𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 3,700 words

𝐒𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐡𝐰𝐚

Prince Hongjoong's words had been heard, although, Seonghwa was more than convinced the negotiations were heavily advanced by the stubborn siren prince. In the last couple of days had he surely proved how morally faithful he urged the environment to be when it came to behaving among others, but for Seonghwa, it only revealed the painful truth of which nightmare he had been sent to clarify.

It seemed the relations between some of the other princes were a bit more.. complicated.. than he originally had expected. Beforehand, the phoenix had already been aware of the tensions that may occur between the rather contrastive princes, but what had startled him, was how some of them already seemed to have had some more personal encounters, despite how much the eight kingdoms loathed each other.

He had noticed it at their first dinner together; the way eyes spoke stories between those whose paths had crossed. There was no doubt that the wolf and vampire couldn't stand each other's guts at all, something that didn't go unnoticed as the jitters crammed the entire castle, every time they were in the same room. Seonghwa thought the broil was stupid - spending so much energy on being hostile when it would take lesser effort to ignore each other instead.

And well, they weren't the only two who caused so much unnecessary trouble. Now the siren had decided to stir up even more tension, claiming everyone for having poisoned prince San. Those two seemed awfully close, but that was not so much of a surprise when their families always made separate agreements beneath the surface. The merpeople ruled the sea as they let the sirens prey on every unwanted soul coming a little too close to their realm. Both parties won something in return for the deal. If not it had been for the dragon and the way he had acted around prince San, Seonghwa might not have wanted to dig deeper into the deals they had with one another.

Wooyoung appeared to be one with many dishonest features, pretending to be on the good side, when he just wanted to allure them all in bed with him, surely just for the fun of it, or just in all general to make the disputes even worse. Seonghwa didn't see any reason for prince Wooyoung to be interested in solving any problems, now that his kind had been exterminated entirely in the aftermath of the previous war. Therefore, he guessed the dragon just cared for neither of the outcomes of those negotiations, only being here because he hadn't anything better to do.

Seonghwa had caught him staring awfully much at him, the boy's eyes shifting back and forth between his forms as he drew them over his features. The phoenix ignored prince Wooyoung on purpose, very well knowing what his intentions were. He had already seen how the boy had been wooing some of the other princes, having somehow succeeded too, considering the purple marks he had spotted the other day down his neck. After that day, the dragon had seemingly rather intentionally been covering his entire body with black clothes, leaving nothing to be seen. Seonghwa thought it made him look like someone's shadow looming around instead of the supposedly hot-headed self Wooyoung had shown the first night he had met him.

They were all corrupt in one or another way.

As Seonghwa wandered down the hallway, a figure passed by, rushing down the stairs on light feet. Squinting his eyes, he wondered who was in such a hurry they were running around in the castle. That was until he suddenly saw the fluttering of small white wings through the air, following the same trail the figure just had darted through. The phoenix felt alarmed. The stirring panic hit him the moment something hammered down in the entrance hall, his suspicion taughtened even more. His legs moved before he even knew it himself, suddenly he was rushing down the enormous staircase himself, his soft clothing floating around him until he suddenly caught sight of the small fairie, knocking and pushing, to the huge oak door. Prince Yeosang must have heard his footsteps, because he turned around at his feet almost immediately, expression filled with fright and alarming colours. Seonghwa noticed the white butterfly sitting on the prince's shoulder.

The fairie was heaving for air.

"Someone has locked all doors in the castle, I can't open them," he said, nervously gulping as he pressed his back against the door.

Seonghwa furrowed his brows. He didn't believe it. He didn't believe anything the fairie would say or the awfully adorable flower behind the other prince's ear, which was such a clever strategy to seem more pure. Seonghwa didn't want to ever look at him again - the fairie's fine, beautiful features were nothing else but a trick he used on everyone around him, and the phoenix already felt how he was played by his nice and stunning appearance.

The fairies wanted to kill his people and he would not be liking the heir of that monster in disguise. He should not want to comfort the terrified smaller prince.

"Move," Seonghwa waved his hands against the other and made his way toward the door, without believing a single word he had spoken.

He gathered a hand around the handle of the door, expecting it to glide open when he pulled the handle. Except, it did not.

Grabbing the steel with his other hand too, he pulled another time, soon leaning back his entire weight as he used all his strength to tear the door open. It didn't budge a single time. Seonghwa stalled again, turning his head around to glance at the fairie prince's frightened stature; he seemed like he really wanted to flee this place.

"Do you know what this is about? Why won't the door move?" prince Yeosang had not been lying after all, and it scared the phoenix that he had not been wrong.

The fairie prince shook his head, cascades of his fluffy blonde hair bouncing around as he told him no, "I simply just wanted to take a walk outside, but the door facing the garden didn't open and the ones I encountered did not too. Then I went here.. I tried with magic too, but it doesn't work either.." prince Yeosang bit himself in the lip before he continued, "Please believe me when I say I have absolutely nothing to do with this!"

Seonghwa eyed him carefully and raised his head to stand even taller.

