#285: Through the Night (and into the Spring): Part Two
Part 2
Luhan started tying the saddle bag containing their things to his own horse, but Sehun insisted he carried it instead, because he didn’t want Luhan to take care of all things today, as it’s still part of Luhan’s prize. Luhan was about to mount his own horse when they were stopped by the royal guards.
“I apologise, Your Highness. But I couldn’t let you into the forest alone,” the guard told Sehun, his head bowed down yet his face looked determined.
The Prince stood there with a cold demeanor, his gray eyes unkind - a stark contrast to the warmth Luhan had seen back in his chambers.
“I am not going alone, Festus,” he said, gesturing towards Luhan.
“The servant boy does not count, my prince. You need to take a guard with you. Let me go with you, Your Highness.”
“The servant boy is my friend,” Sehun said through gritted teeth, eyes turning even colder, making the guard flinch. It was amazing and terrifying to watch, how Sehun stared the guard down, as if he was not aware that this guard was all muscles and grumpy face and he himself was only a little boy still. “And no, I won’t take a guard with me. We will be back before sun sets.”
“The King would have my head if I let you go -”
“The King gave me permission and you can take it up to him, if you want to interrupt his lunch time with the Queen,” Sehun smirked. Luhan could see the guard was getting worked up, beads of sweat on his forehead. Everyone in the palace knew the King and Queen were not to be interrupted during their meals.
The guard, Festus, bowed his head. “I will go to the King in a while. I will let you go, Your Highness, but please be careful. The King will really have my head if something bad ever happened to you.”
“Rest assured, Festus. I will be safe. You do not have to worry,” Sehun said, mounting his black horse.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Good. We’ll head out now.” Sehun nodded at Luhan and the both of them heeled their horses. Luhan sneaked a glance at Festus, who was still eyeing them warily, before looking ahead.
In just a few minutes, they were out of the palace walls, with the soldiers positioned at the back gates saluting as they rode past. The cemented flooring changed into a moist pebbled path, with tall wild grass and flowers surrounding each side of the road. The two rode in silence, with only the chirping of the birds and rustling of tiny rodents in grass accompanying them. When tall grasses were replaced by old, abundant trees and shrubs, the Prince let out a loud laugh that startled Luhan. He worriedly looked at his brown horse, checking if it was spooked. Only when he was sure his horse was fine that he looked at Sehun who was riding beside him. The other looked back with a wide grin.
“It’s been a while since I got out of the palace to play. I’m thrilled,” he explained.
Luhan smiled. “You’ll love the lake.”
“Oh, I’m sure I will. Do you know how to swim, Luhan?”
The younger nodded eagerly. “Yes. I love swimming more than riding, too.”
“Do you, now? You could have told me before that you’d like to go swimming. We could have gone here earlier then,” Sehun said. Luhan led him to the left side of the forked road before answering.
“I didn’t know I could.”
“Of course you can. You can tell me anything,” Sehun assured him. In a serious voice, he added, “You’re my friend, Luhan. Don’t forget that.”
“All right. We’re almost there.” Luhan turned left once more, with Sehun following right along. He could hear the sound of water against rocks and more birds. It’s been a while since he visited this place, and like the Prince, he was also excited.
After pushing a huge leaf out of the way, they reached the lakeside, which could be considered a meadow with how huge it was. Luhan heard a soft gasp behind him, and he knew Sehun was in awe of the beauty of this untouched place, just as he was when he first came here.
The soft grass was sprinkled with little wild flowers, some yellow and white, others blue and violet. There were a few smooth rocks scattered among the lake side. The breeze was fresh and Luhan took a relaxing breath in before letting it out with a quiet giggle. The lake was not like his beloved sea but it was almost as beautiful. It was not too big, and he could still see the other side of it, but it was crystal clear, the blues almost turning white when the sunlight hit the light waves the wind made. On one side of the lake, there was a massive tree on a huge rock, and it gave shade on a quarter of the water. He remembered swimming to that side the first time he went there when the sun was at its highest to avoid getting burned.
Luhan’s body ached and he wanted nothing more than to rip his clothes off and swim to his heart’s content. The water was calling him. He dismounted his horse.
“It’s beautiful,” Sehun’s voice broke his thoughts once more and with a huge smile, he turned to his Prince, who was also standing on the ground now, his horse’s rein in his hand.
“Do you like it?”
“Yes. I love it. I couldn’t believe there’s a place like this in Arles, Luhan. It’s stunning.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
Sehun’s shoulder slumped all of a sudden, unconsciously pouting. “This feels wrong. It’s supposed to be your prize. But now I feel like I’m the winner because of this.”
Luhan laughed. Once again, Sehun unknowingly reminded him that he was just a child like him. “We should eat before swimming.”
“Ah, yes,” Sehun’s smile was back, and he turned to the saddlebag tied on his horse’s side. He pulled the blanket out before dropping it to the ground and taking the rest of the contents out of the bag.
“I should take care of the horses,” Luhan said, heading to the nearest tree to tie his horse to it.
“No!” Luhan startled when Sehun exclaimed, turning to his Prince quickly.
“What is it?”
“No,” the Prince said, his hand at the back of his neck. “I should do it. I should take care of the horses. I should take care of everything today. It’s your prize.”
Luhan chuckled, “It is fine. You don’t have to make a big deal out of it.”
“I insist!” And then, leaving the containers of their lunch on top of the blanket he had neatly spread out on the grass, he pulled his horse towards Luhan and grabbed Luhan’s horse with his other hand. Luhan watched as the Prince walked to the tree he was about to head to, and looped the reins of the horses around its huge bark before walking back to where he was.
“There. Now we can start eating.”
