"Tamp down your boots and don't get mud on the floor. I just cleaned it." Minseok instructed as Yixing shut the balcony door leading in from the outside.

He stiffened and exhaled as he scraped his boots on the worn rug, while Minseok turned to the kitchen cupboards and pulled open a locked drawer. He withdrew a slim wooden stick about half the length of his arm. Yixing looked upon amusedly as Minseok waved the wand around haphazardly, murmuring unintelligible words to himself.

He turned to Yixing and flicked his wrist smoothly. The wand sparked and Yixing jerked back in surprise. "Hold still. Or it won’t work." Minseok waved the wand again and showered Yixing in glittering embers; he pulled his face into a frowning concentration and Yixing gasped in surprise when the sparks increased in intensity. They tingled and tickled and he could not help his smile. "All done."

The embers glowed ever brighter and practically blinded Yixing. They blazed white once more and then vanished, causing them to both blink slowly as their pupils adjusted to the flashes.

Minseok dragged him to the mirror that Lady Fan Lei had demanded be installed on the landing on the first floor. Yixing gaped at the stranger standing in front of him. The boy in the mirror had blonde hair styled into a quiff and was wearing black slacks and a matching undershirt. But, the most stunning thing was the blue jacket that hung from his slim figure flatteringly, bringing out his hazel eyes. It glimmered faintly, as he watched, it appeared to give off its own light.

"It repels the enchantment but only until midnight so do not take it off," Minseok warned as he pressed something blue into Yixing's hand.

Still in a complete state of shock, Yixing turned the thing over in his palm; it was the mask he had spent so much time working on. Minseok had enhanced it with his magic and the feathers gleamed blue instead of white and the entirety of it was accented in gold.

"Come on, stop staring. You'll miss your ride." Minseok dragged Yixing out the front door, whistling sharply. A shining white horse cantering up to them, prancing and flicking its mane proudly.

Yixing could barely recognize his own horse under the influence of the magic, "Remedy?!"

The horse's coat gleamed like mother of pearl in the moonlight.

"A prince always needs an . Remedy at the ball will be a man. Go now but remember midnight."

Minseok tidied the fringes of Remedy's new regal saddle and helped Yixing up. Remedy pranced and whinnied as Yixing laced the reins through his hands, as if he was proud of his own new appearance.

"Thank you so much." He whispered, his grip coming to tighten on the leather as Remedy side steps and shifted beneath him.

Minseok's usually stern face softened and he patted Yixing's luxuriously clad leg gently. "You deserve this. Now go and enjoy yourself."

Yixing smiled and pressed his legs to Remedy's side to bring him about and head towards the end of the courtyard.

---------

The palace is beautiful.

Yixing thought as Remedy stepped into the courtyard, hooves clicking softly on the cobblestones. He dismounted, still staring at the palace unwaveringly. There’s an enchanting fairytale feel to the architecture; the main body of it was as white as snow and had detail swirling over in hues of blue and pink.

Remedy shook his mane almost arrogantly and morphed into a man with dark brown hair wearing a white suit with a very severe face. He looked commanding but it was softened by how delicately pale his skin was.

"Remedy?" Yixing stared in surprise.

"Call me Sehun tonight." The man reached out and set Yixing's hand into the crook of his arm to lead him indoors. "Let's go my lord."

Speechless, Yixing allowed himself to be led along to the giant oak doors of the palace. The guard standing outside stared as he opened the entrance wordlessly for them. Yixing could feel his gaze lingering even as they passed through. The ballroom had him stunned; lavishly decorated in glittering pastel shades for the occasion, flowers flowing from the walls and light spinning in warm reflections on every surface.

Remedy, or rather, Sehun., offered a hand to Yixing. "A dance my lord?"

Yixing flushed as he took it.

He had not danced in so long that he was rusty and constantly stood on Sehun's toes. Sehun didn’t mind for a moment but patiently guided him through the moves; his muscle memory slowly kicking in through the dance. His first with anybody other than his parents. As the last notes of the song drifted away, Yixing became aware of a gaze lingering on his back as Sehun twirled him through the last steps.

Whispers floated through the air as he stepped away from Sehun, his bashful nature suddenly taking over.

"He's gorgeous."

"Where do you think he's from?"

"The prince will love him, my god."

Yixing ducked his head just as a shadow fell over them both.

"My lord. May I introduce you to the crown prince?"

The young man, who had come to stand next to him offered him a hand, just as a giant of a man came to flank Yixing and he startled, his body reacting by grabbing onto Sehun's arm. The second man was so handsome that the sight of him took Yixing's breath away. His honey blonde hair styled into a quiff and a royal blue coat cladding his torso, which ended at the top of his hips to show off his long legs. The prince was a striking figure, possibly the most awe inspiring being Yixing had ever laid his eyes upon.

"May I steal your partner for the next dance?" The prince asked pleasantly, sending Sehun a quick smile simultaneously.

Sehun released Yixing's hand and bowed stiffly. He caught Yixing's eye and gestured towards the clock, a reminder of the constraint time would bring to the evening. Yixing nodded in understanding as he moved forward to take the Prince's hand.

The royal beamed down at him, a line of gum above the perfect teeth revealing itself, as he twirled him through the opening steps of the dance. He whispered when they got close enough,

"Relax. You're so tense."

Yixing does so, his body following the command unconsciously but it’s the first time in years that he hasn’t needed to fight the curse. Or maybe, it was his body responding to the regal male leading him around the dancefloor.

---------

Yifan can hardly believe his eyes, the man he had been dreaming about is standing right here in front of him! Granted,nhe was wearing a mask and he may be making a mistake but thenman was so beautiful, he can hardly keep his eyes off him. The only person causing that reaction in the most recent of times was the man in the forest, the likelihood of them being the same person rising with each moment he was stunned.

The young man stumbled and Yifan wrapped an arm around his waist to steady him. "Easy." He whispered, pulling the man flush with his chest.

The man blushed prettily and Yifan smiled in reaction to it, twirling him around in time with the music. "The name's Yifan."

He spoke in a breathy hush as the music faded away and the dance ended, with them pressed up against each other. Yixing stared up at him, the name ringing familiar in his head, and lowers his head shyly. "I'm Yixing.”

After a sound of contentment, Yixing lifts his head up and they smile at each other until commotion in their peripheral vision attracted their attention. Yixing gasps and nearly lifted his hand to shield his face until he remembered his mask as Zitao was standing directly in his line of sight, staring starry-eyed at the prince. Chanyeol was at his side rolling his eyes, a re-enactment of the scene Yixing say daily at home. "Your Highness, may I have the next dance?"

Zitao practically threw himself at the prince, flinging a dirty look at Yixing who was standing in the Prince's arms.

"Ah... It would be a pleasure, but I have already promised the entire night's dances to him."

Yifan smiled awkwardly and slid an arm possessively around Yixing's waist. Zitao bared his teeth in a grimacing smile as he backed away, his brother forever at his side.