The pregnant queen of the kingdom was sight-seeing at the beautiful flower garden when black fumes started to appeared in front of her, slowly forming a shape of an ugly creature. The queen recognized the creature. "There's a Dark Witch!"

The queen turned round when there was no response just to see her servants were lying on the ground, unconcious. She turned her head back to the front. The ugly creature grinned at her, making her felt a rush of fear on her spine. 

"What do you want from me?" The queen covered her baby bump with her hands, getting protective.

"We want your baby!" Her voice was as ugly as her face. It sounded like a shriek.

"Over my dead body!"

"We don't want your dead body. We want your baby!" The Dark Witch knew she had not enough power to harm the queen in her own land. The land was protected by a powerful spell, any creatures who entered the land without permission would get their power weakened as a safety measure.

"Help me! Someone please help me!" The queen screamed for help. Within seconds, a group of palace guards rushing toward their queen. The Dark Witch hurriedly blew a spell at the queen's stomach disappearing with a shrieking laugh.

"What a beautiful sight!" The King touched the waist of his queen, looking at their children who were playing at the garden.

"I'm glad we decided to get Baekhyun a playmate. He used to sulk when his brothers show off their power to him. Now that he has Seoah by his side, he's back to his cheerful self."

"Baekhyun can be more childish than the youngest." The king stated.

"Please don't call him childish, my husband. It's my fault he lost his power." 

"It's not your fault, my dear wife. It's the Dark Witch's fault. I have no idea why they only targeted our second born." He caressed her shoulders.

They continued to watch their children in comforting silence. The first born was gifted with ability to manipulate ice and cold while the youngest had the ability to manipulate lighting. The second born, unfortunately, was born with no special ability. 

"Baekhyun! Look!" The six years old girl pointed at something. The chubby little prince looked at the thing Seoah pointed at. He let out a loud squeal, hiding his body behind his brother. "Minseok hyung, there, there's a bug!" 

Minseok blew toward the bug, effectively made the bug frost in place before the youngest let out a loud, "HA!" and the frozen bug was hit by a lighting.

"Did you see it, Seoah? I protected Baekhyun hyung from a bug!" Jongdae smiled proudly.

"You're so cool, Jongdae!" Seoah showed the younger boy her thumb. Baekhyun who saw his girl smiling at his younger brother started to get jealous.

Baekhyun frowned, hating it when Seoah smiled at his brothers. Seoah was supposed to be nice only to him.

"Seoah!" Baekhyun reached for her hand, before taking her away from his brothers. When they were far away from the other princes, Baekhyun asked, "Is Jongdae cool?" 

"Yes, he is." 

Baekhyun pouted. "Is he cooler than me?" His eyes started to get teary. He used to hate his brothers for they had special power and he did not. That was until he was introduced to Seoah. The sweet little girl reacted to everything Baekhyun did which made Baekhyun felt appreciated and not useless.

"You're the coolest for me, Baekhyun." Seoah embraced her prince around his shoulders. 

"Really? But I possess no power. " He sniffed.

"Really." Seoah convinced him. "I also have no power." Baekhyun wiped the corner of his eye with his sleeve.

"Are you going to marry me?" Baekhyun looked at his girl.

"Now?" 

"Yes."

"Let's get married!" Seoah smiled innocently, liking the idea of getting married to her favourite prince. His eyes grew bigger with anticipation. He once again took her hand, running toward his mother. They giggled along their way toward the queen.

"Mother!" 

"Yes, my prince?" The queen lowered her body to match the height of her son.

"We want to get married!"

"What?" His mother was amused. The king only chuckled at them.

"I want to marry Seoah. Now!" Baekhyun grinned at the girl next to him before looking back at his mother.

"Now?" The woman caressed Baekhyun's head. "Not now, my prince. Maybe when you're twenty." 

"Twenty?" The kids looked at each other. "Why not now?"

"You need to grow taller to protect Seoah, my prince." His mother said.

