Months after the purge everything began quietening and falling back in the routine. Many fled and many were killed, but none were locked up. They weren’t going to give in to the unjust decree passed because of the fault of one.

“Sire, your presence has been asked for in the throne room.” The guard informed Kibum. Kibum was the prince’s cousin, his mother was the sister of the King.

Kibum rolled up the list of artifacts that he was going through and soon followed the guard down. As the prince was too young, a six-year-old child, Kibum was declared the guardian of the throne and the kingdom till the prince was of age. Though he himself was quite young, a brisk sixteen-year-old boy, he accepted the responsibility that fell on his shoulders. He would do anything to protect his small brother.

“There are questions and rumors all over the Kingdom Sire.”

“And what kind of questions and rumors are these?” Kibum asked after he was promptly seated.

“The healers, Sire, the healers living in the palace, the only ones still left in the Kingdom.” The minister informed.

“There are no healers in this palace,” Kibum said, making his voice as stern as he could. “You saw the man leave that night, saw him leave everything behind, even his sons.”

“It is those boys that I speak of. Their father was a powerful mage, it is undoubtful that his children-”

“We’ve gone over this before and you have seen it for yourself too. Those boys don’t possess any magic, but in fact, have a good knowledge and understanding about medicine. And that is why they are going to live here, learn and become the court physicians.”

“Sire-”

“That’s all,” Kibum said as he got up from his chair ending all discussions.

He strolled the gardens after, his mind occupied with the events of the night they had to ask Lee Daehan, the court physician and a mage to leave the Kingdom. Kibum was fond of that man; when he was hit with the endemic that he had lost his parents to, Daehan was the one who saved him. He owed that man his life. As Daehan bowed down in a final goodbye, Kibum secretly requested him that he leave his sons behind, they were too young to go through such hardship. He promised he would protect his boys, and he would not compromise that vow by shunning away those boys at any cost or by letting any harm come to them. Therefore, those boys still resided in their father’s quarters, a servant or two visiting them every day to look after them.

He smiled when he saw Jonghyun, the prince, sneaking away from his afternoon classes, hiding behind the bare trees as he tried to escape from the Governess, Aarae. He followed Jonghyun quickly when he saw him run off to the back of the palace. He knew where Jonghyun was headed to.

“Jonghyun!” Kibum caught Jonghyun and picked him up. “What did I tell you about coming here?”

“But I wanna play with them,” Jonghyun whined as he tried to escape Kibum’s embrace.

“I told you cannot.” Kibum walked away quickly from the quarters of the physician before anyone saw, he didn’t want Jonghyun to get involved with those boys, the boys, people suspected had magic in them.

“Why?” Jonghyun sniffled, “They are my friends, I played with them before.”

“Things are different now little one, you’ll understand when you grow up.” Kibum kissed his cheek, a sad smile on his face as he carried Jonghyun back inside the palace.

It was a perfect day. The snow had completely melted and the air was no longer chilly. Indeed it was a perfect day to play outside, but here was Jonghyun stuck in his chamber looking at the gardens from his balcony. He got up from where he sat, he decided he would irritate Kibum until he gave into playing with him.

“He is not here, My Prince. Left an hour ago to settle some dispute between the Lords.” The guard at Kibum’s door informed Jonghyun.

Jonghyun puffed his cheeks up as he walked down to the gardens. Who was he to play with now? His eyes lit up. Kibum wasn’t here right now, that meant he could play with them.

He carefully made his way across the gardens to the back of the palace. Jonghyun was angry with Kibum, he had always played with Jinni and Taem whenever they came along with their father to the palace. He didn’t understand why he was suddenly not allowed to play with them.

Jonghyun spotted Taem in the small garden in front of their quarters, his hands covered in mud. “Taem?” he ran excited, it had been awhile since he had even seen him. “What are you doing?” he asked.

“Hyunee!” Taem exclaimed. “Come play with me!”

Jonghyun grinned as he sat down beside Taemin, as long as Kibum didn’t find out, he would definitely try to sneak away like this to play.

“Jonghyun are you ready?” Kibum called out as he walked into Jonghyun’s chambers.

“I’ll need a minute, I need to tie up these goddamn boots.” Jonghyun huffed.

Kibum sighed. “22-year-old grown up man and still can’t tie your boots.” He shook his head. “Boy!” he called out to Jonghyun’s squire. “Help him tie up those boots. Quickly!”

“Why do we need to do this?” Jonghyun whined once his squire left to tend to his horse. “You know how much I hate hunting, and especially with those pompous asses-”

Kibum glared. “Language.” he scolded. “Such hunting parties are a necessity to keep up faces and show those pompous Lords that the Prince is alive and fit to ascend the throne soon.”

