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restlessmaknae · 2 months ago

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fire prince // sungho

One stormy night, a royal entourage arrives at the Phoenix Inn you've been running ever since your father left. Turns out Prince Sungho is as humble as one can be, and you quickly fall for him, but his visits afterwards hint that he might feel the same way.

➳ Characters: prince!Sungho x innkeeper!female reader/you

➳ Genre: magical kingdom au, royal male lead x commoner female lead, elemental powers au, fluff, comedy, one angst scene but it's a happy ending!

➳ Words: 8.9k

➳ Warning: one small mention of past wars, reader's father drank a lot in the past and eventually left, metaphorical cut and bleeding

➳ Dedicated to: @dat-town ❤️ Merry Christmas, dear! Wishing you all the best for 2025! I'll always be there for you, you know that. Love ya! ❤️❤️❤️

➳ Author's note: Check out the you are my fire, my wind, my flower // magical kingdom series masterpost!

➳ Header taken from this Weverse picture

It was a quiet, chilly day at the inn until the wind outside picked up its pace, and soon enough, a heavy storm followed. The rain was knocking on the tightly closed windows fervently, erratically, it even attacked the rooftop, so much that you felt like it was pouring straight onto the building. Sometimes the wind also made screeching noises, and the creaking of the wooden floors seemed even more ominous than usually. When the thunder struck, it felt like it was ripping off the horizon, so loud they could be heard.

You closed the kitchen already, so the staff could go home before the storm made it impossible for them to walk even just a couple of miles. Some of the staff insisted on staying though - like Intak, the stableboy, who said that it was more important to take care of the horses than himself because he was a big boy, he wasn’t afraid of storms anymore, but the horses were. Chanyoung, the porter, also stayed even though you told him that it was unlikely you would have many guests for the night because of the weather.

Even your dearest friend, Haewon – who was working with you, helping to share the burden as the innkeeper after your father had left – insisted on staying. Or more like, chattering your ears off for the rest of the night.

“Worst case scenario, we will have the most boring night in the history of the Phoenix Inn, and we will have a good laugh about it one day. Best scenario would be, of course, to have a mysterious, handsome young man walk into the inn, and fall in love with me,” she reasoned very seriously, and you had to give it to her that she had a very wild imagination.

“Because mysterious, handsome young men just fall from the trees around here, right?” You retorted after you put some more wood onto the fireplace, so that it wouldn’t die out. Not only was its light important for such a stormy, dark night, but it would hopefully provide enough warmth, so you wouldn’t need to walk around in your thickest coat.

“I’m just saying, anything can happen these days. You know, even that woman at the market who–”

Haewon was cut off by rhythmic knocking on the door. You exchanged a glance with her before you averted your eyes to Chanyoung who stood by the door. Beside him, Mr Kim – the usual night porter – looked out of the window, but due to the constantly falling rain, he could only see the shadows of four figures. Nevertheless, he was brave enough to open the door for the intruders, and all eyes in the hall went to the four strangers.

First, one muscular man dressed like a soldier came to the front, followed by one dressed in a thick coat, his face almost entirely covered by its hood. Then, they parted to make way for the third one who was dressed in burgundy-black with dark cotton pants and a pearl-dotted coat, even his dress shoes seemed polished. Even though the latter had an umbrella, a few raindrops sat atop of his locks, and he might have been the most beautiful man you had laid your eyes on.

The coated figure got rid of his hood, then cleared his throat before announcing:

“His Royal Highness, Prince Sungho of the Fire Kingdom, wishes to inquire if there is any vacant room for four people for the night.”

The room completely froze for a few seconds before everyone dropped into a clumsy courtesy. Or well, some form of it because you weren’t used to seeing royalty anywhere around here, much less at the Inn. You could see Haewon’s impressed face and mischievous glint, but you could also see Chanyoung’s perplexed reaction, and you had a feeling that yours mirrored the boy’s.

Most people around here had never seen the royal family. You were working tirelessly just to put food on the table, and you didn’t go to the palace’s events when common people were invited, simply because you lived far from the palace. Your Inn was actually closer to the Water Kingdom than the capital of the Fire Kingdom. So seeing the prince and his entourage at your humble little accommodation was more than baffling.

“P-prince Sungho?” Mr Kim blabbered, and you had never seen the forty-something man more flustered than when the young man who announced their arrival confirmed the question with a bob of his head. He was fairly young, around Prince Sungho’s age, but his expression was stern and his stance confident. You wondered who he could be.

“Y/N?” Haewon giggled as she made her way towards you, and her voice was enough to pull you back to reality.

“Oh yes. Yes, we do have enough room for four people… Your Highness,” you added belatedly before they could take your head (did they really do that or was it just the groundless rumours?), and you could see an amused glint in the eyes of your best friend.

“Can we talk to the innkeeper?”

“I am the innkeeper,” you answered matter-of-factly, and you didn’t know whether the young man in front was some sort of royal advisor, knight or administrative personnel to the prince, but he was the one who exchanged a glance with Prince Sungho upon hearing this piece of information. You knew what was coming, so you beat them to it; to have to ask the question on their mind.

“My father left about a year ago, and I’ve been the innkeeper ever since,” you confessed, not batting an eye. You knew it was rare that a young woman your age would be the innkeeper, but it just turned out this way. The reason half of your staff was also in their twenties was because without having your father around, most of the previous ones resigned. They didn’t want to work under a young woman, and some had been very vocal about it.

Awkwardness seeped into the thunder-stricken atmosphere, and it was even more embarrassing having to listen to the wind knocking on the windows when everyone was so silent. Maybe that’s why the prince was quick to dissolve the tension in the air.

“This will definitely do, Taesan. Thank you,” the prince decided as he turned to the coated figure, and you nodded, acknowledging his words.

“You said four people, right?”

“Yes, the coachman is still outside,” the so-called Taesan replied. You immediately asked Mr Kim and Chanyoung to help with the luggage, and let Intak know that he would need to take care of not only horses but a carriage as well.

“Is it fine with you if we store the carriage inside the stables? We do not ever have guests with carriages, I am afraid that is the best we can do… Your Highness,” you reminded yourself to address him properly, but he didn’t seem like he would mean harm. If anything, his eyes widened in a surprised manner when you even mentioned taking care of the carriage.

Once the porters came back with the luggage, you showed the way to the assigned rooms. The wooden stairs leading up to the first floor suddenly seemed too narrow with four of the royal guests, Mr Kim and Chanyoung bringing the luggage and you and Haewon following behind with four jugs of fresh water. You showed Taesan and Prince Sungho to their own rooms while Haewon showed the soldier and the coachman their own ones. You let them know that if they needed any assistance and no one was around, they merely needed to ring the bell on the desk in the hall, and someone would come and help.

