“You!”

Changmin looked around as he heard a cry of annoyance which surely couldn’t have been directed at him. However he was at the edge of the camp, looking out at the scenery having just been released by his father, and there was no one else around. He saw the shouter the next moment and sighed as he realised who it was. Kyuhyun marched over to him with a face like thunder.

“Me?” Changmin asked, wondering what he could’ve done now to upset his friend. Or maybe it wasn’t him in particular but the younger needed to rant and let off steam about someone else. Either way he was prepared for Kyuhyun’s sharp tongue.

“Do you know who’s teaching me how to ride?”

“Colonel Jang.”

“Do you know how he’s teaching me how to ride?” Kyuhyun spat the words, clearly having had to bite his tongue to prevent offending anyone and now releasing all his anger onto the presently uncaring prince.

“I saw,” Changmin rolled his eyes.

“He just walked me around the camp! He didn’t let go of the horse! He didn’t let me go faster than a slow walk!” Kyuhyun started pacing while Changmin sighed and wished he was riding somewhere; he’d planned to go find his horse before Kyuhyun had started a conversation. “Is he an idiot? Does he really think I’m going to fall off if he lets go?”

“I’ve told you before, no one wants to get into trouble for causing harm to one of the Emperor’s favourites.”

“You’ll have to teach me,” Kyuhyun whipped around and headed towards the slightly older man.

“What?!” Changmin was startled out of his thoughtful state, eyes wide as he backed away.

“Yes! You promised already.” Kyuhyun advanced while Changmin continued backing away, his mouth hanging open as he tried to formulate a plan to get out of Kyuhyun’s idea.

“When did I promise?”

“When we were travelling here,” Kyuhyun smirked at the slightly panicked expression on his friends face. Changmin stopped as his back hit a tree.

“That wasn’t a promise.”

“You can’t say no now, the Emperor gave me permission.”

“You’re using my Imperial Father against me,” Changmin was gobsmacked at the audacity of the younger.

“So when are you going to teach me?” Kyuhyun eyes narrowed, daring the other to challenge him, especially since he was already in a foul mood.

“Later,” Changmin quickly said, wishing himself to be far away from the incredibly pissed off Kyuhyun. “After dinner. I’ll meet you just over there.” He pointed a little distance from the edge of the camp towards the grassy plains that spread out just beyond the wooded area the camp was situated next to.

“After dinner?” Kyuhyun confirmed.

“I’ll be there,” Changmin nodded eagerly, determined to escape the wrath of his friend. Kyuhyun would calm down later and everything would be fine but he suspected that the Colonel must have really rubbed the other up the wrong way for him to be acting like this.

*

Kyuhyun was feeling incredibly calm as he waited for Changmin to arrive. He had changed back into his riding gear after dinner and had headed straight out to the field, wanting to arrive before the prince so he didn’t have wait. He walked far enough away from the edge of the camp that no one would be able to hear them chatting; he didn’t want any nosy guardsman to accidently hear them chatting about things that could get one or both of them into bother. His earliness was probably due to slight guilt Kyuhyun felt at nearly biting the other’s head off earlier that day. He had expected being able to gain the permission from the Emperor to start learning to ride properly. What he didn’t expect was a pompous, slightly annoying man who wouldn’t allow him to go beyond a walk. The Colonel had held onto the reins tightly and hadn’t let go, a look of nervousness on his face with every start the horse had made. The horse was only skittish at points because she could feel the nervousness of her leader. Kyuhyun had tried to persuade the Colonel to let go, but the Colonel had responded with vague replies that while incredibly polite seemed to suggest that Kyuhyun was less of a man and only a servant and also not capable. Kyuhyun felt outraged by this man who would swing between superiority and fear of offending one who had direct access to the Emperor. That along with all the stress of the morning, with Jinki accidentally spilling a box of tea and Ryeowook mixing up the princes’ drinks and Kyuhyun having to remake and work out what to do before they wondered what was taking them so long, caused Kyuhyun to explode. He was due a good rant anyway. He had to be perfectly behaved in front of everyone so surely letting off some steam in front of his closest friend was a good option, better than him accidentally snapping in front of someone else and getting into trouble.

