Chapter Text
The gavel struck wood with a resounding bang, and with it, San felt like the prison bars were slamming shut in front of him. The Unseelie fae? Would he even be able to survive down there? San had never known someone who had visited the Unseelie… and lived to tell the tale .
“San, we had no other choice. As royals, we do what we must to protect our country.” San had heard the argument a hundred times over from his father, but it didn’t mean it felt any better, “You know our kingdom could not survive an attack from the Unseelie at this time, not after that.”
It’d been only months since the Great War ended. A war that had lasted five winters over and taken thousands of their men. San had been at the frontlines himself, despite his father’s desire to shelter him. He’d started the war still a child, but by the end of it, he’d doubled his mass and gained countless scars as remembrances from his battles. He’d kept his dimples, but the light behind his eyes shined a bit less bright.
“I know, your Highness . I’m very aware. Despite my reluctancy, I of course will be going through with the agreement. It doesn’t mean I have to enjoy it, though.” As a final act of defiance, San stormed out of the battle room doors before his father had time to answer, red cape billowing over his shoulder.
The war against the Seelie fae would never have been winnable if it hadn’t been for their counterparts at the last moment, the Unseelie. Fae were built undeniably different than humans, undeniably stronger, but what they made up for in strength, they lacked in numbers. Humans outnumbered them five to one, but they still put up a fight for years.
The King, San’s father, had found a way to contact the Unseelie fae and offer an alliance between them for assistance with the war. Their common enemy brought them together, and at last quenched the rising armies of Seelie that had swelled over the years. Neither party was without losses, but at least it was over now.
In return, the Unseelie fae had desired the King’s heir to be wed to their own. San knew nothing about the Unseelie fae. It had always been a taboo topic growing up—the fae. Both Seelie and Unseelie, though the latter were the supposed evil ones in all the scenarios growing up. That’s why it had surprised everyone when the Seelie arrived with glowing halos and white eyes and golden carriages, only to unleash fae wilderness upon their home. The fae had horrific beasts on their side, wolves and lions and beasts that he’d never seen in his life.
He imagined the Unseelie court was much the same, if their wild magic on the battlefield was any indicator.
He made it back to his room before collapsing on the couch near the fire and beginning to sob. He felt dramatic sprawled across the chaise as he was, but his entire life was being upended and he was moving to a whole new world.
“Oh, Sannie.” He immediately felt a warm embrace around his shoulders, “You’re the strongest person I know. It’s going to hurt like hell, but I know you’ll find a way to thrive.”
San hadn’t heard Wooyoung enter, but that was usually the case.
“They said you can’t even go with me.” He was pouting with his head resting on his knees, he knew it wasn’t very princely of him, but Wooyoung had seen him in worse states.
“I’ll write you so many letters though. They’ll never be able to keep them all from you. Not saying they would even try, but you know.” He knew Wooyoung was just trying to cheer him up, but he could also see the tears lining Wooyoung’s eyes.
Wooyoung was raised as his servant, though they grew up more like brothers than anything else. San knew that Wooyoung would try to be strong for the both of them, but he was just as crushed about the separation as San.
“I’ve heard the Unseelie are really beautiful, maybe they’ll be lovely and kind. After all, they did help us win.”
“We just got lucky enough to have the same enemy.”
“ Shhh . Let’s just enjoy what time we have left.” Wooyoung pulled San into a tight hug as San began to cry harder, and Wooyoung squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to avoid releasing the tears swelling up in them. Neither of them would do great at accepting the separation.
San had two days to pack what he wanted into trunks and wrap up any unfinished business. He wondered what would happen if he smuggled Wooyoung in one of his trunks—would they call off the wedding? Would they kill them both for disobeying commands?
Other than the wild Unseelie he’d fought beside on the battlefield, he hadn’t had much contact with them, as most could say. There was a small group of ambassadors that had arrived to deliver San’s fate, but they were quiet and rarely showed themselves around the castle.
Even after the warm cocoa that Wooyoung had brought him after his tears had subsided, San was not able to find sleep that night. Whether it was nerves or forcing himself to soak in every moment of familiarity he could before being uprooted to another life, it left him with dark bags beneath his eyes for the remainder of his life in the overworld.
。 °❀•✿•❀° 。
While he’d wanted to spend the remainder of his time reminiscing and committing his favorite spots to memory, it ended up being mostly administrative work that his parents forced upon him. They were losing a son, yes, but more importantly to them, they were losing their heir. Whether the Unseelie knew what they were doing or not, they were stealing the only viable heir from San’s kingdom by this union. His little sister was still young, not of age to be wed, and despite his father’s attempts at creating a betrothal with her, they’d insisted on San instead.