They sampled each food Luhan prepared, or if Luhan was asked, he’d say they devoured it. The ride was quite short, but because they had breakfast just after dawn, and it was way after noon now, they were famished. When they were done, Luhan packed the utensils they used while Sehun grabbed one towel and walked towards the edge of the lakeside, admiring the view.
“Should we swim now?” He asked, not looking back to where Luhan was sitting on the blanket.
Luhan studied the calm, blue water of the lake. It was not quite like the ocean he so loved, but it still made him long for his home back in Marches. The water was calling him; it’s been a while since he last stepped into this lake. Some may think that because of the accident, he’d be afraid of going back to the water, but Luhan never got scared of it.
He jolted back to reality when he saw the Prince taking off his jacket, followed by his shirt. He then pulled his trousers down, leaving him in only undergarments, a thin white sleeveless shirt and underpants that covered his lower body only up to half of his upper thighs.
The Prince toed the water, testing its temperature and when he knew he could handle the slight cold, dove in, arms and head first, and Luhan was surprised. He waited for Sehun to resurface, and when he did, there was a huge grin plastered on his face, his wet fringe flattened on his forehead. The water made his blonde hair shine even more, second only to the brightness of his gray eyes. He waved at Luhan.
“Come on! The water is very refreshing!” He didn’t wait for a reply and swam, aiming for the shadowed spot at the far edge of the lake, near the huge tree. Luhan followed suit after he undressed.
They swam for almost an hour, with Luhan making several laps in the lake, and Sehun staying under the tree’s shadow.
“My skin would be burnt,” he had said when Luhan asked as he was floating on his back. He shrugged it off. Maybe royalty needed to always stay perfect in the eyes of their subjects, though Luhan didn’t understand why a Prince’s burnt skin would bother the courtiers. He was always covered in perfect clothes from neck to toe anyway.
When they got tired, they rested on the lakeside once again, Sehun lying on his back and Luhan sitting upright. They had the towels wrapped around them. He closed his eyes and tilted his face up, absorbing the warmth of the sun as much as he could. Summer was almost over, and in a few weeks, the leaves would change colors. Autumn up north had always been harsh, that’s what they said, with less sunlight and harsher, colder wind, as if the season was preparing everyone for the terrible winter. Luhan scrunched his nose in disgust. He hated the cold; it made swimming harder.
“This is a really nice place,” Sehun said after a while, and Luhan turned his head to smile at him.
“It is, isn’t it? I’m glad Jongin introduced me to this place. I would visit as often as I can.”
“We can do that.”
“Eh?”
“Come here as often as you’d like,” Sehun grinned.
“Really?”
“Yes, really. I like it here. It’s relaxing.”
Luhan nodded. “Thank you, Sehun.”
“Of course.”
They lapsed into silence after that, and Luhan felt lighter than he had ever felt since coming to Arles. Deep inside, he still worried about his sisters, not a day had gone by without him thinking about them. But for now, he could just enjoy the moment.
“It’s freeing, don’t you think?” Sehun said. “I always felt cooped up inside the palace, like I’m trapped. Coming here feels like freedom.”
“Do they forbid you from visiting places?”
The Prince shook his head. “You saw how Festus was earlier. They worry for my safety. After the alliance between my great grandfather and King Damianos of Akielos, there’s still unrest in some parts of Vere and Akielos. There are rebels, unhappy Veretians whose hatred for Akielons go way deep. It can’t be helped. And because of this, it’s not safe for us to wonder around without proper security measures. It’s a rare day today that I got past Festus. I always have to stay inside the palace walls. It’s stifling.”
Luhan nodded at this, he understood what Sehun was saying - except maybe the word ‘stifling’. Sehun liked to use words Luhan had never encountered before; it inspired him to read more books, though he was never the bookish type. Even back when he was studying in Marches, he would only open one when he absolutely needed to. If not, he was often snoozing right after the first page no matter how hard he tried.
“Ah, but enough about me,” Sehun said. “What about you? You never told me how you ended up working in the palace.”
Luhan hesitated. He had never talked about the accident since he got to the palace. But here Sehun was, curious and eager to listen to whatever he’d say.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. It’s not an order,” Sehun assured him, reading the expression on his face.
“No,” Luhan said. “It’s - it’s fine. It’s just… I came here in spring, because I had to earn income for my younger sisters. My uncle brought me here.”
“But you’re so young. What about your parents?”
“They’re dead.”
“Oh.” Sehun pursed his lips. “I’m sorry, Luhan. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“It’s alright, really.”
“I assume it only happened recently?”
Luhan bobbed his head twice. “A few weeks after my thirteenth birthday, there was an accident. See, my parents fish for a living. We live near the sea, and our little house faces the beach. It happened so suddenly. They went to fish just before dawn broke. The people in our area assumed that there was a whirlpool, causing their boat to capsize, and drowning them in the process. Nobody can tell for sure; nobody saw what exactly happened. It was strange. Because that day, there was not a drop of rain, or a strong wind that could have been the cause of it all. But still, the ocean took my parents. I didn’t know what to do then, and just cried with my sisters. We were so young. I wasn’t even a teen. But then, my uncle told me that there’s a way to provide for them, and the next day, I was riding a donkey with him on our way to the capital. My sisters were crying, and it was so hard to leave them. But my uncle promised that he would take care of them and his wife was there to watch over them while I was away. Still… I worry about them. What if they are not doing well? What if the sols I send them every other week isn’t enough to -” Luhan choked, the tears threatening to fall and he grasped his neck as he tried to stop himself from talking and thinking -
“Luhan. Luhan! It’s all right, Luhan.”
Warm arms wrapped around his trembling shoulders as he continued to bite his lower lip to hold back his sobs. Sehun rubbed his back soothingly, and Luhan tried to focus on its rhythm. Up, down, up, down.
