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Chapter Text

Ever since the dawn of civilisation, the man –this almost perfect being in the vision of The Creator- was after one thing and that was survival. Life was in fact a game, survival of the fittest and some individuals would do anything for survival.

However, life on this planet wasn’t always easy and the resources to survive were often scarce. There were places that were simply inhospitable due to the temperatures; some way too high for anything to survive and some just too cold for the people to grow accustomed to. Water, this life-giving element was crucial to everyone’s survival and so many of the humans started gathering around such places. Where there was water, there was life and where there was life there were humans waiting to take advantage of that.

Small gathers of people were formed at first, the first families and soon the first settlements; villages. While some humans discovered that it was beneficial for them to share the resources and develop their community, others were opposed to the idea, wanting everything on their own. Thus, the first conflicts were created.

Over time, these settlements grew and the territories occupied by the humans expanded. Once they discovered the value of certain elements, plants and riches that the planet had to offer, the humans started exploiting these riches in order for their better survival. Of course, territorial conflicts developed as well, as everyone wanted a piece of the goods.  And so, the wars were born and people never stopped fighting ever since.

Years, thousands of them passed since the first time humans walked on this planet and though many things changed, some stayed the same. The planet was vast and filled with things that humans could exploit and conquer and they did so remarkably. Society changed as well and the little villages evolved into ever-expanding kingdoms. Territorial wars were –and still are- fought as the humans’ thirst for survival was never-ending.

Endorra was the same, a small village founded a very long time ago. It all began on the banks of the Raviv River, a river that springs from the depths of the mountains, snaking down, giving life wherever it passes. Here, the first settlements of what would become the great Endorra started as people enjoyed the riches that the place had offered. A lush forest, long stretches of fertile land and many minerals to be discovered beneath the earth were just a few of the riches the first humans found here.

It took less than 10 years for it to become a large community and about 100 for it to become a kingdom, ruled by one of the first families that arrived at this place. The kingdom now spreads from the frosty mountains to the hot and unwelcoming desert but this expansion wasn’t easy; it took a lot of sacrifices and blood. Years of wars were fought for the kingdom to become whole and even now threats are ever-rising.

The last war ended just five years ago and the memory of all the bloodshed and death was still somewhat fresh in the mind of those who fought and survived. The soldiers of Endorra were very well trained and the generals leading them were masters of combat and strategy. Still, there were great casualties, one of them being the death of the king himself. The news was devastating, especially to those close to the king; mainly his son, Prince Park Chanyeol. He was the true and only heir to the throne, an especially good soldier, a great general and strategist and the most eligible bachelor in the whole kingdom. He was only 17 but was immediately crowned and sent to avenge his father’s death. He was ruthless, held nothing back and managed to defeat the impressive army of the enemies in mere months. His efforts, strategy and power were still spoken of every day since that victory.

Since then, it was not an easy journey as he had to learn how to rule such a powerful and sought-after kingdom. He had a couple of men that his father trusted deeply, his chancellors that advised and taught him everything his father knew in order to be a good king. He was diligent and very hardworking and though there still are things to be learned, he was ready to face even the hardest of challenges.

The once clueless teenager was now 22 and was ruling the kingdom diligently. He was a serious king, kind with those who needed him and ruthless with those who crossed him. He tried to be fair to everyone, and always listened to the needs of the people. He could be very kind but also cruel, not hesitating to throw in the dungeons to those who dared betray him. He was also a very handsome man, turning heads whenever he walked out of the palace. He was tall and very fit; the long hours practicing sword fighting really paid off. He had hair black as coal and eyes to match. His jaw line looked like it could cut through diamonds and his lips made the girls from the kingdom sigh. It only took one mean look and you’d get intimidated by his demeanour even though deep inside he wasn’t mean at all. He always smiled at his subjects and tried helping out as much as possible.

“How are things around the kingdom?” he asked in his deep masculine voice. He was on his throne, reading from one of the many books that his father left him. His confidant and closest friend JongIn approached him and bowed politely as he got in front of him. He didn’t need to do so as it was only them in the room but JongIn was always so polite.

“A few imps did some damage to the mines but things were resolved quickly. We are also exploring the forest as strange happenings took place lately; we think it’s some sort of animal that keeps eating the villagers’ crops and poultry. Not a lot of harm done but we compensated them in gold. We are also expecting trade from the nearby kingdoms,” the man spoke softly. “The elders asked for a meeting again, and I arranged one tomorrow night after dinner.”

“What do they want?” Chanyeol asked, looking at his friend who just chuckled.

“I think you know,” the other said, now laughing as the king shook his head.

“How many times do I have to tell them that I am not looking to get married?” Chanyeol asked in an exasperated tone. “At least not now; and not with a stranger no matter how royal she is.”

“It’s your royal duty to find a wife and produce an heir. Your father was 18 when he conceived you,” JongIn spoke in a soft but serious tone.

“I got no time for marriage and children right now,” Chanyeol said, sulking in his throne. “But I suppose I can go and talk to them…”

“Good boy,” JongIn said with a laugh.

Though it didn’t look like it, JongIn was younger than Chanyeol, just 20 years old but he was as hard working as the king. He and Chanyeol grew up together, him being the son of the king’s chancellor, later inheriting the job from his father. He was also the leader of the king’s guards which made him be very well-respected in the kingdom. He was a smart man, a formidable strategist and a very good friend.

They continued talking –and bickering- about Chanyeol’s duties as king when the grand doors of the throne room opened.

“Apologies for the disturbance, sire,” Sehun, a royal guard entered the room, dragging someone with him inside. He took a few steps, yanking tightly on the ropes he used to catch the other person. A whimper was heard from the prisoner as he fell on the ground, gasping for air. “We found him outside the wall; he was hostile and mumbling incoherent words. What should we do with him?” the guard asked, looking at the prisoner with disgust.

Chanyeol looked at the scene in front of him as he slowly descended from his throne. He walked slowly towards the two, looking at the prisoner. The one thing that fascinated him from the start was the blond, almost white hair of the individual. He was a small, skinny man, now shaking and trembling and mumbling words that he could not understand. He walked closer and observed that the man finally raised his eyes. A small gasp escaped his mouth as he looked into the eyes of the white-haired individual; his eyes seemed to shine softly and glow for a few moments. He had not seen this, ever.

“W-Water…” the prisoner talked again, now coherently breaking the silence of the room. The king continued looking at him.

“What should we do to him, sire?” Sehun asked again.

“Bring him water,” Chanyeol said with a serious tone, looking at the guard. “And throw him in the dungeons,” he continued, watching as the prisoner’s eyes got wide.

Chapter Text

The interior of the castle’s dungeons was as unwelcoming as you can imagine. First of all, it was very humid and mildew was already growing on the stone walls. The cells weren’t looking any better either, being very small and not the cleanest. The floor was covered in hay that was already very damp and mixed with the soil, things were bound to be quite icky. There were no furnishings, only a type of bag filled with hay and other uncomfortable stuff on which the prisoner could sleep. Further in the back there was a small hole in the floor that was meant for bodily waste.

It wasn’t a hotel, it was a dungeon; a place where everyone caught doing bad things will end up. Some only spent a few days in here before going to be executed, or if they were lucky salvaged. Others spent the rest of their days there, slowly decaying and ultimately perishing due to infections or others diseases. War prisoners were also brought here; awaiting the day they get exchanged or freed –though not many saw those days. Of course there were a few ‘lucky’ ones that got to experience torture as well and their screams could be heard from outside, warning others not to make the king angry ever again.

The massive door to the dungeon opened and the first thing that JongIn noticed was how foul this place stank; it smelled like death. He wasn’t here much; he hated this place especially when it was filled with prisoners or other evil-doers. He walked slowly, looking around the cells. As the war ended half a decade ago and things were at peace now, the cells were empty but no one bothered to come here and clear or remove the skeletons left behind. The soldier’s heavy footsteps carried him to the end of the corridor where the stranger was placed. He arrived in front of the iron gate and for a few moments he looked at the man.

It was clear as daylight that he wasn’t from around here. His skin was white as the finest snow and seemed to be so very fragile. His hair was white as well and as the rays of sunshine hit through the strands, it made it look like it was glowing. He was on the floor, in a fetal position and he seemed to be sleeping. They gave him water, and he drank almost a bucket of it and they also placed a bowl of food in the cell –some kind of porridge- but he hasn’t touched it. JongIn was about to turn and leave when he saw those big eyes open wide and look straight at him. Like two black holes, the eyes captured the soldier’s attention just as they did to the king earlier; they were so dark and somewhat sad that left them both mesmerized and wondering what secrets they hide.

They looked at each other for a few moments, no one daring to speak.

“What’s your name?” JongIn asked in a serious tone, his eyes not leaving the other’s sight. The prisoner blinked a few times before he sighed heavily.

“What’s the point? You’re going to kill me anyway…” the prisoner said in a dull tone. Finally, he rose, adapting a more comfortable sitting position. JongIn could now see how skinny he was and how torn the clothes on his body were.

