#seventeen china line kpop fanfic

[k-pop-dont-stop]

The Guardian Storyteller (Chapter 3)

Au: Poly!Au, Supernatural!Au, Werewolf!Au

Pairing: Xu Minghao/OC/Wen Junhui

Rating: PG (mature themes later, no smut though)

Authors Note: It took me forever to find the muse for this, but hopefully it reads well and the next one will be smoother sailing. Finals are coming up though, so don’t expect it too terribly soon.

~~~*~~~*~~~

Preview From The Last Chapter:

“How do you know so much? And why are you always so amused? Even in dire situations, like when you got captured, you were practically giggling.” He blurted before he could think his words through. Smirking, she winked. “I’ve made my rounds, met all kinds of creatures. I have quite a few friends in various communities around the world that help me when I run into those who need my assistance. To humans, I am a simple, magical storyteller, but to the supernatural community, I am a guardian, helping those new to our world find a place to belong. I guess you could say I’m the Guardian Storyteller.”

Chapter 3 

“Now it’s up to you.” Aiden hummed, watching the boy carefully. “I leave in about a week. You can either choose to join me and I’ll take you to someone who can help you with this change or you can stay here and listen to your mother. I will not judge you for whatever choice you decide, but I will warn you. Once I’m gone, there will be no turning back. You will not find me here again.” The silver eyed girl warned, Chan’s confused thoughts allowing him little more than a nod as he got up and left, recognizing that the conversation was over.

Her words haunted him through the next week. He couldn’t concentrate on any of his studies and even the gardens had lost their solace. Slowly, Chan came to the realization that this castle, the only thing he’s known for most of his life, was no longer the home he thought it was, especially now that word had gotten out about Aiden’s little scene in the throne room. The other children of the King, the servants, everyone started to avoid him, completely vacating rooms as he entered them or stopping every activity just to stare at him. By the end of the week, he was completely fed up and found himself slipping back into the dungeons late at night, finding the silver eyed girl standing and staring through the little window in her cell. She was thinner than the first night he had visited her and visibly paler, her clothing ripped and hair tousled.

Stopping just outside of her cell, the younger boy watched as she lazily looked over, nodding at him. “I figured.” She hummed, turning and approaching the door, a slight limp in her step. “How do you plan to get out? I forgot the keys on my rush down here.” He asked, suddenly realizing his mistake. Aiden just shook her head, chuckling. “That’s no problem. You really underestimate me.” She chuckled, placing a hand on her side of the lock. A soft light emitted from her wrist and palm before the door was opening, as though the lock was never there in the first place. Chan just stared wide-eyed as she walked through, nodding to him as she started for the staircase. “Shouldn’t we find a less direct way out?” He worried, earning another amused chuckle. “You worry too much. Just stay quiet and they’ll never know we were even here.” She hummed, not slowing in the slightest as she began to ascend.

Confused, Chan followed, shutting his mouth and trying to make as little noise as possible. From his spot behind her, Aiden appeared completely unbothered as she leisurely walked through the surprisingly empty halls. Not a guard passed them as they simply slipped out through the kitchens, the backdoor closing quietly behind Chan. Confused, he waited until they were a decent ways away from the castle before questioning the girl who obviously had something to do with it if the smirk on her face was any indicator.

“Why was that so easy?” He asked, speeding up slightly and walking side by side with the grinning girl. “Oh, that? That little ability is my secret.” She hummed, her posture stiffening the further they got from the castle. “However, it only works in more cramped areas. Stick close, I don’t need a pup like you getting lost in these woods. They’re not as friendly as you might have been taught.” Silver eyes flickered throughout the treeline as Chan stared in amazement at the mysterious girl. If it wasn’t for the grin on her face, Chan would have assumed that she was nervous. Choosing not to push his own luck, he kept his mouth shut and followed.

