Lady Fan Lei turned around just as the oak doors of the ballroom swing open to reveal a stunning young man dressed completely in white. The man’s face was almost fully covered by the white guise he was wearing but she was almost positive that the man was her stepson. She was proven right when the dance ended and the Crown Prince released Zitao immediately after catching sight of the new arrival, making a beeline for the new comer.

“Excuse me, Lady.” A smooth, almost sickly voice called out to her and she twisted around, ready to reject the suitor. The man who stood at her elbow was not attractive in the least in his old fashioned red coat nearly smothered with ruffled and lace. “You seem very interested in that boy. Perhaps you could inform me of his family background?”

Ah, he must be the king’s advisor. She thought, as she took in his uniform-like dress.

Lady Fan Lei smiled flirtatiously, she knew how to make herself be more appealing to those in high places. “And what would be in it for me my lord?” She fluttered the fan in her hand and gazed at the man under her fake lashes.

“I can guarantee the marriage of one of your sons to the crown prince and arrange for the other to be married to a well off lord. You yourself would gain the title of duchess.” The advisor gave her a reptilian smile and Lady Fan Lei shivered, only subtly but she did shirk away a little.

“And you are so sure that you can secure all that just for the background of a boy?”

“Yes.” The advisor holds out his hand.

“Perhaps a dance was in order my lady so that we do not look out of place.” Swallowing her disgust, Lady Fan Lei took the wrinkled hand and allowed him to wrap his arm around her waist. “The prince was sure to propose to him when the three balls end.” The advisor whispered into Lady Fan Lei’s ear as they dance. She recoiled slightly, repulsed by his warm breath in her ear. “I need to ensure that the prince marries someone I can trust.” The advisor smirked sinisterly.

“The boy was cursed with obedience. He will do as you wish after the night ends. There was forbidden magic clouding him tonight, repelling the curse.” Lady Fan Lei murmured, relaxing slightly when the advisor twirled her away from his suffocating presence.

“That suits me very well indeed.” The advisor smiled, for behind his false loyalties to the king, a dangerous plot to seize the throne from the young prince had been formulated and could be put into motion immediately..

---------

“My father is dying.” Yifan murmured as the two of them settled on a garden bench away from the crowded ballroom. Yixing’s heart clenched in sympathy, having already gone through the pain of losing both parents.

“I’m sorry.” He mumbled, rubbing the Prince’s shoulder gently, hoping his genuine feeling would be felt through the slight touch.

“He wishes to see me married before I am crowned.” Yifan continued, his voice slowed as if he was unsure of what was going to unfold next. His amber eyes flickered to Yixing’s.

The younger male swallowed, mouth suddenly dry from the way the prince was looking at him. Yifan moved closer, crowding into Yixing’s personal space. He brought a hand up to cup Yixing’s jaw and the smaller man’s breathing hitched at how gentle it was. His lashes fluttered and fell shut as the Prince pressed his lips against his, their noses brushing against each other slightly. Their lips weren’t moving at any fast pace but the pressure building between their mouths made it all the more passionate. There were small nips of teeth, Yifan’s being purposeful but Yixing’s all accidental but their tongues always flicked over the abused area to soothe it. Yixing’s heart was thumping wildly in his chest, so loud and hard that he was sure that the Prince could hear it. The clock bell chimed, signaling the dreaded time and Yixing pulled away first, panting from the intensity of the kiss.

“What is it?” Yifan asked as he reached his hand out.

Yixing stared at him with wide eyes. “I, uh, I have to go!” He spun around, chest still heaving with emotion. Yifan had anticipated this, after the dramatic display the night before, and immediately curled a hand around his waist, holding him close to his body. “Let me go!” Yixing cried out, fists beating feebly at the prince’s chest.

Yifan held tight even as the man in his arms struggled to get away, wondering how he’d changed so quickly. He refused to let this man get away from him now, not when he was sure that his emotions would grow invested in Yixing. Nevertheless, Yixing cried out in desperation, pleading even as his strength waned until he was left sobbing weakly into the prince’s arms. His whole body was burning and it felt like he was being torn apart from the inside out.

The clock chimed again and Yixing panicked because he could feel the magic fading and the pain of the curse took his breath away. Yifan stared in wonder and shock as the sparkling white clothes Yixing was clothed in faded away, leaving him in a thin tank top and black jeans. A complete 180° switch from what he had looked like before.

Yixing convulsed and let out a moan of pain in the prince’s arms, straining against his hold. He writhed desperately, the pain clouding his senses. His head spun, his ears rang, his vision blurred and his hair was standing on end. He collapsed completely against the Yifan and trembled violently, the pain nearly too much for him to bear.

