June 15, 1734

Airdrethian Forest

            “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I actually miss that bratty kid,” Baekhyun whined as he and his group of teenage friends strolled through the forests of Airdrethia.

            “Yah!  Byun Baekhyun, Sehun was not just ‘that bratty kid.’  He was one of our best friends,” Hyoyeon scolded with a sigh.  “But, I miss him too.”

            16 year-old Yuna nodded her head in agreement.  She too missed Oh Sehun.  Sehun had been invited to attend a highly prestigious university in Exotopia several months ago.  The group had all partaken in their youngest friend’s happiness and had encouraged him to go.  The prior day, they held a bonfire goodbye gathering in his honor.

            The gathering was a wonderful opportunity for Yuna to meet more people of her country.  Originally, when her family went out through the streets of the Airdrethian capitol, Midas, toddler Yuna would enjoy skipping through the village.  After the revelation of her lack of powers, Amethyst refused to bring the child for “safety reasons.”

            The party had been held in the opposite end of the forest, the one closer to town.  Yuna was delighted to spend time with Sehun, Baekhyun, Hyoyeon, Chanyeol, and Kai, but she was extra excited to meet other people, many of which were also Exotopian immigrants.  The baker Do Kyungsoo brought the cake.  Kim Joonmyun, Hyoyeon and Kai’s oldest brother, who was usually holed up helping with their family’s banking and trade business, attended – even though he checked his pocket watch about every two minutes.  Kim Jonghyun and a boy who preferred being called “Key,” for whatever reason Yuna did not understand, gave Sehun specially made hanboks that would help him to blend in when he reached Exotopia.  Lee Minyoung, a good friend of Hyoyeon’s had given Sehun a kiss on the cheek, resulting in an instant blush.  Yuna, of course, had given him a flower crown.

            It was all a fun, bittersweet time.

            “He better miss us too,” Baekhyun grumbled.

            “Unlike you, he’s not completely incompetent, you know?” Hyoyeon shot back and poked him in the arm, opening up a gateway for the two engage in playful banter.  Yuna, Kai, and Chanyeol all glanced amongst each other and gave knowing looks.

            “I wonder when they’re going to admit their feelings for each other,” Chanyeol whispered.

            “I don’t know.  I’ll let you know when Baek gets the guts to ask me for my permission to court her though,” Kai whispered back.

            “I hope you put him through hell.”

            “Of course I will, Pixie.  In fact, I’m going to go show some ‘brotherly love,’” Kai smiled and patted his two friends’ shoulders, giving Chanyeol a meaningful wink as he passed.

            Chanyeol nudged Yuna, who nudged back.

            Over the past six months, the group had become ever closer, especially Yuna and Chanyeol.  Yuna had been spending much more time outside with the group.  She had begun sword-fighting openly in front of them, without fear.  Chanyeol, who also happened to wield a sword, would spar with her for hours at a time, much to the dismay of the others, specifically Hyoyeon.  Chanyeol and Yuna always wore their flower crowns, and had spent full days weaving together a collection of nature.  The two would even stay out later than the rest of their friends sometimes, staying up late into the night, watching the moon and naming stars.

            They had become a unit.

            It was impossible to find Chanyeol without Yuna in the forest, and it was impossible to see Yuna outside without Chanyeol towering next to her.

            Chanyeol looked down at his best friend a little longer than he should have.  He accidentally brushed back a piece of her long black hair – he couldn’t help himself.

            Yuna glanced up in confusion.

            “Uh-sorry, Pixie.  There was a bug in your hair.”

            “It’s okay, Chanyeol,” Yuna chirped and smiled.

            “You know, you’ve been acting a lot happier since that day you came early from an engagement what was that, six months ago?  Are you happy?” Chanyeol questioned.  Yuna pushed the green sleeves of her dress up her wrists, as was habit.

            “These past few months have been wonderful,” the girl announced with honesty.

            “You’ve seemed different,”

            “My life is different,” Yuna trailed off, catching herself in her thoughts, “but, it has been an overall good different.”

            The only unfortunate aspect that had been altered was her schooling.  After the incident between Yuna and her mother, the princess was informed she would no longer need schooling.  Madame Blott, who acted more as a motherly figure and friend than an actual teacher, was let go.  The two had had an emotional goodbye on her last day.