The pair traveled for days, quickly leaving behind the only kingdom Chan had known in the cover of trees and the darkness of night. Aiden seemed to thrive in the darkness while Chan was just glad it minimized their chance of running into guards his mother might have sent after him. He may be a werewolf now, but he was still a prince by birthright. From what he had seen, she wouldn’t give up the power that his status bestowed upon her easily.

He had also grown closer to Aiden and learned many things. Such as the fact that she was actually quite the chatterbox, especially when she was completely comfortable in her surroundings. She would point out different species of plants and berries, telling him which were poisonous and which weren’t. She showed him how to string a bow and began teaching him how to shoot, and even filled him in on certain werewolf social norms, such as telling time in Moons instead of Months. “The moon plays such a big part in their lives that every full moon is the start of a new cycle. But they still tell age by years, after all, they are part human. Not every tradition is lost on them.” She had chuckled over dinner one evening. Very quickly she became a mother-like figure to him, a mentor and caretaker as she led him from his old life and introduced him to this new one.

“What happens when we get to this pack?” Chan asked as they settled down one morning to rest. “What do you mean what happens?” She hummed, setting up a fire to cook the last of their meat. “I mean, I know you travel a lot. Will you just drop me off and be on your way?” He asked, not daring to make eye contact. It was silent for a moment before Aiden began to giggle. Brown eyes snapped up to the female who met his eyes with a mirth that had become comforting, like a mothers hug, to the boy. “I won’t just drop you off. I actually quite enjoy being around that particular pack. A few of my old friends are in it and I’ve been meaning to visit a while. Besides, what kind of person would I be if I didn’t stick around to make sure that leaving you there isn’t a mistake. I take my Guardian title very seriously, so I will probably stick around a few moons, just to make sure you settle in and no one is giving you too hard of a time. As long as I am not needed elsewhere, I don’t plan on ditching anyone anytime soon.” Her response came easy, amused even, as she cooked their meal. “Don’t be nervous. I’ll be there most of the way to explain certain things and the alpha is beyond understanding, whether you decide to leave or stay after you gain control of your wolf. I wouldn’t take you there if I didn’t trust them.” She added, a knowing look in her eyes as she smiled at Chan. “Now then, let’s eat and rest. Tomorrow, we crest this last hill. At the top, you can see their home and with a little luck, we’ll make it to the pack house without any problems.”

*To Be Continued*

[blushysvt]

jun: my full name is wen junhui and my friends call me jun, but you can call me anytime

minghao:

minghao: you know who else i can call? the cops

[zerot0all]

Nap time | M

“Hao hao,” you whisper into your boyfriends ear as you hug him from behind. Minghao was tired so he decided to take a nap after practice. You understood he was tired but watching him dance left you hot and horny. Plus, you could never have enough of him, you were addicted. As you snake your hands around his abdomin and under his shirt feeling his body heat only made you crave him more. “Baby girl if I turn around your going to have to handle what I will be giving to you understood?” He said in a low tone still not fully awake. You took that as a challenge and decided to take matters into your own hands. So you turned him over and hopped on top of him. As you straddle his thighs you begin to move slowly. Seeing your boyfriend not opening his eyes you decide to move faster and place your hands on his chest to help. The friction from his sweats and your shorts was enough to get you to start moaning. “So you think you can just use me like this baby girl?” He asked as his hand gripped your chin so your eyes would meet. “I told you if I turned around you would have to deal with this,” he says with a devilish grin that made you even more wet. “Now why don’t you get naked and ride me the proper way, and I might let you cum!”

[CD]

[minghowjunwhy]

MY I MOODBOARD

[isthisaegyo]

Even though China line didn’t have much screen time I was still feelin it when my babies were up there.

[alvizbeldamarcos]

On Male K-Idols Looking “Gay” (And How They’re Not)

by Tricia Belda

source: BBC

