun stated darkly. They were silent as they moved from the second floor towards the third, the stairs moving like tiers to each floor. Eventually, he admitted, “They learned of both of your presence in the castle. They wanted both of you removed, stating you were threats to our kingdom.”

Taeyeon whirled to face him on the second floor, stopping the prince with a hand on his arm, “Prince Kyuhyun, surely you know that we’re not!”

Kyuhyun offered her a brilliant smile, “You have no need to inform me of that, Taeyeon.”

She breathed easier, “I just… wanted to assure you, especially how Sungmin’s first impression was.”

“I had my reasons,” Sungmin muttered, rolling his eyes to the ceiling, “I needed the job done fast.”

“You don’t go threatening people without a moment’s thought,” Taeyeon snapped, glaring over her shoulder at the mage, “Especially in another kingdom. At least back home we can excuse your behaviour as eccentricity. Here, they’ll take your actions seriously.”

“Yes, yes, I know the consequences of my actions,” Sungmin insisted, “You forget that I’m still a prisoner here.”

Kyuhyun scoffed, “You haven’t been a prisoner since you gave that damn letter to Kangin,” he continued to the next set of stairs; “But, rest assured, neither of you will be sent from the kingdom. You’re both guests here.”

Once they reached the third floor, Taeyeon turned once again to face the second prince, “In truth, Prince Kyuhyun, I had been planning to leave this evening. In fact, this is just confirmation that my leaving will help keep the peace between our kingdoms.”

“If it was a true peace, you shouldn’t have to leave,” Kyuhyun stated firmly.

She offered him a small smile as she reached up and patted the young prince’s cheek, “I know, but until then, I should do all I can. As a representative of my kingdom and my family, I can do no less.”

As she was lowering her hand, Kyuhyun clasped it, catching her attention again, “Princess,” he said quietly, “I have felt the intensity of my brother’s magic. Am I wrong to assume he is at fault for whatever has come between you two?”

Taeyeon blinked, startled to have the prince ask her directly. She swallowed hard, fighting the onset of tears. Her amber gaze dropped and she shook her head, “Your brother and I… we are both to blame.” She raised her eyes to his, the honey-coloured orbs free of tears, but suspiciously bright; “It is best that he and I part ways, but I thank you for your concern.” She nodded to both and then left the men behind, heading towards her room.

Kyuhyun shot Sungmin a glance and turned and headed to the fourth floor and opposite wing. Sungmin followed silently behind. Should any servant think anything odd of such a scene, no one commented, nor did they even bat an eyelash. Indeed, the second prince was known for his flippant and often unpredictable behaviour.

Upon entering the room, Sungmin found himself pressed up against the door, sandwiched by the young prince’s body. Considering their ages and his own nature, he briefly contemplated why he was the one who was constantly being pounced upon. Those thoughts quickly fled as the prince’s lips fell upon his own and soon their mouths and tongues were engaged in a duel to see who could make who gasp for air first.

Sungmin could only take so much before he managed to flip their positions, his hands on either side of the prince’s torso. As he pressed his body flush against the younger man, hip to chest, he slid his hands up the carved wood of the door. As Sungmin’s arms rose beneath the prince’s, Kyuhyun was forced to wrap his arms around the mage’s neck, pulling him closer.

“Sungmin,” Kyuhyun gasped as he broke the kiss. He struggled to catch his breath as he looked at the mage with hooded eyes, “I know you’re leaving, too.”

Sungmin blinked at him as he straightened, pulling away enough to bring an inch or so of space between their bodies, “What?”

“You’ve been delaying telling me that you’re leaving,” Kyuhyun repeated,

Sungmin shook his head, “I have no intention of leaving.”

“But… But Princess Taeyeon,” Kyuhyun stammered, evidently confused,

“Indeed, and she returns to the Light Kingdom without me,” Sungmin answered quietly, “She wouldn’t allow me to go with her and, even so, I do not want to leave you.”

Kyuhyun sighed heavily as he lowered his forehead to the mage’s chest, “I appreciate the sentiment, Sungmin, but you and I both know it’s more important you journey back with the princess to ensure she remains safe.”

When Sungmin said nothing, he added quietly, “And, if it wasn’t for my own weaknesses and instability, you would go with her without a second thought.”

Sungmin forced the prince to look at him, tipping his chin with his fore- and middle-fingers, “That’s not true. Regardless of your supposed weaknesses and instability, I was hesitant to suggest I leave with her. She is both my princess and my friend, but that doesn’t mean she outranks you in my life… in my heart.”

Kyuhyun swallowed hard, a lump quickly forming in his throat. He turned his gaze away, should he sink even further and end up crying – again – in front of the lesser mage. He sighed heavily, “You should still go.”

“She has Kangin escorting her,” Sungmin revealed,

“Even so, you should report to your king,” Kyuhyun immediately pressed his fingers to the other’s lips, silencing a protest, “Directly. The king must always outrank all others in our lives.”

Sungmin sighed heavily, knowing he couldn’t argue with him. Finally, he stated firmly, “I will go and report to my king, but I will return immediately after.”

“You don’t have to,” Kyuhyun said quietly, “We shouldn’t have expected this to –”

Sungmin silenced him with a brief kiss. He pulled back enough to stare directly at the prince, “Yes, I do have to. I want to... need to come back to you, Kyuhyun.”

Kyuhyun sighed with relief as he hugged Sungmin flush against him, "Thank you."

Sungmin pressed a kiss to his temple as he embraced the prince back, "Don't thank me for wanting to come back to you."

Kyuhyun sighed heavily, "None of this makes sense, Sungmin. How, in such a short amount of time, did I come to rely on you so much?"

"I don't know, Kyuhyun," Sungmin replied quietly, "How, in that same amount of time, did I come to care for you so much?"

Kyuhyun raised his head, eyes wide, "You care about me?"

Sungmin chuckled quietly as he smiled softly at the younger man, "As insane as it sounds, yes, I care about you, Kyuhyun."

Kyuhyun raised his hands to Sungmin's face, framing it affectionately. He pressed kisses to his lips and along his jaw. He kissed one more time just below Sungmin's ear before closing his eyes and burying his face against the side of the mage's neck. He hugged him tightly as Sungmin embraced him back.

"I care about you, too, Sungmin."

He raised his head from the older man's neck. He slipped out from between Sungmin and the door, took his hand and led him to his bed.

...

"You know, if you're going to have me summoned to the castle, the least you can do is be somewhere where I can find you," Kangin stated as he approached the circular court in the heart of the maze.

"The gazebo was the last thing to mend after the storm from a few days ago," Siwon explained, "Besides, I knew you'd find me."

"Ah, your vast belief in me. I'm humbled," Kangin drawled as he leaned against a post of the gazebo, crossing his arms over his chest. "So, why did you summon me? Really, I'm beginning to think I shouldn't leave the castle at all with the regularity at which I'm being called back after leaving."

"You moved to the outskirts of the lands all on your own," Siwon replied. His hands moved over the surfaces of the gazebo, repairing the wood, fixing the intricate carvings. "The royal advisors came today and brought something to my attention. They're aware of the guests in the castle and if the people start to learn of it, they might start being concerned. They wanted me to have the... guests... leave."

"Oh, the royal advisors... how I often question any and all the advice they give," Kangin said, "Granted, they're not always full of fault. They're just set in their ways."

"I know and, usually I just take their words as cautionary. Indeed, most of the time my father goes against what they suggest but, this time... I think they have a point," Siwon confessed as he moved from a railing to a post.

Kangin raised a brow even though the prince had his back to him. "Are we speaking as prince and subject or Siwon and Kangin?"

"As friends," Siwon confirmed, as fixed more of the carvings in the wood,

"Are you taking the royal advisors' suggestion because you honestly believe it's right or because you got into a fight with the princess?" Kangin asked simply,

"What do you know about anything between me and her?" Siwon questioned, whirling around to face him, thick brows furrowed,

"Perhaps more than you'd like me to know," Kangin shrugged,

"Of course she talked to you. Every male she meets she just throws herself at," Siwon hissed, turning his back on the mage, his fingers digging into the wood of the railing. "She makes you feel important, special, as if you're the only one when, in reality, she has every damn man wrapped around her little finger. She probably would've snagged Kyuhyun, too, had he not been my brother."

"You know, there are times when I wish I had my emotions and, yet, I witness you acting like a jerk just because you're jealous," Kangin stated dryly,

"Watch it, Kangin," Siwon retorted,

"No, I won't," Kangin replied, "Because if I don't say something, you'll let one of the best damn things that's ever walked into your life to walk right out of it!"

"Don't you dare talk to me as if you know my life better!" Siwon exclaimed, turning back to look at the mage, "Don't you dare presume to know what I need or want in my life!"

Kangin raised a brow at the prince. Slowly, he straightened away from the post, arms still crossed; "Even if those royal advisors didn't come and talk to you, even if you decided not to do as they said, Princess Taeyeon had already decided to go home. I've already agreed to escort her home."

Siwon said nothing, his glare thunderous as the Dark Mage simply stared back at him. Slowly, Siwon pushed back the boiling, roiling emotions that rose within him like a tidal wave. He didn't want his magic to lose control again. He didn't want his brother to have to reign in his storms again.

"Are you going to talk to the princess before we leave tonight?" Kangin questioned,

"Tonight?" Siwon repeated, his eyes widening fractionally,

"Yes, tonight. As soon as the sun sets so we can travel under cover of night," Kangin explained,

"Well, then... I wish you safety on your journey with her and back," Siwon said quietly,

"You have a chance at happiness and you throw it away," Kangin shook his head, turning away from the prince,

"I had no such chance! She's engaged to someone else. This entire time she's been engaged to someone else!" Siwon exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air in exasperation; "Why the hell would I want anything to do with someone who can do that to their fiancé!?"

Kangin looked over his shoulder at the prince, pinning the younger man with his silver eyes, "You truly believe that, don't you? Do you know even a fraction of who Taeyeon is? But, no, you don't because, if you did, you wouldn't think such things of her. I don't even think you truly care about her because, if you did, you wouldn't - couldn't - say such things about her." He shook his head as he turned his gaze away, "Even now you can't even say her name."

"Kangin!" Siwon called as the mage stepped down from the gazebo and headed towards the entrance to a path.

Kangin stopped, keeping his back to the prince, "Talk to her."

"No," Siwon replied stubbornly,

"Then, you don't deserve her," Kangin said easily. He continued on his way, disappearing into the maze.

...

He lay in the spacious, four-poster bed, his arm a pillow for the younger man. The warm, solid body was flush against his side, one arm thrown over his waist. He stared up at the canopy as his hand idly played with the other's hair.

"This was nice," He said quietly to the younger man, "Lying here together..."

"Thank you for... for letting me stop things," Kyuhyun replied softly,

"Of course," Sungmin said as he turned so he laid on his side, facing the prince, "Kyuhyun, I hope you will always tell me what you're thinking. If you're not ready, then you're not. When you are, well, we'll cross that bridge when we reach it."

"I like that I can talk to you like this," Kyuhyun admitted, tightening his arm around the other's waist,

"I like that I have someone to talk to like this," Sungmin replied,

"What are you talking about? You have Taeyeon," Kyuhyun stated,

Sungmin laughed lightly, "Despite whatever crazy ideas are going on in that head of yours, Taeyeon and I really are just friends. And, no we do not spend a lot of time in a bed together, regardless of what you walked into that one morning."

"Well, had I not known you weren't just friends then, things would've gone a bit differently," Kyuhyun said, "I would've gotten jealous."

"You were jealous," Sungmin accused.

"So, whose turn was it?" Kyuhyun asked, obviously changing the topic,

"It was your turn," Sungmin said, amusement in his tone,

"Okay... when you were a kid, what did you want to be?" Kyuhyun inquired,

"Honestly?" Sungmin asked. Kyuhyun nodded; "A mage." He laughed at the younger man's snort of disbelief; "It's true. For as long as I can remember, I knew about my magic. This was years before the war and, even though mages were still feared somewhat, they were respected. I really looked up to them and I wanted to be just like them."

"Really? All those years ago?" Kyuhyun prompted,

"Yeah. One time, I even cut my hair all on my own," Sungmin chuckled, "I couldn't see what I couldn't cut it even with the scissors, so I had patches of long and short hair. My mom almost fainted when she saw me." He sobered immediately, "I was nine when the war started. After it was heard what had happened to the monarchs, my parents desperately wanted to hide my magic ability, didn't want our neighbours to know, didn't want me to accidentally display it before the town where we lived.

"During the war, I rarely left the house and, if I did, at least one of my parents had to be with me to ensure I didn't actually... oh, I don't know, cause a fire or something," Sungmin confessed, "Our town was affected by war. It was then that I saw that the war wasn't one sided. It wasn't just those of the Dark who did damage, those of the Light were to blame also for the chaos of war.

"There was a fire and several of the houses caught fire. It got to our house and my parents told me to run. They told me to run, probably scared that I'd cause even more fire. They were right behind me. They were running right behind me," Sungmin recalled, his voice hollow, "And the moment I ran out of the house it... it caved in behind me."

Sungmin closed his eyes as he relived that moment. He was fourteen, pale from hardly leaving the house and lanky without a pound of muscle on him. He had been in the basement with his parents, running down there when armies entered the town without warning. It wasn't until smoke began to snake down the stairs that they had to suspect anything.

His father had gone ahead to check, had called down that there was a fire. His mother had grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the stairs in an attempt to escape the house. He had cried over and over that it hadn't been him, he hadn't caused the fire. All his parents said was to run - fast and hard, until he couldn't feel the heat of fire anymore at his back. He had done just that and, when the sun shone on his face, the house crashed down behind him.

A tentative touch brought him back to the present.

Sungmin opened his eyes to find Kyuhyun's fingertips brushing across his cheeks, watching him with concerned eyes that were more black than silver. Kyuhyun lay on his side, wiping away the tears that had begun to unconsciously slip down the mage's face.

"I hope you realized that the fire wasn't your fault," Kyuhyun stated,

"I did. No, I don't feel any guilt towards their deaths," Sungmin said as he grasped Kyuhyun's hand as it pulled away from his face. He kissed each fingertip, "If anything, I feel guilt because of what I've become."

"What? Why - oh..." Kyuhyun murmured, "Because you're a mage."

Sungmin nodded as he released his hand, "They didn't want me to be a mage, spent years suppressing my magic... denying what I was... am. Some of my neighbours had to pull me away, to stop me from running into the fire. I stayed in the town hall which was being used as a shelter. When the armies moved on, I finally went back to my house or... what was left of it. I buried my parents and for the last two years of the war, worked small jobs to save up enough money."

"Enough money for what?" Kyuhyun asked,

"To live on my own... to travel to the royal city and the Castle of Light," Sungmin answered,

"So when the war ended, that's when you petitioned to be a mage?" Kyuhyun inquired,

"Not quite. I reached the royal city within a month after the war ended," Sungmin said, "But it took me around a year to finally go to the castle. I kept thinking to myself 'am I dishonouring my parents?' or 'are they rolling in their graves?' and, after a year, I went to see the king."

"How did you decide? You said you felt guilt about what you've become," Kyuhyun recounted,

"I decided to become a mage and, somehow, make it alright... make something of myself so that they could be proud of me," Sungmin explained, "So, that's what I'm working towards right now." He offered a smile, "And, there you have your answer. I bet you regret asking it after hearing such a long-winded speech."

"Not at all," Kyuhyun insisted, "If anything, I'm even more glad that I asked."

"Well, now it's my turn," Sungmin said. He reached over and brushed the prince's hair back from his forehead, "Why me?"

Kyuhyun blinked, "Why you?"

"Yes... Why me?" Sungmin repeated, "Why, out of all the beautiful ladies who grace your court, who have your father's blessing to be consorts... why, when you have any number of ladies at your disposal, for your pick... why me?"

"You attracted me from the first, you know that," Kyuhyun said, "And honestly, even then, I have no idea why. I don't know why, after spending so much time meeting these consorts, you were the first to actually attract me. There was something about you, something that drew me to you, made me want you against all thought and reason. I didn't care that you were a mage, or that you were from the Light Kingdom. I didn't care that you were male or what the rest of the world would think if they ever found out.

"All I wanted was your body. I wanted a physical relationship, but then... but then my wants changed," Kyuhyun went on as he slowly propped himself on an elbow, his torso rising above Sungmin's; "When I wanted comforting, I wanted your shoulder to cry on. When I wanted to be held, I wanted your arms."

"And, out of jealousy, I hurt you by thinking the worst," Sungmin interjected, his steel-blue eyes regretful,

"We all have our faults. I got jealous of the princess even after you had explained your relationship," Kyuhyun said as he gazed down into the mage's eyes, "And that doesn't matter because I was able to tell you what I never told anyone. I was able to open up to you as I never did with anyone. And, once again, you held me."

Kyuhyun leaned down and brushed his lips against Sungmin's before rising above him again.

"So, you ask me why and I cannot tell you the answer because even I don't know it. I saw you that first evening and I just knew. It sounds odd and improbable, but that's how it happened," Kyuhyun said with a slight shrug of his shoulders, "And, ever since that first moment, I've been going with what I feel."

A knock at the door interrupted their time together.

"Yes?" Kyuhyun called out, exasperatedly,

"It's me," Kangin's voice replied through the door.

Kyuhyun sighed before he leaned down, kissed Sungmin once more before sitting up and sliding off the bed. Sungmin rolled off, grabbing his jungchimak from the back of a chair where he had hung it before they had lain together in the bed and began talking, getting to know one another. Kyuhyun opened the door for the Dark Mage who rose a brow at the lesser mage who was doing up the fastenings of his jungchimak.

"I haven't told you yet, but I'm going to escort Princess Taeyeon home," Kangin explained,

"I know, Sungmin told me," Kyuhyun said,

"Will you be okay?" Kangin inquired,

Kyuhyun glanced at Sungmin as he ran a hand through his thick locks, "Well, Sungmin's going with you also. He needs to report to the King of Light and then he'll return." He looked back at the Dark Mage, "I need you to put me to sleep, Kangin, until you get back."

Kangin's eyes widened ever so slightly, "It will take at least half a day to get to the Light Kingdom, and another half day to return. That's an entire day with you sleeping."

"I'll be fine," Kyuhyun insisted.

Kangin nodded, "Okay, then, ready?"

Kyuhyun glanced at Sungmin. He offered one last, brilliant smile, before turning back to Kangin and nodding his silent affirmative. Kangin walked up to him. Wrapping an arm around his shoulders, he rose his other hand to Kyuhyun's forehead. He murmured a spell and Kyuhyun immediately slumped in Kangin's arms. Kangin hefted the second prince in his arms and carried him over to the bed. Kangin stood by the bed as Sungmin walked over and pulled the blankets over the younger man. Kangin picked up Kyuhyun's hand and murmured another spell. He turned and headed for the door, Sungmin behind him.

"Protection spell?" Sungmin asked quietly as Kangin closed the door behind them.

Kangin nodded, "I won't take any risks. We better get going. The sun's already set."

...

"So, this is your night garden."

Siwon didn't move an inch. If anything, he froze, becoming perfectly still. He stood within the fixed gazebo, beds of flowers circulating the court at the centre of the maze.

Taeyeon stood a foot away from the gazebo. She slowly spun around, gazing at the flower beds within the maze's centre court. Leaves shone like cut emeralds, lit up by the soft glow of pristine, snow-coloured petals that reflected the silvery moonlight. The tall, hedges of the maze enclosed the area creating a private, intimate space; the night flowers surrounded the court like lanterns; and the stars above sparkled like diamonds amidst an indigo, velvety blanket. The centre court was beautiful in the moonlight, but it was the gazebo that was breath-taking.

Taeyeon's eyes strained in the darkness, but she caught the detailed woodwork of the gazebo. Vines were carved up the posts and along the banisters as if they were carefully grown and nurtured as thus. Leaves straddled the vines, scattered along their lengths as they appeared in nature, rather than in perfect, measured intervals. The princess caught the sight of flowers, their petals silver-lined by the moonlight. She reached out to one of the flowers, her fingertips running along their edges, recognizing them as roses; they even had little, tiny thorns.

"How did you find this place?" Siwon asked quietly as he slowly turned to face her, his entire being shrouded in shadows,

Taeyeon gestured behind her, "Kangin said this was where he last saw you."

Siwon glanced towards one of path entrances and saw a moving, bulky shadow. For once moment, he saw the Dark Mage highlighted by the moon before he moved again and was swallowed by darkness. He turned his attention back to the princess who stood at the bottom of one of the steps that led to the gazebo's platform. Her attention was absorbed with the closest post, her hand running over the carvings in awe, in reverence.

"This is your work," Taeyeon said - a statement instead of a question.

"How?" Siwon asked, his voice barely above a whisper,

"The dark mahogany is like that of your desk and chair. This is outside the castle, so, should it have been another carpenter who had made this, they may have used a different wood. For you, however, mahogany is what you're used to seeing every day. Unconsciously, you used it out here as well," Taeyeon answered,

"Oh -"

"And this attention to detail, the intricacies to each vine, to each leaf which even has veins carved into their surfaces... It screams of your work," Taeyeon continued, "Even though the vines, leaves and flowers are placed seemingly sporadically, I know there are some perfect measurements in the design. The vines, for example, are probably all perfect equal in width at every point except, that is, where they taper off at the ends. Each post, each banister, each floorboard is exactly like its pair, down to the last millimetre. And, knowing how you work, you did it all by hand."

Siwon felt his heart speed up with every word she said, indeed, with every second longer he spent in her presence. As always, she said the words that tore open his heart, that described his soul as if he were an open book for her to read. As she explained her reasoning, perfectly understanding his carvings, he felt as if she were speaking directly to his soul, drawing it back together, unwrapping the darkness from around it.

Her head turned from the gazebo, to look at him, and Siwon could envision her amber eyes lit up by the moonlight. He felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight of her, partially blanketed by darkness, but shone upon by silvery light. Dressed in her mage robes which were not fit for a princess, on her, they were right. In the moonlight, in the heart of his gardens, with him, it was all perfect. He struggled, almost painfully, to resist walking over to her and pulling her into his arms. He forced his rising emotions to still, to stop, at the thought that she had a fiancé.

"Once one knows you, well, you become predictable, Prince Siwon," Taeyeon said lightly, "This design of creeping vines is used in your study as well, on the fireplace mantle. Considering it's made out of stone, I'd assume you used earth magic to design it."

"You're wrong. The designs may be similar, but I did not do the mantle piece," Siwon replied, leaning against a post to stop himself from crumbling at her feet; "My mother was the one to create the mantle. My design is simply a copy of her original work."

"A copy though it may be but you put your own touches to it," Taeyeon said, "These roses are so realistically carved, that it's as if they had truly grown right out of the wood. They even have thorns. Some artists are remiss when designing roses, forgetting that they also have thorns."

"I will never forget that all things beautiful can still hurt you," Siwon stated, angered by how easily she could read him, understand him. Angered how her words could still affect him, lay him out bare, vulnerable and susceptible.

Taeyeon's hand dropped from the gazebo, knowing his words for the attack it was meant to be. She turned and leaned back against the gazebo's post. Siwon had to stop from gasping. She now stood sideways to him, her silhouette black against the light, her profile awash in moonlight. His heart ached painfully for her, for how ethereal she looked. He firmly reminded himself of the words he had just said. He thought her beautiful the first time the Dark Mage had carried her into the study. She was a diamond of the first water, a rose among weeds; she had always made him want to wax poetic. He had his confirmation of what he always knew, however, that beauty wasn't everything. She had played him a fool and he had let her.

"Prince Kyuhyun told me what the royal advisors had said to you," Taeyeon admitted, folding her arms about her torso; "Indeed, regardless of not being a threat at all, I understand their concerns. I'm sure had the situation been reversed and it was you who had stumbled into our kingdom, well... our advisors would also worry. Then again, our advisors are stuffy old men who keep trying to control Eeteuk."

Siwon recalled how she had said that the advisors had wanted to use her for her magic and it was only her brother who stopped them from doing so. He wondered if what she said had been true. She had seemed honest enough, sincere enough. However, he thought her feelings had been true, he thought she truly did care for him and, perhaps on some level she did, but not enough and that didn't discount her fiancé. He sighed heavily, what could he believe of the princess?

"My brother once told me that I was the only one he could trust. That I was the only one he told everything to," Taeyeon confessed as she tipped her head back against the post, looking up at the star-studded sky above, "Honestly, I don't know why he keeps the advisors he has right now. Some are the same ones that advised our parents and they're the ones who were hesitant to accept the truce your father offered. There are some newer advisors, but they're still afraid of my brother, so they hardly talk." She laughed softly, "Now I'm just rambling..."

She sighed heavily, "I suppose, what I'm trying to get at, is that I'm leaving for home. This time, it really is goodbye."

Siwon said nothing. He remembered the last time she had said those words. He had stopped her, had practically begged her to stay with him. He had held her in his arms, he had kissed her - truly kissed her. He had been falling in love with her more and more, regardless of not repeating the sentiments when she had said them. He stiffened against the post. It was for the best, however, especially considering how things turned out. He was glad he had never told her the words that were in his heart.

"Can we at least talk about the fight?" Taeyeon asked, trying to force strength into her words.

Indeed, she was scared. She was risking a lot by bringing up the fight again, risking having her heart being broken again. She had wanted to sneak away without seeing the first prince again. When she decided to say goodbye, she had planned to avoid all mention of the last time they spoke. However, she knew that if she didn't say anything, if she didn't try to fix things, then she would return to the Light Kingdom with regrets.

So, here she was, taking a chance and refusing to run away as was her habit, her second nature. Here she was, steeling herself, preparing for whatever would happen next. She would live on, she knew. Whatever would be said or done that evening, she would still live, she would survive. Even if that meant her heart would never be whole again.

"Sungmin... to me... he was my first friend, the first to like me for me, the first to not care of the royal title that preceded my name. He called me 'Taeyeon' and was... is... my best friend," Taeyeon said, "We were engaged in an effort to protect me, to stop me from having to marry someone who only wanted my royal connection or only wanted my body. He wanted to protect me from those who couldn't see past the crown."

Siwon found that he couldn't begrudge the mage. The lesser mage had protected her, indeed, probably saved her from a marriage that would end in unhappiness for the princess. He couldn't resent the engagement, even if it meant that he could never be with her. Siwon sighed quietly. He hoped that the princess could learn to be loyal to her mage after all he had done to protect her. How many more would go to lengths to protect her? How many more would fall under her spell?

"Will you say nothing?" Taeyeon asked.

Silence.

She pushed away from the post, "Well... Goodbye then."

"Taeyeon," Siwon called back. He had taken a step forward, his arm outstretched in the darkness of the gazebo. His body, his heart, had reacted before his mind could even think.

Taeyeon stopped in her tracks, whirled around to face him.

Siwon saw her face, completely doused in moonlight. He saw her amber gaze, wide with wonder and hope.

He knew what she wanted to hear, what she wanted him to say. But he couldn't. Not after all she had done to him, not after all she had done to the mage. He couldn't say the three words he had been fighting to say. He couldn't say the words to stop her from leaving.

"Fall in love with your mage," he said quietly, slowly lowering his arm to his side,

Taeyeon felt her throat constrict, her vision blurring immediately. She felt the pain in her chest and struggled to remain standing, to remain composed. "Then..." She inhaled slowly to steady herself, praying her voice wouldn't break, "I will have to first... fall out of love with you."

She turned her back then, not wanting the prince to see the tears slipping over her cheeks, or the way her lips trembled when she spoke. She tightened her arms around her torso to stop her body from shaking from silenced cries.

Somehow, she managed to whisper, "I will miss you... Siwon."

And, with that, she walked away.

Siwon fell to his knees, not caring that hot tears trickled down his cheeks, or that his heart seemed to stop beating, or that every nerve, every muscle, every single part of his body, mind and soul wanted to run after her, struggled to remain still.

He feared he wouldn't be able to fall out of love with the Princess of Light.

...

Kangin strode quietly beside the princess as he led the way out of the maze. Despite her silence, he knew she was crying by the slight shake of her shoulders, by her downcasted face. Without being asked, without saying anything, he took out a handkerchief from his jungchimak's pocket and held it out to her. She was surprised, he knew, as she halted for just a moment. She murmured her thanks, took the handkerchief and they continued on their way.

Once out of the maze, they strode across the terrace and through the castle to the front court. There, by the stables, Sungmin waited with three horses. He saw, immediately, the princess' demeanour and came forward. Taeyeon went into his arms immediately, hugging him tightly. She stayed no more than five heartbeats in his embrace before she straightened, wiped her face one last time with the handkerchief and offered both men a small, shaky smile.

"Where's Prince Kyuhyun?" She asked, glad that her voice held still,

"He's already gone to sleep," Sungmin answered as he led her to the smallest horse, "But we said goodbye earlier."

Placing his hands on her waist, Sungmin helped Taeyeon onto the horse. Once he was sure that she was seated and had a firm grip on the reins, he headed over to his own horse.

"That's your horse," Taeyeon commented,

"Of course, how do you think I got here?" Sungmin chuckled softly, "While I was sneaking onto the grounds, my dear horse was being captured on the other side of the grounds. He's a fine horse, so I knew he would end up in the royal stables once captured. It's how we would have escaped had I found you that first night."

Taeyeon sighed heavily as Kangin easily mounted his own horse, "It seems so long ago, and yet, no more than a week has passed."

"Well, it takes a single moment for something to change and many such moments can happen in a week," Sungmin stated, "So, even if it has just been a single week, that's plenty of time for things to happen."

"What kinds of things?" Taeyeon smiled at him,

Sungmin stared back, smiled softly and answered, "Life."

"Let's go," Kangin said, "We have a ways to go and it's best we get it done before the sun rises. Those of the Dark fear the night and those of the Light avoid life after sunset. Let's go."

He led the way out of the court.

As her horse followed, Taeyeon looked over her shoulder at the Dark Castle.

"Goodbye," she whispered.

Then, they were off.

They were returning to the Light Kingdom.

(Next, Chapter 12 - King of Light)

[ROM10] The Origins of Darkness

2011-08-19T17:34:00.005-04:00

words: 10281
rate: PG13
(Chapter Ten of the Reign on Me series.)

Chapter Ten: The Origins of Darkness

Sungmin sighed heavily as he walked down the corridor to his room. He paused briefly outside of Taeyeon's room, contemplating whether or not he should stay in there for a few hours. He shook his head after a moment. No, he wouldn't hide from who he was almost certain - no, definitely positive - was waiting for him in his room. He sighed heavily as he continued past Taeyeon's door to his own.

Standing outside of the door, he raised his hands to the wooden surface and stretched out his magic, searching. He stepped back, suddenly, as if burned by the door. Within, he could feel waves of Dark Magic. Indeed, it radiated through the door and he cursed at himself for not sensing it sooner. He stared at the door with worry. He remembered how the prince divulged the secrets of his magic and his emotional triggers. He remembered how the prince explained the problems with his magic and the nighttime. Hand on the doorknob, he hoped the emotions in the prince were not anger or he'd be facing a hurricane in his room.

The moment he stepped into his dark room, Sungmin found himself slammed against the door, effectively closing it. He suppressed the urge to sigh as he saw the shadow standing before him. With a slight flick of his wrist, his hand down at his side, a fire began to roar in the fireplace.

He stared ahead of him, the younger man who was now half in light and half in darkness. The second prince had his hands planted against the door on either side of Sungmin's head. His body was no more than an inch away from Sungmin's. The lesser mage could feel the density of Dark Magic wrapped around the prince as his eyes were more silver than black.

"Why have you been ignoring me!?" Kyuhyun growled, his dark eyes narrowed and his hands fisting against the door.

"Why have you been playing with me?" Sungmin countered, his tone cool, his face expressionless,

"What are you talking about?" Kyuhyun demanded,

"I went to your room last night, but I ran into another mage who was leaving your room," Sungmin explained,

"Kangin -"

"Goes to your room every night... Don't try to lie, I confirmed it with some of the servants," Sungmin retorted, his eyes slowly narrowing,

"That's what this is about? Because you saw Kangin leaving my room?" Kyuhyun questioned,

"What else am I supposed to think with this information?" Sungmin argued, "What else am I supposed to conclude when I find him leaving your room late at night and hear he goes there every night?"

"It's... It's not what you think," Kyuhyun grounded out past clenched teeth, "I... I swear to you it isn't like that between Kangin and I!"

"Then, what is it like?" Sungmin questioned, his gaze unwavering,

Kyuhyun grounded his teeth together until his jaw hurt. He had been on edge all day, his emotions volatile as he tried to fight the confusion and, yes, hurt that swirled within him like toxic. He didn't trust his magic to the point that he summoned Kangin and had been with him from after lunch to dinner. He had gone from the dining room straight to the lesser mage's room and remained inside. He knew Kangin would go to his room, but he had left a note telling the mage he would not need him that night. As he stood now with the other mage, he prayed he had been right.

He had been tempted the other day to confess all to the lesser mage. He had been tempted to say everything that had been in his mind, building within him like a lake reservoir suddenly hit by a tsunami; the dam ready to break. He had been tempted to say what he never said to Kangin, what only Siwon guessed but he had never confirmed for his brother.

He wanted the mage, almost painfully so. He was attracted to him, almost fiercely. He had never desired someone so powerfully before. He wanted to be physically close to the mage, but something had shifted the other day. He had needed emotional respite, comfort - something he hadn't sought or needed in years. And the first person who came to mind was the Mage of Light. What was it, he wondered, that drew him to this mage? What was it that pushed him to want the mage, to find a type of refuge in the mage that he never looked for in others?

Kyuhyun practically growled as he slammed his fist against the door and swung away from the mage. How could he even consider telling him? How could he let him into the deepest part of his soul? How could he let him know that which nearly destroyed him years ago? He couldn't risk it, could he? And, yet... the temptation was too great. Perhaps, even greater than his fear of the risk.

As he paced away, he gripped a bedpost tightly. He would risk it, or he'd forever wonder 'what if'. He survived the last gambit he took, he'd survive this one, too, if it proved he'd been wrong.

"I told you before about my magic... how dangerous it is at night," Kyuhyun said quietly as he gazed into the fire across the room; "What I suspect you don't realize is how dangerous." Kyuhyun inhaled and exhaled slowly, leaning his head until his temple touched the wooden post;

"I can feel your magic right now," Sungmin said quietly, his back still against the door and his arms crossed over his chest. "Control it before we're submerged in water or the castle goes down in an earthquake!"

"It's not that easy at night," Kyuhyun confessed, his voice a bare whisper; "In fact... it's near impossible."

"What does this have to do with Kangin? He helps you control it every night?" Sungmin questioned,

"Yes," Kyuhyun replied simply, "However, it would be selfish for him to constantly be controlling my magic. It would require a continuous spell from him which would put a drain on him, causing him to use more magic than necessary. It would also mean allowing my magic to constantly be in use, albeit, at a lower level than without control."

Kyuhyun stepped away from the bedpost then, staring at the wood, darkened by water. He tentatively touched its surface, only to confirm it was drenched throughout. He sighed heavily and strode towards the fire, hoping the heat of the flames would keep his water magic at bay.

"Every night, Kangin comes to my room and puts me into a deep, dreamless sleep. It is a single spell that, once I'm asleep, stops draining his magic, which is far better than him having to be constantly monitoring and controlling my magic," Kyuhyun admitted quietly, "In order for me to awaken, however, it requires a counter-spell. So, he comes to my room every morning to awaken me."

"So, that's why the servants say he's always coming and going from your room," Sungmin replied,

Kyuhyun clenched his fists at his sides as the fire suddenly went out in the fireplace, water spilling forth from the hearth. Emitting a low growl, he paced away towards the window seat on the other side of the room.

"If you keep this up, my entire room will be drenched in water," Sungmin noted casually, not once moving from the door,

"Must you talk like this is a joke!?" Kyuhyun demanded,

Sungmin raised a brow as he caused a fire to start in the fireplace once more, "Hmm... you're the one who's usually doing that; acting and talking like everything and everyone in the world amuses you."

"Well, maybe it's all a lie! Maybe it's all just a guise to keep my brother sane!" Kyuhyun exclaimed.

Sungmin watched as his eyes widened, as if suddenly realizing what he had just said. Kyuhyun turned away sharply then, leaning a shoulder against the window's niche, shoving his fists into his pockets.

"You're talking about the gardens now, aren't you?" Sungmin asked softly, "You fear for his soul because of the magic he used to create the gardens. So you create an illusion to make him believe that you're okay... so that your apparent happiness will, hopefully, keep what's left of his soul intact."

Kyuhyun said nothing, merely gazing out the window as it began to rain in heavy sheets. He tightly shut his eyes, trying to contain his emotions and, thus, his magic. He needed to stop the rain before he caused a flood.

The prince nearly jumped when he felt a hand on his chest, just over his heart. He hadn't heard the other move. He felt the warm, strong body behind him, the warm puffs of air against his neck.

"How much of your soul is still intact?" He asked quietly, the urge to take the younger man in his arms too strong to resist; "To constantly have your magic flowing from you... To train and use magic... Then, isn't your soul more at risk?"

"Sungmin..."

"But, why, is your magic so dangerous at night? What is it about the night that affects your emotions so much?" Sungmin asked,

Kyuhyun shut his eyes even tighter, fighting against the sudden flood of emotions now flowing up inside him, threatening to spill over. He clenched his fists in his pockets, digging his nails into his palms, hoping the pain could distract him, make his thoughts turn away from what he was feeling. His mind immediately filled with memories engulfed in flames. Kyuhyun desperately tried to silence his voice, tried to squash the words that eagerly wanted to escape.

"Please..." Sungmin murmured, "If you give me a chance... then I will never hurt you. I will protect you from what you fear of both your magic and your emotions. I told you before that I can help you control your magic, but you have to give me a chance."

When Kyuhyun didn't reply, he whispered, "I'm sorry," bowing his head so his forehead was pressed to the prince's back just below his neck. "I know I have already broken that promise and it's selfish of me to ask for another chance, but if you put your trust in me, I will never be unworthy of it. If you rely on me, I will never fail you."

