"He lied."

"Are you certain?"

"Positive. Yeosang wouldn't have gotten a vision had Felix not been truly in danger. The assassination attempt was real – I just don't know why he's hiding it."

Hyunjin, Juyeon, and San all fell silent as they mulled over the events that had transpired earlier in the night. They were still quite shocked, not understanding how or why someone would want Felix dead – not only was he the Divine Heir, but he was also the sweetest soul around, so why?

(Ironically enough, they'd once again met by accident at the fountain in the middle of the gardens. They were more worried about Felix than about some petty grudges, which had led them to confide in one another once more.)

Well, of course, the changes he was trying to bring to life weren't going to be welcomed by all, but no one currently in the High Palace would actually wish him harm. The staff adored him, the representatives of each nation were all practically whipped for the boy already, and even the leaders had taken a liking to him.

Whoever wanted to kill Felix, it wasn't someone they knew.

"He probably figured that such conflict would put the financial project at risk," then remarked Juyeon. "He already had a hard time convincing the leaders to agree to it – an assassination attempt would obviously throw their tentative trust in jeopardy."

"There's too much bad blood between everyone for them to see clearly. That's probably why he decided to lie about what actually happened – he was probably afraid the suspicion would become uncontrollable, and more conflict would break out between all three factions," reasoned Hyunjin.

"Well, that's all well and good, but that means the real culprit is still out there, and very likely to try something again," scowled San. "By hiding the truth, Felix is leaving himself wide open for another attempt."

"Would your crewmate be able to tell if another attempt was to occur?" frowned Juyeon.

"There's no way of telling. Yeosang can't control his visions, they come and go as they please. We were lucky he happened to catch that one – we might not be as lucky next time, though."

"We can't leave him alone," stated firmly Hyunjin. "With what just happened, Sunmi will surely secretly employ a taster, so food shouldn't be a problem again. But there's been an... incident, that admittedly worries me."

"Incident?" repeated San, his scowl deepening.

"Mmm. A little over a week ago, Felix and I were putting away some weapons in the armory when one of the sword racks fell off the wall. I managed to pull Felix out of harm's way in time, but the blades would have surely skewered him on the spot. I didn't think of it as more than a freak accident at the time but, now..."

"I also saved his life, a little over a week ago. A strange noise scared the horses while we were out riding, and he almost got trampled. I couldn't explain why his horse had reacted so strongly at the time but, if this was actually another attempt—"

"Something happened with me, too." San gulped as dread spread in his gets like ice. "We were stargazing on the roof when one of the tiles got dislodged, and he tumbled over the ledge. I managed to- to catch him, and we didn't talk of it again, but I always thought it was strange..."

"Once is happenstance. Two is coincidence. But three? No, some sort of foul play is definitely at work," concluded Juyeon, even more worried than before, if possible. "Hyunjin is right, we can't leave him alone until we've figured this out."

The others nodded firmly. They didn't know who could possibly want to harm their little ball of precious sunshine, but they certainly weren't about to let them.

.

Felix tried his hardest to send off his parents with a smile. He'd hadn't been able to tell them the same lie he'd told the leaders, so reassuring them had been much harder, but they couldn't stay away from Helios any longer, and so they were forced to leave knowing their son's life might very well be in danger.

It was hard not to cry, Felix realized. He hadn't even noticed how much he'd missed them because of how much work he'd been taking on but, with the small reprieve of the festival, the blade of separation cut even deeper than the first time they'd said goodbye.

Trying his hardest to keep his emotions in check, Felix had locked himself up in his quarters all day, practically drowning himself in his paperwork in an attempt to take his mind off everything. He turned Sunmi away every time she tried to convince him to take a break, and he refused to touch any of the food she brought.

(As much as he trusted her, there was no denying that almost being poisoned had left quite the scar on him, and he couldn't shake off the fear he felt at the mere thought of consuming something which hadn't been prepared by his own hands.)

So, not only did Felix not sleep the night before, his frazzled mind coming up with thousands of different explanations or scenarios, but he also didn't eat or drink anything the following day, which he spent bent over his desk as he tried to focus on his paperwork, in vain.

'KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK'

"I told you to leave me alone, Sunmi!" snapped Felix, irritated.

"Well, good thing we're not Sunmi, huh?"

San's voice was the last thing he expected to hear. Startled, he looked up too quickly, and he let out a groan of pain as pain spread in his neck.

Crap, I shouldn't have stayed in this position for so long...

He was still trying to ease the burning pain spreading in his neck and shoulders when San entered, surprisingly accompanied by Juyeon and Hyunjin. Juyeon had a tray of food, San had a pitcher of what appeared to be water, and Hyunjin instantly got started on moving some of the paper piles aside so they could put everything down on the desk.

"What- what are you doing here?" asked Felix, wincing when he realized his neck was very much locked into place. "Ugh..."

"Here, let me."

While San and Juyeon started setting up what he guessed was a meal they expected him to eat, Hyunjin walked around the desk to come and stand behind him. His hands fell upon his shoulders, and Felix winced when his thumbs started pressing into his nape.

"Aish, so many knots," muttered Hyunjin, displeased. "Relax, little one – this'll take a little while."

"Why- why did you come here?" asked Felix, hissing between his teeth as Hyunjin started working out the kinks in his shoulders.

"Because we were worried about you – rightfully so, too," huffed San, pulling two extra chairs over so Juyeon and him could sit next to him. "Sunmi told us you haven't eaten anything or taken a single break today. That's not healthy, Felix."

"Shut up," grunted the boy, though there was no real bite to it. "I- I'm fine—ow."

He didn't say anything else, his face scrunching up in pain as Hyunjin kept on massaging him, slowly undoing the knots, and helping his neck unblock, too. The pain started slowly easing into warmth as his muscles slowly but surely relaxed and, without really noticing, he started slowly slumping in his chair in a boneless heap.

When Hyunjin finally pulled his magical fingers away, Felix felt exhausted.

"You should eat something, Felix," urged gently Juyeon, pushing the lukewarm plate of roasted pheasant closer.

"N- no, I'm okay. Not- not really hungry," he mumbled, pushing the plate aside to reach for another paper. "I have to work—"

"You have to breathe," corrected San, mercilessly taking the paper away. "Relax, take a break, eat some food and drink some water. The last thing we need or want is you collapsing because you didn't take care of yourself."

"Stop treating me like a petulant child," hissed Felix, sparing him a glare. "I do not need you or anyone else telling me what I can and can't do, damn it!"

As if on cue, his stomach grumbled loudly, his ignored hunger obviously stirred by the smell and sight of the food before him. With a faint whimper, Felix slumped over his desk, crossing his arms over it, and burying his face in them. He was breathing heavily, obviously trying to regain control over his emotions.

Hyunjin hummed softly, his fingers now gently carding through his hair. "It's alright, Felix. Chef Lee made the food himself, we watched him, and no one but us touched the food or the water. It's completely safe, I promise."

"I- I can't—"

"Please, Felix. We're worried about you," insisted softly Juyeon.

"... I'm so scared," admitted the boy, his voice barely a whisper. "I feel- I feel like everything I've been working so hard to achieve is crumbling down before it even started standing and- and now someone wants me dead, the nations are divided by distrust again, and any- any progress we made was completely ruined—"

"That's not true," quickly assured San, grabbing one of his hands and squeezing it tightly. "What happened yesterday was just a minor setback, all progress made was not lost. It just feels more intimidating because everything came crashing down at once, and you haven't taken the time to properly process all of it."

"We won't let any harm befall you, Felix," swore firmly Juyeon. "Whoever this assassin is, we won't let them hurt you. Please, trust us to keep you safe."

"I- I do," he choked out, slowly raising his head to look at them. "I trust you, please, never doubt that—"

"Then relax," murmured Hyunjin, pressing a kiss to his temple. "We're here, now."

Felix let out a shuddering breath, and slowly nodded, the last of his defenses crumbling in face of their determination. A few stray tears fell as he took a first bite, obviously overwhelmed by every feeling he'd been trying to ignore up until now, but none of the suitors said anything, Juyeon simply reaching out with a tissue to gently wipe them away before they could dry.

