I swear, AFF keeps changing the font/format of my recent chapters for this fic. It's annoying every time I catch it. Do you guys see it? If there's any errors in this chappie, I'll fix it another time. 

Repost: 1/3/14

Last Minute Rest

“YIFAAAAAAAN! ARE YOU SURE YOU’RE ALL RIGHT?”

The crowned prince flinched at the outrageous volume of his psychotic brothers, his ears ringing as he tried to tune out their frantic cries. He merely rolled his eyes at their overly dramatic behaviors and continued to rub his drenched hair with a fluffy towel. It had been just moments ago when he had finished his hot shower, having blatantly ignored his brothers when he had returned home.

“Lower your voices,” he said flippantly. “Do I look like I’m dying?”

Xiumin crossed his arms and huffed. “I can fix that.”

Yifan shot him a sour glare.

Suho motioned for his brothers to calm down, his voice mild yet strained as he said, “Yifan, older brother, we’re just concerned about your health. You came back, beaten and charred, with an exhausted Aris! So, of course we would react violently,” he cried, his round, coffee-brown eyes wide with openly expressed worry. “You probably traumatized the poor princess!”

The older princes simultaneously glanced over to the lounge room where you rested, currently being treated like a priceless artifact by the younger princes. When you had returned to the fortress-like residence with Yifan, the servants had been appalled by your haggard state and had immediately whisked you away for a hot, steamy bath to scrub off the dirt and grime that had accumulated on your weary form. Then, after you had changed clothes, you had been convinced to eat a small snack before your decision to nap, completely conking out like an expired lightbulb. Now you were dozed off the couch, your listless head cushioned on Kai’s lap as he played with locks of your hair. Kyungsoo had draped a quilt over your tired form, smiling gently when he had tucked you in. Tao and Sehun sat on the floor next to the couch, quietly bickering over who could hold your hand to keep it warm. Earlier, Yixing had discreetly converted some of his energy into you, so you would be fine and dandy later on.

“She’s not injured at least,” murmured the quiet healer, preoccupied with other thoughts pertaining to your welfare. He absentmindedly flexed his long, thin fingers, as if internally debating whether or not to give you more energy.

Luhan sighed and shook his head, perplexed. “Just drop it, brothers. Yifan and Aris have already assured us that they are fine. To top it off, we’re heading home soon.” He blanched, imagining something dreadful. “I have a strong feeling that the guards will report our recklessness to Father and our mothers.”

The princes groaned loudly in dismay, knowing they’ll be badly lectured.

“But...do you think Princess Aris had a good time, though?” Chen wondered.

“Did she even ‘collect’ the stuff she came here for?” added Chanyeol.

Luhan scratched his head contemplatingly. “Frankly, she could have only enjoyed the good parts of the trip and have been shaken up by the bad.” The doe-eyed prince made a cute, disgruntled face at Yifan who returned it exasperatedly.

Suho’s gaze was fond as he admired your peaceful, sleeping face; it eased the tension taut in his shoulders. “You know, if you look at how much she filled up her bags, I’d say she collected quite enough from the trip.”

Since they hadn’t bothered to check through your things, that’s what the princes had mistakenly assumed about you with what you had ‘collected’. All they knew was that each of them had given you something as a souvenir to commemorate your outings with them.

Baekhyun clapped his hands happily. “Then, that’s it! We did a good job, brothers!”

They all nodded in agreement. “Yes!”

...

Servants and guards of the royal castle spotted their beloved princes and the SHINee princess approaching the castle’s stoops. They all accordingly lined up in two rows and dipped over in a respectful bow. They greeted the thirteen of you enthusiastically.

“Welcome home, young princes and Princess Aris!”

Chanyeol waved his arms high in the air exuberantly. “We’re baaaaack!” he exclaimed, sporting a wide, goofy grin.

“Take Princess Aris’s belongings to the guest room,” Yifan ordered the head servant. The old woman nodded and gestured at two maids to carry your bags despite your protests.

Suho addressed a middle-aged man who was the princes’ mentor. “Are our parents home?”

The mentor shook his head. “No, my prince. Just earlier, your mothers departed for a friendly outing, and your father is being withheld at the Capitol because of his workload.”

Phew, thought the princes as they inwardly sank with relief. Safe, for now.

Yixing and Luhan, still worried about your weary condition, personally escorted you and the two maids with your belongings to the guest room. After they gently deposited your bags on the coffee table, the maids began to tidy up the already spotless and neat bed chamber. When they were finished, they curtsied and quietly shuffled out the room.