Androgyny is a concept long existing in K-Pop that transcends the gender and cultural differences between idols and fans. It existed even from when the industry only had a small fan base consisting of local fans and a few foreign ones. Artists have always been freely cross-dressing; K-Pop boy groups may cover girl groups’ songs and vice versa, without receiving any judgment from their audiences. Androgyny has always been a part of their culture that their audience views it as nothing out of the ordinary. However, now that K-Pop expanded further to reach out to more countries, several problems arise. With more foreign eyes onto the industry and a now larger market, some people are quick to question the standards that K-Pop has set up.

The spite mostly comes from the non-fans, particularly the ones who are used to Western pop music culture. People outside the community are quick to point out what seems to them are “flaws” of the K-Pop industry. Most of the time, the misunderstandings are caused by the differences between the culture of K-Pop fans and non-fans. These misunderstandings consist of criticisms of the culture, not only limited to androgyny. The most pronounced “problems” that the non-fans often raise are the “fan wars”, the music for its “repetitive songs” with the “same melodies and concepts”, and the idols for being who they are— particularly male idols for being somewhat “effeminate”.

The effeminateness possessed by K-idols is known as “soft masculinity” among the people familiar with K-Pop culture, as Asher (2018) indicates. Soft masculinity is characterized by an interest in commonly feminine objects, such as makeup, and by the possession of feminine features. Shin (2013) translates this “soft masculinity” to “kkochminam”, which literally means flower boy in Hanggul. Kkochminam is a term used in K-Pop to describe males with flower-like or delicate appearances. However, a more convenient and common term used by people outside the community is the word “androgynous”. Androgyny, as Merriam-Webster (n.d.) defines it, refers to “the quality or state of being neither specifically feminine or masculine”; may it be in terms of physical features, in attitude, in fashion, etc. Among male K-idols, the more known androgynous ones, include Taemin of SHINee, Sungjong of INFINITE, Jeonghan of SEVENTEEN, Ren of NU’EST.

Shin (2013) states that kkochminam is often associated with the concept of metrosexuality; wherein men also pay close attention to their appearances and grooming. Aside from sharing common traits such as delicate facial features and skinny body types, the mentioned idols above (along with other male idols) also put high regards on their appearances with their distinct fashion sense, and their interest in skincare and makeup; similar to metrosexuality. However, a notable difference between the two would be the age group commonly linked to both. Shin differentiates that while metrosexuality mostly refers to “urban men”, kkochminam involves younger males (as the common age group of idols).

Due to its “feminine” nature, androgyny easily appealed to the female fans. Consequently, it is presently being used by K-Pop agencies as a selling point for products. Famous skincare and makeup brands these days have male idols as their endorsers. Visto (2018) even states that customers are “often lured into stores by men endorsers of make-up and skin care lines rather than their women counterparts”, showing both how powerful the industry is, and how such concept of masculinity is widely-accepted in South Korea. Male idols have always been very expressive in using skincare and makeup, stating that they believe men are free to groom themselves as much as women do.

image

NU’EST’s Ren modeling in skirts (source: Daily Kpop News)

image

EXO’s Kai performing in a crop top (source: Naver)

Likewise, androgyny is also “sold” as publicity in terms of fashion and performances. Ren of NU’EST garnered positive attention for modeling skirts and dresses for “VIP Shop” in China, and Kai of EXO received praises for wearing crop tops for their recent performances. Regardless of the negative feedback, these idols receive due to their unconventional fashion sense, a majority of the audience have been really accepting of the change. Fans have shown support for their idols breaking the norms that only women can wear certain apparels. The idols, in turn, make sure to meet their fans’ expectations by smoothly incorporating these unique outfits into their performances.

Taemin of SHINee also showcased androgyny in his performances; not through fashion but through his music. In his interview with Herman (2017), Taemin stated that he particularly used gender-neutral pronouns, and incorporated masculine and feminine movements for his choreography in “MOVE”. The artist adds, “I really wanted to break those labels, showing that dance is a form of art”, showing how idols are trying to boldly push the boundaries even further. Androgyny here is effectively used as a way to be a more versatile performer. Queerness actually widens the variety of performances an idol can show on-stage, for gender no longer serves as a limit to what an idol can showcase.