"Can you wait for me to grow taller?" Baekhyun sincerely asked Seoah. The girl nodded happily. Anything for her favourite prince.

"My prince!" Seoah was startled when someone poked her waist from behind. "What are you doing here?" 

"What else? I want to see my betrothed." Baekhyun smiled, taking her hand to entwine their fingers together. "Can you believe only two years left until you finally belong to me?" 

"My prince, let's go to the lake." Seoah pulled him out of her chamber, walking toward the lake near the flower garden. 

"It's beautiful." Seoah looked up at the bright full moon in the sky, sitting next to each other on the ground near the lake.

"Nothing is more beautiful than you, my love." Baekhyun caressed her soft hand with his thumb.

"What a liar." Seoah blushed at his compliment.

"It's the truth." Baekhyun said. The little Seoah had grown into a beautiful woman. Her physical transformed drastically, more feminine and softer.

"Let me lay my head on your lap."

"Come." Seoah happily offered her lap to him. Baekhyun put his head on her soft lap, eyes looking at her face from below.

"Baekhyun." Seoah was looking at the reflection of the full moon on the surface of the water.

"Yes, love?" Baekhyun played with her long, black hair. 

"Have you heard of Aphrodite Lake?" 

"No. What about this lake?"

"I heard this lake is exquisite but ones can only go there with their lovers. If they don't love each other, they will not see the lake."

"Interesting. Shall we go there?" 

"Shall we?" Seoah looked down at his face, eyes bright with excitement. She suddenly frowned, "but you're busy with physical training this year."

"Ah, yes. Not this year. And not next year neither." 

"Why not next year?" Seoah looked into his calming, beautiful brown eyes. They stayed silent for few seconds, just lovingly staring into each other's eyes.

"I have something to tell you." 

"What is it, my prince?" Seoah traced his pink lips with her fingers.

"Father will send me away by the end of this year." Baekhyun sadly said.

Seoah gasped, "It feels so soon." It was the royal tradition to send the princes to live in disguise with the commoners for a year so that they would understand their people better. The other princes already went there and got back. The king let Baekhyun to go there last since he did not have power, unlike his brothers.

"I'm going to miss you." Seoah cupped his face, sadness was obvious in her eyes. They were basically stuck to each other since they were five years old. It was going to be the first time for them to be away from each other.

"I already miss you, Seoah."

"Please write me letters when you're there, my prince." Seoah pleaded. Baekhyun nodded, wiping the tears on her cheeks. Seoah did not realise she was actually crying until he wiped her cheeks.

"Please wait for me, my future wife. Once I come back to the palace, I will marry you." He promised her.

"I will wait for you, your Highness." Seoah kissed his forehead. Anything for her favourite prince.

Baekhyun closed his eyes, enjoying the softness of her lips on his skin.

"Prince Baekhyun is here!"  A maid announced to Seoah who was in her chamber.

"Baekhyun is here?" Seoah raced toward the main hall. Baekhyun was supposed to greet the king first once he arrived at the palace. She had missed him so much. She wanted to see her betrothed as soon as possible. She was worried sick when Baekhyun stopped write her letters after the first five months he was away from the palace.

Once Seoah arrived at the main hall, the door was closed. She patiently waited outside as she had no authority to enter the hall. After few minutes, Baekhyun was dismissed. Seoah's hand was shaking as she saw his face for the first time after a while. 

His skin was a bit tanner than she remembered, his body looked sturdier but he was still no less beautiful to her eyes. "Baekhyun!" Seoah wrapped her arms around his body. "I've missed you so much!"

"Seoah!" Baekhyun tiredly smiled at her. 

"Are you well? Have you eaten?" Seoah was concerned, loosening her hold around him.

"May I retire to my bed? I'm really tired from the long journey." 

"Please forgive me, your Highness." Seoah bowed to him. It was rude of her to bother the exhausted prince. 

"Thank you, Seoah. I'll get back to you later."

