from then on, he no longer dreamed of golden locks and blue eyes

instead, he dreamed of that smile that took him on a journey

Alone in his bedroll, shivering in the morning cold, Kris woke up.

Their tent was flapping open in the wind.

Through brief flashes, he saw Tao standing there by the edge of the oasis, staring out across rippling water in silence.

Wherever it was that Tao's heart was, far across those shifting sands, Kris couldn't follow.

It took the trio a single day to reach the ruined jungle kingdom of Queen Camille.

It had been too difficult to try to maneuver Pearl through the thick brush, so she waited for them on the other side, giving one last worried whinny as the two disappeared into the hot jungle.

Kris was clearing the way, hacking at the giant leaves with his sword, and Tao followed in his footsteps.

Different though it was, the jungle was just as beautiful as the places they had traveled through before.  Birds of many a different color were flying overhead, the calls of wild animals echoing through the trees, ancient carved stone pillars and statues guiding their way inward.

But Tao was in no mood to appreciate his surroundings.

Kris hadn't said a word to him at all the entire time.

Tao hadn't made an effort on his part either - ever since that night, their relationship had suddenly become tense.

And although a part of him felt rushed to apologize, to raise all of his regrets over what had happened, the darker side of his heart lashed back in bitter anger.

Was he not allowed to have a chance at happiness too?

It just wasn't fair.

A pile of bones was all that was left of a previous prince charming.  Mouth still open in a silent scream, gnawed bones splintered, body slumped over the tree by which he had finally fallen.

Kris nudged the pile of bones with his shoe, watching as the skull fell off its shoulder, rolling onto its side.

The two of them both sighed at the same time. 

There always had to be something about these girls.  None of them could be normal, could they?

Already anticipating what was to happen as the moon rose above the trees, they pulled their weapons from their sides, turning in circles in wait of the Red Riding Hood they had learned had been camping out in the ruins.

And sure enough, she burst from the jungle brush like hell on earth, a giant half woman-half wolf who walked upright on two clawed feet, a (ridiculously tiny, in comparison) red hood tied loosely around its neck.  Teeth and fur still stained with blood, she puffed out her chest, throwing her head back to howl up at the moon above her -

Only to be stopped, mid-howl, as a rock hit her squarely in between her eyes.  Falling back to hold her head with a sudden whimper, she looked up between her claws to see Tao picking up another stone, tossing it up and down in his hand as he held his pole in his other hand like a baseball bat. 

He blew the bangs out of his face, baiting the monster with a smug grin.

The giant wolf beast snarled, hunkering back down on all fours before lunging at them with a roar.

Tao was dashing through the jungle brush, a giant wolf beast hot on his tail as he ducked under large green leaves, leaping over twisted tree roots.

Something was running by his side and Tao had barely a chance to look before -

"MOVE!"

Tao was just barely able to get out of the way, holding his breath and twisting backward as he heard the metal sing just inches from his face.  A lock of his dark brown hair, lopped off by a sharp blade as Kris' sword pierced the air where Tao had just been standing, fell to pieces on the dirt.

He tumbled to the earth, hearing the clang of sword against claws as the prince engaged the wolf princess, beating her into a retreat.  Taking just a second to catch his breath, Tao jumped back onto his feet, wiping the dirt from his face with an arm.

Waiting for the opportunity when he saw one, Tao rushed back into the fray, only to be blocked by Kris' body.

"Let me in, I've got it!"  He screamed over the loud roaring of the monster, only to receive no response.

Waiting again for an opportunity, Tao ducked under Kris' arm, popping up with a swift sweeping kick to the monster's chest, hearing the wolf grunt in pain as it fell back briefly.  Cracking his knuckles, Tao began to ran forward again, only to be jerked back by a hard grip on his arm which threw him behind Kris' body.

"No - I'll deal with her - you're still recovering from your wounds."

"I feel fine, Kris!"

The monster was back on them, Kris making a swift series of skilled parries and ripostes to fend off its advances.

