Aaaaaaand, here's the second repost for today! The next two-part reposts will be early next week!

Disclaimer: I do not own pics. (It was really hard to explain what I was picturing, and twice as hard to find the pictures...)

Repost: 8/9/13

Memories Of The Earth

The second you waltzed into Suho’s residence, you were swallowed up by eleven other princes. You barely had any time to calm them down when an EXO servant requested that you should wash up and dress for the next leg of the journey. While everyone else was preparing for the next destination, you took a quick bath, changed into your traveling wear, and shouldered your bag as everyone hustled for the train. In the bullet train, you sat between Kyungsoo and Yixing—the calm ones—while your mind drifted off to the ocean, watching it fade in the distance. You would miss that beautiful place indeed.

Yixing had his gentle, loving gaze pinned on your dreamy face. Kyungsoo was a bit skittish at your proximity, but acted unperturbed (with great difficulty).

“So, we’re heading to your mountains, Prince Kyungsoo,” you said conversationally, shifting in your seat to face him. “I’ve seen it from afar in the atmosphere when I travel over here by spaceship. It’s humongous.”

The earth prince nodded, smiling experimentally. “Yes, the mountain is bigger than Xiuminnie’s. He has two mountains. Mine is a range.” He imagined patting himself on the back for not slipping up on his pronunciation. He wanted to act smarter and older for your sake.

“The only thing that splits Kyungsoo’s mountain range is Taozi’s valley,” interjected Yixing. “Tao’s valley is a way to enter inland from Suho’s sea—but it’s more like a gateway. You also need permission to pass through. Not many venture there, so they wind up taking trains or ships to travel inland.”

Yixing’s explanation had the gears in your brain perceive the information in a war-like point of view. If transportation was cut off, the only way to enter inland from the south was by crossing the mountains or by braving through the valley. But any enemy who dared to risk it would most likely be ambushed or apprehended before they could ever step foot in the central mainland.

The train ride only lasted ten minutes tops. Since it was located in the mountains, the train station was less populated, but Exotics were still wandering around. From the train station to Kyungsoo’s residence was a twenty minute trek. However, you, Kyungsoo, and two guards split from the main group since Kyungsoo insisted exploring the mountains right away, and you agreed wholeheartedly. Very uncharacteristic of him, the ditzy earth prince was confident with every step he took. Even when you and him strayed from the path, he knew the land by heart and could wander around blindfolded. Your guards stumbled after you two since they were bigger and heavier compared to your light-weight and nimble footsteps. Kyungsoo shyly held your hand and led you around freely. Wherever you looked, you were towered by high and low planes, slopes, steeps, and boulders. Thin carpets of scruffy grass grew here and there.

“So, where are we going?” you asked aloud.

Kyungsoo pointed a little up ahead. “You see dos—those mountain sides? They have some caves in dere—there. I want to show you it.”

You suppressed a giggle when he tried to hide his childish pronunciation.

While the guards reluctantly stayed behind, you and Kyungsoo carefully scaled up a mountain side. Up there, you saw a dark cavity within the earth. Since it was only early in the afternoon, the sun provided enough light to illuminate the interlacing caves. It reminded you of Suho’s secret underwater cavern. Your eyes lit up in interest.

“Ooh!” you uttered, voice echoing in the void space. You and Kyungsoo giggled. The two of you investigated the connected caves, weaving in and out of the shadows.

“This would make a perfect stake-out spot,” you speculated, patting the solid wall. “Or a clubhouse.”

Your owl-eyed fiancé laughed. “I should decorate this place.”

You explored further in, following a source of beaming light. You found yourself in a roomy cave with a wide, hollowed out window—hidden from an outsider’s perspective within the rock formations. The view was very pretty, the mountainous expanse reaching out far and wide.

“This is so cool!” you proclaimed. “It’s like living in an apartment with a great view!”

The earth prince scratched his cheek humbly, picking up the habit from his older brother. “I, uh, dought—thought it’d be cool to have a view, so I made it myself.”

“You should definitely furnish this place,” you asserted, smiling widely.

Kyungsoo permitted a goofy grin, brightening at an idea. “Princess...wanna play House?”

You pointed at yourself cluelessly, then at the ground. “With me? Here?”

The earth prince became less confident, fidgeting. “We—you don’t have to if you don’t wan—”

“Nonsense!” you interrupted, skipping over to him to take his hand. His pale, squishy face reddened. “Instead of being your fiancé,” you declared, “I am now your wife.” You tapped his nose with a finger. “And you’re my husband, Kyungie. So, let’s play!”

From there on out, you and Kyungsoo acted like a happily married couple who lived in a fascinating cave-complex. Your ‘husband’ joked that this was good practice when he became your real husband, and you playfully chided him, “What do you mean by practice? You are my husband.”

Kyungsoo was seriously in heaven—being ‘married’ to you—and couldn’t wait until it actually came true. The two of you pretended to cook, clean, decorate, and invite guests over into your humble adobe.

Pleased with how the game ended, your fiancé extended the tour outside. He showed you this one area located deep within the mountains where it was mostly comprised of stone, not earth.

“Wow,” you breathed. This place could only be described as a sanctuary. The entrance was partially hidden from the eye, squished between two overlapping slabs of marble only to open up into a new world. Kyungsoo was right. Everything, from the walls to the ground to the remnants, was cold, hard stone. Some stone eroded over the years, carved into arches, overhangings, steps, and small caves. There was a tiny waterfall where a stream of fresh, downhill mountain water trickled into a bowl-shaped impression in the ground, creating a pool.

The earth prince laid a hand on the smooth, slate-gray stone. “When I’m strong enough,” he said, “I want to shape this place into something beautiful—a sanctuary.” He glanced over to you where you stood hunched over the pool, staring at your crystal-clear reflection. “What do you think, Princess?” I’d make this a wonderful sanctuary for only you and me.

You straightened up and smiled at him encouragingly. “I’ll help you with interior design, Prince Kyungsoo.”

The two of you shared humorous laughs and decided to hang out here, splashing water at each other, hopping up steps while counting, and playing tag, darting left and right from behind stone pillars. Later on, Kyungsoo had the idea to carve your names into the stone.

“Are you sure?” you asked uncertainly. “I don’t want to ruin anything...”

Kyungsoo shook his head, unbothered. “Don’t worwy—worry, Princess. I want to. Make some memories.”

“If you put it like that, then it’s a nice thought,” you conceded, sincerely touched. Scanning about, Kyungsoo determined where to carve your names. The two of you searched the area before ambling upon a private gazebo-like area. You could imagine a garden possibly grown here. Your fiancé boldly took your hand and dragged you over to the misshaped gazebo. The ground below you was flat and smooth, the roof’s interior hollowed into a dome.

“Let’s put our namez—names here,” he suggested. “I’ll use my power.”

You watched with unquestionable curiosity as Kyungsoo, using his finger like a pen, wrote his name as if writing with ink and paper. Wherever his finger sailed across the stone’s surface, an impression was left. His name: Kyungsoo.

“Wow, now that is a neat trick,” you admitted, awed at how Kyungsoo manipulated his power.

He naturally blushed at the compliment. “Now you try,” he offered and held out his hand towards you, finger pointed out. “Use my hand.”

You grasped his hand (he blushed deeper) and inscribed your name under his, adding a small, cute heart. Blissfulness blossomed in your chest, overjoyed to create such permanent memories.

Memories that can last forever.

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