Chapter Text
The town was bustling with people; Minghao had never seen so many at once. In his small village of Ealdor, travellers were scarce. As Minghao always described it, his village was nothing special. Just a few fields and a couple of cows.
As he stepped through the gates of Camelot, he marvelled at the massive towers of the Citadel, a white castle like no other. The streets were alive with market vendors, children playing, and hordes of people. A child ran past him, and it was only then that Minghao noticed the crowds were all moving towards the castle's main square. Excited at the possibility of street entertainers, he forced his way into the crowd, weaving through it to the front. He still had that stupid smile on his face when he noticed the podium that had been set up, with a single wooden block resting on top of it, and the handcuffed man being dragged towards it by armed knights.
The man is forced to kneel at the foot of the block, his head being forcibly lowered till his forehead touched the wood. Minghao's growing confusion is disrupted by a booming voice.
"Citizens of Camelot!"
His eyes travel to a man standing on the Citadel's balcony, a golden crown resting on his head.
"Let this be a lesson to all!" He proclaims. "This man has been found guilty of practicing magic! By the laws of Camelot, magic is banned on penalty of death. As such, there is only one sentence I can pass."
An executioner steps onto the podium. The king lowers his arm, and Minghao looks away before the axe falls. He hears the sickening crunch of bone and wood under steel.
He hears a few gasps, and then silence. The crowd begins to disperse, and Minghao is about to turn away too, his heart hammering in his chest, when a blood curdling scream has him freezing in place.
He looks up, slowly, to see an old woman, tears running down her cheeks as she stares at the blood spilling from the podium. "My son," she gasps. Her breathing is quick, too quick, and her hands are shaky when she reaches out for the still man on the podium. Symptoms of hyperventilation, Minghao realizes. He forces his legs to work, moving forward towards the woman. He could help her, he just had to reach her.
"You've taken my son from me!" She screams, and Minghao freezes again, petrified by the venom in her voice. "You've taken him from me, and you shall pay! An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son-"
Her voice breaks as she chokes back a sob. She swallows thickly, her gaze hardening like the black of night when she meets the king's eyes again.
"A son for a son."
"Seize her!" The King yells, but the woman is quicker. Her voice rises as she recites an enchantment, her eyes glowing a brilliant gold.
Minghao protects himself by crossing his arms in front of him when a fierce wind picks up around her, swirling like a tornado. When it finally stops, he looks up, and the woman is gone.
****
It is many hours later when Minghao manages to still his beating heart and creep up the steps to the castle again. A certain fear has gripped his heart; this hadn't been at all what he'd expected from Camelot. He'd imagined a colourful city filled with all walks of life, where everyone was accepted. Instead, he was fearing for his life.
He sucked in a breath, straightened his posture, and tried to look far more confident than he felt. He bravely marched up to a guard, physically stopping himself from leaping in fright when the guard turned to stare at him.
"Do you know where I can find the court physician?" He managed to blurt out.
The guard pointed him towards the way and Minghao quickly scurried past him like his depended on it. Which it did.
He knocked on the door, bracing himself for a cranky old man that would probably be overjoyed at the prospect of having a new, young assistant to work to the bone for him.
Instead, a young looking man opens the door, looking no more than a few years older than Minghao himself. He smiles at Minghao, and Minghao almost cries.
He really needed to work on his habit of always assuming the worst case scenario.
The stranger is tall, with honey brown bangs that fall in front of his eyes, and the most adorable smile Minghao has ever seen. It helped that he was quite possibly the most attractive man Minghao's ever known.
The stranger raises an eyebrow. "Xu Minghao, right?" He asks uncertainly.
Minghao blinks, mentally slapping himself for staring. "Y-yes, that's me!" He awkwardly fumbles to extend his hand out. "My mother asked me to be in your care. It's a pleasure to meet you!"
The stranger smiles, and Minghao notices he has dimples.
"I'm Wen Junhui, the court physician. You may call me Jun if you wish. The pleasure's all mine." He holds the door open for him, and Minghao scrambles inside, trying not to trip on anything so he doesn't make an even bigger fool of himself than he already has.
"So, Minghao." Jun starts.
"Yes?!" Minghao straightens.
Jun smiles at his eagerness. He had a feeling he would grow to like this Minghao. "What brings you to Camelot?"
Minghao had prepared himself for this question. Born with the gift of magic, Minghao had never quite known what to do with it his entire life. There was no use for it in his small village. His mother had suggested he become an apprentice to a skilled physician, insisting that perhaps he would find a purpose for his gift in medicine. Minghao wasn't sure he agreed, but at the very least, he had hoped he would find a use for it within Camelot.
Now that hope was diminished, not that he could tell the physician that. Instead, he recites the answer he had memorized and rehearsed so many times.