He was dressed in his best formal attire. The black and red colors of his kingdom staunchly contrasted the rest of the party of fae that San joined to return to the court below. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were narrowed—He knew how to put on an intimidating face, even to cover the face of sheer horror that he was truly feeling.
Many of the fae ambassadors did not speak their language, he found out, instead opting to communicate via hand signs and silence. San wasn’t sure if that was the norm, or if they were particularly different from the rest. He would like to speak to his newly wed spouse, but what if they did not speak his tongue? Why should the fae prince know how to speak his tongue if San couldn’t speak fae?
San adjusted himself in his carriage seat, wiggling in his stiff formal suit. Due to the sanctity of the Unseelie court, the only person who was permitted to visit, and henceforth live, was San. The Unseelie couldn’t spend extensive time above the surface due to the lack of humidity, or something like that—San hadn’t caught most of the words the ambassador said with his thick accent after “You must be relocated to the court.” But it meant that San was the one who had to go there to live, rather than their prince joining the human realm. San knew it was for the best… their realm would not be so accepting of who they considered an outsider, but San just hoped the Unseelie would not reflect the same sentiment.
In the bumping seat of the Unseelie carriage, his hands toyed with the small quartz stone that Wooyoung had given him. A worry stone, he’d called it, for stroking to calm your nerves. San was sure it was an old wive’s tale, but it meant more that it’d come from Wooyoung. Pulling away from his final hug with Wooyoung was one of the hardest things he’d done in his life to date, especially when he refused to let tears spill in front of the Unseelie. He would show no weakness to his new court.
San was startled out of his train of thoughts by a voice across from him.
“You need not fear, your Highness. The court will be a safe place for you.” The red-haired fae across from him gave him a tight-lipped smile. He spoke his tongue well—well enough that San could believe he was from the continent if not for the smattering of black dots down his temples that gave away his fae origins. He knew many of them had dominant animal genes within their species which gave them distinct characteristics. San wondered if the prince had any of these traits.
“Thank you, uh…“ San wasn’t sure of any of the names of the fae in the carriage.
“You may call me Hongjoong. I serve for what you may know as the hand of the Queen. Your life will take some adjusting, but I am sure you will find the court satisfactory after time.” San knew Hongjoong was just trying to comfort him, but all he wanted to do now was stare out the window and pretend he was going on an adventure with Wooyoung.
“Thank you, Hongjoong.” He gave the fae a soft smile before turning to face the window. He was dying to ask more questions, but the more he thought about what he didn’t know, the more overwhelmed he felt walking into this.
As the heir to the throne, he was never meant to be shipped off to another kingdom; he hadn’t spent his life preparing to represent his kingdom elsewhere.
He arrived in the night after a long day of travel—though he wasn’t sure how the fae told time when they lived underground. San had been picturing dusty dirt walls and unkempt root pathways, so to see the twinkling fireflies and vibrant moss walls was a surprise. Rather than stale musk, the air smelled clean and earthy.
“We are currently near the outskirts of the court. The outskirts expand well past this and contain most of the vegetable farms that sustain us. In the center of the court is the queen’s quarters, and near that are the prince’s quarters, the throne room, and the consort’s quarters. I won’t bother going into much more detail, I doubt you’ll remember it anyways.” San couldn’t tell if he was offended, or if he appreciated the honesty.
Hongjoong proceeded to walk down a wide, warmly lit hallway until he encountered another fae. They began to exchange signals amongst each other, and San felt powerless to do anything other than observe their body language to read their words.
The new fae was ethereally beautiful, with tiny bright blue morpho wings fluttering delicately behind his ears. His skin was pale, along with most of the fae, and his hair was stark black. The clothes he wore were nothing like San had ever seen in the human kingdom. They were gauzy and mesh, strings floating against gravity as the fae proceeded to speak with Hongjoong.
There was a nod of finality between the two of them, but they lingered for another moment, both of their demeanors relaxing. They exchanged more words, and a bashful green tint flushed beneath the new fae’s cheeks. Hongjoong turned away from the fae with a smirk before speaking to San.
“Allow me to introduce you to the prince’s courtier. You may call him Seonghwa. From here on out, he will show you around the court and attend to your needs. I will also make myself available for you at any time, just tell Seonghwa and he’ll pass along the message.” Hongjoong gave a slight bow to San before turning around.
“Thank you for your hospitality, Hongjoong.” San appreciated the kindness Hongjoong had shown him, especially in the face of such great nerves. He was a little nervous to be left alone with someone new, but if Hongjoong trusted him, he must be nice. Hongjoong gave an informal salute gesture before continuing off down the hallway.
San looked back to Seonghwa. He wasn’t sure if this new fae spoke English or not, but he didn’t have to wait long to find out.
“Good evening, your highness.” His voice was silky and smooth, somehow fitting for the butterfly hybrid man. While he had more of an accent than Hongjoong, San had no trouble making out the words.
