The butler and prince had walked through the dense forest, until sunset. 

"Suho, the forest is nice and all, however..."

"Lord Tao, bear witness the beauty before you."

Suho gestured towards a vast ocean. The sun had finally set, revealing a large glimmering moon. The prince had never before seen such a wonderful sight. He gasped in awe has he saw the clear waters, flowing towards the shore. He smiled at the sight of the star constellations in the sky. He ran to his butler and embraced him, resting his chest in his butler's chest.

"Thank you, Suho. Never before had I seen such a beautiful sight." The prince said with glee. The butler simply smiled and the prince's hair in response.

"Please, rest yourself on the ivory sand, my prince."

Tao was hesitant at first. He did not want to dirty his clothes. He was too well-mannered to engage in such a barbaric activity. After a short moment, the prince gave in and laid down on the sand, next to his butler. The prince inched closer to his butler, nuzzling onto his chest.

"Lord Tao, we have found the right place to live. Sadly, it is impossible to stay." Suho caressed the prince's cheek.

"Then let this moment last for as long as we can." Tao smiled and held the butler's hand. The two exchanged smiles, and drifted off into a deep slumber. Faint cricket chirps echoed through the air.

The next day, Tao woke up back in his room. The fire inside the fireplace crackled, and the sun shone from the nearby stained glass window. It looked to be late in the afternoon. Tao rubbed his eyes and got up from his bed. As soon as Tao went over to the window, a voice penetrated his bedroom door.

"Are you awake yet, M'Lord?" Suho said from behind the door.

"It's open, Suho." Tao replied. The butler opened the wooden door, and walked in. The butler placed his handkerchief on a nearby table and shut the door behind him.

"M'Lord, I wish to inform you that your family is displeased with you. You have awoken late in the afternoon, and they have eaten breakfast without you. I will still make breakfast for you, M'Lord. Is there anything you would like, in particular?" Suho asked. Tao walked over to his butler. Suho blushed as Tao had closed the space in between them.

"Suho...I am not hungry right now..." Tao said, with annoyance in his tone.

"Lord Tao...Is everything alright?" Suho asked nervously.

"I do not know. I know not what love is, Suho. I keep telling myself that one day I will find love, but ever since the incident with my father, I begin to question that notion. That has bothered me for the longest time. I could not sleep last night due to the thought of it. What is a prince to do, Suho?" Tao walked back to the window, and stared at the view of his village.

"The definition of love is an unbreakable bond between two people. They share mutual feelings of romance, and practice it throughout the course of their lives." Suho explained.

"I see...Do you think there is hope for me, Suho?" Tao asked his butler.

"I know there is hope for you, Lord Tao. There will be a point in our lifetime, where we find the right person. Our soul mate." Suho reassured the prince. Tao simply nodded, and accepted his butler's response.

"Thank you, Suho. Please, make me a hearty meal." Tao stared at the view of the village, from his stained glass window. Suho excused himself from the room.

"An unbreakable bond between two people...How does one form this bond?" Tao pondered on this question as he changed into more formal attire. As soon as the prince changed his clothing, he stared out of his window once more. His eyes widened as he saw a cloaked figure being chased down by his own guards.

---

"Stop! Thief!" An elderly man yelled from the village. A cloaked figure ran relentlessly as he was being chased by a group of guards. He held onto a small burlap sack, filled with expensive jewels. The cloaked figure stopped in his tracks once he had reached the village gate. The guards drew their swords, and held it in the direction of the cloaked figure.

"Return those jewels immediately!" A guard commanded. 

"But my village is in dire need of help. Our village folk are dying of diseases, we are in desperate need of a ruler, and we have no trace of vegetation to feed our people. Have you no souls?!" The cloaked figure yelled.

"What village are you from?!" Another guard asked.

"Why, the village of Wolfkrone of course. The village that fought your people and lost. Ever since your army has slain ours, we have suffered through poverty for years! Your corrupt bastard of a ruler refuses to help us. I had no other choice but to take matters into my own hands." The cloaked figure stood his ground.

"That is enough." A voice asserted. The guards turned around to see Prince Tao on a steed. The cloaked figure dropped the sack of jewels and the guards sheathed their swords.

"You, Wolfkrone scoundrel, bow before the throne heir of this village! Prince Tao!" A guard commanded. Out of fear, the cloaked figure bowed before the prince.

"I stared out of my window, and what did I find? A thief being chased by my own guards. Who do you think you are, involving yourself in crime? You are nothing but a weak village folk. You could have fought back, or made a clever remark. Instead, you drop my village's precious jewels onto the ground. Have you no shame, scoundrel?" Tao got down from his steed, and walked over to the cloaked figure.

"With all do respect your highness, my village is in..." The cloaked figure was cut off when the prince grabbed him by the collar.

