Act I: Lullaby Chapter One ♤ “Where is brother?” A male with a strong yet lean build walked through the library with an air of grace and sophistication that only meant one thing - Royalty. The servants hastily bowed to their master before scurrying away to finish their tasks at hand.He wore a brown fur like cape around his body suggesting that he had been out patroling the inner gates. A man laid stretched out along a leather couch with a book laid over his eyes, the other simply walked over eyeing him down between sending a not so gentle kick against his leg. “ Where is brother?”He repeated. “I don’t meddle in the affairs of our brother.”The male did not bother to remove the book to see which brother was nagging him, he already knew.He stretched, avoiding the vicious and warning glance his brother had thrown his way.“Plus, You already know where he is.” Sehun knew Luhan knew exactly where their brother was and that he just didn’t want to face his wrath if he asked the wrong questions.Luhan paced rapidly as if something was troubling his mind, like his inner thoughts were marching to the pace of beating drums before a war commenced. As King of the dead, Lay held power over the entire kingdom, he had responsibilities and sometimes he neglected them. For her - The mortal that enchanted him with her beauty. The one that made Lay want to redesign the entirety of the castle to appease her in hopes of winning her affection.The castle that stayed in darkness until dusk for centuries, covered in cobwebs and dust filings, with not a soul walking amongst the halls that was now filled with the souls of the dead serving. “ I don't care what he does in his free time as long as it doesn't affect my job.”Sehun sighed in frustration, his brothers always clashed. “ Im tired of entertaining this fantasy of his.” Luhan spat. A harsh wind blew within the room sweeping through the pages of books and pulling up curtains as it past by.Sehuns gaze feel down upon his brother.His brothers staff had appeared. It was a dark golden color that shimmered with a trailed of engravings going down. “He is king.”Sehun flashed a glance warning him of the dangers of his words and the consequences that came after. “ It’s best you remember that, Luhan.” Luhan growled out irritable. “Brother-”Sehun started to plead hoping his brother would stay around and he could talk some sense into him, but his brother was too enraged to listen.Luhan banged the end of the staff against the ground creating a ‘gong’ sound and out appeared through a cloud of misty ash, a man dressed in black robes. “You called for me, your Majesty.”He bowed. “Gather my horses, I need to go to the Gardens of Isla.”He commanded as the male bowed again before disappearing into a cloud of smoky ash and his brother stormed out of the Library doors. Sehun ran a hair through his blonde locks in frustration.He could understand Luhan's urgency especially with him having such a short temper, being Guardian of the Dead was not an easy task. ♧ The window was open, the same way it was each and every night, it seems the night’s cold winds seemed to keep her at bay.He kept to the shadows, a gentle night breeze flowing throw his raven colored locks as his cape flapped roughly behind him. He kept his eyes fixed intently on the small figure that laid down under her silk sheets.Her body only covered by the sheer like lavender nightslip and the the long , luscious curls that covered her s from his view. He easily maneuvered his way out to the branch that stretched just above the window of her bedroom.Invisible to the human eyes another swiftful, graceful motion, and he slipped through her window and was engulfed in the smell of lotus, and for a moment he was almost lost. In a flash he was by her bedside and was once again overwhelmed with the conflicting thoughts, feelings, and the underlying frustration of constantly failing to understand exactly what it was he felt.The raw need to take her as his and silence the every lasting thoughts that entered his mind, to caress the soft skin of her s and thighs. He closed his eyes,wincing, shunning her from his mind as he had been trying to do for years.Fighting to stop his thoughts from becoming actions. He watched as her mound fell from the small release of air from her body.His eyes followed down to the curve of her hips, past her womanhood, towards the warm and smooth skin of her legs. His fingers coiled, itching to feel her smooth skin against his cold palms.He caressed the under of her jaw along the back of his hand causing her to whimper against the cool touch as if the sound magically snapped him out of a dream he instantly retracted his hand back to his side. He knew that is fixation was more than craving to claim a body with Adalei.It was almost disturbing how many times he found her intruding his thoughts.Making him forget what he was,but only for a moment. That's why he visited, to have a moment to feel alive again.It intrigued him how he could watch her slow and steady breathing for hours without break.His dim eyes could not look a way.It was like he had lost almost all immortal power he posessed. How many nights had he wandered in, watching her sleep and glancing at her childhood nick-nacks? And yet, Even though she was a full grown woman now, he couldn't decipher what made her so different from other mortal women. He knew he was running out of time.He had a kingdom to rule and danger still lurked.The dead souls needed him and his brothers needed him.He had a duty that he is bound to for the rest of eternity.He needed to rule instead of wasting time on pleasures. He had made up his mind - He would wait no more. The renovations would have to wait. Tommorow. No, not tommorow.He had things to attend to with Luhan and bringing her along unjustifiable would only cause chaos.His eyes fell down upon her soft lips again.A Fortnight, he decided - It was final. He fiddled with the loose ends of her ever flowing hair, but soon reflexively snatching his hand back as he though he saw her stir.It made him ponder about how delicate and easily breakable she was. The dark blood that ran through his veins almost froze.His blood was cursed with immense power that could easily destroy every bone in her fragile like body.The pain he would cause her once she realized the situation and that she belongs to him. He brushed it off nonchalantly; Her feelings were irrelevant. He did not care for them. ♧ A distant knock could be heard against her door.She snuggled deeper into her sheets, soaking in the warmth.She didn’t bother to look up when she heard the creak of the door opening.She blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the warm sunlight that escaped her window.Her caretaker closing the window shut and beginning to tidy up. “ One day, you gonna catch a dreadful cold from leaving this window open, my lady.You don’t want something you don’t want creeping in at night.” She was always warning her away from leaving her window open, but she took no heed in doing so.She gently touch her face realizing how cold one distinct spot was.She slipped on her slippers ignoring the chatter of her Nan. Sleepy walking towards the door, she felt a sharp tug on her arm, as her Nan beckoned her over to a small table for tea that was adorned with a pot of flowers. “A certain gentlemen, has sent you flowers this morning.He’s waiting for you down stairs child.” Adalei knew exactly what gentlemen was awaiting her down stairs.A gentlemen with dark black locks and a stunning smile.Many girls in the city wanted to court him.His family owned a great share of land and shops, his family came from a good name and was high up on the list of nobility. Her face turned sour at the thought of him.He had not done anything wrong to cause her to feel this way, but she couldn’t help it.She didn’t like the way his eyes fell lower towards her chest or that glow in his eye as he talked. He enchanted everyone with his charisma and smile, but something told her they wouldn’t get along or maybe she was just making up accusations in order to stall away from the very thing she dreads - Marriage. The day she lost her freedom.Her caretaker saw the long face she wore and sighed. “What’s wrong child? He is a very fine gentlemen who can take care of you.” She didn’t just want someone who’s kind and can take care of her.She wanted someone who new her worth and treated her equally, maybe she was asking for too much from a man. Man, a egocentric creature that only loved taking and beer. Man, the one who believed you were good enough to warm his bed, but not enough to sit down and have an intellectual conversation that's up to his standards. She stripped of her clothing before stepping into the hot bath her Nan had just made allowing the hot steam to relax her tense muscle.She eyed the flower arrangement that Nan brought in from her room.She slipped out of the wa