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doitforbangchan · 3 months ago

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Ever Lovely - 2

Pairing~ Fae Prince!Bangchan x reader (afab/fem) x Fae Prince!Lee Know

Warnings~ Angst, cursing, crying, fae tricks, death (murder?), sort of mind reading?, almost violence, magic

WC~ 9.4k

Masterlist // series masterlist

previous ~ next

There was a flash of vivid colors that invaded your vision, it was like being transported to the inside of the brightest rainbow, some colors you had never even seen before, and you felt your body floating for just a moment. There was a sharp tingle that shot down your spine and if you weren’t being held by the two men you were sure you would have dropped to your knees from the sensation. The colors kept getting brighter and brighter until you could no longer make out the distinct hues and they all blended into one blinding light.

Just as the brightness was becoming too much and you felt like you were about to pass out from the intensity, suddenly it stopped. All at once your sight was flooded with darkness- no, not darkness- a beautiful display of purples and blues swirled in the darkness and small shining balls of light casted a glow among the scenery. They looked like stars. Like spiraling galaxies that you would usually need a telescope to see were churning right before your eyes.

Your breath was caught in your throat as you took in your surroundings. The three of you were standing in what looked like a dark forest, but the trees were black and were void of leaves. They too glittered much like the birch you had just encountered but these ones seemed to shine much more than the other, the gleam from them making your eyes twitch. Beneath your feet was a cobblestone path, but the stones were a deep mauve color. You could see in front of you where the path would lead you too and that sight was the most incredible thing you had ever encountered in your entire life.

Directly in front of you was a massive dark castle. You could clearly make out the gleaming limestone walls and the multiple spiraling towers, the gray slate roof giving it a deep gothic feel. It was magnificent all on its own but that wasn’t what made you lose your breath; it was that the structure was floating.

Your mouth was agape and you dropped both of the hands you previously held so you could cover your surprise with your palm. From the right side of you you could make out a light snicker from Minho.

“Pretty, isn’t it?” He asked with a teasing tone to his voice, but it sounded deeper than before.

You nodded, “Beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like it before.” For the first time since you appeared here you looked at him. You held in a gasp at his appearance. The fae looked much the same but also different at the same time. His eyes were slightly bigger and they held a white glow behind his slitted pupil. His black hair was a little longer and his ears were pointed. Even his skin seemed to have more of a tan to it.

You risked a glance to your left at Chris and you could see his features had been altered as well. His curls seemed to be more defined and the color was lighter, closer to a honey blond now. The strands layered over his ears which were even longer than before. His pale complexion was lighter too, in a way that could be considered sickly if you thought too hard about it. Chris’s arms seemed to hold more muscle as well, you could see the definition even through his loose tunic shirt. It was his eyes that had really caught your attention though. Instead the deep brown orbs that held a faint purple glimmer now were replaced by dazzling amethyst iris’s.

These men were gorgeous. Prettier here than they were before. As if they could read your thoughts, both princes looked at each other with sly smirks before turning their attention back to you. Chris stuck out his arm for you to take, and you did so still feeling stunned by your surroundings.

“Welcome to the Court of Stars, princess. Our home.”

“It’s breathtaking.” You breathed, unable to stop your roaming eyes. As the galaxies swirled above you a sudden chill ran through you and made you pull your cloak tighter around you. “You were not lying about it being cold here, Minho.”

He shrugged, taking off his own cloak. “There is no warmth in deep space, same goes for a court with no sun.” Minho flung his cloak over your shoulders and began to fasten the tie in front. You went to protest but you were cut off before you could. “Just take it, human. You need it more than I do.”

You chewed on your bottom lip and bowed your head in thanks to him, “Thank you.”

Your arm was being tugged by Chris, who was eager to get you back to his castle. “Come, you must see the court from the tallest tower. You can see all the way to the winter court from there!”

Chris led you down the mauve path, catching you each time you stumbled on an out of place stone as it began to crumble the farther down it you walked.

“Winter court? How many lands are there here?” You asked, holding harder onto his arm. You were glancing around and noticed that the closer you walked to the castle you noticed that the path itself began to float in pieces off of the ground.

“Too many to count.” Minho murmured from beside you. He waved his hand and the path came together again and turned into pink steps but still remained in the air. He snickered at your little ‘wow’ you let out in wonder of the magic. Humans are so easily impressed by a little bit of magic, it’s amusing. “You never told us why you were upset about your engagement.”

Oh. Right. “It is complicated.. I do not know him, and I do not love him.”

“What is complicated about that? You do not need to know someone to marry them.” Minho stated like it was obvious. “Marriage is not about love. Marriage is about gaining allies and power.”

You let out a small huff at his declaration, rolling your eyes. “You sound like my mother. It is not so simple as that, I refuse to have a loveless marriage like I have witnessed my whole life.” You thought back to your father and how he is never seen without a drink in his hand.

You all walked up the steps together, albeit with a bit of trepidation on your part. As you climbed higher you could see more of the grounds that surround the castle. You could see a large topiary garden filled with many different shapes; some familiar to you like common animals, and others in shapes of things you had never seen before.

Chris noticed how the garden had caught your eye, “Do you like them? I had them made, a creature from each of the courts that the boys come from.”

“It is very lovely. Who are the boys?” You inquired, craning your neck to try to make out some of the creatures made from the plants.

“The other princes.” Chris said casually, making you look at him bewildered.

“Other princes? Does that mean you two are-”

“Is that a human?!” You were cut off abruptly by another voice and your face was forcibly yanked to the side, your chin being held tightly by another figure. In front of you now was a beautiful man, with shoulder length bright red hair that fell into his eyes and plump lips. His fingers were blazing hot and they dug harshly into your skin. Your eyes widened in fear and you tried to move away from him but the man kept you steady and leaned closer to your face. “Woah you are a human! I’ve never seen one this cute before!”

“Hyunjin,” Chris laments, “Let her go, this is our guest.”

Hyunjin leaned even closer to your face and he tilted his head to the side as if trying to see into your soul, his face completely neutral. Your fear spiked as you felt his breath on your face and you began to tremble when his eyes flashed with a magenta glow. Then a wide grin took over his face and he began to giggle, releasing your face and standing up straight again. You noticed how sharp his teeth were and you gulped and looked away from him.

Hyunjin glanced slyly at Chris and Minho, still giggling, “Now what made you two bring a cute little human here, hm? I must say I could see Chris bringing a little plaything but you Min? I’m shocked!” He reached out to pinch your cheeks again but his hand was slapped away by Minho.

“Don’t get your tunic in a twist, Hyun.” Minho rolled his eyes and Chris chuckled

“Hyunjin, may I introduce Princess Y/n, heir to the human kingdom of Azura, our guest and not a plaything for your amusement.” Chris introduced you to the fae man.

Hyunjin bowed dramatically, “Pleasure to meet you. I am Hyunjin, one of the many princes of the court of stars.” He grabbed your hand forcefully and brought it down to his mouth, where he proceeded to lick a fat stripe along your palm.

You recoiled and held back a shudder in disgust and trepidation. “It-it’s very nice to make your acquaintance, your highness.”

“Oooo ‘your highness’ eh? I like you.” He grinned and went to lick you again.

“Alright, that’s enough.” Chris pulled your arm back from Hyunjin and used his shirt to wipe off the spit. “What are you doing out in the garden Jin? You know what happened last time you spent too much time with the plants.”

The statement made the red haired boy look sheepish, his fingers twiddling at his side as he huffed, “ I wasn’t touching them, only lounging in my canopy. And it’s not my fault your precious garden is so… flammable.” Chris and Minho both side eyed him. “The real question is where have you been?! It’s been almost two months since you’ve been home!”

Chris rolled his eyes and ushered you along to the entrance of the castle, ignoring the red haired boy's question all together. Hyunjin looked like he wanted to reach out and grab you again but Minho smacked his hand away again and sent a warning look. “Behave, Hyunjin. This one is not to be messed with. Do you understand?”

“But whyyyyy?” He whined, stomping his foot like a petulant child. Minho honestly did not have a valid answer, he just knew that he felt the need to protect you here. Hyunjin could see the elder hesitate and it made his lips curl up in a knowing way. “Hmm, you like her!”

“I do not like anybody.” Minho rolled his eyes and turned to follow where you had gone with Chris. “Especially not a human.”

“Yeah yeah alright, you keep telling yourself that. Your secret is safe with me.” Hyunjin used his fingers to zip his lips shut. Minho flipped off the younger fae and stomped off. “Wait, Min! A word of warning, you should not let the human in the ballroom right now.”

That made Minho look at him in confusion, “Why?”

Hyunjin grimaced, “Minnie is in there playing with his own human.”

Chris led you through the massive front door and with a light wave of his fingers the doors opened seemingly on their own. If you thought your home had great architecture you were surely mistaken after seeing this place. The walls were gray but embedded within them were multicolored crystals that twinkled from the reflection of the glowing indigo flames that came from the chandelier. Along the walls were more of those vines with the light pink flowers that you saw in the portal room.

As you entered you noticed a few beings that resembled the staff back at your own castle, but they were noticeably different. They were all smaller than normal humans, with sunken eyes and large pointed ears. When they saw it was Chris who came in the door each one of them offered him deep bows, so low their noses almost touched the floor.

