Dear Irene,

I’m sorry. That’s what I should say before anything else. I’m sorry to you, I’m sorry to Jessica and Sulli, I’m sorry to the trainees I brought here before, to everyone. I’m just sorry. Hopefully by the end of this letter they will be able to forgive me. Or perhaps I am beyond forgiveness now. If my plan works, maybe the King will go a little easier on me, but if it doesn’t work, there probably won’t be anyone left in the SM Court to punish me anyway.

I want you to read this letter, and then burn it afterwards. If you need to recite it later, your member Joy can confirm its veracity, but it’s important that whatever you do, you destroy it when you’re done. By the time I’m able to hand this to you - if I’m able to hand this to you - it means it’s close enough to the Great Hunt that I can finally explain everything I’ve been doing, and I don’t want Henry or Heechul or anyone else to take the blame in case this doesn't go well.

Several months ago, the Oracle Yeri gave me a prophecy about the Court. Now by this point, I had already been hearing rumors in the Goblin Market about the Gentry getting restless about the Korean Changeling Courts. We’re internationally famous, you know. Everyone’s starting to look at us and even the Courtless, and the Gentry are jealous. You know how they are about things like that; art and mania are their purview, so to take all of that attention away from their pets makes them mad.

Anyway so I had started looking into it already and when Yeri told me what she Saw, I knew I was on to something. She mentioned that there were 'Three with a new song's measure' who could take an empire down, so I enlisted Henry and Heechul. They didn’t believe me at first about the threat, so I had to prove that the True Fae were up to something. Something big.

This part is the hardest for me to admit, but I started making deals with Hunters in the Goblin Market. I offered them trainees to start to curry favor with the Gentry. I won’t dare tell you who they were, because you knew some of them. I thought it was going well, but not as well as I had hoped.

You probably heard about that incident in Japan. I don’t know all of the details, but the Gentry made a push into our world to try and get to our girls while they were touring. And they got one.

+++

“After that, we were convinced. After they took Jessica, we knew Leeteuk's plan wasn’t working and he pushed us to offer them more…” Henry explained brokenly. “Offer people the True Fae wouldn’t be able to resist.” He glanced sorrowfully at Victoria and the F(x) girls. “Sulli seemed like a good choice at the time-”

Amber punched the wall near his head and he closed his eyes and whimpered. Luna gently put her hands on Amber’s shoulders and walked her outside of the circle that had crowded around Henry.

“We were planning on telling her…!” Henry spoke up after he regained his courage. “We didn’t have time, it all happened so fast…”

Krystal eyed him skeptically, sparing a brief glance at Joy. Joy shrugged.

“It had to look real,” Henry explained quietly. “We didn’t know what the True Fae were going to do next- who they might come for. The less everyone knew, the better.”

“What about Irene? Did she know?” Seulgi suddenly broke in. Irene must have been so scared...

Henry couldn’t meet her gaze. “I don’t know. I had already been cut out of the plan by that point.”

Suddenly Amber pushed her way back into the circle. “Tell us about that night in the forest, Henry,” she growled. “Were those the Hunters?”

He looked up at her with a faint smile. “I really messed up. I couldn’t do it.

“I set up a meeting outside of the Goblin Market for them to come take her, but when they arrived I just…” he pointedly avoided Seulgi’s gaze. “I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t let them take her.”

“... But I had been having that dream for weeks,” Seulgi spoke up in the intervening silence.

“We saw her there before,” Amber confirmed, and Krystal nodded.

Joy crossed her arms, watching Henry with a hard stare. “Why didn’t you hand Seulgi over to the Hunters?”

Henry barked out a laugh and quickly put a hand over his mouth, muffling his words.

“Didn’t quite catch that, Rose Knight,” Luna lilted. They all heard a snap as she placed her fingers on his forearm, giving it a light shock.

He shook it numbly, his wrist limp. “Ah- okay, okay!” he cried, cradling his arm to his chest. “I may… kind of like her…!”

“You’re in love with Seulgi,” Joy translated crossly.

“Whoa, hey now, love is a strong word…!” Henry protested, but the Truthsayer stared him down.

