Chapter 2 : A new enchanting home

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Jonghyun was proud of being a prince. The prince, actually. When he was young, he had to be taught humility for a long time because he grew up a little bit of a brat. He would parade around with his small crown and thought the cooks were entitled to give him dozens of sweets, as he was such an important person. He was indeed important, but it didn't mean his parents would let him belittle others and act like he was above them all.

When he was thinking back on those times, Jonghyun had a tendency to cringe with embarrassment. And Minho actually liked to with those memories whenever he tried to brag or get something harmless with his charm and status.

As he aged and matured, Jonghyun grew beautifully into an elf full of respect for every being around him. It had been very much helped by Minho's grandfather, who was an elf of wisdom, but with an authority that no one else in the kingdom could match. Not even the king. He had put young Jonghyun back to his place countless times, without losing the affection the boy had for him.

Now, his pride to be a prince wasn't about his own worth, but his love for the forest. He was honored to be who he was, he was delighted to know he had the strength and power to protect that home he loved more than anything. He had grown learning how the last centuries had been atrocious for his people. Before his birth, his father had to fight for their territories, to take them back from an egocentric king and greedy opponents ; the forest had been wrecked and harmed in elven wars for power and control. Jonghyun had been brought to this world after the peace had been settled, but the oldest creatures living in those trees were still hurt at the memories of such violence.

Little by little, the forest had healed itself. Some creatures came back, and finally, some were born again in rivers, and life took over death again.

Thus, Jonghyun had always knew he was a messenger of hope and peace. He was there to bring protection to his land and was seen as the Lord that would never put them in danger again. He had trained himself enough to inspire comfort and reassurance to the forest folks. He knew of his duties, he knew of his responsibilities and he accepted them eagerly long ago.

Thus, when his parents had summoned him one day, saying that they had an important matter to discuss about the kingdom, Jonghyun hadn’t been worried. He had been patient, and ready to act the best he could to support them. Until he heard what they were asking of him.

"You can’t possibly be serious…," he had whispered, looking in turn to both his parents. "You can’t be asking that of me."

His father had seemed a bit uncomfortable, but as determined as he could be.

"Yes we are, Jonghyun. Please try to understand."

Even though he understand, it didn’t mean Jonghyun agreed with the idea.

"Can’t we find another way? Can’t we form an alliance without me having to marry a stranger?!" His voice was starting to get louder as realization was falling upon him. "This is wrong on so many levels. This is-… Do you realize what you’re taking out from me?"

He knew being in good terms with the mountain elves was an excellent thing. Even though they didn’t exactly need it during those times of peace, strengthening their relationship was reassuring. It was a smart move. The mountain and forest elves had helped each other countless of times in the past, and they shared the same wish for peace.

"You will marry their son," his mother said in a soft voice, trying to appease him.

"Well, fortunately!" Jonghyun snapped back, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Should I thank you for respecting my preferences and at least not forcing me to marry a woman?"

His father called him out, silencing him immediately. He knew he shouldn’t have talked to his mother with such an attitude, but he was fuming with anger.

"I understand your fury, but please… Can you at least meet him? For your information, this wasn’t my idea. I couldn’t make the queen Lee change her mind about this. Her son will arrive in a few days, please try. Please give him a chance, and if you feel like this is impossible, we might talk to them again until they can let it go. But I need you to try and prove our good faith."

Jonghyun gritted his teeth and tried to take a deep breath. A try was acceptable, and even if that queen was indeed pretty stubborn about the marriage, he would have to trust his father to be persuasive enough. At least, more convincing than he obviously had been until now. The remaining problem was that, if that prince and him really couldn’t get along, there was no complete guarantee that his parents would be able to cancel all of it now that they agreed to it. He couldn’t help but be irritated by his father’s statement, about how he couldn’t persuade the queen, because in the end, it meant he gave his consent. There was no war going on, he couldn’t have been tricked into this, those elves weren’t enemies, or didn’t have any mean of pressure strong enough that he wouldn’t have been able to say no. Which meant, somewhere deep down, his father actually thought this was acceptable, and maybe even a good idea.

He realized he would need to calm down before that prince arrived, because this wouldn’t be a fair attempt if he was that furious. It would probably make him direct that bitterness towards the innocent prince, and only make things worse. It was more than likely that this elf had been pushed into their marriage the same way he himself was, and there was no way he would make him pay even more for it by being unpleasant.

