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Chapter Text

Chapter One: The Silenced and The Victim

A sigh echoed through the long hallway as a group of men walked with one royal, their thuds of footsteps thundering in their own ears, and despite the strident echoing of music and the prominent promise of possible chance of someone to talk to due to the loudness of chatter slipping through the old cracks of the castle doors, no sign of happiness could be found on this prince’s face. The purple-haired boy kept his stoic face as he strode through the way with all the learned confidence he had mastered, but his heart screamed every time he swung his arms back and forth, every time they would pass a torch attached to a handle on the wall, every time he moved his feet, wishing it was stepping back home instead of leading him towards the big room filled with strangers he did not know and would care less to know.

His heart and mind screamed for his mother, but he knew it was futile to look for her. She had been missing for how long, he did not even know.

Stopping before the door, halting his guards behind him, the prince stared at the door for a while as if it was taunting him for being scared of entering the room, but then he reached out and touched the knob the moment he started hearing his father’s words whispering in his ear, slowly melting his mind.

“ Do not attempt to shame or humiliate me.”

He sighed and turned the knob.

Prince Kang Hyewon entered the ballroom with his personal guards surrounding him, his eyes seeing most royalties slow dancing to the song the band inside the room was playing, its soft tune soothing the ears of everyone in the room. Some of the royalties coming from different kingdoms were sitting with their significant ones, talking in hush whispers as they enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere inside the room, some dancing in the middle of the room with other random people they have asked to dance, smiling gleefully as they took their chance for one night. Hyewon stared at them with blank eyes, no emotion written on the young prince’s face. He walked away from the old people and started making his way towards the balcony on the right side of the room that he saw as soon as he entered, but a person stepped before him and loomed over him, making him bow down. “Your Majesty.”

Before him, stood the King of the kingdom he was in, a wide grin playing on the face of the older royal as he looked down at the young prince. “Prince Hyewon, have you declined to participate with the other princes?” The King gestured to a crowd of princes on a corner, all sitting on the ground as they all listened to a prince with short, ash-gray hair talking animatedly, standing on his feet as he spread his arms as he illustrated what he was telling the other princes. Prince Hyewon eyed the group for a moment then turned towards the King who had been looking at his reaction the whole time the purple-haired prince was watching the crowd of kids. “I shall be present amongst your esteemed guests shortly, Your Majesty. The alluring aroma of the sumptuous feast at the banquet table had piqued my interest from a distance.”

“By all means, undoubtedly! Partake in a hearty meal, as your father acknowledged your fondness for food.” The King raised his hand and ruffled the prince’s hair, a chuckle leaving his lips. Hyewon tried not to let a wince slip from his face when the mention of his father entered his ears. “Your disposition is significantly contrasting to that of my younger son. He exhibits boisterous behavior, whereas you are characterized by tranquility. I trust that you will develop a meaningful friendship.” The prince mutely nodded and bowed his head again, then turned to head over the banquet table. His personal guard, Joongwon, stopped him from his walk. “Your Grace, I am prepared to obtain the dishes of your choice. Could you please specify your selections?”

“Gain a collection of various things, Joongwon.” The guard bowed and went on his way, leaving the prince with the rest of the other guards. Hyewon’s eyes fluttered towards the balcony once again, and this time he made sure no one was going to stop him. He stepped out of the balcony and saw the terrains on the right side of the kingdom. Everything felt calm as his eyes adjusted to the beauty before him, but yet his eyes stayed on a particular tree on top of a hill on the northern part.

“Taehyun, what is the best way to reach that destination?” The prince asked his second guard, pointing at the hill. The guard looked over where the prince was pointing and answered. “The castle lies quite a distance from the intended destination, Your Highness. The most efficient mode of transportation would be by horse. However, I am hesitant about your exploring the Choi's lands without the King's consent. ”

Although most of the time Hyewon found himself scared of his father, he also had moments where he would not listen to anyone but his mind, and this was one of those moments.

The quiet prince turned and stared at the guard, a small smile slowly creeping its way on his face. “Taehyun, what has prevented me from doing actions without my father's consent in the past?”

As the loud event continued on as the sun made its way from where the birds come from to where the birds flew, everyone else except for royalties continued on as life felt like nothing new was happening.

Except for one commoner, just duly doing his job.

The guard guarding the top of the castle, along with the other three, was getting quite annoyed. He discreetly released his kept breath through his nostrils, eyes scanning the horizon of the falling sun, the choice of making a certain human’s voice as background noise beginning to backfire on him as said voice started firing like enemy’s arrows coming from the sky, nonstop.

“What purpose does your presence serve up here when the significant events and aspirations of the guards unfold on the land?” A chatty child asked after his last question about fighting knights, keeping his hands on his back as he tilted his head while staring at the guard in front of him, his crown lying undisturbed on the top of his head.

The said guard exchanged looks with his nearest co-worker as if he was asking for help, but all he received was an evasive eye contact as neither of them knew how to handle a very speculative prince, and so the only thing he thought of doing, was to answer honestly. “It was the head guard who granted us this position, Your Highness, without our previous approval.” The little prince nodded his head and then turned to the guard on his left, about to ask another question when he remembered that he had not introduced himself yet. With bright eyes matching his shining, red hair, the prince introduced himself. “May I share my name with you? My name is Lee Chaeyeon. I am from the Lee Kingdom, I was broug---”

Loud shouting that erupted from the stairs that led to the top of the castle broke Chaeyeon’s introduction and not long after, a familiar head popped out from the door and a groan escaped the little prince’s mouth.

“Your Grace, we have been in quest of your whereabouts for a considerable duration. Had you wished to traverse the castle, we would have been pleased to accompany you!” The servant stopped just before the prince and bowed, trying to catch his breath. The guards all but let a sigh of relief escape their beings, watching the interaction between the royal and the servant unfold.

Chaeyeon patted his servant’s shoulder as he hunched down, his face holding a guilty look. “I offer my sincere apologies for any worry I may have inadvertently caused, Yaeun. My intention was to reach the castle's summit to take in its breathtaking view, as its impressive dimensions had left a deep impression upon me during our arrival with our parents.” The little prince apologized.

Yaeun faced the guards and released a loud exhale before bowing before the armed men. “I sincerely hope that he did not cause inconvenience.”

The guards bowed down as well, not forgetting manners despite the never-ending questions they were getting minutes earlier. “His inquisitiveness regarding various matters was merely modest. Yet, his future role as a king would be distinguished, given his inherent qualities.”

“Yaeun, where is Chaewon?” Chaeyeon turned from looking at the guards and asked, looking up at his servant who quickly smiled at him the moment the prince had asked about his friend. “His Majesty, Chaewon is stationed downstairs at present. He is charged with the protection of Princess Chaeryeong in conjunction with the Queen.”

Hearing his sister’s name, Chaeyeon turned excited and his face brightened up once more. “I must introduce Chaeryeong to this spot. Let us proceed to her!” The young prince was about to sprint away after bowing goodbye to the guards when he saw something standing all mighty on a hill, far on the northeast side of the palace. Too entranced with what he saw, the servant nudged him to get his attention again. “Your Highness, I notice that you appear troubled. Would you be so kind as to share the cause of your concern with me?”

Prince Chaeyeon pointed at the hill, his eyes never leaving the terrain. “How can we travel to that place?”

As the prince and his servant walked their way down back to the gathering, Yaeun failed to notice how one of the guards had looked so sinister, watching the prince from his designated place on the top of the castle.

A blood-curling grin made its way on the guard’s face.

Chapter Text

Chapter Two: The Receiver and The Unfortunate

The small ash-gray haired prince momentarily stopped telling his story when he saw a purple-haired boy walking quietly towards the balcony, with guards walking beside and behind him.

"Due to his reticent nature, he is unlikely to join our group.” The young prince had thought, his eyes watching as it seemed like the particular prince was looking at something. “I observed him directing a look towards this place earlier.”

“Prince Yena, may we inquire as to what occurred with the cow?” One of the younger princes asked, still sitting on the ground with his fellow princes, looking up at the slightly older prince with shining eyes.