            Other than this, Yuna felt free.

            When the portrait had been finished, and the rest of her family, the royal stylists, and the painters had left, Yuna stood unmoving in her place.  She stood still, alone for almost three hours.  They had all left her with only so much as a few pleasantries passed to the teenage girl.

            Is that what I am worth?  A ‘have a good day?’

            She did not matter to them.

            So, why should they matter to her?

            Yuna had let her inhibitions fly away that day. 

            The Airdrethian royals were now the ‘have a good day.’

            Yuna did not bother attending meals in the palace, coming home very often, and only really spoke with her family members in passing, with the rare long conversation with her father.  She was no longer upset.  And she wanted nothing to change.  At this point, she had considered speaking with her parents to ask if they could disown her and allow her to live in the village because she felt like she did not need them any longer.

            Kai, Hyoyeon, and Baekhyun were slowly coming into view.  Chanyeol grasped her hand, skipping to meet them.

            Yuna laughed, she was purely happy.

            She had found her true family.

September 9, 1734

Exotopian Royal Training Ground

            “Again.”

            16 year-old Prince Tao spun and his sword as his 19 year-old brother instructed for the fifth time in a row.  He grimaced as he performed the action; workouts were always more strenuous when Kris was in a bad or anxious mood.

            Today he was in a little bit of both.

            “Good, Tao.  Now, Father insists that we work more with our abilities, and I agree,” Kris lectured in the superior tone he held whenever he was dealing with his military duties or leadership, “you may freely spar.  Lay, you can watch with me.  So, it will be Xiumin against Chen, and Tao against Luhan.”

            “Ge, Luhan isn’t here.”

            Kris wanted to rip out his hair.

            “He’s not?”

            “No.”

            As of late, Prince Luhan had not been showing up for military and sparring practice, both of which were high up on Kris’ list of things he found important.  Luhan blamed his absences on university classes, but Kris knew that with the amount of obligations he was skipping, he could not possibly always be at class.  Not only that, but it felt like his younger brother had been somewhat avoiding him.  Without the family scholar, how was Kris supposed to check the quality of the letters he frequently sent to the Airdrethian crown?

            Luhan, you and I are going to have a long discussion very soon.

            “Your highness, the post has arrived,” a butler called from the edge of the courtyard.

            Kris’ attention immediately shifted.

            Yuna, darling?

            Even though he had never written his beloved before, there was always a small spark of hope within him whenever the mail was received, that she per chance, had been as effected as he at their encounter nearly a decade ago, and had written him.  He dreamed of seeing his name written a top a long parchment in a beautiful script: Dearest Kris,

            “Is there anything from Airdrethia?” the handsome Prince asked, all of his brothers present noticed his lightened eyes.

            “No, sire, I’m sorry.”

            “Give it all to my father, he can handle it,” Kris grunted, his momentary good mood left as fast as it had appeared.

            He was beginning to grow antsy with the lack of response from any member of the Airdrethian royalty: Ephraim, Amethyst, Yuna.

            Prince Kris was a patient man, but even he had his limits.

            And a powerful military at his disposal…

February 14, 1735

Airdrethian Royal Infirmary

            De ja vu.

            It felt like pure de ja vu to Queen Amethyst.

            She and Ephraim were waiting in the corner of the royal infirmary, watching as a doctor checked their daughter for something important.

            This time it was their eldest daughter Galleria, only a year post-marriage, and she was being checked for pregnancy.  She had had morning sickness the previous couple of mornings, and the possibility that a pure child, the future heir to throne, would be born was exciting.

            The only difference between this and Yuna’s unfortunate ability check-up was that Galleria was not alone.  Her husband, Prince Adrian, was clutching her hand and smiling at her softly.  Her sister, Princess Lorraine was at her other side, keeping the young woman distracted.  An assortment of maids and butlers, as well as her youngest sister, Yuna, stood in the back.  Everyone looked on with full attention, except for Yuna, who was playing with hilt of her sword.

            Like the Perceive had a decade before, the magically gifted doctor turned and gave King Ephraim and Queen Amethyst an uneasy face.

            Not again, the Queen thought, the sensation of ice forming in her palms.

