March 8, 1734

Exotopian Royal Chamber, Overlooking the Courtyard

            Prince Luhan grimaced at the scene below his window: his brothers were receiving the annual Airdrethian Royal Family Portrait.  Kris’ fists were shaking and Xiumin was staring in shock.

            Since the almost-explosion at the Nantuckett Mingle Ball three years prior to the day, Luhan had felt uneasy about Kris’ infatuation with the Airdrethian Princess Yuna.

            He had watched with an indifferent tone as Kris mastered the sword and worked his way up within the leadership of the Exotopian military.  He had faked a smile at the sonnets and poems and letters Kris asked him to edit for Yuna, as he was the scholar of the Exotopian royalty.  He had lied about where in the palace he thought Yuna and Kris’ wing would be best.

            Luhan found Kris’ feelings for a girl whom he had only met once unhealthy.

            In Luhan’s opinion, Kris was making up standards about a person he had never met.  For all Kris knew, for all any of them knew for that matter, Yuna could be completely different from what Kris had been fantasizing.

            Kris was under the impression that she was joyful and kind.

            Yuna could be upset and rude.

            Kris was under the impression that she was artsy and delicate.

            Yuna could be calculated and strong.

            Kris was under the impression that she was being terrorized and needed him to come rescue her.

            Yuna could be completely fine, and Kris could just be a minor blip on her radar.

            Yuna could be everything Kris thought she was, but she could also be everything he did not think she was.

            The bottom line to Luhan was that Kris had not seen the girl eight years and had no actual idea what the girl was like.

            In Luhan’s mind, Kris had created a Yuna that wasn’t real – one that even Yuna could not live up to, he thought.

            Luhan also did not like the prospect of what would happen to Kris if or when the Airdrethian court denied his marriage requests with their youngest princess.

            His older brother would be utterly destroyed.

            Kris’ fists shook as he clutched the Airdrethian Royal Family Portrait in his hands.

            Whoever dared hurt her will find themselves in a pitiful state.

            “Ge, I swear, we’ll rescue her,” Xiumin whispered from next to him.

            “Go to the troops, prepare them for a long training session.” Kris coldly ordered his younger brother.  Xiumin gave a worried nod before sliding across a thin layer of ice that sprouted from his finger-tips.

            Kris has never held a session this angry before – I wonder how many soldiers will pass out…

            Though it was not his original intention since beginning his sword lessons with Lord Donghae, Kris has risen to the position of Exotopian Military Commander in Chief.  He was lethal with a sword and brilliant with battle strategy.  Through Kris, a new, more powerful military had risen up within Exotopia.  They were a force to be reckoned with, and since Kris’ induction as Chief Commander, several countries had sent in letters asking for diplomatic relations to be strengthened, and to better set ally relations.

            Everybody wanted to be friends with the powerful Exotopian Empire.

            Kris and his brothers were the elite of the military.  Their powers made the unstoppable, and they were highly respected.  Only two Princes had not enlisted.  Prince Lay, who had the gift of healing, headed all medical advancements and had founded several hospitals throughout his massive country.  Prince Luhan, with telekinetic powers, had decided to take the scholar route.  He attended the top university in the Exotopian capitol of Exodus.  This bothered Kris, as he knew Luhan would be useful and a powerful tool for the military.

            Though he had been out-mastered, Lord Donghae still served as Kris’ mentor.  Kris confided in him everything, and he helped Kris with battle strategy.  Kris had instated him, and many of the other elite, as military commanding officers.  They led many training sessions, and had helped to strengthen Exotopia’s defense system to the powerhouse that it now was.

            Though the military had taken over much of Kris’ life, Princess Yuna remained his primary interest.

            No day passed where the beautiful green-eyed princess did not prance through his head.

            His poetry skills had strengthened ten-fold, as he spent many nights up, writing about the girl of his dreams.

            As he was now of legal age, the pressure to marry had increased.  King Heechul had openly stated his distaste in Kris waiting upon one woman.  Many other lovely, some even lovelier, princesses around the globe had asked for his hand in marriage.  He had denied all of them.  Much to his father’s disdain, Kris himself had begun penning letters to the Airdrethian crown, nearly begging for a wedding with the country’s youngest princess.  However, only a couple of letters had actually been sent – if Heechul or his guard found them before they were shipped, they were burned.

            Kris nearly ripped the portrait in half after his brother left.