Androgyny breaking boundaries are not only limited to the stage, but also to the “real lives” of idols recorded by the camera; fancams (fan-taken videos), reality shows, variety shows, and music shows. In addition to the aforementioned comparison between metrosexuality and Korean soft masculinity (kkochminam), the former only refers to grooming while the latter involves the personas showcased by idols both on and off-stage. Jung (2011) calls this “manufactured versatile masculinity”, wherein idols are purposely fashioned to have an image of both manliness and softness or femininity. She states 2PM’s Taecyeon as an example of such, for both being “beastly” whenever he rips his shirt on stage to show his well-built muscular body; and for being “puppy-like” whenever he speaks in a high-pitched voice and makes sweet gestures when told to act cute (known in Korea as “aegyo”) in shows. Taecyeon, and other idols switch between personas depending on the environment to effectively appeal to the audience. Due to exhibiting such duality, the idols, and their performances cater to fans with different preferences.

The “real life” of an idol is also commonly caught on camera whenever fans take videos of them in concerts, fan meets, or other events outside of their performances. Often times, these idols act clingy and sweet towards their fellow members in front of the fans purely for “fan service” (an idol’s way of pleasing his/her fans). As a result, fans pair an idol with one of his members, fantasizing about their “relationships”. In turn, “shipping culture” (from the word relationship) has naturally made its way to be a huge part of the K-Pop culture. Fans have been really open and expressive about this in the media, to the point that some idols have admittedly stated that they are aware of the “shipping culture” in the industry. Although a few idols have already stated that “shipping” makes them uncomfortable, Iwacka (2014) states that their agencies direct them to fuel their fan’s desires by further being touchy and close with each other. To the fans, “every sign of friendship and closeness is seen as a sign of ‘burning passion’ inside the group”. This, in fact, is the content of most slash “fanfics” (fan fiction) that fans write, Iwacka explains.

Internationally, however, with predominant Western influence, the Asian standards of androgyny are looked down upon. To others, androgyny in K-Pop is seen as “gay”; whereas that should not be the case. As Oh (2017) explains, androgyny in K-pop is considered “neither an absence of masculinity nor homosexuality.” On the contrary, it is seen as a performance, to be “theatrical spectacles” for the audiences’ viewing. In these performances, the actors (or in this case, idols), are free to exercise queerness, without necessarily being branded as a certain gender. Oh also adds that “queer” is a verb, wherein the gender is practiced and exhibited; performed and not just part of an identity. The said idea of androgyny is unique to Western views as “queer is often understood as a Eurocentric concept with the implication that the non-West queer subject should follow Western models”, Oh says.

As a result of the generalization of queerness and androgyny being a specific type with fixed standards, several misunderstandings arise. K-Pop idols are usually the target for online harassments, cyberbullying, slander, etc. In the case of male K-Pop idols, they are usually subject to homophobia.  A long-standing problem in the K-Pop world is how people working in the industry receive years of training, sacrificing everything they have just to pursue their dreams, only to be faced with the harsh reality of a cruel and judgemental world. Now that K-Pop has grown bigger, although it equates to more attention and more profit, it also means more conventional eyes critiquing the idols for not complying to the standards of the West.  

One known instance of this would be when some people opposed K-Pop idols making the “Top 100 Most Handsome Faces of 2018”. Dong (2019) reports the Greek TV show host Katerina Kainourgiou and her guests making homophobic and malicious comments on their show “Eutixeite”. They made remarks such as "Is he a man?”, “I can’t believe there are women who voted for that thing to be No. 5.” Towards Korean idols like Kang Daniel and BTS’ Jungkook. Such comments show how some people remain unaccepting or uninformed of the differences between K-pop and their local culture.

