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I have been writing fic since the days of dial up AOL, and more recently (in 2019) began to write for an otome game fandom. Now I write reader POV k-pop fic, as much as I am able. :D
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I write for Ateez, SKZ, XLOV, TXT. Soon to come: SVT, &Team, and more.
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About Me:
I am three owls in a trench coat. Fueled by coffee, caffeine, puns, and sarcasm. Healthcare worker by night, somewhat rabid (but in a fun way) and delusional creator of chaos the rest of the time (unless I'm taking a marathon nap).
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I deeply appreciate each and every like, reblog, comment, and message. I write for fun in my free time, and I am glad that the little ideas my brain cell concocts can entertain others as well. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for reading my works.
thank you for your patience as i try to ease back into writing! hope you all have enjoyed ch 11 of Something Wild. ch 12 is in progress!
i wanted to give a quick update as i am still dealing with some health ish, primarily my bitchass thyroid disorder. however, rest assured, i plan to see this fic through to the end! and i have lots in store, so buckle up and have tissues ready. >)
as always, my DMs are open. thank you all for supporting me and for reading my works. i appreciate you all more than words can say!
Characters: Reader, Wumuti, Rui, Hyun, Haru, Original Characters
Summary:
Your grandmother always told you never to look into mirrors in the dark at night...
Too bad you never truly believed her superstitions.
...And now the king of the fae realm just happens to be your new roommate.
Congratulations?
Chapter WC: 10,682
Fic WC (So Far): 124,064
Fic Rating: Explicit
Originally Published: 250509 on AO3
Tags: Under the cut
Banner by: @lovetaroandtaemin
Taglist (Comment to be added or removed): @kpop-choco, @spacequokka, @lovetaroandtaemin, @woolvrrr, @1itatchi-lover, @gigification, @angelwitch99-blog
A/N: FINALLY an update. Thanks everyone for bearing with me. I'm getting better every day and looking forward to completing this saga!
As always, thank you for reading!
Tags: Alternate Universe - Fae, Fae & Fairies, Fae Magic, Tricksters, Bickering, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Teasing, Banter, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Heavy Angst, Grief/Mourning, Bad Memories, Past Trauma, Past Character Death, Patricide, Attempted Murder, Implied Cheating, New Friendships, Hope, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Bonding, gender is made up and the points don't matter, reader is implied queer, References to Depression, Fluff, Original Character Death, references to past abusive relationship, drug abuse mentions, Death Threats, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Cuddling & Snuggling, First Kiss, Falling In Love, Romantic Fluff, Making Out, New Relationship, First Christmas Together, Smut, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Relationship Discussions, Fate, Red String of Fate, Multiverse, Astral Projection, Dreamwalking, Shapeshifting, Family Secrets
You took in a deep breath as you stood outside Haru’s door, shivering as a stout wind blew past.. Ordinarily, you’d have let yourself in, but the box you were holding was absolutely not one you felt comfortable putting on the ground considering it had rained for the majority of the week. If something happened to the gift inside you’d scream.
Forever. Literally, probably.
So you knocked again, rang the doorbell, and waited.
At Muti’s begging, Niamh had been carefully monitoring the situation going on in the fae realm— ensuring that there were eyes on the problem, but allowing you more time to recuperate. You had insisted at first that it was fine and also unnecessary. You were good to go.
Haru had promptly challenged you to go on a walk with him that minute, to a location that was six blocks away. You knew before he finished talking there was no way you had the stamina for all that, and had declined. Both Muti and Haru had been smug as fuck about it ever since.
Lovingly smug, at least, but smug nonetheless.
However, they had also taken you on walks every day, gradually increasing the time and length, and helped you with your other physical therapy exercises in the meantime. Lillian came over every day to do some gentle yoga and stretching with you, and as the days passed, you had finally begun to see and feel results.
You were now able to say that you did feel worlds better, though you hated that it had taken a while to get there. You supposed it didn’t matter much in the grand scheme, as Niamh had insisted that the next full moon would be the optimal time to strike, especially given the amount of people now involved.
“It will make traveling much easier,” they’d told you. “We can go earlier if needed, but you needn’t worry about that. Just concentrate on improving your strength.”
Niamh’s reassurances didn’t stop your brain from blaming you, unfortunately.
“What’s in the box?” Haru inquired as he opened the door, a few seconds after you’d given up and started mashing the bell again. “Sorry, I was trying not to burn some fried rice.”
“I thought we were going to order delivery?”
“Well, I’m hungry now,” he laughed as you slipped past him and kicked your shoes off. “Consider it an appetizer. And I made it just how you like. So there.”
“Well then I’m touched. Please lead me to the rice so I can judge for myself.”
Haru had begged you for a sleepover the day before, ‘just like old times,’ before everyone ran off to save the fae realm. You had tried to include Muti, but he had good-naturedly turned you down, much to your surprise.
“Oh, love… I think I’ll stay home,” he’d told you, laughing softly at your exaggerated frown. “Although I appreciate the invitation and the thought, you both need that time. There will be plenty of other times we can all spend together.”
“I mean, we don’t mind including you,” Haru had piped up. “Even though you’re weird and all.”
“No, no, it’s fine, really,” Muti insisted. “I have plans, anyway.”
“Oh?” You asked. “What sort of plans? Should I be concerned?
“Well, if you must know, Lillian and I have a lot to talk about, considering I haven’t seen her in decades. So, mostly that.”
“That is a lot of catching up,” you laughed. “I’m still not sure how I feel about you somehow being best friends with my grandmother. Sounds like a recipe for… a lot of shenanigans.”
“Does it bother you?”
“Nah, not at all,” you giggled. “I’m just going to have to watch myself more. There’s a lot of lovable conspiring in this family as is. It’s cute, don’t get me wrong. But you’re both troublemakers, so…”
“Hey now—”
“Guess we should keep the news on at my place then,” Haru said nonchalantly. “If it’s gonna be Muti and Lillian catch up hours.”
“Hmm, good point,” you mused. “We don’t wanna miss anything.”
“Especially with those two. Maybe we should just call in a tip.”
“Hmm, maybe so,” you nodded.
“What’s all that supposed to mean?” Muti asked, puzzled.
Neither you nor Haru had offered any explanation, purely to tease Muti. You knew he’d wind up asking Lillian, which would make it funnier in the long run anyway.
You had just accepted a bowl of rice from Haru when Muti sent a message to the group chat with the three of you, and you nearly dropped the bowl as you began to laugh.
Muti [7:39pm]: You thought we were going to commit CRIMES?!?!? And be on the news about it?! Are you MAD?!?!?!?
“Do you think he’s always going to be this silly?” Haru wondered aloud.
“Oh, I’m sure,” you nodded. “I have yet to talk to Lillian at length, but apparently this is his baseline. Meanwhile, I’m sure you’d be shocked to know who the biggest little shit of their little group always was.”
“Was it Niamh?”
“Bingo.”
“I believe it.”
Haru [7:42pm]: I mean, BE GAY DO CRIMES and all that. It’s a thing!
Muti [7:43pm]: Can't I be gay *without* doing crimes? This is a prerequisite I was unaware of and I must admit I’m woefully unprepared
You [7:44pm]: Probably? But you probably have to pay more yearly dues to stay in the community. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news :(
Muti [7:45pm]: YOU’RE MAKING THAT UP!!! >(
“Aww, look at him stealing your emojis,” Haru snickered. “Cuuuute.”
“Hush.”
“I take it back. You guys are gross, honestly. Actually.”
“Yes, but at least we own it.”
You [7:46pm]: Muti, I’ve never said a single unserious thing in my whole entire life. EVER.
Muti [7:47pm]: Lillian told me to tell you that you’re full of it :) And I think I know you well enough to know that is NOT REMOTELY TRUE!!!!
You [7:48pm]: Where exactly do both of you think I acquired my skills?
Muti [7:49pm]: Hina and Seiji, according to your grandmother. You and Haru have fun. Lillian says call if you need bail money, whatever that means :p
You shook your head as you set your phone down.
“So how many embarrassing stories do you think Lillian is gonna tell him about us?” You asked Haru.
“Oh, I’d say he’s going to have a lot of ammo to poke fun sooner rather than later. But, considering Lillian has centuries of dirt on him…”
“I love how this family’s love language is just relentless teasing,” you giggled.
“It keeps us interesting. It’s like the soup of the day. Except it’s who’s getting roasted and for what?”
“Oh yeah, because without the teasing our family would be so… dull and normal.”
“That reminds me, I had an idea for you and Muti for a couples’ Halloween costume next year,” Haru said with an impish grin.
“Oh god. Do I want to know?”
“It’s nerdy,” he said in sing-song, knowing you’d have a hard time not inquiring knowing that piece.
“Okay, hit me.”
“Hear me out… Link and Dark Link. From Ocarina of Time. You can be Dark Link, obviously, miss Shadow princess or whatever you are.”
“Now see, that one has layers,” you scowled. “You’re so…”
“Thoughtful? Fun. Endearing? Clever…” Haru volunteered. “Creative? Innovative…”
“Ornery. Hella fucking ornery. But also… yeah, that’s a fun idea,” you admitted. “We will get made fun of to no end, but it’s a fun idea.”
“Well, yeah,” Haru nodded. “But like. Lovingly made fun of.”
“Oh, wait,” you said, snapping your fingers. “We should all be different versions of Link. Like, I accept your cute and also embarrassing idea, but… why not make it a family affair?”
“I like the way you think.”
“I think the other idea for this year was Bob’s Burgers. Which we still need to subject Muti to, actually, and I know he won’t get a lot of the humor…”
“Maybe it would be a good learning tool.”
“Hm, maybe.”
Haru sighed suddenly, gaze dropping to his now empty bowl. You reached over to rub his shoulder reassuringly.
“What’s up?”
“I missed this,” he said softly. “Just… hanging out. Chatting and bullshitting and making fun plans, and doing the plans. Like old times. I missed it so much.”
“Well, fear not, you broke the spell, I’m back to annoy you permanently,” you said cheerily, picking up your phone again. “What are we having for actual dinner? And what are we watching tonight?”
Haru did not answer, and you frowned.
“Hey. Haru.”
“Huh?”
“Are you crying over there?”
“No,” he said, failing to stifle a sniffle. “Uh… okay, maybe. A little bit.”
You gestured that he should get up, and the two of you relocated to the living room sofa. You turned on some music before turning to Haru.
“You know I’m not actually angry at you, right?” You asked gently. “Like, not at all, actually. I get why everyone did what they did. And it wasn’t gonna be permanent anyway.”
“No, I know that. I know I’ll never live it down…” He grumbled. “And you’re literally going to tease me about it for eternity. But it’s only fair I guess. I just… I did miss this. We used to hang out all the time, back before. We were beyond inseparable. We always had been. And of course, it was different in the interim…”
“Was it though? Like, besides the obvious memory things. You and I met again, clicked in three seconds…”
“I guess it is kind of funny that we wound up becoming like siblings regardless,” Haru conceded. “Muti always swore you and I were possibly related somehow because of the way we bickered and joked, and it always absolutely killed me to lie and tell him that I didn’t know you.”
“Well, the universe absolutely was not going to let us be apart to begin with. It was like ‘bitch you thought.’ You really did get bitch slapped by the universe.”
“Yeah… And in the meantime…”
“Hmm?”
“I had to watch you suffering,” Haru sighed, reaching for your hand and clutching it tightly. “I had to watch you go through that whole thing with and about Emery, all alone. Kinda. I’m glad you had Muti, that’s for sure. But it just. It tore me up, watching from the outside,” the younger mumbled, tearing up again in the process. “Like, the aftermath of the breakup, his death, all of it. I wasn’t really there. And especially considering the last time we’d talked it had been a fight about Emery…” Haru sighed. “I wasn’t there.”
“You were, though. You came over on Thanksgiving. It was amazing. It was just what I needed.”
Haru pouted at you, and you reached over to ruffle his hair, earning a giggle and a dimply grin.
“Also, you totally saved my ass when Rui came after me,” you told him, which quickly wiped the grin from his face. “So there’s that. How did you know, anyway? That she was going to attack me, I mean?”
“I just… I had this staggeringly bad feeling,” he told you. “Like the most sudden and absolute worst sense of dread. Worse than any panic attack. Kitsune intuition, I guess you could call it… that’s what my mom said. And I didn’t know what was going on exactly, just that we had to get to you as fast as we could. But… I didn’t exactly save you,” he sighed. “She used my knives on you. If anything, my big old butter fingers fumble made it easier for her.”
“Stop that, you literally got tossed across the room. Stuff happens. Also, in your defense, she was acting like she was auditioning for a Kill Bill remake, so… Uma Thurman eat your heart out I guess.”
“You really don’t hold it against me?”
“Shit happens, Haru. I am alive, so I feel confident in calling it an overall win.”
“Are you going to tell me what’s in the mysterious box you brought over, then?” He asked.
“Oh, did you wanna cry more now? Maybe that’s a better idea than spreading it all out,” you said with an awkward grin.
“You brought me something that’s gonna make me cry?!” He yelped as you handed over the box. “You monster.”
“I mean… Yeah. It’s probably gonna make you cry. But I thought… I should give it to you now. Just in case.”
“Oh come on, not you too,” Haru said with an eye roll. “Muti has been all doom and gloom about the whole faeland thing. He doesn’t think we’re going to win.”
“I think I’m a lot more optimistic than he is. I just… you never know, I guess,” you shrugged as Haru got the box open and pulled out an oversized t-shirt quilt. It had been a labor of love, many hours of painstaking sewing, including hand stitching on various patches you’d collected as accents.
“What in the…”
“It was gonna be a gift for your twenty-first birthday, because you know I’m weird and sentimental like that,” you began, but you stopped when you realized Haru was, in fact, crying again.
“Are… did these all come from that one road trip?” He gulped. “That… that was the best summer. Oh my god… oh my god…” He sniffled as he looked over the different shirts that made up the quiet. “This is amazing.”
“There is a definite possibility that I collected t-shirts from every single tourist trap we went to,” you told him. “There’s even some from stuff we did here in the city. I… I meant to have it done a lot sooner— I’d initially aimed for your eighteenth birthday. I mean hell, we went on that trip when you were sixteen. But… you know… life. Also, it got a bit bigger than I anticipated. That being said, I’ve been working to finish it the last couple weeks, so… ta da! Happy early birthday in… November.”
“I think about that summer all the time,” Haru said absentmindedly, still exploring the quilt and all the different shirts that had been used to make it. “Especially over the last year…”
“I get it. That’s why I wanted to give you this sooner, too. But also… I finished it finally and you know how bad I am about holding onto gifts for a long time.”
The summer in question would always be on the books as one of your best as well. Hina and Seiji had both taken time off to head to Japan to visit family, but Haru hadn’t wanted to go. You’d had no plans as usual, just work. So you’d done what any slightly well off sister would have— taken time off and volunteered to have him stay with you. You had meticulously planned the entire summer— a daily movie matinee program at a nearby theater, Broadway shows, museums, local state parks. It had culminated in a road trip for the history books— a two week long escapade and a sojourn down into the Smoky Mountains.
It was a trip you knew you’d never forget. You knew Haru was the same. Your heart twisted up as you watched him still gently touching each individual shirt logo with a tiny smile on his face.
“We’re building a blanket fort with this thing when we all get back,” Haru said firmly. “But serial killer Barbie isn’t invited this time.”
“She wasn’t invited the first time, either.”
“See? She should take the hint.”
“She strikes me as someone who just immediately dismisses the hint and does whatever the fuck she wants.”
Haru launched towards you, throwing himself into your arms for a tight hug, and you could hear him still quietly crying.
“This is one of the best and coolest gifts I’ve ever gotten,” he mumbled into your shoulder. “From one of the best and coolest people I have ever met. I love you, sis.”
“I love you too, Haru,” you assured him. “Even though you had my memories wiped.”
“There it is,” he laughed, sitting up as he wiped tears from his eyes.
“It really was such a good summer,” you sighed contentedly.
“Oh, for real,” Haru nodded. “And you know, all the places we went were so neat, but some of my favorite memories are just… driving through the mountains in the middle of the day, with the windows down, you blasting Hellogoodbye and us with our cherry limeades. Just… what a…” He stopped as he began to tear up again. “It was the best,” he whispered.
