Moth-like wings ruffled slightly, the shifting of impatience. Wonpil was leaning against the wall of the throne room watching the Winter Fae gape like fish as Brian refused the marriage proposal. He wished they would all just get over it, this silly idea that marriage would fix the problems in the lands of the Winter Fae. As though if they had a Morning Prince some of the prosperity would leak from him and into their people. Wonpil scoffed to himself slightly and looked away; sometimes royals were seriously stupid.

In his opinion the Winter Fae needed less self-important royals and more actual governing of their people. Then again, perhaps that’s what they wanted Brian for. Either way, it was not a Morning Prince’s place to fix another kingdom’s problems. Especially if he didn’t even love his betrothed. Wonpil had never been more glad he wasn’t a royal.

“Preposterous!” The Winter Queen’s voice soared, a sense of icicles tinkling together could be heard in her tone. The fae in the room winced slightly. The Princess’s face was downcast as Brian remained stoic. “This was not an opportunity to question or refuse! This was a symbolic proposal for a marriage that is destined to happen!” The Winter Queen continued, her snowflake wings flittering with barely controlled rage.

“I beg to differ,” Brian spoke politely, the only sign of tension in him was his clenched fists. “I am a prince and free to make my own choices of marriage. I refuse Princess Siobhan’s hand. The Winter Fae will need to find a new candidate.”

“This is a profound insult to us!” Flurries of snow had begun to whirl from behind the Winter Queen. “It will be marriage or war. The Winter Kingdom is tired of being the least respected of the fae. We will take that respect back by force if you do not wish to grant it freely.”

There was a palpable shift in the room as the Winter Queen declared a plan for open war. Wonpil hummed to himself and finally pushed away from the wall. He sauntered to the side of the discussion, attracting a small amount of attention.

“If I may offer a solution,” Wonpil spoke in his most unassuming tone. Brian’s flecked eyes begged him not to make things any worse than they already were. Wonpil ignored him. The Winter Queen turned her icy gaze on him and gave a small tch of disapproval.

“And what does a plain, little Midnight Fae wish to offer to a Royal debate?” Her tone was acidic but the rules of the land dictated she had to listen to him.

“Only a solution that wont result in a millenia of war for your already disadvantaged people.” A silence stretched out between the Winter Royals and the lowly Midnight Fae. “A curse, a hundred years of servitude in the human realms. His insult is punished and the Winter Fae can turn their attention to their own problems rather than war.”

A ripple of offence rolled over the assembled royals and Wonpil backed away to his former place, waiting against the wall as the words sunk in properly.

“A curse,” The Princess spoke up for the first time, her eyes appeared to be snow dancing in a breeze. “A curse on you Brian of the Morning Fae.” Power began to thrum in the air and Brian’s face slipped for the first time.

   “Fae of Love and Attraction, you shall be.
    Royal Fae of the Morning, no more.
    Healing lonely hearts as you have wounded mine.
    A hundred years for every wound and flaw.
    A hundred years of punishment.
    Bound to the abyss.
    I curse you, Brian of the Morning Fae
    Only to be broken with a kiss”

There was a cutting breeze, as though the air was blowing off a glacier and whipping through the throne room. Brian was surrounded, the flowers of his crown ripped from his head by the wind, his wings broken and torn as he was enveloped in a whirl of winter magic and banished to the abyss.

Wonpil stayed staring at the place Brian had been, the last of the morning glory flowers curling and crumbling into nothingness on the marble floor. He sighed and pursed his lips. Right, a hundred years to find someone to break the curse. After giving a barely respectful bow he turned away from the shocked royals. With a fluttering of his moonlight wings he lifted away from the floor and escaped out one of the many windows.

Wonpil stood by the door to a bank, watching the horses and carts clatter past. The noise of the city was impossible with the use of horses as everyday transport, not to mention the stench. Wonpil was sneering at the ridiculousness of humans when the man he had been waiting for stumbled out the door of a building nearby.

He was tall; lanky and graceless. His hair was a deep black and flopped over his forehead constantly. The man’s arms were full of papers; he tried to juggle them all as he placed his hat on his unruly hair and pushed his glasses back up his nose. The hand was then flung into the air as he attempted to hail a taxi. The momentum was the last straw and all of his papers scattered across the street in a flurry. Wonpil sighed and moved to help him retrieve them. The poor, ridiculous human.

Feeling more than a little sorry for the law clerk, Wonpil touched each page with a little magic, helping keep them clean from most of the city’s grime. He passed the collected pages back to the clerk and smiled.

“Oh, uh, yes, uh, thank you, good sir.” His voice was an uneven stammer, like the flutter of a butterfly’s wings. Wonpil’s lips pursed even more.

