Characters: Fairy!Baekhyun and Human!Reader

Genres: Romance, Fluff, Fantasy

AU: Fairytale

Written for the winner of my giveaway. ❤️

The horse-drawn carriage rattled as it made its way towards its destination. It was midday, the sun had already reached its highest point in the sky, and you had yet to arrive in the capital of the fae kingdom.

You loved visiting this place and were delighted to return whenever possible. This time, however, your trip wasn’t tied to a vacation. It had an important reason. Since you were a well-respected diplomat from the neighboring kingdom, you would be responsible for a diplomatic meeting with the fae kingdom’s crown prince. Understandably, you were quite nervous about this. During the carriage ride, you tried to concentrate on the breathtaking landscape around you, but you kept fiddling with your dress, and you couldn’t calm down. The task you had been given was a great honor for a duchess like you, and you prayed you could live up to it. You had never met the fae’s prince before, so you merely knew his name; Baekhyun.

After your carriage hit a rather nasty bump in the road, you bit back a curse. You had been sitting in this stuffy thing for hours, and it was time for a break! So you stuck your head out of the window and asked the coachman to stop. He complied with your wish. You opened the door and left the carriage, careful not to get your legs tangled up in the many layers of your elegant dress.

“I need a little break,” you told the coachman, offering a smile. “And I believe you and the horses do as well. Why don’t we stop for a while?”

“Thank you, my lady,” the man answered, dipping his head. He climbed off his seat.

“I will take a closer look at the scenery,” you said. “And I will be back soon.”

He nodded and as you turned your back and walked away, you heard the two horses whinnying as he led them towards a creek nearby. Your bright eyes darted over the landscape as you breathed in the fresh and clean air. The fae kingdom was a sight to behold. Rolling hills and steep mountains as far as the eye could see, and valleys that looked like they had been sculpted by an artist. The fae were a peaceful people, striving for amicable relations with all neighboring nations, including your own home, the kingdom of the humans. When you had first visited this place, you had barely been an adult and you had fallen in love with it. From the lively towns to the peaceful countryside, the fae kingdom was like a work of art.

And now, as you freely roamed around in its midst, you couldn’t be happier. The weather was wonderful, the sun shone on your face and warmed your skin. You could already see the mighty castle of the royal family from afar, sitting on a tall mountain. But for now, you wanted to explore your vicinity. A lush green forest laid before you, and you felt the urge to approach it. Lifting the long skirts of your dress, you walked over the grass. It wasn’t a smart idea to do this with your current attire, but you could care less. Before you would meet the prince, you had to change your clothes anyway.

You passed the tree line and entered a magical place that did not exist in the kingdom of humans. A soft squeal reached your ears, and you turned your head to find a small pixie hovering behind a tree branch, watching you in awe. The tiny being likely had never seen a human before. You smiled, opting to stay at a distance so you wouldn’t scare the pixie away. And as you stood and waited calmly, more pixies appeared, curiously staring at you. They looked like tiny humans, wrapped in a golden glow. You heard them chattering and giggling. What did they find so funny?

Suddenly, two pixies left the group, floating closer to you before moving in a very specific direction. You wondered if they wanted you to follow, so you approached the pixies who promptly floated deeper into the forest. From afar, they looked like two orbs that hovered between the trees, exuding golden light and capturing all of your attention. Without hesitation, you entered the depths of the forest to pursue them, wondering where they would lead you. The fae kingdom was filled with mystical beings, and as a human, you weren’t used to encountering them. Naturally, this roused your interest. You had to investigate.

The pixies danced around trees, jumping through the air so wildly, you began to think they would lead you astray. At this rate, you would get lost in the forest… which could end badly for you. However, you were distracted from your doubts when they reached a clearing.

You quickly hid behind a tree upon realizing that you were no longer alone. A fae lingered in the middle of the clearing, watching the pixies floating towards him. He dipped his head in their direction, blond hair falling over his eyes. They whispered something you couldn’t understand before they fled into the forest and disappeared.

You were stunned by the fae you had encountered. He was ethereal. Walking ever so gracefully, each of his movements seemed fluid like water and light as air. His white blouse and blond hair moved in the wind. The most gorgeous set of fae wings you had ever seen sprung from his back. They were translucent but marked with thin golden lines that caught the light of the sun, reflecting it in the most beautiful play of rainbow colors. A thin sword was connected to the loose belt he wore on his hips, and his legs were clad in brown pants and leather boots. For a while, you just stood and stared, overwhelmed by the beauty of this fae.