"I want to become a physician for my village; we have little medicine there and it would mean a lot to my mother."
A smile spreads on Jun's face. "That's a noble dream, Minghao. I'd be happy to have you as my apprentice. In fact, you can start right away!"
Before Minghao can respond, Jun gracefully swoops past him to pick up a vial and small slip of paper, both of which he promptly drops into Minghao's hands.
"These eye drops are for Sir Olwen, he's as blind as a mole. There's the address, you'd better hurry on with it."
Somehow, his words did not match the cheerful tone of his voice. He pushes a flabbergasted Minghao to the door, shooing him away with a merry wave and dimpled smile.
Minghao's mouth is still open when the door closes on him and he looks down at the vial in his hand. Well, he supposed this was his fault for making too eager a first impression. With a sigh, he heads off to ask someone where the knight's chambers are.
****
When Minghao leaves the knight's chambers after delivering the vial to a certain Sir Olwen, who was in fact every bit as blind as Jun had so rudely described, he begins making his way back to the front hall. As he passes through the main square, he nearly jumps in fright when a servant boy carrying a rather large wooden structure on his back collapses in front of him. It's a wooden target, he realizes upon closer inspection. And to his horror, a knife is wedged cleanly into the center of the target. The boy stands up on shaky legs, and Minghao rushes to check on him, but is interrupted by a voice.
"Come on, get up! We haven't got all day!"
Minghao follows the voice to a tall man dressed in polished steel armour, surrounded by other knights, with black hair fanning around his face, a cocky smirk, a tall nose bridge, and wow. If Minghao thought Jun was attractive, this man was somehow even more. He looked like a prince. A knight in shining armour that you only ever imagined in your dreams.
Minghao was in awe, until he registered what the handsome man had just said.
He watched in confusion as the servant boy bowed to him in apology, fixed the target on his back and proceeded to run across the square, fear and anxiety framing his expression. His confusion turned to shock when the princely knight suddenly threw a knife at the running boy, whooping when the boy fell to his knees again. A second knife was attached to the target this time, just next to the first one.
"Come on, you can run faster than that!" The stranger mocked.
The boy got up again. And again he fell.
And again. And again.
The not-so-princely stranger laughed. "Not very bright, are you?"
Anger bubbled up inside Minghao and spilled over. He marched up to the boy, grabbing the edge of the wooden target and ripping it off his back. The boy looked up at him in a mixture of shock, turmoil, and fear. Minghao's heart broke for him.
"That's enough!" He yelled. He reaches down to help the boy stand up on shaky legs.
"What?" A cold voice questions him. He turns back to see the handsome stranger, his face soured as he glares at Minghao.
Minghao glares right back. He wouldn't be intimidated by this prick. "I said, enough." He repeats, spitting out every word. "You've had your fun."
The man stalks up to him, and Minghao tries not to shrink back at the way he towers over him. He wasn't significantly taller than Minghao, only a few inches at most, but the way he glowered down at him made Minghao feel so much smaller.
"Do I know you?" He asked, deliberately speaking slowly. Trying to scare him.
Minghao gathered his courage; he would not back down. "I'm Minghao," he said confidently, jutting his chin out haughtily.
"So I don't know you," the stranger replied indifferently.
"No," Minghao confirmed slowly, confused by the direction of their conversation.
"And yet, you had the audacity to order me around."
Minghao gaped at him. "I-"
"You look like nothing more than the common peasant," he continues, interrupting Minghao. "And yet, you had the audacity to tell me what to do."
It took every cell in Minghao's body not to right-hook this fool. "Who the hell do you think you are-"
"But then again, stupidity is the peasantry's area of expertise, isn't it?"
Minghao didn't need to be told twice. He balled his hand into a fist and swung, aiming for that arrogant face.
To his surprise, the stranger caught it with ease. Minghao yelped in pain when he felt his arm being twisted behind his back before he could even register what had happened. The man lowered his head to speak directly into Minghao's ear, and Minghao felt paralyzed with shock.
"I could have you thrown in jail for that."
Until he spoke, that is. Then the familiar rage returned to Minghao. "Like I said before, who the hell do you think you are? The king?"
The stranger leaned closer, and Minghao suppressed a shiver at the way his breath danced across his cheek.
"No. Just his son, Prince Mingyu."
****
Minghao winced when he was tossed haphazardly into the jail cell, rubbing his wrists that were sore from handcuffs.
"How was I supposed to know the arrogant prick was a prince?" He grumbled to no one in particular.
He let out a frustrated sigh and flopped down on the hay littering the cell floor. At least he'd saved that poor servant boy from further bullying. He did the right thing. He knows he did. It just didn't feel like it when he was stuck in a jail cell with no idea how long he'll be here.
