“Doctor Zhang!”

Zhang Cheng spun around from where he was rooting around in the bottom of a chest in hopes of finding more information, to see a guard standing in front of him, panting and sweating. Evidently, he had run straight for him. His heart rate suddenly picked up, fearing that something terrible must have happened to his son as the guard held up the pendant Yixing always wore around his neck. Sweat beaded at the edge of his brow as he strode forward and reached for the jewelry.

“What happened?” he asked, trying to steady his voice, even when his mind was racing with a thousand and one images of what could have happened to his beloved son.

“I… I don't know. There was a stag, with golden horns and…and…” the guard stuttered, frightened by the look on the healer’s face.

“A stag? Where?” Zhang Cheng’s face drained of colour and he started for the door, cradling his son’s necklace in his hands.

“He is in the throne room with the Queen.”

The healer broke into a run. No, no, no! He thought. Everything was happening too fast and his son was going to be caught in the middle of it.

“Cheng?” Liu Xing called out to him when he raced past her in a blind panic to reach the throne room. When her husband did not answer, the gardener hurried after him, worry filling her heart.

 

-

 

Lan Ling flung herself at her son’s feet, carefully cradling his head. The stag was sweating and trembling badly, long lashes fluttering ever so slightly. The door to the throne room burst open and the healer ran in, looking horrified. Captain Huang had already cleared the room of guards the moment he was informed so the room was empty save for the captain who stood at the door to warn off any servant or guard.

“Luhan,” the queen whispered, hardly daring to believe her eyes. Her son, her precious son was lying on the carpet in front of her, as solid and real as she had imagined.

“Your Highness.” The anguish in the healer’s voice was clear and Lan Ling looked up from her star struck demeanour and froze. Zhang Cheng stood in the doorway of the room, sweating and panting. The pain in his eyes was clear as he held up a pendant she knew belonged to Yixing. But what made her blood run cold, was the silver ring that had been threaded onto the chain. “Yifan!” she gasped, voice trembling as the healer approached her, wearing a matching expression.

“They are in trouble,” Zhang Cheng whispered. The stag at their feet stirred and the movement attracted their attention.

Luhan could sense their gazes on him the moment his eyes opened. He struggled, legs kicking harshly on the ground until he was back on his feet. Snorting, he glanced outside the window. The sky was black and rain was beginning to pour down. He glanced at the man holding the necklace and deduced that this must be Yixing’s father. Thinking of the advisor’s state, he lunged forward and grabbed the healer’s shirt with his teeth and tugged.

“Luhan!” The queen gasped, reaching forward to stop her son but the healer stilled her hand.

“He wants us to follow him,” Zhang Cheng stated, easily understanding the stag’s behaviour. “Is anyone injured?” the healer asked to which Luhan nodded furiously, stamping his hooves hard. “Let me get my things. Ziyuan, I'll meet you outside!” Zhang Cheng called out to Captain Huang, who nodded and opened the doors.

Luhan spared a glance for his mother before hurrying after the healer. Outside, the rain was falling heavily in sheets, causing the world to become a blur. The sky was so dark that it looked like night, even though it was only evening time. Luhan skittered down the marble steps and almost crash landed at the base in his hurry.

He snorted and got up, looking as dignified as he could just as Captain Huang appeared with two horses in tow. He was wrapped in a warm cloak as he double checked the girths. The stag wandered over curiously to look. The captain smiled at him as he pulled the girth a notch tighter. They both turned when they heard the thuds of heavy hoof beats striking the cobblestones of the courtyard and the king’s grey stallion came into view.

Yi Chen flung himself off his horse and came tearing across the courtyard to stare at his son. Luhan bleated softly and the king’s eyes started to look suspiciously shiny. “They are not back,” he said. It was not a question.

“Go inside, my king. It is cold and you must be weary,” Captain Huang said as he tucked the saddle flaps into place.

“Baba, where are you going?” Zitao asked as he led his horse towards the stables.

“The prince and Yixing have yet to return. I'm going with Zhang Cheng to look for them.” The captain directed the last sentence at the king and Yi Chen protested, “I will go with you.”

