220 AD.

Spring

Jonghyun was seventeen years old crown prince from the dynasty of Mae. Mae’s kingdom was one of the strongest kingdoms in the whole world which they have known so well. His father was a bit old king but good king and Jonghyun was happy kid, only one child of his parents. They loved him and Jjong loved them.

One day it was getting dark when Jonghyun was walking through the garden, he heard someone’s crying voice. He looked around himself but he didn’t see anyone. He frowned a bit and went closer to the dungeons from where these sounds were coming. Jonghyun carefully took his steps down and hid himself when someone came in, soldiers in charge. They looked around and continued in their errand. Jonghyun frowned a bit and looked at his clothes. He was wearing just simple clothes, trousers, old t-shirt and cap, he loved to sneak out from his room out in ordinary clothing which was worn by vassals.

He slowly approached the furthest part of the dungeons. And what he saw, it scared him. In front of him was against the wood simple wall tied tall nice-looking boy, he could be about two or one year younger than Jonghyun. He had a blindfold on his eyes, red marks, he was beaten very much. Only dirty cloth was protecting his crotch. His whimpers could be heard through whole dungeons. Jonghyun was just about to tell something, but he heard footsteps. He hissed and hid himself in small sally.

“I hope you already know the answer, boy,” the voice, which Jonghyun knew as the voice of general Lee, spoke in harsh tone.

“P-please… l-let me… g-go,” the boy whimpered and trembled.

One of soldier, whom Jjong didn’t know by the name, took long whip and the general took a torch.

“You know, that’s not that easy… I want the answer for my question, I know that you know it… who is that mage! Speak up!” the general barked and burnt boy’s skin with the torch.

“I don’t know!” the poor boy shouted in pain and few tears found the way down from boy’s cheeks, it left two ways in boy’s dirt on face.

The general hissed and nodded at the soldier who whipped the boy roughly. The general also took a candle which was lighting and made the vax pouring on boy’s skin. The boy screamed in pain, sobbing already disappeared. Jonghyun was frowning and bit his lip. He never liked the general in front of him. He had bad feelings around him.

“P-please…” the boy’s voice was cut thanks to exhausting from beating.

“He won’t take a lot… he won’t stay alive and I need to know the name of that mage!” the general growled and looked at the soldier who swallowed. “Let’s give to the boy free time, tomorrow we will continue,” he nodded and the soldier breathed out following his senior out.

Jonghyun waited few minutes when he came closer to the boy. He softly touched his skin, but boy wasn’t reacting. Jonghyun frowned and stepped a back. He needed to do something but his dad and mom were on the visit and Jonghyun had to listen to his guard! Yes, he knew, what he would do.

He looked at the wounds again and then at his cuts and scratches. On the table under the small window he saw a key. He took them and carefully started freeing the boy from his little prison. He had to catch him so the boy won’t fall.

“My god, you are so thin and slim even when you are so tall giraffe,” Hyun whispered, smiled and picked the boy in his arms and slowly walked through the dungeons.

He heard whimpering from other prisoners, they even tried to call the boy closer to them, but Hyun didn’t listen to them, he quickly made his way out. He had to, he knew when soldiers are making their shifts. He needed to be quickly in the stable to where he would come without getting spotted. The boy in his arms whimpered suddenly and Jonghyun hissed looking around himself if they didn’t make a suspicion. But luck was on his side. He quickly ran into the stable where no one was. He walked to the secret route and got through it to the corridor from where he had the better entrance to his room. He was going to have a stranger in his room! He was totally going crazy, but… he was always so carrying and he wanted to help to this boy. But… when he stepped in his room, there was on his bed sitting his servant. He looked at his master and widened his eyes. It wasn’t like he was scared because he was saying on that bed, Jonghyun allowed him it, but the boy in his master’s hands was… weird?

“T-Taemin… what… are you doing here?” Jonghyun blinked and quietly closed the door behind him.

Taemin stood up and bowed. “I brought you your dinner, your majesty, I told to guards that you weren’t feeling well, but I had to stay here or they will come here,” he blinked when Jonghyun nodded and carefully laid the boy on his bed down, then looked at Taemin. "Bring me not so much hot and not so much cold water in bigger bucket, towel, bandages and wound ointment," he smiled. "I'll tell you then what had happened," he added seeing the uncertain and uncomprehending look on Taemin's face.

"As you wish, sir," Taemin bowed and quickly walked away.