"I don't care if you feel fine, just stay back!"

"Stop treating me as if I'm your princess - because I'm not!"

Kris made a noise of frustration, turning to him with a look of anger - completely missing the clawed hand that lashed out at his exposed back, whipping the prince forward like a rag doll.

Tao felt his breath leave him as Kris' body collided with his own.  Tao took the brunt of the extra force - flying back until his back had cracked against a tree trunk.  Slowly sliding down, he spat blood, groaning as head continued to spin.

When he looked back up, he could see the wolf's back as she pinned Kris to the ground, a single claw pulling back, ready to strike the fatal blow -

He threw his hand out before he could think to stop himself, forming a tight fist and flinging it to the side.

To his amazement and his horror, the wolf was dragged through the air by an invisible force. 

She shot through the air, stopped only by a thick tree branch which caught her in the gut with a whimper.

By the time she had fallen back to the ground, the beast was finally unconscious.

His hand was shaking - still burning with power.  He pulled it back from where it was smoking in the air, holding it behind his back as Kris struggled to get onto his knees.

Kris had a question in his eyes that Tao didn't want to answer truthfully.

Fortunately, the sound of a groan drew Kris' attention, and the two turned to see the wolf beginning to transform back into a human.

Initially glad for the distraction, Tao watched in dismay as-

Fur had faded back into milk-white skin revealing a full head of luscious, golden blonde hair.

Kris stood on shaky feet. 

As Kris made slow steps toward the princess, Tao made his own backwards, stepping back into the shadows of the brush with a heart that suddenly felt heavy.  He clutched his shaking hand tightly behind his back, nails digging into skin and nearly breaking the surface.

Tao felt his own eyes flutter close as Kris knelt to pull hers open.

For long, agonizing seconds, Tao felt the beating of his heart thudding against his chest. 

"Green.  They're green."

Tao gasped, letting go of the breath that he hadn't known he had been holding.

Kris watched him sink to his knees in relief, his own heart twisting in a mixture of sympathy and something else.

The port of the Nava Archipelago was a breathtaking city on the edge of the water full of bright colors, the smell of exotic spices, and the throngs of people from all over the world who had gathered in this one place to trade.

Kris was leaning over a spice stall, bargaining for some information with the merchant sitting behind it.

Tao watched with blank eyes, holding onto Pearl's reins with tired arms.

People were racing past him - shouting, screaming in laughter with happiness written in their eyes.

In comparison, Tao felt as if he was standing still in time.

The bite of envy was bitter and hard to swallow, and he felt his treacherous fingers twitching at his side.

Turning away from Kris, he spied a stall further down, full of bangled shawls and thick scarves.  Suddenly remembering his own torn shawl, no longer of any use, Tao left Pearl tied to a stand nearby and wandered off on his own.

Ducking underneath long wooden sticks that two men were using to carry their merchandise across their shoulders, Tao found himself colliding with the warm body who had at some point moved to stand right in front of the stall he had been eyeing.  He cried out, losing his balance, almost falling over if not for the arms that reached out toward him, bringing him back to his feet.

"I'm so sorry - are you alr-"

The voice stopped abruptly and Tao looked up into the face of a tall, smug-looking prince, dressed all in expensive silks and tassels.  A cloying, sweet smell settled heavily in the air and Tao found his nose crinkling. 

The man was staring at him like a big bad wolf devouring his prey, and Tao shifted, suddenly uncomfortable.

"I'm fine, thanks."  Tao turned back to the stall.

"...you're a Damsel, aren't you?"  Tao in a breath quickly, whirling his head back with shock written over his face. 

"I knew it - you are beautiful, but I'm sure you hear that all the time.  Let me guess - a Snow White with skin as pale and fair as yours?"

A hand was shoved in his face.

"I'm Zhou Mi.  My father is the king of this region, making me its one and only prince.  You are...?"

Is that supposed to impress me?  I'm a prince, too.

Tao raised his eyebrows, completely disregarding the hand waiting for him to give the other an unimpressed once-over.  His eyes fell upon the golden lamp hanging from the prince's waistband.