It took a few minutes for him to calm down, Sehun never stopping his soothing touches. He didn’t know it would affect him like this, that talking about his family could bring sadness like this.
“I’m sorry, Luhan. I shouldn’t have brought it up. I’m sorry,” Sehun said, his expression down and apologetic.
“It’s not your fault. It’s my first time talking about it. I didn’t know I’d be like this. I should be apologizing to you instead.”
“No, you don’t have to. What do you say we go back to the palace now?”
Luhan stared longingly at the lake. He fidgeted at the soaking hem of his undershirt. “Is it okay if we stay a bit longer?”
“Absolutely,” Sehun smiled. “We can stay for as long as you want, winner.”
This made Luhan laugh softly. Sehun still hadn’t forgotten their little game.
“You promised Festus we’ll be back by sunset.”
Sehun grunted and kicked the grass in front of him. “You should have not reminded me. We could have said we forgot.”
“It’s scary in the forest when it gets dark.”
“Ah, then I just have to protect you.”
“You sleep with the lamp lit, Highness.”
Sehun snorted. “That doesn’t mean I’m scared. I simply couldn’t sleep in the dark.”
“If you say so.”
“Thank you for today, Luhan.” Sehun’s voice was so sincere that something tugged in Luhan’s heart, for the second time in a day. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t know about this place. Thank you, truly.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
“Maybe next time, we can visit Marches. I want to see the ocean too. It has been a while.”
“I would love to accompany you then,” Luhan said, his mood lightening up with the idea.
“You’d definitely accompany me. As my personal servant, you’re stuck with me for as long as you live.”
“Ah, that’s awful.”
The Prince of Vere playfully stuck his tongue out at him, bumping his shoulder lightly.
“But remember: you’re not just my servant. You’re my friend, Luhan. Don’t forget,” he said, his face serious.
Luhan nodded. “I won’t.”
“With that said, I want you to let me know whatever you need, and I will do my best to provide it.”
“I will.”
“Speaking of which, I will talk to my father about your wage. You are my personal servant and this should mean higher salary. You will be able to send more sols to your sisters, and save some for yourself.”
“You don’t have to. And I don’t need the money for myself.”
“I insist, Luhan. And if you refuse again, I will make it an order,” Sehun smirked, arching his eyebrow as if waiting for Luhan to protest.
“Abuse of power,” Luhan muttered and the older laughed out loud.
They stayed in their spot for a couple more hours, standing up only once to change back to their dry courtier clothes. At one point, there was a white rabbit that jumped out of a bush, making Sehun yell out loud. Luhan rolled on the grass, overcome with laughter. Several times, Sehun told Luhan of the silly antics of Prince Chanyeol of Akielos whenever he visited Arles. Sehun told him he’d like Chanyeol and would find him hilarious when he met him. They filled the remaining hours with random stories, never stopping once, talking to each other until the sky started to turn orange. Luhan had to force the Prince to go back to the palace, with the latter pouting and pleading to stay there until Festus and the royal guards started searching for them.
“We’ll come back here, right? Please, let’s go home,” Luhan said.
“Tomorrow. We’ll come here again tomorrow,” Sehun said firmly as they mounted their horses.
“You have sword fight lessons tomorrow, and you need to polish your speech. The King wants it by evening,” Luhan reminded him.
Sehun huffed. “The next day, then?”
“The Patran delegates will be here.”
“I am not looking forward to their arrival.”
“Why is that?”
“They are bringing Princess Miyoung to Arles for the first time,” Sehun said, scowling.
“What is with Princess Miyoung?”
“She’s this ten year old brat with huge ribbons on her hair and brightly colored Patran dresses that hurt my eyes. She’s the most annoying person you’ll ever meet.”
“You’ve met her when you visited Patras?”
“Yes, it was the King’s birthday then, about a year ago.”
They were nearing the palace walls, and the sky was now purplish and the moon was shining down on them.
“It’s been a year. I’m sure the Princess has changed since then.”
“I doubt that.”
“Don’t be such a brat,” Luhan said, immediately realizing his mistake. He watched as Sehun stilled.
“I’m sorry!” Luhan exclaimed, bowing his head as much as he could while still riding his horse.
Silence.
It was only for a couple of seconds but it felt like longer. And then Sehun was laughing, hard and loud.
“I’m sorry,” Luhan repeated.
“No, no, no!” Sehun managed to say in between laughter. “I admit I was surprised but that was funny!”
“It won’t happen again.”
“It’s fine. Chanyeol always says that to me. I find it hilarious.”
“I shouldn’t have, still. I’m sorry.”
“Luhan, it’s fine. Remember, we’re friends, yes? Friends say that to each other.”
Luhan grinned. Never could he forget.
**
Princess Miyoung was, in contrast to Sehun’s words, not a brat at all - nor was she even annoying. Luhan didn’t know why the Crown Prince of Vere thought that way, but when the servant bumped into the Princess who was admiring the east garden of the palace, she was anything but a brat.
The Patran delegates had arrived the evening before, with a grand dinner held to welcome them. Today, however, the palace was busier because the King and Queen of Vere wanted to have an even larger feast to celebrate the arrival of their friends from the southeast.
Luhan, after tending to Sehun’s needs, was asked to help with the decorations for the dining hall. He was in the garden picking up several kinds of flowers when he saw the young Princess.
“Good morning, Your Highness,” Luhan bowed, never looking up as he clutched at the freshly cut bouquet of carnations in his hands.
