Heechul’s whole body shook, his skin chilled, yet scorching hot. He couldn’t hear anything. The world was dark and quiet around him. Something cool was beneath his cheek and he could smell fresh hay. The last thing Heechul remembered was lying on the ground by the lake. Someone had been calling his name through the night.

    Eyes fluttering open, Heechul shivered as he observed his surroundings. He was lying on a stone floor inside what looked like a basement. There was a small window above his head that let in light and a door with bars at the top and a sliding metal panel on the bottom. Fresh hay was stacked in the corner and there was a worn blanket draped over him.

    Sitting up, Heechul clutched the dirty red blanket around him and tried to stop his shaking. His whole body ached and his eyes felt hot. It wasn’t hard to figure out that he had a fever, most likely caused by lying in the rain half-dressed.

    “Where am I?” Heechul mumbled to himself as he peeked beneath his blanket to find he was . “And where are my clothes?”

    “You’re awake,” a voice sounded as the metal panel in the bottom of the door slid open and a tray full of food was placed inside the room. “I brought you something to eat.”

    “Who are you?” Heechul asked, “Where am I?”

    “My name is Zhoumi,” the voice answered, a neatly stacked set of clothing being placed inside the room next. “And, you’re in the basement of Geng Castle. Lord HanGeng purchased you from Lord Lee this morning.”

    “I’ve been sold?” Heechul panicked, “They can’t sell me. I’m not a slave!”

    “Lord Lee said you’ve been with his estate since you were a child. We got a discount on you because you were sick,” Zhoumi detailed, “I was told to keep you quarantined until your fever breaks. I brought soup and new clothes. You need to eat.”

    “Thank-you,” Heechul whispered, “Can I ask you a question, Zhoumi?”

     “Yes,”

    “What is it like working for Lord HanGeng?” Heechul asked as he reached for the tray of food. “How does he treat his servants?”

    “He treats us like most members of nobility do,” Zhoumi replied, “Lord Geng sees us as objects to be used for his benefit.”

     “I see,” Heechul mumbled, his heart sinking. “Lord Lee was the same.”

    “I heard rumors that Lord Lee takes his servants to bed when he’s angry with them. I heard he does things to them. Is that true?”

    “Yes,” Heechul admitted with shiver. “I was taken to his bed more times than I can remember.”

    “I can tell you that Lord HanGeng isn’t as bad as Lord Lee,” Zhoumi assured, “We’re beaten when we disobey. That has to be a better punishment than…,”

    “I would rather be beaten to an inch of death than let that man touch me,” Heechul cut off, “He made me feel like I were dead inside. I still feel that way.”

    “Get well soon, Kim Heechul” Zhoumi chirped on the other side of the door, “When you feel better, I’ll show you to your real room and give you a tour of the grounds.”

    “Thank-you,” Heechul bid goodbye as he began to sip the soup Zhoumi had brought him.

    Heechul spent the rest of the day huddled under his blanket fighting off a fever. When the sun began to set, Heechul made a nest in the hay and tried to go to sleep. His health was on the mend, but his heart remained broken beyond repair. Being sold used to be something he feared, but now he had no feelings on the subject. Maybe being away from his stepfather was a good thing?

    The sound of the chamber door opening, caused Heechul to flinch and sit up with a jerk. Soft lantern light filled the room as a tall figure stepped inside the room. He approached Heechul and knelt down on the floor next to him. The man had dark hair and a kind smile. His clothing was that of a noble and his gaze seemed worried.

    “Are you feeling better?” the man asked, “Your fever was very high this morning.”

    “I’m fine,” Heechul whispered, “Who are you?”

    “I’m Lord Geng,” the man introduced, extending his hand. “Your new master.”

     “It’s nice to meet you, My Lord.” Heechul greeted as he took HanGeng’s hand and allowed the handsome help him to his feet.

    “You’re as beautiful as Lord Lee said you were,” Lord Geng complimented, lifting Heechul’s hand and kissing the back of it. “I have special duties for you, Kim Heechul. I’ve heard you have talents in the bedroom.”

