Hiraeth
LimerenceHiraeth (n) - A homesickness for a home you can't return to, or that never was
He opens his feline eyes to see the moon shining above him. A howl is heard in the distance as something takes flight in the trees around him. The woods are filled with sounds. Animals, weather and energies that are loud and hard to ignore. He hears a huff beside him and turns his head to see Indomitus looking at him with his dark eyes. He reaches his hand out, letting the stallion come to him as he nuzzles his hand. He waits patiently until he's satisfied before he lets his hand fall, relaxing his mind and his breathing until he can feel himself slowly drifting off.
Indomitus huffs again, making him open his eyes and let out a sigh. "Are you restless, love?" He mumbles as he rises from the ground. The horse neighs as he moves closer to him. He chuckles at his excited stomping. "Alright, alright." He says as he gets up, gathering the blanket he had lied on as he packs his things and readies his sadle. He runs a hand through Indomitus' white mane, the moonlight making his snow white coat stand out against the dark of the woods. In one swift move he jumps on the saddle, only needing to pat his neck before Indomitus takes off. He feels the wind blow his raven black hair from his eyes, feeling the cold air fill his lungs as he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.
He turns his head, seeing the lights fade from where he came from. He had stopped just outside of the city for the night, the feeling of home having calmed him before his new travel. But now that he sees it getting smaller in the distance, he feels a tugging in his chest. The knowing that he still can't go back haunts him, and he regrets coming back here only to look at the city from afar.
"Go faster, love." He whispers as he leans closer to Indomitus, feeling the wind getting harsher against his pale skin when he runs faster. His eyes start to sting as tears form and coat his cheeks, and he tries to blame it on the wind.
He buries his face against Indomitus' soft mane, calming himself as the stallion runs to wherever he pleases. He has nowhere to go, nowhere he belongs. Not anymore.
"Your highness, please." The man says with a sigh. "You are already late for your lesson and your father has asked of you to join the celebration." He continues to plead as he follows the boy running away from him. The boy ignores him as he swings his sword and blocks the attack of his sparring partner.
"What do you think, Minho? Will Jungsoo ever realize that I never listen to orders?" The boy says with a smirk as he blocks another attack.
"I believe Jungsoo and every other servant knows that, they just hope you will grow up someday." Minho says with a laugh. "And maybe that you will grow a few inches too." He teases. The boy growls as he attacks, but Minho takes advantage of his burst of anger and loss of control, easily tripping him by kicking his feet. He smirks as he leans on his sword. "And someday you might actually win over me." He finishes with a dazzling smile.
"Only if you stop cheating." The boy says with a sigh, letting Minho help him up as he finally turns to Jungsoo. "I will join the celebration, but you may tell the teacher I will take a ride instead of learning about dead kings and old battles." He says and hands Jungsoo his sword before heading to the stables.
"But what will his father say?" Jungsoo whines, earning a pat on the shoulder from Minho.
"The king is aware of the young prince's behavior, let us just hope he is in a good mood." The soldier says before walking away.
He's never been to these parts. He's not even sure where he is. He let Indomitus take him far away, but he might have gone too far. He looks up at the bright sky, it's already midday, and he's starving. He glances around, looking for anything to eat. He runs a hand through his raven locks, closing his eyes to listen for animals. Over his years of living in the wild he's always loved simply listening to sounds, using his senses individually to get a grasp of the world he lives in. With his hearing he can hear all the wonderful sounds, like rushing water and wind blowing through leaves. With his sight he can see all the beautiful colours, like the sunset and moonlight. With his scent he can smell all the heavenly scents around, like the flowers that bloom in the woods. With his taste he can experience all the flavours, like the sweet honey and berries. And with his touch he can feel everything, creating a connection with the earth and everything on it. To him it's special, and his link to his powers.
It takes him a while before he hears something approaching. He opens his eyes again and looks at the ground, where a sudden spot of brown is moving along the green grass. A small rabbit.
He tilts his head with a pout, finding it sad to let such a small and defensless animal die, but if it's for surviving then there's not much choice.
He's not carrying any weapons, though they're useless to him.
"Aduro." He whispers and raises his hand as a small spark ignites a flame in his hand. It's darker than a normal flame, burning almost black in his palm. He waits for the animal to stop before throwing the fire towards it.
It's quick, scurrying away, but the fire is magical and simply follows it. The rabbit squeels and runs faster, towards Indomitus. He draws a sharp intake when the flame runs past Indomitus' legs, scaring him and he loses control on his reins as he takes off.