“Good morning,” the Princess answered, her voice soft, akin to the chimes of little bells. She barely even had a Patran accent. She didn’t say anymore and continued walking, and Luhan snuck a peek at her retreating back. She was not wearing a bright dress at all, like what Sehun had said. Her dress was of pastel pink, as light as the flowers Luhan was holding, and her hair was not decorated with huge ribbons either. Instead, a white gold circlet adorned her head, little amethysts making it shine and sparkle with her every movement. Even with her back to Luhan, she was everything a Princess should be, with her grace and her gentleness that was obvious in the way she carried herself. She was so young, and her skin was creamy white, unlike the other Patran courtiers who came with her who were mostly tan and burnt by the harsh southern sun.
Maybe Sehun was wrong. Maybe the Princess had changed.
As Luhan found out quickly, he was wrong. The Princess had not changed at all.
During dinner, while the musicians play their kitharas perfectly, the Princess stood from her seat across Sehun. Luhan watched as she dumped the contents of the goblet she was carrying onto the head of one of the councilors. This act earned gasps and yells from the spectators, and Luhan, who was near the soaking councilor, rushed to the poor middle-aged man with a dry towel in his hand. He was halted by a hand grasping his tiny wrist, and he looked up to see Sehun shaking his head at him. He let himself be pulled away, and only when they were in the halls heading to the Prince’s chambers did Sehun let him go.
“See what I was telling you?” Sehun said when they got inside his bedroom.
“But she seemed so nice… Just this morning -”
“She’s not. She’s the worst,” Sehun said through gritted teeth, and Luhan flinched upon seeing the anger in his eyes.
“Sehun…”
“Councilor Abel was complimenting her headdress, and Miyoung started throwing unnecessary insults at him. Abel said she was being rude and she stood up and said ‘I’ll show you what rude is.’ I couldn’t believe her.” Sehun, obviously irritated, started tugging at the laces at his neck, and Luhan was quick to stand in front of him and helped him with it.
“That is rude. But -” Luhan was again interrupted when Sehun hissed.
“I loathe her.”
Loathe. It was such a strong word for someone so young. Sehun shouldn’t be feeling that way against anyone, and Luhan wondered what else Miyoung had done to Sehun for someone so pure and so kind to see her in that light.
“Why do you hate her that much?” Luhan whispered, unknotting the laces on Sehun’s wrist.
“I don’t want to talk about her anymore.”
“Sorry.”
They remained silent, and for the rest of the evening, Sehun’s mood was so sour that Luhan stayed on his spot without saying a word, trying to make himself comfortable on the velvet couch near the window as Sehun went through rolls after rolls of parchment of documents in his table.
After a while, he stood up and stretched his neck from side to side. He then gestured at Luhan and started for the bed.
“I would like to rest. You may retire as well,” he said as he shrugged out of his boots and trousers. Luhan nodded and bowed, stiffly walking out of the room and gently closing the door behind him.
When he reached the servant’s quarters, most of the bunks were still empty, and the sound of the party could be heard, a sign that the banquet was still on despite the tiny commotion Princess Miyoung had caused.
Only a group of three people were in the room apart from him, heads bent low near each other’s. Luhan’s bunk was near them, and he couldn’t help but overhear their discussion.
“-so frightening for someone so young. She slapped her servant because of it.”
“I cannot believe it. She was only, what, twelve?”
“Thirteen, they say.”
“She was just two years younger than our Prince, then?”
“Yes, and to think the marriage has already been sealed.”
“I worry for His Highness, he deserves a better wife.”
“He’s too young to have a wife.”
“Well, the marriage won’t happen until Prince Sehun is twenty-one anyway.”
“True, true. I’m shuddering just at the thought of her being the Queen of this castle.”
Luhan was frozen as he listened to this. At first, he couldn’t comprehend what they were saying. Marriage? Wife? He didn’t understand. And then there was Sehun’s name, and it clicked. Prince Sehun was to marry the daughter of the King of Patras. That’s the reason they were here, of course.
He was trembling. He didn’t understand his body’s reaction either. His hands were shaking and something was clogging his throat, not allowing him to breathe properly. His chest felt heavy, and his heart started pounding. Oh, his heart. His heart hurt. He needed to get out of here. He needed to breathe.
He left the room in a rush, leaving the others astounded at his sudden reaction. He ran. He ran, yet he didn’t know where he was going. He didn’t know until his feet carried him to the garden where he met Princess Miyoung earlier.
Luhan found a niche just behind the huge Fountain of Nicaise, his heart still pounding. He put a shaky hand on top of his chest, trying to stop it by breathing deeply, in and out. It took him a few minutes until he was finally relaxed, slumping on the ground as he did so.
Footsteps were suddenly heard and he gasped as a head poke from the bushes at his left. It was Jongin, looking at him curiously.
“Luhan? What are you doing here?” The other asked, his attire mirroring Luhan’s as he too was serving for the dinner tonight.
“How did you find me?”
“Your shoes,” Jongin nudged his shoe with his own, grinning. “I thought I’d find a dead body here.”
“I could be that,” Luhan muttered.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
Jongin eyed him for a second before asking, “What’s wrong?”
He sat beside Luhan on the freshly trimmed grass. Other than the distant sound of the party and the cicadas chirping through the night, there was silence. The moonlight was bright and the breeze was a little cold. Luhan briefly glanced at his friend before looking up at the sky and sighing. His voice was low, almost a whisper, when he asked, “did you know why the Patrans are here, Jongin?”
“Yes, everyone knows.”
“Not me, apparently. I didn’t know.”
“That’s odd,” Jongin said. “You’re the closest to the Prince and you didn’t know.”
Luhan shrugged.
“I would feel really bad for the Prince if he ended up marrying the Patran Princess. I hope she’ll change with time.”
Luhan hummed in reply.
“Don’t you think it’s a bit silly? They are so young and yet their royal parents already arranged a wedding for them. They don’t even get to decide.”