You smiled at the generous accommodations and turned around to bow at the two considerate princes. “Thank you, my princes. I will rest now. If you need anything from me, don’t hesitate to wake me up. I won’t mind.”

They both nodded compliantly. “Of course, Princess.”

Yixing shifted from foot to foot uneasily, his gaze flickering to you, somewhere else, then back to you repeatedly. “Aris...if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to summon us—especially me if you’re hurt.”

You instantly caught his drift. Yixing was referring back to the time when you had passed out from touching the Tree of Life. The whole incident during his outing, plus the alarming dragon encounter during Yifan’s playdate drove the healing prince mad. Why haven’t his powers evolved yet to heal every ailment?

Luhan raised his brows in confusion as he watched his shy brother outwardly express his honest concern to you. You smiled at the healer gently. “Yes, I will,” you promised. “Thank you, Yixing.”

A hidden message passed between you and Yixing. Luhan narrowed his doe eyes suspiciously (and was peeved that you dropped the formalities with Yixing momentarily). Something happened between them, he concluded.

“Enjoy the rest of the evening, my princes,” you said with a slight inclination of your head.

“Rest well,” Yixing replied, and he and Luhan promptly exited the room, the door closing with an audible click.

Finally alone, you unleashed a heavy sigh and let your tiny shoulders slouch. You crossed over to your traveling bags piled on top of the coffee table and knelt next to it. From the bags, you carefully removed two mythical eggs bundled up in blankets and checked their conditions.

“I can’t believe how much trouble it took to get you two,” you murmured to yourself. “But it’s worth the trouble in order to protect the people that I love in the future.” You carried the eggs over to the bathroom. In there, you created improvised nests from a combination of towels and baskets, then tucked the eggs in. You dispelled another worn sigh. “I’m paranoid, aren’t I?” you asked the unborn phoenix and dragon as if they could hear you. “I’m sorry for using you two as a pitiful excuse for a support system, but who knows? There might be a greater purpose for your existences aside from being able to lessen my worries.” The light in your livid eyes dimmed, and your voice dropped a pitch. “It’s just...I might not be around to witness that.”

Switching locations, you sauntered over to the sitting area and arranged the improvised nests by the toasty fireplace. You casted a simple glamour spell to cloak their existences from view.

Standing up, you stretched out your arms and yawned involuntarily. “Ugh,” you groaned. “I really need to rest. I’ll need all the energy I can get for those spells.”

...

Luhan and Yixing were lounging around in the royal gardens, along with Kai and Sehun who were foolishly horsing around, abusing their powers which provoked the older two to snap at them to behave.

Typical Yixing tended to his beloved flowers, knees bent as he snipped away unneeded foliage and uprooted pesky weeds. Meanwhile, Luhan laid supine on the soft lawn, boredly twirling his fingers as he levitated a couple of garden pebbles. He heard his baby brothers arguing on the other side of the bushes, but didn’t bother to interrupt their quarreling.

“Yixing?”

“Hm?”

“Did something happen during your outing with Aris?”

The muscles in Yixing’s lanky body went stiff and still. The healer counted himself lucky that he wasn’t facing his perceptive brother, but Luhan easily detected his tautness, so it was futile. Due to his brother’s delayed response, Luhan’s doubts escalated.

Yixing forced his rigid posture to relax, and he managed to say lightly, “No, nothing peculiar happened.”

“Yixing, ever since you and Aris returned from your playdate, you’ve been overly stressed about her health,” Luhan broached insistently, not skimping over the details. “Something must’ve happened.”

Yixing exhaled slowly. “She had...a dizzy spell, that’s all.”

Luhan let the pebbles fall onto his stomach as he jolted upright. “A dizzy spell? Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Is that normal for her? Is she alright?” he interrogated, beginning to panic.

The healing prince finally turned around to face his alarmed brother. His thin face was withdrawn and etched with the lines of confliction. “The spells don’t happen regularly—at least not that I know of. And Aris insisted that she was fine. I assure you, it was nothing major.” He ducked his head ruefully. “But I worry anyways,” he whispered.

Luhan nodded in shared understanding, glad the problem concerning you was nothing serious. “Of course, Yixing. You can’t help being you—shy, caring, and a worrywart.” His eyes softened. “Next time, if something is burdening you just talk to me.”

Yixing hadn’t clarified the entire truth, but, regardless of that, he was relieved that he could confide his troubles to his kindhearted brother. He could breathe a little easier. “Thank you, Luhan.”

