“Can you tell us what it was like?” BoA asked.

Taeyeon’s narrow shoulders slumped. Sometimes interviewers would ask her questions about her childhood, like ‘what's changed now that you are an idol?’ or ‘what do you miss most about life before your debut?’, but there wasn’t an answer she could give them. Not a real one.

Like most Changelings in the company, she had had her childhood stolen from her; she had been plucked from the comfort of her family and absconded with to the realm of Arcadia. Many couldn’t remember what their time in servitude to the True Fae had been like. Most had only fleeting nightmarish visions of Arcadia, echoes of dark deeds performed at the fancy of their masters.

Working side by side with the other Changelings in her own group, Taeyeon had hesitantly broached the subject with the others often, but the girls had each their own internal struggles to face in coming to terms with their pasts. She had been able to piece a lot together based on their Seemings and whatever mutterings in the dark as they slept fitfully in their shared rooms, but it was impossible to ever know the true horrors each one of them had faced.

All she knew for certain is that she never wanted a single one of them to suffer like that ever again. And as she thought about Jessica, and what she must be going through, the memories she had been trying to suppress these past seven years all started coming back to her.

“He used us like animals.”

+++

Leeteuk walked Irene through the streets of Seoul, entering and exiting the Hedge at various points until she had become quite turned around. After hours of this, they finally reached a tiny, dingy bar, about the size of a walk-in closet. Irene counted a grand total of three stools at the counter. The bartender barely spared a glance at Irene, but fixed a hard stare at Leeteuk, who confidently walked past to a door at the far end of the bar and gave a sharp knock.

Still at Leeteuk’s beck and call, Irene fearfully eyed the skeezy-looking door he was knocking on. She prayed it was another portal to the Hedge, and not just some awful divebar bathroom…

Except it was. After a second knock, Leeteuk reached down and tried the doorknob, revealing one of the foulest water closets Irene had ever had the misfortune to lay eyes upon. The faded remnants of some hideous wallpaper curled and flaked from the walls, the ceiling was strung with dusty cobwebs, and she wasn’t even about to take a glance at the toilet itself.

Leeteuk hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her inside the tiny room. Just what was he planning? He saw the look of blind fear through that veneer of disgust on her face and scoffed.

“Please. Don’t flatter yourself. Just come here.”

Once the door was closed, he took her her arm by the wrist and made her place her hand against the oily glass of the cracked mirror hanging above the laughably inadequate excuse of a sink.

Maybe this was a portal after all, for they were suddenly pulled back into the Hedge. Daring to finally breath again, Irene was thankful to have a taste of fresh air, even if it meant leaving the mortal world once again. The mirror had taken them into a spacious, subterranean cavern, dark save for dots of blue-green glowing mushrooms at their feet. Irene could hear the intermittent drips of water falling from stalactites into pools of water echoing off the earthen walls.

They shuffled along as best they could given the low light and the uneven terrain. Exhausted, Irene sincerely hoped Leeteuk knew where he was going, even though she feared reaching their final destination. She wasn’t ready to go back to Arcadia - that wasn’t something one could ever adequately prepare for - but all too quickly Leeteuk stopped beside one of those pools of water and knelt at the edge.

“This is it,” he muttered, and Irene thought she detected a bit of hesitation on the Captain’s part. Was he having regrets? Or was it simply that he too did not want to enter the realm of the True Fae? He pulled her down level with him at the edge. “No hard feelings, hmm?” he continued after another quiet moment. He was watching his dim reflection in the still water. “It’s just business, you know.”

Irene gave a short, incredulous laugh that echoed around them. “I hope it’s worth it,” she replied, trying to desperately calm her racing heart. The last time she had been to Arcadia… “Because if I ever see you again,” she breathed.

“Yes, yes, spare me the theatrics,” he interrupted humorlessly. A drop of water fell from the ceiling right in front of his nose, but it didn’t cast a single ripple on that glassy surface. “Come on,” he sighed, leaning forward, pulling her into the water after him.

They had come out the other side in front of a cluster of buildings crested at the top of a large grassy hill. It looked like something out of the European Dark Ages: a wooden palisade jutted up behind a series of robust longhouses and massive stables. The sky was overcast and the air smelled of alfalfa and tannin. A faint, curling wisp of smoke trailed up from the largest building, giving the vague promise of warmth inside, but out here Irene could already feel a damp chill settling into her bones. As her shoes sank into the mud she wondered at how incredibly different this place was from where she had passed her childhood.

“This was what you betrayed all of us for?” Irene asked in shock, though she still had trouble keeping her voice steady.

