Glossary

Jinki stood in front of the mirror, staring at himself, staring at the faint red intricate lines on his left chest that had almost looked like scars for all these years, but now, was shaping into something else, developing into a faint pattern. If one looked closely they would find two small intersecting circles surrounded by small stars and vines that had little thorns on them. He did not know how he got it or when exactly he got it, but he had a vague feeling that it was somehow connected to his abduction all those years ago. When he got curious, everyone around him had defined those lines as scars he had gotten from the time he was supposedly abducted by bandits, but as the years passed those lines never faded so he kept them hidden… as he could feel they weren’t just simple scars… and that questioning about them would only yield lies. There was something everyone had been hiding from him, but he had not dwelled on it much, thinking it was perhaps best to let the forgotten remain forgotten. Moreover, he did not want more lies to be fed to his mind because he knew from the way they everytime avoided the topic of his abduction, that he would never get them to tell him the truth. He had an inkling of what it could be, but he knew that could not be possible.

He dressed up quickly, pulling on the green robes of the Aldaer seminary, pushing away the thought that the prisoner knew what the scar meant… and perhaps knew the truth everyone was so adamant on burying.

“You are here early,” Jinki smiled when he saw Taemin’s reflection in the mirror.

“And you are up early, sleepyhead.” Taemin teased. “Were you able to meet with the prisoner?” he asked right away, eager.

Jinki looked at him for a few seconds before sighing, “Yes I did. I will tell you about it later,” he said before Taemin could ask him more questions.

Today too they joined their father for breakfast. Jinki wanted to know if his father had found out something else.

“And I take it that you both are gracing us with your presence to find out more about the prisoner.” Their mother, Sejung said disapprovingly.

They gave her sheepish smiles as they settled down in their seats. “You know us so well, mother.” Taemin grinned.

“We did not find out much from him.” Yunho informed them. “He just sat there blinking at us, like he did not understand what we were saying. But we had a healer look at him and…”

Jinki looked at his father in surprise, from what he saw yesterday it looked like a healer had not even touched him. “And?” he prompted his father.

“We found that he lost his voice to a curse, an incomplete curse and-”

“And incomplete curses are hard to lift unless you know the exact words or they might end up causing more harm.” Taemin supplied.

“Did you heal his wounds too?” Jinki asked casually, taking a bite of his apple.

Yunho shifted in his chair, discomfort evident in his mien, “The healers refused to treat an enemy, I am still trying to get through them.”

“I can heal him if you want.” Taemin offered as he got up, ready to head out.

Yunho smiled at him, “Thank you, my son. I’ve heard you are excellent but you are still in training, and I am sure the healers will come around.”

“I am not growing anything today.”

Jinki chuckled, he turned around to find Kibum a few stairs below him. “I just wanted to borrow a book.” he said, a sheepish smile shaping his face.

“I see.” Kibum said, still looking at him suspiciously.

“Really,” Jinki laughed, “I am going to find the book, what was it called? Peculiar fruits of the world? And have you grow all of them for me.”

Kibum scoffed rolling his eyes, “In your dreams. Anyways, I am late for class. See you later.”

Jinki looked through the shelves for the book he was searching for. He knew there was a book about the different forests in the world, he had seen Kibum use it before, he just couldn’t remember the name of it for the life of him.

After an hour searching, he finally found it and quickly settled down in one of the tables at the back, skipping through the pages, till he found the Forest of Asala, he wanted to know what the prisoner was looking for in the Forest of Asala.

The conversation he had had left him confused; the guy said that he wanted to meet Jinki but he was not found anywhere close to the capital. Also he had clearly pointed to the black line on his neck, the curse, when he had asked him what he was doing in the forest. As he read about the forest, it became clear to him what the man was searching for; the enchanted spring. It was said the water from the spring was so pure that one dip in it felt like you were reborn, as it cleansed one of magical influences, but he wasn’t sure if that included curses.

“What are you doing?”

He instinctively closed the book, “You scared me,” he muttered as he shoved the book down in his bag.

Kibum grinned, “What naughty things were you reading?”

Jinki looked at him absurdly, “What? I do not think there are such books in this library. I for sure know there are a few in Taemin’s.” he wiggled his eyebrows at Kibum.

“Next time remind me to show you the section on aphrodisiac plants.” Kibum winked.

Before Jinki went down to meet the prisoner, he kept pacing in his room, going back and forth on his decision. His plan sounded reckless, but if it got him closer to the truth, he was ready to take the risk, and the guy did not appear as dangerous as everyone was illustrating him to be.

He looked at the book lying on his desk, exhaling, calming himself, as he steeled his resolve. He packed his bag with a few clothes, some money and the rations he had snuck out of the kitchen. He gave himself one last look in the mirror; he was ready.

As he passed by Taemin’s door he stopped for a few seconds, looking at closed door solemnly. He had promised to fill in Taemin and the others about his encounter with the prisoner but he had evaded it every time the conversation would turn in that direction. He really did want to tell them what he had learned, but in the back of his mind he was still not sure about it and he didn’t want to put them all in danger. He whispered a quiet apology before he continued on his way down to the prisoner.

This time when he went down to the cells, the prisoner was up, and to Jinki it looked like he was waiting for him. “Were you trying to go to the spring?” he asked.

Jonghyun sat up as straight as he could as he nodded. He had waited the whole day, anticipating when Jinki would come meet him next; he had so much he wanted to convey, so much he wanted to tell.

“Do you know the truth?” Jinki asked.

Jonghyun blinked at him in response, he knew a lot. He had spent years finding the truth, finding reasons, but he couldn’t say anything now, not like this.

“Do you know what happened to me ten years ago?” Jinki asked next, when the prisoner failed to answer his