The Snow Prince (10/13)

[thesilentelf]

Title: The Snow Prince
Pairing: HanChul, KangTeuk, KyuMin, EunHae, YeWook, SiBum, ShinNari, ZhouRy
Rating: PG13
Genre: Romance, AU
Summary: A story of how a snow prince finally falls in love

- part 10 -


Heechul stared at the king in shock and in horror. He forgot that he was in a foreign land. He forgot that he was held captive. He forgot that Hankyung had a very deep cut near his lip which was bleeding. He only remembered what he had heard just now as it echoed in his ears.

What the King of the North said made sense. It made so much sense that it made Heechul doubt if he was really a very wise prince.

Being separated from his brothers, destroying the bond between the twelve Snow Princes... It would make their kingdom fall. None of them could think. None of them could function well. Each one of them would be heart broken. Why did Heechul leave them in the first place?

Leeteuk... Heechul thought. He must be so lost right now...

"Now, if you will all excuse me," The king stood up and two big soldiers flanked him by his sides. "I have other things to do."

Heechul continued to stare at the ground in shock.

"Oh and Hangeng," The king stopped and looked at him. Hankyung looked back helplessly. "Good job. I shall have a huge celebration arranged in your honor tomorrow evening. My way of thanking you."

Heechul saw Hankyung grit his teeth. The king then turned to Heechul's guards and smiled.

"I have no use of him now. Lock him in the dungeons and kill him at sunset."

Heechul looked up at the king and glared at him.

"No, wait." The king thought for awhile then grinned. "Kill him tomorrow during the ball. I'd like everyone to see him first before we behead him.

It was all too much for Hankyung it seemed. With a rage Heechul never knew he had, Hankyung had wrenched his hands away from his guards and slammed them to the ground.

Heechul, taking this moment as a distraction, shoved his guards away and began attacking them too. Zhou Mi and Henry stared, surprised at the scene in front of them.

Hankyung then ran towards the king, raising his fists to hit him when one of the king's men took Heechul by the throat and lifted him up.

"Heechul!" He heard Hankyung shout and saw him turn around but then guards were suddenly clasping his hands.

Heechul gasped for breath, feeling the guard's hold on him burn his neck. He couldn't breathe. His feet was hovering above the ground. He could feel tears in his eyes as he struggled for air. And then his vision... it was getting darker and darker...

"Enough!"

The king's voice boomed throughout the hall again and Heechul was dropped to the ground. Heechul coughed and choked and gasped for breath as he was released and he found small hands lifting him up gently. It was Henry.

He could take him out so easily. He knew how. But he had no strength. He was still gasping for air as Henry handed him back to the guards. He noticed how gentle his hands were and wondered why it was so.

"Don't kill him yet, you buffoon." The king said at the guard.

"Father," Hankyung begged and Heechul saw he was on his knees. "Father, please. Let him go."

The king smirked at him. "Lock him in his room."

Hankyung just fought helplessly with his captors as he was being dragged somewhere and Heechul just continued to catch up with his breath.

But it was too much and in seconds, he blacked out.

* * * * *

He was dreaming. It felt like he was. He found it hard to believe he wasn't in the Snow Kingdom anymore.

But on second thought, it felt more like a nightmare.

Heechul opened his eyes and saw that he was lying on a hard bench. He looked around and saw that a small lamp only lit his area and he sat up.

Heechul breathed and clutched at his throat where that guard had burned him. He couldn't see his reflection but he knew there were scorch marks.

He didn't know why but his hands still felt cold. He felt the burn on his neck and closed his eyes in relief as he felt his cool touch ease the burn.

He wondered how Hankyung was doing.

Hankyung...

All of what the king said earlier found its way to Heechul again. He was a spy. He was posing as a traveller just to find out what made his kingdom strong. He used all of them.

But somehow, Heechul didn't believe it.

Hankyung may be a spy. But it seemed like he wasn't. Like this was just a plan gone wrong and that Hankyung was innocent.

But Heechul knew he had to be careful. He couldn't trust Hankyung completely yet he couldn't make himself think he was an enemy.

Something moved along the hallway and Heechul stood up. He watched as a small shadow started moving and as it came closer Heechul found himself clutching the gates to his cell so tight.

The shadow turned out to be Henry and Heechul stared at him, surprised to see him in here.

