It was a freezing winter night, Sarang and her mother Elizabeth, were huddled close to the fireplace trying to keep warm from the heat of the small crackling fire, in their small little cottage sized house. Sarang never met her father, whenever she asked her mother about him, she would simply tell Sarang that her father was a sailor who loved to explore the ocean, and the ocean loved him just as much so it took him from them. She said that they would see her father once again when their time in this world is over.

Sarang had turned four that night, but the mood was off. Sarang could feel her mother’s distress. Even at such a young age she knew that her mother hid a lot of her worries and fears from Sarang.

While combing the knots out of her daughter’s luscious long black curls, Elizabeth started humming the same enchanting melody Sarang had always heard her hum to her since she was born.

"Mother? Can you teach me how to sing that song? It's very pretty." Sarang mused turning to face her mother.

Elizabeth gazed at her daughter lovingly and tucked a loose lock of hair behind Sarang’s ear.

"You'll eventually learn it yourself, Sarang."

"Shall Mother tell you a story? It's a birthday special!~"

Sarang gasped her brown eyes grew wide with excitement. She nodded her head and tugged at her mother's hand eager for Elizabeth to get off the sofa and sit next to her on the floor, in front of the fireplace. Elizabeth joined her daughter on the floor and pulled Sarang close.

"Once upon a time, there lived 5 men of royal blood born and raised in this very village. They were no ordinary princes though, they were beautiful men with beautiful voices. The stories say that their voices were so melodious that it turn a stormy day into a bright and sunny one, and even wilted flowers would bloom again."

Sarang giggled upon hearing this.  Elizabeth only smiled, "Okay maybe I am stretching the truth a little. But it is true that their voices were angelic! And so where was I... Yes! They had the heart of almost every maiden in the kingdom simply because of their gifted vocals. But then one day, as the five princes took a stroll down the market they saw her."

"Who Mother?" Sarang asked curious.

"The fairest maiden in the land. Her beauty was alluring, she had skin as white as snow, eyes as blue as the sky, hidden under long, dark eyelashes, her hair was as black as the night and it flowed to her waist and her hips swayed with rhythm when she walked. The princes fell for her the moment they laid their eyes on her. They were also confident that they could serenade their way into her heart.

But here’s the catch, the boys sang to their heart’s content yet the maiden simply walked past them like they didn’t even exist.

Desperate to win her heart and also equally puzzled at her lack of response to them calling out to her, they followed the maiden and bumped into her neighbour. Whom then told the princes that it was pointless trying to call out to her as the maiden was deaf. For the first time in their lives there was maiden that would not swoon to their voices.

Determine to win the maiden's heart the 5 princes decided to get to know her. Accompanying her wherever she went and treating her like a princess. The maiden was the first friend they had made, and also the first girl they had ever loved. Soon they came to a decision and that was she would be the girl they would spend the rest of their lives caring and loving for. The maiden felt the same way and for a while they were all happy.
 

But soon their happiness was taken away. The maiden fell incredibly ill. All the doctors in the land said that there was nothing they could do to help her.

The five princes were heartbroken. Wanting to save the love of their lives, they went to see a witch doctor.

“Please save our love, she's dying, please! We'll do anything!” The oldest prince begged the witch doctor.

The witch however looked smug, "I can save your love but a sacrifice is needed. Taking away death, it’s the biggest favour to ask. It also means you have to give the biggest sacrifice ever."

The princes hesitated for only a second before asking, "What sacrifice?"

The witch whose pupils looked almost white and crazed answered,  "I'll give her life as well as the ability to hear again but in return the five of you will be trapped in a music box, your voices turned into the most beautiful lullabies ever heard, played in that Orgel. Don’t worry I’m not that cruel I will make sure you will stay with her forever. I will give it to her as a gift."

The princes thought through it for a long time before they finally agreed. For their love they were willing to do anything.

On that very day the witch delivered the music box to the maiden as promised. When the maiden woke up from her deep slumber, and realised that she could hear again, she was overcome with joy but when she found out about the sacrifice the princes had made for her. She was devastated.

From that day on the maiden would listen to the music box everyday watching the five handsome man dance around in the music box.

There is a saying that the curse of the Orgel can be broken when a girl at the age of 18 falls in love with the music box, so in love that she would give her life away to protect it."

Elizabeth ended the sad tale by lifting Sarang off her lap and crawling to a wooden plank on the floor and prying it off.

"Sarang come here." her mother urged her.

Curiously Sarang ran to her side to take a look, there was a secret compartment under the wooden plank. Sarang’s eyes went wide as her mother took out a music box from in there. It was a glass globe and the base was made of gold with the carvings of ancient looking symbols and the word SHINee engraved on it.

"Your great grandmother gave this to me and now I give this to you. Protect it with your life, Sarang. It’s a family heirloom."

Elizabeth handed it to Sarang. The moment she made contact with it she felt a surge of energy pass through her body as her mother placed it in her palms.

"But why? Who's going to take it?" Sarang asked her mother.

Before Elizabeth could answer, someone starting banging on their front door. The colour drained from Elizabeth’s face and she quickly placed the wooden plank back and grabbed Sarang’s hand. She brought her down to the basement and moved an old cupboard that was against the wall aside to reveal a small tunnel. Elizabeth gave Sarang a candle and kissed her on the forehead, just as they heard the front door being slammed open.

"My dear, I need you to go inside the tunnel and keep running until you reach the opening on the other side. Don't turn back and make sure no matter what, the music box is always with you okay? You're a brave girl. Mother loves you."

Elizabeth pushed her into the tunnel and sealed it off against the cupboard, before Sarang could say anything.

"Mother .." she whimpered tears b from her eyes.

A minute passed and Sarang heard footsteps along with muffled voices being raised and then she heard her mother scream from the other side and her eyes widen with horror. Following her mother’s words, Sarang held the music box close to her chest and ran.

Tripping and falling constantly against the rocky surface of the ground she  managed to stumble out to the opening. Sarang was far from her home but she could see the fire from where she was. She reached out a tiny palm towards the heap of flames that was once her home not too ago.

"Mother."

Sarang placed the music box next to her feet and curled up into a ball, crying. Suddenly she heard the most beautiful lullaby flow through her ears. Sarang opened her eyes and saw the music box come to life by itself as five dolls dressed as princes start spinning and dancing in it. She watched with a sort of dazed amusement they danced. Sarang knew this tune it was the same one her mother used to hum to her all the time.

“What do I do now, Mother?”

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Author's note: I have re-edited this chapter and tried to make it sound better. I know there is room for improvement so I will try harder. Thank you to everyone who stayed with this story for so long I won’t let you guys down.

Ah yes and if you are curious to know what the lullaby from my story sounds like that press the link below to take a listen. It is the music box version of Orgel and it’s beautifully made. Of course credits the person who made this cause it suits so well with this story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oNK23euB7A