“Home.” He croaked out when Yifan looked at him in concern, the tall man bewildered into his own panic at the scene in front of him.

“What?” Yifan cradled the man in his arms even as he went into a fit of hurt again again, a tormented scream tearing from his throat.

“I… Home.” Yixing moaned in agony and nausea swept through him, sure that he was going to be sick.

He curled up in the prince’s arms and dry heaved, his head spinning and every fibre of him hurting. He vaguely heard Remedy’s scream but everything was too much with himself to care.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong with you?!” Yifan pleaded worriedly, completely alarmed at Yixing’s condition.

Yixing moaned again, in too much pain to speak properly. Yifan’s face loomed over him, concern written all over it.

He kind of liked that it was the last thing he saw before everything went black.

---------

Yixing stirred awake groggily, eyes flitting around the room he was lying in. He sat bolt upright when he remembered the events that had happened the night before, only to find that his wrists were wrapped in fibrous rope.

The Prince.

He panicked, fear slowly trickling through him. He was so distracted that he didn’t notice when the door was pushed open and a sinister looking man stepped in. "Ah, you're awake."

Yixing startled, turning his head to look at the stranger. "Who...who are you?" He murmured, cowering back into the pillows as the man came closer to the bed.

"That doesn't matter, does it? What matters is that my rank is higher than yours and you will obey my orders unconditionally." Fear tingled at the base of Yixing's spine, a warning that this man was not to be trusted. He swallowed and kept his eyes low. "It amazes me, that you are the only one in so many suitors that had managed to capture the prince's heart." The man sat on the edge of the bed and patted Yixing's leg gently. "Well done."

"W-what do you want from me?" Yixing stammered, fist closing tightly around the white satin sheets that felt unbelievably luxurious under his fingers.

"You see, sweetheart. The prince is not suited for the throne. He is too young and inexperienced. He is naive and easily persuaded. My own son is better suited to sit on the throne."

Realization dawned upon Yixing when he figured out what the man wanted him to do.

"No. I would never! It is treason!" Yixing cried out and tried to get off the bed and away from this horrible person but his wrists were bound tightly to the bed, holding him captive.

"You will because you don't have a choice." The man smiled menacingly.

"Tonight you will wear the suit we have provided for you. There is a dagger concealed within it. You will kill the crown prince with the dagger and speak no word of this to anyone." The man spoke slowly and purposefully, making sure to ingrain every word into Yixing's brain.

Yixing cried out in protest when the curse took ahold. The man leaned over and untied the ropes binding him. "You will not leave the palace grounds until you have completed what I have instructed of you." With those words, the man slinked off, satisfied.

Joonmyun jerked away from the door and hurried down the hall, his heart in his mouth.

How could his father do this?

He set his jaw as he walked into the Prince's room.

To show any indication that he knew of his father's plan would endanger the young man, his prince was so smitten with and he would not let any harm come to the boy, not if he could help it.

---------

Yixing curled up on the bed in the unfamiliar room, weeping softly. The curse would compel him to obey the command that the man had given no matter what he did.

‘You must fight with every fibre of your being.’

His mother's words echoed in the back of his mind and he stiffened, tears stopping in their tracks.

‘I will, mother,’ He thought as he sat upright. First he had to try tell someone about the command.

He left the room, determined to hunt down the prince. He hurried down unfamiliar hallways, occasionally peeking into rooms to locate the prince. He was so engrossed in searching that he didn’t see the young man rounding the corner the same time he did.

"Ow!" He cried out when he slams face first into a hard surface, a body much taller than his own.

"Are yo--Yixing!"  It was Chanyeol. Yixing could have cried with relief. He grabbed the sleeve of Chanyeol's shirt and dragged him into a secluded corner. "What on earth…?"

"I have to tell you something." Yixing looked up at his stepbrother desperately.

"Uh huh?" Chanyeol appeared to be confused, he had never seen Yixing look so desperate.

"It's about the prince. I... I've ... Ugh." Yixing keeled over, nausea striking him suddenly, quickly followed by pain. He fought against the urge to throw up and tried to get the words out. "Someone..." His knees buckle and he clenched at Chanyeol’s arm for support.

"What?" Chanyeol looked even more confused.

"The prince. He's..." Yixing whimpered and slipped onto his knees.

Chanyeol hauled his step brother to his feet. "I'm going to get Minseok."

"Minseok! He's here?" Yixing's heart jumped to his mouth.

It was forbidden for any magical being to even live so close to the palace. Any who dared to actually enter the palace and was discovered would face the death penalty. On the other hand, Minseok being here meant that he may have hope. Hope flickers to life in his chest and he allowed Chanyeol to half drag, half carry him to where Minseok was.