"Eight years ago... I failed to save my mother," Kyuhyun confessed quietly, his hand rising to cover Sungmin's, clasping it firmly as it laid over his heart; "In that fire, I also failed to save a mage... my childhood friend."

Kyuhyun forced the words past the lump growing in his throat. He bit down hard to stop the cry that wanted to slip past his lips, the memories bearing down on him like heavy weights on his shoulders. He tilted his head, leaning it against the side of the window's niche, clenching his eyes shut as he felt the hot sting of tears.

He remembered that night so clearly. He remembered reaching the back of the castle only to find both his mother and the mage already there. His mother was crumpled on the ground, the flames crawling over the grass towards her. The young, lesser mage, stood before the fires, his arms outstretched as he tried to fend the fires with unpracticed, weak water magic. He had hesitated for just a moment, startled to find both of them there ahead of him.

He had run headlong towards the flames, trying to summon all the magic within him, trying to force it all out as water magic. He was surprised when he was able to actually make his magic work and the way he wanted it. The flames retreated a few inches, half a foot, a foot... He grabbed his mother's arm, hooking it around his neck and dragged her away from the flames as far as he could. He heard a yell and he stopped, turning to look back at the mage who was suddenly closer, standing between himself and the flames. He had seen the flames rising up from the mage's clothing and he had hesitated.

Kyuhyun realized in half a heartbeat that he could help the young mage, panicking as his robes caught fire. Or, he could finish pulling his mother away. He had locked gazes with the mage then, his tall frame almost completely consumed by flames as he tried to wave away the flames. Kyuhyun had forced his gaze away and pulled his mother from the flames, hearing the mage scream once more. When he had laid his mother back down on the grass and turned back to the fire, the mage's robes were no longer alit with flames, but he was a heap on the ground and Kyuhyun couldn't tell if he was even breathing. The flames drew closer and he grabbed the mage by his robes, drawing him away from the fire.

He remembered feeling as if his world had tilted as he gazed down at the face of the young mage with his partially blackened skin and his singed hair.

"Mi..." he had whispered, reaching out for his friend's shoulder, shaking it gently, "Mi, wake up..." He shook him slightly harder, "Wake up!"

He recalled the sudden flare of heat that had torn his gaze away from his friend's dormant face. The flames that he had been fighting had now crept around them, surrounding them completely. Feeling as if he was abandoning his friend a second time, he jumped to his feet in an attempt to fight the flames again.

What happened afterwards was a blur. Siwon had joined him and together they created a rainstorm to bring down the fire once and for all. When the rain had stopped, the bodies of their mother and the mage washed up with them on the back terrace. Neither had survived.

"If I had been stronger... If... If I had gotten there sooner..." Kyuhyun stammered, feeling the hot trails of tears down his cheeks, "If... If..."

"Their deaths are not your fault," Sungmin stated fiercely, his other arm wrapping around Kyuhyun, embracing him tightly, protectively; "If you want to truly control your magic at night, then you need to accept that fact: it was not your fault, Kyuhyun."

The mage's words made him cry even more. He turned around in his embrace, his hand rising to clasp the base of his skull firmly. With his other hand, he wiped at his tears with his sleeve, "Please, say it again."

Sungmin stared at him through the dimness, "It was not your fault," he repeated firmly, steadily - slowly as to emphasize each word.

Kyuhyun shook his head, touching his forehead to the other's, "No... my name... say it again."

Sungmin's hands, which had settled between his shoulder blades, slowly slid down to the small of the prince's back, pulling him flush against him. He closed the distance between their mouths, brushing a kiss against the prince's lips, "Kyuhyun," he murmured as he pulled back. He kissed him again, "Kyuhyun," he whispered as he pulled back again.

Their gazes locked for a fraction of a heart beat. It was Kyuhyun, this time, to lean in and kiss Sungmin. Their lips moved against one another like a fusion of Dark and Light Magic. Their lips parted, their tongues met, tasted and teased.

Sungmin broke the kiss and simply stared at the prince for a moment. Then he leaned in and pressed a kiss to his eyes, brushing away the tears there. He pressed kisses along Kyuhyun's brow, down his nose, along his jaw and, finally, kissed his lips again.

"Kyuhyun," he breathed and kissed him.

...

A soft knock at the door pierced through the silence of the room. He glanced over at the door, the room still lit by the soft, orange blaze in the fireplace. He called quietly for the knocker to enter, startled when the Dark Mage entered instead of the princess, who he originally thought it had been. He saw the Dark Mage raise a brow at him as he approached the window seat.

"Well... you two look comfortable," Kangin murmured as he stood by his feet, leaning a shoulder against the window's niche,

"You might wake him up," Sungmin scolded even as he was grinning.

Sungmin sat on the window seat, back against the side. Sitting between his legs was the second prince, his body reclining against the lesser mage, his torso twisted slightly towards the window and his cheek nuzzled against the mage's shoulder. Sungmin had his arms around the prince, his hands loosely clasped on the younger man's waist.

"He'll sleep through anything," Kangin insisted, "And if he's resting peacefully, that means even his dreams aren't bothering him."

"They must be," Sungmin said, "It's pouring outside."

Kangin glanced to the windows, everything pitch black outside; "No, that's not Kyuhyun's magic. If it was, he wouldn't be able to sleep like that,"

"I thought perhaps the rain was just a manifestation since he was sleeping so peacefully, like another venue," Sungmin said,

Kangin shook his head, "No, that's definitely Prince Siwon's doing."

Sungmin glanced down at Kyuhyun, able to just see part of his profile. His arms tightened ever so slightly around the prince. He froze and then swung his gaze back to the Dark Mage, "Wait, where's Taeyeon?"

"Asleep," Kangin answered, "I came to talk to you. I knew Kyuhyun was you - I could sense his magic - but I didn't think he'd be asleep. Well, perhaps I should have known since his magic isn't as unrestrained as it usually is."

"What happened?" Sungmin asked,

"I don't know. I was leaving the castle, but I was going to the main stairs, and she ran into me there - literally," Kangin explained, "She was crying, Sungmin, and she had a whole trail of fire following her up the stairs."

Sungmin's eyes widened, "Should I go to her?"

Kangin shook his head, "No, she just cried herself to sleep and this is the first time I've seen Kyuhyun sleep so calmly all on his own. It would be a waste to wake either of them."

"She didn't say anything?" Sungmin inquired, "No, of course not. She's not the type to confess all while she cries."

"She cried for almost an hour," Kangin said quietly, his gaze out the window, brow slightly furrowed; "She said one thing, however, when she first ran into me."

Sungmin waited, hoping the Dark Mage would share. He knew Kangin came to him because he and Taeyeon meant a lot to one another. He knew Kangin came to him because Taeyeon would need someone when she woke up. However, he also knew the need for confidences. He knew what it was like to be in someone's confidences. He knew that, no matter how much he wanted to know what Taeyeon said, it wasn't right he learn it like this. He should learn it from her directly.

"There are two reasons I'm telling you any of this," Kangin said, his voice quiet, "The first is because, should either of us be unsuccessful, you will need to prepare to return to the Light Kingdom. The second is because... I cannot help her like you can... like anyone can. I don't have anything left of my soul to feel anything and if I cannot do that, then how can I help anyone?" He looked at the mage, then, "What the princess needs is someone who can comfort her; I cannot do that. She says she wants to go home."

Sungmin's eyes widened, "What the hell happened with her and the prince?"

Kangin said nothing, knowing the question was rhetorical. His gaze dropped to the second prince as Sungmin looked out the window. He was surprised to find Kyuhyun so calm and, he could tell it was a natural sleep. Kyuhyun had found peace without need for a spell. Kyuhyun had found strength without him. The time for him to leave was growing near and he didn't have enough soul to feel even a little sad about the thought.

Sungmin thought about what the mage had told him. He thought about what both he and Taeyeon had been through since coming to the Dark Kingdom. Indeed, he thought about the talks they had, what Taeyeon had struggled against and how she had pushed herself, forced herself to be more, grow more. Regardless of what had occurred between her and the first prince, he knew what happened next could make or break her. He knew that she could become stronger or weaker. He had to act accordingly and do what was best for her, despite how hard a decision that was for him.

He turned his gaze back to the Dark Mage who, seemingly to sense his eyes, looked back at him.

"I think that I am not the best person to help Taeyeon in this," Sungmin said slowly, hesitantly, as if feeling his way through the words, as if walking down a path he had never known to have existed before.

Kangin's eyebrows rose, "Surely you don't think Siwon -"

"No, not him. Certainly, not him... Taeyeon needs someone like you, indeed... she needs you," Sungmin stated,

"I thought Kyuhyun would choose better than someone who's insane," Kangin stated evenly,

Sungmin rolled his eyes, "My sanity is fully intact, just listen. Right now, Taeyeon is very emotional -"

Kangin raised a hand to stop the sudden exclamation he knew the mage would say, "After she fell asleep, I turned it into a dreamless one."

"Thank you," Sungmin nodded before continuing, "Because she's very emotional, she's very... impressionable. What I mean is... She has been working hard to challenge herself. In this state of mind, taking the easy way out is very tempting for her. If I go to her in the morning and talk to her, comfort her, it'll be like all the other times she's relied on me. I'm not saying she can never rely on me or that it's a bad thing that she always does. I'm saying that she needs a bit of tough love. She needs someone who will talk rationally to her without being emotionally supportive."

"That doesn't sound like a very good theory," Kangin stated,

"If I'm not there, she has to push herself to rely on herself emotionally," Sungmin explained, "I will always be there for her, but she'll never learn to be there for herself." When Kangin continued to stare at him, one brow raised, he sighed and insisted, "If it all goes wrong, then I will take full responsibility and do all I can to help Taeyeon. However, I know I'm not wrong about this and, even if I am, she'll be fine. Helping her to grow and become a stronger person will not kill her."

"That doesn't sound right either," Kangin replied. He pushed away from the wall and headed to the door, "If you're wrong, Mage, not even I will be able to protect you from Eeteuk."

Sungmin blinked and then tried to look over his shoulder but couldn't do so with the prince in his arms, "How do you two even know each other?"

His answer was the sound of the bedroom door opening and closing.

"How did they even meet?" Sungmin asked quietly,

"Before the war,"

Sungmin nearly jumped, managing to control his surprised reaction only because of the thought that his reaction would result in throwing the prince to the ground. "For the love of... I thought you were sleeping."

"I was," Kyuhyun murmured as he turned in the other's embrace so he was back to chest with the mage, fitting his head back against Sungmin's shoulder, "You two talk loud when you're trying to not awaken someone."

"When did you wake up?" Sungmin inquired, fitting his arms more snugly around the younger man,

"When Kangin questioned your sanity," Kyuhyun answered, folding his arms just above where Sungmin's rested on his abdomen; "I certainly question it."

"So, you disagree with my tactics concerning Taeyeon?" Sungmin asked quietly,

"It doesn't matter what I think," Kyuhyun replied, "I've only known her a week."

"But it matters to me what you think," Sungmin said,

"I think what you propose is risky. It relies completely on the princess' strength to adapt, grow and change. It relies on the belief that what is to make her strong won't, instead, make her weaker. It's true, it won't kill her, but it could very well break her," Kyuhyun said, "It's... not a bad idea, it's just..." He shrugged, "Sometimes, all I want is someone to rely on, especially when my emotions are..." He sighed, "Speaking from experience... there's a chance for everything to go right, but there's a very definite possibility for everything to go wrong, too."

"Thank you for being honest," Sungmin replied; "You should have spoken up when Kangin was still here."

"But, then, he wouldn't have decided to do as you instructed," Kyuhyun replied, sitting up and turning to look at the mage;

Sungmin shook his head, "No, because then I would have counter-argued that I know Taeyeon more than anyone else. Well, perhaps that isn't true anymore, who knows... but I know her and I know how strong she truly is; I know what she's capable of. For goodness' sake, she allowed her hand to be completely burned for the sake of keeping peace between the kingdoms." He raised a hand, holding the prince's chin between thumb and forefinger,

"I know... after that incident I couldn't stop thinking of how magnificent she is. After she was healed, I was thankful that she wasn't truly my competition," Kyuhyun said, the mage's silver-blue eyes drawing him in; "If you had loved her, we wouldn't be like this, now."

"That's true," Sungmin admitted and, when Kyuhyun tried to look away, Sungmin wouldn't let him; "Just how because you are here, I wouldn't be with anyone else." He stared directly into the prince's eyes; "I am very loyal, you'll find, Kyuhyun and I also know what I want."

"So, what happens when you no longer want me?" Kyuhyun asked quietly, "What happens if we sleep together and then you don't want me anymore?"

Sungmin raised a brow. He knew the prince was emotional during the night and had guessed that his flippant and happy exterior a façade. What he never thought was that the prince's confidence be false as well.

"For as long as I have lived, Kyuhyun, you are the first to affect me so," Sungmin stated quietly, steadily. "When - not if - When we sleep together, I will not give you up so easily. I want to be with you for as long as you will have me."

Kyuhyun blinked at him, eyes wide with wonder. He swallowed hard past the lump forming in his throat; "Sungmin..." he managed,

"Kyuhyun," he replied softly, offering a small, sweet smile,

Kyuhyun raised his hand, cupping the base of his skull as he leaned forward, his torso pressing against the other's. "Stay with me forever."

Sungmin closed his eyes, accepting the prince's kiss as he whispered, "Keep me forever."

...

The next morning, Taeyeon awoke so suddenly, it was as if a curtain had been parted to allow the sun into a pitch-black room. She lay on her back in bed, her eyes gazing sightlessly at the canopy. She lay there for a few minutes, just getting her bearings, collecting her thoughts and trying to remember why her eyes ached.

"It is an odd feeling when one is not used to waking up as such,"

Taeyeon yelped as she tried to scramble out of the bed, only to get tangled in the sheets and roll until she tipped over the edge in a heap of blankets and one pillow. When she got her wits about her, she knelt at the side of the bed and looked across the mattress. The Dark Mage stood at the other side of the four-poster bed, shoulder against a post by the foot of the bed, arms folded over his chest and a single brow raised.

"Don't scare me like that!" She exclaimed, her face flushing from her embarrassment,

"You would've been surprised whether I remained silent and you looked up to find me or, as I did, spoke to you first," Kangin shrugged,

"Why are you here?" She questioned, remaining where she was, kneeling at the bedside,

"I had to wake you up," Kangin replied. He decided not to divulge that he had sat in an armchair by the fire all night so as to monitor her magic levels and to ensure his spell did not break. He knew that, if anyone could break his spell, it would be the princess.

Taeyeon narrowed her eyes at him before realization lit her amber eyes, "You put a sleeping spell on me?"

Kangin blinked, "You know about those?" Then he nodded, "Of course... Your brother?"

Taeyeon nodded, her gaze wistful, "After our parents... and for a time during the beginning of the war."

Kangin raised a brow, "For how long during the war?"

"Until I was thirteen," Taeyeon admitted quietly,

Kangin gazed at her then, his mercurial eyes studying her and the princess distinctly felt, for not the first time, as if he were seeing directly into her soul. It should have been a troubling thought, but after spending more time with him and, indeed, after crying before him so horrendously the night before, she found she didn't mind so much. If anything, she felt it comforting that he could know her soul without her having to say the words herself. She knew she was being weak again.

"Up until the war ended, your brother used a sleeping spell on you?" Kangin asked,

Taeyeon nodded, "Every night."

"Taeyeon... has your brother ever talked to you about the circumstances of your parents' murders?" Kangin inquired, his tone even and expression unreadable.

Taeyeon shook her head, "He never talked about it even when I eventually asked. All I've ever known about ... that... is from other people - never from Eeteuk."

Kangin locked eyes with the princess again. She peered up at him, her amber eyes wide with wonder and curiosity. He knew he had roused her interest with his peculiar question, but he had to ask, he had to know what had been said, particularly if his name had come up. He knew she couldn't see anything in his eyes or expression - he had no soul left for that.

He had felt himself lose the last of his soul rapidly over the past few weeks, the last piece gone just days ago. Had it truly been just a few short days ago that he had felt a shred of emotion? Of amusement? Or even the urge to laugh softly? It was a lowering thought, one he had known would come eventually. He wondered briefly how much he wanted emotion at that moment, so that he could truly care about the princess instead of the protectiveness he displayed out of duty. Then, he pushed those thoughts away. It was his inability to have emotions that gave him the right to speak with the princess that morning.

He calmly contemplated then whether or not to tell her his story of what happened. Finally, he decided to keep his telling a secret, not wanting to bring the past up where it did not belong. Besides, he needed to talk about her, not his past.

"Taeyeon, did you really mean what you said last night?" Kangin asked softly,

Taeyeon blinked before her gaze dulled, suddenly recalling all that had transpired the night before. Waking up to find the mage in her room had shocked her that she had almost forgotten what had happened. She felt cold, then, pulling the blanket tighter around her small body as she propped her chin on the edge of the mattress. Her tears threatened to spill and she forcibly fought them back. She had cried quite enough the night before and in front of the Dark Mage of all people. There was still a very definite ache in the vicinity of her heart, but she ruthlessly shoved away thoughts of the pain and the cause.

"Yes," Taeyeon said as she reigned in her emotions, "There's nothing keeping me from going home. Indeed, I stayed because of Sungmin, but he doesn't need me for company anymore."

"What did Prince Siwon do?" Kangin inquired and added quickly, "If you don't mind me asking, of course."

Taeyeon sighed as she turned away and sat down, her back against the side of the bed and grabbing the pillow that had fallen to the floor, hugging it tightly. She wished Sungmin were there. He would take her into his arms and just hug her. She needed the warmth and strength he always brought into her life, he always provided. She wanted the comfort of someone being strong for her while she was so weak. She truly did want to become a stronger person, but at that particular moment, when she felt the lowest she had ever felt, being strong was the last thing she wanted to be.

"He said... horrible things to me," Taeyeon said quietly, "That I was just toying with him, leading him on... He questioned my... my love for him. He spoke to me with... with so much anger and hate. I've never seen so much... hostility... such intense hatred towards me."

"He doesn't know the truth about the engagement," Kangin stated rather than asking; "Can you truly blame him if he doesn't know the whole situation?"

"Then, he should talk to me! He's always jumping to conclusions, thinking the worse of me. I know - I KNOW - that it looks bad from his point of view, but he should know I'm not that kind of person," Taeyeon defended, grounding her teeth as she fought more tears; "I know we've only known each other a short amount of time, but he understands me so well, better than anyone else... At least, I thought he did."

"You're right, he's in the wrong for not believing in you just as you're in the wrong for continuing to lie to him," Kangin said simply, walking around the foot of the bed to tower over her,

"I tried to tell him, Kangin... I even tried several times last night, but he wouldn't let me talk and... and when he did, I was just so angry," She shook her head, her dark locks falling loose from yesterday's bun, "So, so, so angry."

"Maybe you should try talking to him instead of leaving," Kangin suggested as he squatted down beside her,

She grabbed his arm and pulled him so he fell onto his backside. He settled against the bed beside her, "I don't like being towered over."

"You're avoiding the topic," Kangin said lightly,

She sighed, "Would he even believe me if I told him that? Or would he somehow turn my confession into another reason to hate me? Even if I told him, could I ever trust what happened next between us? Would I constantly be on edge waiting and waiting to make a mistake, do something wrong and have him find fault with me again?"

Taeyeon slowly lowered her head to the Dark Mage's shoulder and closed her eyes. She suddenly felt so tired; so, so tired. She felt drained, physically and emotionally. It was as if she were in the field again, her body humming with heated magic as the cool rain fell upon her in thick sheets. She didn't lean on the mage to seek the refuge she usually did. She leaned on the mage because she was used to leaning on someone else while she was weak. And, so, she leaned on Kangin physically as she forced herself to rely on her own emotions and mind; to seek strength within herself.

"I'm not perfect, I know that. Indeed, introspectively the only thing I like about myself is my smile. It's the same as my brother's and his is the best smile in the world," Taeyeon said and, as Kangin looked down at her, he caught the hint of a smile on her lips; "My brother loves me despite my trying his patience and constantly pestering him about magic. He loves me because we're family; we're each other's only family. Sungmin loves me despite my shortcomings and my complete naive view of the world because I befriended him when no one else would... I also thought that when I fell in love, that that person would love me unconditionally. That they would accept my faults."

"Taeyeon..." Kangin said quietly, not knowing what else he wanted to say.

"I wanted to be perfect for him," Taeyeon admitted, her voice soft, "I wanted to be worthy of him so that he could possibly love me in return. I told myself to show him how much I love him, to encourage his feelings... things I thought he'd want me to do. I kissed him and was physically close with him because I thought he would want that. I'm not saying I didn't, it's just... I forced myself beyond my comfort zone, to be bold just to please him." She sighed, "But I couldn't even do that. Time and time again I screwed up one way or another and all these problems keep rising up between us... I'm tired of trying to be perfect."

He understood the princess more, suddenly. He understood that her sheltered life had led to more than just a naiveté and innocence that shouldn't have continued past her adolescence. He understood that despite how she carried herself as a confidence princess, beneath the exterior, she was truly unsure of herself, scared of trusting people who could hurt her. He understood that she relied so heavily on Sungmin because he was safe, comfortable. He understood that Siwon's anger and words, while being explainable, affected her greatly, to the point where even rational thought could not make her risk her heart again.

"Train with me one last time," Kangin suggested, "Just one more day and I'll take you home."

"Kangin..." She sighed, raising her head from his shoulder,

"Just one more day. I'll train you this morning and then take you home tonight," Kangin insisted,

Taeyeon turned to look at him as he gazed back at her steadily.

How had it happened? She distantly wondered.

So suddenly, she trusted the Dark Mage. So easily she told him what had hurt her the last evening, what had plagued her since she met the first prince. So comfortably she sat with him, both this morning and the previous night.

As she gazed at him, she was reminded again of her brother. The comfort she found from confiding in Kangin was as if she were talking with Eeteuk. She knew he knew her brother. He had admitted on two different occasions that he had been to the Light Kingdom and even the castle. She wondered if she ever met him, even when she was very young.

"One more day, then," She agreed finally, offering a small smile,

Kangin's eyes widened slightly before he tilted his head to the side, "How did I never see the resemblance?" He stood and reached down to help the princess to her feet, "You were right, indeed, Taeyeon."

She blinked at him, suddenly confused, "What?"

"Your smile," was all Kangin said as he turned away and headed for the door; “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

Taeyeon watched as the Dark Mage opened the door, turned back to bow and left, the door closing quietly after him. She stared after the door for a moment, sure that she had seen the hint of a smile on Kangin's face.

...

When Sungmin woke up that morning, he woke up to a very dark room. As he rubbed his sleepy eyes with one hand, he waved the other towards the direction of the fireplace, a blaze lighting up the dark, cold hearth. As he slowly sat up, he glanced towards the windows, noticing it was still pouring outside, the sky as dark as obsidian.

“You’re finally awake,”

Sungmin looked back to the window seat, the second prince sitting there, his clothes fresh and finely pressed. It was clear that the prince had already gone to his own bedroom to change. Sungmin slipped from the bed to change into his robes, already hanging by the dresser as they were every morning.

“What time is it?” Sungmin yawned as he changed from pyjama pants to his paji.

“Just before breakfast is usually served,” Kyuhyun murmured, his gaze having been glued to the mage ever since the sheets had slipped to reveal his bare torso and arms. He wished he had seen more during the night, but they had both been content with just sleeping in each other’s arms. Now, as the mage was putting on his robes, his dark gaze raked the other’s lean but muscled body just before a white undershirt covered it.

“Stop staring,” Sungmin scolded lightly as he tucked the ends of his fitted shirt into the waistband of his paji, pulled on the drawstrings and tied them tightly. He walked to the bathroom and quickly washed his face, returning a few minutes later, taking his jungchimak from its hanger. He walked over to the window seat just as he slipped his arms into the jungchimak, “Are you coming down for breakfast?”

Kyuhyun nodded as he took the sides of the robes and began hooking the fastenings before the other man could, “I just want to stop the rain first.”

“What?” Sungmin asked,

“I want to stop the rain,” Kyuhyun repeated, pulling Sungmin to stand between his knees after he was done closing the fastenings; “It’s been raining all night and morning. Despite Siwon’s mood, I know the last thing he wants is to destroy his plants, his maze most of all. I want to stop the rain before damage can be done. It’s only been repaired recently from the last storm.”

When Sungmin opened his mouth to protest, Kyuhyun held up a hand to silence him,

“I don’t want to ask Kangin to do it because I’ve already asked so much of him for the past eight years,” Kyuhyun explained; “Besides, I have to be the one to stop this. He’s my brother and I’ve been trying to keep him steady since the maze was erected. I can only continue to do so.”

“But what about you?” Sungmin asked quietly, gazing down at the prince, tipping his chin up with his middle- and fore-fingers; “What will the cost be to you?”

Kyuhyun grinned, “I’ll be fine. I have tons of my soul left to waste on cleaning up after my brother.”

Sungmin’s eyes bore into him, a mix of silver and sapphire, “Don’t pretend, Kyuhyun. I don’t want you using that façade with me.”

Kyuhyun’s dark gaze searched the other’s, seeing the sincerity there. He sighed lightly. He should have known that, after last night, he could never again hide even a part of himself from the mage. He replied simply, “I want to help my brother.”

Sungmin saw the conviction in the younger man’s eyes, heard it in his voice. After a few minutes, which felt like an eternity, he slowly nodded and turned towards the door, “I’ll come with you, then.”

Kyuhyun grabbed his hand to stop him from leaving. He stared up at the mage, “Despite what transpired between us last night, I am still a Dark Prince. I do not need nor require your approval or permission for whatever I may or may not choose to do.”

Sungmin stared at him for a moment. He saw the defiance, the challenge in the younger man’s gaze, narrowed brow and stiffened jaw. He stepped closer and leaned down, his hands propped against the windows so he caged the prince in with his bare arms.

“Then, you have to understand that I am a mage and used to going my own way and doing as I please,” Sungmin stated quietly, his face just inches from the other’s; “Regardless what may have happened or will happen between us, I will continue as I always have, even if you are a spoilt prince. And,” he continued before the prince could argue, “I know that you don’t need or require my approval or permission for whatever goes on in that head of yours.”

Kyuhyun reached up, his hand firmly against the base of the mage’s skull. How had things changed so quickly over night? He couldn’t even pretend to be distant anymore. Indeed, didn’t want to be distant with him. “But I want those things from you. Only you, Sungmin.”

“I’m glad,” Sungmin murmured as he brushed his lips against the other’s, “If you’re going to do this, let’s go now. I want breakfast.”

Kyuhyun grinned at him then as he moved away and Kyuhyun was able to stand from the window seat. His hand brushed Sungmin’s as he walked past him and preceded him out of the bedroom.

…

The ballroom was on fire.

The long, expansive ballroom was filled with fire from ceiling to floor, wall to wall. The blaze was a vibrant red with bright oranges and yellows. The heat was deadly, the damage irreparable had Kangin not been using a protection spell over the entire ballroom and himself. He knew protecting the room and himself would be easier than containing the princess’ magic.

Taeyeon sat in the middle of it all, eyes closed as she calmly, easily, protected herself against her own fire magic. Kangin sat in front of her, their crossed legs almost touching. He couldn’t see her from the fire that burned all around them.

“Right now, your magic is completely unleashed,” Kangin said calmly, “If you were to open your eyes, you would see how great it is. However,” he added quickly, “I suggest you don’t open your eyes. It’ll be a shock to you and you may lose concentration. Seeing such a sight might overwhelm you and you could start to panic. Indeed, what we’re doing right now is something that lesser mages do not attempt until at least a year into their training.”

“Then, why do we do it when it is only my second time training with you?” Taeyeon replied, pushing away the temptation to go against his advice and open her eyes, “Especially since you said I apparently have more magic potential that most mages?”

“Not apparently, you do,” Kangin insisted, “Indeed, more than all the mages I have ever known, Taeyeon. I frequently wonder how you’d match against me should we ever duel.”

“Let’s not try to find the answer to that,” Taeyeon stated firmly,

Kangin felt a hint of… something. It was an odd feeling that stirred within him, something strange yet familiar. It felt warm, felt as if there was a trace of something when there was once nothing. Putting that aside to examine later, he continued,

“Despite your magic, you are a quick learner… impressively so,” Kangin confirmed, “Indeed, just like your magic potential, I’ve never met anyone who has learned as fast as you. Even your brother didn’t learn as fast, but, then again, he was only twelve.”

Taeyeon fought hard to keep her concentration after hearing that statement. Once she knew she had her focus in hand, she questioned, “That’s the second time you’ve mentioned my brother training.”

Kangin sighed. He learned before that Eeteuk had kept secret everything having to deal with magic, indeed, he could even understand why, and he hadn’t meant to talk about it again with the princess.

‘Well’, he thought, ‘Might as well go the full mile…’

“It wasn’t formal training,” Kangin said then, “Indeed, it was me practicing on my own and your brother tagging along… even if he was older than me. So, I would show him what I learned that day from the mages and he would copy me. It was clear almost immediately that he learned faster than me and, at that young age, I resented him for it. As I grew up and reflected on it, I realized then that his ability to learn so fast was remarkable and that I should have encouraged his learning. Indeed, had it not been for the war, I would have continued to train him myself.”

“What happened?” Taeyeon asked, “Did the war draw boundaries between you two? Our kingdoms are technically in a truce, yet you’ve never visited the castle since the end of the war.”

“I’m glad you said truce instead of peace,” Kangin replied, “Because, this interlude after the war is far from peace. Tensions and resentments are still too high between our populations. It is because of that very reason that I’ve never returned to visit the castle.”

He left it at that, not wanting to explain what had truly caused the rift between himself and the King of Light. Indeed, he thought it best her brother tell her that. Kangin refused to be defensive when he had no reason to be.

“Did I ever meet you?” Taeyeon inquired then, “Before the war, I mean… When I was a little girl, did I meet you?”

Kangin was startled by the question, indeed, so much so that he had almost lost hold of his own focus, quickly grasping for it just before it broke the protection spell on himself and the ballroom. He thought back then, trying to remember the time he spent in the Light Kingdom and the Castle of Light. His time with Eeteuk – still a prince then – came to him with ease and more frequently than he liked to acknowledge.

“Eeteuk mentioned you often,” Kangin said after several silent minutes, “I don’t recall ever meeting you.”

“Oh,” she replied quietly and, despite there being a wall of fire between them, Kangin had the distinct impression she was frowning.

He blinked, surprised then as a memory flashed in his mind; “No... wait… I didn’t meet you, but I did see you. Once. I was in the Light Kingdom for two years and there was only one time when I actually saw you because you were kept in the nursery.”

“Where did you see me if I was in the nursery all the time?” Taeyeon asked, distantly recalling how she had spent days on end in a room full of toys by herself. It wasn’t until after she learned about her parents’ deaths that she saw her brother every day – indeed, never left his side at his request.

“It was in the front courtyard,” Kangin answered, the memory slowly becoming clearer in his mind; “Your nanny was taking you for a walk around the castle grounds and your brother and I were heading out to train beyond the castle walls. You broke away from your nanny and ran up and hugged your brother. You pleaded with him to take you with him, but your nanny took your hand and started walking you away. Eeteuk had called after you, saying he’d visit the nursery after we returned… I remember it so clearly now, why had I forgotten?”

The answer came to him as swiftly as the memory did. The events of that day had been pushed from his memory, forced away in a locked box within his mind that he refused to open, or even go near. That day where he had first ever laid eyes on the Princess of Light had been the last day he and Eeteuk were friends. It was that evening that her parents had been murdered.

“Okay, I want you to now think of your magic like an extension of yourself. Think of it as a projected piece of you. If you accept your magic in this way, it’ll be easier to control and, had you been a mage, manipulate,” Kangin taught, “Think of the fire like a continuation of your body. Try to feel the ballroom containing the fire. Try feeling the surfaces push against the fire. Try to feel my presence in the flames, a disturbance in your flowing magic.”

Suddenly, the floor began to shake wildly. Kangin immediately put protection around the princess from her own magic, not knowing if she’d be able to sustain concentration at such a shock. He reached out blindly for her hands and quickly began to trace the runes to leash her magic back to its normal levels. The flames dissipated as if they never existed.

Kangin was already standing when Taeyeon opened her eyes. He helped her to her feet just as the entire room shook violently and she had to clasp his forearms just to remain standing. Kangin pulled her against the safety of his body as his eyes scanned for signs of falling debris,

“Is this an earthquake!?” Taeyeon exclaimed as she huddled against his larger, stronger frame,

“Yes, but this isn’t natural,” Kangin answered, “This is earth magic.” He led her towards the glass doors which opened towards the back of the castle; “You’re safer with me, so don’t stray from my side,” he instructed, “I know where the magic is coming from.”

Taeyeon nodded as he grabbed her hand and ran outside with her, surprised to find that, while the skies were still as black as night, the torrents of rain had stopped.

…

Standing on the back terrace, Sungmin had been soaked almost immediately when he had stepped outside with the prince. The black silk of both paji and jungchimak encased his entire body like a second skin. His hair was slicked back from his forehead, one half of his head colder without the protection of thick locks. He stood like a sentry behind the prince.

Kyuhyun stood a few feet before him, his black pants shaping his legs and his white shirt translucent from the rain. His thick, dark hair was plastered to his face and forehead, but he didn’t mind. His face was tilted towards the black, weeping clouds, rivulets of water pouring down his face and neck. He raised his hands before him and began to trace patterns in the air.

He wasn’t naïve; he knew he was no mage. He knew very few, very basic spells, and he wasn’t very good at any of them. He did know, however, how to control his magic. He perfected the art of controlling his magic so that it had become second nature to him, an unconscious ability. His theory was that, he could extrapolate what he knew about controlling his own magic and applying it to someone else’s.

Sungmin watched with a steady gaze, barely blinking despite the water sloshing against his eyes. Arms crossed over his chest, he watched and waited. Should the prince need him, he’d be right there. He knew what doing this meant for Kyuhyun, indeed, even understood his rationale. However, that didn’t mean he was comfortable with the scenario. From his bedroom to the terrace, he went over and over again how to do a containing spell. It would stop the rain by containing Siwon’s magic when it was clear the first prince’s magic was out of control. The time it took to get outside was far from enough time to master a spell. It helped that Kyuhyun understood the method of controlling his own magic, however, controlling one’s magic versus containing another’s were two different things. He was there should anything go wrong.

Sungmin felt the rain slowly lessen. The prince continued to trace the patterns for the spell over and over again, forcing it upon the rain, trying to reign in his brother’s free-flowing magic. Sungmin wasn’t sure how long it took, but slowly, slowly, the rain changed from pouring to trickling. Finally, the rain stopped even as the sky remained stormy.

Slowly, almost stiffly, Kyuhyun lowered his arms to his sides and carefully opened his eyes. He was cold and thoroughly soaked, but he had managed to stop the rain. He heard the quiet exhalation behind him, signalling the lesser mage’s relief, which mirrored his own. For so long he didn’t think he would be able to stop the rain and many times he had been tempted to quit and give up. But, he knew he had to save the gardens, knew he had to protect his brother’s only haven.

“I did it,” he said quietly, slowly lowering his face from the sky. He turned to face Sungmin who was staring at him with narrowed eyes, “What –”

“Control your magic!” Sungmin commanded then, trying to close the distance between them, only to feel himself being pushed away,

Kyuhyun’s eyes widened as he looked down at himself, saw swirls of smoked whirling around him, so black they looked solid. He looked up at Sungmin, a quiet desperation in his eyes.

“You know how to control your magic,” Sungmin reminded, trying to keep his tone even and calm, “Do it now, Kyuhyun,” he instructed, trying not to react as he watched the prince’s eyes slip from black to grey and back again, the cycle repeating,

Kyuhyun shut his eyes, clenched his fists at his sides and tried hard to regain control. He felt the magic pouring out of him, wrapping around him like infinite coldness. He felt the chill to his bones, felt it settle within his core, the very center of his being. It seemed to him to take forever to gain even a fraction of control. He began to wonder if he’d be able to do it, if he’d be able to reign in his own magic.

The second prince began to subtly shake from the effort he exerted in trying to regain control. He desperately grasped at ends of memories, finding it hard to remember what his anchor was; what it had been for the past eight years. When he did find it again, it felt slippery, weak, as if it was no longer a match for his magic and he felt himself descending into a darkness he had never known.

The ground began to violently shake and Kyuhyun fell to his knees, fell further until he had to prop his hands on the terrace to keep himself from lying flat against the cool, wet surface beneath him.

“Kyuhyun!” Sungmin exclaimed, “Your magic is manifesting as earth magic! Try to control your magic!” He said as he knelt as close to the prince as possible. He began to trace the containment spell as fast as he could, trying to control the magic being unleashed, trying to bring it all back to the prince and keep it leashed there.

The ground continued to shake with great force, fissures appearing on the terrace as the earth tried to push up against it. Sungmin didn’t close his eyes, he stared steadily at the prince trying to contain the sudden release of magic. After a few minutes, the ground stilled and Sungmin sensed that the magic was contained to Kyuhyun. The darkness that had begun to wrap around the prince disappeared and Sungmin was able to get closer. Kyuhyun began to collapse and Sungmin pulled him into his arms, cushioning the prince with his own body.

"Kyuhyun!" Kangin came running towards them from a far side of the castle, pulling Taeyeon with him.

"What was that?" Taeyeon asked as she gazed around the fissures breaking up the terrace's stone floor.

"Earth magic," Kangin said as he squatted down beside the two younger men,

"He wanted to stop the rain... he wanted to protect his brother's gardens," Sungmin said quietly as he held the prince tightly, protectively, gazing down at his peaceful face; "He stopped it, but then he was being consumed by Dark Magic."

Kangin nodded his understanding as he put his hand over Kyuhyun's forehead. He murmured quietly as he slowly slid his hand down the younger man's face. After a moment, he straightened to his full height, "His magic was contained, but didn't settle," he explained as Sungmin adjusted his arms beneath the second prince's body and slowly got to his feet; "It's just a simple sleeping spell... no dreams."

Sungmin nodded, "Thank you," Sungmin turned to leave, then paused, "Can... Can you come wake him up before lunch?"