Luhan replied, unconcerned, “They are royalties. I guess that’s how it works here.”
“But still. It’s awful. What if they don’t like each other?”
Luhan wanted to laugh. Sehun absolutely did not like Princess Miyoung.
“I can’t imagine it, marrying someone you don’t love,” Jongin continued, shuddering at the thought.
“Love?” Luhan said.
“Yes, love. Don’t you want to marry for love, Luhan?” Jongin asked.
“Aren’t I too young to think of that? Aren’t we too young to even talk about that?” Luhan had sisters to support and feed, he did not have time to deal with such things.
“There’s no such thing as young or old when it comes to love. You can be a kid and fall in love, or a seventy-year old. It doesn’t matter. And besides, it’s the best feeling in the world.”
“You talk like you’ve experienced it already,” Luhan murmured.
Jongin glanced at Luhan, a little too long for comfort before looking up at the moon. “Maybe.”
“Well,” Luhan coughed, standing up and brushing dirt off his trousers. “I’d better turn in now. I have to wake up early.”
“You and I both. Let’s go back,” Jongin followed, and they walked together, towards the still bustling palace.
When Luhan was finally lying on his cot, he reflected on today’s event. Meeting the Princess in the garden, thinking she was beautiful and kind, the incident she created during dinner, Sehun’s never-ending hatred towards her…
Come to think of it, Sehun hated her since they met last year, and until now that didn’t seem to change. Could it be possible that Sehun knew that they were going to be married back when they visited Patras? Probably. But Sehun didn’t tell him anything at all. So much for being friends. And he was the only one who didn’t know about this news. They were together every day, and yet Sehun didn’t mention anything about it, not even a word.
But then again, there’s still a line separating the two of them. After all, he was still the Prince, and Luhan was just a mere servant. Just because Sehun said that they were friends didn’t mean he had the right to meddle in any royal matters. For all he knew, he could have been just saying that because he was kind to his subjects, and Luhan was one.
‘Remember your place,’ Luhan thought firmly. Something throbbed in his chest again. It was painful. He had to keep that in mind. At all times. He must.
Remember your place.
**
Luhan was fourteen and it had been a year since he started working at the Royal Palace in Arles. He still worked as a palace servant, especially at Prince Sehun’s beck and call. His workload was less now that the Prince was sixteen.
After the Prince’s sixteenth birthday, his father, the King of Vere, gave him the responsibility of attending council meetings and court hearings . He was away often, spending most of his time in the council room or throne room. Then there were his lessons, so when he’s not in meetings, he was in the training grounds or the study hall. He was still young, and there was still so much to learn and to know before he was ready to ascend the throne. As a result, the only time Luhan saw Sehun was when he woke in the morning and he served breakfast, during lunch whenever the Prince had to go back to his room to change clothes and in the evening, at dinner and when he had to attend him for bed. Interactions were minimal, conversations even more so. Sehun was normally so tired after a long day that all he wanted to do was eat and sleep.
Because of this, Luhan often spent his time around the palace, randomly finding tasks for himself. As Sehun’s personal servant, he didn’t have many tasks apart from attending to him, so he wandered. He helped Kyungsoo in the kitchens and chatted with this doe-eyed friend of his, or stayed with Jongin at the stables to brush the horses’ mane. Jongin made a good companion whenever he was not throwing weird looks at Luhan. Admittedly, he missed having Sehun around, but Sehun was the Prince, and he could not always be there to play with Luhan. Unlike him, the Prince had huge responsibilities, like learning how to rule a country.
“You seem distracted. Are you all right?” Jongin suddenly asked as he lifted the saddle off a horse that a courtier had just used.
“Yes,” Luhan nodded, shaking off his thoughts. He went back to feeding the horse with a carrot. “Yes, of course.”
“It’s the start of summer, Luhan. Do you want to go to the lake for a swim? We can take a horse,” Jongin suggested with a grin.
This got Luhan’s mood up. The mention of lake and swimming always lifted his feelings. The last time he had been there was when he turned fourteen, which had been a little over a month ago. It was his birthday, and Jongin and Kyungsoo, upon finding out, brought him to the lake with delicious food and drinks as gifts. It’s the most fun he had had since Sehun’s sixteenth birthday, which was only a few days before Luhan’s, but the Prince didn’t know. He didn’t have to know.
“I would love to go back to the lake,” Luhan smiled.
“I will prepare the horse then.”
“Should I inform Kyungsoo?”
Jongin hesitated. “Kyungsoo is busy. The council requested for a festive dinner tonight.”
“Ah, should we go then?”
With a smile, Jongin flung a saddle on a dark horse and mounted, offering his hand to Luhan. They were to ride pillion, because Luhan didn’t own a horse and Jongin was only allowed to take one out for a day. Luhan easily fitted behind Jongin, his small frame making it easier for the both of them, as well as the horse. Jongin heeled the horse, and with a neigh, it started moving out of the palace grounds, heading towards the east exit.
It was a beautiful day, the sun high up and the sky clear blue. Luhan looked up at the sky, a hand covering his eyes from the bright sunlight, searching for clouds only to see none. It was going to be a nice day, with even better weather. He closed his eyes for a second and when he opened it, his sight landed on the battlements just above his right. There was a person standing there, staring below. Luhan turned rigid when he saw the blonde hair and the dark purple jacket he had laced up early that morning. It was the Prince. Before he could even react properly, probably bow or wave, Jongin heeled the horse again and it ran, leaving the palace walls, towards the forest.
**
Months passed, and Luhan spent his days helping Jongin in the stables and Kyungsoo in the kitchens. He was getting the hang of taking care of the horses and cleaning up the stables. Kyungsoo still did not let him work on the meals, only allowing him to chop meat and peel vegetables.
