Raven’s eyes glittered in delight as she watched the image in her crystal shard fade out. Her pet ravens had delivered the warning and message. The healer's son would work even harder now to uncover a cure for the curse and she would help him along, coaxing him towards the castle at the other side of the Mofa Forest. Then everything would go as planned.

She flicked her wrist again and the image of the healer’s son reappeared. She sighed dreamily upon his appearance. With his fair skin and soulful eyes like those of a dove, he was the epitome of perfection. The dark curly hair that had to be swept aside or tucked behind his ear looked as soft as a new-born rabbit’s skin. When dressed in all white, he looked, to put it the way the prince had, like an angel sent from heaven. She could stare at him all day.

Raven watched as a large hand curled around his slender wrist and the prince came into view, backing the healer’s son into a wall. Her heart filled with anger at how roughly her dearest was being treated. A creature so ethereal should never be treated so harshly. To her, someone like Yixing should live in a palace and be the prince and she could give him that. The thought that he was living a life as a servant to the bastard prince intensified her rage. Soon, she consoled herself. Soon she would get her hands on him and he would be hers, forever.

 

-

 

Yifan narrowed his eyes at his best friend who was pounding some herbs with a mortar and pestle. “Tell me what happened yesterday.”

“Nothing much happened. You shot the stag, but it got away, then you got a headache and out.” Yixing steadily avoided the prince’s eyes as he ground the herbs down into a fine paste. One of the lords had fallen from his horse the day before and broken his ribs. His father had ordered for the herbs and he needed to get them finished.

“That's not the whole truth and you know it." Yifan grabbed the advisor’s hand, tone accusing. "There’s something else.”

“We can talk about this later, can't we? I have to get this done for my father,” Yixing pleaded, claiming back his hand.

“I'll go find Zitao then,” Yifan said, just to spite him.

Sure enough, Yixing's grip on the pestle tightened and the muscles in his jaw tensed even as he spoke calmly. “Go ahead, just don't miss your sparring lesson with Jongin.”

Yifan was tempted to miss the lesson just to see Yixing’s reaction, but sparring was a lesson he shared with Joonmyun, and with his friend leaving for home in about two days, he wanted to spend as much time as he could with him. As he sidestepped a maid hurrying down the hallway, he remembered the words he had overheard the night before when he had lain barely conscious in his bed.

 

“I expect that the sudden urge to shoot the stag is a result of the magic as well.”

 

Yifan's brow creased as he pulled open a door that led out into the gardens. He had been lying when he said he was going to look for Zitao. The guard was in training at the moment and would not be done till lunchtime.

 

“Does it mean that she has found him?”

 

Who was father talking about? Who found me? Why did father sound so afraid?  Yifan thought as he stepped into the gardens, the smell of chrysanthemums filling the air. He wandered towards the maze, idly wondering if he could find the pavilion again. He remembered playing catch with Yixing in this maze when he was little, and they always found the center of the maze without too much trouble.

 

"So we can prevent this from happening.”

 

What was the ‘this’ his father was talking about? Prevent what from happening? 

 

“A curse is never so simple.”

 

Yifan frowned. What curse? Am I cursed?

 

“What are you thinking so hard about, Yifan?”

Yifan jumped about a foot in the air when a gentle voice pierced through his thoughts. He crashed into a tall hedge and fell on his bottom.

Liu Xing laughed as she offered a hand for the prince to take.

“Nothing much.” The prince blushed as he accepted the hand.

“Alright. If you say so.” Liu Xing smiled and turned to clip off a few branches from the overgrown hedge.

Yifan made up his mind just as the gardener reached for her bucket. “Xing jie.”

“Hm?” She glanced at him with a smile.

“What do you know about my brother?”

Liu Xing’s smile slipped off her face and she picked up her bucket. “Not much, I'm afraid. His name was Luhan. He had the most beautiful eyes, the colour of chocolate. He had golden blonde hair like you and your father and pale skin like your mother.”

Yifan watched the gardener’s face as she spoke.

“It was most unfortunate that he was struck with crib death,” She finished softly.

The prince frowned at this. It seemed that everyone assumed that his older brother was dead. “You've never heard of a curse put on him, have you?” He tested the waters, watching Liu Xing’s face closely.

