AN:  this is set in an anonamous time (but definitely in the past) so just imagine the time in your head. Also it's not in S.Korea. The country is somewhere near S.Korea that's why certain Korean words and phrases will be used - it's also because I like using those words, so....yeah. BUT NOT KOREA. It's an imaginary country that shares a lot with korean culture and language but not Korea - I hope that makes sense.

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“Umma! Umma! Umma, don’t leave me, I don’t want to go. UMMA PLEASE!” The sobbing pleas of the young Prince went unheard as the entire castle shook with the thunderous sound of explosives destroying construction and taking numerous lives with it. At the end of the long hallway stood the terrifyingly beautiful Queen, her long elegant robes discarded in favour of an armoured suit fit for the most deserving of warriors. Her posture, however, was completely in contrast with her facial expression. Looking at her two beloved children receding down the hallway to somewhere she hoped was safe, she couldn’t stop the tears that ran down her pale cheeks. Cheeks so pale she’d inspired countless tales of Fair Princesses over the land.

She blew one final kiss towards her crying son before turning towards the oncoming army of soldiers from her right, knowing in her gut that she’d had her last glimpse of her children as they ran hand-in-hand towards safety.

“UMMA!” Prince Changmin creamed again as he twisted his body in an angle to see his mother, horror dawning on his youthful features as he saw the men attacking her. His tears blocked his vision as he started to struggle and try to free his hand from his brother’s hold; whom had a death grip on his little fist, too afraid to let go.

“JAEJAE! HYUNG WE HAVE TO HELP UMMA! PLEASE STOP!” His cries were getting hysterical as they slipped from the corridor down an unused flight of stairs, no longer able to see the Queen as she battled for all her life was worth. Changmin started to kick out at his brother as he was dragged down the stairs, doing anything and everything to free himself to run towards his mother. His struggles were making it more difficult go down before they were spotted by an enemy, but nothing could make Prince Jaejoong let go of what was his only lifeline at that moment.

He knew that if he even so much as turned his head to look towards the direction of their mother, he would break. He knew he would go and help her. But he also knew that would leave little Changmin unguarded. While Jaejoong had mastered every form of combat at his young age, with the unrelenting determination of both the King and Queen, Changmin was still too young to have picked up a sword seriously.

It was with that thought in mind that he tightened his hold on the struggling nine year old and lifted him up to place him on his shoulder and jump down the last few steps of the staircase. He was not only fighting for their lives and keeping his promise to their mother, he was doing his best to ignore his brother’s screaming and kicking.

He would protect Changmin.

Just before he could get out of the little opening opposite the portcullis leading to the hidden passage leading to the village, the winged tower he just left his mother in exploded in a chaos of rubble, smoke and –

Jaejoong bolted upright on his makeshift mattress. He was heaving from the pressure of trying to calm his racing heart, sweat rolling down his temples mingling with the traces of tears that had escaped his shut lids while he slumbered restlessly. He bent his knees, burying his head in between in an attempt to prevent a total breakdown.

It took him some time to calm down and convince himself that it was a dream, and running towards the castle now would do no any good. Taking a deep breath hey lay back down, curling himself into a foetal position facing Changmin. He tried to concentrate on his brother’s breathing, desperately trying to stop those horrific memories from flooding his system.

Exhale.

It wasn’t really any shock that he had that nightmare, it was always like this. No matter how often his subconscious taunted him, he could never stop himself from reacting the same way every time. Those memories were too raw despite the number of years that had passed since. It didn’t help that his dreams plucked out every little hated detail from his brain to shove in his face, when he was most vulnerable.

Inhale.

Sometimes he tried to imagine what would have happened had he turned around. But those thoughts were immediately discarded. He knew exactly what would have happened…and it didn’t include Changmin or himself breathing the fresh night air so many years after that night.

Exhale.

Changmin was alive. That was all that mattered to him. That night, his legs had moved on their own accord, his mind too numb from what he’d just seen, to find them shelter. He had vowed after getting themselves into an abandoned cottage, that he would protect Changmin. No matter what happened, Changmin would always be his first priority. Always.