“So you trashed Leeteuk’s plan because of a crush?” Krystal asked, unimpressed. Henry nodded his head remorsefully, but suddenly paused with his head hung low.

“It was good enough for Sulli, but not for Seulgi, huh?” Amber added, her fists clenching again.

Victoria looked across at the group at Seulgi sympathetically, but the Red Velvet member was pensively staring at the floor.

Henry looked up past them and he went pale. “The oath,” he breathed.

“What oath?” Amber asked impatiently. She knew he had already broken some sort of contract with the Hunters.

“With Leeteuk,” he continued. “My contract…” His horrified gaze slowly came to rest on Victoria. “I thought I was breaking my oath telling you all of this but… there’s nothing. It’s just… gone.”

The rest of the F(x) girls turned their suspicious gazes to their leader. “Either he released you, or…”

“Or he’s in trouble,” Henry concluded faintly.

+++

The most I could do to save Henry after he failed to turn over Seulgi was to give him to Amber. I knew I could try to explain everything to the King after this was all over, but that he would be much safer in the SM Haven’s dungeon than here in Arcadia. But for my own sake, I had to really pull some strings to ensure the Horned One still believed our loyalty. That’s where you came in.

The Hunters wouldn’t shut up about some Fairest they had seen in the forest that night, and after hearing Amber’s testimony in the Court, I knew it was you they meant. I thought if I could give them someone as powerful as you, that would finally get me a seat at the High Table.

And it worked: I’ve been invited to a feast soon. I hope you are there, though then again, I kind of hope you aren’t there. If you see me I don’t want you to lose your head. I wish I had told you everything that night, but we needed everything to be believable. And you definitely played your part well.

I know I used you, and again, I really can’t tell you how sorry I am, but if everything else works, then you can be satisfied knowing that we saved everyone back home. I don’t have much family left, Irene, and I know you’re the same. Our groups are our families now, and this is the only way I know how to save them.

I’ve finally gotten close enough to understand what’s going on here with the Horned One and his posse. They’re planning a Great Hunt and lots of Gentry are coming from all across Arcadia to participate. I don’t know how large of a group it’ll be, or how they’ll all be able to make a focused attack on Seoul without trying to backstab each other, but I’m going to try to take the Horned One down before they can even get started.

He’s the catalyst. He’s the Master of the Hunt, the Horned One. If I can bring him down, they’ll have to find someone else to take his mantle, and that could take years. Centuries. You know how time works here.

Please leave everything to me, Irene. If I can come for you three, I will, but if not, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.

Sincerely,

Park Leeteuk

The Gold Knight  

+++

“Hey,” Heechul called as Taeyeon passed. “Can I buy you a coffee?”

She paused midstep hearing that familiar voice so out of place. Taeyeon had just left the salon and was heading back to the company building when she was caught by the Cobalt Knight.

He was leaning against the entrance of the tiny to-go shop next door with a cup of coffee in each hand. He offered one to her.

She took it with a wry grin. After all, it was a little chilly out. “Are you stalking me?”

“Moi?” Heechul asked in mock offense. “Actually, yes.” He fell into step with her and they continued back.

“Why?” She suddenly wasn't feeling so amiable.

“It’s Leeteuk,” Heechul murmured so only she could hear. “I think he’s been caught.”

Taeyeon stopped and Heechul waited for her. After a moment, she caught up with him.

“Finally! When?”

“Just a little while ago,” Heechul evaded.

Taeyeon squinted up at him. Something wasn't right about his expression. “That’s good, isn't it? How do you know, anyway?”

“I had a contract with him… and now it’s ended.”

Taeyeon sighed exasperatedly. “Either tell me or don’t. Stop playing games.”

“It’s not good. He's not the bad guy everyone thinks he is. He just wanted the Court to think so.”

She continued to watch him skeptically. “How do you know that? Besides, weren’t you tasked with finding him? Who has him?”

“The Horned One.”

“Just... stop!” Taeyeon bit off. Why did everyone have to keep bringing him up? She fell behind again and Heechul wheeled on her. 

