Archive of Our Own

We soon learn to love what we know we must lose

- C.S. Lewis

♕

"Once upon a time, there lived a King and Queen in a small but wealthy kingdom. They had everything a man could ever ask for except for a child. Despite their wealth, the King and Queen were kind and selfless. They opened their castle to the poor who had nowhere to sleep and gave food to everyone to make sure no one goes hungry. Thus, they were loved by everyone.

Yet one day, an evil sorceress found herself in their small land. Not persuaded of the King and Queen's selflessness, the sorceress gave them an option. She would give them a child for a price on the kingdom. Desperate for a child, the King and Queen agreed. On the night of the next full moon, the Queen happily announced that she was with child but the price they had to pay was yet to be named. The sorceress said that only when the child is born will she ask for the King and Queen's end of the bargain.

Nine full moons have come and gone, and born to the King and Queen was a healthy young prince. It was a cause for celebration. The whole kingdom was painted with colors, enveloped in light. Food was abundant; laughter could be heard and dancing could be seen all around.

The sorceress, whom the King and Queen invited to their grand celebration sat on her seat, mystically watching the celebration. Once the young prince had finished celebrating his first day, the Sorceress approached the King and Queen to say goodbye.

"You owe me your kingdom for your son," the sorceress carefully said. The Queen swallowed the fear that rose her throat but the King bowed his head, "We'll give you anything," he said.

"It's selfish to ask for something on this merry occasion, so I decided to give instead a gift to your son and to the kingdom he'd one day rule."

The sorceress removed her wand from inside her cloak and faced the congregation, "Your King and Queen have chosen a child in exchange for the kingdom that had given them nothing but love. This is where you all will learn not to give your love freely," the Sorceress started waving her wand around seemingly entrancing the whole congregation. "I place a curse on this kingdom that whenever you love, a part of your soul gets taken from you but if you are loved back, you take a piece of their soul in return."

Hearing the gift, the King and Queen begged to take, instead, the child and give back the kingdom's freedom to love. The Sorceress denied, saying that they've already made their choice. Happy to have proven herself right, the sorceress left with a promise: "The curse can be lifted when the young prince learns how to love, and be loved in return."

Years had passed and the Prince grew to be a stunning young man yet instead of being kind and selfless like his parents he used the curse against his kingdom. He used his beauty to entrance men and women forcing them to fall in love with him, prolonging his life.

When the King and Queen died, and the Prince inherited the kingdom, he took everything for himself. He closed the gates of the castle only permitting the people who love him to enter. He languished in the life of gold and silver, living for many years loved by many but loving none." - The Sorceress' Curse from ‘Tales I've Heard from my Travels’ 

♕

The Kingdom of Avidité was surrounded by clear blue waters and littered with trees that towered over the infrastructures. On the highest mountain sat the most resplendent castle that looked over the whole kingdom. Here is where the king — loved by everyone — lived.

Yet despite the abundance of wealth and beauty surrounding the kingdom, the inside wasn't as beautiful as one might think. The people drowned in poverty, with no food on the table, and no home above their heads. To be wealthy in this kingdom is to love the king, to give up your soul for food and shelter — to survive long enough but eventually die in the end.

But like some said, in the darkness there was light and in this kingdom of greed there was hope. In a small clearing in the heart of the forest sat a small bed & breakfast, Li & Qian. Here, people can find food and have temporary shelter even without paying anything. This establishment stood just under the mountain where the castle sat —  away from the viewing eyes of the King.

The story starts with a lone traveler, treading the woods in search of this bed & breakfast —  the moon casting the only light on his path. A faint light glowed within the establishment, making the traveler aware that someone was still awake inside. He entered through the back door, leaving his knapsack on one of the empty chairs and walked towards the glowing light. The traveler knocked on a small room just at the end of the hall, and an old man opened the door for him.

"You've aged," the traveler said as he saw the old man. The old man found himself smiling, "And you look just the way you were three hundred years ago. It's nice to see you," the old man said. He took the light with him and led the traveler towards the living area. The old man sat at one of the big seats while the traveler sat on one of the stools.

"You can sit on the wing back," the old man said when he saw where the traveler sat down. The traveler shrugged, "It looks too grand for me," he said remaining on the stool.

"I don't understand why you look older," the traveler said. The old man released a small laugh, ragged, as if it was difficult for him to do. Obviously, his age was catching up to him. "Loving someone requires you to give part of your soul and being loved means you get theirs. We still remove parts of ourselves only to be replenished a little by the love they give back. It doesn't completely replenish the soul you've given already," the old man said in explanation. 

"So you'll still die one day," the traveler muttered in understanding.

"We all will die someday, Xiaojun. Some earlier than others, some, like you and me, take centuries," Xiaojun found himself swallowing something — an ache, a pain, or something. It wasn't pleasant.

"You haven't aged at all," the old man mentioned. Xiaojun shrugged. "There really isn't much time for love when you're traveling," he explained. The old man nodded and adjusted himself comfortably on his seat.

"Why did you come back? You could've lived longer away from the kingdom," the old man said. Xiaojun licked his lips and twined his fingers in front of him, "Just because I live outside the kingdom doesn't mean the curse doesn't affect me. I was born here —" I would die here. He thought but he didn't say it aloud.

"I heard about Sicheng," was what he said instead. Worry creased his forehead and the old man looked at him curiously. "He's alive, only barely," he assured, though it wasn't much assurance for Xiaojun. His features turned from worry to fear to anger and the old man was worried that he'll do something he might regret.

"I should've done something. I shouldn't have left," Xiaojun whispered. 

"You've done enough. You bring food to our tables and supplies to keep this house standing. If you stayed with us, we would've died of hunger anyway," the old man scolded.

"But he's dying, Kun," Xiaojun said. There was a sort of pleading in his tone as if he wanted for Kun to do something. Qian Kun shook his head and placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder, "It was what he needed to do to survive."

Xiaojun scoffed, "Survive?" he asked through gritted teeth, "He loved a King who would never love him back. How is that surviving?" The tone of his voice rose and it took all of Kun's energy to shush him. Walls had ears — Kun reminded.  The King was already giving them a hard time for feeding the poor —  they couldn't risk being found out. 

"I want to see him," Xiaojun asserted. Kun shook his head, "That's not up to me to decide. Ask Ten tomorrow. For now, you should go sleep," Kun didn't wait for an answer. Instead, he took the light and started walking in the direction back to his room.

With a sigh, Xiaojun followed him. Kun stopped in front of a room just a few doors away from his. "I hope your previous bedroom would be sufficient. I changed the furniture. I don't think the last ones would have survived three hundred years," Xiaojun just smiled and walked towards the room. "Jun," he heard Kun call, "Get some rest and don't think about it too much," the older man stared at him like a father looking at his son whenever he just wanted to protect him yet couldn't get the words out correctly. With a nod, Kun closed the door behind him leaving Xiaojun to rest.

♕

Only after a month back in the kingdom was Xiaojun allowed to see Sicheng. The thought of finally seeing him, his oldest friend, scared him. Four hundred years have passed ever since he met the older man, and more ever since he was born; Xiaojun didn't know what to expect. He has never seen someone fall in love and not have been loved back — he’d been told it was not a sight worth seeing.

Ten, who had been taking care of Sicheng, led him towards the attic. "This is the only place in the house where he wouldn't be disturbed," Ten said walking slowly; weakened by his age, he walked with a cane beside Xiaojun. It was difficult to match his pace. Even having aged a lot of years, Ten was still the nagging, — sometimes annoying older brother — he had known three centuries ago. Xiaojun missed it.

"If you wanted to say goodbye, you could've written. It's what you've been doing for the longest time," Xiaojun heard the disappointment in Ten's voice. He sighed, "Letters aren't sentimental enough," Xiaojun teased. Ten rolled his eyes at him and whacked the back of his knees with his cane. "You're not known for your sentimentality, Dejun," Ten pointed out. Xiaojun laughed in agreement.

Ten took a breath before stopping in front of the attic door. "Are you okay?" Xiaojun asked.

Ten nodded, "It's the age," he just explained. Xiaojun sighed. How different their world was now. Grew up together yet his friends grew up too fast, and he stayed the same only because he couldn't and hadn't found someone to love.