Felix ate half of his plate and drank two full glasses of water before growing too exhausted to ingest anything more. He felt drowsy, his sleepless night from before and the general mental exhaustion quickly catching up to him now that he'd stop overworking his brain with his ruling duties.

Juyeon took it upon himself to clean up his desk and reorganize the messy piles so he'd have an easier time working tomorrow. In the meantime, San and Hyunjin took Felix back to his room to help him settle in for the night. While San carefully checked every single window, door, and other potential point of entry to ensure no one could get in from the outside, Hyunjin helped Felix change in more suitable wear for the night.

As he finally tucked Felix in, the freckled boy reached out and latched onto his hand. He was struggling to keep his eyes open as he gazed up at the General, a pleading, almost desperate strength in his hold.

"Don't- don't leave..." he whispered, practically begging.

Surprised, Hyunjin then offered him a soft smile, gently tucking some strands of hair out of Felix's face. "I won't. Rest peacefully, little one – we'll keep you safe from the shadows."

With a soft hum, Felix's eyes finally shut and, soon enough, his breathing evened out as sleep finally overtook him. Hyunjin gazed at his slightly scrunched-up expression with a frown – even asleep, Felix couldn't seem to find peace, and it pained him.

"Will you be staying the night?" asked San, having finished his check-up.

"He asked me to. And... I wouldn't rest at ease knowing he's alone here. Even if we meticulously check every single corner..."

"We can't have more guards stationed outside – not when we don't know who we can trust, and not if Felix wants to keep up with his facade." They both turned to glance at Juyeon, who was now leaning against the doorway. "Stay here for tonight, Hyunjin. Tomorrow, we'll discuss the matter further with him."

Hyunjin nodded in agreement, and the other two bid him goodnight before taking their leave. The tension in his shoulders lessened a little bit when he heard the locks of the room and the quarters click into place one after the other, and then reported his attention to Felix.

He truly looks like an angel...

Shaking his head, Hyunjin rose from the bed to go and fetch the chair in the corner. Picking it up, he carried it back to the bed and placed it right next to it, where he quickly settled down. Although Felix had asked him to stay the night, he hadn't said anything about sharing a bed, and Hyunjin didn't want to overstep any boundary.

(Though, he certainly wasn't about to complain about getting to spend the night in the same room as Felix. He'd happily sleep on the floor for the rest of his life if it meant waking up by Felix's side.)

.

When Felix woke up the next morning, he was mortified to find Hyunjin sleeping on a chair in a visibly uncomfortable position.

"Why didn't you wake me?" he protested, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I would have—"

"You would have what? Let me share your bed?" replied Hyunjin, smirking a bit.

"It- it would have been more comfortable! Get your mind out of the gutter!"

"The gutter? Why, I didn't say anything. From your words, you're the one thinking not-so-purely, Your Highness," teased the General, leaning in some more.

"I- I...!"

A soft gasp escaped the prince when he lost his balance while trying to back away and fell backward, his head hitting the pillow. Swiftly, Hyunjin moved from the chair and loomed over him, a knee pressing against the edge of the mattress and his hands pressing down on each side of Felix's head, effectively caging him in.

The prince's breath stuttered at their sudden proximity, the blush growing deeper—

"RISE AND SHINE, LOVELIES!"

As quickly as he'd moved before, Hyunjin rose to his feet the moment the door swung open following San's loud voice. The Second Mate waltzed in as if he owned the place, his sharp eyes taking in Felix's slightly flushed expression, and then the barely perceptible scowl adorning Hyunjin's lips, and he smirked.

"Oh? I hope I didn't interrupt anything," he mused, lying through his teeth – he did, in fact, hope he'd interrupted whatever scheme Hyunjin had cooked up.

"Don't be so loud so early in the morning," scolded Juyeon, also entering the room, and carrying a tray of food. "It's disagreeable for everyone."

"Sorry, force of habit," shrugged San, plopping down in the chair Hyunjin had been using earlier. "My crewmates are impossible to wake up."

"Good morning, San, Juyeon," greeted Felix before they could start bickering, hoping the change of subject would make his blush go away faster. "What brings all of you here this morning?"

At that, a slightly more solemn air fell over the room and, after exchanging knowing glances, his three suitors seemed to come to a silent agreement. Hyunjin extended his hand to him to help him out of bed.

"Come – we have much to discuss."

.

"So, you believe these incidents were actually more attempts on my life?"

"There are too many coincidences. Every single incident was a very close call, and you could have been seriously injured, or worse," reasoned Juyeon.

Felix nodded, gulping a little. He hadn't thought much of the incidents, frankly, a tad too busy thinking about what had occurred after – his interactions with his respective suitors, that is. Thinking back, however, it was true that all of these incidents were a little too strange to be written off as mere accidents.

How had the rack of swords fallen? What noise startled the horses? Why did the tile got dislodged so suddenly when it hadn't shown any weakness before? And then, of course, there was the literal attempt at making him drink poison.

No, he definitely couldn't be as careless anymore – someone was after his head.

"Still... We surely would have noticed if someone was actively trying to... kill me," he then pointed out, swallowing back the bile rising in his throat. "Hyunjin and I were alone in the armory. Juyeon and I were alone outside. And San and I were alone on the roof. Wouldn't we have noticed if someone else had been around?"

"Not if it was a magic user," pointed out San, clicking his tongue in annoyance. "It would surely make things easier if they could manipulate objects from a distance."

"But then, why not simply send a dagger flying right at my head? Why go through the trouble of making it look like an accident? Why—"

"Felix, please, calm down," murmured Hyunjin, grabbing his hand and squeezing it in an attempt to comfort him. "There is no way of knowing how or why until we have caught whoever's behind it, and worrying over such matters would be pointless."

"Just focus on going on with your duties as you please. If you don't want the rest of our factions to know the truth about the assassination attempt, then you must go about your day as you would normally," instructed San.

"We'll try to clear the air on our respective sides," assured Juyeon. "We'll keep an eye on our people and ensure no additional issues add to your workload."

"The Captain and my crew already know you lied, but I'll try talking some sense into them – most of them shouldn't have any trouble keeping an eye out and leading a quiet investigation amongst the staff," suggested San.

"You can count on us to keep you safe," promised Hyunjin, offering him a small smile. "Everything is going to be okay, Felix."

The freckled prince was quite surprised by the amount of thought they'd already put into the situation. He was also relieved, though – it looked like he wouldn't be forced to rely on only himself, as he'd initially believed, and the thought took a weight off his shoulders.

Knowing this, Felix could only smile.

"Thank you. I'll be counting on you, then."

.

It didn't take long to work out yet another schedule with Sunmi's precious help. It was decided that the four of them would share breakfast every morning, and Felix would keep on visiting a different party for lunch every day. His afternoons would be split between work and time spent with his suitors separately, and he would only have dinner in the banquet hall every two days – every other evening, he would dine with the leaders in a private setting to discuss the financial project further, or he would share another meal with his suitors.

(They made it so everyone knew about the extra time the four of them spent together, in an attempt to lessen the tension between all three nations further – if the suitors could get along, surely the representatives could, too.)

Finally, it was decided that Felix would start sharing his room with a suitor every night – Felix couldn't sleep unless one of them was in the room, and the three of them couldn't rest at ease knowing he was alone and, as such, an easy target. So, they had quickly figured out a schedule of their own for the night and, a tad bashfully, Felix had volunteered to share his bed with whoever spent the night – it was big enough to fit at least five people anyway, so it's not like they'd have to get too close.

With all of that decided, life then slowly trickled back to its normal flow.

.

Only a little under a month was left before Felix would be asked to make his decision regarding who would become his consort, and to say he was at a loss as to what to do would be a serious understatement.

First, there was Hyunjin – under his beautiful features hid a startling strength, and an unwavering determination. He was graceful, powerful, the embodiment of the perfect Miroh warrior – and, at the same time, the complete opposite. Because underneath appearances, Felix had uncovered a soft and gentle soul, one who'd rather wield his swords to defend someone than to kill.

Second, there was Juyeon – handsome, elegant, the very definition of nobility. Despite their slightly rocky start, he proved to be someone quite open-minded, willing to acknowledge his ignorance and learn from his mistakes. He was, in Felix's humble opinion, what any royal or noble should be – someone kind, maybe a bit stubborn, but ultimately capable of making the right decisions.