“Welcome home your majesty.” They all said in unison, their heads never lifting.

“At ease, imps.” Chris said in a bored manner and at once they all stood and continued with whatever they were doing. They skittered around carrying various objects as if moving them, some of them scurrying over your feet as you walked, making you jump closer to Chris. He grabbed a small one as it ran by, scruffing it like a kitten. “What are you imps doing?”

The creature squeaked at being held, a slight tremble in its expression. “ Prince Felix has requested the room be switched around.”

“Hmm, very well. Where is he now?”

“The prince is in the sky chamber enjoying his dinner, your majesty.”

“I see,” Chris hummed then dropped the imp to the floor, “You are excused.” The imp bowed respectfully before running off. He then turned back to you, “come along, princess. The observation tower is right this way.”

You clung to him and followed diligently. Chris took notice of how tight you held onto him and he wanted to coo at you for being so cute.

After a moment you found your voice again, “So you are royalty as well?”

“Yes, I am one of the princes of the court.” He nodded, leading you through the castle.

“How many of you are there?” You timidly asked.

“There are eight of us in total. I am the eldest and the crown ruler.”

“Wow, I was not aware that I was in the presence of not only an otherworldly being, but such an important one at that.” Your mind was swimming as you processed the incoming information. “Is Minho a prince as well?” You looked around, noticing he was no longer with you both.

“Such an inquisitive little thing aren’t you?” He laughed, ruffling your hair. “I thought I was to do the questioning.”

“Oh forgive me, I was just curious.” You were bashful and you felt your ears heat up.

He laughed again, “I was only teasing you, princess. Ask whatever questions you like. That is why I brought you here after all.”

You nodded, feeling better about being so inquisitive. “Are you all brothers?”

He shook his head, “No. Only my younger brother Felix and I are related. The others don’t even come from this court originally.” You came upon another set of double doors and once again they opened without being touched. “Right this way, it is not far now.”

The both of you walked down a twisting hallway. You noticed the walls were lined with portraits with fae people painted upon the canvases but the pictures appeared to be.. Moving? No, you must certainly be mistaken. There was no way a painted portrait moved. After using the back of your hand to rub your eyes you blinked up at the walls and sure as shit, they were moving. It was like a moment in time replayed on repeat, the images movements repeating themselves every few seconds. Many of them were doing simple things; a smile and a wave, a flip of hair,a boundless twirl. But the one that stood out to you the most was a painting of the most enchanting woman you had ever seen.

You felt your feet stop moving as you stood in front of her, just taking in her exquisiteness. The woman was tall in stature as she seemed to be standing on a balcony overlooking the grounds. Her skin was a light lilac color and her hair was white and she let it flow in thick waves down her back. There was a large crown upon her head and looked to be made of thick dark vines, but it was encrusted with glittering pink, purple and blue gems. Her indigo dress looked like liquid silk as it cascaded down her looming figure. The most interesting thing about her though, was the large third eye that rested on her forehead. She looked ethereal almost, as the portrait replayed a moment of her hair blowing lightly and her eyes twinkled, her smile gentle as she looked back at the painter.

“Incredible..” You found yourself whispering as you gazed up at her. It was then that you remembered Chris was with you so you turned to him, “She is beautiful. Who is she?”

He offered you a tight lipped smile, the sentiment not meeting his eyes, then he kept walking with you, “No one, anymore. Let us continue.” His response made you furrow your brows as it was the first time he did not answer your question, but you chose not to pry on the matter. Approaching a gilded door you could hear some chatter and a clatter of cutlery from within and it made Chris sigh and click his tongue, “Ah they are both in there. I’m sure they’ll get quite a kick out of you, my dear.” They? Who were they?

With another flick of his wrist the door opened, a slight creak in the hinges as it did. As the door opened you were met with a large room with an open roof, giving a clear view up into the swirling galaxies above. The walls had large gaps- like many small balconies that overlooked the court. Where that woman was standing. Two figures were lounging on velvet couches in the right corner of the room, tea cups and pasties strewn across a small decorative table.

At the sound of the door opening both of the men peered their heads over the top of the couch. You could see one head with pure black hair and another with light silver hair. Two sets of eyes widened at the sight of you, then at Chris who accompanied you.

The silver haired one was the first to raise his head all the way up, a simpering smirk on his face. He was slim and had large eyes, his silver hair was shoulder length but half of it was tied behind his head and out of his face. You could barely make out a smattering of freckles across his cheeks and nose. Overall he was very.. Pretty. “Now what do we have here, Christopher?” The deep timber of his voice shocked you- you hadn’t expected a boy who looks so pretty to sound like that. Though you noticed the accent was similar to Chris.

The other man spoke up now, peeping his head up a little more as you both got closer to them. “Have you come to join us for a meal?” The darkness in his eyes gleamed and you could see the plumpness of his cheeks. His black hair was wavy and fell like curtains on his forehead. He had a mischievous glint about him but it seemed like everyone you’ve seen so far has that look so you thought nothing of it when the man stuck out his hand and tried to hand you a muffin.

“Oh, thank you.” You did not wish to be rude, especially to a fae so you went to take it from him, but right before your fingers could touch it the muffin was snatched out of your hand by Chris.

“Nope.” He mumbled then surprised you even further by launching the pastry off of the closest balcony, off into the darkness. Before you could even ask why the hell he did that he had already put his attention back to you, his stare hard and blazing. “Never accept food from a faerie. You could be bound here forever if you consume any food from this realm.”

Your heart was beating heavy in your chest, not just at his chastising but also because a dangerous fae being almost pulled a trick on you and you would have never known.

The dark haired fae pouted, making the silver haired one snicker. “That is no fun! Come on Chris, let us play!”

Chris pointed his finger at them as if scolding naughty children, and his glare turned dangerous and predatory in an inhuman way. “This human is not to be played with, boys. This is Princess Y/n, of the mortal kingdom of Azura, and she is my guest. And as long as she is here she will not be privy to your little games. Do I make myself clear?”

The two boys looked at each other for a second then back at Chris, answering in unison. “Crystal clear.”

The easy going smile returned to the elders face, as if he had never become a totally different person a mere second ago. You knew the switch in him should have scared you - it did scare you- but it also made you feel a slight tingle in the pit of your stomach, in a way that you had only felt when watching the kings guard back at home while they trained. It made you feel thankful he could not see the effect he had on you.

“Princess, meet Jisung and my younger brother Felix. Or as they are more commonly known as the ‘Sunshine’ twins.” He introduced you to the Princes.

You curtseyed, lifting the hem of your dress formally, “It is an honor to meet you both.”

Jisung suddenly climbed up over the edge of the couch, clamoring over to you and getting as close as he could to you. “Hello pretty human, I’m Jisung.” He grabbed your arm with both of his hands, yanking you over to where he was previously sitting. “Come sit with us!”

Your other arm was grabbed by Felix as he forced you to sit between him and Jisung. You looked over to Chris but he did not seem alarmed by their movements so you relaxed a little. The elder went and sat on a chair directly across from you, and poured a cup of tea then pushed it towards you. “Here you can drink this.”

“I thought you said not to consume anything?” You were confused, eyeing the cup suspiciously.

“I did, but the fae who offers it to you can pick and choose if they wish to curse you or not. So only accept things from me and Minho. The tea is fine, please enjoy it.” He poured his own cup and drank from it casually.

As you timidly lifted the teacup to your mouth from your peripheral vision you could see the sunshine twins were watching you intensely. Not maliciously, just curiously. Taking a sip you hummed gleefully at the taste. It was sweet and fragrant, like fresh picked cherries with a hint of something spiced.

“Do you like it?” Felix asked from beside you.

“It is excellent.” You chirped and set your cup down gently.

From up close you could see his features better and you could make out that his freckles were not just random specs, but shapes. More like constellations that were etched into his skin. When he noticed you looking at them he winked at you, then his freckles glimmered as if they turned to glowing stars. If you had less self restraint you would reach up and touch them.

Both boys giggled and leaned their chins on your shoulders, their fingers coming up and playing with your loose strands of hair. You broke the silence with another question. “So, you are twins? What is that like?”

Jisung pinched the plushness of your cheek, “Aww a curious little thing.” He cooed. You wanted to smack his hand away but instead just let him do it.

Felix fluttered his eye lashes at you as he snickered, “We are not real twins. We are not even from the same court, but we were born so close together and we share a lot of similarities.”

“What court do you come from, Jisung?” You asked the fae, trying to ignore the way they messed with you.

“The court of Storms. It was nice, but a little too stuffy if you ask me.” He grimaced and made a disgusted face. “And the members of that court are a kind of…”

“Pretentious assholes.” Felix finished the other sentence, Jisung nodding in agreement.

Chris snorted, “As if you two aren’t the same.”

They both looked offended at the elder fae. “We are not!” Felix protested. “And anyways, Chris, where have you been? You know, you missed the show a few weeks ago.”

He shrugged at his brother's question, not wanting to offer up too much information if it wasn’t necessary and instead moved onto the second topic. “I heard. Pricilla will get over it, she always does.”