Inhale.

Jaejoong had developed a very cold persona throughout the years. Always having to suppress his instinct to fight in fear of drawing attention to himself. Not talking to anyone unless absolutely necessary…not trusting anyone. It had changed him. The once warm hearted Prince was no more. In his place was born the cynical, cold-hearted nobody whom had but one purpose to his existence. Protect Changmin. It was almost a mantra he repeatedly told himself, for he knew. He knew that if he were to forget the reason for his silence, Prince Jaejoong would take over and pick up his abandoned sword. The consequences to that would be lethal…he knew it. Hence, keeping a low profile was vital.

Exhale.

***

Changmin turned around, flailing around on the mattress that was becoming too short for his growing frame. He unconsciously kicked his cover off himself, mumbling something or other about food. Or that’s what Jaejoong assumed he was mumbling.

Jaejoong smiled despite himself, watching Changmin moving around on the mattress, his hands reaching for something in the air. In his tossing and turning, the lanky fifteen year old capture Jaejoong’s hand in his grip. To his brother’s amusement, he proceeded to hold the captured arm to his chest, curling his torso around it, a smile gracing his sleeping face. It was one of the few things that could make Jaejoong drop his guard and sincerely smile at the antics of his endearing baby brother.

Before Jaejoong could close his eyes to welcome sleep, his ears perked up at the sound of shuffling by the door to the little hut they’d claimed all those years ago. First he just ignored it and tried to focus back on sleep, but his guards all went up in seconds when a loud crash sounded by the back wall of the hut. His training from what felt like decades ago kicked in as he slowed his breathing, making the minimal amount of sound; listening for any tiny noise. When he didn’t hear anything suspicious, he decided to go have a cautionary look outside since sleep was no longer an option.

He sat up in his spot for the second time that night, not sure whether he should bother or not. After all, it wasn’t uncommon for stray animals to come looking for food in the village corners at night.

He was in the middle of his mental debate when he heard the sound of multiple horse hooves racing across the village grounds. That was what made the decision for him.

“Ouch!” he exclaimed, looking down beside him where Changmin was still holding on to his arm…with his thumb in his mouth; biting rather viciously.

“Aish! Changmin, I am not your food!” he bellowed, with a hint of exasperation in his voice as he yanked his hand away from the teeth that were about to chomp down on his poor fingers, again.

Honestly, it wasn’t the first time it had happened. Changmin not only lived and breathed for food, he also often dreamt about food…even going as far as to mistake his roommate as a midnight snack, sometimes.

With the loss of what his sleep hazed brain had decided was a nice steak from between his lips, he pouted in his sleep and half-heartedly opened his eyes. Only to come face to face with the mildly annoyed face of his brother who was on his thumb in an attempt to sooth the sting from Changmin’s sharp teeth.

“Ugh” he mumbled, turning around as he hugged the headrest. “Hyung is so greedy. Stealing my food. Unbelievable…” the sleepy rant continued, as he fell back into the land of the unconscious. They’d both started sleeping in a horizontal position at the start of the night, Changmin was now sprawled across both their mattresses in a diagonal position, effectively shoving Jaejoong away from their sleeping area.

For a period of time Jaejoong just stared at his brother, bending his neck in an attempt to understand how he’d ended up in the position he had. But as the sounds grew louder outside Jaejoong’s attention was diverted. Although the noise was grating on his nerves, it was only because he was intently listening for it. The sound could have easily been ignored if one wasn’t paying attention, like the prone body of his sibling. After a final huff of annoyance and curiosity, Jaejoong gave the sleeping boy one final look before putting on his shabby cloak and silently slipping out of the hut. 

Once outside, he gave his surroundings a quick once-over, before following the trail he spotted. It wasn’t easy to miss, whoever it was that was shuffling around the area at this time of night either didn’t care about covering their tracks, or simpl