"...have you got a genie in there?"

The prince retracted his hand with a forced, awkward laugh, looking down to the item in question.

"...not anymore, I've used up my three wishes, it seems.  But say, why don't you come over tonight?  I've got another lamp you could rub."

. . .?!

"...you know, for a 'genie' to appear."

Tao widened his eyes, turning mechanically away as he struggled not to shudder.

"...I mean, we could always just talk too.  Uh.  I'm down for anything, really."

Tao tuned him out as he rolled his eyes, trying to focus on the wares in front of him.

Kris would have known better than to approach him with a line as bad as that one was.

But that's because Kris would never...

Tao stared down at his hands, splayed across the black scarf with yellow patterns he had been holding.  As normal as his hands seemed, he knew there was a strange power building in them, fueled by his quickly shriveling heart. 

Even if this prince wasn't really his type, it wasn't as if Tao could afford to wait any longer.  He had to take what few chances he got.

Anyway, how long had it been since he'd heard a word of praise freely given by anyone else?  It hurt so much to feel unloved and unwanted - wouldn't it be nice for a change to be able to be called beautiful by someone without having to anticipate heartbreak?

"...There you are."

Before he had a chance to turn to address the voice, a long arm reached out past him, brushing his shoulder as it cut in between him and the other man.

Pointing down at the scarf he had been holding in his hands, money was already pinched between two fingers. 

"I'll take this one, please." 

Tao turned to see Kris standing directly behind him, already pulling the scarf from him only to loop it loosely around Tao's shoulders.

"I was wondering where you were.  Don't scare me by wandering off again, darling." 

Tao felt his mind blank in confusion, watching as Kris took his hand in his own, pressing a kiss to the knuckles.  He flushed happily, looking up toward him - only to notice that Kris wasn't looking at him at all - instead, he was glaring directly into the eyes of the other prince charming who stood there with a mouth agape with surprise.

"Oh - I'm sorry, I didn't know that you were already taken -"

"I'm not."  Tao pried his hand from Kris' grip, pushing past him roughly. 

"My apologies, my friend must be playing a prank on me.  I'll be happy to meet with you later,"  Tao looked at Kris pointedly, "alone."

In their shared room, later that night, Kris sat watching the embers of the fire burn.

Kris had been so set on finding his own princess, that he'd never thought of what it was like to be on the other side. 

What if this prince was Tao's? 

What if Tao came home with a kiss on his lips, the spell broken, engaged to a man who he had just met?

It wasn't safe.  He didn't like it.  He didn't like that man.

That man didn't know who Tao was, why Tao was the way he was - couldn't appreciate his shy strengths and his complex weaknesses.

He didn't know how to make the man smile, how to dry his tears.

Kris knew.

The flames were warm against his skin, but Kris couldn't help but feel cold settle into his heart as he listened to the other man getting ready behind him.

"...how do I look?"

Kris barely turned his head, watching out of the corner of his eyes as Tao walked out in front of him dressed in tight, form-fitting clothes, his eyes just barely lined with kohl and rouge, extending the natural lines of his eyes with graceful, beautiful flicks of black and red. 

Beautiful, Kris wanted to answer.  So beautiful, that I wish you were all mine.

Kris forced himself to nod, briefly, tearing his eyes away from the sight in front of him.

Tao was sighing. 

Each footstep against the ground echoed in his mind, and Kris clutched at the fabric of the armchair. 

"I'll try to be back in a few hours."

Tao's hand was on the doorknob now, he knew because he could hear the squeak of the door pulling open -

Kris leapt from his chair, spinning Tao to face as he placed his hands behind Tao's head, slamming the door shut once again.

"I forbid you to leave."

Tao furrowed his eyebrows.

"You have no right to keep me h-"

Tao was left breathless as Kris suddenly leaned in, cupping the side of his face before pulling it aside. 

Kris pressed his nose close to Tao's collar, breathing him in, falling further and further under Tao's spell.