“So I can write your name on the tombstone,” JongIn answered, almost chuckling. He specialised in intimidation and thought of using his talents on the poor little guy.

The prisoner chuckled loudly, surprising JongIn. “You know how to write? Impressive. You don’t seem like the type…” he added, his eyes scanning the soldier.

“What do you mean?” JongIn asked, surprised.

“Well, big intimidating man. The King’s pet and most loyal subject; all brawn, no brain.”

“Wow, that was quite the description,” JongIn chuckled, trying not too seem to affected, however his ego was a bit bruised. He wasn’t the most cultured man in Endorra but he was smart enough and knew how to write and read. He could read maps as well. “You can say that I am full of surprises, like you, mystery man.”

“Baekhyun,” the stranger finally said after a few moments. “Make sure you write it beautifully on the tombstone.”

“I’ll take calligraphy lessons,” JongIn said and they both chuckled. “So, Baekhyun, what brings you here? Where are you originally from?”

“Where’s the one that put me in this hellhole? Where’s your king?” Baekhyun said with a serious tone. “Why doesn’t he show his face to ask me all of these questions?”

“He’s busy but you can answer to me and I’ll deliver all of your answers to him.”

“Well then, I am busy as well. I had a long journey and I am overdue some sleep. So, if you’ll excuse me, I will go to sleep on this lovely bed that you provided for me,” Baekhyun said, mustering all the sass that he could. JongIn couldn’t help but chuckle and nod.

“I’ll tell him to visit you later,” JongIn said and turned on his heels. “Try and get some rest.”

Baekhyun

He didn’t hear this name ever, it wasn’t a common one around here. After the little talk he had with Baekhyun, JongIn informed the king about it. He told Chanyeol everything and got the king very intrigued and curious about this stranger. Who could he be and what does he want? Was he a friend or a foe and is someone maybe looking for him. It seemed that he didn’t want to talk to anyone except the king and Chanyeol was about to fulfil his wish. However, before he could do that, he needed to attend to his royal duties. He was busy the entire day, meeting different people and trying his best to rule the beautiful kingdom.

 Sunset was near and his duties were finished for the day –except that annoying meeting with the elders that will take place after dinner. The sun was getting ready to set as he descended towards the dungeons, holding a small basket in his hands. He walked slowly, repulsed by the stench and the place, approaching the cell of the stranger.

He found Baekhyun looking at the sunset through the narrow hole in the ceiling that was meant to be a window. He seemed mesmerised by it and for a moment Chanyeol thought he didn’t hear him come inside.

“Alas, the king has arrived,” Baekhyun said with a small smile, turning his head towards the king. Again, his eyes seemed to be glowing for a few moments. Chanyeol looked at him for a second, admiring that luscious white almost shoulder-length hair.

“I heard you asked for me,” Chanyeol spoke. Baekhyun wasn’t one to get intimidated easily but he had to admit that the king’s voice brought him shivers on his back.

“I did,” Baekhyun said, approaching the iron gate of the cell. “Should I bow, your majesty?”

“Who are you, and where are you coming from?” Chanyeol asked, unimpressed by the cockiness of the other.

“I’m Baekhyun and I come from a land very far away. Have you heard of Errebus?”

“Never. Where is it?”

“Between the great ocean and the high mountains, on fertile planes, with deep jungles and lush forests. Beautiful, mysterious, wild and absolutely stunning.”

“Interesting, it sounds as a very nice place. Why would you leave?”

“Travelling,” Baekhyun answered nonchalantly. “I wanted to see the world. Speaking of, you never really given me your name, majesty? And where am I, what kingdom is this?” Baekhyun asked curiously.

“I’m king Chanyeol of the Endorra Kingdom.”

“I would say pleased to meet you but given the circumstances, I beg to differ,” Baekhyun said and brought out a small chuckle from Chanyeol.

“You speak our language very well, yet you’re not from around here. Where did you learn it?”

“I speak seven languages, I am very talented,” Baekhyun said, smiling again. “Look, if you’re going to kill me, do it already. No need for a small talk.”

“Why do you want to die?”

“I don’t, but we all must die someday, don’t we?”

“You’re clearly not a soldier,” Chanyeol said, ignoring what the other said previously. Baekhyun raised an eyebrow. “Nor you are spy…” the other scoffed.

“How did you figure that, your majesty?”

“You’re skin and bones, you wouldn’t resist a minute on the battlefield,” Chanyeol answered with a serious tone. “And a spy would be very well prepared.”

“Unless I want to be caught,” Baekhyun answered with a smirk.

“Very well, then,” the king smirked as well. “I don’t kill spies, I like torturing them until they reveal their secrets.”

“So cruel…” Baekhyun didn’t seem intimidated one bit but deep inside, he was really wondering if the king was serious about this.

“I brought you food and water to last you through the night,” Chanyeol changed the subject again, pushing the little basket he brought inside the cell. “We begin torturing tomorrow. You’re a great speaker; it’s time to see how loud you can scream.”

“So very kind of you,” Baekhyun snickered, rolling his eyes.

“Good night,” Chanyeol smiled and turned away.

Baekhyun looked at the king as he was leaving and couldn’t help but think that his big mouth managed once again to screw things up for him. Great, you’ve done it again. I’m going to sew my mouth shut if I’m getting out of this alive.

Was he serious? Is he really going to torture me? Just my luck, arriving in a kingdom full of savages. I’m so royally screwed! What should I do now? Should I continue lying or should I just tell him the truth. He’s going to kill me anyway…

Damn it!

Sighing, the prisoner looked at the basket and picked it up. Along with a bowl of the same dull looking porridge, there were some fruits and Baekhyun tasted a mysterious fruit that he had never seen before. He gasped loudly immediately, loving the sweet taste of the fruit. This was the best thing he had ever tasted and had to know the name of the fruit.

Baekhyun just discovered strawberries.

Chapter Text

It was the dawn of a new day and the sun was rising slowly over the Kingdom of Endorra. It was quite a warm morning, considering it was the beginning of fall. The leaves of the trees were already starting to brown a bit and the peasants were beginning to make preparations for the upcoming winter.

The climate of this region wasn’t a harsh one. They had mild winters, it didn’t snow too much and the temperatures weren’t too frigid. The summers were just as you’d expect, hot and dry but perfect for the crops to grow and feed the villagers. Chanyeol wasn’t too worried; the kingdom had more than enough supplies to make them last through the winter, no matter how harsh it was.

Breakfast for the king was the most important meal of the day; he got this habit from his father who would always eat healthy and big breakfasts in the morning, he said it was the secret to a long life –quite ironic considering he died so young. Chanyeol always ate a lot in the morning, causing the royal chefs to get up very early in the morning and cook exquisite meals for him. Fresh rye bread, three types of meat, sometimes fish, fresh fruits and a big glass of wine were standard in Chanyeol’s menu. He always ate at sunrise, and always liked being alone when he did that; he enjoyed a quiet meal, preparing mentally for what’s to come in the day.

After he ate, he usually went back to his chambers and changed for the more casual attire, not the kingly one that he used on a daily basis. Usually after breakfast he would go and have a little training session, which oftentimes included horseback riding, sparring with the fellow soldiers –either by physical fights or with swords, or rarely swimming in the river or lake. Chanyeol was fit physically, he had muscles everywhere and that’s because he was doing this since he was probably 10 or 11. He was a skilled horse rider and was even better with his sword. He liked intense physical activity, liked training his body and keeping fit. When he was a prince, he would sometimes help the peasants and other subjects of the kingdom with daily tasks such as working the land or building a house.

After about two hours, when the training was done, he would come back to the chambers and have a little bath in order to relax and then went to the throne room where the assignments for the day awaited him. He entered the throne room where JongIn was usually awaiting him, ready to catch him up to the news of the kingdom. Today was no different, as he saw JongIn reading a rather long manuscript.

“Good morning, my king,” JongIn said, bowing his head politely and smiling.

“Good morning,” Chanyeol said, rolling his eyes at how polite and proper his friend was. “What’s happening?” he asked, as he sat on the throne, fixing his subtle but quite heavy gold crown. He had to wear it, even if it was a bit too big for his head, heavy and uncomfortable. Still, it was a very beautiful crown, encrusted with rubies, sapphires and other precious stones.

“The villagers from the north have a bit of an issue with some trolls; they invaded their crops and stole some of their food. The soldiers we sent there a few weeks ago didn’t return so I am guessing the fight wasn’t in their favour. The people are asking for your help.”

Trolls were ugly, destructive creatures, simply vile. Chanyeol hated them and remembered their father fought an army of those when he was young as well. He thought he had eradicated them but it seems that few still remain. Chanyeol couldn’t let these creatures terrorize his subjects.

“Prepare your best men, we will leave tomorrow at dawn and deal with those creatures.”

“We?” JongIn asked.

“Yes, I am coming with you.”

“Sire, we can take on a few trolls.”

