“Hey, at least he has good reflexes.” Kyuhyun said after a long silence, his eyes roaming across the three men break from their trance. Now staring shockingly at the boy with blood dripping down his hand.

   Siwon quickly knelt down beside the brunet, lifting his injured hand in his. Somehow managing to rip off a piece of cloth, and tie it around Donghae's hand in an instant. Kangin was quite shocked at what he had just seen, as well as the bravery and courage the boy must have had, to stand up to a royal. A look of acceptance on his features.

   Eunhyuk, the mighty prince, stood in the middle of his room, his mouth hanging open. The confident and rude man was the most astonished at the young boy. A storm of emotions swept across the prince's face. He was angry that a mere peasant could do such a thing, insulting him then begging for forgiveness. Along with his anger, annoyance, and madness, there were such feelings as pity, guilt, and an unknown feeling. Something foreign to the cold-hearted prince.

   Be it the fact that he had enough of the loud noises first thing in the morning, or the unknown itch in his stomach. The red head's cheeks grew into a soft pink and he spun his body around, back facing the men in his room. Clenching his fists and gritting his teeth. He breathed in and out slowly.

   “Fine!” He yelled, “You can live...”

   Upon hearing this, Donghae abruptly stood up. His eyes widening and his mouth falling open.

   “Really?! You really mean it?!” He shouted, bringing the prince to turn his head slightly, meeting the sparkling eyes of the boy.

   “Ehem...I mean, ah ah, yeah. I won't have you killed.” Eunhyuk stuttered, “But! On one condition.”

   “Of course, anything, whatever you wish.” Donghae dumbly said, undoubtedly trusting the words of the less terrifying prince.

   At this, the red haired man snickered, bringing a hand to cover his mouth. “Whatever I wish, eh?” He mumbled to himself, and an evil smirk (that Kyuhyun approved of) graced his lips. “Then, become my personal servant.”

   How on earth did I get stuck with this kind of job? Donghae wailed silently to himself, holding his breath as he plunged forward. Oh, that's right, I remember. That stupid prince. The brunet stuck a sharp pitchfork into a pile of manure, imagining a certain face on the disgusting stench. Shovelling the pile into a wheelbarrow, he quickly finished the stall, adding new shavings and pushing the wheelbarrow outside.

   Apparently, the first job he had to do as a personal servant, was to clean the prince's horses' stalls. And although the fiery headed prince had only one favoured horse, he used all of the animals at different times. Making them all his. As well as making them all Donghae's job to clean up after them.

   It wasn't like the boy hadn't cleaned stalls before, or done manual labour. There was just something different with cleaning these stalls. For some reason, royal horses' poop had a much fouler smell. Not that it would have been enjoyable if they smelled like flowers.

   Leaning one elbow on the top of the pitchfork, Donghae sighed and closed his eyes.

   “What have I gotten myself into?” He questioned himself, scowling as he remembered how just yesterday he was having a normal day in the blacksmith's shop. Suddenly shooting his head upwards, he remembered that he hasn't been in contact with his master or his mother. Wondering how they were doing, Donghae thought to ask one of the knights he knew if he could go there and explain.

   “Perhaps I could ask Siwon-ssi?” Donghae wondered aloud, something he had grown accustom to as of late.

   “Ask me what?” A loud voice questioned from behind the brunet, startling his enough to make him drop the metal pitchfork on the ground.

   “Ah geez! You scared me!” Donghae exclaimed, grasping at his heart as though he had almost died.

   “Ho ho? Where did your great reflexes go?” The black haired man asked, amused.

   Donghae was about to scoff, but then figured that he should be polite if he wanted to get anything out of the tall man. Bending down to pick up his tool, he lowered his head and shuffled his feet back and forth. Stuttering incoherently, he tried to piece together how he should say things.

   “Uh, so, you see, Siwon-ssi, I was just wondering if...” He started, although not being able to finish after looking in the knight's eyes. They were a black that showed concern, amusement, and pity.

   “Yes?” Siwon said, motioning for the younger to go on.