Third, there was San – hot, a tad brash, and the one most open about his personal opinions. He talked without much care for politics or appearances, and Felix genuinely appreciated his honesty. He was also a passionate man, an unbridled spirit – the kind of person who could make important decisions in the nick of time, and who'd rather live life on the edge than live sheltered from the unknown.

Each of them had different qualities and flaws, but Felix found himself liking all of it, the good and bad alike. He liked Hyunjin's soft smiles and loud laughs, he liked Juyeon's mix of awkward eagerness and strong confidence, he liked joking around with San but also their more serious talks. He liked Hyunjin's dramatic antics, Juyeon's poet-like flirting attempts, San's forwardness. He liked training with Hyunjin, riding with Juyeon, stargazing with San.

He liked all of it – he liked all of them.

Well, that's going to be a problem, isn't it?

Felix had had a few partners in the past before eventually figuring out that he liked men better, and he certainly wasn't a virgin. Despite his experience in the romantic field, however, he always felt like his three suitors made him start all over again – as if he was discovering what attraction and love was for the first time.

He... didn't know what to do. Each day passing was a day closer to when he would ultimately have to make his decision, but it was also another day filled with Hyunjin's tender smiles, Juyeon's careful attentions, San's teasing touches. It was another day of discovering more about his suitors, and then falling even harder for all three of them.

They weren't making it easy on him, either. It was as if they'd doubled their efforts in courting him, becoming increasingly more honest about their respective feelings and expectations. Hyunjin had started hugging him and kissing his temple whenever he was around, San was a bit bolder and had pulled him to sit onto his lap more than once and, while not as forward as the other two, Juyeon had taken to holding his hand more often than not.

He was being greedy, he knew that much, but he couldn't help it. How was he meant to choose when all three of them made him feel so safe and cared for? He knew their affection for him was genuine, he could see it in their eyes, and the thought of ultimately breaking two hearts along with his own by choosing only one haunted him.

He didn't want to lose any of them. Most importantly, he didn't want any of them to resent him when came the time of making his decision.

What a fucking mess...

The doors of his quarters suddenly swung open and, as if on cue, one of the three people constantly occupying his mind made his appearance.

"Felix!"

"Hello, Hyunjin," he chuckled, smiling at the mere presence of the General – and wow, okay, he really was whipped. "I'm not late for our training, am I?"

"No, but I figured I would fetch you so we could go together," replied the long-haired man, beaming. "And finishing early wouldn't hurt, anyway – I know you've stayed up late again yesterday to work."

"Aish, San is such a tattletale," huffed Felix, good-heartedly.

He didn't put up a fight or tried to protest, though – he knew when to pick his battles, and all three of his suitors could prove to be quite stubborn when it came to him taking breaks from his paperwork. Abandoning his countless papers for now, Felix went to get changed into some more suitable attire for training, then joined Hyunjin. He laughed a bit when the General offered him his arm like a gentleman, both aware that he was going to be kicking him into the dirt not an hour later.

Walking outside, they immediately headed for the training field, which had been cleared out at their request – he wanted one-on-one time with Hyunjin, and training with others would defeat the purpose of that. Plus, he wasn't exactly fond of the idea of other people witnessing how bad he actually was at fighting.

Felix immediately started warming up, aware that he'd need it. He couldn't help but steal glances every time Hyunjin wasn't paying attention, taking in the graceful movements and the shifting of his lean muscles. He was—

"Like what you see, Your Highness?"

Okay, so maybe Felix wasn't as subtle as he thought. Flushing, he quickly averted his eyes and started focusing on his own warm-up, while Hyunjin let out a loud laugh, obviously taking great pleasure in his embarrassment. Once done warming up, Felix went to pick up his staff, and Hyunjin decided to forgo his usual twin swords to also grab a bo staff, so they could work from Felix's level for a bit before moving on to actual sparing.

"Alright, let's start from where we left off. Right foot up, left foot back..."

.

"Again!"

"Felix—"

"One more time! Please!"

Felix was determined – today was the day he was going to beat Hyunjin. No matter how much he was sweating and how much his lungs burned for air, he had a good feeling about today, and he wouldn't stop until he finally managed to disarm the General.

Hyunjin heaved out a sigh, but nodded in agreement anyway, taking position. He was obviously going to finish this off quickly so they could put an end to their session, but Felix was banking on that eagerness to serve as an opening.

After a moment of staring, Hyunjin pounced. Without hesitation, Felix also started running forward and decided to use a move San had taught him – planting the end of his staff into the ground, he used it to propel himself forward and kick Hyunjin in the stomach, effectively making him skid back.

The cloud of dust that followed was enough of a cover for Felix to make his next move. He ran up to Hyunjin, but the man had sharply honed instincts, and he'd already raised proper defense. So, making a last-minute decision, Felix let out a sharp cry, letting a knee hit the ground as he held his stomach with one arm.

"Felix!" Hyunjin instantly dropped his swords, coming to crouch beside him. "Are you alright? I told you not to push yourself—oof!"

Without wasting a second, Felix grabbed his arm and pulled, making him fall on the ground. Swinging a leg over him to straddle his waist, Felix brought down his staff and pressed it down on Hyunjin's throat, effectively caging him in – a single wrong move, and Felix could crush his windpipe if he wanted to.

"Give," he ordered, his lips twitching in a victorious smirk.

"Give? But I have you at a disadvantage."

"What? No, you—whoa!"

He'd been momentarily distracted by his unexpected answer, and that was enough for Hyunjin to reverse their positions. Taking hold of the staff, he pushed and used his body at the same time to flip them over. Felix was now the one on the ground, with the staff against his throat and his hands holding onto it tightly in an attempt to push it off.

"That would have worked – had I not been stronger and heavier than you," stated Hyunjin, panting a little. "You'd be better off knocking out your opponent."

"I- I see. Let me up?"

"Not until you give."

Felix scowled a bit and tried to do the same thing Hyunjin did. Unfortunately, as said, the General was physically stronger and heavier than him, so all he managed to do was squirm around for a bit, and ultimately waste the last of his energy. Panting harshly, he finally stopped struggling, letting his head lay on the ground.

"Damn it... Fine, I give."

Still, Hyunjin didn't move. Felix opened his eyes, confused, and his throat instantly went dry as he noticed their sudden proximity. He could see the sweat glistening beautifully over his tanned skin, almost sparkling... and the want in his eyes. Felix instinctively licked his lips, the heat in his chest rising as he noticed Hyunjin's eyes follow the movement with palpable intensity.

"Hyunjin..."

"Felix... May I?"

Without really thinking, Felix nodded. Hyunjin slowly crossed what little distance was left between them, his lips soon pressing against Felix's, and the freckled boy found himself instantly melting into the sweet embrace. It was brief, but one kiss wasn't enough to quench their sudden need, and it was soon followed by a second, and a third, and so on and so forth.

The Bo staff had been discarded at some point, but neither of them bothered with getting up, Hyunjin's hands now resting on Felix's hips and tightening the slightest bit as the freckled prince let out a soft, breathless moan under his ministrations. They were both out of breath, tired out and dirty from their training session, but now that they'd started, they couldn't bring themselves to stop.

It almost felt like Felix was growing even smaller, now stuck underneath him, and Hyunjin let out a small growl as he realized just how easy it was to manhandle him. If he squeezed tightly enough, he could almost feel his fingers touching in his back—

"Hey guys, we're—oh, shit! Sorry!"

"Well, that's hot."

"Minho!"

"What?"

Hyunjin heaved out a sigh, before pushing himself up – there was no way they were continuing when his stupid friends were around to watch. Felix was visibly flustered, unable to look at the pair at all, and squeaked out a quick "goodbye!" before taking his leave, practically running back inside.

Displeased, Hyunjin glared at Jisung. "I'm going to skin you."

"No, wait! I didn't mean to interrupt!!! Minho, tell him!"

Minho simply shrugged again, smirking. "What can I say? Nice view."

Hyunjin's eye twitched. "I stand corrected – I'm going to skin you both."

.

