Renjun idly rolled the ring over his fingers, catching it before it fell. Across from him, Haechan had spread out his side of the carriage, fast asleep. Dejun was next to Renjun, worrying that they had everything. "Dejun, we are not even out of Cidaris yet." Renjun finally said, making Dejun frown.

"Exactly. Usually I'm not this worried."

"Perhaps it's the forest's air. You know that's why we ride in the carriage during this stretch." The forests of Cidaris were said to be cursed, the air laced with the screams of the second children and prisoners they'd fed to the animals.

All Renjun knew was that the forests were perpetually foggy, no matter how bright the sun was. They also acted as a barrier to intruders - Cidarian citizens were forbidden from harming the flora and fauna without vigorous training in the art of hunting and gathering. So the forest grew nearly wild, save for the only road maintained by the royal family.

Even then, vines still inched out to ensnare carriage wheels, and dry sticks would snap randomly to startle horses.

Looking over at his sleeping twin, Renjun wondered not for the first time how Donghyuck, having been barely three days old, had survived in this forest.

He didn't wonder for too long though - what was done was done. Donghyuck was alive, and Renjun was in some twisted way, happy that Donghyuck had been abandoned. He hadn't lived in the castle, at least.

"Your Highness, we have about fifteen more kalthas until you can ride." A guard said, Renjun nodding.

"Thank you," Dejun replied verbally. "Your Highness, do you think we have enough supplies? Once we all are in the Founder's Castle we cannot leave its walls for the allotted time."

"There is food deliveries and supplies coming in weekly, I don't think we'll be without." 

"I mean in terms of weaponry."

"We brought more than enough, plus raw metals."

"And my personal items?"

"They're more than secure," Dejun smiled. "Don't be concerned, people will sooner find the lost treasure of the four tribes than your personal items."

"That's comforting but they are with us right?" Dejun laughed at that, a trace of a rare smile on Renjun's face.

"Of course. I would have failed as your lord in waiting if I'd forgotten them."

"Forgotten what?" Haechan's rough voice said, obviously changed from the nap he was in until a few seconds ago.

"Prince Renjun's ceremonial robes," Dejun lied smoothly. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did, thanks. Can we ride yet?"

"Would we be in the carriage if we could?" Renjun asked back, making Haechan sneer.

"You may not want to damage your delicate princely skin." Renjun scoffed at that, pointing directly at his face. There was a scar down his face that narrowly missed his right eye, a permanent reminder of what happened when Renjun disobeyed his parents.

However, when asked, Renjun would just shrug and tell people it was a training accident.

"My princely skin has been through more than enough. No thanks to you."

"Are you both here just to bicker?" Dejun asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Obviously," Haechan and Renjun replied at the same time.

"Figures."

Just as one of the two of them were going to say something back, the carriage stopped. "Your Highness, Lord Dejun, and Haechan, we are in the clear. You may come out to ride if you so wish."

"Thank you captain." Renjun said, immediately moving to climb out of the carriage. His horse, a gorgeous purebred Marwari horse he'd affectionately named Nano, was waiting for him, already crunching on what Renjun could only assume was a carrot from his excessive pack for his beloved horse.

Haechan's horse, a Friesian mount that he called Fuckass, was waiting impatiently for Haechan to mount him with a sugar cube in his mouth. Dejun's horse, also a Friesian mount, was crunching an apple as Dejun finished tightening the saddle. "Prince Renjun please consider-"

"Sorry, what?" Renjun asked, already with a leg swung over the back of Nano. He always preferred to ride bareback, much to Dejun's chagrin, and effectively making many more people's lives harder.

"Never mind." Dejun swung himself onto Lyrah, his horse. "Haechan, are you ready?"

"Yep." Haechan was now crunching on his own apple, sitting bareback on Fuckass.

"Oh goodness, both of you ride horses the psychopath way."

"What about it?" Renjun challenged. "Which way are we going?" He asked back to the captain, who nodded.

"We're riding eight talthas to the northwest, Your Highness."

"Brilliant. I'll begin, Dejun will follow."

"I'll what?"

"Come along." Renjun said, pointing northwest. "Haechan, join if you want."

"I'll ride with the company." Haechan grinned lazily, waggling his fingers. "Buh bye."

"See you." Renjun spurred Nano with his heels, making Dejun sign before gently spurring Lyrah to follow Renjun.

♘ ♚ ♕

Mark watched from the window in his study, seeing people approaching. Frowning, he found his Neo Stone that connected him to the last remaining member of his party, who was exploring the Beyond, a desolate land that was said to house secrets of the Four Kingdoms that even royal families didn't know.

Sliding the ring onto his finger, he felt the familiar feeling of another person's thoughts twining with his own.

Are you arriving early? Mark asked, hearing a voice respond in his mind.