“My subjects are in danger, so I have to protect them as best as I can. We haven’t had a decent fight in a while and I am craving it,” Chanyeol said with a smile.

“But, with all due respect sire, they could be dangerous and you could get hurt,” JongIn said with a concerned tone.

“Are you disobeying an order from your king?” Chanyeol asked, knowing exactly what buttons to push to make JongIn agree with him.

“N-No…Of course not,” JongIn said with a smile, bowing again. “I’ll prepare the best men.”

“Great. Now, about our little prisoner, it seems that he’s mysterious and won’t give us any details of his origins, so I suggest we scare him a bit today. Bring him to the torture chamber,” Chanyeol said with a devilish grin.

“Are we going to kill him?” JongIn said with a serious tone.

“I haven’t decided yet,” Chanyeol said with a smile, as he sat up from his throne. “I’ll go prepare. I’ll await you there.”

“Yes, sire.”

Baekhyun was awoken by the door of his cell being open. The first thing he saw was the unfriendly face of JongIn, looking at him with a slight disgust in his eyes. The prisoner gasped as the knight picked him up like he was made of feathers. Then, a groan escaped his mouth as he began tying his hands with rope.

“Wow, good morning to you too,” Baekhyun spoke, as he was manhandled by the other. JongIn wasted no time and in about a minute Baekhyun was tied up very tightly. “A bit too tight for my liking but I am intrigued; what are we doing today?” the latter asked, still keeping his cool even though he knew where all of this was going and he was scared shitless.

“The king wants to talk to you,” JongIn said with a smirk, then proceeded to place a black hood over the other’s head, obstructing his sight.

“Do you do this with all of your guests?” Baekhyun asked with a laugh as he was dragged somewhere.

“How can you still laugh knowing that you’re going to die?” JongIn asked, now in a serious tone.

“I’m optimistic,” Baekhyun gave a short answer. His heart was pounding in his chest.

They walked in silence for a while, JongIn dragging Baekhyun with him by the ropes he used to tie him up. Then, they stopped and JongIn finally removed the bag that was over Baekhyun’s head. The first thing the prisoner saw was the king, which had a mischievous grin on and a glint in his eyes that could only be described as excitement. Baekhyun threw him an unfriendly look before he looked around the room and softly gulped.

It didn’t take a philosopher to figure out he was the torture chamber, a very dark place of the castle where prisoners like him often met their doom. Is this the day? Baekhyun wondered as his eyes scanned the room.

“Nice place you’ve got here,” Baekhyun said with a serious tone. Even if they were going to kill him, he didn’t like to show weakness.

“Thanks, I’ve designed it myself. So, shall we begin, or do you have something to tell us first?”

“Go ahead, your majesty,” Baekhyun glared at the young king.

The king made a hand gesture and JongIn immediately pushed Baekhyun towards something that looked like a table. This was The Rack, a table-like surface where the victims would have their hands and feet bound with ropes. The ropes were attached to rollers that, when turned, stretched the victim’s limbs in opposite directions. The force eventually tore their muscle ligaments and dislocated their arms and legs, making it a simple yet effective mode of torture. Baekhyun knew what it was, and he was terrified but still kept his cool.

JongIn did a marvellous work of tying his limbs to the contraption and the torture slowly begin. The king waited for a few seconds but Baekhyun was saying nothing and so he ordered JongIn to turn on the little gears that stretched his limbs. As he knight did so, Baekhyun gasped, feeling very uncomfortable.

They continued this for a few minutes, JongIn turning little by little, stretching Baekhyun’s limbs but the latter wasn’t showing signs of giving up just yet. Still, the pain was quite unbearable at this moment as the ropes were digging into the younger’s wrists, causing them to bleed. Baekhyun groaned.

“So, care to tell me why you are here Baekhyun? Are you a spy?”

Baekhyun was silent, he kept his eyes closed. The pain was so bad at this point that he could barely hang on. He didn’t know how his body wasn’t breaking in half by now, his limbs were burning and that stupid JongIn was still cranking the gears.

Chanyeol watched and he was almost merciful but he needed to prove a point and if Baekhyun was a spy, he needed to send a message to anyone that would further spy on him. He knew the younger was in a lot of pain. The prisoner opened his eyes for a few moments, tears falling down on his porcelain cheek and looked at the king with a very angry glare.

Then, something happened, something that Chanyeol couldn’t explain. He thought he saw the eyes of the younger spark for a few seconds and then, with a loud thud the whole table-like structure collapsed. Everyone in the room gasped and looked at the prisoner who was now rubbing his wrists in pain.

“W-What…” JongIn asked, looking at the king who was a bit speechless.

“We haven’t tortured someone in a while so maybe the structure was weak. Did you check it before?”

“No…”

“Go and inform the other knights of our quest tomorrow. I’ll handle the prisoner,” Chanyeol said and JongIn nodded.

Baekhyun didn’t spare them another glance; he rubbed his hands and legs in pain, tears streaming from his eyes. For the first time, he showed weakness and he hated that but the pain was just too much. Chanyeol disappeared out of the room for a moment but returned with a bucket of fresh water and a cloth. He then began cleaning Baekhyun’s wrists and ankles of all the blood that gathered as the ropes dug into his sensitive skin.

“Fine,” Baekhyun sniffled. He looked at the king through the tears that kept pouring from his eyes and was impressed to see him cleaning up the wounds. “…I ran away, I ran away from my kingdom. M-My mother was…was…a potion maker…and an oracle…she was around the king and one day she predicted that the king will die. He didn’t take it too lightly and imprisoned her, accused her of treason and sentenced her to death. I tried freeing her but I was caught as well. They killed her in front of me. I was next but I escaped the night before my execution and ran as far as I could. He sent soldiers after me and I only managed to escape thanks to an old man who had several fishing boats and gave me one so I could pass The Great Water. As I arrived on shore, I kept running and hiding. I was already running for days when you found me –I lost count at 14. So no, your majesty, I am no spy, no bad guy trying to steal your land, no informer or any other type; I’m just running away from a king that wants to kill me due to a stupid prophecy. How incredibly lucky I am to stumble upon another king that wants to kill me…”

“I don’t want to kill you…” Chanyeol replied, after listening to the story. He now felt incredibly bad for what he had done. “…We don’t get many visitors from other lands and when we get them, they are usually bad news so I apologize for your mistreatment. You can stay here, my kingdom is pretty large and I am sure there is enough room for you,” Chanyeol said and Baekhyun nodded, still sniffling.

The king then did something that made Baekhyun’s heart jump. He soaked the cloth in clear water again and washed Baekhyun’s face as well, tracing it slowly and with great attention to details. They were looking at each other but no one dared saying a word.

“T-Thank you…” Baekhyun said with a smile. Then, he looked down as he couldn’t look into the king’s eyes anymore.

Chanyeol helped him get up and then carried him back to the dungeon. “I will be gone for a few days but when I return I’ll make sure you’re not held in a cell anymore. Until then, rest.”

Baekhyun only nodded, and curled up in a ball, sniffling softly until he fell asleep again. Chanyeol watched him for a few seconds and then returned to his kingly duties. He wondered if this stranger was telling the truth or if there was more to his story; either way, he will investigate as much as he could. One thing was certain, Baekhyun’s been through a lot.

Chapter Text

“Why can’t I come with you?” Sehun whined.

About two hours ago, JongIn gathered his best men and informed about their next mission and that they’ll leave at dawn. Quests like these were very common as the kingdom needed to be kept problem free. Whenever someone was trying to disturb the peace of the land, the king’s knights would intervene. JongIn, being their leader had the task to train them and make sure they were ready for everything.

For this particular mission he decided that six of his knights were more than enough for facing a few dumb trolls. He selected the men who would join him and the king carefully, leaving out the youngest –and most ambitious- of them.

“Is it because of my age?” Sehun asked again seeing that he got no answer. JongIn looked at him and chuckled, shaking his head. They were together in the leader’s quarters, away from prying and curious eyes of the others. Not many got to visit JongIn, but he had a soft spot for their youngest.

Sehun was only 18 but he was by far the most ambitious and feisty of the knights. He had become a knight two years ago when he defended JongIn and the others from wolves while they were in one of their conquests. Since then, JongIn took him under his wing, teaching him everything he knew about being a knight. Though he was well trained, had a lean but powerful body and was more than capable of doing hard missions, JongIn shielded him from most of the quests, not letting him join. Yes, it was a way of protecting him but Sehun felt like he wasn’t doing enough and wanted to do more. He wanted to participate in every one of the missions and it was incredibly annoying that others got to do it and he had to stay back at the castle doing mundane things like guarding stuff.

“Sehunnie…” JongIn approached the younger. “You’re useful here. We are just going to kill a bunch of trolls, nothing too interesting.”

“The king is going so it must be interesting,” Sehun glared at the elder. “What use am I here? The castle has enough guards! I can do more than just sit around all day!” the young knight said with a sulk.

“My Sehunnie,” JongIn said, softly caressing the younger’s face.

