Donghae paced restlessly in the room. It’s a place he shared with his dearest in this foreign land. It just felt wrong he’s alone in this room.

How long does it take to deliver tea?

It’s past midnight already…

That night Hyukjae didn’t come back. And Donghae had a painfully long, sleepless night.

The anxiety burning in his heart was unbearable. Donghae ventured out into the dark.

The citadel was soaked in silence. Everything was still. There’s no wind. Not even the flapping of a moth’s wings dared to disrupt the stillness befell the place. It’s like the whole citadel was frozen in time. It’s like Donghae wandered into a drawing. And Donghae was the only being at odd here. Donghae’s in motion. His heart’s beating. He’s wandering here and there, checking all quiet corners, trying to retrace Hyukjae’s footsteps.

In the end Donghae came to stand in front of the high cleric’s chamber.

Time to face Kyuhyun.

Clenching his fist, Donghae knocked on the chamber door. Right at that moment, before he could announce his presence, Donghae felt chills rush down his spine. He sensed an icy coldness conjured in his immediate vicinity. Quickly he turned. He could almost see a puff of coldness float pass right in front of him. His well forged assassin instinct alarmed him in no time. Quickly Donghae closed his fingers around the hilt of his sword.

“What’s the matter?” Donghae’s heart jumped when Kyuhyun spoke behind him all of a sudden.

The high cleric himself answered the knock, peering at Donghae through the tiny slit between the chamber doors.

Apart from the white gown Kyuhyun was wearing, Donghae couldn’t make out anything beyond that slit. “Your Highness, forgive your servant for disturbing you at this odd hour. Your Highness’ another servant did not return from his duty. Your servant worries about his safety. His name is Lee Hyukjae. He was supposed to bring tea to Your Highness earlier tonight.”

“I did not see anyone.” Abruptly Kyuhyun closed the chamber door.

Stunned, for a long while Donghae froze at the spot. He didn’t give up though. He hid behind a nearby statue and waited.

As Donghae suspected, the cleric lied. The next morning, when the chamber doors opened he saw Hyukjae walk out. Jealousy right away soured his heart. “Hyukkie!” Donghae hushed from his hiding spot. The accusatory edge carried amidst those syllables couldn’t go unnoticed. It’s beyond Donghae to conceal that.

Hyukjae turned his head in Donghae’s direction. If that icy coldness chilled Donghae hours ago, Hyukjae’s eyes at this moment plunged Donghae into an icy abyss. Those eyes blinked bewilderment, tainted with annoyance. Those eyes didn’t know Donghae.

The high cleric appeared. Kyuhyun took Hyukjae’s hand. “Come! I will introduce you to my father.”

Just when Donghae thought things couldn’t be worse, he saw Hyukjae smile. In a split second those bewilderment and annoyance vanished. At Kyuhyun’s presence, Hyukjae’s face beamed joy, mirroring Kyuhyun’s excitement.

Donghae felt he was knocked over. Hard.

It still rang in his ears how Hyukjae soothed him the previous evening.

Donghae… after all we have been through… there’s no way anything will change between us…

Donghae I love you only…

Tears welled up in his eyes.

……

A lot of things happened that night, without Donghae’s knowledge. Not even Kyuhyun knew exactly what happened. An invisible force oversaw and orchestrated the events. An invisible smirk lingered.

Venom from Nightfrost’s blade seeped into Hyukjae’s body, immersing him in slumber. To neutralize the venom, the unsuspecting Kyuhyun demanded Nightfrost to bring the antidote elixir. Little did the high cleric know, what he then made Hyukjae drink, was more than an antidote.

That night, in deep slumber, all Hyukjae’s recollections with Donghae played out vividly in his dream. How they grew up together. How they developed feelings for each other. How they pledged the vow to always stay together. How they trained and endured hardships together. How hard they fought to protect each other. How they entered and came out of battles together. How they confronted opponents side by side. How they always covered each other, defended each other, stood by each other. How they rejoiced and wept together…

The moment Sunlight brushed over Hyukjae’s eyelids, the moment Hyukjae woke up and opened his eyes, all those recollections were no more. Hyukjae’s mind was as blank as a new parchment, ready for an inscription of a new identity – Eunhyuk.

Kyuhyun was more than happy seeing Eunhyuk awake. He took both of Eunhyuk’s hands as he spoke. Excitement was obvious on the high cleric’s face. “Morning! Your name is Eunhyuk. My father gave you this name. Finally, my father allows me to have a friend! He said because you’re my soulmate and therefore we’re allowed to stay together. Even though my father has not seen you, he already knows you’re my soulmate. I don’t know how my father gets to know this but my father knows everything. I… I’m so happy I… I…”

Tears of joy flooded Kyuhyun’s eyes and drowned the rest of his sentence.

Poor Kyuhyun. Yes. Ever since he left that orphanage he was deprived of any friendship. Lord Seth cut him off from any contact with the outside world. Every day Kyuhyun was on his own, studying the healing art, practicing the revival spell, tending to the patients. He particularly liked tending to the patients. However, as time passed he learnt to avoid ‘unnecessary’ contacts. Every time he tried to help his patients more or care more, he got beaten by his father. He got scolded he should only focus on his primary tasks.

You are the prince of this Kingdom. Act like a prince! You are no ordinary citizen so do NOT mingle with them! I adopted you to be my son. I chose you to be my cleric. You are no ordinary! Sway NOT from your calling. You bear the burden of saving the world from the corruption of death. Lead the Hawks to triumph. The day the Hawks unite the entire world, the day peace will befall this planet and you, my son, will be granted the ultimate gift of revival; and you, my son, will cleanse the world from the corruption of death. Sway NOT from your calling. My son!