“No, you will not.” They all turned towards the new voice and Zhang Cheng stepped out, carrying a satchel which he carefully packed into the saddlebag hanging from his horse. “You and Junseo will go straight inside and get warm. Your wife is worried.”

The king’s mouth opened to protest but the healer shot him a look that gave no room for argument. His eyes were rimmed with red, suggesting that he had been crying.

Zhang Cheng swung himself into the saddle and Luhan moved beside him. “We will send word when we find him.” He gestured for the stag to move in front of him. Yixing’s necklace hung on his father’s neck with the prince’s ring and the healer the ring anxiously. “Come on!”

Luhan reared up at the call and leapt forward, ignoring the way the rain had drenched his body. He dimly heard the horses break into a gallop to keep up with him and he strained forward, forgetting about the pain in his muscles as he ran through the falling rain.

 

-

 

Yifan laid his cloak over his best friend as the rain poured down onto them. Yixing’s lips had turned blue and his face remained a sickly colour.

Shinwoo watched with the hood of his cloak pulled up as the prince knelt by his friend, refusing to leave his side even to take shelter. The prince’s blonde hair was matted to his forehead and he was shivering violently. The bleeding around Yixing’s wound had finally stopped but he did not look any better.

Yifan bit his lip as a hot tear splashed onto his best friend’s face. “Xing, I'm so so sorry,” he whispered, tightening his fingers around Yixing’s pale hand. His lips parted as if he wanted to say more but just then, hoof beats echoed throughout the silent clearing over the roaring of the rain and the prince leapt to his feet as two hooded figures rode into the clearing along with a golden stag whose coat was dark and matted with sweat and rainwater.

Zhang Cheng threw himself from his horse, hands fumbling with the flap of the saddlebag. “Yixing?” he whispered as the prince moved closer to him.

Yifan bit his lip and nodded, face pale. “Scorpio threw him. He broke a rib,” he murmured, too ashamed of himself to look the healer in the eye.

Zhang Cheng kept his composure until he saw the damage. “Yixing!” he gasped in horror at the sight of the broken bone. Feeling sick, he knelt to see just how bad the break was. “Has he woken?” The thought of his son going through that much pain making his stomach turn.

“No.” Yifan knelt as well, taking up Yixing’s hand as Zhang Cheng shifted.

“Thank god.” Captain Huang commented as he crouched beside the injured man.

Zhang Cheng pulled out a syringe full of morphine and handed it to Yifan. “Give this to him. If he wakes while I reset the bone, it would be excruciating for him.”

Yifan took the syringe and with shaking hands, injected the drug into his best friend’s arm.

Zhang Cheng gently palpated Yixing’s chest and thanked god that the rib had only broken in one area. He pulled out a small tub of soft paraffin and smoothed a liberal amount to aid the bone in sliding back into place.

Yifan wrapped his fingers around his friend’s hand and turned his head away as the healer pushed the bone slowly back into place.

The moment the bone was back into place, Zhang Cheng pulled out a small bottle of beer and started cleaning the area where the broken bone had pierced through. As he dabbed the alcohol onto the wound with a cotton swab that had thankfully stayed dry because of the water resistant leather that made up his saddle bag, Yixing stirred awake.

“Papa?” he whispered weakly and the healer looked up quickly.

“Xing,” Zhang Chen gasped in relief.

Yifan swallowed back a sigh of relief and gripped his hand tighter. “Fan, why are you crying?” he murmured as his fingers twitched weakly.

The prince sniffed and then laughed. He had not even realized that tears had started sliding down his face; he was so relieved. “I'm… I’m sorry,” he stuttered, hand going up to brush a lock of wet hair away from Yixing’s forehead. The advisor smiled weakly before the smile vanished, turning into a cry of agony when his father splinted the break and bound it in gauze. “Papa, it hurts!”

"The castle is not far." Shinwoo stepped out from the shadows with Luhan leaning heavily against him. 

Captain Huang laughed and held out his arms. “You! Rascal, you should have come out earlier.” Shinwoo embraced his friend.

Zhang Cheng gave him a tight smile, still obviously worried about his son’s condition. “He cannot walk.” He wrapped an arm around Yixing’s shoulders and helped him sit up.

