They grew up together as children.

They would play together, and eat together, bathe together.

They would even have lessons together during the day. They learned the literature books, the mathematics, the foreign languages, the music and the archery. But in the evenings, Yunho went to his own lessons to learn his duties as prince and future king, and Changmin would go to his own lessons to learn what it means to be a Mihwa and how best to serve Yunho.

So perhaps, an element of attachment was inevitable.

But love… That was different.

Changmin never knew his mother, as was traditional. He was close to his father, of course. He was the one who gave Changmin the evening lessons, so Changmin saw him for at least a couple hours a day.

He loved his father, but usually, he found that it was his father who made him upset with his strict rules and discipline. It was Changmin's father who made sure that Yunho was in his bed laden with silk and fur, and that Changmin was on the spread of cotton blankets on the floor next to Yunho's bed.

When Changmin's father left, Changmin would get up from his cotton bedding and it was Yunho who let Changmin come up onto his bed. Then little Changmin would sidle up against Yunho, and Yunho would cuddle him. And every day, Changmin had something to say to Yunho, because he always needed some sort of reassurance and love from Yunho.

Always.

When Changmin was seven and Yunho was nine, Changmin finally understood what being a slave meant, and that was when he realized that he would never be free.

Changmin cried every night. Yunho would invite him up to his bed every night, whispered apologies and words of love into his ear. And then they would cuddle and then fall asleep together, usually Yunho with his arms wrapped around Changmin in comfort.

Changmin's father would not infrequently catch Changmin asleep beside Yunho in the mornings because Changmin sometimes wouldn't be able to wake up on time to crawl into his own bedding in the mornings.

His father always told Changmin that the bed was for Yunho and Yunho only, and he got mad at Changmin when he caught him. Sometimes he reduced Changmin to tears right there in the bedroom, and Yunho would have to ask him to stop yelling at Changmin.

But his father never got mad at Yunho. In fact, he would give a small smile, and bow to little Yunho, and thank him.

It took Changmin a long, long while to understand why.

They grew taller.

They grew up.

And in all that time, they loved each other intensely and passionately.

It didn't matter that Yunho was a prince and Changmin was a slave.

They were lovers.

A Mihwa's place in the palace was, in all actuality, unique to say the least. While a Mihwa was the same as any slave on paper, because of his deep lineage and because of how closely they worked with the Royal Family, he was treated with respect. No one bowed to the Mihwa, but everyone was expected to follow orders from a Mihwa, if it were ever given, because it would be an indirect Royal Order.

In Changmin's case, Yunho made it all the more clear to all of his subjects; Changmin was not to be touched without Yunho's explicit permission, and Changmin was to be respected. As such, Changmin was treated almost as part of the Royal Family, with how much love and trust Yunho always showed him.

Everyone knew they were lovers, but no one dared question it.

When Yunho's father died, Yunho took the throne.

Changmin's father passed away quite soon afterwards, and Yunho let Changmin spend several days in mourning. Changmin didn't think he would be so sad to lose his father, but he found that he was.

He loved his father, after all.

When Yunho had to marry, Changmin burned with jealousy, because Yunho was his, and only his. Yunho got married to a beautiful noble girl named Boa who would become Queen. Changmin got his own bedroom for the first time in his life, because Yunho refused to let him sleep with the other slaves in their cramped quarters.

Boa was kind to Changmin, and Changmin was at least civil with her, reminding to himself that she was only there for the royal lineage, and respect as Yunho might, she would never become Yunho's lover. When she gave birth to a son about a year later, Changmin almost cried tears of joy because that meant Yunho and Boa would never have to share a bed again.

When Yunho's son Sungjun was born, Changmin kept his distance from Yunho for the first time. Changmin was confused, because now he was sharing Yunho's love with someone else. Yunho looked at his son in a way he'd never looked at Changmin before. Changmin tried, tried as hard as he could to think of Sungjun as his own son and to give him as much love as Yunho did. But Changmin had never been great with kids the way Yunho was, and he simply wasn't interested. Sungjun cried whenever Yunho put him in Changmin's arms, and Changmin wasn't too keen on holding him either. But now, Yunho and Changmin had so little time alone together, and all Changmin could do was wait for Sungjun to grow up, so that Yunho wouldn't spend all of his time with his baby and would make time for Changmin again.

Changmin was not required to marry, but when he had to share a bedroom with another woman, Changmin burned with guilt and shame. Yunho had found Changmin the prettiest slave in the entire palace named Victoria, and he had to personally arrange them to spend a few nights together. The fact that the sole reason for this whole affair was to give Yunho's son a Mihwa of his own didn't bother Changmin at the time; his whole life was dedicated to serving the royal line, after all, and so were his descendants'. What did bother him was that he would be spending the night with anyone other than Yunho.

 "I don't like it," Changmin complained. "I don't like that I have to do this. It feels like I'm being unfaithful."

Yunho chuckled. "I know you love me and only me."

"I still don't like it," said Changmin. "I hate that I have to be with anyone besides you."

"I don't like that either," admitted Yunho. "But you're only doing this because my son's going to need a Mihwa too."

"I know."

"You don't have to make love with her," whispered Yunho, kissing Changmin. "Just make my son a Mihwa."

Before they spent the night together in bed, Changmin and Victoria got to spend a bit of time during the evening just sitting and talking.

"I'm so sorry," said Changmin, feeling guilty.

However, Victoria shook her head. "I will be freed after I give birth. You don't have to feel bad for me."

Changmin sighed. "Where will you be going afterwards?"