"Call me if he needs anything," Ten said before turning his back to him and walking towards the stairs. Before he could take a step down though, he turned back to Xiaojun.

"Sicheng has had too many promises made to him in his lifetime. Don't add to that anymore," and just like that he retreated downstairs. It was only after Xiaojun was sure Ten had gone did he push the door open.

On the bed, Sicheng lied — his skin was pale, eyes glassy. Xiaojun was scared he was already dead, but he heard ragged breathing and then a whisper, "Dejun is that you?" Xiaojun took a stool and dragged it closer to the bed to hear his friend better.

"I'm here," Xiaojun said. There was a small flicker on Sicheng's face and Xiaojun was sure he was trying to smile. "It's nice to have you back," he breathed out.

Xiaojun couldn't trust himself to say anything, afraid that if he did, only the tears that he was trying to swallow down, will come out.

After a while of just listening to Sicheng's ragged breathing though, Xiaojun couldn't help it. He cried, looking down at his hands too embarrassed to even face his friend. Only when he felt a bony hand caress his face did he look up again.

"I should've done something," Xiaojun said Sicheng managed to shake his head slightly, "There was nothing you could do," he said.

"I could've loved you," Xiaojun said. A small smile. "You couldn't even if you tried," he said. Sicheng took another lungful of breaths before continuing. "You know it doesn't work that way, Jun. Only real love — love you know in your heart to be true — can activate the curse. You couldn't have loved me — not in that way," Sicheng remarked. Tears continued pouring down and Xiaojun wanted to laugh as if him crying was some sort of admission — that he wouldn't have been able to love his friend that way, not in a way that would trigger the curse. 

Wiping his tears away, he looked at his best friend whose eyes weren't on his but on the ceiling. Xiaojun wondered what he was seeing.

"So did you love him? The King," Sicheng nodded and Xiaojun could only sigh in resignation. "You couldn't help but love him. I guess that's part of the curse — that you just had to love anyone in the royal family. You've heard the stories of the King and Queen before."

"Only those stories said they were generous, our King now —" Xiaojun wasn't able to finish because Sicheng flinched —  not used to or not wanting anyone to talk bad about the King.

Maybe he did love him.

"If you want to help me, Jun. Help the people who need help instead. Wasn't that our dream? To be heroes — our Kingdom's very own Robin Hoods," Sicheng offered a smile before his eyes closed and it took too much for Xiaojun not to start crying again.

♕

He was sitting at the table, eyes still bloodshot from crying when Ten came back down again a few hours later. "He's fine," Ten assured them. "He just can't go on talking too much. It drains his energy."

Ten placed a comfortable hand on Xiaojun's shoulder before sitting down on the seat opposite him and digging into the food.

Seeing him eat, Xiaojun suddenly had a thought. 

Our kingdom's very own Robin Hoods.

"I want to do something," Kun raised his head towards his friend and cocked a brow. "I want to help the people, feed them, give them shelter." "That's what we're doing here," Kun pointed out.

"Yes, but we need to help more people," Xiaojun insisted. Ten adamantly shook his head, saying, "We can't do that, Dejun. The King will find out. His whole life-line depends on people depending on him. If the people find somewhere else to go to —"

"He won't die," Xiaojun interrupted causing Ten to glare at him. "He doesn't know how to love anyone. He won't die," Ten stared at Kun pleading for him to say something.

"How do you expect to do that? You're not out there anymore, Jun. There's not many resources outside the palace," Instead of feeling disheartened, Xiaojun grinned as if having already planned all of this. "I have a friend," he said, "Mark Lee, he's a craftsman, a merchant and a pirate, and he'd love to help. I was with him for a whole three years, he'll help."

Kun looked down on his hands guiltily while Ten clicked his tongue on his seat. Both didn't say anything about it, instead they left Xiaojun to his own devices saying, "Do what you need to do."

Ten retreated back to his bedroom with a warning unsaid, 'If you fail this, it's on you.'

Too excited, Xiaojun retreated to his bedroom and started crafting a letter to his friend. After he was done, he went to find Kun in the dining room happy that he was still there.

"Do you happen to have a messenger pigeon? Or a dove?"

♕

The boat docked at midnight a month later. Xiaojun was on the dock waiting for his friend to arrive. They had to dock at the shore nearest the bed & breakfast which was also obscured from view of the castle. Mark Lee, captain of his ship, stood proud at the helm flashing Xiaojun a grin. "I heard we were setting off to an expedition," Mark Lee said.

Kun, who was standing beside Xiaojun to witness the exchange started furiously shaking his head, "If the King finds out about this —"

 "If he finds out about this, I'll take all the blame," Xiaojun said.

Mark leaped out of his boat, landing just beside Xiaojun. He howled as if that was the best landing he got. "10 out of 10," Xiaojun said.

Mark clapped an arm on Xiaojun's shoulder and then turned to Kun. Awkwardly, he took a bow politely, "I'm Mark Lee," he said extending his arm.

Kun looked at it for a while before shaking it - feeling awkward at this new person.

"This is my friend, Qian Kun," Mark was about to mention how nice it was to be friends with an old man but remembering the tales Xiaojun said about his kingdom, he decided to not say anything wondering how old this man really was.

"Well then, we'll get to work," Xiaojun said. Kun, having been dismissed, hurriedly trudged back to the bed & breakfast wanting nothing to do with whatever Xiaojun was planning.

"I learned how to make bread when I was stuck on sea one time. Survival instincts and all —" Mark continued babbling as they walked towards his ship. He started talking about his later endeavors and inventions when they arrived at the boat — the bread, the clocks, and a lot more Xiaojun already didn't listen to.

"Also, I didn't touch your room in case you find me again," Mark said, opening a room. Xiaojun looked around and leaped towards his bedside table when he saw his hourglass still on top of it. "Told you I didn't touch anything," Mark said leaning on the door frame.

"Thanks for this, Mark," Xiaojun said, looking around his room with a sort of nostalgia. Mark shrugged and walked towards him, crashing down on the bed.

"Anything for the people! Isn't that what we are? Heroes?" Mark teased, causing Xiaojun to laugh. He put the hourglass down just as Mark said, "Now, let's go fishing."

♕

Wong Kunhang, or the King as people know him best, wasn't someone who knew much about what happens inside his Kingdom. Ever since the curse was placed upon them, no other Kingdom wanted to interact with them for fear of getting the curse themselves — like it was some sort of disease.

Still, with his Royal Advisor, Liu Yangyang, and his head of the Military, Wong Yukhei, he was able to at least know a little about the kingdom.

During breakfast one day, a month after the mysterious ship docked on the shore, Yangyang interrupted the King while he was eating. Kunhang stared at Yangyang in irritation but let him in.

"Have you forgotten I don't like being disturbed while eating?" Kunhang said. Yangyang sighed and ignored him, sitting down on the chair opposite the King.

"Have you not noticed anything?" 

"I don't notice most things," Kunhang answered.

"Fewer people are coming to the castle," Kunhang stood up and paced around the room wondering why this was such a big deal. Yangyang waited for him to understand before he continued. When Kunhang didn't say anything, Yangyang continued. "There's a rumor that someone is giving away free food," Yangyang said.

Kunhang shrugged, "Hasn't the bed & breakfast at the base of the mountain always done that? I thought they weren't much of a problem —" "It's not them," Yangyang interrupted.

Kunhang raised his brow, standing behind his chair, hands placed on the head, "There's someone else?" Yangyang nodded unsure, "I'll let Yukhei check it out," he said standing up and walking towards the door. 

"Remember, Hendery," Yangyang started, using the name Hendery only had the people call him. "If the people don't love you anymore, what's the point of living?"

♕

Hendery locked himself inside his room. Yukhei, who was only ever allowed to stand outside Hendery's doors, came earlier that day asking him about what he should do. Hendery sent him away with a simple mission of watching the foreigner's boat on the dock.

Something gnawed at his heart. Funny, how the curse affected him more than the other people in his kingdom. That it was his existence in the first place that caused it. He was meant to die — that was always the prophecy — that was the reason why he had forced people to love him. Acquiring their soul gave him life.

It was easy to force people if they were desperate especially for food and water. But if they weren't desperate anymore….

He threw a glass from his table across the wall feeling the anger creep up. 

How dare these people? He thought. 

