Tailong was always fascinated about his grandfather’s story about the White Knight. Learning their origin ignited his desire to know more about them. He slept happily, excited what would happen to the story next.

The next morning, he helped his grandfather in his garden such as picking some apples from the three the former king planted. He showed his skill in archery and had another lovely dinner with the old man.

As night was getting deep, they sat on the usual spot near the fire pit.

“So grandpa, what happened next?” The old man laughed and yet continued his story from last night.

~*2*~

The Crown Princess paid her visit to the training ground, where two aspiring youngsters faced through a sparring session. She would do this every once in a while, watching inside her carriage, which was carried by four of her male servants.

The boy wished he could see her but she kept hidden in her carriage whenever she went there.

As her visit became usual, the White Knights were named one by one.

Luhan was selected next. His name was not changed because the Princess thought it was pretty enough.

He had a few last words to his fellow before he completely left, “I woke up one morning due to the heavy rain. I went outside, it was coloured red. Haha, it was blood… a blood rain indeed.”

The eleven-year-old Zitao screamed in fright, his voice is like a little bratty girl. The boy thought that he was going to ran home after what Luhan said, but ironically, he was the Crown Princess third chosen boy. He was from the Dragon country too where Wēngēhuá boy was born. His father is a Lord of a small town making him wealthy child. He seemed to spend his life in luxury that he tended to complain with their training works a lot. He quickly got homesick whenever the word family was mentioned but he never had a thought of leaving. He found someone to depend on and that was the Wēngēhuá boy. He was a friend, a brother, and a father to him. He idolized him so much that he followed everything he did and everywhere he went. Even when he was about to move to the palace, Zitao would still want to stick with him. The boy wondered why this little kid was picked.

The reason – the Crown Princess had seen some potential in him. Whether he liked it or not, he should move to the palace.

“Of course, I would love to serve the dear princess!” He said, wailing with snot on his nose. “He named me Tao and it sounds nice.”

The younger accepted his duty and left to live in the palace. Somehow the Wēngēhuá boy missed that crying baby.

The fourth member was Jongdae from the southern province of Phoenix Kingdom and now named ‘Chen’. His hobby was to whine a lot like Tao but not a cry-baby. He would complain but still do the task given to him with an excellent outcome. That must have been what the Crown Princess saw to this twelve-year-old kid although he was a newbie in the training ground.

A month passed and the selection stopped or maybe the boy just thought so. He heard from his fellow that a boy named Sehun was chosen as the fifth member. The boy never heard of him or even seen him before. His colleagues said he was training in another place that was somewhat special. He was curious about it, and later his mind settled when the boys who were chosen as the White Knights visited the squires. They were wearing shiny white armours and had a letter to give to one of the squiers, and that was Yixing.

The Crown Princess named him ‘Lay’. The always happy boy wailed louder than what Tao had done. He accepted it wholeheartedly and bowed several times to the White Knights, as if they were the Crown Princess.

The unfamiliar light blond boy along the knights must be Sehun and he looked familiar. Sehun appeared to befriend the weird Luhan, who seemed to change into a different person. He said kind words and his cheerfulness were now real. His creepy statements were gone. They left with the newly appointed one but before that, Lay said something to the Wēngēhuá boy.

“We’ll wait for you, my friend.” The boy was surprised but it delighted him. It had been two years since he came there but he never lost his hope.

Xiumin who was originally named Minseok was the seventh White Knight. He had the same age as him and they had some good conversations together. He was not born in the Phoenix’s capital but moved since his family was appointed as servants for the Royal Family. It was believed he grew up with the Crown Princess. He confirmed it, saying he missed taking care of her a lot.

And then, Kyungsoo was picked as the eighth. He was the same age as Tao, months older and more mature than the said boy. He was from a Phoenix province in the north. He had a strong aura along his deadly glare, but no matter how he appeared, some squires made fun of him, particularly the one who named Baekhyun.

Baekhyun was newly recruited, but before Chen was. On his first day, he quickly tagged along and best friends with Chen and another squire. Their gang kept on messing up with Kyungsoo, named by the Crown Princess as D.O., and the mad-looking boy killed them. But, they were revived the next day and did the same things to him. It was a headache to watch their routine every day.

Baekhyun, the bubbly country boy was the ninth member. Then, there was Suho.

Suho’s given name was Joonmyun. He was not proud of it that might be the reason the Crown Princess changed it for him. He was a young lord and rumours said he was the Princess’ fiancé. He would laugh at it but he claimed he was her cousin. There was no doubt he would be included after knowing his background.

~*End*~

“That would be tonight.” The old man said. Tailong was disappointed that seemed to notice his grandfather. “Don’t worry, there will still be more.”