Chapter 32: Going on an adventure

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Kibum moved swiftly through the trees, running on his tiptoes as if he were worried that someone might hear him. He bounced off a rock and let the soft wind carry him across the valley of stones until he passed the two elderberry shrubs that marked the entrance of the path he was looking for.

He crawled down close to the ground, squirming through a narrow passageway, careful not to damage the very precious item he held close to his heart. As he reached the wooden arches, Kibum couldn't help but smile brightly when he noticed the faint fairy mist lingering.

He inhaled deeply, enjoying the sweet scent of cornflowers as he hopped across the large river extending in front of him. He didn't bother trying to reach the rocks that made a path to the other side; his feet bounced just as easily on the surface of the water, which twinkled slightly with the first glimmers of dawn.

Once he landed on the bank, Kibum started running again. He then dived in between some jasmine shrubs and immediately began spinning with his precious book held tightly against his chest with both arms.

"Oh, oh, ooooh!"

He lost his footing for a moment, gasping as he tried to keep his balance, but before he could steady himself, the ground gave way, and the nimble nymph was down into a hole. Kibum had just enough time and forethought to close his mouth, so as to avoid accidentally inhaling dirt, before he was swallowed by the earth. But, after only a few seconds, he felt the ground under his toes once more.

Cracking open one eye, he looked around timidly. Hazelbarrow was quiet, cloaked with fairy mist, all of its inhabitants immersed in a deep sleep.

Biting his bottom lip, Kibum slowly moved closer, craning his neck to look over the houses. He made his way between tall mushrooms and small trees, around little dwellings made of stone, wood, or foliage until he reached a rather large pumpkin with a lovely chimney on top and three windows carved in. Kibum squatted down, knocked on the tiny, round door, and waited.

When he saw no movement nor change after a few minutes, he tried knocking again. But the little house remained dark and quiet, causing the nymph to frown. He leaned in closer, pressing his nose against one of the windows as he knocked slightly louder.

Kibum straightened up, beaming, when he finally heard a small commotion and saw a dim light coming through the curtains of the window on the far right. He grinned as the front door opened to reveal a very grumpy Jinki. With only one eye open, he gave the nymph an irritated look, his nightcap hanging down in front of his eyes.

"What is it?!" Jinki yawned loudly.

"Good morning, Jinki!" Kibum chirped. "How are you doing?"

Kibum watched as his friend sniffed and scratched his , the frown on his face deepening.

"What do you want, Kibummie? I was sleeping..."

"I need your help," the nymph admitted with a sigh and a begging pout.

"Couldn't it have waited until the sun came out?"

Kibum sighed dramatically and pouted again.

"No, it couldn't. I need a favor, and it's extremely secret, and I never find you alone nowadays; you're always glued to Heechul."

"Alright, alright. What do you need? I'm listening," Jinki yawned.

He leaned against his door sleepily, letting his eyelashes flutter closed.

"We can't talk here; I said it's a secret! Let's go somewhere else."

"Fiddlesticks, you really won't let me have any peace."

"Jinki, please!" Kibum whined.

The fairy just looked at his friend for a moment, pondering over the few options he had until he decided to concede. After all, Kibum was a lot more stubborn than he was. There really was no way out of whatever the nymph needed him for, unfortunately.

And Kibum did have a point. If his urgent situation truly was secret, there hadn’t been many opportunities for him to catch Jinki without Heechul recently.

"Alright," Jinki sighed, as dramatically as he could. "Where are we going?"

Kibum beamed, a large, bright smile blooming on his lips as he reached for the fairy, closing his fingers around his friend.

"Wonderful! Thank you, Jinki!"

Not bothering to answer Jinki's question, the nymph stood up and started bouncing away, jostling the fairy in his hand enough that he gasped in surprise and began protesting loudly. As they left Hazelbarrow, Kibum summoned a path that led to a secluded area, protected by the forest and away from prying eyes and ears.

They landed near a river, and their sudden appearance caused a doe to look up from where she had been busy drinking before she disappeared in fright.

"Oh," Kibum winced. "I'm sorry..."

Jinki mumbled something inaudible as he kicked his way out of Kibum's hand to fly to a nearby shrub. He landed on a branch and sat down as he fixed his fallen nightcap.

"…making me travel like this... right as I wake up..." he muttered.

"Are you done complaining yet?" Kibum sighed, rolling his eyes as he moved closer to the fairy.

He sat next to the shrub on little stone steps that a stream ran down to reach the river. It was quiet around them, the peace only slightly disturbed by a few birds chirping as they woke up. Dawn colored the nature around them in a soft, golden light.