The King — he — allowed them to live in this kingdom and suddenly they were betraying him by giving his own people food? 

No! He would put a stop to this.

He called one of his guards and told them to bring Yangyang to him.

♕

Yangyang found Hendery at one of the castle balconies — the one nearest to the King's rooms. The King was watching the docks, seeing the people flock towards it and leave with a handful of things. He felt his blood boil.

Yangyang approached carefully, "You called, your highness?"

"Bring me the one behind this!" Hendery instructed through gritted teeth.

♕

After sending away the last of the people and going back to the boat to eat his own dinner, Xiaojun was stopped by a platoon of guards. He swallowed the fear rising up in his throat and stood there confidently.

As if feeling that there was trouble, Xiaojun saw Mark walk out of the boat but stop when he saw the people surrounding Xiaojun. He eyed Mark carefully and tried to tell him to keep himself inside the boat,

"You're wanted by the King," the person in front of him said. He assumed he was of a high position, judging by the color of his clothes compared to the rest of the group. "Did I do anything wrong?" Xiaojun asked though he already knew the answer to that.

The man shook his head, "No, he just wants to meet you."

Xiaojun glanced back at the boat and then nodded to the man. Two guards hoisted him up to his own horse, and they trudged towards the castle.

♕

Xiaojun had seen places. He had traveled most of his life and six hundred years wasn't a short life to live, so he has seen his fair share of places — both the ugly and the beautiful. The thing is the castle wasn't like anything he had ever seen; it was intoxicating. He wondered if it was part of the curse — the castle being somewhere you're just lured in. Everywhere he looked he couldn't take his eyes away. It was mesmerizing and if the castle was a symbol of the King then he understood why the people loved him even if he was an inglorious bastard.

The King was standing beside a large window looking out of it when Xiaojun entered the hall. It was too big a hall and yet the only furniture stood in the center — a throne. Since the King wasn't even looking at him, he decided not to bow. He never met royalty, so he wasn't really sure how to act around one. Xiaojun decided to just look around.

Hendery though stayed where he was. He took the opportunity to watch Xiaojun who was too distracted looking around the castle to notice him staring. Hendery felt a tug, as if he was compelled to him. There was a sense of confidence around his guest and yet there was also a wall of mystery like he was hiding something and even Hendery — a King — couldn’t see. He was, Hendery daresay it, a handsome young man, and he couldn't quite stray his eyes away from him.

Hendery coughed to get rid of the thoughts of this man from his head, "I've heard what you're doing in the kingdom," he suddenly said. 

Xiaojun didn't flinch or say anything. Hendery shrugged at the silence but walked somewhere at the back of the room. "Follow me," he said. Xiaojun felt compelled to follow.

The room where he was led to was a small dining room. Food and goblets of water were already laid around the table. Hendery sat at the head of the table, and he gestured to Xiaojun to sit at the seat on his right. Xiaojun followed and Hendery felt himself shudder. He was even more good-looking up close. "Am I in some sort of trouble?" Xiaojun asked. Hendery smiled, and shook his head, "I just wanted to know what led you to do what you're doing?"

Xiaojun snickered, "The people are dying of starvation. Have you not noticed being too high in your castle?" The implication of Hendery being on a high horse didn't escape him. He took a sip of the drink in front of him trying to defuse the tension that was forming.

"I just want to be able to help," Hendery answered. Xiaojun had a look of disbelief and Hendery wondered what he had heard about him. It concerned him.

"How do you expect to do that?" Xiaojun challenged. Hendery leaned back on his chair and stared him down but his guest wasn't even perturbed. "I'll open the castle — no conditions, no strings," Hendery said. "We could lead the kingdom together you know, me and you." This time Xiaojun released a laugh.

He stared at the King and said, "I'm not going to fall in love with you if that's what you're planning."

It took all of Hendery's willpower not to look affected. Hendery felt like this man was reading right through him — as if all his plans were written on his skin just for anyone to see. Taking a deep breath, he faked a smile, "I don't expect you to. I just want you beside me as we help the people. Isn't that your agenda? To help people?" Xiaojun eyed him curiously, waiting for him to slip up and reveal his true intentions.

"I have some conditions too," Xiaojun answered.

"Name them," Hendery challenged.

♕

Mark was worried — too worried. He paced the boat until he couldn't take the guilt he was feeling anymore. Wanting to know what was happening to his best friend, he decided to walk towards the bed & breakfast. Just as he was walking out of his boat he was stopped by a sword on the door frame.

Mark jumped, cursing under his breath. He looked out the door to see a very tall — handsome — man leaning on his boat.

"Can I help you?" Mark asked.

The man looked at him with a smirk on his lips, sword still placed across his door preventing him from leaving. 

 "If you're not going to speak to me, will you at least move out of my way?" Mark asked. The man shook his head.

"I was told to watch you," he said. Mark cocked a brow. "For what? I'm not entirely entertaining," Mark admitted. Vexed by the complete lack of a response from the stranger, he carried on. "I can tell you a story? Or give you a tour of the boat? I'm Mark Lee by the way," the man seemed amused. He stood up from where he was leaning and took away the sword from the door. Mark, who waited for the sword to be removed, took the opportunity to flee but the man was faster and was already in front of him, walking him back to the boat.

"What were you saying about touring me around the boat? I'm Wong Yukhei!" Mark sighed in annoyance, just hoping that wherever Xiaojun was, he was safe.

♕

Xiaojun was invited to stay the night only because their negotiation took hours before they eventually finished. He was led by Yangyang, whom Xiaojun found out was the King's senior advisor and closest friend to a small room just across the hall from the King's. It was larger than his room at the bed & breakfast and much more glamorous. It was enchanting, like the rest of the house was — like the King was,  though Xiaojun didn't want to admit that.

He understood, somehow, why the people so easily fell in love with the King. He was, in a way, very charming, and he had a kindness to him — not kindness that was fake but the kindness that was desperate, as if he needed to be kind — a sort of survival instinct. Xiaojun didn't want to admit he was wrong about the King. He saw the result of how people fell in love with him and yet there was a gnawing at the back of his head — a clamoring whisper saying the King was misunderstood. Still, Xiaojun was sure of something — the King was hiding something and it was that something that was forcing him to survive.

The next day, the King didn't see him out. He immediately went to the boat to see Mark and to assure him nothing bad had happened to him. What he walked in to though, was one of the palace guards — at least, he assumed he was because of the clothes — eating a plate of fried fish and eggs with Mark Lee.

When Xiaojun walked into the kitchenette, Mark immediately leaped on his arms asking him where he'd been. The guard, Xiaojun noticed, looked uncomfortable. "Where have you been? I thought you were going to die with those guards dragging you out," Mark rambled. Xiaojun found himself smiling and laughing at his friend's concern. "This isn't a laughing matter, Dejun!" Mark insisted. Xiaojun shook his head and walked towards the table eyeing the guard curiously.

"The King wanted to see me," Xiaojun just said. He didn't actually know if there was some sort of secret with what they talked about in the meeting and the King hadn't implicitly said that everything they talked about shouldn't be talked about anywhere else but Xiaojun was still wary in telling people about their plans. "He didn't hurt you, right? I thought he was evil," Mark asked.

The guard scoffed. "He's not evil. He's just —" he stopped, biting into his toast. Both Xiaojun and Mark stared at him waiting for an explanation, "surviving," he continued.

"This is Yukhei by the way. The Head of the Palace Guards. He was kind enough to keep me company while you were away," Mark said. Yukhei looked appalled, "I was told to watch over you in case you do anything before your friend returns,"

 "So, are you leaving already then?" Mark asked. Yukhei looked at his food and smiled awkwardly, "Can I finish my food first? This is the first time I've eaten fish. We only ever had bread in the palace,"

♕

"You're working for the King," Kun asked following Xiaojun as he was moving boxes to and from the boat and the bed & breakfast. "I'm working with him. There's a difference," Xiaojun corrected.

Kun sighed and said, "Still, you're working alongside him, Jun. Do you know the risk to that?"

Xiaojun stopped and looked at his friend,

"And what exactly is it I'm risking?" Kun glared at him, baffled, as if he wasn't sure this was the same man he had known.

"You've seen what he does —" 

"No! I've seen what loving him does, Kun," Xiaojun interrupted. "I won't fall in love with him," he assured his friend but the older man looked worried — disbelieving.