Prince Yena shook his head, getting himself back to reality. He looked down and smiled at the younger prince. “The cow, defying all expectations, grew wings and flew away, leaving the wolf in disbelief!”

A chorus of gasps erupted in the crowd of small princes, not believing Prince Yena’s words.

A prince with bright orange hair kneeling at the back of the group retorted loudly. “Prince Yena, your claim is baseless! The anatomy of a cow does not permit the growth of wings!”

The gray-haired prince smirked and turned towards the young prince who had uttered those words, his eyebrows raised as his smirk grew every second. “Are you positively sure, Doyeon?”

The orange-haired prince nodded his head abruptly, confident of his answer.

Yena shook his head. “My story may indeed be factual, need I remind you of the lore concerning the twelve mighty warriors in my kingdom?”

The tale being so known, all the princes nodded their heads.

“The story is proof that nothing is beyond our reach. The story is proof that nothing is beyond our reach. Our kingdom was protected and our enemies were defeated by a small group of 12 warriors, some of whom were injured and outnumbered.” The small gray-haired prince smiled at the younger princes sitting in front of him. “Considering cows with wings isn't as absurd as it sounds.”

“Prince Yena, may I ask: Is it within the realm of possibility that Princess Yoojung returns Doyeon's feelings for her?” A lot of teasing erupted in the small circle of princes, and it was visible to see the certain tall prince having red tints on both of his cheeks as the mention of the person targeted with his affection became the new topic of the group. Yena laughed at the subject and ruffled each of the princes’ hair, an amused look on his face. As much as he wanted to dwell on the topic of the tall prince liking his twin sister, they were still too young to talk about feelings and emotions.

“Your ages are insufficient for contemplating the matters of princesses and affection! Our initial objective should be to assist our kingdoms in thriving. As princes, our admirable deeds and diligent work ethic will eventually warrant their recognition without our needing to pursue it.” He remarked lightly, ruffling the hair of the prince sitting before him.

Doyeon looked up at Yena with shining eyes, and if he had poor eyesight, Yena would have mistook it for the sun or a star. “In the future, if we attain our rightful princely status, there is a possibility that Yoodaeng may reciprocate my feelings towards her?”

Yena nodded his head yes. “If you assume the role of a proficient sovereign."

Doyeon smirked and raised his fist high. “Then, I will outshine all former rulers in greatness!”

Yena chuckled at Doyeon’s antics, thinking whether to intimidate the prince a bit.

“Before you can officially claim her as your princess, you must first seek my blessing to initiate a courtship.” Doyeon’s eyes widened at the reminder. Right, before a prince could court a lady, much so a princess, they had to get the blessings of her family.

“It is essential to keep Prince Sungmin in mind!" Prince Heeyeon, sharing the same age as Doyeon, also added up, further scaring the orange-haired prince. The thought of talking to Yoojung’s much older brother made Doyeon’s skin crawl, his shivers too obvious that it made Yena laugh.

Doyeon had good reasons to be scared, his older brother was a very intimidating person.

The other princes rejoiced with the tall one while the others decided on teasing him, not noticing how their favorite prince slipped out as Yena followed the prince he saw earlier, determined to befriend the newly comer.

Prince Yena of the Choi kingdom was known to be very friendly and cheerful, not passing a chance to befriend any kid he saw. The quiet prince he saw was no exception, so when he watched that the unusual prince made his way out of the room without even talking to his parents, he followed him with the thought of a possibility to get close with the quiet prince.

He frowned when he saw the quiet boy leave the room silently, it was obvious he was trying not to get attention. Yet he captured one.

The gray-haired prince left the group of younger princes as he kept his eyes on the purple-haired prince.

On his way to follow the prince, Yena stopped on his tracks when he caught wind of his father saying something to his fellow kings…about him.

“I am at a loss as to how to manage that young prince of mine.” King Jihu stressed as he brought his cup of wine to his lips, his eyebrows meeting each other as he remained oblivious to his son’s presence.

“His abilities do not hold a candle to those of Sungmin. Lackadaisical and imprudent, he fails to embody the qualities of a prince. Once I became aware of his conduct, I was appreciative of Sungmin's presence, as I would not have bestowed the throne upon him.” It was only through Yena’s ears when he heard something break. He stayed still on his place, turning around to look for the cause of the noise, but found no ruckus.

That was when he realized it was his heart that had gotten broken.

Yena’s emotions wavered as his eyes felt warm all of a sudden, and the urge to be alone started overwhelming him.

“No,” Yena told himself. “Should you choose to seclude yourself, others may perceive it as a sign of indolence, which they could exploit to their advantage.”

Yena walked away as he heard his father continuing his conversation, trying to forget the hurtful words he just heard but no matter what he did, the words circle his head just like how flies would hover over unprotected food, mocking and stimulating fear in him.

A tear fell from Yena’s eyes when he could not take the pain of his father’s words anymore, but he quickly wiped it away.

The pain can wait another day.

A potential friend could not.

A very tall prince sat with the older royalties around him, and it was obvious that he was not enjoying it one bit. He casted a glance towards the other side of the room where most of the princes enjoyed their time, and he silently wished he could be like them.

And he could. 

If he knew how to.

Prince Yujin of the Ahn Kingdom was someone who you would mistake as a prince who was already on his term of training and had already passed his classes on how to act properly as a royalty based on his outer appearance but surprisingly, he was actually just a young prince still learning about the etiquettes of being a prince. 

He was still young.

And being young meant being able to enjoy youth, the innocence of the mind, but Yujin did not enjoy his youth, since youth should have always come after feeling the love of those who were closest to you. 

And Yujin did not have that.

Yujin did not feel that.

Being loved.

He sighed once again as he now put his glance towards his mother who sat beside him, cradling his newly born baby brother.

Yujin wanted to feel the emotions his parents poured on to his little brother.

Yujin wanted to feel loved.

And since he did not know how it felt to be loved, he had a hard time being friends with anyone else.

That was why he decided to keep himself seated beside his mother.

He sighed again.

His mother, Ahn Seoyeon, the current Queen of the Ahn Kingdom, took notice of this and leaned to her dear son’s side to whisper. “Your Highness, Prince Yujin, kindly refrain from sighing. Your audible expression of discomfort is not befitting our regal demeanor.”

The blue-haired prince froze and stiffly nodded his head.

No sign of that warning screamed love and affection to him.

The young prince turned and made eye contact with his personal guard who was standing just a few feet behind him. He gestured for him to come closer.

“Inquire from the staff as to the whereabouts of the library. Preferably, I'd choose to be engulfed in the company of books rather than endure the foul odor of aged men and women.” His personal guard nodded and went on his way to gather information.

After knowing the direction and the exact location of the library, Prince Yujin excused himself from the table as he followed his guard towards the quiet place. While passing through the dark hallways, something outside the window caught the young prince’s attention, making him stop.

“After pondering the matter, would it not be more suitable for us to go to that destination?”

Chapter Text

Chapter Three: The Fated Meeting

And from there, four princes made their way to a simple hill standing before the vast lands of the Choi Kingdom, all with different purposes, but with the same fate.

The first prince to arrive at the top of the hill was Prince Chaeyeon. A bright smile grew on his face as he saw the vast and breathtaking scenery before him as he stood in front of the tree, his back facing the kingdom where he was supposed to be at.

“It piqued your interest as well, I presume.” A voice asked the awestruck prince. Prince Chaeyeon turned to see a boy almost the same height as him, but with the way he was standing with his hand hidden on his back, he could tell that the boy was older than him, looking like he just finished climbing the hill. Prince Chaeyeon bowed before the boy, knowing that he was a prince. The logo on his vest and the crown on his head said so.

“It is unequivocally true that it did.” Prince Chaeyeon faced the tree again. “It is a sight that leaves one in awe.”

Though the red-haired boy was not facing him, Prince Hyewon still nodded in agreement. “The climate is warm. It would be prudent to rest in the tree's shade for a short period.”

