Wooyoung woke Hongjoong up the followig morning with a soft knock on his door, reminding him to rise soon. After unintelligibly groaning for a while Hongjoong did exactly that, stumbling around in a search for some nicer clothes that had been given to him.

Just a few minutes later Hongjoong stepped out into the bright sun in a pearly white tunic and just as white pants. Wooyoung had told him to be at the kings' home in about half an hour. So he still had enough time to go and see Youjin.

His heart did a fun little flip at the reminder of the man, making Hongjoong smile.

As he hurried through the village he noticed mutliple things had changed, even if just subtly.

Less people wandered the streets, their hushed voices and restless glances a noticeable contrast to their usual fun and easy mood. No laughter filled the streets, no children were playing at the river. It was just scurrying figures avoiding being out too long.

The sight saddened Hongjoong and the normally blooming plants all around him seemed more droopy too. For the first time he really understood the communal hatred towards the elves and he already felt it in his chest too.

Hongjoong was quick as he bounded towards the fields, soon reaching the by now familiar fence and meadow behind.

However something had changed here too.

The fields were usually empty, devoid of any animals as they were all hiding in the woods. Today there were multiple animals and Youjin stood close by with Mingi at his side, sternly watching them.

It was a strange mix but at least they all seemed like common wood creatures. They were larger than usual, big enough to carry a man and only through that seemed much more scary.

Hongjoong saw mighty stags, wolves and lynxes milling around, living in peaceful coexistence but sometimes throwing arrogant glances at the two fae watching them. They were stunning in their own kind.

Hongjoong quietly called Youjin's name, climbing atop the fence to make them notice him. Some animals sent him disapproving stares and he childishly sticked his tongue out at them.

Youjin broke into a big smile as soon as their eyes met and then he was quickly saying something to Mingi, jogging over through the field.

Standing on the lowest rung of the fence Hongjoong was even a bit taller than Youjin and he held onto the wood benath his fingers for dear life, as Youjin just took his face into his hands and kissed him softly without any pause.

Hongjoong pretended he did not see Mingi gasp dramatically from further down the field, melting into the sweet touch instead.

"On your way to the hearing?" Youjin was still close to his lips, mumbling quietly against them. Hongjoong pecked his piercing gingerly.

"Yeah. Wanted to see you first. Are those nice to you?" Hongjoong nodded his head towards the judgmental animals and Youjin just shrugged, dropping his hands from Hongjoong's face to the fence between their lower halves.

"One of them got me earlier but I showed them I was trouble if they would not comply. We have a treaty going on now."

Hongjoong noticed the tight bandage made of healing leaves around the other man's upper arm and nodded worriedly.

"Don't fight the wolves please. They look evil." Hongjoong hopped town again, meeting Youjin's eyes.

"I am probably way more evil, we shall see whether they truly dare anger me." He tried to look serious but the corners of his lips betrayed him, twitching slightly. Hongjoong felt warmth bubble all over in his stomach and it was so sweet, so pure, he loved the feeling.

"Go now, my dear. Those people do not appreciate latecomers. Tell me what they said afterwards."

Hongjoong nodded and then took off, hurrying all the way back even though he still had much time left.

Wooyoung awaited him in front of Jinyoung and Jaebeom's home and he had a stranger at his side.

And that man was... huge. Taller maybe even than Mingi. He was clad in the earthy greens and browns of the forest and his blonde locks seemed effortlessly handsome, interwoven with little branches and leaves. Even more impressing however were the huge antlers on top of his head, giving him even more of a presence. Just like the fairytales told, he had pointed ears but no wings.

Wooyoung already looked terribly small next to him, Hongjoong did not even want to get closer. But he humored them, smiling shyly as soon as he joined them.

"Ah, that's him. Hongjoong, this is Yunho, an elven diplomat. This right here is the poor guy I told you about."

How to greet elves? Hongjoong had no idea.

However Yunho bowed in a fae kind of way and thankful Hongjoong copied him, caught the warm expression on the other's face.

"Oh my. This is such a mess already and I sincerely apologize for your loss. It would be an outrage if it truly was one of our people doing this to you but I still hope there has been some kind of miscommunication."

His voice was even and pleasant, speaking in a friendly kind of way Hongjoong did not expect after meeting their animals alone. Yunho was probably the only nice one though. That was why he was the diplomat.

"Thank you... I hope so too, I do not wish for any fights to break out."

Yunho gave him an understanding smile, then clapping his big and elegant hands once.

"Let us go in then. Our prince is already getting way too comfortable with your own leaders, we have to stop that."

Wooyoung and Hongjoong laughed a bit at the other's joke and then went in too, sticking close together. Hongjoong missed Youjin already.

"I take it his majesty is in high spirits these days?"

Hongjoong followed them quietly through the grand hall the house shifted into today. There were so many people, fae and elves conversing in polite tension with each other. There were antlers sticking out from the crowd, all kinds of horns and the tall bodies of the elves. They held themselves upright, seemed even more tall and Hongjoong wishfully thought back to himself being between people just as small. What an utopia.

"We have good reasons to assume the dark elves' prince has died. We have not seen him for a long time and are having high hopes of making peace soon. How long has it been since any of you has seen a darkling?"

Wooyoung was thinking hard.

"It has been some time indeed. The death of their ruler might be the reason why. Maybe there will be something to celebrate today then."

Hongjoong listened without saying a word himself, still trying to understand how elves worked. Apparently they too had different kinds, just how the fae did, but they were not friendly with each other.

"Ah, he's over there. Let us go and greet him, alright?" Yunho looked between Wooyoung and Hongjoong, making sure both were following and then started excusing himself while pushing through the crowd.

Hongjoong felt suffocated, entirely too lonely and small between all those people and he knew he had gotten too used to Youjin's calming presence beside him but who could blame him? He has been here for a week.

Wooyoung seemed to notice his suffering and quietly extended a hand without looking back. Hongjoong grabbed it fast and held on tight.

Yunho was good at leading the way, parting the crowd for them and then soon stopped, tapping another elf with bright antlers on the shoulder.

Hongjoong was still quietly thanking Wooyoung but when the other man turned around, he too lifted his eyes and felt his breath get stuck in his throat. Nausea hit him.

There was no mistaking it. The man standing in front of them in an expensive golden tunic was the handsome stranger from the lake. Hongjoong was absolutely sure. Yes, he now had pointy ears and antlers and everything, but in no way was this another person.

Hongjoong stared and stared and did not notice the small smirk playing with the other's lips.

"So this is him? The fae?", he asked in that same deep voice but it was dangerous, had a mocking tilt to it.

Hongjoong felt his stomach drop to his knees.

This man knew exactly well he was no fae, he never had any wings to lose. Hongjoong had so many questions, mainly about his hair but they all had to wait now.

Because this smirking stranger could easily blow his cover and ensure his certain death.

"Yes. He's named Hongjoong. Hongjoong, this here is our prince, Seonghwa." Yunho was painfully oblivious, completely missed the way Seonghwa was grinning sinisterly at Hongjoong who was frozen like a rabbit.

"What a pleasure to meet you. I sure hope we can resolve everything here today and find whoever was cruel enough to take a poor little fae's wings. I would absolutely detest an imposter within my own kind."

This guy was trouble.