As much as the young knight wanted to fight it, the touch of the elder brought shivers down his spine. He just melted into his touch, closing his eyes briefly and enjoying the moment. They did have a special connection, one that not many men –let alone knights- shared and one they kept mostly to themselves. Sehun touched JongIn’s hand softly and his eyes opened, meeting the elder’s. They looked at each other for a few moments in total silence.

“Actually,” JongIn moved his hand towards the younger’s chin, his thumb softly caressing the younger’s lips. “I have a little mission for you.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, I want you to keep an eye on our little prisoner. Something strange happened today and I think he’s not who he says he is.”

“You want me to interrogate him?”

“Talk to him, in a friendly way and try finding out more about him. I know you can persuade him to open his mouth,” JongIn smirked. “Will you do that for me, my glass knight?” he asked, using the nickname that he gave the younger.

“Y-Yes,” Sehun answered, his face all red and flustered.

“Perfect,” JongIn said, wrapping his arms around the younger in a tight hug that squeezed the air out of Sehun’s lungs. He didn’t want to let go, he was so…hot.

At dawn, the knight party left towards the affected village. Chanyeol let the expedition, riding his trusty black steed, Nero. The horse was as majestic as it was powerful, had hooves that could crash boulders and a mane that was by far the most beautiful in the kingdom. Not only it was Chanyeol’s steed, but also the most cared for horse around the kingdom. Though the animal was getting older, it still had the brute strength it had back in his glory days. It was a speedy animal as well, probably the fastest in the realm and Chanyeol loved riding him though the lush forests.

Besides Chanyeol, always ready to guard him with his own life was JongIn, the dark knight. The name came from the armor that protected his body, it was pitch black and this made him feel very threatening to the enemies. He was also very ruthless and bloodthirsty when it came to battles, and protecting his king.

“How long until we get there?” Chanyeol asked.

“A couple of hours. We should be there by late noon. Still, I think the best strategy is to attack at nightfall in order to surprise them.”

“We can sneak up on them at any time, they’re not known for being too smart,” Chanyeol said and JongIn nodded after a few moments. Chanyeol was a good strategist and JongIn trusted his judgement.

“So, did you find anything interesting about our new guest?” JongIn asked after a few moments, changing the subject. Chanyeol looked at him for a few moments and then nodded.

“Yeah, he’s a runaway,” Chanyeol said with a soft voice. He then proceeded telling JongIn the story that Baekhyun told him last night.

“He could be lying,” JongIn said in a very serious tone. “He could be a spy for all we know, or a knight or something. I don’t think we should let him into our kingdom so easily.”

“A knight? Have you seen his frail body?” Chanyeol laughed. “He can’t even lift a potato sack off the ground and you think he’ll be able to wield swords?” he said with a chuckle. “I don’t trust him completely but I can’t kill him nor can I hold him hostage forever. When we’ll come back I’ll decided what I should do with him.”

“What happened in the dungeon was weird,” JongIn said, looking at Chanyeol who nodded.

“Trust your king, I can handle a runaway,” Chanyeol said and JongIn nodded, dropping the subject.

Baekhyun opened his eyes, only to see a familiar yet unfriendly face looking back at him. For a moment no one moved, the two men just looked at each other with untrusting glares.

“It’s rude to stare,” Baekhyun said, slowly rising up from the very uncomfortable hay bed. He was now in a sitting position, looking at the youngster in front of him.

“I was just watching over you,” the young man said with a serious tone.

“How sweet of you,” Baekhyun said with a chuckle. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name while you were capturing me…” he remembered who this guy, the brute that attacked him with those guards. “Quite rude, if I must add…”

“You were trespassing the kingdom’s boarders,” the youngster said in the same serious tone. “I’m Sehun, one of the king’s knights, the mightiest guild of knights in the kingdom,” the younger continued with a proud tone.

“I’m Baekhyun. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Baekhyun said with a fakest smile he could muster. “Why are you here and not with the others on their quest? I heard they were going on a mission with the king.”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Oh, don’t be like that, I know you must be hurt because they didn’t take you, but don’t put your anger on me,” Baekhyun said with a grin and a soft tone. He knew how to get to people’s soft spots. “So, tell me what happened. Why aren’t you with them on their glorious adventure and you’re here, guarding me?”

“JongIn…” Sehun said after a few moments of silence when he debated whether or not he should share his feelings with this stranger. “He never lets me do anything! He always says I am important here, that I should stay close to the kingdom and I am sick of it! I wanted to go with them, I am as strong as they are.”

“You definitely seem very strong. I don’t see why JongIn doesn’t take you with them. Maybe he is trying to protect you,” Baekhyun was a smooth talker and used Sehun’s insecurities against him.

“I am very capable of protecting myself! I defeated huge wolves, for God’s sake!”

“Huge wolves? Wow, that’s impressive. Tell me more!”

And so, the two began conversing like two friends. Sehun was young and naïve and wasn’t afraid to pour his frustrations out, telling Baekhyun about JongIn. He told him a lot –maybe a bit too much- and Baekhyun listened and gave his advice. Yes, this was the guy who tied him up and brought him here but Baekhyun saw something in the younger, a spark, an ambition very similar to his. His story and feelings matched his own, in some points at least.

“Believe it or not, we are quite alike,” Baekhyun said with a smile.

“You’re a knight as well?”

“Oh heavens no,” Baekhyun chuckled. “No, I meant that our stories are similar.”

“Oh,” Sehun said, nodding. “Tell me.”

“I will, but…” Baekhyun’s stomach was crumbling. He hasn’t eaten much today. “…I didn’t receive a meal today, I am sure the king doesn’t want me to starve so if you’ll be a dear to grab me something to eat, I will be forever grateful.”

“Okay, but you have to promise me to tell me about yourself.”

“Sure.”

Sehun ran to the royal kitchens and brought Baekhyun some of the leftovers. There wasn’t much but comparing it to the porridge he had for the last two days, it was a much-needed change. The two ate together, as Baekhyun told Sehun the same story he told Chanyeol as well and it seemed that the knight was very interested.

They actually talked a lot, until sunset and discovered they had a lot in common. Sehun was quite a nice company and Baekhyun enjoyed talking to him –and finding out more things about Chanyeol in the process.

The sun had set already over the torn-apart village. The royal party had arrived a few hours ago and hid, plotting an ambush that would bring the trolls down. They found out from the desperate villagers that the trolls usually come at night, steal their crops and food and kidnap children as well. There wasn’t much left of the village and if they don’t do anything about it, it will be soon too late.

The king and his men immediately conducted a plan and positioned themselves around the village, waiting for the monsters to attack. It didn’t take much waiting as the trolls began their raid, bringing terror into the hearts of the villagers. On Chanyeol’s sign, the royal knights began their counterattack, surrounding the trolls. There were only a handful of men and about thirty ugly trolls; they were greatly outnumbered but they had the upper hand when it came to weapons and brains.

The battle wasn’t the easiest, but one after another, the trolls fell under the powerful blades of the knights. Grunts, groans and moans could be heard as the monsters met their demise. Still, they were putting up a good fight, attacking the knigts and managing to even throw some of them off their horses.

Chanyeol was very focused, being careful and wielding his sword as best as he could, slashing troll after troll. He found himself surrounded suddenly, five trolls were around him and they seemed to be the most powerful of the bunch, all wielding huge hammer and axe-like weapons; primitive but effecting, Chanyeol was sure. They began an attack, charging towards the king but they were soon stopped when the black knight himself stepped in front of the king, decimating their feeble weapons in seconds. JongIn was a killing machine, and the trolls were dropping like flies.

“Thanks, but I had the situation under control,” Chanyeol said, his ego slightly bruised.

“I know sire, but you must be protected at all costs.”

It seemed that the counterattack worked, the trolls were running away. The knights were successful once again and the villagers came outside of their hiding and praised the king and his men for their bravery. There weren’t many casualties on the human side, just a few bruises and scratches so this was definitely a success.

Chanyeol stayed a bit and talked to the villagers, telling them that they should visit the castle in the following days to talk about the village’s reconstruction. The people were all very grateful, bowing and praising the king for his kindness. The knights decided to remain in the village for the night but Chanyeol and JongIn decided to go back to the castle as the king had to report to his kingly duties in the morning.

And soon, the king and his loyal knight were on their way back. It wasn’t the best idea to travel at night but they wanted to be at the castle in the morning and the route was quite a peaceful one. Chanyeol knew his kingdom well and there shouldn’t be any trouble. They were traveling for about an hour when disaster struck. Chanyeol stopped suddenly as he felt a sharp pain his entire body. He groaned loudly enough for JongIn to hear and stop. When the knight turned around he saw that the king was about to fall off his horse.

“Sire, are you okay?” JongIn dismounted the horse and ran to the kind’s aide.

“I…I…think I’m poisoned…” Chanyeol groaned.