“Hey, you know what’s fun?” You nudged his shoulder.
“Huh?”
“We’re both immortal,” you chuckled. “Time for a new tradition…?”
“Oh my god, are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Haru said suddenly.
“I mean, probably? What are you thinking? Usually dangerous when you’re thinking.”
“Oh hush. We should do another trip! Road Trip 2: Electric Boogaloo. And we should take Muti.”
“Oh, that would be amazing. I’m so in. Same itinerary?”
“Absolutely. We have to take Muti to Dollywood and that is a hill I am willing to die on.”
“I… you’re a goober, Haru.”
“Okay, but picture his reaction…”
You laughed and shook your head.
“Do you think it bothers him that he’s the butt of so many jokes?”
“I actually asked him that once, pretty early on,” Haru said as he grabbed a throw pillow and plopped it down on the couch next to your legs, curling up into a ball and pulling his new quilt over him. “He said he doesn’t really care at all. He finds our banter adorable, apparently. Direct quote. He also said that it’s helped him learn the humor. Not that he doesn’t have a woefully long way to go on that one.”
“In his defense, the universe put that one on extra hard mode when it dropped him into this family.”
“Oh, I know that’s right. Although, when he does come out with a roast, whoever is on the receiving end just gets totally fried. So he’s catching on.”
“True.”
“Have you talked to Lillian yet?” Haru asked, and you frowned.
“Not like, about all the things, no,” you replied, shaking your head. “We’re supposed to have lunch tomorrow.”
“Are you upset with her?”
“No,” you shrugged. “I mean, I’m kind of upset I guess, that I didn’t get the choice in knowing. I would have liked to have known. Like it really explains some things about my life. But also, I guess I kind of get why? I don’t know. From what I saw in her dream, there were a bunch of folk gossiping about my mom and saying how scandalous it was that she ran off with a human and got knocked up. Honestly, I feel worse for Muti. He insists he’s fine, but I can tell it’s bothering him.”
“I’m sure they’ll talk about it tonight,” Haru told you, patting your knee reassuringly.
“Yeah. I wonder if it’s worse for him that he didn’t know she was gone, or if it’s the finding out? They were very close.”
“Yeah, Muti had mentioned that. That’s the weirdest part for me honestly, knowing that Lillian and Muti are close to the same age.”
“Yeah, that’s super weird to wrap the brain cell around too,” you agreed. “And I guess… they’re close to your parents in age too?”
“Closer to Dad, but yeah.”
“Do you wanna watch something?” You asked.
“We could,” Haru sighed. “I guess we still need to order food, too. I’m hungry again.”
“Are you sure that you’re not a hobbit?”
“Says the woman who helped raise me, and who instilled her eating habits in me?”
“I’m sorry, did you just accuse me of turning you into a hobbit?”
“Kind of,” Haru snickered. “Am I wrong?”
“Could be worse I guess. What’s for dinner?”
“We could ask the jar.”
You stared at him, and he shrieked and hid under his quilt.
“I have been tearing my apartment apart looking for that jar since I got my memories back,” you said sternly. “And you still had it? Stinker. I’m going to put it in my safe next time.”
“Well, the last time I took it was before we fought,” Haru sighed, pulling the quilt down to look up at you. “So…”
“Well, I guess that’s fair. Ish.” You shrugged.
“Also? I know the code to that safe,” Haru said nonchalantly. “You gave it to me in case of emergencies. Also? You made a replacement jar!”
“Yeah, but this is the OG. It’s mine. You can have the replacement if you want, though.”
“Nah, I’ll just keep stealing this one. It has all the fun edits and shit. Thanks though.” Haru said with a wide dimpled grin.
“Fetch the decision jar while I decide on a new safe code,” you giggled. “Turd.”
The jar determined that you were having Thai. Haru ordered while you changed into your pajamas. When you got back to the living room, you were surprised to see that Haru was in the middle of constructing a fort in front of the TV, and you laughed.
“Couldn’t wait?”
“Is it too soon?” He winced as he turned around to face you. “Shit, I should have asked. Weird memories and all that ish.”
“Nah. As long as you don’t try to kill me we’re good. This is honestly helpful. Resets the brain pan.”
“Well, it does ruin all my fun I guess,” he sighed, but you didn’t miss his sly grin. “Guess we should turn on a movie instead. Food will be here soon. What are we watching?”
“Back to the Future?”
“All of them?” He asked hopefully, eyes lighting up with glee.
You knew this meant a lot to him. Sure, you and he and Muti had spent many hours together since Muti had come to town.
But it had been well over a year since you and Haru had gotten in some real sibling time. Even though you hadn’t known you were without it, you missed it now with a depth that made your heart ache, and part of you mourned the time you’d spent not knowing that he was family. You knew that it had been hell for Haru as well, though you could tell he was trying to put on a brave face about it for your benefit. He clearly knew you’d be one to beat yourself up over something you hadn’t even had a choice in.
Guess I’ll just have to make up for lost time.
“Hey,” you heard a quiet voice, and realized Haru was now standing in front of you.
“Hi.”
“You okay?”
“Yeah,” you nodded. “Just…”
“Everything?”
“Yeah.”
Haru hugged you tightly, and you sighed as you leaned into his embrace.
“I missed you,” you mumbled into his shoulder.
“I missed you more.”
“It’s not a contest, Haru.”
“It is now, I just decided. And I’m always right about this kind of thing, so you should trust me.”
“Ugh. You’re annoying. Maybe I actually can’t stand you.”
“Uh huh. Love you sis.”
“Love you too.”
You were unsure why you were dreading the lunch with your grandmother, but from the second you awoke the next day, you were nervous. You bid Haru goodbye early so you could go home and get ready. Muti was sound asleep in bed, which at the very least allowed you to distract yourself by making him breakfast.
“Darn it,” he said as you woke him up and he took in the tray you were holding. “I had set an alarm so I could make you breakfast.”
“Early bird gets the worm or whatever,” you chirped. “Either way, I win.”
“Can I make you dinner?” He asked hopefully as he rearranged himself in bed so you could set the tray down.
“I’ll allow it,” you nodded.
“You’re going to talk with Lillian today, aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” you said with a heavy sigh as you sat down on the bed. “I don’t know why it feels so… I can’t even describe it. Like… my whole life has been kind of a lie? But also… I guess I get why they’d have decided on this for me. But it also seems unfair.”
“Well, as it just so happens, the universe saw to it that you found out,” Muti said with a tiny grin. “Just like it made sure that you and Haru wouldn’t be without each other.”
“Can the universe take a vacation?” You wondered aloud as you stole a piece of bacon off Muti’s plate. “Like just give a girl a tiny break. I am genuinely having trouble keeping up with the shenanigans here.”
“The universe doesn’t look kindly on bacon thieves, so I’d say no,” Muti replied in a grave tone, but he couldn’t hold onto the straight face, and burst into giggles a moment later.
“Well, that’s unfortunate,” you sighed. “Oh well. I’m gonna go shower. What are you up to today?”
“Well, Seiji isn’t working, so he and Haru and I were all going to go to an arcade.”
“Ooh. Have you been to an arcade yet?”
“Haru took me once, but it was a while ago, and at the time it was overwhelming. I think it’ll be fine now. Plus, I’m getting relatively good at some older games.”
“That sounds like a good day.”
“I think it will be. And… tomorrow night…” He mumbled the last part, and your heart sank a bit.
“Ah yeah. Are you ready?”
“No,” he admitted. “But I’m trying to trust that things will work out. The arcade is supposed to be a distraction.”
“Things will work out,” you told him as you leaned in to kiss him on the cheek before you got up.
“You think so?”
“I know so.”
As you departed, you managed to steal another piece of bacon, scampering out the door before you could be caught, giggling at Muti’s howl of protest as the door clicked shut behind you.
You arrived early to Lillian’s, unable to quell the nervous energy and make yourself wait. The two of you had already put it off long enough— Lillian had told you to take your time thinking about things, if you needed it.
Unsurprisingly, you had, but you’d finally reached out to her to schedule the lunch, and now here it was, and your heartbeat was roaring in your ears once more.
To your surprise, your grandmother was sitting on the sofa in the living room, a box of tissues on her lap as she sniffled quietly.
“Hey,” you said gently, dropping down to sit next to her. “What’s going on?”
She answered you with a bone-crushing hug, as she began to sob into your sweater.
“I am so sorry,” she choked out. “I…”
“Don’t be,” you whispered. “I think I get it. All of it.”
“I should probably start using my powers for good again,” she said, clearing her throat as she sat up and wiped her face.
You sighed.
“You know what? It was probably all meant to happen like this,” you told her. “The more I mull over it, the more everything just makes a weird kind of sense.”
“I… hadn’t thought about it like that,” Lillian said quietly, pursing her lips. “I thought you didn’t really believe in fate,” she chuckled.
“Well, let’s just say my worldviews have changed a bit since last summer,” you said, rolling your eyes as you showed her the current state of your wrist.
Lillian was cackling now, and you supposed you couldn’t even be put out that you were the butt of the universe’s joke, because at least she wasn’t crying. You could probably count on one hand the number of times you’d seen her upset and crying openly about it. She had always very much been the mostly-fearless leader of the whole family, the keystone that held everyone together.
You waited a moment for her to calm herself, and she finally did, reaching out to take your hand to give it a squeeze.
“I wished every day that I could tell you,” she admitted. “I really did. I’ve known you were immortal since you turned eighteen, but… I suppose I was trying to wait as long as possible until I had to tell you the truth. I knew you would have questions that I couldn’t really answer. Part of me also worried, I suppose, that you would ask about going to the fae realm. Which shouldn’t have been a worry at all, but I knew the state I left it in, and I couldn’t imagine it had gotten any better after I departed. And now that I know what actually happened…” She sighed.
“When were you going to tell me? Since you said you’d decided you would if I turned out to be immortal?” You asked, taking your hand back only so you could wrap yourself in a blanket. Lillian held up a hand, and excused herself for a few minutes, returning with a cup of coffee for you.
“I can’t believe I didn’t have coffee ready for you when you got here,” she muttered.
“I’ll forgive you this one time.”
“I was going to tell you when you noticed you stopped aging. And you have stopped,” she added. “I noticed that a while ago.”
“Huh? I have?”
“Oh sweetie. Yes, you very much have.”
She pulled out her phone, poring over her photos app, and turned the phone to show you a picture of yourself from many years prior. After you’d had a moment, she pulled up another, of you and Muti the previous year at Christmas.
God damn. She’s right! Why didn’t I notice?! God. I guess everything has been so crazy, especially the last couple years, I just never paid attention at all.
“I have to wonder how much longer we might have gone, if Muti hadn’t shown up,” Lillian said softly. “He has a penchant for unintentionally perfect comedic timing. I had actually begun to wonder if I should tell you sooner rather than later, just a few days before he happened in. But then Hyun turned up in Haru’s dream, and so I stayed silent. And I am sorry.”
“I had always thought it was weird, the way you just automatically accepted what I’d told you about the fae king busting in through my bathroom mirror…” You said slowly. “Like… you did, just no questions at all.”
“Sweetie. I gave you that mirror. I’m sure you can guess by now where it was from.”
“What? Wh… why would you… It was yours? Like, from the fae realm, yours?”
“It used to hang in my room, yes. I brought it with me when I came here. When you eventually did find out about your heritage, I wanted you to finally be able to make the decision, if you wanted to see the fae realm at all. Regretfully, it seems as though halflings are still a matter of contention in some circles. Or at least, they were, just before Muti left to come here.” Lillian frowned and sighed deeply. “Some old stupid things never change, and I hate it.”
“Well, maybe after our little take-back mission, some changes can be set in motion,” you said slowly.
Lillian began to laugh again and you swatted her in the shoulder.
“Stop laughing at me,” you grumbled, but you couldn’t hide your smile.
“Never. I cannot… I cannot believe… It’s just so genuinely insane, the way things unfolded.”
“How come?”
“Because the years after the Shadow War were very difficult,” Lillian whispered. “Wumuti went straight from losing his father and his partner in the same day, to becoming king, to having to direct the realm in a war that his sister helped to start. And he was only fifteen. We won, but there were so many casualties. The king and Niamh had only been the first. It took a very long time to rebuild, especially for Muti, and he was never truly happy again, that I ever saw or could tell. He went through the motions for the sake of his people, but that was about the extent of it.” She sighed again heavily. “I was so worried about him. We had become so close, and moreso after Niamh died.”
“Close like…?”
“No, no, nothing romantic. I’ve always seen Wumuti as a sibling, if anything. Which works out well, considering he was apparently destined to be your sweetheart,” she teased. “So it was easy to just auto-approve him on that first day you told me he had come here.”
“Shush. It always struck me as so weird, how you were just like ‘sure okay cool’ when I told you the king of the fae had shown up in my living room that morning. I should have suspected.”
“It was definitely unexpected. I almost gave myself away in my shock, truth be told.”
“Dang. I could have known a lot sooner…”
“Anyway, a long while after I’d left…” Lillian continued, “your mother contacted me, in the middle of having an absolute meltdown in a drugstore bathroom in Queens. She’d just taken a pregnancy test, and it was positive,” Lillian told you. “And she had no idea what to do.”
“Interesting that that would work for her…” You wondered aloud.
“Seiji and Hina agree with you there. But it did, and she was. She had met a human and fallen in love. There was no way she could have brought you back though, and… your father wasn’t keen on raising a child, as it was. So it was up to me to make sure you were raised by family.”
“My father just wanted to… put me up for adoption?”
“Essentially, yes,” Lillian nodded. “The trade off instead, since I came to the rescue, was that he left a sizable amount of money for us. It bought this apartment, helped get me off the ground with my business…”
“Wait, so where…”
“I’m not telling you were I get my documents, love. You might as well stop asking.”
“Boo.”
“Nice try.”
Lillian got up and excused herself again for a few, and you heard her tinkering in the kitchen. She returned with a plate of scones and yet more coffee.
“Time for a little pick me up,” she said cheerily. “Chocolate orange. I made them this morning.”
You thanked her as you snagged a scone and a napkin, and settled back in as she returned to her story.
“It was a difficult time for me. It had always been at least lightly disputed, that I was a member of the high court. And there have always been fae with a certain disdain for halflings, which I’m sure in itself isn’t surprising to you— some things are the same in any realm. But my mother had been on the court before me, and she had served the king in the same role that I later filled for Muti. So…”
“So?”
Lillian shifted on the couch, pulling her knees up to her chin and sighing as she rested her head.
“Naturally, your mother being pregnant by a human was doubly sensational gossip given my status and where our family is from. And I had to make my choice before Muti found out, because that was the only way I could keep him from mourning someone else. If I left right away, wiped or altered everyone’s memory of me, then he would cry himself to sleep over one less person. I… I didn’t even have enough time to find someone to take my place. My husband, your grandfather, had died decades prior in a skirmish with some Shadow folk. Wumuti was… hmm. How to put it…”
“Not very pleasant to be around?”
“Maybe prickly is a good word,” Lillian sighed. “Around the point in time when I found out about you, he was deep in a spiral. He was so lonely, and instead of seeking out people who could help, he just turned inwards and pushed everyone away. I was more or less the only person he’d spend time with at all. When I cast that memory spell, he was sleeping in the very bed that he’d always shared with Niamh. He was just never able to move on from the past. But I knew… that if he found out about you, he would have either insisted that I bring you anyway, or he would have told me to go to you. So he might have lost me anyway… hence why I wanted to make it as painless as I could for him. There was no way I could subject you to a life of unnecessary extra scrutiny, not to mention the downright mean girl attitudes that a lot of fae folk have regarding halflings, as I’d mentioned. And then there’s the attitude towards the Shadow folk in general. There were a great many of us who found asylum in the fae realm, but old grudges are not so easily broken. Leaving was the only viable option for me, if I wanted to make sure you were safe and well cared for.”
“So you wanted to protect me from fae Regina George and the fae Plastics.”
“Essentially, yes.”
“But you also wanted to protect him, hence the memory thing.”