"What... What are you doing here?" Heechul asked as Henry continued to study him. Henry didn't speak but stared at Heechul's hands.

"What do you want?" Heechul asked, trying to sound menacing but he couldn't. There was something about this boy that wasn't... bad. In fact, even Heechul felt the same way about Zhou Mi.

Henry looked at him, stepping closer to his cell and motioned at his hand. "May I?"

His hand? Heechul looked at his own hands. There was nothing there. But he held it out anyway and Henry took it. Henry jumped at the first touch and Heechul knew because it was cold. But slowly, Henry took his whole hand and stared at his palm.

Heechul knew about palm reading. He had read about them. But it was his first time to experience it.

Henry was tracing the lines on his palm so slowly and his eyes roamed around it. He looked like he was concentrating so hard that Heechul didn't want to interrupt. But he was wondering why he was here and before he could ask, Henry dropped his palm and unlocked his cell.

Heechul stood still, surprised at what Henry just did.

"Why did you..." Heechul knew he should take this moment to escape but what Henry did confused him.

"You owe my brother."

Heechul looked at him, confused. "Hankyung? I don't owe him anything."

Henry shook his head. "You owe him. You owe him your life."

What is this kid talking about? Heechul thought.

"Thank you for unlocking my cell but I don't understand." Heechul said and Henry took his hand and showed his palm to him. Heechul stared at his palm but there was nothing there.

"You. You were lonely once." Henry said, tracing the lines on his palm, showing Heechul but he couldn't understand.

"You were once a very lonely prince. Cold. Depressed. Lonely." Henry said and Heechul stared at him, surprised how he knew that.

"But when my brother arrived, he saved you." Henry continued. "He made you smile. And laugh. And it made you sleep well at night."

Heechul found himself nodding at him.

"My brother... He showed you what love is." Henry looked up at him. "He saved you."

Heechul took his hand and rubbed his palm from Henry's warm touch.

"And?" Heechul asked impatiently. "What has this got to do with anything?"

Henry turned around and went out of his cell. Heechul was afraid he was going to lock it back and he held it. But Henry faced him and smiled, placing a finger to his lips.

"Ssshh." He then locked him back up but stayed in front of his cell. Heechul sat back, watching him and then he noticed something.

Shadows.

Heechul watched as the shadows moved closer and two guards appeared.

"Your majesty," They said and bowed deeply at Henry. Henry nodded.

"Your majesty, we're sorry but we have to ask you to leave this part of the castle. We were given strict orders for it to be off limits to everyone."

"I know." Henry said. "But my father needs me to interrogate him. Gather more information before he is executed. I need him to come with me."

The two guards exchanged glances and Heechul began to doubt Henry's true intentions.

"Should we escort you, your highness?" One of them asked and Henry shook his head.

"I can handle him." Henry answered but the other guard was persistent.

"One of us will accompany you."

Henry rolled his eyes. "Fine. Unlock his cell so we can go."

Heechul stepped back, watching them as they unlocked his cell. One guard took him by the arm so roughly that he winced.

"Must you do that to a prisoner who's already weak?" Henry asked and the guard loosened his grip on him.

"Sorry, your highness."

"You," Henry pointed to the other guard. "Come with me and check his cell. He might have left some valuable stuff in there."

Heechul wondered what he was talking about. He didn't bring anything. But the guard followed and as soon as he went inside, Henry slammed the guard against the wall and left him there unconscious. Heechul was surprised to find out that Henry, who looked like a little kid, possessed such strength.

The guard holding Heechul was surprised as well and he whipped out a knife and aimed it at Heechul's neck. Heechul stood still, breathing heavily.

"Gege," Henry said carefully and Heechul looked at him. Was he referring to me? "Touch him."

What? Heechul thought and the guard must've been confused too. But Heechul touched the guards arm that was holding him and he jerked back from the cold in surprise, releasing the knife. Heechul moved away as soon as his hold wasn't too strong and Henry took the guard by the waist and slammed him against the wall too. The guard fought back but before he could throw a punch, Heechul had kicked him and he keeled over. He then shoved him to a wall on one side. The guard slumped to the ground and Henry pulled him inside Heechul's cell and locked it.

"Let's go." Henry said but Heechul just stood there.

