"far, far away but close, close to you" part XV
Fandom: EXO
Title: Far, Far Away but Close, Close to You
Pairing(s): chinguline, major Baekhyun/Jongdae, minor Jongdae/Kyungsoo and Chanyeol/Kyungsoo (+ additional pairings in further chapters)
Genre: comedy, humor, prince!au, crack for occasional bad Kpop references
Length: Chaptered
Summary: Being a middle child sucks. Being a middle prince is even worse. Jongdae knows it well especially when his parents leave him with choices A) go and find your inner peace in a monastery and B) go and find your own fairytale. No wonder what he chooses but what follows is beyond everything Prince Jongdae, 2nd Prince of Far, Far Away has ever expected...
Disclaimer: I do not own EXO. Hell I would though. I love fairy tales and such even though I handle them in this story carelessly and a bit lame. The idea has just popped into my mind, any similarity with other works must be an accident.
Rating: PG
Warning(s): nothing interesting ???
Word Count: 2,976 (altogether ~20,000 we've reached +30,000 guys wtf lol)
Previous Chapters: part I / part II / part III / part IV / part V / part VI / part VII / part VIII / part IX / part X / part XI / part XII / part XIII / part XIV
„You’re not a lifesaver. You’re the witch who cursed Princess Taeyeon!”
Oops.
Prince Jongdae shuts up but it’s too late. He’s just accused the person who though has saved his life but can take it away way faster.
The woman pulls the hood down with her free hand. Her eyes are narrowed in a not-foreshadowing-any-good way.
“That was a misunderstanding. But why do you know that? You weren’t there, I’d remember.”
It’s okay, Jongdae, you can talk it out.
“I wasn’t even born then. I’m 2nd Prince of Far, Far Away.”
“Oh, the Queen’s second son. How is your mother? Does she still collect mirrors?”
“She does.”
“Impressive. I’ve always thought once she gets old she gives up.”
Okay, Jongdae, you were about to talk it out, not chatting it away!
“So, witch noona…”
“I have a name, you know.” The woman interrupts the prince while touching the wall with the torch, causing light lit up in the cresset and the cave as well. “But thank you for calling me noona. It makes me feel younger… I’m Kwon Boa, the Witch of the North.”
She is the same witch who cursed Taeyeon noona, Jongdae thinks a tad bit panicked. He had heard of the misfortune when he was younger but hasn’t seen the cause of it. It was just a good guess.
The Witch of the North doesn’t look old despite of the many years have passed since then. She looks actually pretty in Jongdae’s eyes. She’s definitely prettier than some princesses, at least. (Especially than those who mocked him.)
“What are you looking at?” The witch smirks. “I look good, don’t I? That’s exactly the reason why that incident happened by the way.”
Jongdae should really re-unite with his traveling companions but this is interesting. And it’s not like he can just leave with his limp body, right?
“You cursed Taeyeon noona because…?”
“For starters, I haven’t planned to curse anybody.” Boa exclaims and sits down in front of the prince. They’ll stay here for a while, she better makes herself comfortable. “But I hadn’t got the invitation to her birthday party… I mean the party which was held because of her birth. Anyway, I was expecting an invitation because I was a friend of the Queen of Oh, Oh Land and your mother but nothing came. I just woke up in the middle of the night to fireworks and whatnot. It was a very rude move, don’t you think?”
It was a rude move… But wait, friends?
“You were friends with my mother?”
“Of course. We started off as alliances because she needed somebody to help her lure your father but she was fun so we stayed in touch.”
“MY MOTHER DID WHAT?”
Jongdae doesn’t want a mental breakdown in the middle of a cave, in front of a witch but let’s just stop for a second, the Queen of Far, Far Away had lured herself a husband?!
“You can’t wait for love to come, Jongdae-a. You have to go and look for it”, the King had said. Damn, if he knew… One thing for sure, 2nd Prince of Far, Far Away will give her mother a piece of his mind. He has to go on a journey but she just hired a witch, huh?!
“Your mother is very entertaining but she’s not easy to deal with.” Boa clenches her mouth and continues. “I was very angry when I got to know I missed out on the party, especially when I heard why…”
Prince Jongdae listens to the story eagerly. Everybody knows the story but nobody knows the story behind it. What can that reason be?
