Hatter's Lair
Cupid at Heart
The door to Hatter’s lair was knocked exactly four times, an odd number no better suited for the equally peculiar Hatter.
Woohyun and Hyunmi took a detour on the way back to the Heart kingdom, saying she needed to find more herbs in order to experiment brewing another medicine recipe. They obtained permission to leave afterwards. Woohyun mounted his beloved pegasus whose wings was kept hidden, only revealing it when the others were out of sight. Ergo, here they were.
“Ah, cupid and the princess.” A whimsical voice chimed when the door clicked open. Myungsoo welcomed them, tipping the top hat on his head. His hair was a little messy and made the lad appear more handsome. “You are no stranger to us. Come in. We are having a celebration inside.”
“Another one of those unbirthday parties?” Hyunmi asked as she accepted the Hatter’s hospitality.
“But off course, princess. Every 364 days of a year,” Myungsoo placed the hat back on his head. He watched Woohyun trailing behind the princess, followed by no one else. “Odd, has Miss Nightgown decided not to come today?”
His tone, though coated by his thick flamboyance, showed genuine curiosity. Perhaps there was a sense of disappointment. Hyunmi folded her hands together, leaning her weight to one side. “It seems you miss her?”
“It was a curious wonderment, nothing more, nothing less.” Myungsoo spoke with an ambiguous grin. He closed the door, welcoming them once again to the madhouse.
The same guests were present, singing and dancing with a cup of tea in their hand. Hyunmi didn’t think she would ever get used to this crazy sight, yet a familiar warmth enveloped her as if she was one of them. Her, a well educated princess, mingling with a bunch of cuckoo birds? How absurd, yet possible.
“L-L-Look!” The loud stuttering came from the other end of the table, belonging to none other than Sungyeol the March Hare. He whacked one hand on the table, the other one trembling with a teacup between his fingers. “T-they’re holding hands.”
Every other animal, along with Myungsoo, let out an exasperated gasp as if they witnessed some sort of blasphemy. Everyone pointed a finger at the two.
“I am not planning on letting it go,” Woohyun said defensively, pulling the princess to take a protective stance behind him. These bunch of madmen were random and unpredictable. He had to keep his guard up, even if they were his friends.
“A-are you in a courtship?” Sungyeol continued asking, his eyes widening in anticipation with every passing second.
Woohyun frowned, meeting Hyunmi’s equally perplexed gaze, and returned his stare to the March Hare—with confidence this time.
“Yes, we are.”
Within a split second, the room was divided into a group who celebrated the good news with joyful cheers and dancing, and another group who mourned woefully. The contrast was uncanny, adding more peculiarities to the Hatter’s lair.
“Ah, isn‘t this wonderful? I have always suspected your heart to bear affection towards the princess, even if you had denied it. Such pleasant news.” Myungsoo’s grin stretched wider. He removed his top hat, bringing it forth to the group who were crying. “Now, because you have lost the bet, you owe the winning group your most prized possession.”
Hyunmi blinked, unable to express her current emotion that was a mixture of shock, anger, and delight. “Have we become the subject of your gambling?” She questioned incredulously.
“Certainly, dear princess. We do not pass up the chance to have a little fun among our own peers,” Myungsoo spoke lightheartedly, surely having an odd definition of fun.
The princess turned to Woohyun who only chuckled, seemingly not minding it. She supposed it was harmless, and perhaps beneficial for her too. “Shouldn’t we receive our end of the prize, considering we have ensured your victory?” She suddenly questioned.
Myungsoo’s eyes brimmed with excitement, admiring the princess for her wit. “How lovely. Sungyeol shall pay his most prized possession to you.”
The March Hare flinched, but did not protest. “I-I have yet to figure out what that item shall be. But the soonest I obtain the answer, I shall send you it,” Sungyeol confessed, cackling to himself, bouncing on his two feet.
It was an odd way to pay debts. Hyunmi decided not to question any other oddities she witnessed, and simply accepted things for what they were.
“Anyway, Myungsoo, we need your help once again,” Woohyun began to speak of the reason for their visit.