“Of course. I’d known him since we were children. I met him before Niamh did,” she bragged with a quiet laugh. “Although not long… Goodness, they’ve really had their hands in everything here, haven’t they? Not that I can say I’m surprised. Niamh was always the ringleader when it came to any sort of trickery we all got up to together. I shouldn’t be surprised that they began skulking from day one.”
“They’re an odd duck,” you laughed. “But I guess they’re pretty okay. Don’t tell them I said that though, they might start to think I like them.”
“Do you not get along?” Lillian asked, suddenly concerned.
“On the contrary, I think they’re delightful.”
“They could be here now, you never know. Your secret is toast.”
“Nah,” you said, shaking your head. “There’s too many creaky floorboards in here. We’d know.”
“Hm?”
“They were creeping on me and Muti a while back when we were here,” you explained. “Stepped on the super loud floorboard in my room. Twice in a row.”
“The one you specifically labeled so Muti wouldn’t step on it? With neon cardstock?”
“Yes, that’s the one.”
“Unbelievable. Clearly didn’t pay attention in ghost training. Shameful.”
“Is it weird that my life feels like a Twilight Princess remake?” You asked.
“No. Honestly, that seems like a fair comparison,” Lillian told you. “Right down to Hyun trying to merge the realms and take over.” She patted your arm. “Maybe you’re Midna, instead of Merida. I’ll have to update your contact.”
“Muti is so worried about the outcome of all of this,” you mumbled. “I… I’m not really sure what to expect, but I’ve been trying to keep a brave face on for him. He doesn’t even know the entire plan… there are bits of it that Niamh wanted to keep a secret, because they knew it would probably make Muti even more anxious.”
“Understandable. Niamh’s told me everything, so I know you’re right. Muti would have a fit. What’s more, I imagine this is bringing up a lot of old memories for him. I have faith though. Niamh has been concocting this plan for a good long while, and they’re not one to half-ass anything.”
“They have always struck me like the full-ass sort,” you chuckled. “Go big or go home.”
“With Niamh, it’s only go big. The going home happens after you win.”
“That sounds right.”
“Will you forgive me?” Lillian asked. “I kept so much from you, not even counting your memories of the Kato family. I think if I were you I’d be hopping mad.”
“Like I said,” you shrugged. “I get why you had to do it— all of it. Raising me as human, keeping me on Earth, wiping my memories. Fate had a very specific game plan, I guess.”
“Fate,” Lillian giggled.
“Oh, hush.”
“I love you,” she said, reaching over to drag you into a tight hug. “Promise you won’t hold it against me?”
“I love you too. I’ll hold an abbreviated grudge. How’s fifty years?”
“Hm. Thirty?”
“Forty-two, final offer.”
“Done.”
Lillian stood up and smoothed her dress before reaching out a hand to help you to your feet.
“Shall we go to lunch? My treat.”
“That sounds like a good idea.”
You and Lillian went straight from stuffing yourselves at lunch, to the Asian market next door to stock up on snacks, before returning to her apartment and hunkering down on the fold out with the TV on. You had been lamenting for weeks about how Rui had interfered in your Gilmore Girls rewatch, which had been more or less a yearly thing for you for a while. Hina had been the one to blame for you picking up that tradition, and the two of you and Lillian usually watched it all together.
“God, I hate Dean,” Lillian huffed as the current episode ended.
“Oh ugh, me too,” you nodded, reaching for the honey butter chips. “It’s just. He gross enough at baseline and then every single time I watch the show I hate him more. And then I’m like… wow, I don’t think I could possibly hate him more.”
“And then you watch again and do?” Your grandmother asked.
“Exactly,” you snickered.
“Hellooooo!” Came a loud voice from the entryway, and you jumped, even though you recognized its owner as Seiji immediately.
Not a second later, Seiji, Hina, Haru, and Muti were standing in the doorway to the kitchen, peering out at you and Lillian on the fold out, surrounded by pillows, blankets, and snacks.
“Channeling your inner Lorelei and Rory while watching Gilmore Girls?” Haru smirked. “That’s cute.”
“It’s not like this isn’t a regular occurrence,” Hina piped up. “You’ve been known to join in too, don’t forget that.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Haru laughed.
You got up and began to pick things up so you could put the couch together. Muti was quick to gravitate to you, pulling you in for a hug and a quick kiss.
“Hi,” you said softly. “How was the arcade?”
“I think Seiji is never going to forgive me for kicking his butt at half the things we played,” Muti chuckled.
“Uh oh. Did you crush his fragile ego again?”
“I heard that,” Seiji laughed, coming up to give you a hug himself. “And yes, he did,” your godfather sighed heavily. “On more than one game.”
“Do you still have that old Atari?” You asked. “The one I gave back to you?”
“Yes, it still works, too,” Seiji said with a twinkle in his eye as he stared Muti down. “Next time we have a family dinner at our house…”
“I wasn’t expecting all of you to drop in,” Lillian said as she put the cushions back on the couch and sat down, and was immediately joined by Hina. “A pleasant surprise.”
“We thought perhaps it would be good for the family to spend the evening together before our big trip tomorrow,” Hina said quietly. You knew she knew Muti was still feeling in a way about it, and you felt him take your hand and lean into you, breathing in deeply as he buried his face in your hair.
“Hm, yes, I like that idea,” Lillian nodded. “So what did you all have in mind?”
“Dinner,” Hina said, and you and Lillian both groaned loudly.
“No dinner yet,” you lamented, patting your tummy. “Food evil.”
“Agree, no dinner. Dinner later,” Lillian nodded. “I won’t be of much use to the group if I’ve gone and exploded.”
“Okay, dinner at some point,” Hina said with a fond grin.
“Movie?” Seiji asked.
“Video games,” Haru suggested. “More video games.”
You felt Muti perk up beside you, and giggled.
“Haru, I think you’ve created a monster.”
“Not true, I can quit whenever I want,” Muti huffed.
“That’s what you said about the Valentine’s candy that you somehow still ate all of even though I hid it from you,” you told him. “But you know what? You wanna throw down again? Let’s go.”
“Let’s play Mario Kart,” Lillian suggested. “Or are you all still hyper-fixated on Smash?”
“I don’t know, it doesn’t matter to me,” you shrugged as you sat down next to Hina, and Muti wedged himself in beside you, half on your lap, and melted against you. “Muti, do you feel like losing Smash Bros some more, or would you like to lose at something else?”
He didn’t answer, and you poked him in the side.
“Hey!”
“Are you okay?” You asked, dropping your tone. He nodded, but it was halfhearted.
“Yes.”
“It’s gonna be okay.”
“Okay.”
“Are we doing this tournament style?” Seiji asked. “Or just loser hands off to someone else until we’re all tired of losing to the queen?” He winked at you.
“I guess it depends on what Muti wants to play,” you said gently, nudging him. You could tell he was in his head. “Hey, you.”
“Smash,” he said, blinking a few times as he zoned back in. “Sorry.”
“So, losing more at that. Gotcha.”
“I’m going to beat you today,” he said determinedly. “I can feel it.”
“Are you sure that’s not just heartburn from the two huge chili cheese dogs you ate earlier?” Haru asked. “How many times did you say she beat you the other day?”
Suddenly, Muti got up, and began to busy himself with turning the TV back on and setting up the game.
“Hellooooo, how many times did you lose?” Haru asked, and you could hear the grin in his voice. “Fess up, bestie.”
“Twenty-seven,” Muti mumbled. “…In a row.”
“Damn. Savage.”
“The number alone wasn’t the worst part,” Muti said as he returned to the sofa. You and Hina and Lillian relocated to other seats as Haru and Muti took the couch to play the first round. “She really had me thinking I was going to win that last round we played.”
“Yep, and then I turned around and absolutely crushed him on my last life and like 100% damage,” you said proudly. “No regerts, would do it again.”
“Mean,” Muti said with a pout as Lillian gave you a high five.
“Hey! Whose side are you on, Lilliana?”
“Oh no, not the old government name,” she sighed. “Just for that, I’m especially on my granddaughter’s side, thank you very much.”
“Ha ha,” you teased. “I win. Granddaughter privileges override best friend ones.”
“Hmph.”
You waited to cycle into the gameplay until everyone had had a turn, knowing once you started everyone else was toast. Muti went last against you, and talked an enormous game, which made it that much more satisfying when you laid him out in front of the whole family.
“Do you still love me?” You asked him as you punted his character off the map yet again on a one-hit KO.
“Hmm,” he sighed. “I might have to start reconsidering.”
“What if I let you win?” You turned to him, and watched his expression grow hopeful.
“Really?”
“No,” you said, trying to keep a straight face as he shook his head and leaned in to kiss you.
“Just one time?” He pouted as he pulled away.
“Hmm,” you murmured as you turned back to the game.
Thirty seconds later you won the round, and Muti tackled you on the sofa, tickling your sides and giggling as you cackled.
“Muti!” You wheezed. “EEK! You… hey! This is not fair!”
He had your arms pinned now, and try as you might, you could not get loose to turn the tables.
“You guys are gross,” Haru called out above the cacophony of your shared laughter.
Muti finally stopped, helping you back to a sitting position as he slipped an arm around your waist and pulled you close.
“Are you ever going to let me win?” He asked with a slight pout still.
“I will consider it. I’ll get back to you in twelve to fifteen business years.”
“Years?!”
“Should we start thinking about dinner?” Hina piped up. “I’m getting hungry.”
“Good idea,” Seiji nodded. “And then maybe… we should all take a drive.”
“Are you suggesting we go to that park after hours again?” Muti asked suspiciously, and Lillian snorted.
“You are awful hung up on rules and propriety considering how much trouble we all used to get up as kids.”
“Oh really?” You asked, and Lillian gave you a dastardly grin.
“Oh yes,” she said, and Muti groaned loudly.
“We don’t need to discuss any of that,” Muti muttered.
“No, but we will,” Lillian cackled.
Seiji drove to the park this time, as his was the obligate overly large family vehicle. After the customary stop at the gas station on the way, the six of you were finally settled into a soft pallet of blankets under the light of the very-nearly-full moon. Off to the side in a bare space, Seiji and Haru started a small fire, which Lillian then cast a spell to conceal from any humans who might be wandering around.
You watched all of this with deep amusement as Wumuti silently lost his mind over it. After many reassurances that the family had been ‘breaking into’ the state park for over a decade at least with nary a worry, he had calmed down on that front.
But once Hina had suggested making s’mores, Muti was on edge again, having seen the numerous signs warning against food and wildlife. He had already been uptight about the fire.
“We’ve done this a million times,” you murmured, pulling him closer with one arm around his waist. “It’s seriously fine. We are extremely overly careful. Are we still stupid? Probably. But we’re also doing some crazy shit tomorrow, so I think we’ve earned this.”
“Yeah,” was all he said, burrowing his head into the crook of your neck. “Okay.”
“You better perk up a bit when we get to faeland,” you told him. “I… it doesn’t look very pretty right now,” you said, biting your lip. “But we’re going to fix that. And then I expect the full tour,” you told him firmly.
“Family vacation in faeland,” Hina said brightly, and Muti grumbled.
“You’re all just going to call it that now, aren’t you?” He said hotly, sitting up to give you a stare as you began to giggle silently, your entire body shaking as you tried to stay quiet.
“Don’t tell me you’re surprised by this,” Haru chimed in.
“Lillian,” Muti said pleadingly, and she glanced over at him with a saccharine smile.
“I can’t wait to go back to faeland.”
“Augh!”
“Hey, is there a dress code for tomorrow?” Seiji asked, and you saw as he gave Muti a sly side eye.
“I— what?” Muti asked, clearly puzzled. “Why would there be a dress code?”
“It’s faeland?” Seiji failed to hold back his laugh, and Muti snorted.
“If I’d have thought of it I could have made matching t-shirts,” Haru sighed. “Taking Back Faeland” or whatever. Or I guess we could raid Lillian’s Lord of the Rings stuff.”
“Haru…” Muti squeaked.
“I love you bestie!”
“Hmph.”
Once Muti discovered that Haru and Seiji were making s’mores using the variety of candy bars they’d picked up at the gas station, he was unsurprisingly a lot more chill.
“This is handy information,” you murmured. “If you’re twisty I just have to buy you some candy.”
“Hey now, not necessarily,” he fussed, and you laughed, reaching over into the candy pile and grabbing something, handing it to Muti.
“Sorry I kicked your ass at video games again but here’s a Snickers bar. Are we good?”
“I am going to beat you someday,” he affirmed.
“Look, I’m not the one who just saw god because of a Reese’s s’more. I’m just logging this away for future use. Not necessarily in case I have to appease you on anything.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, okay, maybe in case of that too.”
“Don’t let him fool you, sweetheart,” Lillian said softly. “Back in the day, Wumuti was one of the biggest shit-stirrers in the castle.”
“I was not!”
Lillian fixed him with her most intense glare, and you clapped a hand over your mouth as you began to laugh again, as Muti wilted in front of you.
“Does the Winter Solstice celebration the year we turned ten ring any bells?”
“Oh dear,” Muti said in a tiny voice. “You… remember that.”
“Of course I do,” Lillian said with a smirk. “I doubt there’s anyone living who doesn’t.”
“I am all ears,” Haru said, suddenly on your other side, and you yelped.
“Hey!”
“Oops, sorry sis.”
“It’s fine. Go on, Lillian,” you said, gesturing for her to continue, continuing to laugh quietly as Muti was already withering away in embarrassment next to you.
“Wumuti’s mother lived to throw a party. It’s honestly where I acquired my own skills,” Lillian began, giving a small nod to the sky above. “And the solstice celebrations were her favorite times of year.”
“Did you have to tell this story?” Muti wailed, quieting when you elbowed him.
“Oh, now. It’s not like anyone here is going to tell anyone. Niamh and I were the only ones who ever knew it was you that caused the entire ruckus.”
“Are there still folk who talk about that party?”
“I’m sure of it,” Lillian giggled. “We could ask Niamh…”
“Okay, fine…” Muti sighed. “Go on.”
“Anyway, as I was saying,” she chirped, “the queen’s biggest celebrations were for the solstices, and she especially loved the winter.”
“I still maintain she deserved it,” Muti mumbled, and Lillian nodded.
“Oh, I agree.”
“So, what happened?” Seiji asked.
“These parties were essentially planned in rotation. As soon as the summer solstice was over, planning for winter began, rinse repeat. And the year we turned ten, Wumuti and his mother got into a rather heated argument, just the night prior.”
You wondered vaguely what the argument had been about, but chose not to ask, and Lillian did not volunteer the information, nor did Muti.
The day of the party,” Lillian went on, “it was absolute chaos. Wumuti had spent the entire night re-writing the entire seating chart, changing the entire menu. All of it in his mother’s handwriting by a magical pen meant for forging. And if that weren’t enough, he changed the colors of the decorations with an irreversible spell that didn’t reveal itself until everyone was seated.”
“Oh my god,” you cackled. “Muti. I… Wow.”
“She always suspected it was him,” Lillian laughed, “but she could never prove it. It was one of the most legendary parties ever to grace Harmony Hall. The amount of people you sat next to each other who hated each other was, honestly, diabolical,” Lillian wheezed.
“Ah, yes, there was that fight,” Muti murmured.
“Oh my god, yes,” your grandmother managed to get out as she struggled to keep her laughter quiet.
“You caused a fight?!” You hissed.
“Several actually,” he replied, cringing. “But the one I’m remembering was the one between a couple of folk on the lower court who had not been getting along for weeks. Something about someone they both fancied, some sort of love triangle, perhaps. It wound up with both of them in the courtyard fountain, drunk and half naked and screaming at each other.”
“How…”
“It was a fae party,” Lillian said curtly, as if that should have been enough explanation. You could see Haru thinking it through, and he opened his mouth, only to shut it again promptly.
“But wait, so did they start… rage making out?” Hina asked. “Just… curious. For no reason.”
“I’m curious too, also for absolutely no reason,” Seiji said, his expression priceless.
“I believe so?” Muti nodded. “My mother was absolutely beside herself. All of the changes I’d made had been in her script, and no one could tell it apart from her own writing. Everything I’d done was supposed to be untraceable. And I had had an excellent tutor when it came to such spellwork…”
“Tutor,” Lillian snickered, and it took you a second to realize she meant Niamh, as Muti curled up into an embarrassed ball once more.
