Once upon a time, there was a princess prince, who lived in was being sent to the highest tower in a far away land...alright maybe only a week's walk away, but that is still a fair distance for someone to walk! It was his eighteenth birthday, and the day he would be sent away. This was a day he did not know if he should be happy about or dread.

His entire family lived in the Leaous region. It was a bountiful area of the country with plenty of game animals, fishing ports nearby, and a town to the north which sold anything anyone could ever need. However, now the prince was being sent south to the Haepil region. It was not nearly as bountiful…in anything really. The prince had done his research in the castle’s library for a few weeks and knew what the land and surrounding area was like.

It was the beginning of autumn, around the time when the weather just started getting colder, and the clouds became heavy with rain. The prince stood in his mostly emptied room and looked through his wardrobe, which was for the most part vacant now, before pulling out a heavier blue cloak to wear over his clothes. It was embroidered with silver detailing, and had white fur lining everywhere for extra warmth. Just as he fastened the last button and tied the string for the hood, there was a knock at his door.

“Enter!” the prince called firmly, taking a glance at himself in the mirror before brushing some of his carmel brown hair from his face.

“Baby brother!” the elder prince greeted happily. 

“What do you want, Jongin?” the younger prince asked with a scoff in his voice.

“I just wanted to see my little baby brother Baekhyun before he was discarded - I mean…sent off,” Jongin stated. He comfortably leaned against the frame of the door, watching as Baekhyun finished getting ready.

“You seem oddly proud of yourself,” Baekhyun replied, rolling his eyes as he faced away from his brother. Bending down, he adjusted his brown boots that went halfway up his calf and laced all the way up to keep them snug. His black pants were tucked into them in an attempt to keep cold air from blowing up them along with a black leather belt around his waist to keep them secured. A long sleeved, thick, white shirt was also tucked into his pants in another attempt to keep warm. “Are you just going to stand there and smile?” he then asked while tucking his shirt into his pants more securely and tightening his belt some.

“What can I say? My coronation is in two months when I finally turn twenty-one. I have a beautiful bride already picked out for me…” Jongin paused with a large smile on his face as he exhaled. Casually walking into the room, he stood toe to toe with Baekhyun, looking down on him. “And you’ll…be…gone.”

Baekhyun glared up at his brother and gave him a firm shove back. Jongin took a few stumbling steps away before straightening himself. While Baekhyun was a bit shorter than his brother, he never let that stop him from shoving him around when he was talked down to, literally or figuratively. 

“Go away,” Baekhyun growled through gritted teeth. "If you're here to say things like that, I'd rather you leave."

“Oh baby brother…” Jongin said with a shake of his head as he walked closer again.

“Leave me alone!” Baekhyun shouted this time.

When Jongin stepped even closer, Baekhyun raised his hand to slap his brother, but instead, his wrist was caught in Jongin’s iron grasp. His arm was twisted forcefully behind his back, and he was shoved up against his wardrobe with such hostility that the doors rattled. Baekhyun used his other hand to brace himself against the wardrobe, but his face was already smashed against it. As he groaned in annoyance, he turned his head to the side.

“It was only a matter of time before mother and father sent you away,” Jongin hissed venomously into his ear. “What good is it for them to have a son who can’t interact with anyone? Who gets scared when there’s someone close to him? Let’s not forget you turn into a pathetic excuse for a human when someone talks to you.”

Baekhyun slammed his free hand against the wardrobe as he looked down at his boots. It was not his fault. He was born like that. It was not a reason he should be sent away.

“It’s not my fault…” Baekhyun grumbled under his breath.

“What was that baby brother?” Jongin asked in a condescending voice. “You need to speak up around people or they won’t be able to understand you.” Tightening his grip on Baekhyun’s wrist, he pulled his brother’s arm in a more uncomfortable position.

“I said...it’s not my fault!” Baekhyun screamed as he pushed off the wardrobe and spun around to punch Jongin square in the jaw.

This time Jongin went toppling backwards and landed on the floor with a heavy thud. Jongin held his jaw and moved it back and forth a couple of times while chuckling.

“Baby Baekhyun can throw a punch now,” Jongin snarled, picking himself up from the floor.