Sungmin tried to hold all reaction and emotion from his face. He didn't hold anything against Kangin. Indeed, never resented the Dark Mage at all despite his supposed association with Kyuhyun. However, it did irk him that he was unable to do all to help the young prince. It annoyed him that he had to rely on others to take care of Kyuhyun. However, he knew Kyuhyun meant more than his pride, so he swallowed it and did what he must.

"Of course," Kangin replied, "Who's room?"

Sungmin cleared his throat, glancing over at Taeyeon who was examining a nearby crevice in the terrace floor; "Mine," he replied. Sungmin stepped towards the princess, catching her attention, "I'm going to lay Prince Kyuhyun down." He hesitated, and then asked, "Are you okay?"

Taeyeon blinked several times before understanding to what he was referring to. Her amber eyes seeming to dim. She offered a small attempt at a smile, "I will be... I've... I've decided to go home, Min."

"Taeyeon," Sungmin began,

She shook her head to silence him; "I return alone. Kangin offered to escort me back. So, please, stay here for however long you wish."

"Taeyeon," Sungmin tried again,

"Min," she put her hand on his shoulder and smiled genuinely then, "I have been selfish for far too long. You deserve all the happiness in the world and you and I both know, that can be achieved if you stay here. My time in the Dark Kingdom has ended, but yours doesn't have to. I'll be fine, truly, and our friendship doesn't end just because we're in different kingdoms." She leaned up on the tips of her toes and brushed a kiss to his cheek, "Be happy for the both of us, Sungmin."

Sungmin sighed, "We'll talk before you leave."

Taeyeon watched as Sungmin turned and headed into the castle. She turned back to the Dark Mage, the tails of her royal blue jungchimak billowing.

"Shall we continue training?" Kangin inquired, offering his arm,

She nodded, putting her hand on his arm, "Yes..."

They headed back towards the ballroom's doors, Kangin helping the princess step over mounds and crevices in the ground.

"You're okay to train?" Kangin asked as they neared the doors,

"I can train... I'll be okay when I get home," Taeyeon answered.

Kangin said nothing as he held the door open so the princess could precede him into the ballroom. He had told the princess he would take her home. He had a duty to fulfill and he would follow through.

(Next, Chapter 11 - End of the Light)

[MS10] Shattered Remains

2011-08-09T19:47:00.004-04:00

words: 6495
rate: PG13
(10th Cycle of the Mourning Song series.)

10th Cycle: Shattered Remains

It was a winter night
and I knew that this was goodbye.
But I refused to say those words.
I held you tight
and begged you "please don't go"
But you still walked away.

Kyuhyun wasn’t sure how long he had waited in the town car. He was too anxious to sleep against the soft leather seats, and he had cursed himself several times for not bringing his sketchbook. On the other hand, he wondered if he’d even have enough concentration to sketch properly. He had replayed the conversation he had had with Lee Yeon over and over again in his mind. It was too dark to look at the photograph any longer, but he had looked at it so many times that all he had to do was close his eyes and he could picture it in his mind. All that was missing from the photograph were colours.

He had so many questions for the singer. It was clear that she had pretended not to know him when they met after her concert that fateful night long ago. What he didn’t understand was why she had pretended. Why had she acted as if the boy in her past and he were two different people?

Furthermore, why was he dead to her? Regardless of his memories, why hadn’t she stayed friends with him? Shouldn’t she have tried even harder to keep the association? Tried to help him remember? If she knew him, then she knew about his illness. Surely, she would have tried to keep a normalcy to their friendship despite his debilitating health?

What if she was playing on the fact that he couldn't remember anything? What if there was a very good reason that they were no longer friends?

At some point, Kyuhyun went from wondering about his childhood with Lee Yeon to wondering if he should leave the town car immediately. He was sure Mijoon would pick him up if he called. However, he realized if he did the latter, he'd be running away and he refused to do that. He refused to turn down the chance at learning more about what he couldn't remember. He refused to continue not knowing his past.

So, when Lee Yeon returned to the town car an hour and a half later, his mood had mellowed. Unfortunately, the moment she slipped into the car with her make-up and done-up hair, his temper soared. Sure, they had only been friends for three weeks, but apparently they had been friends since they were children. Regardless of any rational thought that had calmed him earlier, he barely waited for the door to close after her before he burst.

"I may be sick and dying, but I'm not dead yet!" Kyuhyun exclaimed,

Taeyeon blinked at him before settling in the seat and putting on her seatbelt. She told the driver to begin driving to Kyuhyun's house before closing the window between the front and back seats. Remaining facing perfectly forward, Taeyeon lightly clasped her hands on her lap, her right over the left, absent-mindedly playing with the ring now in its rightful place on her finger.

"You know what I meant by that, Kyuhyun," Taeyeon said quietly, staring straight ahead as her thoughts from the interview completely gave way to the current situation and all the turbulent thoughts and emotions it brought her.

"Yes, I know. I don't remember you, I don't remember my sister - I don't remember anyone beyond three years ago!" Kyuhyun stated, unknowingly further crinkling the photograph in his fisted hand, "Even if I have forgotten everything, you have not! Why is it in three years, it's only recently that we have come face-to-face, hmm? I may have been dead in many meanings of the word, Lee Yeon, but you most certainly were not!"

Taeyeon's right hand gripped her left tightly, trying to ignore the way her heart clenched when he had called her by her stage name. Quickly, she flipped through several scenarios, several things she could say, and yet, she didn't feel like the time was right. He was too tense, too angry for the emotions boiling up within her. She could say so many things to him. She could talk about how she even struggled to get past the gates of his house the first year after high school. She could describe the innate sense of loss and hollowness she had felt when he had moved away and they couldn't trace where the owner and head of Jo Shipping Company had moved his family.

Finally, pushing down the growing sadness at remembrance, she asked simply, "Think about it: why don't you remember?"

"My sickness, because surely you know of it, degenerates my memory," Kyuhyun answered, eyes narrowed at her,

"That's what they told you?" Taeyeon laughed softly, sadly, "I knew they had devised some story to tell you but I never imagined..." She shook her head slightly, "But, of course, they could explain away anything using your supposed illness, can't they? Because they cannot give you any other answers, no diagnosis, no prognosis, no cure... and, so, they use it to explain everything else that doesn't make sense to them."

"What are you talking about?" Kyuhyun demanded, "I have answers! I have diagnoses, among them being XP! I have a prognosis and it doesn't look good. Cure?" He sighed heavily, running his free hand through his hair, "There is none..."

Taeyeon contemplated telling him the truth, and, yet, she knew that their conversation would be overwhelming enough for her beloved cousin. She couldn't go overboard and tell him about his vampirism. She turned, finally to look at him. She reached over and gently pried his locked fingers from the old picture. Instead of drawing back, she held it up between them and turned on the backseat's, pale, ceiling light.

"Kyuhyun, regardless of what you believe right now, at this moment, I want you, for a moment, forget it... just, make your mind a clean slate," Taeyeon requested tentatively, "Look at this photo and ask yourself why you were never told about the people in this photo. Ask yourself why you were never told about your own sister."

"My parents made a mistake and they're trying to make up for it," Kyuhyun muttered, his defence lacking conviction,

"After twenty-one years, Kyuhyun?" Taeyeon prompted, "They did not even tell you once about her in the three years that you have left high school."

Kyuhyun swallowed hard, unable to deny the truth that rang in her argument. He thought about all the times he had strained to remember, only to come up blank or to be pained by a horrible migraine. He thought about the quiet moments in which he would think about the "what's" and "what if's" of his unknown past.

What was he forgetting? What was he leaving behind? What if he was losing something important? Something grand? If, he could not remember his past, who he had been, where he had been, then could he truly know himself?

Such questions plagued him often.

Such questions scared him and shook his very soul.

"Why... why have I not seen you in person before?" Kyuhyun managed, feeling that the building fear of not knowing himself was bursting within him like a gaping, black hole, the threat of tears very much real.

Taeyeon lowered the photograph to the seat between them, returning her hands to her lap, wary of having physical contact with him, of exposing him to all the truth running through her mind. She inhaled slowly, steadily, trying to keep her emotions in check. Kyuhyun was on the precipice of rediscovering his past and she couldn't take away from that by bursting into tears. After three years, she was given the rare chance to, once again, be strong for him.

"You left Shim Jang Academy a month prior to graduation. After graduation, I went to your house, the one just south of Seoul, everyday trying to see you," Taeyeon revealed quietly, tentatively; "I argued with your gate guards day after day, just to send word to you that you had a visitor."

"Who's the crazy stalker now?" Kyuhyun chuckled, turning his gaze out the window, suddenly afraid of what this conversation would mean for him. When the singer remained silent, he asked hesitantly, "You're serious... aren't you?"

Kyuhyun was startled when he felt slender fingers lay over his hand, fisted on the seat between them. He whipped his gaze to her, eyes wide as his mind burst with colour-filled memories. He stood before a large, iron gate, a familiar house in the middleground. His mittened hands shook the metal bars, as he yelled, but a higher voice was heard. A large, bulky man in a security guard's uniform approached, a big, puffy jacket pulled over his broad shoulders. He didn't hear what he spoke, but his face was sympathetic before he turned and walked away. Dejected, he - or, rather, Lee Yeon, turned from the gates to the black sedan parked at the curb. He walked up to the car and opened the front, passenger door. Before he could slip in and see who the driver was, he was brought back to the present as she pulled her hand away.

He stared at her, the memory lingering, repeating in a cycle, but never going before or beyond what he had already seen. No, she hadn't lied, and yet, even as she had spoken, he knew that she didn't lie to him; wouldn't lie to him. Suddenly, the feeling of connection and comfortableness he had always felt with the singer made sense, as if a piece of a puzzle had shifted in his life, making it smooth, making it a little bit closer to being complete.

"My parents... they wouldn't be this cruel... they wouldn't isolate me like this," Kyuhyun stammered, grasping at threads in his mind, trying to form some defence, some excuse for his parents' behaviour.

"I cannot speak on behalf of your parents, but I can speak for myself and I promise you that everything I have done in the past three years has been to reunite with you, Kyuhyun," Taeyeon confessed, her voice quiet but firm as she held out the photograph to him,

Kyuhyun hesitantly took the photograph, bringing it closer for his inspection.

He had wondered for so long what his memories had lost for him. He had wondered what had happened before the day he had awoken in that small, windowless room. He remembered names, but no faces. He wondered, then, if one of the names he had encountered during that period in his life belonged to the singer. However, he didn't remember a 'Lee Yeon' among the list of names. Everything was so confusing at that time, those conversations, voices, all slipped from his consciousness, but not names. Names, he had promised to remember. If only, he could have promised to remember whatever occurred before that point in time.

Kyuhyun was jolted from his reverie when the car pulled to a stop. He glanced out his window to confirm that they were just outside the gates, which led to his house, similar to the gates in the singer's memory. He opened the door, had a foot on the pavement, when he twisted back to face her,

"I... I don't want to question you because, for some reason, I know you're not lying," Kyuhyun admitted, "But I need solid proof, beyond this photograph. I'm not saying it is, but it could have easily been manufactured. I need something that cannot be argued against." He swallowed hard, "Something even my parents cannot deny."

Taeyeon's eyes widened before her expression softened. She reached out to and gestured to the right side of his head, "You have a scar on your temple. You got it from a biking accident."

Kyuhyun reached up with his hand, realizing that his hair covered his right temple. He knew he had a scar there, had discovered it shortly after he had left school. However, he didn't think of it and, indeed, had quite forgotten its existence, especially since it was easily hidden by his hair. He brushed the soft skin beneath his hair, feeling the faint ridge in his skin, denoting the scar.

He turned to leave, when she grabbed his hand, the one that still clasped the photograph. She let go almost immediately so as to shield her thoughts from his telepathy. When he looked over his shoulder at her, she was reaching up to turn off the backseat's light.

"My real name is Kim Taeyeon."

And I waited for you
waited to see you walk
back through the door.
And I waited for you
waited to see you smile
once more for me.
I waited for you.

...

Then the time passed by
and went so very slow.
But I refused to give up hope.
I prayed to God above
"please let him come back".

One week later; Friday; Second week of November 20XX

It had been a long day. He walked into the house as he tugged at his tie, slipping his shoes off at the door. He put down his briefcase by the foot of the stairs as he headed over to the living room, hearing the soft noise of the television. He stood in the doorway of the living room, a shoulder against the frame as he shoved one hand into his pocket, the other still tugging away at his tie.

"I didn't think you'd be home tonight," the person in the living room spoke,

"Why not? It's the end of the day. I've had a long day at work," he replied as his eyes were drawn to the news reports on the television screen.

"I thought you'd be staying with Heechul," the other replied simply,

"I decided to come home instead," he countered,

"Geng," the other sighed, "We've talked about this time and time again. I can take care of myself. You don't have to keep rushing home just to make sure I'm still alive."

"Eeteuk came home to find Kangin gone, Zhou Mi," Hankyung reminded, a slight edge to his tone.

His dark eyes narrowed at his best friend who lounged on the couch. Zhou Mi had been right. He had always rushed home after work just to see that he was still alive. He would be at work and, constantly, he would worry whether or not Zhou Mi was surviving in the house alone during the day. When Zhou Mi had returned to Seoul with him and Heechul two years ago, he had insisted that Zhou Mi stay with him. Indeed, he brooked no argument. He had given the entire basement to Zhou Mi. It was easy to black-out the small windows and it was spacious enough to be considered its own apartment. It gave both men enough space while, at the same time, Hankyung could keep an eye on his dear friend.

Zhou Mi sighed heavily as he slowly stood to his full height, staring at the other man from across the room, "I know that, but it's been three years since Head Hunter Zhou Mi died! They don't know I'm still alive. They've probably forgotten me by now."

It had been a constant fear for the first year after leaving SJA that the Council would follow; that they would find out he hadn't truly died that fateful night with the pureblood vampire. Kangin had managed to smuggle him out of the country back to China where he recuperated. After a year of living in the village in which he had been born, in which his family had died, he had returned to South Korea, confident that the heat surrounding his supposed-death had died down long ago.

However, with Hankyung working for the Council, Zhou Mi was constantly reminded that there were people who had known him. People who would be startled to see him walking down the street. If even just one person recognized him, he would become an immediate target for the Council. It had been reported he had died after being fed from by the vampire. If he proved to be alive still, the Council would immediately know he had been transformed.

"But I couldn't protect you then!" Hankyung exclaimed, standing straighter, his hand dropping to his side, clenched so tightly that his knuckles whitened; "I couldn't even protect you when you were supposed to be alive, so how the hell can I even expect to protect you now that you're supposed to be dead!?"

"It's not your job to protect me, Geng," Zhou Mi stated, "I was a Hunter - a Head Hunter, even. My job was always dangerous. From the moment I began training in China, we knew that."

"But -"

"You once talked to me about loyalty and protecting Kyuhyun," Zhou Mi reminded, his own hands fisted at his sides, he nails digging into his palms as the thought of the younger man brought about a wave of deepening despair within him; "My job is to protect Kyuhyun just as yours is to be with and protect Heechul."

"It's not that easy," Hankyung grounded out,

"And it's not supposed to be. Life isn't easy," Zhou Mi said, "I know you're scared that one day I'll just disappear like Kangin did. I know you're scared that one day I'll be found out, but I can take care of myself. Just because I've become a vampire, doesn't mean I've lost everything that I once was. Just because I'm no longer a Hunter, doesn't mean I've lost my instincts, my training. I've been careful for three years, Geng. Trust me to take care of myself."

For years, he had allowed Hankyung to coddle him somewhat. He had allowed Hankyung's protectiveness, understanding its origins. Had his best friend almost died, he would have been just as protective of the older man. However, he was still his own man. He was one of the best Hunters in the Korean Council; the Head Hunter who's district was the country's capital. Regardless of the past, regardless of his sensitivities towards his best friend, he still had his pride. He knew he could take care of himself, now, he needed to prove it to the others; starting with Hankyung.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you… that I’m undermining your abilities,” Hankyung insisted as he leaned against the doorframe again, shoving his hands into his pockets, “It just… scares me, you know? Before the threat came from vampires, but you always did missions as a team. Even when we were still at SJA and you went on a mission with just Kibum and another Hunter, I couldn’t sleep that night. Now, the threat is bigger because just one person has to see you, recognize you and… and it’s all over.”

“We always knew that would be a problem the moment we started faking my death,” Zhou Mi said with a slight shrug, smiling ruefully at his friend, “I can’t stay locked up like a china doll, Geng.”

“You know I don’t like this mission you’re doing… that you have been doing,” Hankyung said quietly, his eyes flashing with silent warning,

“I know you don’t, but at least I told you, right?” Zhou Mi attempted a light laugh. He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair, “You can’t expect me to remain idle, especially since I’m in Seoul again. I had to find him… I just… I needed to know he was okay, that he was still…” He inhaled slowly, deeply, so as to steady himself, calm himself; “When I found him again, I couldn’t just leave him be. Surely, you understand, Geng. Now that he’s back in Seoul… I can’t let him go.”

“And as you keep your eye on him, someone’s going to recognize you for a dead man!” Hankyung explained,

“They won’t, Mijoon –”

“Ah, yes, of course… Choi Mijoon,” Hankyung threw his arms into the air exasperated, “The answer to all of our problems,” he said sarcastically. His eyes narrowed, “Zhou Mi, you need to end this now. Not later, not soon – now. This Choi Mijoon is just a bigger liability than if you stalked Kyuhyun from the shadows!”

“It’s worked for a year,” Zhou Mi defended,

“Then it’s due for a screw up!” Hankyung countered. “For a year you have relied on Choi Mijoon. You have relied upon him to protect Kyuhyun, to keep an eye on him. I didn’t say anything at first because I knew you would do whatever you pleased regardless of what rational sense I tried to knock into you… but it’s been a year, Zhou Mi. Kyuhyun is fine. He’s still alive. He’s proved himself as a competent heir to his father’s company. Let the matter go until we can cure his amnesia.”

“And how long will that take? It’s been three years without any success!” Zhou Mi exclaimed, “Am I to wait another year? Another three? Even if I could walk away from him, I cannot, Geng! I cannot willingly walk away from the man I love! I cannot go into a state of just waiting until I can see him again, waiting until he remembers me. Having Mijoon as his assistant is the closest semblance to sanity I have left!”

Hankyung remained silent, knowing how hard it had been for Zhou Mi when he had gone through the transition. Initially, Kibum had been bringing Kyuhyun to the nurse’s office. Hankyung had saw him and notified the others of his return. Upon hearing about Zhou Mi’s condition and how Kibum had been forced to shoot him, close to his heart, Hankyung and Heechul had raced to gather Zhou Mi’s body from the snow while Taeyeon and Sungmin had continued to the nurse’s office with Kibum.

They immediately brought Zhou Mi’s body to Heechul’s bedroom where he underwent the transition. It had been a painful experience from what Hankyung had witnessed. Heechul had to leave after helping him bring Zhou Mi to the bedroom, warning Hankyung that it would seem like the transition practically tortured the person affected. Bloodlust, he had warned, would set in fast and hard as if starved for a year. Hankyung had forced his forearm into his mouth when Zhou Mi had shoved him against the wall, fiercely violent in his bloodlust. Zhou Mi had fed before he collapsed into unconsciousness, fatigued mentally and physically.

Before bringing Zhou Mi to the nurse's office, they decided their course of action. Hankyung had snuck Zhou Mi in and explained the plan to Heechul. The nurse had put Zhou Mi into a corner bed and hid him behind a wall of curtains. Kangin was the one who had arranged to take Zhou Mi out of South Korea. Hankyung had envied that Kangin had been the one to be with Zhou Mi during that time. He had heard, afterwards, how hard it had been for Zhou Mi to leave. Kangin had stayed in Korea a week at a time, going back and forth to China ever other week.

"If you couldn't be with Heechul, wouldn't you try everything to keep at least some kind of connection with him?" Zhou Mi asked quietly as he loosely folded his arms about his torso.

Hankyung sighed heavily, leaning his head sideways against the doorframe, "Yeah... you know I would."

"Well, having Mijoon be his assistant is that for me," Zhou Mi explained,

"I just... I just can't help but think this will end badly," Hankyung said, "Reports say that Kyuhyun is close to his assistant."

"It's true... they're more or less together," Zhou Mi confirmed, turning his gaze away, "It was bound to happen... I... I knew it was a possibility..."

Hankyung stared sadly at his best friend, knowing the conflicting emotions within him, "And?"

"I didn't think it would hurt so much," Zhou Mi said quietly. He turned away and walked over to the sliding doors that led to the backyard. He leaned his forehead against the cold glass; "Go back to Heechul, Geng. He should be your number one concern, not me."

"I know that, but you -"

"Cannot properly be with the person I love," Zhou Mi interjected. He sighed softly, "Go. Be. With. Heechul."

Hankyung saw the dejection, the resignation in the set of his best friend's shoulders. In his firm voice that hinted of strain, hinted at the threat of breaking. Zhou Mi had planned a way to protect Kyuhyun and, although he had accomplished that, things hadn't turned out quite as he had hoped. He knew having Mijoon as Kyuhyun's assistant was a comfort to Zhou Mi, however, the relationship between heir and assistant still managed to hurt his best friend deeply. After all, Kyuhyun was falling for someone who wasn't Zhou Mi.

"Thank you," Hankyung murmured tentatively.

He turned and left, grabbing his briefcase on his way out.

Zhou Mi heard the sound of the front door closing. His eyelids slid close as he thought about when he had first planned for a way to get close to Kyuhyun somehow, just to know his state of mind, how his life was without his memory. Through his investigations of locating Kyuhyun outside of Seoul, he had learned the younger man's parents were looking to hire him an assistant. Then, it hit him: the perfect way to infiltrate his personal life. All he needed was the right person to do it.

Enter Mijoon.

He raised his hand to the glass door by his head. He fisted it and slammed it just hard enough to make the door jolt. He knew something could happen between the two if they spent enough time, but, he had hoped, prayed, that something in Kyuhyun, some innate feeling, some soul-connection, some...

'Your punishment is to spend forever with a vampire.'

He sighed heavily as he turned so his back slouched against the door. He pounded his fist against the glass in steady intervals. He was being poetic, avoiding saying aloud and straight-forward what he had relied on for the past three years. He had wanted Kyuhyun to wait for him. He had wanted their love to surpass his amnesia. He didn't want Kyuhyun to fall in love with someone who wasn't him. He knew he was being selfish since it was clear that Kyuhyun was happy with the assistant. But, no, he didn't care. Kyuhyun was his and he would find a way to make Kyuhyun fall in love with him again. He would find a way for Kyuhyun to forget his new love and remember his old one.

‘I... I love you… I should have said it before now… should have said it so many times… but you already knew… you always knew.’

He would find a way for Kyuhyun to remember him.

Zhou Mi pushed away from the glass doors and headed for the front door. The sun was setting and he needed to feed.

And I waited for you
waited to see you walk
back through the door.
And I waited for you
waited to see you smile
once more for me.
I waited for you.

...

And after all this time
I still remember that night,
still remember when you
promised me...

Saturday; End of the third week of November 20XX

"Itte! Itte!"

"Go! Go!"

Kyuri stood by the queen-sized bed in her room. She picked up clothes from the basket at her feet, folded them and then stacked them on the mattress. She watched, from across the room, as the twins ran in and out of the room in some kind of car race; minus the cars. She picked up another piece of clothing, glancing at it when the material didn't feel like cotton.

"Ah... Too late to wear this," she sighed as she found herself looking down at a short gown made completely of soft lace. "Argh," she muttered as she rolled the gown in a ball and threw it to the other side of the bed. She put her hands on her hip and stared down at her stomach, "I suppose you wouldn't be here, my dear, if it hadn't been for that gown. Well, now I can't wear it, sweetie, happy?"

"Kuruma! Itte!"

"Car! Go!"

Kyuri watched as the twins zipped out of the room again. She shook her head at them affectionately, "Should we teach you a different language, too? Then, when you're old enough to run around with your brother and sister, you can shout out, too." She picked up another piece of clothing, "Eh, never mind. That requires I learn another language, too," she began folding a t-shirt, "Your father could learn?" She put the folded shirt on another stack of shirts, "No, then he could say things and I wouldn't understand."

She picked up another piece of clothing, shaking it out so both sides of the shirt were aligned before beginning to fold it. She heard her cellular ring, but promptly ignored it. She had forgotten to turn it off after she left work earlier that day and she and Kibum had a strict no-work-at-home rule. It gave them time to relax and be with the twins. After a few rings, her phone grew silent and she smiled, pleased with herself that she didn’t give in and just answer the phone.

It was barely a breath before the home phone rang. She blinked, staring at the cordless phone lying on the bedside table beside her. If it was work calling, then it would be serious that they call either her or Kibum at home. She picked up the phone after the second ring and just stared at it, wondering if she should answer. Kibum was at SJA and, if they wanted him, they wouldn’t even bother calling their home number.

Finally, she answered, “Hello?”

“Kyuri?”

“Yes?” She replied,

“It’s Hankyung. A new case has just been opened and needs immediate attention,” The other replied, “It’s for a vampire in a district for the Jeolanam province. I received it on my desk just now and I want you specifically to help me handle this case.”

“Not tactics?” Kyuri asked as she sandwiched the phone between her ear and shoulder as she continued folding clothes,

“That, too. The vampire apparently fled from Japan and the Japanese Council notified us once it was known,” Hankyung explained, “I need you to plan a mission to capture the pureblood and then we’ll work out the details after of how to handle the case alongside the Japanese Council.”

“How immediate is immediate?” Kyuri asked warily as she watched the twins continue to race up and down the hallway to the master bedroom.

“I have a Hunter delivering you the profile. They should be there right now,” Hankyung informed, “He’ll serve as a physical liaison between us and the Head Hunter in Jeolanam. This will help ensure that whatever plan you devise is followed to the tee.”

Kyuri sighed as she tossed another folded shirt on top of the stack, “Very well. What if I had said no, Hankyung?”

“I would have crossed that bridge if it came to it,” Hankyung replied, “This would be so much easier if you kept a computer at home.”

“We don’t like bringing work with us home,” Kyuri defended lightly, “Okay, are you staying much later at the office?”

“Yes, I still have to finish correspondence with the Japanese Council. I expect to be here until midnight, but I have my personal phone on me just in case,” Hankyung explained,

“Okay, I’ll call you once I’ve had a read-through of the profile,” Kyuri stated before ending the call. She tossed the phone onto the mattress as she headed over to the door. She whistled loudly, calling the twins to her.

“Where are we going?” Kyumi asked excited, slipping on her ballet slippers all on her own.

“Just downstairs,” Kyuri replied as she helped Kyuki with his little sneakers.

She opened the door and herded the twins out into the hallway, locking the door behind her. They raced ahead of her towards the elevators, taking turns pushing the ‘down’ button. She rode the elevator in silence as the twins chattered excitedly about taking a trip “downstairs” which meant more space to run around in the building’s large lobby.

Once in the lobby, Kyuri took the twins’ hands in her own and led them to the security guard’s desk right beside concierge.

“Hey, Joon!” Kyuri called a security guard over.

He towered over her as he walked over. Broad-shouldered, thickly muscled and light shining off his bald head, Joon made a very impressive security guard for the apartment building. “Yes, Kyuri-sshi?”

“Can you watch the twins for a second? I just have to step outside to receive a file from work,” Kyuri explained,

“Ah, no problem. The little sprites don’t do any damage by running around,” Joon answered, having watched the twins for short intervals every once in awhile since Kyuri and Kibum had moved into the building over two years ago.

“Thanks, Joon,” Kyuri turned to her little minions, “Kyuki, Kyumi – you listen to whatever Joon tells you, okay? Umma’s just going outside for a little bit and I’ll be right back, okay?”

“Yay! Joon!” Kyumi exclaimed happily,

“Umma!” Kyuki chirped in what Kyuri assumed was a goodbye of sorts.

Patting their little heads, she turned and strode out of the lobby. Once on the sidewalk, she stood with her back against the building wall, looking around for the Hunter. She pulled the ends of her sweater closer together, forgetting how cold the nights were becoming.

"Umma!"

Kyuri swung her gaze down to her side, startled at finding her son standing there with a big grin on his face, "Kyuki... you need to stop following Umma everywhere. Especially when I say not to follow me."

“Ma’am!” A man approached,

Kyuri swept up Kyuki into her arms, realizing she didn't have time to bring him back to the lobby. As the man reached them, Kyuri saw the irony immediately because it was clear the Hunter was older than her and, yet, she was his superior. She gestured for him to follow her as she walked around to the side of the building. Standing in the dimly lit alleyway, she took the large, manila envelope he held out to her.

“Is this all of the profile?” She inquired as she shifted Kyuki to her hip so she could hold him with one arm.

“Down to her supposed shoe-size,” the Hunter confirmed. He handed her a small calling card also, “I’m sure Council Member Han has informed you that I’ll be liaison for this case. This is all my contact information. Once you have a mission planned, then you’ll have to go over it with me so that I can insure the team in Jeolanam follows it accordingly.”

“Okay, great,” Kyuri pocketed the card, “I’ll just…”

She froze and began to look deeper into the alley, past the boundaries of light coming from the street into the darkness. She strained her eyes, peering into the shadows. She didn’t move, barely breathed, as she waited for her eyes to adjust to staring into the dark. She inhaled sharply when there was movement and a figure stepped close enough that details of its face was highlighted from the diffused light of the street. The Hunter beside her tensed and followed her line of vision.

Kyuri blinked, gripping the envelope over her obvious, pregnant stomach as she shifted her body ever so slightly to block Kyuki from view. She identified the face almost immediately. Even if parts of it were shrouded in shadow, she knew the face. Stepping into the alleyway so as to keep her conversation private with the Hunter, she had never anticipated meeting the pureblood vampire who had gotten away and escaped out of Seoul just two weeks prior.

She knew he would come back and, even estimated his targeted area. When she had realized her home was just within the predicted area, she had forcibly pushed the negative thoughts rising within her. She had requested an increase in security and, while she knew the Council had agreed to it, she had hoped it would be enough. However, now, face-to-face with that pureblood in the alley beside her building and with just another Hunter, she knew that the security didn’t matter.

“What great timing… I was getting hungry,” the snarl echoed softly against the surrounding buildings.

“Ma’am, please, let me handle this alone,” the Hunter said quietly,

“I can't,” Kyuri grounded out.

She wanted more than anything to get away and protect her children. However, she knew that this pureblood was formidable and, if she left the Hunter, his fate was confirmed. When the Hunter failed, the vampire would be loose in the city. She felt the rising fear within her, the clenching in her heart as she found herself having to debate which life was more important: her children or the Hunter and the rest of Seoul.

She heard footsteps and immediately turned just in time to see the pureblood take a step closer. Suddenly, he was before them. She immediately flung around to shield her son, doing the one thing she would never do under normal circumstances: give her back to a threat. She heard the Hunter intercept the vampire.

“Get…. Out… of here,” the Hunter grounded out as he struggled with the vampire,

Kyuri clutched her son in her arms and ran back into the lobby. “Joon!” She exclaimed as she ran over to him where Kyumi sat on his lap. She handed her son over to the large security guard as she put the large envelope on the desk. She grabbed a pen and immediately scribbled two numbers down on the folder, “Call the first number and tell the man who answers the phone that Jo Kyuri needs back up A-S-A-P. Call the second number, it’ll be Kibum’s cellular. Tell him it’s back.”

“What? What’s back?” Joon questioned as he put both children on the ground behind the security desk, “What do you mean back-up? I can help –”

“No!” Kyuri slammed the pen down on the desk, “I need you to watch over the kids.” She glanced at Joon's hip, "Let me have your gun."

"What? No, tell me what's going on!" Joon demanded,

"I... It's better if you don't know. Look, I work for the government," Kyuri said, "And I need your gun." When Joon remained hesitant, she exclaimed, "I don't have time! Please!"

Joon handed over his gun to her. Kyuri checked it for bullets and then tucked it into her pants at the small of her back. She turned to leave, when she paused. She hurried around the desk and pressed a kiss to Kyuki and then Kyumi’s foreheads, “Umma loves you both very much.”

“Umma!” They both cried.

Kyuri shoved her emotions behind her as she turned and ran out of the lobby. She had to keep herself calm and collected if she was to go head-to-head with a pureblood vampire. She had safeguarded her children, now she had to help the Hunter, regardless of the cost to herself. She couldn’t afford to be selfish when another’s life was also in the equation.

The wind hit her like a cold wall when she stepped into the night again. The cars rushing by were noisy; easily covering up what she knew was occurring in the alley. She hurried over, steeling herself as she stepped into the mouth of the alley.

Touching her stomach affectionately, she whispered “I’m sorry.”

Then, she fisted her hands and ran straight into the fray.

That if I wait for you,
you'd walk back through that door.
That if I wait for you,
you'd smile again for me.
But I waited for you.
Yeah, I waited for you.

We never should have said goodbye.

(11th Cycle - To See the Sun)

[ROM9] Creeping Darkness

2011-07-30T17:31:00.006-04:00

words: 10224
rate: PG13
(Chapter Nine of the Reign on Me series.)

Chapter Nine: Creeping Darkness

"You're quiet this morning," Taeyeon said quietly as she walked down the hall on Sungmin's arm.

She was dressed once again in her royal blue jungchimak and white paji. Her hair was flowing free, but she planned to tie her hair later once she was training. She had opened her bedroom door to the knocking of the mage. She had taken one look at his withdrawn expression and remained silent as she left with him.

They began to descend the staircase, the Dark Mage waiting at the bottom. Finally, Sungmin spoke,

"I'll tell you later," he replied,

She glanced at him and nodded.

When they reached the Dark Mage, the older man's face held a schooled expression. It seemed, to Sungmin, that he was the only one affected by the previous evening's unexpected run-in. He resisted the urge to react, to turn and head back up the stairs. Indeed, he struggled to attack the other mage. He knew, however, that his quarrel was not with the Dark Mage; it was with the second prince.

"Since Sungmin is still working to ignite fire while his hands have water on them, I'll be working with the prin.... With Taeyeon mostly," Kangin informed, "However, because of the nature of your magic, Taeyeon, I want to train with you in isolation. That means, Sungmin, that you'll have to train on your own this morning."

"I'm not leaving Taeyeon alone," Sungmin replied almost immediately, taking a step towards the Dark Mage.

"The only way to help her control her magic is to allow it loose. I don't want to have to worry about someone else while training with her," Kangin explained, crossing his arms over his chest, the muscles in his arms evident beneath the black silk of his robes.

"I can protect myself from her magic!" Sungmin insisted, eyes narrowed angrily, disregarding the way Taeyeon clutched his arm in an attempt to restrain him,

"No, you cannot," Kangin said evenly, his silver eyes flashing a silent warning; "I wasn't exaggerating when I said her magic is strong. The magic I sense in her is at an amount and potency I have never encountered before aside from my own. Because her magic will be unleashed completely, I warrant I will need all my concentration in protecting herself and I."

"Still-"

"Min," Taeyeon spoke up then, her other hand coming up and clutching his arm so both of her hands gripped his arm, demanding his attention.

He turned to look at her, his steel-blue eyes staring at her intensely.

"Go practice alone," Taeyeon insisted, "If what Kangin says is true about my magic, then I don't want you there."

"Taeyeon..." He grounded out,

"I need to learn how to control my magic, Sungmin," Taeyeon stated, dropping her hands from his arm and stepping towards the Dark Mage, "This is just another way for me to grow and become a stronger person."

Sungmin’s eyes bored into her, reading the determination in her amber gaze. Eventually he sighed, “Fine. I’ll be on the back terrace once you’re done.”

She beamed at him before she turned and began following the Dark Mage away.

“Is Prince Kyuhyun training on his own as well today?” Taeyeon inquired as she recognized the direction as ending at the ballroom once again.

“No, he isn’t even awake yet,” Kangin replied.

Before Taeyeon could even contemplate how the mage knew such information, Kangin completely changed the topic, “I’ve decided to train you in the ballroom. It gives us quite a bit of room, especially if your magic is unrestrained. Also, I decided that it’s safer to unleash your magic in the ballroom rather than outdoors where there is grass and trees and woodland creatures who might not appreciate being burned today.”

Taeyeon laughed lightly, “I’m sure the woodland creatures appreciate your consideration.” Then, she added, “Although, I have a feeling the garden maze is the main reason we’re to be in the ballroom today.”

Kangin glanced at her from the corner of his eye before nodding, “Yes. Prince Siwon used quite a lot of magic, sacrificed quite a lot to erect those gardens after the war. It would be disrespectful to allow any harm to it.”

“It’s clear he used an amazing amount of magic to create the gardens, but his eyes are still so very dark,” Taeyeon commented, “Shouldn’t they be silver like yours?”

“He used a great amount of magic in a short amount of time. The changing of the irises is a process of time, of using magic constantly over and over, but at a level more than just watering plants,” Kangin explained, “Had he continued to use magic afterwards at a high enough level, his eyes would have changed. However, since after then all he does is watering plants, his eyes don’t change. The affect on his soul, however… that’s almost instantaneous considering all the magic he used. The Dark or Light can take over one’s self easily, it’s the physical part that takes time.”

“When did he decide to create the gardens? Immediately after the war ended?” Taeyeon inquired,

Kangin hesitated for a moment before answering, “Not immediately, but I believe it happened after he saw the damage to the back fields after fire got within the castle walls. The ground had been ravaged by the fire and not a single blade of grass was left after then, the ground blackened completely.”

Taeyeon absorbed the information as they continued on towards the ballroom. They reached the doors when she asked quietly, “It must have been a horrible reminder of the death of his mother.”

Kangin paused, his hands on the door handles. He glanced down at the princess, much shorter than himself; “He told you about that?”

Taeyeon nodded, “How Prince Kyuhyun had tried to save her first and then he came along. How they stopped the fire but couldn’t control the water magic.”

“The princes both hold some guilt from that night because they were unable to save their mother or the mage,” Kangin said as he pushed open the doors and allowed the princess to precede him into the ballroom.