"To where? You're not going to interrogate me. I don't need you finding out how to get inside my kingdom." Heechul glared but Henry took his hand and tugged at it.

"I'm not going to. I'll explain later. Come on!"

Heechul hesitated again but decided to follow him. He needed to get out from this place anyway and only Henry knew how. He'd threaten him later if the time came.

Heechul followed Henry as they went up. The palace looked dark but it was beautiful. It reminded Heechul of the places Kibum used to draw. How he said different kingdoms had different types of castles. But he had never been in one aside from his own.

"Why is the castle so dark?" Heechul whispered at Henry as they wove in and out of hallways quickly. "And hot?"

"That's because we're inside a volcano." Henry answered and Heechul stopped.

"What?!"

Henry turned around and covered his mouth with his hands.

"Ssshh!" Henry pointed across them and saw that there were guards patrolling the place. Heechul nodded then crouched down as Henry surveyed the area.

"Why are we in a volcano?" Heechul asked and Henry looked back at him.

"Because we live here?" Henry had a look that this was such an obvious reason. "Didn't Hangeng gege tell you?"

"Hankyung didn't tell me a lot of things." Heechul grumbled and Henry just went, "Oh."

Henry led him further upstairs and Heechul found this place to be quiet.

"So why do you live inside a volcano?" Heechul asked.

"Because it's hidden. Nobody would find us." Henry said. "And this is where my father feels the most powerful."

Henry then stopped and Heechul stood beside him.

"Hangeng gege's room." Henry pointed out and Heechul saw that there were two big guards stationed outside the doors.

"What are we going to do?"

Henry looked at him. "You are going to save him."

Heechul thought he was crazy.

"He saved you from your depression and loneliness. Now it's your turn to save him."

"And how do you propose I do that?" Heechul asked sarcastically. "Just waltz in there and tell those guards to let him go? You have more power and authority to do this so why don't you do it?"

Henry shook his head. "No, you don't understand. Hangeng gege refuses to talk to me and Zhou Mi gege. He doesn't trust us anymore."

Heechul saw Henry's sad face.

"Well, you can't exactly blame him for that." Heechul said and Henry nodded.

"I know. Zhou Mi gege and I were wrong to even bring you with us. We didn't think it would come to this. But there were just too many soldiers as witnesses that we had to bring you along. We just didn't expect all of this to happen." Henry explained, looking back and forth from the end of the hallway to Hankyung's room. "And besides," Henry stopped and looked at him. "We didn't think that Hankgeng gege would fall in love while he was on his travels. That he would fall in love with you."

Keys rattling across the hall interrupted Heechul and Henry as they hid themselves further. Two huge guards replaced the ones standing by Hankyung's door and it was as if it was time to relieve them of their duties and change positions.

"I need you to talk to Hangeng gege. Save him from blaming himself for this." Henry whispered. "He'll listen to you. Convince him that Zhou Mi gege and I will help the both of you escape."

Heechul stared back at him, still not trusting him completely. "Will you?"

Henry looked at him and then after a second, took a golden ring from his finger and handed it to him. Heechul stared at the ring and was mesmerized by the red emerald inside it. It looked like something inside it was making it glow a deep shade of red.

"What is this?" Heechuk asked. "Why are you giving it to me?"

"This is how you'll know you can trust me. Hangeng gege will understand. He'll explain."

Heechul nodded, taking it even though he was still confused about a lot of things.

"What are we doing anyway? How are we going to get past them?" Heechul asked, motioning to the guards and Henry pulled him to a small spot where they wouldn't be seen but the both of them could look at the guards without being caught.

"We wait for Zhou Mi gege." Henry said. "He knows what to do. He'll come any minute now."

Heechul sat back, closing his eyes as he relaxed a little. His legs felt so tired and his neck still felt sore. Raising his hand again to it, he sighed as he felt his cool touch.

"Hangeng gege doesn't mean it." Henry said so suddenly that Heechul opened his eyes so quick.

"He loves you. He didn't mean to lie to you. Or hurt you." Henry said. "That spying thing? He never liked doing it. He loves travelling though and exploring the world. He just doesn't like to spy for them. But father always makes him do it. Otherwise he'd ask us to strip him off of his powers."

"Powers?" Heechul asked. "What powers?"

Just then, footsteps sounded and Henry and Heechul crouched down to peek at whoever it was.

