Prologue - The Maiden's Rose

The queen's chamber was ice cold, no matter how many blocks of woods being dumped onto the fire. The young prince shivered quietly as he glanced around the lair, lighted by dimmed light of burnt candles, which flickered around, as the shadow danced in the darkness of the room. His line of vision then fell to the young boy who was on his knees- trembling and sniffing; eyes not daring to look up. Instantly he narrowed his eyes, fist clenching in order to hold back his anger.

"There is only one way, I am afraid." The Cardinal had spoke as he rises, away from the fallen Queen, eyes boring straight to the young prince. The prince stiffened and eyed the Cardinal for a few second and when the prince did not utter a single word, he then continued. "There was this myth - a legend, they say, believed by many but proved by none, a myth originated from the villages down the Asquaedor Mountain; about a flower, I suppose, a rose- which they called The Maiden's Rose."

"This rose was believed to be a sacred flower, only bloom once every two thousand years, when the last light shine through the Asquaedor Mountain."

"And you believe that this fictional flower is our only solution?" the prince snorted as he rolled his eyes in resentment, "O' the true ol' Cardinal, with all due respect, if i have any, left for you, I beg to disagree. We can not afford to waste any more time for such trivial myth. Hire healers! i do not care how many, just do whatever you can to cure the Queen but this!"

The Cardinal hide away his anger as he took a deep breath, eyes glaring sternly at the young prince. "Well if you let me finish, my Lord," he cleared his throat, "though this myth's existence has not been proven by any, I solely believe that this is our only solution."

"How, Cardinal?" the prince snapped, "How? If you care to elaborate."

"This flower may be the Queen's only cure, your Majesty! The people of Asquaedor had said the flower can cure everything and if we can find it before the last light shine--"

"Stop being foolish!"The prince exploded, seething at the Cardinal with pure hatred, "There is no flower with such power has ever exist! Just find a healer, the Wise Man, or anything--"

"There is nothing they can do, my Lord!" the Royal advisor cried out, as he frantically stood up in front of the Cardinal. "We had tried our best your Majesty, every single healer we could find in this Kingdom, not a single one were able to cure the Queen."

The advisor looked back at the Cardinal's fiery eyes, then back at the prince. "The Cardinal was right. Our only hope was the Maiden's Rose, before the Queen's last breath."

There was only anger and helplessness in the young prince's ice blue eyes as he growled in frustration. A single tear threatened to fall from his left eye at the thought of the dying Queen, his birth mother, whose all her life has been mistreated by his father the late King. It was something that was meant be hidden - the King's darkest secret, and he was not meant to know. He was young at that time, still naive and not aware of anything happened in the castle. It was not until he was a little older, he was being exposed to the ugly truth of the Kingdom. He shook his head in great remorse and anger in attempt to erase the thought away.

"If so, then let me volunteer." the boy who was previously crying quietly speak up.

There was a pregnant silence, all eyes were on the boy as he shifted his gaze uncomfortably, before slowly looking up to meet the cold glare of the young prince. "The sin was all mine and I will redeem it, if you let me."

The sadness was long gone from the prince's eyes as he took a few stride towards the still trembling boy. "Redeem it, you say?" he spat as he lean dangerously close to the boy, eyes boring with much hatred. "Redeem what? You existence itself is the biggest sin! The biggest mistake this kingdom- no, the King - has ever made!"

The emotion that has been so well kept away finally bottled up to the surface as he lashed out to the poor boy. The stinging hot tears proved that he was not always a bitter prince. He used to be normal, a young boy of smiles and laughter, who lives to break the castle rules and run around the meadow, which was located far east of the Kingdom of Lleoldmor, just a little getaway if he felt a little too stuffed up. He still could feel the soft green grasses underneath his toes, and the way wind nudged his body softly as the smell of freshly baked muffins filled his nostrils. It was heavenly feeling - his heart warmed a little at the nostalgic thought.

Yet the sight in front of him disgusted him. The fact that he used to look up to him as an older brother sickened him even more. The feeling was there again, the anger and rising hatred as he pulled the boy by his robe, eyes narrowed dangerously. "You are not meant to be here, Baekhyun. You are not meant to be alive. And here I wonder why I let you live all this time. You! who had smoothly managed to ruin my life, snatching away my father's attention, and made my mother ill with uncurable sickness! Is that not enough for you?"

"No! Please, brother! Please, I have no intention to ruin your family!" The boy was now a crying mess, sobbing and clutching the young prince's robe, " Please! I will do anything your heart desire!" the boy trembled, "I will find the Maiden's Rose and cure the Queen! The slave you desire or anything! Forgiveness is all I seek."

The palace guards stood still, eyes not daring to look at the remorseful scene laid out in front of them. The Royal advisor eyed the Cardinal reluctantly. The Cardinal heaved a tired sigh and was about to speak before the prince cut in.

"Forgiveness, you say?" the prince snorted, "Then fight for it."

The fire in the young prince's eyes did not die down, instead he smirked. He released the trembling boy from his death grip and instantly the boy back away. He turned at the guards, "Prepare my steed. I shall find the Maiden's Rose myself." He then proceed to walked away before halting his step, turned his gaze toward Baekhyun. "Oh, one more thing before I forget. Put this traitor in the cage coffin on the west border of this land. Bare him from any clothes, gave him no food  nor water," The prince's eyes glinted evilly. "I would like to see how he deal with the heat."

To be continued . . .

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Aila's note: Well, here is the prologue. Sorry for any errors that could be found here. Comments are highly appreciated and thanks for reading <3