“You can just call me San.” His title felt like nothing down here in this entirely new world. Seonghwa nodded affirmatively.
“Good evening, San. If you follow me, I will show you to your quarters.” San just nodded before falling in line behind Seonghwa. He felt awkward walking in the dim silence with nothing on him but his clothes. Carrying weapons was not allowed in the Unseelie Court, so his holster felt like an invisible weight on his hips.
Their steps echoed in the quiet for a while before faint music began to swell through the halls. San was suddenly struck by the fact that he had no idea how large the Unseelie Court was; they’d been walking for 15 minutes by now, and the only change San noticed was a slight increase in the elegant polished material used for the walls.
“As we get closer to the center of the court, you will hear the court musicians more and will notice the more structured,” He paused for a moment, “structured stone? The stone is nicer quality, however you call it.” Seonghwa looked back at him with a dusting of green on his cheeks again.
San nodded to show he understood. The fae’s anatomy was astonishing to San, but he didn’t want to stare too hard and be rude. Were all the fae this gorgeous? Would his husband be?
After a few more minutes of walking on polished stone, they arrived at a set of intricately carved doors. Seonghwa paused outside of them and turned to face San.
“This is your quarters. You may find the halls a bit daunting at first, so I have enchanted a glowing path for only your eyes.” San looked around to see what Seonghwa was talking about, but didn’t need to look very far when suddenly a dark blue misty line trailed along the wall where he was standing and connected to the lock of the door.
San had heard rumors of the Unseelie magic, and he had seen it on the battlefield, but somehow forgot about it until now. His jaw dropped open, and he was unable to hide his awe as he reached out towards the line.
“It has no feeling, but will always guide you back to your room if you follow it.” San was glad to find that Seonghwa looked more amused at his wonder than offended.
“I really appreciate that, Seonghwa. Thank you.” The fae only nodded in response.
“I will send attendants to the room to help you get washed for the night. I’ll be back to collect you for breakfast tomorrow morning.”
“I don’t need any attendants, I’ll be just fine on my own.” Seonghwa contemplated for a moment before responding.
“They will be outside the door for you then should you need any assistance.” He turned to leave, but paused once more, “Everything in the room has been prepared for you, so there is no need to worry about the safety for humans. All oils and herbs are safe.” Before San could ask any questions, Seonghwa was walking off down the hall.
Did that mean that usually they weren’t safe for humans? He’d heard dark legends of the Unseelie fae capturing humans and entrapping them with enchanted food and drink. He hadn’t even had time to worry about that possibility yet.
He pushed the handle down and stepped into the room with a gasp. Where his room at home had been stone brick walls with several decorative tapestries for decor… this room was… San couldn’t even describe it as he let the heavy wooden door close behind him.
The air smelled like rich moss and vegetative nutrients. It was almost overpowering, but in a calming and soothing way. The ceiling was higher than San would’ve expected being underground—the stone walls merged naturally with a chiseled dark ceiling that arched high above. A luminescent flora sparsely decorated the ceiling which left it glowing like stars in the darkness.
There was a homey fireplace already lit and perfectly stoked at the front of the room, and in the corner, a hallway led to what San assumed was the washroom. All the furniture was a mixture of handmade and natural, twisting vines and spindly branches woven together to create the bed posts and the chaise in front of the hearth while hand-embroidered velvet and silk fabric upholstered the seats.
There was a desk against the back wall with stacks of paper and quills along with charcoal sticks as well. As he’d suspected, the trunks that had carried his few belongings into the Unseelie court were sitting at the end of his bed, already unpacked, with the wardrobe and changing screen to the left of the bed. Everything was so elaborate and artful, San had never seen such care in decor before.
It took a few minutes of walking wistfully around the room before a big yawn overtook him. He stripped off his stiff dress coat and made his way to the washroom.
There was a large terracotta tub surrounded by a wall of green and blue moss that held various flowers and herbs—what Seonghwa must have been mentioning. San found the lever that began to release water into the tub and was surprised to find that steam rolled up from the water that fell into the basin. He’d rarely had the luxury of warm water in the human kingdom with the unpredictable climate.
He stripped the remainder of his clothes from his body and tossed them to the floor for the time being. As he climbed into the water, he shivered at the pleasant sensation of the warm water. San was still wary of the bath additives, even though Seonghwa had specifically called them out as safe, San wasn’t sure what kind of effects they had, good or not.
He laid his head back against the gentle moss that cushioned the sides of the tub and let himself bask in the relaxation for the moment. Everything was happening so fast that San felt like he couldn’t even process reality. This couldn’t be real life, could it? Magic and fae and the underground… he had to live the rest of his life here?
Feelings of dread and isolation brewed within him as he finished soaking in the warm water until it began to cool. Robotically, he rose from the tub and grabbed the nearby cloth to dry himself off.