"I haven't even started," Jinki answered, raising his nose in the air insolently.

Kibum gave him a pointed look, and the fairy slowly softened, his bad mood melting as he took in the sight of the nymph still holding his book close to his chest.

"What is that?" he asked, turning his head to point at the notebook with his chin.

Kibum lowered his head and set the book on his lap, a gentle smile dancing on his lips.

"It belongs to Prince Jonghyun."

"Oh, really?"

Kibum nodded, his fingers tenderly tracing the elvish words carved into the cover.

"Why do you have it?"

"He gave it to me."

Jinki, who had been swinging his legs under the branch he was sitting on, stilled when he noticed how Kibum's eyes were brightening to an ethereal shade. The memories passing through the nymph's mind had to be special; it warmed Jinki's heart.

"So, what can I help you with?"

His voice was the softest it had been that morning, and he peered fondly at his nymph. Kibum looked up to meet his gaze, a blush coloring his cheeks and ears as he blinked awkwardly.

"I need you to read something in it and translate it for me... Can you? Please?"

"Yes, of course."

Jinki got up and flew down to sit on Kibum's right thigh.

"Show it to me... What is it exactly?" Jinki asked.

"First, you must promise not to tell anyone."

Jinki tilted his neck back to look up at the nymph, squinting suspiciously as he hummed.

"Why is that?"

"You have to promise!"

"Is it something dangerous? Forbidden? Embarrassing?"

Kibum tapped the fairy's head with one finger, his eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.

"No, you silly. It's just-... It's a song that Prince Jonghyun wrote for me. But he told me it's a secret... I don't know how much-... I don't know what I'm allowed to say... Maybe I said too much already. So please... please can you help me and not tell anyone else?"

Jinki widened his eyes but kept quiet.

"So, you promise?" Kibum insisted, still frowning.

"Yeah..." Jinki answered softly. "I promise."

Kibum hummed and finally opened Jonghyun's journal. He had already spent hours just looking at it, trying to decipher words that didn't mean anything to him, hoping that everything would suddenly make sense. It didn't. But Kibum enjoyed looking at Jonghyun's handwriting anyway. It was pretty.

He flipped through the pages until he reached the very last one, and he inhaled deeply before tilting the notebook toward Jinki.

The fairy stood up and approached the book, which was much bigger than him, and crossed his arms behind his back as he read the words to himself. Kibum could feel his heart beating loudly in his chest. He still remembered a few of the words Jonghyun had sung to him. He still remembered the melody perfectly. He remembered the tenderness he felt as his prince sat next to him and played his instrument. He could feel happiness swell up in his body at the mere thought of it.

He hoped the lyrics were as beautiful as Jonghyun's voice. He hoped they meant something. He hoped he meant something to Jonghyun. Something important.

"Kibum..." Jinki called in a whisper.

The nymph withdrew from his thoughts to look down at the fairy who was staring at the notebook with wide eyes, his lips parted in slight disbelief. It made Kibum anxious.

"Yes?"

"This..." Jinki said, pointing at the words Jonghyun had written. "This is a love song."

Kibum froze, his eyebrows raising as he gasped. His heart immediately started bouncing, louder than ever, and he tried to find the words to express his very incoherent thoughts.

"What?" he croaked.

"This is definitely a love song," Jinki repeated as he turned back to look at the journal again.

Before Kibum could even begin to realize what was happening, Jinki spoke again, translating the lyrics to Faerish for the nymph. He stumbled over a few words and had to alter his translation a couple of times, muttering under his breath as he tried to figure out the right Faerish words, but Kibum didn't mind. Everything Jinki said sounded like honey to Kibum's ears. It made his blush continuously deepen until a soft mist enveloped the two of them.

Kibum thought he might faint.

He didn't have the nerve to ask Jinki if he was joking because he knew the fairy would never make fun of him that way. Jonghyun had written him a love song, the loveliest Kibum had ever heard.

When he was done, Jinki looked up, smiling softly when he noticed little droplets of water flying around them. The rising sun shone through them, casting colors all over the trees and grass. It was breathtaking. Jinki turned back around to look at Kibum, whose eyes were the brightest shade of blue-green that he had ever seen.

"Kibum?" Jinki called again, softly.

Kibum looked down at him with sparkles in his eyes and rosy cheeks.

"I think your Prince likes you," the fairy simpered, a gentle smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Kibum couldn't control the giggles that suddenly broke through his lips, and Jinki saw the droplets of water swinging around them explode in a fleeting rainbow. The nymph hid his face in his hands as he continued laughing and trembling and squirming on his in delight.

"Does he?"

"I'm pretty sure, you know. I mean... really... those lyrics."