Jisung hummed, “I’m not too sure about that. She’s never been the most forgiving queen, at least not to me.” He pouted and flung a dramatic arm over your shoulder. You tensed up at the extreme physical contact but he paid it no mind.

Felix reached over and ruffled Jisungs hair with a cheeky snicker, “You cannot blame her for kicking your ass after you massacred her pixie garden.”

“Ugghhhh how was I to know that pixies don’t like lightning? I can still feel her claws sometimes.” Jisung shuddered in disgust.

“Wait, you killed them with lightning?” Your eyes widened with a slight panic. They both ignored your question.

“You are lucky she didn't have you killed for that slight against her, Ji. Though the same may not be said about my dear brother.” Felix’s lips curled teasingly as he peered over at Chris.

You also looked over to the man but he seemed to not be paying that much attention. There was a far away glaze over his eyes and you could see his ears were twitching slightly, as if he could hear something the rest of you could not.

“Chris, are you alright?” You quietly asked, chewing your bottom lip.

The mention of his name snapped him out of his daze immediately, his attention back on you. He gave you an easy going smile, “Course. Sorry, sometimes they are so loud.”

You were confused, “They…?”

Felix leaned close to your ear and you could feel the amusement radiating off of him. “ Chris can hear wishes.”

“Wishes? What do you mean?” You interrogated, the idea sounding absurd to you.

Chris answered, clicking his tongue. “ Not all wishes, only the ones that are being made on shooting stars. The voice of the wisher floods my mind as they are making the wish.” He rubbed his temples, “It is involuntary. Another incredible gift from the Court.”

“Shooting stars..” You whispered, taking the information in. You yourself had made plenty of wishes on shooting stars, you wondered if he could hear your wishes. How mortifying!

“That’s not all he can do! Chris can also grant wishes. You could ask him for anything and he could get it for you.” Felix sent a sly smirk at his brother.

Chris could see just what these boys were doing; how they were trying to make him seem more appealing for you. Obviously you were important to him if he brought you to the wilds and didn’t let them mess with you, Chris never cared to keep his humans alive all this long.

“Well not anything.” He said, lounging back.

“Isn’t that just sooooo amazing, Y/n?” Jisung giggled, sending a wink towards Chris. “Chris’s powers are incredible! He is sooooo strong! And he hasn’t even taken the crown yet, imagine how strong he’d really be if-”

“Jisung, you’re making him all grumpy.” Felix pouted, jutting his lip out and pointing at the elder. Your eyes followed the finger and saw Chris was glaring daggers at Jisung. “He doesn’t like it when we hype him up like that, especially about the,” He looked at you quickly then back to Jisung, “C-R-O-W-N.”

Does this guy think I can’t spell?!

“Crown?” Both boys pulled back and gave you a shocked look. “What? I can spell, you know. And read and write. I’m not daft.”

“Wow! Humans are so stupid, I never would have thought you could spell!” Jisung exclaimed, grabbing your arm and shaking you excitedly. “You must be one of the special ones!”

“Yeah!” Felix grabbed the other arm, “ Good job finding this one, brother!”

Their comments and tugging was starting to piss you off and it was beginning to show in your usually poised face. “Awww Lixie, look at her! Her little sneer is so cute!” Jisung pinched your cheek.

“She’s not the only one getting mad.” Felix giggled, eyeing his brother.

Chris watched as the sunshine boys poked and toyed with you. For some reason he could feel his blood starting to boil the more they messed with you- the need to protect you from their teasing becoming almost unbearable. He kept his face as neutral as possible, but he was never very good at keeping his cool when he was pissed off.

Luckily, a sudden orange explosion erupted from the inky sky above. A fiery ball cut through the air and came crashing down onto the floating grounds, making the whole castle rumble. The commotion was a much needed distraction- the sunshine twins immediately looking at each other with a knowing intensity that was not missed by Chris.

“What the hell was that?” He demanded, staring at the two boys.

They let you go and simultaneously rubbed the back of their necks sheepishly. “Well..” Felix started.

“You were gone for a while..” Jisung continued.

“And someone had to go make peace with Pricilla..”

“So we sent Changbin.” They finished together.

“By the looks of that fireball, she didn’t take it very well.” Chris groaned and stood on his feet. He stepped forward and grabbed both boys by an arm. “Now the two of you are coming with me.” He looked down at you with a tight grin on his face. “Princess, stay here. I shall return in just a moment.”

You nodded slowly, not understanding what was going on.

“Awww I wanna stay with Y/n!” Jisung protested as he was hauled off.

“Nope. You both made this mess, you will help me clean it up. Come on.” And with little to no effort Chris lugged both boys out of the room, leaving you alone in this unfamiliar place.

The moment Hyunjin mentioned that Seungmin had a human here he knew he had to put an end to it before it became a shit show. The last thing he needed was for you to see that mess. He marched through the castle, caring not for the imp servants who stopped and greeted him as he walked, or for the crystal statues who bowed as he passed. Approaching the ball room he could hear laughter and the sounds of the grand piano being played. He could also hear a pleading cry for mercy.

Minho pushed open the door and stepped into the glistening ballroom. Any other time he would reminisce about the grand events that used to be hosted here, about how drunk he used to get before he had become a prince, when he was still just a friend of the family. Walking in he found Seungmin and Jeongin lounging on large fluffy cushions. They were sitting in front of the large golden octagonal stage that was placed against the back wall, cackling loudly at their ‘entertainment’.

Upon the stage was a middle aged man who was dancing in circles. Minho could see how the man's bare feet poured blood and how the bottoms of them had been rubbed so raw no skin remained. His body was sweating profusely and he wailed, with thick tears running down his plump cheeks as he begged for this to end. Of course the two fae boys ignored his pleas. A young galaxy aladrin girl sat at the piano in the corner, playing jovial tunes for the poor soul to dance to.

Minho walked further into the room and sighed in irritation. He put a hand up as he passed the aladrin girl and the music stopped immediately. He then addressed the two younger fae. “You guys really chose a terrible time for this bullshit.”

Seungmin turned his head around to greet the elder, a sinister gleam in his eye. “Don’t be a downer Min, come join us. It has been so long since you divulged with us.” Jeongin said nothing but he put his hand over his mouth to cover his giggle.

“Get rid of it.” Minho did not even humor them for a second. “Chris and I have a guest here today, and she must not be privy to whatever mess is happening in here.”

“A guest? What kind of guest?” Seungmin inquired, then his dark orbs glazed over for a second before returning to normal and a wicked grin appeared on his face. “Ohhh I see, you two brought a human home with you and you're scared she’ll get caught up in our fun.”

Minho should have known Seungmin would take a peek at his internal fears and worries- the younger boy loved to use his power to gain information- fae from the autumn court were notoriously nosey.

“Another human to play with?!” Jeongin seemed excited now, “Bring it in here! This one is getting boring. He’s been dancing for only two days and he’s already about to die.” He grumbled and motioned to the man who continued dancing.

“Not gonna happen.” Minho deadpans. “In fact I’m keeping her far away from you two. Clean this up.”

“You are no fun anymore Min. You used to love our little tricks.” Jeongin jutted his lip out in a fake pout.

Seungmin nodded in agreement, “Yeah remember it was you who taught us this fun spell.”

While yes, Minho used to take great joy in the suffering of mortals and messing with them both mentally and physically, that just was not who he was anymore. He feels like in the last few centuries he has grown up, became a lot less sadistic. He guessed taking on supreme responsibility would do that to someone. Though he cannot deny that the younger boy's words did get to him a little.

He ran his tongue over his teeth in thought. “You know what, fine. Stay here and enjoy your show. All I ask is that you remain here until she is gone. And that you at least play a faster tune, it’s more fun when they can’t keep up.” He grinned.

Both boys laughed and waved their hands for the piano to continue, a faster song beginning. “Thank you Min.” Seungmin snickered and wiggled his fingers at Minho as the elder fae turned and walked out. The screaming and begging was muffled as the door closed behind him.

As he walked a bright flash of orange caught his attention from the window and he could feel the sudden huge rumble that overtook the castle, the whole place shaking. His interest was piqued when he heard the quick steps of his fellow princes hurrying towards the commotion so he also went to join them.

Chris and the sunshine twins sped down to the foyer. Just as they neared the entrance the massive doors flew open and Changbin came limping in. Chris rushed to his side right before the fae boy all but collapsed in his arms. Changbin was covered in dark soot and his clothes had burn holes all over him.

“Bin, are you alright? Talk to me man.” Chris gave a pat to Changbins cheek as he tried to rouse the man.

Changbin’s eyes flew open and he took a wheezing breath, his hand coming up to rest on his chest. “Chris.. Welcome back.”

“You show up in a blazing ball of fire and that’s the first thing you say?!” Jisung crossed his arms and looked annoyed.

Changbin weakly glared at Jisung, coughing out “It’s called having respect, maybe you should fucking try it sometime.”

“Oh Binnie!” Chris was suddenly pushed off of Changbin by Hyunjin who appeared out of nowhere. Hyunjin flung himself at Changbin. “I was so worried! You were gone for days!”

