Ten's first memory is of rain, heavy and cold in nature, pouring down with vengeance and confused glances from underneath soaked bangs with bleary vision. A deserted road, a farm, and a lake all come to mind in regards to that moment, but they're all distant, a blur in the back of his mind in comparison to what happens. They come with seemingly harmless faces, a welcome sight to the blurriness surrounding him so he reaches out to them eagerly, these pale, armor clad men. But the sinister intent in their actions is not clear until it's much too late- when they've already reached out to him, slapped cuffs on his wrists, and tossed him into the back of one of their wagons. That is Ten's first memory but it is not the most prominent.

His next memory is much more clear, but can sometimes get lost in his stream of consciousness if he's not careful. The men from before turn out to be soldiers, but not just ordinary soldiers, soldiers of the Teryn of Daegu, a rather populous city on the edge of the country. They were returning from battle and came across Ten's home- the farm, burning down and assumed he was a runaway city elf, so they captured him and brought him to the castle to serve under the Teryn who in turn appointed him as a personal servant for his son, Lee Taeyong. His second memory is of him meeting this Lee Taeyong, a lilac haired young man with a seemingly permanent scowl on his face who appeared always eager to please his father and impress his older brother despite his cool demeanor. Ten thought the older boy was just afraid to be cast aside as the useless son by his family which explained his eagerness to join the battles taking place across the country that his brother often told him exciting stories of and in turn, Taeyong thought Ten was a-

"Useless elf" The lilac haired boy had hissed when Ten had spilled the tea he had spent half an hour preparing upon first meeting him. His nerves had got the better of him, that and all of the scary stories he had heard regarding the elder from the other eleven servants did nothing to ease his anxiousness regarding the first meeting with his new master.

"Taeyong, please be more kind to the help." Mrs. Lee had scolded, pausing in entertaining her female companions to address her youngest son.

"I don't need his help. He's more of a nuisance it seems." The younger retorts, sneering at the dark haired boy who's hastily wiping at the stain on his white button down, "What I need, mother, is to join the battle in the wilds up north with brother-"

"Hush boy, must you always rattle such nonsense? My goodness, you are so foolish. Jiyoon, how did we end up with such a foolish boy for a son? Your thirst for glory will surely cause you to live a short life." Teryn Lee chides, an indecorous look marring his features as he looks at his son.

The Teryn was an ailing man, and whenever Taeyong would make such impulsive comments, the gray haired elder would clutch his chest gently as if he were truly shocked by such words though he heard them quite often. They all did. It was no secret that Taeyong yearned to join his brother in battle, he hated waiting around the castle feeling useless and took out his frustrations on anyone who happened to cross his path for the day. More often than not it was some poor, eleven servant who had to cross paths with the temperamental noble to do their daily bidding. Ten had been in such a position on a few occasions during his time in the castle and had received countless speeches about how he was a "useless knife ear" and should go back to his "disease market" known as the eleven alienage in the city. Of course the dark haired male wasn't too offended, he wasn't a city elf and he knew Taeyong was just frustrated but it still didn't really excuse the elder's words in the slightest.

"Come, walk with me and pretend to be immersed in conversation. I do not wish to speak with that annoying woman." Taeyong would whisper to him, pulling him along and rambling about the most random of topics when his intended bride to be, Im Nayeon, would come visit the castle alongside her fussy mother and miserable looking father. Sometimes the plan worked and Nayeon would blow the older male a brief kiss accompanied by a gleeful smile in parting. Then there were the times when she would pull the lilac haired boy aside completely despite their seemingly intense conversation, ignoring the servant's presence completely as she pulled her fiancé into a hug and began to ramble about her latest trip to Busan and all of the fancy silks she saw and how she wished he would buy them for her. Taeyong would always turn to glare at Ten then, ignoring the girl completely as if it were the elf's fault for his own fiancée's obliviousness.

