“Siwon, I want you to be close to me at all times,” Eunhyuk demanded with a stern look in his eyes as they had finally arrived at the Western Palace and had eaten a deliciously prepared meal while the servants unpacked their things.

“But your highness, the King said-“ Lord Yesung began.

“I know what he said, my Lord. I am not appointing Siwon as my bodyguard, I am merely asking him to be close to me,” Eunhyuk replied as he looked at the lord with calculating eyes. Even though the lord was older than him, he clearly saw the man shiver at the authority in his tone and he secretly rejoiced. Then, Eunhyuk turned to Siwon with a kind smile. 

“Would you be okay with that, Siwon?” Eunhyuk asked the man who was a year or so younger than him. Even though he could just demand the man to stay by his side, Eunhyuk wanted him to stay because he wanted to, not because the guard was told to. The younger bowed.

“Yes, your highness, it will be an honor,” Siwon responded as he bowed down to show his respect with a soft smile adorning his lips. 
‘A king never bows down to anyone’ Eunhyuk’s father’s voice resonated in his head, making him almost want to sigh audibly. He didn’t know why Siwon’s bow reminded him of that, but it somewhat annoyed him. Eunhyuk then nodded to the younger male to show his delight with the arrangement before standing up and making his way to what would now be his room. Siwon and Lord Yesung sprang up behind him, Siwon because he had just been assigned to be by his side at all times and the lord because the crowned prince was still not allowed to ascend or descend the stairs himself. 

“Siwon, I will ask the servants to set up a room for you near mine,” the prince said as they reached the crowned prince’s quarters; these quarters used to belong to his parents and he had a weird feeling about being back here and claiming them as his. 

“Lord Yesung, what are the plans for tomorrow?” Eunhyuk asked as he turned to the lord. 

“Tomorrow morning you will be introduced to the servants of the palace before you will take a ride around the district, letting the people know that you are here. When they know you are here, they will want to talk to you, so the afternoon is booked with audiences. Then you have to meet your council and advisors and discuss your plans for the district,” Lord Yesung informed, having learnt the crowned prince’s schedule by heart during the journey, and Eunhyuk nodded in understanding. 

“I want Siwon with me at all times,” he repeated, and the lord spluttered.

“You cannot possibly think that you could bring him to the council?” Lord Yesung asked, sounding utterly scandalised at the thought of bringing a mere guard into the council.

“No, I don’t think so, I know so,” Eunhyuk replied in an uncaring tone with a light shrug, eliciting a sigh from the lord. 

“Now, I bid you goodnight,” the prince then added before entering the lounge that led to his bedroom and closing the door behind him.

Eunhyuk then exhaled heavily, suddenly feeling exhausted. They had travelled for days and though he was willing to bet his position that he had been the most comfortable out of the many people travelling with him, he had still not been able to sleep comfortably on the journey. On top of that he could never show his real emotions as the crowned prince and as such he had spent the last days pretending that he was completely fine even though he was exhausted and, frankly, a bit scared. He felt weird about being back in this palace and he had a creeping sensation that somehow related to Donghae. He knew that he needed to go to the park at the first given opportunity and pay some kind of tribute to the boy who saved his life. When he entered the bedroom, two servants were waiting for him, kneeling on the floor. 

“Your highness, we are here to help you to bed,” one of them said in a hushed voice while both of them kept their heads down in respect. 

“Thank you,” Eunhyuk said, his emotionless, authoritative mask back on again. 

The servants slowly undressed him before easing a long night shirt over his head and down his muscular figure. They lifted his covers to give him access to the bed and he slipped into it, making sure that he sat up and still kept the authoritative air around him. They bowed as they backed out of the room and when the door was closed, Eunhyuk finally let himself slump back into the soft pillows. Just before he fell asleep, his mind drifted off to Donghae once again. 

“Your highness?” a voice asked tentatively, piercing through Eunhyuk’s sleeping state and pulling him from his dreamless unconsciousness; Eunhyuk stirred, not ready to wake up yet. 
“Your highness, you have to get up now,” the voice said again, and finally, Eunhyuk slowly opened his eyes and saw a new servant standing in front of his bed; suddenly becoming defensive at the unfamiliar face, Eunhyuk quickly sat up while staring at the servant suspiciously. 

“Who are you and why are you the one waking me?” the prince asked, slight anger in his voice, and the servant recoiled and fell to his knees in an apologetic bow.

“I’m sorry, your highness. My name is Onew and I was asked to wake you up since you had not given any orders as to who should wake you,” the servant answered, face inches from the floor; Eunhyuk thought back to the night before and realised that the servant was right; he had indeed forgotten to tell Lord Yesung who should wake him in this new place. 

“Rise,” he ordered as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, finding a pair of wooden slippers laid out for him, he stuck his feet in them.

 
“I would like Siwon to wake me up from now on. When he has woken me, the servants in charge of my dressing can enter my bedroom. Go inform Lord Yesung about this when you go to fetch the servants in charge of my dressing,” Eunhyuk ordered as he rose to his feet. 
 

When the servant had exited the door Eunhyuk stretched and yawned, and when the two servants from yesterday entered his bedroom to help him bathe and dress, he was fully awake. One of them helped him remove his night shirt as the other made sure the bath that had been drawn in a wooden tub in the bathroom attached to his bedroom. The servant added some lavender oil to the water and helped Eunhyuk climb into it before taking a clean cloth and beginning to clean the prince. 

“So it seems I will be seeing you two a lot,” Eunhyuk stated, looking at the one who was washing his arm at the moment, before asking, “What are your names?”
 

The servant stopped his movement, looking rather taken aback by the prince’s question. 

“My name is Sungmin,” the servant replied before getting back to the task of cleaning the prince; gesturing his head towards the bedroom, where the other servant was laying out clothes for the prince, Sungmin continued, “And his name is Ryeowook.” 
 

Eunhyuk nodded, signalling that he had heard the man and the closed his eyes to just enjoy the warmth. Sungmin finished too soon for his taste but he rose from the water when the servant asked him to. Ryeowook came and helped Sungmin patting him dry with towels before they applied a nice smelling cream all over his body. Even though Eunhyuk was used to servants touching his body, he still felt a bit awkward with the two males since it was the first time this ritual happened. Ryeowook was in charge of making sure all the pieces of his hanbok were put on properly while Sungmin worked on his hair. 

When Eunhyuk stepped out of how room he found Lord Yesung and Siwon waiting for him in the corridor.

"Good morning. Lord Yesung, did you receive the message I sent with Onew? I want Siwon to wake me up from now on. I don't want people I don't trust near me when I am just waking up. It is too dangerous and I am disappointed that you didn't think of that," Eunhyuk spoke to the lord who bowed his head and looked down.

"Your highness, I can assure you that Onew has been through various checks before he was let into your chambers. I would not allow a person I don't trust into your chambers, my prince," the lord replied with a serious expression. He had almost given his life to protect the prince and he felt slightly offended by the implication that he would let a man into the prince’s chambers that he himself did not trust fully.

"Even so, Siwon is the only one with permission to enter my bed chambers when I am asleep, is that clear?"

"Yes, your highness."

"Now I would like to