Chris scoffed, “Where was this reaction when I came home..” He murmured and was promptly ignored. “What happened? “

Changbin hugged Hyunjin back, the red haired boy beginning to wipe away the dark soot from Bins face. “Well, you weren’t home and after Minho left to go find you we got a message that the Court of Wonder wished to have a meeting and that it could not wait.”

“Binnie you’re so brave! You went all by yourself!” Hyunjin was so overcome by his emotion that his hands accidentally left even more burnt holes in changbins clothes as he tried to help.

“Ouch!” Changbin winced when the heat caught his skin. Hyunjin scrunched his face in apology. “Anyways, as you could see, Pricilla was pretty pissed off that I went instead of you, Chris.” He gestured to his appearance.

Chris groaned, “why has she been so persistent lately?”

“You know why,” Minho said as he approached the group, taking in the scene. “Pricilla has always been interested in you, she’s never hidden her attraction to you. And now that you are the rightful ruler of a very powerful court, she’s probably hungry for power.. And your dick.”

“She’s already gotten that though, hasn’t she Chris.” Felix snickered, climbing onto his older brother's back and pinching his cheek.

Chris slapped Felix’s hand away and turned back to Changbin, “What did she say to you?”

The third eldest rubbed the back of his neck, “She said either you meet with her or she will officially declare war on the Court of Stars. We have one week before she sends her ‘hounds’.” They all knew that the ‘hounds’ of the Court of Wonder were an elite team of fae who were trained to kill and manipulate the mind. Not a very pleasant bunch.

Minho looked around and noticed someone missing, “Where is Y/n?”

“She’s in the sky room. Drinking yummy tea!” Jisung answered. Minho gave him a blank death stare. “Jeez calm down, Chris gave it to her. He actually threw the muffin I offered off a balcony.”

“You can’t leave a mortal alone, especially with the creatures that roam around here.” Minho pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ll go back to her, Chris please help Bin back to his quarters and on the way he can share more information with you.”

“Yeah yeah, ok Min. I’ll join you in a second.” Chris agreed, knowing it was better to let him have his way when he got like this. He was glad that at least one of them was moderately responsible.

Minho made his way down the winding hallway and up the staircase. When he was about ten feet away from the doorway to the sky room he felt his body freeze up. His eyes glowed bright white and he got an image of the future sent to his brain.

He could see the mortal Princess, with a look of terror on your face as you struggled to get away from something- no, someone. A figure had you backed up against a wall, cornering you there and there were tears welling up in your eyes. Minho could not see who it was that held you but he could see the room that you were in. He could see the shimmering walls and the flowers that bloomed on the walls. Behind your form he could make out a golden stage and a flowing of blood that dripped from it. You were in the ballroom.

As if it never happened Minho came back to himself, the vision ending quite abruptly. The image left a bad feeling in his stomach and he hurried to the doors of the observatory, a wave of his hand making the doors fly open. His catlike eyes scoured the room but he did not find you.

He noticed the empty tea cup on the small table and could still see the dip in the cushion that you once sat upon. He deduced that you must have just left the room. Minho turned on his heels and sprinted out of the room, if he hurried he may be able to stop his vision before it happened, and maybe he could stop you from seeing something you shouldn’t.

You stood by the nearest balcony that had a telescope pointed up at the swirling galaxies above. You had been looking up into the stars ever since you had been left alone and to be honest, as beautiful as this place was, you really just wanted to know more about the court and those who ruled it.

With a sigh you went and sat back in your original spot, picking up your tea cup and taking the last sip then setting it back down. You leaned back for a moment and weighed your options. You could sit here and wait as Chris had asked you too… Or you could have that adventure you were promised and go explore a bit.

They’ve been gone for a long time.. Perhaps it wouldn’t be terrible if you went looking for them..

Standing from your seat you flattened your dress down nervously. With slow steps you went over to the thick wooden door and with a tentative touch you lightly turned on the handle, peeking out into the corridor. No one was within your sight, and with a deep breath you gathered all the bravery you had within you, and you ventured out of the sky room, closing the door quietly behind you.

You had no idea which way was which, let alone where Chris or Minho could have gone, so you used your best judgment and crept down the hall until you came upon two different staircases going down but one was headed left and the other right. You decided to veer right, slowly walking down the steps. Looking around you could tell you definitely had not gone through here when you came in.

This area seemed extra resplendent, the floors and walls dusted with gold and the wall sconces blazing vibrantly. Many grand statues made of crystals and quartz were littered through the halls. As you got closer to them you could see that the statues bowed to you. You stopped in your tracks, not sure of how to proceed but knowing you should be respectful. Lifting your hems slightly you bowed back to the array of statues. After a second you stood up straight once again and continued on your way. As you passed the statues they creakily stood back up but their faces seemed like they were smiling now.

Poor things probably do not receive very much courtesy around here.

Further down you could faintly hear the tinkling of piano keys, and loud laughter. Getting closer the laughing voices sounded like men's voices coming from behind another massive door. Maybe they went in here!

You put both hands up onto the gilded doors and pushed with all your might, the hinges giving a loud creeaaaak as the doors just barely opened enough for you to squeeze through. To your surprise you had entered the most charming ballroom. It was huge and glittering with gold accents everywhere you looked. The floor lit up with a pastel yellow glow on each spot you stepped on, illuminating your figure. As you walked further you could see the source of the voices you had heard, there was a boy with copper colored hair skipping around flailing his arms and fake screaming, while another boy with dark brown hair laughed at him. From your position you could not see their faces but you could already tell you had not met either of them yet.

There was a black grand piano with a gorgeous girl with skin the color of an orchid and hair that pulsed like starlight playing a light tune on the keys. She did not acknowledge your presence at all as you slowly walked past her, her focus on playing and nothing else. Subconsciously you noticed that the laughter had ceased so looking back over to where the boys were at you noticed they were no longer there. What you did see was a glittering stage, with a deep pool of -what you could assume was- dark red blood slowly pouring over the edge and onto the pristine floor.

Your hand went to your mouth and you gulped, a deep sense of dread filling you. I need to get out of here! You took a step back then quickly turned around to flee but your body was met with a hard surface. Stumbling back you lifted your head to see you had run into a person. A gasp escaped you at his appearance.

Large black eyes peered down at you, the sockets sunken in making him look sickly in addition to the terribly pale skin. His hair was a dark brown that could be mistaken for black if the light did not hit it right, and he had it parted and flipped back off his forehead. You couldn’t stop staring in fright from his eyes so you missed sharpened canine teeth peeking out from behind his lips. He was frightening.

“Now where are you off to, little lamb?” the man purred, taking a step closer to you making you back up.

“Careful, Minnie.” A second voice called from behind you. You twisted your head quickly to see the Copper haired one sitting on the edge of the stage only a few feet away. This one was bizarre looking too with his ultra high cheekbones that shimmered under the light like iridescent scales.. The pupils in his thin eyes were slitted, reminding you of a serpent. “I think this is the mortal that Chris and Minho brought home. I do not advise playing around with it.”

The one in front of you took another few steps closer, making you back up until your heels met a wall. “Hmm, I think you’re right Innie.” He leaned down until the void of his gaze was mere inches from yours. You felt your throat close up as tears sprung to your eyes and your fingers began to tremble. “Why so tense, human? Aw I know, she’s scared of us, little thing saw the blood.” The way he spoke to you was so condescending, so demeaning that it made your teeth chatter.

The one on the stage cackled loudly, flailing his arms again. “That was entertaining! He was all ‘Noooooo pleeeeaasseee’ then BAM” He fell backwards playfully and made a strangled sound, “dead.”

“Yes but I do wish he had not bled so much. It’s going to take the servants forever to clean.” ‘Minnie’ made a disgusted face.

“Please.. Let m-me go.” You stuttered, trying to blink away the liquid that was about to fall. “I wish to leave this room, now please.”

“Leave?” He tilted his head in mock confusion. “Leave and go where? You know there are some verrryy scary faeries walking around this place.” Minnie shook his head, tutting. “No, no that won’t do. We don’t want anything to happen to our precious guest.”

The air had a sinister tension that you could cut with a butter knife and the way his lips curled in addition to the menacing giggling from the other one made you develop an unsettling ache in your stomach.

“Innie you're making her nervous with your laughter, isn’t that interesting?” It was almost like he could read your mind.You tried to back up further into the wall to get even a fraction of an inch away from him but it was to no avail. You felt like a trapped animal. “I have to admit, you’re even cuter when you’re frightened. Like a timid baby fawn who has lost its mother.”

You shut your eyes tightly and lowered your head, trying to shut him out but a sharp nail under your chin forced your head back up. Your eyes shot open when you felt the point begin to dig into your skin, making you wince.

“Do not turn away from me. As a prince of this court I do not tolerate disrespect.” He hissed, almost piercing your skin.

Before your skin could break an imposing figure was suddenly behind your captor and he was yanked away from you. Air filled your lungs and you let out a cough, not even realizing you had been holding your breath to begin with.

“You boys have been naughty in here, hmm?” You recognized the voice of your savior. You lifted your head and saw Chris, holding back ‘Minnie’ by the nape of his shirt. “Seungmin, I believe you were told to leave her alone.