The two princes sat under the tree, momentarily closing their eyes to feel the cold breeze as the wind passed by. A comfortable silence surrounded them and a sense of relaxation slowly spread throughout both princes, though for different reasons. Prince Chaeyeon looked up at the sky, observing its beautiful array of colors while Prince Hyewon chose to look forward, staring at the vast land before him, nothing to be seen but green.

“I am Prince Lee Chaeyeon of the Lee Kingdom.” The red-haired prince introduced himself as he made himself more comfortable under the tree, now having his head resting on one of the tree’s roots. Prince Hyewon turned to him for a moment and smiled a bit before returning his gaze to their proper fixation.

“I am Prince Kang Hyewon of the Kang Kingdom.” The purple-haired prince announced simply.

Prince Chaeyeon opened his eyes and turned his head towards the older prince, Prince Hyewon’s words peaking the curiosity within him.

“I have accompanied my father to the Kang Kingdom on several occasions in my youth, yet you remained unseen.”

The older prince slipped a smile as he replied to the younger one. “Though my father's friendly demeanor and extensive connections with nearly half of the kingdoms in Korea are well-known, I have not been endowed with this trait.”

“I chose to observe the comings and goings of royals of all ages from the safety and comfort of my window within our palace. I avoided the company of visitors and their accompanying crowds.” Prince Hyewon recalled looking out of his window as different ways of transportation entered the huge gates of their kingdom, the same feeling of shyness creeping through his skin.

Prince Chaeyeon sat up and scooted closer to the prince, which Prince Hyewon did not mind.

The red-haired prince raised his eyebrows. “Did you not find yourself in a state of aloneness?”

“I find solace in the tranquility that surrounds me when the chaos subsides and people depart.” Prince Hyewon started grazing his hand on the grass in front of him. “I find value in aspects that others deem insignificant.”

Prince Chaeyeon accepted that as an answer and did not question anymore, bringing back the sereneness between them until they heard someone talking.

“The reason for my initial desire to be present here is becoming unclear to me…” The two sitting princes turned towards where the voice came from, seeing a tall, lean prince making his way towards them, his head bowed down. When the young prince finally noticed that he was not alone on the hilltop, he stopped in his tracks, pulling his head up to see two princes sitting before the tree, looking at him.

“I was not privy to the knowledge that others had preceded me. Please forgive my ignorance.” Prince Yujin turned around was about to make his way down the hill when Prince Hyewon stopped him.

“You are welcome to continue staying.” The oldest prince offered. “Prince Chaeyeon and I would be pleased to have an additional companion.”

Prince Yujin stared at the two princes for a while.

“The children would seldom, if ever, utter those words to me,” The young prince confessed as he bowed his head. “Is there a reason for it?”

“Perhaps due to my consistent refusal to give the impression that I seek their company.”

Prince Hyewon plucked grass and smiled, seeing a bit of himself on the prince. “At times, it is customary to extend invitations to certain people, regardless of whether they have expressed a desire to attend.”

“What brings you here?” The younger prince walked towards the two, eyeing the place beside the oldest. Prince Hyewon nodded his head. “We just wanted to.”

The tall prince chuckled and sat beside the friendly prince, casting a glance towards the other boy who quickly sent him a smile. “Be honest. A force compelled you to make your way here as well.”

It was Prince Chaeyeon’s time to nod about the question. “The landscape elicits a strong desire within you to remain and contemplate without constraint.”

“My name is Prince Ahn Yujin.” The two older princes turned and smiled. “Your company is very much appreciated, young prince.”

The three princes stayed under the shade of the three, staring at the particularly nothing.

“The atmosphere here is strangely serene, wouldn't you agree?” Prince Yujin asked the two princes as he put his gaze on the tree leaves above them, seeing the slight peaks of the sun from behind the leaves, each shine making its own art.

“The enchantment of this place holds you back from leaving.” Prince Yujin tried to explain his statement with gestures. “In a peculiar way.”

“I agree.” Prince Hyewon covered his eyes with his hands, breathing deeply. “Were you pleased with the celebration?”

“I devoted the majority of my hours to being up there.” Prince Chaeyeon pointed at the top of the castle, the younger prince following his finger. Prince Yujin frowned and pouted, the thought of having a moment in the aforementioned place had passed his mind when he had arrived earlier. “It is permissible for us to visit that place?”

“Hold on, you ascended there?” A slightly high-pitched voice came out of nowhere, startling the three conversing princes. Everyone sat up as they stared at the boy hiding behind the tree all along.

The youngest prince out of the three was about to ask the strange boy who he was when suddenly Prince Chaeyeon stood up and bowed his head. “P-Prince Yena!”

“Ah,” The revelation of the royal’s identity had Prince Yena looking embarrassed, waving his little hands. “In our current solitary company, there is no requirement for observing formalities.” The prince then made face. “With the exception of your guards stationed below.” Prince Yena pointed with his lips.

“Your appearance strongly resembles that of a duck.” Prince Yujin suddenly blurted out, surprising everyone, especially the person the statement was aimed for. Prince Yena stood up and placed his hands on his waist, pushing his lips out more. “Your characterization of me is unwarranted and offensive. I demand a retraction!”

Prince Yena started running after the tall prince who quickly ran away when he saw the playfulness in the duck prince’s eyes.

“These princes are children,” Prince Chaeyeon muttered happily as he and Prince Hyewon watched the two other princes ran around the tree, Prince Yujin teasing the older prince while Prince Yena continued to pursue the tall prince.

“Your regal title is that of a duck prince!” Prince Yujin screamed as he continued to keep the distance between him and the other prince. Prince Yena, quite perturbed by the nickname and the audacity of the royal to mock him, tried to retaliate by teasing the blue-haired prince. “I see an uncanny resemblance between you and a dog!”

Prince Yujin cackled as the joke did not work on him anymore. “I have already admitted to being a dog, so there is no need for you to bring it up again!” Prince Yena’s loud shouts of frustration resonated from the hill, quite the opposite of the other two princes that was still relaxed on their spots under the tree.

After running a few more rounds and finally ending with a truce, Prince Yujin and Prince Yena settled themselves on each side of the two princes that stayed seated while they were playing around, Prince Yena lying down and putting his head on Prince Chaeyeon’s outstretched leg, while Prince Yujin lied down beside Prince Hyewon – after a tireless insistent of the older that he could lie beside him – the oldest’s hand quickly falling on the younger’s head, causing a smile to stretch on Prince Yujin’s face.

“This sensation is enjoyable. Can it be named?” Prince Yujin muttered as he kept his smile and closed his eyes.

Prince Hyewon tilted his head and tried to decipher what the young prince had meant. “What can be named?”

The puppy-like prince raised one of his arms and pointed at Prince Hyewon’s hand on his head, his eyes closed as he savored the calming feeling he was feeling at that moment. “The action you are perpetrating.”

“Had you not previously received the comforting gesture of a head pat?”

Prince Hyewon looked at his new friend, trying to get a read on him. Prince Yujin had that unusual look on his face, the face that meant he was hiding something.

“I have not,” Prince Yujin finally answered in a matter-of-fact voice after some time.

After a few moments of silence, Prince Yujin spoke again. “The experience was pleasurable as well.”

This time it was Prince Chaeyeon who spoke. “What is?”

Wanting to keep the atmosphere away from being dark, and the possibility of revealing his thoughts and pain, Prince Yujin faced the prince who he was running from earlier and grinned.

“Being pursued relentlessly by the duck prince.” Prince Yujin received a growl from the other side.

“He metamorphosed into a tiger.” Prince Hyewon and Prince Chaeyeon’s laughter filled the air.

“Why do you find it pleasing?”

“I have not previously participated in this pastime with another individual. This is a new experience for me.”

They could see the slight frown on Prince Yujin’s face as he looked down, and wondered what exactly was going through his head right now.

“I can see where the amusement lies.” The corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly into a smile as he spoke.

Prince Yena sat up and stretched his hand towards the puppy prince. “Then, I enjoyed being your initial playmate.”

Prince Yujin sat up and stared at Prince Yena’s hand before smiling and taking it. “I am grateful for your part in making this experience so significant.”

“I am glad to be of assistance to you. My skills enable me to meet your expectations.”