"When is the wedding planned? For now I mean…" he gloomily asked. "How much time do I have to decide if this man is nice enough to spend an eternity with?"

His mother came to him, putting her hands on his cheeks and looking at him tenderly.

"Thank you, Jonghyun. I’m sorry we have to put that on your shoulders."

Jonghyun made an annoyed sound before sighing.

"Don’t thank me, please. It doesn’t help; it makes it looks like I have a choice here, when I obviously don't. I feel too betrayed yet."

His mother let go of him with a sad face.

"Lord Lee will stay for one year, before the wedding," she finally said to answer his questions. "We’ll have to let the people know, and prepare a ball to celebrate his arrival. You will have a few obligations to follow, and so will he, but besides that, you’ll be free to spend time with him and learn to know him. We want him to have an education over the forest before you two get married."

Jonghyun only nodded before he excused himself and left the room. One year was a blink of an eye for his parents who already lived for a few centuries. Even to him, who was close to his 140^th birthday, it seemed quite short; but he had been expecting only a couple of months and so, relief washed over him a little. He would indeed have time to learn about his future companion.

However, Jonghyun was still torn between a rage that made him want to get out of the castle, run away in the forest and stay there hidden for a few days, maybe weeks, and an emotional exhaustion that made him only wish for his quiet room, where he could lay on his bed and hope the world would forget about him. He decided for the latter, mostly because he couldn’t let himself run away from his duties, no matter how unfair they were.

Few seconds after he had closed the door of his private apartments, he heard a knock. He already knew who it was and allowed Minho to join him and witness his misery, as he went to sit on his favorite chair, the one near the window, where he could look over the forest. His place was facing East, at the edge of the castle.

"May I do anything for you, Jonghyun?"

Jonghyun sighed with a resentful smirk.

"Unless you can cancel that thing, no I don’t think so. But it would help if you could let me complain and be an for the next few days, or maybe a whole year, without asking me to behave."

Minho offered him a smile, coming closer to stand next to him, and put one comforting hand on the prince's shoulder.

"I’ll refrain then."

"I can’t believe this is happening. I just can't."

His friend nodded and kept silent as the young prince needed to rant about how terrible everything was. Minho couldn't imagine how he would feel like if this happened to him, and could only sympathize.

The sun was slowly brightening the sky, piercing through a few clouds, when they could finally see the forest they were heading to. They left four days earlier from the Sinvern mountains, and though the trip had been pleasant, as they were graced with a warm and nice weather, almost all the small was just eager to arrive and discover this new place. Almost, because the prince Lee still couldn't decide if he was glad this long trip was finally over, or if he would like to never arrive.

His parents gave him three days to get on with the thought he would leave his home, probably forever, to go marry a complete stranger in a foreign land. He had to pack everything that had been precious to him in three too little bags and leave, without looking back. The whole situation still seemed unreal, like a nightmare.

The prince looked over his new home, that seemed to be approximately two hours away, and his hands tightened a bit around the fur of the very large wolf he was riding. His best friend turned her head to him with a sad face, before continuing her walk. The elf closed his eyes, trying to hold back the tears that were always waiting behind his eyelids since a week.

He had to part with his parents, his siblings, all the people he had grew up with, his few friends, all his landmarks. The guards who were following and protecting him would leave probably in a week, and he wasn't even sure his family would come to the wedding. They didn't talk about it. He would be left alone with those forest elves, miserable and lost. And the only thing that mattered to him for now, was the hope that those people had nothing against wolves. If he were to lose Chinua's support too, he knew he wouldn't be able to bear it. If his oldest and most precious friend had to go back, he would break.

His eyes went back on her fluffy fur, as he caressed her neck to calm down. His nervousness melted a bit when his gaze got lost in those shades of white, grey, black and hazel.

One of the guard up front started to hum, and sang a traditional melody from their home. It felt melancholic and the prince didn't know if it soothed him, or annoyed him. At least, it made the end of their journey less boring.

The closer they were getting, the more imposing and intriguing the forest seemed. It was only vast and beautiful from afar, but now, they could all realize how tall and majestic the trees were. Few of them, including the prince, had never seen a real forest in their life. Where they lived, it was mostly rocks. They indeed had nature, but clearly not as magical and immense as here.

They arrived at the edge of the trees and stopped for a moment. It seemed that the wind was making a different sound, just a few meters away. The young elf couldn't understand how the ground could be so clear and illuminated with light, when the trees all around were so large and dense he could barely see the sky through them.

