Deep amber light reflected off the thin paper walls of dozens of glowing lanterns. Each orb of warm light sat atop a tall post positioned alongside the grand walkway that led towards the royal palace. They burned like tiny suns in the darkness of the night, their glow illuminating the serious faces of the palace guards positioned beneath them. The guards stood silently in the pools of warm light, their gazes transfixed on the stone pathway in front of them. They stood like pillars waiting for any sign of unrest or movement in front of the grand palace that they were sworn to protect.

     A flash of crimson silk drew the attention of the guards as a tall slender figure stepped onto the long stone path. The row of guards stiffened their stances and studied the figure carefully. Their eyes followed the flowing red silk of the figures long robes, the striking color of the fabric indicating a royal station. The elegant figure wrapped in flowing red silk acknowledged the guards for only a small moment, her large dark eyes scanning them as she glided passed. The armored men diverted their gazes to the ground as the cat like eyes of the crown prince’s beautiful wife passed over them, her presence intimidating, but unthreatening. It was common to see the Princess walking the palace grounds at night, her rocky marriage to the crown prince notorious for it volatility and isolation.

     The Princess’s long black hair hung loose about her face, the casual style inappropriate for public and alluding to yet another quarrel with her husband. Dark stains marred the Princess’s pale face where tears leaked from her eyes and spread her black eyeliner down her face. Despite the tears in her eyes, she kept her head held high and walked confidently passed the rows of men that flanked the path. Nearing the center of the walkway, the crimson wrapped princess stopped as a man called her name from the top of the palace steps at the end of the path.

     “Heemi!” the voice called, it’s timbre deep and authoritative. “Come back to bed!”

    Princess Heemi didn’t answer the voice, for she was forbidden to speak in the company of anyone but her husband. The rules that governed the wife of the crown prince were odd, even to those who’d served in the palace for their entire lives. She lived a silent and isolated life alone with her possessive husband. Even though their fights were legendary, no one ever heard the Princess raise her voice in anger, or even whisper a single syllable. She kept silent and communicated with glares from her large cat like eyes. The history of her marriage to the prince was also shrouded in mystery and speculation. She’d simply appeared in the palace one evening after the prince had been away on a diplomatic mission. Her beautifully silent presence now a staple beside the Crown Prince.

     “Heemi!” the voice called once more as a man dressed in a pair of crimson pajamas descended the palace steps. “I said come back to bed!”

      The guards flanking the path kept their eyes downturned as the Crown Prince, Choi Siwon, stomped towards his wife. Princess Hemi stayed silent and still while her husband approached, her tearfilled eyes narrowing in response to his presence. She remained still and unchanging, not retreating a single step. Prince Siwon stopped in front of his wife and regarded the soldiers on either side of the, before reaching out and taking her hand.

     “Come back to bed,” Prince Siwon whispered to his wife, “I’m sorry about what I said. Please, come with me?”
     Princess Heemi shook her head and jerked her hand away from her husband, the defiant action raising a few eyebrows of the guards.

     “Here isn’t the place for this,” Siwon pleaded with his wife. “I can’t apologize properly with so many people around. Come back to bed.”

     “Don’t order me around like one of your subjects, Choi Siwon.” The Princess whispered, her deep voice causing the palace guards to stare. “I will not go to bed with a man who keeps me locked away like some dirty secret.”

      Prince Choi Siwon swallowed nervously and looked at the men around them. No one but himself had ever heard his wife speak, her sudden venomous whispered causing the men flanking them to stare.

     “Be quiet,” Siwon told his wife. “You are not allowed to speak in front of others.”

    “I am tired of living by your stupid rules just because you refuse to let anyone know who you truly are,” The Princess spoke again, her voice rising in volume and sounding much too deep for her feminine appearance. “I won’t live a lie any longer.”

     “Darling, please?” the Prince begged, “Don’t do this.”

    “I’m tired,” Princess Heemi said with a long sigh. “I’m tired of pretending to be something I’m not. I love you very much, Siwon, but I can’t live like this anymore.”

     The guards along the path held their breath as the Princess pulled the sash of her flowing robes off and exposed a flash of milky skin. Their eyes instinctively moved downwards out of respect.

    “Look at me!” the Princess shouted, her voice loud and masculine. “Look!”

   “Don’t!” Siwon objected as the guards lifted their heads and observed the bare chest of his beautiful, but very masculine wife.

     “My name is Kim Heechul!” Princess Heemi shouted, causing the guards to gasp and stare at her obviously male upper body. “I refuse to hide any longer!”
     “Darling, please!?” Prince Siwon begged, “Put your clothes back on.”

    “Sire?” one of the guards spoke up. “Who is this man? Where’s the princess?”
    “There is no princess,” Siwon admitted, hanging his head in defeat. “This is my husband, Prince Heechul.”

    “There, now was that so hard.” Heechul huffed, pulled his robes closed and wiping the tears from his eyes.

     “I hate you right now, you know.” Siwon grumbled, “You couldn’t let me at least pretend to be a good prince.”

     “I love you very much, but I won’t live a lie any longer. Your family knows what I am and approves of our marraige, why can’t the people?” Heechul asked, turning and addressing the guards. “Do you care?! Do you?!”

     “No, your majesty.” one of the men spoke. “But, there will be concern of an heir.., the people may not like this match.”

    “We’ve been married three years already, surely they’ll…,”

    “Heechul, Darling…,” Siwon soothed, stepping forwards and pulling hi husband into his arms. “Come back to bed and we can discuss this matter in the morning.”

     “In the morning the entire palace will know what I am,” Heechul informed with a triumphant smirk. “Palace guards are notorious gossips.”

    “I know..,” Siwon lamented, glaring at the men around them as they made their ways back towards the palace. “It can’t be helped.”

     “How about we go back to bed and work on providing the people with that heir they’ll be so concerned about.” Heechul teased, causing his husband to frown at him.

    “How can you be in such a good mood after what just happened?”

    “I get to speak in front of people now,” Heechul informed with a bright smile. “And, I can wear pants again.”

     “Chul, Darling…,” Siwon began, nervous about everything that was about to change in their lives. “Maybe we should take this slow.”

     “Nonsense,” Heechul dismissed, placing a teasing kiss on his husband’s cheek. “I can speak now and you know how much I love to talk. I have a lot to say about the way this palace is being run. I can’t wait to order my servants around instead of just looking at them in annoyance.”

      “Heechul…,”

    “Stop scolding me or we’re going to start fighting again. I hate it when we fight.” Heechul pouted, “Come to bed, Sire. Tomorrow is going to be an exciting day.”

THE END!