Pained noises echoed throughout the sunlight dotted upper passageways of the great palace of Seutaui. Blue silk robes scrapped softly across the stone floor as King Heenim’s beloved cousin Eunhyuk wound his way towards the great elven library of Bimil. A long silver woven rope hung from Eunhyuk’s right hand and dipped low behind him before swooping up to attach to a silver collar. The blue jeweled collar, normally used for dogs, was secured around the neck of the human he’d taken from Gyodoso.

   Donghae walked obediently behind his new master, periodically crying out in discomfort when the blonde elf would stop to poke his hand and ignite a shock between them. It seemed the elf was fascinated by the sparks and wanted to test them as much as possible.

   “Ow!” Donghae squeaked as Eunhyuk reached back and poked his hand again. “Stop doing that.”

    “Sorry, it’s just so fascinating.” Eunhyuk apologized, “I’ve never had this kind of reaction to a human before.”

   “Have you met many humans?”

   “A great number,” Eunhyuk replied, “I fought in the Great War. Many humans died by my sword.”

   “That’s comforting,” Donghae mumbled sarcastically.

   “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you.” Eunhyuk reassured, “You came here in peace and I respect that gesture.”

   “Then, take this collar off. I feel like dog on a leash.”

   “I can’t do that,” Eunhyuk denied, “I’m responsible for you. If you ran off, King Heenim would have me locked away. I’m sorry, if you’re uncomfortable.”

    “Where are we going?”

    “To Bimil, the great elf library.” Eunhyuk explained as they continued walking. “I want to consult the ancient scrolls. There are things written in them that have been forgotten by today’s elves. Maybe there will be something in them to help our people.”

    “Help your people how?”

    “If you haven’t noticed, our King is depressed. He’s frozen the world in eternal winter.”

   “Yes, I have noticed that.” Donghae answered dryly. “That’s why we came here. We wanted to persuade the King to initiate spring again.”

   “If King Heenim could bring about spring again, he would.” Eunhyuk explained as they came to stop in front of a set of tall doors carved into the wall. “He’s forgotten how.”

    Pushing open the stone doors, Eunhyuk drug Donghae into the great elven library of Bimil. Donghae’s eyes darted about like an excited child’s as they entered the vast space. Shelves of books and scrolls lined the curved walls of the circular space, winding upwards several stories before ending at the ceiling. Sunlight filtered from above through a skylight, giving the entire space an ethereal glow. There were tables scattered about for sitting and reading and a round stone desk in the center of the room with stacks of old papers and books upon it.

   In the middle of the desk was a fair haired elf dressed in a dark black cloak with a laced hood. His long blonde hair was streaked with light pink highlights and he had dark midnight blue eyes. He was arguing with a dark haired elf on the other side of the desk. In the brunette’s arms was a bundle that resembles a child. When the bundled began to cry, it’s high pitched voice echoing throughout the cavernous library, Donghae knew it was in fact an infant.

   “You’re not allowed in the great library!” the pink streaked elf informed, “The King has ordered all inferior elves be banished from reading the ancient scrolls.”

   “Please Yesung, I need a book on how to care for a child.” The dark haired elf begged, “I don’t care about the ancient scrolls. I need help.”

    “I’m sorry Kyuhyun. I can’t allow you to be in here.” Yesung denied, “That child was created through crimes against our people.”

   “What crimes? He was created by love and dedication. Hemi was created from the bond of his parents. What do the royals know of such loyalties? None of you have found a mate in over seven hundred years. You’re all cold hearted!”

    “Please leave before I call the guard to remove you!” Yesung shouted, “I am just following orders here, Kyuhyun. Take the child and go.”

    “Fine!” Kyuhyun huffed, turning on his heels and stomping towards the doors.

   “I’ll find the book for you,” Eunhyuk whispered to Kyuhyun as he passed, “Yesung’s just doing his job. Inferiors have been banished from Bimil.”

    “At least you’re all not cold bastards,” Kyuhyun grumbled, “You and Sungmin are the only royals I can stand to be around. How are you two so kind and the rest are so bitter?”

   “Yesung’s not bitter, he’s frustrated. He’s been trying to conceive with Ryeowook for a while now, but nothing has come of it. Hemi’s presence is painful for us. Do you understand?”

   “I do, but Hemi’s an innocent child.” Kyuhyun answered, “Please don’t make him suffer because your people are lacking?”

