It was time. Donghae left his room silently, turning back to look at the place which held so many memories.

 

There was no room for any mistakes.

 

Finally, he would be able to see beyond the walls of the palace, past the place that had confined him for much of his life.

 

Just as he closed the door, a sudden noise made him pause, dropping whatever he was holding. He stopped in his tracks, and before he could say a word, he was consumed by darkness.

 

-

 

“I see that you're awake now.” Donghae was jolted to consciousness by a splash of water against his face.

 

“It’s you,” Donghae breathed shakily, feeling the cold drops of water trickle down his face.

 

The queen laughed, wrapping her hands around Donghae’s neck. Donghae shivered at the cold that stung his neck.

 

“Now. Won’t you tell me what’s going on?”

 

“There is nothing going on.” The servant spoke, and he could feel the grip around his neck getting tighter.

 

“Since you’re not willing to tell me, I guess the only option I have is to kill you. Your body will be disposed of so quickly the king won’t even realise you’re gone.” Donghae looked up at that, squirming in the ropes that bound him.

 

“You’re mad!”

 

“Am I, really? I’m certain that you are the one who is mad, loving someone you’re not allowed to.” Donghae flinched.

 

“Well, it’s too late to do anything now.” She smirked, and wrapped her hands even tighter around the servant’s neck.

 

Donghae gasped for breath, attempting to push the cold hands away.

 

“My lady.”

 

The grip around his neck loosened.

 

“Are you sure you want to kill him this quickly? Shouldn’t we prolong his pain?” Donghae’s head snapped up at the familiar voice.

 

Hongseok.

 

The bodyguard smirked, holding the servant’s chin in his hands, before landing a harsh slap on his face.

 

Donghae felt the searing pain and the tears of hurt and betrayal threatening to fall.

 

“Trust nobody in this palace, didn’t the king tell you that?” Donghae looked away.

 

“I’ll leave you to have fun with him. I’m going to spend time with my dear husband now.” The queen spoke, and only the harsh breathing of the servant could be heard as the door closed.

 

Donghae glared at the figure standing in front of him, back turned away.

 

“Why? I trusted you.” He said, tears threatening to fall.

 

“Donghae-ah.” The servant looked up at the sound of the trembling voice, evidently laced with fear and hesitation.

 

“I never intended to hurt you.”

 

“What?” Donghae frowned.

 

“Tomorrow morning, before the sun rises. Run as far as you can, together with the king.”

 

-

 

Donghae shivered in the cold prison cell, flinching at the sounds of rats and cockroaches running across the floor. He closed his eyes, attempting to imagine the warm hands of the king wrapped around his, and the soothing voice that always calmed him down.

 

Tomorrow… What would it bring?

 

“Donghae-ah.” He was shaken awake, and he opened his eyes, finding the bodyguard in front of him.

 

“It’s time.”

 

As the bodyguard helped him onto the horse, he couldn’t help the painful tugging at his heart.

 

“Hongseok-ah, will I see you again?” The bodyguard only smiled, stepping away from the horse.

 

“I thank you for the past few months of friendship, Donghae. You helped me see beyond the walls of this palace. Now, it is time for me to help you. Don’t think of me anymore. Take care of the king, you will only have each other to depend on from now on.”

 

Donghae could only nod with tear-filled eyes, and he turned back to look at the bodyguard as he faded into the distance.

 

-

 

Ride all the way until the forest and turn right once you see the rope I have tied to a tree. The king will be waiting for you there.

 

Run as fast as you can, for the queen will send the troops after you once she realises that you are gone.

 

And lastly… Don’t ever look back.

 

-

 

It was wrong, and it had always been wrong.

 

But it was right to them, and that was all that mattered.

 

Donghae had always been alone when growing up, his only company being the palace servants. For the first time, the king had shown him what it was like to be loved and to love.

 

He was intoxicated, it was like a drug, and he had long fallen too deep.

 

But it was all right.

 

They would be together forever from now on.

 

-

 

Your flaw is that you don’t know what you truly want.

 

The king laughed as he recalled the words the servant had uttered to him a few months ago.

 

It was true, every single word.