In his room, he found a pair of his linen sleep pants in the wardrobe and slipped them on before climbing underneath the foreign feeling comforter. Though it was unfamiliar, San couldn’t deny the impeccable craftsmanship of the silk comforter with foil embroidered patterns decorating the exterior. He ran his fingers along the soft material and wondered if everything in this court was this lavish. If the rest of what he’d seen was any indicator, there was a good chance it was .
Though he’d remembered the stories of malice from his childhood, it hadn’t been what he’d seen yet from the fae he’d encountered down here. Were they luring him into a false sense of security before entrapping him and forcing him to be their entertainment?
There had been one unforgettable day as a child where he’d asked his tutor to tell him about the fairies, only to end the lesson screaming and crying. I told you so, had said his tutor after he’d warned the stories would only scare San. From then on, he’d wanted nothing to do with the species.
Oh, how ironic.
San worked himself up with dozens of anxieties as he tossed and turned underneath the heavy comforter. People were rarely heard from again if they found themselves in the Unseelie court—in fact, the only stories told of the court were of the living relatives of the deceased. Speculations and dark legends of how their loved ones bravely fell to the evils of the Unseelie.
The embers of the fire had died down until the room was shadowed in darkness. San felt moisture roll down his cheek as his thoughts overtook him, but shortly after, his exhaustion won over and he fell into a deep slumber.
。 °❀•✿•❀° 。
When San blinked his swollen eyes open in the morning, the first thing he noticed was how bright the fungi on the ceiling had grown. Last night, it had merely twinkled like stars above him–did they simulate a day and night cycle underground?
The second thing he noticed was that someone was knocking at his door.
“San?”
“Yeah?” His voice sounded hoarse from having just woken, but he wasn’t sure how long the visitor had been standing in the hallway before San woke up. The door pushed open slowly and San saw Seonghwa pop his head in.
“Good morning, San! How did you sleep?” He brought a copper tray into the room with him that held what San assumed was their version of a teapot.
“I slept fine. This is a very lovely room.” The bags under his eyes gave away a partial lie, but Seonghwa thankfully didn’t pry.
“This is a pot of oak bark and wildflower tea. This should help wake you up before breakfast.”
“Breakfast?”
“Yes, you are to dine with the rest of the royal court for breakfast and dinner each day. Until you are wed to the prince in a week’s time, you will be seated with friends of the court.” Seonghwa bustled around the room, straightening things and setting up the vanity.
“Will my clothes be… suitable? I know they are not as formal as yours.”
“On the contrary, we have no dress code. This is simply how our comfort clothes are woven. If you desire to wear fae clothing, I can have that arranged.” Seonghwa said it so casually as if it was normal for royalty to ‘have no dress code’. San didn’t know what to make of it.
“Oh… no, no that’s okay. I have enough clothes to last a lifetime from home.” He couldn’t help but think about how much more he’d stand out from the rest of the denizens here if he wore this, but he also wouldn’t make Seonghwa go out of his way to request new clothes be made when he had perfectly fine ones.
“Please let me know when you change your mind,” San didn’t miss the use of when instead of if , “The attendants will be in shortly to assist you with getting ready. I’ve added an orange trail for you to follow to the dining room when you are ready. Do you need my assistance, or can you manage?”
“I can manage… Thank you.” San had barely risen from bed by the time Seonghwa was already in and out of his room. He’d forgotten to tell him that he didn’t need attendants, but before he could say anything, two misty figures appeared in the room. San eyed them suspiciously, he’d never seen anything like these non-corporeal beings. Sapphire mist waved and oozed around, hardening into sharp edges of a limb before fading back to a dense fog. He wondered if Seonghwa was able to conjure these beings, or if they only happened to share a likeness of morpho blue.
After a few moments of staring and silence, one of the figures beckoned San to the vanity seat. San was shocked out of his stupor, and his cheeks reddened as he realized how long he’d been staring.
He sat on the seat with no time to worry about the fact that he was shirtless. One of the figures headed for the wardrobe while the other began picking up the things that Seonghwa had laid out on the vanity.
“May I?” The figure paused with its hand raised to San’s face. San had been shocked not only by the fact that it spoke, but also by the sound of its disembodied voice. San could only nod as he tried to process them. They began to dust translucent powders onto his skin that smelled unfamiliar, but not displeasing. He was used to his handmaids at home dressing him up for special occasions, but not usually makeup. That was reserved for his sister and his mom, the queen.
In a few minutes, the first creature had finished and moved away from him, revealing himself in the mirror. Despite the darkness of the room, he still appeared to be glowing. He felt decorated, but not overdone. Before he could figure out how he felt about it, the second creature had pulled the door of the changing partition open. One of his black suits was draped upon the clothes rack for him.