"Indomitus, calm down!" He tries shouting, having to hold around his neck to keep from falling off as he gallops through the thick trees. He keeps trying to calm him down, too worked up to think of anything to do, so he holds on tight and hopes he'll relax, and that they don't run off a cliff.
Aranea nickers as the prince walks closer, giving her a smile as he through her fur. He saddles her up quickly, having done it so many times before, and jumps up. The mare neighs and happily walks out of the stable. The prince's smile widens as he sees the woods, shaking the reins as Aranea takes off.
It's the best feeling in the world. Getting away from all responsability and every stuck up person his father pushes on him to teach him manners. He doesn't hate his life, being the son of the king is heaven sometimes, but he honestly just wants a few weeks off. He wants to join Minho and the other soldiers when they travel to other kingdoms. He wants to see the world.
Aranea's ears shoot up when a noise reaches them. The young prince raises an eyebrow and his eyes widens when the mare suddenly runs in the direction of the noise.
"Aranea, where are you going?" He says worried, the mare never takes off with this kind of urgency.
Then the noise reaches them again, and he notices it's another horse. He looks around, searching for the source, and in the distance he sees a white stallion heading towards them. It only takes him a few seconds before he notices that the stallion is not alone. A person in a dark cloak is wrapped around it's neck, and the young prince immidiately knows something is wrong. He quickly pulls in the reins and hurries Aranea. "Come on, girl." He whispers as he keeps an eye on the approaching stallion.
It's incredibly fast, it only takes it a couple of seconds before it almost running by them. But the stallion is for some reason heading straight towards Aranea, frightened and in panic. The prince turns the mare around, and makes her run the same direction as the stallion, and he has to make her run faster to catch up when the stallion rushes past them.
He reaches his hand out, grabbing the reins that are just hanging off the side, and pulls them back. "Woah, calm down boy." He says, glad to see the stallion slowly calming down as it comes to a stop. Aranea nuzzles close as she curiously approaches him, the prince lets them do whatever as he looks at the person in the dark cloak.
"Are you alright?" He asks softly.
The person raises his head quickly, looking around confused until the eyes settle on him. The prince is knocked back when their eyes meet.
Bright forest green. Wide feline eyes stare back into his dark brown ones. In all his life he's never met anyone with a more stunning shade in their eyes. When he comes down from his shock he looks at the other's face. The boy has raven black hair, framing his high cheekbones and standing out against his pale skin. His dark eyebrows are raised in curiosity as his rosy and bow-shaped lips are slightly open, as if he was going to say something.
"Are you alright?" He asks again, looking away from his unique features and settling for looking at the two horses to see that they're getting along.
"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you." The prince is a little surprised by how low the voice is that comes out of those plush lips. He looks back at him, once again mesmerized by the two different eyecolours.
"What caused your stallion to lose control, if I may ask?" He asks as he tilts his head.
The boy furrows his brows as he hesitates, looking like he has to think about it. "Something must have frightened him." He answers eventually. The prince nods, feeling the silence hanging over them as he stares.
"My apologies for staring, but I have never seen someone with such stunning eyes. What is your name?" He asks, secretly hoping the stranger will stay. Something about him wants the prince to know more, almost as if he's pulled closer.
"My name is Kibum. What is yours?" He asks back.
"Jonghyun." The prince says with a smile. "You are not from here. Are you a traveler?" He asks, looking at the bags on the stallion.
"Yes, do you mind telling me where I am?" Kibum asks as he glances around.
"You are just outside of King Jaejoong's kingdom." Jonghyun explains.
"I do not know of this King Jaejoong? Is he a kind king?" Kibum asks with a tilt of his head. Jonghyun chuckles softly.
"At times yes, though I do not see that side often." He says with a smile, making Kibum tilt his head in confusion. "I am heading back to the castle, would you like to join me?" He asks.
"That is very generous of you, yes." Kibum says, and pulls on the stallion's reins as he follows Jonghyun out of the woods.
He's intrigued, and a little too curious about the boy on the dark mare. The second he had raised his head and met those big brown eyes he had felt something spark, and that often doesn't mean a good thing. The strange boy had big eyes, messy light brown locks over bushy eyebrows, a sharp jawline and a very nice smile. Kibum turns his head to Jonghyun, taking in the tailored clothes and broad shoulders. From the clothes, Kibum can guess he's from a rich family. And from how he spoke of the castle and the King, he must live there.