“And you?” Taeyeon asked tentatively as they walked towards the centre of the ballroom,

“I was on my way to the castle. At first, I blamed the mages here for not safeguarding the castle, but I learned afterwards that they had all been killed the day before the fire,” Kangin explained, “I do not hold guilt simply because I no longer have that emotion. Had I the ability to feel emotions, I do not know if I would feel guilt. I could not predict what would occur while I was gone. Indeed, during the war, when I was away from the castle, I was under the impression that the other mages – those who were full mages – were more than adequate protect the castle.”

“Did they send you to the front lines of the war because you were younger and, thus, stronger than them?” Taeyeon inquired as the mage gestured for her to sit down.

“I wasn’t on the front lines,” Kangin replied as he sat before her, a foot separating their crossed legs, “The days prior to the fire, I was in your castle.”

Taeyeon’s eyes widened, “What!?”

“Shall we begin training?” Kangin prompted, effectively changing the subject,

Taeyeon sighed, knowing she wouldn’t get anything out of the mage should he choose to remain close-lipped about the subject. She nodded as she began pulling her hair back into a loose bun, securing it high on her head.

“You were taught how to safeguard yourself against being burned by your own fire magic,” Kangin said, “However, what they taught you is probably only the first level of protection. They probably believed that the only protection you would need would be against small bursts of fire when your emotions ran high. However, as I said before, to control your magic, we must unleash it completely and I don’t think you’ve ever had to protect yourself against such an intensity of magic.”

Taeyeon shook her head, “I haven’t and I don’t particularly wish to be burned again. That was… unpleasant, to say the least.”

“Indeed, and, if I’m to fulfill my promise to protect you, I need to ensure you don’t get hurt during training,” Kangin stated, “So, we’re going to first build your protection. I am going to completely unleash your magic so we don’t have to worry about getting you emotionally worked-up. You need to concentrate on protecting yourself and I’ll concentrate on controlling your magic.”

Taeyeon nodded, “Okay, I’m ready.”

Kangin held out his hand, “Give me your hands.”

Taeyeon held them out to him. He took her hands and supinated both of them so her palms faced upwards. With his forefinger, he drew invisible lines on her palms. Taeyeon assumed he was drawing runes since every so often, a symbol would glow with black light on her palm before disappearing and he would continue to trace more lines.

“Begin protecting now,” Kangin stated as he switched to her other hand and drew more invisible runes.

Taeyeon closed her eyes, completely relaxed her body and concentrated on the protection technique that had become second nature to her. She concentrated on supporting the protection, on making it stronger by sheer will. She felt the mage’s finger fall away from her palms and a heat grow on both hands. She furrowed her brow as she kept her eyes closed, a sign of concentration. The heat disappeared but she didn’t allow her concentration to falter.

Kangin sat before her, his silver eyes watching her as his hands moved in the air, drawing out patterns and runes to control her magic as the runes he had drawn on her palms completely unleashed them. He was startled by the true magnitude and potency of her magic; it was at least four times stronger than he previously predicted.

He had been there when she had to leave the dining room because her magic was getting the best of her. Before her magic was cooled down from the rain that day, he had sensed the level it was reaching. He pushed her magic to that level now, controlling it so it wouldn’t push too high and incinerate the princess.

He was walking on shaky ground, he knew. He wanted to teach the princess control so she didn’t have to fear living her life. However, he also knew that the worries of the first prince were not unfounded. He knew the risk to her soul and he would rather die than taint even the smallest fraction of her pure soul. He needed to teach her the way of the mage. He needed to teach her a fact that all mages first learn but not all practice.

“Keep concentrating as I talk,” Kangin said quietly so as not to startle her. When he was sure she was doing as he told, he continued, his voice low; “There is a way to protect your soul during magic use. Don’t react!” He said suddenly, sensing her concentration falter slightly, “Don’t react, don’t talk. Just concentrate on what you’re doing and listen to what I’m saying.”

Taeyeon ground her teeth together so hard that her jaw began to hurt. She had so much to say, so many questions to ask, but she knew how important it was she continued concentrating. She had almost lost her concentration. She had felt heat suddenly wrap around her hands before he had yelled at her, snapping her focus back in place. She calmed again and the mage spoke.

“In order to protect your soul, you need an anchor,” Kangin explained, “You need something that will keep your soul free from the pulls and binds of magic. You need something that is important to you – so important, that it will effectively safeguard your soul from being tainted by magic.”

Taeyeon, sure that she could protect herself while talking, hesitantly asked, “An object or a person?”

Kangin, startled to find she was able to keep her focus while speaking, answered while slowly lowering his control on her magic just enough to push her to the next level; “It can be either. All that matters is that it holds a great enough significance.”

Taeyeon felt intense heat wrap around her hands again. Her face scrunched further in concentration, her teeth clenched tightly as she pushed her protection further, forced back the heat and the magic assailing her hands. She wasn’t sure how much time passed by but, eventually, she slowly relaxed herself again, the heat not returning.

She turned her mind, then, to what could be her anchor. What could be so important to her that it would protect her soul from magic? She could feel the weight of her ring on its chain, the smooth metal settled between her breasts. It signified a legacy passed down by her parents. It signified not just her kingdom, but her family as well. Would her brother be enough? Could Eeteuk be her anchor?

She thought about what she was doing now, about training. She thought about Sungmin, then. He was her only friend, a great friend. He was her confidante, the one she told everything. He had made her laugh for the first time after the war ended. He had listened to her problems and protected her from suitors. Would her friend be enough? Could Sungmin be her anchor?

Finally, her mind came to where she was, whose home she was in. She thought about Siwon. She had known him barely a week. Already, he understood her mind better than anyone else. He was constantly testing, enticing and teaching both her mind and her heart. He was willing to risk all to protect her, willing to let her into his mind, his deepest thoughts. Would the prince be enough? Could Siwon be her anchor?

Kangin was startled by the sudden rush of magic. It burst forward, pushing at his control, cracking it. Slowly, he released his control, creating a spell that placed a guard around them. He created an invisible dome around them, the diameter was two metres. It encased the flames that suddenly surrounded them both. Intense, wild flames filled the dome to the point where Kangin could no longer see the princess despite the small distance between them. He concentrated on keeping air in his lungs and, when he went to do the same for the princess, he sensed her even breathing, completely unaffected.

Her magic had been able to break free of his control. It was at its fullest potency and she was perfectly fine, not even a hair singed by the flames. Indeed, it took all of his own concentration to protect himself and keep up the barriers that would protect the ballroom. He reached out through the flames, trying to find her hands. Once he found one, he quickly began to trace runes that would end his previous spell that had unleashed her magic. In under a minute, the fire had extinguished completely and Kangin had let down the barrier. Still, Taeyeon sat there, totally unruffled.

“I think that’s enough for now, don’t you think?” Kangin asked quietly.

Slowly, Taeyeon opened her eyes to find the mage watching he peculiarly, “We’re done already?”

“Already?” Kangin blinked, “We’ve been training for almost three hours. Lunch is in a half hour.” Kangin stood and pulled Taeyeon to her feet,

“It… It felt like half an hour at the most,” Taeyeon stated, surprised at the revelation, “What will we work on next time then? Completely consuming me in flames?”

Kangin blinked again, “What are you talking about?”

“Are we going to expand the fire beyond my hands?” Taeyeon asked, “I knew my protection needed to be stronger because I’d feel the heat creeping on my hands.”

“Princess, from the moment I released your magic, up until just now when I bound it again, you were engulfed in fire – from head to toe,” Kangin answered, “You only ever felt the heat on your hands?”

Taeyeon nodded.

Kangin considered her a moment before heading towards the ballroom doors, “Next time, we’ll work on you controlling your magic.”

“Already? But don’t I have to protect myself first? Against all my magic?” Taeyeon piped,

“You have already. For a good half hour your magic was completely unleashed and you were perfectly fine,” Kangin explained. When she remained silent, he added, “I am also surprised at how fast you were able to learn how to protect yourself.” He glanced at her, “How are you – Taeyeon!”

Kangin caught Taeyeon just as she crumbled towards the floor. He lifted her in his arms and stared down at her, “Are you okay?” He asked,

“Just… don’t move for a bit,” Taeyeon murmured as she brought up a hand to her face and pressed the heel of her palm against her closed eyes. After almost five minutes, she said, “Okay, you can move.”

“I’ll bring you to your room,” Kangin said, “Using your magic at its highest level has exhausted you.”

“No, no, just take me to the study,” Taeyeon commanded, “I can rest in there for a bit before lunch. There’s a settee in there which I can sit on by a window. The sun will strengthen me in no time.”

Kangin hesitated, but did as she bade. He headed over to the study, the princess in his arms and knocked on the door. He heard a call for entry and he entered the study. Giving a slight bow of his head towards the prince sitting at his desk, Kangin strode over to where a settee still sat by a window. Gently, he placed the princess in it, her back against a high armrest and her legs stretched out before her, along the length of the settee.

“You sure you’ll be okay?” Kangin asked as he squatted beside her,

Taeyeon, her head against the armrest, opened her eyes and smiled at him, “Yes. I’m just a little tired.”

Kangin nodded as he slowly rose to his full height, “Tomorrow morning, then?”

She nodded, “Yes, and thank you for doing this… Kangin.”

He gazed at her for what seemed like a full minute before he bowed formally towards her and walked away.

Siwon, who had stood from his desk after Kangin had brought Taeyeon to the settee, now walked over to Kangin, intercepting his path to the door.

“She’s fine, just needs rest,” Kangin said before the prince could say anything,

"Her magic?" Siwon inquired,

"Astounding in its capacity... beautifully dangerous in its power," Kangin answered quietly, glancing over his shoulder at the settee doused in sunlight. "Had she become a mage instead of having been born a princess... well, I should be grateful that we are not in a war and that I don't have to fight against her."

Siwon's thick brows rose in surprise, "That strong?"

"It is amazing how fast she has learned this morning," Kangin murmured, more to himself than to the prince, "Her quick mind and natural skill... I've seen it once before."

Siwon watched as Kangin's face remained emotionless while his silver eyes flashed with what the prince could only describe as trace emotion. He cleared his throat to draw the mage out of his apparent reverie; "And her soul?"

"Still intact, I assure you," Kangin gave a slight bow to the prince, "If you have consorts visiting today, I suggest you insist the princess have lunch in her room. She may be too weak for cutting repartee."

Siwon headed over to the settee as Kangin strode out the door.

"Shall I leave the room so you may rest in privacy?" Siwon asked as he stood behind the settee, a hand on the edge of the back,

Taeyeon opened her eyes and smiled up at the prince, "Whyever would I come to the study for privacy? Pull up a chair so you're not towering over me with that serious and intimidating way you have about you."

Taeyeon closed her eyes as she heard the prince walk away. She heard his steps returning and the soft thud as he placed some piece of furniture near the settee. When she opened her eyes, he had placed a cushioned armchair in front of her, near the middle of the settee and turned towards her.

"Ah, much better," she laughed lightly, almost sleepily,

He took her left hand that was fortunately the one on the outside. With his other hand, he took out a small bottle of liquid and poured a few drops on her hand. Replacing the bottle in his pocket, he began to massage her hand slowly as he had done the night before.

"This lavender will make me fall asleep," Taeyeon said as she tilted her head back again and closed her eyes.

"I'll have a different oil made up then," Siwon offered, his fingers firm but soothing; "How was your training?"

"Like a piece of freedom," Taeyeon murmured, the hint of a smile on her lips, "It was hard work, difficult at times, but exhilarating, freeing..."

"It sounds like after I finished the gardens," Siwon confessed, his dark eyes glued to the princess' serene expression; "It is a gratifying feeling, isn't it?"

"Yes," Taeyeon gripped his hand and she used his strength to sit up. The movement brought their torsos’ closer, their faces a foot apart; "But you do not think the trade is equal, do you?"

"My trade, I believe, to have been fair. But for you, never," Siwon answered, "To think, to know that even the smallest piece of you was at risk... I cannot... I cannot even begin to explain how much it worries me... pains me..."

With his free hand, he raised it and cupped the side of her face as she often did to him. He rubbed the apple of her cheek with his thumb, his strokes soft.

"My soul is not at risk," Taeyeon insisted quietly. She turned her head and pressed a kiss to his palm before turning back to look at him, his dark eyes filled with quiet intensity that made her heart flutter; "So long as I have you in my life."

"And what happens when I am no longer there?" Siwon asked, his face slowly, slowly leaning in,

"Then I will not need my soul," Taeyeon whispered when the prince's lips were a breath away from her own, "Siwon..."

Siwon tilted his head and kissed her forehead. His hand dropped away from her face as he stood up, pulling her to her feet, "I will escort you back to your room so you may rest."

"Nonsense," Taeyeon said as she slipped her hand from his and headed to the door, "It's time for lunch."

"There are consorts coming today," Siwon said as he hurried after her; not a difficult task as his strides were longer than hers,

Taeyeon looked up at the prince and grinned, "Even better."

...

“You’re not going to change or anything?” Siwon inquired as he escorted the princess towards the dining room for lunch.

“I think if I have to face those consorts of yours, it’s best I do so in my mage robes,” She replied,

“They’re not my consorts,” Siwon drawled as they neared the doors, “But what about your eyes?”

“Even better. They’ll think I’ll attack them at any moment,” She laughed melodically,

“Whatever did they do to get on your bad side?” The prince wondered even as amusement seemed to light his dark eyes,

Taeyeon shot him a look, “Do you not remember anything they said to me during the first time I met some of them? I paid them no heed, but they were very rude.”

“I know they said rude things, but they were forgettable to me,” Siwon replied, “I was too busy looking at you.”

Taeyeon blinked and then laughed as her cheeks pinked, “Now you’re just trying to get me in a good mood so I don’t roast any of the consorts.”

“Would you? Please?”

Taeyeon yelped as she jumped against Siwon, startled at the sudden voice in her ear. She turned narrowed eyes at the second prince who had crept up to her shoulder without her realizing it.

“I’d rather roast you at the moment,” Taeyeon hissed, her heart calming down after being surprised,

Kyuhyun chuckled, “I’m hurt you’d even think such a thing.” Taeyeon scowled at him as she continued to the dining room doors, “Where is your fiancé? I can only assume you two dueled and you won since you are here and he is not.”

Taeyeon paused for a split second at within the doors, “He’s right here.”

Sungmin already at the dining table, holding a conversation with four beautifully dressed consorts. Sitting in his usual seat, one consort sat to his left, two across from him. The fourth consort sat on his right where Taeyeon had once sat between him and the first prince. He paused in whatever he was saying when he saw them enter, standing up immediately. The consorts gracefully rose to their full heights as well.

Taeyeon’s amber eyes quickly swept over the consorts, taking in every aspect of their clothing. They were all at the height of fashion and clearly dressed to impress. All the consorts were different from those who had dined there before except for the consort who sat on Sungmin’s right. She was the same woman whom Siwon had singularly invited to lunch just two days ago.

Siwon led Taeyeon around his own seat and stopped beside the consort who sat in the seat adjacent to his left.

“It seems a footman was negligent in informing you that this seat is reserved,” Siwon said in a flat, almost careless tone as if he didn’t have the time of day to be wasting it saying that single sentence.

The consort’s eyes widened, “But… Your Highness… Two days ago…” She stammered,

“Are you arguing with me?” Siwon questioned, raising a single, thick brow at her; every tall inch of him cloaked with hauteur.

“Of course, not, Your Highness!” She bowed her head as she slipped from between the chair and the table.

As the consort shifted down the table to the other side of another consort who sat at Sungmin’s left, Kyuhyun smiled at the other ladies, welcoming them to the castle. He tried to catch the lesser mage’s eye, but Sungmin avoided him effectively, his smiles and words for the consorts. He stared hard at the mage as they all sat down to their seats. He gripped his knife tightly when he saw the mage turn to the princess and lean in close to whisper to her.

Once they were all seated, Sungmin turned towards Taeyeon and leaned closer to her so he could whisper, “Are you alright? You didn’t come to the terrace,”

Taeyeon turned her head slightly towards his so she could get some eye contact with the mage, “I know, I was really tired afterwards, so I was resting in the study.”

Sungmin raised a brow, threw a glance towards the prince before looking back at the princess, “I should have known.”

Taeyeon could feel her cheeks heat as she heard the clink of china while servants brought out plates of food for them, “I’m sorry, but I really did want to sleep in one of the study’s chairs.”

“Hmm… I suppose I can forgive you,” Sungmin murmured as he began straightening in his seat.

Before he could turn his attention away, Taeyeon placed a hand on his arm, drawing his eyes back to her, “We’ll talk after lunch, okay? I need to know you’re okay.”

Sungmin’s expression shuttered and Taeyeon knew immediately when the shift happened. His steel-blue eyes seemed cold then; “I am hale and whole.”

Taeyeon’s brow furrowed with concern, “You know what I mean, Min.”

Sungmin moved his arm so he could take her hand in his. He raised her hand to his lips, brushing a kiss to her knuckles, “After lunch, then.”

Satisfied with the agreement, Taeyeon turned her attention towards Siwon’s only to find his dark eyes reflecting thunderclouds. She blinked, at first confused as to why his demeanour had suddenly changed. She realized, then, what the byplay between her and Sungmin must have looked like to the others. Her heart felt heavy as she considered what Siwon must be thinking after how she was with him in the library and, now, how she appeared to be with Sungmin. She repressed a sigh as she silently began to eat.

Sungmin’s eyes briefly swept over Kyuhyun as he resumed talking to the consorts, even drawing in the fourth, dejected one who had had to change seats. He knew there were other ways to speak privately with Taeyeon. He knew that if he had talked casually to her amidst the conversations around the table, none would pay attention to what they said. However, he wanted their attention. He wanted them to watch and ponder, wanted them to guess at what they whispered to one another. It was a bonus that Taeyeon had blushed. He had had an ulterior motive when he kissed her hand.

All for the second prince who had been trying so hard to catch his attention since entering the dining room.

Kyuhyun couldn’t help but glare. He didn’t even pay any heed for the consort closest to him. He just sat there and glared. He was distantly aware of himself eating even though he tasted nothing. Sungmin was ignoring him. Something had happened to turn the mage sour against him. He glanced ever so briefly at the princess. At some point after the mage had stopped talking to her, she had seemed to withdraw into herself, unconscious about the conversations about the table. He couldn’t put any blame at her feet, she and Sungmin were only friends. Kyuhyun knew the little display that had just occurred had been for his benefit. Gripping the glass he had absent-mindedly picked up, he stopped himself from breaking it, his grip tightening with frustration. What the hell had happened since the last time he saw the mage yesterday morning?

Siwon found he had no appetite after he watched the mage and princess whispering to one another. He didn’t even going through the motions of the meal. He simply sat back in his chair, holding the wine balloon in a hand and gently, gently, swirling the liquid within. As conversations began between the consorts at the beginning of the meal, his attention had been solely and completely on the mage and princess. He had stiffened when the mage glanced at him during their conversation, had felt his eyes narrow when he saw pink kiss the princess’ cheeks. He nearly crushed his glass in his hand when he watched the mage kiss her hand.

She had said she didn’t love the mage. Rather, she had confessed to love him and, yet, Siwon couldn’t help but feel that she was still hiding something from him. He had known almost from the second day that he was falling in love with her and, as each day passed, regardless if they quarreled or not, he continued to fall further and further in love with the princess.

When she had confessed to him in the garden, he had very nearly reciprocated the words and was just barely able to stop himself. He knew the moment he said the words, he would be irrevocably, completely left open and raw for her to do whatever with. He knew the moment he said the words, she would be able to reign over him heart and soul; not that she did not already unconsciously do so.

He couldn’t tell her, however. Not yet, at least. Not until he knew what she was hiding from him. As he sat in his seat, an observer to the meal, he stared at the princess from beneath half-lidded eyes. She kept her gaze averted, presumably consumed with her meal, but he knew better. She had looked at him and her eyes had widened with confusion and perhaps even a little hurt. He had watched as her beautiful, honeyed eyes lit then with realization, as if she read his conflicting, raging thoughts. She hadn’t looked up from her plate since.

When she averted her eyes, he had felt a tugging at both his conscience and his heart. He had ignored the feeling before it continued and he found he couldn’t ignore it any longer. Beneath the table, he inched his left foot towards the princess until he felt something small and solid bump against his shoe. He gently nudged what he hoped was her foot. When she stopped eating and looked hesitantly at him, he glanced to his side. She blinked again, confusedly she glanced to where his eyes had darted to and saw his fingers peeking out from the corner of the table linen. She looked up at him in silent askance but he merely stared back at her, his dark gaze unreadable.

Subtly, she dropped her right hand to her lap and then carefully, slowly, reached towards his hand as she turned her head away so as not to draw attention. She felt his fingers close firmly, warmly about hers as their hands met beneath the table, hidden behind the pristine linens. She shifted ever so subtly closer to him when she realized he would not let go of her hand. In compliance, Siwon shifted further to the edge of his seat to accommodate her shorter arm, disguising his movement as an intention to eat.

Taeyeon felt warmed by his gesture. She knew he was trying to comfort her, reassure her. She felt a pang in her heart, reminding herself once again that she didn’t deserve the prince’s attention, let alone his affection. As if reading her thoughts, he squeezed her hand comfortingly and she found it instinctive to throw him a small, tentative smile.

...

The meal carried on with the consorts chirping like birds (most of them, anyway) and Sungmin using the skills he learned during the years he spent as the princess' escort. When the meal was done, the princes stood to signal they were allowed to leave. Taeyeon, out of habit, had almost sat up before Sungmin placed a restricting hand on her arm. She threw him a thankful look as they stood up afterwards. They brought up the rear as the consorts crowded around the princes.

Once out of the dining room, Kyuhyun left without even a considerate word for the consorts. He merely went up the main stairs two at a time. Siwon excused himself for a moment from the consorts as he approached the affianced couple just as they turned to walk away from the group.

"Taeyeon," Siwon called out softly,

Taeyeon glanced meaningfully at Sungmin as she stepped away from him and walked over to Siwon, "Yes?"

"I wanted you to know that I don't want to spend all this time with them," Siwon said as his hands clenched at his sides, barely resisting the urge to grab her hand or pull her in his arms.

Taeyeon tilted her head ever so slightly as she offered him a smile, "I know but thank you for telling me."

"After they leave will you come to my study?" Siwon asked, his voice a drawl as always, but his eyes stared with intensity,

"I... I promised Sungmin I'd spend time with him," Taeyeon replied tentatively and added rapidly, "To talk... He's my best friend, Siwon, and we talk about everything."

Siwon raised a thick brow, "Everything?"

"Almost," she muttered as her cheeks pinked, "If I can't meet you, I can come read in the study after dinner?"

Siwon nodded, "Until then, Princess," he whispered as he returned to the consorts, leading them out the back and to the terrace.

Taeyeon watched them a moment before turning back to Sungmin who watched with a bemused, knowing grin. She shot him a warning look before putting her hand on his arm and following him to one of the castle's parlours.

...

"Okay, tell all," Taeyeon said as he closed the door behind them.

"The prince and I are done," Sungmin stated simply as he walked over to a large bay window and sat on the seat, his back against the side.

Taeyeon sat with her back against the other side, her legs stretched out alongside Sungmin's as she turned her gaze to the view outside of the window. The parlor was at the side and gave a view to the side fields. In the distance and at a particular angle, Taeyeon could spot the side of the maze. She had thought Sungmin would continue. When he didn't, she looked back at him,

"Oh, you weren't just being melodramatic?" She teased lightly,

He scowled at her as he adjusted their legs so his were on the outside edge of the seat, so as to ensure she wouldn't accidentally slip off; "It's not like we were ever something to begin with. What can be done when it hasn't been started?"

"You're beating around the bush, Sungmin," she said seriously, "What happened? I've never seen you so talkative in a social setting - especially not without my prompting. Really, if you wanted to make him jealous, you could've been more subtle."

Sungmin sighed as he tilted his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, arms folded about his torso, "I honestly thought he and I were progressing towards... well... you know, the natural progression."

"Then?" She prompted,

"After I left your room last night, I didn't go back to my own... at least, not right away," Sungmin admitted,

Taeyeon's eyes widened even though his eyes were closed, "But... you're not even married," she muttered.

She knew people were together prior to being married, but she was always taught to wait until she was married, that it would be that more special, that more important - the ultimate symbol of commitment and love. Waiting had never been a problem for her until she met the prince. When he kissed her - truly and deeply, so - she had wanted him to keep going, his kisses like a promise, a temptation of more, of... something. Every time they were together, she wanted to know what that something was and with Siwon, specifically.

She swallowed hard as she felt a lump forming in her throat and her eyes stung with threatening tears. Unfortunately, she wasn't married to Siwon and, she had a sickening, lowering feeling that she never would be. She breathed slowly, steadily to calm her pained heart - this talk was for Sungmin's sake, not her own.

"You're right," Sungmin conceded, "However, you forget that it would not be wholly acceptable if I and he married. For all the magic in the world, society is quick to judge and exclude. You know my attraction to the prince is seen as unnatural to most others."

"But if you love each other," Taeyeon argued,

Sungmin chuckled softly, "Oh, Taeyeon... the world isn't as accepting as you are. Besides, I'm not even close to loving the prince and, I suspect, even if I was, he sure isn't even close to loving me."

"What happened?" She prompted softly, "You never said. All you did say was that you were done with him."

"I was about to say," Sungmin replied; "Anyway, after I left your room, I decided to go see the prince. You had decided to take chances, to try and, establish well... something with Prince Siwon. I realized that for everything I was preaching to you, I was far from following my own advice. So, I went to his room."

He opened his eyes then, but only to turn his head towards the windows beside them, his gaze unfocused on the beautiful flowers and trees that grew on that side of the castle; "When I got there... he had been with someone else already... He... He's been playing me for a fool, Taeyeon. He's been playing with me while he's been also playing with someone else." He laughed bitterly; "For all I know, he could have been with that other person this entire time and I... I was just something new to pass the time with."

"You saw them together?" Taeyeon asked,

"No -"

"Well, then -"

"He was coming out of the prince's room," Sungmin interjected, swinging his gaze to hers, "Out of... Kyuhyun's room."

"It could be something else," Taeyeon offered,

"Do you not recall how late I left your room last night? What else could it be?" Sungmin questioned,

Taeyeon sighed, "I don't know... I... I don't know a lot about that stuff."

"And he said that the prince was sleeping when he left the room... I just... I can't think of any reason he would be with the prince at such a late hour," Sungmin shook his head, "What am I supposed to think? That he tucks the prince in every night? Reads him a bedtime story?" He sighed heavily, "There's no other explanation."

"What do we get ourselves into, Min?" Taeyeon sighed as she bent over, grabbed his hand and tugged him closer.

Sungmin moved closer to her so his back was against the window, shifting her legs so they draped over his lap. He held her hand loosely in his and he raised it to his face again, but this time, he sniffed, "I thought I smelled something earlier. What's this scent? I don't know flower names."

"Lavender," she replied, "Siwon had it made for my hand for when he - I... for when I massage my hand."

He brushed a kiss to her injured hand before holding it limply atop their thighs. He looked at her ruefully, "I don't suppose our agreement to marry when we return to our kingdom is still in play?"

"Of course it is," Taeyeon stated almost immediately,

Sungmin stared at her, "Taeyeon..."

"Well, what do you expect me to say?" Taeyeon replied, "Regardless of what's developed between the prince and I... He's a prince of the Dark Kingdom and I am a princess of the Light Kingdom. If the people of either kingdom found out there'd be rioting and chaos. There's just too much distrust amongst the people." She tilted her head to gaze beside Sungmin at the window; "Besides, just because I've opened myself to love... indeed, allowed myself to love... it doesn't mean the same could be said for the prince. Just because he cares for me, it doesn't mean he would marry me."

She turned sad, misty eyes towards the mage and gave him a small smile, "So, I suppose it means you're stuck with me, Sungmin. You shouldn't have reminded me about our agreement to marry."

"You know full well why we can't really get married," Sungmin said quietly as he let go of her hand to reach over and brush away her tears. After, he just cupped the side of her face, his thumb stroking her cheek as a sign of affection and comfort; "Regardless of how much we love each other, it just... not in the way people should love each other when they marry. At some point, we could end up hating each other."

"You don't know that," Taeyeon insisted quietly, "Political marriages last forever all the time... at least we'd have our friendship."

"You keep saying that and yet, you sound sadder each time," Sungmin said as he brushed a stray tear away; "It's because you know more now... you know what you could have. The thought of settling for less is... well, marrying your best friend just isn't enough anymore."

"I'm sorry for being like this, Sungmin, really," She said, "When did life get so..." She sighed, "Just so... everything?"

Sungmin gazed into her eyes as he brushed another stray tear away. His hand slipped from the side of her face to the back of her neck, exposed as her hair was still tied in a loose bun. Slowly, he pulled her closer as he leaned into her. Their lips met in another close-mouthed kiss. Her lips were soft and warm, temptingly against his, her clean smell and the lavender from her hand wafting about them in an intoxicating mix. However, her lips weren’t tempting to him and her scent wasn’t intoxicating to him. He drew back enough so he could stare directly, clearly into her eyes.

“It’s a shame that there’s nothing there,” Sungmin mused as he dropped his hand from her neck and he settled back against the window pane.

Taeyeon leaned back against the side of the window seat and just watched him. He was a handsome man. He was loyal and reliable. He was strong both physically and mentally and she often found comfort in his strength when she had so little. He was everything she could ever want in a suitor, in a partner, in a husband… But he was right, there was nothing between them that sparked attraction or desire.

She quirked him a smile, “We kiss a lot considering we’re just friends.”

“A lot? We’ve kissed twice and both very short and very chaste,” Sungmin replied, “Considering you were talking about dueling Kyuhyun, I’m assuming you’ve done more with Prince Siwon.”

She shook her head even as her cheeks blossomed with pink, “No, just kisses.”

“I have to admit, for my sanity, I’m glad that’s all,” Sungmin smiled.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Sungmin broke it.

“How was training?” He inquired,

“Interesting,” Taeyeon said after a moment of thinking, “I concentrated so hard I thought my head would explode,” she laughed lightly before her expression sobered, “It was strange, but… different. Kangin released my magic slowly and I adjusted to the levels, protecting myself from getting burned. Kangin said I had been completely consumed in flames but I only ever felt heat on my hands. Then he said I protected myself against all my magic for about half an hour. He says we can start working on my control.”

Sungmin’s eyes widened, “Already? But you were only training for a few hours!”

Taeyeon blinked, “That’s… fast?”

Sungmin barked a laugh, “Minx, it takes days, sometimes weeks for mages to learn to fully protect themselves against the backlash of their own magic.”

“Really? How long did it take you?” She questioned,

Sungmin stared, “I think for my ego’s sake I shouldn’t tell you.”

“I didn’t… Kangin said he was surprised how fast I learned, but I thought he meant considering I wasn’t a mage,” Taeyeon muttered,

“No, no… you learned in a short amount of time – almost ridiculously so,” Sungmin confirmed. Then he grinned, “I’m proud of you, Minx.”

She blinked, her expression turning from the shock of realizing she learned so fast to a warm, bright smile, “Thank you, Min.”

They fell into another comfortable silence, Taeyeon absent-mindedly massaging her left hand. Sungmin had brought back to her the memory of her training. It had seemed to have gone by in less than an hour but, indeed, three had passed instead. She had believed only to have been protecting her hands when, in truth, she was completely consumed by fire. She had thought she was learning slowly, but apparently she was learning faster than normal, and against her magic at its highest potency.

It was an overwhelming thought and she couldn’t help but wonder what Eeteuk would think if he knew. Slowly, her left hand rose and took the necklace and ring from within her robes, her stiff fingers running over the smooth metal of the ring, tracing the engraving of the family seal. His remarks about magic and the soul echoed in her mind and, suddenly, she stiffened completely. She had learned otherwise this morning, hadn’t she? Kangin had told her the key to protecting her soul.

“Sungmin, is it true there’s a way to protect your soul while you use magic?” Taeyeon asked tentatively,

The way Sungmin’s body seemed to lock was answer enough. However, she waited, wanting and needing him to say it himself; to confirm it.

He stared back at her steadily, “Yes.”

“Then, why don’t all the mages use it? Why doesn’t Kangin? Why don’t you?” Taeyeon questioned, remembering all the times Sungmin said his future was destined for loneliness. She didn’t want to lose her best friend in any way.

“The first thing mages learn, as you did this morning I’m guessing, is that we need an anchor for our souls – something so important that it can fight against the negative effects of magic,” Sungmin explained, “However, in the past, it hasn’t worked for mages. Eventually, they all succumb to the magic and either become manic or suicidal… It’s the first thing we all learn, but it’s become more of habit than lesson.”

“Is that why you don’t use it?” Taeyeon asked tentatively,

Sungmin blinked, “Who says I don’t?”

“What is your anchor?” Taeyeon inquired,

Sungmin smiled, “You.”

It was the princess’ turn to blink, “What do you mean? I’m your anchor?”

“Taeyeon, we’ve known each other for seven years, ever since I came to the castle to be a mage during the first year following the end of the war,” Sungmin reminded, “In the beginning, I had sought out one of the only mages left in our kingdom and all he said was find an anchor. He died a month later, leaving behind notes on training which he specifically left to me.

“You were my only friend and… and you befriended me with no questions asked, just simply… accepted me,” Sungmin continued, “Indeed, you were the only thing in my life that seemed like an anchor. We grew closer and, unconsciously, you remained my anchor.”

“I… I had no idea,” Taeyeon said, her hand moving from her ring to grab hold of his hand,

He smiled softly at his dear friend, “You never questioned why my eyes have only begun to silver this past year? Or why I am not as somber and stoic as the old mages used to be, indeed, even how Kangin is?” He squeezed her hand as he realized, “Of course, not… I’m all you’ve known as a mage.”

“So, it does work then?” Taeyeon stated,

“Yes… but it’s only been seven years,” Sungmin said, then quickly added, “Not that you’ll stop being important to me, I just mean… it’s not proven how long an anchor will prove effective.” He held her hand firmly, “But, yes, Taeyeon, you are the anchor for my soul.”

Taeyeon squeezed his hand back as tightly as she could with her left hand, “You were mine this morning, too.”

Sungmin’s eyes widened, “I was?”

She smiled back at him, “Of course. You’re the only one who’s ever supported my magic. You’re the only one who’s ever unconditionally supported me in everything I’ve ever done or wanted to do. I love Eeteuk and I appreciate everything he’s ever done for me, but in regards to magic… I felt you’d prove to be a better anchor than him.”

Sungmin brought Taeyeon’s injured hand to his lips, pressing a kiss against her stiff joints, “You honour me, Princess.”

…

During dinner, Taeyeon was surprised to find that Siwon had not joined them. The consorts had left earlier that afternoon, so all that were dining only included the princess, the second prince and the lesser mage. Taeyeon took it upon herself to be the hostess she was raised to be. She engaged Kyuhyun in conversation as Sungmin remained a silent presence beside her. Kyuhyun spoke with her with a little less flair and exuberance that he usually expressed, but she was sure the smile on his lips were genuine at times.

After dinner, Taeyeon told Sungmin her desire to read in the study instead of going to her room immediately. He glanced at her too knowingly and left, heading up the main stairs. She hoped that he and Kyuhyun could get past this some how. With a sigh, she headed towards the study.

She knocked at the door before opening it and entered, “Siwon?”

The prince stood by the glass doors in the study which led to the terrace. His hands were clasped behind him and he was far enough from the fireplace to be wrapped in shadows, the lights turned off in the study. He stood imposingly by the doors, his back to her.

“Get out,” he said simply, his tone even,

Taeyeon froze in her movements, turning away from the door she had just closed firmly behind her, “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“I said: get out,” he repeated, his voice elevating slightly in volume,

“But, I thought… we agreed to meet here after dinner,” Taeyeon stammered, confused,

“That was before I saw you and that mage all cozy together and kissing,” Siwon replied, his voice hardening with a bitter edge,

“Siwon,” Taeyeon took a few steps closer to the prince,

“You say you don’t love him and, yet, you kiss him. You say you love me and, yet, you’re with him so intimately,” Siwon stated,

“Siwon, it was just one kiss,” Taeyeon insisted, his tone snapping at her as she grew panicked, wanting to explain everything to the man, “We were just talking about –”

“It wasn’t just one kiss!” Siwon exclaimed, whirling around to face her then, “I saw you two in the garden a few days ago! You kissed then, too!”

“Two kisses, Siwon! It’s just two kisses!” Taeyeon defended,

“You can’t say it was just anything! You were on his lap then and then today, you were practically draped all over him!” Siwon accused,

Taeyeon’s eyes narrowed. She knew he had some right to be angry, but she had done nothing wrong and if he wasn’t so quick to jump to conclusions, she could explain it all. “He was comforting me in the garden after you said all those things about me!” She defended,

“And today? What was he comforting you about then?” He demanded,

“I was not draped all over him today –”

“And that kiss! How can you explain that, hmm? How can you go from kissing me and telling me you love me and then go to that mage and kiss him, too!?” Siwon demanded, closing the distance between them, staring down at her angrily,

“You have no claim to me!” Taeyeon argued, “Regardless of what has passed between us, you have no right to demand or expect anything of me! There is no commitment between us – there’s not even a relationship!”

“You said you love me!” Siwon growled as he took a step closer, his hand reaching out and curling firmly about the base of her skull, holding her imprisoned,

“Indeed,” she replied, her voice soft, her amber eyes flashing with barely suppressed anger, “But, since it wasn’t reciprocated, then I am not bound by any ties.”

“Is this what it’s all about? You want me to tell you I love you?” Siwon demanded, “You want me to tell you that since the day I met you I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you? How you haunt my dreams at night and my thoughts in the day when you’re not around? How I find you beautiful both inside and out? How my heart races just at the sight of you or how I anticipate for when you speak just to hear your voice or, perhaps, even a chance laugh? Or how about how I’ve gone without most emotions for so long and you are the only one to make me feel them again?”

Taeyeon gazed up at him, his words sparking a fire within her so different from the anger that was already burning below the surface. She found herself unable to move despite his close proximity. She found herself unable to speak, his words effectively taking her breath away. She was both entranced and scared of the intensity that shone through his eyes, seemed to flow off him like heat from a flame.

