“You’re going back?” Kai almost fell off Taemin’s bed from the shock. Taemin put a fist to his mouth as he laughed.
“Why are you so shocked?”

Kai had to steady himself before he could answer. So he put both feet on the ground and sat that way. “Well it’s just… You don’t know her; we don’t know who she is or what she is.”

Taemin nodded but kept the childish grin on his face. His friend seemed to have the slightest suspicion he wasn’t paying attention to anything he said. “I don’t care. I want to see her again, she fascinates me.”

At this Kai just let out a groan before he could start laughing half heartedly. “You’re unbelievable. You’ve turned down several eligible girls to be your wife and you go after this one. One who is girl one moment, chicken the next.”

Taemin would have corrected Kai if he hadn’t burst into laughter. Eventually his friend caught on and then joined in. They were holding their sides before they finished.
“Ok I meant ‘swan’ but you know I’m right.” Kai waited for Taemin to agree with him but Taemin just shook his head.

“I’m not chasing after her as such. As a prince we are to help our subjects and so since she is a subject of ours then I should assist her right?”

Kai fell back onto the bed, his face staring up at the ceiling. He gave up, his friend wouldn't listen to reason. “Alright, fine go back there, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Taemin pouted feigning disappointment. “Can’t you come with me? I thought you said you found her pretty?”

Kai sat up with a look of alarm. “Hey I may have done but that doesn’t mean anything these days! You’ve said to me before that girl or this girl was pretty but you didn’t marry them!”

“But she’s different.” Taemin began wistfully. “She’s very different Kai. Even if nothing comes from this I have to try.”

At this point his friend had stopped trying. They both heard a knock on the door. The two jumped off the bed and hurriedly bowed at Minho who was standing at the entrance to Taemin’s room. He looked very regal in the grey suit he wore.

“Y-your highness,” Kai stammered. He then swallowed, pulled up his sleeve and looked at it. “Is that the time? I should probably go.” Minho and Taemin exchanged confused glances before Kai quickly grabbed his coat, bowed again and exited.

Minho smirked before glancing at his little brother. “Did he leave the oven on again?”

“Probably,” Taemin said following along with the joke and then grinning in amusement. Taemin patted the edge of his bed urging his brother the crown prince to come sit next to him. Minho did this and glanced around the room, eyeing everything.

“So what is it that you have to try?”

Taemin paused. How much had his brother heard from their conversation? “Ah umm it’s just that—“

“—honestly Taemin,” Minho’s voice sounded stern. “This is something I addressed with you recently. Last week in fact if I’m right,” he added causing Taemin’s face to fall.

“Brother it’s nothing bad as such; that’s the honest truth.”

Minho looked at him. “And you’re sure that’s the truth?”

“I’m really sure brother!” Taemin responded in exasperation. He couldn’t deal with his brother’s questioning at times. It felt like he was being interrogated at court. Minho leaned back with both his hands to support him on the soft surface.

After a while Minho spoke. “Tomorrow we’re going to visit the Jung family in Kwangju.” Taemin opened his mouth to protest but was stopped by his brother. “We’re going and that is final. You and their youngest daughter are of the same age, it’s possible she could be your future bride.”

Taemin remembered her. She was a tomboy, the younger sibling of the well-loved and praised Lord Yunho with a strong personality and vocals. He didn’t know how to respond. Their families were close and he’d overheard talks about a possible marriage. This had been delegated to Taemin because Minho had fallen for someone else.

Yeah, that was right. Minho had chosen to marry someone he loved. He could bring that up. “Brother, you got to be with her because you loved her right?” Minho didn’t see what Taemin was doing so he cautiously nodded. “So, if I found someone I loved and if she loved me back then it would be ok? We could marry?”

The crown prince had been caught with a hard question. He contemplated over it before answering with a nod. “Yes,” he looked at his little brother. “Are you saying you could marry Eunji?”

“Not her brother, per say…” Taemin began, his brother’s gaze causing him to mentally shrink. “I mean... Just hypothetically if I did find someone that is.”

“Hmm,” Minho scratched his chin, thinking over it more. “I suppose it would be fine. Of course mother and father would need some further urging but I can handle them.”

Taemin smiled at Minho. “Thanks brother.”