Boa looks the prince in the eye and after a dramatic pause she says:
“They were afraid I steal the spotlight with my beauty.”
- - -
“Hurry, the sun is almost down!”
“We’ve been riding all the day. The horses are tired.”
“To hell with the horses, Jongdae is in danger!”
Baekhyun shares the henchman’s worry but for once he’s conscious enough not to show it. One freaked out person is more than enough in a three.
“If we can’t use the horses, we’ll get him even later.” He continues. “Let’s take a little break by that pond -“
“I’m not stopping!”
Kyungsoo doesn’t want to stop but eventually he does because Chanyeol gets fed up with his complaining when they arrive to the pond and hauling him off from the saddle, simply throws him over his shoulder like he was a sack of potato.
“PUT ME DOWN YOU GIANT SHIT!”
“Call me shit once more and fluttering feelings or not, I’ll drop you in this pond.”
Baekhyun is usually not one to tolerate useless arguing but the two sidekicks are somehow lovely when they do. It’s obvious they’re frustrated because of the situation, that they’re not mad at each other.
Not like him and Jongdae.
Why did that idiot have to fall off his horse? Doesn’t he have eyes to look? Hands to hold the reins? It’s not that hard to ride a horse. Jongdae is a prince. He must have learnt how to ride one. Why he had to forget that skill now?!
Baekhyun washes his face in the pond grumpily.
And that’s not the only thing he forgot… How could he just say “give me time and space” after they practically kissed each other’s heads off the day previous? Okay, Baekhyun did most of the work but Jongdae was there, responding to his touches, moving those tasty lips and gasping oh-so-cutely - Anyway, the point is a day later he decided to completely change and complicate everything. WHY?
2nd Prince of Never, Never Land knows it’s not easy for the fellow prince. The other after all has a family waiting him back, has a princess to save… It’s also obvious Baekhyun has the honor of being Jongdae’s first kiss (as in a kiss 2nd Prince of Far, Far Away has wanted, not like the one that stupid gang kid convinced him to do). He must be really confused.
It’s still frustrating though.
Baekhyun can do push-and-pull, but only if he knows it won’t end up as pushing.
“You can push me away.” He whispers to his reflection like a lunatic but it feels comforting somehow. “But I’ll keep coming back because I like you.”
“Are you done with your narcissism?”
Nice entrance, henchman. (Feel the sarcasm.)
“Are you done with complaining like a toddler?”
Kyungsoo narrows his eyes.
“I seriously hope we find Jongdae just so he can dump you forever.”
“We’ll find him, don’t worry about that.” Baekhyun smirks and all three of them continue their way.
- - -
“That’s the reason I tell you!”
“No way that it’s the reason! Haha!”
It’s been a long time Prince Jongdae has had such a good laugh. He laughed like crazy when Princess Taeyeon slapped his older brother across the face because Jonghyun has tried his worst pick-up line on her (“Are you free tonight or will it cost me?” - It’s a miracle they had got married without killing each other, really.) and he couldn’t take a breath when Ribbon had the fight of the century with one of his teddy bears. (The teddy won.)
The Witch of The North isn’t happy with his reaction but only rolls her eyes as the prince is rolling on the ground.
“Are you finished?”
“Yes, I guess.” Jongdae sits up grinning. “That was fun. You’re not bad for a witch.”
“I’ve just saved your life. You should have more respect towards me.”
“Sorry… And thank you. Did you have to… play puzzles on me a lot?”
Boa stands up and goes for her bag laying a few meters away.
“You were in a pretty bad shape. You fell hard, huh?”
He must have. Jongdae still feels his limbs numb and his knee burning… but his insides are all right.
“Did you use magic on me?”
“I’m a witch, what do you think?” Boa grins as she sets up a little campfire with two flicks of a wrist. “I had to use all the healing spells I have up in my sleeve. And mind you, it’s not that much. Witches are supposed to hurt, not heal.”
“But you aren’t.” Jongdae smiled thankfully. “You’re like a -“
“Say fairy and I’ll make sure there’ll be nobody to save you when you fall the second time.”