Kibum peeked through his fingers to glance at the fairy.

"What should I do then, Jinki? What should I do?"

"Oh bother," Jinki sighed, falling to his on Kibum's thigh. "I have no idea. You know I'm not good with all that lovey-dovey hocus-pocus."

Kibum grinned at him, his hands settling back on his lap as he tilted his head.

"It doesn't really matter, does it?" the nymph said with a happy laugh.

Jinki was about to retort that it might matter at least a little, but Kibum grabbed him in one hand again as he stood up and twirled around, splashing in the river.

"Kibummie!" Jinki cried out as his nightcap fell off his head and to the ground.

Kibum let go of him, and the poor fairy spun in the air for a second before he recovered his balance and stared at the dancing nymph with wide, bewildered eyes.

"Hey, be careful with me!" Jinki protested.

"I'm sorry," Kibum sang joyfully.

He was twirling and humming the melody of Jonghyun's song as he did some pirouettes, his happiness making the river under his feet run faster. Never before had he felt such bliss, such contentment, such excitement at the prospect of seeing his prince again soon. Who knew what would happen? What if Jonghyun finally kissed him? What if they held hands? All of Kibum's dreams suddenly seemed within reach, and he had no idea how to contain all of his joy.

Jonghyun liked him. It was all written in the words in Jonghyun’s notebook, the most precious thing Kibum had ever held.

"Oh, how lucky I am," Kibum whispered, closing his eyes as Jonghyun's soft song continued to play in his mind.

Maybe Jonghyun would sing it to him again. Those beautiful words he wrote for Kibum.

The day I saw you for the first time, I probably used up all the luck in my life. But it’s worth it.

It had taken Jonghyun an entire week to prepare for the journey properly. He had had to talk with his parents, with Taemin's teacher, and with the Council to convince them all that they could go alone -or so everyone thought- without danger. Regarding Taemin's teacher, it had more been about persuading him that the whole forest wouldn't collapse if the elf prince took a short break from his lessons and that there would still be plenty of time to learn everything there was to know about dwarves once the princes returned.

But Jonghyun had succeeded. He had then planned an itinerary, took note of all the places he wanted Taemin wanted to see, and figured out how and where they would eat and rest. In the end, he was rather proud of the trip he had come up with.

Taemin, for his part, had had to talk with Jongin. The nymph had been delighted, at first, at the idea of spending so much time with Taemin, then he had been extremely anxious at the prospect of meeting Jonghyun. Once Taemin had completed that very simple and quite enjoyable task, Jonghyun hadn't let him help with anything else, which couldn't really be considered surprising coming from the forest prince. He had even had the kindness to tell Taemin what he should pack once the mountain prince insisted on taking care of his own luggage.

"For goodness' sake, Jonghyun! I can do something as simple as pack my own clothes!"

At that, Jonghyun had had the decency to look sheepish and then, had apologized and stepped back.

And, at last, the fateful day arrived. Taemin had barely slept the night before, too excited about the adventure waiting for him, too impatient to see Jongin again and have him close for so many consecutive days and nights.

Taemin tightened the knot keeping his bag hooked on his saddle and turned his head, smiling at his wolf as she stared at him.

"Is it too tight?" He asked softly.

Chinua huffed and turned around, moving to press her snout against Taemin's ribs. The prince ran his hand through her fur and took a hold of it around her neck as he pulled himself up to straddle her back.

"Let's go meet Jonghyun."

Taemin shook a little when he felt Chinua huff out a loud exhale before she walked away from her barn as if she knew exactly where the forest prince would be waiting for her master. Even though Chinua had proven herself soon after Taemin's arrival in the forest, the animal caretakers for the castle still put her in a different stable from their horses and deer, which only seemed logical to Taemin as well. Thus, they strolled through the city, slowly making their way to the entrance of Melalhil. Taemin smiled gently at all the elves who greeted him on the way.

Just after Chinua passed the large gates of the city, she turned right, and Taemin began to hear Jonghyun’s voice before he could see him.

"Yes, I planned to go to the Silverwood’s Meadow," Jonghyun sighed dramatically. "Your lack of confidence in me is insulting."

"I didn't mean to insinuate that you lack intelligence," Taemin heard Minho retort. "I just wanted to make sure that you didn't forget an important place along the way."

"You know, even if I were to forget something important, it's not like we won't ever be able to do this again."

Taemin was quite certain that Jonghyun was frowning. Maybe even pouting. When Chinua got close enough for him to finally see the two friends talking as Jonghyun finished tying his belongings to his deer's saddle, Taemin smirked. The forest prince was definitely sulking.