The gardener’s face closed off and she snipped off an overhanging branch. “It will be wise for you, Yifan, not to question things you don't understand. Magic is forbidden talk and it will be best for you to stay away from it.”

Yifan blinked and pounced on the chance. “But that's not an answer. You didn't answer my question.”

Liu Xing narrowed her eyes. “No. Magic was banned from the kingdom a long long time ago and there was no talk of it at all. I'm surprised you even think there is such a possibility.”

Yifan was about to retort when Yixing walked into the maze, carrying a basket. “Mama, could I have some more chrysanthemums please? Papa needs them for the lord.”

Liu Xing clipped off a few flowers from the hedge and set them inside the basket. “Will you take Yifan away as well? He's asking funny questions. I think you need to talk to Henry about his history lesson content.” She sent her son a meaningful look.

Yixing sighed before wrapping a hand around Yifan’s arm. “C’mon. Let's drop these flowers off and we need to get you into sparring attire.” He dragged the prince off before he could protest.

 

The moment they re-entered the palace, Yifan shrugged off Yixing’s hand and glared at him. “You promised me answers.”

The advisor’s grip on the basket tightened and he turned away. “I need to get this to my father.”

Yifan felt a wave of frustration rush through him and he grabbed for Yixing’s wrist, swinging him backwards and cornering him into a wall.

The advisor gasped and stumbled, eyes shooting up to look at his best friend. The prince was standing so close that their chests were almost touching. “Your Highness…” Yixing let his voice trail off as their eyes locked.

Yifan's voice was low and raw. “Since when have we had secrets, Xing? I thought we told each other everything.”

The prince looked so hurt and annoyed that Yixing felt guilty for hiding so much away. “It's better for you not to know,” he managed to choke out as Yifan moved closer, pressing him into the wall.

“I have allowed you to call me by my title in the hopes that you wouldn't push me away. But it seems to me that our friendship is becoming non-existent to you,” Yifan whispered, tone so low that the advisor strained to hear him.

“Fan…” Yixing breathed, the close proximity making him feel light headed. The prince lowered his head until their lips were inches from each other and Yixing could feel the rhythmic puffs of air from his friend’s lips. His eyes flickered up to meet those amber pools and the air seemed to leave his lungs when Yifan leaned in…

 

Bang!

 

A door slammed down the hallway and Zhang Cheng emerged. “Ah, Yixing…”

The pair leapt apart, Yifan tripping over thin air and Yixing slamming his head against the wall by accident.

“What on earth were the two of you doing?” Zhang Cheng narrowed his eyes as he took in the sight of his only son clutching his head in pain and the prince sitting on the floor looking winded.

“Nothing, Papa. His Highness was just trying to tell me something,” Yixing supplied, scratching the back of his neck nervously as a red flush climbed up his face.

Zhang Cheng decided it would be safer not to ask as the prince clambered to his feet, face flaming. “I don't want to know.” He shook his head at the two of them and reached for the basket Yixing miraculously still had in his hands. “Joonmyun popped in and he was looking for you, Yifan. You better get changed.”

Yixing blushed furiously when his father smirked at him and turned to Yifan hurriedly to avoid his father’s gaze. “Your sparring starts soon. Let's go get you changed.”

The prince nodded, too flushed to say anything.

They made no mention of what almost happened in the hallway as Yixing helped his best friend button up his cotton sparring shirt and hurried him out to the sparring grounds as fast as possible.

“Sorry, we’re late!” Yifan gasped as he snatched a broad sword from that young assistant brought to him.

Yixing stood himself at the side of the sparring area, sitting out of the lesson because of his previously injured hand. He watched as Jongin knocked the sword out of Joonmyun’s hand and pressed the tip of his own sword to the young lord’s neck. Joonmyun was sweating, white shirt turning translucent as he bent to retrieve his sword.

“Yifan, you're pairing with Sehun since Yixing is out of commission,” Jongin called and the assistant who had brought Yifan his sword returned with a broad sword of his own. “Joonmyun, you can take a break and we’ll watch Yifan.”