Myungsoo noticed the plea in his tone, his playfulness disappearing from his face within a split second. He ordered the whole room to fall silent, and guided the two guests to take a seat.
“I did not think the princess was very fond of my latest brilliance, so to what do I owe the pleasure of being needed once again?” He asked, propping his chin against his hand. His eyes squinted slyly to the princess. It wasn’t an ordinary question, but a riddle. Her answer would determine his willingness to help.
If he had thought she’d be intimidated by his frankness, he was mistaken.
“I did not expect a chimera to appear, neither would I encourage an idea that puts my people’s life at risk,” Hyunmi spoke the truth, and the smile remained fixated on the Hatter’s face. “However, despite all the chaos, it led me and Woohyun to confirm our feelings for one another. Therefore, Hatter, are you the brilliant man whose wisdom we seek. You transform chaos into beauty.”
“Ah.” The Hatter squeezed his eyes shut, reeling in all of the compliments he had been wishing to hear. “I haven’t met anyone other than cupid who basks my riddles with glorious replies. Then you came along, Princess Hyunmi, and I see no two people better suited for each other than the two of you.”
Hyunmi’s lips tugged into a smile, feeling Woohyun squeeze her hand underneath the wooden table. “Will you help us?” She asked eagerly.
“Of course.” Myungsoo flicked his hand in the air, then placed it on the wooden table. He tilted his head sideways, watching the couple with interest. “What do you need?”
Woohyun told the overall overview of the incident, and Hyunmi provided the small and little details to the story. They told of Dongwoo’s engagement, and the love affair between Sir Hoya and Princess Biah. Those two were willing to sacrifice marriage with someone else for the sake of staying together.
“I must say, citizens of the Heart kingdom has the most interesting love affairs. Do you reckon Miss Nightgown is involved in one too?” Myungsoo asked, his smile seemingly wider when speaking of her.
“You would know,” Hyunmi offered him a vague reply, the kind that sounded like a riddle. He adored those the most, and already she could see his brain starting to work.
“I-It sounds like a huge human massacre,” Sungyeol suddenly interrupted, still hopping in his chair. “If the king f-finds out about these taboo relationships, wouldn’t you all get b-b-beheaded?”
“He wouldn’t behead his own daughter,” Woohyun immediately spoke without hesitance. “I wouldn’t let him.”
“He would most probably punish me,” Hyunmi said, grinning at his attempt to charm her.
“I’d take the punishment on your behalf,” Woohyun insisted. “You must understand I will do everything within my might to keep you safe, love.”
The answer made the audience swoon, including the overactive March Hare who had gone in awe for once. Even Hyunmi tried to hide a rosy blush on her cheeks. But Myungsoo didn’t join the group and kept his analytical brain working.
“We could infiltrate the wedding. I am sure Chi-Chi would love to visit once more,” he suggested, watching the disagreeing glare on Hyunmi’s face. “Or not.”
“C-Couldn’t the prince himself cancel the engagement? I h-heard it isn’t taboo when the male cancels it,” Sungyeol proposed. For once, his heavy shaking died down, even though he occasionally tapped his fingers together in frantic, anxious movements.
Hyunmi watched the March Hare attentively, studying that odd behavior of his. The coffee beans were a dangerous source of energizers.
“My brother won’t do it. He knows of my relationship Woohyun. The reason he agreed to be engaged is to ensure I’d be able to break mine with Prince Sunggyu,” Hyunmi confessed, feeling the guilt swallow her when she spoke of it out loud.
“Such a dear brother you have,” Myungsoo stood amazed once again. Then the expression changed to one of gritted darkness. “It also seems you two need to be more discreet. People are discovering the truth here and there.”
Hyunmi nodded in realization. Sungjong busted them, Seulyi and the Hatter both had a hunch all along, Sir Hoya bartered his silence, and Dongwoo hinted of his knowledge the entire time. Who could guarantee the others were oblivious to it?
“What about a potion to wipe out memories?” Woohyun said, too occupied in finding a solution to the point he had missed the talk.
“We wouldn’t have enough d-dragon horns to c-create one,” Sungyeol said, gulping his worries away through coffee.