“For how long did you conceal yourself behind the tree, Prince Yena?” Prince Chaeyeon asked, looking at the back of the tree.

“A few moments after you arrived.” Prince Yena turned and smiled at the quiet prince who had been watching the boys around him interact. “I had planned to speak with him first, but upon noticing his greater comfort level with you, I decided to be patient. It has been brought to my attention that my communication style can be perceived as overly aggressive.” Prince Yena forwarded his hand towards Prince Hyewon. “I did not want to overwhelm you with my ways. Hi. I am Prince Choi Yena.”

Prince Hyewon smiled and shook the duck’s hand. “I am Prince Kang Hyewon. Thank you for inviting me," he spoke, keeping a tight hold on Prince Yena’s hand to show that he was happy that he met him.

“Though the reason for this gathering eludes me, I am always glad to have guests join us, as this kingdom can be somewhat tranquil and underutilized at times." Prince Yena replied happily, beaming at him with his dimples on full display. The purple-haired prince nodded in acknowledgment, glancing over to where Prince Chaeyeon and Prince Yujin were huddled together, whispering conspiratorially among themselves.

Prince Yena smiled and pulled his hand away, looking far away for a bit before turning back with a big grin on his face. The birds soared above them as the sun lingered up high, the colors in the sky turning into bright hues of red, blue, purple, green, orange, and white. “The fact that the four of us have assembled here is no mere coincidence. I sense that we are on the cusp of becoming something significant together. Why not initiate our expedition today by making this location our collective domain?”

And when the last rays faded away with the moon shining out from behind the tree in full glory, the other three princes found themselves sitting on the ground, all leaning up against each other and their legs folded beneath them. The sky was black above them; it could have been a pitch-black night if not for the faint glow of the moon and stars. They were so quiet you could hardly hear them breathe.

The four princes had never felt anything like what they felt right now.

There, with just the four of them, everything felt complete.

They felt like they were home.

Chapter Text

Chapter Four: Bets All Around

The sun beamed up high in the sky as four distinct laughter travelled through the air, the same happiness and lightness swirling in four different bodies, continuous thuds of hoofs hitting the ground went the same with the beats of their hearts as two chased after the other two.

“Brother, could you please explain your deliberate speed?!” A tall prince called out to the short prince, looking forward with a worried look as he eyed the older princes riding their horses way too ahead of them. Fine grasslands surrounded them as they could see that familiar hill just a few meters away from them, the wind hitting them on the face due to the speed they were going with.

Yena winced as the distance between them and the other two princes became a bit large, Gummy’s pace decreasing as he whined pitifully. “I am faced with a dilemma, Yujin! My horse, still in the process of healing from last week's injury, is unwilling to gallop!”

Yujin, not wanting to lose again for the third time in a row, let out a low growl as his brows met. “What course of action is appropriate? Chaeyeon hyung and Hyewon hyung are emerging victorious. I am powerless to accept another loss. I had previously settled the account for the repast.”

“I propose that we travel together! I am convinced that Lightning is the ideal steed for the journey. Do keep in mind, though, that he may require additional carrots as a reward upon our arrival at the palace.” The short prince did not waste any time, getting off his horse and tying it up to a nearby tree, and then proceeded to climb his fellow prince's dark horse. Prince Ahn Yujin took off quickly after securing that his friend was safely secured at his back, almost keeping himself standing up as he urged his horse to go faster, the older of them two holding on his vest to stop himself from falling with how fast they were going. After a few fast runs, they quickly saw the figures of their other friends, Kang Hyewon and Lee Chaeyeon, and they seemed to be exchanging words as they ran beside each other, probably making fun of the two princes. Exchanging looks with the prince behind him, the youngest prince smirked as he made his horse go faster, chuckling as the two unsuspecting princes did not hear the upcoming thuds until the two princes were running alongside the other two.

“Hey there! Do not underestimate the potential of our team!” Prince Yujin shouted before going faster, leaving Prince Hyewon and Prince Chaeyeon in his wake. Prince Yena cackled as he let out a big scream, throwing his hands in the air as he celebrated with his friend. Seeing the top of the hill and the big tree, the youngest prince became more determined as he pushed his horse to his last limit. “Come along, Lightning! A little farther, my friend! I vow that you will not be compelled to run for a week's duration following this. Perform at your best!”

Chaeyeon and Hyewon chuckled when they heard the sounds of happiness coming from the top of their favorite hill, and from where they stopped and watched, they could see the two princes dancing around their tree, making weird poses and sometimes shoving each other.

“They have achieved their first triumph.” Chaeyeon pointed out, a gentle smile growing on his face.

Hyewon chuckled, patting Chaeyeon’s back, a big grin appearing on his face as Yena’s loud celebration echoed from the top of the hill. “Allow them to rejoice in their conquest. Be that as it may, we secure the victory every time.”

The two older princes left their horses to munch on the grassy place just below the hill and made their way up to the top and joined their celebrating friends. The climb uphill was not easy, but the two princes did not mind, the hardship made up for the build-up strength they would sow.

“Congratulations.” Chaeyeon greeted his friends as Prince Hyewon trudged behind him. Yujin stopped chasing Yena and ran towards his older friends, stopping in front of Chaeyeon and raising his chin high. “Victory has been achieved! The responsibility for the meal now falls upon you both.” Yujin said happily, pointing his index finger at Chaeyeon and Hyewon.

Chaeyeon chuckled, ruffling his younger friend's semi-short hair. “Undoubtedly, the wager will retain its gamble-like nature, irrespective of the outcome.” Yena tackled Hyewon on the ground and laughed at his face, hitting his chest playfully. “I won! We won! Ha!”

Hyewon sat up and pushed Yena off of him. “Chance has been kind to you, shortie.”

“This short-statured individual maintains an unrivaled record in the sport of fencing, even against you!” Yena boasted, standing up and putting his fists on his waist, a wide grin on his face. Hyewon let out a chuckle before standing up and putting the short prince in a headlock. The two princes played roughly as Chaeyeon and Yujin watched, laughing loudly as Yena almost flew away when Hyewon suddenly released him from the headlock he was in. He landed on his butt. “Hey! That hurt!”

“Undoubtedly, you came close to soaring aloft, my dear sir.” Yujin guffawed, offering his hand for Yena to take. Yena took it and pulled Yujin down, turning to his left so that Yujin’s body would not fall in him. Yujin groaned from where he lied. “That hurt you know.”

“Let us take a moment to remain still in this spot,” Yena said, looking at Chaeyeon and Hyewon who were still looking at them from where they stood. Chaeyeon moved first, lying beside Yujin. Hyewon followed and lied beside Yena, hands holding the back of his head. The four princes lied under the shade of the tree, staring nowhere, enjoying the chirps of the birds and the sereneness of the place.

“May we always consider this our personal haven?” The youngest asked, turning towards Chaeyeon.

The blonde prince smiled and nodded, making the youngest prince smile too.

“This place shall forever hold a distinctive position in our hearts,” Hyewon said from his place, staring at the leaves above them.

“This land is not surrendering easily. Those who aspire to seize it must be prepared to engage in a bitter struggle, possibly involving the shedding of blood.” Yena smiled happily.

“Why are we getting too emotional?” Hyewon suddenly asked his friends, still staring at the tree above them.  

The youngest of the four retorted. “We are not currently experiencing that situation. Instead, we are contemplating potential future developments, should it transpire.”

“Let us move forward and consume a meal, Yujin's demeanor is altered when he is hungry.”

“I was not the one who suggested we halt for a short period!” Yujin exclaimed, turning to look at Yena who laughed at his face.

“Could we please put an end to our quarrels? Let us go and consume our food as intended.”

Chaeyeon took the lead and stood up, offering his hand to Yujin. Hyewon stood up as well and offered his hand towards Yena. The short prince clapped it first before taking it, laughing at Hyewon’s surprised expression. 

After standing up, Yena realized his situation and scratched his head.

“I have secured Gummy to a tree, leaving him unattended,” Yena said, a pout starting to form on his face. Hyewon chuckled at his antics and ruffled his hair, putting his arm on his shoulder. “Come along with me, and we will travel to the place where you had fastened Gummy. Afterward, we can move forward at a deliberate pace.”