Yifan gasped when the young man lunged towards him, sword raised. He dodged and swung his blade toward his opponent. Sehun was more of an offense person, he noticed, which left him open. He his sword forward and Sehun stepped aside, swinging his sword wildly. Yifan timed his next swing and struck the hilt of the assistant’s sword on his hit, putting all his weight downwards and twisting his hand. The sword clattered out of Sehun’s hand and he was left standing with Yifan’s sword point at his throat.

“Well done!” Jongin praised as he lifted his own sword. “Here, I’ll swap with Sehun and at the end of this, we’ll put you and Joonmyun against each other.”

They spent most of the lesson learning new techniques and at last, the moment where they were waiting for, Joonmyun and Yifan against each other. Yixing watched with amusement as they got into position. This would be an entertaining match as Joonmyun had proven to be surprisingly good at hand to hand combat despite his hatred for violence while Yifan had the upperhand in terms of height and strength. Jongin allowed them to trade the wooden broad sword for true fencing rapiers with strict warnings not to maim each other.

The two friends eyed each other and even the air seemed to go still before Yifan lunged forward, swinging his sword. Joonmyun parried his strike away easily and the match truly began. Both parties were good swordsmen and it showed in both their actions. Yixing caught his breath when Yifan stumbled under a particularly aggressive attack by Joonmyun. The prince recovered quickly and lunged when Joomyun left his guard open. The young lord stepped back, much to Yixing’s astonishment, as if he had anticipated the move and struck the hilt of Yifan’s sword, using the exact move Yifan had used against Sehun in the beginning of the lesson. It sent Yifan’s sword clattering to the ground. Unsettled by the loss of the weight in his hand, Yifan tipped over and jerked forward just as Joonmyun brought his sword tip up to rest upon the prince’s throat.

The sharp tip of the sword cut Yifan slightly and blood trickled slowly out of the wound.

“You're bleeding!” Joonmyun gasped but the prince did not flinch until his friend had removed his sword.

“Great match.” Yifan smiled warmly at his friend as he lifted a hand to wipe at the sweat on his forehead.

“You idiot!” Yixing came rushing across the range, handkerchief in hand. He pressed the cloth to the cut all while looking at Joonmyun reproachfully. The lord bowed and apologized but Yifan waved him off, allowing Yixing to fuss over him and call him an idiot.

“If you are quite done being a mother hen, lunch is ready.”

Yixing’s fingers drew away from Yifan’s neck at the sound of that infuriating voice.

Zitao stood at the side of the sparring grounds, shirt clinging to his body due to sweat, evidently having just finished training.

Yifan caught the flash of irritation that crossed Yixing’s face as he turned away, schooling his expression as he did so.

“Let’s go.” Joonmyun handed his sword to Sehun as he came round to collect them and grabbed Yixing by the hand. “I'm starving.”

 

-

 

“How are you feeling, Yifan?” Yi Chen studied his son’s face as he dug into his meal. The prince seemed deep in thought as he placed a forkful of chicken into his mouth.

“Ow, what?” Yifan yelped when Yixing elbowed him and gestured towards his father, evident that he had not heard him.

Down the table, Lan Ling suppressed a smile.

“I’m sorry, Father. I had wandered off.”

Yi Chen smiled fondly at his son as he scooped up a spoonful of peas into his mouth. “I asked how you are feeling. Your fever had been unusually high yesterday.”

Yifan leaned back into his chair, as he set his fork down. “Oh, I'm fine. But I have questions.” He studied his father’s face as he lifted a napkin to his lips.

Beside him, Yixing tensed and he exchanged a glance with Joonmyun. This was not going to be good.

 

“Who’s been cursed? What does that have to do with the stag I shot yesterday?” Yifan questioned, narrowing his eyes to focus on his father's reaction.

His father’s smile vanished, his face darkening, and he stabbed his fork harshly into his chicken. “What curse? Who’s been telling you stories? There is no curse. Magic has been banned for centuries and has not been seen or talked about since.”

Yifan frowned at the king’s response. “But…” He started, determined to get an answer.

“This subject is closed," his father snapped. "There will be no talk of magic from anyone, especially you, Yifan.”

 

-

 

“I don’t understand. Why is Father so against the talk of magic?” Yifan asked as Yixing fed a sugar lump to his horse a week later. His history lessons had been upped a notch because Henry seemed determined for the prince to learn about the Draiochtae.