San stepped behind the panel and pulled it shut. He stepped into the familiar clothes and wrapped the crimson silk sash across his shoulder and around his waist as it went.
When he stepped out from behind the privacy screen, the wispy creatures were nowhere to be seen. He opened the heavy oak doors and had no trouble finding the orange trail that Seonghwa had mentioned. He followed the trail with slow steps as he traversed the unknown terrain, and soon enough was arriving outside two grandiose doors. They were the same ornate carved wood as his own door, but covered in ivy and vegetation and gemstones. The orange trail led to the keyhole of this door the same way that it led to his own room, so he took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
The lack of verbal speech was still disconcerting to San, but it did not mean the room was silent. An upbeat chorus of instruments played in the corner of the room, and the fae gathered at the large table in the middle of the room communicated with expressive gestures back and forth. Thankfully, the whole group hadn’t turned to look when San walked in, only a few select members of the table, including Hongjoong and Seonghwa—the only two fae he’d been acquainted with thus far.
San made desperate eye contact with Seonghwa, trying to get any directive from his gaze. Seonghwa’s own calm gaze was enough to relax San some, but the nod in the direction of an open seat at the end brought relief to San as he slid into place. Seonghwa and Hongjoong were at the other end of the table, headed by the Queen herself.
Hongjoong sat to the queen’s right, while a figure in stone gray chiffon wearing a lace veil sat to her left. Beside them sat Seonghwa, so San figured the fae in gray was none other than his betrothed.
The fae around him chatted mutely with those near them while San tried to keep his gaze from lingering in one place for too long. Some of the fae had more subtle traits to denote their lineage while others were clearly fae at first glance.
Bountiful piles of food were spread all over the long table, and San wondered if this was breakfast every morning, or if it was a special occasion today. By the lack of reaction at his appearance, he doubted it was in honor of him, not that he wanted the attention much either way.
With very little knowledge of any fae culture, San wasn’t sure if Yeosang was hidden for the ceremony or if this was just a… personal style choice, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t disappointed at not getting to see his betrothed. The only feature San could make out was two blue wings that stuck out from under the lace.
Contrary to Seonghwa’s delicate butterfly wings, Yeosang’s were iridescent bluebird wings. They looked velvety soft and every time they gently fluttered, light reflected off of them. San had been fascinated enough studying him that he hadn’t realized Yeosang’s head was tilted in his direction, and while San couldn’t see if he had been caught, he focused his gaze back to his plate regardless. Was it silly to feel embarrassed that you were caught staring at your future husband? It felt like it when you’d never met them.
San played it safe and kept his gaze locked on the food on his plate for the rest of breakfast. It was so different from meals at his own castle where he’d eavesdropped on all the juicy conversations and then mocked them later with his sister—here, they could all be talking about him and he wouldn’t even know, though most of them hadn’t so much as looked in his direction since he’d entered.
“San,” He jumped when a voice sounded behind him, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Seonghwa stood behind him with an apologetic smile.
“It’s okay, I just wasn’t expecting you.”
“Would you like to join me on a tour of the realm today?” San wasn’t sure if there was anything else he could do, so he nodded in agreement.
“Great! I’ll tell the kitchen to prepare a basket and then we can head to the stables. I’ll be right back.” Seonghwa walked off in the direction of what San assumed was the kitchen. His gaze traveled back across the table where he caught Yeosang’s head turned in his direction yet again, though when caught by San, he abruptly turned away. Had San caught him doing the same?
Perhaps Yeosang was in the same situation as San—being forced into a marriage for convenience. Before San could think too deeply about it, Seonghwa was back and gesturing for San to follow him. He pushed his chair out before following Seonghwa out of the same doors from which he’d entered the room through.
“I hope you’re finding the court to your liking so far.” Though it was a bit stilted, San could tell he was just trying to make conversation. He appreciated the effort.
“It’s a lot to take in. I’ve never seen anything like it before.” There was no point in lying and saying everything was perfect and magnificent when Seonghwa knew the situation he was in.
“Fair enough, I imagine it’s… daunting , for a human.”
“Can I ask you a question?” San had about a million and one questions, but he needed to start somewhere.
“Did you not just?” San rolled his eyes at Seonghwa’s jest, “My apologies, proceed.”
“How did you learn to speak? Do only you and Hongjoong speak human tongue?” San wasn’t sure how many people in the court he’d be able to speak with, or if it was even allowed.
“If a fae hasn’t spent much time outside the realm, or isn’t close with anyone who has, they probably won’t have much reason to know human speech.” Seonghwa led them with confident steps through many different intersections of hallways.
“If everyone has the ability to speak, why do you only communicate through gestures? Sorry, I don’t mean to offend-” San hadn’t realized that his questions may sound interrogative, or like his culture’s way was the right way.