Understanding androgyny in K-pop is not only a matter of understanding gender difference but also cultural differences, as ethnocentrism is involved. Baylor (2012) defines ethnocentrism as,

a term applied to the cultural or ethnic bias—whether conscious or unconscious—in which an individual views the world from the perspective of his or her own group, establishing the in-group as archetypal and rating all other groups with reference to this ideal.

The concept of such could be seen whenever some people call idols (and other eastern Asian males) “gay” simply because they have softer-looking features and are more concerned with their grooming, compared to males of their societies. Darling-Wolf, as cited by Eisend, Langner, & Okazaki (2012), explains that comparisons between the masculinity in different cultures cannot be outright made because the concept varies and develops differently in each society.

Each society also has its own standard of an ideal man, which members of other societies are not obligated to adhere to. With Caucasian masculinity as the most desired ideal, as per Tan & Shaw’s (2014) research, most people then tend to prefer men with either more defined facial features, more muscular bodies for the “Tough and Macho”, or the more mature and sophisticated for the “Cool and Refined” over the young-looking, vigorous, innocent, and delicate Asian masculinity ideal.  Having these ideals are actually normal because each one has their own preferences. However, having a certain standard, and employing that criteria to judge others’ behaviors, traits, identity, preferences, etc. is a mindset that, as much as possible, must be avoided. Particularly for androgyny in K-Pop, where both the topics of gender and culture is touched upon.

    A phrase to sum the ideas up may be “The concept of androgyny, it has been suggested, offers a means of transcending the duality of gender differences imposed by culture”, as indicated by Krishnaraj (1996). First, that gender is a spectrum which could not be quantified as either strictly male or female. Anyone could go from either end or prefer the middle ground (which includes androgyny), which is why the phrase “too feminine” or “too masculine” cannot always be applied. The case is even more applicable now, with the emergence of SOGIE and now that everyone should be more accepting of each person’s freedom of choice. Second, that each culture has its own set of beliefs, traditions, customs, and traits which should be respected by different communities. The standards of a certain culture could not be imposed on another, as a result of the disparity brought about by the history, topography, and other factors which may actually discern the two.  

    Currently, K-Pop has caused a radical shift in global culture. Aside from the aforementioned influences, it has caused, it also seems to be the meeting point between the concept of gender differences and societal disparities. K-Pop might just be the revolution of breaking through the barriers of heteronormativity and prevalently Western thinking that most people are accustomed to.

Bibliography

Asher, S. (2018, September 20). Flowerboys and the appeal of 'soft masculinity' in South Korea. Retrieved from BBC News Asia: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42499809

Baylor, E. (2012, January 11). Ethnocentrism. Retrieved from Oxford Bibliographies: http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199766567/obo-9780199766567-0045.xml#firstMatch

Eisend, M. L. (2012). Current Insights and Future Trends. Advances in Advertising (Vol. III), 276.

Herman, T. (2017, October 25). Taemin Talks 'MOVE,' Gender Stereotypes & Pushing the Boundaries of K-Pop. Retrieved from Billboard: https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/8014100/taemin-interview-move-gender-stereotypes-pushing-the-boundaries

Iwacka, R. (2014, January). There Will Be Blood – the Darker Side of K-pop.

K-Pop Idol Boy Bands and Manufactured Versatile Masculinity: Making Chukgojeok boys. (2011). In S. Jung, Korean Masculinities and Transcultural Consumption: Yonsama, Rain, Oldboy, K-Pop Idols (p. 165). Hong Kong University Press.

Krishnaraj, M. (1996). Androgyny: An Alternative to Gender Polarity? . Economic and Political Weekly, 1.

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Androgyny Definition.

Oh, C. (2017). Unmasking Queerness: Blurring and Solidifying Queer Lines through K-Pop. The Journal of Popular Culture, 9-13.

Shaw, P. &. (2014). Race and Masculinity: A Comparison of Asian and Western Models in Men's Lifestyle Magazine Advertisements. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 118-138.

Shin, J. (2013). Male Homosexuality in The King and the Clown : Hybrid. Journal of Korean Studies, 98.