Yixing winced as the position shifted the splint and flexed his fingers gently. “Is Scorpio okay?” he asked, as Yifan put an arm under his legs and lifted him, bridal style.

“His legs are fine, just a little hot and swollen. That should go down by tomorrow hopefully,” Captain Huang answered him and the advisor sighed in relief. “He’s pretty scratched up though.”

Luhan moved forward and nudged at his brother’s hand. Yifan blinked at him and the stag pointed his nose at Yixing, who was clinging to him. “You want me to put him on your back?” The prince gaped at his brother incredulously.

The stag nodded and butted at his hand again.

Yifan looked at his best friend who shrugged. “I'm pretty much helpless right now. And even though you’re strong, I doubt you can carry me that far.” He laughed at the look of mock hurt on the prince’s face.

“Are we ready?” Shinwoo interrupted.

Yifan sighed and settled his friend gently on the back of the stag. Yixing curled his fingers into the loose skin around Luhan’s neck and straddled the stag; much like a horse. Yifan kept a hand on his back and they walked like that, with the four horses behind him as Luhan led them out of the forest towards Castle Adfelion.

 

-

 

The morphine started to wear off as Yifan carried him past the oak doors. Yixing bit his lip hard when he felt the first wave of pain. He broke out into a cold sweat as the pain in his chest intensified. His grip around the prince's neck tightened as he swallowed back the moan that threatened to come out of his mouth.

"You okay?" Yifan murmured and Luhan swung his head round, hearing the question. Yixing whimpered softly, not wanting his father to hear and worry. "Should I lay him down somewhere?" Yifan spoke louder.

Zhang Cheng nodded, reaching into the satchel to pull out another syringe of morphine. "Give this to him only when the pain gets really bad," he instructed.

Luhan took the edge of his brother's shirt in his mouth, tugging him in the direction of his room. He thanked god that the flooring of the castle was all made of stone, the only exception being the library, so he would not have a repeat of his undignified exit from the palace earlier that day. The stag pawed gently at the door of the first room they came to and Yixing reached out a hand to grab the doorknob.

Luhan pointed his muzzle in the direction of the four poster bed. Yifan nodded, gently taking Yixing in his arms and laying him onto it.

Yixing groaned in pain as the morphine wore off, sweat dripping from his body as he clenched his fists, the veins on his pale arms showing clearly. "Give me the morphine," he gritted out as another wave of pain hit him.

"Your father said..." Yifan started, looking at the syringe in his hand nervously.

"I don't give a damn what he said!" Yixing gasped, digging his nails into his palms in an effort to suppress the urge to scream. Calm down. He may be your friend but he is the prince. He clenched his jaw and his muscles trembled as he did so. "Just give me the damned drug, Your Highness."

"Don't call me that," Yifan muttered as he moved closer to the bed. He knew he should not, but he hated seeing Yixing in pain. Morphine could be addictive especially if used too frequently and injected directly into the vein.

The advisor closed his eyes and inhaled. Breathe, Yixing. Breathe. It's not that bad. You've broken your arm before. Stop being a wimp. He chanted in his head as the next wave of pain swept through him, more intense than anything he had ever felt in his life.

"Yixing?" Yifan called out his name quietly, wondering if he had fallen asleep.

His best friend opened his eyes and glared at him. "I need the drug, Yifan."

Before the prince could formulate a reply, Zhang Cheng walked into the room.

"I only have two more doses of the drug, son. If you can articulate that you need the drug, you don't need them," the healer spoke sternly to his son. Yixing whined as his father approached the bed, leaning down to check on the broken rib. He carefully removed the gauze bandage and Yifan moved out of the way as he took away the splint. "I'm going to set it properly now. You may want to look away, Yifan," Zhang Cheng warned as he shifted to a good position.

"Give me your hand," Yifan murmured to his best friend, his palm opened for Yixing to take and Luhan watched in amazement as the advisor took it without a word.