In the same time, something weird was happening at the castle, more exactly in the dungeons of the castle. Baekhyun was admiring the stars through the small gap in the wall of his ‘lovely’ cell when he felt a sharp pain all throughout his body. He coughed a few times, and couldn’t move, the pain was just unbearable. He felt like his whole body was being ripped apart and all he could do was lie there. He started shaking violently and for a moment he really thought that Sehun had poisoned him but then again the younger ate together with him. Then, out of nowhere the pain stopped completely, like it wasn’t even there. Baekhyun coughed again and this time a black sludge-like substance came out of his mouth. He gasped; he saw that before…at his mother when she had premonitions but never thought that something like that would happen to him.

Did something happen? Was someone in danger? Was Chanyeol okay? Baekhyun asked himself as he looked at the sky again, now with worry in his eyes.

Chapter Text

The horses galloped so fast that it seemed that they hooves weren’t even touching the ground; it was like they were soaring on the path created through the dense forest. Still, it seemed that they weren’t going fast enough as the kingdom wasn’t as close as JongIn hoped. The young knight held on the reigns as tight as he could, while in the same time he was holding his king’s body as well.

Chanyeol was very weakened by the poison, he was struggling to breathe and he could barely keep his eyes open. It was a dire situation, and he must be saved as quickly as possible. The poison was very potent and if an antidote wasn’t administrated as quickly as possible, things could turn very dark very quick.

“Hang in there, Chanyeol,” JongIn said, as he kicked his steed in order to gallop faster. The horse neighed and galloped at max speed. In about an hour, they will arrive.

Sehun brought fresh fruit and a light breakfast for the prisoner but it seemed that Baekhyun wasn’t in his best moods. He laid there with his eyes closed and for a moment Sehun thought he was sleeping but after a few moments he got up and with a simple nod, thanked the knight. Baekhyun was dizzy and his whole body hurt but he couldn’t really explain why. He ate a bit in silence, then asked Sehun if everything was alright, and if the king returned safely.

They were talking when from outside ruckus could be heard. Judging from the sounds of the hooves, things sounded urgent and Sehun excused himself as he went to investigate the situation. Baekhyun could only listen and things didn’t seem to be too happy. He didn’t hear much, just that someone was hurt and Baekhyun hoped –though in the back of his head he knew- that Chanyeol wasn’t the one injured.

The commotion stopped after a few moments but Sehun hasn’t returned.

Meanwhile, Sehun went to investigate and arrived just as JongIn descended from his horse, carrying the now fainted Chanyeol in his arms towards the castle. He immediately went to help, grabbing one of the king’s arms and supporting it on his shoulder.

“What happened?” he spoke, before JongIn could say anything.

“Those damned trolls and their poisoned weapons. Quickly, let’s take him to the elders.”

The two, carried the king towards a room that served more or less as an infirmary. They placed the king on a makeshift bed and then the elders were called to assist. The elders were a group of men that aided the king whenever he needed. They often gave advice to the king, discussed the kingdom’s laws and in extreme cases they could act as regents. They were well-cultured individuals and amongst them there were specialists that dealt with poisonings as well.

They arrived quickly, and after JongIn explained what happened, asked for the knights to leave as they began examining Chanyeol’s body. The king was still passed out, not reacting to the different stimuli that the elders tried. Troll poison wasn’t the most common one in the realm, in fact some of the elders didn’t even hear of this and so finding an antidote wasn’t going to be easy.

On top of that, the kingdom had a major flaw that was overlooked for a couple of months already; they didn’t have a court physician. The previous one –an elder- died a few weeks ago and since then no one could find a replacement. Being the court’s physician was no easy job and the elders weren’t going to let just anyone take this role. Besides, their ego was big enough to say that the kingdom didn’t need such thing, that they will figure everything on their own. Clearly, this was not the case as they were now clueless of how they make the king feel better.

They stripped him to the waist and for a moment they stared at the nasty looking infected area on the side of the king’s abdomen. The wound wasn’t big but it was bleeding and the skin around it started to blacken, concerning them. They cleaned the wound as best as they could but they didn’t know what to do about the poison and there wasn’t much time; if the poison reached the heart the king was dead.

The door to the room opened, startling them and in came JongIn, looking very concerned. “Pardon me, elders,” he bowed slightly. “Is he going to be alright?”

“Troll poison is rare and it affected him deeply already. I am afraid we can’t do much at the moment. We hope he is strong enough to resist until we find a solution. “

“And how much will that take?”

“We don’t know.”

“And you’re going to let him die? There has to be an antidote…”

“We are working on it, please do not disturb us.”

As JongIn and the elders were having a bit of an argument regarding the state of Chanyeol, Sehun remembered something that could be very much of use. So, before JongIn could draw his sword and cause casualties, he called for him and told him a very interesting story. Last night he and the new prisoner bonded and shared quite a few stories about their life. While Sehun complained about his role in the kingdom and in the knight party, Baekhyun told him about his life and talents as well. Baekhyun learned how to make potions and medicine from his mother and he could very well brew an antidote for this poison, there had to be one. They didn’t have many choices so this was worth a shot.

Still, JongIn was not very fond of Baekhyun. The story he told Sehun could have been fabricated and this could cause the life of Chanyeol –and not to mention the kingdom. He was sure that if any of those elders become regents, the kingdom would be devastated. Sehun was no doubt JongIn’s favourite –after Chanyeol- and he managed to convince the knight to at least go and talk to Baekhyun and see what they can do.

They rushed to the dungeons and once there they explained the situation to Baekhyun who seemed to be genuinely worried about this. Baekhyun confirmed immediately that yes, troll poison was rare and fast acting so Chanyeol was in big danger right now. JongIn pondered for a moment and though he was not totally on board with this, he decided to believe Baekhyun for now.

He freed Baekhyun from the dungeon but tied his hands before they emerged outside in order to keep him restrained. Baekhyun didn’t say anything; he was too focused on remembering the potions his mother brewed back when he was a child. Luckily, he had a good memory but he’ll need much more than that if he wanted to cure Chanyeol. Soon, they arrived in the room and noticed that there were a bunch of old people examining the body of the unconscious Chanyeol.

JongIn explained the elders everything and they were as reluctant as he was. It was then when Chanyeol began coughing blood mixed with dark goo.

“I beg your pardon but if we want to help the king, we should hurry; coughing blood is not a very good sign,” Baekhyun said with a serious tone. The elders and JongIn looked at him for a few moments before nodding.

Baekhyun was allowed to look at the wound, and JongIn was softly explaining everything. Baekhyun only nodded a few times and then took a deep breath.

“I need clean water, cloths and some ingredients.”

“What ingredients?” one of the elder asked.

“Wolf’s bane, sage, wormwood and thistle. A mortar and pestle as well and fire,” Baekhyun spoke softly and the elder who asked, quickly left the room in order to procure the ingredients. Then, Baekhyun looked at JongIn and coughed, “I kind of need my hands too,” he spoke showing him his tied-up hands. JongIn nodded and quickly untied him.

The elder brought the ingredients and with them, more bad news. The kingdom was low on ingredients as well and that meant that Baekhyun only had one change to do this right. No pressure, right?

Baekhyun took a deep breath and another look at Chanyeol before he began working on the potion. The fire was slowly burning in little fireplace that the room had. Over it, Baekhyun placed a cauldron which he filled with clean water. While he waited for the water to boil, he began grinding up the ingredients.

“What are you doing now?” JongIn’s voice startled him. “Is this working? Will he be okay?” the questions were adding more and more pressure to Baekhyun who suddenly stopped what he was doing and looked at the others. It was no easy brewing a potion under pressure, with about a dozen people watching you.

“It would be easier if you left me work in peace and quiet…” Baekhyun said, glaring at the knight in particular. “…you don’t want this do fail, do you?”

Understanding the not so sublet reference, the elders began leaving the room. The reluctant JongIn had to be dragged outside by Sehun as he wanted to observe what Baekhyun was doing. Finally, when he was alone, Baekhyun calmed down and resumed his work.

***

“Calm down already…” Sehun said, as he watched JongIn pace the floor in front of the door.

“Do you trust that guy?”

“He’s our best chance right now.”

“What if Chanyeol dies? What happens then?” JongIn asked, in a desperate tone.

Sehun sighed and approached the knight. He put his hands on the man’s shoulder and looked at him with a soft look. “You’re very tired; you should go and take some rest, wash up and eat something. I’ll stand guard and alert you if anything goes array.”

“But…”

“All we can do right now is wait and hope that Baekhyun does a good job. There’s no need for both of us to be here and you are exhausted from your trip. Please, JongIn, get some rest.”

“What if the king needs me?”

“I am more than capable to assist to his needs and I believe that he’ll understand. I order you to go and take some rest.”

“You’re ordering me?” JongIn asked, a bit surprised. Sehun chuckled.

“Yes. Now, get some rest.”

JongIn finally nodded, feeling very tired after the long journey home and left but not before thanking Sehun for being a good knight. A smile spread on the younger’s face as JongIn complimented him; things like that weren’t very frequent.