He runs a hand absentmindly through his hair as he looks away from the boy, trying to keep his mind off the hunger rising in him. Since Indomitus had ran off before he could capture anything, he's gone all day without a proper meal, and he can feel it. He feels tired and drained, just from using a little magic earlier. He would have to ask Jonghyun where he can buy food later.
Just as he finishes that thought he can see the end of the treeline. In the outskirts of the woods rises tall stone walls surrounding the castle, it's towers standing tall and proud in the clearing. He's seen a few castles in his life, and he can easily say this is one of the nicest. King Jaejoong must be a good king.
It takes them a while before they reach the gates, and Kibum's head whips left and right as he takes in everything inside the castle, from the magnificent garden and to the fountain in the middle. He follows Jonghyun to a stable, where he slides off the sadle and runs his hand over Indomitus' coat as he gives the stallion a fond smile. He takes off the sadle and his bags. He turns his head to see Jonghyun doing the same with the mare, giving her a soft pat as he walks over to put the sadle away.
He's about to ask the boy what his role is at the castle when someone runs into the stable, exhausted and panting as he holds a finger up to signal them to wait. Jonghyun sighs and rolls his eyes.
"Jungsoo, I already told you I will not attend my lessons today." The boy says as he crosses his arms over his chest. Making his already tight shirt beg for mercy as it tries to hold itself together.
"Your father.....the celebration.....half an hour." The man, Jungsoo, says in broken sentences. Kibum watches as Jonghyun's eyes widen.
"I was gone that long? He will certainly kill me if I am late." Jonghyun says with a groan. He turns with an apologizing smile to Kibum. "I am terribly sorry, but it seems I have to leave. Jungsoo?" He says as he turns back to the man. "Would you please Kibum to one of the guest rooms?" He asks. Jungsoo looks at Kibum like he just realized there was another person in the stable.
"Y-yes, your h-" Jungsoo's words are cut off when Jonghyun runs out. The man lets out a sigh as if he's used to the boy running away from him, and turns back to Kibum. "If you would please follow me." He says as he starts walking out.
If the outside of the castle looked great, the inside looked breathtaking. Kibum has to keep himself from also running away from Jungsoo as he looks at all the paintings and designs they pass on the way to the guest room.
"My apologies for asking, but who are you?" Jungsoo says as he takes a glance back to Kibum.
"No one. My horse got frightened in the woods, Jonghyun came to my aid." He says softly, and raises an eyebrow when Jungsoo's eyes widen.
"He told you to call him Jonghyun?" He asks surprised.
"Yes..." Kibum says, confused. "Is there a problem?" He asks.
"I guess if he told you to then it is not my right to say anything about it. Here it is, enjoy your stay. I will make sure to let....Jonghyun know which room you are in." Jungsoo says as he opens one of the doors.
"This is a guest room?" Kibum says as his eyes widen and he walks in slowly as he stares at the huge room. "It looks like a house!" He exclaims as he takes in the king sized bed and the gold details in the wood, the mirror by a closet and the slightly ajar door leading to a bathroom.
When he looks back he finds that Jungsoo has already left, leaving him alone.
He sighs as he turns back, letting his bags fall to the floor as he explores the room. He softly glides his hand over the sheets, not remembering the last time he felt something so soft and smooth. He moves over to the mirror, taking in the dark circles under his eyes. He's glad to finally be able to sleep in a bed after going a week with sleeping in the woods. He unties the cloak from his neck and hangs it over a chair in the corner.
His stomach growls suddenly, and he remembers how hungry he is. He won't be able to wait for whatever gathering Jonghyun was supposed to attend. He walks over to one of his bags, searching for a specific something to help him. His eyes shimmer as they find the small pouch he had benn looking for and he stands up before walking over to the door.
The hallway is empty, so he walks out slowly. He can't hear any approaching footsteps either. From what he had seen of the castle outside, it may take him a while to find something to eat, and he only hopes that they will let him have something if he mentions he knows Jonghyun. He's still wondering who this Jonghyun may be.
He walks the same way he and Jungsoo had gone, hoping that if he maybe walked all the way to the entrance it would be easier to locate a kitchen.
Even though his eyes are getting drawn away by the beautiful designs on the wall, the hunger in his belly keeps him going until he hears something. He stops, focusing on his hearing. He can hear voices, but they don't seem to be coming closer. He walks quietly down the spiral stairs as he holds his breath, staying close to the walls. He knows that if he just walks normally it would appear less suspicious than how he's acting now, but he can't help be careful since he's in a different kingdom.