However, the most important thing on their mind seemed to be food.

“Oh well,” you looked at Haewon who looked back at you with a slight pout. “Most of our kitchen staff went home because of the storm, so we cannot provide you with the usual meals of the menu. However, if you do not mind, you can join us for dinner. Those who are working here will have dinner together soon.”

You were surprised yet again that Prince Sungho gave in without hesitation – he didn’t seem disgusted or appalled by the lack of fancy options, and didn’t make a comment on the fact that he couldn’t choose what he was about to eat. You appreciated it because you were already so embarrassed by the fact that they were here, in your inn, and you were sure that it wasn’t up to the level of luxury that they expected or that they had been used to.

While the guests were settling in, you notified the ladies in the kitchen about four extra people joining you for dinner. On the other hand, since the headcount for the night was less than usual either way, it was fine, you had enough ingredients to make a big enough batch of hearty stew with seasonal vegetables and sourdough bread.

You were just about to let your new guests know that dinner was ready when you bumped into Prince Sungho and Taesan descending the stairs. They both got rid of their coats, and if anything, the prince just seemed even more ethereal in his cherry-red buttoned cardigan and silky white shirt with a ribbon in front. The way his chestnut-brown locks fell into his eyes recklessly made you want to toss them aside, so that you could look into his pearl-like orbs, but even just the thought seemed awfully inappropriate. He looked so elegant and chic compared to you, let alone the slightly run-down wall beside him which seemed ridiculously basic. That definitely needed a repaint.

Taesan, on the other hand, wore a black turtleneck that was tucked into his wide cotton pants. You heard that mostly royalty and people of high rank wore burgundy all the time which was the colour of your kingdom, however, you had never seen it for yourself. You yourself couldn’t care less about the colour of your clothes.

“You are just in time for dinner,” you announced when you found your voice, and the prince gave you a grateful smile in return. He turned to Taesan to say something to him, and he disappeared within seconds to fetch up the coachman and the soldier with them.

You led the four of them to the dining room where most of the staff already had a seat. This was where guests had complimentary breakfast, and they could also ask for lunch or dinner during the day. Obviously, not only guests could come and enjoy the meals as it was more profitable for the inn to welcome visitors and people from the town, too.

There was another round of awkward bowing and curtsy when the others caught sight of the royal entourage after they had been told who was here to visit. Prince Sungho merely waved his hand in a somewhat coy manner.

“Oh, no need for such formalities every time you see me. Please, take a seat, all of you!” He gestured for those around, and even though everyone was a bit reluctant to be the first to sit down, Intak took it upon himself to do so and sat onto the wooden chair with a loud thud. He decided to sit on the prince’s left while Taesan sat on his right, followed by the coachman and the soldier who took a seat across from them.

You could have easily joined the housekeeping ladies at the end of the table, but you felt like it was your duty as the innkeeper to keep an eye on the prince, to see if everything was up to his liking. To be precise, as much as your humble little services allowed.

So you took a seat beside the coachman, and everyone helped themselves to stew and bread, taking turns to scoop themselves some food from the three bowls that were placed at the front, middle and end of the table. Intak even scooped some for the prince, and though he seemed surprised, he appeared somewhat amused by the gesture, too.

It turned out that Intak and Prince Sungho were actually the same age though it was very difficult to believe it with the prince sitting there in all his glory and Intak being there in his worn-out pants and carrot-stained jumper that Mrs Park from the kitchen had knitted for him last winter. Despite the obvious difference between the two of them, the prince answered the boy’s overzealous questions about palace life in detail, sprinkled with a little humour here and there, and the stableboy made him laugh so much, it was endearing to see. His laughter was so genuine, you found yourself laughing along with them on more than one occasion.

Soon enough, you got to know more about your new guests; that Juyeon was the coachman and Leedo was the soldier; Taesan was the right-hand man of Sungho’s, his advisor and administrative personnel; how he had been chosen through six different tests while being the youngest of the applicants, and that they were on their way to the Water Kingdom to talk about trade matters.

It was all in good spirit, and if it hadn’t been for the thought constantly looming over you that they came from the royal court, thus they were obviously very different from you, you would have treated this conversation as a nice way to get to know ordinary guests.

“Thank you so much for the lovely dinner! This was probably the best stew I have eaten in a long time,” Prince Sungho announced after all of their plates were emptied, and turned to Mrs Park who blushed like a teenage girl.

“Ah, you flutter me!”

“I mean it. It was really good,” he insisted, sparks flying in his eyes, and your little heart did a somersault at the sight. How could he be like this, so genuine, so kind and getting on so well with common people when he was a prince? You couldn’t fathom it, and even though you had never had any fantasies of royalty falling in love with you like Haewon did, it was hard not to be affected by Prince Sungho’s words when he complimented the Phoenix Inn during dinner.

You were thankful that they put an end to dinner by standing up and retreating to their rooms because you weren’t sure that you would be able to take more from them. It was all just too good to be true.

That night, you watched the flames in the fireplace dance along to the rhythm of the rain hitting the windows. Even though it had been a few hours since the storm had started, it hadn’t seemed to die down. There had been quieter periods in between, but the wind had picked up its intensity and the thunder had returned, making you unable to fall asleep. Or to go to bed in the first place.

You had sent Haewon home, but only because she lived in the house across the inn, otherwise, you wouldn’t have insisted because there were plenty of vacant rooms for everyone who didn’t want to bear the storm. After dinner, you had asked everyone if they planned to stay, and helped them to more blankets, candles and lanterns for the night before retreating to your own room, only to find yourself restless by the cacophony outside.

So you decided to sit beside the fireplace in the hall in one of those inviting armchairs that you could sit hours in. You prepared a book to pass the time with, but you spent a few minutes just daydreaming and thinking about what had happened in the past few hours.

Until someone decided to join you.

“Oh, is there anything you need, Your Highness?” You got to your feet immediately when instead of Intak crawling out for some late night cookies or Chanyoung asking for more candles, you were pulled back to reality by Prince Sungho’s voice.

He had changed into looser clothes rid of any pattern or jewellery, but you could still tell that his nightwear was made of the finest material, smooth and thick, perfect for such a chilly night. He wore a knee-length night robe as well, something that highlighted his broad shoulders and slender build.