“Hush, you.”
“They taught you an awful lot of Shadow magic, didn’t they?” She asked with a twinkle in her eye.
“They did,” Muti said quietly. “Probably more than they should have. But I can’t say it hasn’t been useful.”
“Wait, wait, hang on,” you interjected, holding up a hand. “Is Niamh…?”
“Shadow folk,” Lillian nodded. “Was that not obvious?”
“Oh, yes, my bad, my loads of experience with the fae came in super handy and I was able to identify that right away actually,” you said sarcastically. “Oh, wait…” You stuck your tongue out at Lillian, and she laughed.
“Well, now you know.”
“I guess it explains a lot. But…”
“The blue eyes is a royal family thing,” Lillian told you before you could ask. “Did you want yours back?”
“I don’t know yet,” you shrugged. “Maybe?”
“You could pick a different color too,” Muti murmured. “A lot of fae change their appearances using magic.”
“What is this, the Emerald City?” You snickered.
“Sweetheart, how do you think I’ve maintained perfectly colored hair?” Lillian asked. “My natural color is the same as yours.”
You stared at her blankly. You had never seen her natural hair color. Hell, you’d never even seen her roots.
“So. You just let me pay for my hair color for years and you’ve been over here, Miss Perfect Roots Always and you didn’t say a word? The betrayal,” you sighed, shaking your head.
“No but that’s a real one,” Haru grumbled. “Damn. We’ve been missing out.”
“So what is the exact plan tomorrow?” Hina asked, abruptly changing the subject. “Sorry,” she added as she saw Muti wince.
“It’s okay,” he said, laying down next to you and resting his head on your lap. You reached down to run your hands through his hair. You briefly wondered if he’d been keeping it red with magic all this time now. It never seemed to fade, and you knew from experience that red was extremely hard to maintain.
“The full moon is tomorrow night. We’re going to use my old mirror. It’s been… interesting,” Lillian giggled softly, “but I’ve managed to set up everything we need within the storage unit where I stored the mirror after Rui attacked. Niamh and I have ensured everything is ready. We’ll be transported into Muti’s old bedroom, and we’ll go from there. But… all of us are backup,” she said grimly, nodding at you. “My darling granddaughter gets to run the show.”
“Wait, huh?” Seiji gasped. “What do you mean, backup? This sounds a lot more dangerous…”
“Niamh and I are the ones who are going to try to lure Rui and Hyun,” you admitted, cutting Seiji off. You were still careful to skirt the exact details— namely, Niamh planning a ride-along in your body. “Muti is going to brew a tea that I’m going to take as a peace offering. “I’m going to tell them that I’m done and I want out, get them arguing, and then when they’re distracted it’s Niamh’s time to shine, and they’re going to yeet them into the Shadow mirror and then break it so they can’t get back.”
“Seems simple enough,” Haru shrugged. “So we get to just… hide out in case we’re needed? That sounds boring.”
“I’ll give you a little tour afterwards,” Lillian promised. “And I know the castle better than anyone,” she winked.
“It just seems too simple,” Muti mumbled. “I don’t know. I have a bad feeling.”
“I know,” you whispered, rubbing his shoulder.
“None of you have to do this,” he said, slightly louder.
“No, yeah we do,” you argued. “So there.”
Muti sat up and turned to face you.
“But you said you didn’t want to go to the fae realm.”
His expression told you that he was fully aware that he’d asked something slightly awkward in front of the whole family, and you could see him trembling.
“Well, I changed my mind,” you said, biting back tears. “You’ve told me so many stories… I want to see it for myself. And not just in dreams. But… like I said. We gotta fix it first. And stop Hyun from pulling a Loki.”
“Stop,” Haru laughed.
“No, for real,” you countered. “Like, they’re trying to pull some kinda weird fae multiversal domination.”
“Honestly, I think Loki would find their plans not performative enough,” Lillian said quietly.
“Wait, huh—” Haru started. “How—”
Lillian cut him off with a sly grin and a chuckle.
“Who wants more snacks?”
Seiji had dropped you and Muti off at home after a late-night family breakfast, and the two of you made it as far as the couch before flopping down, tired and full and more or less content.
“What a day,” you murmured. “So full. Oh god. Evil, evil food."
“Mmhmm,” Muti nodded, slumping onto your shoulder. “I think I ate too many pancakes.”
“Same. Like the second two was a foolish venture and I did it anyway just like I always do and boy do I have regrets.”
“Shower?” He asked, taking your hand.
“No. Moving evil too,” you grumbled.
“You’ll feel better after,” he told you gently.
“Okay, fine.”
You let Muti help you into a warm shower, and then into bed after a cup of tea.
“You’re awfully quiet,” you observed. “What are you thinking?”
“I know,” he nodded. “I don’t know what to say. I’m just…”
“Worried,” you finished his sentence for him as you pulled him closer. “I know this all seems like a lot. To me it seems like something out of a movie, honestly, which might be why I’m not going fully insane. Yet, anyway. But I meant what I said.”
“You really want to see the fae realm?”
“Of course I do. It’s been a while since I put up my refusal,” you told him. “You’ve told me so many stories since then. And… considering the fact that what your sister and Hyun are doing isn’t really good for the entire space-time continuum… It’s a win-win.”
“We have to win first.”
“We will win. You worked retail in New York City at Christmas. You finished school in record time despite starting late. You can show up your sister. Hell… you’ve already done so once, when you were a literal teenager. Plus… you won’t be alone. You get your own special crew of weirdos to help you. The best and brightest weirdos, actually.”
“Well, this is a little bit bigger stakes than school was,” he sighed. “Although you may have a point when it comes to the retail job. I just… I’ve been away a very long time. I worry about my magic…”
“Lillian’s is still good.”
“Lillian isn’t tied to the realm like I am.”
“Oh.”
“Is there something that you know that we don’t?” You asked, and he shook his head.
“No, nothing like that. In all honesty, Niamh’s plan sounds like a good one. But everything will have to be just so.”
“And it will be. We should try to sleep though,” you urged him. “For science and all.”
“Are you sure you feel up for this?” He asked with a sigh as the two of you settled in under the covers.
“Yes,” you nodded, leaning in to kiss his forehead. “Absolutely. And you should know by now you can’t talk me out of it.”
“But—”
“Nope,” you said, catching his lips in a tender kiss. “No more of that. Not tonight."
“You’re right,” he sighed reluctantly, reaching over to pull you closer. “Guess I’ll have to expend all this excess energy loving on you.”
“Mushy,” you teased, and you caught the twinkle in his eyes from the moonlight filtering through the blinds.
it’s not weird to find fanfiction from 2021, or 2017, or 2014 that you’ve never read and actually taking your time to read it.
it’s not weird to love it and comment and leave kudos because the author will probably still see it someday and it will make them happy.
it’s not weird to like said author’s work so much that you want to go look for other fics from them.
it’s not weird to go through the authors profile and look for other fics from the ships you like (or maybe some that you’ll give a chance because you liked the author) and maybe bookmark them for later.
it’s not weird to read these other fics and like them too and comment on them because you actually like them and you want to let the author know.
it’s not weird to read fanfiction from 5, or 8, or 10 years ago and actually enjoy and engage with it because it’s perfectly normal to relate to something that’s less than a decade old!
let’s stop treating fanfiction like they’re instagram posts that stop being interesting in 24 hours! fanfiction is NOT social media, fanfiction is art!!! and art doesn’t get old in one day, one year, or even a decade!
read fanfiction! write fanfiction! comment on fanfiction! let’s not let fanculture die people!!!!!
The salvation of Halazia was linked to his memories. All these years you´ve waited. When he finally comes to you—everything rests on whether he can recall your name.
a/n: it here! my submission for @lapydiaries first anniversary event, Witch Hunt. prompts chosen: ”we weren´t even on the same room, but i could hear your thoughts as if they were my own” + ”Did you try to hex me while we were kissing?”
*italics means it´s a memory. also i highly recommend you listen to this this this this and this while reading purely for the vibes.
The moon shines bright, high up in the sky, as you watch a troop of horsemen gallop towards the gates of Halazia.
Standing at a distance, your shadow bled dark against the white expanse beneath your boots. Though the moonlight was sharp, the riders remained oblivious to anything else, focused on crossing the gates as soon as possible.
There, on the limits of the invisible wall that prevented you from going further, you felt him. His essence thrummed within you, his heartbeat resonating inside your ribcage as your own. With frustration you waited, knowing he needed not just to be closer, but also long enough to let time and proximity rekindle the connection between you.
Also, he had to come to you, not otherwise.
So you waited.
Unchanged since the day Halazia began its descent into ruin.
With a final glance at the moon, Yeosang resumed his place beside King Seonghwa´s place. He stopped just beside the throne and overlooked the lords of Halazia considering going to war for another King.
They had been arguing about it for the past few hours, without meeting any agreement. It wasn´t that they didn´t agree with each other, it was that their King vehemently opposed.
He surveyed the room, watching the lords discuss the matter between themselves loudly, expecting Seonghwa to hear them again and pick up on their advice. But his best friend remained silent, deep in thought, so Yeosang waited to see which council in the room would speak up first.
“Your grace, I insist, we must make a decision tonight. We are running out of time” The eldest member of the council spoke, and Yeosang tensed waiting to see Seonghwa's response to the provocation.
“Do you realize you are asking me to send my men into a slaughter? And what for? To be add ons for another King's glory?” Seonghwa snapped.
“Your grace, Halazia has been perishing for so long now, I believe desperate times need desperate measures."
“Then you don´t belong to my Kingdom. I will not send my people to slaughter others in the name of desperation” Seonghwa spoke bitterly, but underneath that, Yeosang knew his friend's real sentiment.
King Theon wasn´t just who ruled the South, he was also his brother in law, having wed Princess Yerim, Seonghwa's little and only sister, barely a year ago. Theon was a warrior, a man who mistook conquest for peace. A trait that had served him with his people in the South, but threatened to destroy everything Seonghwa had left of his own Kingdom.
The King knew sending his sister to the south wasn't going to save the people of Halazia from starving. No alliance, no battle, nothing they had tried has helped the land from the curse laid upon it.
The truth was, Halazia starved.
The decay started quietly, but it quickly consumed the heart of the land, leaving the once fertile valleys filled with dust. As the soil failed, so did the waters. With the rivers running empty, fishermen were forced beyond into the grip of the open sea, many getting lost trying to bring back home any bounty. The people of Halazia died slowly, Seonghwa felt the ghost of his father’s failure weighing on his own shoulders. He had no control of earth, and he couldn't understand how a land so vast in the past was now dying, little by little, day by day before his eyes.
“I understand that we can't afford much longer living like this. That's one of the reasons my sister married King Theon, and I'm grateful for the help he has sent our way, but we need to resist and seek help elsewhere. Murdering innocent people and stealing their land is not what my father would have wanted.”
The Lord opened his mouth to speak but he decided against it. He disagreed. And all the others did too, they were desperate.
Seonghwa couldn't blame his council for being swayed into King Theon's vision; take the neighbor lands by brute force, make them submit to his reign and move the people of Halazia to a soil that was alive; instead of this, a dead land that offers nothing but hunger. ´A gift to my new family in the North.´ Theon had said on his wedding day after promising Seonghwa the help Halazia desperately needed. And for a while it worked, but as soon as the sacks of rice and grains emptied, the hunger ghosted over the Kingdom again.
Yet, Seonghwa knew his father’s spirit would never find peace if he built his kingdom’s survival on the graves of others. Because King Theon didn't have in mind a peaceful takeover, he wanted blood, a massacre. Seonghwa refused to give him the chance to wage a senseless war under Halazia's supposed interests.
Yeosang had seen countless masters try and fail to diagnose Halazia’s sickness, not one of them able to tell the King why his kingdom suffered from such perish. Every report ended up the same way. There was no natural reason but no matter how much Seonghwa, or his father before him asked, no one could tell them why the land died.
Yeosang had no way of being sure about this, but he knew deep inside him the Kingdom that had adopted him was under a curse. A power far greater than any King had brought this tragedy and Yeosang was certain about this.
He had brought the topic to his best friend before, but Seonghwa often dismissed him, refusing to give the idea any weight. Yeosang’s gut told him the witches could help them. Witches didn't mess up with Halazia and Halazia didn't mess up with them. That’s what Seonghwa always replied whenever he mentioned it.
Tales say witches had been responsible for many tragedies around the continent, of which Yeosang had no proof, but Seonghwa's father assured his children and his people that witches and Halazia had nothing to do with each other. Yet, Yeosang couldn’t ignore the coincidence that as soon as the drought began, the covens had vanished, migrating to greener lands.
Every witch, except for one.
She did not live within the walls of the castle, but was close enough to be said she completely left. Yeosang had only seen her twice, her silent figure observing their movements for reasons known only to her.
Seonghwa’s voice rose above the chatter, bringing Yeosang back into the room.
"If there is nothing more, then this council is dismissed. I will summon you when a new course of action is required."
No one else said a word, and with brief and polite bows to the King, the lords left the room one by one, leaving only Yeosang and Seonghwa in deep silence.
“Come on, out with it,” Seonghwa said, tilting his head back against his throne, looking exhausted. When Yeosang simply arched an eyebrow, the King insisted, “You’ve been deeply in thought for an hour. What is it?”
“The witch,” Yeosang said bluntly. Seonghwa’s eyes snapped on him.
"Again with this?” He then took off his crown, placing it over the mahogany table beside him. He brushed his slender fingers over his platinum hair, exhaling loudly. “The witch?.”
Yeosang smiled, already knowing what his friend was going to say.
“Yeosang, my father spent half his reign ensuring we stayed out of their sight.” He let out a dry laugh, “The lords want me to go to war and you want me to tell them I'd rather go look for answers in dark magic?”.
Yeosang hesitated but decided to speak his mind. “My king, look at the land your father left you,” Seonghwa's sharp gaze hit him but he didn't flinch. “We have sought answers literally everywhere, we keep waiting and what little remains of healthy soil on Halazia will turn to ash beneath our feet unless we do something.”
Seonghwa stood up, his tall frame going around his throne and towards the window Yeosang had been contemplating earlier. “We don´t know if she is even that powerful, why hasn´t she come closer? Why does she remain in the outskirts of the kingdom?”
“But what if she has answers?”
“I cannot risk my men to turn into stone on possibilities. The lords already think I'm a coward for not joining Theon's army. If I send them to go seek a witch, they´ll think I´ve lost my mind.”
“Then don't send the army. Send me.”
“No.” He snapped at Yeosang, not as his commander, not as a subordinate, but as a friend. The man who shared blood sweat and tears with him back in the army and helped him take care of his own Kingdom. “I already lost my sister, I cannot lose my only friend.”
“Seonghwa, I promise you I'll return. When your father accepted me into this Kingdom I swore to always do anything I could to protect it.” He gestured to the empty chairs of the council. “Let me help Halazia´s people. Let me do what I promised the late King, and what I'm now promising you.”
Seonghwa looked down at his crown. Silence stretching loudly between them. “Do you still feel it? That thing you told me about. That you believe we are under a curse.”
Yeosang nodded.
“And if she asks for a price we cannot pay?”
“Then at least we’ll finally know why we’re dying.”
That very night, long before anyone in the castle were ready to rise for a new day, Yeosang walked silently towards the gates, nodding to the guards, who looked curiously and cautiously. Without a word he mounted his horse, and asked for the gates to be opened.
From his balcony in the farthest tower of the castle, Seonghwa witnessed his friend's departure. It looked clandestine, shrouded in the mist of the dying dawn. His gaze heavy with worry and the weight of uncertainty.
We must be mad for turning our thoughts to dark power. May the Gods let us find what we seek within its darkness.
The King thought, as Yeosang's silhouette disappeared behind the castle gates as they closed behind him.
Once out, further away from the main castle, Yeosang noticed the outskirts of Halazia grew increasingly dry. The trees were white, calcified fingers reaching out of the cracked earth. The silence here was absolute. No birds, no rustle of small animals. It looked like a graveyard that refused to show any signs of life.
Then, just as the sharp cliffs of the border came into view, the air suddenly changed. It became thick, smelling of smoke and crushed lavender. Standing atop a limestone ridge, Yeosang saw a figure in flowy robes, standing still looking in his direction. He looked attentively, cautiously but with determination. The wind was strong that morning, making her hair flutter against a dark hood, covering her face.