“Stop what, exactly?” he asked her, looking all around. “Stop reality? Stop the Great Hunt? Stop time? I’m not Leeteuk!”

“Th-the Great… what did you say?” she whispered breathlessly.

“This is happening, whether you want it to or not! Leeteuk was playing a double agent with the Horned One, and now the game’s over! He’s been caught! See? My contract is broken, I can talk about it all day long now!” Heechul berated, gesticulating.

Taeyeon retreated from him. It was too much too fast. The King had caught her up to speed on his decree against the Rose and Gold Knights, but who was telling the truth? Had Leeteuk betrayed them or not? And why, just why did all of this have to revolve around the Horned One?

“I need your help,” Heechul said more calmly after having taken a few breaths. “You’re the only one who’s ever been able to escape him before.” He remembered her remarkable statement in the SM Court’s Hall, and had kept that little piece of information in the back of his mind ever since.

But she slowly, then vigorously shook her head at him. “N-no. No way, I’m not going back there. Find someone else.”

A strange smile of disbelief tugged at the corner of Heechul’s mouth. “What? What do you mean no? You’re not going to come help me save Leeteuk? Jessica is there!” he reminded her.

She flinched as if struck, but she raised her eyes to his again. “I can’t. I won’t.” She turned around and started walking back the other way, leaving Heechul to stand there in shock.

“Wh-where are you going? Are you running away?” he called after her. “Great! Fine! Run, then!

“...You seem to be good at that.”

+++

“I need to find Heechul,” Henry urged, looking at Victoria, the eldest among them and the only one who might be able to convince the F(x) girls to let him go.

“Heechul?” Amber asked, raising her chin a bit as she regarded him with newfound suspicion. She was just as confused as the others, trying to get a handle on Leeteuk’s shifting loyalties, but hearing Heechul’s name thrown into the mix just served to confuse her further.

Henry nodded. “He was kind of our conscience throughout all of this.”

“Heechul…”

“... was your conscience…”

Everyone was a little stunned. It was no wonder that their plans had gone terribly awry.

Seulgi felt so ill she had to turn away. Even Heechul was part of all of this? And there was the nagging question that was festering in her mind: If Henry had turned her in like he was supposed to, would they have needed to give Irene to the Horned One? Would she have been spared?

Wendy put a hand on Seulgi’s, seeing how distraught she looked, and spoke up. “What’s Heechul going to do? Are you guys going to rescue Leeteuk?”

Henry watched at her for a long moment. He didn’t look like the coward they had cornered earlier, but more like the Rose Knight he had been christened as. “We still have a plan to see through,” he finally said. “For the good of everyone. He knew it was going to be dangerous.”

“You make it sound like he’s-”

“We’re going with you,” Amber interrupted.

Luna nodded. “You’ve made a pretty good mess of things, so yeah, I think we’re going to have to help.”

“And besides, we know our girls are still out there,” Victoria added, “and I don’t care what kind of deals you've made with the True Fae. We’re going to bring them back.”

“All of them,” Krystal finished.

Wendy looked over at Amber and opened to say something, but couldn’t quite give a voice to her thoughts. She wasn’t sure what Victoria’s Seeming was, but Amber, Krystal and Luna all seemed fairly powerful. She had no doubt they would prove to be rather formidable if it came down to a fight. But what would she be able to do? She barely had a grasp on the concept of the Fae in general, let alone the specific limits or uses of her own Seeming.

But Seulgi turned back to face them all resolutely. “We’re coming, too.” After she spoke, she glanced at Joy and Wendy, belatedly realizing she had volunteered them for such a dangerous mission. Wendy nodded at her, but Joy looked pensive for a moment.

“The Fae aren’t easy to deal with in a fight, but they’re even more difficult in a conversation. If you have to talk to anyone, you won’t last five seconds, so I guess I have no choice,” the youngest finally said. Her precocious attitude wasn’t missed by the rest of them, and Henry looked genuinely offended.

“Especially you,” Joy added, seeing his expression.

“... I guess that’s fair,” he admitted. “But first thing’s first: we need to talk to Heechul and see what he thinks. Nobody make a move until I get back,” he instructed with a raised finger, locking eyes with each one of them in turn.