He scoffed and pulled her along by the elbow. “Ha, no, but this is as far as you’ll go, I expect. This is the fall hunting camp of the Horned One.” As they approached, Irene took note of all the figures making their way to and fro across the grounds, pushing carts or leading horses. He lead her past several buildings, and Irene noted how each one was intricately carved with knots and woven patterns, something she hadn’t been able to see when they had first arrived. The logs were massive, and the buildings were large. The doorways themselves must have stretched up thirty feet high, but her attention was diverted when Leeteuk suddenly halted.

Two hooded figures were approaching them from the largest building. They were short, only a little taller than Irene herself, and even as they came to a stop just in front of them, she couldn’t make out their faces in their deep hoods.    

“Captain,” one of them cooed sarcastically.

“Ah, the Gold Knight graces us with his presence~” the other sneered.

“You’ve brought the Fairest. This is good.”

“It will not make up for the Rose Knight’s blunder, however.”

“Oh, no. No, no, no, no. He has displeased the Horned One mightily. It will take much more than her to make up for that.”

“If you’ll pardon our offense,” one said, inclining his head towards Irene.

She was too shocked to make an acknowledgement.

“Forgive me,” the other went on, gesturing at the camp with a gnarled hand. “I know it is not quite the Garden of the Sculptor, but perhaps we can help you feel just as at home here.”

They both laughed.

Irene shuddered at the name of her old captor. She felt ill. Whatever horrors she was going to face here, she hoped that they weren’t planning on turning her back over to him.

Leeteuk looked at her in surprise. “The Sculptor?” he whispered. He was beginning to think he had dodged quite the bullet with Irene’s Seeming.

“It looks like the Captain is finally beginning to understand his place,” one of the figures cackled.

“One can only hope,” the other agreed. “I’m sure he remembers his old master as well.”

Leeteuk grimaced. “I’m just here to deliver on my part of the contract. Nowhere does it require that I have to sit here and listen to the likes of you.”

“Believe us, Gold Knight, we derive equal pleasure from this conversation.”

“Tell us her name, and you may go.”

Leeteuk pushed her forward to the two figures and they each took one of her arms. This was good, as Irene felt like she was on the brink of collapse. She turned to look back at him with an expression that was equal parts revulsion and helplessness.

“Her name is Bae Irene, and she’s your problem now.” Irene’s eyes widened in surprise. What was he doing? He gave her a long, serious look before suddenly turning on his heel and marching back down the hill.

+++

“He locked you up?” The King asked, crossing his arms once again.

Taeyeon shook her head, wearing a faint smirk. “No… he didn’t need to.

“It’s useless to try to escape from the greatest hunter in Arcadia.”

+++

When they brought Irene inside the great longhouse, she was greeted by the startling mixed smells of a great feast and the foul camp dwellers who were partaking of it. A great fire roared in the center of the one-roomed building, with multiple spits laid across it, each being turned by goblins standing on high stools. Around the fire were long tables filled with planks of meat and root vegetables, and benches teeming with characters of all sizes and description.

But by far the most commanding sight was at the far end of the room, seated at a table raised in a position of honor above the rest. A large, stag-like centaur reclined with his legs folded beneath him. He was covered in blue tattoos that swirled and spiraled around his bare torso, and his angular face sported a full beard. A great rack of antlers reached up from his head, and Irene could see golden torques hanging from some of the points. They glimmered in the firelight as he turned his head this way and that, conversing with his neighbors.

Now she understood why all of the doorways had such a high clearance. This creature must be two stories tall when standing. She felt her breath leave her lungs and she nearly lost her footing in the hooded figures’ grip at the sight. She had seen quite a number of unusual Seemings in the SM Court, but the countenance of a True Fae was something entirely different. It pulled at some instinct deep in the primordial recesses of her brain. It told her to run.

“Whoopsie daisy,” one of the hooded figures chimed, hoisting her back to her feet.

“Now, now,” the other chuckled. “You don’t want to make a bad first impression, do you~?”

To her great distress, they walked Irene before the high table and stood on either side of her in presentation. The great stag-centaur leaned his large head down to look at her, and Irene saw that his deep-set eyes were completely black.

“You bring me another child.” His deep voice rolled across the room, causing the other tables to fall silent.

“More tribute from the SM Court,” one of the hooded figures stated obsequiously.

“She is Fairest.”

“From the Sculptor, Horned One,” the other figure supplied.

“I am owed a Beast from the Mirror King’s Court.”     

The two figures cowered a bit beside Irene, which did not help her rising sense of panic one bit.

“P-perhaps after the Great Hunt, you shall-”

“Perhaps you shall collect what I am owed,” the Horned One interrupted in his booming voice. “The Rose Knight fails to fulfill his contract. Let it be known that he is no longer under my protection.

“Nay, it shall be known that he is now one of my quarry.” There was murmuring and light chuckles from the surrounding tables.