"You say that now, Jun. But you don't know what he's capable of."

Before Xiaojun was able to say anything else — to complain or counter Kun — the older man had already walked away.

Xiaojun walked towards the dock to meet Mark wanting to remove his thoughts from the conversation he just had.

He's been alive for six hundred years and never was he able to fall in love with someone or at least he never put an effort to it. Surviving was far more important than anything else.

But the King? Wasn't he too important — too almighty — for a lowly traveler like Xiaojun?

This wasn't a fairy tale. He wasn't just about to fall in love with a King and —. 

"What are you staring at?" He shook his head to see Yukhei leaning onto the boat. "You're back," Xiaojun said.

Yukhei wasn't wearing his uniform. Xiaojun wondered if he was on a day off — if they even had days off. The taller man shrugged and walked towards him, "Mark is nice company," Xiaojun cocked his brow at the other man but didn't say anything — saving his teasing for Mark instead.

"Is Mark inside?" Xiaojun asked. Yukhei shrugged, "I don't know. I haven't entered," Xiaojun bit his lip to keep himself from smiling. Yes, teasing Mark would definitely be in Xiaojun's agenda for the day.

 As if sensing them, Mark strutted out of his boat with his usual confidence.

"Well, you two are bonding," Mark said looking between the two of them. 

"I have somewhere to be," Xiaojun excused himself, passing the box he had been carrying to Mark. "I'll leave you two to bond instead," he added.

Yukhei looked at him suspiciously but Mark looked oblivious. With a nod of his head, and a teasing smile towards Yukhei, Xiaojun walked towards the bed & breakfast despite not knowing what he'd do when he got there.

♕

After finalizing the plans to reopen the castle, Xiaojun got to work. He filled the empty hall with tables, and chairs for the people who wanted to dine inside. Guards were told their rotations of when they're going to watch over the great hall. Despite wanting to keep it a secret until an official announcement from the castle, the news had gotten around the people (read: Mark Lee) and caused a stir within the community. There was fear, wariness, but most of all, excitement.

Yet the closer the day was approaching the lesser the King seemed to want to have anything to do with it. He trusted Xiaojun and Yangyang with the plans, but he kept himself secluded either in his dining room, or in his room.

Too busy to notice, Xiaojun didn't even ask until the day of the reopening came, and Hendery was nowhere to be found.

The people filed in, their stomachs desperate to be filled. Throughout the day, Xiaojun accommodated the people - even Ten and Kun made an appearance.

"Wow, this place is huge," Mark said when he was near the front of the line, holding on to an empty plate waiting for his turn to get food. Once he was in front of Xiaojun, he started babbling, "Our kingdom has a castle too but I don't think it's this beautiful. I did hear the castle of Avidite had always been the best one in all kingdoms," Mark said. Xiaojun placed a serving-spoonful of eggs on his plate. "If not for the curse, your kingdom would've been seized centuries ago," Mark nonchalantly said. The surrounding people started stirring away from him and whispering about his lack of courtesy. Xiaojun smiled at the look Mark gave them. 

"I don't think that's the kind of thing you say when you're in a foreign kingdom," Xiaojun pointed out. Mark shrugged, scooping himself a bowl of fruit. "Well, it's not like I'm aiming to be liked. I'm not staying," Mark said. 

He was already balancing two plates of food and a bowl of fruit and yet still reaching out for a glass of grape juice. Rolling his eyes, Xiaojun asked to be replaced in his station and helped his friend to carry his food.

"You're not staying?" Xiaojun asked despite already knowing the truth to the statement. He couldn't let Mark stay. He had another kingdom he called home. "I kind of feel like my work here is done. I'll still help provide food but once my resources maxes out, I might as well leave," Mark answered. He placed his food on the table where Kun and Ten are and started digging into the muffin.

"What if something made you stay?" Xiaojun asked, eyes carefully gliding around the room to see if Yukhei was anywhere. He didn't see the tall head of the guards. Mark eyed him curiously, "And what would that be?"

Xiaojun shrugged and smirked, "I don't know. Maybe a really tall, rather rude man who carries his sword too often than necessary," Xiaojun's brow cocked as pink started tinting Mark's cheeks. He coughed, fanning his face as if cooling himself down. He drowned down his glass of grape juice but didn't say anything about the subject. Instead, he said, "Where's the King? I thought he'd at least make his presence known to his people."

Only then did Xiaojun realize that he hadn't seen the King around at all. Ever since the gates opened to that moment he was nowhere to be seen. Xiaojun stood up, excusing himself and promising he'll come back later, and went to find the King.

♕

He found him where he was always — in his little dining room, food on the table yet left untouched.

"Aren't you going to welcome your people?" Xiaojun asked. The only light inside the room came from the open window that Hendery was standing in front of. The sun cast a glow on him, and he looked ethereal, enamoring, beautiful.

"Once upon a time, there was a King and a Queen loved by the people —" 

"Hendery, I don't think it's time for a story," Xiaojun interrupted but stopped when he realized he called the King by his given name. Xiaojun didn't even know he knew his name in the first place. Now that he said it though, there was some sort of familiarity on his lips, as if he had called him before and his brain was just remembering. Instead of being insulted though, Xiaojun saw Hendery's lips curve into a smile. He continued, "Yet despite the love of the people, they were never satisfied — instead they wanted the love of a child, and to be able to love a child. But the stars always saw them as only King and Queen, and never with a child. Still, they pleaded to the gods, even swearing to give anything in return," Xiaojun walked closer towards him, intrigued. He found the story familiar. It was the story of the curse, but it wasn't the story he knew. The words were right but the feeling was different.

"A witch found herself in the Kingdom one spring day and granted their wish. But wishes needed a price, and so the witch cursed the Kingdom, that whoever falls in love will give a piece of their soul. Satisfied, the witch left the kingdom and was never heard from again," Hendery stopped and it didn't seem like he would continue so Xiaojun asked, "Why am I being told this?"

Hendery was quiet before continuing, "And yet the gods, who had ordained that the King and Queen will never have a child were furious. As punishment, the gods cursed the prince — that whoever sets eyes on the prince will fall in love with him — giving up their soul for a prince who couldn't love them back. If the Prince fails to get the love of the people, then he, in turn, will die," Xiaojun gulped hearing the implication of the story. He stared at Hendery, and really stared at him, "That's not how the story goes," he complained.

"It's not how the story told to the people go — not the story my parents shared," Hendery corrected. "If the people knew that they had no choice but to love me when they saw me would they want to see me?"

No . Xiaojun thought.

"My parents made sure I was seen because they needed me to live. What cruel world it would be if they just got their child, and he ended up dying?" Hendery said. "My guards, all my maids, they fussed over me - cooing, in love with a young prince who didn't even know that they were giving all their lives to him. Once my parents were dead — from loving me, ironically — I fired all my staff and imported people from other countries. Anyone who isn't affected by the curse," Hendery said.

"If you're so hell-bent in them not seeing you now, why didn't you just let yourself die?" Xiaojun asked. Hendery flinched but it was too quick of a response that Xiaojun barely registered it. "Because I don't know how not to live," the King admitted.

They both stayed in silence. Nothing they could say could ease the already built-up tension inside the room. Questions and unsaid answers floated between them, Xiaojun took a breath, suddenly realizing something.

"Why am I not affected?" Xiaojun asked but there was a whisper at the back of his head telling him that maybe he was. But he didn't love the King - it didn't feel like he loved the King.

"That's a story for another day," Hendery said, finally turning to face him. Xiaojun stared at him, somehow furious.

What does he know that I don't? Xiaojun's thoughts flitted with that one question.

"So you know something," Xiaojun said.

"When you've lived in one place for as long as we have, you hear things, and see things, and learn things,"

"So did you want to meet me then? Was all this already orchestrated before I even set foot in the palace?" Hendery smiled and put a hand on Xiaojun's shoulder as he started to walk away. "On the contrary, I had hoped I would never meet you," he said leaving Xiaojun inside the room with too many questions that he doesn't even know will be answered.

♕

As the palace gates stayed open, the only people that Hendery allowed to see him were Yangyang and Xiaojun. The latter, still mad at the King, had tried to stay away, yet he realized that the only way he would find out what Hendery knew, was if he spent time with him. Putting down his pride, he visited Hendery when he called.