Hyun sighed and looked at the boy and then removed his blindfolding mask from eyes. They were still red from crying and the paths of tears were clearly visible. Taemin soon returned with what his master asked him for. He put it on a table and took a towel, but Hyun stopped him.

"I'll do it myself, thank you, go eat, okay? And tell to everyone that I don't want to be disturbed," he smiled.

"But, sir, that's my job to treat, after all—" Minnie was stopped by a pat on the shoulders. "You work by my side every day, you deserve your time off, even if it should only be for a few minutes or hours. Go to rest, okay?” Jonghyun smiled at Taemin. “Oh and, I will tell you everything tomorrow during breakfast, I will need also your brother, alright?” Jonghyun asked and Taemin blinked.

"M-my brother? And ... why?" he bit his lip.

"Don't worry, I'll need him, that's all, now go," Hyun smiled.

Taemin blinked, bowed and left. Hyun exhaled and stood up picking up a towel that he had soaked in an avalanche of water. He noticed that Taemin had brought more things. He smiled and at first began to carefully wash the boy on his bed. At first his face, he pushed his bangs off so he could look into his relaxed face. He wasn't sure how long he'd been down there. He shook his head and cautiously finished washing the body of boy, though it seemed uncomfortable to remove the only part of the cloth that protected the boy's intimate parts. Hyun flushed, but he continued to wash and after a moment he carefully turned the boy to wipe his back. He then took a disinfectant and another cloth to clean the boy's wounds. The boy sometimes shivered or groaned, but did not wake up. The treatment took him a little longer, but he didn't complain. Only after all the wounds were disinfected did he proceed to treatment. Some needed an ointment and others a special herbal decoction that Taemin had brought. Then Hyun bandaged all the wounds except for the burns, letting them breathe. When he was done, he took a few pieces of clothing from his closet and dressed boy up a bit. Except for the hair, he didn't dare to wash them, the boy looked truly handsome!

Satisfied, Hyun went to his bathroom to wash his hands, then had dinner watching the boy on his bed. It was large, but he decided to sleep on a small couch that was just below the window. He insured the window if someone accidentally wanted to come in, they will die in second, but he was sure nothing like that would happen. He moved the pillow and blanket there, covered his guest in bed and soon fell asleep.

Minho woke up when sun tickled his nose. He whined and turned a bit on side. But then the realization hit him. He was… sleeping on the bed. Was he already death? Did he finally die so he won’t be forever in that hell place? He trembled, he needed to see his friend, but… it was so hard he couldn’t talk. But the place where he was… was so beautiful. Colors of red and blue, beautifully and the window was opened, birds were singing and Minho heard sounds of sword match.

“Good morning, I hope that you have slept well.”

Minho got startled, he flinched and pulled the blanket more up to his nose looking at the right where someone beautiful and handsome was standing. He swallowed hard. He recognized him. He was wearing clothes which symbolized his royal state. He had also a small crown on his head. Minho widened his eyes even more.

“Ahh, I am sorry, it was rude from me, don’t worry, I won’t bite you or kill you or anything else, you are now in my room, in the castle,” the prince smiled and took a step back.

“P-prince?” Minho stammered.

“The crown prince of Mae, Jonghyun,” Hyun bowed grinning from ear to ear. “What is your name, boy?” Jjong smiled when Minho trembled and wanted to get out, but Jonghyun stopped him.

“I-I am… Minho, your M-majesty…” Minho stammered and blinked.

He didn’t get why he was in prince’s quarters. How… did he get here?

“So Minho, good, you may be a bit confused,” Jonghyun stopped talking and looked at the door where Taemin appeared.

“Good morning, breakfast time… my brother will come in a minute,” Taemin smiled and shyly looked at Minho who was blinking and watched both boys.

“Great, Minho, this is Taemin, he is fine, he won’t hurt you and our general, the other one, won’t hurt you too,” Jonghyun smiled and Minho nodded biting his lip. “Oh and, don’t make so much moves, your wounds need to heal,” Hyun added smiling and Taemin put closer the table with breakfast and also another armchair.

“T-thank you,” Minho whispered quietly when Taemin gave him a tray on the bed.

“You are welcome,” Taemin smiled and they heard a soft knock on the door.

Taemin stood up and walked to get it. When he opened it a bit, there was his brother standing. He smiled happily and let him in closing the door behind him.

“You wanted to talk with me, my prince?” he smiled and bowed but stiffened when he saw an unknown boy under the blanket who was now shivering