            I bet this was the result of that who calls herself a mother.

            Every Mingle Ball Kris had attended, he always managed to run into Queen Amethyst, and his disgust towards the mother of his beloved grew every time they crossed paths.  Kris felt it deep within his core, that despite Ephraim being a good-hearted man, his wife was of a nature so cynical, Satan would hide from her.

            If he did not need her approval to marry Yuna, Kris would have ordered an assassination mission upon her a long time ago.

            Kris flew back into his bedroom.  He floated back and forth, in an almost pacing fashion, wondering what to do.

            Sending letters to King Ephraim is practically useless.  Nothing is done and I never get a reply.  I need someone who will-

            An evil epiphany fell upon him.

            To save Yuna from her evil mother, he would be forced to work side by side with her.

            He flew to his desk and hurriedly gathered his quill, ink, and a thick piece of parchment.

            Dear Queen Amethyst,

            “Your highness, your visitor has arrived,”

            “Send him in!” Heechul excitedly ordered.  The Exotopian King’s dear friend had made the trek all the way from Flordes, a sea country that resided in the opposite hemisphere of the planet.  He had not seen Gunhee in nearly a decade, and he missed him.

            When the said man entered, Heechul teleported in front of him, and embraced him in an un-kingly hug.  The two chuckled and settled down over a pot of tea, reminiscing over their days when they attended university together.

            “So, how is the Perceive work?  Any fun adventures?” Heechul asked with a smile.

            “Of course, I am usually asked by elites and royals, but it is always fun to walk through a poor village and simply sense a power,” Gunhee trailed off with a soft grin.  “The only downside to the job is when you’re asked to check a child and they are Void.”

            “That must be awful,” Heechul agreed.

            “The worst case I had to ever deal with was probably a decade ago now.  The Airdrethian royals, specifically Amethyst, were devastated to find out their daughter was Void.” the Perceive shuddered and grimaced at the memory.

            Heechul all but spit out his tea.

            “The Airdrethian crown?  Which daughter?” He seemed more interested in the subject than he had been only moments before.

            “Yes, one of the only royal crowns to have a Void child, actually.  It was their youngest, what was her name?” Gunhee paused, trying to remember before shouting excitedly, “YUNA!  That was it – Princess Yuna.  I remember her perfectly because she was so similar to Ephraim.”

            King Heechul had to hide his wolf-grin as he continued with the natural flow of the conversation, discussing how Galleria and Lorraine both resembled Amethyst.

            Inwardly, Heechul’s thoughts never left the Princess Yuna, and he suddenly very much agreed with Prince Kris’ incessant desire to marry her.

            Heechul was a learned man, and he had heavily studied ability and genealogy in his college years.

            One of his most important personal discoveries included how magical ability was passed down.

            Voids were special.

            Though it was usually likely two magically gifted parents would give birth to magically gifted children, these children held the same level of ability as their parents.  It was upon rare occasion they would have a child who did not contain magical ability.

            However, if a Void were to reproduce with a magically gifted partner, their child’s gifts were profound, rare, and highly powerful.

            Heechul began mentally thinking of possible treaties to win Ephraim and Amethyst over for their Void daughter’s hand in marriage.

            Kris you shall get your wish.

December 4, 1733

Forests of Airdrethia

            Princess Yuna burst through a patch of trees, her sword tied in a hilt around her hips.  Her tears were dried, and her eyes revealed no sign of having ever cried.  Her smile was determined as she pranced through the forest before finding a snow-filled clearing amongst the trees where her friends were laughing.

            Chanyeol caught sight of the princess first.

            “Yah, Pixie, I thought you were busy today!  And where’s my holly crown?” he called to his best friend.

            “My plans kind of fell through.”

            “Are you sure everything’s okay?” Hyoyeon asked, even though she was already happily pulling her friend into their group.

            Yuna looked up with an honest, confident smile.

            “Yes, everything is perfect.  Nothing there matters to me now.  Nothing anymore.”

            And she meant it.

Hello Everyone!

I updated quickly - I hope you all are happy and enjoy this update.

It's more Kris' side, but it is very important, so I hope you paid attention.

Thank you so much for your comments, feedback, and support.  They really push me to continue writing and continue to work hard!

I hope you all are having a lovely summer, if it has started for you, if you have finals: STOP READING, AND STUDY :)

Thank you all so much for everything.

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Winnie