Like always, Hendery was in his dining room. "Don't you have any other room in this castle?" Xiaojun pointed out when he walked in. Hendery smirked, "Would you want to meet at my bedroom then?" he teased. 

Xiaojun shook his head and sat opposite Hendery. They had developed a sort of routine already. Hendery sat on the right side of the head of the table while Xiaojun sat on the left. It was comfortable that way; much less formal — more friendly — not that that mattered anyway .

"Tell me a story," Hendery said. Xiaojun raised his brow. He wasn't used to talking about his life — that was Hendery's job. "About?" he asked.

Hendery placed his hands under his chin and started thinking, "What about your family? Your life? How have you come here?"

Xiaojun thought about it, racking his brain if there was something he needed not to say. Still, he wasn't sure he remembered everything. It's been six hundred years; he's already experienced too many lifetimes in his life to remember all the little things.

"Well, I was born six centuries ago," Xiaojun started. "The same time as I did," Hendery said. 

Xiaojun looked at him suspiciously. He said it as if he knew about it already because there was no surprise in his voice — no tremor. Just a simple statement — a simple stating of facts. Instead of pointing it out though, he continued. He should be less surprised that Hendery knew about his life more than he let on. 

"I never knew my parents. My mother left, and my father died still hopelessly in love with her," Xiaojun took a deep breath before continuing — the memory not something he liked to remember yet the memory was something he still did. Ironic how the bad memories had a way of cementing themselves in your mind, and yet the good ones are hard to come by.

"The Qian family took care of me. Seven generations of Qian's before I eventually found myself in the hands of Qian Kun."

"The owner of the bed & breakfast?" Hendery asked. Xiaojun nodded before continuing his story. "I left the Kingdom around three hundred years ago, when Kun had surpassed me in age. I wanted to travel and see the world, besides, it was hard to survive in this Kingdom," Hendery looked away. There was a crease on his forehead and a frown on his lips — guilt.

"I met Mark Lee about 10 years ago. I met his father technically and now we're the same age,"

"You've lost people," Hendery remarked. Xiaojun gave him a slow nod of agreement, "Like you? It's our fate for living too long,"

"How have you never fallen in love?" Hendery asked. Xiaojun was quiet before answering trying to mull the answer in his head. No matter how many times he thought about it, he actually didn't know the reason behind it. Why hadn't he?

"Maybe because I haven't found anyone to fall in love with," Xiaojun gave him a smile. Hendery smiled back before saying, "Once upon a time," Xiaojun scoffed. Maybe this was how Hendery talked about his life — in the forms of a story. Maybe he found himself in a fairy tale — he was a King after all.

"There was a princess, the last living relative of the Prince. She had a son, three centuries after the birth of the Prince. He was bubbly, very energetic and you just knew that he'd grow up to be just the same. He grew up as the young prince's best friend, but he wasn't ever allowed to meet the Prince because of the curse. The Prince had insisted not to meet him. If he wanted to have someone to share this cruel life with, it would be with his cousin. The princess's son had grown old with the Prince. They talked between closed doors and thin walls. As they grew up together with the people dying around them, the Prince and his cousin got used to their circumstance, not seeing each other but continually being there for each other. The cousin stayed by the Prince’s side and yet in all that time, he had never seen him once," Hendery stopped.

"Your cousin?" Xiaojun asked. "Wong Yukhei," the name flitted in his head as he remembered the guest that his boatman best friend had been keeping occupied. Hendery nodded, "He had never seen me once. I never let him," Hendery said.

"What about special occasions?" 

"I never celebrated them,"

"What happens if he falls in love though? The curse will affect him even if it's not with you," Xiaojun said, already knowing that if Yukhei hadn't fallen in love already, he would, especially with the amount of time he was spending with Mark Lee. Hendery shrugged, "Then I guess I'll lose another person then," Hendery stood up and walked out of the door abruptly, not even leaving goodbye to Xiaojun.

Xiaojun felt his heart constrict. The King they all thought to be horrid, evil, and ungenerous was just scared. The implications scared him.

♕

Wong Yukhei found himself spending more and more time with Mark Lee. He was attracted to him both literally and figuratively. He had never felt that way before or wasn't allowed to feel it. The King had insisted he stay close and staying close to Wong Kunhang meant staying in the castle — he barely saw people.

"You're back again," Mark said as he walked out the boat to see Yukhei in the dock again. He looked like he was observing something in the water.

"You know if the King isn't giving you enough work, you can always work with me," Mark Lee said. Yukhei smiled and turned to him, "And what would you let me do in your boat?"

Mark shrugged, "Do you want to go fishing?"

"What?" Yukhei asked.

Mark showed his rod and a fishing net, "Fishing! Your Kingdom needs food."

Yukhei looked curious and scared, but he followed Mark when the latter started hauling his little boat to the banks. "Come on, I'll show you," Mark jumped on the boat and Yukhei followed after him.

♕

They rowed towards the middle of the sea, Mark letting go of his net in the water and reeling his rod out and passing it to Yukhei to hold.

"So what do I do with this?" Yukhei asked.

"You hold it until you feel a tug, and when you do, you reel it in," confused, Yukhei just nodded.

They stayed in the boat for a while exchanging no words. Mark was humming under his breath as he shifted the fishing nets under the boat. He would occasionally ask Yukhei to pass something but overall it was just silence.

Now, Yukhei was a very energetic man. He was always the life of the party and quiet and him wasn't really a working combination. The thing was, quiet and Mark were a good combination — a combination Yukhei found himself getting sucked into. He liked this quiet — if only it was around Mark.

Yukhei felt a clench in his heart and something stirring inside his stomach. He wondered if it was fear or love — he couldn't tell. Fear and love had always confused him, and he hadn't felt much of each feeling to actually tell.

Still, what he was feeling now felt like a mixture of both. He was scared of love, scared of its implications and yet still he wanted this, he wanted to feel the feeling — wanted to feel something.

"You're looking at me oddly," he heard Mark say causing him to detach from his thoughts. "I'm sorry," Yukhei answered.

"You didn't do anything wrong. No point in apologizing," Mark said.

"What does it feel like? Going around the world?" Yukhei suddenly asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Well," Mark started. "It feels freeing, you know. No one can tell you what to do and where to go. At the same time, it's scary. There are so many things that can happen that I don't know about, and that scares me because what if I couldn't save myself from it," Mark explained.

"It's like falling in love. Love is freeing but also uncertain that it scares you," Yukhei watches Mark's lip quirk into a smile, "Mum says though never to be afraid of love because once you find that one to fall in love with, the only feeling you'll ever feel is gratitude."

"But what if loving was deadly?" Yukhei asked. Mark stiffened. He knew about the curse. Despite this place not being his Kingdom, he had heard the story. Xiaojun also told him all about it. Mark looked at Yukhei with a sad smile, "Isn't that how you truly know what love is? If you're willing to sacrifice your life to keep loving then you know you're in love for real."

♕

"Do you believe in magic?" Hendery asked. For Xiaojun's sanity they met instead at the gardens of the castle. Hendery apparently liked flowers and being around them made him feel calm. "A little — though I never saw the importance of it, really," Xiaojun answered, walking in step with the King.

"Well I always believed there's magic inside all of us - our personality, our emotions are magic,"

"That is … oddly poetic," Xiaojun answered.

"Love is the most powerful type of magic," Hendery started. Xiaojun looked at him curiously, "Is this another story?" he asked. Hendery shook his head, "No story I know is appropriate this time. But I'll tell you my theory,"

"About love?" "About love," Hendery sat himself at a bench and Xiaojun had no other choice but to follow and sit beside him.

"Imagine having two strangers, haven't met each other and don't even know each other's name and yet one day they meet. Suddenly there's this attraction — there's a magic between them that pulls them towards each other. No matter where they came from and no matter how they live, they find themselves drawn together. It sounds impossible and yet most people experience that — magic," Hendery said.

"That's not much of a theory," Xiaojun teased.

Hendery rolled his eyes, "Can you do better?" he challenged.

Xiaojun huffed his chest and started thinking.

"There was once a man and a woman," Xiaojun started causing Hendery to laugh. "Now you're telling the story?"