“Is that what you want to hear?” He practically spat, his eyes narrowed dangerously at her. It took all of his strength to pull away from her, swing away and pace towards the fireplace, the flames larger and more vicious than before.

“Siwon –” She tried again, her voice a quiet plea, desperate to have him hear her explanations,

“But, in the end, I am just a toy to you, aren’t I? Just a pastime hobby while you wait out your days until you can leave,” Siwon said quietly, his voice hollow and so, so cold.

“No!” She insisted as she hurried to him, not caring her burning, blurred eyes, “Siwon, you must know that you mean so much to me! You know I love you!”

“Do you?” He questioned, suddenly swinging around to face her, his outline framed by the glow from the fireplace; “You don’t do this to someone you love. You don’t go and be with another man when you love someone else. This isn’t love, Princess, this is curiosity with something new and different.”

“It’s not –”

“Did you have your fun, Princess? Now that you know what it’s like to kiss a Dark Prince? Was it fun playing me for a fool? Leading me around like some lost puppy? Was it fun playing the victim when, in truth, I described you perfectly?” He questioned, his voice like cold steel, his words like direct stabs at her heart,

Taeyeon stared mutely at him, her words lodged firmly in her throat, his accusations so painful that she could think of nothing but at the way her heart was slashed and torn. Instinctively, she raised a hand to the seal ring, grasping it tightly as she simply stared at the prince.

“What is it that the mage has that I do not?” Siwon questioned, his voice low and dark,

Taeyeon blinked through her tears at him, “Do not bring Sungmin into this –”

“Just answer my question,” Siwon commanded,

“He has nothing to do with this!” Taeyeon defended,

“ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION!” Siwon yelled,

Taeyeon’s eyes narrowed through her tears, “He completely supports my magic training,” Taeyeon said, “You think it’s a waste of time, you push it away, ignore it as if didn’t happen this morning. He talks to me about it, asks me about it.”

Siwon began to scoff when Taeyeon interrupted him,

“He loves and supports me unconditionally! I can make mistakes and still he will be there for me! He doesn’t jump to conclusions or is quick to judge! He accepts me wholly – mistakes and imperfections!” Taeyeon exclaimed, the tears spilling down her cheeks now, her hands fisted at her sides, “He doesn’t love just one part of me… he loves all of me.”

“If he’s so great then why have you cheated on him with me?” Siwon questioned, sarcasm dripping from his words,

“Because he always told me that if I had a chance at love, I should take it!” She answered bitterly, her small frame shaking with anger, “And I was fool enough to fall in love with you!”

Siwon glared at her in silence as her words seeped in, settling deep within himself. “Get. Out,” He hissed through clenched teeth,

“Gladly!” She yelled as she twirled on her heel and stormed out of the study, the door slamming so hard after her that it swung back open again.

Siwon stomped over to the door and threw it against the frame, the sound of wood splintering cracking through the silent, dark study. He stared at the fire as the flames slowly shrunk to just a foot high, the source of its power suddenly gone.

…

Taeyeon ran up the main staircases, not caring what the servants saw or heard. She reached the third floor and crashed into a solid wall, only to find it was a person. She tried to pull away as hands like steel clapped over her shoulders, keeping her in place,

“Taeyeon, are you alright?” Kangin questioned,

“Leave me alone!” She exclaimed and immediately Kangin was pushed backwards from her,

“Wind magic,” he murmured as he approached her tentatively, “What’s that,” he turned his attention to the main stairs, startled to find little fires trailing up the staircase in an almost perfect straight line, footmen already running trying to get water.

He glanced at Taeyeon who had followed his gaze and now stood frozen in her spot. He traced a small pattern in the air and a small cloud appeared near the bottom of the stairs, slowly rising towards them, following the path of the fires and extinguishing them. When the last of the little fires were gone, he waved his hand and the cloud disappeared. The footmen slowly stopped trying to bring water from the kitchens.

Slowly, Kangin turned back to Taeyeon who was now hugging herself, her body shaking slightly as tears poured down the sides of her face. He tentatively reached out to her shoulder to draw her attention,

“Taeyeon…” Kangin said quietly,

Taeyeon’s eyes swung to his, wide and wild, almost fearful as they watched behind a veil of tears. She didn’t know what it was, but she found a kind of comfort in the Dark Mage. She felt as if she had met him before, but her memories were empty of him. She recalled he spent the war in her kingdom and she wondered if that was when she had seen him. Mysteriously, he also seemed to know her brother fairly well.

Eeteuk…

Just the thought of her brother brought upon her an overwhelming sense of sadness. It had been a week since she last saw her beloved brother, a week since she last heard his voice or even argued with him. The urge to be with her brother was great, then, needing to find comfort with someone who was away from that castle, away from the cursed situation she found herself in.

“Taeyeon,” Kangin repeated, worried that she hadn’t said anything and worried that her emotions would cause her magic to rise against the control he was secretly exerting on her magic.

Taeyeon suddenly launched herself at him, her arms wrapping around him and hugging him tightly, much as she would do had her brother been there. She buried her face against the silk of his jungchimak and she cried into his chest.

Hesitantly, Kangin hugged her back, holding her carefully but firmly, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I want to go home,” Taeyeon cried softly, her words muffled against his robes, “I want to go back to the Light Kingdom.”

“Okay,” Kangin replied quietly, turning them slightly so he blocked view of her from the lower levels; “I’ll bring you home.”

(Chapter 10 - The Origins of Darkness)

A/N: I just wanted to clarify something because I didn't state it clearly in the chapter. When Taeyeon is training and she is questioning who could be her anchor, she's just going through a list in her head "Eeteuk? Sungmin? Siwon? Hmm..." type of deal. When she was contemplating whether or not Siwon could be her anchor, her magic suddenly went into over-drive because, as stated in previous chapters, her magic is easily switched-on by her emotions. However, does she choose an anchor? Yes, it was Sungmin in the end for the reason she states. And, to further emphasize this point, she states the same reasons to Siwon in the fight scene.
Hope this clears everything up & I apologize for that ^__^;;

Belated Festivities & other news

2011-07-22T00:16:00.008-04:00

Happy 3rd Anniversary!!!

So I'm a good month and half behind since my site went public in June 2008. I blame that to life, but that's how it goes.

I just want to thank all my readers for your constant support. For coming to the site and reading my work and following me despite my crazy antics on Twitter. For those who ever left a comment on a story - your words mean so much to me. Indeed, your comments have always pushed me to write more, to write better. I wish I was able to reply to all of them (although I do try to reply to some!)

I want to thank Lily who lets me annoy her with teasers and passages. She also encourages the damn plot bunnies when they begin to drive me crazy.

Always, I thank Hokum who supported me so much in the beginning with this site and writing in this fandom. For joining me in my FG-ing and helping me with what plots to use.

To my lovely editor and one of my dearest friends, Sarah, for always helping me make decisions (although she does stray away from character death), for threatening me to make good choices (once again, to stay away from the killing of characters), for being a listening ear, an amazing editor and for always - always - keeping me grounded when everything got too overwhelming.

::// & other news

::Stories update

Fanfiction series is FINALLY done after 1.5years! Hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I also hope the ending surprised at least one of you!

Mourning Song series is slowly being written. The problem with writing a sequel series is staying true to the characters as I portrayed them in the original series while also making sure they have some growth.

Reign on Me series is also being written, but at a quicker pace. I've gotten no reader responses on this series the last few updates and, that does sadden me as I enjoy writing it so much. Then again, I do know what's really going on behind-the-scenes with the characters, relationships and plot. I hope you guys give this series a chance.

Also, some of you may know, I began my fanfiction writing with the Harry Potter fandom. I've been transferring my stories from the forums I used to write in, over to a sister site (here). If you like HP fanfiction, take a wander over. Just keep in mind that I wrote a lot of those stories between 5-8 years ago ^__^;;

::Me, posting & writing...

For those who follow my site but not my twitter, I explained there why I haven't been updating as frequently as I had been in June. A few weeks ago circumstances led me to getting a spinal injury. I've been on indefinite leave from work, but I haven't been able to concentrate properly because of the amount of pain I've constantly been in, so I haven't even been able to write. I'm still recovering and, indeed, my specialist expects me to have a long road ahead for me, however I have gotten to a point where the pain is... tolerable. Hopefully, by August I'll be writing and posting regularly again.

This goes without saying, but I'm saying it anyway: I ask for all of your patience during this time. Pain with a spinal injury is different from other injuries because all gross movements (and some fine movements) of the body deal with the back. Also, even though this injury has affected my work in writing and keeping up this site, please do not forget that my life is ultimately affected. Unfortunately, I already have some permanent neural damage. The silver-lining is that the nerves affected are motor rather than my organs (still not a good thing, but it could be worse... I'm trying to see all of this with as much optimism as possible).

I'm not stating this to make you guys feel sorry for me, but I wanted to explain why it seemed I had so much time on my hands, but wasn't updating at all. I cannot stress enough how much this injury is impacting my life and future, especially since my chosen profession is so physical. It is my number one concern right now and nothing - not writing or this site or even this fandom - can come before it.

For the readers who have messaged (tweet'd?) me, your concern is much appreciated and, indeed, helps lighten my heart during this situation. The fact that you guys have supported me even in matters outside of the fandom truly touch me and remind me over and over again how lucky I am to have you guys as my readers.

For all of your continuing support and care, I thank you, my dear readers!

Take care & much love!

Yours, etc.

[ROM8] Light's Respite

2011-07-05T21:02:00.005-04:00

words: 9695
rate: PG13
(Chapter Eight of the Reign on Me series.)

Chapter Eight: Light's Respite

Siwon kissed her with everything he had. He kissed her, putting every bit of emotion he had left in him into that kiss. He slanted his lips and already she was parting her own, allowing him entry into her mouth. Her tongue met his and partook in a heated duel as he pulled her body completely against his own. She was small, slight, and unbearably soft in his arms. He wanted to take her fragility and protect it forever, keep it forever.

He felt the emotions whirling within him like a firestorm. Emotions he had long forgotten were seeping back into him, breathing life into the shell he had become. His heart, which had never been moved before, was now bounding within his chest as if so full of emotion it threatened to burst. His lungs relished in the air he took in, partially composed of her breath, of her very essence. He wanted to make the kiss last forever, wanted to feel her everywhere forever. When he first saw her, he knew he wanted to keep her. Now, he knew he needed to keep her.

Taeyeon was the one who broke the kiss. Her hands had slipped down to his chest and she pushed away slightly as she forced her lips away from his. She was gasping for air as he allowed her to stand up straight, his arm never moving from her waist, his other hand buried in her hair at the nape of her neck. Suddenly, her gasps turned into full-bodied coughs as she brought the crook of her arm to shield her mouth. She felt Siwon pull her more firmly against him, her cheek against his chest as his hand slid from her neck to her back, rubbing firm but gentle strokes up and down either side of her spine.

“Of all the things to forget, I forgot I was sick every time we’ve kissed,” Taeyeon mused once her coughing had ceased, “I apologize if you get horribly sick because of me.”

“I can heal myself of any cold without too much trouble,” Siwon insisted as his hand continued to rub her back soothingly, “And I would have healed you, too, if Kangin hadn’t mentioned your aversion to being healed when it wasn’t serious.”

“It’s a waste of magic and soul when my body has its own defences,” Taeyeon defended lightly,

“Ah, but Kangin has nothing left, or so he claims, and I have very little left,” Siwon said, “So really, there’s no risk to either of our souls to take away your illness.”

“Everyone has a soul,” Taeyeon said stubbornly, “Even Kangin, regardless if he’s a full mage, has a soul.”

“A soul that has been completely engulfed by the Dark? That’s not much of a soul,” Siwon stated,

“But it’s still a soul,” Taeyeon insisted, “Besides, if he were damned he wouldn’t be so kind to me.”

“Soul or no soul, he has a sense of duty that guides him now,” Siwon explained, knowing that Taeyeon was ignorant in most things related to magic. “He has been a full mage for several years now, despite being just 25-years-old. He remains here out of duty to myself and Kyuhyun. Although we were friends first, as I said before, duty is all that is left to him after his emotions have been sacrificed to his magic. Once he feels his duty is complete, he will leave.”

“Where to?” Taeyeon asked quietly, somehow, instinctively, scared of the answer,

“Before the war, do you remember anything about mages?” Siwon inquired,

“Nothing. I was six when the war began and I’ve never thought to learn about mages. All I ever know is what I’ve learned from Sungmin,” Taeyeon answered, hesitant in saying the mage’s name,

“Do you know what happens when someone is exposed to too much magic?” Siwon asked,

“If it is too much Light Magic then they become manic. If it is too much Dark Magic then they become despondent,” Taeyeon answered, “Is that why Kangin will go away? He doesn’t seem sad at all.”

“No, he doesn’t, but he plans to leave before it gets that extreme,” Siwon explained. He hesitated and then stated, “The mages of old, once they realized they were becoming manic or depressed would go away so as to protect others from their chaotic states.”

“But where do they go? Just in complete exile for the rest of their lives?” Taeyeon inquired,

“No, they go away and…” Siwon inhaled slowly and sighed heavily; this was not something he wanted to tell her, “End their lives.”

Taeyeon gasped as she pulled away enough to be able to look up at Siwon, “So, eventually, Kangin will…”

Siwon nodded sadly, “I believe he’s waiting for me to ascend the throne and, then, he’ll leave.”

“Wait… all mages? Does this mean that Sungmin…?” Taeyeon felt her hand trembling as she raised it to cup over her mouth;

“I can’t believe he didn’t tell you this! Before you got engaged he should have told you what lay in his future!” Siwon practically growled as he released Taeyeon and paced away.

The heat of desire turned into anger almost immediately from the mention of the lesser mage and also the mage’s deception to the princess. He raked his fingers through his hair in a blatant display of exasperation and anger. It had been so long since he last felt any emotion so intensely; he almost didn’t know what to do with himself. For some reason, from the moment he met her, Taeyeon had been able to revive his emotions from the ashes of his soul like the flowers he had resurrected around them.

Taeyeon followed his progress as he paced agitatedly back and forth. When he stopped, his back to her, his hands on his hips, she slowly approached him. She touched his arm to draw his attention. He remained silent and she realized he waited for her to talk. She wanted to tell him everything and yet, she still couldn’t bring herself to say the words. So, she opted for the lesser evil of having his anger targeted at her rather than the vulnerability that would come with her confession.

“I’m going to allow Kangin to train me,” Taeyeon said simply, her voice a quiet confidence as her hand grabbed the chain that was always around her neck. She absently played with the ring that was usually tucked beneath her neckline, knowing that her decision would upset her brother; “In all honesty, I’m surprised the flowers didn’t go up in flames during our kiss and I don’t want to be constantly worried about my emotions.”

Siwon sighed. She had emotions unlike his lack of them. He should encourage her to relish them, to express them, to feel them to their fullest capacities. He shouldn’t smother them, shouldn’t allow anything to stop her from feeling them. With her magic so greatly affected by her emotions, he knew the best way to free her emotions was for her to control her magic.

If she trained in magic, it would be the lesser evil compared to having to dull her emotions. He couldn’t do that, couldn’t stop the natural, almost effervescent glow that lit up her face and eyes with her emotions regardless if happy or sad. If she didn’t learn to control her emotions, some of that light would be taken away because of the hold she would put on her emotions. Speaking out against her training was, essentially, helping to take away her light. He couldn’t live with himself if her light was ever completely extinguished.

“Why are you telling me this?” Siwon asked simply as he turned to face her, no anger or bite to his tone; just simple curiosity; “It is your decision.”

“I’m telling you this because I want you to know. Because I am going to do this whether you like it or not, but I would prefer to have your blessing in this,” Taeyeon answered,

“Why does it matter what I think?” Siwon asked quietly, absent-mindedly holding his breath as if scared of the answer,

“Because it’s you I love,” Taeyeon whispered, breathed, as if the words were of her very life’s essence.

She hadn’t anticipated saying the words, hadn’t even believed them to be true until she said them. Hearing the words from her own mouth made them real, made them practically palpable. She knew then that she couldn’t regret saying the words and wouldn’t try to take them back or apologize for them. She would stop running away and being a coward.

So, she lowered her hand from her necklace and stared at him unwaveringly as she repeated with more of her quiet confidence, “I love you, Siwon.”

He slowly released the breath he had been holding, his hands gripped tightly at his sides to stop himself from grabbing her and hauling her against his body once more. She was right to worry about his flowers and it surprised him how easily he had forgotten about their welfare when all he cared about was kissing her, pushing her to the brink of want and madness he seemed to tread every time she was near.

He saw the anticipated hope that glowed from her amber eyes and he knew that she needed to hear his blessing. He replied, “I think it’s best that you accept the offer to train with Kangin.”

“Thank you, Siwon,” she smiled at him brilliantly, her smile rivalling the light of the sun.

She pushed away the slight disappointment at not hearing him say the words back, but soon relished in his approval of her choice. He believed he had very little left of his soul and she had seen often enough his lack of emotions. However, there were times when she saw sparks of emotion, like how easier he smiled when Kyuhyun was around or the anger and jealousy she easily seemed to entice in him. She couldn’t disregard the blatant, fiery desire that had consumed him just moments ago, but she fought those thoughts away in an attempt to stop herself from blushing as brightly as a red rose.

“I think it’s time I return to the castle and rest,” Taeyeon announced, every bit a princess without the hauteur,

“I will gladly escort you back,” Siwon said as he offered her his arm. “There’s work I had abandoned in the study that needs attending.”

“I will rest in the study then, so you can have company,” Taeyeon declared lightly as she tucked her ring back into her gown’s neckline;

Siwon raised a thick brow at her before chuckling softly, “Very well, Your Highness.”

…

“Well, at least you weren’t very difficult to find,” Sungmin stated as he entered his room, closing the door behind him.

When he had left Taeyeon and Siwon, he had headed up the main staircase and then paused at the top, knowing that the servants were probably eying him with curiosity and wariness. The former because he looked confused and the latter because he was a mage. Of course, he was used to the latter. The former, he simply ignored.

Realizing he had no idea exactly where to look for the second prince, he decided to retreat to his bedroom. Kyuhyun had stated he was heading to that wing earlier that morning – Sungmin had a suspicion where in the wing the prince had been going to before giving the message to Taeyeon – and the second prince had a habit of showing up in his room without warning. He was sure that if he waited long enough, Kyuhyun would eventually come to his room.

Kyuhyun sat on the window seat that Sungmin had grown accustomed to sitting on to contemplate and admire the view. He sat much as Sungmin did, with his back against the side of the niche and arms folded about his torso. He had the inner leg stretched straight before him, the outer leg bent at the knee, his foot flat on the seat.

“If I didn’t want to be found, no one would have been able to find me,” Kyuhyun said quietly, his gaze out the window. He hadn’t even moved an inch when Sungmin entered; “Not even Siwon would have found me.”

“Then why did you want to be found?” Sungmin asked as he approached, sitting against the other side of the niche, one leg propped up like the prince’s, the other leg planted firmly on the ground.

“Because sometimes it’s best if one isn’t left alone with one’s thoughts,” Kyuhyun replied cryptically. He leaned his head back and, face still tilted towards the window, closed his eyes.

“Why did you want to be found by me?” Sungmin prompted, “That’s the only explanation for you to be here, because you wanted to be found by me specifically.”

“Because I wanted you to be the one to find me,” Kyuhyun answered.

Sungmin stared at the younger man, considering his words. He had always believed that the attraction between them was merely physical. Indeed, he could only afford such a relationship with someone with his future so precarious. However, was the prince suggesting an involvement of more than just their bodies? What was worse was that Sungmin was contemplating such a relationship.

What would it be like to know someone’s innermost thoughts and feelings? What would it be like for someone to know his innermost thoughts and feelings? It was true that he and Taeyeon had close to that. She certainly knew most of his thoughts and he was sure he knew most of hers. But he knew that while he and Taeyeon were close in the emotional and mental sense, they could never be physically close. He never desired her in such a way and she never desired anyone at all. But, with this young prince, could he find someone to be close with in every sense of the word?

“Does this have to do with why Kangin started training you?” Sungmin asked simply, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Ever the observant one,” Kyuhyun mused.

Sungmin waited, but Kyuhyun said nothing. He wondered whether or not to push the prince to tell him. Indeed, he had no right to push. All they ever shared or talked about was their mutual physical attraction to one another. To insist upon a more substantial answer would be asking entrance into the prince’s private life, asking to know him intimately.

As Sungmin sat there silently, regarding the prince, he wondered if he dared risk knowing someone as intimately as he knew the princess. To know someone inside and out was to end up caring for them, to have them matter to him. To know someone completely was to be responsible never to betray them, never to hurt them. As the silence continued, Sungmin was startled to realize that he wanted to take that risk. He wanted the prince to answer his question.

As if reading his mind, Kyuhyun spoke again; “Like the princess, my magic is easily triggered by my emotions. However, while her problem is that her magic is too great, my problem is that my emotions are too volatile.”

Sungmin remained silent, not wanting to interrupt the prince. Scared that, if he did, the prince would stop talking.

“My emotions can easily trigger my magic and leave me in a state so vulnerable that my magic can consume me wholly with little force,” Kyuhyun confessed, his voice a soft rumble, his body completely still.

When Sungmin still remained silent, the young prince prompted softly, “Please… say something.”

Sungmin blinked, startled at the quiet fragility in the younger man’s voice. He realized then that while he remained still, his hands were fisted tightly and slightly, ever so slightly, shaking. “But you always seem so care-free, so happy. Even when you’re upset with me you’re over it fast.”

“You have often seen me during the day,” Kyuhyun explained, “Rarely do you see me at night. Do you not recall the first night we met? Do you not recall how easily my magic was released? No, of course you remember, it caused you to be injured.”

“I pushed you into that state of emotion,” Sungmin said matter-of-factly, “Besides, you healed me afterwards.”

“Small retribution,” Kyuhyun murmured.

“Does it work?” Sungmin inquired, “Does training help contain your magic?”

“Yes. Very rarely does my magic get the best of me,” Kyuhyun answered, “It’s only during the night when I am still susceptible. It is a double curse that I must be wary of my magic at night time along with the Dark of my soul. During the night I’m vulnerable to evil, temptation and magical chaos.”

He laughed softly, self-mockingly as he slowly opened his eyes, the dark orbs seeking Sungmin’s face; “I’m a cruel bastard to want you, to willingly expose you to such instability.”

“But, perhaps, I’m the right person to be exposed to that instability,” Sungmin offered simply, his steel-gray eyes locked with Kyuhyun’s; “As a mage, I can help you control it, help you reign it.”

Kyuhyun stared at him, his entire body still, not even his lungs expanded to take in his breath. His heart, on the other hand, was racing. He had never contemplated such a possibility when he realized his attraction to the lesser mage. He had completely forgotten that the mage, although being a Light user, would be able to stabilize him, stunt his magic if it grew too wild. He had completely forgotten how being with the mage could benefit him and completely focused on his desire and need to simply be with the mage.

Why, then, was he so reliant on Kangin for that very reason? As a Dark user, not to mention the Dark Mage, Kangin could easily control his magic, easily soothe him during the turmoils of the night. He was drawn to Kangin’s control and strength; relied on it almost selfishly. He knew that Kangin was with him every night only because of a sense of duty to his prince, out of loyalty to their friendship. He knew that the moment he was stable enough, Kangin would never step through his bedroom door again.

Kyuhyun slowly rose up onto his knees and edged closer to the mage, stopping only until his thigh was outside Sungmin’s and his leg draped over the edge of the window seat, tangled with the older man’s. For a moment, all he did was stare down into the mage’s eyes, his gaze sweeping and searching for something Sungmin didn’t know what. Sungmin moved until his back was against the window sill and pane, more firmly on the seat. He pulled the prince’s other leg so both of the younger man’s knees were planted on either side of his hips. His hands simply lay on Kyuhyun’s waist.

Kyuhyun raised a hand and touched it to Sungmin’s cheek. Slowly, he caressed across his jaw, spiked through the hair the mage had not shaved off before his fingers settled warm and firm at the base of his skull. Slowly, ever so slowly, he lowered his lips to the mage’s. He felt the other’s lips move against his in a slow, seductive kiss. He traced the mage’s lower lip with his tongue and was granted entry almost immediately. He slipped into the hot, wet mouth and felt as if he tasted the sweetest ambrosia.

Then, he retreated, pulled his lips away. Staring into the mage’s eyes, he leaned in for one more, small, chaste kiss, before he lowered his torso against Sungmin’s, pressing his cheek against the other’s shoulder. Sungmin said nothing, merely wrapped his arms around the prince, Kyuhyun’s arms folded between their bodies. He was startled when he felt something warm and wet drop onto his bare bicep and trace along its curvature. He remained silent, but moved his head towards Kyuhyun’s and touched his cheek to the prince’s crown.

Sungmin had wanted the risk, wanted beyond physical intimacy.

Kyuhyun had repaid him by silently crying in his arms.

…

That evening after dinner, Taeyeon went with Siwon to his study under the premise of wanting to read a book before going to bed. Sungmin, who had been distracted throughout the meal, merely nodded, pressed a kiss to her forehead and ascended the main stairs. Kyuhyun had been absent from the meal, so Siwon was easily left with just Taeyeon, leading her to the study. He sat behind his desk and began looking over papers as she browsed the shelves of the study. Taking a book down, she retreated to one of the leather armchairs before his desk. Pulling her legs up onto the seat and crossing them, she opened the book on her lap.

They had fallen into a comfortable companionship after leaving the gardens that morning. Taeyeon knew her confession had gone far to soothing Siwon's restless jealousy. She also knew, however, that her supposed engagement to Sungmin made him keep his distance, at least, physically. After the gardens when she had rested in the study as he worked, she had indeed rested, sitting by one of the windows, soaking in the sunlight. She had never felt so comfortable in a man's presence who wasn't Sungmin. At the same time, she was completely aware of Siwon; her heart was completely aware.

During lunch, they had talked of mundane things such as the weather and the food they ate. Neither commented on the coincidental absence of both second prince and lesser mage. After lunch, Taeyeon had retired to her room, truly needing the comfort of a bed and Siwon had left for the gardens. When Taeyeon had left her room to go down to dinner, Sungmin had been waiting for her in the corridor to escort her. He had been silent and, from the look in his eyes, decided not to question him. When he chose to talk to her - and he would - then it would be of his timing, not because she asked or prompted him.

Now, she had found herself in the company of the first prince once again. It was odd how comfortable she felt around him and at the same time felt her heart racing. She felt calm in his presence yet acutely aware of every movement he made, could practically feel his gaze every time it so much as passed over her.

Shaking her head at the contradictions within her, she began to read her book.

"Did you fight in the war?"

Siwon's pen hovered over paper. Had he truly heard those words? Slowly, he looked up from his work and found the princess staring at him, her amber eyes wide in innocent curiosity and her head slightly tilted to the side. In her lap, atop the book, her right thumb slowly massaged her left palm.

"I was nine when it began," He replied and continued writing,

"But you would have been sixteen when it ended," Taeyeon spoke again, "You obviously hold strong Dark Magic, they did not try to utilize your magic for the war?"

Siwon's thick eyebrows narrowed, "Of course not. Granted, my magic ability was a widely guarded secret until I was sixteen, but even so, my parents would never have allowed anyone to use me for anything."

"You must have been very cherished as a child," Taeyeon smiled wanly as she looked back down at her book,

"Did your brother try to use you?" Siwon questioned, his voice low and deadly,

Taeyeon immediately raised her eyes to his, "No! Eeteuk would never do such a thing! I just... I overheard a few times... once when I was nine, and then ten... then again when I was twelve... Since Eeteuk was a very young king, he had to rely on the royal advisors a lot during the war. He accepted their council on everything except when I was involved. He dismissed the advisors who ever suggested such a thing of me."

Siwon let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. "It's good to hear your brother has some sound judgement when it comes to you."

She smiled wistfully then, her gaze going past the prince, "I'm thankful for that as well. He's all I’ve had for a very long time. I was very sheltered, as you know, and while I do regret what that has prevented me from knowing of my people... my kingdom... the world... I have never resented my brother. Everything he has ever done has been to protect me..."

Her hand rose to her necklace, fingering the ring there, her thumb swiping back and forth over the royal crest. She blinked then, pulling herself out of her own reverie. She offered the prince a smile and then returned to her reading, her hand dropping from her necklace and continuing its habitual massage of the left palm.

"Then he must be a great brother indeed," Siwon said as he stood from his desk and strode to the door, "He sounds like he makes the decisions I make in regards to Kyuhyun." There was a gap in his speech as he opened the door and muttered something to someone in the hall. "At least, that's what I try to do. I suppose it's harder since Kyuhyun's an adult and has always been very independent. Even Father had some trouble reining him in when we were younger."

Taeyeon laughed lightly, "That sounds like your brother. He's very... lively and flippant but never cruel. I would suggest he was the happier of you two, but we've already discussed how you were not always so serious."

"No, even before my gardens and magic use, Kyuhyun was happier," Siwon conceded as he closed the door and came back to her side, but pulling the other chair beside hers and sitting in it. He held out his hand, "Your hand, Princess."

"We were 'Taeyeon' and 'Siwon' in the gardens earlier. Must we return to formalities?" Taeyeon asked softly as she placed her left hand in his.

"Taeyeon, then. But in public, we must be formal," Siwon said as he opened a small vial that had been in his other hand. He poured a small amount of clear liquid onto her hand before putting the vial on his desk, "I've noticed all day that you're constantly massaging your left hand. Considering this is my fault, it’s only right that I soothe the soreness."

“What is that?" Taeyeon asked, tilting her head again,

"Lavender oil. I had some made after lunch," Siwon explained as he held her hand palm-up with both of his hands; thumbs rubbing the rounded surfaces of her palm.

Taeyeon rested her left arm on the armrest and leaned her head against the back of the chair, closing her eyes; "Tell me more. Why weren't you as happy as your brother?"

"Kyuhyun was just always bursting with emotions," Siwon answered easily, his eyes sightlessly on her hand as he worked the calming oil into her soft skin; "If I could be sad, he would be sadder. If I could be happy, he would be happier. If I could be angry -"

"He'd be angrier?" Taeyeon offered, amusement in her tone,

Siwon chuckled, his laugh a warm, low rumble; "Viciously so. I warrant if I were planting at a young age he would destroy my garden immediately if in a tantrum."

"He doesn't seem so intensely temperamental now," Taeyeon commented,

"I have several theories on that, one of which is that he uses his magic and in large amounts," Siwon stated and then added, "But, no, many things have happened. Using his magic is only a part of it."

"You mean your mother's death?" Taeyeon asked tentatively, softly.

Siwon was silent a moment, taking care to gently massage each finger, alleviating the stiffness from the smaller joints. Finally, he answered, "Yes."

Taeyeon remained silent, knowing she was walking on unstable grounds. She should retreat now and change the subject. Siwon, however, continued talking even as her question remained silent.

"It was in the seventh and final year of the war, although at the time we didn't know it would end then. Fire magic had gotten within the grounds. The entire back fields were bursting with flames so bright I thought it was daytime when I was dragged from bed," Siwon said quietly; "One of the servants was rushing me out, my brother already out of the castle. We were out of the castle when one of the footmen said that Kyuhyun had run to the back of the castle. I ran after him."

"Why would he... of course," Taeyeon gasped quietly,

"Yes, he wanted to put out the flames with his magic," Siwon confirmed as he turned over her hand so his thumbs could massage the back; "At fifteen, he wanted to use his magic, but it was also a secret. He felt that such drastic times called for all secrets to be made known. When I arrived, Kyuhyun was trying to put out the fire. He saw me, looked at me with wild, dark eyes and begged me to help... I don't know what it was, but all instinct told me to use my magic rather than take him and retreat."

"Was he in much danger?" Taeyeon asked quietly,

"When I got there, he was surrounded by flames almost as tall as his shoulder. I unleashed all the magic within me, without a single thought of tempering my magic. It rained suddenly, heavily, almost as if an entire ocean had fallen upon the fields," Siwon told, his voice even. "The fire was out within minutes, but the heavy rain continued to the point where Kyuhyun and myself were washed away onto the back terrace. Kangin arrived then and ended the rain."

He stopped massaging then, simply holding Taeyeon's hand, his gaze down, but not focused on anything in particular. When he continued, his voice was soft and hollow, "That's when I realized what it was I couldn't see because of the flames. Two other bodies were with us on the terrace when the rain stopped: my mother's and a mage's."

When Siwon stopped speaking, Taeyeon squeezed one of his hands as best she could with her left, which wasn't very tightly at all; "You don't have to finish."

Siwon shook his head, "No, I do. Neither of us have been able to talk of that night since then. Apparently when we were being evacuated, my mother had realized the mage had gone to put out the fire on his own. She had seen the flames from afar, knew how expansive they were. She wasn't good with water magic but earth magic... she could have trained mages how to utilize earth magic. However, it was hard to use her magic with the fields completely covered in flames and she was afraid of causing the castle to crumble from an earthquake.

"She used her water magic alongside the mage's. She... She wasn't used to using water magic and she hadn't used so much magic at once for years. The flames were being fought back when she collapsed, completely drained of strength. Kyuhyun had arrived then and had started to use his water magic because the flames had already crept closer and were in danger of engulfing our mother," Siwon said, "After he got the flames far enough from our mother that he could take her, Kyuhyun didn't pay attention and was almost burned. The mage blocked the path of the flame, using his water magic too late. His robes caught on fire but he was just newly accepted to train as a mage and panicked instead of using his magic to put out the fire.

"Kyuhyun had to choose then to help the mage or pull our mother way from the fire. He pulled our mother as far from the flames as he could and tried to run back to the mage to help him, but he was already on the ground, the flames were out but he wasn't moving. The flames threatened to come closer then and he grabbed the mage and pulled him back to where our mother was. I don't know why or how, but he got distracted again and the fire encircled him, his magic dispelling the flames from getting within that circle," Siwon told, "And that's when I arrived."

"Your... your mother and the mage..." Taeyeon murmured,

"They had inhaled too much smoke. Mother was... already weakened because of her magic use and, so... the doctors said after so much smoke, her heart failed. The mage had horrible burns... they said he went into shock and his organs began failing... they were both dead before the rain stopped," Siwon answered, quietly.

"I'm sorry," Taeyeon stated quietly.

She stood from her chair and sat on the armrest of his. Her feet dangled between his knees as she pulled his head and laid it in her lap, her left hand stroking his head, brushing tendrils from his temple and forehead as she tried to comfort him.

"There's nothing to apologize for," Siwon said quietly as he closed his eyes, the scent of the lavender oil and her ministrations soothing him, calming the restlessness which had risen from his remembrance of the past.

"Fire magic is from my people," Taeyeon said, "My people killed your mother."

"It was an accident that Mother was involved," Siwon argued,

"But-"

"My people purposefully killed your parents," Siwon countered, "Not... not all my people... Someone did, but they were of my kingdom."

"They were not of your kingdom, Siwon."

Siwon raised his head from her lap, "Taeyeon, a Dark user means my kingdom."

"That murderer began a war, began the killing and sacrificing of both kingdoms. If that person was from your kingdom, then they would not do something that would place their own neighbours, their own people in danger," Taeyeon said firmly, her hands cupping his face gently as her amber eyes gazed at him sternly, "For all my naïveté, I know that one person cannot define the entire kingdom, especially when that person is not the monarch. For all the bitterness and, indeed, hatred, I have held for the Dark Kingdom all these years, I have a feeling that your father did not order my parents be killed.”

“He didn’t,” Siwon insisted,

“Then perhaps neither of us has to apologize for the sins of our people,” Taeyeon offered, “But it is our responsibility to ensure that our kingdoms, our people, learn from the mistakes of the past. We need to ensure that this truce brings about true peace and not this tense interlude that we have been living in for the past eight years.”

“Are you suggesting we bring the kingdoms together as it used to be in the past?” Siwon asked,

“It worked for centuries, did it not?” Taeyeon gave him a small, soft smile as her hands fell away from his face, “My brother would be so proud of me. Being a diplomat on his behalf. He’s always so worried about another war tearing our kingdom apart.”

“It must have been difficult for him to become king at such a young age,” Siwon said as he took one of her hands in his; “I can’t imagine what it would be like to be king at the age of twelve.”

“I should go to bed, it’s getting late,” Taeyeon said then, slipping off of the armchair.

Siwon retained her hand, “Will you allow me to escort you to your room?”

Taeyeon gazed into his eyes as he slowly stood, towering over her, “Yes.”

They walked in silence down the corridors, now slightly dimmer as the lights were turned low. In an hour or so, the corridors would be drenched in darkness save for the moonlight flooding in through the castle windows. Taeyeon was completely aware of his strength, of the muscles beneath her hand as it lay on his arm, of his tall frame that seemed as strong as an oak. She was aware of the heat he practically radiated, seeping into her own body and settling in her bones, warming her.

Siwon’s senses were encompassed by the princess. The smell of lavender was still evident from the oil he had used to massage her hand. It mixed with the clean, fresh scent he often smelled when she was around. It was an intoxicating mix and he had to remind himself constantly to shut the door on any desires to be closer to her. Regardless of her confession, she was still engaged to another man.

Worse yet, he couldn’t find anything in the mage that he could hate or even dislike. The mage seemed as determined and disciplined as Kangin and he couldn’t find fault with such dedication to his chosen profession. The mage was also obviously devoted and loyal to Taeyeon and, as much as that twisted his heart and made him rage inside, that still wasn’t a reason to hate the other man.

Siwon, however, did notice from the first his brother’s interest in the lesser mage and, that, while troubling, was a curiosity in itself. Kyuhyun had never shown so much as a passing glance at anyone, even the consorts who visited the castle. While his demeanour was often happy and light, he never showed any intensity towards someone or because of someone. The second prince’s attitude after the lesser mage had been hurt that first night still replayed in Siwon’s mind. He wondered if the mage could care for his brother as Taeyeon said she cared for himself.