"Do we have to send them an alert now, perhaps?" the prince asked to the guard next to him.

"They already know we're coming. They said they would send messengers to guide us to their town."

The prince frowned but kept silent. It only took a few more minutes before they heard a rustle a bit afar, making them all straighten on their saddle. A fox emerged from between bushes and stopped in front of them. The guards had already turned their gazes away from it, but the prince looked at it curiously. It was the first time in his life he saw that kind of animal and for an obscure reason, the thing looked both scared of them, and waiting for their attention.

He tilted his head, wondering why the fox hadn't fled already, as it really seemed terrorized by their wolves, which was only fair enough. Then Chinua walked closer to it and the prince let her, watching with wide eyes as the animals were yapping at each other.

"Is this-..." the prince asked, catching back the attention of his guards. "Is this their messenger, by any chance?"

The fox looked straight at him, making him a bit uncomfortable as he heard his whisper with amazement.

"It is, indeed."

The prince jumped, hearing a sudden voice very close to him and turned his head, but saw absolutely no one. He frowned, feeling more uncomfortable by the seconds.

"I told you it would be weird for a fox to just arrive like that, really... You can't expect them to understand that they have to follow you."

All mountains elves were now regrouping around the prince, trying to understand where the voice was coming from and looking preoccupied. His Majesty, on the other hand, had a soft smile playing on his lips when his eyes caught a small figure, flying around the fox's head. Said fox shook his muzzle, as if he didn't want to listen to the other one.

"What are you?" the prince murmured

The thing turned to him and approached, bowing with a little exaggeration.

"I'm Junmyeon, Your Highness. And here to help you."

The prince was looking at him like he couldn't believe he was real. The Junmyeon was the tiniest creature he ever saw, had small, round and pointy ears, dark eyes, translucent wings attached to his back and was wearing leaves as clothes. And he seemed to be getting embarrassed by the way his public was looking at him. He still gave them a smile very big for such a little creature.

"Might it be possible you never saw a fairy before, my Lord?"

The prince blinked, suddenly understanding 'Junmyeon' might have been this fairy's name, and not his race.

"Indeed," he answered with a delighted face.

There were fairies in this forest, and they could speak elfish. This was incredible. He hadn't even properly entered this land, that he just encountered such a precious being, and felt blessed. Back home, they had a lot of creatures, but fairies were only myths.

"Welcome to our Land, prince Lee. You'll have to excuse the Royal Family for the lack of proper guides. We're really busy with the preparations for the upcoming ball," Junmyeon said.

For a moment, the happiness on the prince's face disappeared as he was remembered of exactly what he was doing here. But the fairy's excitement brought it back quite quickly.

"My friend here came to help you, but he cannot speak in that form. So, I came too." He pointed the fox with his tiny finger, before flying back to sit on his head. "Please follow us."

Chinua didn't even wait for his command to come after the fox, as the prince was still dumbfounded by what the fairy said. Why did he talk about 'that form'? Was this fox a shapeshifter, or another creature?

The trip inside the forest was far more pleasant, and the prince couldn't help himself but look everywhere with joy. This place was really ravishing, so full of light and small sounds. He could catch a glimpse of so many animals as they stopped to let them pass by, hiding and staring at them like they were expecting their venue.

For a moment, he got pretty excited with the idea of living here and having the opportunity to explore the area. Meanwhile, Junmyeon was babbling about quite a lot of things. He told them the whole forest was eager to meet the mountain prince, how everybody was preparing for the ball to have a chance to see him. He implied lightly how much the prince Jonghyun was loved here, and his future husband bit his lip at that.

"Well, I hope you won't be disappointed with me."

The fox shook his head, trying to make Junmyeon fall over, seemingly as a punishment for making their guest question himself. But the prince had only now realized that he would have to actually meet a lot of expectations. On top of having to let go of everything that was important to him, he also had to be accepted in this new place. Still, he couldn't deny that knowing the prince Jonghyun was appreciated by his people was reassuring. It didn't seem like he would have to deal with an annoying and arrogant imbecile.

They rode for one hour and a half, crossing small rivers, passing through clearings, going up hills and making their way in very narrow paths where their wolves were having some difficulties walking. Everything looked completely different from their home, on so many levels, yet it gave off a feeling of calm and safety that appeased the prince and made the melancholia less imposing. He was particularly impressed to see how the forest was changing around them, as they were sometimes surrounded by trees so tall he couldn't tell where they ended, and sometimes by what he would call regular ones.