“No, not at all. I just can’t sleep well in unfamiliar places, but don’t get me wrong, it’s not because of the inn. Not at all,” he justified fervently before you could jump to the conclusion that it must be because his bed was less comfortable than his own bed at the palace, the room was smaller than he preferred it or something of the sort.

You nodded, signalling that you believed his words. He asked for your permission to sit down, and how could you say no? Still, you appreciated the sentiment, and watched with curious eyes as he sat down beside you, claiming the other armchair to himself, so now you were both facing the fireplace.

“It must be hard for you when you travel a lot,” you mused out loud, watching his expression change from slightly awkward to surprised to resigned.

“You get used to it after a while, and it’s never too bad to be wary of your surroundings and others around you,” he explained somewhat lightly, but there was a serious edge to his words. He was looking at you, but still, you had a feeling that he was replaying some memories in his head.

His words made you wonder if he could ever allow himself to fully relax, and the thought made you sad. You couldn’t imagine always being on alert even though you had that period in your life right after you had taken over the management of the inn. You had been certain that someone would break in or commit something horrible, and you wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.

However, you had gradually become more comfortable with the responsibilities and the duties, and besides, Mr Kim was a light sleeper, and probably the most masculine man in town, so no one would have dared to come in had they known he was here.

On the other hand, you couldn’t know for sure whether having someone like Leedo around him made the prince feel more reassured, but you didn’t ask about it.

“Do you enjoy leading this life?” You inquired instead, genuinely curious because it must have been a difficult life with all the rules to follow, the etiquette, even the dresses he had to wear. Sure, he had the luxury that most people around here didn’t, but still… you always thought of royalty as rather lonely people.

Prince Sungho didn’t say anything for a few seconds, he was still looking at you, looking into your eyes, but his lips parted slightly, as if he was taken aback by your question. Thinking that it must have meant that you offended him, you immediately apologised:

“I am sorry if I crossed the line with my question, I did not mean–”

“No, no, it’s not about that,” he objected, waving his hands in front of his chest after awakening from his stupor. He even let out a giggle, probably feeling silly for making you feel this way.

“It’s just that you are the first person to ask this question,” he started as he leaned back into the armchair, interlacing his fingers and dropping them into his lap. “People usually assume that I have an easy life, and don’t want to hear complaints about it. I can understand that though,” he added, and as he started talking about his life, it felt like listening to an ordinary person – despite the context of his words –, he was so open and genuine about it.

About the fact that though the pressure was there, he felt like he could be a part of change if he wanted, and that he could help out a lot of people. He also enjoyed the business and trade within and outside of the kingdom as those had always interested him. He also loved that he could practise using his powers safely within the walls of the palace, and even though he didn’t really have the chance to use it in everyday situations, he still thought of it as useful knowledge – just like horse riding or sword fights or literature.

You knew that the members of the royal family and a lot of those who worked at the palace or within the court possessed the power of fire because that was the base of the four elemental kingdoms. However, since the palace was so far away and their powers weren’t used to protect or destroy like back in the days when kingdoms had been at war with each other, it was easy to forget about it.

You listened to him in awe because he had such an eloquent way to say what he wanted. He shared enough about himself, but it never felt like too much. He was firm in his words, but there was gentleness to his tone – especially when he was talking about his younger sisters or working on distributing more to the elderly in the kingdom. He wasn’t boasting, but talked about initiatives that he was passionate about, and that he felt like were benefitting the kingdom and its people.

You swore you could have listened to him talk all day, and you would have been fine with it, but he asked about your side as well, if you enjoyed being the innkeeper. So you told him about how you had learned the ropes from your father, and how some people had already been working here before. How you had made friends with the younger ones, and how you felt like they were your little family since your father had left.

“I am so sorry for your loss,” Prince Sungho said in such a heartfelt way, you almost felt bad for correcting him.

“He didn’t pass away. He just left me and the inn behind. I don’t know where he went, but he hasn’t come back for a year now,” you shared with him, averting your eyes from his face to the crackling fireplace. To be honest, it was easier than ever to talk about your father, you had learned how to navigate the topic, but it was like a cut that always bled – you might not have seen it or felt it constantly, but it was there, it was hurting.

Yet, before the prince could apologise for bringing it up, you added without further prompting:

“He actually drank quite a lot, and caused trouble afterwards. Not just in town but also at the inn, so it might be better in a way that he’s gone,” you confessed, and you didn’t feel guilty anymore for feeling this way.

Deep down, you knew that he wasn’t himself when he was drinking, but you didn’t seem to be a good enough reason to give up on it. So he gave up on you and the inn instead. There had been no big argument or a sudden realisation, one day, he had just left. It had been a similarly cold, stormy night, and since then, the rain didn’t wash him home.

“It must have been difficult for you to keep everything together, including yourself,” he pointed out gently, and your heart squeezed at his words. Now that he put it this way, you realised just how true it was, and it was scary and touching at the same time that he could understand you so easily.

Sensing that you might not be able to speak up yourself after this, Prince Sungho decided to ask about funny stories that happened at the inn. He was especially interested in ones involving Intak. You let out a joyous laughter hearing his request, but you were more than happy to share them with him.

Soon, one story turned into ten, and whilst the rain was pitter-pattering on the windows and the flames were dancing beamingly in the fireplace, you found yourself falling deeper and deeper into the abyss of him, until you ended up falling asleep, kept warm by the flames he added to the firewood just by a touch of his hands.

You woke to the creaking sound of the wooden floor, and opened your eyes to see who it was, only to realise that instead of your room, you were in the hall. The memories of the previous night came crashing down on you, and you felt a blush creeping onto your cheeks while Mrs Park greeted you with a gentle smile and reprimanded you for sleeping in the armchair instead of your own bed. You reassured her that it wouldn’t happen again, and she retreated to the kitchen to start making breakfast.

You went to your room to get changed and clean up a bit before going back into the hall to rearrange the furniture. Then, you unlocked the front door and looked at the remaining puddles from last night, the first rays of the Sun painting the fading green of the grass in orange and light purple. The smell of the passing rain was evident, and you took in a few deep breaths before you got started on your day.

You made yourself busy long enough for Haewon to show up for breakfast, but after she greeted you and went her own way, she came to find you again, only to ask you about last night.

“As far as I know, everyone had a peaceful night. There was nothing major happening,” you replied to her, but she sighed so dramatically, you quirked an eyebrow.

“No, I meant what happened last night between you and Prince Sungho. Intak told me that he heard you and Prince Sungho talk in the hall.”

“Ah, I knew that he would want to get cookies for himself again,” you pondered loudly, trying to dodge the question, but the girl seemed persistent, disappointed even. So you told her that you talked because neither of you could sleep, but it seemed like you couldn’t appease her.

