Chapter Text
Yubin doesn't know how it started.
She remembers a long time ago, she was tasked to slay the feared wolf that lurked the kingdom's forest. She also faintly remembers being tasked to bring back the ripped wing of a faerie for the king.
Yubin doesn't believe in fairytales. Or at least, she thought she didn't. Other worldly creatures were rumored, but no one had seen any to date. She had believed it was all old folk tales, until the day king had tasked her, as his Champion, to kill a wolf and bring back a ripped wing from a faerie.
Sightings of these forest dwellers were frequenting, and even though Yubin herself did not see them, protesting it was all jargon -- she had to go. It was her duty as the King's Champion. Fear was instilling in the villagers and their whispers across the land, and thus, Yubin was to go deep in the forest and prove these beings were being held in their place.
It was a one man job, because somehow, in all the previous expeditions into Erasmus Forest, all the soldiers went missing. To risk losing big numbers again, Yubin was tasked to go by herself, travelling on foot for a few suns and moons. On a full moon, she had found herself at the entrance of Erasmus.
A long dwindling forest full of thorns that is said to be endless and divided into districts, she had read from a book in the royal library, before she had come. But it is inside the forest, that lies a treasure far more precious than gold or metal.
She had pondered that last sentence a lot. Absolute blasphemy, truly. Yubin liked facts, liked things being certain. How could something be more precious than gold? When that is how you get by in life? Bartering coins and gold, compared to silvers, is either living in a cottage or sleeping on the streets.
But she didn't get to ponder long at the entrance, for a werewolf quickly emerged out from the bushes, jumping on Yubin, almost ripping her armour off in the process. And then, two witches following after the werewolf, screaming something about, Christ, you stupid werewolf! You need to take a bath already! And then--
Actually, wait. That in of itself is a long story. Perhaps for another day.
That had all happened perhaps a year ago, anyways. Point is, Yubin is still alive and her armour is barely still in tact. She still hasn't returned back to the kingdom, however. She's still in this strange forest.
Sometimes she thinks perhaps she's been kidnapped by the strange, ancient creatures. Somehow put under hypnosis. Because no one willingly decides to go frolicking with werewolves, smoke pipes and drink beers with the witches that dwell deep, have tea with the talking felines, and kiss a faerie like her life depends on it.
But that's kind of all she's been doing since she arrived to this forest.
-
Yubin's days always start the moment sunrise peeks, when the forest is still shrouded in darkness.
She wakes up next to her…Roomate? Cottage mate? She settles on companion, Siyeon, either always crushing her chest by sleeping on top of her, drooling onto her shirt, or curled by her side. Peaceful and serene. Sometimes, Yubin cannot comprehend that Siyeon is actually a werewolf, the same werewolf that jumped on her at the entrance a year ago. The same werewolf that supposedly preyed on the village -- the one Yubin was supposed to kill.
(A strange sense of guilt had overcome Yubin, when Siyeon had confessed to her after they became acquainted, that she only liked hanging near the village because she was curious of the humans. And also, because she could play with the pups, and also, to get away from the witches that keep trying to bath her, but again, a story for another day.)
It makes sense, however. Although Yubin has seen Siyeon display her pelt, seen her dark wolf form more than a couple hundred times, Siyeon is far from the scary wolf she's rumored to be. She's actually quite affectionate. A little clumsy, not as much as the resident faerie, but she is loyal, fiercely so, after Yubin finally bonded with her.
Siyeon is normal to her, even if she's in her werewolf or human form.
Yet, Yubin cannot forget who Siyeon actually is entirely, the black ears that sport out of Siyeon's human, dark hair are both jarring, yet endearing all at once. And the longer than usual fingernails she sports no matter how many times Yubin helps her clip them down so Siyeon doesn't accidentally scratch her.
But it's on mornings when Yubin is feeling particularly lazy, sometimes she gently scratches Siyeon's scalp, then behind her ears, watching the way Siyeon nuzzles her nose further into her chest. Siyeon, even in her human form, has a higher and much more warmer body heat compared to other people. So, of course Yubin would wrap her arms around her and fall back asleep again for a few more minutes. Content.
(So, whatever. Perhaps Yubin may have acquired a soft spot for the strange but endearing werewolf over the suns and moons. It's not a big deal.)
But the day has only begun. Yubin snakes herself out of Siyeon's vice like grip after a couple of attempts, and prepares heating the cauldron for breakfast. It doesn't take long for Siyeon to stir awake, sleepily wrap her arms around Yubin's torso, nosing her neck occasionally.