"Why do your clothes not fit? Do they wish to make you look foolish because you are my elf?" The lilac haired noble had complained on the night of a particularly important feast. For someone who claimed to despise his eleven servant, the Teryn's son spent a majority of his time in the servant's quarters, claiming to be hiding from whoever was annoying him that day, whether it be his mother or even his instructors. The only time Ten didn't return to his room to find the elder there was when Taeyong decided to spend his day training instead. But days like that only occurred after visits from the lilac haired boy's brother, Hyunsoo. It seemed his older brother always brought out a certain competitiveness and frightening jealousy that made the younger noble unbearable for days. He'd grumble at the simplest of things and became angry at even the most innocent of glances. Even his own parents avoided their hot headed son on these days. But Ten was the elder's servant and when Taeyong beckoned for him, he was supposed to serve without hesitation, even when he got a little frustrated when the other boy would have him stand in the hot sun for hours on end while he sliced a training dummy into pieces with his sword until he was satisfied or on the verge of a heat .

"They wish to embarrass me. I won't stand for it." Taeyong had grumbled before taking an unsuspecting Ten by the hand and pulling him through the castle halls. People stared at them of course, some in amusement, assuming the servant was in trouble and on the way to receive some sort of punishment, while others simply looked curios, eyes following the pair in their widened state. Even Ten couldn't deny his own curiosity as to where the young noble was taking him until he took note of the fact that they were in the families personal quarters. He only sets foot in his master's personal chambers twice in his entire time as a servant and this is his first. It's neat, orderly and filled with various swords and shields bearing the Lee family crest. All in all it suits Taeyong and represents him reasonably.

"Here put this on and quickly. I cannot be late for the feast or mother will go on about it for ages."

The dark haired elf is brought out of his awe when the lilac haired noble shoves a set of clothing at him with an impatient look. Since they were servants and elves at that, they weren't given much of a second glance. Which meant that most of the time no one knew when they had outgrown their clothing or if their shoes didn't fit anymore, some masters simply didn't care and sometimes bringing it up to said masters could result in a possible beating. So they kept silent, having to wait out a new set of clothing which sometimes could take years in which they'd only grow more so the next set they did receive was just as uncomfortable and tight fitting as the last. Sometimes the older elves would scrounge up trashed linens and make clothing for who they could and a few lucky elves would be blessed with actual fitting clothing. But that was on rare occasion, so most elves spent their lives in thin, dirty rags.

So imagine his surprise when Ten unfolds the set to find a pair of green silk clothing embroidered with gold. The silk looked of fine quality and felt like a small slice of heaven with its smooth nature. The dark haired elf had never seen anything so nice (well he had, but never this close) and to be allowed to touch it was one thing but being told to wear it was an entirely different experience. It frightened Ten, who's hesitation only seemed to agitate his master.

"Master Lee, I-I can't wear this." He had admitted quietly, head bowed to avoid seeing the displeasure on the older boy's features.

"And why is that?" Taeyong inquires, voice steady despite his rapidly growing temper.

"I-I am a servant. W-we are not allowed to wear silk or anything other than r-rags. Your parents will be upset as well as the guests in attendance-"

"What does that have to do with me? You are my servant, Ten. Now put it on, I'm not going to tell you twice." The lilac haired boy demands, glaring at the dark haired elf.

Ten doesn't hesitate then, not wanting to upset his master further. He strips himself of his old rags, only somewhat embarrassed that the lilac haired boy was staring so intently at him. Just as he's pulled on his pants and is making way to do the same with his shirt, Taeyong steps forward, invading his personal space as he does.

"Has nan been denying you all rations again? I guess she and I will have to have another talk." The noble declares, prodding gently at one of the elf's protruding ribs with a small frown. It was in moments like these that Ten saw the heart of his master that many claimed he didn't have. He could chew them out at every chance he got and take his viscous temper out on them, but Taeyong didn't allow the elves to live in too poor of conditions. If he wasn't distracted or busy, he made sure they had all had undergone their check ups with the healers and when the cook, nan, would deny them meals out of spite, he'd be the one to set her straight. It was small things in comparison to the rather harsh things they received in return, but compared to the other nobles who didn't spare them even the slightest glance, it was something. Something that made Ten slightly less wary of his master, but only slightly.

"There, now you look like you belong to me." The elder had stated, a satisfied smirk on his lips as he eyed the younger. Before Ten could even begin to comprehend the statement (or be embarrassed by it), Taeyong was pulling him outside and through the castle halls once more. Of course they receive strange looks once more ("What is that elf doing wearing such finery?" A female guest had whispered quite loudly to her friends), but these looks are nothing in comparison to when they enter the feast hall. Ten had never seen such a stricken, horror filled look on Mrs. Lee's face, which was the brightest shade of red, a tight, false smile on her face as she hurried towards the pair, pulling them back out into the hall and scolding her son viciously.