He looked up at the stars and decided that the night was one of the most beautiful and peaceful he’d ever seen. He lay down on the grass, thinking about how nothing could go wrong on a night like this. The stars were so clear and the moon seemed bigger than ever in the cloudless sky. He wished he could name the stars. Maybe he should read a book on them; he often had nothing else to do so he often read. Some the books were ones that would be lost over the years and Kyuhyun found that his love of learning new things had only seemed to grow since he had arrive in this century.  

Kyuhyun continued laying and looking at the stars when he heard the sound of the horses approaching from the camp. He spoke softly but knew that his voice would carry in the night’s air, “I think the night is too nice to mess around with you teaching me to ride, I’m feeling tired anyway. Let’s just sit and gaze at the stars.” He patted beside him, not looking up.

He expected the sudden feeling of a warm body sitting beside him but he didn’t expect the deep voice of someone who was not Changmin say, “I suppose that could work.”

He jolted in shock, sitting up and staring at Siwon who was sitting next to him. It wasn’t Changmin! Obviously it wasn’t Changmin. He had no idea what to say, so he just sat with his mouth open for a couple of seconds before he realised he probably looked like an idiot so he jumped to his feet, the Fourth Prince just sat and looked up at him with an unreadable expression.

“Greetings Fourth Prince,” Kyuhyun bowed and blushed at the prince having caught him at such a moment and the prince’s response to his casual suggestion, which he would never have said if he had known it was Siwon and not Changmin.  “Where’s the Thirteenth Prince?” Siwon slowly got to his feet after sighing at the question.

“Thirteenth Brother was detained by the Crown Prince, he sent me in his place.”

Kyuhyun felt intensely uncomfortable with the Fourth Prince standing in front of him, far away from the camp. He didn’t like how bothered he felt and wanted to flee straight away. The tension that built up in him whenever he was with the taller man was something he tried to wish away but it never worked. He smiled awkwardly and tried to politely escape, “I’ll go back then. Thirteenth Prince can teach me another time.”

“You think I’m not a good enough teacher?” Siwon’s eyes were sphinx-like and sharp.

“No! I’m sure you’re a good teacher, I’m just tired.” Kyuhyun tried to disentangle himself from the situation. He really didn’t like how he couldn’t read the other man. He knew what to say to get what he wanted from others, but with the Fourth Prince, it was as if he was a closed book.

“We can just lay and watch the stars then.” The prince sat down where Kyuhyun had been previously laying, looking up in expectation. Kyuhyun’s eyes widened, there was no way he was going to lay down next to Siwon under the stars, that was probably an incredibly stupid thing to do. He knew it was an incredibly stupid thing to do.

Grasping at straws, he spluttered out, “I’m not sleepy anymore.”

The prince stood and looked at the boy before him with hard eyes before tilting his head towards the horses, “Get on the horse.”

Kyuhyun gulped in relief. At least on a horse there was plenty of distance between the two. Why did Changmin send Siwon? He would punish his friend later, all the guilt he felt at his anger before was washed away by a new anger. The icy prince was someone he just wanted to avoid and yet no one seemed to realise this, except the man himself, who seemed determined to pop up everywhere just to fluster him.

Siwon was a harsh teacher, constantly telling him instructions and demanding his full attention. Kyuhyun had to focus all his attention on the lesson and had no chance to think of what he would do to his friend tomorrow or anything other than Siwon’s voice guiding him while he steered the horse.

He hobbled into his tent, wincing as his thighs were chaffed from the saddle and his calves ached from supporting his weight in the stirrups. It reminded him of how he felt after a physical education lesson at school, he had tried to avoid or skip as many as possible but whenever he had been discovered and forced into attending, he always felt so stiff and sore after.

Ryeowook gasped and ran up to him as he saw his friend trudge into the tent. “You look exhausted Gege!”

“I am exhausted,” Kyuhyun pouted as he collapsed face first on his bed in the corner of the room. He wished it was a soft mattress and a duvet and pillows and all the softness of a bed in the 21^st century, but it would have to do.

“You can’t go to bed now.” Ryeowook tutted as he pulled the older boy up. He started to undo the outer garments as Kyuhyun stood there with a sulky look on his face. After unfastening the clothes, he started on the elaborate hair piece all the higher palace maidens wore, signifying their difference to the eunuchs and lower maids. Removing the pins and the wooden fillet, he placed them carefully on the sides as Kyuhyun continued to be unhelpful. “I’d have thought you’d be happier, you were so excited earlier and you have so desperately wanted to learn to ride.”