“It’s not offensive, San. I imagine you’re probably full of questions. I’m sure I would be too if I lacked the exposure I’ve had to the human realm,” Seonghwa paused to sign a greeting at a fae they came across in the hall, “It goes back to an old legend with the Seelie Court, as most things do around here. They cursed fae speak, so as a loophole we adapted to communicate without speech.”
“So you’re… cursed?”
“No one can really tell if the curse was real or not, but no one who’s learned speech has regretted it yet. It’ll probably take a few more generations to popularize, however.”
“So how did you learn?”
Seonghwa’s cheeks flushed, “Ah, someone close to me. Not much real experience I hate to say, not to disappoint.”
“I could never be disappointed, I’m grateful I have someone to speak to.” Seonghwa gave him a soft smile at that.
“Well then I’m sure you’ll be even more grateful once you meet-” Seonghwa was cut off by a crude yelling noise.
“ YAH!! Why would you put the pitchfork there?”
They rounded the corner to see the stables in the outer court. San hadn’t been sure what he was expecting, but the fae equestrians were breathtaking. He remembered the horrifying bone steeds of the Seelies that rode through the battlefields, but these animals were much more approachable.
Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that one of the stablemasters had stumbled into a pile of hay and looked much like a scarecrow with his hat off kilter and covered in straw. What held his hat on, however, were the small antlers that sprouted out of his soft brown hair.
“You’re the one who knocked it over, Mingi!” San’s eyes were drawn to a different figure that emerged from one of the horse stalls with a doting smile. He noticed that this figure looked predominantly human, and while most of the fae still did, San couldn’t see any fae traits other than his tall height and pale skin. In addition, they both spoke human tongue well, better than Hongjoong, even.
San didn’t think they’d noticed their presence yet, but then the boy on the ground looked over and saw Seonghwa approaching.
“Seonghwa, tell him he needs to be more organized!”
“I think you both could stand to use a little organization.” Seonghwa pointedly looked around the particularly unswept stone paths. San saw Seonghwa’s smile and wondered if they were friends.
“Who’s this?”
“This is Prince Choi San, from the human kingdom.” Seonghwa stepped aside to reveal him more fully, and San watched as they both straightened up and tried futilely to dust the hay off themselves before bowing.
“Oh, uh, that’s not necessary. It’s nice to meet you.” San gave them a courteous bow back.
“I thought humans cared about their titles and propriety.” It was the antlered fae, Mingi, who spoke, and in return received an elbow in the side from the other.
“Welcome, your highness. I hope you’ve been adjusting well to the Unseelie Court?”
“Please, San is just fine. I don’t think titles matter here, anyways. It’s… a big change, but everyone has been very helpful so far.” San gave Seonghwa a particularly grateful smile.
“I’m Yunho, also a human. There’s a few of us down here, if you ever need a chat we’re all more than willing. It can be a little strange around here sometimes, especially if you’re not used to it.” He had a warm and friendly smile on his face.
San felt instant relief at that—not only that he had a friend to chat with, but also the solidarity and recognition that this is not the normal he knew.
“I’m Mingi! Not a human, but still around to talk whenever. We’re always hanging somewhere near the stables.”
“If I ever figure out how to navigate the court, I may just stop by.” San said it as a joke, but if Seonghwa ditched him here and told him to find his way back, he’d probably be lost for days. Maybe this is what happened to all the humans who are rumored to have been killed by the fae. Perhaps they just got lost… and then saved.
“I’m taking San around, can you get two horses readied?”
“Sure thing! Give us a few.” They both split off in different directions with assured, routine motions. With their absence, Seonghwa turned back to San.
“There’s a tight group of us down here, many of us grew up together. Mingi was there first, but when Yunho joined us down here later, he quickly became irreplaceable.”
San hadn’t had many friends at the castle. His parents rarely let him leave the castle walls, and everyone inside the castle was too scared to be his friend in case he ordered to have them killed.
“That sounds very nice. Are you still able to find time to hang out?”
“The fae love any reason to throw a party, so there’s more than enough opportunities to pull the group together.”
“Almost too many, if you ask me!” Mingi returned from a nearby stall holding the lead of an all black fae horse with terracotta red dusting its body in various patches. While it looked very similar to a human realm horse, San could notice its slight shimmer that came from iridescent scales scattered across its body.
A pile of hay was tossed out of the stall that Mingi walked past, to which he screamed again before tackling Yunho in the stall. San raised his eyebrows and looked over to Seonghwa, who just rolled his eyes before walking over to take the lead.
“He’s truly the loudest fae I’ve ever met. Maybe the loudest creature in general.” San could see the fond smile on Seonghwa’s face, however, and the gesture brought a mirrored curve to his own lips. Seonghwa handed the lead over to San and turned back to the stall where shuffling noises and occasional grunts were still audible.