The witch he was looking for.
He clicked his tongue to command his horse to move forward.
At the top of the small ridge, you stood still watching him get closer. You seemed composed from the outside, but inside the air in your lungs felt heavy and suffocating. It had been so many years alone, hidden inside the mountains. Slowly losing hope that he would return, until a few years ago when your heart began aching, begging to get closer until the barrier let you, in hopes of catching a glimpse of him. He had finally come back to the Kingdom in the shape of a new man. You wanted nothing but to get closer, and you would have, if not for the dark magic that prevented you from doing so.
Now, since the few years of his return, having him close enough to catch the scent of the castle’s pine soap and the musk of his travel-worn leather; it was like an unnatural force sucked the air out of your lungs.
Yeosang dismounted and the gravel crunched beneath his boots, he was now a few feet from you, below where you were standing. From below, Yeosang saw your hood was drawn up, hiding your face from the day´s light, so all he could make out were slender fingers and worn boots. He got a couple of steps closer and you let your hood down, allowing Yeosang to see you clearly.
The witch was… young. She even looked a handful of years younger than him. Even at a distance, he could notice how beautiful she was. He felt a brief wave of warmth running down from his chest to his stomach, and he thought she had the face of a love song.
Feeling confused, Yeosang haven´t been able to grip his sword before you at that moment, his body seems to fight his mind. He suddenly felt the need to prove something. His heart was pondering with a rhythm he hadn't felt in years.
It felt out of place. It wasn't what he came to do.
Your own heart hammered inside like a trapped bird, your hands trembled beneath your skirts, you had to put them into a fist to prevent your fingernails from dragging into your palms.
But you couldn´t afford to lose control.
Collecting yourself you walked down, slowly closing the space between you. The closer you got, the more you recognized him. He was exactly as you remembered, yet hauntingly different. His face was the same from the man he was before, but his eyes were filled with the innocence of a new life.
“A man of the North, venturing so deep into the forgotten valley,” you said as you stood almost face to face with him. You realized then that he likely didn't carry his old name. “What is it that you seek here…?” you trailed off, watching his hand over the hilt of his sword. A small, sad smile tugged at your lips as you sensed the flicker of fear in him. “I carry no weapons. At least, none you can touch.”
“And that´s why I must be ready.”
Upon hearing him, your heart fluttered intensely. His voice was exactly the same. Smooth and velvety, like warm honey. “I´m especially cautious of anyone who stands alone in the center of a valley while the Kingdom where it stands withers.”
You smiled dryly again. “I see.”
Now this close, Yeosang could confirm what he saw in the distance. Her sharp face, glowing skin, soft lips, and though looking tired, striking piercing eyes. His gut spoke to him again, it told him that it was foolish to see a beauty like hers and think it was anything less than fatal.
“I´ll be brief. I´m here because I seek the end of Halazia’s suffering. My King says the land is dying of natural causes. My gut says otherwise.”
“What´s your name, Knight?”
“Yeosang.” He bowed his head lightly. “I´m King Seonghwa's Army commander.”
You noticed the way his eyes searched yours, looking for any threat, but also for something he couldn't name. You felt the warmth radiating off him, a stark contrast to the many years of cold you had endured. It took every ounce of your willpower not to reach out and touch the pulse point at his neck, just to feel the life in him, the life he once swore it belonged to you only.
“Your gut is wise, Yeosang” you replied, your voice softening. Knowing he had remained in the shadows about Halazia´s demise long enough, you cut to the point. “The land isn't dying, it is being punished. And the only way to lift the curse is to return to the place where it was invoked.” You turned your back to him, trying to show that you really were not carrying any blade. You pointed west, where the peaks were shrouded in unnatural, violet-tinted clouds. “The journey will be long. It will demand more than strength.” You looked back at him over your shoulder. “You need to remember things you’ve spent a lifetime forgetting.”
Yeosang frowned, the familiar crease appearing between his brows, the same crease he used to have when he was confused by a riddle all those years ago. “I don’t know what you mean. I’ve forgotten nothing.”
A bittersweet ache blooming in your chest. You knew that by the time both reach the summit, he will know exactly who you were, and why Halazia had suffered.
Without another word, you gestured Yeosang to follow you down the winding path of cracked limestone covered by snow. “There´s essentials I need to gather before the journey ahead, mostly spell supplies, cookware, fur...”
“Spells?” Yeosang asked, intrigued.
"We'll need them for various purposes” you looked behind your shoulders. “Also I need to get my horse”. As much as you would have loved to share a saddle with him just to feel his warmth, you knew the path required his proximity to be a slow, careful reawakening.
The remaining walk towards your home was silent. Though calling it a home was an overstatement, it was more an extension of the earth around you than anything else. After a while you arrived. Yeosang watched curiously to the hanging bundles of dried herbs, shimmering crystals, and shelves made of petrified wood. It felt ancient, smelling of damp stone and something far more intoxicating.
“Wait here,” you instructed him.
“We can go back to the Kingdom and collect water and some grains-” Yeosang started but you denied his offer firmly.
“No. I can´t get closer than the outskirts of the Kingdom. I'll collect what we need here.” And with that you went deeper into your hut. Silver dust, heavy furs, some pots and herbs. As you did this Yeosang watched you attentively. His eyes wandered over the strange artifacts, but his focus kept returning to you.
You stopped before a small stone mortar. Without looking up, you reached for a jar of dried lavender and a small vial of sea salt. You began to grind them together, your wrist moving in a specific, circular motion. This mixture was going to be helpful to suppress the hunger that could make both loose energy way into your journey. The mountain was a few weeks on horseback, hopefully that would be enough time for Yeosang to remember his old name, his old life.
As the scent of the crushed lavender hit the salt, the aroma changed. It became sharp, briny, and sweet. Yeosang suddenly felt his mind become a blur.
He saw himself out on a sunny day, a cliff and waves crashing into it.
Then for a flickering moment he saw you, laying beside him. But this time instead of a shadow over your eyes, there was brightness. You laughed.
"The salt is for luck, and the lavender... is so you can always find your way back to me."
Yeosang gasped, his knees buckling as he slammed back into the present. He caught himself against the stone shelf, he felt breathless. The witch´s hut was back. The silence was back.
You stood perfectly still, the mortar and pestle held in your hands. You looked at him with expectancy, eyes searching his face for any sign of familiarity. "Are you alright?" you asked, voice trembling just enough for him to hear it.
“I´m fine, I think the smell of the herbs is too strong”.
Deciding not to push him for now, you simply nodded, quickly funneling your recent mixture into small glass vials and tucking them into your leather pouch. “We leave now, we can talk on the way.” You stepped outside and headed to the back of the hut to retrieve your horse. “This is Esme,” you said with pride, leading out the white mare who had been your sole companion for years.
Yeosang smiled. “Esme. That’s a lovely name for a horse.” He turned toward his own mount. “That is Shadow. I’m not particularly creative with names.”
“Shadow is fitting.” you replied, glancing over the dark elegant stallion who waited patiently. “He resembles you.”
Yeosang nodded, not sure he understood why he was getting flustered.
By the time you had everything ready, the sun dipped below the horizon. You led out Esme into the deepening twilight and began to secure her satchels. Yeosang approached his horse and did the same, ready to follow your lead.
As you began to ride, the rhythmic clatter of hooves against the snowy, brittle surface was the only sound. After both had found your rhythm, Yeosang broke the silence. “I have to ask, why are you agreeing to help now?”
You keep your gaze fixed forward, the reins loose in your hands as Esme picked her way across the snowy limestone. The question was inevitable, but hearing him ask it, hearing the suspicion in his voice felt like a blow.
“I have my reasons. Besides, until now, I wasn´t really able to offer any help. You are the first one to ever come look for me. Please, don’t mistake my decision for charity.”
Yeosang urges Shadow closer, his brow furrowed in that way you remember so well. He looks at you with stubborn curiosity. “But you didn't even hesitate. Halazia has outcast your kind for a generation, and you simply... packed your bags. It seems too good to be true.” He pauses, like waiting for your reply, but when you say nothing he continues. “What is it you’re asking for in return? Gold? A title? Or something else?”
You pull back on the reins, bringing Esme to a slow walk so you can look at him. “I ask for nothing from your King,” you say, your voice dropping to a low hum. “And I have no use for any gold. What I seek is something you can´t physically touch or see.”
“Then name it, I should know what debt will ensue.”
“I am asking for a memory to be found. My price for helping Halazia is simple, you must stay by my side until the very end. And when we reach the peak of the mountain...” You stop, your heart hammering against your ribs. “When we reach the peak I want you to look at me and tell me the name of the woman you see standing there.”
Yeosang pales, his breath hitching. He isn't stupid, what you seek is deeply personal and somehow it has something to do with him. The name of the Woman… he realizes you never gave him your name.
“Yours.” his voice barely a whisper.
“A name tied up to someone else´s heart, filled with memories,” you reply, turning your horse back to the path. “It is the most expensive thing in the world. No gold, no titles can ever pay for it.”
Yeosang feels a sharp pain tightening inside his chest.
“Now ride, the night is short, and we have more than thirty years of silence to make up for.”
As the moon climbed higher, the path led you to an ancient forest where the trees grew so thick their branches allowed very little light. The air here was heavy with the scent of damp earth and pine, a stark contrast to the dry death of the valley.
"It's been a few hours, let's rest here" you announced, pulling Esme to a halt beneath a sprawling oak that looked more like a sleeping giant than a tree.
Yeosang dismounted, his movements stiff, he hadn't spent that many hours in his saddle since his army days a few years back. Quickly he gathered some tree branches and began to reach for his flint and steel to strike a fire, when he saw you approaching with a subtle but teasing smile on your face.
“Let me take care of that.”
He looked at you confused. Then you simply reached out and caught a handful of the freezing night air and whispered a brief spell with a low hum, a small flame appearing into your open palm. It was floating rather than touching you, and you quickly placed it on top of the branches Yeosang had gathered hastily at his feet. Slowly, the flames began growing and in a matter of seconds a more than decent fireplace glowed against the dark Oak behind it.
Yeosang’s jaw dropped. You sat down on a mossy root, watching him as he began warming his hands with the fire you created. You have shared many fireplace meetings with him in the past, and all the memories of those years wander at the back of your mind as you watch him.
"I- have never seen anything like it” he said, finally sitting across from you, no fear in his tone just a fragile, wide-eyed wonder. "It's beautiful."
"Magic is a tool," you said, leaning forward into the orange glow, your eyes sparkling. "Sometimes it can make ordinary things beautiful, as well as dangerous."
For a moment, the heavy weight of the curse and those years of mourning vanished. In the small circle of orange light, you weren't a witch with a tragic past and he wasn't a king's guard with no memories of your existence. You were just two souls sharing a carefree moment.
"I don´t know how to explain it, but seeing this… magic, it doesn't feel cold or dark like I always thought it would be. It feels charming.”
“It´s just a fireplace. There's a lot of dark magic out there, I might have to do something you won´t find as charming later…” Your voice came out harsher than you intended, but you needed to be sincere with Yeosang about everything, about yourself. Perhaps, him feeling the allure of your magic was because his heart remembers the warmth, even if his head doesn't.
"You said the ritual requires me remembering something," Yeosang called out over the flickering of the flames. “I need you to tell me how exactly my memories fit into what is happening to our Kingdom."
You kept your eyes focused on the flames. The truth was painful, and you were afraid that if you let it out all at once, it would make him hate you. You needed to let the memories grow back naturally, rather than forcing a ghost into his skin.
"If I told you everything now, it would just be a story to you," you muttered. "I know it seems strange, but trust me, for Halazia´s fortune to return, we need not to rush our journey."
He looked like he wanted to argue, to demand the truth, but the softness in your eyes silenced him. He simply nodded, leaning back against the root, his gaze fixed on you until sleep finally claimed him.
The next morning, after waking up, you realized you needed to eat something. You offered Yeosang a piece of bread, a useful spell that turned raw grains into a decent meal. It had saved you on many occasions when you were too exhausted to travel South to get food and other supplies. He accepted, and you ate in silence while preparing your horses to continue the journey.
The fire from the night before had left a circle of charcoal against the snow. As you handed Yeosang another piece, his fingers brushed yours. A spark jolted through the contact. It was brief, but he looked at your hand, then at your face, a flicker of old memories crossing his features.
"You speak of over thirty years of silence," Yeosang said, his voice raspy. "But I am not even thirty years old. How can I have memories older than my time on this earth?"
You turned to Esme, pursing your lips. "Time is a river to some, but a circle to others. The day Halazia started dying, your past self died too. Some years later your current self was born, and it took you this long to come back and search for your memories."
“It would be easier if you just told me what I'm supposed to remember,” Yeosang replied. “The Kingdom is still dying, many had already. Do you think we have the privilege of wasting more time?”
He was right. You felt hollow and selfish, demanding his memories of you to come back after what you did… but the bitter reality was that it was necessary for the curse to break only when he remembered your name.
You mounted Esme, turning to see him. "If I could scream the truth into your mind and fix what I-,” you stopped, breathing in. “If I could simply fix things the easy way I would have done it decades ago. But the magic that broke Halazia is too dark. It requires patience, and sacrifice."
“Sacrifice.” Yeosang repeated. “More sacrifice than it already caused?”
You locked your eyes on him. You wish he could understand you just by looking deeply into them, but it was absurd to just ask him to trust you. A witch. A witch who knew how to help the kingdom he protected for years, and was waiting on a hill for him to come ask her how.
“Enough. Let's continue, we are still far away.”
You pulled Esme to a sharp halt and continued west. Yeosang said nothing and followed after you in silence.
The following days felt tense. You tried not to push him away, and he stayed reserved. Every evening when the sun dipped low, Yeosang would distance himself to train, but when the night grew deep he returned to the fire you created, enjoying the flames silently. From time to time you would catch him with his eyes fixed on you, searching for answers.
One afternoon, you found a canyon where a dried up riverbed cut a deep scar through the earth. Spanning the dusty gap was the ruin of an old wooden bridge, but near the edge sat something out of place; the skeletal remains of a small, wooden pier; jutting out over a sea of grey silt that had once been a rushing river.
Yeosang stood perfectly still, his head tilted as if listening to a melody only he could hear. Just like back in your hut, the harsh, dry wind of the present was being replaced by a memory far warmer, far kinder.
In his mind, he saw you again. You weren't wearing the dark silks of a witch; you were in a simple white sundress, your hair braided with wildflowers. You were sitting at the very edge of this pier, your bare feet dangling over the rushing water. "Look, look!" the memory-version of you laughed, pointing at a pair of river otters playing in the current.
He then saw himself sit beside you, the wood of the pier warm beneath his palms. He remembered the exact feeling of his shoulder brushing against yours, a simple brush that made his skin tingle.
In the memory, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring made of braided silver wire. He didn't say anything grand; he just slipped it onto your finger, and by the way you looked at him with eyes full of light, he knew that was the most beautiful thing he had ever known.
"Always," he heard his past self whisper. "I’ll always find my way back to you."
Yeosang blinks, and the golden day is shattered. The turquoise water turned back into grey silt.
"I just saw you," his voice thick. "We were both here at the pier, I gave you a-" He stopped to look down at your hand, as if he expected to notice a silver ring. You gasped softly, your left hand instinctively over the right one, where the silver band still adorned your finger. Yeosang looked up at you and his eyes were wide open.
He took a step forward, his hand reaching out tentatively. "You were wearing flowers in your hair. And I... I promised I would always find you."
“You did...” you managed to mumble.
Yeosang’s hand was still hovering near yours. You could feel the air between you thickening, charged with the truth he was slowly remembering…
Then, the silence of the riverbed was shattered by the frantic, heavy rhythm of a horse's steps galloping towards your way. Yeosang’s soldier instincts snapped; he stepped in front of you, his hand dropping to the hilt of his sword as he scanned the ridgeline.
A lone rider burst through the skeletal trees, in a moment the horse was heading right at you. Even if Yeosang guarded you, you were also ready to defend yourself. Once the rider was in front of you, you could see it was a woman, her chestnut mare wild eyed with exhaustion. She wore silks that you noticed were once fine but were now torn and dusted.