"Good morning." Yubin tells her, and reaches her arm around to gently pat Siyeon's cheek twice. "Hungry?"
Siyeon only wraps her arms tighter, nuzzling herself further into Yubin's nape. "Mm…hungry…"
With a soft chuckle, Yubin goes back to stirring her cauldron. It's strange, she thinks. For a human and a werewolf to get along as easily they do. The king had always instilled into her that creatures other than humans were the enemy. That these ancient creatures were God's bastardly creatures from Hell, and that they were to be get rid of.
The potato and leek stew is long done, and even if the other companion at their cottage, the faerie, hasn't arrived back yet, Yubin makes sure to leave a wooden bowl out if she has the appetite left for some.
Yubin and Siyeon sit down by the crackling fireplace, the aroma of the stew finally waking Siyeon up. Together with their stew, by the window, watch sun begin to peak through the leaves of the forest. Yubin sees the way Siyeon curiously sniffs her bowl, eyes innocent enough that when she does finally taste it, her eyes light up. Her ears shoot up, tail excitedly wagging from a delicious meal, and Yubin cracks a small smile.
(Yubin comes to the conclusion that the books were wrong about these creatures. They aren't the Devil's spawns. The reason they dwell so far away from folk, perhaps, is because they fear humans too. As do humans fear things that are different to them.
Yubin scratches behind Siyeon's ears again, and laughs at the way Siyeon almost drops her stew all over her, foot thumping against the floor at the affection. Yubin even sneaks a kiss on her lips, flustering Siyeon even more.
Humans and werewolves, or any of the other creatures in this forest, Yubin thinks, aren't so different from eachother, after all.)
-
Around midday, is when Yubin goes to collect herbs and wood and other bits for the kind of intimidating, but also very nice married couple, who are also witches, and who are also their neighbours.
Siyeon always accompanies her, sometimes in her wolf form, sometimes in her semi human form. When Yubin gets tired of walking, Siyeon turns and lets Yubin ride on her back. Usually either when dropping the things off to the witches, or when they go home for the day.
Collecting things for the witches were a one time thing once, but then they kept asking Yubin to fetch more things for whatever concoction or potion they were using, and Yubin, who kind of had nothing to do anyways, now considers it her job at the forest.
Besides, the witches are nice enough to pay her back with dinner, even if the dishes look a little suspicious, or smell a little…funny.
"I don't want to go inside, Bin." Siyeon tells her, now in her human form, as they stand outside the witches cottage, arms full of wood and whatever. "They've been a little mean to me lately."
Well, Yubin thinks the witches haven't actually been mean to the werewolf. One of them is really kind and tall, and Yubin likes her because she didn't immediately try to kill her at their first meeting, which was also on the same night of meeting Siyeon. The other one, however, more shorter and more feisty, kind of as if she has a lot of rage contained in her small body, did try to kill Yubin. Siyeon finds her mean, only because she might be a bit too demanding about cleanliness and--
"Oh, Minji darling! The human is here!"
And oh dear, too late to hide Siyeon now. The wooden door slams open, and low behold, the more tinier of the two witches, Bora, greets her with open arms. "Yubin! You brought it all!"
Yubin smiles politely, as Siyeon cowers behind her. Bora sniffs the air, and her face contorts into disgust as she holds her nose.
"And you brought Siyeon, again." Bora saunters up to her, peering over Yubin's shoulder, but Siyeon makes herself smaller. "Honestly Yubin. How do you not smell the werewolf practically reeking off her?"
"Hello to you too, Bora," Siyeon mutters.
"I really don't smell anything," Yubin says calmly. Siyeon doesn't smell like anything bad. Kind of musky but, "I actually think I like Siyeon's scent."
Bora widens her eyes, face in clear shock and disgust. "You do?!"
"…You do?" Yubin hears Siyeon repeats softly behind her. Yubin's chest squeezes from endearment, and she tries to hide her smile in front of Bora.
"You humans and your sick sense of smell, revolting." Bora mutters, waving her hands in the air. "I'm still going to bathe you one day, Siyeon! Mark my words!"
Siyeon blows her raspberry, and before Bora chokes Siyeon for it, Yubin quickly clears her throat and invites herself in their cottage, dragging Bora along with her. "Anyways, where should we place your stuff?"
It doesn't surprise her at how Bora changes her expression at the speed of light, along with her voice. "Oh, just place them near the table, Yubin!"
Yubin does as instructed, seeing Minji in the kitchen, Bora clinging onto her waist, and greets her politely.
"Hello, Yubin! Thank you so much. Would you like to stay for dinner?" Minji's smile, always so bright and radiant, Yubin can't help but smile back.