            “Please, whatever you have to say, tell everyone right now.  We need no rumors among the palace,” King Ephraim earnestly ordered.  He felt his stomach turning as well.

            “I-uh-um-” the doctor stuttered and turned to Galleria.  “My lady, it gives me much grievance to inform you that you are infertile.”

            No sounds were made in the infirmary.

            Then the infertile Queen-to-be let out a long sob, and the room’s temperature fell thirty degrees.

            Many of the maids and butlers quietly and politely left as they watched Adrian and Lorraine console their beloved wife and sister.  Ephraim walked over to his daughter and held her close, joining the embrace.

            Yuna, for once, felt pity for her eldest sister.

            Until she watched her mother take her in with open arms.

            The youngest Princess quietly left the room, thinking about what would be a kind, subtle way to show her pity for her eldest sister later, when no one would be around.

            Later that evening, Ephraim paced the length of the royal chamber while his wife watched from a relaxed position on their silk bed.

            “What are we going to do now?” the distressed Airdrethian King grumbled.  His wife furrowed her perfectly shaped eyebrows.

            “What do you mean?”

            His emerald eyes met her violet ones.

            “It is Airdrethian law that we have a child born from pure parents.  Adrian and Galleria were the solution for that.  Now, we have nothing.  Lorraine and Yuna both need to fall in love – you know my people nor yours, have never believed in arranged marriages.  And they are both practically too old to attend a Mingle Ball and go through a courtship process with an overseas royal.”

            “Ephraim,” the Queen cut her husband off and grabbed his hand.  “Sometimes, we need to overlook some minor rules in order to accomplish and keep order the largest ones.  My parents did when they ruled Airdrethia.”

            Ephraim dejectedly sat next to the woman he had married so long ago, holding her slender hand.

            “Then, what do you suggest?” he asked in a quiet voice.

            “Well, I have a few ideas.”  She tried to keep the edgy, sly tone out of her voice.  Queen Amethyst leaned over and picked up a basket filled with nearly a hundred letters.

            They were from dozens of different places. 

            However, they all asked for one thing.

May 5, 1935

Airdrethian Forest

            Chanyeol, Baekhyun, and Yuna stood near the edge of the Airdrethian forest that touched town.  They were awaiting the arrival of the other two members of their crew, Kim Hyoyeon and Kim Kai.

            “If they got cakes from Kyungsoo without me, I’m gonna kill them,” Baekhyun threatened.

            “You just want Hyoyeon to get here because you loooooooove her,” Chanyeol snorted.  His smaller friend glared up at him.

            A few months ago, Baekhyun had asked for permission from Kai, Joonmyeon, and Hyoyeon’s father to court her.  They all had heartily agreed and had asked what took so long.  Hyoyeon, who was apparently still in denial of her feelings for Baekhyun, had been the only one to give him a rejection.

            “At least I can tell the girl I like my feelings,” the puppy-like boy pointedly shot back.  Chanyeol shoved him before looking over at Yuna, hoping she had not heard Baekhyun’s final jab.

            He’d rather his Pixie not quite know how he felt about her just yet.  And he lacked the courage to tell her his true feelings as well.

            “OH MY GOD, YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE WHAT JUST HAPPENED!” Hyoyeon’s voice arrived before her and her brother’s presence.  The two sprinted into the forest, shocked but ecstatic expressions upon their faces.

            “What?  You finally decided to date me?” Baekhyun questioned playfully and pulled Hyoyeon into his grasp.

            “Ew.  Gross.  No.” the girl giggled and pushed herself away from her friend.

            “We’re going to be royalty!” Kai shouted.

            Yuna choked on the air she was breathing so hard that she began to cough violently.  Chanyeol had to pat her back to get her to stop.

            What? How? This is impossible! There’s no way! I’m barely considered royalty – how could they be?

            “E-excuse me?” the bewildered princess wheezed out her question.

            “It was incredible.” Hyoyeon excitedly explained, “The royal family was walking through Midas, and Joonmyun and Lorraine collided – I can’t even comprehend all that happened between them.  It was love at first sight.  They’re on a date right now, and I think they could get married!”

            A loud thump interrupted Hyoyeon and Kai’s news.

            Princess Yuna had fainted.

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