Visto, C. (2018, October 15). Beauty and the boys. Retrieved from Business World: https://www.bworldonline.com/beauty-and-the-boys/

[channiekyun]

Getting to Know Me Tag❤️

Hey, hey everyone.  I was tagged to do this by @luminosidae (thank you for tagging me!!!)

Rules: Answer the 30 questions and then tag 20 people

Nicknames: Jem, Vanessa, Jess, Jessie

Gender: Female

Star Sign: Virgo

Height: about 5′7″ the last time I checked (or maybe near 5′8″?)

Time: 8:01 PM  (pst)

Birthday: September 5

Favorite Bands: BTS, EXO, GOT7, MONSTA X, Wanna One, P!ATD, Astro, BLACKPINK, Seventeen, Red Velvet, Stray Kids, twenty-one pilots, or like legit any of the kpop bands I post for here

Favorite Solo Artists: Troye Sivan, Alessia Cara, Tori Kelly, Zico, those are the ones I can think of at the top of my head right now

Song Stuck in My Head: Anyone one of SVT’s songs, new ones like ‘CLAP’ ‘CHANGE UP’ ‘The 13th Month Dance’ and other ones like ‘MY I’ (fuck yea china line) and ‘HIGHLIGHT’ Those all have been in my head for the last hour

Last Movie I Watched: Justice League (shoutout to dc for putting BLACKPINK in that one scene, I was internally screaming the entire time the song played)

Last Show I Watched: I mean, my dad was just in the room and he was watching Shark Tank?? If that doesn’t count then either Friends or Stranger Things

When did I create my blog: 10/29/2017, so roughly 3 weeks ago

What do I post: Imagines, Fanfics, the occasional moodboard here and there, and reblogs of gifs/pics 

Last thing googled: Ideas for aus or prompts for otps that I can use for writing, also tips for that new animal crossing game, also just really bad jokes I could use in the future

Do you have other blogs?: An experimental blog which I use to view this blog on and make sure everything is all right with the way this blog is viewed, I don’t really post anything there. Other than that I guess no, maybe sometime in the future hm

Do you get asks: Sometimes, but they’re pretty rare (ASK ME STUFF, DO I NOT SAY THIS ENOUGH JFC)

Why did you choose your URL: It was 1AM on a night of the school day and I decided to make a new Tumblr Halfway starting creating it though, I realized I should go to sleep bc I had a volleyball game the next day, I needed to think of an URL fast. It was supposed to be a combination of Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s (EXO) names and added the ‘ie’ because 1)it sounded cute and 2)both letters are used in my name (that’s not what I thought of at midnight of course). I have also realized it also sounds similar to MONSTA X’s Changkyun/I.M. the next morning when I was thinking about it during class

Following: 157* (there’s a lot of good content creators out there guys)

Followers: 48~

Favorite colors: blue, red, white, gray, cream, stuff like that

Average Hours of Sleep: 7-8, maybe 6-8, it really varies a lot

Lucky number(s): 4, 7, 16, 17, 18, 96

Instruments: Used to play piano when I was young but I saw no progress in myself and always started crying when I got criticized for it, I quit but I want to start over again someday

What am I wearing: A matching gray pajama set (button up short sleeve shirt+shorts) with little blue leaves on it

How many blankets I sleep with: Currently 1 (sometimes more), I make up for it with the number of pillows I have

Dream Job: When I was little I wanted to be a fashion designer/model (lol fml), but now I want to be a singer (my appearance and voice is lacking though) or some type of doctor. Like a neurologist, psychologist, cardiologist or smth like that y’know

Dream Trip: Travelling around Europe or Asia, I like wandering around and exploring my surroundings while taking pictures with my phone

Favorite food: Ramen, not like the instant type, but like the actual homemade stuff. I also really like meat. Also pasta and potatoes i actually have no idea, im craving now omg

Ethnicity: Asian, more specifically, Filipino

Favorite Song Right Now: I’ve been listening to Seventeen’s new album a lot these days if I did not make that clear enough above. Also the fact that I have been playing CLAP on repeat (but it’s such a good song tho)

I’m tagging: @baozibunns @aishwhatamidoingwithmylife @xxxtenchittaphon @multikpopworld @soft-woojae @itssehunbitch @jungcookye @smolbeananna @cosmic-yuta @forvictorymyeverything @react101-seventeen @cherishyixing @ijedi @baby-zen @chogiwamy @shimmie-shimmie-kokobop @yeoleow @introspectivememories

[k-pop-dont-stop]

The Guardian Storyteller (Chapter 2)

Au: Poly!Au, Supernatural!Au, Werewolf!Au

Pairing: Xu Minghao/OC/Wen Junhui

Rating: PG (mature themes later, no smut though)

Authors Note: The plot, she thickens! Don’t worry y’all, our boys enter the fray in the next chapter or two, stay tuned!