     “I…,” Heechul stammered, backing up until he hit the stone wall. “No, My Lord.”

     “No?” Lord Geng repeated, “I purchased you because of Lord Lee’s recommendation of your talents as a lover. I did not need another servant to cook and clean. Zhoumi can handle that on his own.”

    “Zhoumi told me you didn’t touch your servants.”

    “I don’t, but I will make an exception for you.” Lord Geng informed, pinning Heechul against the wall and leaning in to steal a forced kiss. “We’re going to have fun together, Kim Heechul. Don’t worry, I like to pamper my lovers.”

    Miles away inside the royal palace, Prince Choi Siwon sat in the windowsill inside his bedchambers with his eyes focused on the night sky. He was lost in thought, his mind a jumble of feelings and memories that didn’t make sense to him. The Lady he let himself fall in love with had been nothing but a lie. Lady Heemi wasn’t even real.

    “Sire,” Lord Kyuhyun’s voice sounded as he stormed into the room holding a golden slipper in his hands. “Please, I need to speak with you.”

   “Not now, Kyu.” Siwon dismissed, “It’s late; I need to sleep. Mother wants to make my engagement announcement in the morning.”

     “You can’t marry Lady Tiffany,” Kyuhyun pleaded, crossing the room and dropping Heechul’s slipper into Siwon’s lap. “You do not love her.”

    “What does love have to do with marriage?”

    “You used to believe that you should only marry someone you love,” Kyuhyun reminded, “You told me that you didn’t want to be like your parents.”

     “I was a fool,” Siwon lamented, his gaze moving to the shoe in his lap. “I fell in love with a lie, Kyu. It was all a lie.”

     “It wasn’t all lies,” Kyuhyun argued, “You didn’t give him a chance to explain himself. Heechul came to the ball to tell you the truth, and you let those monsters get to him before he could. What you did to that poor man last night was horrible.”

    “What he did to me wasn’t any less horrible,” Siwon countered, “I thought I’d found my soulmate, but I was wrong. I fell in love with a slave.”

     “He’s not a slave, Sire.” Kyuhyun began, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a set of nobility documents. “Lord Lee’s servant, Leeteuk, smuggled these out of the manor for me. They’re nobility papers for Lord Kim Heechul, son of Lord Kim and Lady Heemi.”

     “What are you trying to say, Kyu?”

    “Heechul told me he was dressed as his mother the day you met only as a means to bail his friend out. He was afraid to show up at court dressed as himself, for a slave has no voice.” Kyuhyun detailed, “It was you that misunderstood, Sire. He was too afraid to tell you the truth. You had just arrested his best friend.”

    “Why was he working as a servant if he is nobility?” Siwon asked, his resolve softening as he picked up Heechul’s slipper and observed the delicate golden fabric.

    “Heechul’s father died when he was very young and his mother remarried. When she died, Lord Lee moved him to the attic and hid him as a slave. He feared when Heechul came of age he’d take the estate from him.” Kyuhyun explained, “Leeteuk told me about the things Lord Lee did to Heechul over the years. He treated him like a piece of dirt. Leeteuk told me that Soo-Man took Heechul to bed when he disobeyed. Sire, he did terrible things to him. I don’t know how Heechul survived so long. He is terrified of his stepfather, Sire.”

     “Kyu,” Siwon whispered, tears filling his eyes as he stared longingly at Heechul’s slipper. “I think I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have let him go.”

    “Does that mean you still love him, even though he’s not a Lady, Sire?”

    “I fell in love with Lady Heemi’s spirit, not her body.” Siwon informed, “I fell in love with her heart, and her beautiful smile.”

    “Heechul still has those things,” Kyuhyun pointed out, “His feelings for you are real. Everything he told you is true. The only lie, was his gender.”

    “I need to see him,” Siwon declared as he stood.

    “It’s late, Sire. Maybe you should wait until morning?”

   “My Mother is going to announce my engagement in the morning. I can’t wait. I have to see him tonight.”

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It's been a horrble 24 hours. I feel like I'm losing my mind..., anyway...,

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