"Help!" She cried out, high pitched and cracking with terror.
The rider tumbled from the saddle before the horse even came to a full stop. Yeosang moved forward, managing to catch her before she hit the ground, his sword drawn but held low. As the woman struggled to stand, her hood fell back, revealing a face that made Yeosang freeze in mid-step.
"Yeri?" he gasped.
Princess Yerim of Halazia. The King's sister.
You had never seen her, but was informed she wed King Theon of the South a long while ago. Now that you see her closely, you noticed she was barely an adult. Her silver hair hanging out her side in a disheveled braid.
“Sangie!” She threw herself at Yeosang´s arms, sobbing as soon as he reached him. Her eyes were sunken, and her lips were parched white. She looked nothing like the royal jewel of the Southern court. Her face sobbing against Yeosang´s chest, clutching at his leather gambeson with trembling hands. “Is it truly you?" she cried, her breath coming in ragged hitches. "Please Sangie, please, he’s coming…”
"Who's coming?” Yeosang asked, his voice hardening as he looked toward the horizon the princess had just fled from.
“Theon… I- I escaped, and now he has sent his guards after me.”
Seeing the princess so terrified, Yeosang didn't need to ask anything else. He could do that later, when she felt safe. “Yeri, how many?”
"Five... maybe more," Yerim whispered, collapsing against him. "Theon’s Black Guard, they’ve tracked me since the border. I just rode back North, I wanted to go home. They have orders to bring back my head if I refuse to return."
“Whatever you need to discuss, you can do it later,” you say, your voice startling the princess, who hadn't seemed to notice you until that moment. “I can hear horses.” you quickly mount Esme and gesture for Yeosang and the princess to do the same. The horse she had arrived on continued its frantic gallop toward the forest, leaving her stranded. Seeing the urgency, Yeosang quickly helps the princess onto Shadow, seating her before him. With the princess secured, they follow your lead as you wheel around, heading in the opposite direction of your original path to evade the approaching riders.
The three of you rode for a while in tense silence, the only sound the heavy gallop of the horses and your own breathing. You led them through a narrow crevice between two towering slabs of slate, a "needle’s eye" that opened into a small, hidden grotto sheltered by a natural stone overhang. As the horses came to a halt, the adrenaline began to fade.
Yeosang dismounted first, his movements stiff. He reached up to help the princess down, his hands lingering on her arms for a second longer than necessary to ensure she was steady. The Princess was trembling, she looked around the grotto, her eyes eventually landing on you as you slid off Esme.
She looked at you uneasy, retreating half a step into the shadow of Yeosang’s body.
“Our original route has been deviated. If the Black Guard is following you, we must hide here for at least tonight until it´s safe to continue.”
Princess Yeri slumped against the moss covered wall, her strength finally failing her. Yeosang moved to her side, offering her his water skin with a gentleness that made you confirm he was still the man he had always been.
“Yeri— Princess,” Yeosang led her to sit on one of the mossy rocks inside the grotto. “Tell me what happened.”
You leaned against the stone entrance, your eyes fixed on the darkness outside trying to remember the spell that would seal the entrance to the grotto if someone wanted to come into it, but your ears were tuned to every word spoken in the hollow.
Balling her fists at her sides, Princess Yeri’s voice dropped dangerously low when she said, “You have no idea what it was like in the south, no idea what I’ve endured this past year. Seonghwa sold me… he sold me for wheat!” She started sobbing again, shouting every word, “No one came for me, I feel like I was no longer the princess of Halazia… Theon was cruel, he— he’s a monster.” Her voice breaks and she throws at Yeosang´s arms again.
“Princess, but the crows,” Yeosang started, searching for her eyes and cupping her small head in his hands. “You have sent a crow almost every month telling us how happy you were. Your brother has sent crows back asking you if you want us to visit and you always reply no…”
“Those weren´t mine!” She removed Yeosang´s hands from her and covered her face with her own. “It was him. He didn't want anyone to come, he wanted to keep me in that dark room all the time so he could—“ her voice breaking. “I hate him Sangie please, don't let him find me… I'd rather die than go back.”
You lowered your head, you knew that tone, you could imagine what he had done to her.
“You won't die. Yeri, look at me, if you say he's wronged you I believe you. But please don't blame Seonghwa, he has been fooled by your letters, how can he-”
“He could have gone to see me even if I asked not to, Í'm still princess of Halazia, am I not? Why did he never, Sangie? Why?!”
Yeosang didn't answer immediately. He let the princess pour her frustration. He knew that Seonghwa had been drowning in the slow death of his kingdom, and he was clinging to those forged letters, thinking at least his beloved sister was being taken care of. There were no words that he could say to make the princess consider his brother's feelings, that the King needed to explain himself. He simply held her until her sobs turned to ragged breaths, and finally, until exhaustion claimed her.
You watched as Yeosang placed her carefully on the ground, tucking his cloak and a thick fur around her to shield her from the cave’s cold.
Your heart softened as you watched he still had the tenderness of his old soul.
"You have a remarkably soft heart for a man whose job is to kill," you said softly, without even thinking to mask your admiration.
Yeosang stopped, caught off guard. He cleared his throat, adjusting the leather strap of his gambeson as if it had suddenly become too tight. "She’s the King’s sister," he muttered, though his ears were beginning to turn a faint shade of pink. "It’s my duty to ensure the safety of the royal bloodline."
You stepped closer, tilting your head to catch his eyes in the dim light. "Is it your royal duty to give your cloak on a freezing night? Or to hold her until your arms go numb?” you teased with a smile. “You’ve always been like this, even when you have every reason to be hard, you choose to be kind."
“I have known her since she was a child, she´s like my little sister as well” He replied, looking around to avoid your eyes. "It's nothing special”
"It's very special” your voice turned into a hum and he finally met your eyes. “It´s what made me fall in love with you.”
Yeosang's breath hitched. He looked down at you, the pink flush now creeping up his neck. “You shouldn't say things like that” his voice low. “I´m still trying to remember.”
“Right.” You nodded. Yeosang turned abruptly, pretending to adjust Shadow’s saddle, but you saw the way his fingers fumbled with the leather.
Trying to shove away that moment of vulnerability, you stepped toward the narrow opening of the grotto. The wind outside was picking up, if the Black Guard was after the princess they would track the horses easily.
You reached into your pouch and pulled out a handful of crushed obsidian and dried nightshade. Now, apart from your initial goal of reaching the summit at the mountain, you had to protect the princess. Not just for Halazia, but because Yeosang loved her like a sister, and you could not bear to see him lose anything else.
Standing at the entrance, you began to hum a low, dissonant melody. You traced the outline of the stone entrance with your fingers, leaving a trail of shimmering, oily light in your wake.
"What they see as shadows, what they feel as stone. Let their eyes wander, leaving the path unknown."
You chanted the spell softly, clearly. When you finished the air at the entrance began to thicken. To anyone outside, the entrance would appear as nothing more than a solid, unbroken slab of mossy slate.
“That should keep them away, at least for tonight.” you exhaled, “We continue first thing tomorrow”
Yeosang nodded, but he didn't move. He took a step toward you, gaze dropping to your right hand. "The ring," he breathed, "I saw it. In my memory, it was new. Now... it’s worn."
“More than thirty years have passed since you gave it to me,”
“How are you still-” He cleared his throat. “How have you not…”
“Aged?.”
He nodded again.
“Time kind of froze for me, and now I’m forced to dream about that night everyday.” Yeosang stepped closer. “My life… is on pause, until the curse breaks.”
“All these years,” he mumbled, “You’ve lived the same day? Alone?”
“The same nightmare” you corrected gently. “Watching the trees turn to bone. Watching the sky turn grey with each passing day. Guilt piling up inside me.”
His expression shifted from confusion to a profound, aching sorrow. “I´m sorry,” He whispered, and instantly felt stupid. Like saying he's sorry would fix anything. But you smiled, cupping his face with your right hand, where the silver band adorned your finger.
The moment was interrupted by a soft moan from the back of the grotto. Princess Yeri stirred in her sleep, her hand clutching at the fur cloak Yeosang had wrapped around her.
“We need to move before dawn,” you said, regaining your composure. “The seal can only protect us for a few hours, if the black guard is really out there, they will find us if we remain in a single place.”
“What about our goal? We can't risk the princess by taking her with us.”
“The Stone villa is a couple of days away, you can send a crow there, explain what happened to the King, he can send someone to help her return safely to the kingdom.”
“I must do it myself, If King Theon is after her, I need to be sure she returns safely.”
“We have no time to go back to Halazia and start again, we must take her along then.”
“Fine, we lead the princess to the summit. And when all of this ends, we can all return together.”
A few hours passed. The stillness of the grotto was shattered by a sudden, violent shift in the air. The shimmering veil of your magic suddenly hummed with a high, screeching frequency.
“They´re here.” you heard Yeosang's whisper, already shielding the princess.
A heavy boot slammed into the invisible threshold, and this time, the seal splintered. Violet light cracked across the entrance as the illusion dissolved into smoke. The Black Guard hadn't just found the tracks; they had brought someone capable of breaking your spell.
A warlock. You thought, the veil could have only been spotted by another person holding magic.
Yeosang´s sword was already out. Behind him, the princess scrambled backward, her scream stifled by her own trembling hands.
Six men stepped into the grotto, heavy black armor hanging onto them.
"Step back," Yeosang commanded, his voice low. "You are in Halazian territory, and you are threatening a member of the Royal House. Leave now, and I might let you keep your heads."
“Royal house? You mean the calcified soil and the piled up corpses of dead people?” The leader , a two feet bearded man laughed. “Besides, King Theon doesn't care about borders when it comes to his property.”
“I´m not his property.” Yeri cried from behind Yeosang´s guard.
The man ignored her, and instead focused his eyes over you. “So you were right.,” he said, eyeing the man next to him, who was holding a set of iron chains. “Not only do we get to return the King´s whore back in one piece, but we also got a pet witch for him to play with.” Yeri turned to see you with her eyes wide open at the mention of your kind.
"You will touch neither," Yeosang growled.
"Is that so?" The leader pulled a heavy mace from his belt. The guards began to circle, they weren't just soldiers; they were Theon’s hounds, bred for cruelty. “Let´s see how long you last trying to protect them.”
“Yeosang,” you whispered over his neck. “I´ll protect the princess, but If the warlock get close to me I won't be able to help you.”
He didn't look back, but his shoulders broadened, shielding you both from their sight. "He won't get close enough to try."
The Guard wasted no time and lunged forward with force and precision, trying to trap Yeosang out. He dodged fast as the guard swung his heavy maze towards his head. Yeosang´s style wasn't at all defensive, when he swung his sword towards the men’s neck, he struck to kill.
Two other men launched at him as their leader took another heavy swing aiming for his head, but he swiftly jumped back and stroked his sword against one of them, his blade finding the narrow gap between the guard’s gorget and breastplate. He took it out quickly and as the man fell, Yeosang spun and kicked a second attacker square in the chest, sending him sprawling against the jagged cave wall.
Every time a guard tried to slip past him to reach you or the princess, Yeosang was there, his eyes glowing with a cold, terrifying light.
The leader swung his mace again, the heavy iron whistling through the air. Yeosang caught the blow on the flat of his blade; a masterwork of steel; the force of the strike vibrated through his bones, but adrenaline numbed the shock, preventing him from feeling any pain yet.
He quickly went around the other man attacking him, using him as a shield from another swing of the leader's mace all while slitting his throat. He dropped the guard on top of the other one, facing the leader directly.
“Not bad,” the man laughed. “Now let's fight for real.”
Yeosang’s mouth twisted into a dark smirk. “... you all say the same thing.” Without a second’s hesitation, he lunged. He struck him once, twice and three times quickly, the leader struggling to shield himself with his arm. Yeosang knew their armor was too thick; he needed the throat, and he needed a strike heavy enough to bite through the gorget and end the man’s life.
While Yeosang was holding the front, you quickly shield the princess. She was frozen against the stone cave. The warlock, the one holding cold iron chains, saw an opening. Yeosang was busy fighting two blades at once, so the man threw himself at you at once.
You thrust your hand forward, and a shimmering dome of violet energy erupted around you. When the guard’s iron chains struck the barrier, a shower of white hot sparks flew, the magic beaming as it fought the suppressing metal. The shockwave threw the guard back, his gauntlets smoking.
He groaned, swinging the burning chain back at you.
"Stay behind me!" you commanded, the princess threw herself behind you without hesitation. You were pale, your breath coming in shallow gasps, you didn´t have the energy necessary to throw spells back and forth, but you couldn´t let him harm her.
The leader let out a frustrated roar. He swung his mace at Yeosang’s head again. Yeosang ducked, the heavy iron whistling over his hair, and gave him the opportunity to shove the leader’s head to the ground, pushing his elbow against the man´s neck.
“Halazia will rise, remember that when you reach hell.” He said, his voice low and vibrating with anger. With a sudden, violent stroke, he sunk his blade across the leader's throat. The two remaining guards flee, seeing their leader die. Only the one carrying the iron chains stayed.
“He’ll burn this whole mountain range to find her, you are just giving her more time.” the warlock muttered, he then lunged one last time at you, the iron chains flew directly at your head. You searched for some energy deep within you to create a barrier but before you could summon any, a flash of steel intervened.
Yeosang had caught the chain with his sword. With all his force he yanked the chain towards him, pulling the guard off balance and dragging him into his personal space.
"You speak too much.”
He delivered a brutal, short-range strike with the pommel of his sword directly into the guard’s temple. The man went limp instantly, his head snapping back before he collapsed into a heap at Yeosang’s feet.
And just like that, the grotto got quiet again.
"Are you..." he started, his voice barely a whisper. He dropped his sword, the sound echoing in the small space, and knelt beside you. "Are you hurt? The iron was scolding… did it touch you?"
He reached out, his fingers hovering near the silver ring on your hand. He noticed it was glowing faintly, pulsing like a dying star. For a moment he seemed entirely oblivious to the fact that the Princess of Halazia was sitting right there, watching him with wide eyes.
“I´m alright, Yeosang” you assured, though your head felt dizzy. “Is the princess safe?” you turned to see Yeri with a worried expression.
Yeosang blinked, as if snapping out of a trance.
"Oh, don't mind me, Sangie," the princess said, her voice small but with a sudden sharp mischief Yeosang was very familiar with. She wiped her nose with her sleeve, her gaze darting between his grip on your hands and the blush that tinted his cheeks pink. "I just witnessed a massacre, and now I'm watching you getting flustered over the woman who saved me.”
Yeosang stiffened, his hands jumping away from yours as if they had been burned. "I´m not flustered... If she dies, we won't be able to help our Kingdom."
“A witch? How so?” the Princess asked, frowning as she shook dust from her ruined skirts. “Thank you for saving me, witch.” She smiled at you.
Yeosang turned away to retrieve his sword, pulling a handkerchief to wipe the dark stains from the steel with sharp, agitated strokes. “She knows how to break the curse that has been starving our people.”
Yeri flinched, her gaze snapping to yours with a mix of awe and terror. “A curse? So Sangie was right? My brother has denied it since the day he took the throne. My father always said the witches vanished when he was a boy. He said that the Crown would never permit them to return to Halazia.”
You felt a sharp pinch in your chest at the mention of the late King, Seongjoong. “Witches are like the wind, we are everywhere, even when you choose not to see us. Your grandfather didn't drive us out because we were evil; he drove us out because he was afraid. He fed on the false testimonies of bitter merchants and he demanded we leave. So, we did.”
Yeosang glanced at Yeri who looked at you without malice and more so with immense curiosity.
“If he had allowed them to stay, things might have been less difficult.” you said bitterly.
Princess Yeri frowned, trying to understand.
“Princess, we cannot spare the time to take you to the Kingdom and go back to where we are headed. We must reach the summit to break the curse first. Then, we will all return home together.” Yeosang said.
”If Yeosang trust you, so do I” Yeri replied, “I want to live long enough to see trees grow back in Halazia”
You nodded. A faint smile crept over your lips at Yeosang´s words.
We will all return home together.