Luhan smiled encouragingly, but then his head snapped up, his sixth sense telling him that two brats were dangling off a high tree branch. “JONGIN! SEHUN! WHAT IN THE HEAVENS ARE YOU DOING?!”

“Uh-oh!” The two rascals exchanged scared expressions. MAYDAY! Angry deer!

...

You didn’t know for how long you napped, but your senses tingled with acute awareness, disturbed by something, and your magic was picking up the presences of other sorcerers whose magic stuck to them like glue. Their breathing was hushed but heavy with impatience. Their forms radiated rigidness as they surrounded you. You must’ve regained your strength if you could notice these teensy details and disturbances while asleep.

Disturbances such as intrusive people hovering over your sleeping form. You wanted to tsk at them. Those idiots didn’t even bother to hide their presences. Oh, well. You might as well have some fun with this since you were already knee-deep in shark infested waters.

“HIYAH!” (You.)

“AAAH!” (Them.)

When you had jolted upright screaming, your brothers had reflexively sprang back in startlement, their rear ends (well, except Minho’s) smacking the floor with a loud thud. You balled up in a guarded position, clutching the blankets close to your heaving chest as you gawked at them.

“Why were you watching me sleep?!” you squeaked, eyes wide with disbelief.

Jonghyun jumped to his feet and pointed at you accusingly. “WELL, WHY DID YOU RUN OFF TO EXO WITHOUT TELLING US, HUH?” he flared back.

“WHY, ARIS?!” Onew, Key, and Taemin screamed at the top of their lungs. Normally, your brothers would’ve been less raucous, but ever since they discovered your traitorous disappearance, their patience had diminished to nothing and their decorum trashed in rage. Thankfully, Minho didn’t act like a fool like his overdramatic brothers still sprawled about on the bedroom floor. He sighed lowly and rubbed his forehead in vexation.

You pursed your lips, trying to find a way to avoid the question. “W-when did you arrive in EXO Planet?”

Your diva-like brother crossed his arms and huffed. “About four and a half hours ago. The queens gave us a tour of the nearby towns since you were off having fun with those despicable brats,” he hissed. “We came back about two hours ago to find you fast asleep.”

“Seeing those ungrateful brats get an earful from their mothers made my day,” Jonghyun quipped snidely as he and Taemin snickered. “Apparently the princes did something bad during your little around-the-world tour.”

At the reminder, five pairs of eyes bore holes into your small form, demanding answers.

You pretended not to notice and acted innocent as you smoothed out the bed sheets. “Ah, yes,” you said flippantly. “It’s a shame they’re being scolded for reasons you’ll never know.” You bit back a grin as you received the intended reactions of panic.

Taemin tackled your arm, gripping onto it for dear life. “What did dey do?” he shrieked. “Did it involve you? DID DEY HURT YOU?!” He was one teardrop away from a heart attack.

“Uh...” You were torn between teasing them and telling them the truth, but your heart went out to Taemin. You couldn’t bear to see him cry, so you patted his mop of bouncy locks and cooed at him sweetly.

“I’m going to kill those pathetic idiots,” Minho proclaimed, cracking his knuckles. Jonghyun and Key nodded in fervent agreement.

“You will do no such thing, Minho,” you interceded crisply from over Taemin’s sniffling head buried in your chest, “because I will protect them.”

Considering that you were the stronger sorcerer here, your livid brothers had no choice but to relinquish their plans for revenge. Minho fumed, Jonghyun whined, and Key pouted grumpily.

Onew heaved a great sigh, his agitation and temper passing like a dissipating storm. “Glad that’s done for,” he inserted lightly, and brushed off nonexistent dust on his tidy clothes. “Anyways, the queens have requested that we have dinner with them in the gallery. Hurry up and dress into something nice, Aris.”

“Get out while I dress,” you ordered, pointing at them to shoo.

Key flicked his finger and the bathroom doors swept open. “Dress in there,” he instructed sternly. “We’ll wait out here. You are not escaping us that easily again.”

You relented under their unflinching sense of paranoia. “Fine. Give me a couple of minutes.”

...

The EXO princes didn’t have the opportunity to greet you warmly when you entered the gallery studiously surrounded by five overprotective guard dogs. Five SHINee princes exchanged laser glares with twelve EXO princes across the widely stretched room.

“Oh! You’re finally here, Princess!” Queen Kyungsoon greeted blithely, ignoring the seething boys as she came forward to hug you. Queen Ming glided over to pat your cheek affectionately.