The younger man rolled his eyes, “Just a bit of fun, Chris, nothing serious.”

The oldest prince was steaming internally, knowing how Seungmins aura could invoke terror should he desire it too, and by the looks of you he was laying it on thick. He hated how scared you must be.

Chris chucked Seungmin away from you and closed the distance between you. The fae prince cupped your cheek in his hand, wiping away the free flowing tears as you sniffled. “You okay, Princess? I heard your wish.”

His words made you cry harder and you could not stop yourself from launching into his arms, crying into his chest. You did not care if it was improper or immoral, you needed his comfort. He had heard you. He heard your wish and came to save you.

Minho was standing in the entry to the great room, watching the scene before him. He had run here as quickly as he could, and yet he was not quick enough. Minho watched intently as you were wrapped in a protective hug by his best friend. He knew he shouldn’t be jealous- that there was no valid reason for him to be- but he was. He wanted to comfort you, to feel the press of your body against his. What the fuck is happening to me? He shook his head to clear his thoughts of desire and turned his attention to the two troublemakers.

He stomped over to them, glaring daggers. “I thought we had an agreement you little fuckers. You had your own human to mess with, you don’t need another.” He noticed the body was already gone.

Jeongin pointed an accusatory finger at his dark haired friend. “I didn’t do anything, it was all Seungmin!”

Seungmin scoffed and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, “ I wasn’t going to hurt her. Just tease a little. I do listen to your requests sometimes, Minho.”

“Could have fooled me.” He clipped, smacking both younger fae on the back of their heads then walked past them over to you. His tone softened and he touched your shoulder, making you jump slightly then turn around to him.

“Minho.” You breathed, a croak to your voice.

“You’re safe now, Princess. We’re here.” He soothed, a gentle hand rubbing your back up and down now.

“I.. I would like to leave now, please.” You whispered, drying your eyes once more. You were feeling not only the residual fright but now a sense of embarrassment at how easily you crumbled in front of them. It was unbecoming of a lady.

“Yes of course, I shall escort you back to the sky room-”

“No, I would like to go home. Back to my realm.”

“Oh, I see.” Chris looked at Minho briefly then back down at you, giving you a smile that did not reach his eyes once again.Honestly he resembled a kicked puppy. “Then I will take you home. That was our deal, afterall.” He offered you his arm and you clung to him, steering clear of the two frightening ones who waved at you as you walked out of the room with Chris. Minho glared one last time at the fae boys then he stomped out beside you.

As you were led back through the castle you could not stop thinking of the blood you had seen; how it seeped down in thick inky red drips, coating the elegant wood and flooring in its mess. You are not sure how, but something within you knows it was human blood.

“What is on your mind, Princess?” Minho asked, breaking the long silence.

I should not ask. I should not ask. I SHOULD NOT A- “ What kind of blood was that.. Back in the ballroom..” Dammit.

They both remained quiet for a second, choosing their words carefully with you. “It does not matter.”

“Was it.. Oh my goodness, was it human blood?” You took their silence as your answer. “It was!” Your mind went back to what ‘Innie’ had said; ‘Noooooo pleeeeaasseee’ then BAM, dead’.

You were getting worked up again, fanning your face so you did not begin to well up though that proved useless. You let go of both of them, stepping away. “How could you say it does not matter? Someone is dead!”

“Listen, sometimes the boys get too caught up in their enjoyment. They’re still young and don’t know how to control themselves yet.” Chris shrugged, not seeing the big deal. “It was just one, anyways. And obviously no one important if they lured him away so easily.”

Minho bit his tongue, knowing the elders' words were about to have deeper consequences.

You gave him an incredulous look, hurt evident on your face. “You think very little of human lives, don��t you?” Chris tried to put his hand on your shoulder but you smacked it away. “Do not touch me. I should not have come here. I wish to go home.”

“Princess..”

“That’s what you do, isn’t it? Grant wishes? Well then grant mine, I wish to go home right now!” You raised your voice on that last part, then lowered it again. “Please..”

Chris sighed defeatedly, then gave a look to Minho who nodded in understanding. “Right away.” He said looking back at you with a hidden sadness. “If you should ever like to return, you need only wish for it. I will hear you.” You did not respond, choosing to offer only a timid nod. “Minho will take you home now. I will be seeing you, princess.” With that Chris turned and made his way back into the castle.

For some reason your heart ached watching him walk away, as if you could feel his hurt. Minho placed a hand on your back gently, “Y/n, please shut your eyes.”

“Excuse m- AH!” You yelped as you were suddenly lifted off the ground and he held onto you bridal style. You ignored the muscle in his broad shoulders and arms as they held you. “Put me down at once!”

“You want to go home right? This is the quickest way. But you need to trust me. Can you do that?”

You bit your lip as you contemplated your options, but in the end gave in to him. “Yes, I will trust you Minho.”

“Thank you. Now shut your eyes and do not open them until I give you the signal.” You nodded, screwing your eyes shut tight. “Good, now count down backwards from ten. In your head is fine.”

You did as he said and began counting mentally.

He gripped tighter onto you

There was a chilling breeze that nipped at your skin

A loud whoosh passed by you, making your ears ring

Your body felt weightless and you gasped lightly.

“Open.”

You opened your eyes and found that you were back in your room, at your castle, laying on your bed. Your hand went to your heart and you breathed heavily, scanning your surroundings. Everything was as it was when you left, as if you were never gone. There was no galaxy sky, no imps and no fae princes to be seen.

With a deep sigh you fell back against your pillows. Did that really happen? How did I get home so quickly? Where did Minho go so suddenly? Your mind was reeling with questions, none of which you were likely to get answers to. You decided that you would not be going back to the fae wilds, as you had vastly misunderstood what kind of beings the fae were. Anyone who takes mortal lives as if they do not matter is not someone you want to associate with. No matter how handsome they are.

It was best to forget that it even happened at all. With a heavy heart you got up and took your dress off and dressed into your night linens. Sleep did not come easily to you that night.

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doitforbangchan · 30 days ago

Text

Ever Lovely - 4

Pairing ~ Faeprince!Bangchan x reader (afab/fem) x Faeprince!Lee Know

Warnings~ Cursing, angst, oral, light mxm smut, crying, teasing

WC~ 6.8k

masterlist // series masterlist

previous ~ next

Your head was pounding and you felt groggy as you opened your eyes. Muffled voices were the first thing you noticed as you came too. The second thing you noticed was that somehow you were back in your bed, with the knitted quilts pulled up to your chin and it was now dark out.

Your bleary eyes scanned your bed chamber and saw that you were alone, but there was a glass of water next to your bed that must have been left for you. As if you were dying of thirst (you felt like it from how dry your mouth felt) you hastily grabbed the glass and drank down the cool water.

Feeling much better after having that water you sat up and stretched your limbs. You were still in your going out dress from this morning but all the ties have been loosened and your heavy layers were removed, leaving you only in your base dress. You were thankful for whoever derobed you but also extremely embarrassed.

How could you have fainted like that in front of not only your judgmental mother but also the Queen of the Southern Isle?! You just knew you would never hear the end of this from your mother- and that’s to say if you haven’t been utterly disgraced by Jeon family, if that happened you might just be exiled by her.

The intense stress and exhaustion must have finally caught up with you in that moment, and as unfortunate as it is that it happened when it did you were at least grateful to be back in your own space currently. You then remembered the voices and your ears picked up the sound of your fathers voice and another man outside your closed door. It sounded like your father was upset but you couldn’t make out his words.

Swinging your legs over the side of your bed you went to stand up, but a flash of movement to the right of you sent you back in shock. You were not as alone as you had thought.

A figure was crouched on the seal of your open window, his catlike eyes zeroed in on you and his posture rigid. He was unblinking as he took you in silently, a tinge of worry etched on his features.

“Minho..” You breathed, looking at him in shock. Is this real? Or am I hallucinating once again?

Minho slowly raised a finger to his lips, “Shhhh,” then he nudged his head in the direction of your door.

Just after he did so your door opened to reveal your father and the royal physician coming in to check on you. Your head swiveled from them and back to Minho but when you looked at your window he was gone.

Father was the first to notice you were conscious and he rushed to your side. “Y/n, my lovebug, how are you feeling? You had us all worried sick.”

“I am fine now, Father.” You answered, your tone timid and you did not want to meet his eye. “I apologize for worrying you.”

“Your highness really needs to be more careful.” The physician, Wonwoo, wagged his finger at you. He was still relatively new to your castle but he was very knowledgeable. “I was informed you did not eat much for breakfast this morning nor did you receive much sleep. This along with the added stress of wedding planning must have sent your highness into a fainting spell.”

“Forgive me, I had not even thought of my own health lately. All the..wedding jitters and what not.” You offered a tight lipped smile. “I will do better about it from now on, I assure you.”

“I am going to speak with the cooks to have you on a strict vitamin rich diet from now on, and I am going to put together a serum to help with your sleep.” The physician nodded thoughtfully as he prattled off your new regiment.

‘Great, another diet to make me even more miserable.’ You thought bitterly.

“Thank you, Wonwoo. We appreciate your help. And also your sensitivity about this matter.” Father tilted his head at the doctor and in return Wonwoo nodded in understanding- Tell no one of this.

