Prince Minho rushed his horse as fast as he could in the direction the carriage had gone.  Being that he was a great hunter, and that the trail was rather obvious, he found the decimated site were the ambush had took place.

Immediately he jumped from his steed and began searching the ruble for any clues as to where his love and future father-in-law might be.  He looked down in a puddle of mud when the sun reflected the light of something shiny.  It was Taemin’s locket, the golden heart shaped necklace with a swan engraved on the front he had given him as a child.  Startled from his discovery he heard a groan of pain coming from under a large piece of the destroyed carriage.

He set to using all of his strength to lift the large piece of wood.  Low and behold under the piece of wood, to his surprise lay the mangled form of King Jonghyun.  The king looked near deaths door.  He did his best to awaken and revive the kind hearted man.  His efforts were a success.

“Minho?  Is that really you?  Am I still alive?”

“Yes King you are.  But you must tell me where is Taemin?  What happened to everyone?”

“It was horrifying,” the king grabbed the prince’s hand for strength.  “A great animal arose and attacked us!  We never had time to even draw our swords.  We were doomed from the start.”

“But that doesn’t tell me where my princess is!”

“He’s gone!”  The prince went into shock at those words.  “Nothing is as it seems boy.  Remember that!”  At that the king slipped into unconsciousness.

Minho came out of his shocked state and quickly checked the older man’s pulse.  Breathing a sigh of relief that the other wasn’t dead he gathered the other man up and traveled towards his castle.  The news of the Great Animal causing Taemin’s disappearance never left his mind.  And while he was disgruntled he still had a shred of hope his beloved was still alive.  After all the king did tell him to remember nothing is as it seems.

2min

At a beautiful and long forgotten castle lies another part to the tale.  On the castle grounds there is a clear lake in the center of the estate.  When the moonlight hits the water something magical happens, but only when the swan is there.  Hence the waters name, Swan Lake.  For the swans wings must touch where the moonbeams reflects from the water.  In that moment a force of golden magic swirls and surrounds the swan changing its form to that of the missing Princess Taemin.  An amazing sight to behold.

The first night this happened it was a shock to all but the evil enchanter Allen and his assistant turned swan keeper Hoon.  “Don’t be upset by my little spell Taemin,” Allen told the swan near his feet in the water as Hoon spread feed.  “It doesn’t last all day.  For when the moon lands on the water, if your wings touch, you turn back into your true form.”  Such a patronizing man with a heart for darkness couldn’t understand the pain the young royal felt.

While the two curious animals, a frog named Kevin and a turtle named Dongho, were entranced the fair princess was more than shocked.  All he could do was hold his hands to his face and weep at the loss of his freedom and humanity.  Allen’s words meant little to nothing to him.  For in his mind who could love a swan?

Seeing his pawn crying couldn’t help telling him more of his plan.  “Now Taemin this sort of thing doesn’t give me any pleasure.  Well maybe just a little bit.  All I want is your father’s kingdom,” trying to get the princess to see his reasoning.

Fed up with being used, “Take it then.  You have enough power.”

“Nah,” shaking his hands in front of him, “tried that already.  Once you steal something you spend your whole life trying to keep it.  But if I married the only heir to the thrown I could rule the kingdom LEGALLY.  Us together, as King and Queen.”

Taemin shook his head in disgust, “NEVER!”  Running away he couldn’t help stopping at the sound of his ‘suitor’s’ voice.

“Where are you going?  As soon as moonlight leaves the lake you turn back into a swan.”  Pleased with himself he couldn’t help adding “no matter where you are.”  The frog and turtle shook their head in sadness for their new friend.  Taemin only wept more than when he first found out the curse placed upon him.

2min

Much time had passed since that fateful day.  Everyone in the kingdom believed the princess dead.  The king acted like a dead man walking, no light shined in his eyes since the attack.  The queen did his best to console him but could not succeed.  The only thing that could help the king now would to see his child with his own eyes, alive and well.

Due to his loves zombiefied state the queen began to lose hope that Taemin still lived.  And as such began pressuring Minho to find another to wed.  If only for Key to have something to focus on besides his love, the man he had been forbidden to marry.

But while his kingdom had lost hope, Minho had not.  Every day, with the help of Onew and Alexander, he practiced his hunting skills.  So that one day he could go against the Great Animal to seek justice and revenge for his princess.