After leaving the grotto, you needed to pick up pace and make up for the lost time and deviation you took from meeting the princess. For two days you galloped southwest, until you met the white-barked trees that seemed to lean inward, as if whispering secrets to one another.
“The Wailing Trees” you announced. This was the narrow path to cross before reaching the town where you used to live, the home of the mountain where the curse took place that night.
As the horses picked their way through the deepening snow, the air began to vibrate with a low, mournful thrum.
"Do you hear that?" Yeri whispered, pulling her cloak tighter. She looked pale, her eyes darting toward the twisted branches. "It sounds like... a choir. The trees, they’re crying."
Yeosang didn't answer. He was staring straight ahead, his knuckles white around the reins. His jaw tense. He wasn't just hearing a choir; he was hearing a voice… yours.
“You promised me. You said you’d find your way back. Were all these years not enough time?”
“Don't listen!" you shouted. “It´s an illusion, the trees are trying to break your spirit!”
Yeosang flinched as if he’d been struck. He looked at you, his eyes wide and haunted, searching your face to see if your lips matched what he was hearing. You knew the voices were the manifestations of the guilt and grief that fed the curse. They followed you everywhere and now that Yeosang was here, they intensified.
You got closer to him, Yeri looking at your eye-sided seating in front of him. “Yeosang, It’s the mountain, the curse is following me and it's now using you too, please listen to me not them.” Yeosang looked at you with hollow eyes, his mind was somewhere else.
You turned to see that Yeri was sobbing now, leaning over leaning over Shadow´s neck. "He sounds so lonely... my brother sounds so cold..."
“No! Princess you must not listen…”
You pushed Esme forward, placing yourself between them and the thickest part of the grove. You raised your hand, the silver ring catching the grey light, and began a low, steady chant to dull their senses.
"Listen to my voice!" you commanded, looking directly at them. "Look at me, not the shadows. We are almost through!"
Yeosang’s gaze locked back on yours. He shook his head and immediately helped Yeri sit again, cupping her face and helping wake up. “Princess I'm here, it's Sangie… come back.”
"Sangie…" she rasped, her breath hitching. "I'm scared."
Beyond the grove of the Wailing Trees, the path led into a hidden valley, protecting it from the biting mountain winds. A village appeared, frozen in a state of eerie, perfect preservation. Your old home.
“What is this place? Are we still in Halazia?” the princess asked with wonder, seated in front of Yeosang as the whole small village came into view from the hilltop where you were standing.
“Still Halazia,” you smiled. “Is at the very end of the Kingdom, and that is what we came for.” You signaled to the summit, looking big and white on the horizon, sheltering the little village.
Yeosang´s chest tightened. He could feel the memories tied up to him from this place. But his mind refused to picture them just yet.
As you walked down the hill and into the heart of the forgotten villa, you noticed every house stood as it did all those years ago. A wooden bucket sat by a dry well; a child’s carved horse lay on a porch; laundry, now stiff and bleached white by decades of frost, still hung on lines.
Without stopping you recognized a familiar Mahogany door by the end of the path. Your old house.
“It is a ghost town” Yeri said astonished, dismounting from Shadow and heading up to the main path, peeking through the dusted windows to look inside the houses. “They must have left to find healthier soil when our home started dying…”
“This was a village of mostly warlocks and witches,” you corrected. “They left when King Seongjoong declared that people with magic weren't allowed.”
“Oh,” Yeri looked at you embarrassed. “I´m sorry.”
You dismounted Esme and walked up to her, softening your gaze. “It wasn't your fault,” It was mine. You added in thought.
After a humble dinner of warm soup and bread, You agreed to gather energy for a couple of days in the village before going to the summit. Yeosang managed to gather a couple of buckets of water from the old well. Thankfully a simple spell turned it into clean usable water so all you three could clean yourselves. After that, Yeri had finally fallen into a deep sleep in one of the preserved cottages, so you went to the old communal stable to tend to Esme while Yeosang sent a crow to the King back in Halazia, telling him about the past week´s events.
Inside the stable, Shadow slept over the straw, finally catching up with some deserved rest. You were brushing your mare's coat with slow, rhythmic strokes, the sound of the brush stroking her fine hairs the only sound in the quiet.
Some time later, Yeosang appeared in the doorway, his silhouette framed by the silver moonlight. He didn't speak. He simply watched you. You had removed your hood and cloak, and your hair flowed over your shoulders like a river. In the dim light, with the familiar walls of the stable around you, he felt as if the long years gap seemed to vanish.
As you reached up to check Esme's ear, your sleeve slid back, revealing the silver ring. You paused, leaning your forehead against the horse's neck, a sigh escaping your lips. "We're so close, I'm going to m—”
Suddenly Yeosang stood beside you, his boots silent on the straw. He stopped just inches away. This time, he didn't hesitate. He reached out and placed his hand over yours, pinning it gently against the mare’s side.
His touch felt like burning, the kind you liked.
His eyes flared, and he gasped. This time he didn't just see a memory; he felt it. He felt the heat of that summer afternoon at the pier, the weight of the braided silver wire in his pocket. He felt the terrifying, beautiful rush of blood in his veins when you had said yes.
When he snapped back, his eyes were filled with tears. He pulled you around to face him, his hands sliding up to cup your face with a desperation that broke your heart. "I promised to marry you…”
You stood in his arms, the tears you had held back for all these years finally spilling over. He took your hands, placing them over his face. And you could finally feel his skin. His warmth, icy breath as he rested his forehead against yours.
Yeosang stroked your hands softly, like fearing you would break against his harsh touch. A flood of images crashed into his mind— you, squinting at a spell book by candlelight; the scent of warm bread as you pressed a loaf into his hands before he rode off to his duties. Your soft breast against his chest on top of him, lips over your neck while you roamed your fingers through his disheveled hair.
As you stood in front of him, he felt desperate to feel your warmth; to crush you beneath him and hear you cry his name and make you feel all of him; to make you feel so good unlike anyone you had before.
He was out of control.
Gasping for air, he embraced you in a hug, you dug your nails on his back, not wanting him to let you go never again. “Why did you suffer alone all these years? Why couldn't we stay together?” He asked, voice trembling.
You cried silently, his cloudy gaze over you. You wished to tell him everything, but knew he needed to remember the bad parts as well. You faced him, and leaned to brush his lips, not yet daring to claim them yet, so when he was the one to start kissing you, you finally let go, surrendering into his touch.
The kiss started softly, but quickly picked up a pace that had you moaning softly onto his lips, his hands over your neck and you felt your body tremble. Yeosang's hands went down to roam over your waist, brushing the sides of your hips hesitantly. “Can I?” he asked nervously, making you smile widely at his lips, his gentleness softening your heart.
“Only if you really want me.” you replied, your voice came in a hum that let him know you were ready for whatever he needed from you.
“I do.” Yeosang kissed you again, swiftly sliding a hand from under your skirt, palming the curve of your ass, lifting your leg enough to make way for his fingers to span all the way to caress between your aching heat. After some teasing, he effortlessly slips two fingers inside you, your wetness giving him easy access.
You feel the pressure echoing through all your body. All those years longing for him, wanting to feel him again had you turn into a puddle and you waste no time letting him feel all of you, already so wet that he slides all the way in until you can feel his knuckles against your folds, brushing along your clit. Your eyes close, feeling the pleasure of his fingers roaming inside you as he continues to kiss you like making up from the time you waited. He crocks his fingers and you moan against his lips.
Just as you remember, Yeosang doesn´t talk much, but his cloudy gaze stays in your face, breathing hastily just watching you enjoy his touch. Your nails dig into his forearm feeling the muscles shift under your fingers as he flexes inside you.
Desperate, you remove his hand and push him a little back against the wooden table behind him. You quickly remove his cloak and what remained of his upper armor. The black fabric of his linen garment unlaced, letting you see his toned chest and abs that had you seeing stars. You rushed through his trousers, hurriedly shoving them down. Yeosang lets out a groan when you take his length and stroke it with your palm, running your hand down to the tip.
He grabs your neck, kissing it again as his cock rubs against your stomach. You breathe out, feeling how ready he is for you. Next he wraps his hands from under your thighs, lifting and turning to sit you onto the table. He moans softly into your mouth when you spread yourself for him, and he wastes no time to align himself within your folds. He pushes painfully slow and groans loudly as you wrap around him so warmly, he feels numb and in ecstasy all the same. He is rocking against you with force, leaning into your neck taking in your scent, and you cling onto his shoulder, letting yourself be taken over.
You arch your back, pressing yourself more against him, cause even having him this close isn’t enough. When he's not buried in your neck he's watching you with pleading eyes, as if taking them off you would make you vanish. He stops for a second, lifting you again from the edge of the table to adjust. Your dress slowly slips from your shoulders, letting your breasts exposed and he leans to kiss and bite them, sending little sparks of pain.
Your eyes are dark, fixed on him, on every part of him where he is touching you. Yeosang starts moaning more and more, now he's sliding a hand under your thigh and then he hikes your leg up higher, making you gasp as he slips almost all the way out only to bottom you one more time. And another, and another…
He's going fast, but when he feels like it´s too much he slows down, trying to keep himself inside you longer. “Yeosang,” you mumble, and he brushes his lips over yours. The burning stretch of him feels so good, with every stroke he places himself deeper and deeper feels like he's claiming you again, just like you remembered.
You thought you had missed him before, but now with the taste of him in your tongue, the sounds he makes reverberating on your throat makes you realize maybe you didn’t miss him enough.
The knot inside you is growing, burning, aching to burst. The curse, the time wasted away, the loneliness all is forgotten as he pounds into you like that was the only thing he had left to do in this world. Yeosang goes back to your lips again, and your heart and heat start to flutter. His tongue savouring every inch of your mouth, his thrust hitting your sweet spot… it all feels unreal as he bites your lip and his thumb goes down to rub your clit with circular motions. You moan loudly, the star in your lower stomach exploding, and everything goes white.
You come back to your senses slowly, realizing Yeosang has come along with you.
Yeosang is panting, again resting his forehead over yours, sweat drops making his dark locks frame his face. You were damped as well, chest and neck glistening. You remain still, breathing heavily against each other. You can feel him softening inside you.
He breaks the hug and smiles softly, and you caress his neck. You rested for a few moments before he finally pulled out.
“I hope I wasn't too bad” He admits shyly, "It's been a while since I—” but he stops, not sure you wanted to hear he had been with other women before. But you laugh, kissing him sweetly again.
“You think you did bad?” you teased and he pursed his lips. “I’m a panting mess, and I can feel your seed still dripping out of me.” He scoffs, looking flustered and you try to lock the memory into your brain. You wanted to remember him as the gentle and reserved knight who got shy everytime you fucked. “Let´s rest, tomorrow we'll reach the summit and all of this will be over.”
He grabbed you by the waist, pulling you closer. Scanning your eyes, he brushed his thumb against your chin. “Don´t let me lose you again, please.” he whispered, and you gave a kiss that tasted bittersweet.
The next morning when you woke up, for the first time in all these years, the air didn't taste of dry ash.
Yeosang was still deep in sleep, his arm draped firmly over your waist. He was tucked against your back, his face buried in the crook of your neck, his steady, warm breath reminding you that he was truly there.
The night before was a beautiful rediscovery that had brought your senses back to life. His touch had finally made you feel alive again. So you tried to make this moment last a little longer, cause by the time Yeosang reached the top of the summit, the fog in his mind would disappear. By the time he knew your name, in that last moment you would think of the previous night, and be thankful at least you had been loved once more in the place where it all began.
“Hmm,” Yeosang finally woke up, he brushed his fingers over your stomach, adjusting himself beside you and pulling you tighter against him. “You awake?” he whispered into your ear and it sent shivers to your whole body.
“I am,” you turned to see him, his drowsy eyes trying to focus on you. “Are you alright?” you asked, wondering if he got any memories back while he was sleeping.
“I´m nervous…” he admitted, sitting up and hovering over you. “Last night, I hope I didn't cross any line.”
“Last night I felt alive again. Thank you for that, Yeosang”
He smiled softly, leaning to place a gentle kiss. He was about to deepen the kiss if not for the door of the cottage opening suddenly.
“There you are… oh!” Yeri turned embarrassed. “I hope I didn't disturbed anything. I'll just wait by the horses until you finish…” and then she closed the door harshly, the sound of her boots fading as she sprinted further away.
Both of you laughed. Yeosang caught you for one last, lingering kiss before changing back himself into his armor. You did the same, slipping your garments as you felt his gaze follow your every move from the corner of his eye. He admired how beautiful you looked, whether you were chanting a spell, commanding your horse through the mist or breathless and soft beneath him.
As you stepped out of the cottage, the air was cold and icy. The heavy, somber atmosphere of the previous days had lifted, replaced by a fragile, morning bright hope.
Though it was going to be brief, you felt at peace at that moment.
Yeri was taking out Shadow from the stable. She looked at you and then glanced at Yeosang who walked beside you with big confused eyes. “Already?.”
“Princess.” Yeosang snapped. “We were just sleeping.”
“And why are you blushing?…” She rolled her eyes at Yeosang, then glanced at you with compliant eyes and you couldn´t help but chuckle.
This was a rather wholesome moment, a sweet treat before everything that will ensue.
“Let´s get going, if we don't stop, we'll reach by noon.”
"To the summit," Yeosang said, grabbing your hand and brushing his thumb against your palm.
"To the summit," Yeri echoed, taking your free hand and squeezing tight.
The golden warmth of the morning was stripped away as you reached the base of the mountain. The air grew thin and biting. Yeosang didn’t take his eyes off you for a second, his gaze tracking your every breath. Yeri, seated in front of him on Shadow, noticed how often your hand drifted to your chest, pressing against your heart as if trying to keep it from leaping out.
“I’m alright,” you insisted, though your voice was strained. “It’s just... I’ve waited so long to stand here. My senses are piling up.”
“We can stop. We can turn back and try again tomorrow,” Yeosang urged.
“Every hour we wait is another hour Halazia starves,” you said, forcing a confident smile that didn't quite reach your eyes. “It´s been enough.” You urged Esme forward, and though they followed, Yeosang’s watchful gaze remained on you.
After a couple of hours, you finally could spot the summit’s obsidian altar. Anxiety hit you hard, and just before you could move forward, the sound of a horn, harsh and dissonant, tore through the silence. From the shadows, a bunch of riders emerged, their black-and-gold coats standing out like blood on the snow. At their center sat a man on a massive, charcoal-grey stallion. He didn't wear a helmet, and his crown was a band of dark iron that seemed to press into his brow.
King Theon.
He was not the hulking brute his reputation suggested. He was strikingly handsome, bright golden hair that caught the winter light and features so soft they seemed almost angelic. His eyes were a startling, clear blue, a shocking contrast to the monster that he was inside.
Yeri gasped, freezing in place. Yeosang´s grip on his sword and the other on the princess' forearm.
"A touching reunion," Theon drawled, his voice carrying effortlessly over the mountain pass. "My runaway wife, King Seonghwa´s commander, and…” He looked at you with ill intent. “A mountain witch.”
Yeosang shifted instantly, placing himself in front of the princess and you, his hand already white on the hilt of his blade. "She is the Princess of Halazia, and she is under my protection."
"So she's under your protection?," Theon mocked, his gaze sliding over Yeosang to fix on you. "And as for the witch… is she not?."
“I can protect myself.” you countered, your hand open in direction to the south King.
“You are threatening a King, witch.” Theon said, his voice a melodic purr that made your skin crawl. You knew exactly what he was. His lineage didn't just rule with cruelty, they collected anything they deemed unworthy of being human. His house was famous for collecting stolen magic, slaves kept in iron and silk for the amusement of the Southern lords. They used people until they were empty shells and then threw them away.
That would have been your destiny all those years ago. A different kind of curse.
The King then signals his guards to advance.
Cold iron archers aim directly at you. Theon watched with a placid smile, leaning back in his saddle as if he were observing a theater performance rather than an execution.
You didn´t have time to think. As the arrows neared, you threw your arms wide, the silver ring on your finger glowing with such intensity that the metal turned translucent. You felt the mountain's raw power surge up through your boots, a cold, vibrating hum that met the fire in your blood.