The following day, they'd gone out all four of them together into the forest. Felix wanted to check up on the bear cubs, and Juyeon and San were curious about what Hyunjin and him always did in the forest, so he simply decided to go with everyone.

(The kiss with Hyunjin had not been forgotten – in fact, it was pretty much all Felix could think about and, from the looks and smug grins Hyunjin constantly threw him as they walked, he felt the same way.)

They played with the bear cubs for a little while, and Felix was delighted to find that they were becoming more and more independent. They weren't scared to go off exploring on their own, and they didn't cling to him and Hyunjin as much – and like yeah, he was a little saddened by that, but it was a sign that they were growing properly, so he couldn't really complain.

After sharing some late afternoon snacks, they decided to go on a walk to stretch their legs and use the cover of the thick foliage to hide a bit from the harsh sun. As they walked, Felix was pleased to see them all interact together – contrarily to their leaders, they didn't need Felix's involvement to talk to each other.

At some point, they reached a small river. Felix was delighted, instantly kicking off his shoes to go and refresh himself. He let out a gasp when the water reached a little over his ankles, colder than expected, but he enjoyed it nonetheless, and started advancing further, uncaring of how his trousers were becoming completely soaked. He stopped in the middle, where the water reached just above his waist. The current wasn't strong at all, and the water was sparkling under the sun. He spun around, eager to invite the others to join him and enjoy the fresh water.

"Come on, there's—"

He cut himself off, flushing a deep as he belatedly realized that all three of them had taken off their shirts. A strangled noise escaped him as he tried to quickly turn around again, but his foot slipped and, with an ungraceful squawk, he slipped underwater.

He promptly returned to the surface, shaking his head to get rid of the water now dripping from his hair and spluttering a little.

"Felix! Are you alright?" called Juyeon, quirking a brow.

"I- I'm fine!" he croaked out. "Sorry about that!"

While his sudden dive did help him cool down a bit, a blush started creeping up on his neck and shoulders again as he took in the sight of the three well-built bodies before him. Flustered, he decided to take another plunge – now that he was completely soaked, he didn't see any reason to hold back.

Barely a few seconds later, though, strong hands slipped underneath his arms and pulled him back up. He started coughing as his head pierced the surface, and it took him a moment to realize it was Hyunjin now lifting him up. They stared at each other for a moment, Hyunjin's eyes widening slightly before he burst out laughing.

"W- what? Why are you laughing?" protested Felix, kicking his legs a bit.

"You look like a drenched kitten," laughed Hyunjin, his eyes pulling up in crescents as he grinned up at Felix. "Any particular reason you were trying to disappear underwater, Your Highness?"

Hyunjin only called him that when he knew Felix was flustered, which honestly didn't help his current state. He started wriggling in his grasp, trying to get down, but Hyunjin once again showed that he was much stronger than he looked by simply lifting him a little higher, quirking a brow as he obviously expected an answer.

"I was just enjoying the water," huffed Felix, half-glaring. "You should too!"

With a powerful kick, he managed to splash Hyunjin right in the face. Hyunjin dropped him, startled and spluttering a bit and, when Felix looked at him again, he found his long silvery hair now completely drenched and flopping ungracefully over his face.

It was so unlike Hyunjin's usually well-kept appearance, he couldn't help but laugh.

"Yah!" exclaimed Hyunjin, trying to shove his long, soaked hair out of his face – in vain.

Still laughing, Felix decided to use that opportunity to escape. He barely managed to make it a few meters before he literally ran into none other than San, who grinned down at him.

"Going somewhere, sunshine?"

Without thinking, Felix splashed him in the face, hoping it'd have the same effect it did on Hyunjin – what he hadn't accounted for was that San was used to water blinding him, and so he wasn't bothered by his feeble attempt at a distraction in the slightest. With a menacing grin, he started advancing toward him, arms spread.

"No, wait, I'm sorry—San! Put me down!!!"

Felix started kicking a bit, half-laughing, and half-pleading, as San tightened his hold around his face. He could feel the pirate's warm skin and defined muscles against his back, which definitely made him struggle harder – but then, without warning, San let himself fall backward, dragging Felix under with him.

When Felix broke the surface again, panting, he was surprised to find a hand extended to him in a show of mercy. He flashed a grateful smile at Juyeon, pointedly not looking at his defined chest, and took his hand. The moment the red-haired prince tightened his grip on Felix's wrist instead, though, the freckled boy realized his mistake.

"Wait, Juyeon, don't—!"

He was thrown back into the water before he could even finish his sentence, effectively swallowing another load of water. By the time he came back up, wheezing and spitting out the water, he could hear Juyeon's booming laugh, Hyunjin's loud protests, and San's taunting voice.

"You traitor!" spluttered out Felix, playfully glaring at Juyeon. "I trusted you!"

"Your mistake, Your Highness," retorted Juyeon, grinning from ear to ear.

They were momentarily distracted by Hyunjin's inhuman screech as, with a victorious shout, San managed to push him under. With vengeance in his heart, Felix forgot about them and started repeatedly splashing Juyeon with as much strength as he could muster. Then, with a yell, he jumped onto his back and started trying to make him fall, too.

Keyword: trying.

With a startled yelp, he soon found himself in the water again, with Juyeon and San laughing at him. Clicking his tongue, he exchanged a look with a disgruntled Hyunjin, and they instantly exchanged knowing smiles.

Not wasting any time, Felix waded over to Hyunjin, and he let out a delighted squeal when the General plunged, passing between his legs before rising again – which led to Felix now sitting on his shoulders with rather precarious balance. Immediately understanding what they were up to, San quickly found himself in a similar position on Juyeon's shoulders.

With matching war cries, the two pairs started wrestling to try and shove each other back into the river. Felix wasn't very strong physically, but Juyeon was more unsteady than Hyunjin, so it was a fairly balanced match. Eventually, Felix managed to push San while he was losing his balance, and his two opponents toppled back into the water.

After that, it was pretty much a merciless free-for-all where no alliance lasted for long, and where all of them drank more river water than what was probably healthy – all in all, they all had quite an entertaining and enjoyable afternoon.

.

"Here are the papers for Fifth Town, Felix."

As Felix had learned, the towns and villages on the neutral territory did not, in fact, have names. They were simply identified with their respective distance from the palace, First Town being the closest and where Jae lived, and Fifth Town being the furthest, and the last one on the map, too.

"Thank you, Juyeon," sighed Felix, rubbing his temples a little. "You can leave those on the corner, I'll take a look once I'm done with this stupid list of decrees..."

As it turned out, the list of past decrees Felix had asked for many weeks back had just been completed, for the simple reason that there were thousands of decrees made over the past few centuries. There had been many, many Rulers before, after all, and pretty much all of them had been as exuberant and ridiculous as Felix's direct predecessor.

In other words, pretty much all of the decrees were absolute bullshit – and, while not all of them were in effect anymore, or had been forgotten, or had been countered by other decrees, Felix needed to go through all of them and officially terminate some, modify others, and even make a few of his own.

It was tiring work, and Felix wasn't anywhere near done.

"You should take a nap, Felix," suggested Juyeon, squeezing his shoulder. "You won't get anywhere if you can't focus properly."

"Ugh, I hate stopping when I'm not finished..."

But Felix couldn't deny that he was practically falling asleep at his desk at that point, the words blurring together and his hand trembling slightly, cramping up every few seconds or so. So, with Juyeon's gentle nudges, he got up and went to lay down on the couch – not the bed, he didn't want to get too comfortable either.

"Wake me up in an hour?"

"I promise. Rest well, Felix."

Grumbling an inaudible answer, Felix closed his eyes and let himself get swept away by his exhaustion.

.

As promised, Juyeon woke him up an hour later. Felix was still quite tired but, once he shook off the initial drowsiness, he already felt miles better than before, and reenergized enough to deal with the paperwork again. Taking his seat, though, he instantly noticed that something was amiss. Before he could say anything about the red notes he did not make on the papers, Juyeon joined him again, leaning against his chair and his warmth spreading to Felix's back as he picked up a few papers.

"I took the liberty of going over the papers you've already checked, and I've noticed quite a few inaccuracies. For example, if you look at this decree, you'll notice that the way it is worded isn't properly countered by that other decree you marked down over there..."