He groaned and rolled over, trying to get comfortable. Or, as much comfort as a jail cell provided at least. He could survive a night here. He'd dream about using his magic to humble that insufferable prince like he deserves. He'd dream about a nice prince that was fair and just and deserving of his people, unlike the current one this unfortunate kingdom was doomed to be ruled by someday. He closed his eyes and tried not to cry himself to sleep.
****
When Minghao awakes the next morning, it's to Jun's dazzling face. He bolts upright.
"Sorry, sorry! My bad," Jun apologizes, holding his hands up in surrender. "Honestly, Minghao, I can't believe you. Your first day in Camelot and you pick a fight with the Crown Prince and end up in the dungeons."
"I knowww," Minghao groans, covering his face. "I didn't know the toad-face was a prince!"
"Lower your voice," Jun scolds harshly, glancing anxiously at the guards to make sure they hadn't heard. He exhales a long sigh. "Listen Minghao, the rules are different here from your village. You can't insult the royal family and expect to get away with it. Promise me you won't do anything that foolish ever again." He places his hands on his hips, waiting on Minghao expectantly with a stern expression on his face.
Minghao gulped. Could he really keep that promise? The stupid prince drove him mad, him and his stupid flock of knights just like him deserve to be insulted! But perhaps if Minghao just avoided him for the rest of his life, he could manage.
Jun tapped his foot on the cell floor expectantly, crossing his arms.
"Okay," Minghao agreed reluctantly. "I promise I'll try my best not to get into anymore trouble."
"You won't just try, you'll make sure of it." Jun rephrased strictly.
Minghao was slightly surprised to be honest, he hadn't thought Jun had a strict bone in him. But he supposed he deserved it.
Jun sighs. "I managed to pull a few strings to get you released."
Minghao's face lit up as he jumped to his feet. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'll never forget this!"
"Just make sure it doesn't happen again. Please." Jun calls back as he leaves the cell, Minghao following excitedly behind him. "Now come, we must prepare for tonight's celebrations. The king wishes to celebrate 20 successful years of peace since magic was outlawed."
A pin pricks Minghao, but he tries not to let it show on his smile as he follows Jun out of the dungeons.
****
Later that night, the celebrations are in full force.
Minghao marvels at it all. Long tables which appear to have no end in sight, with towers of delicate pastries and delicacies piled high on plates. Grand crystal chandeliers with flames at each tip. Noblemen and noblewomen mingling amongst each other, wearing dresses of woven silk and long velvet capes embroidered with their noble house crests. The pedestal for the royal family, and the gorgeous silver stage backdrop set up for the finest singer the 5 kingdoms had to offer: Lady Helen.
Minghao could barely contain his excitement. He discreetly snagged a raspberry scone as a servant passed by him with a tray, pretending to cough so he could eat it without being detected. It was so good, he could cry.
He mostly followed Jun around as he went through the party guests and checked on everyone he had prescribed medicine to. Technically Minghao was here for work as well, to support Jun, but he would be damned if he didn't take full advantage of this party while he had the chance.
He was plotting his strategy to steal another scone when the horns sounded, announcing the arrival of the royal family. The guests stepped aside to form orderly lines, Jun pulling Minghao along with him as he lined up besides the others, leaving an empty path leading to the pedestal.
The king arrived first, his golden crown reflecting onto the trinkets surrounding them as he confidently strode up to the pedestal. Behind him walked the Crown Prince, and Minghao wrinkled his nose in distaste.
The prince wore a smaller crown, but no less brilliant. His wardrobe had been updated from the last time Minghao saw him; he wore a fine cape of red rayon, with white fur enclosing the sides. His black hair had been swept to one side, falling elegantly over his ear. He looked every part a prince, if Minghao had to be honest. If he didn't dislike him so much, he might even think he looks great.
Trailing behind him, and the last of the royal family, was the king's ward. Taken in by the king at a young age after losing his parents, the king's ward had grown up most of his life with the royal family. Though he was not considered of the same blood as the king and his son, his unique status as the king's ward entitled him to the same privileges and rights as the royal family. As far as Minghao could tell, he was one of them.
Minghao had heard rumours about the beauty of the king's ward, and he was not disappointed. He strolled in wearing the same red as the king and prince, except his was a satin suit with black embroidery that contrasted starkly against the bright red. His hair was an almost platinum blonde, wavy and falling into his eyes. He looked beautiful and intimidating at the same time. Minghao didn't know his name yet, but imagined he would find out soon enough.
The king began his address. "Since banishing magic from the land, we have enjoyed 20 years of peace and prosperity. These 20 years have brought myself and the kingdom many pleasures. But few can compare with the pleasure of introducing the finest singer Camelot has to offer: Lady Helen!"
The guests break into applause, and Minghao claps with them.