"Gege..." Henry breathed and Heechul saw Zhou Mi approach the guards slowly, his black robes swishing behind him.

"Your highness," The guards bowed and Zhou Mi nodded.

"I need to speak with my brother." Zhou Mi said but the guards stood their ground, not letting him pass.

"We're sorry your highness but the King gave us strict orders not to open this door unless it was for him."

Zhou Mi nodded. "I know. He told me about it. He's given me a pass. Here."

One of the guards looked at the paper Zhou Mi handed to him. As soon as he was distracted, Zhou Mi pressed the paper close to his face and the guard screamed. It seemed to be burning him and the other one began to attack. But Zhou Mi was quick and he threw a heavy kick in his gut and in his head. The guard was unconscious in seconds and Zhou Mi knocked out the other one with his hands to stop him from screaming.

As soon as they were both silenced and dealt with, Zhou Mi looked at Heechul and Henry's hiding place and motioned for them. Henry tugged at Heechul's hand and they went towards him.

"That was fast." Henry commented, smiling at him and Zhou Mi thanked him. He then turned to look at Heechul and he was surprised when Zhou Mi bowed.

"Your highness." Zhou Mi said. "I apologize for the state that you're in. We're not really known to be such a welcoming kingdom."

Heechul chuckled at that and Zhou Mi smiled at him. But then he remembered what they were going to do and composed himself.

"I know we're asking too much but please help our brother. He won't trust us now. Only you can help him." Zhou Mi pleaded. "In return, we'll help you both escape."

"When he leaves this place, we only want him to see us as who we once were. We don't want him to see us as his brothers who betrayed him. We only want him to see us as the brothers he once loved." Henry added.

Heechul looked at the both of them and even though he didn't know what their relationship was once before, he kind of understood that it must be how he felt about his own brothers back home too.

"Alright." Heechul nodded and Zhou Mi and Henry bowed at him. "How long do I have?"

"As quickly as you can." Zhou Mi said, looking around. "We'll stand guard over these doors."

Heechul nodded and watched as Zhou Mi inserted the keys into the lock. Twisting it, Heechul went inside carefully.

As soon as the doors closed behind him, Heechul felt himself being grabbed in the darkness and was faced away from his attacker. A shard of glass was aimed at his neck and someone behind him was breathing heavily.

"Unlock those doors now and let me out or I will kill you right here. Now." Hankyung hissed behind him.

"It's me!" Heechul exclaimed and he felt Hankyung's hold loosen. He dropped the glass he was holding and turned on the lights. Heechul and Hankyung locked gazes with each other.

"Heechul." Hankyung breathed and he was suddenly hugging him. Heechul breathed into his chest, feeling relieved at having to see him. He was okay...

And then he remembered him lying to him and he pushed him away with a glare. Hankyung stepped back at him, surprised and then he realized too at what he had done.

"I'm sorry." Hankyung said, his head low. "I'm sorry you had to go through this because of me."

"This?" Heechul scoffed. "This is nothing. What you did to me though, lying to me..."

Hankyung nodded. "I'm sorry." And then he quickly looked up. "But wait, how are you here? How did you escape?"

"Never mind that now." Heechul crossed his arms in front of him. "Tell me everything. Everything."

"But I need to get you out- "

"Oh I think I have time to listen to you." Heechul pointed out. "And no more lies."

Hankyung nodded, sitting down on his bed and Heechul sat at his dresser across from him.

"Where do I start?"

"To you being a prince." Heechul glared and Hankyung breathed in deeply. He was glancing at the door to his room like he was deciding whether or not to just skip the story and take Heechul and go. But even Hankyung knew he owe Heechul an explanation.

"My father was the ruler of this kingdom before. Except that he wasn't my father then." Hankyung looked at him. "I know it's hard to believe but this was a very peaceful kingdom. It was like all the kingdoms I've visited. Happy. Peaceful. Safe."

Heechul did find that hard to believe.

"But the volcano that we live in right now, it errupted and wiped out most of my father's kingdom. It burned everything to the ground and burried homes, crops, families... Even his wife, the queen and all his daughters."

"He was devastated. He was angry. And he decided to destroy the volcano. But as he went to do so, he found us. Zhou Mi, Henry and I."