"If only it's not an inconvenience."
"It will be if Siyeon eats with us," Bora says, and promptly gets a flick on the forehead by Minji.
"Bora!"
"Ow! What?"
Yubin feels Siyeon hold her hand with one, pinching the skin. A calming habit Yubin always looks forward to from Siyeon.
Bora huffs after receiving Minji's irresistible puppy eyes. "Hmph, whatever. I suppose she can stay."
Siyeon blows another raspberry to Bora, and Yubin, already used to the chaos, throws herself infront of Siyeon, before Bora can get her hands on Siyeon's throat.
It's always chaos when Yubin visits the witches for dinner. By the end of it, Bora challenges Siyeon to something ridiculous, usually after they're drunk off their minds from the tap beer Minjj brews. Yubin, a little tipsy, tries to defend Siyeon.
But ultimately she gets dragged into whatever petty fight they're having. But Yubin thinks she wouldn't really know how else to spend her evenings if the witches weren't there.
She really isn't fond of chaos, and regards structure more than anything. But, she thinks she's willing to set it aside, if it's to see Siyeon happy and laughing, because even as much as Bora grinds Siyeon's gears, they are friends. And maybe, Yubin thinks the witches are her friends too.
-
When they come back to the cottage, the faerie, Yoohyeon, greets them with sleepy eyes and a bright smile by the fireplace. In her hands, a wooden bowl that Yubin had left out for her in the morning.
"Yooh!" Siyeon is first to tackle her into the ground and attack her face with kisses. Yubin, not exactly the type to tackle someone and kiss them repeatedly, stands awkwardly by them.
"Hi." Yubin says, rubbing her neck. Yoohyeon, despite being suffocated by Siyeon, regards her with the warmth as with Siyeon.
"Hi. Thanks for the soup." Yoohyeon says, and lamely throws a thumbs up. "The potato was delicious."
Yubin feels her cheeks warm. "Thank you. I used the ones from the garden and--" she sees the way Yoohyeon grows pale, and Yubin fears perhaps Yoohyeon's wings are being crushed. "Uh, Sing?"
Siyeon immediately lifts herself off Yoohyeon, helping her up, apologising profusely, but still nosing Yoohyeon's neck excitedly. Yubin smiles. Both of them had missed Yoohyeon for the past few days, after her venture. Siyeon, she knows, had felt it stronger with how she'd howl at the moon sometimes.
(One night, Siyeon asked Yubin to try howling at the moon, even if she was only human. It was a pathetic cry at first, embarrassing almost, but therapeutic none the less. But it was actually also fun. A lot of fun. Yubin thinks she understands werewolves a bit better now after that night.)
Siyeon yawns, and Yubin sees the tip of her fangs poke out. She remembers how they felt on her neck a few nights ago, and her stomach heats up. Siyeon turns to them, beaming.
"Well, I think I'm going to sleep now. I'm absolutely beat from roundhousing Bora. See you two in bed soon?"
"Of course." Yoohyeon kisses the tip of Siyeon's nose, making Siyeon giggle a little. "We'll catch up in the morning."
"Goodnight, Sing." Yubin follows, and squeezes Siyeon's hand, before brushing her thumb over her knuckles. "See you soon."
Siyeon yawns again, and scratches her tummy from under her tunic. She waves at them, and leaves them with another loud yawn. Yubin looks at Yoohyeon, and clears her throat when Yoohyeon smiles fondly at her.
They decide to sit near the fireplace, huddled together with a cup of Minji's tea that she gifted them. A sweet, honey and wildberry flavour. It reminds Yubin of Minji and Bora.
"So, how did the meeting go with the Faes?"
"It went...better than I thought."
Yoohyeon gazes at the fireplace, and Yubin catches herself staring at her. Mesmerised. Just as she was the first time she had met the faerie. A crackle of fire glints off of Yoohyeon's pastel green wings, and Yubin remembers the guilt. She had been honest with Yoohyeon on their first meeting, hiding under a tree for cover from the rain. Somehow, the faerie stuck with her as well, even if she could fly away.
(I'm not from here, Yubin had told her.
Clearly, Yoohyeon had replied with a laugh.
I'm supposed to take your wing and bring it back, Yubin said again.
But do you want to? Or are you trying to please your king by fulfilling a role you're using as an escape? No one becomes a Champion unless they're escaping from something. Am I wrong?
And Yubin, speechless at Yoohyeon, hadn't replied for awhile. Yoohyeon... had hit the nail on the head. Yubin only took the role because it meant not being poor, like her parents. Yubin... didn't have a single bone in her body to harm a living creature, whether human or animal. Her parents, when they were still alive, hadn't raised her to be so cruel.)