"I care not for the status of your village. It could be in disrepair, or wealth. But if you ever steal from my village again, I will send your ungodly soul to hell. Do you understand me?!" The prince said in a cold, malicious tone. The cloaked figure said nothing. A moment later, tears streamed down from his face. The prince looked at him, bewildered. The guards slowly walked away, returning to the castle. The steed followed closely behind. "Have you no dignity? What kind of a man cries like that?" The prince removed the cloaked figure's hood, revealing a young man in tears. His hair was jet black and clean cut, his face showed youth. His face was beautifully pale, and his pink lips were just as pale. The prince blushed at his handsome face, and quickly looked away.

"Please forgive me, your highness. I just wanted to help out my village..." The young man wiped away his tears. His effort was in vain, as a new trail of tears streamed down from his face.

"No...Please...Forgive ME. I let my anger get the best of me...and...I...didn't mean to make you cry..." Tao stuttered as he stared at the ground, embarrassed. 

"Your highness, are you alright?" The young man stared at the prince, bewildered.

"I am fine. Do not worry." Tao regained his composure and cleared his throat. "Follow me to my castle. I need to ask you some questions." Tao said. Tao let go of the young man, and walked over to the castle. The cloaked figure quickly grabbed the sack of jewels and followed the prince. As soon as the two entered the castle, many of the village folk began murmuring. 

"Did you see the way the heir looked at the thief?"

"I'd say the heir's gone soft."

"No...It just simply means, he's in love..."

"With a thief from a poverty-stricken village..."

"Love knows no boundaries, my dear."

---

"Sir Tao, welcome back. Who is your friend?" Suho asked.

"A thief making off with jewels from our reserves. No need to take action with this peasant, I'll do it myself."  Tao asserted.

"I see. I will inform you when it is supper time." Suho said.

"Very well. Please do carry on, Suho." Tao commanded.

Suho simply nodded in response, and the two continued walking.

"Your highness, this palace is..." The young man was cut off by Tao's stern voice.

"Do not speak, unless you are spoken to. I will have you sent to our dungeon if you run your mouth off, to your will."

The young man fell silent and continued following the prince. The two had walked through countless hallways, until they had finally reached the prince's bedroom. As soon as the two walked in, the prince slammed the door shut. The young man stared blankly at the prince. The prince sat on his bed, and the thief sat upon a vacant chair. The prince sighed as he placed his hands over his upper lip. "Do you know why I brought you here?" The prince asked, calmly.

"I do not know, your highness...I do not know..." The thief stuttered.

"No please, just take a wild guess. I would love to hear your answer." The prince asserted.

"Are you going to execute me, your highness?" The thief asked, with fear in his tone.

"Close...I want you to show me what love is." Tao said as he stared at the thief. The thief's eyes widened.

"Pardon me, your highness?" The thief asked.

"Young man, listen to me. For so long, I have wondered what love was. My butler gave me a vague explanation earlier this morning. I am a man of action. Rather than taking the word of someone else, I would like to perform said action. I would like to experience it for myself." Tao said.

"Your highness...I have no experience with love either...But if it is your wish, I will show you what love is, to the best of my ability..." The thief said. Tao smirked.

"Excellent. If you fail, I will exile you from my village. You will never be welcomed back, but you will have my mercy. I will not execute you, but you will receive a cruel fate the next time we meet. Do you understand?" Tao asserted.

"Yes, your highness. Please, refer to me as Chanyeol...The village thief." Chanyeol said.

"Chanyeol...Take me on a journey...Show me what love is..." Tao said. Chanyeol nodded and joined the prince upon his royal bed.

---

"Your highness...Did I do well?" Chanyeol said, in between heavy breaths.

"Yes, Chanyeol...I now know what love is...Thank you..." The prince laid a small kiss upon the thief's lips.

"It was my pleasure...Please, let us rest for the night." Chanyeol said softly. The prince nodded his head, and closed his eyes. He laid his head close to the thief's bare chest. The thief caressed the prince's head, as he himself began to fall asleep. Hours later, the thief awoke from his sleep. He got up from the bed, being careful not to awake the sleeping prince. The thief covered himself with his cloak, and walked over to the prince's jewelry box. "Forgive me, your highness. I am only doing what is good for my people." Chanyeol said to himself. Chanyeol carefully opened the jewelry box, and stared in awe at the prince's jewelry. Each necklace, each ring was crafted of solid gold. Chanyeol grabbed his sack of jewels and placed the prince's jewelry inside of the sack. After stealing each piece of jewelry from the prince's jewelry box, Chanyeol closed the box and walked out of the prince's room. Chanyeol made his way to the foyer, after a slew of endless hallways. Chanyeol stared behind him one last time, and made his way through one of the castle's open windows. Chanyeol jumped off of the window, and landed safely on the grass. Chanyeol ran away from the castle, remaining unnoticed by the sleeping guards. Before Chanyeol reached the village exit, he ran into a young man with dirty blonde hair. The two collided with one another, and fell back upon impact.

"Watch where you're going buddy!" The blonde man yelled as he rubbed the back of his head.

