“Take care and be safe. I only want to hear good things from you, my son.” The voice of a father was heard somewhere among the crowded village centre. While a few was reluctant of letting go of their fellow villager to go on a distant journey out in the open sea with no guaranty of them coming back to Navillera, some cheered encouragingly at the dark silver haired male with an assuring smile formed by his lips.

“It will be alright, dad. It will be a great experience for me to finally help the Seonghwa’s prince other than sitting and chatting with him in the gate keeper’s room.” Minhyuk told him as he secured the strap of his bag on his shoulder. Coming along with him was a cart filled with food, clothes and other necessity that he might needed for the adventure. He stayed up most of the night, spending his last bits of hours with his parents and brother.

Surprisingly, when he informed them of the news, they were not throwing any sign of disagreement. All they did were nodding and asking him when he will he make his leave. Not that they were kicking him out or anything. It was just that, Minhyuk was the more devoted child compared to his brother. Yet there was another fascinating fact about the male. His willingness to work away from the village, the comfort of his home was why the family could afford letting him live his life the way he wanted. They trusted he could do well on his own.

“I’m sorry for not being able to bid our goodbyes at the dock. You know your mot-” Minhyuk put up his hand, showing his palm on the two respected males in front of him and they stopped talking for him to say his words. “As I said, I’ll be alright. Who knows by the time I’m back, I have good news that it could make mom jump off her bed?” He shrugged playfully but earned a light smack on his arm by his brother.

“You better not bring home a wife or something. The least you can do is to let me build my own family first.” The brother chortled which caused the younger one to chuckle at the statement. “Worry not, brother. Anyway, I should get going. Chan- I mean, Prince Changsub might be waiting for me with the other guys.”

“And gal. You can’t leave the Haesang’s badass princess out of the context.”

“Sure, dad. Goodbye everyone.” Minhyuk said his final words and hugged his family, excluding his bedridden mother somewhere in the house. One glance at the window where the mother was in, he waved before pushing his cart down the path where he could hear the sound of the villagers who would not make it to the dock good-naturedly bid goodbyes.

Once the village centre was out of his sight, he turned his eyes up where a soft hue of orange began to make its way in painting the dark sky. It was still early for people to wake up but it was of special occasion. It was not always they would see someone moving to the Seonghwa’s palace. It had only been moments but he felt like he already misses the land he was born on and raised. Never in his right mind thought would he be doing it – going out of Navillera’s isle to seek for a brand new land to chart.

What else could be out there other than them? Will they have another element as power? What would their names be? Are they speaking in the same language as them? He had no idea but he sure was excited to unravel the answers behind each and every frequently asked questions. He did not even know if the food he brought could sustain him since the number of days being on board was vague. Clothes wise, he was an easy man. If he could figure out the numbers, he would be able to wash his attire once in a couple of days.

There was a distant sound of horses trotting and wheels turning as he stopped his footsteps in the middle of the path. He spun on his feet only to see the named animal pulling weights on its back, heading down the same path as his and he was safe to assume that would only be meaning two people. “Hey, want a ride?” The female with ash brown hair asked. A hint of excitement laced between her words and based on the time he might take to the palace ground, he accepted the offer.

The short ride to dock area by the Seonghwa palace on the Haesang’s royal carriage was an interesting encounter. Not only he could learn more of the people he would have to get along but he had the time to converse strangest of facts that never came across his mind. Minhyuk laughed good-naturedly at Ilhoon’s attempt of imitating the former Crown Prince of their part during the jousting episode while Naeun backing the prince by saying, somewhere along the line sounded different to the males.

“You can’t possibly like him, right? Come on Naeun. You’re better than that.” Prince Ilhoon questioned in a serious manner and heard the princess bursting into more laughter. “Of course not. Who would like a crazy, dethroned man? Anyway, putting him aside, do you think I get myself a decent man on the new land?” She curiously stated with her lips pouted as she went deep within her thought.

“Who cares about that? I’m just going to run around the place and enjoy the view, agree?” Ilhoon passed the conversation to Minhyuk but the older fellow seemed distracted as his eyes glancing out where the sea grew nearer in his vision. When a sigh unexpectedly came out of his lips, the two royals’ eyes found one another in wonder. What might be running in the gate keeper’s mind?

“The bad news is we’re down to five people while the good news is its less mouth to feed. I think it’s for the better.” Prince Sungjae informed once everyone gathered by the dock with the leader of the voyage having his eyes elsewhere, too distracted over much more important thing than the sudden decreasing number of people tagging along for the journey. “Then, what’s wrong with him?” Minhyuk pointed out at the figure that started to step away from the circle.