"Just make sure that Taemin actually looks at something other than his nymph," Minho snorted.

Taemin's smirk disappeared.

"So uncalled for!" he whined.

Minho and Jonghyun both jumped before turning around to look at him. Minho coughed and pathetically attempted to explain himself as Jonghyun snickered behind his back. The forest prince then double-checked his bag, the bridle on his deer, and his own clothes before he turned to Taemin to end his and Minho’s bickering.

"Are you ready? Kibum and Jongin might be waiting for us already..."

Taemin immediately straightened up at the mention of his nymph and grinned at his fiancé.

"Yes, I am. I'll honestly be surprised if Jongin isn’t already there, waiting for us."

"Then we shouldn't make him wait any longer."

Jonghyun got on the saddle and led his deer to the right. He turned back to look at Minho with a soft smile.

"See you in a few days."

"Tell Kibum I said hi."

"I will."

Minho patted both animals' butts, making Chinua growl lowly, and watched as the two princes left.

"Have a nice time," he suddenly shouted once they were almost out of sight.

"We will," Taemin yelled back, turning on his saddle to wave at him with a bright grin.

"Don't do anything stupid!" Minho continued.

He heard Jonghyun protest loudly but couldn't make out which curse his friend had aimed at him. It was probably something a bit rude.

Jonghyun scoffed, rolling his eyes as he stubbornly continued to look forward. Taemin reached out a hand and pushed his knee gently to get his attention. It really wasn't the time for frowns and pouts.

"I'm really curious about everything you planned," Taemin said, unable to contain his joy and excitement.

He seemed to succeed in reminding Jonghyun of what awaited them because the forest prince lost his brooding expression in favor of a genuine smile.

"Oh, I am too, actually. There are a few places on our itinerary that I haven't seen in a while. You know how it is... I've lived here for forever, and sometimes I forget how truly beautiful our forest is. I have the time to wander, but I never end up doing it, precisely because I know I can whenever I want."

"I think I understand. When I was told that I had to leave the mountains, I suddenly remembered all the beautiful places I loved there, but I didn't have enough time to go back to all of them one last time."

Jonghyun glanced at his fiancé with soft eyes.

"You still miss them, don't you? The mountains."

Taemin shook his head cutely, effectively making the concern vanish from Jonghyun's face.

"Not really. Sometimes, yes. But most of the time, it's just a happy memory."

They stopped looking at each other as the path their animals walked on narrowed, and Jonghyun took the lead. They climbed a slight hill, moving slowly to avoid the trees, until they arrived at the meeting point Jonghyun had chosen. It was a very small clearing, hidden by large, thick shrubs which, he hoped, would conceal them.

Taemin couldn't help but smile when he realized he couldn't hear the birds chirping anymore. The forest was deeply quiet around them, in a way he had become familiar with. There weren’t even animals around who might see them and discover their secret. The forest was protecting them from view, which meant that the nymphs were already waiting.

"Jeon-gyun! Hi! Jeon-gyun, you are here!"

Taemin turned just in time to see Kibum step out from behind a tree and hop over to them, or more precisely, to Jonghyun, with a bright grin on his lips.

The animals came to a stop, and Jonghyun smiled in turn, sliding off his deer to land right in front of Kibum, who had tiptoed as close as possible with shiny eyes and rosy cheeks. He was dressed from head to toe in elven clothes, the ones Minho had given him.

"Good morning, Kibum. How are you?"

"Fine," Kibum immediately answered, making sheep eyes at his prince as he fluttered his eyelashes. "Kibum is fine. Jeon-gyun too?"

"Yes, yes, I am."

Taemin got down from Chinua, scratching her behind the ears before approaching the two.

"Hi, Kibum."

The nymph blinked a few times, glanced at him, smiled, then turned back to Jonghyun without missing a beat.

"Hi," he still answered, though absentmindedly.

Taemin snorted, and Jonghyun offered him an apologetic smile, but his face was red, and he looked more delighted than sorry.

"I see how it is..." Taemin mumbled with a roll of his eyes, before he stepped back, craning his neck to find where his nymph was hiding.

"Kibum have elfen cloth'... See!" Kibum proudly said, raising his nose in the air as he turned himself around to show off to his prince.

Jonghyun couldn't help but chuckle as he looked him up and down and gently grabbed the nymph's belt.

"Come here, you put it on wrong," the elf whispered tenderly.

"Oh?"

Before Kibum's sad little frown could completely settle on his face, he realized that Jonghyun had pulled him closer and was fumbling with his vest and arranging his collar slightly. Kibum immediately went back to smiling, looking up at his prince with satisfaction.

"There. You're perfect."

