In a hole in the ground, under a tree, buried deep within the roots and behind a dilapidated door, lived a dark hair inferior elf by the name of Kyuhyun. His dwelling was small, only a single room containing a single bed and a basin for washing. His clothing hung about the damp space on thin cord he’d stretched from wall to wall as a makeshift clothesline and there were stacks of dirty laundry in the corner waiting to be tended to. Even as the king’s favorite servant, Kyuhyun wasn’t treated any different than any other inferior elf. His life was filled with long work hours and the constant barrage of orders from the faired haired race. Everything about Kyuhyun’s existence was meager and unsatisfying; everything except the moments he spent with the guest he was currently entertaining in his bed.

   Long blonde hair spilt over wrinkled bed sheets and creamy pale skin peaked out from under stained and torn blankets as the pair of lovers moved together as one. Deep blue eyes stared up at Kyuhyun, their color reflecting the owner’s power and greater status. Their relationship was not meant to be. It was forbidden by ancient elven law for an inferior elf to have relations with the fair haired. They were above their status, both in rank and in magical gifts. There are so few royal elves left in the kingdom that their children must be fathered by their own kind. It was a necessity to keep the line strong. A child born of an inferior and a fair would be an abomination.

    Yet, Kyuhyun was lying with one of the highest ranked elves in the kingdom, besides the king himself. The male beneath him had fair skin and golden hair. His lips were shaped like a perfect bow and his eyes were the color of deep blue water. He stared up at him like he was his entire world, his gaze full of love and raw emotion. Why he’d chosen to be with a simple servant, Kyuhyun couldn’t fathom, but all he knew was that he loved the other deeply.

    Just as Kyuhyun connected their lips for a soft kiss, a knock was heard on his meager door. The blonde beneath him stiffened in response to the noise, his eyes darting towards the door and back to Kyuhyun’s face. If they were caught together like this, they could be sentenced to death. Or, more accurately, Kyuhyun would be sentenced to death. King Heenim would never execute his dear cousin and risk depleting the royal line further, no matter what the cute elf did to anger him.

   “Open up by order of the Royal Guard!” a voice called out on the other side of the door.

    “Kyu?” Sungmin, the king’s cousin and Kyuhyun’s secret lover, whispered in a worried tone. “They’ve come for us?”

   “We don’t know that,” Kyuhyun responded as he pulled away from his lover and climbed out of bed.

   Jerking a clean white robe off the line, Kyuhyun slipped it on before moving towards the door. Grasping the knob, Kyuhyun motioned for Sungmin to keep quiet. Afraid of being spotted, the fair haired elf rolled off the side of Kyuhyun’s bed and hid himself under his blanket.

    “Kyuhyun?” a royal guard with a thick braid addressed Kyuhyun as he opened the door. The guard was holding a bundle in his arms and his expression was serious.

   “Yes?”

   “I have something for you from King Heenim. I need to come inside.”

   “Alright,” Kyuhyun complied, stepping aside and allowing the guard to enter his home.

    “Are those royal robes?” the guard asked as he spotted Sungmin’s elegant silver clothing lying on the floor.

    “I’m doing laundry for the palace,” Kyuhyun lied. “What can I help you with?”

    “King Heenim has charged you with the care of the kingdom’s newest citizen,” the guard explained, handing Kyuhyun the bundle in his arms. “Hemi is you responsibility until King Heenim decides what to do with his traitorous parents.”

    “This is Zhoumi and Henry’s son,” Kyuhyun gaped as he stared down at the sleeping child in his arms. “What’s happened?”

    “They’ve been arrested for breaking elven law. Captain Henry entered the human realm without permission and Captain Zhoumi performed a banned ritual in order conceive. The King has locked them in the prison and taken their son from them. You are to care for the child in their absence.”

    “I’ve never been around children.” Kyuhyun pointed out, “I’m only two hundred. I was one of last to be born in Aleumdaum.”

    “Figure it out,” the guard shrugged, “I have to get back to my rounds. If you need anything for the child, you can used Captain Zhoumi and Henry’s place. They won’t be needing it.”

   “Alright,” Kyuhyun whispered as the guard turned and left the room.