“Er, it’s nice to meet you again, my queens,” you managed to graciously say while you tried not to be engulfed by the thick, tense air oozing to your left. The queens led you over to the extravagant, linen-spread table decorated with flowers and candles. The gallery was open-spaced and beautiful, with a nice view of the dipping sunset and purplish-pink evening sky.

Queen Ming redirected her attention to the steaming-eared boys who boiled in their own tub of loathing. She chided at them sternly, “Boys? Where are your manners? Greet your future brother-in-laws.”

Xiumin immediately gagged at her words, shuddering in undisguised revulsion. “Uck! Don’t say that word, Mother! It’s forbidden!”

Queen Ming arched an intimidating brow, emitting a scary presence. “Well? I’m waiting.”

Expelling a long exhale, Yifan took the initiative and stiffly bowed his head. “Hello, SHINee princes,” he acknowledged through gritted teeth. “It’s been a while. It’s...great...to...see you again.” The flight prince literally wanted to puke with each word he choked out, but manage to refrain from doing so.

His fellow brothers reluctantly followed his example, bowing and murmuring their curt hellos.

Onew raised his chin. “Yes, same here...” His voice dropped. “...kidnappers.”

The EXO princes heard his mutter and were enraged.

“SAY THAT TO MY FACE, JINKI!”

“WE’RE KIDNAPPERS?! SAY THE JERKS WHO KEEP THEIR SISTER LOCKED UP!”

Chanyeol fumed heatedly. “WE DID NOT—” He was about to charge at the infuriating SHINee princes when Suho hastily gripped his arms, forcibly restraining him.

“Chanyeol, think about the princess’s feelings,” Suho hissed in the struggling fire prince’s ear. “She’d be devastated if we attacked her brothers.”

Usually Xiumin, Luhan, and Kai would’ve been snarling in front of the detestable faces Jonghyun, Key, and Taemin if Yifan hadn’t held out his arm, warning his brethren not to engage or summon their powers. He glared at the heir of SHINee who matched his fierce gaze with those disarming, crescent-shaped eyes. Onew could be very scary when he was serious.

“Let’s just go to the table,” Luhan suggested tightly, taking his own advice.

Queen Kyungsoon gestured at the princes. “Hurry up, boys.”

Everyone rushed to sit next to you. The quickest of the lot were Taemin and Kai, who snagged the seats on either side of you. Across from you was Suho, to keep an eye out on Kai. Your brothers occupied the left side of the table while the EXO princes filled in the right side. The queens situated themselves at the narrow ends of the long table. Servants swooped in to serve delectable dishes and pour sparkling refreshments. Small talk was mostly initiated by the queens. Kai and Taemin fought over who could feed you while you remained quiet, afraid that if you spoke, you might spark an altercation. The boys’ sitting postures were taut and robotic, their words biting and expressions scathing.

Only Kyungsoo and Suho had their usual tame attitudes, their smiles mild and tones neutral. Oddly enough, Yixing was extremely quiet than his standard absentmindedness. He poked at his food, overlooked by the others.

There was one time during the awkward dinner when you actually had the courage to speak up.

“My queens, how long will King Heechul be at the Capitol?” you asked casually.

Queen Kyungsoon smiled kindly. “Maybe for another hour or so. He’s been very busy lately.”

“Can you be kind enough to tell him that I wish to speak to him as soon as possible?” you requested in a business-like manner.

“Hm...alright, dear. If that’s what you want,” Queen Kyungsoon promised with a delicate nod.

You smiled at her prettily. “Thank you!”

Half of the princes overheard the short conversation. They tried to read your face, but it was futile with your whimsical façade. They all had the same intent thought: Why does she want to talk to King Heechul?

...

Two hours later, the sun had retired for the day, resting for another tomorrow. In its place, night had taken over the hushed world, letting the moons and star illuminate the rich, dark sky. It was around the exact same time when King Heechul had finally returned to the castle, but only to be upheld by a mountainous stack of documents in dire need of his attention. He holed himself up like a rabbit in his study, his nose buried in his work. He was unaware to how much time had passed until he was broken from his entrancement when someone lightly knocked on his study door.

“Who is it?” he inquired without sparing a glance up.

“It’s me, King Heechul.”

“Oh, come right in, Princess.”

You soundlessly shuffled past the study’s threshold and closed the door with a soft click behind you. Solemnity and power should not be suitable for such a young face, yet you wore the mask to perfection. It was directed at the king who halted in his work to stare in bafflement.

“We need to talk, Little Heechul.”

We have many things to discuss, and I can tell you know what about.

...