"Thank you," Kibum simpered.

Jonghyun blushed.

Kibum put his hands behind his back and grabbed the notebook he had attached to his belt so that he could give it back to Jonghyun.

"Jeon-gyun... Kibum understand the song now," the nymph said softly, patting the book gently. "I giv' back."

"Oh, you do? You got a translation?"

Kibum frowned, tilting his head as he tried to remember the last word Jonghyun had just said.

"Kibum understand the song," he simply repeated.

Jonghyun's face softened when he took his notebook back, looking down at it as he swallowed hard.

"And uh-... did you like it?"

His voice was small and timid. He had spent the last couple of days wondering what Kibum's reaction would be and hoping he hadn't gone too far, hadn't written anything that would embarrass or upset the nymph. Considering the way Kibum had just greeted him, though, he figured he probably couldn’t have made that bad of a mistake.

"I like it a lot," Kibum said. "I like it most. It is perfec'."

Kibum timidly reached out his hand to take one of Jonghyun's, just letting their fingers brush to see if the prince would let him.

"Thank you, Jeon-gyun."

The elf prince laced their fingers together and squeezed Kibum's hand in his.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you liked it."

Jonghyun watched as Kibum's eyes slowly changed color, becoming clearer, and he gulped. He had missed those eyes. He had missed his nymph so much in so little time. It was almost painful to admit.

Blinking a few times, Jonghyun coughed and stepped back a little, enough to clear his head, and he let go of Kibum's hand to put his notebook away in the bag hanging from his deer's saddle.

Kibum shifted to look at the deer, who was staring at the two of them. The nymph remembered him. He was Jonghyun's deer, the one the elf prince had been riding the very first time Kibum had ever laid eyes on him. Kibum had seen them together many times since then, but the sight of the majestic animal still took him back to that lovely memory. He remembered how overwhelmed he had been, just to see such a beautiful deer. He moved closer and held out his hand to pat the animal gently on the nose.

"Hi," he said. "I'm Kibum."

"I know. I've seen you around a lot."

Kibum couldn't help but smile at that comment, but his smile faded as he inspected the reins around the animal's head and the bit in his mouth.

"What's this thing? Does it hurt?"

"I'm used to it."

Kibum pouted, tilting his head to the side as he examined each part of the leather accessory, trying to understand how it worked.

"His name is Tahca."

The nymph jumped slightly and looked up at Jonghyun, who had come closer and was patting his deer's head.

"Oh?" Kibum blinked a few times and then returned his attention to the animal. "What does it sound like in our language?"

"You can call me Tahca."

"I thought-..." Jonghyun hesitated. "I thought that maybe if you want... You can ride with me. I think Taemin will want to ride with Jongin."

Kibum scrunched his nose and squinted his eyes, grumbling a little.

"What Jeon-gyun say?"

"Sorry. Do you want to go with me?" Jonghyun asked again, pointing at Tahca's saddle.

Kibum's whole face brightened, then fell, and he frowned once more.

"Kibum and Jeon-gyun?" he asked, his voice unsure, before turning back to Tahca. "But-... won't it be too heavy for you, if we're both on your back?"

"You don't look very heavy," the deer answered. "I think it will be alright."

Jonghyun was waiting for Kibum's explanation as to why he looked so worried when he noticed that the nymph was staring at his deer, his lips moving almost imperceptibly. He suddenly remembered that nymphs could speak to animals. His mouth fell open in awe as realized that he was witnessing a conversation he couldn't even hear.

"Are you sure?" Kibum insisted.

"I'll tell you when I grow tired. It's convenient to be able to talk to you."

"While you're at it, you should take away his bridle."

Both turned towards Chinua, who had been watching them quietly, and it took Jonghyun a couple of seconds to realize that Taemin's wolf had joined the discussion. He was in utter disbelief.

"His bridle?" Kibum asked.

"That thing around his head," Chinua said, sniffing loudly as she pointed at the bit with her snout. "The elf uses it to tell him where to go. It's very uncomfortable."

"Oh, I see."

Kibum looked at the complicated leather strips again and tried to figure out how to take the bridle off, pulling softly at some parts until he felt Jonghyun's hands on his.

"What are you doing?"

The nymph blinked and looked up at Jonghyun with wide, innocent eyes.

"Kibum do not need. It must be off. Off."

"You can't take it away," Jonghyun said gently. "I use it to guide him."

"No, no," Kibum insisted, and Jonghyun felt his knees wobble at the stubborn face the nymph was making. "Kibum guide Ta-ca. It is no need. It hurt Ta-ca."

Jonghyun froze, and his eyes went from Kibum to Tahca to Chinua.