    Eunhyuk just rolled his eyes as Kyuhyun stomped from the room with the fretting Hemi. He then jerked Donghae’s leash, pulling the human forwards as he moved towards Yesung behind his stone desk.

    “What can I help you with?” Yesung asked with a warm smile, “Sorry about that. Some inferiors need to remember their place.”

    “Kyuhyun’s just frustrated. He’s never been around children before.” Eunhyuk dismissed, “I need access to the ancient scrolls.”

    “Those scrolls are..,”

    “Don’t tell me no,” Eunhyuk cut off, “I’m doing some research on humans. If King Heenim gets angry, I’ll take the blame. Now, give me the key to the scroll room.”

    “You’re not thinking of trying some kind of ritual like those filth inferiors are you?” Yesung frowned as he produced a silver key from under the stone counter and handed it to Eunhyuk.

    “No, this is purely for knowledge sake. Go back to your book keeping. We may be a while.” Eunhyuk half lied as he moved away from the desk.

    “Is that a human?” Yesung questioned, sounding alarmed. “I don’t think those are allowed in here.”

    “He’s with me,” Eunhyuk dismissed, pulling Donghae along behind him as he moved deeper into the library.

   Stopping at the back of the room, Eunhyuk placed the silver key he’d gotten from Yesung into a padlock hanging from one of the bookshelves. Removing the lock, Eunhyuk pushed on the shelf, causing it to swing inwards and reveal a dimly lit chamber on the other side. Eunhyuk let the shelf close behind them as he entered the small chamber. It was cluttered with wooden shelves full of rolled up parchments. There was a table and chairs in the center for reading on and a skylight in the ceiling that provided sunlight. A small lantern sat on the table as an extra source of light.

    “Sit down while I look for the scrolls I need.” Eunhyuk ordered, tying Donghae’s leash to the leg of the table like he was a dog who might run away.

    “I’m not going to run off.” Donghae informed as he plopped down into one of the chairs. “Please take this thing off?”

    “Read these,” Eunhyuk instructed, changing the subject as he tossed a few scrolls onto the table. “See if there’s anything useful in them.”

    Seeing no use in arguing, Donghae began sorting through the scrolls in front of him. Eunhyuk tossed several more scrolls on the table before sitting down next to Donghae and poking his hand to achieve another shock.

   “OW!” Donghae whimpered, “Could you stop doing that?”

    “I can’t help it,” Eunhyuk answered, “You fascinate me.”

    “I do?” Donghae blushed, “I’m just a human. You’re the fascinating one.”

    “Why? I’m just an elf.”

    “I’ve never met an elf before. You’re just so…,” Donghae began, his voice trailing off into a whisper as Eunhyuk turned a bit in his chair to look at him. “Handsome…,”

    “Me? I’m not considered very attractive by elf standards. I’m not delicate enough.” Eunhyuk pointed out, “Now, start reading.”

    “Alright,” Donghae complied, picking up one of the scrolls and reading the heading. “The History of Inferior Elves.”

    “That one’s not useful,”

    “Why? What are inferior elves?”

    “You saw Kyuhyun earlier. He’s an inferior. All of the dark haired elves are.”

    “Why, because they have dark hair?”

    “That’s part of it,” Eunhyuk began, “They have no magic in them, or at least very little. Each royal elf has power inside them beyond that of physical things all elves are born with. King Heenim has control over the weather and the elements. I can move things without touching them.”

    To demonstrate his power, Eunhyuk flicked his wrist and an entire shelf of scrolls lifted off the ground. It hovered in the air a few seconds before settling back onto the floor.

   “Wow,” Donghae gaped, “Is King Heenim the most powerful?”

   “Yes,” Eunhyuk answered, “All our powers are connected to the King’s. If he is feeling weak, then so shall we. I can’t move things very far anymore. That’s about as much as I can do. Our cycles are also connected to the King’s power.”

    “Cycles?”

    “Never mind, just read.” Eunhyuk dismissed, picking up his own scroll.

    Wanting to know more about inferior elves, Donghae ignored Eunhyuk’s order to put that particular scroll away. They spent the next hour sifting through dusty papers and complicatedly worded text, until Donghae found something that he found shocking.

    “Inferior elves are descended from Humans.” Donghae broke the silence in the room.

   “What are you talking about?” Eunhyuk huffed, finding Donghae’s statement utterly ridicules.

    “It says here that the first inferior was born of a Human and an Elf.” Donghae explained, “It says that the inferior race came to be because the King at the time was sick and none of the elves were producing children. Humans used to live side by side with the elves and they coexisted.”