Krystal scoffed. “Do you really think I’m supposed to just wait and trust that you’re going off to talk to him?”

Henry gestured at Joy with a significant look, but Joy crossed her arms. “What you’re saying right now is true, but how are we supposed to believe you won’t decide to leave us behind?”

“Looks like we’re coming with you,” Amber said, and hooked an arm around his shoulders perhaps a little more roughly than necessary. “But you girls can stay here, alright?" she directed at Red Velvet. "We don’t need all of us to go and draw unwanted attention. Rest up and we’ll come back to tell you what the plan is, okay?”

Wendy nodded, giving Amber a serious look. “You promise you’ll come back for us?” she found herself asking.

The room fell silent.

“Hey, that’s a tall order, kiddo,” Amber said with an unsteady laugh. “I mean you’ve seen what kind of trouble promises can get people into.” She gave Henry a little shake under her arm.

“I… I know,” Wendy said, taking a step forward. “But I mean it. Just say you’ll come back, alright?”

Krystal raised an eyebrow and gave Amber a smirk. Amber pointedly ignored her.

“Alright, alright, but only because you’re so cute,” the firebrand said, ruffling Wendy’s hair with her free hand. She turned with Henry still in her grip and made to leave.

“Say it.”

Amber paused and smiled before glancing back at her.

“I promise.”

+++

It was several hours before they heard from Amber again. The rapper sent Wendy a text saying that they were still out looking for the Cobalt Knight, thinking that he might be in a private audience with the King, and that the Red Velvet girls should continue to ‘sit tight’.

This message went unnoticed by Wendy, who had already fallen asleep on the couch in the living room, but Seulgi’s attention was drawn to the sleeping girl’s glowing screen.

Seulgi and Wendy hadn’t quite taken Amber’s recommendation to rest up to heart, and long after Joy and the Fetch had decided to turn in for the night, the two girls had set up camp in the living room, awaiting F(x)’s return. Seulgi tried not to disturb Wendy as she peeked over the girl’s sleeping form to get a look at the notification, but she couldn’t read more than the name of the sender.

If it were really important, Amber would try calling, wouldn’t she? But Seulgi’s curiosity got the better of her and she put a hand on Wendy’s shoulder and gently called her name. “Hey, Wendy,” she whispered carefully. Ever since Irene’s capture, she had been much more mindful to not use even a nickname of Wendy’s that might recall back to her True Name, but even this quiet utterance seemed to cut through the dark silence a little too sharply.

She hesitated before trying again, leaning in closer. “Wendy…!”

“Mmm? What-?” Wendy murmured as she slowly turned over. “Whoa, hey there, Seul…” she croaked as she saw how close Seulgi was. “What’s going on?”

Seulgi withdrew. “Nothing, you got a message,” she prompted expectantly.

Wendy groggily sat up. “Wow, it got really dark.” She hadn’t meant to fall asleep. Had Seulgi been sitting in the dark this whole time? She unlocked her phone and read the message, wincing at the bright screen.

“More waiting,” Wendy relayed with a sigh after reading the message through. She scooted over to one side of the couch, urging Seulgi to sit next to her. “How long was I out?” she asked.

Seulgi shrugged as she sat down. “Maybe an hour,” she replied, then peeked at Wendy’s phone and caught sight of the time. “... or two. You should go to bed.”

“You should go to bed,” Wendy countered, nudging the taller girl’s shoulder with her own. “I’ll be fine now. I want to be ready for when Amber comes back.”

Seulgi was silent for a moment. She still wasn’t quite ready to head to bed, not with Irene’s Fetch fast asleep in their room.

Wendy didn’t miss Seulgi’s hesitation - this was a game she had noticed Seulgi playing for days now. “Can I… ask you something, Seul?”

Seulgi blinked, being pulled out of her reverie. She looked over at Wendy’s dark form. “Sure?”

“It’s a shot in the dark, and I’ll… understand if you don’t want to, but if Irene’s Fetch is asleep, I wanted to try something.”

Seulgi squinted at her through the dark. “Try what?”

“I may be able to use her to Dreamride with Irene, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me.”