"Does it? I-..."

He felt strangely guilty at being slightly reprimanded by Kibum. With a frown, unsure about what he was even doing, he started to undo the fastenings on the bridle. Once he was done, Kibum took the bridle from his hands and dropped it on the ground.

"Kibum teach Jeon-gyun to guide Ta-ca, yes? You not need this," the nymph said, as softly as he could before he took Jonghyun’s hands in his and smiled at him.

"But-..."

Kibum let go of one of Jonghyun's hand, only to press a finger against the small crease between the prince's eyebrows.

"Stop to be worry. Kibum help. Always."

The slight anxiety that was bubbling up in Jonghyun eased. Kibum was his safe haven. He made every worry, mistake, and fear seem irrelevant. It suddenly occurred to him that he would be able to learn how to experience and feel things the way Kibum did just by being with the nymph for an extended amount of time. A comforting peace invaded him.

Jonghyun exhaled slowly and nodded.

"Please, teach me."

Kibum grinned before he pushed Jonghyun away just a tiny bit and started to fidget with the saddle on Tahca's back.

"Jeon-gyun, now... how I go here? We go here."

Jonghyun laughed as quietly as possible and stepped closer, helping put Kibum's foot in one stirrup as he tried to explain how to mount a saddle. It took them a couple of tries, a few whines from Kibum, a blush from Jonghyun when his hands ended up pushing the nymph's up, but they eventually sat together on Tahca. It was weird for Jonghyun not to have reins to hold so he simply wrapped his arms around Kibum's waist and held onto the front of the saddle for stability. Kibum immediately squirmed closer, leaning on his prince as much as he could without being too obvious. He then turned his head and his eyes brightened when he realized how close they were. He could kiss Jonghyun so easily. So very easily.

"We go?" he asked in a whisper.

Jonghyun opened his mouth to answer, but then his eyes suddenly widened as a realization struck him.

"Wait a minute... We uh-... We need Taemin and Jongin. Where are they? Where did they go?"

Kibum blinked awkwardly, finally remembering that his very best friend was still somewhere close by. They were supposed to go on an adventure together.

"Taemin?" Jonghyun called loudly. "Taemin, we're waiting."

Taemin left Chinua, walking towards where Kibum had come from with a worried frown. He wondered if Jongin was late and hoped his nymph hadn't been so stressed about the idea of meeting Jonghyun that he decided not to come. But he would have told Taemin. Kibum would have said something. Jongin wouldn't let him hope and wait like this.

"Nini?" Taemin called softly, looking around behind the trees and hoping to catch a glimpse of his lover.

He heard a short gasp to his left and turned around to meet a surprised pout which soon melted into a bright grin.

"Taemin!"

Before Taemin could brace himself, Jongin ran the couple of meters separating them and threw himself at his elf, holding him as close as he could. The nymph pressed his face against Taemin's neck, his hands grasping at his shirt, his smiling lips leaving little pecks everywhere they could reach.

"Taemin, Taemin!" Jongin chirped happily.

Taemin started laughing, melting into the loving embrace before he moved his hands to cup Jongin's face, and he pressed their foreheads together.

"Hi there, Love."

Jongin's eyes were shining with happiness, and Taemin felt a flower bloom on the nymph's head right next to his finger.

"What were you doing waiting here?" Taemin asked in a sulky voice. "You didn't want to see me?"

Jongin kissed him. A quick, sweet peck on Taemin's lips.

"I always..." he started and interrupted himself to kiss his elf's lips again, "want...," he kissed him once more, "see you."

"Then what were you doing here?" Taemin asked again, between soft kisses.

Jongin sighed and lowered his eyes to the ground in embarrassment.

"I am nervous," he whispered.

He had asked Kyungsoo about that word the previous day, thinking it was a very important one he would, unfortunately, need while going on a trip such as the one they had planned.

Taemin looked at him silently for a moment, noticing the flowers disappearing from his nymph's head, and brushed a few strands of hair away from Jongin’s eyes.

"It's alright, Nini. I'll be right here with you. The whole time. I'll take care of you."

The nymph nodded slowly, and Taemin leaned in to give him a kiss, a long, loving kiss. One that made Jongin tighten his grip on Taemin's shirt. One that made dahlias and roses bloom on his head. A deep kiss that made Jongin forget about everything that wasn't Taemin.

Taemin slid his hands behind Jongin's neck, chasing his lips again and again for as long as he could. When they finally parted for air, Jongin kept his eyes closed. He was smiling.

"You stay with me," the nymph murmured.

Taemin hummed, and his smile turned mischievous just in time for Jongin to see it as his eyelashes fluttered open.