 

When they were children and Zhang Cheng had to set Yixing's broken arm back into place, Yifan had let him squeeze his hand as the healer moved the bone into place. The younger had been there when Yifan dislocated his shoulder, falling from his horse, and he too held the prince’s hand then as the healer moved the bone slowly back into place. Yifan remembered gritting his teeth to hold in his cries of pain because he had refused morphine because as his twelve year old self had declared: "Xingxing didn't use it when he was younger, so I won't now." He regretted it of course, but Yixing had not laughed at him when he had cried about it afterwards, instead, he had lain with him when he could not sleep because of the pain.

All those memories came back to him as Yixing's father counted down. "Inhale." He heard Yixing's sharp intake of breath and then his hand felt like it was being crushed between a vice as the healer shifted the bone into the correct position and Yixing squeezed his hand.

Luhan watched the whole exchange with slight envy in his chest. He wondered what would have happened, had he not been cursed. Would it have been his hand his brother held to ease his pain? Would Yixing still be so close to his brother? He was so deep in thought that he barely noticed that the healer had finished and was now rewrapping the area in plaster bandages.

"Thank god, Shinwoo stocked up on these. I guess being a stag means lots of broken bones huh?" Zhang Cheng smiled when his son laughed then winced, shooting him a reproachful smile.

"Don't make me laugh, Papa. It hurts more," Yixing admonished as Yifan his sweat soaked hair.

The healer leaned over and pressed a kiss onto his son's forehead. "Get some sleep, little star. I'll see you in the morning."

Yixing sighed and leaned into his father's touch before his eyelids slid shut. The closeness between Yixing and his father made Luhan's heart ache and his mind started to wonder again.

After his father left, Yixing turned his head slowly to face Yifan. "Have you forgiven me?” he whispered, looking up at the prince's beautiful amber eyes.

Yifan opened his mouth but nothing came out. He swallowed and cleared his throat as tears pricked his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I did that to you. I'm sorry, Xing. I never meant to hurt you." His voice cracked at the end of the sentence and he cradled Yixing's hand in his, terrified that he had come so close to losing him.

"I missed you, god I did. I missed you so much. I forgive you, just don't, don't keep secrets from me anymore," Yifan rambled on, afraid that he would cry again in front of his best friend.

Yixing smiled up at him fondly. "Silly Fanfan. I never blamed you," he murmured and Yifan leaned down as Yixing reached a hand out, threading his fingers into the prince’s golden hair. "For the record, I missed you too, silly dragon." Yifan smiled at the nickname. "Will you sing me to sleep tonight, dragon? Wipe that smile off your face." Yixing teased gently, pulling Yifan closer to him.

Luhan felt as if he was intruding on something intimate as Yifan adjusted himself so that he was lying next to his best friend.

 

I'll smile, don't wanna see you cry, just sing me a lullaby.

I'll cry, for you to see your smile, this will be my lullaby.

 

Yifan whispered the last word when he saw Yixing's eyelids slide close as he fell into a deep sleep. The prince hummed the rest of the song softly as he removed his hand from Yixing's grip and slid off the bed. He gestured quietly to his brother and Luhan followed after him, trying his hardest to silence his hoof beats on the stone floor. Yifan laid a hand on his brother's back as they left the room together, heading for the dining hall so that they could have dinner.

"How is he?" Zhang Cheng asked as he set a bowl of soup onto the table in front of the prince.

"Asleep," Yifan answered with a smile as he picked up his spoon.

The captain had joined Shinwoo in the kitchen to aid in preparing for food for the extra mouths to feed, promising to send more supplies after they have returned to the palace. Luhan snuffled excitedly as Shinwoo set his bowl on the table. He was now too tall to eat off the floor. The caretaker smiled at the stag fondly. "He likes his salt," he explained to an astonished looking Yifan.

"Ah." The prince let out a sound of understanding as he remembered his father telling him, a very long time ago about deer.

"Better hurry, Xiao Lu. It's nearly midnight."

Luhan did not need to be told twice, his tongue lapping greedily at the bowl to finish way before anyone else.

"Where is he going?" Yifan asked curiously when his brother bounded away from the table immediately after his bowl had been drained.

"The library," Shinwoo answered the prince’s query, clearing away Luhan's bowl. "Ever since he turned sixteen, he doesn't let me in to watch his transformations anymore. He's afraid of hurting me."