"Kris - what -"

Arms grabbed at Tao, pulling him from the door to throw him onto Kris' bed.

It was as if a repeat of the other day - except this time, it was Tao who tried to backpedal out of Kris' embrace.

"Don't go, not tonight, not yet."

Kris' hushed words were secrets spread out among hot kisses and hot hands.

"Kris, you don't know what you're saying!"

Hands were pushing back at his chest and Kris grabbed them, pinning them above the dark-haired prince's head. 

"But I do, Tao.  I do."

Love marks were scored all across his torso to the sound of his cries, unwilling torn from him. 

Teeth were nipping at his skin, a tongue tracing the line of his delicate collarbone as Tao trembled against the bed, beside himself with barely contained desire.

"Isn't this what you want?"

Hips ground down into his, and Tao bit back a moan, staring up at the man above him with eyes wet with angry tears.

"Stay with me - stay."

A hand finally slipped from his grip and Kris looked up only to feel a solid palm connecting with his face, a loud CRACK resounding in the room.

Kris slowly let his grip go, pulling back onto his knees. 

Tao was pulling his shirt closed again as he looked away, a single tear pooling from his eye to slide down his cheek. 

"You selfish bastard.  How could you ask me to stay by your side?  You know I -..."

...You know I would, if you would have only let me.

Tao roughly pushed out from underneath him, shoving his shoulder back as he slid off the bed.

Kris remained seated as he was on his knees, staring ahead of him with unseeing eyes even as the door slammed shut somewhere behind him.

"Why do you look like that?"

Tao was surprised by a hand that reached out to him, gripping his chin tight.

"Come on, smile already.  Nobody's allowed to be sad when they're around me."

The smile that twitched onto his face was forced, at best.

He felt the same hand leaving his chin, brushing his hair back.  Those shrewd eyes were on him, examining his every feature.

"You really are something beautiful, aren't you?  Like out of the pages of a book."

A thumb slowly rolled over his bottom lip.

"Your looks suits me well, I think."

Tao gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay still even as he tried not to jerk back in revulsion.

"I know we've just met, but this has nothing to do with true love, does it?  What a load of crap they continue to preach.  To be honest, I've got my own women to pursue, but just because they're common, they're 'unworthy of marriage'.  My father and mother keep demanding I find a damsel instead."

Zhou Mi tilted his head.

"And I can tell that you're in a predicament of your own - that prince you travel with.  You want him although he's not yours, right?  Listen - since we've both got a problem, I've got a proposition to make with you.  Let's solve both our problems and get married.  My parents will get a beautiful son-in-law, I'll get to keep my affairs a secret, and you can be free from whatever spell you're under."

A part of Tao was revolted, screaming no-no-no - but then he looked down at his hands again, still balled up in fists on his lap.  As much as his heart rebelled against it, he couldn't wait any longer.  Tao needed to save himself, while he still could.

"...fine."

Zhou Mi seemed surprised at how easy it was to propose the shotgun wedding, but the shock faded quickly into eager glee. 

The prince reached for his face, grabbing his chin tightly once again as he puckered his lips in a way that had Tao's skin crawling.

Tao could do nothing but stare, heart sinking with every inch that Zhou Mi drew closer.

In the end, he was saved when Zhou Mi seemed to change his mind, pushing him back onto the bed.

"Did you think I was going to kiss you just like that?  Before I pledge myself to you, I'd like a taste of what's to come.  A trial run, if you get what I mean."

Tao stared at a part of the ceiling just beyond Zhou Mi's head, mind completely blank as he heard the sound of belts being pulled off, clothes hitting the floor.

So this was how his fairytale was going to end.

When Tao closed his eyes, it was easy to imagine that the hands upon him were Kris', as gentle as Zhou Mi's hands were rough.

Instead of swearing curses in his ears as Zhou Mi struggled to pull his belt off, Tao imagined Kris leaning over to whisper something sweet in his ear. 

But the illusion is broken when Tao's shirt came apart with a loud rip. 