"Zhou Mi, Henry and I... We're not brothers by blood. We don't even know who we are. You could say that the volcano gave birth to us. The volcano is still alive but it won't hurt us. We had... powers."

Heechul raised his eye at him in curiousity.

"We were children when he found us. And at first, he hated us. Hated us for taking away his family and kingdom. We hated ourselves for even killing thousands of people. But what could we do? It was already done. We didn't mean to. And we promised to repay him by serving him and giving him protection from the volcano, power and wealth. Wealth, being all these red emeralds found inside the volcano. They're the rarest stones in the world and cost so much to other kingdoms."

"I've heard about those stones." Heechul said and Hankyung nodded. "And power? What exactly do you mean by that?"

Hankyung looked at him and reached inside his robes. Heechul watched as Hankyung took out a gold necklace with a red emerald in the middle. It was like Henry's ring. The stone, the red emerald, was a deep shade of red too. But it wasn't glowing brightly as Henry's ring was.

"What is that?" Heechul asked and Hankyung looked at him.

"Our power. This..." Hankyung looked at it sadly. "This makes us immortal."

Immortal? Heechul thought. Surely those things don't exist?

"We live on forever. Nothing can hurt us. Zhou Mi, Henry and I... We were born together with this stone. Only three precious stones. But these days, it seems to just function for only Zhou Mi and Henry. I guess, me being away to travel all the time, being away from the volcano, my powers wore off. Zhou Mi and Henry keep me alive by replenishing me with their own powers everytime I come home."

"My father is obsessed with this. He made us his sons, his princes, to help rule this kingdom. We kept our promise, showering him with our gifts and our powers. He's immortal, like us, because we share it to him. Because we're around him. We live in this volcano because he wants to. It's like he's challenging it. Taunting it. Now our kingdom is rich and whole again. But not like before."

Hankyung sighed sadly.

"My father is afraid of being alone again. Of his kingdom being taken away. Whether by natural calamities or by others. So he does what he can to make sure all the other kingdoms don't pose a threat. He sends me, the eldest, to all the other kingdoms to look for their secret powers."

"You can't be serious." Heechul said. "We're completely... normal. I mean no offense."

"None taken." Hankyung replied.

"And I know the Princes from the East are too. They spent time with us. Surely if they had any powers, we'd find out during their stay."

Hankyung nodded. "They have. But it only works in their kingdom. Outside, they can't use it. I've seen it with my own eyes."

"But it didn't say in your book- "

"My book," Hankyung smiled sadly. "I didn't write everything in it. I knew what my father would do if he finds out about the other's powers. He'd kill all of the princes or find a way to take their own powers. That's why I didn't write everything down. I didn't even write the Snow Princes' powers down."

"We don't have any powers." Heechul said but Hankyung looked at him.

"Yes you do. It's not like mine. Nor is it like the East's. Each one is powerful and different." Hankyung explained. "Yours and the rest of the princes are pretty obvious. Strength and wisdom."

Heechul pondered over this. "That's not very... powerful."

Hankyung gasped. "It is! Unlike the East's and mine, yours don't go away when you travel outside the kingdom. Ever. It stays and it helps all of you. Haven't you even noticed that your kingdom has flourished greatly? How it stays peaceful, well protected and strong?"

"If it was well protected, I wouldn't be here." Heechul muttered and Hankyung nodded.

"I know. But that's all my fault. My father was right. The moment I took one of you away, your powers diminished. Together, all of you are strong. But when one is away..."

Heechul bit his lip as anxiety ate at him again. Leeteuk...

What Hankyung said made sense. He remembered that time Shindong and Siwon went missing. Everyone of them felt weak. Leeteuk had looked frail. Even Kangin who was the strongest couldn't move around well. Ryeowook seemed lost. Kyuhyun kept on forgetting things. When they found them two days later stuck in a cave during a snow storm, everything seemed well again. Even Heechul who was back in the castle felt it. It didn't make any sense to him before but now, what Hankyung was telling him, it shed light to that incident.

"Okay. I understand now." Heechul turned to Hankyung. "But how do I trust you?"

Hankyung's face fell. Heechul knew he was expecting this.

Hankyung gripped at his necklace, looking at it. Then he took it out from his neck and placed the red emerald on Heechul's palm.