“Cooking is an art, Luhan. Cooking is my art,” he had said once. “I can’t let other people touch and ruin it.”
It was not like Luhan was going to ruin the royalties’ food on purpose. He still wanted to stay in the palace, after all.
Luhan’s mind drifted to Sehun. He was getting busier as the days went by, always stuck in meetings and swamped with documents. The longest time he’d seen to the Prince recently was when he was attending him or delivering his meals to his chambers. He was not needed in Sehun’s room when the Prince was not there, so he opted to stay in the gardens or the servants’ quarters when he was not with his friends.
He was sitting on one of the marble benches in the gardens one bright autumn noon. The wind was chilly, and despite wearing a thick jacket he was still slightly cold. He wrapped his arms around himself, trying to ward off the breeze as he idly listened to Jongin’s story. They were eating their meal outside after taking a break. They have been bathing the horses of the King and Queen all morning.
“My grandfather’s only ever been to Akielos once, when the King’s father went there for a state visit. He took care of the horse that the King had used for the Akielon sport called okton,” Jongin said, biting into his tomato-paste glazed meat. “This is very good. I have to tell Kyungsoo when I see him,” he mumbled through the food in his mouth, making Luhan laugh.
He bit into his own food before asking. “What’s the okton?”
“Okton is called the sports of kings in the country,” Jongin explained. “It’s kind of like a horse-racing contest, but the riders have to throw spears at a certain distance and targets as they run through a figure-of-eight field. I have only seen it in pictures. But they say it’s the hardest sport in Akielos, which is saying something. If a competitor missed the target, his spear may hit his opponent. A deadly game,” Jongin finished, biting into his lamb once more.
“That’s interesting,” Luhan said. “I’d like to see that someday.” The truth was he wanted to see Sehun play the sport someday. He had seen how beautiful the Prince was on the back of his horse, graceful yet in full control. He was every inch a royalty. Luhan’s insides fluttered at the image.
“Maybe you’d get to see that. Visit Akielos during their festivals,” Jongin suggested as they both finished their meals and packed their utensils. “The White City of Ios becomes colorful during their festivals. And I heard the capital is stunning.”
“Maybe. But boat rides are expensive. And even if I travel on land, I don’t have a horse.”
“I have a horse. You can ride it. Or, we can ride pillion.”
“Hm, yes. Maybe,” Luhan nodded.
“That’s actually a very good idea!” Jongin exclaimed, standing up and pulling Luhan’s hand. They began walking back to the path of the gardens that lead inside the palace. “We can go to Akielos together as a break. Oh, that would be so much fun!”
Luhan laughed as Jongin skipped with every step. “We have to go with Kyungsoo, too.”
Jongin halted, a frown replacing his silly grin. “Why?”
“Because he’s our friend,” Luhan said, a little confused that Jongin needed a reason.
“But I want to go with you. Just you. Besides, I only have one horse.”
“That’s not fair to Kyungsoo.”
The older’s scowl deepened. “Why do you always have to include Kyungsoo in every conversation we have?”
Luhan took a step back. He didn’t know why Jongin snapped at him. Wasn’t Kyungsoo his friend, too? They had been together even before Luhan arrived in the palace. “He’s our friend,” he repeated awkwardly.
“You don’t understand, Luhan,” Jongin sighed.
“What do I not understand?”
“Just…” The boy released another heavy sigh. He looked at Luhan, and his eyes were unreadable in the afternoon light. He placed one free hand on top of Luhan’s tiny shoulder. “Do you remember the night you asked me if I had already experienced love?”
Luhan thought for a second, and then nodded. “You said maybe.”
Jongin swallowed, “I meant that as a yes.”
“So?” Luhan didn’t know where Jongin’s going with this.
“So,” Jongin exhaled, frustrated. “I was saying that yes, I’ve -”
“Luhan.”
Someone called from under the awning, and Luhan froze. He and Jongin turned their heads at the same time to see the Prince standing under the shade, just outside the palace hallway. He had a blank expression, yet his eyes were piercing and he was staring at Luhan. It made the younger gulp. The Prince gestured for him to follow and then disappeared behind the walls.
Luhan quickly glanced at Jongin and then nodded his goodbye before running after Sehun. He dumped his utensils in the kitchens as fast as he could and ran to where the Prince’s chambers were located. The guards didn’t even spare him a glance after he knocked twice and let himself in.
“Your Highness?” He called timidly. Then, “Sehun?”
He passed the antechamber and entered the bedroom, and there he met the hard stare of Prince Sehun, who was sitting at the center of the table, frowning. Luhan fidgeted as he stood at the doorway, pulling at his fingers as he waited, looking down and avoiding Sehun’s eyes at all cost.
“Why are you not in my chambers?” Sehun asked, his voice sounding cold and irritated.
“I -” Luhan blinked up at him, and then bowed. “I’m sorry.”
Silence.
Sehun kept his cold glare.
“Is there anything you need?”
Sehun scoffed, narrowing his eyes at Luhan. “Is there anything I need?”
Luhan was speechless. He didn’t know what he did wrong.
“You were supposed to be here. In my chambers. Waiting for me. But where were you? I came up here after the council meeting and you’re gone. Or was I supposed to get my own food from the kitchens now?”
Oh. So that was what he did wrong.
“I - I’m so sorry, Your Highness,” Luhan bowed, his eyes on the floor once more. Sehun was seething, and it was because Luhan was not there where he was needed. How incompetent of him.
“I want my meal. Now,” the Prince hissed.
Luhan scrambled out of the chambers and ran down the kitchens to get the Prince’s food, his heart beating in sync with his feet as he hurried down the halls.