~~~*~~~*~~~

Preview From The Last Chapter:

“I am sorry ma’am, but there is nothing I can do. The werewolf bite is already healed, meaning his body has accepted the change. All he can do now is wait and learn to control his wolf before he becomes a potential threat to others. The only help I can offer is in teaching him to control the beast before it controls him.” Aiden explained, taking a gentle step back as if expecting the woman to absolutely burst with fury.

She wasn’t wrong.

Chapter 2

The Queen’s face curled into a snarl as she practically lunged at Aiden, perfect nails pointing accusingly. “Guards! Restrain her! Throw her in the dungeon!” The Queen practically screeched, triggering heavy shuffling as a group of guards shuffled towards the girl in the center. Panic overtook the mirth in Aiden’s gaze as her head whipped around, assessing the situation with a sharp gaze. Chan could only watch in aw as she released his arm and immediately began to maneuver towards the side of the room, away from most of the guards. Her stance screamed defensive, yet her eyes held a sort of panicked calm as she continued to monitor the situation. After a few minutes of shuffling around the room, she smirked. “Dae! Get out of here, don’t worry about me. I know what I’m doing.” She shouted. Taken aback, the Queen and Chan looked towards the, now unguarded, entrance of the room, where a blonde boy simply nodded before bolting through the door, shouting “You better!” over his shoulder. Now humiliated, the furious Queen whipped back to where the girl was now being restrained by multiple guards. Green met silver in an intense gaze as both women stared each other down. “You will either share your secrets witch or rot in that prison. I, personally, will see to it.” The Queen spat as the guards began to shuffle away with their new prisoner. Aiden said nothing, but Chan didn’t miss the mirth slowly seeping back into her gaze the moment her back was to the Queen. When her gaze met his, he could practically feel like she knew something they didn’t and it unnerved yet intrigued him.

Before this meeting, Chan actually had little knowledge of the travelling witch. He knew she visited different towns in different kingdoms to spin tales before moving on with her brother after an undetermined amount of time, but that was all. When he was bitten, his mother had insisted that they wait for her to return to town before they looked for a cure. After all, if she knew so many stories, she must know something about how to fix his condition. But the traveller took longer than his mother had anticipated to enter the capital, making the already short tempered woman more and more irritable with each passing day.

Neither the Queen nor Chan were quite expecting the playful personality of the storyteller when she entered. They just assumed she would be like the other bards in the kingdom, solemn and mysterious to their very soul and hile she was mysterious, she also held an air of knowledge about her. Like she knew more than she would ever share, infuriating the Queen in the short time she was in the throne room, but only intriguing Chan.

Which is why he found himself creeping down into the dungeons late the first night she was held captive. It had been more than a few hours since she was initially thrown into the underground prison, long enough for dinnertime to come and pass and lights out to be enforced throughout most of the castle. Keeping his footsteps quiet, eyes alert for any roaming guards, Chan slowly maneuvered to her cell. Peering in, he saw the girl sitting quietly in the center of the room. Moonlight draped lazily through the window and over the girl as her back faced the barred door.

“You should know.” She spoke, startling the boy from his thoughts. “Steel bars are only useful against humans. Any supernatural creature held here could escape at any time of their own volition. Especially a werewolf who has no control over his beast.” There was no accusation in her voice, no threat. Just simple facts. Facts that made a shiver run down Chan’s spine. “If you are thinking of remaining here through your first few transitions and don’t want my advice for controlling the beast, you will need to replace some of these bars with silver. It not only harms your body but repels werewolves in frenzied states. You wouldn’t be able to break them, everyone would be safe temporarily.” She hummed, finally looking over her shoulder, meeting Chan’s wide and curious gaze, eyes flashing with an emotion that he couldn’t put into words. “But that’s not why you’re here is it. You aren’t here to mock me, like your mother was only a few hours ago.” She hummed, turning around fully, her gaze softening, a knowing look in her eyes.

“Oh! Ah, no. I don’t find joy in this situation at all.” He mumbled as she settled down, only receiving a soft chuckle from the girl. “What an odd way to put that, considering you don’t seem to mind this change.” She hummed. Eyes snapping to hers in confusion, she only laughed again. “In time. You must have questions for me and I have nothing else to do nor anywhere else to be, so let’s hear them.” She smiled, waiting patiently as Chans gaze returned to the ground, gathering his thoughts. “Who are you?” He asked, looking back up to watch her face, though he didn’t dare meet her eyes. They unnerved him, the silver unnaturally sharp as they seemed to look straight through him, to his very soul, the knowledge hidden in those iris’s both comforting and worrying. “My name is Aiden.” She hummed.