“You’re welcome,” Wonpil replied, eyes searching the blue ones beneath the glasses.

“I really do owe you.” The clerk shifted from foot to foot, eyes on the traffic over Wonpil’s shoulder.

“It was no trouble. Here,” Wonpil turned and charmed a taxi to stop for them. “A taxi. Good day,” Wonpil gave a small bow and waved the clerk into the taxi.

“Uh, oh, yes, you too.” The clerk climbed up, almost losing the paperwork again. “Good day.”

Wonpil shook his head slowly and moved on down the cobbled street. So close, but far too useless. Brian would set his poor, clumsy head alight before they even made it to midday.

He sighed at the clear sky before stepping easily between worlds and back into the Realm of the Fae. How could it have already taken over 1500 years for Wonpil to find a suitable human to break the curse? He had thought, standing in the throne room all that time ago, that it would have been a simple 100 years of punishment. When the 100 years had finished and Brian remained in limbo, Wonpil began to feel a gnawing guilt. Now, for the last thousand years he had been trying to find someone to break the curse. Of course, he had been interrupted a few times. The wars that humans loved to have, the rejection of magic from the world and punishment of those that still remembered the old ways. Then the ultimate problem of finding someone Brian would actually like.

Wonpil had already added a few hundred years by accident, thinking he could just trick any old human into loving Brian. It seemed since his interment he had become rather crotchety. The joyful Morning Prince was long gone and Wonpil was left to find the exact perfect person from almost an infinite amount of people. Someone that could handle the grouchy fairy, someone that could laugh off the prickles and see the sweet fae that was still in there somewhere. Wonpil sighed heavily, settling down in the long grass of a meadow to think seriously. The only solution he came up with was that he had to keep searching. Eventually, statistically speaking, he would find that perfect one.

A noisy pub, patrons shouting and laughing drunkenly. The odour of beer and cigarettes hangs in the humid air, coupled with fried food and the scent of summer. Wonpil’s eyes are trained on the young man playing guitar, his voice straining through the microphone, almost lost to the din. Something in his determination to be heard, to get up over the chaos of the revellers and have his music heard. That’s what seals it for Wonpil. His hair is dyed blond, a little fluffy in the humidity. Gold-rimmed glasses and a slight mischieviousness to his eyes. He’s perfect, he’s definitely the one. Wonpil nods resolutely to himself.

As the night wears on, patrons slowly moving on to another place for drinking or dancing, the man and his guitar never falter. It’s not until the staff as packing up the glasses and calling for last round that he finally stops playing. Wonpil watches from a table nearby, a glamour keeping him hidden in plain sight.

Jae’s Lobster Fund, the sign in the open guitar case reads. There’s a scattering of money through the case, several large notes he had earned from playing requests for the drunks. Wonpil smiles as the money is scooped up and tossed into a lunch bag, almost as though it’s just a by-product of playing. The guitar is treated like it’s made of gold, laid to rest in its case carefully, while the bag of money is dumped into the backpack and zipped away without a thought.

The guitarist leaves, waving to the bartenders before wandering through the now deserted square. Usually it’s full of people, laughing and taking photos by the statues. Sitting and enjoying the ambiance of the city as it moves around them. Now, at the late hour of last call, only a few stumbling party-goers can be seen. Jae unhitches his bicycle from the rack and climbs on, his guitar slung over his back and the backpack fastened down behind him. Whistling to himself, he pushes off and cruises away down the street. The cheerful whistle carries back to Wonpil for a long time.

Wonpil watched Jae for a few more days; the last failure (almost 1000 years ago) still hanging over Wonpil’s head. He follows the human to university, watches him as he chats to classmates, a defined sense of detachment from them. Jae also attends work; Wonpil almost ruined everything by barging into the cafe after him. It was only the ticklish sensation of a wizard’s aura that made Wonpil pause for once in his life. Instead, he peeked through the window. There was Jae, laughing along with another man. This human was broad shouldered but younger. His aura was a glittering mass of colours, filling almost the entire cafe. Wonpil retreated quickly, it would not do to be caught so close to the end. He would have to find a time when Jae wasn’t around the wizard to set his grand plan in motion. Maybe after things were fixed he could meet the wizard. The fae allowed himself one more peek through the window, this time eyes fixed on the wizard. He wasn’t sure how long he stayed that way, eyes and nose peeking around the edge of the window, but when the wizard’s head snapped up and the brown eyes locked onto him, Wonpil scarpered. He jumped straight through to the Realm of the Fae, not sure how to deal with his erratic heartbeat.

This had to work, otherwise Wonpil would have to continue on with his quest. He would be forced to leave the wizard in the past. He was desperate to do anything but that. With a determined set to his mouth Wonpil stepped back into the Human Realms, leaning against the garden wall by Jae’s house and waiting for him to return home. It was now or never.