Juyeon kept on explaining for a little while, and Felix listened with rapt attention, both impressed and intimidated. While he, too, had been raised as a prince, he'd never had to deal with that kind of stuff before. He clearly wasn't as experienced as Juyeon in terms of laws and royal decrees, and it made him realize that he had surely made many other mistakes on the other papers he'd already filled.

"Ugh..." he groaned, letting his head hit the desk in defeat.

"If I may... I'm quite knowledgeable about the more bureaucratic aspect of ruling," remarked Juyeon. "I could help you, if you'd wish."

"It's a lot of work, Juyeon," protested Felix. "Surely you would rather spend your time otherwise. It's quite tedious and boring, it's—"

"Actually I... enjoy it," admitted Juyeon, looking a tad embarrassed. "It fits my perfectionist urges, or so Sangyeon once told me. In any case, it truly wouldn't be a problem for me to lend you a hand."

Now hopeful, Felix finally lifted his head to look at him. "Really?"

"Really."

"Oh gods, I think I could kiss you right now," he groaned, relief and gratefulness filling his chest.

He hadn't thought twice before the words left his mouth, and it took a few seconds of silence to realize what he'd just said. Since Juyeon failed to answer, he hesitantly glanced back at Juyeon again, and found the red-haired man already staring intently at him.

"... may I?"

"Yes," he breathed out without really thinking.

Juyeon was hesitant at first, his lips pressing gently against Felix's. Once the freckled prince replied with a pressure of his own, however, it was as if a switch had been flipped in his mind – he pushed the chair back so he could loom over Felix instead, one of his knees resting on the satin seat, his left hand braced against the wooden edge of the backrest, and his right hand now gripping Felix's chin to deepen the kiss.

Felix's arms instinctively found their way around Juyeon's neck, pulling him in some more, and he gasped as he hit the backrest, realizing he was completely caged in. The red-haired prince used that opportunity to swipe his tongue inside, bringing them even closer, and an appreciative noise escaped Felix as he tasted the peach wine he'd gotten used to drinking when in company of the Bloom party.

He tried to spread his legs to give Juyeon's knee more room but ended up roughly bumping his leg against the edge of his desk. He hissed in pain, Juyeon instantly pulling away with worry evident in his eyes, but it was quickly forgotten as he noticed the bottle of ink that had toppled over following's Felix's clumsy move.

"Oh, crap! The papers!" cursed Felix, quickly gathering what he could save.

Thankfully, there hadn't been much ink left in the bottle, so the damage was minimal. Heaving out a sigh of relief, he then glanced back shyly at Juyeon, who smiled softly... but then his smile started twitching, as if he was trying to hold back a laugh.

Felix narrowed his eyes, suspicious. "What?"

"Nothing."

"You're lying. What is it?"

"You have... a little something. Here. And there, too."

Frowning, Felix promptly got up and rushed to his room, where he knew a full-body mirror was hanging to the wall. As soon as he saw his reflection, he cussed again – there was ink smeared all over his forehead, and some had splattered on his nose and his cheeks, too.

He instantly ran out of the room again, running up to the desk as if it was the culprit behind his misery.

"How did that even happen?" he whined.

"I think you flicked some in your face when picking up the papers."

"How!?"

"Oh, like that."

Felix stayed frozen for a moment as Juyeon unceremoniously used a paper to flick even more ink in his face. He spluttered for a bit and, unable to hold it in any longer, Juyeon burst out laughing.

"Why, you...! Come here!"

Needless to say, Felix and Juyeon did not get more work down that day.

.

"Look, look!"

"It's Prince Felix!"

"Oh, isn't that Prince Juyeon too?"

"Ah! Those are all his suitors! I remember them from the festival!"

Felix couldn't but chuckle a bit at the awed exclamations the children at the entrance of First Town let out, gawking at them, and happily running around their horses. It had been a while since he'd come visit in person and, while Juyeon volunteering to accompany him had been expected, Hyunjin and San showing interest had surprised him, in a good way.

San had elected on riding with Hyunjin, since he still wasn't exactly fond of horses, and Felix and Juyeon had taken Stray and Clover. The four of them had then made their way to First Town at a leisure pace, enjoying the nice weather and the time away from the High Palace, where tensions still ran a little high despite their best efforts.

Leaving their horses to the good care of the stablemen, the four of them briefly split up – Felix needed to meet up with Jae and Tzuyu to congratulate them on their newly announced engagement, and Juyeon had volunteered to show San and Hyunjin around, since they'd never been there before.

After visiting the couple along with a few other people he'd befriended during his frequent visits, Felix eventually found his way to the center of the town, where he'd agreed to meet up with the others. Upon arriving, he was pleasantly surprised to find all of them occupied.

Hyunjin had brought the fur of the bear he'd killed so many weeks ago. Instead of keeping it to make a coat for himself, he'd decided to use it to make mittens, for the children, and he was now busying himself with handing them out and fitting them – Felix was surprised, but Hyunjin could apparently sew as well as he could fight.

San had taken to teaching some sort of ball game to a bunch of older children. They looked like they were having a lot of fun, and Felix couldn't help but laugh as he watched San's overdramatic failure at stopping the ball from getting into the goal.

Finally, it took him a minute, but he managed to spot Juyeon, too. The red-haired man had shed his fancy coat, rolled up his sleeves, and was now helping one of the numerous civilians repair the roof of one of the surrounding buildings. He'd gotten quite apt at this kind of job since he accompanied Felix often and was always eager to make himself useful, and Felix couldn't deny that his willingness to help was quite attractive.

(And maybe he flushed just a little as he watched San and Hyunjin interact with the children, the thought of how they'd make good fathers filling his head with all sorts of adorable scenarios that he did not need to imagine.)

After a few more minutes of silently observing them from the sidelines, he finally decided to join in on the fun. Quickly fetching the two baskets he'd brought along, he then walked into the open space with a grin.

"Hey, everyone!" he called cheerfully, lifting the baskets. "Who wants cookies?"

All the children instantly abandoned the others to run up to him, and even the civilians around decided to take a break from building and repairing to enjoy the snacks. Felix couldn't help but laugh when Hyunjin, Juyeon, and San also joined the line, but still gave them a cookie each for their efforts.

.

When Felix still couldn't go to sleep despite how exhausting his days were, San would take him out stargazing in the gardens. Neither of them had returned on the roof, both a little too paranoid after what had happened last time and knowing it hadn't been an accident, but the gardens worked nicely enough.

They'd found a spot of soft grass where, when lying down, they couldn't see the walls of the High Palace at all, and they could almost believe they were back on the roof again.

And tonight was such a night.

"... were you serious? When you told me we should run away together, that time."

"I was," assured San without missing a beat. "Why? Reconsidering my offer?"

"No. It's just nice to dream, I guess. I've started reading your logbook, and I guess it simply got to me a little bit – makes me wish I had this kind of stories to share, too."

San turned on his side to face him and, curious as to what he was about to say, Felix did the same. He was a bit taken aback by the amount of emotions swirling in his dark eyes.

"You're writing your own story right here, right now. A foreign prince courted by three extremely handsome men with a layer of mystery and suspense added by an unknown assassin? I'd read that kind of story any time," replied jokingly the older. He then sobered up a bit. "Don't doubt the worth of what you're accomplishing now."

Felix couldn't help but chuckle slightly at that. "Well, when you put it that way..."

It was true that life in the High Palace had been the most entertaining time of his life, in a sense. He was always busy, always needed to do something or go somewhere, his attention in high demand and his work never-ending. Even without the whole assassin business, his new life as the Divine Heir was far from boring – even if, most of the time, the paperwork could get quite tiring to deal with.

"But you know... if you can't run away with me—"

Felix let out a startled gasp as, without warning, San swung a leg over his body and used it to bring him closer, his arms circling his waist and pulling him until their chests were almost pressed flushed together. Felix instinctively pressed his hands against him, his eyes going comically wide as their noses brushed together.

"—maybe I could steal you away instead."

Felix gulped. San looked so serious in that moment, he suddenly realized that, if he gave him the word, then he would do exactly that without a second of hesitation – kidnap the Divine Heir, anger all nations, and become a target on the run for the rest of his life.