Jongdae shuts up. Message delivered.
Witches aren’t supposed to be good cooks either but Boa makes fried egg with roasted sausages like a pro. She even puts together a salad form nowhere. (“Without spells!”) 2nd Prince of Far, Far Away could add some salt and rice to the menu but it’s still more than nothing. He’s way over with complaining about food as well.
As he picks up a piece of cucumber with his chopsticks (now those came here by magic), Jongdae unconsciously remembers somebody who would toss the vegetable away without a second thought. Somebody really wonderful (with an awful taste in food).
“Are you in love, little one?”
The prince looks up alarmed.
“Did you say something, noona?”
“You were staring at that cucumber like it’s the nicest thing you’ve ever seen.” Boa explains. “I have a boyfriend, I know that look. So, who is the lucky girl? A princess?”
“N-not exactly.”
Boa is a witch with probably centuries behind her back so she understands everything under a second.
“Ah… so it’s a lucky man. Nice~ Did you fall in love with your henchman, cutie?”
Ha, 2nd Prince of Far, Far Away almost chuckles for a second because Kyungsoo would surely leave the country if that was the case but then remembers his problem and doesn’t do it.
“It’s… way more complicated than that. Can we talk about something else?”
“No. You meet a witch like me once in a lifetime. Let me help you! I’ve helped your mother too after all.” Boa sits closer to him excitedly. “He doesn’t love you back? I have a great love potion. It’s just what you’re looking for! If the problem is that he’s too shy, we don’t even need spells for that, I just need to share my experiences with you. And if he doesn’t tell you everything -“
“I don’t need your help! I mean, you’ve helped me enough.” Jongdae clears his throat. “Thank you again... I’ll spend the night here and look for my friends tomorrow.”
“As you wish.”
Boa is seemingly offended by the rejection but is still kind enough to magic a blanket and a pillow out of nowhere for both of them.
Now all 2nd Prince of Far, Far Away has to do is sleeping but he can’t.
Firstly his mind won’t calm down. It keep throwing up images of Baekhyun doing this, Baekhyun doing that, Baekhyun saying this, Baekhyun saying that… It should be frustrating but it’s not. Jongdae hasn’t come clear with what he wants yet but once and for all he knows he feels something. Something much bigger than the dutifulness which keeps him going towards the castle on the North. He should just name it.
Secondly the Witch of the North keeps gritting her teeth. Boa might be pretty and kind for a witch but her sleeping habits are the worst of the worst.
And thirdly, just before Prince Jongdae could finally wander off to dreamland, somebody is blocking his airways.
Wait what?
It’s creepy but Jongdae knows before he opens his eyes that it’s Baekhyun.
“Keep quiet. We save you.”
It’s not that Boa could hold any danger (she could have pretty much left the prince dead but she didn’t) but 2nd Prince of Far, Far Away holds his mouth shut and takes the arm Baekhyun offers him.
Chanyeol and Kyungsoo are waiting a few steps further. The former seems pretty excited to see Jongdae alive, based on the warm smile he has on and Kyungsoo… His henchman has tears in his eyes.
Jongdae feels chocking on the forming tears in his eyes - which is literally impossible but let it be, this is an emotional moment.
OR it was an emotional moment if the Witch of the North wouldn’t be smarter than that.
“Would just leave without saying goodbye, my dear prince?”
Boa is not furious but the fact, that the corners of her mouth keep twitching, doesn’t mean anything good for the other four.
“We were about to wake you up.” Jongdae tries to save what he can. “Noona, these are my friends. This one right next to me is Prince Baekhyun from Never, Never Land. And the other two over there are our companions. Say hi, friends!”
“Hi noona!” Chanyeol waves with a rather dumb smile for his smart personality.
Kyungsoo grumbles something which can be accepted as a greeting and Baekhyun…
“Hello there, Baekhyun-a.” Boa greets the other prince warmly before he can say anything at all. “Who would have thought we meet here?”
Now this is an unexpected surprise.
“You know her?”
“Briefly.” 2nd Prince of Never, Never Land whispers back to Jongdae then raises his voice. “Hello, noona. Long time no see… We’re busy with a Princess Protection Program so let’s talk some other time, bye?”