“Of course, your majesty. It is my pleasure to serve the royal family.” He bowed quickly to your father then to you. “I will check on you tomorrow, your highness. For now I shall bid you both goodnight.”

Father nodded and sent a small smile to the doctor and you both watched as he left the room. Then your father turned to you. “How are you really feeling, sweetheart? It is so unlike you to be this unwell.”

With a sigh you ran your hand over your face and leaned back against your head board.Your eyes looked to the window quickly, still seeing nothing there. “I do not know. This is all very overwhelming and so sudden, I just feel so exhausted and the planning has only just begun.”

Your father took a seat beside you on the edge of your bed and took your hand in his, “Dear, I know this is not what you wanted nor expected, and I myself never wanted this life for you, but arranged marriages are not all that bad. Look at your mother and I for instance.” You gave him a look that said ‘are you kidding?’ and he offered a humorless chuckle, “Yeah bad example I suppose. Though I will say there is one wonderful thing to come from it.”

“And what would that be?”

“You. My greatest achievement was making and raising an incredibly caring and talented young woman.” He squeezed your hand to emphasize his point. “I could not think of a better person to lead this kingdom one day. And Jungkook has a wonderful reputation. His people seem to think highly of him. It is a good match.”

“Father..” You wanted to cry. He was always the softer of your two parents but he usually was not so open with his feelings. But even with his sentiment you still felt uneasy. “No matter how good the match is, I do not love him. I still cannot stomach the thought of marrying a man I do not love. I cannot be stuck in a loveless marriage.”

“It does not have to be loveless. Love can grow if you nurture it.” He urged, trying to make you see reason.

“And did love grow for you? Can you really say that mother is the person you love?”

He hesitated for a moment, “There are certain aspects of your mother that I do love. She has an incredible singing voice, when we first married she would sing all over the castle. And her smile.. One could die a happy man after seeing that dazzling smile.” You noticed the distant look in his eyes and the shadow of a grin that graced his lips. He shook his head as if coming out of a daydream. “Not everything is bad, I mean to say. There is pleasantness in company.”

You had not thought of it that way, nor had you ever heard your mother described as ‘pleasant’ in any way, but even so your fathers words did little to quell your fretfulness. Though you supposed you could see it the way that he does, that sometimes feelings can grow. Maybe giving Jungkook a chance would not be the absolute worst thing in the world. Perhaps you could find that pleasantness. Even still, the notion alone makes you incredibly uneasy.

“Do you think he will be kind to me?” The break in your voice was involuntary but you could see how heartbreaking it was for your father.

The elder man pulled you into a crushing hug, “I certainly hope so, my dear. I only ever wish for you to be happy.”

“I want to be happy, more than anything I want it.” Should I tell him how I feel like I’m on the verge of losing my sanity? Like I’m a hair away from a mental break? No, he wouldn’t understand. It is not like I can tell him I was possibly whisked away to an otherworldly land. It is better to let him remain blissfully unaware, no matter how badly I need to vent about it. “Thank you Father. I do feel much better.”

The king gave your hair an affectionate pet and a gentle kiss to your forehead as he stood up, “I am glad. You must be getting your rest now, doctor's orders. I love you, sweetheart.”

“I love you too, father.”

He gave you a smile then he left your chambers, softly closing the door behind him. With a deep sigh you fell back into your pillows, running a hand down your face as you gathered your thoughts. He meant well- he always did- but still it was not what you wished to hear. Suddenly you remembered the figure that had been crouched upon your window.

With a swivel you looked over to the window and once more there he was. Minho looked how you remembered him to be when you first met him, more human looking than when he’s in his own world. The fae man's head was tilted slightly as he took you in, his unnerving eyes burning holes into you as they scanned your form.

It was silent for a second, but your heart was beating so wildly in your chest that you were sure he could hear it. After another moment Minho broke the silence. “Are you alright, Y/n?” A response would not find its way out of you, your tongue feeling like it was tied in knots as you nodded instead. As quickly as a blink he was instantly crouching directly in front of you, making you gasp at the sudden movement. Minho narrowed his eyes as he searched for injury on you, but after seeing nothing physical he relaxed a little, giving you a touch of breathing room.

Before he could fully lean away your hand shot out and touched his arm, making him freeze in his place. You hadn’t meant to, but you just needed to know if he was real. That he was not just a figment of your imagination. “Y-your real.” You whispered.

Minho cocked his head to the side in confusion, “Of course I’m real. I am just as real as you are.” His arm burned where you were touching him; like an electric current that funneled through his skin and into his bloodstream. He could see how addictive it could be. “Now tell me, are you alright? And do not lie to me. I have seen you faint.”

“Wait, what do you mean you have seen it? Were you there?”

A slight pink tint appeared on his cheeks as he cleared his throat, looking away from your awaiting eyes. “I uh, I saw it in a vision right after I brought you home. I have been worried about you.. So I have been checking in on you every few weeks.”

It was starting to click in your brain; how you saw him in your glass at breakfast and in the street in town. You remembered how he had said time worked differently in his world- that every hour here was a week for him.

“That was you this morning.” He nodded. “And in the street this afternoon.” He nodded again, still feeling sheepish. “Minho, I thought I was losing my mind.” You admitted to him. “I thought I had made you up and that everything was a figment of my imagination.”

He shook his head this time, “No, it was real. I am real.” Minho rested his hand upon your covered leg.

Your shock turned quickly into anger, “Then I see that this is some kind of game for you.” You ripped his hand off of you. “It must be, since you keep toying with me.”

The fae scrunched his face in confusion, “Princess, I am not playing with you. I was merely worried.”

“Worried?” You scoffed, “Your kind do not care one lick for mine, Minho, do not lie to me. If this is not a game then why didn’t you come to me? Why skulk around like a phantom and make me feel utterly insane?”

He rubbed the back of his neck, “I was not sure you wanted to see me after how everything ended that night. It was never my intention to screw with your mind so heavily. I am not one to do that, not anymore. All I wanted was to ensure you were ok.” He touched you again, this time laying his hand upon yours. “After I had a premonition of your fall, I have been keeping tabs on you. I never meant to cause any harm.”

You picked up on his wording, “When you say premonition, do you mean you have visions?”

Minho gave a curt nod, “After assuming a royalty position at the Court of Stars I was granted one of the powers of the court. I sometimes get glimpses into the future. It is how I knew you were going to faint, I just did not know when.”

“You knew.. Have you had visions of me before?” Your head was beginning to hurt again, the new information that is ability allowed him to see your future.. It was a whirlwind.

He shook his head, then tossed it back and forth in contemplation. “Only one other time, back when you visited us, I saw you in the ballroom with Seungmin. I couldn’t save you then and I guess I couldn’t save you today either.” His gaze hardened as he mentally chastised himself. You could see the internal battle that dwelled within him. “For that I apologize.”

Your heart swelled with an appreciation that you couldn’t place. Why was he apologizing? Does he feel guilty for your potential harm? You thought fae did not care for human lives at all?

“Minho, it is not your fault-”

“Yes, it is.” He cut you off, still not making eye contact. “ You never should have been left alone in the first place, and now because of us you aren’t even taking care of yourself.”

An incredulous look glazed across your face, “I am taking care of myself just fine. Today was just an accident.” Now it was his turn to give you a look that said he did not believe you. “It is true! I am completely fine, you do not need to worry about me.”

“We both know that’s not true. Knowing about the fae wild- seeing its luster and mischief first hand can be overwhelming for mortals. I should have known it would be too much for a fragile mind to handle.”

A scoff left you involuntarily, “There is nothing fragile about me! I am capable of maintaining myself just fine. And anything that life throws at me.”

The faes lips curled up ever so slightly into a smirk, “then come back with me.”

Silence

You stared at him in what could only be described as derision; he was making a mockery of you once again but this time you knew better. “Do not jest with me, Minho. We both know I cannot return to the wilds, I cannot face those.. Boys once again.”

“Seungmin and Jeongin have learned better than to terrorize you, I can assure you. And I would protect you, I have also learned my lesson about leaving you alone.” He assured, a seriousness to his features, no hint of a lie anywhere.

There was a pull in your chest- more like a deep calling within you that yearns to return with him. You didn’t understand it and frankly it scared you. A lot of things about the fae scared you.

With a slow shake of your head you declined, “I cannot. It would be unwise of me. I have duties I cannot run from.”

“Hmpf.” He rolled his eyes, “You seemed pretty keen on escape last night. What has changed since then?”

“My father was right, I need to look for pleasantness in the company I must keep.” You recounted your fathers previous words, a tightness within you even as you utter the words. “It is for the good of the kingdom.”

“Spoken like a true royal,” Minho was about to say more, then he paused, his head perking up and tilting. “Lay back down.”

“What?”

Before you could demand his explanation your door burst open, hitting the wall with a bang. “You insolent little brat!” Your mother had come stomping into your room screeching. You gasped at her entry and for that split second your attention was taken away from Minho, and when you looked back he was once again gone, disappearing in an instant. “How dare you embarrass me like that!”