Back in the room, Baekhyun finished grinding the ingredients and transferred half of the mixture into the boiling water. Then, he took a bit of the mixture between his fingers and approached the half-naked body of Chanyeol. The king was a magnificent specimen, with a chiselled body and Baekhyun couldn’t help but blush as he approached him. He regained composure quickly as he examined the wound, now looking even worse than before. Slowly, he began spreading the mixture onto the wound while chanting something that his mother taught him.

Herbae huius terrae

Sana hoc mortale ¹

He kept rubbing the green paste all over the wound while chanting the mysterious words, and he was so focused that he didn’t notice that for a moment Chanyeol’s eyes opened and he looked at him. The king was far too weak to speak or do anything and so he closed his eyes again. After he was done, he put a clean cloth over the area, tightening it around the king’s abdomen. Then, he went towards the cauldron, mixing the potion for a few minutes until he was satisfied with the composure. Then, he took the mixture off the fire and waited for it to cool.

While waiting, he approached Chanyeol again and noticed he was running a fever so he quickly wet a few of the cloths and began putting them all over the upper body of the king, paying close attention to his forehead and chest. Chanyeol grunted a few times and then slowly opened his eyes and looked at Baekhyun who smiled and waved.

“Good morning,” Baekhyun said with a smile.

“T-They poisoned me…” the king said. Then, his eyes closed.

He went back and forth from consciousness to unconsciousness and though Baekhyun was worried, he couldn’t do much about it, just hoping that he’ll get better and that the herb cocktail was working. The mixture cooled down and Baekhyun filled a cup and went to Chanyeol. He tried waking the other up but for the few first minutes the tall man wouldn’t budge. He awoke a few minutes later and Baekhyun quickly made him drink the potion.

“It tastes horrible, I know…” Baekhyun said as Chanyeol grunted and coughed.

Baekhyun continued this, feeding Chanyeol the foul-tasting mixture every hour until there was no more. Now, all he had to do was wait for the potion to take effect. He checked the fever every now and then and was pleased to see that it was subduing slowly but surely. Sehun entered the room after a while, carrying food sent by the elders as a sign of gratitude. He ate together with Baekhyun, talking about the king and he was happy to know that Chanyeol was more responsive than before.

By nightfall, the fever subdued completely and Baekhyun was optimistic but still cautious. He will need to watch over the king the entire night to make sure he was okay. JongIn came to check on them as well, and even muttered a quick ‘thank you’ as he left.

Chanyeol opened his eyes and things were very blurry and confusing at the moment. He looked around but couldn’t see much and he tried moving but his body was not really listening to him. A sharp pain in his abdomen made him grunt loudly, alerting Baekhyun who was just maintaining the fire.

“Don’t move too much,” Baekhyun said, approaching the king slowly. “How do you feel?” he asked, looking at the king.

“Like I was hit by a horse’s hooves…” Chanyeol grunted again. “Am I going to die?”

“Not today,” Baekhyun said softly. “You’re very lucky I know a bit of potion making…”

“Those monsters, they poisoned me…”

“Try not to talk too much and rest, okay?”

“Okay…” Chanyeol said with a smile. “Thank you…”

Chanyeol closed his eyes again and fell back into a deep sleep while Baekhyun watched over him for hours. From time to time, Baekhyun checked his temperature and he was happy to see that he wasn’t having any fever. He then proceeded to clean his upper body softly with water and a clean cloth and couldn’t help but admire the handsome man that the king was. He softly bit his lip, knowing he shouldn’t get too close to the king –especially after happened the last time.

Eventually, the fire died out and the young potion-maker fell asleep as well, curled up next to the makeshift bed of the king.

1. Herbae huius terrae, Sana hoc mortale (latin) - Herbs of this earth, heal this mortal. 

Chapter Text

It was early in the morning, very early considering that the sun was just starting to rise. It was a chilly morning, a usual one considering that winter was approaching. Through the kingdom, people started attending their usual daily duties. Animals needed to be fed and taken care of and the remaining crops needed to be tended as well. Usually, the king would be up as well, ready for another day of ruling over the kingdom. Breakfast would be served and then he would go and do a bit of training in order to get his blood flowing properly. He needed to stay as healthy as possible in order to rule the kingdom as best as he could.

However, today was a little different. Chanyeol was still sleeping on the makeshift bed he was put on when he was brought to this room. A gust of wind whooshed inside, hitting his bare chest, making the skin crawl softly; that woke him up. He struggled a bit with opening his eyes, they felt heavier than before and a slight groan escaped his lips. For the first moments he didn’t know where he was or why he was shirtless but then the memories came back at him. His eyes travelled down to the now patched wound. He touched it slightly and he winced, it still stung but the area wasn’t too swollen. He sighed and looked around the room, his eyes stopping at a sight he won’t soon forget.

Beside the makeshift bed he was put on, on the cold floor laid Baekhyun, sleeping peacefully. The young man tended to Chanyeol’s wounds all night and eventually fell asleep near the bed. For some odd reason, Chanyeol couldn’t look away, his eyes scanning the frail body the younger man. A small smile crept on his lips, making a mental note to reward Baekhyun greatly for saving his life.

The wind outside was intensifying and the room was getting a bit chilly so Chanyeol decided to get some clothes on his body –and Baekhyun’s. He tried to move but when he did so, sharp pain in his abdomen stopped him, causing him to groan loudly. The sound quickly alerted Baekhyun who woke up immediately and looked at the king with wide eyes.

“D-Don’t move too much…” Baekhyun said, immediately getting up from the floor to assist the king.

“I was trying to…get a bit warm…” Chanyeol said between groans.

Baekhyun nodded and immediately rushed to the other end of the room and grabbed a couple of blankets. Without a second thought, he wrapped two blankets around Chanyeol’s naked torso, trying to get him to warm up. It was indeed chilly and the effects of the poison were making the king still weak.

“Thanks…” Chanyeol said with a soft him. “Aren’t you cold?” he asked, noticing Baekhyun was still wearing his skimpy clothes –or rather rags. Baekhyun was actually a bit cold but it didn’t compare to all those nights in the dungeon.

“A bit…” Baekhyun softly replied. “Let me check your wound…” he said approaching the king.

Chanyeol watched as Baekhyun got closer and softly touched his abdomen. His touch was so soft and though Baekhyun’s fingertips were cold, Chanyeol didn’t complain one bit. The young potion-maker was very careful with his movements, inspecting the wound softly as to not produce any pain to the king.

The king then softly took one of the blankets and placed it over the younger, startling him. Baekhyun and Chanyeol locked eyes and for one moment it seemed that time stood still. The younger’s fingers were still on the king’s abdomen, but they were not inspecting the wound anymore; Baekhyun was just enjoying Chanyeol’s body heat. Chanyeol had his hands on the younger’s shoulder, noticing now just how small and fragile Baekhyun was; compared to him at least.

They just looked at each other but no one moved a muscle until slight knocks on the door startled them both. Baekhyun quickly moved away from Chanyeol, going straight to the fire place to see if he could get the fire started all while Chanyeol watched the door open slightly and JongIn entering.

“Good morning my king,” JongIn bowed respectfully as ever. “How are you feeling?” he asked.

“I’m better, JongIn, thank you for your assistance and concern,” Chanyeol said with a soft tone.

“We were all worried, my king,” JongIn said with a serious tone. “But I am glad you’re feeling better.”

“How is the kingdom? I hope the people aren’t too worried about me.”

“Everything is under control, don’t worry,” JongIn said with a soft smile. “Can I bring you anything?”

“Yes, I am starving. Can you please bring food for Baekhyun and I?” Chanyeol asked, eyeing Baekhyun who was struggling to get the fire going. “And more wood, it seems that Baekhyun is having trouble with the fire.”

JongIn eyed Baekhyun for a moment, “I’ll be back very soon,” JongIn said with a smile, leaving immediately.

Chanyeol’s eyes were still on Baekhyun, watching him struggling to get the fire started. It didn’t take long until he managed to start it and soon the king felt the warmth hit his skin; he definitely felt better. Baekhyun’s hands were trembling the entire time, he was intimidated by the king and he could barely contain himself; he didn’t know what is going on with him.

In a matter of minutes, several of the court servants and JongIn arrived back at the room, with a breakfast fit for a king. Soon, a great table was filled with all kinds of dishes, all looking very delicious and inviting; Chanyeol’s stomach was growling already and Baekhyun felt himself salivating just at the sight.

“Enjoy your meal, my liege,” JongIn said, bowing.

“Before you leave, I have to ask for another favour,” Chanyeol said.

“Tell me.”

“Please prepare the chamber of the court physician; Baekhyun will occupy it as soon as possible. I want it to be clean and warm by sunset.”

“What?” both Baekhyun and JongIn said in unison.

“He saved my life and I believe he is very talented and will be a great asset for the kingdom,” Chanyeol said in a grave tone –his kingly voice. Baekhyun’s eyes were wide and a slight blush appeared on his cheeks. JongIn’s reaction was very different, he didn’t seem to enjoy this command but he chose not to say anything.