“Oh, you’re not leaving this soon.”
“Hell yeah we do!” Kyungsoo looses his composure under 0.643 seconds (as per usual) but no, they really don’t leave.
Jongdae tries to move his legs but they don’t do. Not even his arm from Baekhyun’s. What is happening?
“Stop with your magic tricks!” Baekhyun exclaims.
Boa steps forward with a calculating smirk.
“Some time ago you were dying to have me perform some tricks for you. Now you’re refusing? Such rude prince of Never, Never Land you are, Baekhyun-a… You all stay for a while. It hasn’t been long I’d found Prince Jongdae. We still have a lot to talk about.”
The two princes-two sidekicks combo ends up roped together again. It should be cliché but somehow all of them are awfully familiar with the situation by now.
“I hope you have another dagger with you, Prince Jongdae.” Chanyeol murmurs when he thinks Boa isn’t listening.
“A dagger is nothing to me, Mr. Knight. I’m a witch.”
She obviously does though, even if she’s busy stirring something in a big cauldron.
Prince Jongdae squirms around to at least have the dagger to untie themselves but on the contrary of the useless bandit, the Witch of the North knows how to rope people properly together. (She’s at advantage though; she uses magic on a daily basis.)
“A few hours ago I was lying around in pieces. All I can do is convincing her to let us go… but obviously there is somebody here who could perform that task more efficiently thanks to their common past.”
“You could just ask me, instead of references.”
“Okay. Let’s say we already did. Do something, for God’s sake!”
Baekhyun rolls his eyes at the henchman’s remark.
“You saw it earlier. Noona is very determined to have us here. She won’t stop until she gets what she wants.”
“And what does she want?”
Baekhyun turns his head to the side when Jongdae asks that and the princes’ gazes meet. They’re sitting close to each other again; their noses almost brush as they stare into each other’s eyes.
“I have no idea.”
“You must have some guesses.” 2nd Prince of Far, Far Away mutters, loudly chanting “don’t look down” in his head. The memory of their nice activity a day before keep appearing in his head and they’re so close, he should just inch a tad bit closer… but now is really not the time for that. “How do you know her, Baekhyunnie?”
Baekhyun’s eyes flash in anger but his blushing face tells him on.
“You rarely call me like that but when you do, you just do to use me, huh?”
Oh, Prince Jongdae could use - NOT NOW.
“Just tell me.”
2nd Prince of Never, Never Land is obviously awkward but even the other two is looking expecting at him (okay, Chanyeol looks expecting, Kyungsoo is just straight glaring at him). He has to tell.
“Boa noona -“
“Boa noona is here~”
The Witch of the North dances to the four with light steps and a mischievous smile.
“I’ve fed Jongdae-ya but he hasn’t had my famous soup yet… and you three haven’t had a proper dinner at all, hm? Noona is here to solve that for you as well.”
Boa has mentioned she has a boyfriend so it’s very unlikely Sehun’s inappropriate soup-feeding repeats itself but Jongdae is still outright afraid when the witch offers a sip for him.
“There might be poison in it.” Kyungsoo groans. “Don’t.”
“Don’t think so low of me.”
“You tied us up.” Chanyeol points it out.
“I could have killed you before way faster and easier… Now my cutie prince, take a sip. You won’t regret it.”
Jongdae highly doubts that but does he have a choice?
No. When he keeps his mouth sealed for three more seconds, Boa pinches his neck and as Prince Jongdae yelps for his life (he has a rather sensitive neck), the snippet of the soup lands in his stomach.
It doesn’t taste bad… but makes 2nd Prince of Far, Far Away pass out.
The two sidekicks and the one remaining prince exchange alarmed looks.
“He’s not dead. It’s just a side effect.” Boa lets out an annoyed sigh. “Now, will you three open your mouth or do I have to be sneaky for you too?”
Everybody except for the witch of the North is passed out in no time.
Seeing the four men leaning on one another in a light sleep, Boa can’t help but chuckle.
“I can’t wait for you all to wake up… That’s going be to funniest thing I’ve seen in centuries for sure.”