TEASER one

black

“Hurry up !”

The sun was shining above the white city, announcing a wonderful day for its inhabitants. Merchants from the kingdom of Marchai were slowly coming for their monthly business and were installing their shops with the help of the local sellers. Excited chatters could be heard in the streets, along with the laughs of children playing hide-and-seek. The sea was calm, birds were singing in the park of the castle. Everything seemed peaceful and happy, except…

“Did I not tell you to hurry up ?”

“I-I…”

“Do you want to make the Prince wait?”

“N-No ! I am doing it right away !”

The boy left the kitchen, sighing. Those servants were clearly not gifted enough to serve the kingdom, he wondered why they were still working here and not starving in the streets. Well, it was not like he could be working in their place anyway, knowing his terrible cooking skills, but he was still more efficient than them. He sighed once again as he walked towards the royal son’s room. It had been three years since he had become the Prince’s personal servant and even though he hated his job, he would not trade it for anything in the White Land. He was an orphan, he had lived in the streets for years and would have been dying of starvation if not for Suwoong. The young male hated seeing pity in the eyes of those who walked past him, but the heir’s eyes only indicated worry. The Prince was sincerely worried about his well-being and he realized that he would not be used. As he remembered the past, the street where he used to live, the servant could only smirk. He had known Suwoong’s secret as soon as he had seen his face but something deep inside him had prevented him from spreading it to foreign territories. Baekhyun had nothing to lose and the Prince knew it, but despite that, the male had took him out of the streets and made him work for him. For a while, the dark-haired boy had suspected that his attribution was a way to keep him close to the royal son so the latter could have an eye on him, but when he had asked him, the older male had just said that his instinct told him that he could give his trust. Over the years, Baekhyun had understood that he had said the truth and he had therefore decided that the Prince was definitely a fool. The servant smiled slightly. 

Suwoong was a fool, but a fool he loved serving.

As he finally arrived at the familiar door, Baekhyun knocked three times and opened the door without waiting.

“The cooks will be bringing your lunch shortly, your Grace, I made sure that they would hurry, unlike yeste--- Your Grace ?”

The servant frowned and looked around the empty room. The bed was done, the windows were slightly open to freshen the place, however the Prince was nowhere to be seen. He walked to the bathroom – still no one. Baekhyun groaned and ran out of the room.

Where did this stupid Prince go ?

The Prince was a fool. Baekhyun wondered if he really loved serving him, actually.

A tall lanky figure was running like crazy in the corridors, surprising all the servants for they were not used to see the peaceful figure looking so frantic. He barely avoided a collision with one of the maids, to who he apologized quickly before continuing in his tracks. It was a wonder that no one was hurt in the process, but the young grey-haired boy did not care at this moment. After a few minutes, he finally reached the gates to the royal gardens. He stopped, looking around, before finally catching sight of the one he was looking for. He walked to him with fast steps, his heart still beating frantically after his run. As he grew closer to it, a lone figure wrapped in white clothes suddenly seemed to hear him and turned around just in time to be engulfed by a tight hug. The figure chuckled and wrapped its arms around the other male, who took a step back and frowned.

“Hyung, you scared me, please do not do that again !” he pleaded.

“Do what again ?” 

“Disappear like that !”

The Prince of Luce laughed at his cousin’s distraught face. He gently ruffled the younger boy’s hair before smiling to him kindly, somehow feeling his cousin’s fear.

“I promise I will not do it again, Sehunnie. You know I would never break a promise,” he said softly, his black eyes giving his cousin the comfort he needed. 

Sehun sighed and nodded. He knew his cousin would never break a promise. He promised him something once that felt impossible for the younger boy and yet, he had held it, despite the pain that had followed, pain that he knew his cousin was still feeling deep inside of him. He knew it was his fault. If Sehun had remained silent, if he had not been selfish, then things would have been different. He would not have to see his cousin suffer every day because of him. He would not… A sharp pain on his forehead stopped his thoughts and he whined, looking at his smirking cousin with a pout.

“Are you still mopping over my life ?”

“B-But Hyung…”

“Stop it, will you ? My life is the result of my own choices. There is no one to blame, I am happy with my current life.”

Sehun looked at his cousin, covered in white. His hands were gloved, his face hidden by a white hood, though this time, no material was covering the bottom of his face, leaving apparent the marks of his past to those who looked. The boy bit his lower lip and felt tears well up in his eyes.

“Then why do you have to hide ? Why do you not let them see ?”

“You are still too young, Sehun,” Suwoong said with smile, his hands reaching for his cousin’s face to dry the tears rolling down his cheeks, “I do not regret a single thing but… I cannot let them see.”

“Are you scared they would think you are ugly ?” 

“Ugly ?” the Prince laughed at the sudden question, “Beauty is a matter of perspective. They do not need to see those marks, it is a simple as that. Do you not remember any of your politics lessons ? You cannot let others see things they could attack you with. I am just protecting the kingdom.”

“But what about you ?” Sehun whined.

“It is enough, Sehun,” the heir scolded, “I want to see you with a smile, not with these ugly tears.”

Suwoong smiled as his cousin nodded, before he walked back to the castle. When he entered his room, a tray with some fuming lunch was waiting for him, as well as a small letter. He took it and read it, laughing at the expected scolding by Baekhyun. He had not meant to scare his servant, he just wanted some peace and calm from everything. He ate silently, before deciding that he wanted a bath. As if he had heard his thought, Baekhyun entered his room to check on him. While his servant was getting the bath ready, the young Prince started taking off his clothes. Baekhyun remained silent behind him as the black marks covering the Prince’s body were revealed. It was not something that could be erased, he knew it, and sometimes, Baekhyun wondered Suwoong had ever imagined himself without them. They were covering his skin up to his neck, as if ready to cover him whole and eat him alive. Deep inside, Baekhyun hated Sehun. The heir had thrown his life away because of his promise to his cousin, yet he had never accused him of anything. He was too kind, too selfless. He was ready to do anything for his loved ones and for the kingdom. What else would he give up for the sake of his country ? What would he be forced to do despite his own wishes ? 

Unbeknownst to him, a letter with the seal of Luce’s King waiting in the Prince’s desk would answer his questions faster than he would expect.  

upperclass themes 2014 ©