He almost bumped into Kyungsoo in his haste, grabbing the smaller boy’s arms to regain balance.
“Luhan,” said Kyungsoo. “Are you alright?”
“No,” he gasped. “The Prince needs his lunch. Now.”
“Oh,” Kyungsoo turned, grabbing a plate and heading to the counter. “Of course. Here.”
Kyungsoo probably sensed that Luhan was in a hurry, because in a few minutes he managed to fill the tray with food, complete with silverwares, a table napkin and a carafe of apple juice and a goblet. Luhan hastily thanked him for the tray and carefully but quickly walked back to the waiting Prince. The guards opened the doors for him this time and in he went, taking a deep breath as he faced the Sehun once more.
The Prince was still seated, just where Luhan left him, in the center of the table they first played at a year ago. This time, however, he had his elbows on the table, his head cradled by his hands and he was looking down. Luhan noted that his shoulders were sagged, and his usually neat hair was mussed.
“My Prince? Your food is here,” Luhan walked gingerly to the table and placed the tray he was carrying just right in front of the Prince. He stepped back after, and went back to wringing his hands together. “I’ll leave you to eat. I will be in the hall if you need anything, Your Highness.”
Luhan turned and was about to walk out of the bedroom to leave Sehun in peace, when a cold hand gripped his wrist.
“Sehun,” the Prince murmured. “It’s Sehun, Luhan.”
He turned then, and he glanced down at the Prince’s fingers before looking at him. He was looking at Luhan, and his gray eyes were softer now than before. He was still frowning, and Luhan wondered what made this young prince so upset.
“Sehun,” Luhan breathed.
“Luhan,” Sehun tried to smile, but it did not reach his eyes, and his hand fell from Luhan’s. “I should not have shouted at you.”
Realising that the Prince was apologising to him as best as he could, he shook his head. “It’s fine. I deserve it. I’m sorry, Sehun. I will be better at this, I promise.”
“You don’t have to, Luhan,” Sehun said. He gestured for the younger to take a seat beside him. “You’re very good at what you do. The best, in fact.” When he smiled, his eyes lit up and Luhan knew it was a real smile this time. He just didn’t know how to explain the churning in his stomach.
“Thank you,” he said.
“I didn’t mean to snap at you, Luhan. It’s just… today has been such a bad day. There was trouble in Acquitart. Councilor Junmyeon was being a pain. Father was being harsh again, and the council meeting was such a drag.”
Luhan stifled a giggle. The Prince almost sounded like he was whining. Luhan thought he ought not to be surprised if he started stomping his foot.
Sehun playfully glared at him before continuing. “I was looking forward to lunch so I’d see you, and maybe play cards during my break. But then you weren’t here and I got irritated and started looking for you. And when I found you in the gardens, you were with another boy and you looked like you were having fun and I got envious and -” Sehun stopped himself and took a breath.
Luhan gave him a smile, and to his astonishment, the Prince blushed lightly, his cheeks turning a beautiful shade of pink.
Disguising his embarrassment with a cough, Sehun pulled the tray closer to him. “I should eat. I have to go back to the throne room in an hour.”
“Should I go…?” Luhan asked, slowly rising from his seat.
“No!” Sehun exclaimed, and then backed down, sipping from his goblet. “I mean, no. You stay here. It’s been a while since we last talked.”
“All right,” Luhan nodded and tried to relax in his seat. He didn’t expect it, but apparently Sehun also noticed that they rarely spend time together nowadays. He wondered if Sehun also missed him like he did. And then his heart throbbed, and he mentally chastised himself for thinking as such.
Remember your place.
Sehun only needed his company and his service, nothing else. He needed to stop deluding himself. He needed to stop the fluttering inside him that didn’t make sense whenever he was with Sehun.
“The boy you were with in the garden, is that Kyungsoo?” Sehun suddenly asked, stopping Luhan’s thoughts.
“That’s Jongin. He works in the stables.”
“Oh. Are you two close?”
Luhan nodded and then shrugged. “You can say that. I spend most of my time with him and Kyungsoo. He taught me how to take care of the horses. Sometimes we go visit the lake when the weather’s warm and there’s not much to do -”
“You go to the lake?” Sehun asked, his tone almost accusing.
“Sometimes,” Luhan nodded gingerly. He was not sure why he felt a tad bit guilty.
“I didn’t know you go to the lake without me,” Sehun whispered.
The last time Sehun and Luhan went to the lake together was last year, before summer ended and the leaves were just starting to fall from the branches. It had been a while since they’ve last been there, and Luhan had to admit that it was not the same without the Prince. He also had to admit that despite the Prince’s absence, he still enjoyed himself, still swam happily in the cool waters of the crystal-clear lake. He enjoyed Jongin’s company, and sometimes Kyungsoo’s.
“I’ve been there a couple of times, yes.”
“Should we go to the lake? Tomorrow?” Sehun asked, wiping his lips with the napkin, already finished with his food.
“Are you not busy tomorrow?”
Sehun pondered this for a moment before sighing, “I have to arrange a trip with my guards and father.”
“You’re going somewhere?”
“Akielos. Prince Chanyeol’s birthday is at the end of autumn, but he wants me to spend a fortnight in Ios so I’m leaving early.”
“When will you be leaving?” Luhan asked, and he was already lonely at the thought of the Prince being gone for two weeks or more. The trip would take a week to and fro if they traveled on sea, almost a month if on land.
“Three days from now,” Sehun said, his eyes on Luhan’s face.
“Oh.”
“Hm. That’s why we should go to the lake tomorrow. The meeting won’t take long so we will have the rest of the afternoon,” Sehun said. He tilted his head to the side, his golden fringe falling across his forehead, and then he grinned wickedly. “Unless…”
“Unless?”