As they reached her bedroom door, Siwon pushed away his selfish thoughts. While he loved his brother and would do anything and everything to ensure his safety and happiness, he knew part of his thoughts of throwing his brother with the mage was because of the princess.

“Goodnight… Siwon,” she said softly as she slipped her hand from his arm and turned to her door,

His hand reached out for her arm before he even contemplated what he would do next. She paused and looked up at him in silent askance. “Did… Did you truly mean it?” He asked tentatively, “When you said you love me – did you mean it?”

Taeyeon blinked up at him, “Of course I did. I wouldn’t have said it otherwise. I’m not some ninny that spouted those words just to have your compliance with my decision to train. Indeed, I didn’t even acknowledge my feelings until you asked me why your opinion mattered so much to me.”

“I… I’ve told you before that I scarcely feel any warm emotions – any emotions, really,” Siwon stammered, suddenly feeling his heart pounding madly in his chest and his mind racing to find the right words while he worried over what she thought, what she would say and how she would react; “I… to you…”

Taeyeon raised her free hand to his lips, barely touching the pads of her middle- and fore-fingers to silence him; “It’s okay, I know. Furthermore, I didn’t say the words in the anticipation or hope you say them back to me. I said them because I know them to be true and I wanted you to know. You told me you care for me, and that’s all I need to know.”

Siwon’s dark eyes gazed into hers. His eyes were piercing, seemingly to sink deep into her soul and bury itself there, seeming to know each dark secret within her. Finally, he nodded and kissed her fingertips,

“Sleep well, you still feel like you have a fever,” Siwon murmured.

He turned and strode away.

Taeyeon watched him a moment before slipping into her well-lit bedroom, her face flushed but not from the fever.

…

“You shouldn’t have sought me out. Despite this being your kingdom, anything could have happened to you. Especially after the sun goes down,” Kangin admonished.

He sat in an armchair by the fireplace, his dark gaze peering into the flames. He had been in his home, close to where the two kingdoms’ lands met, when there came a knock to his door. He hadn’t thought it odd, since often people came calling to have him heal this or fix that with his magic. He always thought it hypocritical they seek his aide while also shunning him. However, he couldn’t fault their contradicting logic, especially with his complete involvement with Dark Magic. He knew they feared his lack of a soul and, indeed, he feared for them. It was why he chose to live in isolation.

He had answered the door and was surprised to find the second prince standing there in all his dark glory. He had shared his dinner with the prince who hadn’t spoken at all and Kangin hadn’t prompted him. Indeed, even when they journeyed back to the castle, Kyuhyun had remained silent. Now in his room, Kangin finally spoke to him.

When the prince, who was in the bathroom doing his nightly toiletries, didn’t reply, Kangin added, “You know I would have come to you eventually.”

“I… I needed you sooner,” Kyuhyun finally said as he stepped out of the bathroom, turning the lights off behind him, “I didn’t know if I could wait all night for you or not.”

Kangin glanced over his shoulder at the prince who slowly walked over to the foot of the bed and stopped. Kyuhyun propped a shoulder against a bedpost and folded his arms loosely about his torso, simply staring back at the mage.

“Does this have to do with what happened this morning in the study?” Kangin asked,

“Yes,”

“What did Siwon say? Was it about you using magic?” Kangin inquired,

Kyuhyun nodded, “The same old argument again. I suppose it’s been so long since he’s said anything about my using magic that when he did, I was caught off guard. I was angry and defensive even though, rationally, I knew what he was saying was just to protect me… as he’s always protected me.”

“The training has certainly helped you control your magic. Do you feel yourself stronger at night, too?” Kangin asked, his tone even, emotionless as always,

“I don’t know. You’re always with me and, so…” Kyuhyun gave a small shrug of his shoulders, “And, yet, I fear what would happen if you weren’t here.”

“You’re stronger than you think you are, Kyuhyun,” Kangin said as he slowly rose from the chair, “You worked with a single-minded determination to get control over your magic while fighting your own volatile emotions. I believe that, if we tested you, you would be fine during the night.”

“It took me almost eight years to get to this level of control,” Kyuhyun grounded out, his frustration at the timeframe and his own abilities evident in his tone,

“Yes, but think to your training, what you’re able to do with your magic. Regardless of how long it’s taken you, you’re at a high level of control over your magic,” Kangin insisted as he walked over to the prince, “You shouldn’t so easily disregard your abilities, Kyuhyun. Magic is a difficult and chaotic thing to control, yet you’ve achieved it nonetheless.”

Kyuhyun sighed softly, “What’s worse is that all of Siwon’s worries are not unfounded… I can feel the effects of magic usage.”

“We can stop training if you wish it,” Kangin said, “I never said you had to train to use your magic after you gained control.”

“I know… I wanted to learn how to use my magic,” Kyuhyun replied, “But I can feel my emotions wavering. They’re still as volatile as ever, but the brighter emotions, the happier ones… they feel forced sometimes rather than natural.”

“Then it is time we stop training,” Kangin insisted, “If your soul is in such danger already, we must stop.”

“No,” Kyuhyun said firmly, his voice hard, “That is the last thing we’re going to do. Even if you refuse to train me, Kangin, I will continue on my own.”

Kangin sighed heavily, “I’d rather you train with me then.”

Kyuhyun gave him a curt nod. He looked away then, his expression softening, “Kangin… please… please don’t leave me tonight. Especially not tonight.”

Kangin didn’t say anything for a moment. He firmly believed the prince strong enough that he could end things between them. However, the prince seeking him out was a new thing and revealed a vulnerability Kyuhyun often hid. What happened that morning in the study had greatly affected the second prince and, after he had left the study, Kangin had been unable to find him. He began to wonder if the prince was truly gaining strength or if this show of weakness was just more proof that his soul was descending fast into the Dark.

“I told you many times, Kyuhyun: for as long as you need me, I will not leave you,” Kangin said, finally, his voice gentle but firm.

“Thank you,” Kyuhyun murmured.

Then, he stepped into the Dark Mage’s arms.

…

“I assume Prince Siwon escorted you,”

Taeyeon practically jumped back against the door at the voice. She breathed heavily as she turned accusing eyes to the mage who sat on the foot of her bed, back against a post and legs stretched out before him. Once she got her wits about her, she approached him, hands on her hips.

“You need to warn me before appearing in my room suddenly,” Taeyeon warned,

“I never do this back home, I decided to take advantage,” Sungmin threw her a grin.

“Because if you did it at home my brother would kill you himself,” Taeyeon murmured, “Or, heaven forbid, force you to marry me right then and there.”

“So, did you tell him?” Sungmin asked as Taeyeon walked to the dresser where she had placed the clothes that had been lent to her.

“Tell him? Tell him what?” She asked innocently as she pulled out a simple, cotton, white, sleeping gown.

“That’s a no,” Sungmin said decisively,

“I tried,” she insisted as she disappeared into the bathroom, “I promise you, I did try. Several times last night.”

“Ah, the elusive ‘last night’ where you did who-knows-what to the prince,” Sungmin said, amusement evident in his tone,

“I tried, but he kept interrupting me. Then he left before I could finish my sentence,” Taeyeon recalled,

“You’ve spent most of the day with him today. At least, I’m assuming so since I wasn’t around,” Sungmin mused, “I have a feeling you had a hundred times to tell him.”

“It’s… it’s a little complicated,” Taeyeon said as she came out of the bathroom dressed in the sleeping gown, her hair free from its earlier tie.

“You always say that and I’m beginning to feel that it isn’t complicated at all. You’re just making it that way,” Sungmin scolded lightly,

Taeyeon sighed as she came to the bed and climbed atop, settling herself against the headboard. She grabbed another pillow and hugged it as she stared at the mage. He stared back, waiting.

“I told him I love him,” Taeyeon muttered,

Sungmin’s graying eyes widened, “That’s great! That’s so good, Taeyeon! That’s – wait… do you?”

Taeyeon blinked before she cried defensively, “Yes!” She breathed deeply, steadily, before burrowing her chin in the pillow she hugged and continued on quietly; “What we were talking about this morning… you asked me if I was scared of risking my heart. Before Prince Kyuhyun came in, I was going to say that I had already risked my heart even before I realized what was happening. Then after we left the study to go outside… there was this moment and… and I had said the words prior to even planning to say them, to even knowing what was in my heart. Then after I said the words, I realized them to be true, that my heart wanted to say them before my mind even acknowledged them.”

“You’re scared,” Sungmin commented, his words a statement rather than a question.

“I’m petrified,” Taeyeon confirmed, “He didn’t say it back and I’m okay with that, truly I am because he did say last night he cared for me. But saying those words… it felt good and right and, at the same time, I felt more exposed than I have ever felt. I mean, how much do I even know about the prince? He says I know him more than anyone else and yet, I’ve scarcely known him a week!”

“Love is mysterious like that,” Sungmin shrugged, “I can’t say from experience since I’ve never been in love, but that’s what I’ve heard and that’s what I’ve seen. It’s for love of you that your brother allowed us to be engaged. He certainly doesn’t want me to marry you. Friend or not, he knows what lies in a mage’s future. At the same time, for the love of his people, he didn’t send out a search party for you but directed me to go alone.”

“It would’ve caused a war otherwise,” Taeyeon defended,

“I know. He said the same thing and said you’d understand. Indeed, I understand his motives also. I’m just saying that love cannot have boundaries placed on it. We cannot tell ourselves not to fall in love with a person until we’ve known them at least a week. We cannot tell ourselves not to fall in love with a person strictly who’s of the Light,” Sungmin shook his head, “It’s scary to love someone, I’m sure, because it puts us in a very vulnerable position to get hurt. However, we should never be scared to love.”

“For someone who’s never been in love, you certainly talk a lot about it,” Taeyeon muttered,

“I’ve never been in love, but I have loved and do love,” Sungmin explained, “You, for example. And I have been scared every day that I have loved you, Taeyeon.”

“I would never do anything to hurt you though,” Taeyeon insisted, amber eyes wide,

“I know that. In the beginning, I was scared you would end up hurting me somehow, but now, I’m scared for you. I’m scared of losing you somehow in some way,” Sungmin said softly, “I’m even scared of returning back to the Light Kingdom where we cannot have such private conversations anymore. One of the best things that have occurred for me since this fiasco began is that I’ve been able to spend more time with you.”

Taeyeon’s expression softened as she smiled, “You know I love you, too, Min.”

Sungmin sighed as he swung off the bed, “Well, if you’re taking risks, I’d be a coward not to do the same thing.”

Taeyeon straightened in her seat and blinked at him confusedly, “What?”

“I’m going to the second prince,” Sungmin announced with formal airs even as his steel-blue eyes danced with amusement, “We talked earlier and, well, perhaps he would like some company this evening.”

“Is he okay? He seemed very upset when he left the study,” Taeyeon asked tentatively,

“I don’t know. If he isn’t, well, I’ll just have to make sure he is, right?” Sungmin gave her a small smile, “Get some sleep. Don’t want you to stay sick for too long. Although, you haven’t coughed or sneezed lately.”

“I have a feeling Siwon healed me a little,” Taeyeon said exasperatedly,

“What a cruel prince to take away some of your illness,” Sungmin replied sarcastically as he strode to the door. He glanced over his shoulder, “Goodnight, Minx.”

“Night, Min.”

Sungmin left the princess’ room and found himself in a darkened corridor. Slowly, he released his magic out, seeking for the source of Dark Magic that would mark the second prince’s location.

…

The Dark Mage rose from the bed, his body tired. He headed over to a window, the moonlight shining in the only light in the dark bedroom. Leaning a shoulder against the window frame, he gazed out into the starry, night sky. He went over his previous conversation with the prince in his head again.

The last thing he wanted was to put Kyuhyun’s soul in danger. He had begun training the prince so as to control his magic. Once it was evident that Kyuhyun could control his magic like second nature, Kangin had been prepared to stop training him. However, the prince had asked him to continue to train him. When Kangin had refused, Kyuhyun had even gone so far as to beg him to train him. He remembered the night as if it had happened yesterday.

He had come to the prince’s bedroom as he did every night and it was the first thing Kyuhyun had said when he walked through the door.

“Teach me,” Kyuhyun had said.

Kangin had almost walked out on him that moment had it not been the peculiar look in the younger man’s eye. He was determined to have his way. He wanted a reason, however, to train the prince. He didn’t want to waste his time when it was some whim the prince had gotten. He had turned back to the door, seemingly in a gesture to leave when the prince had lunged the distance between them. He felt his hand clasped in the grasp of two cold, shaking hands. When he had turned back around, he had found Kyuhyun kneeling on the ground before him, his head bowed.

“Please!” Kyuhyun had whispered.

Kangin could have said no. He could have yanked his hand away and left the room. He knew even if he denied the prince the training, Kyuhyun would welcome him back into his room the next night anyway. However, the quiet tone in which the second prince spoke was fragile, as if should he speak any louder, something would break, some chaos would ensue. It was that delicacy, that vulnerability that had first began their particular relationship. The relationship that went beyond mere mage and prince, beyond friendship. The relationship that moved him to begin training the prince, that moved him to be with the prince every evening and every morning.

“Why?” Kangin had asked.

At first, the prince had said nothing so Kangin reciprocated with his own silence. Eventually, Kyuhyun told him his reasons. Kangin remained silent for minutes afterwards; minutes filled with debating and arguing within his own mind. Finally, he had given a small affirmative and Kyuhyun had quickly risen to his feet and embraced him tightly, murmuring over and over his thanks. It wasn’t until Kyuhyun was hugging him and had his face buried against his shoulder that Kangin realized the prince had been crying.

Pushing away from the window, Kangin walked back to the bed and stared down at the sleeping prince. Kyuhyun lay there with the most peaceful expression the mage had ever seen. His face free of artificial emotions, forced smiles and just relaxed. His arms flung to the sides with seemingly carefree abandon and the blankets down by his waist, exposing his bare torso and arms. Had he any affection left, Kangin assumed he would have smiled with affection just then. He reached over and pulled the blankets up and over the prince’s torso before turning away from the bed and heading to the door.

With one last glance back at the prince’s bed, he opened the bedroom door to leave.

He found himself face to face with another mage.

…

Sungmin theorized that if he could use his magic to find Taeyeon, he could do the same with the second prince, especially if the prince was concerned about his magic during the night. He had set out into the castle using his own magic as a guide. He had paced himself, dodging into shadows, niches and behind pillars if he heard servants about. It was fortunate that not many were up at that hour and the lights in the corridor had already been shut off for the night.

He found himself in the other wing of the castle. He felt himself close to the source of magic he felt, but the rooms on the third floor appeared to be all guest rooms. He doubled back to the stairs and made his way up another level to for the fourth floor and returned to the west wing. He paused at the mouth of the wing, however, suddenly unable to sense the magic at all.

Sungmin blinked into the darkness. What had happened to the magic? Could the prince be asleep now? Is that why he could no longer sense it? He hesitated, wondering if perhaps he had been a bit presumptuous after all. He was about to turn back when he remembered the way the prince had been in his arms that morning and the startling realization that the younger man was crying.

Taeyeon had obviously taken some big steps today towards becoming a stronger person, even though Sungmin knew her to be stronger than she believed. She was also taking steps towards getting what she wanted, being with whom she wanted. After all their talks and his prompting to take chances, he could hardly back away now and not take his own advice.

He stared down into the dark corridor and made up his mind. Even if the prince was sleeping, then at least he knew he was okay for now and then he would speak with Kyuhyun in the morning. Taking a deep, slow breath to steel himself, he headed out into the west wing, approximating where he had felt the source of magic from the floor below. When he was sure he was in the right spot, he faced the only door in that vicinity.

Before he could raise his hand to knock on the door, it swung open and there stood the Dark Mage.

“Sungmin?” Kangin raised a brow at him as he stepped into the corridor, closing the door behind him.

“Sorry,” Sungmin stepped back, “I was… I was looking for Prince Kyuhyun. I must have been wrong about the direction.”

“Direction? Did you use your magic to come here?” Kangin inquired,

Sungmin nodded, “Yes, but I guess it was your magic I was sensing.” He turned to leave when he stopped abruptly and turned back to the mage who hadn’t moved away from the door; “Wait… why are you here? I thought you lived by the border between the two kingdoms.”

“I do,” Kangin confirmed, “And I assure you, you would never be able to sense my magic unless I wanted you to do so.”

Kangin finally stepped away from the door and turned away from Sungmin, heading towards the servants’ stairs. He paused, a few steps away from the door, “And I suggest you return to your room. The second prince is sleeping now.”

Sungmin stared as the mage disappeared into darkness. He hesitated and then walked over to the door, trying the knob. He found it locked. He looked back the way the mage had gone. What was he doing here, so deep in the castle? What business did he have here at this hour of the night? Furthermore, if it wasn’t Kangin’s magic he sensed then…

Sungmin stumbled back away from the door as if suddenly burned.

Without a backwards glance, he escaped into the darkness and away from what he was sure had been Kyuhyun’s locked bedroom door.

(Chapter 9 - Creeping Darkness)

[MS9] From the Outside

2011-06-29T16:52:00.004-04:00

words: 5357
rate: PG13
(9th Cycle of the Mourning Song series.)

9th Cycle: From the Outside

You were never like the others,
you were never truly there.
Sometimes I wonder if
you truly told me
everything in your heart.

And I know I can be distant,
and I know I act just like you
so, if I ever made you doubt me
just remember these words.

Three days later; Friday; First week of November 20XX

'I'll pick you up at 6, is that ok?'

Kyuhyun quickly calculated in his mind where the sun's position would be at that time. He was sure it would be low enough in the sky that he wouldn't need to worry too much of sun exposure. If he completely covered himself in clothing, he could also attribute that to the cold weather. Somehow, miraculously, he had been gifted with the friendship of his favourite singer. He didn't want to spoil it just because he wasn't like other people who could freely walk in the sun.

'Yeah. Are you sure it's okay I come?'

Kyuhyun was pretending a hesitance when he was bubbling with excitement. When Lee Yeon had messaged him earlier that morning, he had been happy. When she asked him to come with her to an interview for moral support, he had been ecstatic. How could he say no? Meeting Lee Yeon had been a dream come true. Becoming friends with her... well... that was just indescribable for the Young Master.

'I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't sure.'

He exhaled, not even realizing he had been holding in a breath. He typed in his next message, his thumb hovering over the 'send' button. It was a few simple words formed into a personal, probing question. It was okay for him to ask though, he was sure. They were friends, but perhaps he was being presumptuous? But she had asked him in such a way that prompted questions, indeed, if anything, made an opening for questions to be asked.

'Just wondering. Why do you need moral support?'

Inhaling deeply, he shut his eyes tightly and pressed send. Quickly, he closed his phone and then put it on his desk. He stared at the phone, unbelievably nervous as he awaited the reply - if she chose to reply. The phone vibrated against the desk, the sound almost piercing in the silence of his office. Slowly, ever so slowly, he reached for the cellular, actively afraid he had just ruined his budding friendship with the celebrity.

‘I’m pregnant.’

Kyuhyun’s jaw slowly dropped. He had suspected, but having it confirmed was completely different. He felt elation and excitement rise up within him. He felt the urge to tell everyone, have them share the happiness, too. He paused then, reflecting upon his reaction. It was one thing to be happy for her, it was a complete different thing to be so ecstatic. Indeed, when he analyzed it deeper, the happiness, while in part was for Lee Yeon, another part was a happiness for himself, as if this pregnancy somehow affect his life and, quite deeply, if his emotions were believed. A part of him distantly wondered if he was truly becoming a crazy fanatic.

‘Congratulations. I’m guessing you’re announcing it in the interview?’

‘And some other things,’ came her cryptic reply.

Kyuhyun was about to contemplate whether or not to quiz her on what she meant when the door opened. He looked up expectantly and couldn’t help feeling disappointed when it was not Mijoon who walked through the door. Indeed, when he was leaving the house that morning and the assistant wasn’t outside with the car waiting for him, he had the distinct feeling of going back to bed and avoiding the outside world. It was a startling realization how much he heavily relied upon the assistant day-to-day. It was a soul-shaking realization how much his happiness relied upon having the assistant with him. He pushed the thoughts away, afraid to examine them too closely.

“Good, you’re here,” his father stated as he approached the desk,

“Why wouldn’t I be here?” Kyuhyun questioned,

“Choi-sshi hasn't been here this week,” his father shrugged, “And if Choi-sshi isn’t at work, I only half-expect you to be here as well.”

Kyuhyun raised a brow, “You do?” he inquired as he pushed away the twinge of hurt he felt in knowing Mijoon hadn’t told him of his absence.

His father looked at him sternly, “Of course. The reason we hired him is to ensure your safety during the day.” When Kyuhyun stared at him with a befuddled expression, his father prompted, “What?”

“I knew Mijoon was hired under the requirement he be available at any notice during the night should I ever have the need to work nights only… but I didn’t know he was hired to protect me. I thought he was just an assistant,” Kyuhyun answered,

“He is just an assistant. He’s here to assist you during the day so that you don’t accidentally die,” His father said exasperatedly, as if was being told to detail the weather.

“I just meant –”

His father held up his hand to silence him, “No, I don’t have time for this idleness. I came here to give you this,” He took out a keycard on a lanyard from his pocket. He held it out across the desk for his son.

Kyuhyun took it and stared down at it, confused, “A new security system? Will this replace the keycards we have in our badges then?”

His father shook his head, “This isn’t a keycard for security. However, you must use it prior to entering any boardroom,” his father explained, “By the end of the month, it’ll be any room you enter in the entire building – except your own office of course – but, for now, it’s only for the boardrooms.”

Kyuhyun blinked, “Okay.”

His father hesitated, as if wanted to say more. Kyuhyun merely watched, patiently waiting with the mysterious keycard in his hands. His father swept his gaze over him before nodding, as if he was satisfied, then turned and left without another word.

Kyuhyun jumped from his chair and ran to the door, carefully opening it as quietly as possible. He stuck his head out to see his father walking down the hall. He waited as his father turned a corner and was out of sight. Kyuhyun immediately left his office and strode toward one of the boardrooms on his current floor.

Once he was outside a boardroom, he found a sensor beside the door that hadn’t been there before. Curious, he waved the keycard before the sensor and a little green light glowed. He opened the board room door and stepped just inside the doorway. He watched just as opaque shades slid down over all the windows, completely blocking out all sunlight as the electric lights automatically turned on.

His jaw dropped again as he looked down at the keycard.

“That’s what this is for?” He murmured, dumbfounded, “But, why…”

He trailed off as the revelation hit him. This was his father’s response to what had happened in the meeting that past Tuesday. Once again, he was startled. Not only had his father not fired a single soul who had been in the boardroom that day, but he had also effectively implemented a way so that a mistake like before couldn’t happen again.

“Wait a second…” He muttered as he slowly headed back to his office. He began counting off fingers, “It’s been three days and already… all the boardrooms!?”

He shook his head in disbelief as he took out his cellular and did the first thing that came to mind: he messaged Lee Yeon.

‘Either my father just got a heart… or he’s momentarily gone insane.’

'What!? Those are two completely different things!'

Kyuhyun chuckled softly as he returned to his office, leaning back against the door. They were indeed, but with his father, well, they pretty much amounted to the same thing. He couldn't recall his childhood or his teenage years, but for the few years he did remember, his father had always been distant. He saw more of his mother, who was reserved, but she still had her moments like how she came to all of his transfusion appointments at the hospital. His father just... wasn't around.

"No, that's not true," he murmured to himself as he thought back.

A year after he finished school, his father had moved them from Seoul. His father had been around a lot then. He had worked from home and, sure, had been locked inside his study more often than not, but he had been home. Almost every day for a year, his father had been at home, at every meal. Then, they moved back to Seoul and his father was like a ghost.

"We were so close to being a family," he sighed quietly as he looked back down at his phone.

'That's my father.'

A typhoon could threaten to drown you
and I'd still swim against the currents.
A quake could try to bury you
and I'd still go to hell to save you.
The world can crumble around us
and I'd still hold your hand.
So let's face another tomorrow together.

…

You were always protecting me,
never realizing I had your back.
You were strong for me
and would rather run away
than let me see you weak.

“Don’t hesitate! Go after the pureblood!” Kyuri commanded into her headset.

She paced in the command room, a semi-circle of computers before her, technicians before them, quickly typing and following her instructions to track the team of hunters she was commanding that evening. She had been requested to take on the case as a Head Hunter specifically because the pureblood had escaped other groups of hunters and they needed her skills as a tactician.

She paused in the centre, one hand idly, lightly drumming fingers against her protruding stomach. Her eyes swept over all the screens on the wall before her which enlarged and displayed all of the computer screens. In a matter of seconds, she was able to take in all of the information of all the computers.

“Computer four, pull up a map of Incheon, computer two, pull up a map of northern Seoul,” she instructed.

Together, the two maps combined with computer five and created a bigger map on the front wall of Seoul and west of Seoul to Incheon. Computer six’s display showed a zoomed-in view of Seoul, little dots of coloured lights displaying where the Hunters’ current positions were.

“Hana! Dul! Take three lefts and try to circle around to trap the pureblood,” Kyuri stated, as her eyes gazed around again.

Her eyes momentarily paused on the screen where the pureblood’s profile was shown on several different windows. Her eyes stared at the number of reported attacks since the case was first opened a month ago. Kyuri felt that any number bigger than zero was more than enough, but this particular pureblood’s count was in the double digits.

She silently cursed whichever Council Member had received the case. If they had called upon her sooner, then perhaps the number would have been lower. Indeed, she wasn’t even aware of the case until the day before when Head Hunter Lee approached her, suggesting she take over the case instead of just advising him on the next attempt. He had been the third Head Hunter to be assigned the case.

“He’s too fast!” one of the five Hunters exclaimed through their communication system,

“Then be faster!” Kyuri retorted, crossing her arms above her stomach.

According to her original plan, the Hunters should have captured the pureblood within 27 minutes. However, the vampire had proven to be faster than any of them and, now, her team was just even struggling to catch up. She needed them faster. She needed Kibum leading the team.

“If you don’t capture that pureblood and eliminate the threat, he’ll only keep coming back for more victims,” Kyuri reminded, her voice like cold steel, her eyes narrowed as it took in the screens once more.

“Computer seven – I want railway maps. Computer eight – I want subway maps. If this vampire decides to go underground or catch a train, I want to know where they can go. They cannot leave the city!”

“We’re losing him!” Another Hunter cried out, their laboured breathing audible through Kyuri’s headset,

“Don’t waste your breath telling me!” Kyuri scolded, some of the computer technicians cringing at the whip in her voice.

She watched as the five dots came together again on the zoomed-in map. She waited, hearing only the sounds of heavy breathing. Suddenly, it was silent. She blinked, confused for a moment.

“What’s going on?” She questioned,

Silence.

“Come in! What is going on!?” She repeated,

Silence.

Some of the computer technicians glanced at her, all equally confused.

“They’re still all together, have they got the pureblood?” She murmured as she approached one of the technicians, “How’s the transmission for communication?”

“Our end is working perfectly,” the technician replied. She raised a hand to her screen, “But their end shows no transmission.”

Kyuri’s eyes widened, “No transmission? Either they’re all dead and their sets are smashed, or they’re all alive and their sets are smashed, or –”

“We lost him,” a voice interrupted.

Kyuri blinked, “What!?”

“We lost him,” the Hunter repeated,

“You lost him or you stopped chasing him!?” Kyuri demanded, her hand gripping the back of a technician’s chair tightly,

“The vampire was driven out of Seoul; they’d be crazy to come back,” another Hunter insisted,

“So, you stop doing your job just because they’ve left the city!?” She questioned angrily, “Have you all forgotten that Incheon is part of our Hunting district!?”

“Maybe he’ll board a plane and leave Korea,” a Hunter joked lightly,

Kyuri’s nails dug into the seat, “Return to base immediately and don’t any of you dare show your faces to me again,” she said quietly, steadily, then ended the transmission from her end. She pulled the headset down to hang around her neck, “He has the nerve to joke? He has the bloody nerve to joke after not just failing a mission, but failing a mission regarding a pureblood whose body count is in the double digits!?”

The technicians slowly swung around in their chairs to face her. None of them were sure if the Head Tactician was talking to any of them, but at that moment, they were afraid of not paying attention to her just in case. They watched her silently, cautiously.

“I’m not crazy, right? This isn’t the pregnancy hormones talking, right? Incheon is in our district!” Kyuri insisted,

“Yes, ma’am,” a technician answered,

“And even if it wasn’t, we continue with the mission! We’ll inform the Head Hunter of that district later, but we continue the mission until it’s complete!” She began pacing again, “What is wrong with these Hunters!?”

“Ma’am… perhaps you should… return to your office?” A technician suggested tentatively, “Getting so… agitated cannot be good for the baby.”

Kyuri sighed heavily, “Indeed… Ugh! Hunters!” She threw up her hands in exasperation as she turned towards the door, “Save your files for the case, document everything you had to do and then send me a report once you’re all done,” instructed calmly; she had no quarrel with the technicians.

Kyuri retreated to her office, turning on her computer immediately. She pulled up the case files on her two monitors. On one monitor, she maximized the pureblood’s profile. On the other monitor, she maximized a map which indicated where all attacks were reported to have taken place. Her eyes began to plan over the map, trying to deduce where the pureblood would strike when it returned to Seoul because, despite what the Hunters believed, he would return to Seoul. The pureblood could go anywhere in the Gyeonggi province, go across South Korea, but she knew he wouldn’t, he would return to Seoul.

She took into account all of his reported attacks to date – reported, because she knew he had many more that were never reported; probably remaining as unsolved murder cases with the city police department. She took into account where they had lost the pureblood. She was processing the data and had calculated a general area of where the pureblood was most likely to attack again. She sighed heavily, sending out a request to the Council Member in charge to increase security in the area she predicted. She could only hope they did as she suggested.

She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. Had she been on the mission, they would have gotten the pureblood. The mission wouldn't have ended until they caught the vampire. She wasn't running on arrogance at the belief that if she could be in the field, they would have succeeded. No, she was running on years of experience, of success. She was running on years of never quitting until the job was done.

She wasn't sure how long she sat as thus, thinking about the past and when she could command a team from the field, when a knock at the door broke her reverie. Before she could even reply, the door burst open and the team of Hunters she had been commanding entered. She schooled her expression, crossed her arms firmly over her chest in an attempt to suppress her boiling anger.

"Ma'am, he was fast - wicked fast," a hunter insisted as they approached her desk,

"Yeah, we'd blink and he'd be a mile away already!" Another replied,

"And, when we did catch up to him, he was incredibly strong," a hunter stated,

"It would be five to one and he'd still overpower all of us," another piped,

More excuses poured from their mouths, until, finally, one pleaded, "Please, ma'am -"

"I suggest you all leave."

All of the Hunters turned around, startled to find Head Hunter Kim Kibum standing in the doorway. He strode forward, they moved out of his way instinctively. He saw the expression on his wife's face and knew what it meant. There was once a time when she was known for being a calm and collected Hunter and Head Hunter. She had guarded herself from the world, scared to let anyone get close, save him.

And, then, she had reunited with her brother and all the arguments that arose between the twins seemed to demolish her cool facade. He knew that, now if she schooled her expression, it was to hide or control some greater emotion. He didn't have to guess that she was keeping her temper in reign.

"You failed because you are lacking as Hunters," Kibum stated, his voice even and, yet, there was the hint of a scold in his tone; "The reason for your failure is because of that. Nothing more, nothing less." He stood before her desk and turned to face the Hunters. He stood with feet shoulder-width apart, arms crossed over his chest, "Jo-sshi's tactics are flawless; it's one of the reasons that she is Head Tactician for the Council, why we're the only Council to have this title."

His dark gaze swept over the Hunters, who looked as if they wanted to say something, but wouldn't do so because they feared him. "If a plan has ever failed it was not because of the plan itself, but because of the Hunters. If the vampire is too fast, then you become faster. If the vampire is too strong, then become stronger or, learn how to use their strength against them."

"But, sir -"

Kibum's stare hardened, "Are you interrupting me?"

The Hunter swallowed hard and shook his head.

Kibum's eyes narrowed ever so slightly in a rare show of emotion. When he was silent for long enough, the Hunters showed tension, the urge to fidget beneath his glare. Eventually, he spoke again,

"Leave now before you all lose your jobs," Kibum said quietly,

The Hunters turned to leave when Kyuri spoke up, stopping them in their tracks.

"If any of you ever disobey my orders again, whether it be on the field or not waiting for my permission to enter my office..." Kyuri's gaze bored into their backs, "They will never find your bodies."

The five Hunters left immediately.

After the doors closed behind them, Kibum walked around the desk, sitting on the edge as he stared down at his wife. He picked up her hand and brought it to his lips, "You're going to explode if you don't express yourself."

"They let a pureblood get away, Kibum... it has one of the highest reported attack counts I have ever seen. They let a damn pureblood get away and act like its nothing!" Kyuri fumed as she clutched his hand tightly; "I should have started on my own attack count with those damn Hunters... in our day, Kibum, the Hunters were great. They didn't whine or complain - they did their job and did it right."

"You talk as if we're old!" Kibum exclaimed, brows rising. His thumb stroked the back of her hand affectionately, "We've known about vampires for years. What's the difference with this one?"

"The difference is that a pureblood has escaped in a city where our children live," Kyuri stated, her grip tightening almost painfully so.

Kibum kissed her hand again as he slipped from the desk. He turned her chair to the side and knelt before her, pulling her closer until he knelt between her knees. He raised his hands to her face, framing it, "I will protect you, Kyuri. I will protect our children," he vowed. He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her protruding stomach, "I will protect our family with all I have until my dying breath."

Kyuri smiled softly at his beloved face. She leaned down and brushed her lips against his.

"Let's hope it never comes down to that."

And I know I can be stubborn,
and I know you have your pride
so, if you're ever scared to rely on me,
just remember my words.

...

A hundred could surround you
and I'd still fight for your freedom,
Death could come knocking
and I'd still beg for your life
The world can crumble around us
and I'd still hold your hand.
So let's face another tomorrow together.

So lay your hand in mine,
Trust in my forever,
Let's do this again,
do this together.

"You have no idea how happy I am you came with me," Taeyeon said as she smiled at the young man beside her,

"Well, you're right, this interview will be a big deal for your fans," Kyuhyun replied. He glanced once more at her hand which had caught his eye when he had entered the town car when it had caught the light. "Not only are you revealing your pregnancy, you're even being open about your... engagement?"

Taeyeon nodded, "I said when we first met that I was kind of married. We've been engaged for years, we're just waiting for one final detail before we have the ceremony."

"So, not that I'm not glad to be here, but why didn't your fiancé come with you?" Kyuhyun inquired,

"He's a teacher and lives on campus," Taeyeon explained, eyeing him peculiarly, waiting for some sign that he recognized anything she said; "I visit him on weekends, so it would've been a waste of gas for him to come into town just for us to go back to campus afterwards."

Kyuhyun was going to ask her where her fiancé worked, the urge to know rising in him. He immediately squelched the thought, once again wondering if he was becoming a crazy fan after all. He silently scolded himself, not realizing the answer sooner. If he lived on a school campus, then, obviously, it was some post-secondary school. He wasn't sure why, but he thought of his old high school, Shim Jang Academy. It was far from the city, north of Seoul. He couldn't have commuted every day, could he? Or was it possible to live on campus even if it was just a high school?

He pushed his thoughts away as he asked suddenly, "Your fiancé... He... He knows about me right?"

Taeyeon blinked, "No. Why?"

Kyuhyun's jaw dropped and Taeyeon laughed in response. "He... If he... He wouldn't think you and I... Is he the jealous type? Is he good with a gun!?"

Taeyeon laughed even more, "I was just kidding, Kyuhyun. He knows about you. Yes, he is the jealous type, I don't know how good he is with a gun, but he trusts me and, believe it or not, he trusts you, too. He knows you're my friend."

"I... I never thought I'd ever meet you Lee Yeon, let alone become friends with you," Kyuhyun admitted.

He had never had friends before, at least, he couldn't remember any before he left SJA and, afterwards, he certainly never had time to make friends. It was strange, however, how quickly he became comfortable with Lee Yeon. They messaged each other often and, even though he had his hesitations, there were no limitations on what they messaged one another about. Also, ever since he got into the car, he was worried that it would be awkward between them, yet, it hadn't been. They fell in together as if they were old friends that had known each other all their lives.

Taeyeon swallowed hard, a lump forming in her throat. She had been surprised that her plan had worked, that Kyuhyun would agree to be her friend and he followed through. Sometimes, their text conversations made her feel as if she had her cousin back; her best friend back. Then, the sad realization that he wasn't truly back would hit, like when he had called her by her stage name.

Kyuhyun tilted his head as he regarded her, "You look... different somehow."

Taeyeon grinned, "It's probably because I don't have any make-up on. They'll do my make-up backstage before the interview."

"I don't think you need the make-up," Kyuhyun said honestly, "You look different without it, but not bad-different. In truth, this makes me wonder how much make-up they do put on you."

"At least ten pounds of make-up," Taeyeon joked,

"Well, if you're ever worried, you don't need the make-up," Kyuhyun smiled.

His gaze then swept over her wavy locks that were pulled back into a loose bun. He thought about then of what little he knew about her and what she had revealed since they first met. He knew what he was about to say could offend people, that he was being presumptuous. However, he felt that with her, with Lee Yeon, it would be okay. He felt as if he could do no wrong with her. It was both a comforting and overwhelming feeling.

Finally, he supposed, "The make-up, the hair... You've been doing all you can to hide from the public even while you're before them, haven't you?"

She smiled ruefully at him, "Other than my songs, everything I have ever done was to protect my personal life. It works though. I debuted two years ago and no one has ever even guessed at what you just have."

"Can I suggest something?" Kyuhyun asked tentatively,

"Of course," She said with a light, melodic laugh,

"If you're going to reveal you're pregnant and engaged to the world, why don't you go all the way?" Kyuhyun asked, "Don't let them use all the make-up they usually do, don't straighten your hair. Go out there as yourself."

"Show the world me?" She mused, a small smile on her face. Finally, she shook her head, "No, I can't."

Kyuhyun nodded, "It was bold of me to suggest such a thing."