 

All his life, he had never thought for himself. Every decision was for the country, for his people.

 

He was strong, capable and intelligent. But in the face of love, he had become a fool.

 

But he didn’t mind being a fool, he realised. The servant had enthralled him from the beginning, and he knew he could not afford to lose him.

 

Just this once, he knew what he wanted.

 

-

 

“Hyukjae!” Donghae cried out as he saw the king waiting for him, mounted on his own horse. For the first time, the king was not wearing royal robes made of the finest gold.

 

“Donghae,” Hyukjae breathed, relieved that the servant had reached him safely. He immediately got down his horse, pulling him in for a deep kiss. He firmly gripped onto the back of the servant’s head, holding him close.

 

They pulled apart, eyes shining with tears of relief.

 

“Let’s go.” The king said, pulling Donghae’s hands and leading him to get onto his horse again. There was no further time to waste.

 

He frowned when the servant tugged at his hand, preventing him from walking any further.

 

“What’s wrong, love? We have to go before it’s too late.” The prince tugged at his hands again, urging him to get on the horse.

 

The servant smiled softly, placing his hands on the king’s cheek, letting his fingers run gently over the skin.

 

“Are you certain?” Donghae asked hesitantly. “Are you certain that you want to leave all of this behind?”

 

The king saw the uneasy expression on the servant’s face.

 

He chuckled, placing both his hands on the servant’s cheeks to make him look at him.

 

“Don’t be silly,” Hyukjae pinched Donghae’s nose. “Nothing is more important than you. I can give up an entire kingdom, love. But I will never give you up.”

 

Donghae felt his heart race at the king’s words. The king had given up everything for him. Now, it was time for him to stop hesitating.

 

He placed a gentle and shy kiss on the king’s lips, before getting up on the horse. The king smiled as the servant rode off first, and he quickly followed.

 

-

 

It had been two hours and the sun was beginning to set.

 

“Love, shall we rest for the night?”

 

Donghae nodded, and they began to search for a place they could settle down in.

 

Donghae curled into Hyukjae’s warm embrace, shivering at the cold. He felt himself slowly nodding off as Hyukjae’s hands ran through his hair comfortingly.

 

He smiled as Hyukjae kissed his forehead gently, and curled even deeper into his embrace. Hyukjae smiled, embracing the smaller male even tighter.

 

“Will you ever regret this?” Donghae spoke up. Hyukjae looked into the distance and Donghae could not tell what was on his mind.

 

“Perhaps we will regret this someday, Donghae.” Hyukjae’s words brought about a confused expression on Donghae’s face, but he continued.

 

“But that is a time far from now. And for now, I am certain that I will not regret anything.”

 

“Sleep now, love. It will be another long day tomorrow.”

 

Donghae nodded with the reassuring words spoken, and he let himself drift off to sleep in Hyukjae’s arms.

 

-

 

“Donghae!” The servant woke up to someone urgently calling his name and he opened his eyes to find Hyukjae’s worried eyes staring back at him.

 

“We have to go now,” Donghae immediately sat up. “They have found us.”

 

They scrambled to their feet, immediately mounting their horses. Donghae could feel his entire body trembling.

 

Hyukjae growled in frustration as the sounds got even nearer.

 

But he paused when the servant held onto his hand tightly, and time seemed to come to a halt as they stared into each other’s eyes.

 

It was a world that truly belonged to them, and they had found it.

 

-

 

As their horses race against time, their hands lace with each other, holding on as tightly as they can.

 

They hear the sounds of hooves getting even closer, the shouts echoing even louder through the empty forest.

 

They look at each other, and they smile.

 

Their horses reach the edge of the cliff - the point of no return.

 

Shall we run, Hyukjae?

 

They get off the horses, feeling their hearts thumping in unison, their hands still interlaced. Donghae holds onto the necklace Hyukjae had gifted him, still hanging loosely around his neck.

 

To a place where we will truly belong?

 

The shouts get nearer, there is no turning back.

 

And so, they fall.

 

-

 

Fly with me, Hyukjae.

 

To a place where we will never be found.

 

To a place where we can love freely.

 

Fly with me.