“Did he make your heart flutter?”

“Haewon!” You shushed her, seriously hoping that the prince wouldn’t walk by the storage room right this instant. You would soon need to tell them that breakfast was ready, and you also had a feeling that with the storm passing, they would continue their journey to the Water Kingdom. There was no time to waste for them, you assumed.

“What? He seemed like a kind person, and besides, he was giving you those eyes during dinner,” your friend chatted while helping you fold a clean batch of towels and blankets.

“Those eyes?”

“Yes! You know what I mean… people look at each other like that when they are interested in one another,” she justified as if it had been the most obvious thing in the world, and despite your best attempt at hiding your contentment, you couldn’t fight the blush invading your cheeks. Surely, he hadn’t looked at you like that…

“You like him, too, I knew it!” Haewon squealed when she caught sight of your flushed face, and you were faster than ever to clear up the situation:

“No! I mean, it’s too early to say that I like him like that. As you’ve said, he seems like a kind young man, but at the same time, he’s a prince, and we might not see each other ever again. Besides, he's him, and I’m just a humble innkeeper. We would never work out,” you said it in one-go, but your hopeless romantic friend didn’t seem saddened by your train of thoughts. She shrugged off your concerns like little specks of dust.

“You know, I believe in happy endings. I’m rooting for you,” she said as she balled her hands into fists and held them high, a sign of her support. You shook your head, a smile hiding in the corner of your lips, before you told her to notify the royal entourage that the breakfast would be served soon.

In the meantime, you went outside, and fetched Intak from the stables who had been feeding the horses (and trying to charm them with his irresistible smile and overdramatic stories, too bad the animals couldn’t understand him). Prince Sungho and the others were already seated when you showed up to the dining room, and when you caught the prince’s eyes, you bobbed your head and gave him a shy smile. He smiled back, and you already felt weak in the knees just by the sight of him there, so you decided to sit with Chanyoung, Mr Kim and Taeyang - your gardener - who were sitting at the other end of the table, not beside Prince Sungho, Taesan, Leedo and Juyeon.

However, you couldn’t hold yourself back from looking in the prince’s direction from time to time, especially because he was having a great time listening to Intak and Haewon’s stories about their times at the inn, and his laughter was so contagious, you found yourself smiling into your bowl even though Taeyang was talking about the plants that had been the most hit by the storm last night.

Breakfast came to an end sooner than you would have wanted, and it was time for the guests to go. Chanyoung and Mr Kim helped them with their luggage, Intak helped Juyeon with the carriage, and the housekeeping ladies already got ready to clean their rooms after their departure. Haewon insisted that you should go outside with her and say goodbye to them, but it must have been what everyone thought because almost everyone was outside, lining up beside the carriage. Prince Sungho seemed taken aback by the amount of people, but he said goodbye to each and every one of them and thanked them for their efforts.

You were at the very end of the line, and you were sure that the slight tremble of your body wasn’t due to the weather but due to the prince’s presence. Even as he halted in front of you, you felt like your heart was crushing your ribcage, it was beating so wildly, and the prince’s words didn’t help at all.

“Thank you so much for everything, Y/N,” he bowed his head and you curtsied as much as your dress allowed. He made your name sound so elegant, so precious, you felt heat rising to your cheeks. “You should be proud of yourself, you are really the heart and soul of the inn,” he added with a smile so gentle, it felt like a feather-like touch caressing your cheeks.

“T-thank you, Your Highness. I am delighted that you had a pleasant stay,” you stuttered a bit, your voice coming out small. The prince boasted a slightly amused smile seeing your reaction before turning around and getting into the carriage.

You could see Haewon’s lips curling upwards from the corner of your eyes, and you wished you could vanish right then and there. This encounter might have been like a fairytale, but he was a prince, and you were an innkeeper, you were sure that this was it.

You were wrong, it seemed. Even though flowers already started blooming the next time Prince Sungho showed up, he did so nevertheless. Then, he came during summer and during autumn, too. He never stayed too long, only a night or two if he decided to drop by on his way to the Water Kingdom and on his way back.

One of his sisters got married to Prince Donghyun from the Water Kingdom in the meantime, so there was a lot to do in terms of negotiating. He didn’t always tell you what he was up to, after all, you were sure that much of it was confidential, and you didn’t want to pry. However, whenever he talked, he made you feel like you weren’t two worlds apart, he shared every detail and background stories. He made you feel like you were a part of his world.

It was flattering, to be honest, and it made you wonder if he felt the same way towards you. After all, he could have chosen any inn he wanted, yet, he kept coming back to yours, keeping you company beside the fireplace at nights, and he wasn’t hiding the fact that he was looking for you whenever you weren’t around. Needless to say, Haewon always called him out for it.

You enjoyed the thrill of it; the subtle touches by the fireplace, the warmth he could quite literally bring with him, the ways he cared even if he didn’t boast about it, the gazes that you shared at the dinner table, and the times you spent stargazing on the newly built patio whenever the weather allowed. All of those who worked at the inn welcomed him back warmly, and scarcely did you have a guest who knew the prince personally, so you didn’t feel like you had a reason to hide from others. Besides, they could see what was going on between you two, and you were sure that even the quiet Taesan knew about it.

You were usually very giddy to see him again, looking forward to each and every day as it held the hope of a new encounter. However, the following winter passed by slowly and full of doubts because you had heard the rumor that Prince Sungho might be getting married to a princess. You were moping, of course, because you hadn’t heard anything about a marriage the last time he had been there, but who were you to hold him back? You were just a commoner, nothing more.

You had a feeling that the reason Prince Sungho didn’t show up until early spring was exactly for the reason you were so heartbroken in the meantime, but he did show up, and nothing seemed to change about him. On the other hand, you were more wary towards the prince, and he caught onto it. He even decided to ask you about it at night when you inquired if he had anything he needed for the night. If he had just said no, you would have had the chance to escape him. He answered differently though.

You were standing by the door in the corridor while he was leaning against the door from inside his room, but you felt like there was more than distance between you two now. The looming rumour of his marital status drove a wedge between you two.

“Am I bothering you?” He asked straightforwardly, and you were sure that he used this tone of his for trade talks: firm, straight to the point yet not accusatory. He was looking at you gently – like always –, but you felt like he was pinning you to the door with his gaze.

“No. I merely believe that there are better-suited places for a prince,” you answered rather coldly, trying to keep your voice void of any emotion.

It was better this way, you told yourself. You and the prince had been doomed from the start, so it was better that you were over it before it could turn into something more. So why… why did you feel so betrayed?