"I asked them if a human could stay with us."
Yubin blinks back her thoughts. "What?"
"Humans are forbidden to stay in Erasmus, but everyone here adores you, Bin. Everyone here is trying to keep your presence hidden, but...who knows how long it'll be before a woodland decides to rat you out to the Fae Council."
"Ah." Yubin looks down to her lap, and tightens her fists. She doesn't want her presence to be a burden on the creatures here. Far from it. For the past year, the creatures of Erasmus, weary at first of a human, welcomed her as if she was one of the Forest's own.
"But...but there's rumours of a horde of humans living in the south side of Erasmus. Apparently there's a group of them. The Vamp Council had approved their stay immediately."
Yubin chuckles. "Are you sure it wasn't because they'd be guaranteed to have fresh blood?"
Yoohyeon swats her shoulder, grinning a little. "Hey! You know the vampires don't feast on human blood. They're just very welcoming because they know what if feels like to not be invited inside."
Yubin laughs again. "I know. But they scare me."
"Huh? Lee Yubin, actually scared of something?"
"Yeah, yeah," She rolls her eyes, smiling, but...the thought of knowing humans are allowed to stay in atleast one part of the divided forest comforts her dearly.
"But Bin..."
Yubin looks up at her, and her smile falters with the way Yoohyeon looks as if she's grieving. She takes her hand, and holds it gently. "What is it?"
"You..do want to stay, right? All of us here want you to, but, do you wish to stay yourself?"
Usually, Yubin sits with a question for a long time. Ponders with the what-ifs. The yes and no. She'd think of every single outcome until it exhausts her, and she no longer wants to problem solve the question because it's meaningless to.
But with a question like this, Yubin answers immediately.
"Of course I want to stay. Why wouldn't I?"
Because, of course. There is no reason to go back. Yubin had already made up her mind a step out of the castle that she'd never return and bring what the king asked her of. She had hoped she'd be taken away by Erasmus, the same way that expedition took away the soldiers, maybe to her death. Escape from the life she built out of desperation.
(But hey, at least now she knows the soldiers are fine, hanging out with vampires. Thankfully, she landed in the Fae and woodland part of the forest.)
"I have you and Siyeon, and I know we're all a weird match, but," She looks at Yoohyeon, and even if she tries to restrain her emotions, her voice shakes a little when she murmurs. "I'm so fond of you two. I can't imagine my life anywhere else except here, with you two. And I mean it, Yoohyeon."
Yoohyeon looks as if she's on the brink of tears, and Yubin chuckles at the way she looks relieved.
"Oh, thank the Faes. Because it would've been awkward if you had said no, because--" Yoohyeon quickly rummages her satchel bag, and takes out a piece of dark green fabric. Yubin watches, until she realises exactly what Yoohyeon has in her hands.
"Because...the Council agreed to let you stay, Bin. And they wanted me to give you this."
But Yubin already knows what it is, and her heart pounds in her chest as she tries to remain calm. She gently takes the fabric, unravels it and a small piece of her heart feels as if it's been glued back together. She had been waiting for so long.
"Your own special tunic! Blessed by the Faes themselves. I even embroided your name while travelling back, so we don't get confused with eachothers."
Yubin inspects the handiwork by Yoohyeon, fingers grazing over her name. She looks at Yoohyeon, and Yoohyeon beams at her, before crashing her down to the ground in a hug.
"I know Erasmus has been your home for awhile," Yoohyeon begins, and Yubin can feel her neck dampening from her tears. "But welcome home, Yubin."
"Thank you," Yubin can only breathe out, before kissing Yoohyeon with all the love and adoration she can muster in her small chest for her.
Home, Yubin has always thought, was just an object. A roof over your head. But no, to her, home is more than just that. Home is Yoohyeon and Siyeon, this forest, and their little cottage they had built together only from sticks and stones.
To the strange fellows that inhabit the forest. From the talking felines, Gahyeon and Handong, who occasionally trick her, but still offer her tea on the treetops. To the witches Yubin drinks beer and gets tipsy more frequently with. To the werewolf Yubin likes to nuzzle with and ride with the wind, to the faerie Yubin likes to kiss breathless and adore as if she's her goddess and her reason to live. Yubin adores them all.
(But it is inside the forest, that lies a treasure far more precious than gold or metal.
The book was right, because Yubin found something far more precious than any metal, worth more than what gold could ever buy.
She found a family, one she'll protect to the very ends of the earth, until her very last breath. That much, she thinks, is all she knows.)