“Your entire bloodline was nearly wiped out by a sorceress, I doubt anyone would be willing to talk about the dark days,” Yixing answered, rubbing Scorpio’s forehead gently. The Andalusian snuffled at his chest and made a wet patch. “Silly boy.” The advisor laughed, pushing the offending muzzle away.

They were taking a walk through the stables as there was still fifteen minutes to Yifan’s schooling lesson in the arena. “What happened during the dark days?” Yifan asked curiously as they moved down the corridor to the next horse. Antares whinnied as his rider came into view. Yifan scratched under his forelock leisurely as Yixing fed him a sugar lump.

“Don’t you listen during your history lessons, Your Highness?” Yixing sounded more amused than angry as he petted the Arab’s velvety nose.

“It’s not my fault that I can't ever understand what Henry is explaining. I wish I could have you for all my classes because I understand whatever you say,” Yifan muttered as Antares tried to head him.

“And I would be the one throwing fits every time because you don’t finish your assigned work,” Yixing deadpanned as he opened the Dutch door to lead Antares out. “Grab your bridle, it's time to tack up.”

Captain Huang was the one who taught them to ride. He made them turn in circles and figure eights. Yixing’s quiet Andalusian took to the exercise very well but Antares, Yifan’s Arabian, was hot headed and easily bored.

“Yifan, legs on and heels down! Antares is bored. Canter!”

Scorpio moved into the canter easily when Yixing asked but Antares slowed to a halt and refused to take another step.

“Get on with you!” Yifan cried out in frustration and he dug his heels hard into the horse’s side. The hot headed Arab snorted in annoyance and jumped forward so fast that Yifan lurched backwards, left behind by the momentum. He snatched a handful of mane to balance himself, flushing hotly when he noticed Yixing and Scorpio doing perfect circles while watching him struggle.

Yixing had a worried expression on his face as Captain Huang asked them to change leads and canter in the other direction.

Yifan pushed Antares into a trot but when he asked for canter, the horse just continued trotting and minding his own business.

“Alright that’s enough. The two of you change horses. Antares is getting frustrated.” Captain Huang instructed and Yixing slowed Scorpio into a perfect square halt right next to Antares.

Yifan dismounted and they swapped, Antares side stepping away when Yixing tried to mount. “Easy boy. It’s just me,” Yixing soothed as he set his toe into the stirrup. Antares snorted and tried to crab step away again. “Woah. Stand still now,” Yixing murmured and, to everyone’s surprise, Antares stilled, allowing Yixing to mount with no further problems.

“Okay, circle him and forward walk to A before trotting in a circle.” Captain Huang moved to the center of the arena and the riders followed his instructions.

Yifan could not stop looking over at Yixing. Antares was a difficult horse and very picky. Yifan had been the one to break him in but the horse often showed him attitude. However, whenever Yixing was the one riding, he rarely acted up. This time, he broke into a canter immediately when Yixing asked for trot and the advisor corrected him, shortening his reins.

“Pay attention now, Yifan,” Captain Huang reminded him and called for them to do a figure of eight across the center of the arena. Scorpio was a dream to ride but the stallion threw a fit when Yixing asked him to change leads as they crossed the center, even throwing in a little buck.

As Yifan watched with envy, the advisor was hardly fazed and instead pushed him into a trot, forcing him to circle. Antares protested but with Yixing creating a constant pressure on his side, he obliged, turning in a tight circle. The advisor was not satisfied however and pushed him to circle once more before asking him to cross the arena again. This time, the stallion did so without complaint. The rest of the lesson went without a hitch after Yixing burned out the excess energy in the stallion.

“Well done, Yixing.” Captain Huang smiled as they dismounted to cool the horses off.

Yixing bowed his head in thanks at the compliment as he turned Antares away.

 

Oh no.

 

All the colour seemed to drain from his face when he saw the bird flying over their heads.

"Yixing, what's wrong?" Yifan asked as he led Scorpio forward so that they were neck to neck.

Yixing did not answer, eyes fixated on the black raven that was flying across them. He heard a distant caw and he shivered.