"I'll be with you all day today. Then I'll sleep with you tonight. And then we'll be together again tomorrow. And on and on..."

There was something in the way Jongin looked at him then that Taemin couldn't really pinpoint, but it made his toes curl. Then the nymph kissed him again, and Taemin could feel it; it was hunger.

"I can kiss Taemin every day," Jongin sighed against his elf's lips.

"Of course," Taemin giggled. "You have to."

"And you make love with Nini too."

Taemin started laughing, breaking the kiss Jongin had pulled him into again, and if the pout on his lips was to be trusted, the nymph wasn't that pleased about being interrupted. Taemin sighed weakly as he looked at him, forgetting about the teasing comment he had wanted to make.

"Why are you so precious?" he whispered instead.

Jongin tilted his head, confused, and Taemin assaulted his lips again. Jongin stepped back slightly until his back pressed softly against the trunk of an oak, and Taemin's hands began to wander all over the nymph's chest as they both completely forgot about the world around them.

Jongin's fingers were just sneaking under Taemin's shirt when a loud voice calling for the elf prince resonated around them, making the nymph jump in surprise and tremble a little. Taemin immediately kissed his nose.

"It's alright, Nini. It's only Jonghyun and Kibum. We should go back to them now..."

Jongin opened his mouth, wanting to bargain for more kisses and more hugs before he had to face that unknown prince, but another call of Taemin's name made him sigh.

"Okay," he mumbled.

Taemin gave him a cheeky smile and grabbed one of the nymph's hands, squeezing it in his softly.

"He's very nice. Don't be scared."

Jongin only sniffed grimly and followed Taemin.

He wasn't that eager to meet Jonghyun because he was scared that the forest prince would react the same way most creatures did with him. He didn't want Jonghyun to stare and make him uncomfortable. But most of all -which he had admitted only to Kyungsoo in a whisper- he couldn't help but feel a slight hostility toward the other prince. Jonghyun was going to marry Taemin. Jongin might know that it was all fake, that the princes didn't love each other, that they didn't choose any of this, but still, the nymph couldn't help feeling bitter when he thought about Jonghyun. He was almost certain that Kibum felt the exact same sourness in his mouth when Taemin was around, no matter how nice he tried to be.

"We're coming," Taemin cried out after Jonghyun's voice resonated around them again. "Goodness gracious, no need to get snappy..."

They finally made it back to where Jonghyun, Kibum, Tahca, and Chinua were waiting, and Jongin tried his best to hide behind his lover, looking at his feet with pursed lips. He stole a glance at Chinua, who shook her head and huffed at him.

"Hi, Jongin. It's been a long time."

"Indeed, it has been."

Taemin pulled him closer under Jonghyun's pointed look, and Jongin timidly extended his hand to pet the wolf's head gently.

"Sorry," Taemin simpered.

"You don't sound sorry," Jonghyun pointed out.

"Maybe I'm not."

Taemin turned his head, and poked Jongin's chin softly, forcing him to look up as he smiled gently at him.

"Nini, this is Jonghyun," he said, moving just enough to let his nymph glance at Jonghyun before he spoke to the forest prince in turn. "And this is Jongin."

Jongin stole a quick look at the forest prince and nodded. He had seen him many times already; he didn't need to look twice. Then he shifted back closer to Taemin, hiding his face in his elf's neck.

"It's an honor to meet you," Jonghyun said in a soft voice.

Jongin straightened his head to look at Taemin with a wince, and the mountain prince chuckled lowly.

"He's happy to meet you."

"Jonghyun always uses complicated Elvish words," Kibum commented. "Far more complicated than Minho. It takes a while to get used to it."

Jonghyun looked embarrassed, squirming on his saddle when he noticed that Jongin was finally looking properly at him. The nymph was still bent behind Taemin, but he peeked curiously at the elf over his lover's shoulder.

"Hi," the wood nymph muttered.

Taemin had warned him that Jongin was excessively shy and even afraid of meeting him so Jonghyun wasn't surprised. He controlled his curious interest in Taemin's lover as best he could, simply bowing his head slowly at him. It was obvious that Jongin didn't want his attention, nor even a more respectful greeting, so Jonghyun turned his eyes back to Kibum, who had been craning his neck to stare at him. The nymph jumped slightly like he was surprised to get caught, and Jonghyun smiled gently.

"Should we go now?"

Kibum stood frozen for a moment, relishing in the tenderness he found in his prince's eyes.

All the worries that the water nymph had accumulated in the past few days about Jonghyun meeting Jongin vanished in an instant. His prince didn't stare. His prince didn't seem enthralled with Jongin as all other creatures always were.