Yujin and Chaeyeon voiced their agreements, walking behind the two.

“Hey,” Chaeyeon called while they were making their way down the hill. “given that you have emerged victorious on this occasion, might I suggest that you select the venue for our meal?”

“The selection of a restaurant is within our discretion?”

Yujin turned to Chaeyeon for confirmation. “Yes.”

“I advocate for Hyewon hyung's palace based on its impressive pastries, but I must admit that it is the most remote palace from Yena hyung's kingdom.” Yujin said, already thinking of the creampuffs he had been craving for the last 2 months. The four of them did not get to spend a lot of time together as much as they used to for the past few weeks because of the prince duties their fathers suddenly set to them.

“I did not mean palaces, Yujin. It can be a local beer tavern or a famous market eatery. Anything that can soothe our taste buds.”

“Ooh!” Yena suddenly exclaimed, jumping happily while clapping his hands. “I have discovered the most excellent spot, conveniently situated near the market. Trust me, this destination will surpass your expectations.” Yena said excitedly, now pulling Hyewon towards the quiet prince's horse. “Does it truly warrant such enthusiasm from you?”

“Absolutely, I had inadvertently neglected to mention that establishment; however, I am now determined to order copious amounts of their dishes. Regrettably, the castle's cuisine no longer holds my interest.” Yena climbed on Hyewon’s horse. “The time to act is now, hop on!”

“Yena, the arrangement called for me to ride the horse first, but you appear to have forgotten that Cheese holds a strong aversion to you.”

Everyone laughed when the horse stood up on its hind legs and Yena fell from its back.

Chapter Text

Chapter Five: The Unofficial Prince and The Future

After finally getting Yena’s horse and riding back to the kingdom, the four princes changed their clothes and headed towards the marketplace with Yena guiding them on the way.

“Greetings, Chaewon, my respected friend!” Yena tried to climb Chaewon’s back and when he succeeded, the royal guard did not complain. “Kindly consider partaking in our meal. The costs will be covered by Chaeyeon and Hyewon.” The serious guard shook his head and answered. “Your Highness, I would prefer not to be a part of your group. My role is to ensure your safety and provide an escort.”

Yena began whining, patting Chaewon’s head gently with his hand like a child. “Hey, come on! It's just us! Your presence is always desired, and within our group, you are regarded as our fifth prince.”

“Your Grace, please refrain from uttering such remarks.” Was Chaewon’s only reply. Yena pouted and turned towards Chaeyeon who was walking alongside Yujin and Hyewon, entertaining the youngest prince as he continued to point at things that amazed him. “Chaen!”

Chaeyeon turned and faced the duck prince, quite surprised by his position. “Yes, hyung? Kindly dismount from Chaewon, as your weight is noticeable.”

“I will not relinquish my position in this situation until you have persuaded him to join us for lunch.” Chaeyeon chuckled at the petty problem.

“Kim Chaewon.” He called.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Join us.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Yena dramatically gasped at this and patted Chaewon again like a child, frowning even though the royal guard could not see him. “I had assumed, incorrectly it seems, that we held a closer bond.” Chaewon could only hide an amused laugh as the duck prince continued whining.

Yujin, Hyewon, and Chaeyeon laughed as they watched Yena pat Chaewon multiple times on the head., the guard paying no mind and keeping himself walking, his hand rigid while the other stayed rest on the handle of his sword. When Yena heard the familiar sound of the instruments he once heard before, he quickly slipped off of Chaewon’s shoulder, walking towards the familiar path. “Quickly! The musicians have commenced playing once more; we are getting closer.”

Yena went through an alleyway, the three princes and the guard following his steps. He finally stopped at a tavern at the end of the alleyway, where the easing, soft sound came from. The slave guarding the door noticed the nobleman standing in front of the tavern and greeted him politely, asking him if he was going to eat inside.

“I'm currently in the company of my friends. Could you please arrange a table for five of us?” The old man nodded and entered the place, immediately telling the owners of the tavern that a group of noblemen had graced their place.

“Your actions are unacceptably slow!” The duck prince shouted from his place, frowning at his friends. “The feeling of hunger within me is quite pronounced; may we proceed at a faster pace??”

“Yena hyung, we are available around the clock, so there is no need for excessive worry. Let us move at a leisurely tempo.” The puppy prince chastised his older friend, taking his time on walking as he winked at young ladies just about to pass them. 

“Once you have experienced their food, you will retract that statement.” When the three princes and the royal guard finally reached the duck prince, Prince Yena took his steps to climb the stairs up to the tavern. “Let us not delay any further!”

They entered the tavern and were welcome by the soft music filling their ears, causing a relaxed aura to radiate from them. The same old man Prince Yena talked to waved his hand as he stood in front of a table with just like Yena had requested, five seats. Yena said his gratitude towards the old man and gave him money for his kind deed, the old man paying his gratitude before leaving. The four princes took a seat on each chair, resting comfortably before they ordered.

Chaeyeon turned to Chaewon who still continued to stand and ordered him. “Chae, please be seated and join us for our midday repast.”

Chaewon bowed his head and took the last seat beside Hyewon, who was facing the small empty platform on the right side of the room. “Why has a tiny, vacant platform been installed in that area?”

“The dancer graces that spot with her movements once the musicians commence their musical performance for the guests' enjoyment.” Yena informed the youngest. The puppy prince turned to the duck prince and gave him a teasing look. “I had no idea that you were such a regular at hostels, Hyung.”

Yena glared at Yujin as the others laughed because of the youngest prince's words.

“I do not often utilize hostels for accommodation, and this location does not conform to that category. It caters to a single female dancer, and the local populace attends predominantly for the food or to observe her dance performances.” Prince Yena said.

“Is she distinguished for her dancing prowess?” Chaeyeon asked the duck prince, receiving a drastic nod. “Having witnessed her performance on a single occasion, I can confidently assert that her abilities far exceed those of the entertainers at the palace.” A middle-aged woman interrupted their talking and asked what their orders were. All of them turned to Prince Yena and nodded at him, letting him take the lead since they were new to that place.

After saying his choices, Prince Yena and his friends continued talking while Chaewon sat on his chair, senses alert as he looked around the room. Yujin noticed this and nudged Chaeyeon who quickly called his attention. Chaewon turned and faced his prince, bowing his head slightly.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“Be a part of our discourse. For a brief period, loosen your guard.” Chaewon was shocked by the request and slowly shook his head. “I serve as a royal protector, Your Highness. Relinquishing my vigilance is akin to entering combat unarmored. I am grateful for the invitation to partake in your amusement.”

Respecting his guard’s decision to stay alert, Chaeyeon nodded and stopped bothering his servant.

They sensed someone walking towards them, so they turned to see a small woman, shorter than all of them, as white as a cloud, soft as a bunny.

The strange woman smiled and turned her attention on the short prince, emitting a smile from the duck as he turned on his seat. “A considerable amount of time has passed since our last encounter, Yena.” The young woman said, standing in front of the princes and the royal guard.

Chaewon stood up and raised his unsheathed sword in front of the woman silently, earning a lot of looks from the other people inside the tavern, the lady immediately losing the glow on her face. Chaewon put his sword down and put his mouth close to the woman's ear. “Address the prince in a respectful manner, as your current language falls short of the required etiquette.”

Chaeyeon then spoke up. “Chaewon, I request that you withdraw.” Chaewon turned and looked at his prince for a moment before nodding and putting himself on his seat again. Yena looked at Chaewon with a bright smile. “Rest assured, Chaewon, the crowd here is unaware of my royal status. Consequently, there is no need for a public display of my identity.” The royal guard bowed down his head. “Forgive me, Your Highness.”

Prince Yena smiles widely and dismisses the apology. “Chae, you are not being reprimanded by me; it is all right.” He then put his gaze towards the dancer. “I am guessing you are going to dance in a few minutes?” The smile returned on the woman's face and the princes' heads immediately turn to the woman.

“Y-You are the hostel lady?” The youngest prince could not help but query.