A young woman, Lady Helen, descends from the stage, singing in a voice that is sweet and melodic. Her elegant beige and ivory gown flows behind her. Her brown hair has been tucked into a neat bun, decorated with flowers. She is beautiful, living up to her name, and her voice is heavenly, lifting the spirits of all those in the room. Yet Minghao sensed a strange familiarity in her eyes. He knew he had never met her before, how could he when he was simply a poor villager? But her eyes pulled him, seeming to tell a different story. Minghao shook it off, chalking it up to his eyes playing tricks on him.
Lady Helen's voice rose as she drifted across the stone floor, steadily making her way towards the pedestal while singing an enchanting opera performance.
A smile had fixed itself onto Minghao's face, as with all the other guests, lulled by her melody.
Out of the corner of his eye, Minghao saw Jun leaning heavily into his chair. Concerned, he turned to face him, only to see his eyelids flutter shut, a peaceful expression on his face, as if asleep. Minghao is about to call out to him, when he notices the nobleman next to him fall asleep in the same manner. And the noblewoman next to him. And the guest next to her.
Minghao whirls around only to find the guests on the other side of the room similarly falling asleep. To his horror, he watches as cobwebs begin to grow over the guests, completely trapping them to their seats. He draws his hands over his ears, pressing tightly to block out the sound of her voice.
Lady Helen's voice rises as she continues to walk, her gaze fixed on the pedestal. Minghao follows it and finds his eyes land on the prince, asleep and encased in cobwebs.
Terror overtakes him as she unsheathes a knife from beneath her dress, voice rising to its highest octave as she aims it carefully towards the prince.
Minghao doesn't think. He searches desperately, gaze falling on the crystal chandelier hanging directly above her. His dark irises light up with a sparkling gold mist, hyper-focusing on the connective chain holding up the chandelier. The chains snaps, and the chandelier comes tumbling down. Lady Helen has no time to react before it crushes her beneath it.
To Minghao's great relief, the spell is broken. He sees the people begin to wake, watches as Jun and the prince swat away the cobwebs with expressions of utter confusion etched onto their features. He also sees Lady Helen awake. Still trapped beneath the chandelier, she grabs the knife, and with a final dying shriek, heaves it towards the prince.
Time slows for Minghao. The knife spins in circles in the air. His legs move before his mind can keep up; he sprints towards the prince, gripping his shoulders and pulling him low to the ground with him just as the knife embeds itself into the back of his chair.
Minghao collapses onto the floor, the prince crashing besides him. He bolts up in fear, his eyes searching for Lady Helen, only he does not find her. Instead, trapped beneath the chandelier, he sees the old woman that had cried for her son that day. The woman who had vowed revenge: a son for a son. The life leaves her eyes as she succumbs underneath the weight of the metal.
Minghao is struck with the sudden realization that all eyes are on him. As he stands up next to the prince, who is staring at him in awe, the King hurries next to them, bewildered.
"You saved my son's life." He breathed.
Minghao doesn't know what to say.
"A debt must be repaid," the king declares. "You shall be rewarded! This merits something quite special."
Words finally return to Minghao. "Oh, you don't have to, your highness-"
"No, absolutely I must." The king insists. "You shall be awarded a position in the royal household!"
Minghao's heart swells, a smile breaking out on his face despite himself.
"You shall be Prince Mingyu's manservant!"
Minghao's smile drops.
"Father!" The prince protests, but the king pays him no mind.
Minghao meets the prince's eyes, and they both look away in disgust.
****
Minghao throws his hands up in frustration. "How is it a reward to be a servant?! And on top of that, a servant to the most bratty prince in the land!"
"Don't be so pessimistic, Minghao." Jun scolds, suppressing a grin. Minghao could tell he was enjoying this situation. Laughing at his misery, some teacher he was.
"Perhaps you'll find a fulfilling purpose in the work."
Minghao sits up in surprise, and Jun meets his gaze head-on. "Don't think I haven't noticed your lack of interest in my work, Minghao. For someone who supposedly dreams of becoming a physician, you show no motivation for it."
Minghao sputters, searching for excuses, but Jun cuts him off, holding a hand up.
"It's alright. If you can't tell me your true reasons for coming to Camelot right now, I won't make you. I respect your secrets, Minghao."
Minghao breathed a sigh of relief. Jun had no idea how grateful he was for him.
"Maybe you'll find your purpose in this job. You never know, perhaps it is your great destiny to serve the prince."
"What great destiny can there be in serving a nincompoop?" Minghao mutters under his breath.
Jun laughs, just as a knock sounds on the door. A guard calls out from behind the door. "Minghao, Prince Mingyu wants you right away!"
Minghao groans loudly.
Jun grins like a cat. "Your destiny calls!"