“Having a harsh teacher can make the most fun lesson a nightmare,” Kyuhyun sighed, grumbling more than he probably should. He just wanted to be babied for a little bit and Ryeowook was good at that.

“Was the Thirteenth Prince too harsh then? I thought you were both friends.” Ryeowook looked confused as he folded the elder’s clothes.

“It was Fourth Prince who taught me.” Kyuhyun confessed as he crawled back into the bed and snuggled into the pillow as he was now in his underclothes.

“The Fourth Prince does seem like a serious teacher,” the smaller added as he poured a small cup of tea and presented it to the other. “He has excellent horsemanship though, one of the best.”

“Even if I was a genius I doubt I could please that man,” Kyuhyun moaned as he sat up slightly to drink.

“Gege, you are one who even impresses and pleases the Emperor. I’m sure the Fourth Prince is as well,” Ryeowook giggled at the annoyed face the other had pulled as he complained about the stoic prince.

“I don’t think so. You should go to bed as well,” Kyuhyun spoke to the younger. Ryeowook’s pallet was made up beside Kyuhyun’s. They shared the tent while Jinki was placed in a smaller tent with a one of the general maids.

“I will in a moment. I will check that no one is needed and that Jinki is sleeping. That boy gets into trouble just by breathing sometimes.” Ryeowook muttered as he pulled the blanket over his Gege and wandered out of the tent.

*

Kyuhyun stood before Kangin as the Emperor examined the few teacups that his tea maid had carefully packed to accompany them on the trip. Leeteuk stood at the Emperor’s side as he constantly did, he rarely left except to go and do as the Emperor bid. Wherever Kangin was, Leeteuk followed as his shadow, anticipating his needs before he even thought of them.

Kangin picked up the Crown Prince’s cup. “Peony, precious and royal, the King of flowers. Fitting for my Crown Prince.”

He placed it down and picked up the next one, the Fourth Prince’s. “Magnolia is white, cool and refreshing. It is also elegant and clean, just like my Fourth Son.”

He smiled a little wider as he continued scrutinising the others, coming to rest on Changmin’s cup. “Plum blossom can survive through the harshest of conditions and start anew. It also shows humble perseverance. Perfectly matches my Thirteenth Son.” He laughed as Leeteuk nodded his agreement. He addressed Kyuhyun this time, rather than making general observations, “Kyuhyun, you really are good at observing and reading other’s personalities.”

“Thank you, my Lord.” Kyuhyun bowed slightly as Kangin continued to gaze at the selected cups.

“What do you think of my children?” Kangin asked, his face showing his interest in Kyuhyun’s answer.

“A father knows his son best.” Kyuhyun answered diplomatically. There was no way he was going to describe how he really felt about certain princes to anyone, not even himself. “Each of the prince’s has a distinctive personality and character. They are just as varied as the number of flowers.”

“Yes, all my sons have a unique character of their own,” Kangin stated pleasantly. He loved all his children and wished he could’ve been closer to them, but Imperial protocol and the life of an Emperor can prevent even the most loving of fathers. “All of their temperaments and outlooks are different.” He looked down at the little tea cups and considered his children. His one wish was for them all to be united in spirit and to work together for the sake of their dynasty.

*

Later, Changmin was walking through the camp when an irate Kyuhyun appeared in front of him. He gulped as he looked around him and was thankful that they were in a busy area with plenty of people. Even Kyuhyun wouldn’t beat me up or give him too much of a tongue lashing in public. He was maybe fearless but that didn’t mean he could get away with bullying a prince so unashamedly.

“Thirteenth Prince.” Kyuhyun bowed as was expected of him in an open space in front of others. Changmin excused him and made to walk away and maybe get on a horse and ride a little bit further until the grumpy younger boy was a little less grumpy.

“Thirteenth Prince,” Kyuhyun side stepped in front of Changmin, effectively blocking escape. “You were supposed to teach me to ride last night.”

“I sent Fourth Prince.” Changmin was suddenly aware that Kyuhyun’s anger was directed at him not some other poor soul as he had thought a few seconds before. Surely, Kyuhyun wasn’t mad about last night, right?