"Just humor me," Xiaojun remarked. Hendery raised his hands in surrender, "Go on then."

"There was once a young boy who knew the world from the stories his father told him, but he had never seen it. He was — unfortunately — living in a place with not much freedom," Hendery looked away, but he listened intently. Xiaojun hadn't noticed. "When one day, he was able to finally leave the Kingdom he set out to see the world. He went far and wide — saw things, heard things, and felt things, all except for one thing — magic."

The last word caused Hendery to stare at his companion. He raised a brow at Xiaojun in question but the latter just shrugged, "Everywhere he looked he just couldn't find it, until he went back to the place he began his journey at,"

There was a sort of tension between them, a string attached to both of them that’s pulled too far trying to pull them together.

And then there was silence, a compelling silence — a dangerous silence. The type of silence you should never leave two people in.

"The boy found the magic inside a castle that housed only a King — who was misunderstood beyond measure. That's when he realized that maybe he and the king were fated. Kept/Pulled away from each other for far too long, destined to meet at this point in time."

"Xiaojun," Hendery started.

Xiaojun was not at all shy, and was never one to think before acting. When Hendery started to leave, he reached out and held the King's wrist in his hand, "Don't go," he whispered.

"I can't stay," Hendery said, trying to extract his hands.

Xiaojun swallowed, "I guess your curse worked on me," he said with a little laugh, "How foolish of me to think otherwise..."

"There are curses within you. One of them is the one that runs through all of us, the other isn't my curse," Hendery said. "You love me — or perceive to love me not because of the curse set on me when I was a child — it's because we are fated,"

Xiaojun looked up at the King curiously. The sun had started setting and the light of it cast a golden hue on Hendery's face. It felt like looking at a god, too beautiful to conceive. They were fated?

"What do you mean?" Xiaojun asked, impatient.

Hendery shook his head, "It's a story meant for another day. Now, I must leave," Hendery gave Xiaojun a sad smile before walking away leaving the latter confused on the seat. Before he entered the castle, he shouted back to Xiaojun, "See yourself out."

♕

When Xiaojun arrived back at the bed & breakfast just after the sunset, he saw Ten tending to the flowers at the front porch. The older man looked up at the sound of his footsteps and stiffened at the sight of Xiaojun.

"I didn't recognize you," Ten said, his words quivering as they traveled Xiaojun. "I don't —"

"You look older," Ten interrupted. Xiaojun swallowed. There was only one reason why that would be the case.

"It's dark, Ten. You must be mistaken," Xiaojun remarked. Ten shook his head, "I know how you look like, Jun. You've looked the same since I was born and until now. I would know if you look different."

Not wanting to talk about it further knowing there were questions that were going to be asked that Xiaojun didn't know how to answer, he walked past Ten ignoring his knowing stares.

"Be careful, Dejun. I don't want to lose you to this curse as well,"

♕

Xiaojun didn’t go back to the castle after that. He was afraid for himself and for what he was feeling. And he couldn't remove the implications of what the King told him. If they were fated then that meant the King could love him.

He found himself laughing.

The King? Love him? Who even was he?

He needed to think and Hendery was … a distraction.

When he walked out of his room, Ten and Kun were already eating. "I want to see Sicheng again,"

"Eat first," Ten said. Kun looked at him worriedly but hadn't said anything since he arrived the night from the castle. Xiaojun assumed that Ten must have already told him and Kun must have noticed the difference in his appearance, (in all honesty, Xiaojun couldn't even tell he'd aged.)

Xiaojun sat down on one of the seats around the table and let the two older men take care of him. He didn't like being fussed over but if conversations weren't going to be held, he'd rather have the two get busy over him instead of them asking questions.

"I'm going to the castle to get some food for the night. You know your way to Sicheng's room," Ten said to Xiaojun before he stood up and left the table.

"I don't want to see you leave this world first, Jun." Kun said when Ten had left. "Well, it was inevitable wasn't it. You are younger," Xiaojun teased. Kun stared at him with a disapproving look as if saying that this wasn't time for jokes.

"You're too kind for this world, Dejun. When Ten told me that you've aged; and don't deny it, I've seen it too; I started to get furious with the King all over again. But we can't blame you — I can't blame you or him," Kun explained. "There are some things written in the stars and maybe you both are," Kun left after that.

Xiaojun groaned. How many more people are going to leave him in silence without explaining themselves?  

He was getting much more frustrated with all the questions left unanswered that were running in his head. Finishing his breakfast, he went to visit Sicheng.

♕

Sicheng looked healthier — if that was even possible. Still, he seemed more energetic. He was sitting down on his bed (unlike the last time Xiaojun saw him lying down and staring in the ceiling), with a book resting on his lap. Immediately after the door closed, Sicheng turned to look at Xiaojun.

He gave him a sad smile, "You look different," he said.

"I've been told," Xiaojun remarked, getting a chair and placing it beside Sicheng's bed. "Who's the lucky one then?" Sicheng chirped.

"Why would he be lucky?" Xiaojun asked. Sicheng smiled, "To be loved by you, Dejun. It's a rarity,"

"You say that as if I couldn't fall in love easily," Xiaojun remarked. Sicheng shrugged, "It's not that you couldn't — it's because your heart wouldn't let you. You're only ever made to love one person, Jun."

Before Xiaojun can ask, Sicheng suddenly said, "Do you believe in soulmates?"

"I've heard about the concept. I don't actually think it exists," Xiaojun answered. 

"It does, just like magic," Xiaojun sighed. Not magic again.

"Just like the gods made everything in pairs — our souls were made in pairs as well. There is someone out there whose soul pairs with ours," Sicheng explained. "You, unlike most of us, have a powerful magic inside you, Jun. That magic meant that you're powerful enough to resist temptation and be attracted only to one person. Your heart belongs to one, Jun and your heart will make sure it belongs to only one,"

Xiaojun was lost for words. Was that one Hendery then? Was that what the King meant when he said they were fated?

"I've got to go," Xiaojun said. Sicheng nodded, "Dejun," he called before the younger man could rush out. "Let your heart love, despite the consequences. It's a powerful thing — and you were meant for power."

♕

The castle was quiet when he got there. It was almost nighttime when he arrived — even passing by the last of the people who were getting their food. He found Hendery at the last place Hendery had left him — the gardens.

"I thought you finally got to your senses and stayed away from me," Hendery said while looking at flowers. Xiaojun scoffed, rushed towards him, grabbed his wrist and turned him around, and kissed him — hard. It was uncomfortable at first until Hendery eventually melted into his kisses.

The King broke it off after a while, "We can't," he said. "No one is stopping me," Xiaojun said.

"I am," Hendery answered. Xiaojun sighed, resting his forehead on Hendery's. 

"Just let me love you," he whispered to the King. "You'll die,"

"Isn't that the ultimate sacrifice for love?" Xiaojun joked. Hendery stepped away and forced Xiaojun to stare at him. There was immense sadness in Hendery's eyes but underneath it there was a sort of longing — a want for something. Xiaojun didn't want to think that that something was him. Just then he decided that he'll make the King fall in love with him, or he will die trying — quite literally.

"Let me have this, Hendery. At least before I die," Xiaojun said. The sadness flitted in his eyes. The King bowed but nodded.

"You can have me," and Xiaojun kissed him again.

♕

Xiaojun had spent the night sharing Hendery's bed. When he woke up the next morning, looking around the room was the first thing he did. He hadn't exactly had the time to observe it the night before.

It was smaller than Xiaojun expected it to be, "This was my childhood bedroom," Hendery said, following his companion's wandering eyes. He cuddled himself closer to Xiaojun. It felt odd in a way. Xiaojun knew he was in love, but he didn't feel any different. It didn't feel like he was dying. "I didn't like to move to my parents' bedroom because it felt too big for me," he said. "I could understand that," Xiaojun said, drawing little circles on Hendery's forearm.

"My cousin is in love with your boatman friend," Hendery said, breaking the silence. "Mark is oblivious I suppose," Xiaojun remarked.

"You're cruel you know," Hendery said.

"Why's that?" "You come into my life and then you're going to leave soon," Xiaojun sighed, "And you brought your friend to take the only family I have left," he added.

You could love me, and we could live and die together, Xiaojun thought.

"Let's enjoy the little time we have together then," Xiaojun said, kissing him again.