“Your wish is my command,” JongIn said with a slight bow. “Anything else?”

“Baekhyun’s measurements will be taken soon as possible and tell the seamstress to prepare three sets of warm clothes for him; he can’t keep wearing these rags. You’ll also make sure he has everything he wants in order to start working.”

“Yes, sire,” JongIn said, as he threw an unfriendly glare at the very embarrassed Baekhyun.

JongIn left quickly, and the room fell into silence. Baekhyun turned towards the fireplace and began tending to the fire as Chanyeol watched him for a few seconds. No one said a word but there was some kind of tension in the room. Then, Chanyeol proceeded to go towards the table but every muscle in his body ached so a few groans escaped his lips.

Baekhyun was again on high alert and immediately came to aid the king. Soon, the two were around the table and were looking at all the goodies that were laid before them. Chanyeol began eating but Baekhyun didn’t more, he just looked at the table, not sure of what to do next.

“Aren’t you hungry?” Chanyeol asked as he was munching on some fresh bread.

“I…” Baekhyun said, looking at the king for a moment. “Y-You didn’t have to do that…I mean…it’s an honour to help around the kingdom but…”

“What did you want me to do? Throw you back in the dungeon? Exile you from the kingdom?” Chanyeol asked. “You saved my life and I’m eternally grateful for that.”

“I just did what my mother taught me,” Baekhyun said with a soft voice. “I am honoured to be the court’s physician and I will work tirelessly to bring aid to the people and to you,” Baekhyun said and bowed causing Chanyeol to chuckle.

“Wow, it’s the first time you actually treated me like a king; I like this politeness coming from you,” Chanyeol teased the younger.

“Don’t get used to it, I am still angry you locked me in that dungeon and tortured information out of me…” Baekhyun shot back with a playful tone. He was something else, not afraid of anything.

“Behave, or I’ll do it again,” Chanyeol’s deep voice brought shivers to Baekhyun’s spine.

“Maybe next time, I’ll let the trolls poison you for good.”

They looked at each other and both laughed; the atmosphere in the room changed completely and the tension seemed to be broken. They began eating and it was by far the most pleasing meal the two had in a while. Afterwards, Baekhyun helped Chanyeol back on the makeshift bed for him to rest up.

Baekhyun then began tending to Chanyeol’s wound, cleaning the area and applying clean cloth over it. He had a bit of medicine leftover so he speared that on the wound once again, hoping it will be enough for Chanyeol to make a speedy recovery. Chanyeol just closed his eyes and enjoyed the soft touches of the other. He swore Baekhyun’s hands were softer than any female that ever touched him; it even brought shivers down his spine and had an effect he didn’t know a man could give him. Nevertheless, he enjoyed the treatment and almost wished he would be sick for a long time.

Later in the afternoon, after a much needed nap, it was time for Chanyeol to take a little walk around the castle. Exercise was good for everyone and even though his body was still very sore, he needed to get out of that makeshift bed. Baekhyun helped him get dressed and just as they were about to exit the room, JongIn entered announcing that the physician’s room –Baekhyun’s new home- was ready.

The physician’s room was located inside the main building of the castle, not too far from the throne room. It was more like a suite, containing two medium sized rooms; one of which was supposed to be a work room where Baekhyun would conduct his work while the other served as a room where Baekhyun could read and rest. As the three entered the room, they were greeted by the elders who praised Baekhyun for his quick thinking and skills and thanked him for saving the king. Baekhyun was blushing this whole time, he really wasn’t used to being praised, nor did he think of himself as skilled.

They did a quick tour of the room and Baekhyun was quite impressed with the amounts of books and equipment that the rooms had. He was a bit star-struck by everything and could only thank the king and bow politely; he never imagined he would end up in such position after being thrown in the dungeons. Chanyeol was smiling the whole time, trusting that he had made the right decision.

Afterwards, Baekhyun was left on his own to explore his new home while the king and the elders left the room in order to discuss the kingdom affairs. The young man was excited but also a bit scared, hoping he would succeed being a good physician.

“So you finally made it in the castle,” JongIn’s voice was heard and Baekhyun turned around, seeing that the knight didn’t leave with the others, instead he was just standing in the doorframe with a serious look upon his face. “I hope the king has made the right decision putting you, a stranger, in charge of all of this.”

“I’m sure his decision wasn’t a hasty or a bad one,” Baekhyun said, detecting the unfriendliness in the knight’s voice. “You would’ve loved to throw me back in that dungeon, wouldn’t you?”

“Unfortunately, I don’t make decisions,” JongIn glared at him.

“Yeah, you’re just a little puppy respecting the king’s orders,” Baekhyun said with a smirk.

“Careful with your words, slave,” JongIn said in a dark tone. “I’m watching you; one wrong move and next time we’ll skip the dungeon part and go straight to execution.”

“I’ll mix some potions for your sore ass, it seems that you are in dire need of it,” Baekhyun replied, a smirk growing on his lips. “Save your threats, I’m not interested on hurting your precious king.”

“How do I know that?”

“Did you forget I saved his life after you and he tortured me? I’m not a bad guy but you should not provoke me because next time I may not be that nice,” Baekhyun said, approaching JongIn slowly. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I had a very long day and I would like to rest. See you tomorrow,” Baekhyun said, shutting the door to his chamber.

JongIn wanted nothing more than to smash open that door in that moment but he knew there would be consequences if he did that so he calmed down and decided to leave. He will keep a very close eye on Baekhyun, he didn’t trust him one bit.

Chapter Text

I know, I know it's been decades since I've updated this but I didn't have any kind of inspiration. I hope you enjoy this!!

Over the course of the following days, everything returned to normal. Chanyeol was feeling better by the day and already started resuming his morning routine but he was not so strict with his exercises. As per doctor’s orders –that being Baekhyun-, he ditched the sword fighting for a few days and only kept fit with a couple of easier exercises. As for the court physician, he had a lot on his plate –and his mind.

The kingdom was in dire need of a physician, there was no doubt about this. Baekhyun even wondered how they functioned judging by the lack of ingredients. The first thing he did was to check the storage of the medicine the kingdom had and he was shocked to discover that it was very sparse. Aside from a jar with chamomile and other very common mushrooms, the inventory was empty; God forbid for an epidemic or a disease, they would die in days.

As he was looking through one of the books that were in the room, he let his mind wander to his childhood, a period of his life that seemed to be so far away. He sighed as he browsed through the pages, remembering his mother.

The sky was as blue as ever and the sun shined beautifully over the lush fields and deep forests of the kingdom. The kingdom of Errebus was in full expansion, extending from the deep great water from the west to the high mountains of the east. The land was very fertile, allowing for crops to grow sporadically so people didn’t have to worry about food. The kingdom also possessed a lot of farms with all kinds of animals.

Laughs and giggles could be heard as a boy was running barefoot through the forest. He was very young, about 7 or 8 and he seemed very happy, looking around, being very fascinated by the nature surrounding him. Behind him, a few feet away was a woman, holding a woven basket that was filled with herbs and mushrooms. She was smiling as well, looking at the boy –her son- and enjoying the beautiful weather as well.

“Slow down, Baekhyunnie, or else you’ll get lost,” she said, smiling. The boy stopped and looked behind smiling at his mother. He was a skinny boy, but he was healthy and very active. He was also cute as a button and had a very unusual hair colour, it was all white.

“I am a big boy, I won’t get lost,” Baekhyun said, beaming. He waited for his mother to get closer and then took the basket from her hand. Even though it was quite heavy, he carried it heroically, demonstrating to her just how strong he was. “Look how strong I am, I could probably fight a wolf,” he continued, making her laugh.

“Let’s hope this won’t be necessary,” she laughed, patting his head in a loving way. “Come, there’s a lake nearby and we can stop and rest there,” she said and Baekhyun nodded eagerly.

They walked for a few more minutes until they found themselves in a beautiful clearing, in front of a big lake. The waters of the lake were crystal blue, and it looked like a very magical place. Baekhyun didn’t hesitate one bit, he put the basket on the ground and ran towards the lake, dipping his feet into the water, shuddering of how cold it was. His mother laughed as she sat down on the grass, enjoying the serenity of the place.

“Come, let’s eat something,” she said as she got out berries and bread from a cloth bag.

Baekhyun quickly ran to her and sat down, ripping a piece of bread and stuffing it in his mouth along with some berries. “Did you get anything you need?” he asked, after a few moments.

“There are a few more herbs I have to search for but it shouldn’t take long.”

“Will the king be better?” he asked, now with a more serious tone.

“I hope so,” she said and the hugging him close to her.

She was the court physician, the potion maker and the one that was supposed to know the cure to every ailment. She was a smart woman and her talent made her a very respected individual in the kingdom; everyone came to her for aid and she worked tirelessly to find cures for everyone stepping into her chambers. Baekhyun helped too, learning from a young age how to read and write and measuring all of the ingredients needed.

The king was old, and he had fallen ill. It was her job to make sure that the king makes a speedy recovery, she was really adamant about this. She didn’t want him to die, he was a very kind man, one that helped her a lot and in return she hoped she could make him better.