"I should say the same for you, you peasant!" Chanyeol asserted. The blonde man immediately stood up and grabbed Chanyeol by the collar of his cloak.

"What did you call me?! Do you have any idea how it is to be a peasant?!" The blonde man yelled.

"I do know what it's like to be a peasant! I am the only knight in a poverty stricken village and the only way I felt I could help was to steal from the Kingdom of Othropos!" Chanyeol yelled. The blonde man's eyes widened and slammed the thief back down onto the ground. The thief cried out in pain.

"You immoral son of a ...Have you no shame?! How dare you steal from my village's kingdom!" The blonde man asserted. The blonde man pinned the thief down, preventing him from moving. The blonde man raised his fist above the thief's head. Allowing his rage to get the best of him, the blonde man swung his fist. Before his fist could make contact, the blonde man heard a faint voice from a distance.

"Kris! What do you think you're doing?! I asked you to look for your father, and I find you pinning a man down! How dare you!" A woman yelled. Kris immediately turned around and saw his mother, standing still.

"Mother! This man is a thief! He stole the fortune of our village's kingdom!" Kris yelled. Chanyeol laid, petrified.

"Young lady, please return to your home. It is quite late. Me and my henchmen will handle it from here." Tao said. Tao and his guards walked over to Kris and Chanyeol.

"Your highness...Forgive me..." Chanyeol stuttered.

"Save your breath, scoundrel. What kind of sick bastard are you? You showed me what love was...and then you steal my prized jewelry! My butler informed me when he saw one of my pendants lying around in the foyer. What do you have to say for yourself, Chanyeol?" Tao began to shed tears.

"You do not know what love is, Chanyeol. Love is a deep connection between two individuals. They care for one another, in sickness and in health. They will never abandon each other. Most of all, they will wipe away each other's tears, and heal their emotional wounds. I learned that from my mother." Kris said as he walked over to Tao, and wiped away his tears. Tao stared at Kris, longingly.

"Sometimes, doing what's best for your people is better than love." Chanyeol stated, as he got up.

"Leave this village..." Tao said, as he tried to catch his breath.

"...And never come back..." Kris said. He walked over to Chanyeol, grabbed Chanyeol's small burlap sack, and glared at him.

"I am truly sorry...My morals overshadowed my..." Chanyeol was cut off when Kris' fist made contact with his face. Chanyeol looked back and ran away from the village.

"Here are your jewels, your highness." Kris said as he handed over the prince's jewelry, and the village jewels.

"Thank you, Kris, was it?" Tao said.

"Yes, my name is Kris." Kris smiled.

"Kris...I..." Tao was cut off by Kris.

"No need to say any more. I have returned what is most precious to you. That is all that matters, right?" Kris asked.

"My heart...It aches...Chanyeol showed me what love was, but abandoned me in the end. He stole my jewels, and shattered my heart...What do I do now?" Tao cried. Kris placed Tao's head onto his chest.

"You must let time heal your scars. Let your heart recover from this heartbreak. When you are ready, let your heart search once more for your true love." Kris said, as he caressed the prince's hair.

"How long will that take?" Tao said softly.

"As long as you want it to take. Your heart will let that person in, and even though you might resent that person, your heart will be the ultimate judge." Kris said as he held Tao's face up. The two made eye contact, and Kris smiled at the prince.

"How do you know all of this, Kris?" Tao asked.

"That's how my mother, met my father. She too went through a heartbreak. She did not fall in love with a thief, but she fell in love with a wealthy merchant. The merchant wanted nothing more than to earn more money. Once he robbed my mother blind of everything she had, he broke her heart. To earn back what she lost, she worked as a e. She eventually met my father, in a local bar. She knew he wouldn't buy her for . She knew that he would treat her right. She put her trust in him, and they eventually became married. I do not wish to waste your time with the small details, but I will say, love can come from anywhere, at any time." Kris narrated. Tao's eyes widened as he dug his face into Kris' chest. Kris rubbed the back of the prince's head. The prince had an epiphany, and raised his head. He looked up at Kris.

"Kris, I cannot be seen with you like this. Royalty cannot be seen with the peasants. Our kingdom will fall apart due to ridicule. I appreciate everything you've done for me, but we must forget this ever happened." Tao said, softly.

"I understand, your highness. We may never see each other again for days, months, even years. You may resent me, or forget about me completely. Just remember what I told you. You will find your true love at the right time." Kris said.

"I must forget about you completely, Kris. I wish to never see you again...But I will never forget what you said." Tao said, as he parted ways with Kris. Tao walked back to the castle, along with his guards. Tao lifted his left arm, and wiped away his tears. Kris sighed and nodded his head. He walked back to his house, nearby.

"Goodbye...Peasant..." Tao whispered to himself as his guards opened the castle doors.

"Goodbye...Prince Tao...I will do whatever I can, to make you fall in love...With me." Kris whispered to himself as he walked inside his home.