“... And the Gold Knight?” one of the hooded figures ventured.

Instead of answering, the Horned One reached out a large hand to Irene. She stared at it fearfully and one of the figures urgently whispered for her to take it and curtsey. She did as she was bid, and the Horned One carefully pulled her up closer to the table.

“Tell me your name, Fairest.”

She felt like her heart was going to leap out of as she tried her best to voice an answer. “B-B-Bae Irene,” she answered barely having the place of mind left to follow Leeteuk’s lead.

His dark face and eyes were expressionless as he regarded her. “From the Sculptor.”

“Yes,” she breathed out and nodded her head. Every time he spoke in that booming voice, she swore she was going to faint.

“Did you escape or were you returned?”

She took a shuddering breath. She could feel darkness at the edges of her vision, threatening to engulf her.

“I escaped,” she finally said.

The corners of the Horned One’s great black eyes crinkled as he slowly smiled.

“Good. The Gold Knight has fulfilled his contract.” He released her hand and sat back up. Irene heard the two hooded figures behind her release a collective sigh of relief.

“Take her to the other Fairest and the Darkling from the Mirror King.”

She barely stayed conscious long enough to hear that dismissal before darkness took her.

+++

“But you escaped,” the King stated, by way of a question.

Taeyeon nodded. This was the reason why she thought the Horned One was targeting the SM Court. She couldn’t help but feel a little responsible for the attacks. That scene in Japan kept playing over and over again in her mind - her instincts had told her to run, as if she were that same, scared 12-year old girl all over again and not the 25-year old who had promised to protect her friends.

She had been the only one who had ever escaped him back in Arcadia, and she had been the only one to have escaped him this time, too.

+++

When Irene came to, she felt warm arms holding her protectively, and there was a brief moment where she wondered if this hadn’t just been some horrible dream. If she opened her eyes, she might see the familiar walls of their dorm bedroom. These could very well be Seulgi’s arms around her, and oh, what a comfort that would have been.

But she knew better. She was exhausted; that drained feeling she had experienced nearly two months ago had returned, reminding her of her failed attempt to enthrall Leeteuk. The whole night came back to her like having a bucket of ice water dumped on her consciousness.

She gasped and tried to sit up.

“Whoa!”

“Hey!”

Two voices cried out in surprise at the sudden movement. She felt those arms try to gently pull her back into bed.

“Relax, you’re safe.” It was Sulli.

“For now.” And Jessica.

She couldn’t be more confused. Irene had heard a lot of conflicting information about Sulli recently at the company - she was gone, she was back, they were five, they were four - and she could have sworn she had seen Sulli once or twice herself in the company building…

Irene willed herself to stop staring at the two girls. “Where are we?” she asked.

“Hell,” Jessica supplied unhelpfully.

Sulli gave her a look, though she didn't disagree. “We’re in Arcadia,” she explained tentatively, unsure of how much Irene was aware of. “We’ve been caught by the Horned One.”

Irene let out a breath. So it hadn’t been a dream after all.

Jessica waited until it seemed like Irene had calmed down a bit before asking, “Hey, so… you just got here, right? How long have I been gone?”

Irene was still feeling overwhelmed, but she had the grace to look at her a little guiltily. These past three months had been very busy for her and Red Velvet, and while she had heard news about an ‘incident’ in Japan involving Jessica, she hadn’t thought to follow up on it for more details. To think back on it all, the summer felt like ages ago. She had still technically been a trainee then, and now she and the girls were finished with their first round of promotions.

She knew time could pass differently in the Hedge and Arcadia. What might feel like an hour here could be a year in the mortal world - or the reverse. Irene wondered how long Jessica thought she had been away for.

And Sulli. That still confused her.

“It’s almost October,” Irene admitted.

Jessica let out a breath and fell back against the bed’s headboard. Irene took that moment to get a look around the room. Everything was made of wood and smelled of cedar and pitch, like some rustic cabin. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think they were just on some dreary vacation during the off-season.

“It’s not the Hilton, but it’s alright,” Sulli remarked, following Irene’s gaze.

"I guess I was expecting a cage," she said numbly. It didn't make any sense at all. Were they prisoners or guests?

"They don't need to put us in cages," Sulli replied with a wry smirk. "Even if you try to escape, they'll find you."

Irene studied the younger girl. It seemed like she was speaking from experience. But speaking of escape... She hesitated. “Did you... “ How to put this delicately. “Did you get kidnapped twice?” she asked in confusion. Sulli blinked at her, sharing in her confusion.

“The last thing I heard before I was taken,” Irene continued, “was that you had left F(x), and now you’re… here.”

“I… what?” Sulli asked. She grabbed Irene by the shoulders. “I left F(x)?!”