"Taeyong why on earth is your servant wearing fine silk? Have you gone mad?! Now you've gone and made Nayeon cry in embarrassment, poor girl! You'd buy him silk before your own fiancée? Your foolishness precedes you, now go and rid this silly elf of his finery!"

Mrs. Lee, compared to the rest of the Lee family was much more understanding and gentle in nature. Despite her tendency to act harsh around company to keep up noble appearances, she often treated Ten with some sense of decency. But one moment in particular stuck out to him. It was a rather quiet day in the castle in which Taeyong had gone to visit Nayeon at the Im family castle (or rather, had been forced to) which left Ten slightly clueless as to what he was supposed to do for the rest of the day. Somewhat excited at the possibility of having some free time, the dark haired elf had hastily made his way to his quarters only to be stopped half way by Mrs. Lee herself. That's how Ten become accosted as her personal servant for the day. In comparison to her son, Mrs. Lee had him doing rather tedious tasks, like trying different teas with her and choosing between dresses. Now, she had him standing beside her doorway while she powdered her face.

"You are different, you know?" She had said suddenly, glancing at him briefly before continuing, "An elf wearing silk finery? Why I never thought I'd see the day! How strange and yet there you were, gold embroidery and all. I do not understand my son sometimes. Can you believe that? I do not understand my own son! No, he is an anomaly, an unpredictable one at that. But he is not that heartless, yes? He is simply a misunderstood boy with foolish tendencies. And it seems you cause him to act even more foolish. Why? I do not understand you, elf. But you are not so bad compared to the rest of your kind. At least that's why my son thinks. You are decent, Ten. Yes, decent, and I think I may be able to bear you for many years to come."

She had smiled at him then, timid and pleasant in nature making heat rush to his cheeks and the elf had to fight to resist the urge to return the gesture with a giddy smile of his own. From that day on, whenever Taeyong was away from the castle, Mrs. Lee could claim him for herself and at some point begin to drag him along on her trips outside of Daegu, much to her son's dismay at the loss of his servant. Ten grew somewhat fond of the older woman, and even the other elves had brought up the sudden change in dynamics between the pair. The other elven servants, out of bitterness he figured, would sneer at him, claiming that he wanted to be human and that he might as well also be apart of the Lee family. But he was still just a servant, Ten wanted to remind them, because Taeyong still took his temper out on him and made him stand in the hot sun until he was on the verge of fainting just like the rest of them.

"Ten, please follow me to the study so that we may have a word." Teryn Lee had calmly requested one day, appearing in the doorway of the kitchen while Ten was scrubbing the floors. Nan, the cook, had given him a disdainful glare before he left, as if he had the right to disobey the Teryn. The walk to the study seems longer than usual, and Ten can't tell if the Teryn is upset or not with the heavy silence enveloping them. One thing he had learned about the humans was that they tended to hold a dead silence in wake of their anger. Taeyong had given him plenty of examples of such scenarios.

The dark haired elf is broken from the thoughts of his master when the Teryn opens the door to the study, allowing the eleven servant to enter before following closely behind. The study is empty this early in the morning so the pair simply stand quietly before the older man begins to circle around the area, hands locked tightly behind his back before he turns to the elf with a small smile.

"I know about your abilities, Ten." He admits, making the elf freeze, blood running cold.

Only a year into serving the Lee's did Ten find out he wasn't an ordinary elf. It was after receiving a particularly harsh beating from the stable master for allowing one of the horses to get away. He was almost sure the man had broken his rib as he could barely move, a searing pain coursing within him with each breath he took. The elf had squeezed his eyes shut then, silently praying that someone could come across him soon. But the sun was rapidly setting and his only hope would be for a guard to stumble across him on duty. Meaning, he was to sit and wallow in pain until he passed out from it or attempt to move and make the situation worse.

