"Taemin ah.... I want you to follow Yura noona over there, okay?"

     Queen Hyosung was crouched down at her 5 year old son's level, clutching on his nimble hand for reasons he could not understand at the moment. Not wanting to worry his mother any further, Taemin shook his his head up and down like the good boy he was. The Queen wished to have more time with her son but was cut off by an impatient knight who was waiting by her side. 

" Your highness, If you are done, the head thinks it would be best if  everyone gather at the carriages immediately," a gravely voice suggested at Queen Hyosung's side. She turned and nodded to acknowledge his statement, standing up but not before giving a kiss to her baby boy's chubby cheek. 

" Yura, please guide the rest of the children to the rear of the castle, " Queen Hyosung shared a weary smile with the trusted family maid before handing Taemin's hand that wasn't occupied with holding his bunny plushie, to Yura's welcoming one. 

" Don't worry, your highness, this will all be taken care of soon."

Prince Taemin remembered how the glassy look in his mother's eyes struck a chord in his heart, as they were pulled apart to opposite sides of the Grand Hall. It took many elbows in the stomach and hindering in footing before Yura and Taemin made it out of the crowd and outside in to the rainy sky. From where Taemin was standing, shielded by the curved roof, he could see clothed figures covering themselves from the tears of the heavens and being escorted onto carriages. Yura draped a velvet cloak over herself and on his shivering body before latching onto his hand once again and making their way to one of the vehicles. Out of the dozen carriages, more coming in from the distance, Yura hurried to the one in the front of the others. A knight who was stationed at the carriage helped both special passengers onto the cushiony seats. As he was about to close the the golden latch on the door, Taemin heard yelling and screaming in the distance, not nearing away, but nearing closer. Soon it was too loud for the little prince to tolerate, so he clasped his wet hands over his ears. And suddenly, the whole carriage was shaking --- and the curious part of Taemin couldn't help but look around the carriage and was met by the sight of a women resisting against a guard's movements --- It was his mother? From what he could tell, the lady had long curly locks of black licorice hair, and that was all the information Taemin needed before dashing in the small space of the carriage to the other side.

Through the tiny window he managed to peer over at his mother's resistance and caught her eye. In that moment , he saw a glint of what seemed relief and worry in Hyosung's mocha orbs, and she came hurrying to the only gold-lined carriage that her son and maid were occupying.

Taemin wanted to  ask why everyone was running all over the place, why everyone was fighting. Taemin never liked acts of violence, but why were they happening in his mommy's castle? He barely got a word out because a soft but sturdy object was into his tiny chest : a book... ? His mother.

Queen Hyosung had glistening tear tracks on her naturally rosy cheeks, reaching out into the tiny carriage window to gently hold her her son's head for what seemed like the last time. It was only a few seconds of silence between the queen and prince before both jolted in suprise at a sudden roar of screams and hollers. 

They're here.

The tears that Taemin's mother was trying to hold in failed to be kept at bay, as they cascaded down her cheeks once more. 

" Taemin ah.... I-i... I want you to know that...." Queen Hyosung choked on her words, tasting the bitterness of her tears. " No matter what happens, don't stop dreaming, dont ever stop your imagination , don't let anyone hinder your choices in life, T-taemin ah. Do it for me, Taemin ah..... Do it for your father. " 

This was too much for the 5 year old boy to break down and understand, but he seemed to get a hang of new vocabulary in his new novels, but why was this so hard? 

Yura squeaked out a small "Your Highness! " alarming the addressed person as well as the other knights outside. From the side of her eye, Queen Hyosung saw the attackers, the evil people who she wished she never saw. The castle was nearly in ruins, they knew that, but they also knew that they had to evacuate fast. 

Hyosung pecked her son on his bubblegum tinted lips, brushing the pads of her thumbs over his cheekbones

" Take good care of him, Yura," she requested in a shooken voice. " Please. " 

Yura nodded in understanding, sending a sympathetic look to the queen she looked up to the most. 

" Send them away, Kangta. " 

The noisy clopping of hooves indicated the carriage was traveling at a very fast speed indeed, as Taemin locked gazes with the person who encouraged him to live life his way ; to live his life to the extent.  It wasn't until Taemin realized he was crying when drops of unwanted tears started to land on his thin silken pants. He remembered the book he was given, the velvet clad book strewn across the wooden platform of the bustling carriage. The young boy held it tight to his chest, as if it were a dove, ready to fly away any second.