“You said you would teach me.”

“I technically never said that. Plus Fourth Brother is an excellent horseman, he was a suitable replacement. I couldn’t say no to the Crown Prince.” Changmin rolled his eyes at Kyuhyun’s temper as he decided that the younger’s annoyance was definitely unfounded. “I will be there tonight.”

“I will wait after dinner,” Kyuhyun watched his friend carefully as he walked around and away from him.

Changmin breathed more easily when he was away from Kyuhyun and headed for his horse. He encountered Siwon who was saddling his horse, also about to set out for a ride. “Kyuhyun is scary. He told me off for not going to teach him last night. It wasn’t like I didn’t have an excuse. No one can say no to the Crown Prince. Why does he act like that?”

“It’s called individuality.” Siwon spoke, eying his brother who was just complaining because he felt wronged, not because he disliked Kyuhyun’s personality. In fact, if Kyuhyun was like everyone, Changmin would never have become friends with the other, both knew this. “He’s different.”

Changmin looked at his brother in surprise, with a gleam in his eye. “Do you suddenly know Kyuhyun well?”

“I know that Kyuhyun is reserved and cautious, yet has a sense of fearlessness deep within himself. He has a great amount of courage.”

“It seems that you speak more and more fondly of him the more you get to know him,” Changmin was now interested in the direction the conversation was going and wanted to see whether his brother would admit anything. He watched as his elder brother mounted and looked down at him with a veiled expression. Siwon didn’t reply and turned the horse, starting to ride off, after all what exactly could he say to the younger that he didn’t already know? Also, Changmin had a way of remembering everything and using it against someone whenever he wanted something. Siwon wouldn’t let him have anything to fire at him.

Changmin grinned as he finished saddling his own horse and rode off after his brother. What he didn’t expect was for Junsu to pop up beside him, riding as well.

“Hello,” Junsu smiled brightly, drawing a smile to Changmin’s face automatically.

“Hello,” Changmin felt slightly breathless even though he hadn’t even started riding yet.

“So, you are a prince.”

“So are you,” Changmin replied.

“Well I think we both know how differently we get treated when we reveal who we are,” Junsu admitted. He had felt slightly guilty for not telling Changmin the truth but it seemed that Min had been hiding his own identity, so there was no need.

“True. Ruins potential friendships quicker than anything else,” Changmin laughed at the face Junsu had pulled that seemed to show his distaste for having withheld the information.

Junsu liked the other prince’s smile and his carefree personality. He had thought that all the Qing princes were stuffy and proud, but this one had played with him and his companions so easily the other day. He had wanted to meet the man again, but finding out the other was a prince was a blessing. It meant they could easily talk and be friends without people talking.

“So… Min,” Junsu used the name Changmin had originally given him. He would prefer to speak informally but he knew that if the other objected they would have to speak formally. Changmin felt his heart skip at having someone call him that so simply. No one, except his mother had called him that. He didn’t know why he had told Junsu to call him Min that day but he was glad he did, it made he feel warm. “Do you fancy going hunting tonight?”

“Hunting?” Changmin spoke slowly as he heard the approach of Siwon from his other side. The older man had obviously grown tired of waiting and had decided to head back to see why Changmin had not caught up with him.

“Yes, we will go sheep hunting. I won’t lose to you this time.” Junsu’s eyes twinkled and Changmin felt a twist of regret because he had promised to teach Kyuhyun horse riding.

“I’m sorry. I already said I would teach someone horse riding tonight.” Changmin frowned as he tried to work out a way to salvage the situation. Junsu had also started to frown at hearing Changmin’s excuse. Siwon had drawn up behind Changmin and was listening intently to the conversation.

“Can’t you ask someone else to teach or do it another time? What’s fun about teaching people to ride? I’m much more fun.” Junsu suddenly seemed to burst out in a whiny and incredibly adorable way.

“I’ll go,” Siwon suddenly spoke up.

“What?” Changmin shot around to look at his brother in surprise.

“I’ll go to teach Kyuhyun, you can go with Prince Junsu,” Siwon smiled slightly as Changmin wasn’t sure what to say. He had a sense that something was going on and he wasn’t sure what he should do, but he did desperately want to go with Junsu.