The sheer implications of such a level of dedication almost scared him – but, at the same time, it only made his heart flutter harder.

"San..." His throat felt dry, his words barely a whisper. "I..."

"Can I kiss you?"

"Please..."

His breathy answer was all San needed and, contrarily to the other two, he didn't hesitate nor was he slow about it. In barely a second, Felix found himself swept away by the unpredictable storm that was San, and he enjoyed every second of it. He wrapped his arms around San's neck, pulling them even closer, and a pleased groan escaped him when the pirate moved his leg between his, anchoring them together and creating a pleasant friction that sent shivers up his spine.

San became a little rougher, a little more demanding – and Felix was all too happy to give him everything he wanted. He carded his fingers through San's hair, his loose hold turning into a firmer grip as San began leaving open-mouthed kisses up his jaw, and then all the way down his throat, his breath quickening as his suitor let out a pleased grown from the rougher treatment, which reverberated pleasantly against his sensitive skin.

Just as San lifted his head again to catch Felix's lips into another kiss, however, Felix... yawned. Like, opened his mouth wide and yawned so widely, tears beaded in the corners of his eyes. After that, the pair stared at each other for a moment, stunned, before Felix let out a whine and hid his face in San's chest, embarrassed.

"Well. I never had that kind of reaction before," he admitted, blinking dumbly into space.

"I'm so sorry!" whined Felix, flushing an even deeper red than before.

San couldn't help but laugh at that, pressing a kiss on the top of his head instead.

"It's alright, little flower – but I think that's a clear sign that it's time to put you to bed, wouldn't you agree?"

"Wait, don't—damn it!"

San laughed once more as Felix instinctively clutched onto his shirt the moment he rose to his feet, easily picking him up. Then, in a fashion similar to that time Felix had fallen from the roof, the Second Mate carried him back inside bridal style, completely uncaring of the boy's halfhearted protests and the guards they might cross paths with on the way back to the Ruler's quarters.

.

"I'm telling you, that's the Boar constellation, and that's the Fish one."

"That doesn't make any sense! Just last night, you were saying the contrary!"

"No, you just weren't paying attention!"

"You both have it wrong, anyway – that would be the Stag, and the other is the Mouse."

"Aah? No, it definitely looks like the Boar!"

"I'm telling you, it's the Stag."

"Well, I don't see antlers anywhere. Do you?"

"I don't see whatever makes up a Boar, either!"

"How much do you wanna bet he just made that one up?"

"Oh, that makes sense."

"Hey!"

Felix watched with no little amount of fondness and adoration as Hyunjin, San, and Juyeon bickered about the constellations above their heads. They'd started becoming much more at ease and open with each other, teasing openly and even starting to offer the occasional skinship.

Times like these made Felix wonder – if maybe, just maybe, he could actually afford to be greedy with his feelings, for once.

What if... there was a way for all of us...?

No, he couldn't risk thinking that way – he'd only give himself false hope and, with how little time there was left, he couldn't afford that. In the end, he would only end up hurting himself, and the others, too. He needed to pick only one – even if, deep down, he already knew he would never be able to be fully happy without all three of them by his side.

"Felix? Lost in thoughts, love?" murmured Juyeon, brushing some hair out of Felix's face and effectively snapping him back to reality.

Felix shook his head, smiling up at him. "Just enjoying your pointless bickering – it's very entertaining."

Juyeon chuckled while the others protested loudly, and Felix heaved out a small sigh, settling down more comfortably as his head laid on Juyeon's lap. The prince started gently stroking his hair and, with the soft voices of his suitors and the gentle ministrations, he was slowly lulled to sleep.

He could start worrying again tomorrow – for now, he'd enjoy their time together for a little longer.

.

The sun had long since set. Hyunjin and San were taking a late-night stroll in the gardens together, always a little fidgety when they weren't spending the night by Felix's side, and silently taking comfort in each other's presence. They were sharing stories of their respective childhoods when they noticed the glow coming from the Ruler's room.

"Aish, these two," huffed San, clicking his tongue.

Hyunjin sighed. "We should probably go put them to bed – Sunmi told me they pulled an all-nighter a few nights ago."

Nodding in agreement, San took the lead, and the two of them quickly found their way back inside. After a few minutes, they finally reached the Ruler's quarters but, when they knocked, no one answered. Exchanging a glance, Hyunjin then gestured for San to go in.

Inside, they found Juyeon slumped over the desk, writing diligently on a paper, with a steadily growing pile right next to him. On the other end of the desk, Felix's head was leaning on his hand, his eyes closed and his head falling forward every few seconds before he straightened up again, obviously fighting sleep.

Splitting up, Hyunjin walked up to Juyeon while San walked up to Felix. The General placed a hand on Juyeon's shoulder, mindful not to startle him too badly – which didn't work, since Juyeon hadn't noticed their entrance at all, too caught up in his work.

"What- what are you doing here?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"You know, when we agreed to let you help Felix with his work, it wasn't so you'd start pulling all-nighters too," he drawled, instinctively reaching out to massage his temples a bit. "You need rest – both of you."

"We- we're fine, there's just a lot to be done—"

"Our little sunshine isn't even conscious right now," snorted San, poking Felix's cheek – there was no reaction at all, which both amused and worried him. "You're pushing yourselves too hard. You don't have to do everything at once, you know? The continent isn't going to fix itself, but overworking yourselves won't make it happen faster, either."

"I... didn't notice," admitted Juyeon, heaving out a sigh. "I suppose we simply got too caught up in doing as much as we could, as quickly as we could."

"There is a lot to be done," hummed Hyunjin, chuckling when Juyeon unconsciously leaned more into his touch. "But you can get it done tomorrow – you've done more than enough for today."

Nodding, Juyeon slowly rose to his feet, wincing when his muscles cramped from the previous lack of use. He would definitely be sore tomorrow. Noticing this, Hyunjin's frown deepened slightly.

"How about you take a bath before going to sleep?" he suggested gently. He glanced at the other pair – San looked like he was having a hard time waking Felix. "In fact, why don't we all take one together? You and Felix need one to relax, and I'm afraid you might fall asleep and slip underwater if we're not there to watch over you."

"A bath... does sound nice," sighed Juyeon, giving in. He was too tired to fight.

"Felix?" The freckled prince grumbled, his eyes finally opening a bit, and San offered him a small smile. "Is it alright if we help you take a bath, sunshine?"

"'m tired..." mumbled the boy.

"That's okay. You can sleep in the bath, how about that?"

With a sleepy nod, Felix let his eyes close again, extending his arms to San. The Second Mate laughed slightly and picked him up with ease, smiling when the younger wrapped his limbs around him like a cuddly octopus. He then glanced at his fellow suitors, before gesturing to the door leading to the Ruler's private baths with a nod.

"Shall we?"

The bath was quite big, and deep too – almost like a small inside pool. It was already filled with hot water directly drawn from the hot water sources located under the High Palace's foundations, and Hyunjin added a few scented oils for good measure.

Felix was still conscious enough to undress himself, with some help from San, though he fumbled a bit with tying the towel around his waist, so the pirate helped him out. San then literally carried him into the bath, a tad afraid the clumsy boy would slip and hit his head on the ceramic floor. Juyeon and Hyunjin were quick to join them afterward, everyone sinking into the hot water with matching, pleased sighs.

The three of them had already bathed together once or twice, because of the misfunctioning baths in Miroh's quarters, but this was different. With Felix's addition, it felt much more intimate and, at the same time, none of them felt awkward or out of place – well, Felix would have probably been a bit shy, but he was still pretty out of it by the time they all entered the water, with San holding him tightly to ensure he wouldn't slip underwater.

While Hyunjin wasn't holding Juyeon, he was still staying close, aware that the red-haired prince wasn't doing much better than Felix. They'd both been working extremely hard and, while it was nice that Felix finally had someone capable and experienced helping him, it didn't lessen his workload at all – if anything, it only seemed to add to it.

They stayed like that for a little while, enjoying the hot water and the peaceful atmosphere. At some point, San had heaved himself up onto the ledge instead, and had started washing Felix's hair, making small braids here and there while he was at it. In a similar fashion, Hyunjin had taken place behind Juyeon to start massaging his head again, hoping it'd held ward off the headache he was nursing.