He looked perplexed for a few seconds, but then, he regained his composure and confessed as if it meant nothing to him to say such words:

“It’s because I feel the most comfortable here out of all places, and I like spending time with you, too. I feel at ease beside you.”

“Prince Sungho…” You croaked out, torment scratching your throat when his name fell off your lips. Why did he have to be so genuine? Why did he have to look at you like that – like he really meant it, and he would do everything to keep it that way? Why, just why did he have to look up from his eyelashes, his deep, dark eyes boring into yours, keeping your gaze hostage?

“Hmm?”

“You should not say things like that.”

“Why?” He blinked at you, confused, as if all those communication lessons he had sat through at the palace had been in vain because he could not understand a girl like you.

“Because it makes me hopeful,” you retorted, raising your voice out of frustration. The prince seemed taken aback by it, too, his eyes widening at your sudden change of reaction, but he stayed still nevertheless. He still had no clue, did he?

“Ah, nevermind,” you mumbled and turned around to leave, but the prince caught your wrist.

“Y/N?” He called out, perplexed and desperate, and you wished nothing but to be strong enough to resist him.

His grip wasn’t hurtful, it was gentle enough, so that you could yank your hand away from his if you wanted. The truth is, you didn’t want to, so you turned back to him instead. It was a grave mistake though because he looked so hurt, so vulnerable, your heart immediately sank at the sight.

“Prince Sungho, I am afraid I cannot do this any longer,” you reasoned quietly, looking away, so that you wouldn’t have to look at him, to look at the hurt you had caused. It didn’t help though, you merely felt worse by it, so you looked back at him. Afterwards, there was no turning back, the words just bubbled up.

“I like talking to you by the fireplace, too. I like when you say my name like that. I like that you see me for who I am, and I can let go of the burden of the inn when I am with you. I also like that you make me feel more confident in myself and remind me that I should be proud of where I am instead of what more I can do, and I like how I am feeling beside you. But… I do not think it is right for me to like any of this, to like you above all. I have heard that you might get married soon, and that is the way it should be. You are a prince, and I am just… me.”

There was no need to deny it; you were so very different, and it had been so very obvious from the start, but there was always that seed of hope within you that wanted to bloom despite the harsh weather conditions around. Now reality trampled on this little flower that almost managed to bloom… but almost was never enough.

“I am sorry,” Prince Sungho said simply, his head hanging low, and even though there was no reason for you to ask for confirmation, you had to because you didn’t want to delude yourself into what ifs anymore.

“So is it true?”

He nodded without hesitation, twisting the knife that was already deep inside your heart. You felt like choking, tearing up, anything but standing there still, unable to move.

“I’ve wanted to tell you, but I did not know how. It is complicated, but…” The prince started, searching for your eyes, and you needed everything in you to be able to hold yourself together when he continued. “I want you to know that I like you too.”

Oh, how much you have wished to hear those words before, but now they seemed utterly wrong. Now, it seemed wrong to like him out of all people when he might have to marry a princess, and you couldn’t do anything about it. The only option was to minimise the pain, so after closing your eyes for a few seconds to ponder over your answer, you decided on it.

“I must ask you to not come back anymore after your current stay. I am sorry,” you said so quietly, resigned, before yanking your hand away from his and walking away from him.

Prince Sungho didn’t come back again – just as you had asked him.

The thought of going back to the way things had been before meeting him pained you, and to be honest, it would have been futile to act like nothing had happened. Everyone knew that something was up, and since everyone else heard the rumours of his possible marriage, you had a feeling that you didn’t have to spell it out for them; that the prince would likely not come back.

Days blended into weeks and then into months. Time was moving at a different pace now that you didn’t look forward to each day in hopes that you would run into Prince Sungho again. You busied yourself with renovations of the inn until there was nothing else to fix, and still, it wasn’t enough to forget about him. Haewon tried to set you up with boys his brother had become friends with, but to no avail. You didn’t feel anything towards them even if you wanted to. Each and every time, you were thinking how differently the prince would do things, he was constantly on your mind. Rainy days, starry nights and the smell of firewood reminded you of him.

Though you didn’t hear any more marriage news from the palace, you believed that it was because finalising a marriage between royalty took a long time. That’s why you were even more taken aback that a letter arrived one day, delivered by one of the royal mailmen who insisted on staying until you gave an answer based on the content of the letter.

You exchanged a look with Haewon who seemed rather excited, so much that she took the letter from your hand because you hesitated too much. She opened it immediately, and her free hand flew to her mouth in surprise when she saw the inked lines written on the paper.

“What does it say?” You raised an eyebrow in question, but instead of answering properly, the girl hit your shoulder giddily before handing you the letter to read it for yourself.

Your heart skipped a beat when you realised that the letter was from none other than Prince Sungho himself, and he invited you to attend the autumn farewell ceremony. The Fire Kingdom had a farewell ceremony for all four seasons when people bid goodbye to the previous one and welcomed the new one, gathering around a huge fire in front of the palace and giving their blessings to the kingdom and the royal family. You had never been to one because you had been too busy making ends meet, but now the prince invited you and any companion you wanted, and if you said yes, he would make sure to take care of everything – sending you a dress beforehand and sending you a carriage on the day of the ceremony.

The prince said that he was waiting to see you and that he wanted you to be the first one to know about something important, something that he must tell you to make up for last time.

“I bet he wants to tell you that the marriage was called off, and now you can be his!” Haewon squealed, and bounced on her legs, unable to contain her excitement. You gaped at her in disbelief, but at the same time, there might have been something to her words. After all, why would he invite you to the palace out of all places if he was about to get married?

A few minutes later, when Haewon’s overly excited chattering died down, the royal mailman reminded you to give an answer, and you decided to listen to your heart and give it a try. So you said yes, and that you would take Haewon – who, though touched, didn’t seem surprised at all –, and off he went.

As promised, your dress arrived a week before the ceremony, but there was another one in the box alongside it much to Haewon’s zealousness. They were both pitch-black as black represented the end of something in your kingdom – just like how flames turn to black ashes when they can no longer feed on oxygen –, and it was the official colour of the seasons’ farewell ceremony. They were so smooth, so soft, even having patterned, lacy and pearl-dotted parts, something that you had never been able to wear before. Even just looking at them made you weak in the knees, let alone on the day of the farewell ceremony when you could finally wear them, and Haewon helped to braid your hair and do your make-up.

Even though you scarcely wore make-up, your friend insisted that you should do it this time because it wasn’t everyday that you were going to the palace. Not to mention that she was set on her ‘steal the prince’s heart’ agenda, firm in her belief that Prince Sungho wanted to let you know that you could finally be together.