Feeling tears brim his eyes from the excruciating pain, Ten brought a shaky hand to lift up his shirt and press gently against the broken rib. He's expecting another stab of pain, but instead he feels nothing. With wide eyes the elf had glanced down to find the faintest of bright gold light emitting from his palms connecting to his flesh. He watched and waited with bated breath, until the spell seemed to complete itself and the light disappeared altogether. Deciding to test out its effectiveness, he reached out once more and prodded his rib to find it completely healed, any traces of pain long gone. Releasing a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, Ten brought his knees to his chest and smiled widely, tears slipping from his eyes. He was a Mage.

"Lazy elf! What are you doing out here? Hiding from your duties? Get over here, now!" He had been startled from his discovery by a fuming nan, who, despite her elderly state, had drug a dazedly smiling Ten back to the castle.

Ten decided to keep his discovery to himself in fear of being executed for his abilities or sent to the Circle of Magi. He never healed his injuries unless they were particularly painful, and each time he saw the golden light emitting from his palms, he grew more fascinated. What was this particular type of magic? He knew it was something along the branch of healing, but he wanted a more in depth explanation. However, he was a servant elf and if he went snooping through the study for books on magic, he'd surely receive the beating of a lifetime so he kept both his curiosity and his magical prowess to himself.

"Do not be alarmed. You are not in trouble, elf." Teryn Lee says, snapping him out of his memories as he beckons him closer. Ten obeys without hesitation. The older man smiles kindly at him then, placing a wrinkled hand on his shoulders as he continues, "Being able to heal the very flesh that the Maker has presented to us is an amazing gift indeed. But an ability of that nature bestowed upon an elf? How strange. But we are not to question the gifts given to us as they are given for a reason and you have a magnificent gift indeed. Which is why you should be allowed to nurture it."

Ten tries to keep the confusion from displaying on his face at the elder's words but he must have failed from the way the Teryn chuckles at him.

"Spirit Healing magic can be a powerful asset if maintained correctly."

Spirit Healing? Ten liked the sound of that. But he didn't voice the thought, opting for listening to the Teryn's words intently.

"As you know we have an enchantress here, Enchantress Yoona. I spoke with her recently and she's more than willing to teach you everything she knows about the gift of magic. After all, I'm sure you two have a lot in common."

When Ten follows the elder's gaze to the doorway, he's expecting a human who'd surely despise him, not a lithe, eleven woman with a kind smile. Her brunet hair was pulled into a loose bun and the robes hanging on her frame contained the Lee Family Crest.

"Teryn Lee" The enchantress greets politely, but oddly enough she doesn't bow. Was she someone of great power? Ten had to wonder how an elf rose to such a position where she didn't have to bow to the Teryn.

"Yoona, do come in. This is your new apprentice, Ten. When he is not serving, please teach him everything you know." Teryn Lee beamed, eagerly ushering the young woman in while the dark haired servant stood awkwardly to the side, peeking at the woman from beneath his dark bangs.

"As you wish." Yoona had replied to the Teryn, before turning to address Ten, a small smile tugging at her lips, "It is nice to meet you Ten. As you may already know, I am your new mentor, Yoona. I hope we can work well together and that you may learn much under my tutelage."

Ten doesn't reply, feeling both shy and intimidated despite the friendly aura emitting from the woman. He had ducked his head shyly and attempted to hide behind the Teryn in his embarrassment making the elder laugh as he moved to clap a hand on the servant's shoulder.

"He's a little shy, but I am sure you two will work well together. He will make a fine student." Teryn Lee stated with an amused grin to which Yoona allowed a similar smile to tug at her lips, her eyes never straying from the cowering Ten as she agreed.

"I cannot agree more, my lord."

Under Yoona's tutelage, Ten learns more about magic than he could have ever imagined. It was like an entirely different world when he was with his tutor, one that wasn't filled with hateful humans or fear. When he practiced magic, he felt secure and somewhat confident. But he could only practice healing spells and learn tiny bits of arcane knowledge. After all, the Lee family didn't want him becoming too powerful. But it seemed Yoona already had him beat in that category. Ten had learned a lot about the small, brunet woman in their many months together.