In his brain, it was playing some sort of tape, recalling his memories he made while growing up on the isle. Prince Changsub exhaled as his eyes did not tear away from the wavering sea in his peripheral. For an uncanny reason, there was a disturbing feeling tugging the corner of his heart. It did not go away when he placed his palm against his torso. In fact, it only made the feeling went overdrive. Of course, he was worried of the result of the journey but there is a truth to be told.

He had been planning everything to make his dream come through, crossing one by one task of his non-existent list. Even way before the scenario of fights between two elements, he thought of leaving Navillera to decipher a reading of his. Whether he could make it through the voyage was a mystery and defeat was definitely in his dictionary.

“I wish you all the best, Changsub.” The Crown Prince of Seonghwa spoke as he gently patted the older male on the arm to show his genuine thoughts of the crew. Smiling and nodding his head, he promised he would be back safely with five of them with great news to deliver. The numbers of days could change into months but all Jimin hoped would be to be able to see the people coming back in one piece.

Looking to their sides, they saw the Crown Princess of Haesang holding onto the princess’ hands with her lips muttering words of encouragement and such. It felt like losing a friend in her opinion. Jiyeon might not have the closest relationship with Naeun. Nonetheless, the kind side of her would not let someone from her palace slid away that easily.

“Jiyeon, I think that’s enough.” Jimin told her once he stood by her side with his hand already found its place on her shoulders. “Sorry, Naeun but I’m just so happy yet anxious to let you and Ilhoon go. I remember those days we would play tag in our butterfly forms back at the palace’s garden.”

“Yeah, yeah and we would make best of friends if I didn’t switch quarters. I get it, Kim Jiyeon. As much as I like that this is the longest talk we ever had but Crown Prince Jimin is right.” Princess Naeun replied. As they were floating in their respective bubble of conversation, the sun already hang on the sky, bright and well to start the journey. When she heard Minhyuk’s voice calling her name, the princess finally had those worried pair of eyes on her as she took Jiyeon’s hands into hers. “Send my regards to your brother, alright? Not Taehyung but the other one?”

“Of course, Naeun, I will remember your words.” Jiyeon smiled softly before taking her into a warm friendly hug. Felt a light pat on her back, she found the Haesang’s prince gesturing her that her time was out.

One final bid of goodbyes came from the princes, princess and the gate keeper, waving at the people that came down to see them. The royal Park family of Seonghwa and royal Kim family of Haesang both returning the gestures as the ship detached from the dock once the anchor was lifted out of the sea. Manoeuvred with the help of wind power and a good helmsman as Prince Ilhoon himself, one by one silhouette of the people of Navillera becoming smaller and smaller. Before they realised it, they could only made out the shape of the island from the distance.

Standing by the foremast, Changsub leaned his back on the pole with his arms folded against his chest. His face was serious and there was no hint of playfulness Minhyuk recalled seeing. The expression he once saw every time the prince walked through the gate to leave the Seonghwa’s palace. Glancing at the fellow’s taller structure, the older male spoke, “What are you thinking about? You’ve been quiet ever since we left Navillera.”

“To be honest, I don’t even know what I’m thinking about. It’s just that, I feel like somewhere out there, there are people waiting for us. I don’t know if it’s a warm or cold welcome but…I don’t know.” Changsub confessed and ended his lines with a long sigh. “Maybe you’re just thinking too much? How about you rest at the cabin for a while? One thing for sure it’ll be a long journey. Naeun and Sungjae already dozed off.” He informed before the other questioned him.

“How about you?” Shrugging, Minhyuk began to make his way to the back side of the ship where Ilhoon had been standing at. “I’ll keep an eye on Ilhoon just in case we need to change people in charge of the wheel.” After that, he officially left the prince alone. He thought of the older’s words to take a quick rest and it took him a minute to walk down the ship and entered the decent spaced cabin.

Waking up with the sound of Sungjae’s wincing in pain, he finally realised the situation they were in. Stumbling to the right side of the cabin, Changsub’s eyes landed on Naeun who had obviously already wide awake from the short nap. She was holding onto a metal holder attached on the small hatch. Once he gained enough stability to stand on his feet, the oldest prince heard the sound of splashes from the outside of the room, meaning the upper deck of the ship. Seeing that Minhyuk was not around, he must been up there with Ilhoon the whole time. “Be careful, Changsub. We’ll be fine in here.” Sungjae said when Changsub told them he was heading out to check out what caused the ship to sway so hard.

Upon pushing the hatch leading to the opened part of the ship, he was hit by a gush of heavy wind right on his face. Carried along the way were droplets of water, slapping him in the most uncomfortable way before he could even let himself out of the bottom part of the ship. Apparently, the weather for the day was raining and caused the sea to get mad as it wavered chaotically. Too much for even a Haesang who mastered their element to control. Unfortunate on their side, Ilhoon could barely move a finger to control the water surrounding him and as for Minhyuk. Well what could a Seonghwa like him do?