Though it seemed too good to be true after your last encounter, you wanted to believe her, and most of all, you wanted to enjoy this magical time. You didn’t even remember the last time you had spent a day away from the inn, but you were grateful for everyone working there because you knew you could leave them for this time and everything would be fine. Even though Intak teased you that you would likely not want to come back after going to the palace once, Mrs Park was visibly touched when you and Haewon waited in the hall in your dresses and Mr Kim almost fell down the stairs when he caught sight of you two. At these times, they really did seem like your family.

The carriage arrived in time, and even though the journey to the palace lasted a few hours, you weren’t bored because you were with Haewon after all. However, the closer you got, the more nervous you were, and it didn’t help that you didn’t know where you were when the carriage halted and you stepped out of it because there weren’t a lot of people, except for multiple empty carriages. That meant that you were probably on palace grounds, not where the ceremony was supposed to take place.

“I will show you the way to Prince Sungho. He is waiting for you,” a court lady announced with a polite smile as she walked up to you two and you exchanged a glance with Haewon before following her through beautifully crafted arches painted with the historical moments of the Fire Kingdom, giant fountains trickling with bubbling water and an enormous statue with a man and a woman holding a torch in their hands which was actually lit up with fire. You wondered if it was always burning with magic because it seemed likely here.

You were surprised that even Haewon was quiet on the way, but you could understand her silence because it was just too much to take in for people like you; all these luxuries, beauty and wealth. Yet, the most magnificent of them all was Prince Sungho when he walked up to you alongside Taesan, wearing a burgundy suit over a black shirt tucked into his cotton pants, his broad shoulders and slender waist highlighted by the waist-length of the suit.

He seemed almost relieved when he laid his eyes on you, but at the same time, he was definitely taken aback. You felt your cheeks burning up when he averted his eyes to your dress, though he did it in the most respectful way possible, and immediately found your eyes afterwards.

“Your Highness,” Haewon curtsied beside you, and you followed suit when you finally awakened from your stupor. Heart beating rapidly, you straightened your back, just in time for the prince to call out your name.

“Y/N… So glad you could make it,” he said so gently, so lovingly, and he would have just stood there smiling at you if your friend beside you hadn’t cleaned her throat, gaining his attention. He immediately looked at her too and bowed his head, albeit a bit sheepishly. “You too, Haewon. Thank you for coming.”

“It is truly my pleasure, Your Highness. What a wonderful court you have! I was wondering if maybe someone, someone like Taesan could give me a tour?”

“Me?” Taesan’s eyes widened, the bewilderment written all over his features. He looked at the prince for help, and the disapproval was evident on his face when the prince gave in to Haewon’s suggestion, and sent him away to show your friend around. Then, the royal advisor let out a long sigh, but did as he was told.

Before they would disappear though, Haewon turned around to send you a wink, and you had to hold yourself from giggling aloud. She was so unbelievable, but in the best way possible.

When you looked back at Prince Sungho, you immediately melted into a puddle – it was his effect, it seemed. You could barely register that he asked a question, you were so occupied with the swirling feelings inside of you. You managed to pull yourself together and tell him about what you had been doing since you had last met. When you inquired about his side, he was quick to confess that the marriage offer was withdrawn.

“Why?” You asked immediately, both out of relief and surprise. You thought that when such offers were made, they would surely be finalised, but it seemed that it wasn’t always the case. Not that you knew a lot about marriage proposals…

“Apparently, I was not charming enough for the princess,” Prince Sungho answered matter-of-factly, no hint of disappointment in his voice, but you were hurt on his behalf as well.

“How? She was clearly blind then,” you exclaimed totally out of character, and you were about to apologise for your outburst when the prince let out a giggle beside you. You realised that you had missed hearing him laugh, hearing his voice, just being with him, and the warmth he carried around found its way into your heart again.

You smiled coyly seeing his reaction, but couldn’t help but ask another question.

“Why did you tell me?”

You were here for a reason, you were here because the prince had invited you, so you were certain that he had more to add to the story even though you were immensely relieved hearing that. You also felt a bit guilty for holding a grudge against him all this time when he had not been set on marrying a princess, at least he didn’t seem disappointed in the slightest.

He took his time to formulate his answer, but when he did, you were just as confused as relieved.

“Being a princess is not the only way to marry a prince. Not anymore.”

“What do you mean?” You furrowed your eyebrows, your heart thumping violently against your ribcage. You didn’t want to see more into his words than could be, but you couldn’t push down that hopeful surge of energy going through your body.

Prince Sungho boasted a somewhat content grin as he continued, his words proud and also a bit playful. You liked that look on him; when he was confident and light, his features as peaceful as they could be.

“I have just made my father approve of the new rules for royal marriage within the Fire Kingdom. Actually, it was my cousin, Prince Jaehyun, who begged me if we could tweak the law a little bit, but I felt like it was my time to speak up on the matter as well.”

You didn’t want to believe your ears at first. This was what you had been dreaming about, and yet, you needed one little confirmation to actually believe it:

“Is your cousin in love with a commoner just like you are?”

“Yes. Very much so,” he bobbed his head, and suddenly halted in his steps, so he could turn towards you. He reached for your hands to hold them in his, his touch electrifying you from head to toe. He was gentle, his touch was so gentle, even the way he looked at you was so tender and loving and caring, you felt your breath hitch in your throat.

“Yes, I am in love with you if that is why you were asking,” he confessed, keeping the eye-contact, so you could see how genuine and earnest he was. Your lips curled upwards immediately, and you felt like you could burst out in excitement.

“I-I don’t know what to say…”

“Maybe you can say that you feel the same way and let me hug you,” he suggested a bit teasingly, a lopsided smile appearing in the corner of his lips. Despite his suddenly playful attitude, you did just as he told, confirming that you were very much in love with him and hugged him tightly, sinking into this warm feeling, soaking in this happiness that seemed so far away once, but now it was all yours.

You didn’t even want to let it go, you didn’t want to let him go again.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this story of mine! Let me know what you think! 😊

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lunaetics · 10 months ago

Text

their forgiveness was wholly unearned, and piper knew it wasn't totally unanimous. for the most part, she knew they understood. her fear was so visible, it partially eclipsed her misdeeds. but she could also see the confusion in their faces, the hurt and upset in harry's eyes. and she understood that; the people that they loved had been missing for so long and piper had allowed them to be scared and worried about it. whatever her friends felt, she'd brought it upon herself and she would never argue otherwise.

but what came next was equally as important as what had happened before, if not more so.