   “If, I may be allowed to go into town, back home?” He asked, then quickly added, “Ah! Just to explain things to my mother and master.”

   “I see...” The handsome man muttered, closing his eyes and thinking. “You'd have to ask Prince Eunhyuk. If he agrees, I would be more than welcome to escorting you there.”

   “Oh, okay.” Donghae replied, his hopes lowering slightly at having to ask that brat of a prince.

   “How is your wound?” Siwon asked instead.

   “Hmm? Oh that,” his eyes now travelling towards his injured hand. He had gotten it treated by a nurse just before coming to the stalls. It wasn't too deep, and would heal quickly if he didn't strain himself too much. “I barely even noticed it was there!” He said, laughing a bit at himself.

   “It looked like it hurt though.”

   “Nah, working at the blacksmiths, I've gotten a lot of injuries, so this isn't all that bad.”

   “I didn't know it was that dangerous of a job.”

   “Oh yeah, you could burn yourself, chop off a finger, crush bones, a whole lot could go wrong. But the result is always worth the pain.”

   “Really?” Siwon muttered, his eyes softening at the sight of the boy speak of his passion.

   Donghae stood in front of the large doors. The doors that he had just stood in front of several hours before. It was odd to be in the royal palace, let alone a servant for the only prince.

   “Hey, don't worry. I'm sure he'll agree to it, or at least to a version of it.” Siwon said encouragingly. “You're alive right now, so that means something.” The man pat Donghae on the back and shoved him inside the room just as the doors opened.

   “What do you want? Have you finished with the stalls?” Eunhyuk immediately asked, not even turning around from his spot on a luxurious couch.

   “Well, Eunhyuk-ssi-” Donghae was cut off when the prince turned around to give him a deathly glare.

   “You shall not call me that! A ruffian like you must call me by My Lord.” He demanded, waiting for the brunet to say it before continuing.

   “Okay...My Lord, I have a request to make.”

   “Oh? You've only been out of death's hand for several hours, and now you think you can make requests?”

   “I was just going to ask if I could see my mother. To explain things.” Donghae got out, trying to hold in his bubbling anger.

   “Hmm, well, why do you have to go? I can just send a messenger for that.”

   “My mother has a weak heart in her state, I don't think she could handle it if a stranger barged into her house, My Lord.”

   “That's not my problem.” The red head said, turning around and resuming whatever he was doing.

   “Please, she can't survive without my help.” Donghae pleaded, kneeling on the floor again. Seems like kneeling is the only thing I can do lately.

   The prince turned around to look at the boy on the floor. His bruised and bandaged body desperately trying to stay upright. It was not something different for Eunhyuk to see such a sight. An injured person grovelling before him, requesting for his help or forgiveness. Usually, he would just kill them or send them away. But the boy before him had been the first to survive, the first to break through his stern walls. He had already made him his servant, it wouldn't be right to kill him after such a thing. If I let him go, maybe he'll earn my trust, and then he will never go against me again. The prince thought, imagining a time where the defiant boy would follow his every order without retorting with a disrespectful comment.

   “You may go, but you must bring along one of my people.” The prince agreed reluctantly.

   Donghae grinned, getting up from his place and bowing deeply to the red head. “Yes, My Lord.”

   “Now then, who to take?” Eunhyuk muttered, pondering silently.

   “M-Maybe Siwon-ssi could bring me?” Donghae put in a suggestion, although he didn't want to step over his bounds, it would be easier to go with the handsome and caring knight. Especially over the grumpy raccoon like Kangin.

   “No!” Eunhyuk quickly shot down the suggestion, an urge making him to hate the thought of the two of them together. “You'll be going with...Kyuhyun.” He decided, saying the first name to come to his mind.

   Donghae sighed, wondering how he would get along with the cheeky young boy. He definitely was an interesting character, that should be watched over carefully. Who knows what kind of person he is, beyond the fact of being best friend's with the bratty prince.

   I have a feeling my life is going to get very interesting, surrounded by these people.

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