A small pause passed before Chan realized she was done answering that question. Clearing his throat, he tried again

“What are you? With the stories you tell, you can’t expect me to assume you are just a human.” The mischievous girl smiled brightly at the more straight forwards question. “Ah! A more appropriate question! You are right, I am no simple human. However, I’ve been called quite a few things over my travels. Different lands have different names for what I am, including my own, so whatever you see fit to explain my abilities and knowledge shouldn’t be wrong.” She chuckled. “What do your people call your kind?” He asked, curious as he sat down on the other side of the bars, watching her as she thought. “Oh. A unique question. Most people just brush over that.” She hummed, smiling fondly. “In my homeland we were called the Shee.” She hummed, smiling gently as her eyes seemed to unfocus. Pausing for a moment, lost in thought, Chan just watched the serene expression on her face, the first one he’d seen on her since they met.

After a moment, she chuckled, focusing back on Chan as she shook the thoughts from her mind. “For now, you can just call me a witch. It’s what most people in these lands call me.” She practically giggled, as though the thought about the difference in the names was funny to her. “Okay then. So you are Aiden, a witch, from what lands?” He asked. “The east.” “Oh! Like the kingdoms in the east? You don’t look like it.” He perked up, thinking of his interactions with other royal families. Aiden just giggled. “Oh! No, my homeland is much further east than the lands here. You must sail quite a bit off of the eastern coast to reach my homelands and even then, they are guarded by storms. Very few people leave or enter because of that.” She explained, relaxing as she looked down the halls leisurely.

“Why are you here little prince? You know you could get in serious trouble for talking to prisoners so casually.” She hummed, her position still relaxed but her eyes sobering up a little, the bright mirth dulling to an amused twinkle. “I- well-. Were you lying back there, in the throne room? Is there really nothing that can be done?” The question didn’t seem to surprise the girl. In fact, she seemed to expect it as she looked away from him, to the wall behind him. “Yes. I meant every word. There is no way to return you back to your fully human state like you were before.” She hummed with a small nod. “Then why haven’t I changed yet? It’s been a couple of full moons since then, but I still remain unphased.” Chan watched as the mirth returned to her eyes at the question.

“In the supernatural community, it’s well known that a wolf bite, left untreated by a witch through the first moon, will react one of two ways. Either the body will reject the change and the person will fall violently ill, resulting in their quick death, or the body will accept the change. If the change is accepted, there’s a small amount of time where the soul also has to adapt, slowly welcoming the primal part of the human that is covered up with all of your mannerisms and dulled by your ego. This more primal part then takes form into that person’s wolf and only once both the spirit and the body have fully accepted the change will you transform. You’re only halfway through that process. Your body has accepted the change, now is the time to seek out that more primal part and connect with it, so that when it fully forms, you are not completely off balance, like so many others before you.” Her eyes shifted back to Chan’s at this explanation, watching as understanding slowly smoothed the confused lines on his face.

“Most people don’t have a supernatural friend or neighbor to help them through this process. That’s why so many werewolves created through a bite are considered dangerous and attack people. If your human and wolf side aren’t in sync when you transform, then the wolf takes over. Any creature with enhanced strength and senses working off of purely primal instincts is dangerous, doesn’t matter what the creature is. That’s why you hear so many horror stories. Most werewolves who are actually in tune with their wolf are completely harmless when they transform. It’s just all in the experience and work you put into learning about this new part of you.” She added, smiling playfully at Chan despite the heavy words.

For a while, neither of them said anything. Chan just sat there, absorbing her words. A new part of him? His very soul shifting? The entire notion both scared and intrigued the young prince and the mirth that never left Aiden’s eyes had him bubbling with questions yet again. “How do you know so much? And why are you always so amused? Even in dire situations, like when you got captured, you were practically giggling.” He blurted before he could think his words through. Smirking, she winked. “I’ve made my rounds, met all kinds of creatures. I have quite a few friends in various communities around the world that help me when I run into those who need my assistance. To humans, I am a simple, magical storyteller, but to the supernatural community, I am a guardian, helping those new to our world find a place to belong. I guess you could say I’m the Guardian Storyteller.”

*To Be Continued*