She shook her head, "No, no, no. Even though I'm telling the world a little bit more about me, I still have the rest of my personal life to protect."

"Your fiancé?" Kyuhyun prompted,

She nodded, her smile growing, "Yes. I don't want him to be affected just because of my job. Especially, since he's a teacher, I don't want him being hounded by students."

"You said you were engaged for years. I'm guessing you two were together before you debuted, hmm?" Kyuhyun inquired,

"Yeah. I've actually known him since I was a little girl," Taeyeon admitted. She glanced out the window and noticed they were close to where the filming would take place. "Although, we've only been together for just over three years."

"It must be nice to have someone like that," Kyuhyun mused,

Taeyeon regarded him before asking hesitantly, "You said that you were sort of involved with someone. Are you and that person -"

"Ah, yeah we... well, anyway, I just meant how you had your fiancé in your life for such a long time," Kyuhyun cleared his throat before he added, "You're my first friend."

Taeyeon blinked rapidly, feeling the threat of tears pressing against her eyes. She struggled hard to keep the tears from her eyes, to stop herself from launching at him and hugging him tightly. She worked hard in order to keep herself from just telling him that he's had her; that they've been friends for just as long as she's known her fiancé.

Taeyeon managed a smile, "I don't have many friends."

The car came to a stop.

"Are you coming in?" Taeyeon inquired,

"I'll wait here," Kyuhyun said, "They might see us together and think things."

Taeyeon laughed melodically, "You're right." She put her hand on his and squeezed gently, "Thank you for coming, I'll see you afterwards."

Kyuhyun suddenly saw images flash through his mind. He saw the little boy who grabbed her hand and ran with her. He saw the little boy who pulled her onto his back and carried her. He saw the little boy who took off his sweater and draped it on her head as it rained heavily. He suddenly pulled his hand away from hers, staring at her as she looked back at him, hurt evident in her eyes.

"That's why he looks so familiar," Kyuhyun stated as he fumbled with his jacket pocket and pulled out the photograph he had been obsessing over since he had received it. He stared down at the three smiling faces, "I knew he looked familiar but I couldn't remember why. I had seen him in your memories."

Taeyeon's eyes widened just as Kyuhyun slowly raised his gaze to her, "What did you just say?"

Kyuhyun gaped, "I..." He inhaled deeply, steadying himself, "We're friends, right?" Taeyeon nodded, "I... When I have physical contact with someone, even if there's clothes in between us, I can read or see whatever is in their minds. And, when we first met and you hugged me I saw what was in your mind. At that time it was a little boy and we were talking about your inspiration for your songs."

"Yes... I grew up with him, too," Taeyeon admitted,

Kyuhyun blinked and the stared back down at the photograph, "Too? Then... This photo... is this you?" He held out the picture to her,

Taeyeon glanced at it, "Yes... Kyuhyun, where did you get that?"

"I got it from... well... my sister," Kyuhyun said tentatively, "I just met her and... but wait, why would my sister have this photo? And... and why does this boy... the boy from your past... Why does the boy from your past look like my nephew?"

Taeyeon stared at him for several heartbeats, her almond-shaped eyes sad and shining with unshed tears. She clasped her hands in her lap, her heart beating painfully against her ribs as the words lodged firmly in her throat. She shifted towards the door, hand on the handle, surprised that her hand was shaking,

"That boy in the picture... is you," Taeyeon confessed quietly,

"What!?" Kyuhyun stared at the photo, surprised that he couldn't even recognize himself. He realized then, that he never saw any childhood photos of himself, not even a family picture. His gaze flew to her, "But... but that means you and I... Your songs are about..." He shook his head, "But you said he was basically dead... You said... I'm not dead!"

Taeyeon reached over, her hand cupping his cheek lightly, affectionately, "You don't remember our childhood, or your sister... you don't remember me. Haven't you been dead to me?"

She lowered her hand, her fingertips lightly grazing his jaw as she opened the door. She heard the rapidly approaching footsteps of a bodyguard and her assistant. She glanced over her shoulder at Kyuhyun, "We'll talk after... I promise I'll answer any questions you have."

She slipped out of the backseat and the door closed firmly after her. Kyuhyun settled back against the leather seat and sighed. He ran a hand through his hair as he stared back down at the old photograph.

"Why does everyone know more about me than I do?"

A typhoon could threaten to drown you,
a hundred could surround you,
a quake could try to bury you,
death could come knocking,
The world can crumble around us and
I'd still hold your hand.
I'd still hold your hand.
So, let's face another tomorrow together.
Another tomorrow together.
Please, take my hand.

(10th Cycle - Shattered Remains)

A/N: So, this is implied, but I thought I should mention it just in case some people don't realize it. The reason Mijoon is missing at the beginning of the chapter is because he was exposed to the sun in the last chapter. If you recall, it was quite a bit of sun. He's still recovering and can't leave home, regardless of the fact he fed at the end of the last chapter, he hasn't fed since then.
As revealed at the end of the last chapter, Mijoon is, in fact, a vampire. Mijoon has never been mentioned to be out in daylight and, if it is, he's usually holding an umbrella. Kyuhyun has always assumed the umbrella was only for his benefit... little does Young Master know. So, yes, just clearing that up. =)

[00SJ30] The Perfect Plan

2011-06-12T18:23:00.001-04:00

words: 1305
rate: PG13
(Final Day of the Fanfiction series.)

It was the last day.

30 days in total.

The challenge was completed.

What started as a hot-headed challenge thrown to the other fourteen members of Super Junior and Super Junior-M had turned into a fanfiction frenzy. Indeed, some had read more the past month than in their entire lives. What started as a seemingly harmless challenge had turned into something that had affected all of their lives; some for the good, some for the bad.

Mostly for the bad.

The members were all crammed into the dorm in which Heechul lived. Some were sitting on couches, the others on chairs by the dining table, a pair by the computer and, others still, sprawled on the ground since all other sitting areas had been occupied. Even with all the members present, Yesung still had the audacity to bring along one of his turtles. Granted, it took up no sitting space as it was happily kept on his head. The members did not question this.

“I can’t believe we actually finished the damn challenge,” Hankyung muttered from his place on the ground. Heechul sat behind him on a couch, absent-mindedly braiding the Chinaman’s hair,

“I can’t believe we actually have to call him ‘hyung’,” Eeteuk sighed from his seat at the dining table, “No one even calls me ‘umma’. Even Hongki hasn’t called me ‘umma’ for the past two days.”

“He’s hardly going to randomly call you up just to call you ‘umma’,” Kangin rolled his eyes,

“I, for one, am mightily grateful the challenge is over,” Shiwon added, “I can’t believe I questioned my faith for a bit just because fanfictions portrayed me as some bible pusher.”

“I can’t believe you’re still carrying that teddy bear,” Henry murmured as he laid on the ground, his fingers laced beneath his head,

“Now, I told you that Heechul is having a t-shirt made for you,” Yesung gently scolded the turtle he had retrieved from his head, “Patience, little one, patience!”

“Is it just me, or does he just get weirder and weirder?” Zhou Mi inquired, sitting across the table from Yesung, staring in pure befuddlement.

“I agree, I think he should have chosen a ‘Team Hankyung’ shirt instead,” Ryeowook said innocently, oblivious to what the other member had meant,

“They spend too much time together,” Eunhyuk said to the other members, sitting on one of the couches,

“Do you know who spend too much time together? You and Donghae,” Kibum stated aloud from his seat beside Kyuhyun as they sat before the computer together,

“Just spend more time with us and that won’t have to happen,” Donghae suggested lightly. He sat on the end of the couch closest to the computer and was able to reach out and gently pat Kibum on the back.

Shindong, who sat at the end of the dining table which faced the entire room, looked up from his laptop, “You know what I noticed? Sungmin is the only member who didn’t once complain to Heechul.”

“I have nothing against fanfiction,” Sungmin shrugged, sitting adjacent to him, “You all had complaints and, some of them did touch on me,” he ignored the sudden narrowed gaze from Zhou Mi, “However, I still have nothing against the stories, even after this past month. I enjoy reading them now, if anything…”

“How did you even notice that?” Kibum inquired, twisting in his seat to look across the room at Shindong, “I certainly would never have noticed that about Sungmin had you never said anything.”

Shindong shrugged as he looked back at his laptop.

“It’s because he’s been writing about us!” Kyuhyun exclaimed.

“What!?” The other members exclaimed as Yesung said excitedly to his turtle, “Yes, little one, a plot twist!”

Kyuhyun, eyes still glued to the computer screen, explained, “I found Shindong’s website… all his stories for the past month have been about us!” He murmured as he quickly scanned a page, “The Great Fanfiction Challenge… he’s been writing about this stupid challenge!”

Thirteen pairs of eyes glanced towards Shindong.

He, in turn, glanced towards the only member who wasn’t looking at him; “Heechul… seems like we’ve been caught.”

“You had to drag me in, didn’t you?” Heechul scoffed, “You were caught, I was not.”

The other members swung their astonished gazes to the person responsible for the challenge.

Heechul leaned back in the couch and sighed heavily, folding his arms loosely about his torso; “Well, I’m pretty sure everything you’re all thinking right now is close to the truth, if not dead on. Shindong came to me at the end of last month and was bemoaning the fact that he hit a writer’s block. His stories are actually quite popular amongst the fandom, so, after not updating for a few months, he was starting to feel… desperate.”

“Hardly desperate, but I was in search of new inspiration,” Shindong said, taking up the story from where the older man left off; “So, Heechul suggested what if we created our own inspiration. He would sow some seeds and I would reap the situations for my stories.”

When the members’ gazes slowly narrowed at him (with the exception of Sungmin who had already explained he had nothing against fanfiction and Yesung who was quickly explaining the situation to his turtle), Shindong leaned back in his chair and sighed, “It’s a very popular series, if it makes any of you feel better.”

“It looks like the most popular ones is… Mother Eeteuk and… um… nothing…” Kyuhyun trailed off as he suddenly tried to cover the screen from Kibum’s eyes,

“EUNHAE!?” He exclaimed, jumping to his feet,

“At least Kyumin isn’t one of the popular stories,” Zhou Mi stated, having walked over to the computer and looking over the list on the site,

“Too bad it’s one of the most popular in the fandom,” Donghae murmured, earning a scowl from Kyuhyun,

“I don’t make the pairings, I just write about them,” Shindong defended innocently as he returned his attention back to his laptop,

“That’s not true, you admitted to making the pairings yourself,” Eunhyuk accused, “You admitted it to me and Donghae!”

“Oh, what a surprise, Donghae and Eunhyuk, together again,” Kibum exclaimed monotonously (apparently that was only possible for Kibum to do) as he glared down at his boyfriend,

“Well, at least the fandom is recognizing me as your mother,” Eeteuk cried, “At least someone is!”

“Teukie… you originally hated being the mother of Super Junior,” Kangin murmured,

“Well, a man’s got to be a man!” Eeteuk defended, “And now we all have to call Heechul ‘hyung’!”

“Oh Buddha,” Siwon sighed as he picked up the television remote in an attempt to drown out the sudden ensuing arguments amongst the members,

“Weren’t you going back to God?” Henry asked as he shifted his place on the ground so as better to see the television screen,

“Some Buddhists would argue it’s a lifestyle rather than a religion,” Ryeowook commented knowingly,

“My turtles all practice Buddhism, but they attend church on Sundays also,” Yesung said proudly,

“Heechul, what did you do to my hair?” Hankyung asked as his fingers felt the braided locks, “I’m half-wondering if most of your complaints were false,” he muttered as he tried to undo the braids,

“Hmm… some were, some weren’t,” Heechul shrugged as he slipped over the armrest of the couch and walked over to Shindong, “What are you writing now?” He asked quietly,

“Why, this entire confrontation of course,” Shindong answered easily, “This entire conversation is pure gold to a writer.”

“It has been amusing this past month watching them,” Heechul agreed,

“Write more Kyumin stories,” Sungmin prodded, leaning over to look at Shindong’s screen, “Then, send the links to Zhou Mi,” he grinned, “Kyuhyun is going to suffer!”

“Bloodthirsty bunny,” Heechul glanced at Sungmin,

“That would make an interesting plot,” Shindong said in a considering tone,

The three members glanced before them as the members continued arguing with one another.

“All of this because of fanfiction,” Sungmin chuckled softly,

“All of this because of Heechul,” Shindong corrected,

The member in question shrugged simply as he smirked smugly, “You can’t make this stuff up.”

Fin.

[00SJ29] feminine!Heechul pt 6

2011-06-10T21:56:00.003-04:00

words: 878
rate: PG13
(Day 29 of the Fanfiction series.)

It was the second last day of the challenge. Indeed, it was hard to believe that it had already been almost a month since Heechul had first issued the fanfiction challenge to the members of SJ and SJ-M. Lately, the text messages, emails and phone calls had been coming in two’s and three’s, complaining of different stories members had read which supported their earlier complaints. He would have smugly acknowledged the amount, especially considering how resistant the members were to reading in the beginning. He would have.

Unfortunately, no one read as many fanfictions as Heechul did and, unfortunately, he had found another reason to complain. So, as Heechul waited in the airport with Shindong, Kibum and Sungmin, he stated another complaint to the members.

“I’m a woman!” Heechul hissed at the other three members.

One by one, they slowly turned their gazes towards Heechul. They sat in two rows of seats that faced each other, Shindong and Heechul on one side, Kibum and Sungmin in front of them.

“You could’ve fooled us… hyung,” Kibum deadpanned,

Heechul scowled, “I mean the writers. I’m almost always a woman.”

“That can’t be true,” Shindong replied, “I should know, you’re always a man in my stories.”

“Out of all the gender-switch stories, I’m the one who’s most often changed into a woman,” Heechul stated, crossing his arms over his chest,

“Really? I thought it was me,” Sungmin mused, “I’m always a woman to Kyuhyun’s… erm… man.”

“I’ve done the calculations and 78.3% of all gender-switch stories, has me being the woman,” Heechul said matter-of-factly,

The three members blinked at him.

“78.3%...” Shindong repeated slowly, “You can’t be that accurate.”

“I’m pretty sure I can be,” Heechul defended, “I’ve done the math. This isn’t some wildly concocted number – it’s scientific!”

“There’s a complicated mathematical formula, but it is accurate,” Kibum said, finally,

Sungmin angled in his seat to face the younger member, “Really? You know of it?”

“We had Kyuhyun make it last week,” Kibum admitted, “And it’s proven to be quite accurate after we tested it a few times. We’d change the percentage to a ratio and then tested out the ratio.”

Shindong raised a brow, “What did you test the ratio on?”

Kibum looked away, his expression darkening, “Eunhae.”

“Wait, wait, wait, you’ve been bitching and complaining about Eunhae almost all month, it’s my turn,” Heechul interjected,

Three pairs of eyes swung towards Heechul all at once.

“What?” He asked suspiciously,

“You’ve complained more times than anyone else,” Shindong stated,

“This is… what? Your sixth complaint?” Kibum questioned,

“And, they’re always about the same thing,” Sungmin added,

“In truth, your complaints should only count as one,” Shindong concluded, “They’re all about you being feminine in stories.”

“But, this time they’re actually turning me into a woman!” Heechul exclaimed, garnering them looks from several nearby people.

“Shh!” Shindong said, “It’s hard enough having security keeping the fans away without you yelling such weird things.”

“I’d let them near just to prove to them I’m a man,” Heechul muttered,

Kibum blinked, “That sounds… so wrong.”

Heechul scowled, “You know what I meant, I was going to scold them for portraying me as such. First, they’re always saying that I’m always catching when it’s more often the other way around.”

“Did not have to hear that repeated,” Shindong sighed as he glanced away,

“Then, they call me beautiful,” Heechul said, “A man is supposed to be handsome damn it!”

“I thought you liked being called beautiful,” Kibum interjected,

“Then, they comment on my hair as if they know my hair,” Heechul scoffed,

“I can’t believe we’re recounting his complaints,” Sungmin said to Kibum,

“They always call it Hanchul,” Heechul continued, “Putting me last – AGAIN!”

“I have tried spreading Heekyung, it just doesn’t stick with other writers,” Shindong shrugged, still looking away, pretending like he wasn’t a part of the conversation,

“And saying I’m forever wearing pink,” Heechul sighed dramatically,

“You did take back all the pink clothes you gave me,” Sungmin reminded gravely, crossing his arms,

“Finally, they throw the last gauntlet!” Heechul exclaimed, seemingly not caring that crowds of fans stood just a few metres away; “They take away the one thing that makes me a man! They take away my p-”

Shindong immediately lunged at Heechul, clasping both hands over the older man’s mouth, the rest of his sentence muffled; “Dear Buddha, Heechul! I can’t believe you were about to yell that in public!”

Heechul pried the other’s hand from his mouth, “I was going to say pride…”

Shindong rolled his eyes as he settled back into his seat, “Yeah… right.”

“Well, it is my pride,” Heechul stated smugly, glancing down at his own lap,

Shindong looked away again, trying to distance himself from the conversation at hand, “Why ever did I agree to come with you to the airport?”

“Because you owe me a favour,” Heechul shrugged, seemingly having calmed down, finally.

“Oh! They’re connecting the bridge to the plane!” Sungmin said happily, jumping to his feet,

“There better not be any Haemi when they come through those doors,” Kibum grumbled as he slowly got to his feet,

“Haemi? I thought Haery was more popular?” Sungmin inquired,

Kibum’s eyes narrowed, “Another Donghae-pairing? Damn his beautiful face.”

Heechul sighed in mock-drama as he touched the back of his hand to his forehead, “And, I am forgotten once again.”

“This whole month has been about you and your stupid challenge,” Kibum muttered,

Heechul shrugged, a smug smile on his face, “Oh, well, after tomorrow, you’ll all be calling me ‘hyung’.”

(Day 30: The Perfect Plan)

[00SJ28] Hierarchy

2011-06-07T14:16:00.003-04:00

words: 1191
rate: PG13
(Day 28 of the Fanfiction series.)

It was the third-last day of the challenge. The members had long ago given up the opportunity to thwart Heechul's challenge and, instead, had jumped whole-heartedly into the search for reasons to hate fanfiction. With SJ-M still promoting in China, the rest of Super Junior were in Korea, actually having to deal with the creator of the challenge.

Kibum happened to be sitting on the couch with said creator. A pillow hugged firmly in his arms and chin propped on the pillow, he glared sightlessly at the television before thm.

"Yah, Kibummie, don't worry about it," Heechul insisted,

"First Eunhae and, now, Haemi?" Kibum questioned, "When he joined SJ-M, I should've demanded I be put in the subgroup, too."

"He was just joking to get Kyuhyun to leave him alone," Heechul said as he aimlessly flipped through different channels on the television,

"Ugh, don't even mention that brat's name to me," Kangin muttered as he walked into the living room and sat on the couch adjacent to theirs,

Kibum, still glowering at the air before his face, glanced at Kangin, "What did Kyuhyun do to you?"

"Being him," Kangin stated, crossing his arms over his chest, "Acting all innocent and playing the perfect maknae... little do the fans know he's anything but!"

"Ah... what did those damn writers do now?" Kibum questioned, avenom in his voice,

Kangin blinked at the younger man as Heechul flippantly added, "Don't mind him, a new Donghae-pairing has been made."

Kangin nodded his sympathetic understand before answering, "All these writers think that Kyuhyun calls us 'hyung' all the time. I mean, we don't even call each other with honourifics all the time, but to insist that Kyuhyun does... well... that's just blatant lying, isn't it?"

"You all should call me 'hyung' after this challenge is done," Heechul mused,

"No one ever calls me hyung," Kibum sighed, as he hugged the pillow tighter,

"Be born earlier next time, then," Kangin suggested,

"Not even Henry... and certainly not Kyuhyun," Kibum murmured,

"What don't they do?" Eeteuk asked as he walked into the living room, a towel over his head as he rubbed his hair dry,

"They don't call me hyung," Kibum pouted,

"Hmph, I don't know why you're complaining," Eeteuk stated as he pulled out a chair by the dining table, turning it so he faced the other three members, "Nobody calls me Umma."

"Oh... my... Bu-" Kibum stopped when he felt something nudge his foot. He glanced at Kangin who simply shook his head.

"I know children like to rebel, but, really, to break your mother's heart like this," Eeteuk sighed as he used a corner of the large towel on his head to wipe at his eyes,

"Teukie..." Kangin sighed as he began to reason with the Super Junior leader,

"Yah, Kibum," Heechul murmured as he put the television on mute, "Want to see something funny?"

Kibum, who was still scowling, finally sat up straighter and nodded at the older man, "Always."

"Yah! Appa! Kyuhyun was bugging Donghae yesterday!" Heechul exclaimed,

Kangin's gaze swung to Heechul, blinking several times, "Did you... just call me..."

"Youngwoon!" Eeteuk exclaimed, jumping to his feet; "They call you 'appa' and they won't even call me 'umma'! You're turning our sons against me, aren't you!?"

Kangin sighed heavily as he looked back at Eeteuk, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"They're even coming to you for help!" Eeteuk cried,

"They're not coming to me for help. Weren't you listening? This happened yesterday," Kangin defended,

"But, Appa, you have to scold Kyuhyun. He almost made Donghae and Kibum fight," Heechul said innocently in mock-earnest,

Kangin glowered at his hyung, "Stop calling me 'appa'!"

"Don't talk to your son like that!" Eeteuk scolding, coming to stand beside Heechul who sat smugly on the couch,

"My son? He's older than me!" Kangin defended,

"This is why we have a broken home, Kangin!" Eeteuk cried, "This is why HyukJae can't have friends, the children don't call me 'umma', even Hongki doesn't know who his mother is! I thought you were beginning to acknowledge our children, but it seems like I was wrong!"

"Jungsu..." Kangin sighed heavily,

"And, now, Kyuhyun is hurting his hyungs by being disrespectful," Eeteuk sniffed, using his towel as a big handkerchief rather than for drying his hair;

"Kyuhyun's always like that," Kangin murmured,

"Then, it's our job to teach him better!" Eeteuk insisted,

"Appa!" Kibum chirped in a sing-song voice,

"Aish!" Kangin hissed, his arm flinching as if to attack the member,

"Don't you dare raise your hand to our son!" Eeteuk warned, moving to step in front of where Kibum sat,

Kangin pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. Finally, he looked up at the leader, "Will it make you feel better if I talk to Kyuhyun about using honourifics? At least some times and not just when he wants something?"

Eeteuk slowly crossed his arms over his chest as he glared at the supposed 'appa' of the group. He raised a single brow, “Will you tell our children to call me ‘umma’?”

Kangin shot a glare towards the other members who sat behind where Eeteuk stood, snickering quietly. He looked back at the leader, “Just our… children… who are in Super Junior?”

Eeteuk chewed on his bottom lip, “But… But Hongki looks so much like you…”

Kangin truly feared that Eeteuk would burst into motherly-tears if he denied Hongki as being one of their children. A quick glance to Heechul and Kibum confirmed his suspicions that the two were close to imploding from holding in their laughter.

He sighed heavily, “What if I had Shindong write a story acknowledging Hongki as our son?”

Eeteuk’s eyes widened and shined with what Kangin was afraid were tears; “But… but… you won’t acknowledge Hongki?” He held his towel just below his eyes as if to catch any stray tears,

“I have Hongki’s number if you want to give our dongsaeng a call, Appa,” Heechul offered innocently,

Kangin, who was close to throttling the other member, threw him a venomous stare.

“Heechul! You’re so generous! I’m glad to see at least one of our children has learned their manners!” The leader cried, “You know, I bet Jaejoong doesn’t have these issues with their children…”

“Fine! Give me the damn number,” Kangin practically growled as he took out his own cellular.

He ignored the way Eeteuk beamed at him happily as Heechul called out the digits to him. Throwing one last glare towards Kibum and Heechul, he stood from the chair and began pacing away as Eeteuk took his spot on the couch. Heechul turned the volume back on, but him and Kibum were still able to hear pieces of Kangin’s conversation with the F.T. Island member; they were sure Eeteuk blissfully ignored it.

“Eeteuk’s gone momentarily crazy,” Kangin explained, “And I need you to call him ‘umma’ at least once.”

He paused.

“What? No, not the others, just you,” Kangin stated, his tone slightly panicked, “I don’t want to have more children with him!”

Unfortunately, Eeteuk heard that part of the conversation and looked over with suspiciously expectant eyes.

(Day 29: feminine!Heechul pt 6)

HELP STOP HATE

2011-06-05T20:54:00.005-04:00

Dear Readers,

It's been brought to my attention to read this post: click here

and, after doing so, I cannot help but feel anger and disgust towards these people who claim they are Super Junior fans, and, yet, are projecting themselves as such hateful, spiteful creatures.

I urge you all to read that post and to share it around, to help bring a stop to hate and cyber-bullying. People don't realize how big of an issue cyber bullying actually is and a lot of what they're saying is not just cruel, but pure evil.

I do not wish harm upon these people, because I believe in beneficence and non-maleficence. I do not even blame their parents for what they have become because it is the individual's choice to say and do such things. They rejoice in suffering and make it their goal to cause it upon others, particularly the person mentioned in that post.

What makes me even more sad is that some of them are proven to be my own countrymen. To throw such hatred towards one person, casts us in such a dark light. To display themselves in such a manner, to bring disgrace upon the Filipino heritage. I can only hope that others do not believe that the Filipino E.L.F.s are also prone to such racism, degradation and malice.

1 out of 20 reported suicide attempts ends in death.
That means there are more suicide attempts happening, and some are going unnoticed!

Let's stop more from happening!!!

Let's show unity.

Let's show them that it ends here.

[00SJ27] I like the way you move

2011-06-04T12:23:00.003-04:00

words: 783
rate: PG13
(Day 27 of the Fanfiction series.)

“I want to be a dancer.”

The other members of SJ-M glanced towards the second-youngest member who had spoken up so abruptly as they sat around the table eating breakfast on the fourth-last day of the fanfiction challenge.

“You… do… dance…” Hankyung said in a placating tone, “You danced last night… on stage.”

“Do you mean when the hyungs do their dance solos?” Henry asked as he idly played with a tube of raspberry lip gloss,

“What? No. They can all dance to their hearts’ content, I mean in stories,” Kyuhyun stated as he leaned back in his chair and folded her arms over his chest, “Apparently I don’t dance enough in real life to warrant being a dancer in stories, but what is the point of stories if not to be different from reality!?”

“The stories should still be believable,” Ryeowook said innocently, not knowing the barb his words had.

Kyuhyun stared at the other man with hurt in his eyes just as Donghae clapped his hand over Ryeowook’s mouth.

“C’mon, Kyuhyun, do you really want to be a dancer?” Siwon asked,

“I would like the option,” Kyuhyun muttered, shooting another glare at Ryeowook who was prying Dongahe’s hands from his mouth,

“What is it with everyone and having options?” Hankyung asked, “If you want something, then go get it. Eeteuk wants children, so, fine, we let him think whatever he wants in that head of his. We’ll let him believe Hongki is his son. Shindong wants to be paired with guys, then he should go out and meet some guys.”

“Shindong’s straight,” Henry interjected,

“Donghae wants to be with DBSK, fine, so he joins Cassiopeia,” Hankyung continued, “If you want something, then get it. Kyuhyun, if you want to be a dancer in stories, then be a dancer in real life!”

“That’s too much effort. Can’t I be a dancer just in stories?” Kyuhyun asked, a slight whine in his voice,

“Imagine if you had Donghae dress up like you just so you could convince writers that you’re a dancer?”

Zhou Mi laughed,

Kyuhyun turned his gaze to the China man beside him.

Henry glanced at Kyuhyun and then groaned, “Oh, Buddha, no…”

“Can he really?” Kyuhyun asked, sitting up straighter in his chair,

Zhou Mi blinked, “I was kidding?”

Kyuhyun, ignoring him, turned his eyes to Donghae who sat across from him, “Hyung… Hyung, can you?”

Donghae blinked, “But I…”

“Please?” Kyuhyun stared at him imploringly,

“Did he just say please?” Siwon whispered to the SJ-M leader,

“Forget that, did he just call Donghae ‘hyung’?” Hankyung replied,

Henry touched his hand to the other man’s forehead, “Doesn’t feel hot…”

Kyuhyun smacked his hand away, “Quit it before I throw your lip gloss off the balcony.”

“Evil!” Henry exclaimed, suddenly clasping his beloved item to his chest,

Kyuhyun turned his attention back to Donghae, “Hyung? Please?”

Donghae blinked, gaped, and looked at the other members for help. When they didn’t reply, he muttered, “Traitors,” before turning back to Kyuhyun, “I… I… ’m not tall enough?”

“Insoles!” Kyuhyun replied,

“Our… our hair is different,” Donghae suggested,

“Wigs!” Kyuhyun piped,

“I… don’t do power notes,” Donghae said weakly,

“Voice-over!” Kyuhyun grinned,

Donghae glanced at the other members who watched in stunned silence. Kyuhyun, apparently, was dead-set on having Donghae pretend to be him just so he could be a dancer in fanfictions. His eyes finally rested on Zhou Mi.

He grinned.

“Well…” he began slowly, “If I’m going to pretend to be you, it has to be pretty authentic so the fans don’t realize the switch.”

Kyuhyun nodded violently in silent agreement as the members gaped in surprise.

“That means,” Donghae said, “That I’m going to probably have to sleep with Zhou Mi.”

Kyuhyun blinked and then abruptly stood up, grabbing Zhou Mi’s arm as he did so, “To hell with being a dancer!”

He walked off to his room, dragging Zhou Mi along with him.

“It’s so wrong because we know what they’re probably doing in there,” Siwon shook his head as he looked at his half-eaten breakfast, suddenly without an appetite.

“We always know what they’re doing in there,” Hankyung rolled his eyes as he stood, taking his empty plate with him to the kitchen,

“Aren’t you worried?” Ryeowook piped,

“About what?” Donghae asked,

“What happens when Kyuhyun tells this to Heechul-hyung?” Ryeowook prompted,

“Then, we’re one more day closer to Heechul winning the challenge?” Donghae asked,

“What if Kibum’s around when Heechul’s told about this and Kyuhyun mentions what you said about Zhou Mi?” Henry reminded,

Donghae blinked, “He… wouldn’t…”

Henry raised a brow, “This is Kyuhyun we’re talking about.”

“Oh Buddha, you’re right!” Donghae groaned as he buried his face in his hands, “Do you think he’ll keep quiet if I promise to switch places with him?” He jumped from his seat and raced to Kyuhyun and Zhou Mi’s room, “Kyuhyun! What if – AH!” Donghae, who had walked freely into the room, was suddenly back in the hallway, the door closed securely at his back; “Well… that’s a different kind of dance.”

Ryeowook looked up, “Really? I want to see!”

(Day 28: Hierarchy)

[ROM7] Light's Temptation

2011-05-27T15:30:00.006-04:00

words: 9380
rate: PG13
(Chapter Seven of the Reign on Me series.)

Chapter Seven: Light's Temptation

The first thought that ran through his head was that she had finally just called him by his name. She had said it often enough, but when it was preceded by his title, it seemed less personal. Also, the way she said it sent a shiver down his spine. She said it like a kiss, soft and gentle. She said it like a caress, warm and intimate.

The second thought that occurred to him was how beautiful she looked. She was dressed in another one of his mother’s gowns that the late queen had worn as a young lady. The silk hugged her torso and hinted at the softly curved lower limbs. The lace was a stark contrast to the darker, brilliant green and added just enough adornment to make the dress less plain. The lace, which trimmed the upper edge of the dress and made up the sleeves that just wrapped around her upper arms, seemed to reveal and hide parts of her at the same time. Her shoulders were bare, yet her neckline was covered with the soft lace. It enticed the admirer to want to see beneath the lace.

The final thought darkened all previous thoughts. It turned him cold, sending a shudder throughout his body. He felt his heart turn over and harden. Surely he hadn’t heard her correctly? How could she say such a thing after the kiss they had just shared?

“What did you say?” He questioned, not meaning his words to come out like a low growl.

“I said goodbye. I need to leave, Siwon,” she said simply, softly, that sad, smile still on her pink lips.

“Why?” He demanded, standing up from the armchair,

“I’m not a prisoner, indeed, I could have left days ago,” Taeyeon shrugged slightly, causing the lace around her upper arms to shift ever so slightly, “I stayed because of Sungmin, however, he will benefit from remaining here and obtaining real training from a full mage. I will return to my own kingdom without him and, then, when his training is done or he is released from your brother’s keeping, he will follow.”

“I know you can leave, I mean, why now? You could have decided to leave after Kangin had offered to train him. Why now?” Siwon demanded, fists clenched at his sides and thick brows narrowed angrily.

When Taeyeon simply looked away, Siwon closed the distance between them, grabbing her upper arms, “Is it because of what you heard me say? Taeyeon, those were just words. I was just saying them to get my brother to stop teasing me.”

“You don’t have to lie for my benefit –”

“I’m not,” Siwon insisted, “What I said before to Kyuhyun were lies!”

“Siwon, please –”

“If you don’t believe me then ask my brother,” He stated firmly, “He even knew I was lying the moment I said the words.”

“Why would you lie in the first place? All you would have to do is tell him to stop teasing you,” Taeyeon argued, still avoiding his dark gaze,

“Because I care about you more than I should… more than I like to admit,” Siwon confessed, his voice low but strong, “Because saying those words was an attempt to make them real, to fight this… this attraction I have towards you.” He shook her slightly to pull her attention, the lace beneath his hands rivaling in softness with her bare skin, “Because the fact that I care about you at all scares me.”

Taeyeon turned her gaze to his, her amber eyes trying to read something – anything – from his face.

“I told you that I would risk my own soul to help you, Taeyeon,” Siwon said quietly, his hands rising from her arms to her face, cradling it again firmly yet gently, “Why would I say such a thing, do such a thing, if you didn’t matter to me? If you held no consequence to me?”

Taeyeon felt herself drowning in his gaze. When once she may have thought his gaze cold or stern, now they seemed like warm obsidian, drawing her in further and further until it was too difficult to look away. His words beat around her heart until they found a crack in her defenses and seeped in, burrowing deep into every core. He spoke so sincerely that she ached to believe him. Yet, she had believed him before and gotten hurt. Even if she believed him again, that still opened her for more hurt. She wasn’t sure if she could handle such vulnerability after a life of sheltered care.

“The consort…” Taeyeon murmured, finding it difficult to finish talking.

Seeing the consort sitting with Siwon had shook her like nothing else. The jealous that had been borne within her startled her, fascinated her. She had never felt it before, but had known immediately what it was, what it meant. She had wanted to do everything in her power to remove the consort from Siwon’s side, to have him for herself and her alone.

She had been close – too close – to announcing her royal status just to have the consort bow at her feet and concede Siwon’s hand to her. She had stopped because she knew the dangers of her presence in the Dark Kingdom being known. But she had still been tempted. She still feared that what truly stopped her had been her sudden awareness that her magic was starting to take affect.

“She means nothing to me,” Siwon insisted, “None of them do. How could they when they don’t know me? All they see is a prince and a crown. All they see is a future of being a queen. They don’t know who I truly am. They don’t even know that the gardens are all my own work. I told you before that you know me better than all others.”

“Then, why?”

“Because I was jealous,” Siwon confessed, “I had seen you and that mage outside of the gardens yesterday. I had seen the way you two were together and I wanted you to see that I also had other prospects, that there were others who were eager to be at my side.”

“At the gardens…” Taeyeon murmured as she pulled away from his hold and paced towards a nearby window.

The ongoing storm had begun shortly after she and Sungmin had exited the gardens. Had what the prince had seen been the reason for the storm? Perhaps it wasn’t a natural storm like she had naively believed? What had happened by the gardens? She scarcely remembered, her thoughts had been so wildly focused on Siwon and his hurtful words.

She stood by the window and closed her eyes and tried to remember. They had stood outside one of the entrances into the maze. She remembered holding Sungmin’s hand because she needed some kind of comfort from him, the kind that could only be achieved through physical closeness. Then, she remembered raising her other hand to hold the side of his face, a gesture of affection that was instinctive to her. Sungmin had surprised her then by turning his head to kiss her hand.

She opened her eyes, staring into the black, storming sky. Is that what had Siwon seen? How much had he seen? If, she was correct and the storm was his doing, then what he had seen was enough to cause him to unleash such chaotic water magic. She sighed heavily, he had every right to say all those words about her. She had asked him to kiss her, had been inappropriately close to him and then he had seen her be just as close with Sungmin.

To someone who didn’t know the real situation, who didn’t know that Sungmin was just a very close friend, she would seem fickle, perhaps even two-faced. No, he was right to say those words about her, regardless if he meant them or not. Any anger or hurt that was left redirected itself away from Siwon and towards herself.

“I must seem so despicable,” she whispered to herself. She turned to face Siwon, startled to find he was standing right behind her. She tipped her face up to look at him directly, “The sooner I leave, the sooner this storm will end.”

“It won’t,” Siwon replied as he stared down at her,

“This storm was started because of me, wasn’t it? Because of what you saw?” Taeyeon prompted.

Siwon simply stared at her for a moment. Finally, he gave her a single, sharp nod.

“Then if I go I won’t be around to upset you anymore,” Taeyeon insisted,

“If you go, Taeyeon, I will be inconsolable,” he admitted quietly, firmly, his dark eyes simply gazing at her, the hint of sadness in their depths.

“But why? Don’t you feel like I’ve been playing with you?” Taeyeon questioned, “Don’t you feel like I’ve been going between two different men? You should hate me, Siwon!”

“And, yet, I don’t,” Siwon replied,

She stared up at him and managed a weak, “Why?”

“Because I’ve gotten to know a bit about you,” Siwon answered, “I know that you feel the pressures and restraints of your station and crave to be free of them, even for just a moment. At the same time, you would risk all to do your duty and protect your kingdom, even going so far as to set fire to your own hand. This tells me that you know what you want but also have a strong sense of duty.

“I know you have been naïve about my kingdom, but you accept your shortcomings and are inquisitive enough to ask what it is you don’t know or what you have been mistaken about. This tells me that you may have grown up being sheltered. However, you’re not afraid to acknowledge your weaknesses. Rather, you try to improve yourself, to learn and grown in order to become a better person.