"Here." Hankyung said. "This stone is precious to me since it gives me life. Even if it isn't as powerful as before. Take it with you. It won't have any effect on you but it will to me. If I don't keep it close to me, I lose my immortality. I become human.

Hankyung pressed it further into Heechul's palm as he bowed at him. "This is me, offering my life to you."

Heechul stared at it. How can this little piece of jewelry have so much effect on Hankyung? But he believed in its powers. Oddly enough, he believed in it.

"Alright." Heechul said but placed it back on Hankyung. He gave him a surprised look. "I believe you. And don't give me that look. I need you. We need to escape together. Zhou Mi and Henry are outisde- "

"Don't listen to them." Hankyung spat out angrily. "They'll be handing us over as soon as we step outside."

"No, they helped me escape." Heechul said. "They're outside, protecting the doors right now. They said they'll help us escape."

"They're lying. They wouldn't have captured you in the first place if they cared for me."

"They do. They said it was because the soldiers that came with them were witnesses." Heechul explained and Hankyung looked away.

"I don't believe them." Hankyung mumbled. "Once upon a time I would. We were so close. Protecting each other. Loving each other. But all that's changed. Father has this tight hold on them now."

Heechul stared at his face filled with hurt. Would Leeteuk feel this way to him now? Would he feel betrayed that he left them? All his brothers? Would they see him differently? Hate him?

Heechul didn't want to think about it. But maybe? This must be how Zhou Mi and Henry feels... Having a brother think that they betrayed him...

Heechul then remembered the ring Henry gave him and he patted his pocket, looking for it. Heechul felt it and took it out.

"Henry gave this to me to show you that you can trust him. Him and Zhou Mi." Heechul said.

Heechul showed him the ring and Hankyung's eyes widened.

"How... Why..." Hankyung whispered and then looked at the door. "How long have we been talking?"

"I don't know- " Heechul's words were cut short when Hankyung went towards the door and opened it quickly. Heechul saw Hankyung's breath hitch at what he saw and Heechul took a peak behind his shoulder.

There on the floor was Zhou Mi, holding a pale looking Henry by his side. Heechul saw that Zhou Mi was cradling him, holding a bracelet with the same glowing red emerald near Henry's heart as Henry breathed in and out deeply. He was clutching Zhou Mi's hand so tight that Heechul was sure it was going to leave marks.

Zhou Mi looked up at them, his eyes glistening with tears.

"Gege..." Zhou Mi whispered at Hankyung helplessly and without another word, Hankyung crouched down and hauled Henry in his arms.

"Close the door behind you." Hankyung commanded and Zhou Mi wiped away the tears from his face and did as he was told. Heechul followed them as Hankyung placed him on his bed.

"Give me his ring." Hankyung said and Heechul gave it to him. Hankyung slipped it on Henry's finger and they all watched as Henry's breathing slowly turned to normal. Color had returned to his cheeks and his eyes fluttered open.

"Henry..." Zhou Mi whispered and Henry smiled at him. Zhou Mi pressed a comforting kiss on his forehead as he continued to hold his hand.

"You didn't have to do that." Hankyung said, propping him up carefully.

"I needed you to believe me. Believe us again." Henry said softly and Hankyung stroked his cheek.

"I'm sorry I didn't." Hankyung smiled. "But I do now."

Heechul stared at them. "What happened?"

Hankyung turned to him and showed him Henry's hand where he was wearing his ring. "Henry and Zhou Mi depend on their stones so much more than I do. Not wearing it for a long time leaves them weak, stripping them off their powers. If we hadn't given it back to him at once, it would make him mortal and the sudden change would lead him to ultimately... die."

Henry shuddered and Zhou Mi held him.

"Then why did you give it to me?" Heechul asked, horrified.

"I needed to show Hangeng gege that I was on your side." Henry explained. "That I would risk my life for the one whom my brother loves."

Hankyung smiled softly at him. "Thank you." He then turned to Zhou Mi. "I'm sorry."

Zhou Mi shook his head. "We're sorry." He then smiled at Heechul. "Thank you, your highness."

Heechul nodded and bowed. "You're welcome, your majesty."

Zhou Mi smiled. Henry then sat up looking all better.

"We better leave. Now that the great hall is empty."

Hankyung nodded and turned to Heechul.

"Are you ready, my prince?"

Heechul smiled at him and took his hand.

"I'm ready."

- part 11 -