When he reaches the bottom the voices are much clearer. He follows them into a hallway but stops when he sees it leads to a open room. He goes closer, holding his breath again as he focuses on the voices.
"And the training seems to be going exceptionally well. I feel I owe our General a toast." A soothing and gentle voice says.
"That will not be needed your Highness, I was simply doing my service." A huskier voice answers. "Now it would go quicker to train our soldiers if your son was not stealing them all the time to play games." He continues with a chuckle.
"Yes, I agree. Maybe he should join your training. I feel it will do you good to use that strength of yours for something useful, other than running away from your servants." The same voice says. Something is mumbled back, but Kibum is too far away to hear it clearly.
His stomach has the worse timing to start growling again, and he quickly gets away as silently as he can. When he gets back to the hallway he continues to walk. He has a feeling that was the King he had heard.
The longer he walks, the more tired he feels in his body. He hadn't thought it was this serious, but considering he's been riding horseback all day and not used his body he wouldn't realize how little energy he had. He can feel a small headache that's probably been hiding, and he knows he's going to get dizzy soon.
A scent hits his nose as he turns a corner, the smell of baked goods leading him closer, and he finally reaches the door to the kitchen. By now his legs feel weak, his breathing is harsh and he can already feel that he won't be using any magic. He opens the door, taking in the women rushing back and forth between stone ovens and counters, chattering in hight pitched voices. When they notice the boy in the doorway they give him a smile.
"Hello sweetheart. Are you hungry?" One of the older women asks as she approaches him. He's surprised how they welcome him so easily when he's a stranger, and it must show on his face because she begins to laugh. "Jungsoo came by a while ago to inform there was a guest. Now, come come, let us get you something to eat." She says as she reaches forward to grab his arm. The problem is that Kibum can't move. He can feel the headache getting worse, and his vision gets blurry when the woman pulls him forward. His legs give in as his vision turns black.
It takes him a while before he opens his eyes. He can hear people around him, but the headache makes it hard to pinpoint how far away they are. He can smell herbs and medicine, and the strong smell makes him open his eyes. He knows he's laying in a bed, and he looks around to see he's in some kind of study, considering the room is filled with books and different jars on shelves. There's a man standing by a table, grinding herbs into a bowl. As if he knows someone's looking at him, the man looks up, and gives Kibum a smile.
"Hello. Nice to see you are awake." He says as he walks over. "My name is Lee Jinki, I am the royal court physician." He says calmly. "Do you remember what happened before you fainted?" He asks.
"I was starving and dehydrated so I was looking for something to eat." Kibum says, already knowing why he fainted. All he wants now is to get something to eat so he won't do it again.
"That is true. You gave the maids a good fright when you fainted in the kitchen." Jinki says with a snort. "They were kind enough to come by with something for you to eat. Here." He says as he walks back over to the table and grabbing a different bowl.
"Have I been asleep for a long time?" Kibum asks as he takes the bowl with a nod.
"No, an hour I suppose." Jinki says with a shrug as he goes back to grinding the herbs. "So, where are you from? And what is your business here?" He asks.
"I am from a small village maybe half a day ride from here, and I do not have any business here." Kibum says with a shrug.
"You are a traveler?" Jinki asks.
"In a way, yes." Kibum mumbles while he eats.
"Your eyes are extraordinary if I may say. I have only seen such green eyes once or twice in my life." Jinki says as he looks up from the bowl.
"It is normal to me, I suppose." Kibum says with a shrug of his shoulders. His next words are cut off when the door opens and Jonghyun walks in with wide eyes.
"Are you alright?" He says, which seems to be a constant sentence from Jonghyun.
"Yes, I am fine." Kibum answers, feeling dejà vu hit him.
"I leave you alone for an hour and you get yourself into trouble again." Jonghyun says with a chuckle. Kibum smiles and continues to eat. "Hey Jinki." Jonghyun says as he turns to the physician.
"Hello, I am surprised to see you here so soon, the celebration is not over yet." Jinki says. Jonghyun looks down at the ground.
"I may have heard the maids chattering about a guest fainting, and since all the other guests were there I could only assume they were talking about Kibum. And I may have...stormed out..." Jonghyun says with a nervous chuckle, making Jinki sigh as he goes back to grinding his herbs again.