The woman turned to the duck prince and silently asked for an answer with her gaze. Yena frowned quickly and looked at Yujin who asked the question. “You idiot, I have corrected your assumption; she is not related to hostels, but instead, she is a dancer.”

Chaeyeon faced the dancer. “I apologize for the manner in which my friend poses his inquiries.” The feather prince said charmingly.

“I have been mistaken on previous occasions, so this is not a cause for concern.” The woman said nonchalantly, grazing her look on the quiet prince who had not talked. She bowed her head. “Hello. My name is Eunbi. Kwon Eunbi.” 

Prince Hyewon, who had been busy thinking about something, looked up and greeted the woman. “My name is Kang Hyewon.”

Eunbi bows her head as she greets the other princes as well, the tallest prince being the last. "My name is Ahn Yujin." When their eyes meet, Eunbi cannot help but point out one thing that she had noticed about the tall prince. “I see a likeness of my father in you.”

Prince Yujin frowned. “Your statement that I resemble your father has piqued my interest. Could you elaborate?”

Eunbi pointed at the youngest prince's eyes. “You possess the same striking eyes as him.” Yujin chuckled and leaned back on his chair, staring smugly. “Then, your father's handsomeness is noteworthy.”

“Must have been. He has ceased to live.” The aura in the air quickly turned into a sad one.

“Miss Eunbi, I express my sympathies upon learning this unfortunate information.” Prince Hyewon said from his seat, looking at the tall girl with gloomy eyes.

“It is okay.” For some unknown reason, the girl couldn't seem to make eye contact with the pale, quiet prince. There was something about his gaze that Eunbi couldn't take. She turned away and faced the duck prince, sending a smile towards the blonde prince. “I am set to take the stage shortly; kindly anticipate my presentation.” The dancer sent one final bow towards the group of royalties and walked away to prepare for her performance.

Chapter Text

Chapter Six: See The World

“She possesses a captivating loveliness.” The feather prince suddenly blurted out as he stared at the dancer, oblivious of a serious gaze coming from one of his friends. A large smirk spread on the youngest's face as he faced his older companion. “Your preference for her is evident!”

The feather prince tried not to roll his eyes. He tapped his finger on the table and faced Yujin. “Yu, my declaration that Miss Eunbi is beautiful should not be misconstrued as the romantic interest you assume.” He gestured towards the direction where Eunbi had gone to. “The evidence is clear: she is a stunningly beautiful woman, is she not?”

Collective nods erupted at the table. Yujin shrugged. “I am merely stating that it is possible that your current perspective of her may evolve over time.”

“May evolve over time?” Hyewon questioned the puppy prince. Yujin nodded. “This destination could warrant more visits from us than we presently believe.”

The playing of instruments surprised the princes and their heads turned towards the platform in unison. There, already in her position, stood Eunbi, wearing her...slightly short clothes, her backs turned on her viewers, breathing normally as she tried to compose herself.

“Hey, Yuyu.” The said puppy prince raised his eyebrows at the 2nd oldest prince. Prince Yena shook his eyebrows. “Can you shed light on the cause of the teasing behavior that you presented towards Chaeyeon?”

The annoying smirk appeared on Prince Yujin’s face again and he shook his head. He leaned over towards Yena and whispered at his fellow prince's ear, his eyes set on one of his friends. “Chaeyeon was not the true recipient of the teasing.”

“You were provoking him with unwarranted accusations.”

“To elicit a response from someone else.” Prince Yena’s eyes turned from Yujin’s grinning face to Hyewon’s focused face as he watched Eunbi’s dance on the platform. A huge smirk played on the duck prince's face, and he faced the platform to watch the dancer perform just like what his friends were doing, especially the oldest one. 

For some weird reason, Hyewon could not take his eyes off of the dancer, every move she made, Hyewon’s eyes followed. Every fluid turn, every grace of her hands on her skin, Hyewon imprinted in his mind. It was not like he was a... guy like that, it was just…something was so entrancing with how Eunbi moved herself on the platform like she could make a mistake look like an improvised move that she came up with at the last minute, her facial expressions looking like it was made out of this world and the way she moved…just shouted confidence. And arrogance. It was like she was saying that no one could top her on this platform or any platform.

And now that Hyewon had seen her dance, he could say that that was true.

No one could top this ethereal beauty in dancing.

Their watching, including Chaewon, had been interrupted by the lady from earlier, carrying two trays filled with plates and bowls of food, quickly getting the pale prince's attention.

“Two additional sets of trays are being brought, My Lords.” The lady said as she kept her head bowed down. 

All of their eyes were focused on the approaching food until a commotion started near the platform where Eunbi performed. They all turned to see a nobleman wearing expensive clothes had his hand wrapped around Eunbi’s wrist as he swayed, having difficulty with standing on his feet.

He was drunk, and it hadn't even passed late noon.

“I command that you join me. My purpose is to have a marriage alliance, and I must ascertain your place of residence and the identities of your parents for this endeavor.” The group that was with the nobleman laughed when the guy startled the dancer with questions, clearly oblivious that the dancer was currently uncomfortable with the situation.

I regret the inconvenience, My Lord, but I am unable to join you; I have other matters requiring my attention.” Eunbi tried to get herself out of the situation with her excuses while trying to get the man's hand off of her wrist (it hurt like a bitch), but the man took her excuse negatively, tightening his grip, an angry look appearing on his face as Eunbi tried not to whimper as pain shot from his tight hold.

“Your defiance of a nobleman's mandate is inexcusable. Do yo---”

“I recommend that you release your hold on her at this time.” Someone said from the man's back.

Now that Hyewon was nearer, he could say that the man was a few years older than him, broader, but it was quite obvious that he was like the stereotyped men women would always describe.

Might be broad and strong but lacked the brain.

The guy turned and faced the prince, and he frowned. “By what authority do you question me? In what capacity are you involved in my matters?”

Hyewon simply smiled and shook his head. “Your behavior is troubling this lady, and as a considerate man in this establishment, I believe it is necessary for me to intervene.”

The guy laughed and loosened his hold on Eunbi’s wrist. The dancer quickly hid behind the prince. “With whom do you believe you are currently speaking?”

“It would be beneficial for you to ponder THAT question yourself.” Hyewon replied, the smile on his face slowly disappearing as his serious face set in. “With whom do you believe you are currently speaking?”

Another person appeared beside the prince and put their arm around Hyewon’s shoulder. “Hyewon, I had instructed you to desist from startling others.”

The man and his group gasped when they recognized the person beside the pale prince.

Yena turned and faced the nobleman, flashing him his pearly white teeth. “Zhou Hu. Son of the Minister of War.”

“Y-Y-Your Highness!” The guy exclaimed and bowed, followed by the other people's reactions.

Soon, all of the people in the establishment had their heads bowed down before the prince.

“Y- Your Highness, I entreat your mercy!” The nobleman stuttered, hiding his face that obviously had fear written all over it. Yena chuckled and put his hand on the guy's shoulder. “I do not require your apology, as no wrongdoing has transpired between us.” He tightened his hold on the Minister's son's shoulder as his serious face set in. “It is imperative that you seek forgiveness from the woman whom you subjected to harassment and discrimination.” The nobleman looked up with hesitation on his face. “B-Bu-But---”

“Is it against your will?” The duck prince asked with a menacing voice, making the guy cower. “N-No, it is not.”

He turned and faced Eunbi who was now standing in front of Hyewon, the pale prince's hands resting on both of the woman's shoulders.

Eunbi tried not to show the effect the prince had on her.

The nobleman winced, clearly showing his distaste of saying an apology to someone lower than him. “l-I regret my past conduct towards you, which was disrespectful and impolite. I ask for your forgiveness.”

Hyewon could see that he was not sincere, a frown making its way on his face. “You lack authenticity in your expressions.”

The pale prince pulled the woman closer to her, now wrapping his arms around the dancer's waist making a full-blown blush crawl up to Eunbi’s cheeks.

“Express your regrets sincerely. How is it possible for you to behave in such a manner and subsequently boast publicly about being a man? The essence of a man is not derived from his verbal expressions, but from his deeds. If you behave in a manner unbecoming of a man and fail to show proper regard for others, then it is debatable whether you can truly be considered a man, let alone a fully developed human being.”