"We're almost there," Junmyeon finally said.

All the elves straightened up in their seats, and after a few more turns and ups-and-downs, they arrived. The mountain prince couldn't hold back the choked sound of surprise that escaped his lips. He had tried to imagine a bit what the castle and houses would look like, but he surely didn't expect what he was looking at.

They were surrounded by those immense trees with very large trunks and the whole village was expanding in front of them, suspended in the air. The houses were attached to different trees and branches, and roads and bridges had been constructed in between, all decorated in shining lights and flowers. It was breathtakingly beautiful, ethereal in a way.

Elves were starting to come out of their homes to look at them, bowing respectfully when they saw the prince. It took the mountain elves a few minutes to come down from their awe, and realize that the fox that lead them until then had disappeared somewhere. Junmyeon was still flying around, asking them politely to continue following him.

"But where is your friend?" The prince Lee couldn't stop himself from asking.

"Oh you'll see him soon enough, Majesty. Don't you worry."

He showed them the path to the castle. They were still walking on the ground, through small passages that formed a maze between shrubs. The prince Lee really wanted to take those ways that were going up in the trees above them, but didn't dare to ask. He would have time, later, to wander around.

They finally arrived in front of the largest tree around, the one that was sheltering the castle.

"How do I look?"

Jonghyun turned to his best friend, bracing himself for any comment. He was wearing one of his most traditional suit, layers of soft brown and bright green fabrics overlapping on each other in a complicated way that highlighted his silhouette without weighing on it too much. His hair was shoved backwards, showing his forehead and ears, as his wooden tiara was going in stylish patterns high on his head.

"Stunning. But if you managed to not look like a sentenced to death, it would be better," Minho replied with an apologetic smile.

Jonghyun growled a bit at that but nodded. He took a few long breaths to calm himself down, as he really wanted to try, and look nice and friendly to his guest.

"They're really close now, we should get down to greet them," Minho added. "I don't know how much it will help you, but the prince looks charming."

Jonghyun rolled his eyes at his comment, and followed him outside. The closer they got to the entrance of the castle, the more nervous Jonghyun was. He had mentally prepared himself over the past few days to welcome the other prince and he was really hoping that it wouldn't be a torture to spend time with him.

They finally arrived in the hall, where Jonghyun's parents were already waiting for him as well as for their guests. He tried to stay as respectful as possible in his stature, while ignoring them altogether. They hadn't spoken much the last few days and Jonghyun still needed time to process the mess they put him in. He straightened up a bit when the doors finally opened, letting an of elves enter. They were all wearing silver uniforms, walking proudly and solemnly to stop in the center of the hall. The six of them then parted, leaving enough space for the mountain prince to bow reverently in front of his soon-to-be husband and parents-in-law.

Minho was standing a bit on the side, with other guards, eyeing Jonghyun to make sure he would be okay through the whole event. He had to restrain a chuckle, as Junmyeon was flying around to sit on his shoulder, when he saw Jonghyun completely frozen on the spot. The fairy looked at him weirdly, whispering to his ear in his language that no one else could hear.

"What on Earth are you laughing at? This is no time for jokes, there's a very important moment going on right now," Junmyeon tried to sound shocked, but he was actually looking around, curiously trying to get whatever the funny thing was.

Minho turned just enough to look at him gently, before answering in faerish.

"Just look at Jonghyun's face."

The fairy blinked a few times before obeying, and let out a laugh, falling backwards on his friend's neck. Minho was relieved to know he was the only one in the room able to perceive the sounds Junmyeon made when he wasn't specifically talking in elfish, otherwise they would have been scolded for their inappropriate behaviors.

Few meters away, Jonghyun had a hard time concentrating on the speech his father was giving to welcome his future husband. He didn't even realize that he had been staring, eyes wide open and mouth hanging, for several minutes already. The elf in front of him was so incredibly gorgeous he couldn't look away from his soft features and his mind was by now racing with blessings towards everyone he knew that they could welcome such a beauty in their forest. The prince Lee was nodding to Jonghyun's father, saying something in that honey-like voice of his before turning to look at him. There was no change in his expression, while on his side, Jonghyun was fighting his own body as he felt himself fidgeting.