No, I'll be right on time. Why, you miss me?

No, I don't. I just see someone approaching.

Gotcha.

Mark took off the Neo Stone ring, placing it in a drawer before walking down the stairs, seeing Daniel sprawled out on a couch in Mark's lounge. "Someone's coming."

"Another delegation?" Daniel asked, looking up from where he was spinning a knife.

"Perhaps, but no one was supposed to arrive today." Just as Mark said it, the gongs sounded to signify royalty was entering the grounds. "Well. I guess it is a delegation."

"You were wrong," Daniel teased, sliding his knife into his sheath.

"There's a first for everything." Mark retorted, straightening his clothes. As they made their way down the stairs to the first floor, they saw the drawbridge materialising, already down across the torrential waters. Mark could never figure it out, but he had figured out that it at least had something to do with the symbols carved and protected by guard towers at both ends.

When they made it down, the kings and queens were already waiting in the courtyard, dressed in their traditional clothing at the four points of the courtyard to signify where they came from. Mark and Daniel made their way over to Mark's parents, who smiled fondly at the two of them.

"My bets are on it being Lelidan's," Daniel muttered at Mark, who tilted his head. "Aikavia's definitely going to be last because they're always on seas."

"Then I'll take it as Cidaris'." Mark showed a gold etcha, the common currency, to display the bet wager. Daniel nodded, both of them turning back to the lowered drawbridge as the guard on the top of the structure saw the colours of the delegation, turning to announce them.

"Please extend cordial greetings to the royal delegation of Cidaris." Daniel groaned as Mark smirked, but Mark noticed the other royal families stiffen ever so slightly. King Baekhyun and Queen Eunji stepped forwards to the centre as everyone clapped politely, the first horses making their way through to reveal the prince at the forefront, flanked by what Mark could only assume was his escorts.

The prince was recognisable not just by his aura, but also the scar down his face. Rumours always swirled that his family had done it to him, but Cidaris, being as tight lipped as they were, it was likely no one would ever know.

As he entered, Mark focused on the two men flanking him. Both were effortlessly gorgeous, one with a much softer aura than either of their compatriots. As they dismounted, the rest of the delegation came in, walking their horses and carriage.

Once everyone was there, they dropped to either their knee, bowing from that point, or in the prince's case, bowed deeply from the waist.

"Injoon. We had no warning of your arrival." The queen said, making everyone look. That would mark the first time the queen had talked in presence of everyone, and she sounded nothing like anyone had expected. She sounded almost lilting, but with a stagnanting underbite to stop a conversation in its tracks. It didn't help the queen didn't show her face publicly, painting her to be a muted figurehead at the side of the king.

"My apologies Your Majesty, we were prepared to leave ahead of schedule and thought it was best to depart immediately." The prince said smoothly. "Our communication devices were packed as well."

"Plan better next time then." The queen said, the prince bowing again as apology. "Now introduce yourself and your chosen party."

"I am Prince Hwang Injoon," the prince began, gesturing next to the delicate looking man next to him. "This is my lord in waiting, So Deokjun. And my other companion for the year is Lee Haechan."

"He didn't fill all the spots," Mark observed quietly, making Daniel nod.

"Welcome to the Founder's Castle." A new voice said, making Mark look back at his mother. "I'm sure you'll be welcomed."

"But of course, my son is pure royal blood unlike yours." King Baekhyun said, Mark feeling Daniel tense next to him.

"There is never any shame in having a son with someone you loved before," Queen Yongsun of Lelidan spoke up, making King Baekhyun sneer.

"Ah yes -"

"Let's head in now," King Taemin of Aikavia spoke, sighing a little. "Perhaps the Hwangs can show Prince Injoon and his companions where to lay their bags?"

"Sounds perfectly alright by me," King Baekhyun said, already moving to go in. His son bowed quickly to the other monarchs, almost apologetically, then made his way in after his parents.

Mark, if he was honest though, had ceased to pay attention after Baekhyun's comments. Injoon's companion, not Deokjun, but the other one, had looked over to make direct eye contact with Mark. Despite the mask covering the lower half of his face, Mark's heart skipped a beat when they made eye contact.

Unfortunately, then it was like Mark was stuck in a magnetic force as he watched the man's eyes crinkle with an assumed smirk then walked right past them, purposefully brushing against Mark.

"Mark?"

"Yes?"

"We should head in now."

"Yeah inside. It's a cool place to be." Daniel gave him a weird look, but Mark was already distracted by the boy.

♘ ♚ ♕

sorry this is late! university started, my grandpa died, and today I'm at my uncle's funeral because he died about a week ago. but now we get to see simp mark, my favourite mark, and learn some tea! take care of yourself and drink water! I love you and I'm proud of you <3