“I believe his verbal commitments hold no immediate weight. He is merely consuming our valuable time unnecessarily.” The Kang prince pulled the dancer along with him. “Miss Eunbi, let us go.”

The duck prince saw one of the staff walking towards them. “Could I kindly request one more chair for our table, Sir?”

“Certainly, Your Highness.”

“Hyewon, it would have been more gracious of you to speak kindly to the man.” The feather prince advised when the three returned to their table, the servant following behind with the chair. Eunbi sat across the pale prince, keeping her head bowed down.

“Such a man does not merit kind or considerate behavior.” Hyewon said, back to his calm demeanor, not minding the pair of eyes looking at him. “His actions towards a lady reveal his true nature. It is inappropriate for him to be bestowed with luxurious items, given his disrespectful conduct towards those who provide him with the funds he spends.”

“I am deeply grateful for your timely intervention, Your Majesty.” Eunbi said, bowing her head.

“You are welcome, Miss Eunbi.” The quiet prince leaned over and grabbed the dancer's hand, not noticing the blush on the dancer's cheeks. “Never permit anyone to belittle you in that fashion. If the behavior recurs, please bring it to my attention, and I will intervene on your behalf.” Such words coming from the oldest prince made his companions watch his interactions with the lady more closely.

Yujin quietly snorted, laughing internally at how his older brother was already whipped for the dancer.

And it was his first time seeing the woman.

Chapter Text

Chapter Seven: The Older Sister

“Eunbi, we would be delighted if you could join us for lunch.” Yena said, already grabbing her utensils, reaching out and offering the things to the dancer.

The said dancer shook her head politely. “I must decline your offer, Yena, as I am currently feeling quite filled.”

“Full? From what?” Yena shook his head, still giving the dancer the utensils. “I cannot accept a decline. I encourage you to join our endeavor.” The woman turned towards the pale prince for help, but Hyewon only shook his head. “For your own benefit, it would be wiser to accede to his requests, as he is known to be quite persistent in pursuing his desires.”

Eunbi sighed and then hesitantly took the utensils from the duck prince, making the latter cheer silently. The group started eating once again, having random conversations after the previous one eventually ended. They included the dancer too, mostly Yujin asking the woman random questions, some of it making him earn disapproving looks from Chaeyeon and a blank stare from the oldest prince.

“Miss Eunbi, where do you live?” It was at this time that Chaeyeon stopped the youngest prince from being too nosy. “Kindly desist from posing excessive inquiries to Miss Eunbi, Yujin.”

“I am just eager to discover new facts about her.” Yujin shrugged, leaning back on his chair, wiggling his eyebrows playfully as he sipped his drink. “She radiates an aura of intrigue.”

“Yujin, might I request a brief moment of your time outside?” Hyewon asked, looking at the puppy prince with a serious look that made Yujin deflate. Eunbi could only watch as Hyewon stood up from his seat and walked out of the place, the taller prince set on following the pale prince with his head bowed down. Eunbi looked at the two princes and the guard, a worried expression on her face. “Is there going to be a confrontation between them?”

Yena scrunched his face before taking big gulps from his drink, shaking his head as he did so. “No. Hyewon, he is recognized for his intellectual and rational acumen among the four of us, he never engages in disputes with others. When he summons us for private conversations, we are aware that it is for our mutual benefit.”

The dancer turned and gazed where she could see the two princes talking through the window, the younger one bowing his head while Hyewon kept his calm demeanor while talking. 

After a few minutes, the two entered the establishment again, Yujin walking ahead as Hyewon trailed behind him. Yujin walked towards the dancer and when he was in front of Eunbi, he bowed his head as he kept his hands on his stomach. “Please accept my apologies for the impolite and overly curious tone of my inquiries, Miss Eunbi.”

Eunbi shook her head. “Your Highness, I did not believe an apology was warranted. I merely provided you with the answers to your queries.” To that, the quiet prince immediately interfered, shaking his head. “No. An apology is warranted.  His probing into your personal matters was an invasion of privacy. You are not obligated to share such information with him or anyone else for entertainment purposes.”

Eunbi turned to look at Yujin for an answer, but the young prince stayed adamant about asking her forgiveness.

It was weird.

It was Eunbi’s first time to see a royal asking a low-blood for forgiveness for asking questions they had the right to ask.

Well, that was what they believed. They believed that the royals and the nobles had the right to ask them anything they wanted.

Due to the unfairness of power, the low-bloods d not even know their own rights anymore.

And when Hyewon realized that after what Eunbi had said when Yujin had asked for forgiveness, it saddened and angered him.

It was not right anymore.

It was not right that these people were being taken for granted just because they were lower than other people. It was not right that they were deprived of what they should gain just because people belittled them and discriminated against them.

Hyewon swore that he'd find a way to let the other kingdoms know of the idea that he was making in his mind. 

Though she found it hard to utter the words, Eunbi still tried. “Y-Your Highness, I r-remit your offenses.”

Yujin looked up with a smile that reminded Eunbi of her father, it was exactly like his.

Maybe she was just missing her parents so much.

“Thank you, Miss Eunbi.” Yujin froze after he said that, feeling a bit uncomfortable that his friends had noticed. 

“Jin, why are you not functioning properly?” Yena asked his friend. Yujin shook his head and faced the woman standing in front of him with a big radiant smile.

“Would it be permissible,” Yujin used polite words as he had learned his lesson earlier from Hyewon. “for me to address you as ‘noona’ instead?”

Nothing could describe how big Eunbi’s eyes had turned, and if the request was not so serious, the puppy prince would have laughed but he did not. He had come to terms that calling the dancer Miss Eunbi sounded so stiff and the puppy prince found it weird. He did not like calling the woman that. So instead, he came up with a call that was more relaxed and nice.

Eunbi turned to the other princes for advice, expecting frowned faces and shakes of heads, but what she saw was beyond her imagination. The three (well two, since Hyewon still kept his blank face on), had huge grinning faces on.

“That is a good idea, Yu!” Yena followed with the youngest's request. “I can assert that you are significantly older than both me and Chaeyeon, yet not older than Hyewon. May we address you as "noona" with your permission?”

“l-I believe it is unnecessary for you to address me as ‘noona’ just because I am older than you.” Eunbi tried to reason. “To begin with, it is essential to recognize that each of you holds a noble title, extending such respect to one of lesser birth as myse-”

“I entreat you, Eunbi, not to express your reservations about being worthy.” Hyewon told the woman as he took his seat on the table again. The group followed his move. “Respect is a fundamental value that acknowledges the inherent worth of every individual, irrespective of their social standing.”

“I seem to be left with no alternative.” Eunbi said as she laughed.

“Oh, we are not imposing; your answer is at your discretion.” Chaeyeon handed the woman water. “But to tell the truth, I'm of the opinion that Yujin would sulk if you don't permit him to call you ‘noona’.”

“I have been hunti---l mean, I have longed for an older sister since my youth.” Yujin told Eunbi with big, beady eyes. “Please?”

“Okay. I shall be referred to as ‘noona’ by Your Highness.” She did not have to turn to know that the other two princes were looking at her with expectant eyes. “You can also refer to me as ‘noona’, Prince Yena and Prince Chaeyeon.”

The three abnormal princes shouted in happiness, garnering attention from the other people that were currently eating in the tavern, making the dancer look down from embarrassment and for the quiet prince to slip a smile.

Not forgetting the prince that saved her, Eunbi turned to Hyewon and asked. “Your Highness, I offer you the opportunity to select a name for my address.”

Hyewon turned and looked at the dancer, slowly raising his eyebrows as the other princes watched the interaction. “May I produce one on your behalf, if you so wish?”

Eunbi flushed quickly, making her put her hand on her cheeks. She shook her head. “Your Highness, I wish to make it clear that my concern was not to slight you in any way. The fact that the other princes would refer to me as "noona," given our age difference, left me worried that you might feel somewhat overlooked.”

Hyewon shook his head. “I refuse to bestow upon myself a moniker specifically for me to call you.”