“It’s rare for humans to find their way into this enchanted forest,” he suddenly said, voice every bit as silken and pleasant as you had imagined it to be. His brown eyes darted to your half-hidden form behind the tree, prompting you to blush in embarrassment. Had he known this whole time that you had been admiring him? In order not to completely lose your dignity, you cleared your throat and left your hiding spot, entering the clearing. Some leaves had gotten caught in your elaborate dress as you walked. But he did not seem bothered by your slightly messy appearance.

“I was curious when I saw the pixies… I think they wanted me to follow them,” you answered.

He cocked his head, wonder shining in his eyes. “They usually don’t show themselves to humans,” he commented. “May I ask who you are?”

You took a few steps closer, slowly warming up to him. He seemed to be a kind person, and the jovial expression he wore radiated warmth, drawing you in like a magnet. “My name is [Y/N]. I’m on my way to the capital because I have an audience with Prince Baekhyun,” you explained. “I decided to take a little break here because I have been traveling for a long time.”

He seemed surprised for a moment until an amused chuckle left his mouth. “The prince, you say?”

“Do you know him?”

“I’m familiar with him,” he grinned, acting like there was a hidden joke in his words. He hesitated, contemplating for a moment before he continued. “My name is Hyun. I live in the capital, but I like to come here in my free time.”

“Nice to meet you, Hyun,” you said. “You’re very lucky to live in a place like this.”

“I could show you around if you’d like.”

Delighted at his suggestion, you beamed at him and nodded. “Please do!” you answered. “And honestly, I doubt I would find my way back alone. This forest is surprisingly dense and vast… I’m relieved I encountered you here.”

“Someone like you does not need to worry about getting lost. This is not a regular forest,” he explained. “These woods have been enchanted by a former fae King in order to protect its inhabitants. People with bad intentions will get lost if they try to enter. Some have disappeared forever after they came here. On the other hand, if you have good intentions the forest will open a path for you.”

“So it’s like that,” you mumbled, finding the idea of getting trapped here odd since the woods left a peaceful impression on you. They were flooded by sunlight and occasional songs of birds, surrounding you and your new companion with a vivacious atmosphere.

“It seems like the forest’s inhabitants have guided you towards me. I wonder why that is.” His amused chuckle caused you to blush. Your gaze darted from his face to his wings and back. They were so beautiful, it was impossible to ignore them.

“Are you interested in my wings?” he remarked, raising his eyebrows in amusement.

“I have never seen such pretty ones before,” you admitted, your eyes widening once he spread them, giving you a better view.

“Was that a compliment?” he asked cheekily. “I can fly very fast,” he proclaimed with an air of smugness. His expression looked a bit comical like he was exaggerating on purpose.

“Suuure,” you laughed. “Can you prove it?”

“You bet I can,” he grinned.

And that marked the start of a very entertaining afternoon. Hyun proved to you that he indeed was a very fast fae. You couldn’t stop gawking at his graceful movements as he was airborne. Your child-like fascination amused him to no end. Eventually, he offered to take you flying, but you declined. While the idea of seeing the world from above was tempting, you were reluctant since you were afraid of heights.

“You’re missing out!” he called before he landed gracefully on his feet. With his windswept hair and wide beam on his face, he looked gorgeous.

“Why don’t you show me your magic instead, Hyun?” you asked. Humans were incapable of casting magic, sadly, but that only increased your interest in it.

“Aww, your curiosity is so cute,” he snickered. “Sit down and I’ll show you.”

You nodded, smoothening your dress before you sat on one of the rocks on the forest ground. He sat next to you, crossing his legs. “There are many different types of fae magic. The one I was born with is called Lux Stellarum. It’s often compared to starlight.”

“Isn’t this the type of magic the royal family uses?” you wondered out loud, prompting him to chuckle nervously.

“Uh… where did you hear that?”

“I don’t remember. Maybe I mixed something up.”

He avoided your eyes, conjuring up a handful of dancing lights. They shimmered like fireflies as they ascended towards the treetops where