Kangin didn’t know how long he’d been sitting alone in the dark, but he knew it had been days. Donghae and HanGeng were gone, taken away by those arrogant fair haired creatures. Anger boiled inside Kangin’s heart as he sat locked away like an animal. The elves had turned out to be what he thought them to be, evil. It was only a matter of time before they were all killed.

   “Kangin?” a voice called out to Kangin from the other side of the bars as a soft glow lit his prison cell. “I’m here to take you to your friends.”

   “Oh, it’s you.” Kangin grumbled as he looked up to see the arrogant elf from earlier staring at him from the other side of the bars. “Go away.”

   “You don’t want out of that cell?” The golden haired elf, Kangin remembered was named Lord Leeteuk, asked as he held up a lantern in one hand and a set of keys in the other. “I have permission to take you to the King’s new plaything.”

   “His what?”

   “That human friend of yours, Han something, has been adopted by his Majesty King Heenim.”

   “Adopted, like a child?” Kangin questioned, standing up and moving towards the bars. “Where are my friends?”

   “No, not like a child.” Leeteuk chuckled as he set his lantern on the ground and produced a silver rope from inside his pale blue robes. “Put your hands through the bars so I can bind them.”

   “Why?”

   “I can’t have you running off. King Heenim entrusted me to deliver you safely.” Leeteuk explained, “Now, please cooperate?”

   “Fine,” Kangin huffed, sticking his hands through the bars. “I want out of this stupid cage. I feel like an animal in here.”

    “These cells were built to hold elven criminals, not animals.” Leeteuk explained as he began binding Kangin’s hands, the human’s flesh hot beneath his fingertips. “Your skin is really warm. Do you have a temperature?”

   “No, I feel fine. You’re the one with the temperature. Your fingers are scorching. Stop touching me, it hurts.”

   “My body temperature is naturally warmer than yours, but it should not hurt when I touch you. Something strange is going on.” Leeteuk concluded, “I need to consult with King Heenim on this matter. He’s been having strange reactions to his human as well. Is there any chance you and your friends possess magic?”

    “No we do not possess magic,” Kangin huffed, jerking his hands back through the bars after they were finished being bound. “We’re human.”

    “I know what you are,” Leeteuk stated flatly as he opened the cell door and picked up his lantern. “Now, follow me and stay close. The passageways are dark at night without the sunlight.”

    Stepping from his cell, Kangin glanced over to the opposite side of the hall where Henry was sitting next to the bars with Zhoumi cuddled up against him sleeping. He felt sorry for the couple, even if he did not understand why they’d been locked away. There wasn’t much time to ponder the plight of the dark haired elves, for the golden haired elf in front of him began to move up the hallway.

   The farther they walked, the higher they climbed. Kangin followed Leeteuk through the winding hallways of Seutaui, marveling at how vast the palace was and how far the passages went. Soon they stopped before a set of doors that stood open to the outside world. Frigid air blew harshly through the open doors and into the palace. Snow dusted the floor and there was a lone figure standing in the doorway dressed in a thick silver cloak.

    “Is he still out there?” Leeteuk asked the figure, who turned out to be HanGeng.

    “Yes, he’s been sitting there for hours. I had to come inside because of the cold. It’s below zero at night. I don’t understand how he can stand it out there.” HanGeng answered, his eyes focused on the King sitting out in the snow.

   King Heenim was seated at the base of the great tree in the garden. His focus was turned upwards towards the green leaves and pink blooms that were quickly withering in the freezing temperatures. Ice was encasing the tree once again. Snow dusted the pink blooms and wilting green leaves, slowly taking away the life that the tree had temporarily been infused with.

    The great elven king sat before his tree trying desperately to save it from the frost. He concentrated his magic on it, did incantations in his mind, even tried channeling the feelings he felt earlier when HanGeng had touched him, but nothing seemed to work. His magic was fading from the tree and he did not know how to stop it. Shivers wracked the magical creature’s body, his thin clothing and state of undress not compatible with the below freezing temperatures. Despite his internal warmth, he still was effected by the cold if exposed for prolonged periods.

    “Sire, please come back inside!” Leeteuk called out to his king. “You’re going to freeze to death!”

    “I have to save the tree!” Heechul called back, “I can’t let the first sign of spring die!”

    “You can try again in the morning!” Leeteuk offered, “Come in here! If you die, there will be no one left to thaw the snow!”

    “I can do this!” Heechul shouted in return, keeping his concentration on the dying tree before him.

    “He’s going to freeze to death. It’s below freezing out there and he’s half ,” Leeteuk groaned, “I swear he’s too stubborn for his own good.”

    “I’ll go get him,” HanGeng volunteered, securing his hood over his head and edging towards the doors. “You’re right, if he dies, we lose all hope of the seasons returning.”

    Stepping out into the frozen garden, HanGeng slid carefully across the ice covered stone path. The moon was full and high in the starry winter sky, casting the garden in an eerie blue glow. King Heenim sat shivering uncontrollably at the base to the great tree, his gaze turned upwards towards the leaf covered branches and withering pink blooms. His normally creamy white skin was tinged in a bluish purple cast and there were ice crystals in his long blonde hair.

    “You can’t stay out here like this,” HanGeng spoke, drawing Heechul’s attention away from the tree and causing his skin to glow faintly, but the glow flickered.

    “I can’t feel my toes,” Heechul whispered, “I can’t feel my fingers either.”

    “Come inside before you freeze.”

    “I can’t, I have to save the tree.”

     “How can you save the tree from freezing when you can’t save yourself from doing the same?”

    Finding HanGeng’s words true, King Heenim reluctantly climbed to his feet and allowed HanGeng to help him back inside the palace. His body was shaking uncontrollably as he stepped through the doors and his lips were almost as blue as his eyes. Ripping his heavy cloak off, HanGeng draped it over the frozen king’s shoulders as the doors slammed shut behind them.

    “Thank-you,” King Heenim stated through chattering teeth.

    “You need warmth, Sire. Let’s retire to your chambers for the night.” Leeteuk suggested, taking Heechul’s chilled hand. “The humans can spend the night in HanGeng’s room.”

    “I want HanGeng to me to my room,” King Heenim informed, moving his hand from Leeteuk’s and taking HanGeng’s instead. “I feel better when he touches me. I need my magic to warm me. HanGeng makes my magic stronger for some reason.”

    “Then, I will lock this one in HanGeng’s room and then come to bed.” Leeteuk stated, taking hold of Kangin’s bound hands and flinching when the other’s skin burned him.

    “What was that?” Heechul asked, still shaking as he spoke, the temperature of the passageway not much higher than the outside. “Did you feel something when you touched him?”

   “His skin burns hot when I touch him,” Leeteuk admitted, “I don’t know why.”

   “I glow brighter when HanGeng is near and I have no explanation either. Something has started with the arrival of these humans in our realm. I need to figure out what it is.”

    “First, you need to get warm.” HanGeng pointed out, putting his arm around Heechul and causing the royal’s skin to flicker.

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It's a bit short. The next chapter will be longer, promise.

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