“Mother, I -”

“Do you know the kind of groveling I had to do today after that little stunt you pulled?” She screamed, “Now the King and Queen of the Southern Isle think you to be damaged goods! An invalid! All because you're throwing a temper tantrum at having to do your one job- what you were born to do!”

“Mother, I had no intention of-”

“It took me hours to convince them not to rescind their proposal! How could you do this to me? To your kingdom?”

“How could YOU do this to ME, Mother?” You screamed back, finally hitting a breaking point. You had never, ever, talked back to her before and the shock on her face would have made you laugh if this was any other circumstance. “How could you, my own mother, force me into a life I do not want- that I have never wanted? I have never wanted to be a ruler! I have never wanted to be Queen!”

“You do not know what you want, Y/n. You are just being dramatic like you always are.” She scoffed, rolling her eyes.

You shook your head, angry tears welling up on your lash line and threatening to fall, “Even now, after I have fainted you cannot find it within yourself to care about me at all. Have you even worried about me at all this whole time? Have you thought to ask the doctor if I am well even once?”

“Do you even hear yourself? You sound like a child. It is time to grow up, you’re too old to make a scene like this.”

There she was deflecting again instead of addressing the real problem. Was this really the woman that your father told you about? How could he find any resemblance of happiness with such a rotten person? Sensing exactly how this conversation was going to remain you began to shut down, deciding the fight isn’t even worth the effort. She’ll never see you, only who she wants you to be.

“Okay, mother.” You relented, visibly deflating back into your bed.

She huffed, “Okay? Now you have nothing to say?”

“I concede. You win. I’ll grow up.” The hurt was evident in your voice but of course the Queen chose to ignore it.

“That is good. Nice of you to finally see it my way.” She leaned forward and patted your face, not affectionately but more like as if she was petting a dog. “Now I expect you up bright and early tomorrow morning with a smile on your face, ready to take on the preparations. Jungkook will be joining us for meal planning and you need to fix your bad impression.”

With that the Queen walked out of your room without another word. A pained sigh of defeat left your lips as you sunk into your pillows and dried your eyes with your hands. That situation felt way more intense than it had to be. She was way more intense than she had to be. Usually you would be able to brush off her harsh words and abrasive attitude but not this time. No, you were not just going to sit here like a wounded dog and take her abuse.

Without truly thinking your mouth opened, “Minho.”

The faerie was quick to appear next to you once again. “Yes, Y/n?” Minho had silently observed that whole confrontation, and while it was pretty tame for fae standards he still felt incredibly bad for you.

Giving him a serious stare you grabbed his hand with both of yours. He could almost feel your fury that burned within you.

“Minho.. Take me to the wilds with you.”

Now he was slightly taken aback, but even so a grin quirked up on his face, “ What happened to having ‘duties you cannot run from’, hmm?”

A snide grimace appeared on lips, “I’ve changed my mind. I no longer want to remain here, I wish to go with you.”

Minho found himself nodding before he could mentally compartmentalize your request. He stood up to full length, hauling you up with him as he held onto your hands. “You don’t have to wish with me, Princess. I’m not Chris, a please will do just fine.” He sent you a cheeky wink.

Your face began to burn and you cleared your throat, “Please, take me away from here Minho.”

You squealed when you were suddenly lifted into his arms. Honestly at this point you should be used to it, seeing as this was the second time in twenty four hours. He let out a deep chuckle, his bunny teeth making him look extra youthful and making your heart beat faster. “Anything for you, Princess. Hang on tight.”

Minho held you in his arms as he sprinted faster than humanly possible to the portal of the fae wilds. So fast you could barely blink before you found yourself back at that mystical tree. Your nerves were on fire as he set you down by the tree and you found yourself doubting your decision. Was this the right call? Running away? Would you even be safe there?

You steeled your nerves when you remembered Minho's presence with you. That’s right, you were safe. Minho promised he would be here for you. For some reason you can’t explain you trusted the fae man. A deep settled longing told you he was trustworthy. You only prayed your instincts didn’t let you down.

“Ready, Princess?”

“Yes. Let’s go.”

The sharp tingle had returned as well as the blinding array of colors that you had seen last time. Minho held onto you tightly as you were both transported into the next world. This time instead of landing on the path leading to the castle, you were now standing in the gardens beyond the castle.

It was as dark and dazzling as you remembered it to be. The vibrant swirls of pinks, purples and blues lit up the otherwise black sky as billions of stars twinkled above. Now you knew this was not a dream. There is no possible way you can conceive something so spectacular and beautiful within your own mind alone.

Peeling your eyes away from the splendor you looked back at Minho. He was also back to his more natural- more feral- form. The slitted pupils glowing and illuminating his features. Seeing him like this once again you’re beginning to think you prefer him like this.

The fae had never looked away from you during all of this and caught the way you raked your gaze over him, smirking at the wonder that dazzled in your stare as you looked at him. “Something caught your eyes, Princess?”

The embarrassment at having been noticed made your face feel inflamed and you turned away from him. “Of course, the sky is quite beautiful.”

“Hmpf.” He chuckled, willing himself to not reach out and touch the heat in your cheeks. “It is, I suppose.” Instead he offered his arm and you accepted. “Would you care to see the gardens?”

You nodded at his suggestion and he led you further into the grounds. Though it was dark here- naturally, of course, due to the court practically being a void in space- it was lit beautifully by not only the constellations but also little twinkling lights that floated above the path, illuminating the many topiaries that littered the gardens. You remember getting a glance at a few of them from afar last time you were here but seeing them up close was a whole different experience.

Each bush and tree were shaped and carved into magnificent creatures. Some you were familiar with; such as an elephant and a large wolf. Others not so much. These other animals were fierce looking, some even seeming like crossbreeds of different species, and other ones being completely new to you.

Minho gave you small facts about some of the sculptures as you passed, telling you about the creatures they were modeled after and which court they hailed from. A few of your favorites were the Owlbear from the Spring Court and the Dragon from the Court of Flint and Flame- both being larger than life animals that you were fascinated by.

A chill ran down your body due to the cold and you mentally cursed yourself for not bringing a cloak. You were only wearing the base layer of your dress, the material being thin and not suitable for the coldness of this court. Even though you were cold you chose not to bring it up, not wanting to appear weak or stupid to the fae.

Minho noticed how you began to shiver almost immediately. His senses were able to pick up on the subtle shaking, the vibrations in the air making his own hair stand up. He wanted to help you- to warm you- but he couldn’t place why. He has never given a shit about a human before, only seeing them as blundering fools and heathens. So why does he care now? Why did he bring you back here? Why did he promise to protect you?

For the man it was unexplainable; the pull he felt towards you was incomprehensible. And while it bothered him to no end… he also kind of liked it. He would definitely need to unpack this inner turmoil later, but for now he had something else to occupy him.

Silently the fae un-clipped the front of his dark cloak, swiftly throwing it over your shoulders. You were surprised by his sudden display, “Oh uh, why..?”

Minho shrugged in nonchalance, putting his hands behind his head as he walked. “You were cold, were you not?”

“Well, yes, but I canno-”

“It is no trouble. My blood is naturally on the warmer side; a perk of being from the Summer Court. I am fine without the cloak.” When you opened your mouth to protest once again he put a finger to your lips and leaned in a little closer, making your heartbeat quicken substantially. “Hush now, just be grateful, yeah? I believe the words you're looking for are ‘Thank you Minho’,”

His lazy grin and slightly condescending words were contradictory of each other and it made your head spin. A part of you wanted to snap back at him but the other part of you wanted to go along with him in spite of yourself.

You found yourself nodding, “Thank you, Minho.” A flicker of embarrassment on your face.

He gave your cheek a teasing pat, “You’re welcome.” Then he continued walking through the grounds. You glared slightly at the back of his head then scurried to keep up with him, not wanting to be left out here by yourself.

“May I ask you a question, Minho?” You inquired, now keeping step with him.

“You may.” He permitted.

A reminder of Mara’s previous warnings rang through your mind, remembering how she said they may not be completely truthful. Even though ignoring the advice was most likely a mistake, you did not think Minho would twist his words with you. For some reason you trusted him. And you knew that would inevitably be your downfall.

“I was told you all hail from different courts. I know Chris and Felix are from this court, Jisung is from the Court of Storms, and now you’ve said you are from the Summer Court. What about the other four princes?”

Minho nodded, “Yes you remember correctly. Other than the crown princes we are all different. Hyunjin is from the Court of Flint and Flame. Don’t let his cool playfulness fool you, he can be quite hot headed when he wants to be. Seungmin is from the Autumn Court, a nosey bunch of fae that have an act for tricks.” He poked your nose playfully to prove his point, chuckling when you scrunched up your face. “Jeongin comes from the Sea foam court.” You recalled the shimmering scales that laid upon his cheeks and his serpent like pupils. “And Changbin is from the Spring Court. I don’t think you’ve met him yet. You’d like him, he's incredibly easy going. Spring fae usually are though. Sometimes to an annoying degree.”

It was a lot to wrap your head around. Seven courts all coming to rule under one together. “How did so many of you come together to rule? If you're not from this court why are you now princes of it and no King?”