They continued exchanging all sorts of potion ideas, and Hyunmi was bewildered. She had read the most historical books in the royal library, studying all there was to know regarding herbal recipes. Apparently there was a whole new world she wasn’t exposed to, the magical one. What if the missing ingredient to cure her father was the need for magic?
“W-What about the antidote of a love potion?” Sungyeol suddenly suggested.
“There is an antidote for that?” Hyunmi stood perplexed at every information escaping their lips.
“You mean to tell us you d-didn’t know?”
Hyunmi turned to Woohyun looking like a lost lamb.
“The antidote only works on those who have consumed a love potion. For lovers whose affections bloomed naturally, such methods won’t work,” Woohyun explained.
“Alas, I have several antidotes in my possession,” Myungsoo confessed, a little disappointed he won’t see the use of it now.
“P-Perhaps we could use it on someone else someday,” Sungyeol suggested.
Hyunmi pursed her lips together, suddenly remembering Seulyi and the effect the potion had on her. Curiosity began to brew in her.
“I wonder,” she began, catching their attention, “What happens to all feelings of love and affection once the antidote is consumed?”
“It disappears. Poof!” Myungsoo spoke, shaking his fingers as he hovered his hand in front of her eyes like an attempt at a magic trick. “I heard some cases whereby the feeling cultivates into a stronger emotion, lingering even after the love potion’s effect was stripped away.”
How deep was Seulyi’s affection for the Hatter? Was it at a phase where she was truly in love? Or would the dopamine disappear as soon as the spell was lifted? The need to try it out was suddenly very tempting.
“There is no need to experiment with it, Hyunmi,” Woohyun said, noticing the look of mischief on her face. He grinned. “Love is never selfish.”
The rest were rendered speechless once the god of affection began to talk about his passion.
“In the end, love requires sacrifices to be made. It asks us give up our treasures in exchange for the other person. It requires true selflessness in order to genuinely make that exchange.”
Hyunmi squinted her eyes, eyeing him playfully. “Days ago you barely knew how to define love.”
“Days ago I hadn’t realized I was deeply in love with you. I am willing to do anything for you, even if it means to be forsaken by my own mother.”
This, she did not expect. Her heart began to constrict with guilt and pain. Woohyun was ready to sacrifice his life for her, and she didn’t even have the courage to confess their secret relationship to her father. If she could find a magical potion that could cure her father, maybe she wouldn’t be afraid of telling him the truth. She wanted to be free from her engagement to Prince Sunggyu and wished to announce of the man she truly loved instead.
Perhaps it was time to confess to her father. Surely a parent’s love would tolerate a child’s ill behavior. The sake of her future happiness was at stake.
“You know what,” Myungsoo began, exhaling loudly to the point it gushed the hair on his forehead upward. “Maybe it would be better to directly talk to the knight and Diamond’s princess. It seems no amount of magic is going to fix this.”
The optimistic shimmer on Woohyun’s face began to fade, exposing his inability to find a solution. He had never looked so solemn ever since the start of their courtship.
“Sir Hoya expects to find happiness with his maiden, even if she happens to be a princess. I am a god of my words and I stand by my promise. We shall find a solution,” he declared, fueling his own morale.
Hyunmi’s lips tugged into a sheepish smile. She loved and admired every bit of him, including his positive beliefs. At this point, however, she did not see a solution. The smallest corner within her heart would like to trust his optimism, yet couldn’t.
“How will we do that?” She asked, trying to inject supportiveness in her voice. Her doubt could obstruct cupid’s divine faith, and she could not risk being discovered by him.
“It seems there is only one thing we can really do,” Woohyun spoke, looking at her. He took her hands, his thumb against hers.
“Convince the King of Heart to allow freedom of choice.”
I'm sorry for the slow update. I was really racing to binge write and finish my other story, Ephemeral Crown. But now that that's done with, I can start regularly updating this story again. Thank you for your patience~
Yay! Won the bid today! I hope you will enjoy the story~ Would love to know your thoughts, so please do leave comments too~ Thank youuu <3
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