"last year," piper started, looking at willow first; it was always easier to look at willow's face and her inexplicable softness. it was comforting, and piper was selfish enough to take the relief it offered. "the elders of the coven told me that i'd be attending the harvest. i didn't know until the night of⎯an hour, at most, before it started. they dressed me in ceremonial robes, the same ones they had, and they gave all of the selected witches white clothes to wear. then they gave me this... this knife, i can't⎯i can't describe it, it didn't even seem real, it was so..."

she shook her head, and ethan had to wonder about the knife that'd apparently rendered her speechless.

she glanced between them all and continued. "i didn't do anything to the knife. they just told me to hold it until the ceremony started. and i didn't realize it at first, but i was... i felt so depleted when i was holding it."

"the knife was taking your magic," harry guessed. he felt, once again, for any magic that didn't belong in the room, and let his shoulders relax minutely when he didn't sense any. he wasn't as good as sensing and discerning magic as cecelia kim; he didn't think there'd ever be a witch quite as sensitive as she was, but scrying spells were inherently spirit magic. not even the coven's elders could pull off such a spell without him noticing.

piper nodded. "i think so, yeah. when they took it from me, i almost passed out." she dropped her gaze down to her palm, as if recalling the phantom weight of it. she curled her fingers in and looked up at them again. "they lined the witches up at the field⎯⎯this spot, not far from the nemeton, that's where they have the ceremony every year. pastor goode gave the opening speech; scripture, you know, about the importance of the harvest and the gifts we give back to the earth when we participate. then they had the parents line up behind the witches as pastor blessed them all, one by one. he started with scarlett emerson. he blessed her; he told her how proud he was of the magic she'd nurtured for twenty-one years. then her⎯" she lifted her eyes to the ceiling, their moisture leaving no question as to what came next. "her father slit her throat."

neither ethan nor bellamy reacted with surprise to the news, but the same could not be said for the others. damaris recoiled from the accusation against the coven, against her father. there was no chance that pastor goode, the man who'd adopted and raised her after werewolves had ripped her family apart in the most literal sense, would ever be an accomplice to such a horrific act. "you're lying," she said, voice shaking.

piper didn't even look at her. she didn't pull her eyes from the ceiling, as if looking down would force her back into that awful moment. "why would i lie, mars?" her voice cracked around the question. then she sniffled and finally faced them again. "hannah rhee was next. she tried to escape; after scarlett was⎯they all tried to escape, but their parents held onto them. hannah, she... she screamed, she begged, but pastor spoke over her. and then her father slit her throat, too. gabriel miller, josephine porter..." tears streaked down her cheeks as she recalled every death in vivid detail. for a year, she'd hated herself for how petrified she'd been in that moment. her friends had been slaughtered in front of her, but all she'd been able to do was watch. she let out a breath. "cass was next."

"no," harry said, adamant. he didn't pay any mind to the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes. hannah rhee had been his first girlfriend, when they were just thirteen and clumsily navigating what it meant to have a crush. gabriel miller had been the sneering asshole in the locker room, locking onto the way harry looked at boys and leveraging it against him before harry even had a clue as to what it meant. but cassandra⎯⎯cassandra rodrigues had been one of harry's best friends since they were in diapers. there was no way she'd been dead for the past eleven months. there was no way piper would lie to them about that. "no."

"she and dominic were paralyzed," piper continued, as if he hadn't spoken at all. "so many people were trying to run away before the pastor reached them, but those two weren't... they didn't move. then gabriel was bleeding out in the soil and pastor was standing in front of cass, and..." snot coated the patch of skin beneath her nose, but she made no move to wipe it up, even as if threatened to follow the curve of her upper lip. she didn't seem to notice it or anything else in that moment. bellamy knew what it looked like when a person was caught in a memory; she wondered how much damage it'd done to piper to hold this in for so long, incapable of speaking a word of it. "dominic snapped his neck."

mae's eyes grew wide, confusion tearing her out of her horror. "he... pastor goode?" she looked at damaris, wondering if that seemed odd to her. because, as far as mae knew, pastor goode had been walking around town this entire time. "but he's alive. isn't he?"

"that's not pastor," piper said, hushed, and it sent chills down mae's spine. "that's a husk, he⎯" she cut herself off, and mae didn't have it in her to ask any further questions. "dominic killed pastor. he killed cass's dad, too. then he grabbed cass and they vanished into thin air. but the ceremony had to go on, so pastor moved on. elliana han, victor cortez, james khepri..."

every name was a knife to mae's gut and she couldn't stop herself from crying if she'd wanted to. all of those witches, they were people. they were people that she'd grown up with, people she'd loved and shared memories with. most of them had looked down on her for being useless with her magic, but they were still people. they had been alive and vibrant and worth so much. everyone in the coven had been told that they'd been sent out on assignments, doing good deeds for other covens, and they'd been dead the entire time. they'd been dead for eleven months now and no one knew.

it made mae realize, abruptly, that they weren't the only ones. the people from the previous year were dead, too, and so were the ones from the year before that, and their predecessors, dating back generations.

they were all dead. they'd been dead all of this time.

mae ripped herself from the room to pitch herself over the trash can, violently expelling the contents of her stomach with tears streaming down her face.

saint said nothing; he felt nothing. his sister had been right the entire time. she'd spoken about the harvest, telling everyone that it wasn't what they thought it was, and the coven had gotten rid of her for it. he'd always known that; he wasn't stupid enough to think otherwise. but having the confirmation left him cold and angry to the point of emptiness. he only stared at piper, his stomach lined with lead.

"they were dead, then, and the knife that they'd all been killed with was... god, it was all but glowing," piper recalled. "and i realized that the knife wasn't just siphoning my magic; it had put everyone in a... a daze, almost. that's why none of them could fight back against their parents. just being in the same area as the knife disarmed us all so completely, i have no idea how dominic managed to use his magic when it was so close to him."

he loved cassandra, harry wanted to point out. dominic had been his parents' baby boy for his entire life, even when he was well grown-up and going through his surgical residency. he was a family man, devoted to his traditional korean parents and the love they gave him. but there wasn't a single person in the world that he loved more than cassandra and cecelia; if the pastor had reached dominic first, then he would've clawed his way back to life just to save cassandra from it. fighting the pull of a disarming knife was nothing in comparison.

piper exhaled again, and it shook against the air. "they were all dead," she echoed, her voice quiet but booming in the otherwise silent room. "and when all of their magic was gone, it was... a lot easier to sense cecelia."

damaris paled even further. she hadn't been able to stomach what piper had said about her father yet, but this was easier to focus on. almost scarier, too. "oh god," she whispered. "she was there? cee was?"