Captain Huang seemed to have noticed the bird as well, as his eyes had gone wide and he reached forward to grasp Scorpio's reins. "Yifan, go inside. I'll take Scorpio for you. Yixing, you as well."

Yifan frowned at the captain's odd behaviour. The captain never allowed anyone to slack off on taking care of their horses and Yixing never wanted to let anyone else take care of his horse but he released Antares's reins and grabbed Yifan by the arm.

"Let's go!" Yixing said. 

Yifan stumbled forward as Yixing broke into a run and dragged him along.

 

"What's up with you?" Yifan gasped as Yixing hauled open the side door and shoved him inside. All the servants in the kitchen looked up to stare at them.

"Nothing." His best friend doubled over, catching his breath.

Yifan narrowed his eyes and stepped forward.

Yixing seemed to sense what was coming because he darted around the prince and took off, scurrying out of the kitchen in record time. The advisor tore down the hallways, fully aware of the prince yelling behind him but all that he could see in his mind was the terrifying vision of the raven flying over them in plain sight. She knows. She's found him. The reality was horrifying to him as he raced across the palace, desperate to find his father and tell him that they were out of time.

He burst into the infirmary without knocking, startling his father and mother who were tending to the injured lord on the bed.

"Yixing! I am..." The thunderous look on Zhang Cheng's face melted into a look of concern when he saw the state of his son, “What happened?"

Yixing was doubling over in the doorway, face as pale as a sheet as if he had seen a ghost and wheezing heavily. "I... The prince... Bird!" Yixing managed to gasp out, clutching at his stomach.

Liu Xing's face immediately drained of colour and she looked at her husband with pure terror written over her face. "The prince was attacked by a bird?" The lord on the bed looked startled at Yixing's declaration.

Zhang Cheng dropped the gauze he was holding into his wife's hand, gaze becoming steely. "Tend to him. I must see the king immediately," he said and rose from the bed to take his son by the arm. "Fetch Joonmyun and meet me in the king's chambers as fast as you can after you are finished." His tone softened at the look of terror on his wife's face.

 

Liu Xing nodded and started to wrap the bandage around the lord's chest.

Zhang Cheng pulled Yixing out of the room, and they hurried towards the king's chambers, Yixing rattling off what he had seen to his father on the way.

The father and son entered the king's chambers and Yixing was relieved to know that he did not have to repeat his story again because Captain Huang had arrived before him and the king had already been informed. 

"What shall we do?" Yi Chen held his wife close to him as he looked at all the faces around him.

"We should tell him." Yixing murmured from within the circle of his father's arms. All eyes turned to him and he shrank back.

"Tell Yifan? And how would that help? Have you found a cure?" The king's tone was accusing as he smoothed a hand down his wife's back.

"Your Majesty." Zhang Cheng's tone held a note of warning as he held his son to him.

"We haven't..." Yixing's voice trailed off when the doors of the king's chambers swung open and Yifan stalked in, a look of frustration written all over his face.

"I want to know what is going on. Everyone has been acting strangely ever since that encounter with the stag and I want to know why. I overheard a discussion about magic and I want to know right now." The crown prince exhaled after he finished his rant, shooting a betrayed look at his best friend.

Yixing swallowed hard and his father's arms tightened around him.

"Yifan..." The king spoke up, looking nervous.

"Am I cursed?" Yifan cut him off, brows pulled together in frustration. "Is that why everyone is acting so weird?"

The king's mouth dropped open. "NO! You're not cursed. Thank god, it is not you..." Yi Chen rose from his seat and pulled his son into his arms.

"Then who is it?" Yifan cried out in frustration. "Who are you so afraid of? Why are there so many secrets?!" He yanked himself out of his father's arms and looked at everyone in the room.

"Yifan, you may want to sit down." Zhang Cheng murmured gently and the king spun around to face him.

"We're telling him?" Yi Chen gaped at his friend incredulously.

"He knows enough to know that something isn't right. I think he deserves to know the truth." The healer looked up at his friend and Duke Junseo who had been sitting quietly across the room nodded quietly.

"We are out of time, Yi Chen. I think it is time he is told the truth."

The king blinked and glanced at his wife. Lan Ling nodded as well and he sighed heavily. "Sit down then."