“Whatever,” Jonghyun grunted as he tied his sword to his waist and followed Kibum outside.

“So has the Prince given any thought to the betrothal I had proposed?” One of the Lords as well as his uncle, In Jung, asked as he brought his horse closer to Jonghyun’s.

“Your daughter is pretty, but I would have to refuse your proposal.” Jonghyun gave him a short smile, he turned towards the approaching guard. “Found anything?” he asked.

“There are tracks of a buck, Your Highness.” The guard informed, “The tracks are headed in the direction of the river.”

“Okay,” Jonghyun said as he pulled on the reins.

“Are you sure you saw the correct tracks?” Kibum complained. “I don’t see a thing, not even a snake.”

“Shh Kibum, wait a minute.” Jonghyun shushed him. “Did you hear that?” he asked. “That does not sound like a buck,” he said turning towards the guard.

“Well, they have been rumors of bears roaming these forests, Your Highness. But we never found any proof.”

“Well let’s go and check it out.” Jonghyun grinned when he saw the look of fear on Kibum’s face.

Jonghyun led them in the direction of the voice, his heart pounding, he didn’t know the tactic to approach a bear,  let alone he hadn’t even seen a bear before. His horse whined all of sudden, disrupting the balance, Jonghyun felt the saddle move against the horse’s vigorous restraint, the saddle wasn't  tied properly.

“Watch out!” Kibum exclaimed speeding up his horse.

“It’s a boar, not a bear!” Jonghyun called out, trying to calm his horse.

The boar grunted and ran forward in Jonghyun’s direction. Fear blinded the horse, and Jonghyun lost complete control over it, he held on tightly, trying to keep the saddle in place as the horse ran away. He heard distant voices of the other guards and their horses behind him and hoped they came soon.

The horse leaped, and Jonghyun fell off the horse, his boot caught in the stirrup and was dragged along. A few attempts later he freed himself from the saddle, he lay there for a few minutes, trying to even out his breath. His head hurt, he could feel the wetness on his back and his leg was sprained, but he got up, the sky was darkening and he needed to get out of the forest soon.

He stopped when he heard the gushing of water. The lake was close. He could feel the fatigue clawing it’s way up his mind. He took in a deep breath and dragged himself towards the lake. He lost his balance on the pebbles littered around the lake, the last he saw was a silhouette across from him before everything turned black.

Kibum paced back and forth in his study. It had been hours, and they still hadn’t found Jonghyun. All the search parties came back with the same report; no sign of the Prince anywhere, it was like he had just vanished.

He called the guards standing at the door, “Ask Minho to assemble a search party again, and tell him he has to find the Prince at any cost.”

It was completely dark when Jonghyun's eye's opened. He realized he was sleeping on something soft, a bed, a bed with a familiar smell. He blinked till his eyes adjusted to the faint moonlight glimpsing in through the windows.

He smiled, stretching his limbs trying to ease away the heaviness that had settled into them, oh he so knew where he was.

“Hey,” he said softly, stirring up the lone figure sleeping in the chair beside the bed.

“You’re awake? Do you want anything? Does it hurt?”
 

“Just come here already, Jinki.” Jonghyun scooted back slowly, making space for Jinki to join him.

“Everything is okay right?” Jinki asked again as he settled in beside Jonghyun.

“Obviously,” Jonghyun smiled, “I’m in good hands.”

“Very good hands I should say,” Jinki said softly as he leaned in closer, “I made sure that no scars remain.” he gave a small kiss to Jonghyun’s nose.

“I’ve missed you,” Jonghyun mumbled lethargically against Jinki’s neck as slumber slowly pulled him away.

“Sleep my Prince, you need all the rest you can get.”

In the morning Jonghyun woke up at the sound of the mortar and pestle, he groaned, getting up from the bed, why were they being so noisy?

“Look who woke up!! Hyunnie!!”

Jonghyun let Taemin hug him. “I am going to be your King, show me some respect,” he muttered.

“Oh shut up.” Taemin pushed him away. “You scared us, covered in blood and bruises, fallen on the other side of the lake. What happened?”

Jonghyun sat down on the stool, taking a sip of the soup Jinki placed in front of him. “A wild boar scared that horse of mine, and I fell off his back.”

“A wild boar? Really? Jinki let's go out on a hunt!” Taemin exclaimed.

Jonghyun rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything. “How long have I been out?” he asked instead.

“Almost a day,” Jinki said as he helped Taemin pour the elixirs in the vials.

“Old man Kibum has gone mad searching frantically for you. He sent in 20 search parties to look for you in the night and now the whole kingdom is searching for you.” Taemin grinned.

“That man,” Jonghyun sighed. “I will leave when night falls.” he shrugged, directing his attention towards Jinki. “When did you come back?” he narrowed his eyes, “You didn’t even inform me that you were here! And what were you doing in the forest?”