Zhou Mi stared down at the chest in front of him, pockmarked as it was with love marks.  Rather than being disgusted, Zhou Mi grinned instead, bursting into laughter at the sight.

"So you're not as innocent as you seem to be."

The prince was leaning over him now, whispering into his ear as he palmed the front of Tao's pants.  "Tell me - how do you like it?  Sweet and gentle?  Hard and fast?"

Tao shrugged his shoulders, halfheartedly touching the other as the prince reached behind him, squeezing him in places that had never been gripped by another before.

"I bet you like it when you get called a - all of the other pretentious princesses I've been with seemed to like that.  You like that?  Getting spanked, tied up, called filthy things?"

Tao's face burned with shame and he struggled not to dry heave as he shook his head stiffly.

Zhou Mi didn't seem to care much for his response anyway, already moving on.

"I'm honestly just surprised that the other prince didn't want you.  You're a hot piece of .  He's one special kind of idiot."

Tao's eyes flared. 

"Don't call him that."

Zhou Mi paused in his actions, eyes suddenly lighting up with understanding as he once again stared down at the marks on Tao's chest.

"...oh.  I get it now.  He's the one who made these, isn't he?"

Zhou Mi fell back onto his knees.

"...That explains why he reacted the way he did in the market.  Does he know you're here with me now?"

Tao felt tears of humiliation building in his eyes, shaking his head as he stretched out his arms toward the man on top of him. 

"I don't- I don't want to talk about that right now.  Please, let's just get this over with.  Just kiss me, I beg you."

Zhou Mi rolled his eyes, settling back on top of Tao as he began to slide a path down Tao's chest with his hand, popping the top button of Tao's pants.

"Fine.  But I'm just saying, you must be whipped if you stayed with him that long without him -"

"Don't you dare!"

Zhou Mi suddenly found himself flipped on his back, staring up into dark, swirling irises.

"Enough!  You'd never understand!"

The sheets were getting whipped by a sudden gust of wind that had begun to pick up in Zhou Mi's enclosed room.

He watched in horror as black clouds began to form above them, swirling in the air at the same time as they flickered from within.

There was only one realization Zhou Mi could come to.

"Y-y-you're a... a..."

"I'm a what?"

Tao leaned in close, eyes swirling in magic spirals. 

"Were you trying to say... 'witch'?"

Thunder crackled in the tiny room, splitting chairs in half as they were pulled piece by piece into the churning air.

Rain began to pour down around them, and Zhou Mi was soaked in both water and sweat as he struggled from under Tao's suddenly powerful grip, trying to scream out for help before sheets were shoved into his mouth to silence him.

The magic was building within him, the whites of his eyes fading to black as he held his hand out in front of him, catching the prince beneath him in his thrall.

"Zhou Mi, Zhou Mi, full of of conceit!  Dared to think he was better than the damsels he'd meet!"

Zhou Mi screamed into the gag, back arching in pain as he felt his bones shifting within his body, limbs contorting in unnatural ways as he began to shrink into the bed.

Tao's hand twisted high in the air, light and mist blooming from them as he rained hell on the man trapped beneath him.

"Zhou Mi, Zhou Mi, whose looks become dull - a frog's body you'll possess until you learn the meaning of being humble!"

With one final deafening crack of thunder, the spell was cast.

There was a moment's delay before things came tumbling back to the ground all over the room.

In the midst of the smoke and chaos, on the middle of a soaked and ruined bed, Tao sat.

When the power finally bled from his eyes, Tao was left in a state of frightening clarity, opening his cupped hands to see a small, struggling frog in his hands.

Letting the creature jump from his hands, Tao brought them slowly up to grip his hair, folding back down onto the bed before him as he sank into a state of panic.

Kris awoke in the middle of the night to a trembling form pressing itself close to his side. 

"Tao?"  He called out quietly, into the darkness, wrapping his arms around the cold body.

There was no answer.

When Kris breathed in, he thought he smelled the faint scent of burning wood.