“You found a teacher already! Let’s go!” Junsu declared, suddenly emanating energy and happiness.

“Now?!” Changmin exclaimed.

“Yep,” Junsu grabbed Changmin’s reins and started to pull his horse along with his own as Junsu headed towards were the hunting party was setting up. If he had done that to a less experienced rider, the horse would easily be riderless but Junsu knew how good of a rider the other was. Changmin tugged the reins back but continued following the other, not sure why but knowing he would have fun and would enjoy Junsu’s company.

Siwon looked in shock as he saw his brother so happily be pulled around by another person. It was very true that Changmin was like a wild horse. He was stubborn and wilful and disliked being pulled around by others; he was hard to approach but those who he trusted he was loyal to. That he was so easily handled by someone he had only just met was rare.

*

Kyuhyun was once again waiting in the same place he had waited for the night before. He was once again feeling ever so slightly apologetic to his friend. Changmin did have a good excuse for not turning up last night; no one could really refuse the Crown Prince, who was in theory the second most powerful man in the Empire, as well as the future Emperor. He may have overreacted a tat, but that was because he really didn’t like being alone with the Fourth Prince. Siwon worried him, he knew from his vague knowledge of this period that Siwon was a harsh Emperor who eliminated all who opposed him quickly and with very little mercy. That man didn’t seem to coincide yet with the patient and tolerant man he had been carefully watching. Something must happen in the years between now and his ascension to the throne to turn him into someone who would go down in history as a severe and tyrannical ruler. He didn’t want to offend the prince, so he avoided the other as much as he could while being as unassuming as he could. He pondered the previous night when he heard the horses, he turned and felt a sense of déjà vu at seeing not Changmin but Siwon walking his way leading two horses. He decided fate must hate him. That and he should maybe kill Changmin.

“Greetings Fourth Prince,” Kyuhyun bit out as he bowed, deciding he had to get away as quickly as possible. He really didn’t like the thick tension that had already enveloped both of them. It was as if it was a fire just waiting to be lit and he was not going to light it anytime soon. “I am feeling tired from waiting on his Majesty all day. I don’t think we should ride today.”

As he moved to walk back to camp, Siwon easily caught his arm swinging him back around to face him. “You’re running away.” He breathed out the statement entirely too near Kyuhyun’s face for him to do anything but shudder in response. The eyes that seemed so inscrutable were now clouded with want. The prince’s body was suddenly too near Kyuhyun, his warm leaching into the younger’s space as Siwon breached the gap between them to kiss Kyuhyun hard and passionately.

Kyuhyun gave in and let himself be swept away. The spark between them caused his whole body to explode with feeling and he responded with the fire that he had missed over the years since he had inhabited this body. Siwon wrapped his arms around Kyuhyun and pulled him til he was flush against his front, Kyuhyun’s hands pressed against his chest.  

When they broke for air, Kyuhyun’s instinct to nuzzle forward into the taller man’s neck was overridden by the thought that this was a foolish decision. To get involved with this man was an incredibly idiotic thing to do. He was of Hangeng’s, the Eighth Prince’s, household, even if he wasn’t interested in a relationship with him, he was still bound to Geng because of Mi, and this was Siwon, the Fourth Prince, who will become Hangeng’s worst enemy and will eventually imprison him, leading to his death. This man would cause havoc to many of his other friends and he didn’t want that. To start something with someone who would do all of that. He couldn’t.

He also didn’t want to become just a fling or another wife to a prince. He didn’t know what Siwon really thought of him and considering the first hint of his feeling was to kiss him like this, he didn’t know whether the other person just felt lust. He didn’t even know how he himself felt. This relationship couldn’t last, wouldn’t last.

So Kyuhyun took a step back and let his face become like ice as he stared at the man whose face similarly became hard as he noticed the change in atmosphere. Kyuhyun eyed the prince with as much distaste as he could muster before turning and fleeing back towards the camp and towards safety.

*

A/N: I was debating whether to cut the scene with Kangin and the teacups but I really liked that scene. It shows how much Kangin cares for his children, how well he knows them, how much he wishes they would all get along. I imagine one of the worst things for a parent is when you are torn between children, when your children don't get along. 

Anyway love you all!