“Chris and Felix did quite a bit of traveling back in the day. A few millennia ago they stumbled into our courts on their search for adventure. I met Chris when I was a part of a pirate crew created by the Crown Prince of the Summer court, the idiot almost caught the sharp end of my sword.” He snorted as he remembered it like it was yesterday. “After the death of the previous Queen, Chris was desperate to share the load that came with ruling. So he summoned his very best friends from across the wilds to come help him. It has only been a couple hundred years since then, though it seems like it was much longer.”

Minho stopped to gaze upon a large sculpted bush that again looked like nothing you had back in the mortal world. He looked deep in thought, a pensiveness gracing his features as he brushed the leaves slowly. From what you could see in his face, he looked kind of somber, like a well hidden sorrow was cracking though his hard shell ever so slightly. You looked up at the bush, understanding from context clues that this one had to be from the Summer Court.

“This beast seems very formidable.” Your voice broke him of his daze, making him drop his hand.

“Yes, it is.” He smiles fondly at the sculpture. “Chimeras are one of the most fearsome creatures in all of the Summer Court. The deserts where I grew up were crawling with them.”

“That seems like it would be terrifying, if I’m honest.” You replied, twisting your dress in your hands.

Minho clicked his tongue and shrugged, “They can be. Head of a lion, body of a goat and tail of a snake- quite a monstrous combination, hmm?” You nodded when he peered at you cheekily. “Every faerie dreads the day they come across the Chimera. Though being around them so much as a child I learned how to respect them. And how to tame one.” He winked, making you avert your eyes. He laughed at your reaction then reached for your arm again. “Let us continue.”

You looped with him once more, “How would one go about taming a beast such as that? I cannot imagine it would be an easy feet.”

“It certainly is not easy,” He began to explain while we turned a corner, “ It requires much patience and a shit ton of-”

“Nggghhh, fuck.”

Minho was cut off when you both had unknowingly walked into the most salacious situation. Your eyes grew wide as you took in the scene in front of you. Leaning against the hedges was a fae you had never seen. He had light fluffy pink hair and rosy cheeks, and his tunic was pulled up and the hem was held between his teeth. Kneeling before him was Hyunjin,the red haired fae’s face was buried into the pelvis of the pink haired man, drool dripping down his chin as he engulfed the man's member. The pink man was moaning and thrusting into Hyunjins mouth as he fisted the bright red locks.

What the hell is he doing?

At first you didn’t quite understand what you were seeing. Though by the lewd sounds emanating from them both you were beginning to. With a loud gasp you spun around quickly and your hands shot to cover your eyes. “Oh my god.”

Minho gave the two an unimpressed look, a hand on his hip and his head cocked. “Thrice in a day is crazy, even for you two.”

Hyunjin popped off of Changbin, wiping his face with the back of his hand, the other coming up to keep stroking the elder. “Hi Min,” He giggled then saw you standing there, albeit turned around. “Ooooo, hi pretty human! Welcome back.”

“The human is here?” Changbin looked over at you and dropped his shirt.

“Mmhmm,” Hyunjin hummed, “Isn’t she a cutie pie, Binnie?”

“Can’t tell, she’s turned around.” He huffed, a light moan escaping him.

You kept your front hidden, much too ashamed at what you had witnessed to turn around. You felt hands on your shoulders spin you around but you still hid your face.

“Princess, what’s wrong? Are you ill?” Minho asked. He did not know the reasoning for your sudden shock.

You shook your head violently, still refusing to meet anyone's gaze. “N-no I am not ill. Though I think I might be after witnessing that.” You mumbled that last part.

Minho took your hands and almost forcibly brought them down, his stare scrutinizing and the glow getting brighter. He didn’t know what was wrong with you, why you were behaving so strangely all of a sudden. The fae racked his brain trying to determine what the issue was when it finally occurred to him; humans are shy when it comes to sex.

“Oh I see,” He cooed, finding you more adorable than ever before. He cupped your cheeks making your head tilt up to look at him, “It’s ok, Princess. The boys were just messing around.” He snapped his head over to look at the two younger boys, “Bin, pull your pants back up, have some fucking decency.”

The two rolled their eyes but did as Minho requested. Hyunjin stood up and dusted his knees off, then sauntered over to you, pulling you from Minho and into his embrace. You yelped at how hot his touch was, the heat burning your skin slightly. “Come here! Meet Bin!”

You didn’t have a choice as you were tugged along by Hyunjin, your whole body a flame now. If you were cold before that was long gone.

“Channngbinnn, this is Y/n. Now isn’t she cute?!” He pushed you into Changbin, who caught you with a laugh.

“She sure is! Hi dear, I’m Changbin. I’ve heard soooo much about you.” You did not miss the sly smirk he sent towards Minho.

Minho felt a delicate fury begin to form within him as he observed the other princes handle you and tug you along, their hands on you making his own ball up. He did not like the idea of anyone else touching you or making you uncomfortable. Another thing he needed to work through mentally.

Small shakes were wracking you still, as you could not get over your embarrassment at walking into something so intimate. “I am so sorry.” You couldn’t help but apologize, bowing your head deeply in shame.

Hyunjin and Changbin exchanged confused looks, “Uhh, for what?”

You balked at them, “ For witnessing your private intimacy and for seeing your..”

“My dick?” Changbin finished for you, making you wince at his crude language but nod nonetheless. All three of the men laughed at your expression, making you feel incredibly self conscious under their scrutiny. Thankfully Changbin had at least put his trousers back on. He bopped you on the nose. “You’re a funny little thing, acting like you’ve never seen a dick before.”

“Well I-” You stammered, unable to meet his warm brown eyes, “Of course I have not. That would be most improper for a woman to bear witness to a mans.. Genitals. That is saved for a marriage bed exclusively.”

Hyunjin snorted from beside you, “What does marriage have to do with sex?”

“Everything. It is sinful and immoral to engage in such activities before marriage. What would your future spouse think when they find out you are tainted?” It certainly had not occurred to you how harsh and judgmental you were being but the slight narrow of Hyunjins eyes at you had you rethinking it all.

“Sinful and immoral, huh?” The red head slinked closer to you and leaned in close to your face, making you lean back into the muscle-y fae behind you. “If that is what you boring little mortals think then I must just be the devil to you huh?” The magenta hue of his irises were shining with mischief.

“No, that is not what I meant.” You tried to protest, being sincere with him but it did nothing to quell the small touch of fright. You were starting to remember how scary these beings could be, your heart picking up in speed and thumping in your chest quickly.

Changbin tsked and ran his fingers along your spine, “Ease up, Jinnie. She didn’t mean any harm, right lovely?”

“Of course not.” You agreed with him but Hyunjin was not deterred.

“Mm, I don’t knooooooow,” He dragged on, “I think she’s being a little fucking rude, a little too bold for a measly little human.” Hyunjin acted like he was going to nip at your nose, making you shriek.

Before he actually could though, Minho had had enough of your turmoil, swooping in and effectively pulling you away from the two boys, “And I think you need to cool off, Hyune.” Minho flicked him on the forehead. Minho held you to his chest, away from the other two. You clutched his shirt tightly in your fists.

“Ouch!” Steam blew out of the red heads' nostrils in anger.

Changbin could see how worked up his fellow prince was becoming and as a lover and not a fighter he used one of his gifts from his court to produce a flower from behind Hyunjins ear- a dainty orange poppy. “Here Hyunnie, for youuuu.”

You watched in awe as the fury melted off of Hyunjin instantly, his bright smile coming back as if it had never left in the first place. “Aww Binnie, thank you!” He then smothered the pink haired man in heated kisses.

“See what I mean about Jinnie being a little hot headed?” Minho whispered to you, already leading you away from the obscenity that was starting again. You were grateful for Minho, saving you from another unsavory situation. His presence was comforting to you.

You nodded, refusing to look back as you heard the slick sounds and groaning pick up again. “Do they do that a lot?”

“Sexual intercourse is not frowned upon here like it is where you are from. Princess.” Minho shrugged, you noticed he did that a lot. “The fae take great pride in their sexual prowess. It is not as serious as you make it out to be.”

That is what you could not wrap your head around. “How is giving yourself wholly to another person not serious?”

“It can be, if you’re in love with the being your fucking.” There was that crude language again, though from Minho it didn’t make you feel gross like it had from Changbin. No, it made a slight tingle alight within you.

“And are they? In love, I mean.”

“More than they let on.” He hummed. “Those two love each other with their whole being yet I do not believe either has said it explicitly. Instead they show it by dirting every part of this castle.”

“Just out in the open like that?” The cringe on your face made him chuckle and pat your head.

“Faeries usually do not care where they are or who’s around, if the urge strikes they give in to their temptations. And that does not just apply to sex, I’m sure you can assume some of the other ways.”

You knew he was referring to the human torture, a shudder making you pull your cloak closer. Your mind went to Seungmin and Jeongin, how they laughed at your fear. Your mind also went to Chris and how he said human lives are unimportant. A part of you wished to see him again, another did not.

Minho led you out of the gardens and to a back entrance to the castle. As if hearing your thoughts, there was a figure standing at the top of the stairway leading into the building. His face was soft and he looked like he was starstruck as he saw you here, in his court.

“Princess.” He breathed.

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