“Someone who does all those things, is all these things, does not seem, to me, to be the type of person I should hate,” Siwon stated simply.

Through Siwon’s words, Taeyeon’s vision had become blurry with thick, hot tears. She hadn’t dared to look away, so entranced by his steady gaze and sincere words. She hadn’t even wiped a single tear away, so enthralled by the moment that she was practically paralyzed by wonder.

A chance for love…

“I’m not so great of a person,” Taeyeon murmured, “It was naïveté that led my hand to be burned. It was pure spite that led to my ignorance of your kingdom and your people. Indeed, I’m not a strong person at all because all I wanted to do earlier was run away. Ever since I heard you say those things, all I’ve wanted to do is run away rather than face you, rather than talk to you.”

“Why do you think so lowly of yourself?” Siwon asked gently as he raised his hands to her face, brushing away her tears with his thumbs,

“I don’t, I simply see myself as I truly am,” Taeyeon replied. She tried to look away, but his hands held her in place,

“Or perhaps you simply have not lived enough to be better or, stronger, as you say,” Siwon offered,

“I’m only a few years younger than you,” Taeyeon stated,

“Yes, but you grew up sheltered, didn’t you? A princess in your kingdom, I would assume you would be guarded like the kingdom’s greatest treasure,” Siwon guessed,

Taeyeon dropped her gaze, “I do not blame my brother. What else was he to do after our parents’ murder?”

“Taeyeon, if you truly believe you’re not as great as I see you to be, then stay here longer,” Siwon suggested, “Instead of leaving, running away, stay here for as long as your mage does.”

“Siwon… about Sungmin,” Taeyeon tentatively looked up at him again,

Siwon shook his head, “Never mind about my jealousies. I have no right to you while he is your fiancé. It was cruel of me to punish you when you didn’t deserve it.”

“But, Siwon –”

“If a person is caught between two people, some might believe them to be weak-willed or fickle. However, because that person is you, I believe that your heart is too big, that you have too much love for just one person,” Siwon said quietly, ignoring the pain in his heart,

“That’s not true, if I truly loved Sungmin it wouldn’t be like this,” Taeyeon stated,

“It’s okay,” Siwon insisted as he wiped the last of her tears away, “I know it’s possible for someone to have two loves.”

Taeyeon’s eyes widened at his words and she was acutely aware of a sudden, sharp pain in her heart. So startled was she that she allowed Siwon to walk her back to her bed and sit her down.

“Are we friends again?” Siwon asked,

Taeyeon looked up at him and nodded, “Yes… Yes, of course.”

“I’m glad,” Siwon gave her a small smile that immediately transformed his handsome face. He leaned down to press a kiss to her head, “You should rest. You still feel quite hot.”

Taeyeon watched as the prince then strode out of her room, the door closing quietly but firmly behind him. She moved further onto the mattress and lay down, pulling the sheets and blankets overtop of herself once again. As she stared up at the canopy, she silently scolded herself for being a fool.

Why hadn’t she told him the truth about her engagement? It simply would have been easy to explain that Sungmin and she were only pretending to be engaged. It would have made their situation simpler and, perhaps, he would have kissed her again.

She touched her fingers to her lips, still able to feel the strength and warmth of his lips against hers. That had been her second kiss in her entire life, but it had differed greatly from the kiss Sungmin had bestowed upon her. Indeed, she felt the kiss she shared with Sungmin a sad comparison to what had happened between herself and Siwon prior to their conversation.

She should have told him the truth, especially since it was apparently the conversation to reveal all kinds of inner thoughts and feelings. So, why hadn’t she?

She sighed heavily as she rolled over onto her stomach and buried her face into her pillow, “Because I’m a damn coward,” she muttered out loud.

She lay there for an indefinite amount of time, waiting for the exhaustion that had been plaguing her since she woke up to take over again. As she did so, she turned her head so she could gaze out the window where she and Siwon had been standing. Before she finally succumbed to sleep, she realized that the storm had already subsided, the clouds having parted and the moon and stars were already shining in the velvety, black sky.

…

It was a bright morning when a messenger was admitted into the study. He strode forward and handed over a folded piece of nondescript paper. At his dismissal, he bowed to the king, turned and left immediately.

Eeteuk opened the piece of paper and read the short lines written there in a familiar script.

The flowers were almost singed but that’s because the sun was too bright. The flowers are alright now.

Eeteuk placed the paper down on his desk and stared at the words. He had understood the first letter completely: Sungmin had found Taeyeon and they were alright. This one was a little too broad for immediate interpretation.

“The first part is about Taeyeon,” Eeteuk muttered to himself, “The sun… no, this is all about Taeyeon. So, she got emotional again but is okay now.”

He sighed heavily, raking his fingers through his thick locks. He wished he knew all that was happening. Sungmin had found Taeyeon already, but why hadn’t they returned. Further more if they couldn’t return, then why? And, even if they couldn’t return how was it that they were able to send him messages? Surely it was only Taeyeon who would word such a message for him?

He should have raised the hue and cry the moment he had known Taeyeon was gone. He should have damned his duties to hell and sent the kingdom aflame in the search for their lost princess. She was more than just his beloved, precious sister. She was his family, all of his family. She was his only confidante, the one person he told all. Since the war, he rarely trusted anyone and those of his court he did trust, he did so warily. It was a lonely thought, but it was the truth.

She was the only one who would not betray him, not because he was king or because he was her brother, but because she was who she was and she loved him. Now that Sungmin was with her, he didn’t have to send out a search party, but he regretted every moment not doing so from the very beginning. He had ensured her safety for years, he shouldn’t have balked now regardless of the consequences to the kingdom. The fact he didn’t know what was happening to her now heaped more guilt and pain onto his conscience.

He knew they had gotten to the Dark Kingdom. How deep into the Dark Lands, he wasn’t sure, but they had managed to find the Dark Mage. From their messages alone, he wouldn’t have been able to deduce that fact. Indeed, he probably would have believed his letter was still in Sungmin’s pocket if it weren’t for another nondescript letter that had been sent to him.

This particular letter accompanied the first. It had been written by a different hand, its strokes thick and bold and so familiar that Eeteuk had almost dropped the letter from shock. The letter had been just as succinct and mysterious as his own letter to the Dark Mage. It, also, only contained three words:

I promise you.

He pulled out the letter from the breast pocket of the black silk vest he wore. He opened the letter and reread the three short words over and over again. It had been fifteen years since he had last seen that writing. It had been fifteen years since he had heard at all from the sender.

Eeteuk wondered how he looked now. Was he taller? Thinner? Thicker? His hair was fully shaved now, he was sure. He had heard whispers about the Dark Mage over the years, so he must have become a full mage over those fifteen years. If not, he would have been known as the Dark Lesser Mage, just as Sungmin was known as the Lesser Mage of the Light.

Eeteuk wondered how he was now. Did he still have that secret smile, as if all of life amused him and made him happy? Did he still chuckle softly to himself as if he had to hold back all the joy that was within him? Then, Eeteuk realized that if he was a full mage, then his answer to those questions would be no. He knew the consequences of being a full mage would have on one’s soul.

It was a sad revelation. Thinking, no, knowing that someone who was so friendly, had such a sunny disposition was now void of all warm emotions was depressing. Since that someone was the Dark Mage and he had known him fifteen years ago, was devastating. Had he changed greatly then? Was he so different that Eeteuk no longer knew the man as he had known the boy?

Eeteuk folded the Dark Mage’s letter and replaced it in his left breast pocket. After fifteen years, he still could not forget about the Dark Mage. After fifteen years, he still could not stop thinking about the boy who gave him his first kiss. After fifteen years, he still could not forgive the friend who had betrayed him which led to the murder of his parents.

He prayed that with the kingdoms in a truce, his sister would remain safe with the Dark Mage.

…

“I swear, Minx, I could happily kill you sometimes,” Sungmin sighed.

It was the morning after Taeyeon had spoken with Siwon. Sungmin had come into her room to speak with her. Now, he sat at the foot of the bed, his back against one of the posts and his legs stretched out before him along the end of the mattress. Outside the sun was shining brightly; not even a cloud was present, hinting at the storms that had doused the lands just the previous evening.

“That’s not a very nice thing to say when someone is,” she sneezed loudly, “Sick.” She pulled out another tissue from a box and blew into it,

“Yes, but you wouldn’t be sick if you didn’t go running into the rain. And then fell asleep in the field,” Sungmin scolded lightly,

“I was just… so tired of everything,” Taeyeon sighed as she sat back against her pillow that she had propped up against the headboard so she could sit comfortably. “I’m not a mentally strong person, Min.”

Sungmin laughed, “You are, you just don’t think you are. You’ve grown up sheltered, hardly ever leaving the castle grounds. You barely know the streets outside of the castle. You have never had the need to deal with any hardships, disappointments. That doesn’t mean you’re not strong, it just means you haven’t been pushed to be strong. Now that you are,” he shrugged, the laughter gone from his face, “It scares you because it’s something new, something different. That doesn’t make you weak, Taeyeon. It makes you human.”

“I wish I could know if you’re right,” Taeyeon muttered as she grabbed another pillow and hugged it, balancing her chin over top its edge,

“Then test yourself. Don’t run away,” Sungmin suggested,

“That’s what Siwon said,” Taeyeon said quietly, tentatively looking at the mage,

Sungmin raised a brow, “Siwon? When did you speak with the prince?”

“Last night,”

“Last night? But after Kangin brought you in he said no one was supposed to disturb you,” Sungmin stated, “Well… he is the prince and this does explain the suddenly sunny weather.”

Taeyeon merely nodded.

“What did you two talk about?” Sungmin asked and added belatedly, “If you don’t mind me asking.”

Taeyeon blinked, “You never have to worry about asking me questions, Sungmin. You’re my best friend.”

Sungmin smiled and then scowled, “Do I want to know what you two talked about? If he talked to you then he was in your bedroom, alone. Do I have to duel the damn prince?”

Taeyeon blinked some more and then laughed out loud until she fell into a small coughing fit. Sungmin scrambled to her side, rubbing her back as she coughed over and over, the exertions causing her entire body to spasm. When she had stopped coughing, Sungmin settled on her left against the headboard rather than returning to his previous spot.

“Why didn’t Kangin just take away your fever?” Sungmin inquired, “He did it before.”

“I told him the previous time that I didn’t want him using his magic on such a small thing,” Taeyeon explained, “My body can get better on its own. It’s only weakening it by relying so heavily on magic.”

“Ah, wise words from a supposedly weak person,” Sungmin said lightly, “But you still haven’t convinced me not to duel the first prince.”

“No, you do not have to duel the prince,” Taeyeon said with amusement, her amber eyes dancing with silent laughter, “If anything, Prince Kyuhyun should be coming to challenge me to a duel.”

Sungmin’s eyes widened and then he made a face as if he had just tasted something bad, “Maybe I don’t want to know what happened last night.”

Taeyeon flattened the pillow she was hugging onto her lap. She placed her hands atop the pillow, the right thumb rubbing small circles in the left palm; “I just talked to him like you told me to.”

“And more, apparently,” Sungmin rolled his eyes, “So you two are okay? What am I saying, of course you are, it’s so sunny outside. I don’t even know what you two are.”

“We’re friends,” Taeyeon shrugged, “That’s what he’s asked to be and that’s what I’ve allowed him to be.”

“But you like him as more than a friend,” Sungmin reminded,

“Yes, but it’s a little more complicated than that,” Taeyeon replied,

“You didn’t tell the prince we’re not really engaged, did you?” Sungmin questioned,

Taeyeon raised her own brows at him, “Tell him the truth? We never said we were telling people the truth.” She paused, “You told Prince Kyuhyun, didn’t you?”

“I have no reason to not tell him,” Sungmin stated, “Actually, neither do you.”

“Sungmin, we started the engagement for a reason!” Taeyeon exclaimed before she turned her head to sneeze into a tissue,

“Yes, but the reason for that isn’t here. I don’t see hordes of suitors coming after you here,” Sungmin noted simply, “You have one potential suitor and he has my complete blessing to court you.”

“He doesn’t need your blessing and who says I want him to be my suitor?” Taeyeon questioned stubbornly,

Sungmin rolled his eyes, “Taeyeon, this is another form of running away.”

“You think I don’t know that?” She asked, “You think I’m not completely aware of the fact that I’m acting a coward in not telling Siwon the truth? It scares me how he affects me, even from the first time I met him. It scares me how much he means to me in such a short amount of time. It scares me how much he knows me after a few days. It scares me how much some words he said – albeit, he was just lying – hurt me so much. It scares me how easily he could hurt me, Sungmin. So, I’m sorry for being a coward, but anything and everything that relates to the prince scares me.”

She turned slightly towards him and leaned her forehead against his shoulder, “I always knew I was sheltered. I never realized how much until I was out here on my own… I never understood what vulnerability felt like until I left my castle. When I first came here, I felt physically vulnerable; first with the Dark Mage and then with the royal guards. Now… now, I feel emotionally vulnerable: All. The. Time.

“Being physically vulnerable is less scary. You can get hurt but you’re still okay on the inside. Being emotionally vulnerable, however, is just… it’s devastating sometimes,” Taeyeon confessed quietly, her own words making her more exposed; “Being vulnerable on the inside… it… because other things get hurt; more important things.”

“Like your heart?” Sungmin suggested, “And maybe even your soul?”

A knock at the door saved Taeyeon from answering – perhaps even confirming – Sungmin.

“Yes?”

“Sorry to disturb you, but I was wondering if you were up for… leaving your room,” Prince Kyuhyun’s words trailed off as he entered the room, his gaze falling upon the pair, “Well, then… Don’t you two just look cozy.”

“You just barge into ladies rooms in the morning without their consent?” Sungmin raised a brow at the prince who didn’t move closer into the room or retreat back into the hallway. He mere stood just a foot into the room.

“I barge into all rooms without consent. I’m not used to ladies staying in the castle,” Kyuhyun defended,

Taeyeon, who was still dressed in the same gown as the day before, stared back between the second prince and Sungmin, “Prince Kyuhyun, please take a seat,” she gestured to one of the armchairs by the fireplace.

“Oh, I would hate to disrupt such an intimate time,” Kyuhyun said sarcastically, his gaze still locked with the mage’s. Then, as if realizing who he was talking to, he shook his head and look at the princess, “Forgive me, I didn’t mean to be so –”

“Rude?” Sungmin quipped,

“Yes, you did,” Taeyeon said, “At least, not to me, I hope. It’s alright, Prince Kyuhyun. Please, take a seat, you’re not disrupting anything.”

Kyuhyun closed the door behind him and grabbed one of the armchairs and brought it to the right side of the bed. He sat in it and folded his arms about his torso, “You scold me for barging into people’s bedrooms while here you are sitting with the princess in her bed.”

“Princess Taeyeon and myself are very close,” Sungmin shrugged,

Kyuhyun’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, “Yes, I gathered as much.”

“What were you saying when you came in?” Taeyeon asked abruptly, trying to stop the two from getting in some kind of covert argument.

“Kangin requested a meeting with you. I was heading to this wing and offered to give you the message,” Kyuhyun explained, his expression lightening when he turned his gaze to hers, “That is, if you feel okay to leave your room.”

“I feel okay to leave the room,” Taeyeon insisted just before she sneezed again, “I just need to change first.”

Kyuhyun nodded as he stood from the chair, “I’ll wait for you in the corridor if you’ll permit me to escort you to the study?”

“Yes, of course,” Taeyeon replied as Sungmin helped her off the other side of the bed.

Kyuhyun headed to the door and opened it. He paused and looked back at the mage, “I believe the princess requires privacy in order to change.”

“Do you?” Sungmin asked Taeyeon seriously, “You don’t need me to zip any zippers?”

“Hmm… not this time,” Taeyeon grinned, her eyes dancing with amusement.

“Ah, I have been banished to the hallway. Very well, Princess,” Sungmin formally bowed over her hand before joining Kyuhyun and exiting the bedroom.

Once the door closed firmly behind them, Kyuhyun turned on Sungmin, “You said you two were friends.”

Sungmin, whose back was almost against the door, stared unwaveringly back at the prince, “We are.”

“That scene in there certainly didn’t look like just friends,” Kyuhyun scowled, his dark gaze burning with blatant jealousy,

“I said we were very close,” Sungmin shrugged,

“How close? So close she lets you sit in bed with her? So close she would let you stay in the room as she changed clothes?” Kyuhyun demanded, his voice a low growl,

“Yes to all those things. However, for the latter, I turn my back while she’s changing,” Sungmin corrected, “It’s just more private to speak in her bedroom than anywhere else, especially if we want to keep certain facts unknown to the rest of the castle.”

“You two were teasing me in there, weren’t you?” Kyuhyun questioned darkly,

“You mean the byplay just now? Yes,” Sungmin answered,

“You told her about us?” Kyuhyun raised a brow,

Sungmin raised his own brow, “There is no us. I simply told her that I told you the truth about the engagement.”

“That’s all you told her?” Kyuhyun asked,

“That and that you want to sleep with me,” Sungmin stated bluntly,

“You said that to her? She’s a lady,” Kyuhyun scolded,

“She knows everything about me. I’m hardly going to start hiding things from her now,” Sungmin shrugged,

“So after I do have you, you’ll tell her all about that, too?” Kyuhyun asked, lowering his voice even more, making it warm and seductive, his dark gaze drawing the mage in.

Sungmin had to dig his nails into his palm to steady himself, to stop himself from leaning closer to the prince, into the warmth he radiated. Somehow, he managed to remain calm, managed not to jump the prince right then and there. Somehow, he managed to quirk a smirk and suggested teasingly, “Perhaps. After all, she did tell me about her and your brother and what happened last night.”

That statement sobered Kyuhyun immediately. The dark temptation from his eyes and tone were gone when he questioned, “Last night? What happened last night?”

The door opened behind Sungmin before he could even contemplate whether or not to answer the prince. He stepped out of Taeyeon’s way as she stepped into the hallway and looked at the two men suspiciously, “Is something the matter?”

“Nothing at all,” Sungmin said innocently as he offered her his arm,

“Prince – I mean… Taeyeon, that dress looks very beautiful on you,” Kyuhyun complimented as they made their way down the hallway, “I’m sure if my beloved mother were still alive she would be jealous.”

“Thank you, I do appreciate your brother loaning them to me. It’s quite fortunate they didn’t have to be tailored to fit,” Taeyeon smiled at the prince,

Kyuhyun blinked, “Yes, they have.”

Taeyeon faltered, almost falling if Sungmin hadn’t steadied her immediately; “They have?”

“My mother wore those when she was a young lady being courted by my father. Bless her soul, but even at that age she was almost as tall as I am and,” Kyuhyun cleared his throat and looked straight ahead, “Well-endowed. Not… not that you’re not just that… that she was… more.”

Taeyeon laughed lightly at the pink creeping on the prince’s cheeks, “But if she was so… different from me, how do the gowns fit? I wasn’t measured for them; they were simply there a few days ago.”

“Siwon probably had them tailored prior to you receiving them,” Kyuhyun suggested,

“But… they fit perfectly,” Taeyeon stated, glancing down at the gown she wore that morning.

Made of white cotton, it had a wide V-neck, the corners of the base almost touching her shoulders. The sleeves were fitted to her upper arms, stopping just above her elbows. Like the dress from the other day, it fitted to her upper body, flaring from the waist down to her knees. The sleeves and skirt were trimmed with thick, dark green ribbon. Her hair was pulled back and held by a tie at the nape of her neck and she was wearing the dark green ballet-like slippers. As always, she was dressed simply yet elegant.

“My brother is both artistic and meticulous when he chooses to be,” Kyuhyun divulged, “I’m not sure if you know about the garden maze –”

“You told me he maintains the plants sometimes, but he told me he created the maze and I’ve seen him maintain it himself,” Taeyeon interrupted,

“Interesting…” Kyuhyun murmured before he continued, “Well, the maze, while being very large, is a perfect square. Each path is exactly the same width as all the other paths, down to the last centimeter. The walls are all exactly even. In fact, if you were to divide the maze into quarters, you would realize that the pattern of paths in one quarter matched those in the others, simply rotated differently. Also, there is an open area in the very centre of the maze and forms a perfect circle.”

“So much work on detail,” Sungmin said appreciatively,

Kyuhyun nodded in agreement, “He probably took one look at you, Taeyeon, and was able to – more or less – accurately guess at your measurements.”

“Quite accurately,” Taeyeon replied as they reached the top of the main staircase, “What does Kangin want to see me for?”

Kyuhyun shrugged, “He didn’t say. I guess we’ll know soon enough.”

…

“I want to train you,” Kangin stated after Taeyeon, Sungmin and Kyuhyun had settled in the library.

After Taeyeon had insisted it okay the others be present, she sat in one of the chairs before the desk where Siwon sat. Sungmin stood behind her chair as Kangin sat in the other chair before the desk. Kyuhyun, as was his habit, wandered off to a nearby window, seemingly distracted by the view, but all knew he was acutely attentive to the conversation at hand.

Taeyeon blinked, “What?”

“If you wish it and if you’ll allow me, I want to train you,” Kangin explained, “What happened yesterday could have been avoided if you had been properly trained to control your magic.”

“But… But Eeteuk doesn’t want me learning how to use my magic,” Taeyeon stammered, gripping the armrests tightly. This was what she had been wanting for years and, yet, she still didn’t want to upset her brother.

“I’m not teaching how to use your magic, I’m just teaching you how to be able to control it, especially if you’re too happy or… the extreme opposite,” Kangin replied, “From the moment I met you, I knew you were not only blessed with a lot of Light Magic, but a great abundance of it. If fully unleashed, I do not think I’d be wrong in stating you would easily beat Sungmin and Prince Kyuhyun’s magic in terms of amount and potency.”

Taeyeon turned her gaze sharply over her shoulder, “Did you know about this?”

Sungmin waited a heartbeat before replying, “Yes and no. I knew how dangerous your magic could be, but I attributed it to the volatility of your emotions rather than that of your magic.”

“Why didn’t you say anything before?” Taeyeon questioned,

“Would you like to discuss this now, or perhaps later when it is just the two of us?” Sungmin asked quietly,

Taeyeon stared at him a moment, her amber gaze narrowed before giving a sharp nod and turning back to look at Kangin, “So you would teach me to, what, contain it if it threatened to go loose?”

“Something like that,” Kangin answered, “Because you have so much magic, even just having any moderate emotions sets off your magic. Just now when I told you about training you, you were surprised enough to send magic trickling from you. Not enough to do any elemental magic, but enough, I warrant, that if someone you didn’t like tried to go near you, they would find unable to do so; a kind of barrier.”

Taeyeon blinked and looked back up at Sungmin, “The suitors?”

“Perhaps, but you were adamant whenever one of them got too enthusiastic around you,” Sungmin shrugged, “There’s a possibility they were turned away by your words just as much as your magic.”

“Have you received any training at all?” Kangin inquired, “The burn on your hand seems like it was a first.”

“I received some training once it was realized my magic could be unleashed with my emotions. I was taught how to ensure I didn’t get burned by fire magic and now I do not even realize I’m doing it. What happened a few days ago, I had to consciously force myself to stop protecting myself against fire magic,” Taeyeon answered,

“If you learn how to control your magic, eventually you won’t have to be wary of your own emotions,” Kangin stated simply,

“This is preposterous. In order to learn about magic, she’ll have to use her magic!” Siwon exclaimed, standing from his chair,

Kangin slowly turned his silver gaze to the prince. He stared at the prince a moment, tilting his head ever so slightly to the side as if deciding something. Eventually, he simply replied, “It’s a risk, yes, but it may be far preferable than having to constantly restrain one’s emotions.”

“It’s why Kangin started training me,” Kyuhyun stated quietly from the window. Even with his back to them, he could still feel their gazes upon him, “It is a risk, I agree with you, Siwon, but it is also a solution. If you are truly considering this, Princess, it may be one of the best decisions you have ever made.”

“Kyuhyun, a word, if you don’t mind,” Siwon said curtly, striding over to the fireplace. He waited as Kyuhyun slowly joined him there, far enough from the others that they could speak privately. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I’m giving my opinion,” Kyuhyun shrugged,

“You know the dangers of using magic! How dare you try to convince Taeyeon to even think about using her magic!” Siwon hissed quietly, his eyes narrowed darkly,

“So, you’re on a first-name basis, now? Well, I’m not trying to convince her of anything. I’m merely telling her what I truly believe. If she’s to make a decision, she should be informed about it from someone who’s made the same decision,” Kyuhyun defended, his own gaze narrowed angrily at his brother,

“She shouldn’t even be given this decision to make! If her magic is as potent as Kangin says it is, then she could lose a large part of herself after this so-called training is done,” Siwon argued,

“You don’t get to make her decisions for her, Siwon. Regardless of how you may feel about her, it is her life and her decisions. Just like you couldn’t make my decision for me, you can’t make hers for her,” Kyuhyun countered,

“I regret everyday that I was unable to convince you otherwise!” Siwon growled,

Kyuhyun’s expression wavered for a moment, a flash of hurt in his dark eyes so fast that Siwon wasn’t even sure it had been there. Kyuhyun’s eyes narrowed further, “You have no idea what it is like. You have no idea what it is like to live, day by day, scared of your own emotions. You have no idea what it is like to have to restrain your own emotions – the good and bad – out of fear of what your magic might do. You have no idea what it is like to literally fear your own emotions because at any moment they could empower your own magic to overtake you.”

Siwon’s expression relaxed and he took a step away from his brother, the look of anger in his eyes replaced by concern. Kyuhyun looked away, hating how his vision blurred and how his eyes stung with unshed tears. He took several deep, slow breaths to steady himself, knowing if he didn’t centre his control immediately, his magic would be unleashed like the night Sungmin had come to the castle.

“Kyuhyun –” Siwon reached out to his brother,

“You don’t know what it was like for me after…” Kyuhyun trailed off, stepping away from his brother’s outstretched hand, “Don’t… Just, don’t, Siwon. I thought you at least understood what I was going through, why I asked Kangin to train me.”

“He doesn’t just train you, anymore, Kyuhyun. I’ve seen you two training, you’re learning how to use it,” Siwon countered,

“It’s all for distraction, Siwon. It’s always been for distraction,” He replied quietly, defensively, bitterly.

Kyuhyun kept his gaze averted and his brother guessed he was still struggling against his tears. Because of that and his brother’s earlier, painful rejection, Siwon kept his distance from Kyuhyun.

“I don’t want to lose you to Dark Magic,” Siwon said eventually, softly.
.
“I was going to lose myself to it anyway, whether I become so emotional I lose control of it or whether I use it through training. At least, this way, I have some reign over how I lose my soul,” Kyuhyun replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

Before Siwon could say anything, Kyuhyun quickly and quietly left the study.

“I apologize for my brother. He suddenly realized he hadn’t visited our father yet this morning,” Siwon easily lied as he returned to his desk and sat down.

“I was just explaining to the princess what training would mean for her and how it would differ from the training I give to Sungmin and Prince Kyuhyun,” Kangin informed, “That is, should she choose to learn.”

Taeyeon twisted in her seat so she could look at Sungmin directly, “What do you think I should do, Sungmin?”

Sungmin raised a brow, “I’m just a mage, Princess. I don’t have a say in the matter.”

Taeyeon covered one of Sungmin’s hands, which had been on the back of her chair, with her own, “I want you to have a say in the matter. Please, Min.”

Sungmin sighed even as he conceded, “Using magic will always have its risks. In moderation, it’s fine, but to constantly be exposed to magic is risky. You especially would be exposing yourself to a great deal of magic since you have no control over the intensity.”

“But you were going to train me yourself,” Taeyeon reminded,

“Yes, but that’s… different,” Sungmin replied,

Taeyeon raised a brow, suddenly suspicious, “How?”

Sungmin contemplated what to tell her. Eventually, he answered honestly, “Your brother kept control of your magic whenever you were in or near the castle.”

“What!?” Taeyeon gasped as she jumped to her feet, “Can he do that!?” She looked back and forth between Sungmin and Kangin,

“With the correct spell, he’d be able to help contain your magic,” Sungmin replied,

“He knows the correct spell and it’s easier since you’re both Light users,” Kangin confirmed,

“Wait… are you telling me that Eeteuk actually has Light Magic and is able to use it?” Taeyeon demanded, her amber gaze glaring at the two mages,

Kangin blinked, “You didn’t know? But you knew the robes you wore were his old ones.”

“I thought he wore them out of some childish delusion he’d get magic, not that he actually has it!” Taeyeon defended, crossing her arms over her chest, “All this time… all these years he told me he didn’t have any Light Magic whatsoever. All these years he’s been lying to me? Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“I thought you knew,” Sungmin insisted, “I could sense the magic in him and he informed me that he contained your magic to help you control it. All he ever said to keep secret was that he was helping you control your magic. After all these years, the topic of whether or not your brother has magic never came up between us.”

“Of course, you were always kept in the nursery,” Kangin realized, “And he probably stopped training after the war.”

“So you did spend time at my castle,” Taeyeon said as she sat back down, “That’s how you know so much about my brother and why you didn’t know me – wait! Training? Eeteuk used to train?”

Kangin sighed heavily, “I guess he’s too far to get mad at me, but yes. Part of my training was done with the mages in the Light Kingdom and your brother was training also.”

“If Eeteuk trained, then it’s only fair that I do so, too,” Taeyeon held up her hand to silence anyone who dared interrupt her; “If I train, it is to control my magic, not use it. I understand the risks by doing so, I’ve been told and warned about it over and over again by several different people this week alone. However, I also feel that learning to control my magic will greatly benefit me and alleviate any fears I have about my own emotions.”

She turned her amber gaze on the Dark Mage, “I would like some time to think over your offer.”

“Of course, Princess,” Kangin bowed his head respectfully. “I’ll be on my way then. How are you faring?”

“My fever’s gone down,” Taeyeon offered with a small smile,

“That’s good to hear,” Kangin bowed towards Siwon and then left the study.

“I’ll escort you back to your room,” Sungmin offered,

“Oh, but it’s so nice outside. I want to sit and feel the sun for just a bit,” Taeyeon stated. She lowered her voice, “Besides, you want to go search out Prince Kyuhyun.”

Sungmin raised a brow at her words before stating simply, “Your health comes first.”

“If the princess wishes it, I can escort her to the terrace,” Siwon said as he stood from his chair, “The first hint of a breeze and I will bring her back indoors.”

“While you two are making decisions for me, I’m going to escort myself outside,” Taeyeon announced stubbornly as she stood from the chair.

She was halfway to the door when Sungmin grabbed her arm, “Taeyeon…”

“I’ll be fine. Go find Prince Kyuhyun,” She insisted quietly,

“You just want to be alone with him,” Sungmin muttered, “Don’t go jumping any princes.”

“You just make sure you don’t do that, too,” she grinned up at him,

Sungmin sighed before turning to Siwon who stood silently behind his desk, “Your Highness, would you please escort the princess outside?”

“Of course,” Siwon replied as he came around his desk and strode to them,

Sungmin followed them out of the study and then paused before he separated from them. He gave Taeyeon a meaningful stare before bowing to them, masking his bow to Taeyeon as one to the prince. Then, he left in quiet search of the second prince.

…

Once out on the terrace, Taeyeon suggested they enter the maze. Siwon led Taeyeon to the flower garden in which they first ran into one another in the maze. He chose that particular part of the maze because of its calming atmosphere, hoping the scent of lavender would help her to rest later on when she returned to the castle. She sat down and tilted her face up to the sun, closing her eyes immediately. Her hands in her lap, she instinctively began to massage her left palm with her right thumb, helping soothe the soreness that was more or less constant in her left hand.

The flowers in the sanctum had been trampled by the powerful rain, petals of purple and blue strewn about the flower beds. Siwon knew that all the other gardens in the maze would be like this, if not worse. The garden they were in was one of the first ones that had been cleaned up already that morning. Siwon had gotten some of the servants to go about to clear the maze's paths and gardens, strictly instructing them not to disturb the flowers regardless of the ruin. No, they were his duty, his to acknowledge the chaos and damage he had caused, his to rectify and heal. Already the flowers around them were beginning to rise from the soil beds like phoenixes from the ashes.

“What did you want to say to me?” Taeyeon asked lightly, not a change in her posture or demeanour,

“What?”

“You’ve wanted to interrupt the discussion in your study several times, yet you did not except for that one time,” Taeyeon said simply,

“You didn’t ask for my opinion,” Siwon drawled,

"Because if I did, it would show that I had partiality towards you. And, if you answered, you would show you had partiality towards me. Your outburst shows your thoughts on the matter, but if you said something in direct relation to me it would mean something different to them," Taeyeon countered as she turned her face to him and opened her eyes, her amber gaze steady,

"So you want my opinion?" Siwon questioned,

"Yes."

"My opinion is that it would be stupid to risk even a part of your soul to your magic. My opinion is that it would be stupid to willingly expose yourself to so much magic. My opinion is that it would be stupid to allow yourself the temptation to use magic after learning to control it," Siwon stated, each word slowly, steady and precisely said, his voice like a dark growl, a warning.

"Well, then... it's good to know what you think of me," Taeyeon murmured to herself as she dropped her gaze.

She swallowed past the lump forming in her throat. She had asked his opinion, after all. She couldn't blame him for how she felt afterwards, the pain stabbing at her heart. Being vulnerable was terrifying and he only proved to her why and just how terrifying.

She slowly stood, clearing her throat as it tickled with a cough, "I have had enough sun. I'm going to return to my room. You don't have to escort me," Taeyeon stated as she raised her gaze to his, steady and serene; every inch of a princess.

Siwon stared at her a moment before nodded, "Of course,"

When she placed her hand on his arm, he turned fully towards her, capturing her chin between thumb and forefinger, "What did you say?"

"Well, if you didn't hear, then I'll repeat it: it's good to know what you think of me," Taeyeon repeated firmly, eyes narrowed at him,

"You think that's what I think of you? I called those things stupid, not you," Siwon retorted,

"It's the same thing!" Taeyeon exclaimed, "Because I want to do the training! I want to learn how to control my magic!"

"I would rather see you marry that mage than practice magic!" Siwon stated quietly, his voice low and vibrating with ill-concealed frustration,

"Why must all of our conversations go back to Sungmin?" Taeyeon demanded as she pulled away from the prince's hold, "Why can't we have one single conversation where you don't bring him up? Why can't it just be you and me for a just a moment!?"

"Because he's your fiancé!" Siwon exclaimed bitterly, practically spitting the words, "Because regardless of what I want he will always be there between us! And you may be more than happy to forget the fact that he is your fiancé, but I'm not!"

"I never forget that he is my fiancé!" She grounded out angrily,

"Oh really? Because it seems to me that every time we're together, you conveniently forget about him and start asking me to kiss you or you kiss me," Siwon countered,

"You said you understood that people could be caught between two people! That someone can have two loves!" Taeyeon reminded, his words piercing deeply in her heart,

"Yes, I understand it can happen, but it doesn't mean I have to like it when I'm one of those people!" Siwon argued, hands gesturing in the air further trying to convey his frustrations and anger, "You think I like how he met you first? That he knew you first? That he loved you first? Well, I don't, Taeyeon! I hate it! I hate it so much that I nearly destroyed my gardens! I hate it so much that I ended up hurting you in the process!"

"You think I like how things are between us?" Taeyeon demanded bitterly, "You think I like the situation we're in? I know he's my fiancé and he doesn't deserve to have his fiancée cheating on him! He has never done anything wrong! He has never hurt me, never said nor did anything cruel to me! He is too good a man and I don't deserve him!" She breathed heavily after her exclamations. Finally, she added quietly, as she turned her back to him, wanting to hide the tears that had formed in her eyes, "Regardless of what's happened between us, you're too good a man as well and I don't deserve you either, Siwon."

"I tried, Taeyeon," Siwon said angrily as he closed the distance between them, his chest just inches from her back; "I tried to be your friend, just your friend. I tried to be understanding and kind, but I can't when you look at him, when you touch him, when you speak with such blatant love and trust for him."

He wrapped his arm around her from behind, grabbing her jaw with his left hand as his right hand cupped her shoulder and slowly slid down her arm; "You're not the weak one, Taeyeon... I am," he pressed a kiss to her temple, her hair soft against his cheek, "Tell me to stop, Taeyeon. Tell me to stop right now. Say his name, remind me you have a fiancé," he murmured, trailing kisses from her temple to her jaw, slowly moving her head to the side to expose more of her neck to his lips.

He moved around her, his lips tracing her jaw, "Stop me, Taeyeon. Please, I'm not strong enough to stop now." His lips hovered over hers as he stared down into her pale amber eyes, "Stop me," he whispered, her scent dispelling the flowers' as it filled his nostrils and revived his lungs. "Stop me," he pleaded, obsidian orbs drawing her in again, deeper and deeper still.

Taeyeon gazed up at him, completely aware of him. One of his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her up as she was bent slightly backwards over it. He hovered over her, his torso a hair's breadth from touching her own. His other hand held her chin, his thumb swiping back and forth in a slow, seductive caress on her lower lip.

She felt physically and emotionally vulnerable. She also felt her heart racing a mile a minute, her lungs struggling for air, as every time she inhaled, it was his breath she took in. She felt small and feminine in his arms and wanted to snuggle closer to him, relishing in his warmth and strength. She should push him away, stop him now. She should run from him and not look back. She knew he was dangerous the first time she saw him. She should do as he asked and stop him. But this was Siwon and she was never able to do what she ought when he was involved.

So, she raised shaking hands between their bodies, higher to his face, cradling his strong jaw just as he would do with hers. Gaze locked with his, amber and obsidian, light and dark, burning fire and water's depths, she did exactly opposite of what he asked and closed the distance between their mouths. She pulled back almost immediately, her entire body trembling at just his proximity, the feel of him around her, the memory of his kiss and the heat it brought her. Already that heat began in her stomach and stretched out like flames of fire to her limbs, wrapping around her like a cocoon of burning desire.

"You were wrong about one thing," she breathed, "I don't love him."

He kissed her.

(Chapter 8 - Light's Respite)