When Donghae arrived in the palace, Heechul smacked him on the head. He chased him all around the castle, hurling anything that grazes his beautiful hands. The servants steered clear of them, moving out of the way in case they get caught in the crossfire.

Donghae could not hide from Heechul. He knows all his hiding places.

“Where the hell have you been?” Heechul yells after him. Donghae almost trips on a random furniture, but that was enough time for Heechul to catch up to him. “How dare you make me run! You might just be next in line, but I won’t hesitate to kill you!”

Donghae shrinks to the floor, his arms raised. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” He flinches when he sensed Heechul in front of him.

“I thought you got yourself killed or something!” Heechul shouts. “You’re so dirty I don’t even recognize you.”

Donghae peeks out of his raised arms.

“Were you with that Eunja?” Heechul prods. “You do know, she’s not really a girl.”

Donghae bursts out laughing. “I know, hyung.”

Heechul reaches over and grabs Donghae by the front of his shirt. “Did you…?” Heechul shoots him a dangerous look.

Donghae shakes Heechul’s hold on him. “No, hyung! It’s not what you think!”

“Then what? Because everything you do is suspicious!”

“It’s not like you’re not suspicious too!”

“The difference between us, is that you’re going to get married!”

Donghae leans back, his body going slack. He did arrange a date, but he’s never even seen or met this girl. He can’t imagine holding any other person but Eunhyuk, well, Hyukjae. Donghae thinks about how many names could a person possibly have.

Heechul snaps his fingers to get his focus. “You clean yourself up. I’m telling uncle you’re back. Then you will talk to me so our stories will align.”

“You’re lying for me?”

“ yeah I’m lying for you! Your father threatened to take my head! Now that you went off with your lover, I don’t even know what kind of sorry excuse I can make!”

Donghae giggles.

“Not funny!”

~

Eunhyuk is tempted to go visit Donghae the first night he spent without him. It bothered him so much that he kept twisting and turning in the little sleeping space he had. He earns several kicks from s, so he gave up and just stepped out of their tent. The days are getting chillier, and with only one sleeve, it’s not really fun to be outside all the time. He looks at the sky, which has no moon, so the world has become even darker.

“Can’t sleep, huh?” He hears Shindong behind him. “Missing your prince? It’s only been one day.”

Eunhyuk shakes his head. He takes a random coat and puts it across his shoulders.

“I take it you’ll never be Eunja again?”

“I haven’t been her in months.” Eunhyuk thinks about all the reasons why.

“You know, you have always been so focus on fighting for what you believe in,” Shindong says slowly. “Maybe it’s time to get back on track.”

Eunhyuk crosses his arms. “You’re right.” His mind is somewhere else.

“We sent most of the metals we’ve been collecting to Onew,” Shindong informs him. “They’ll be ready soon. In a month at most.”

Eunhyuk tries to think. “Hyung, we can’t do this with just the people. We need someone powerful.”

“Yeah, we do. Siwon has connections, remember?”

“But what if we have a better one?”

Shindong dreads the answer that Eunhyuk will provide. He knows where this is going.

“If we want to succeed, if we don’t want ten years of our lives wasted, we have to back Donghae up,” Eunhyuk explains. “Let’s not kill anyone. Donghae can make a difference. He will be a good king.”

Shindong is suddenly terrified hearing this from Eunhyuk’s mouth. He met Donghae once and told his future. “How do you know? He’s still young. You’re planning to hand the crown to him?”

“He’s a good person. He’s not his father,” Eunhyuk replies. His eyebrows furrow.

“Eunhyuk, your heart is doing all the talking. Watch yourself,” Shindong warns. He senses that Eunhyuk’s future is a bit bleak.

However, his defiant spirit is what drives him. He will not bend for anything once he makes up his mind. He realizes that Donghae is the one who he’s made to support. Everything is pulling him to Donghae. It can’t be a coincidence that they are in this place now.

~

While Donghae slept fitfully with Eunhyuk’s torn sleeve, Heechul receives a letter from his messenger owl. It was from Siwon.

One month. We are about to call the people to action.

Heechul rips the paper in half and destroys it in the nearest fireplace.