Gathering all the energy on your body you slammed your hands together. A massive dome of violet energy erupted from the snow, expanding with a thunderous crack. The arrows struck the barrier and disintegrated into fine gray ash. Theon’s guards lunged forward with their cold-iron chains, swinging them against the shimmering wall.
"Stay inside the circle, princess!" you shouted, your voice echoing with force that made Yeri snap from his frozen state. The fear she felt seeing her deranged husband disappearing, and a new sensation of survival fueled by your voice enveloped her.
Yeosang reacted immediately to your opening, quickly helping Yeri to mount on top of Esme, urging Shadow to go forward. He moved with ease, the short distance between him and the golden King became smaller. He swung his sword to the two men guarding Theon´s front, striking over their chests in a swift motion.
Theon’s soft features finally shifted. His pleasant smile vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating mask as he drew a slender, ornate sword and pointed directly at Yeosang.
“Northen people, always so sentimental.”
Yeosang countered, his blade moving in a blur of strikes. Theon jumped off his horse, blade moving like a needle, seeking the gaps in Yeosang's armor, but Yeosang fought like a man possessed by blood.
From your end, the barrier groaned as more guards threw themselves against it, their iron shackles smoking as they tried to break it. Your vision began to blur at the edges, creating the shield draining your very life force, but you held. You looked at Yeosang's back, and you refused to let the light flicker.
But the black guard was persistent.
Your shield reaches its limit, shattering like glass as three guards slammed their cold iron chains against the surface simultaneously. The backlash was violent; the magic snapped, throwing you backward as the silver ring on your finger turned a dull, charcoal gray.
With your remaining strength you stood up and whispered in Esme's ear a brief spell in a forgotten language. Yeri on top of her instinctively reached for the reins with force when Esme let out a piercing whinnage, reared back, and bolted toward the steep, hidden path leading back down the summit.
“Go!, don't look back!” you shouted, as the guards swarmed you, their gauntleted hands bruising your arms as they pressed your head against the snow covered dirt.
“No!” Yeosang screams trying to reach you. He had Theon pinned, his blade at the King’s throat, but the sound of your shield breaking caused him to falter. He turned his head for a fraction of a second, giving Theon just enough time to land an iron-weighted blow into Yeosang’s temple and kick his sword across the ice.
Yeri's escape set the guards in motion to chase after her, but Theon shouted before they could mount again. “Let her, we´ll get to them shortly.”
Yeosang´s blood boiled. He felt drunk on violence. Theon was now placing the sharp edge of his blade over his neck. He growled, trying to get off the King´s grip when a guard gripped your hair, jerking your head back so you were forced to look at them, while another struck you across the face with a heavy, iron-lined glove. The world spun. Blood bloomed in your mouth, metallic and hot.
"Look, commander" Theon sneered, grabbing Yeosang by the hair to force his eyes toward you. "Look what happens when you mess with my property." The guard struck you again, and as you collapsed forward, the sight of your blood hitting the white snow acted as a final, jagged key in Yeosang’s mind.
He was no longer there under Theon’s blade. His mind has traveled to another place.
It started blurry, but the memory slowly regained its focus as he saw you walking down the familiar dirt path toward your cottage, clutching a bundle of fresh mountain sage.
In the memory, you reached the door of your home, but the air felt wrong. Inside, your father sat at the scarred oak table, a heavy purse of Southern coin spilling over the wood. Opposite him stood a merchant with a rough face and predatory eyes.
The man stood up. “The south pays well for her kind. My wagon leaves at midday.”
With not another word he passed you by and left. You turned to your father with terrified eyes. “What have you done?.” you asked, your voice dry.
“You will work hard in the south. You'll help the King there and fulfill your duty,” He paused, looking you in the eyes. “For whatever they want you to be.” He said bitterly, still recalling your mother's abandonment every time he sees you.
“I will not.”
“I already have the King's approval, you have no say in this.” He took his horned mug, drinking the remainder of the cheap rum in one go. “Tomorrow. Midday."
Yeosang's heart sank. You were not even in the same room, but he could hear your thoughts as if they were his own.
Still in the memory, you stood still, shaking with anger. And you thought of him. Though it was a different name, Yeosang knew it was him.
He saw you run out of the cottage, and you went looking for him. You ran all over the village, but couldn't find him. You then decided to return home, not to stay and wait for your doom the next day, but to prepare for something that would fix it. You waited enough until your father fell asleep over the wooden table, his face buried in the coin pouch he traded you for.
Yeosang saw you frantically looking for your book of spells. But this was a different book from the one he saw you read many times. You quickly searched through its pages, until you found what you needed. Throwing some things into your leather pouch, you slipped out, boots stomping into the cold night, not stopping until you reached the mountain and began the long climb to the top, the same mountain you were on right now in the present.
Once there, you laid out everything you had collected back in your house. This magic didn't require anything specific, only the warmth of blood and true desperation. Yeosang watched you expertly snag some rabbits from the brush, painting faint, crimson stains across their small throats. “Forgive me.” You whispered as you did. You then took out a small blackened pot, and threw the blood along with turmeric, lavender, and silver dust. Wiping your bloody hands on your skirt.
As the brew began to boil, the steam rose, hot, forbidden. Yeosang could feel how it went through your lungs until your chest ached. You knew it was your only chance. If you failed tonight, there would be no tomorrow.
Under the moonlight, the broth began to boil over, the scent of what emanated from it running through your nose and filling your lungs, making your chest ache. You grabbed the bronze cup from the pouch, and dipped it into the searing liquid. You forced down the bitter, burning heat until the last drop was gone.
Then, you chanted.
The words were heavy, vibrating. When you finished, there was nothing but the sound of your own ragged breathing. Silence reigned. And you thought the summoning had failed.
Yeosang felt more and more empty as the memory ran through his own mind. He wanted to hold you, he wanted to know why he hadn´t been there when you searched for him.
Then, the wind struck like a physical blow. The fire beneath the pot died instantly, leaving everything in absolute darkness. And in that hollow silence, a low voice; cold and deep; spoke inside your mind. And now Yeosang could hear it too.
“Speak,” it commanded. “What is the favor you seek?”
Your mind went blank, tears were already falling. When you spoke, your voice cracked, faint and scared.
“Wise Gods.” You whispered into the void inside your head. “I ask you for just one thing. I love one man. Yet another, one who seems to hold power over me, plans to ruin my life and tear me from everything I hold dear. I ask that he feel the weight of the agony I carry. Let him suffer as I will suffer if his commands come true.”
You paused. Just for a heartbeat, you stopped to see if the gods were listening, your naivety leading you to believe they would wait for you to finish your thought.
That had been your mistake.
You had intended to ask for your father to feel the pain you were about to endure, so the merchant would go empty-handed. But the Gods do not understand hesitation. They took your silence as finality. Then a brutal coldness bloomed along your spine, a pressure so heavy it felt as though an invisible hand was pinning you.
‘It is done. So long as his bloodline wears the crown, the land he rules shall perish. Thirst and hunger shall be the legacy of his house.’
You snapped her eyes open.
You shook your head.
“What does that mean?” Yeosang saw you cry, searching the shadows for a shape, a sign, anything “Bloodline? No, that´s not what I wanted…” you cried and tried to reach for an invisible shape around. But you were alone in your own mind once more.
“I already have the King's approval, you have no say in this.”
That's what your father had said.
`So long as his bloodline wears the crown, the land he rules shall perish. Thirst and hunger shall be the legacy of his house.´
That´s what the Gods had promised.
You felt like choking on your own breathing. And Yeosang could feel it too.
‘“No… What have I done?...” you had whispered to the rising sun.
But this time no God answered.
Yeosang came back to the present moment with a choking breath. He looked for you, his vision blurred by the blood falling over his eyes, running down from his temple. Another dry blow to his head making him hit the icy ground.
You gasped, coughing up a spray of crimson that stained the pristine snow. Theon walked over you, his blonde hair glowing against the bright white sky, hand reaching down to grip your chin. “Such a beautiful broken thing. Now, you belong to the Southern Crown."
You grunted, ignoring him, eyes looking forward trying to spot Yeosang. Theon took a grey dagger from his belt, pressing it against your neck. He was consumed by his own cruelty that he didn't notice the shift in the air.
Yeosang didn't just break free; he exploded.
As the guards tightened their grip, Yeosang drove his elbows back with bone-shattering force, hitting both men in the ribs. He didn't reach for a sword. He launched himself at Theon with all his might.
The King noticed too late. Before he could plunge the dagger into you, Yeosang’s hand clamped around his wrist. The blonde scream echoed as his bones snapped under Yeosang’s grip. The dagger slipped from his fingers and Yeosang caught it mid air. With a roar, he pinned Theon’s throat with one hand, his face inches from the King's terrified, perfect features.
"This is for the Kingdom Halazia," Yeosang countered, his blade slowly pressing on the King´s throat. "And this is because you dared to touch her.” Theon's face turned pale and slick with sweat, blood shot eyes just as Yeosang twisted the blade and finished him.
He looked up to see the guards lunging for him, but before he could move to defend himself, you rose from the snow. A sharp incantation tore from your throat in a language Yeosang didn´t understand. The guards froze mid stride, their bodies locking in place before their necks snapped in a sickening, synchronized crack, maneuvered by an invisible hand.
That final attack drained the last of your strength, and your knees buckled. Yeosang caught you before you hit the ice, pulling you tightly into his arms. With trembling hands, he drew a clean handkerchief, his touch agonizingly gentle as he began to dab the blood from your lips and chin.
“We need to get to the altar, please, we are close to ending it.” you muttered, your voice nothing but a frail whisper.
“You´re too weak,”
“Yeosang, please, we need to go together. We break it, and then–”
“Then we go home.” His voice breaking. He could see it in your eyes already, the sorrow and the sacrifice. “Say it, we return to the Kingdom together.”
You threw your arms over his shoulders, burying your face in the crook of his neck. He lifted you up, carrying you the few steps left to reach the obsidian altar. You looked up at him, memorizing the shine in his eyes and the way his hair framed his face. "Yeosang," you breathed.
“Mmh?” He hums, carefully putting you down in front of the ash stain at your feet. Time avoided to erase the remnants of that faithful night.
"There is only one way the curse ends.”
“Tell me what I need to do.” When your eyes darkened, his smile faltered, a terrible realization crept in his gaze. "No. No, we found a way back. You said…"
You pulled him down into a kiss, deep, desperate from all the years of longing. It tasted of salt and the lavender of your youth, of your old life. In the heat of that embrace, his memory finally clicked into its final, perfect shape.
He saw himself that night. The night you couldn´t find him.
He saw himself riding back to the Village after a few days in the castle. But as he entered the shadow of the Wailing Trees, the path was blocked. He was then flanked by the merchant and five armored mercenaries.
He stopped, hand on his sword.
“Who are you?” He had asked, but the mercenaries wasted no time. They all lunged. They couldn't let him reach the village and let you find him. Yeosang fought like a lion, his blade a blur of silver in the dim forest light. He took down three, but he was exhausted from his journey and outnumbered.
A spear caught him in the side and he fell over the damp leaves. As he gasped for air, looking up at the twisted branches, the eerie hoot of an owl echoed through the woods. He tried to crawl, trying to reach for his sword, but the merchant stepped forward and drove a dagger into his chest, silencing him.
When he was back in the summit, embracing you tightly, he sobbed against your lips, your name finally crossing the bridge of his heart.
He said it once...
And again...
And again...
Your chest grew bigger, your heart racing at impossible speed. It felt warm, like his voice. Warm honey running through your throat, touching and making every part of you feel plenty.
Yeosang brushed his lips against your forehead, your cheekbones, your nose and finally your lips. You took his face and pressed into the kiss, softly and slowly. Smiling, with little strength you whispered your last spell, one that would help him regain his strength for the journey back.
“Did you try to hex me while we were kissing?” He smiled against your lips, his tears landing over your cheeks. You closed your eyes, and Yeosang could feel his heart shrinking. “I will never forget you. Never.”
"Thank you for remembering me," you finally whispered.
Your skin began to shimmer, turning into a deep, vibrant violet. Your fingers didn't feel like bone anymore; they felt like silk. Slowly, beautifully, you began to dissolve. You weren't breaking, you were blooming. From your feet upward, you turned into thousands of tiny, fragrant dry lavender leaves, swirling in the mountain breeze.
Yeosang reached out, but he was left holding only a pile of purple petals that settled into the snow. He cried silently, burying his face in the blossoms. There he saw the glimmer of something shining below the leaves. The silver band you wore all those years, the promise of the love you shared. The lavender leaves now in the place where the obsidian ash stood before.
But then, the air grew sweeter and thick with the scent of a summer meadow despite being clearly winter. He felt a sudden warmth inside.
Perhaps hope.
He stayed there for a long time, whispering your name into the flowers until his voice failed him.
Eventually, he had to go back down the mountain. When he reached the old village, he met the princess, standing beside Esme, who let out a low, mournful nicker as he approached.
Yeri´s sad and anxious eyes found him. And she felt incredibly hollow.
“Where is she?."
Yeosang smiled, but the princess noticed the sorrow over his eyes. “The curse is gone, we can go back home.” he mumbled. Then he turned to Esme, caressing the mare´s head. “She loved you so much. She saved you as well.”
Yeri's tears began to fall and they hugged for a while.
Yeosang let Yeri ride Shadow, and he mounted Esme, your mare´s grace embracing yours.
Together, they began the long ride back to a Kingdom that would never know cold or hungry, ever again.
@mingsolo please do not repost/translate to other sites.
Thanks for visiting! About my works (and me!) under the cut.
However, before we get to that:
First and Absolutely Foremost:
I am not here to interact with minors. Minors should not be viewing my works, my page, any of it. Period. If I find out that you are a minor interacting with my works, I will block you. Period. Minors do not belong in adult spaces.
If you do not have an age indicator on your blog, if your blog is totally blank (including no age), faceless blogs, will all be removed from my followers list and/or blocked.
I have been writing fic since the days of dial up AOL, and more recently (in 2019) began to write for an otome game fandom. Now I write reader POV k-pop fic, as much as I am able. :D
I cross post to AO3 and tumblr. At present, I am still working on moving everything from there to here, so please bear with me.
As hinted at, all of my works are reader POV. If you're here for some fine delusional nonsense, you've come to the right place!
Writing Networks I Belong To:
@kvanity-main
My AO3 Page
I write for Ateez, SKZ, XLOV, TXT. Soon to come: SVT, &Team, and more.
I do not currently take requests but hope to in the future. Please do not ask me to write something for you. While I would love to take requests, there are a number of factors which prevent me from doing so, and I ask that that be respected.
*unless otherwise noted, any dividers used are by @plum98*
About Me:
I am three owls in a trench coat. Fueled by coffee, caffeine, puns, and sarcasm. Healthcare worker by night, somewhat rabid (but in a fun way) and delusional creator of chaos the rest of the time (unless I'm taking a marathon nap).
I love to yap. If you also love to yap, especially about writing, please feel free to message me. We can yap at each other. (I am an extrovert and a Libra and this is your only warning.)
My posting can be a bit sporadic for reasons including but not limited to: my weird work schedule (yay 12 hour shifts), my nonexistent sleep schedule, how firm of a hold my current brain rot has on me, and a number of other factors besides. Please rest assured that I try to post as regularly as I am able, and I will give an update if a WIP has to go on hiatus for any reason.
I do not have a Ko-fi or anything of that sort. If you do enjoy my work and feel like you would like to contribute something in some way, please consider making a donation instead to the Dear Jack Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients, survivors, and their families. You can read more about Dear Jack here. (Just don't tell them you got sent in that direction by way of kpop smut. Thanks. (LMAO))
I deeply appreciate each and every like, reblog, comment, and message. I write for fun in my free time, and I am glad that the little ideas my brain cell concocts can entertain others as well. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for reading my works.
thanks for bearing with me. been a wacky month and some change. health shit, missed work, and a lot of time in bed, and none of that is preferable to writing. grunble.
that being said, chapter 11 is nearly done! i've also begun to imagine up some one shots for the interim before i dive back into another monstrosity of a chapter fic. no clue what's upcoming as i have a few different ideas, we'll see what strikes.
i hope you all are doing well, and that the new year is treating each of you with kindness. please take care of yourselves! more of Something Wild to come soon!