    Quickly locking the door, Kyuhyun moved back towards his bed with the child securely in his arms as Sungmin emerged from beneath his blanket. The fair haired elf stared at the child like it was something dangerous. He tilted his head to the side and blinked rapidly as he tried not to let any emotion show on his face. Kyuhyun found the older elf’s behavior odd. Even though he himself had no experience with children, he thought Sungmin would have been around a few, for the blonde was nine hundred years old.

    “Is that a child, Kyu-ah?” Sungmin asked, his voice hesitant.

    “Yes, this is Hemi.” Kyuhyun explained, “He’s Captain Zhoumi and Henry’s child. I’ve been assigned to take care of him. Your cold hearted cousin arrested his parents.”

    “Heenim had a good reason,” Sungmin defended his kin. “Entering the human realm is a serious offense.”

    “But, he took their child from them,” Kyuhyun pointed out, “They’d been trying for decades to conceive. Hemi is everything to them.”

    “Heenim doesn’t care much for children, not since…,” Sungmin’s words trailed off as Hemi began to wake and fret for his parents. “I think I should go.”

    “You don’t want to stay and help me?” Kyuhyun asked hopefully, “I have no idea what I’m doing.”

    “I..,” Sungmin stammered as Kyuhyun passed Hemi to him, the child instantly quieting as he reached Sungmin’s arms. “I’ve always wanted a child.”

    “You would be a beautiful parent,”

    “I know,” Sungmin smiled at the boy in his arms, making a cute face. “I wish we could have a child, Kyu-ah.”

    “Even if your cycle started again, we could never have children.” Kyuhyun denied, “It’s against the law. You have to have a child with your own kind.”

    “There are so few royal elves, I don’t know who I would want to raise a child with.” Sungmin began as he rocked Hemi gently and started humming a soft melody in order to sooth the boy to sleep.

   “What about Eunhyuk? I know he’s your cousin, but royals have mated with family before.”

    “I don’t see Eunhyuk that way,” Sungmin replied, “Though, he’d wonderful with children. Babies, scare him, but little kids love him. He would be a good parent.”

    “How about Yesung?”

    “Too awkward,” Sungmin argued, “Plus, I think he’s seeing Ryeowook. They’ve been spending a lot of time together the past couple decades.”

    “Lord Leeteuk is available, even if he’s the king’s lover.”

    “Yes, Lord Leeteuk would be the perfect partner.” Sungmin agreed, “But, Heenim doesn’t share lightly, even if they’re not in a romantic relationship. They still care for one another.”

   “Plus, he’s the King’s best chance at having an heir.”

   “No, Heenim and Leeteuk will never have a child together.”

   “What do you mean? I know everyone’s cycles are off, but Zhoumi had Hemi. What if the King drinks the teas and…,”

    “Heenim can’t have children,” Sungmin cut off, looking up at Kyuhyun with tear filled eyes. “Not since the snows came. Not since Siwon…,”

    “Siwon?” Kyuhyun repeated the name unfamiliar to him.

    “I’ve already said too much,” Sungmin denied, “Heenim would be furious if he knew I was telling you any of this.”

    “Who’s Siwon?” Kyuhyun pressed as Sungmin handed Hemi back to him. “Min, talk to me.”

    “It happened before you were born and is a topic forbidden to be spoken of in front of the king. That is all I am telling you.”

   “I won’t say anything to anyone,” Kyuhyun promised as he watched Sungmin slip out of the blanket he was draped in and start redressing himself. “I’m good at keeping secrets.”

    “I know you are,” Sungmin chuckled, tying his silver robes closed before giving Kyuhyun a soft kiss. “I have to go. The upper floors will be missing me.”

    “Who’s Siwon?” Kyuhyun continued, not giving up on the topic even as Sungmin tried to sneak out the door.

    “He was cousin Heenim’s husband,” Sungmin finally explained as he opened the door and slipped out into the hallway. “And someone he chose to forget a long time ago.”

    Turning from his lover is a swirl of silver fabric, Sungmin left the younger alone with the child in his arms. Kyuhyun stared after Sungmin, not sure how to process what he’s just been told. None of it made any sense. He’d never known the King to have a mate, nor him to have married. No one spoke of such happenings and they weren’t detailed in any of the scrolls he’d read as a child. Before Kyuhyun could think too hard on the subject, Hemi began to fret loudly in his arms. The child was most likely hungry or in need of changing. With a heavy sigh, Kyuhyun stepped from his dwelling and made his way down the hallway in search of clean dressings and a warm bottle.

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