His brother gave a wary smile. "Don't mention it."

Taemin found the location after taking one wrong turn at the hill. He had come just after the girl had changed into a human. The black dress was stunning against her complexion. He wondered if the bird changed colour based on what she wore but then he remembered he’d seen a black swan the other day so it couldn’t be true.

He was in such a hurry that as he went down the hill he stumbled, did a roll and skid before he landed at the bottom in a pile of leaves and twigs. The noise alarmed the girl who started to hurry away, at a slower pace than before.

“Wait, please wait!” Taemin ignored his sore knees and started after her. Picking up his pace he ran just as she was going around the cliff. He was just behind her now and using his height as an advantage he reached out. She slowed as he grabbed onto her arm.

Fear gripped her as she stopped, heart racing in unease. Taemin was still panting as he came around to face her, blocking her escape. “Please, please don’t run off. I won’t hurt you. My friend isn’t here. And I’m unarmed.” He held his empty hands out.

She didn’t look at him. Taemin realised that she must be shy. What he saw took him by surprise. He and Kai hadn’t been fooled when they thought this girl was pretty at a distance. Up close Taemin found himself drawn to her as well.

She had a defined chin, thin eyebrows and her lips long and thin. The ball of her nose sat low and it was obvious she had single eyelids. Taemin had to think back to all the possible candidates that were lined up for him to choose from. Nope none of them could compare with her in appearance.

The girl was breathing in and out slowly. “Are you afraid of me?” Taemin asked, trying to look at her face properly. “You can look at me if you want or is it awkward for you?”

Now he was going to hear her voice. It would reinforce her beauty or weaken it. She opened . “It is awkward,” she admitted softly. She had a low voice for a girl but it wasn’t at the same pitch as a bass. It was an alto voice.

Taemin pointed at himself. “Do you know who I am?” He asked just so he knew if she recognised him. The girl finally lifted her head up to him. Taemin felt chills run over him, good chills. She looked at him, her eyes slowly moving as she took his appearance in. He expected her to nod or shake her head but she spoke.

“My friends do… Y-you’re a prince aren’t you?”

“That’s right,” Taemin felt ecstatic from how she recognised him. “Have we met before?” She shook her head this time and he exhaled. “Ah so you might not be from a notable family then.”

The girl expressed her confusion and so Taemin quickly explained. “It’s just that, we know most of the wealthy families around so I wasn’t sure if you may have come from one of them.”

The girl spoke catching him by surprise. “H-how old are you?”

“I just turned twenty one.”

“Ah so you’re older than me by a year.” She answered. Taemin couldn’t believe his luck. She wasn’t younger by much or older than him.

“What month were you born?” He asked her straight out.

She wasn’t looking at him again. “I was born in February.”

“I was in July.” Taemin told her. “So it’s almost a year.” She nodded, glancing up at the sky. “I should leave now.” Taemin moved away as she started to leave, giving a very timid bow.

“Can I come again?”

Her steps faltered. Turning her head she looked at him, her gaze slowly moving down to the ground. “Can I come and visit you next week?” Taemin held his breath. He wanted her to say yes.

They heard the sound of quick steps and Taemin saw her animal companions coming over. The lizard was sitting on the buck’s head, tail wrapped around a horn to grab onto. The bird fluttered over as well. “Is he bothering you?” She tweeted to the girl.

“No he isn’t.” She was told in response. The animals all backed away a bit, letting the two conclude their conversation. “You can--if you really wish to your majesty.”

Taemin felt his heart sink at her formality. The fact he was a prince immediately put a wall up between him and the citizens. It would have been nice if she felt comfortable.

He pushed out a ‘thank you’ before letting her go. She left without a second glance and Taemin wondered if he had gotten his hopes up too high. Yes he was a prince and no he didn’t know much about her except her age. But he would find out more.  

Going back to the ledge he watched her leave for a bit. Even her back was lovely to his eyes. The lizard glanced behind them and hissed at him. Taemin winced, not getting over how weird a creature that was. It made his fingers curl.

He would have to find out more the next time he arrived. Hopefully by then she would be comfortable with him. Lifting his arm he kissed the brown beads on his wrist before heading off.

How did we like this chapter? I edited some of it lol