“What will happen if the king gets very sick?” Baekhyun asked.

“I don’t want to know,” his mother responded with a serious tone.

The king had a son, the rightful heir to the throne and it seemed that he didn’t take after his father at all. He was a rude, nasty man who didn’t seem to have an ounce of compassion in his body. He also disliked Baekhyun’s mother, calling her a witch a couple of times. She hoped the king will live, otherwise things won’t be too good for them.

A knock disturbed the young man from his daydreaming and when he looked towards the door he saw none other than Chanyeol, standing in the doorframe and smiling. Baekhyun smiled as well, he couldn’t help it, the latter’s smile was quite infectious.

“How do you find the place?” Chanyeol asked, coming inside confidently. He was feeling much better, thanks to Baekhyun’s constant care.

“Very nice but poorly stocked, I’ll have to go pick up a few herbs from the forest,” Baekhyun said with a smile. “Can I borrow a horse?”

“Sure, on one condition,” Chanyeol said with a smile.

“Which is?”

“I will accompany you,” the king said, again smiling.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to ride horses, your wound is not fully healed.”

“I went riding this morning and everything was fine, it hurt a bit in the beginning but nothing too serious,” Chanyeol grinned while Baekhyun’s eyes widened.

“I told you to rest for a few days,” Baekhyun said with a serious tone. “What if you bleed again?”

“I won’t bleed again, I am fine. I am the king after all.”

“Being the king doesn’t make you invincible.”

“So, would you want me to come with you or should I send JongIn to accompany you?”

“Heavens no,” Baekhyun said immediately causing the king to chuckle. “I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

“Great. Meet me at the stables.”

Baekhyun quickly packed everything he needed in a small satchel he found in the chambers and then he quickly left towards the stables. Chanyeol was waiting for him there, and the physician found him petting a beautiful black horse. Chanyeol signalled one of the helpers and he brought out a beautiful specimen, a white horse. Baekhyun slowly approached it, biting his lip as he was a bit nervous. He loved horses, especially because of their ability to sense the good in people; no horse will let you ride it if they don’t like you or if you have ill-intentions towards it. He slowly brought out his hand and touched the horse’s head in a calming matter. The horse neighed slowly and then leaned in into the young man’s hand, calmly.

“She seems to like you,” Chanyeol said with a calm voice. Baekhyun didn’t know that but this mare was quite a feisty one and didn’t let many people approach her; Baekhyun was one of the few who actually touched her. This was a test, and fortunately Baekhyun passed it.

After everything was settled and the horses were prepared, the two left the castle’s walls and headed towards the lush forest. At first, their pace was slow, they talked for a bit but then Chanyeol bragged that his horse was the fastest in the land and he could easily out-run everyone in a race.

“What if we race towards the forest? The first one there wins,” Chanyeol said with a smile.

“You really shouldn’t be pushing yourself; your body is still healing.”

“Are you scared I might beat you?”

“With all due respect, your highness, I think you should calm down and let your body heal completely.”

“You’re just scared I’ll beat you,” Chanyeol said confidently. Baekhyun rolled his eyes. Baekhyun glared at him.

“You’re on,” Baekhyun said in a serious tone. Chanyeol smirked. “What do I get if I win?”

Chanyeol laughed, “you won’t win,” he said confidently, “but if you do, I’ll treat you to a kingly dinner tonight, at the castle.”

“And if I lose?”

“You’d have to be my personal servant for a day.”

“Deal,” Baekhyun smirked.

They quickly lined up and soon, their race started. Chanyeol got a head start, the horse he was on was galloping fast and it looked like they had a clear advantage. Still, Baekhyun didn’t hold back one bit. The mare was galloping fast, but Chanyeol’s steed was indeed very fast. Baekhyun focused and then slowly touched the mane of the horse, a smirk spreading on his lips. His hands started glistening in the next moment and in an instant, the horse’s speed almost doubled. It wasn’t long until the mare caught up with the steed and soon they were neck in neck. Chanyeol was a bit surprised, looking at Baekhyun in disbelief while the latter quickly shot him a wink before he outran him. Chanyeol was left in the dust and Baekhyun won the race.

Baekhyun quickly dismounted the horse and looked towards Chanyeol who still had a disbelief expression on his face. He approached and dismounted as well, wincing as his wound stung quite a bit.

“How the hell did you do that?” the king asked in a very surprised tone.

“Beginner’s luck, I guess,” Baekhyun chuckled. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah, it just stung a bit but it stopped. So, shall we continue?”

“Let’s go.”

They tied the horses to nearby trees and then proceeded through the lush forest. They were quiet at first, but then Chanyeol started to ask different questions about the herbs that Baekhyun needed and so a pleasant conversation started. The two talked a lot, especially Baekhyun who shared a bit about his past as a kid in the kingdom he ran from. Chanyeol also told him about the war that was fought on that land, how they won but also about the many sacrifices he had to endure. He may have been the king but he didn’t have an easy life.

The two bonded in an unexpected way and found more about each other. Chanyeol asked a lot of questions, especially about the plants that Baekhyun was picking and the younger happily explained what effect each of the herbs had. Hours passed without the two noticing and soon the sun was getting ready to set so Chanyeol suggested they go back to the castle. Baekhyun agreed, he had his satchel full already and he was getting tired of walking around.

They got to the horses and rode back to the castle and when they arrived, Chanyeol informed the younger that a servant would come and pick him up later that evening for the kingly feast that he promised; he would always honour his bets and promises. Baekhyun went back to his chamber and started sorting out the herbs he collected. About two hours later, he was done and as he was resting on the bed, a soft knock was heard at his door. A teenage-looking boy opened the door and announced that Baekhyun should follow him for dinner.

Baekhyun followed the boy in silence, wondering what Chanyeol had prepared for him. He was directed towards a big wooden door, guarded by knights and when opened it revealed a great room. The room was tall and large, illuminated by torches that burned brightly. In the middle of the room there was a long wooden table and at the end of the table, on a beautifully sculptured chair sat Chanyeol. The king ditched the heavy kingly clothes and now wore a thin linen shirt that left nothing to the imagination, his muscles and broad chest were on full display. He rose from the table and offered a seat to the guest, right next to him and Baekhyun slowly sat down, still mesmerised by the immensity of the room.

Chanyeol snapped his fingers once and out of the blue two servants appeared, carrying carafes and golden cups. They each poured wine and then left as soon as they appeared. Chanyeol took a glass in his hand and slowly held it up, and looked at the younger.

“A toast, to the mysterious stranger that saved my life,” Chanyeol said with a smile.

“…and kicked your ass while horse-riding…” Baekhyun said, holding up the cup.

“I’m not sure how you managed that. Are you sure you’re not a wizard?”

“I wish,” Baekhyun said with a chuckle.

They both drank from their cups, and Baekhyun squirmed at the taste of the wine; he wasn’t used to drinking. Then, Chanyeol snapped his fingers again and the food started coming in. Baekhyun’s mouth fell agape as the servants began serving the courses of food on golden and silver platters. From veal to venison, pork to chicken, the table was filled with all kinds of food, each more tasty-looking than the other.

They each filled their plates with food and soon they started to dig in. Chanyeol noticed that Baekhyun had great mannerism, he was polite and the way he ate was simply fascinating, you couldn’t tell he wasn’t royal. He was like a young prince, always careful about his etiquette. Chanyeol chuckled to himself, remembering how his knights ate, like a bunch of pigs; Baekhyun seemed like a princess compared to them.

Both of them ate until their stomachs were full, Baekhyun couldn’t remember the last time he ate such delicious meal; probably when he was much younger. He thanked the king for his kindness and was ready to excuse himself but Chanyeol stopped him firmly.

“You must eat your fruits,” Chanyeol said, putting his hand on top of the younger. Baekhyun’s body instantly responded with a blush that he couldn’t control. Luckily for him, the room was dim enough and Chanyeol didn’t seem to notice.

The servants again did an amazing job of cleaning the table and bringing another big platter, this time filled with all kinds of fruits. To the white-haired individual many of the fruits were very foreign as his region didn’t have them. He looked at the platter with curiosity before picking up a few of the red fruits he ate while he was locked in the dungeon.

“What are these?” he asked curiously, while holding one of the fruits in his hand.

“Strawberries, they grow in abundance around here and everyone loves them. You don’t have them?”

“I never tasted them until I arrived here,” Baekhyun said, then shoved a whole strawberry in his mouth. He loved them.

“Cute,” Chanyeol said with a chuckle. “Your face is as red as the fruit,” he continued, now smiling. It seemed that he noticed the blush after all. Baekhyun looked down, blushing even harder.

The dinner ended after a few minutes, and after thanking the king for his kind gesture, Baekhyun retreated to his chamber. He sat in bed and then slowly sighed as he waited for the sleep to take over him. He closed his eyes and a single tear rolled on his cheek.

I don’t think I’m able to do this…

Mother, forgive me.