Kibum had wondered how Jonghyun would react to seeing another spirit, another nymph. Would he react the same way he did with Kibum? Would he call them breathtaking too? Would he feel as lucky as he had been when he met Kibum? All those painful thoughts had multiplied like crazy when he had realized that the first other nymph Jonghyun would meet was Jongin, the one nymph whom even spirits swooned over.

But his prince didn't stare. Instead, he turned away and gave Kibum that lovely smile. And Kibum's heart fluttered wildly in his chest.

Kibum completely forgot to answer Jonghyun's question, busy as he was lost in his thoughts. He noticed that his prince was beginning to frown; Jonghyun was about to ask him if he was okay when a little whine next to them made them turn their heads. Jongin was sitting on Chinua's saddle, squirming around as Taemin joined and sat behind him.

"It is uncomfo'ball..." Jongin pouted.

Taemin giggled, leaning in to leave a kiss on his nymph's neck.

"Is it? What can we do?"

Jongin sighed and started to pull and push on the roots around his waist. They poked his and pressed roughly against his thighs.

"You wouldn't have this problem if you wore elven clothes, you know," Kibum said, matter-of-factly.

Jongin only turned to glare at him.

"That sounds even more uncomfortable."

"I'm just saying..."

Jongin rolled his eyes and kept tugging on his roots, trying to find a position that wouldn't hurt him. He felt Taemin moved back, trying to give him a little more space.

"I think keeping those is a bad idea," Taemin mused, his hands trying to help Jongin as well, unsuccessfully.

"Oh... okay," Jongin nodded.

And before Taemin could realize what he said, what Jongin thought he meant, and what was about to happen, before he could prevent it, the roots around the nymph's waist disappeared and his fingers landed on his nymph's . Taemin sighed, and Jonghyun gasped, immediately turning his head away to look at the clear sky with a nervous laugh.

"Dear Light," he chuckled.

Taemin blushed, about to say that that wasn't a good idea either, but Jongin squirmed even more and complained loudly.

"It is more uncomfo'ball..."

"You should ask for elven clothes," Kibum insisted with a sigh.

"No, I won't."

Taemin set his hands on Jongin's ribs to help him calm down as he rested his cheek on the nymph's shoulder. Jongin shifted to look back at him with a pout, and Taemin smiled.

"You should try to use grass and flowers, Love."

"What?" Jongin asked, blinking quickly.

He had been a little distracted by Taemin calling him that pet name again, and he wasn't entirely sure that he understood all of the other words he had been told.

"Instead of roots," Taemin explained gently. "You should make something with grass and flowers. That would be more comfortable, right?"

Jongin hummed, then nodded and stood up slightly on the saddle as he conjured leaves around his hips. He sat back down, squirmed again, and smiled.

"It is comfo'ball! Thank you, Taemin."

"You're welcome."

Taemin leaned in to press a soft kiss to the nymph's cheek and chuckled when he heard Jonghyun cough next to them.

"So..." the forest prince drew out. "Should we go now?"

"Yes, please," Taemin beamed.

Kibum sat up straight on his saddle, laying his hands over Jonghyun's as he looked straight ahead.

"Where we go?"

"To Mistburn."

Kibum pondered for a moment over the name, then nodded as he leaned over Tahca's neck in discomfort. He didn't want to admit to his prince that he had no idea where Jonghyun wanted to go and that maybe, he had overestimated his ability to make the communication between him and his deer easier.

"Did you get it? Do you know where it is?"

The deer began walking gracefully, and Kibum glanced at Jongin with a worried frown.

"Yes, I do. I know the way," Tahca said.

"Ah, wonderful," Kibum chirped. "Let's go then!"

The two animals walked away from the clearing, the wolf following the deer as they went down the hill.

Taemin tightened his hold on Jongin's waist and watched as a couple of flowers popped up on the nymph's head. He left a few kisses on Jongin's neck and ear before he rubbed his nose against his lover's jaw.

"We're together, Nini," he whispered happily.

Jongin hummed lowly and brought one of Taemin's hands to his lips to kiss his fingers.

"Yes, we are."

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My dears,

here it is ! At long last ! MB's new chapter ♥
I'm sorry I made you wait this long & I truly hope that you enjoyed coming back to our forest & that the chapter was nice after such a long time.

For those of you who might not follow me on twitter &/or tumblr, I had to take a break due to health problems & I couldn't write for a few months. I never gave up on this story or anything... I will do all I can never to make you wait so long again, but my health is quite fragile so I apologize in advance for any slight delay in publication we might again encounter.

Until next time, please take care of yourself.

Lots of love to you all.