Seoah could not help the uneasy feelings in her chest. Baekhyun was not happy to see her at all. Seoah shook her head, convincing herself the prince appeared cold because of fatigueness.

"My prince." Seoah offered him a beautiful smile. It felt good to have the prince in her chamber again.

"Seoah." 

"Let's go to the lake, my prince. It has been—"

"I believe we can talk here." He cut her off.

"Sure." Seoah's hands trembled so she hid them behind her body. Seoah did not know why but this prince was different from her Baekhyun. The way he looked at her was different. His tone of voice was also different. 

"There's something important I want to tell you."

"I'm listening, your Highness."

"I want to cancel off our wedding." 

Seoah felt a pang of pain. She had been waiting for their wedding since forever but now Baekhyun wanted to cancel it.

"May I ask why?" Her voice cracked.

"I might have fallen for someone else." Baekhyun watched her troubled face. Baekhyun was not lying. He had fallen in love with a young woman he encountered during his time away from Seoah, from the palace.

The woman was nothing like Seoah. Seoah was the definition of a perfect woman, her kindness, devotion and unrivaled beauty was what made Baekhyun once head over heel her. While for his new lover, Hera, her physical and mental strength along with her daring nature charmed the prince. Hera was someone Baekhyun had not encountered in the palace as every women in the palace was trained to be perfect like his childhood lover. 

"You can have her without cancelling our wedding." Seoah cleared . She had to fight for their relationship. Baekhyun could have mistress, she did not care as long as they proceed with the wedding. Her life purpose was to be the man's companion. Without Baekhyun, her life would have no purpose anymore.

"I don't want to hurt you any longer, Seoah." Baekhyun reached for her hand. "Forgive me, Seoah. I thought you're my world but when I was out there, I realised there's so much more things to explore. Before this, you're the only woman I knew but after  spending one year with the commoners, I've met many women." Baekhyun knew he was being cruel but he did not want to lie to Seoah. 

"Are they prettier than me?" Seoah started to cry. It seemed like Baekhyun was determined to get rid of her from his life. 

"There's so much more than a beauty, Seoah."

"Who am I to force you, my prince?" Seoah let go of his hands, wiping her tears with the sleeve of her dress. "If you are no longer interested in me, let's cancel the wedding. I'll ask the king to send me back to where I came from. Your happiness is the only thing that matters to me."

"No, Seoah." Baekhyun shook his head. "You don't have to go anywhere. Just stay here in the palace." Baekhyun did not want her to leave the palace. Even if he was no longer in love with her, she was still his friend.

"I'm no longer useful, my prince. My purpose is to be your companion." Seoah faked a smile. "Don't worry, my prince. I will be fine."

"No! I'm not going to allow that to happen!" Baekhyun furiously told his mother. The queen shook her head.

"We don't have any other option, my son. She was brought here for you. Now that you don't want her anymore, we have to send her back." The queen explained to her fuming son.

"She's my friend. I'm not going to let them make her a . Please, mother! I have never touched her that way. I swear!" Baekhyun was desperate to protect his friend. He received news that once Seoah went back to her hometown, they would make her work as a since everyone knew about her relationship with Baekhyun. They believed Seoah was no longer a .

"I hope for your understanding, my prince. Once you said you don't want her, we no longer have any power over Seoah. It's only right for her to go home. She's no longer one of our people." 

"No, mother. I can't let Seoah suffer because of me." 

"I can't deny that I'm disappointed in you. She has been nothing but loving and loyal to you. How could you..." The queen trailed off. 

"I can't control my feelings, mother. It's love we are talking about." Baekhyun let out a deep sigh. 

"Can you reconsider the wedding? For Seoah's future?" 

"I love someone else, mother." Baekhyun sighed again.

"I'm not telling you to let go of the woman you love."

"What do you mean?" Baekhyun frowned.

"Marry Seoah. Then, bring your woman to the palace and make her your concubine. Make sure your woman understand the reason you want to make her your concubine. You don't have to treat Seoah like a w