"Your father will not be so forgiving as last time. It is possible he will start tying you to the chair to keep you from running off again." Jinki says.
Just before Kibum is able to ask who his father is, the door opens again, and a tall man walks in. Kibum puts the bowl away and sits up in curiousity when he notices the man's robe and attire. There is no mistaking this is the King. But why he would come here is beyond Kibum.
The King glances quickly over at Kibum before his dark eyes land on Jonghyun and he glares. Without saying anything he walks closer and slaps him across the back of his head. "This is the last time I am letting you run off at dinner. When will you learn your manners, boy?" He scolds, but he doesn't sound very angry, more annoyed and a little exasperated.
The pieces fall together then, and Kibum lets out a long sigh as he buries his head in his hands, drawing the attention of the people in the room. "You are the prince?" He just mumbles. Of course he would run into the prince. Why didn't he notice before?
"Who are you?" The King asks, and Kibum sits up again.
"Kim Kibum, your Highness." He answers politely.
"I met him in the woods when his horse lost control and-" Jonghyun's sentence is interrupted when the King slaps him again.
"Did I not tell you to stop running off into the woods? You are supposed to attend your lessons." The King scolds again.
"Will you stop hitting me, it hurts!" Jonghyun whines.
"I will when you stop acting like a child." The King huffs annoyed, his frown turning into a pout. "Why will you never listen to me anymore? You used to be so kind when you were a child." He mumbles.
"He is a teenager, he is just acting out. It is their rebellious instincts." Jinki comments and shrugs.
"I am almost 21!" Jonghyun says.
"Either way, if you run off one more time, I am chaining you to the chair." The King says before walking out. Jonghyun huffs with a pout before turning back.
"I told you so." Jinki comments innocently.
"Oh shut it, old man." Jonghyun says with a playful glare, smirking at the offended look on Jinki's face.
"I am just 3 years older than you!" He shouts. Jonghyun laughs and walks over to Kibum.
"So, you really did not know I was the prince?" Jonghyun asks with a smile.
"Yeah, I do not know how, since you basically scream royalty." Kibum mumbles as he takes another look at Jonghyun, now wearing even more formal and royal clothes.
"I take that as a compliment." Jonghyun says and laughs. "Hey Jinki, he is alright to go, right?" He asks the physician. Kibum closes his eyes for a second, feeling his energy pulsing inside himself, his magic easily spreading through his body and to his fingertips. He throws his sheets off and stands up.
"I said I am fine." He says and smiles. Jonghyun gives him a suspicious eyebrow but shrugs and leads Kibum out. The raven waves goodbye to Jinki before following the prince into the hallway.
"What would you like to do now?" Jonghyun asks.
"Well, even if this castle is roomy, I would like some fresh air." Kibum says with a sigh.
"That can be arranged." Jonghyun says with a chuckle, beginning to walk towards the stairs. Kibum follows, knowing he'll only get lost if he tries to go anywhere on his own. Plus, he's curious about Jonghyun. It may be danger to connect with royalty, but Kibum doesn't feel Jonghyun will harm him.
It takes them a while to get to the entrance, and Kibum feels a smile on his face when he remembers the lovely garden in the courtyard. He excitedly follows the prince outside, gasping when the door opens and the cold fresh air hits him. It swirls around him, and he can feel energy bursting through him, boosting his magic until he feels a rush of it running through his veins. He has to look away from the prince so he won't see the effects of the magic on him. He wants to keep it a secret, until he knows more about this kingdom.
He opens his eyes again when he feels the rush dissapate. He looks around, seeing Jonghyun already heading for the fountain, and joins him down the steps. The weather is lovely, and Kibum sits down on the stone in silence, enjoying the beauty of the garden. Nature has always had a way of calming him and filling him with a sense of home. It helps, since his actual home is....unaccesable at the moment.
He tries to change the frown that has formed on his face, and turns to Jonghyun. "So, tell me about this kingdom." He says softly. A part of him is interested in knowing if this kingdom is safe to be in, but a small part of him feels a need to hear more of Jonghyun's voice.
1st chapter is up!
I really hope you all like it, and that my writing isn't weird. It's really hard to write medieval conversations when you don't actually know which words were used at that time.
Names and incantations:
Indomitus - Untamed, Wild (Latin)
Aranea - Spider's web (Latin)
Aduro - Kindle, to set fire, light (Latin)
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Thanks bye
chu~~
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