♕

The "little time" they had with each other meant that Xiaojun had made use of the time by spending almost every minute with Hendery. The curse worked in mysterious ways and Xiaojun didn't know how much time he actually had before his age caught up to him. He wanted to spend time with Hendery —even though time wasn't on his hands. The more they spent time together though, the more Xiaojun wanted to be with him. He was attractive — as if Hendery was a magnet, and he was iron; no matter where he was, he got pulled. Yet the more time they spent together, the more Xiaojun realized the effect of the curse. He didn't have the same stamina as he did before and it seemed to be easier for illnesses to infect him.

It scared him — the whole thought of it, but somehow he realized that it was worth it. Love, he noted, was a strange thing. If this was how it was meant to feel, then Xiaojun was willing to risk it.

One day though, Hendery refused to meet him or more of the fact that the King shooed him away, "get some sun, you're getting pale."

Having no other choice, Xiaojun made his way to the boat instead.

"There's our Robin Hood," Mark Lee shouted from the deck of his ship. "I technically never stole from the rich," Xiaojun said walking towards where he was. "You took resources from a richer kingdom to give to your poorer kingdom," Mark corrected.

Xiaojun shook his head and took a rod from Mark, casting it to the ocean.

"You look older," Mark said. Xiaojun should've asked for a coin every time he was told that. He sighed, not knowing what else to say.

"Is the King worth loving?" Xiaojun didn't even have to ask how Mark knew who he was in love with. It was probably painted all over his face and Mark knew him enough. "He is," Xiaojun found himself smiling.

The thing was getting to know Hendery made him realize that the King wasn't who he was told to Xiaojun to be. To get to know the thing, you really had to be with him yet so little people were able to know him.

"Yukhei keeps denying he's in love with me but I see the way he's been aging. As if he has less soul than he had yesterday," Mark said, fixing the line of his rod. Xiaojun stared at his friend, "Do you love him?"

"Well, I do like his company," Mark answered. He sighed, adding, "I don't know if I can allow myself to love him. I'm leaving, Jun."

"You've been telling me that for a while now and yet you're still here," Xiaojun pointed out. 

"Was this what you meant? To find someone to stay for?" Mark asked. Xiaojun didn't answer.

"I don't understand why he's aging. It's not like I can get the soul he's been giving me. The curse doesn't affect me," Mark said. Xiaojun stared at him, and wondered too. "The curse was a vengeance plot of the gods. I don't think it was much thought of," 

"What curse is?" Mark asked.

"At least I don't have to worry of him not growing old with me," Mark said. "I had a thought once, 'If I loved him, would I be able to give my soul to him too? At least to keep him alive for a while?' But then I realized maybe I should just be grateful for the time we had —that falling in love isn't about the time you still have to spend but the time you had already spent together. Every minute counts," Xiaojun didn't really know why Mark was telling him this but it answered his earlier question: if he loved Yukhei, and from what Xiaojun can see, Mark Lee did.

"If I ask him to sail with me to the ends of the world, do you think he'll agree?" Mark teased.

"I'll think he'll do anything for you."

♕

When Xiaojun walked back to the bed & breakfast after a long day with Mark, there was a strange feeling. An odd sense of calm but a calm that was frightening. He felt a prickling fear on his skin and it hadn't even taken him an inch inside the building to know what it was.

Ten was crying in the middle of the living room with Kun beside him, soothing him. Both men looked at him with grieving eyes and silent conversations: Sicheng was dead.

Xiaojun felt his heart rip. His oldest friend — dead and gone.

For some reason, his feet found itself walking out of there and finding themselves walking towards a familiar place — a place where he found comfort in for the past few days. He needed someone and the only one who could console him was the King despite how ironic that was.

Hendery still hadn't wanted to see him. The guards had tried to keep him out, but he barged into the palace and walked towards Hendery's room — their room for the past few days.

"Let me in," Xiaojun pleaded, banging on the door. "Hendery, please."

"Xiaojun, I can't," Hendery said.

"Why not?" "You can't see me anymore. I can't lose you," Xiaojun scoffed. "Don't be fucking selfish. I will love you even if I don't see you,"

Xiaojun was crying now or maybe he had always been crying, and yet he hadn't realized it. It hurt — the loss of someone.

He had always traveled. Xiaojun found it was a very enriching experience to travel if only it meant not seeing someone leave him — not see them die before him when he will continually leave. Traveling was a release, an escape of the inevitable. But he had nowhere else to run to now. So this is what death feels like? Xiaojun wondered if Hendery would feel this way if he died… maybe he wouldn't. Xiaojun wasn't even sure Hendery loved him like that — or loved him in general.

Xiaojun stopped banging onto the door. He turned and sat down at the base of it, resting his head back.

"I always thought he died loving you," Xiaojun said. He heard Hendery's footsteps inside the room getting closer to the door. Xiaojun wondered if he would open it, instead he heard someone drop on the other side. Hendery was sitting down beside the door.

"He loved you. He talked about you a lot," Hendery said. Xiaojun released a sad laugh. "I couldn't love him, not in that way. He never blamed me. He always told my heart was meant for bigger things — and only meant for one person. I could've loved him," Xiaojun said.

"You would lose yourself if you love too many," Hendery remarked.

"At least he would be alive," Xiaojun stated. "But you would be dead," Hendery argued, "and how would that make him feel?" he added. "Death is harder for the living — that's why you're in grief right now. Because to lose someone is pain in itself."

Xiaojun was quiet. Words were less important now and there were no words that seemed to want to be said. He heard shifting inside the room, before he heard a long inhale, "There was once a witch," Hendery started. Xiaojun would've complained but words failed to exit his mouth and so instead, he listened.

"She placed a curse on the kingdom because of their King and Queen's selfishness and extended the curse to the kingdom their prince would someday rule. But curses can be broken, and she gave that responsibility to the prince," Xiaojun listened — this was a story he knew. "When the prince finally learns to fall in love and to be able to be loved back, then the curse will be broken. The prince tried to fall in love, but falling in love meant certain things had needed to be done — things the prince wasn't sure he could do. Words can only help you if you speak them, but love wasn't a vocabulary the Prince had learned. He wasn't able to say that he loved someone no matter how he felt and so whatever happened, he couldn't break the curse," Hendery concluded.

Xiaojun found himself laughing, "You could just tell me you love me then," he told him. There was a tremor — or at least Xiaojun felt like there was, but he suddenly heard Hendery crying. "I don't know how," he admitted.

Xiaojun wiped the tears away from his eyes and stood up. "That's unfortunate then," Xiaojun said, starting to walk away.

"I love you, Hendery," He called out to the empty space outside Hendery's bedroom, "I really do."

♕

Love was addicting, as Xiaojun quickly realized. It drew him in, made him insane. Minutes and hours were spent thinking of Hendery — his face, the sound of his voice, the feel of him underneath Xiaojun's fingertips, his scent, his taste. It intoxicated him, and so he craved for it — loving more and more. The lack of it was equally enticing, and yet, painful. Maybe this was what it felt like to be dying.

Ten fussed over Xiaojun. Just a week ago they were burying his oldest friend and now, they might soon bury him, "I told you to take care of yourself, Jun! Look at where you are now," Ten shouted. He was mad but there was also a hint of worry in his voice.

Ten watched over him day and night ever since he started feeling the effects of the curse — his soul leaving his body — his life, as he knew it, closing to an end.

"I thought I could make him love me," Xiaojun spat out in surrender. "You know far too well what the King is capable of — love isn't one of them."

♕

With death surrounding Xiaojun, Mark decided to stay a little longer — at least to see his friend away. He was throwing pebbles into the sea trying to make it skip, but all they did was sink to the bottom of the ocean. The usual cheery world Mark knew suddenly felt hopeless. Maybe this was what it felt like to lose someone.

"I thought you were leaving," the sound of Yukhei's voice didn't do anything to calm him. In fact, it fueled his anger. Instead of one pebble at a time, Mark found himself throwing all of them to the bottom of the ocean.

"I heard about your friend," Yukhei said. Mark could feel his warmth behind him. Close enough for Mark to know that he was there but not too close enough for it to feel like he was intruding. Mark didn't know what was worse.