"San..."

"Hmm?"

"Earlier, when you were talking about Felix... You said our sunshine..."

San froze for a second, before heaving out a sigh. "Am I wrong, though?"

Hyunjin bit his lower lip. "I... don't know. I mean, what are we? Without Felix, I mean."

"I don't really know either. I think that's a conversation we should have when we're all conscious and aware of what's being said, though."

The General nodded in agreement at that and didn't say anything else, though he was obviously deep in thoughts about the subject that was just brought up. San had been honest, though – he genuinely didn't know what any of this meant. The word our had slipped out because it felt the most natural when all four of them were together...

Yeah, definitely something to talk about later.

Getting out proved to be a bit more of a problem, since Felix had once again fallen completely asleep at that point, and Juyeon could hardly put a foot in front of the other – but Hyunjin and San somehow managed and, eventually, the four of them found their way back to Felix's room. Dry, dressed, and relaxed, Felix and Juyeon were both tucked into bed. Just as Hyunjin moved away from the bed, however, Felix's hand shot out and grabbed his own, holding him back.

"Stay," mumbled the boy. "Please."

Hyunjin hesitated for just a moment, sharing a look with San, who simply shrugged before slipping under the covers beside Juyeon. Sighing a bit, the General quickly went to lock the door before coming back and settling down next to Felix. The moment he did, the freckled boy wrapped his arms around him, nuzzling his chest and humming contently when Hyunjin eventually started cuddling him back.

It was the first time the four of them spent the night together, but Hyunjin couldn't deny that having everyone around felt right, and so he decided to simply stop fighting it and enjoy it while it lasted.

.

Only one week was left before the end of the three months Felix had been given, and he was growing more and more anxious. He tried to drown himself in work again, but the others wouldn't let him because they were so nice and caring and wonderful and—

Yeah, no, Felix was doomed.

With a tired sigh, Felix left his study to go to his room instead, and then went outside. It wasn't night yet, and he had a nice view of the sun slowly setting in the horizon – that wasn't a sight he was used to, since it always disappeared behind the mountains very early back in Helios.

He leaned against the marble ledge of the balcony, closing his eyes to enjoy the light summer breeze ruffling his hair. Everything felt so peaceful, saved for the whirlwind of clashing thoughts and emotions mercilessly tearing him apart from the inside—

The sound of the door of his quarters opening pulled him out of his daydreaming. He didn't move from his position, though, aware that it was one of his suitors, if not all of them – they tended to hang out together even more since that one time in the baths, for a reason Felix couldn't explain.

He heard the door of his room opening next, and then footsteps. He finally straightened up, turning around to greet whoever it was with a smile.

"Oh, Sunmi!" He was a bit surprised, since she rarely visited this late, but she probably had something important to tell him. "What can I do... for you..."

He trailed off, his enthusiasm dying down as he noticed the uncharacteristic, blank expression on the woman's face. Her eyes were glossy, staring at him with an intensity that made his skin crawl.

The blood drained from his face entirely when she pulled a sharp-looking knife from behind her back.

.

"Juyeon?"

"Hyunjin?"

Both men stared at each other for a brief moment, seemingly stunned.

"W- wait, aren't you supposed to be with Felix tonight?" protested Juyeon.

"N- no, Sunmi told me he'd asked for you to stay since you were helping him with his paperwork again today," refuted Hyunjin.

"What? No, I didn't go today, she told me he was too tired from spending the night stargazing with San again and that he was with him—"

"What about me?"

Both men stiffened, at once turning around to find none other than San standing a little further away, visibly confused.

"Why are you two here? I thought it was Hyunjin's turn tonight," he remarked.

"But Sunmi—"

A distant shout echoed in the distance. Growing tense, all three of them instantly looked up at the Ruler's quarters and, more specifically, the balcony. It was pretty far, but they could still see Felix standing there, and... he wasn't alone. There was someone else—

"Shit," breathed out San. "Shit, shit, shit, let's go, move!"

His exclamation instantly snapped the other two out of their confused states and, at once, reality crashed onto them – Felix was in danger.

They instantly started running. San was already ways ahead, having gotten a head start and being faster than his fellow suitors. The moment he reached the Ruler's quarters, he bursted inside and made a beeline for the room in the back. The moment he stepped inside, he heard the muffled shouts, and he instantly ran to the balcony.

Felix was still there, dangerously bent over the ledge of the balcony as he struggled to keep a dagger from plunging into his chest, holding onto the blade, and crying out in pain as it sliced even deeper into his skin. Without thinking, San instantly threw himself onto the prince's assailant, trying to pull them off—

"Sunmi!?"

He was so shocked to find the High Priestess, she used his distraction to literally throw him off her back and sent him crashing against one of the glass doors, which instantly shattered upon the impact. He landed back inside the room, pain radiating pretty much everywhere, and the air knocked out of his lungs.

Since when has she been this strong!?

"San!"

"Fe- Felix...!"

Hyunjin rushed past him to go to the prince's aid, while Juyeon briefly stopped to check up on him. San quickly waved him off, urging him to go help, and the red-haired man didn't have to be told twice. 

Stepping outside, he found Hyunjin now holding none other than Sunmi in a tight headlock. Her dagger had fallen nearby, and he promptly kicked it back inside so she wouldn't have a chance of grabbing it again. The woman looked wild, completely disheveled and struggling like a beast – even Hyunjin, with his inhuman strength, seemed to be having a hard time holding her back.

"Felix!" Juyeon rushed to the Divine Heir's side, horror filling him as he saw the blood coating his clothes. "Are you alright? Did she—"

"I- I'm okay," wheezed out Felix, cradling his injured hands against his chest. "But- but Sunmi is—"

"AARGH!" Everyone tensed as the woman's eyes rolled in their sockets, the veins surrounding them turning black. "I'll get you... I swear I'll get you...! YOU CANNOT STAND AGAINST ME, PRINCE OF HELIOS!!!"

Shadows burst through her open mouth, engulfing the entire balcony for a brief moment before completely vanishing. Sunmi almost instantly collapsed into Hyunjin's hold, her face regaining its normal appearance, and apparently exhausted. The General slowly lowered her to the ground and checked her pulse, nodding to confirm she was still alive – just unconscious. After a few seconds of thick silence...

"What the fuck?"

They all looked back at San, who was holding his bleeding arm and openly gawking at the High Priestess. And... yeah, they really couldn't have said it better.

.

Felix's injuries had been quickly tended to, his hands now heavily bandaged, and Juyeon was now busying himself with taking out the glass shards stuck in San's arm while Hyunjin finished restraining Sunmi. Something told him she wouldn't be a threat anymore, but he didn't want to risk it. 

Juyeon had also sent a guard to fetch the three leaders. With the apparent culprit behind the assassination now caught, it was about time they all came clean about the actual situation, and that they worked together to get some answers.

Thankfully, they didn't take too long to answer to the summon.

"What's going on?" asked Chan, the first to enter the room.

He stopped dead in his tracks upon noticing Felix's bandages, San's bloody state, the destroyed door and the glass shards scattered all over the floor, and Sunmi tied up and unconscious on a chair.

"San!"

Hongjoong rushed to his Second Mate's side, visibly worried, and the dark-haired man grinned feebly.

"I'm okay, Cap. I've survived worse."

"What happened in here?" frowned Sangyeon.

"Well, remember that assassination attempt I told you was a test...?" Felix cringed a little. "Yeah, so, about that..."

.

"I... can't remember anything. I'm sorry."

Everyone in the room exchanged grim looks. As feared, upon regaining consciousness, Sunmi didn't remember attacking Felix. In fact, she didn't even remember ever coming up to his quarters – her memory came to an abrupt end shortly after dinner.

To say the leaders had been displeased that Felix lied to them about the situation would be an understatement, but they weren't exactly surprised by it (and Hongjoong already knew, since he knew how Yeosang's eye worked). However, they'd taken it in stride and had listened closely as the freckled prince related what had occurred with as many details as he could remember.