Fiddling with memories was second nature to fae. They fiddled with humans all the time anyway; mostly for the glorious reactions they would give. The cries and complaints over lost keys, lost wallets and lost jewelry were too good for most fae to resist. Wonpil was no exception, even as he spent his time finding a match for Brian he made time to fiddle with human’s day to day lives as well.

Jae seemed to be a strange case however. Wonpil had altered Jae’s memory, setting a happy friendship in his memory that was foggy and incomplete. Jae would never remember how they met, he came home from work that day to greet Wonpil as though they had always been friends. Wonpil reacted in kind  because if he didn’t it would ruin the magic he had just spent the last hour crafting and casting on the defenceless human. He did not actually consider himself a friend. Jae was a means to an end. Jae was a way to help fix the problems he had created for his best friend.

At least, that was how it began. After spending almost a month with the human, (as long as he was anywhere but the cafe) Wonpil was struggling to find reasons not to just continue to hang out with him. He would set the spell up soon, just… not yet. The turning point for Wonpil had been Jae yanking him back from an oncoming car, not really saving his life but the thought was there. And then Jae had gone on a tirade about Wonpil’s safety. He just wouldn’t stop yelling at Wonpil about taking care of himself. The fae had nodded along, holding back his exasperation with the ridiculous human. Slowly, through his boredom, a new emotion began to filter. A small swoop of happiness was swirling around his chest like a bird.

Jae’s hands came to rest on Wonpil’s shoulders firmly, giving a little shake.

“Do you get it? Are you even listening to me?” Jae gave him another shake.

“I get it, I get it,” Wonpil smiled, shaking his head with wonder. Jae’s eyebrows had come together, examining Wonpil for any trace of sarcasm. The fae had smiled back widely, letting the delightful feeling of friendship spread through him.

Wonpil had begun to give himself excuses from there. Jae wasn’t ready. Jae needed more time. Wonpil needed more time. To be really, truly sure. They could just be friends a bit longer. Until Jae began talking about his crush. Wonpil was resigned to the fact that it was now or never.

He stood and borrowed some paper from the human, selecting a pink ballpoint pen as well. Brian would love the pink. He set about drawing up the runes, keeping Jae distracted by his study as he worked to cover the room in everything they would need. When it was completely papered, the spells set down in the bed for Jae to find, Wonpil took one last look at his friend and disappeared.

Wonpil sat in the high branches of the tree outside Jae’s window, listening to the amusing conversation between the human and fae. He had almost fallen out of the tree with laughter upon hearing Jae’s screech and thud as he tried to escape Brian. Wonpil exercised his magic and kept Jae’s family deep in sleep so they wouldn’t wake to the panicked screams of their son.

It was all going rather well, considering Jae had literally no idea what was going on. Wonpil swung upside down in the tree, peeking through the window a little as Brian jumped up and introduced himself formally. The conversation shifted to Wonpil and the Midnight Fae listened with interest. The last time Brian had seen him it had not gone well, in fact it had earned the prince another hundred years. Since then Wonpil had acted from the shadows, being careful to stay out of sight of Brian.

“… Wonpil is also a fae, he’s mostly just an though.” Brian’s voice was dark with ire. Wonpil pouted, wrinkling his nose in dissatisfaction. Brian could have been a little nicer about his best friend. With a sneer, Wonpil righted himself and let his fae appearance out. Wings sprouted from his shoulders and his misty aura seeped over his skin. With a toss of his head, he fluttered away from the conversation and off to another house in the city. A house with a rather pretty wizard fast asleep in his bed already.

Sleep was a speciality of Wonpil’s, maybe Dowoon would like to chat in his dreams. Wonpil grinned, he could be the fae of his dreams.

Wonpil stood at the edges of the Gateway, watching as Jae worked and snuck glances at Brian’s sleeping form. Everything was going well so far. There was one more piece to be laid in place, the biggest gamble of the last 1800 years. Wonpil took a deep breath and gave a small call to Jae. It took a moment, the human was so entranced in his study and the contented fae beside him. Jae’s head snapped up and Wonpil gave a small wave, almost a beckoning. A little magic jumped through the air, it took another moment to reach the human properly.

Wonpil waited, crouched low in the meadow and using a slight glamour to stay unobtrusive. It would not do to have Brian burn his face off before he had a chance to give Jae the last piece of the puzzle.

He had intended to reveal himself straight away, dodging the obvious attack from the prince and telling Jae there was a loophole. The interaction between fae and human gave him pause though. Jae was staring at Brian with open-faced desire, heart seeming to break then and there as Brian’s princely appearance finally returned. Wonpil’s own heart flip-flopped as he watched Brian fly for the first time in centuries; how could he have done this to his best friend? He wrestled with his guilt again, trying to pummel it down into a corner of his heart and lock a door against it. He was making it better, he was fixing it right now.