"Prince Jonghyun will take you to your apartments, so you can rest after your trip. If you have any request, wish or question, please come forward to anyone in the castle. We will see you tonight, at dinner, if that's alright."

The prince Lee's attention withdrew to the king once more, and Jonghyun seemed to come back to reality, realizing he might have been dozing off for far too long.

"Thank you, I appreciate your consideration."

He bowed to them one last time, before the king and queen took their leave. Prince Lee gathered his courage once again with a deep breath, and slowly approached the elf he would soon have to marry. Said elf didn't seem really focused during the whole welcoming, but the mountain prince decided to not blame him for that, as he himself had far too many thoughts in his mind. He saw one of the guard approach the prince too, whispering things he couldn't hear from where he was, and he recognized Junmyeon perched on his shoulder. The fairy waved cheerfully at him, not moving from his seat as the guard stepped back, going past him with a small smile as he took care of the mountain elves guards, showing them around.

When he came close enough to his fiancé, the prince Lee suddenly felt stupid. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to address him. The space around them was too empty, though he could still feel everyone's curious stares on them.

"Follow me, please," Jonghyun croaked after a light cough.

The other blinked at that, surprised by the lack of introduction and title, but obliged. He kept his eyes on the prince's broad back as he came after him through long corridors and empty rooms. At first he tried to keep up with where they were going, but soon gave up. He would have to ask his way to the dining room later and memorizing the plans of the castle could wait. He would be there for a while anyway.

Jonghyun finally stopped in front of a large door, carved in a teal blue wood, and turned to him. He had a gentle smile on his face but seemed uncomfortable, his eyes unable to focus on him completely.

"These are the apartments we prepared for you. I hope you'll find them pleasant enough. If you don't like them, we still have others rooms, so please feel free to ask."

The other elf looked at him with surprise but nodded.

"Thanks," he awkwardly let out.

Jonghyun joined his hands, tightening his fingers around one palm as he breathed out a sigh.

"I would like to talk to you, if you're feeling well enough. I know you had quite a long trip so I can wait if you need rest."

Strangely, seeing the prince as restless and anxious helped the mountain elf to calm down. They seemed to be in quite the same state of mind.

"I would appreciate to have a talk with you actually. I do feel drained, but I'm also a bit too nervous to lay down."

He offered a soft smile to the other, and Jonghyun forgot to breathe for an instant.

"Are you okay to let me come into your room or would you prefer that we go to a salon or anywhere else?"

His question made the prince Lee relax just a little bit more. Jonghyun was thoughtful and very polite, and he couldn't deny he liked how accommodating he was being with him. He pondered over the question for a moment, before turning to the door.

"You can come in, I would rather enjoy visiting the castle when I'm calmer."

He turned the doorknob, entering his new living space and stood still, looking everywhere around him without holding back his exclamation of surprise. Jonghyun stopped just in time not to bump into him and congratulated himself.

The prince was blinking rapidly, turning in the circular room with bliss. The ceiling formed an arch above him, decorated with wood that flowed to the ground and bordered the very large windows that illuminated the room. He could see an enormous bed in a light beige color, matching with a few furnitures around, a wardrobe, armchairs, and a round tiny table. It was far smaller than his room in their castle in the mountains, but just like the rest of what he had seen from here, it was much more lovely and cozy. The right side of the room had a curve where laid shelves filled with plants and books, and a door, leading to a small bathroom.

"Do you like it?"

The mountain prince turned to Jonghyun with a little smile but shining eyes.

"It's enchanting, really."

The other seemed relieved at that and finally closed the door behind him. The mountain prince came back from the bathroom and sat on his new bed.

"So hum... It's a bit embarrassing, but may I ask your name? I didn't get it during your presentation."

"Taemin. My name's Taemin."

Jonghyun repeated it quietly, thinking it was a very fitting name for such a pretty face.

"I'm Jonghyun."

Taemin looked at him with a weird face, somewhere between embarrassed and amused.

"I know."

Jonghyun spluttered few incomprehensible words at that, his cheeks warming up as the silence grew heavier. Taemin was still observing things around him coyly while Jonghyun was searching words to express himself. He got lost gazing at his guest's white hair, framing his round face. It was a bit wavy and seemed so amazingly soft.

"I don't know how to address you."

Taemin's words snapped him back in focus and he realized the other elf was studying him closely.