“If I don’t make it back, don’t forget the blue line goes to your room.” San giggled at the dramatics, but it indeed took several more minutes before Seonghwa was emerging with a steed, two men, and a light dusting of hay all over his blue robes.
Seonghwa’s horse appeared to have also been specially picked, because it had a mane of sapphire gems and patterns of black lines down its blue body. There was truly so much beauty to be mesmerized by in the Unseelie Court.
It took a few more minutes of arguing with Yunho and Mingi before they relinquished San and Seonghwa to be on their way.
San enjoyed riding the steed because it allowed him to take in the sights without having to worry about losing track of Seonghwa.
“While this is a tour, I mainly wanted to get you out today to answer all the questions you probably have about the court. Setting propriety aside, we all want you to be comfortable down here, including Yeosang.” The thought that his soon-to-be husband had even considered his well-being brought a red hue to his cheeks.
“The more I think about what I don’t know, the more overwhelming it becomes. The topic of the Unseelie fae was… taboo , growing up.”
“We have had our own part in creating that story. A terrifying reputation is the first line of defense in battle, and we prefer to fight ours hands off.”
“How so?”
“The Seelie and Unseelie used to be one fae species long, long ago. I don’t know exactly what caused the split, I don’t think anyone does, but we were seen as inferior due to our presentation—seemingly weak and boorish animals. The Seelie forced us underground, but we created our perfect realm down here. They didn’t know how to enter our realm, so it became a mystery as to what was transpiring down here.
“They spread rumors of our darkness and our evilness while in reality, we spent our days hand-carving stone to craft our world, and our nights imbibing on wine, song, and dance. No one sought us out to harm us, and those who did stepped into such unfamiliarity that they often went mad. We are truly a hedonistic species who worked hard to build such a paradise, and now most Unseelie prefer to bask in it over anything else.”
Could it be true? Could every dark rumor of the Unseelie be created as a defense for their utopic realm? Even if San wanted to question the truth, everything he’d seen so far backed up Seonghwa’s tales.
“Wow…”
Seonghwa chuckled from his horse beside San.
“I understand that shifting your entire perception of a species may take time, but I assure you we will continue to show through our actions who we are.” It was true, San had not seen the slightest malice from any fae down here, despite the fact that his realm was the reason several of them had been slain.
They fell into silence for a few minutes after that as San tried to process the information that Seonghwa had told him.
“Can I ask you about the prince?” Most of the questions in San’s mind ended in wondering about the prince. He’d been teased by the glimpse of him at breakfast today, but now he craved more.
“Potentially.”
Fair enough , there were probably many things Seonghwa was entitled to keep private about the heir.
“Does he know human speech?”
“He… does not.” It sounded like Seonghwa was going to elaborate, but they continued to hang in silence.
“Can you teach me your language? I don’t know how much Yeosang wants me involved in his life, but I’d at least like to be able to exchange words with him when needed.”
Seonghwa looked to be biting something back, and San rushed to clarify,
“If you’re already too busy, it’s not necessary. Or perhaps there are other tutors. It’s no rush either, I’ll be here for a while.”
“You mistake my expression. I’d be happy to tutor you in our language. For now, I will not deign to comment on Yeosang’s feelings.” Seonghwa’s expression fell to a guarded smile. San wasn’t exactly sure what he meant by that, but he was more excited at the prospect of being tutored.
“I have another request… could you not tell Yeosang that you’re teaching me? I want to surprise him when I feel comfortable enough with the language.” San would hate to feel rushed into learning a language when he’d barely dabbled with language acquisition in his life before.
“You’re sneaky, little prince. I can assure you it’ll be our secret.”
San once again felt a feeling of gratefulness wash over him. He’d been shown nothing but kindness since he’d arrived—even before he’d arrived in the Unseelie realm. They all showed compassion and empathy, understanding how difficult a transition into their land could be for a human.
“Thank you, Seonghwa–for everything.” At the genuinity in San’s voice, a dusting of green coated Seonghwa’s cheeks.
“Of course, everyone is entitled to basic hospitality.” San would define the Unseelie’s hospitality as much more than basic, but he didn’t feel the need to argue.
With the remaining duration of their ride around the realm, Seonghwa had explained the layout of the court. It was indeed similar to a labyrinth, another defense mechanism, and the reason for many stories of humans who were trapped.
The realm was laid out in four concentric rings. The inner ring, of course, held the throne room and the royal quarters. The second ring from the center held the shops—the infirmary, the alchemist, the seamstress, and more. Within the rings were mazes of hallways that led to all the rooms tucked behind corners and hedges.
The third ring is where many of the court denizens lived in small dwellings. Because they often hung around in communal spaces and lounges, their dwellings had no use in being large and lavish, at least no more lavish than the usual amount. Some fae dwellings were grouped together by animalistic traits, but only to tailor the environment slightly. Many of the reptilia presenting fae, for example, congregated near the northern edge of the third ring to create a humid and warm habitat.