Yoona was initially the main servant of the Lee family, and her mother was the Teryn's own personal servant before she passed away from an unforeseen illness. She had been in a much similar position to that of Ten, and oddly enough, had discovered her own magical abilities around the same age as he did. But the manner in which she did was drastically different. During a feast in the castle, a human lord had been making crude remarks to her the entire night which set the small brunet off and unknowingly, she had melted the chalice in his hand, much to the shock of everyone else in attendance. There had been a brief debate about sending her to the circle but in the end, the Teryn had the final say and had hastily shot down the option. Instead, he hired mages from the circle to come to the castle weekly to teach the young eleven woman how to master her magical abilities and thus stripped her of her servant duties and made her the family enchantress.

She had even partook in battles from the current war ravaging the land, alongside Hyunsoo. The enchantress recounted many stories and adventures to him about the other cities she had visited and the people in them. Ten's favorite was the one of encountering elves in the forest, who she claimed were drastically different from the ones inside the castle as they were hostile to Hyunsoo and his army but very welcoming towards her. She told him of how they wore armor made from the materials of the forest from which they lived and carried bows made from tree bark and spoke with odd accents. But most importantly, they were free. Free elves, the mere thought made Ten feel light headed and he could only dream of meeting them one day. But what would he say to them? And more importantly, what would they think of him? He could only imagine.

Taeyong wasn't happy about his servant being taken away from him in the evenings, of course. He pitched a tantrum like a child to his father on numerous occasions, who'd only wave him off, telling him that the castle was bustling with elven servants and to go find another for the time being. But the lilac haired boy was stubborn and had attempted to prevent Ten from attending his lessons in the afternoon by locking him in the armory with him. Then Yoona would make her appearance and come save the poor elf, with warnings of informing the Teryn of the young noble's insolent behavior. Taeyong didn't know of Ten's ability to wield magic, and neither did the rest of the Lee family, only the Teryn knew, claiming it was better that way. The servant figured it was because his wife would most likely attempt to send Ten to the circle if she ever found out. So his master simply assumed he was helping Yoona organize the study, which he thought was pointless and shouldn't require as much time as they spent on the task, something he made sure to voice to Ten each chance he got.

"And just where do you think you are going with my elf?" Taeyong would snap whenever Yoona would come to collect Ten.

"I do believe that is none of your concern." She'd always retort, arms crossed tightly across her chest as the dark haired servant scrambled behind her.

"I think you forget your place sometimes, enchantress." His master would sneer, adding emphasis to her title in a poor attempt to intimidate her.

"Then I assume it would be in your best interest to remind me then, yes? But I believe even you know better than to risk being burned alive." She'd reply evenly, waving out a small, pale hand and smirking at the small flame the erupts at the cuff of the lilac haired boy's shirt. Taeyong would hurriedly pat the fire away before it could grow, glaring down at the elder.

"My father will hear about his." Would be his grumbled reply as he stomped off, boots thumping against the gravel making up the courtyard.

"I wouldn't be expecting anything less, young lord." Yoona would mumble with a small smirk, turning to face a now grinning Ten and guiding him in the direction of the study.

Only four months into his tutoring does Hyunsoo return. He only stays for a week before he's off to battle once more, and this time, he takes Yoona with him. With his mentor away Ten has to put his studies on hold as he didn't quite trust himself to practice spells without her guidance. So he fully returned to his servant duties and spent his afternoons trying to read the books the Teryn allowed him to borrow from the study. Of course the appearance of his brother set Taeyong off and as per usual, the young noble grew moody and snappish. Ten knew his master was impulsive, specifically when he didn't get his way, but he was in for a major shock only two weeks after Hyunsoo's departure.

It was a rather stormy night that sleep evaded Ten so he stared aimlessly up at the servant's quarters ceiling. His fellow elves are fast asleep and it makes him sigh wistfully because he wished so desperately to join them in the dream word. He hadn't seen his master all day, which was rare, but when the elder did finally make his appearance, he was sure he'd give the elf a difficult time. Which was why Ten needed rest, so he could face whatever tomorrow would present him. But it seemed sleep wished to evade him so he simply lay there, thinking of nothing in particular.