"I mean, honestly... I don't wanna assume how you feel about all this... but it's really odd to me. And I don't know if I should call you by your name, or add some title before it, I don't know how formal we need to be with each other."

Jonghyun stayed silent for a while, a slight frown appearing on his face and it made Taemin shy, wondering if he said something wrong. He knew he wasn't exactly the most ceremonious elf that could be, to his parent's displeasure.

"Can we be honest here?" Jonghyun said tentatively.

They were both assessing each other for a long minute, before Taemin slowly nodded. He wasn't sure what Jonghyun meant with that question, but so far, they had seemed to be quite similar. He saw the prince approaching him, sitting next to him with a sigh.

"I didn't choose that wedding. It makes me upset." Jonghyun admitted.

"That's what I thought. I didn't either."

It seemed the tension lowered a bit in the room after that simple affirmation.

"I still-... I promised my parents I would try. To know you, I mean, and-... all. I also have no clue how to deal with all of this, but I think being pompous with you and too formal will only annoy me even more," Jonghyun breathed out.

"I'm okay with not being excessively polite... I'm not good at it anyway."

Taemin offered him a smile, a real, relaxed one.

"I just have to ask you one personal question. May I?" Jonghyun whispered.

"Go on."

Jonghyun closed his eyes, rubbing his fingers on his mouth.

"Are you-... Do you like... men?"

Taemin bit his lips in a coy pout.

"I do. What about you?"

Jonghyun's frame suddenly relaxed and he nodded.

"Yes, yes I do. I was just worried that maybe-... maybe you weren't and were still forced into this. I mean, I was glad my parents at least didn't force me into marrying a woman so-... I needed to make sure..."

They looked at each other awkwardly, until Taemin broke in a light chuckle. It soon grew into a full laughter, as if he couldn't stop himself anymore. It was nervous and tensed, but it still drew a smile out of Jonghyun. The way Taemin's eyes crinkled as his giggles were becoming louder was adorable. The forest prince soon joined his stupid hilarity.

"Why are you laughing?" he asked between two cackles.

"I don't know," Taemin smiled. "I'm just-..."

He couldn't finish his sentence and put his face between his hands, trying to control his outburst. His body was shook with light trembles and he did his best to take deep breaths to calm down.

"I'm sorry, all of this is too much I guess."

"Don't apologize, it's okay."

Taemin turned to him completely, getting some composure again.

"There's something really important I need to ask you."

"Tell me."

"Are there wolves here? Or do you have anything against them?"

A slight frown appeared on Jonghyun's face, before he shook his head.

"Well, there's no wolf in this part of the forest, no. We have some packs, up in the North. We don't have anything against them, we don't hunt them if that's what you implied... The climate is simply better for them there. Why?"

He saw hope blossoming on his guest's worried face.

"I came here with a wolf. In my home-... I mean, in the mountains, we mostly ride wolves, instead of horses, because it's easier amongst the rocks. And my Chinua is my best friend, I've had her since I'm little. I just-... Can she stay here? Do you think it's alright? She's really good and she listens to me, I promise she's a nice one, she won't make any trouble."

Jonghyun noticed how Taemin's hands quivered with anticipation, he could hear the slight distress in his voice. He slowly put one hand on his arm, squeezing lightly to appease him.

"I don't really see why she couldn't stay. If she's important for you, we'll give her everything she'll need."

"Really?"

Taemin was looking as him with wide eyes and a smile so big with relief it was brightening his whole face in the loveliest way.

"Yes, really. We'll just have to make sure she has enough food and we'll have to be careful about letting her hunt around... We might have to talk with the animals keepers but we won't take her away from you, I promise."

Taemin pressed his hands together and bowed a few times before Jonghyun.

"Thank you. Really, I appreciate this. I can't tell you how grateful I am."

"It's... only natural, really. You already had to give up your whole life to come live here... I want you to feel safe and happy here, you know. If you need anything else, even the slightest thing, you can ask me."

His words resonated in Taemin, making him truly calm down. He looked at him and felt so thankful for his kindness and concern. He knew it could have been so much worse, so much more terrible. But in all his misery, he at least stumbled upon a caring elf, willing to help him and listen to him. The loneliness he was so scared to face this morning seemed not so real and terrifying anymore.

"Do you want to see her, maybe? I could take you to her and show you around a bit. So we can see if she's been taken care of properly. Or if you want to rest now, I can still bring you to her after dinner or whenever you want."

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