"Old magic is at work," eventually stated Hongjoong, his expression somber. "We're obviously dealing with an entity much greater than expected. If they're capable of possessing someone's mind so effortlessly..."

"I just don't understand. Why not kill me directly if they – whoever they are – wanted me dead?" wondered Felix, shuddering a little.

Before any of the others could answer, hurried footsteps echoed in the distance. They all instantly tensed up, Chan and Hyunjin instinctively drawing their weapons, and they all waited as the footsteps started getting closer... and closer—

"Chan!"

"Hongjoong!"

"Sangyeon!"

All at once, none other than Jeongin, Mingi, and Sunwoo stumbled inside, pretty much ramming into each other, but none of them caring much about it.

"What's wrong?" asked Chan, frowning. "Jeongin?"

"The- the guards have started a- a coup!" exclaimed the young white-haired man, panting heavily. "They've tried to- to confine us to our quarters, and then tried- tried to kill us when we refused to- to obey!"

"They're looking for Prince Felix!" quickly warned Sunwoo. "We've passed by a full battalion on our way here – they'll be there in no time!"

"But they don't- they don't look like normal," added Mingi. "Almost like they're—"

"Possessed?" completed San, a little dryly. "Yeah, I think we got the message."

"If that's the case, then we can't hurt them – they're nothing more than victims, they don't deserve to be struck down for something they have no control over," decided Felix, rising to his feet.

"While I agree with the thought, it doesn't change the fact that they're coming at you with the intent to kill, Your Highness," protested Chan.

"Then let's hide him," suggested Hyunjin. "We know the forest better than anyone – we can flee there, hide for a while, and try to figure out what exactly we're dealing with in the meantime. Surely, if we find out what kind of curse is ailing them, then we ought to be able to counter it."

"We?" repeated Sangyeon, unconvinced.

"The three of us will go with him," volunteered San. "Retreat for now, and come back once we understand what kind of greater power we're dealing with."

"I don't like the thought of going into hiding... but I don't want people to get needlessly hurt because of me. Maybe with me gone, then whatever entity is controlling them will give up," concluded Felix, nodding in agreement. "But you three don't need—"

"We're going," cut Juyeon.

"Very well. San, Juyeon, Hyunjin, you three will be tasked with keeping the Divine Heir safe until we've freed those possessed and reclaimed the High Palace," summarized Hongjoong. "We will open the path to the stables for you – but as soon as you're out of here, you'll be on your own."

"We'll manage," assured Hyunjin. "Just send Changbin to track us once the High Palace is secure again – he'll know how to find us."

Knowing the possessed soldiers were getting closer by the second, Felix didn't waste anymore time. He picked up the handmade bow and arrows Hyunjin had gifted him, a cloak and, with an afterthought, he also grabbed San's logbook. The entire group then promptly fell into a formation to ensure the safe escape of the Divine Heir.

(Everything was going too fast, and Felix was having a hard time understanding all of it. One moment he was enjoying the sunset and, the next, Sunmi was trying to kill him – and then, without any warning whatsoever, the entire palace's staff got possessed and was now apparently after his head.

This was getting too much – Felix did not sign up for assassination attempts and supernatural entities when he agreed to become the Ruler.)

With the Emperor, the King, and the Overlord taking the lead, the three suitors sticking close to Felix's side, and the three messengers covering their backs, the entire group left the Ruler's quarters and started making their way to the stables as quickly as possible.

It didn't take long for them to hear the clashing of the swords.

"Over there!"

"Get him!"

Felix fought back the urge to throw up as he heard the soldiers' shouts – he knew these people, had grown to appreciate their hard work and enjoy their presence, and knowing something was making them act like bloodthirsty sickened him. As soon as they noticed them, the representatives around were quick to join the formation, opening an escape route for them and ensuring they weren't being followed, and Felix prayed to all the gods he knew that they would all make it out safely.

They eventually managed to reach the stables. They didn't bother with saddles, simply grabbing Stray and Clover – San would ride with Hyunjin, and Felix with Juyeon, since he couldn't possibly hold onto his horse with his injured hands. Quickly climbing on them, Felix noticed that, while the gate was still opened, it wouldn't be the case for much longer – Changbin, Wooyoung, and Jacob were doing a good job of warding off the possessed soldiers, but it wouldn't take long before they became overwhelmed by their numbers.

"Put as much distance as you need between you and the High Palace," instructed Chan, dead serious. "Don't come back unless we've sent a red flare in the sky to confirm that is safe for you to return."

"Don't put up a pointless fight, Chan," warned Felix, just as serious. "I understand it's not in your nature, but dying here would be meaningless – lay down your weapons if you must, and pick them up another day."

Chan narrowed his eyes, obviously displeased by the notion of giving up a fight, but nodded firmly before throwing off his fur coat and walking straight in direction of the soldiers gathering further away. At the same time, Juyeon kicked the horse's sides, and they took off, Hyunjin and San just behind them.

Felix couldn't help but glance back as they managed to pass the gate. The leaders and their men were already getting surrounded and, while they were putting up a good fight, there was truly no way of winning since they couldn't hurt their opponents. At that point, it was a battle to win them time, and any extra second counted.

Just as he reported his attention on the forest ahead, however, a blunt pain that knocked the air out of his lungs spread through his chest, the strength of the unexpected impact making him slip from Juyeon's loose hold and tumble off the horse.

"Felix!!!"

Juyeon was horrified when the freckled prince was suddenly thrown off the horse, the lack of a saddle making it practically impossible for him to keep his balance. He watched, horrified, as Felix's lax body violently met the ground and made a few barrels, before stopping onto his back, and not getting up. San and Hyunjin being just behind them, they were the first to reach him as soon as they managed to stop their horse. San ran up to Felix's side, horror filling him when he saw the boy's closed eyes and the arrow now sticking out of his heart.

"Felix! Felix!!!"

"Wait!" Juyeon also rushed to their side, while Hyunjin stood between them and the hidden archer, swords at the ready. "Look, there's no blood!"

"What...?"

Pushing the boy's cloak aside and pulling his shirt open, they found the arrow embedded through the thick leather covers of San's logbook. It had managed to pierce it from side to side, the tip just barely grazing the boy's skin, but the strength of the impact still leaving a blooming bruise.

Relieved, San started slightly slapping his cheeks to wake him, but only a faint groan escaped the prince, and they belatedly realized that he'd surely hit his head when falling from the horse.

"We have company!" warned Hyunjin, glancing worriedly between the High Palace behind them, and the tree line where the archer was still hiding. "Let's move!"

"Felix—"

A sharp inhale instantly drew their attention back to the boy, and San let out an undignified yelp when he saw Felix's eyes now completely filled with a golden glow, his irises nowhere to be seen.

"Go beyond the border." The voice that escaped his mouth wasn't his own – it was clearer, higher-pitched. "Her influence doesn't extend beyond the border. He will be safe beyond the border. Go beyond—"

"The border, yeah, we get it!" snapped San, just a little freaked out – what was it with people getting possessed today? "But you better have a good explanation for this whole mess, whoever you are!"

Felix's lips twitched in amusement before the golden glow died down and his eyes closed once again. Figuring they didn't have a much better option than obeying the unknown entity at the moment – it obviously wasn't the same that had possessed Sunmi, so they were willing to give it a shot – Juyeon promptly climbed back onto his horse, and San handed him Felix's body.

Holding the boy closer and tighter against him, Juyeon promptly took off into the direction opposite of the forest, Hyunjin and San once again following closely behind. They heard a few more arrows being shot in their direction, along with shouts in the distance, but their horses were too fast, and they eventually managed to shake them off their trail.

But still, they wouldn't be safe until they'd crossed the border – or so the mysterious voice had said. So, they kept on riding at full speed, keeping at a safe distance from the villages and towns, and with only one goal in mind.

"Where to?" asked Juyeon as they reached a crossroad.

"The only place where Felix will truly be safe!" replied Hyunjin.

"To Helios!" completed San, already steering the horse in the right direction.

The moment they crossed the border of the neutral territory, a shockwave made the earth shake violently, some thin cracks opening here and there. They paused briefly to look back – the usually clear night sky was now filled with dark clouds, an unnatural thunder rumbling in the distance.

With matching, grim expressions, they took off into the wild once more.