“I came back a few days ago, sorry.” Jinki smiled sheepishly, “I was going to surprise you, but instead, you ended up surprising me,” he added solemnly.

“We were collecting Night Blooms for the salve and most of it has already been used up,” Taemin sighed as he packed his bag. “Minho’s so angry, many of the soldiers are hurt and injured because of the search going on in the night,” he mumbled. “I’m leaving, just don’t make a mess and keep quiet,” he said with a stern voice as he shouldered his bag.

“How was the trip?” Jonghyun asked Jinki as he watched him prepare some more herbs for the elixirs.

“Tiring, to be honest, but it was good. I don’t think the plague will spread now.” he gave a sincere smile.

“Good.” Jonghyun found himself smiling as he got up and headed towards Jinki. “Let me look at you,” and he pulled Jinki in his direction. “Ahh I missed your face so much,” he said as he caressed Jinki’s cheeks.

“Only my face?” Jinki teased, making Jonghyun blush. He further decreased the distance between them as he softly kissed Jonghyun. “I missed you too, my Prince,” he said softly.

Unbeknownst to Kibum, Jonghyun had been meeting with the Lee’s. He would sneak out whenever Kibum left the palace and came back under the cover of the night. When he was questioned about his absence, he would simply lie with a smile and escape.

After he was nearly caught by a soldier, they decided to meet in the forest to play. He would help Jinki and Taemin collect the flowers they saw in their father’s books, or they would chase around the hares or would simply just lie down looking at the clouds.

Over the years the friendship between Jonghyun and the Lees grew and became stronger. Once Taemin immersed himself in his studies and refused to come out, the friendship between Jinki and Jonghyun grew even more.

The soft pink hue of friendship darkened over the countless sunsets they watched together, the starry nights the spent talking, those rainy days they could never forget. And the hue only darkened with each moment they spent together.

-

“Where were you?” Kibum exclaimed as soon as the doors to Jonghyun’s room opened. “Nothing grave?” he asked Taemin who was currently tying up a bandage on Jonghyun’s arm.

“Nothing to worry about. Just a few scratches, that’s all.” He gave a reassuring smile to Kibum. “I’ll come by in the morning to change the bandages.” he collected all his vials and bottles.

Once Taemin was gone, Kibum approached Jonghyun. He held Jonghyun at an arm’s length and examined him head to toe. “I was so scared.” Kibum whispered, “Where were you?” he asked again.

“I was in the forest,” Jonghyun said as he escaped Kibum’s scrutiny. “Rested in a cave at night and moved around the whole day.” he sat down on his bed. “I am here now, so stop worrying, old man.” he teased.

Kibum grumbled, “Don’t call me that.” He narrowed his eyes threateningly, “For now you are safe, and I am going to accept that lame excuse of yours, but the next time if anything like this happens again- you’ve been warned.”

“Whatever,” Jonghyun rolled his eyes as he lay down in bed.

“Why isn’t the balcony door closed?” Kibum asked as he approached the glass paned doors at the side of the bed.

“Let them be,” Jonghyun said as he turned towards Kibum. “I’ll close them before I sleep. Let me enjoy the cool night breeze.” he let out a long sigh.

“Okay fine, do whatever you want. Just don’t come back to haunt me if you get assassinated in the middle of the night.”

“Trust me, I definitely will come back for you,” Jonghyun called out as Kibum left his room.

Jonghyun woke up at a faint thud. “What took you so long?” he asked quietly as he sat up on the bed.

“The number of guards below your balcony has doubled,” Jinki informed as he got rid of his cloak. “Have you been hurt again?” He rushed to Jonghyun when he saw the bandages beneath his sleeping robe.

“Oh, this?” Jonghyun gestured towards the bindings across his chest and shoulders, “It is all thanks to you and your need to overdo things.” Jonghyun fussed. “They found my horse without a saddle and covered in scratches, but here I am without even a single scar. I asked Taemin to tie these for me to avoid any  suspicion.”

Jinki hummed as he sat down in front of Jonghyun. “So do they suspect anything?” he asked.

“Kibum knows that I lie, that I’ve been lying since I was a kid, but he never questions them.” Jonghyun shrugged.

“I see.” Jinki sighed. He lay down on Jonghyun’s bed as he took a big sniff. “Oh, how I have missed your bed.” he let out a content sigh. He saw Jonghyun fidget with the bindings across his chest. “Do you need help changing those Jonghyunnie?” he teased as he pulled Jonghyun towards him.

“No, thank you,” Jonghyun grumbled as he turned around in Jinki’s embrace, his back to Jinki’s chest now.

“You’re angry with me,” Jinki whispered against Jonghyun’s neck as he slowly undid the bandages. “Let me mak