"Is that how the curse works?" Mark asked. Yukhei didn't answer for a while and Mark wasn't sure he could face the other guy. Mark had seen how the curse had aged him; how it slowly ripped his soul away, stealing the exuberant youth that Mark had fallen in love with.

"I've always been in the castle. It was rare that I saw someone," Yukhei answered after a while.

"Is that how you'll end up to be?" Mark asked, finally forcing himself to look at the other man.

"Mark," Yukhei said, his voice filled with grief — pleading for something and yet Mark didn't know what he was able to give. He remained quiet, only staring at Yukhei. The fine lines around his face were much more prominent, his hair looked thinner, and the veins on his arms were more pronounced. He looked older than yesterday and Mark was suddenly afraid of what he'll see tomorrow.

"You look older than me now," Mark said. Yukhei found himself smiling, "At least that confirms something," "What?" "That I am in love with you," Yukhei joked.

Mark looked away because instead of laughing, he found himself starting to cry. "Don't be cruel," Mark argued.

"Don't be sad," Yukhei said.

"How can I not be? My best friend is dying, and you're…"

Mark walked past Yukhei not wanting to be around the man. This was breaking his heart, and he wasn't even sure there was something he could do about it.

"Mark, don't go," he heard Yukhei shout after him. Mark kept walking out of the boat until he reached the water. He didn't know what he would do here, but water made him calm.

The noisy water splashes was all he needed to know that Yukhei had followed him to the water. "What are you doing, Mark?"

Mark shook his head, "I don't know — giving up?" he said, uncertain.

"Well, I'm not," Yukhei argued, "And until I still have breath inside me, I will love you, Mark Lee."

"I'm leaving soon," Mark pointed out. Yukhei shrugged, "Then I will follow you."

"You can't just leave here," "Who says I couldn't?"

Mark sighed. He wanted to punch the man in front of him for being too stubborn, "You're going to die if you keep staying with me. I can't replenish the soul you're losing because of the curse. I don't —"

"Mark," Yukhei interrupted, swimming closer to him, "This," he said, looking down at him, "You — you're all I need. You're all I'm ever going to need. If my life in this world isn't going to be long, then I want to spend all of that limited time with you," Yukhei remarked.

"I don't know if I can watch you die," Mark said. Yukhei swam closer now and Mark could feel Yukhei's body against his underneath the water. Bringing his lips closer to Mark's, Yukhei whispered, "Then close your eyes when it happens," then he kissed him.

♕

Yangyang had lived for a long time. He had come to the Kingdom with the sole purpose of working for the King. Three hundred years working beside the King he had heard stuff and seen stuff. The King had once questioned his age and why he wasn't aging and the only thing Yangyang had answered was because of magic.

The King never asked after that again.

Yangyang had heard about the curse from what he heard from the whispers of the people. Living in a cursed Kingdom for years, you can't help but know these things. There was even a book about it in the library, though Yangyang never knew why Hendery would even keep a book that reminded him of the troubles of the Kingdom.

Yangyang was the King's voice of reason, and after finding out what had happened to Xiao Dejun, he went to meet the King.

He was in his bedroom, at the alcove staring out into his Kingdom, when Yangyang found him. "Xiaojun is dying," Yangyang said.

Hendery only nodded, "I heard."

"Are you not going to do anything about it?"

"There's nothing I can do," Hendery said in resignation.

Yangyang scoffed and walked towards the King.

He looked to be in pain, in grief and Yangyang realized this was affecting him more than he was letting on.

"I read that the curse can be lifted and those who are alive when it is lifted will go back to normal only if you were to fall in love and be loved in return," Yangyang started.

"That's not me," Hendery denied.

"Who else would that be?" Yangyang argued, "You're the one the witch cursed back then that's why you're still alive. The gods had been waiting for you to fall in love and here's your chance. The love of your life is lying on a bed fighting for his life. And the only thing that he needs to survive is for you to admit to him that you love him," Yangyang remarked.

Hendery opened his mouth then closed it, as if he was fighting for words to come out or fighting with words threatening to come out but he didn't want to say.

"What is scaring you?" Yangyang asked.

Hendery sighed, "Death,"

"What?"

"I have lived for so long, Yangyang. I don't know how not to,"

"To die for someone you love is the ultimate sacrifice — the ultimate gift to give to the gods because as soon as you both die, you experience a forever in the after world," Yangyang remarked.

"Love him now and you will love him in whatever lifetime you share after this. Love him now and you will have him forever," Hendery was still quiet.

"Death is just another door. You will never know what's beside it if you dare not enter," Yangyang took a step back and waited for the King to come to his senses.

"Do you love him?" Yangyang asked.

Hendery pondered the question. He tried to picture what love was in his mind and all that he remembered was Xiaojun — the moments they spent together, the jokes and the laughter they shared. The comfort he felt around him — how he felt like home.

"With all my soul," Hendery whispered.

Yangyang smiled, "Then go."

♕

It was a long way towards the bed & breakfast. For six hundred years, Hendery knew only one place. He was never allowed to go out and after he reigned, he never thought it was necessary. Finding the bed & breakfast, though, was easier to do than anything. It sat just below the mountain of the castle.

He tried to knock on the door only to turn back around but then decided to knock again. It was now or never, and he was literally pressed for time.

"Your Highness," was what he heard when the door opened. An old man with a cane was standing in front of him.

"I want to see Xiaojun," Hendery asked. The old man in front of him glared at him for a while, obviously infuriated but eventually allowed him to enter. "Follow me," the old man said.

He had led him up the stairs towards the attic. Before allowing him to enter the room though, the old man knocked first and said, "There's a visitor for Dejun."

Another man, looking as if the same age with the first man walked out and stared at him. As if catching himself, he bowed. "He doesn't have much time," the man said before letting him through.

♕

Xiaojun was looking out the window, the sheets of his bed drawn up to his chest. He looked so peaceful and so calm and it caused a painful throbbing in Hendery's chest.

"You're here," Xiaojun coughed out. "Came to say goodbye?"

"You idiot," Hendery said, fighting back his tears.

"That wasn't the goodbye I was expecting, but I'll take it," Xiaojun said, his lips forming into a small smile.

"You could have saved yourself. You just needed not to love me," Hendery complained. Xiaojun smiled bigger this time, "You said it yourself remember? We're fated."

Xiaojun tried to turn on the bed and stare at Hendery but it only caused him to move a little. He was still laying flat on his back with his head awkwardly staring at Hendery.

"Tell me a story — something I would take to the afterlife and replay in my head as I wait for you to come to me," Xiaojun said. Hendery took a seat in the room and placed it beside Xiaojun's bed.

"There was once a young witch, born to a family of witches who had already done amazing work prior to her. Wanting to prove herself, the witch set out to a Kingdom only knowing of love and kindness. The witch, mad with envy, drunk on pride, decided to go big and curse the whole Kingdom. She cursed the Kingdom that whoever will love will lose part of themselves — yet when loved back, they will get a part of the person that loves them. Proud of her achievement she set out to leave the Kingdom and tell her family what she had done, yet just as she was leaving, she found herself entranced with a lowly farmer and the farmer to her. Together, they had a child.

The witch waited for the child to grow before she eventually left — but this time not set to prove herself, but to dissociate with her family to get back to her beloved. Enraged by her treachery, the older witches of her family cursed her child — that he would only ever love one person and that person will be the cause of his demise.

Unbeknownst to the witch, her son had been fated since birth. He was fated to lift a curse and to love a prince — but only when it was too late, will the prince learn to love him in return," Hendery ended his story with tears flowing down his face. Xiaojun looked too peaceful for life and Hendery realized that his death was very near.

"I am not a man of words, Jun, despite having told a lot of stories in the time we've spent together. I am selfish and prideful, and yet you loved me. ," Hendery leaned forward and left a kiss on Xiaojun's lips.

"Safe voyage, Xiaojun. I love you."

♕

There are many renditions of the end of this story. A lot of them involve Xiaojun dying; some of him living. One thing is for sure, by having the King admit that he loved our traveler, he had broken the curse saving his Kingdom from future peril. 

Despite the thousands of renditions, I had always liked the version I had witnessed. Where the King and his traveler both live, spending their years growing up and dying together — destined to live their next lives together. Besides, isn’t that what a fairy tale is about? 

-From Liu Yangyang, Author of ‘The Tales I have Heard from my Travels’