    “So?”

    “It says here that the elves powers started calling out to the human race for help. They began forming mated pairs. From those pairs, the inferiors were born.”

   “Give me that!” Eunhyuk huffed, jerking the scroll from Donghae’s hands and reading it carefully. “Once an elf and his mated human come in contact there will be a reaction of power. The elf is forever there after coupled with the human, his body and cycle only responding to that human until the day said human ages and dies. Only through the grace of the King’s magic and the ritual of eternal life can a human become a forever partner to the immortal elf. No such successful ritual has ever been performed. See the History of Humans or The King’s Magic for further information.”

    “Why did the humans leave the forest?” Donghae asked, picking up on the fact that humans used to live among the elves.

     “This doesn’t make any sense,” Eunhyuk mumbled, digging through the pile of scrolls in front of him to find the one centered on the King’s Magic.

    Scanning the document, Eunhyuk’s brows furrowed in confusion as he read about their ancestor King Jaejoong and his sickness that weakened the kingdom. The details seemed eerily similar to those of their current King, only Heechul was not physically sick.

   “King Jaejoong’s powers called out to that of the leader of the Humans, Yunho. Together they conceived the first inferior elf, Changmin. Many other elves conceived children with humans, but these children’s powers were diminished. Fearing the pollution of the royal line and the disintegration of his people, King Jaejoong enacted the inferior elf laws. Despite his own child being among the inferiors, King Jaejoong forbade any royal to mate with the inferior and set up the class system that exists today.” Eunhyuk read aloud. “After his death, King Junsu, Jaejoong’s cousin, who blamed the humans for the pollution of their race, banished them from the forest. Many royals died after being separated from their mortal mates, grieving themselves into sickness.”

    “Wait,” Donghae interrupted, “Jaejoong and Yunho are boys’ names.”

    “Yes, so?”

   “How did they have a child? Where are the elven women?”

   “We do not have women like the human species. All elves have the ability to birth or father a child. Some of us are physically inclined in one direction more than the other. For example, King Heenim is expected to carry many heirs. His fertility is a sign of a prosperous kingdom and people. King Heenim has not been able to conceive any children, even when he was married to Lord Siwon.”

    “The King was married before?”

    “Yes, but we are not allowed to speak of it. Lord Siwon hurt him deeply and the King has forgotten much of what happened.”

   “Where is Lord Siwon now?”

   “I don’t know,” Eunhyuk shook his head, “He went missing shortly before the Humans invaded the forest. I feel faint, this is a lot to think about.”

    “We’ll figure it all out,” Donghae reassured, reaching out to steady Eunhyuk as the elf swayed a bit in his seat.

    As soon as Donghae’s hand touched Eunhyuk’s arm there was a shock felt between them, but instead of recoiling, Donghae kept his hand in place as the shock dissipated and progressed into a pleasurable tingle. Eunhyuk’s eyes flicked over to Donghae, a strange look present in their blue depths. Before Donghae knew what was happening, the handsome elf had his lips pressed to his own in a passionate kiss. Their lips moved and responded to one another, the shocks caused from their skin touching adding to the experience and no longer painful. It felt like an electrical current flowing between them, each shock another source of energy for the current.

   Donghae’s fingers wound deep in Eunhyuk’s long blonde hair, the strands like silk between them. His lungs were screaming for air, but he couldn’t make himself pull away first. Luckily, Eunhyuk sensed his discomfort and broke the kiss. They stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment as Donghae tried to relearn how to breathe, his hands still tangled in Eunhyuk’s golden hair. Eyes moving away from the elf in front of him, Donghae gasped as he observed that every shelf in the room was now hovering three feet off the ground. Eunhyuk let out a surprised shriek as he noticed the hovering shelves, causing them to crash to the floor and spill their precious contents across the cold stone.

    “What was that?” Donghae whispered, his gaze once again locking with Eunhyuk’s. “Why did you kiss me?”

    “I felt something pulling me in. I needed to feel you.” Eunhyuk answered in a soft tone, “That felt..,”

   “Good,” Donghae supplied, not sure if he was excited or frightened.

    “What’s going on in here!?” Yesung shouted as he entered the chamber to find all the ancient scrolls he was entrusted to protect dumped on the floor. “Pick this mess up! If King Heenim finds out you trashed the records room, he’s going to have a fit.”

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