"she wasn't supposed to be," piper said. "no one knew that she was, not until... not until everyone else was dead. then it was like all we could feel was her. the elders went looking for her, and i don't... i don't know what happened after that." she shook her head. "i was sent away while they searched for her. they might've found her, they might not have, i... no one ever told me." she took in a deep breath, wet and rattling in her lungs. "i wasn't allowed to go home that night. i was kept in the coven house. a few hours past midnight, all of the elders reconvened in a panic. pastor goode was dead, so was mr. rodrigues, and cass and dom were nowhere to be found. and they told me... they told me⎯" she clenched her jaw and swallowed thickly, her eyes once again on the smooth, unmarked ceiling above her head. "i wasn't allowed to leave until pastor and mr. rodrigues were alive again."

even bellamy swore then. she didn't know much about magic, but no one in the supernatural community was unaware of how dangerous necromancy was. it broke all of the rules of nature, of the universe itself. what was dead was meant to stay dead. using magic to buck against that came at a price.

"i couldn't," piper said, shaking her head. "the... the things walking around now, those aren't them, those aren't real people. they're imitations of who they were. spirit magic isn't even remotely my forte, so i couldn't even..." she let out another harsh breath and cleared her throat. she sniffled. "they just had to be good enough that no one could see the difference unless they popped them under a microscope. pastor goode retired and pastor miller took his place. mr. rodrigues started staying at home more often. and they said... they said that no one could take care of cecelia the way dominic could, no one knew her illness and condition as well as he did, so they sent her on the assignment with him. everything got wrapped up so neatly with a pretty bow, no one outside of this room dared to look closely at what was wrong. but, um..."

she fell quiet, staring down at her hands. ethan wasn't the most empathetic person, but even they felt for her. they couldn't imagine the trauma that she'd had to live with, being made to witness a massacre and take part in the messy cleanup job. she wasn't even allowed to speak out against it without decrying her own religion. piper wasn't even like the other members of the coven; she'd been groomed from the day she was born to inherit it as their next leader. she'd been put in an impossible place from the start.

she cleared her throat again. "the ceremony isn't complete," she said, looking up at them all again. "it can't be, not until dom and cass are caught. there was power in the pastor's blessing; it was already on cass, which means that she has to die in order for the harvest to move forward as it's supposed to. there's a month left until the next harvest and we're still in the middle of the last one. there can't be another harvest while cassandra rodrigues is still alive. which means that the coven has to find and kill them now. cecelia, too, if they haven't already."

"why are you telling us now?" harry asked. tears stained his cheeks, too. he didn't feel love for all of the deceased witches, not the way that mae did. he held a fair amount of disdain for a few of them. but that didn't mean they'd deserved to die. that didn't mean to that all of the kids in the coven, past and present and future, deserved to be raised up like lambs for the slaughter, believing they were being chosen for an honor and not a massacre. "what changed between yesterday and today, huh?"

piper met his gaze, her eyes wet and red and terrified. "i found them, harry. i didn't even mean to, but now i know where they are. and the coven, they own me. my own head, it's not mine. there isn't a single thing i can hide from them, not for long. and i⎯i know, harry."

"oh," ethan exhaled. if piper knew, it was only a matter of time before the coven did, too. "shit."

"i put a spell on myself as soon as i found them," piper told them. "for now, the coven can't get into my head, but that's not going to last. the second they realize what i've done, they'll pull it out of me, and i... please," she begged, face soaked with tears and desperation. "i don't care what happens to me, i've brought that on myself. but don't let them die. please."

"you were there?" gemma repeated, like an echo bouncing off a canyon wall. her voice wasn't accusatory or angry, simply...stunned. she blinked, her eyes wide and bewildered. she felt like she was trying to piece together a puzzle, but the picture didn't make any sense. it didn't make any sense that piper had known what had happened for a year, and hadn't given any indication to any of them. as devout as she was, she had seen how worried they were; she had been confused, too.

"i can't believe you lied to us," ivy said, and like gemma, her voice wasn't accusatory. she sounded genuinely shocked that piper had lied. she studied her, the guilt in her eyes tugging at ivy's heartstrings, pulling her away from any feelings of anger she might have had. that guilt, combined with her genuine fear, made ivy pause, made her mind and pulse race. what had piper seen that night that had made her lie? what had she seen that had made her so afraid that even now she didn't know if they were safe? "but i understand that you had to," she added, after a long moment. she wasn't sure if it was the laws of the coven or if it was fear that had kept piper's lips sealed for nearly a year, but whatever she had seen the night of the harvest was clearly coming back to haunt her now. and if she was in danger, ivy wouldn't have cared what she had done or what lies she had told. when push came to shove, she would have done anything for piper, for any of them. they all would.

"it's not like none of us have ever lied before," gemma said after a moment, shaking her head. "and you're scared, pipes. really and truly scared." she glanced towards the walls again, then back at harry for reassurance before looking back at piper. "and it's not about deserving to be heard out; of course you deserve for us to listen even if you lied."

aiden chewed at the inside of his cheek, eyes darting to ethan for a moment. they weren't immune to lies that hung like an albatross around your neck, or needing to do things, even terrible things, in order to survive. the werewolves in this room, at the very least, had a long history written in blood and framed in shame that had been born of needing to make choices built around survival rather than doing what felt right; rather than doing what was right. he wondered how long piper had felt that same way, had carried the guilt of knowledge about that night with her and felt unable to speak about it. how long had they been more alike than even he had realized?

still, he couldn't help where his mind went to; the same place he knew ethan's had. magic was religion here in salem, and those raised by the coven were brought up to believe in it's word being law. he had seen how hesitant they were to doubt anything the elders of the coven ever said. they had all been raised to believe this harvest ritual was an honor; that their magical gifts could be used elsewhere, that they would be helping others after leaving. but it seemed all too obvious to him what the harvest really was.

he knew a sacrifice when he smelled one.

still, if it was a blood ritual that demanded death as it seemed to be, that was piper's story to tell, in her own words, in her own time, just as it would be theirs to process as they needed. so he stayed silent, listening.

"we're not mad at you, piper, if that's what you're thinking," willow said gently.

taylor nodded beside her. "and even if we were, we'd still help you."

"what happened at the harvest? and why are you scared now?" willow asked.

#☽ . . . coven.#☽ . . . coven. ― para.#☽ . . . type. ― para.#☽ . . . scene. ― right to the bone.

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