As he moved his hand away from his mouth, he saw blood on his finger. Bringing the back of his sleeve up to his mouth, he wiped away any more before spitting onto the floor and sneered at Baekhyun. 

"I'll throw more as a farewell gift if you're not careful," threatened Baekhyun, bringing his hand back up, although he was uncertain if he would be able to get another one past Jongin. 

“You just made a dumb mistake, baby brother,” Jongin scowled. Just before Jongin could launch himself at Baekhyun, there was a knock at the door that caused them both to turn.

“Sorry for interrupting,” a maid spoke as she looked between the two of them. 

“Not at all,” Baekhyun replied, relieved she had shown up. “What is it?” Right away Baekhyun recognized her as one of their mother's maids and knew no good news was about to come from .

“The Queen has asked to see Prince Baekhyun before he leaves,” the maid answered with her head tilted down slightly. “She’s waiting in the tea room.”

“Thank you. You are dismissed,” Baekhyun told her with a small sigh.

The maid gave a small bow before leaving and closing the door behind her to give them more privacy. A small chuckle came from Jongin which caused Baekhyun to slightly turn his eyes towards him.

“After today, I won’t have to see you again. You disgrace of a brother,” Jongin glowered.

Readjusting his cloak so it sat properly on his shoulders again, Baekhyun walked past Jongin, roughly bumping against his shoulder as he did so. When he left his room, he slammed the door forcefully closed behind him, leaving Jongin glaring at him from the other side. 

Baekhyun’s boots could be heard coming down the hallways and stairs to the tea room where his mother was waiting for him. His mother only asked to speak with him in the tea room when she was displeased with one thing or another. It was a common enough occurrence for him, knowing that his mother clearly favored Jongin in every way imaginable.

With his head held high, Baekhyun knocked on the sturdy oak door, sending echoes of his knocks flying through the empty corridor. A faint call to enter was heard a second later, so he entered and prepared himself for the worse. The tea room was a fair size, meant to hold ten people at a maximum. Made up of dark wood floors and wall paneling, emerald curtains, and only a few candles dispersed throughout, it gave out a dark and foreboding vibe. This time around, all the curtains were pulled open to allow light to stream in. A teapot and two cups sat on a small table off to the side along with a variant of sweeteners. His mother sat in a large wingback chair, hair pulled back tight like always, and in a long sleeved, floor length, dark purple dress with black and gold detailing. 

As expected of him, Baekhyun went over to the table and prepared the tea for his mother and himself. His mother enjoyed a little milk and a few drops of honey in hers, while he took a single sugar cube. He made sure to prepare his mother’s cup diligently and stirred everything together just enough, making sure not to overstir it or else his mother would complain and refuse it. The small silver spoon clinked against the glass cup a few times before he placed it down and worked on preparing his own. 

When the two cups of tea were ready, the prince went over to his mother and handed her the correct cup, making sure their fingers did not touch. Baekhyun then took his cup and went to stand by one of the many large windows that lined the room. Unless his mother invited him too, he was not allowed to sit and honestly, he did not wish to. He would much rather stare into the courtyard than sit facing his mother's disapproving glare.

“It appears you’re already prepared to leave,” the queen stated before taking a sip of her tea. "Hmm…too much honey. Useless," she groused.

"Same amount as always," groused Baekhyun under his breath.

"Pardon?" his mother called over. 

"I said the wind looks cold," lied Baekhyun, knowing very well his mother knew as well what he had originally said.

His mother cleared and sat herself up straighter. "You finished packing this morning, I see."

“I was told I needed to be gone today, and the majority of my things have already been removed from my room,” Baekhyun replied, not bothering to look at his mother. "It will be like I was never here," he added.

“You know we’re doing this for the best of the family,” the queen then explained with a heavy sigh as if this matter actually weighed on her heart.

“The best...the best for the family, mother!?” Baekhyun questioned, this time turning his head. 

“Oh Baekhyun, let’s not play this game right now,” the queen told him before taking another sip of tea and looking disgusted again. “You’re hardly royalty material and you’ve caused more fatal accidents than anyone in the history of our family.”

“Mother, they haven’t all been fatal!” Baekhyun stated as he now fully turned towards his mother. “Hardly any of them have been!”

“When you were younger, how many maids and butlers did you have incidents with that ended with a f