Sehun chuckled once, and then, “Do you want to go to Ios?”
Luhan sputtered, his big eyes widening even more as he looked at his Prince. “Ios?”
“Yes, Ios. I can finally introduce you properly to Chanyeol. He’s been dying to meet you,” Sehun grinned.
“He knows me?” Luhan asked, shocked.
“Of course, silly.”
Prince Chanyeol. Sehun had told Luhan so much about him. Luhan always thought he was Sehun’s best friend, aside from being his cousin of some sort. He didn’t know Sehun told Prince Chanyeol about him. Didn’t think Sehun wanted his friends to know about him. The fact that Sehun actually talked about him flattered him in so many ways it was as if his heart wanted to get out of his chest. Luhan dug his nails into his palms. Stop it.
“So? Do you want to?” Sehun asked, leaning towards Luhan.
“I want to…?”
“Go to Akielos.”
“I… Only if you want me to,” Luhan whispered.
“But I’m asking you, Luhan. I know you’d do anything I want you to do, so I’m asking you if you want to go to Ios. With me,” Sehun said.
Luhan lightened up, and he bobbed his head as he said quietly, “I would love to go.”
“Perfect.” Sehun’s smile was blinding, and Luhan had to blink and distract himself so the fluttering would stop. He dug his nails deeper onto his skin.
“I will make arrangements tomorrow. We are supposed to bring squires instead of servants as Chanyeol prefers to gift us with servants when we visit,” Sehun’s nose crinkled. “But if I have you then I won’t be obligated to accept his gifts.”
“I’ve never been to Ios,” Luhan said meekly, voice still hushed.
“In three days, you will be traveling to Akielos. You’ll love it there. There’s so much water. My room there has a good view of the ocean. It’s beautiful.”
The mention of the ocean made Luhan perk up, and Sehun’s grin widened a fraction more as he noticed this. Luhan loved being near the water, and Sehun knew it well.
“Should I start packing now?” Luhan asked, practically bouncing on his seat, before catching himself. “I mean, for you. Should I start packing your things for the trip?”
The Prince laughed once. “Sure. You know where my trunk is, and my saddlebags. You know better where my clothes are than I do.” Sehun stood up and walked towards the window facing the Great Northern Forest, taking a deep breath. “You should start packing your things, too. I have a spare trunk if you need it. As for me, I must go back to the throne room now.”
He took one last breath of the autumn breeze before heading to the antechamber, the heels of his boots clacking against the shiny marbled floor. Luhan noticed something and quickly stood, following right behind Sehun.
“Wait, Prince,” he called, halting Sehun on his way to the doorway and turning to face the younger boy.
“What is it?”
“Y-your hair. I… Let me.” Luhan walked closer, tiptoeing when he was an arm’s length away from the Prince. He extended his hands and his fingers worked through the Prince’s disheveled golden hair, gently yet thoroughly brushing the strands back in place. He avoided Sehun’s eyes as he did this, concentrating on his task. Luhan could feel the Prince’s intense gray eyes on his face, and he fought the blush creeping up his cheeks.
“There. All done,” Luhan breathed and relaxed back on his heels. He coughed twice, pulling at the hem of his laced jacket.
“Thank you, Luhan,” Sehun said, his voice low but warm. “I will see you at dinner? No detours.”
Luhan flushed, unable to stop the blood rushing to his face. He knew Sehun was just teasing, but he still chastised himself for not being able to tend to his Prince as best as he could. “I will be here in your rooms.”
“Good.”
And with that, the Prince left his chambers, the guards closing the doors behind him, leaving Luhan alone to slouch on the couch and fan his heated face. He needed to keep himself entertained while he waited for dusk to come. He couldn’t afford to pay Kyungsoo or Jongin a visit now that his Prince just about ordered him to stay in the room.
He looked around the spacious antechamber, spotting the bookshelves he would often dust in the mornings after Sehun left for duty. Surely there would be something interesting to read there. His nose crinkled at the thought, but shrugged as he didn’t want to waste his time waiting for the Prince to come back. Luhan thought he might get covered by cobwebs and dust if he didn’t do anything but sit on the couch for the rest of the day. He might as well read something.
Sauntering towards a shelf, he lifted his fingers towards the spines of the books, scanning them until his eyes spotted one that piqued his interest. ‘Akielos: Then and Now’, the title said.
Excitement surged in his veins as he pulled the book out, running towards the bedroom and sitting at his favorite corner, the velvet seat just beside the huge window. The lighting was perfect, the sunrays bright. He opened the book, turning it with vigor. He started reading, the first chapter dedicated to the late King of Akielos, Theomedes.
He read and read about the country, learning its cultures and sports - the okton was mentioned several times. The book described Akielos’ landscapes, the Kingsmeet, the capital city Ios, even the treaties and alliances between the country and Vere, and how it all started. Luhan would usually fall asleep after the first couple of pages, but for the first time, he was thrilled to be reading a book and not at all feeling drowsy.
The light through the window turned orange as twilight approached as Luhan neared the end of the book, still deeply engrossed. He knew the reason he was so focused. Part of the reason was his upcoming visit to the country, but the real reason he was interested and enthused was because he would be with Sehun on this trip. Nothing was more thrilling than the thought of spending time with the Prince he admired so much. He couldn’t wait to see the scenery Akielos had to offer him, and he would see it all with his Prince.
Luhan had an idiotic grin across his lips as he thought of all the things they would do once they were in Ios, all the things he would experience for the first time. His grin only broadened when the door to the chambers opened and the tell-tale sounds of Sehun’s boots echoed through the room. He closed the book and half-ran to welcome his Prince.
**
Part 3