As he had been preoccupied Jae had reached up to touch the crown, Brian snarling and bearing his sharp teeth in a clear warning. Wonpil chose his moment and called out to the pair. The only thing that mattered was getting to Jae. Wonpil dodged the prince easily, gripping Jae’s hands tight and pressing the words into his human brain. Burying them so deep they would never come back out again. It would be all or nothing now. With one last stretch of power Wonpil sent the pair back, dropping them in the park where they had started, the human losing conciousness from the sudden jump. He battled against Brian’s power for a moment. The prince wanted to stay in the Realm of the Fae but he was drained from his time in limbo and Wonpil won easily. Easily, but with a final wrench of his own heart as he dropped Brian in the Human Realm. The prince was almost sobbing with loss as his crown and wings were torn from him once more.

Wonpil fled, unable to stay and witness the grief of the cursed fae.

He flew and flew and flew. He seemed unable to rest his wings at all, the tearing in his chest driving him onward through the starry sky. Tears slipped over his cheeks as he flew aimlessly, the moon rose overhead and Wonpil finally alighted on the spire of a palace tower. He watched the moon, letting the cool waves of light wash over his face. If this didn’t work he would find a way to trade places with Brian instead. He would bring the Prince home to this palace and take his place. It wasn’t a welcome solution, one Wonpil had been studiously ignoring for the last eternity, but now he could ignore it no longer. Brian had been punished enough. The Winter Queen (then the Princess) had gotten her revenge. It was time to bring Brian home.

With the decision made Wonpil jumped from the spire and fluttered down through the open windows into the throne room. He stood in the same place it had all started, finding the same place by the wall as he waited. The Morning King looked up from his game of chess with the Queen, sunrise eyes fixing on Wonpil with a question. They both wore crowns of flowers; the King’s were bright orange poppies and the Queen’s regal hibiscus of all colours.

“Your Majesty, please forgive my intrusion,” Wonpil’s voice was oddly formal. The Morning Queen’s eyes snapped up from her chess pieces with alarm. Wonpil was never formal.

“What is it?” The Morning Queen swept to her feet, eyes glittering dew drops.

“I think,” Wonpil bowed slightly, “I’ve done all I can.”

“Is he-?” The King’s question was cut off as a rustle started in the middle of the hall and Brian appeared in a swirl of sweet air. His wings bare and hair adorned with his crown.

There was a flurry of movement as Brian was enveloped by his parents, sobbing and cries the only noise in the empty throne room. Wonpil stayed off to the side, relief flooding his body as he realised Jae had worked it out.

Jae.

Where was Jae?

Wonpil slapped his forehead and groaned. The noise shocked the other three fae into staring at him. Brian’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

“You forgot the damn human!” Wonpil told the prince before slipping out of the throne room to go and fetch Jae.

Wonpil stood in a different throne room, this one full of deep black stone and endless murals of constellations overhead. His own King stood before his throne, the crown of soft moonflowers peeking through his raven hair. Wonpil’s head was bowed respectfully.

“I have an envoy from the Morning Kingdom,” The King’s voice was like the whisper of wind through the branches of trees. “They send a gift and a note of thank you to you.”

“Thank you, Majesty.” Wonpil nodded, his heart twinged painfully as Jae called for him again in the human realm. He sighed with out realising. The King’s brows knitted together.

“Wonpil?” His Queen asked, still seated. Her crown was sprays of evening primrose, bright against her deep black hair. “What’s saddening you? This is a great honour and strengthens the bond between our two Kingdoms. You should be celebrating as we are.”

“I…” Wonpil glanced out the side of his eyes, he was bound to tell his royals everything. He could only fight the magic for so long. “I wish to return to the Human Realms. There is a human there I befriended and I can feel him missing me.”

A sweet smiled graced the Queen’s lips. She waited, knowing there was more to come.

“And I found a wizard.” Wonpil gritted his teeth against the next admission but it slipped through anyway. “He’s really pretty.”

A skittering laugh, the sound of bats calling, rang from the royals and they nodded kindly.

“You have paid your debt to the Morning Prince and we grant you a boon. You may return to the human realms. You may also bring your wizard back. Infrequently.” The Queen pointed a stern finger. “We will not have the humans here all the time. Understand.”

Wonpil swept the lowest bow of his very long life.

“Thank you, Majesty,” He mumbled, overcome with delight.

“You are dismissed,” The King smiled and sat in his throne once more. Almost before the words had left his mouth, Wonpil was gone.

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A/N: I wrote this little piece about Wonpil, a few people had wondered what his story was. So, uh, Ta-dah!