During his practice he and Onew were blindfolded at the beginning.  Their weapons were bows and arrows with paint sacks over the arrowheads, so as to not hurt their targets.  The original game of paintball if you will.  Their targets were the servants, dressed as animals, with numbers attached to their chest.  The numbers told how many points each was worth.  Alexander was the referee.  The object of the game: hit as many ‘animals’ to get a final score.  Whoever had the highest score won.

But today instead of servants as animals it was the court musicians as the targets.  “We are trained professionals in the art of music.  We are not animals!”

“Could’ve fooled me,” Alex mumbled under his breath.  The he said loud enough for them to hear his sarcastic tone, “The servants had the day off.  So you’re stuck with the job.”

Xander then turned Minho and Onew around.  He grabbed hold of their blindfolds.  He counted backwards from ten to one in his head.  When he reached one he tore off the blindfolds.  The game had now begun.

Musicians / Animal Targets:  We are a band.  And not a band of animals.  This masquerade, Is more than I can bear.  There goes my reputation.  It's awful, this humiliation.  And I've the lion's share.  (All the time attempting to dodge Prince Minho’s arrows, as Onew was so clumsy his arrows really never left the bow.)

Court Nobles:  Day after day all the prince every does.  Is practice, practice, practice.  (All were eating brunch outside on the court patio and watching their prince.)

Queen Key:  Thinking of him and the way that it was.  (Lowering his head to miss the arrow.)

Court Nobles:  Practice, practice, practice.

Musician/Animal:  He's not happy 'til he has attacked us.  (Running through the crowd and hiding behind whatever they could find.)

Court Nobles:  Day after day all the prince ever does.  Is practice, practice, practice.  Thinking of him and the way that it was.  Practice, practice, practice.  (Dodging ‘animals’.)

Musicians / Animals:  If we refused then he would have sacked us.  So we face a life of target.

Court Nobles & The Musicians / Animals:  Practice!  Practice!  Practice!

“Good game today my prince,” Alex praised.  “Now let me tally the score,” he began counting how many spots of his color were on each ‘animal’.  “Your best game yet!  Minho you have, oh let me see, 265 points.  While Onew again has 0 points,” he smirked.

“I told you I’m no good at this.  I know why you practice, but why do you insist that I practice as well?” Onew complained.

“Because my friend I need you prepared so that you can help me.  Besides it’s fun.”

“You two should practice the catching fire move.  It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside when Onew squirms,” Alexander suggested.  The catching fire move is when Person B shoots a bow and arrow towards Person A whose back is turned.  Person A then grabs the arrow midair and shoots it through their bow towards their target.

Minho can’t help smiling and Onew couldn’t help the terrified look upon his face.  “Sounds like a great idea Xand.”

Onew was frozen in shock.  Alexander used that moment to put the protection of aromor on the frozen boy, and tie an apple on the poor boys head.  That seemed to snap Onew from his preoccupied thoughts.  “Why did I agree to do this again?”

“Because you’re a good friend and want to help our prince in his quest.”  Onew is handed a bow and arrow.  “Now just shoot the arrow towards Minho, he will catch it, then shoot it through the apple on your head.  Got it?  Good,” and the composer quickly stepped away from the moving target.

“Whenever you’re ready Onie!”  Minho was still facing the opposite direction from his partner.

“R-re-ready!”  It happened in a matter of seconds.  Practically to fast for the human eye to catch.  Onew clumsily released his arrow towards the prince.  Though badly aimed the prince easily caught the arrow as he pivioted before it had a chance to hit him.  He strung it through his bow and shot it towards his target of a friend.  It pierced straight through the apple.  Onew even more frozen in fear now than before couldn’t move.  The arrow landed in a tree as the apple split in two and fell from the living targets head.  Before a piece could hit the ground Alexander quickly caught half and took a bite.

“Nicely done as always your highness,” said Alex with a slight bow as he took another bite of his half of the apple.  “Are you sure you’re alright?  That arrow could have pierced and split your skull instead of the apple if Minho’s accuracy was off even a little bit.”  Onew simply passed out from those words of encouragement.

Minho jogged over.  “Is he all right Xand?”

“He’ll be perfectly fine.  Nothing a little courage can’t fix.”  He then finished off his apple as he walked away from the two friends.

Minho just heaved a deep sigh and looked down at his ‘sleeping’ friend.  He looked out into the distance and as if the wind could carry his words he spoke from his heart to his lost love.  “Don’t lose hope Taemin.  Where ever you are, I’m going to find you.”