But he doesn't have to struggle with his slumber for long when the door to the servant's quarter bursts open and an unfamiliar soldier rushes in and grabs him, hauling his sluggish frame up before he can so much as blink, and dragging him out of the room, through the castle halls. It's dark and Ten has a hard time making out the direction in which their headed, his heavy, nervous breathing filling up the spacious halls. But he doesn't have to wonder for long when the soldier stops suddenly at an unfamiliar door. The taller male doesn't waste any time in yanking it open and tossing Ten inside. The dark haired elf barely has any time to react when his knees hit the rough rugs lining the floor before someone is grabbing his shoulder roughly.

"You, elf, heal him, now." The words come out in a hasty jumble and the first think Ten can think is, who are these people and how did they know about his magical abilities? But then a familiar voice sounds in the small room, making him snap his head to the side to find the Teryn leaning against the wall, looking seconds away from fainting.

"Foolish boy, stupid, stupid, foolish boy-" He repeats the words like a mantra and with his already failing health, Ten wouldn't be surprised if he dropped dead right then and there, as he looked like he would any minute. Confused and somewhat panicked, Ten is just about to open his mouth and ask what exactly is going on when he follows the Teryn's line of sight and he freezes, heart skipping a beat.

In front of him laid his master, Taeyong, but the state he was in made Ten want to look away. But he couldn't, his eyes were drawn to the blood pooling around the elder's battered frame. His eyes were squeezed shut and he appeared to be in excruciating pain, the source being a rather large slash wound staring from his shoulder to his waist.

"Please save my boy, elf." The Teryn's voice, though quiet and somber, snaps him out of his shock. Ten wastes no time in scooting forward then, willing his shaky hands over his master's chest and praying that his magic was powerful enough to save the lilac haired boy, who's breathing was turning shallow.

"He ran away from the castle and encountered one of those tainted creatures. Maker help him." One of the soldiers in the room spoke up, grimacing at all of the blood pooling around the young noble.

The room falls into a tense silence after that, everyone waiting with bated breath to see if the elf could save the Teryn's son. Ten could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest and the way his palms shook with nerves, but he didn't pay any of it any attention as he focused on maintaining the steady stream of gold light emitting from his hands. It seemed to be working, the flesh knitting itself closed albeit slowly. Feeling slightly relieved, the dark haired servant makes the mistake of glancing at his master's face only to freeze once more when he finds Taeyong staring directly at him, eyes wide in disbelief.

He doesn't speak, but he doesn't really need to. The look on his face speaks volumes and Ten knows that once this entire ordeal in over and he's fully healed, his master is going to have a lot of questions and Ten better have satisfactory answers. But the thought is quickly pushed to the back of his mind as he watches the last of the wound close, Taeyong letting out a strangled breath afterward. The Teryn hurries to his son's side then, anger marring his features.

"You stupid, foolish boy. They should have killed you." He spits out despite the tears streaming down his face. Taeyong ignores him, gaze still heavy on Ten who gulps under the intensity of it. Teryn Lee orders the soldiers to carry his son to his own personal quarters before disappearing in the direction of the study. Ten follows them quietly when they scoop the young noble up and carefully carry him through the castle halls. When they arrive in the master's room they place the lilac haired boy gently down on his bed before bowing and leaving. Ten hesitates, taking in the way his master is staring blankly up at the ceiling, before making move to take his leave as well.

"Stay" Such a simple word is spoken in a raspy, desperate tone and it makes Ten obey immediately, turning back to face the young noble who's staring at him now, an indecipherable tilt to his gaze as he pats the space beside him near the window, uttering another word, "Come"

Ten does as requested, feeling a blush warm his cheeks as he hesitantly makes his way across the room, and climbs carefully across his master to sit on the bed beside the window.

"Lie down." Taeyong demands, frowning at the younger's stiff posture. Slowly, so as not to disturb the butterflies jumbling in his belly any further, Ten lowers himself to a laying position. His master turns away from him then, falling silent. Ten spares a glance at the elder then, the way his body shakes slightly with each breath he draws in and the blood soaking his clothing and skin, before he turns to the open window. Taeyong's room provides the perfect view of Daegu. The city is peacefully asleep, bathed in the moon's glow. It should have calmed him, the beautiful view, but he couldn't rid himself of thoughts of what just happened and the sinking feeling that things were surely about to change in the castle and the land surrounding it.

* The prologue is series of Ten's memories but the actual first chapter will be in narrative form.