 

The clock struck twelve as he finished speaking and for a moment all was quiet before the most dreadful sound echoed throughout the castle. Yifan looked up in alarm but Shinwoo merely winced and turned away. The sound was a cross between an animal's dying scream and a human's cry for mercy. The prince lifted his hands to his ears and squeezed his eyes shut. The sound was truly horrible and it raised goosebumps on his flesh as it permeated past his hands covering his ears. They all held their breaths as the clock ticked down to a minute past midnight. As the minute hand clicked into position, the screaming started to fade until there was no sound coming from above at all.

Yifan removed his hands from his ears and they waited, and waited until finally, there was a crashing sound and a young man stumbled down the stairs, dressed in a cotton shirt and black breeches. Yifan's mouth hung open as he surveyed the man that was his older brother. His hair was the same golden colour as Yifan's and their skin was as pale as each other's. The only significant difference between the two brothers were their heights and the colour of their eyes.

“You’re so short!”

Luhan scowled at the first words that passed his brother’s lips. “Oh, shut up.”

Zhang Cheng cracked up, laughing at the look of disbelief on the prince’s face. “Well, Yifan, you wanted to meet your brother. This is Luhan.”

“I…” Yifan’s mouth opened as if he wanted to say something but could not find the words. He stared at his brother with a mixture of fear and respect.

Luhan’s frown softened. “C’mere,” he whispered.

Yifan went willingly into his arms. “You’re shorter than I imagined,” he murmured as he rested his chin on his brother’s shoulder and yelped when Luhan pinched him.

“Clearly, living in a palace has taught you no manners,” Luhan said as he released his brother.

“Oh, now you sound like Yixing. The two of you will get along just fine,” Yifan retorted easily. It was strange how easily they bantered, as if they had known each other for years instead of mere hours.

“Speaking of Yixing, he may be hungry.” Zhang Cheng spoke up.

Yifan turned to the stairs. “I will wake him.”

 

-

 

“Hey, little star.” Yixing’s eyes fluttered opened and as his eyes adjusted, he was confused to see two blonde haired men standing in front of him. “Yifan?” he called out weakly and the taller male moved towards him. The bed sunk down and a hand brushed gently across his jaw.

“We brought you soup.”

Even with his drug addled mind, the advisor was still sharp enough to catch the words. “We?” he asked softly, wincing as Yifan helped him into a sitting position.

“Hello.” The shorter man settled at his other side and a veil seemed to lift from his mind.

“Luhan,” Yixing murmured.

The man smiled. “You’re Yixing.”

The advisor nodded slowly and smiled back, flashing his dimple.

“He’s cute,” Luhan commented as Yifan turned to get the bowl he had brought with him. The advisor blinked innocently up at him and turned his head just in time as the prince lifted the spoon to his lips.

“Here.” Yifan’s voice was low and soothing and Yixing opened his mouth obediently to swallow the soup.

The elder prince smirked. “The two of you look so sweet together.”

Yixing’s eyes widened and he choked on the mouthful of soup that Yifan had just put into his mouth.

“Easy.” Yifan patted Yixing’s back gently and glared at his brother.

“We’re not! Together or anything!” Yixing practically shouted, missing the way Yifan’s eyes dimmed and he turned to scoop up another spoonful of soup.

“Sure you aren’t.” Luhan said with a smirk as his brother held the spoon up to the advisor's lips again.

"Ignore him. He's being an ," Yifan muttered when Yixing looked like he wanted to jump out of bed or punch the elder prince in the face.

"Like you. You're always an ," Yixing grinned at the incredulous look on his best friend's face.

"Oh, that's it. Feed yourself," the prince put the spoon down with a look of mock anger on his face and Yixing whined, making grabby hands at the spoon. "Luhan ge...He called you an and I didn't..."

Luhan's expression was one of delight as he shoved Yifan off and took his brother’s spot.

 

-

 

Raven's eyes glittered in delight as the image of the three young men faded from her crystal. She was furious that the foolish prince had allowed such harm to come to her beloved but at the same time, he had set everything into motion. Oh well, she would get her revenge when the time came, but for now, she would sit back and watch as her plan unfolded before her eyes.