The fourth and outermost ring spanned out larger than the other three combined. It was where they currently rode through and contained a mixture of tall jungly fields and neatly maintained crops. San had also spotted unique livestock partially hidden behind viney fences. Seonghwa explained that most of the Unseelie were primarily vegetarian and preferred to keep livestock for their other offerings—sweet wines, seasonings, and sauces.
San wasn’t sure what kind of livestock produced wine, but he didn’t spend too much time dwelling on the thought.
He had no concept of how long they’d been riding together, so when Seonghwa announced it was time for dinner, San was shocked. Now that he was paying attention, however, the artificial ceiling had dimmed in brightness a bit since the beginning of their ride.
Because he was more comfortable asking Seonghwa all his questions at this point, Seonghwa spent the ride back to the stables explaining the artificial day and night cycle created by the luminescent fungi that coated the ceilings down here. It confirmed San’s suspicions of such from the night before when he’d laid in bed staring at the ceiling for most of the evening.
Yunho and Mingi were nowhere to be seen or heard around the stables, but Seonghwa said they’d probably headed to dinner knowing that Seonghwa could put the steeds away securely.
Indeed, Seonghwa’s hands expertly removed the saddles and put away the equipment with practiced familiarity before guiding the steeds back to their designated stalls. San ran his fingers gently along his horse’s neck as he waited for Seonghwa to finish up.
“I apologize for keeping us out so late, I seem to have lost track of time a bit in our conversations. If you desire to attend dinner, we can head straight there, but I fear there may not be time to freshen up first. I can have attendants send dinner to your chambers if you’d rather?”
San hadn’t seen his reflection in hours, but he felt sweaty and rumpled from riding all day. He was grateful Seonghwa offered him the option to decline dining with the court because he happily took it in lieu of eating while the scent of stables and horse radiated from him.
“This is where we shall split then, I’ll have dinner sent to your room.” They’d returned to the inner hallways of the third ring when Seonghwa sent him on his way, of course following the blue navigation trail.
San wasted no time starting a bath when he returned to his room. His clothes were damp with sweat from the humidity of the realm that he was not used to from the human world. Most of the garments he’d brought from home were designed from thick wool linens that protected humans from the bite of the northern chill in his home kingdom. He hadn’t given much thought to the difference in climate between the above ground and underground, but he was starting to wonder how long he’d last before requesting new garments be made.
But that was all he had left of himself and his kingdom to represent, so for now, he didn’t mind bearing the heat.
He was grateful yet again for the warm water that wrapped around his tight limbs and soothed his aching muscles from the long ride. His eyelids became heavy as he inhaled the natural moss scent and the oils that he’d braved to add to the water this time. Were they sleep aid oils, or was his exhaustion just that palpable? As his thoughts drifted sleepily around his head, he could only make out beautiful blue wings and elegant sparkling ceilings.
San had no intention of falling asleep before dinner arrived, but he was startled awake by the same handmaidens who had helped him this morning, which felt like so long ago by this point.
“We have delivered your dinner, sir. Is there anything else you need assistance with?” San was grateful for the distance that they granted him from the doorway of the washroom while he hid beneath the bubbles of the bath.
“No, I should be good. Thank you for dropping it off and waking me.” They bowed slightly before turning out of the room and disappearing from view. He didn’t hear the front door shut and wondered if they were still there, but when he eventually made his way out of the tub and dried off, they were nowhere to be seen.
He’d have to ask Seonghwa to confirm if his suspicions of their evaporation upon dismissal were correct.
Dinner was set up on the small kitchenette table in the corner of his room that he hadn’t noticed much until now. They’d lit candles that burned in a variety of colors and illuminated the silver cloches that covered the food. It was far too much food for one person to eat, and he felt bad wasting much of it, but they couldn’t possibly think he’d eat four platters of roasted vegetables, bread, and chilled soup.
He was feeling slightly more energized after his short nap in the bath, so after dinner, he sat at the small desk he’d seen before and began to draft letters.
He wrote one to his sister, wishing her well and hoping she was doing okay.
He wrote one to his mom, hoping the cough she’d had when he left had gone away.
He wrote one to his father, detailing that the relations between him and the Unseelie were well-established, and that he had nothing to worry about.
He tried to write one to Wooyoung, but he only got through Dear Wooyoung, before breaking down in sobs. How could he possibly convey everything that had happened and how much he missed his loud and genuine presence on simple paper with ink?
Before he went to sleep for the night, San took the letters in his hand and tossed them all into the fire that burned at the front of his room. There was no point in maintaining ties with his old life now; thinking about them would only bring him sadness.
It was easier to sleep that night with his sob-swollen eyes and intense fatigue.