"I will be going back to my hometown in Tamla. That's where my family is."

Changmin nodded slowly as Victoria smiled.

"Don't feel sorry," said Victoria.

Changmin still didn't love her, but he still felt more at ease.

Changmin took care of Victoria throughout her pregnancy, and that was when they actually got close. They never loved each other. But they were close enough to talk every night, and share moments of happiness, fear, and sadness.

Victoria would be out of Changmin's life forever as soon she gave birth to a son. It was dictated that if she gave birth to a son, she would give the baby over to Changmin to be raised by him only; if a daughter, she would live with Victoria never to see Changmin again.

They would often hold hands together at night in Victoria's bedroom at the palace and they would cry and pray together. They would fantasize dangerous fantasies about running away together and raising their child together, then despair knowing that it could never happen. Changmin would apologize over and over in tears, and then Victoria would apologize over and over in tears – and then they would pray that the gods would not be so cruel.

But as always, they were.

History and the laws dictated that Changmin wasn't allowed to be there for the childbirth, because Changmin wasn't allowed to see the baby until it was confirmed that it was a boy.

Yunho had informed Changmin that he would be locking him in a room once Victoria went into labour, and at the time, Changmin had felt the tiniest pang of disappointment and betrayal. But then his lifetime's worth of training had kicked in and he had nodded and agreed with Yunho.

And so Changmin paced in the empty room alone, never able to sleep and occasionally trying the door to see if his desperate prayers were heard by the gods and the door had miraculously unlocked, but the gods remained cruel.

So Changmin spent hours and hours in the room alone, and he was as desperate as anyone could imagine for news until Yunho finally popped in with a servant carrying a plate of food for Changmin.

"How is she?" demanded Changmin right away, forgoing the bowing rites.

"She's still in labour."

Changmin felt a surge of anger and frustration, and was considered making a run for the door while it was open. However, before he could make a decision, Yunho had wrapped his arms around Changmin and was murmuring, "It won't be long now. I'm so sorry."

Changmin pushed him away. "I don't want to talk to you right now," he said angrily. "I can't believe you won't let me be there for her."

Yunho looked taken aback. "But – But Changmin –"

"Let me go to her," said Changmin through gritted teeth.

Yunho sent the servant off before facing Changmin again, giving him a stern look that he'd rarely ever used. "Changmin, calm down."

"Please."

"You can't. Changmin, there are laws."

Changmin clenched his teeth harder.

"If you're not going to let me see her, get out," said Changmin, almost shaking in anger. He picked up the plate that the servant had set down on the small table. "And take this with you. You are sorely mistaken if you thought I could get food down my throat right now."

"Changmin."

"I don't want to see you here again."

Yunho looked hurt for a brief moment before he actually turned and opened the door to leave. Just before he left though, he whispered, "I love you."

Changmin didn't reply.

Changmin was in tears by the time the door finally opened.

Changmin almost let out a sob as he saw that it was Kyuhyun, the doctor, who came to Changmin with the baby in his arms.

Changmin knew with just that that the baby was a boy, and that he would be living with Changmin. "How is she?" croaked Changmin.

"She did well," whispered Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun held out the baby. "Congratulations," he said with a weak smile, and then carefully held the baby out for Changmin.

Changmin choked out a sob as he took the baby in his own arms. As soon as he held the tiny, new life into his arms, he let out a soft, "Oh," because this felt so surreal and unbelievable and indescribable, and the baby with his tiny eyes and nose and mouth and fingers was the most beautiful and precious thing he'd ever seen. He just stood there, crying, and finally, he lowered his head to put his cheek against his son's – his son's. His breath had been taken away from him, and he felt a warmth in his chest that he'd never felt before.

"He's – he's – just – just perfect," managed Changmin.

Another tear slid down Changmin's cheek, and his heart was broken, because Victoria was never going to see this beautiful baby again and because this baby would never know his mother. But right at that moment, the moment when Changmin was repeating I'm a dad, I'm a dad, I'm a dad in his head, he already knew that he would raise this beautiful baby as best as he possibly can, even if it cost him his life.

Yunho came to Changmin's bedroom to see Changmin and the baby in the evening. Changmin was still sitting on the couch with the baby in his arms, and Kyuhyun had kept near to keep him company (not that Changmin particularly needed it, but Changmin at least had someone to gush to about his son).  When Yunho entered, he dismissed Kyuhyun.

Yunho made to take the seat next to Changmin and Changmin made space for him.

"He's beautiful," said Yunho carefully, eyeing Changmin.

Changmin smiled. "Isn't he?" he said, still in awe. Yunho nodded.

"May I?" said Yunho, holding out his arms. Changmin hesitated for a slight bit, but then he very, very carefully placed his sleeping son in Yunho's arms. Yunho looked as natural as always while holding the baby, and Changmin watched as Yunho ran a loving hand over the infant's cheek.

"Do you need help naming him?"

"Victoria and I already thought about it," said Changmin. He took a glance up at Yunho, because he felt a bit bad about not telling Yunho about that. "We wanted his name to be Chanhyung."

Yunho nodded slowly. "It's a nice name."

"Thank you."

Changmin took the baby back when he began to stir in Yunho's arms, waking from his sleep.

As he did so, Yunho spoke quietly. "Changmin…"

Changmin looked up at Yunho. Yunho reached out and Changmin's cheek lightly. "You know I love you more than anyone else in the world."

Changmin smiled. "I love you too."

"I'm so sorry," whispered Yunho. He leaned forward and kissed Changmin, and Changmin turned his own head to kiss Yunho back.

The still loved each other.