“I have decided to give myself a personal title, and I would prefer that you use this designation when speaking to me.” Eunbi’s eyes widened at the order.

“Oh! I also wish noona would refer to me in a casual way.” Yujin whined, not wanting his older brother to be the only one Eunbi would be calling informally.

“Me too!” Yena said, raising his hands.

“I implore you to cease.” Eunbi begged, massaging her forehead. “I will not use an informal tone when speaking to the rulers of the four most prominent kingdoms. Such behavior could be construed as treason, and I am not prepared to face the potential consequences.”

“By whom was it stated that we would stand idly by while they meted out retribution against you?” Chaeyeon grinned at the dancer. “It is necessary for them to overcome us before they can pose a threat to you.”

Yujin grinned and nudged the feather prince, giving his older friend a teasing smile. “Chaen, I urge you to be less overt with your admiration for Eunbi.”

This, of course, made the dancer blush more.

“Yujin.” The puppy prince immediately settled down after hearing Hyewon’s serious voice. “Hyung, I was only kidding.”

After a few more talks and stories around the table, Chaewon announced to the group that they needed to get back to inspecting the marketplace and the other villages. Eunbi agreed and said that she did need to go back to helping the owner of the tavern ran the place. With that, Yena called for the old lady that had served them earlier and gave his payment, not minding that the amount was more than what he needed to pay. When the old lady insisted to give back the excess money, Yena gave it back.

“The venue is under your care, and you are doing an excellent job in maintaining its vibrancy. Kindly continue to do so. We look forward to returning next week.” The duck prince gave the old lady his duck smile and bowed.

As one by one the princes and the guard stepped out of the establishment with Hyewon being the last, he stopped for a moment and faced Eunbi who decided to accompany them to the door, a smile set on his face as he spoke.

“Kindly refer to me as Kwangbae. ”

Chapter Text

Chapter Eight: The Report Duty

Lots of people were looking, but the four princes did not mind, especially the one pulling in the attention to them. The group of friends, with Chaewon walking just beside the feather prince, went around the marketplace to inspect the surroundings, the duck prince putting mental notes of the poor stores on the left side of the marketplace to report to his father. Chaewon made his steps little as he purposely let himself lag behind, as Yena seemed too absorbed with inspecting a certain stall.

Yena, who was busy scribbling on his paper with ends a bit bent, saw that they were being left behind by the three.

“Quicken your step, Chae! You're falling behind, and we must keep up with their pace.” Yena ordered the guard, holding onto the man’s hair as he kept himself steady, looking around quite recklessly causing unnecessary movements that also made his friend move.

“It escapes me as to why you feel compelled to perpetually clamber upon my shoulders, Your Grace.” Chaewon grunted as he kept his hands on the prince’s thighs to keep him steady, worrying that the prince would fall if he did not hold onto him. He flicked his pinky from time to time as a way of letting out steam, a bit too tired if you would ask him. He had been carrying his friend for almost an hour ever since they had left the tavern and if he did not climb down anytime soon, Chaewon would be convinced that Yena had changed from being a duck prince into a monkey prince.

“I had specified that you should use the name Yena when communicating with me! And you are fully cognizant of the motive behind my presence on your shoulder.” The duck prince kept scouting the marketplace, ignoring the looks of various people, from sellers to people that came from other countries. Walking around in noblemen's clothes, the royal guard could only release a sigh of relief as it was a good thing that their group was only seen as a group of rich noblemen going around the marketplace, not the group of princes from the four kingdoms well known in the country of Korea. Chaewon realized the power of how clothes could make people seemed like they were something that they were not.

Hyewon kept to himself as Yujin talked to Chaeyeon about the different spices being sold in the market, the youngest being curious once again and the feather prince took joy whenever the puppy prince became his curious self. The quiet prince just could not seem to take his mind off of the certain woman that they had just met.

Kwon Eunbi was someone that intrigued the quiet prince. The moment she bowed and introduced herself to him, Hyewon had started to wonder what kind of life the woman had. What happened to her when she was a kid, why her father died, Hyewon wondered a lot of things about the dancer.

“Hey, what is occupying the spaces in your mind?” Hyewon scoffed and shook his head, fiddling with the hem of his coat. A smile slipped on his face as he looked up at his friend that was still on his other friend’s shoulder. “Nothing.”

The prince turned to the quiet guard. “You have remained silent since our exit from the tavern. Chae, please be reassured, we are not harboring anger towards you regarding the incident with Eunbi. We know that it is your duty to protect and guard us. We understand.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.” The royal guard made the move to bow but stopped when he felt Yena’s tight hold on his hair, settling on giving the prince a sheepish smile as he raised his eyebrows, pointing to the duck who was having his time on Chaewon’s shoulder.

“It came as a surprise to me that this view is a daily occurrence for those of greater stature!” Yena said as he put his hand on his forehead, shielding his eyes from the sunlight. He looked down and called the puppy prince’s attention. “Yu! Yujin, is this a regular sight for you?”

Yujin raised his eyebrows innocently. “What?”

Yena widened his eyes and gestured with his hands, almost falling if not for Chaewon’s hand quickly holding hard on his thighs. “Your Highness, please be careful.”

“Forgive me, Wonnie,” Yena said cheekily, patting the guard’s head. He turned his attention back on Yujin. “This very open view of everything!”

Yujin finally understood what his older friend was referring to, so he nodded. “Quite too used to it actually. I wonder how hot it is down there for you guys. It is always windy up here. You can feel it, right?”

Chaeyeon and Hyewon could only laugh at their friends’ conversations.

“Yah Yena, get down from there and start doing your report so we can finish inspecting the marketplace, we still have lots to go to!” The duck finally got off of the guard, earning a shrug of comfort from the guard himself and laughs from his friends.

The princes continued exploring the marketplace, seeing the interaction of people between people with Yena noting down things that he found worth reporting back to his father.

As they continued on their way, Hyewon stopped in his tracks when he saw something.

The four did not notice that the oldest prince had lagged behind.

It was only when Yujin looked behind when he noticed that the prince was gone.

“Chaen? Hyewon is gone.” Yujin said as he pulled on Chaeyeon’s coat. The feather prince turned around and looked around, looking at his guard’s other side only to see Yena who was looking around as well.

“Where did he go?” The princes and the guard started going back on the road they just took, looking around the stalls to see if they could spot the prince.

“He is probably at some food stall. We have been walking a bit too long. His stomach might have acted up.” Yena walked away from the furniture store he just approached.

“But he is bad at directions. Do you think he will be fine?” Yujin looked at his older friends, even including Chaewon.

Chaewon faced Chaeyeon, bowing his head. “Should I notify others?”

Chaeyeon shook his head. “It is fine, Chae. We can continue on trying to find him, if we do not find him in the next few hours, then that is the time we will be notifying the palace.” Chaeyeon turned to Yena for confirmation and the duck nodded his head.

After a few moments of just walking around the marketplace, trying to spot the oldest’s handsome face, the four men finally saw his familiar coat, the prince hunched over a stall that was clearly selling some sticky rice cakes. Yena let out a sigh of relief before facing the group, a happy smile on his face. “I informed you that his situation was no more than a matter of hunger. We should not have been too worried.”

Yena walked towards the prince and tapped his shoulder, and the oldest turned with a big ball of sticky rice cake stuck on his mouth.

“Was it not enough that you almost consumed most of the food in the tavern, you really had to go and disappear only for us to find you eating again?” Hyewon laughed at Yena’s sassy question, quickly putting the short prince in a headlock as he continued to laugh, the other princes just watching the two.

“Ducky, it's no secret that I am frequently in a state of hunger.” Hyewon reminded the Choi prince, returning to his friends with the prince still protesting why he was in a headlock.

After a few more hours of helping the duck prince on his report and visiting villages, the princes had decided to call it a fun day and return to their own kingdoms.

Except for one.

It was not daybreak yet when the princes had bid goodbye to each other, so Hyewon knew he had enough time before she got home from work. Thanking that his father had gifted him his reliable memory, Hyewon walked through the familiar alley his group had walked upon earlier that day.