"Fine," he breathed.

For a moment, Yeosang just stared at him, too scared to even move the smallest away from his spot. Like a little deer, caught in the claws of the winged predator.

Seonghwa moved forward, grabbing Yeosang's neck as he pulled him with him.

"Hey let go! That's overstepping my personal space!"

The phoenix ignored the outburst, continuing steering them both in the direction of the stairs, and further until they reached a formally set room with the number of eight chairs around a table, decorated with gold.

"You are wrong, I am merely just making sure that you do not escape this castle now that I have ruined your evil plans."

When Seonghwa pushed the smaller prince in through the doorframe, he noticed another prince with a flick of his eyes. It was difficult to see who of them was sitting there as his head was hanging down toward the table's surface, although when he looked up to see who had entered, he decided it must be the oh-so-notorious crown prince San.

He was wearing rather formal, nice clothes; a slim fit double-breasted shirt with silver buttons in a dark blue, silver patterned colour, emphasizing his broad shoulders and what Seonghwa managed to see of his lean waist. The piece of clothing was high in the neck, and the buttons were placed from his right shoulder and down, making the item more unique. San's silver crown sparkled in the light.

_____

𝐒𝐚𝐧

He watched Wooyoung from afar, seeing how his sight changed at the look of his crown laying on the table. San turned his head the second he felt the other glancing in his direction. He bit his wobbling lip, trying to keep his tears as long away from his face as possible. But it was difficult. And so fucking painful.

San's head hung low, and strands of dark hair covered his forehead and eyes as he felt like his mind wasn't really present there. Slowly, his crown was slipping further and further down. He didn't realize anything around him, he didn't care.

He didn't care about the looks he was given, mainly coming from the prince of the fairies sitting right in front of him - or the fact that someone was running their hand up along his thigh, sneakily grabbing the flesh with the just right amount of pressure. He could care less about how something wanted to infringe on his mind and body, delicately tugging at his entire being with unknown darkness. Telling the prince beside him no, would not change the fact that his heart was bleeding in sorrow. Maybe it would even help him if someone benumbed him for a while.

".. -ce San, prince San!"

Suddenly a hand was shaking his shoulder, making him raise his head with a dazed look.

"Please listen to me when I speak. As you were the one being poisoned, you probably know the most about this issue. When do you think you might have consumed this poison?"

Seonghwa's eyes were directed at him, stern as he demanded an answer.

"Wooyoung was poisoned too," he blurted, widening his eyes a little when he realized how it may have sounded to the others, "I mean, I encountered prince Wooyoung on my way back to my chamber the very first night, and he seemed to have some of the same side effects. Although, I believe I was poisoned by the dinner table, most likely by the food."

Then they all moved their gaze from him to Wooyoung, seeing the shocked expression growing on the dragon's features as he stumbled out his next sentence," I-I, no, I mean I'm not sure if I was affected by poison too, but maybe- I don't really remember much from that day."

He lied. San knew Wooyoung was lying, but he didn't judge him for it. After all, he wanted their intercourse to be held as a secret for as long time as possible. Although, San wasn't sure of how long time they were able to do that, considering the judging gazes going back and forth between them both. The other princes didn't truly believe any of what was said, well, except for Jongho, who knew the actual truth. But no one decided to comment on their suspicions.

San shrunk in his seat.

A quiet voice then spoke up, "I think I was poisoned too."

San moved his gaze to see how the werewolf prince rearranged his beautiful moon-phase-showing crown on his head, making him come off way more calm than he surely was at that moment.

Jongho's strong, confident voice resonated through the air, "What do you mean?"

The siren was heedful, surely a bit over-protecting as he always had been when it came to San. The thought made his stomach churn in pain. He hated all the fights he had with Jongho, because the younger surely didn't deserve it.

San did not deserve him.

Prince Yunho looked down at his hands bashfully as he suddenly was blushing furiously. San felt like he was having second-hand embarrassment, knowing exactly what that poison had made himself do. Gods, he felt so bad for Yunho right now - there was no way he would be able to come around an explanation of what had happened.

"Uhm.. Yeah, uh how do I explain... You know how we werewolves go through different cycles?" he started off with, drawing a hand to rub at the hind of his neck, "Yeah, so, after that night's dinner my cycle kicked in, nearly four months before I had estimated it to come. I guess that it has something to do with that poison.."

Hongjoong snickered. San wondered why the demon was the only one taking the matter so unserious.

"So, who of you poisoned the food? The only left options will be the four of you," Jongho said, pointing his finger at Seonghwa, Hongjoong, Mingi, and then, Yeosang. 

Seonghwa's jaws clenched as he seemed to hold back emotions, "I have all the reasons to be trying to kill you, but I clearly have no gain to do so. What about yourself, Choi Jongho, you are just as much under surveillance here."

"What, no, San was poisoned and I would never in my life hurt him or any of the merpe-"

Seonghwa cut him out, "Are you sure? There's also a chance that the poison simply just ended up on the wrong plate."

"Shut up! I am no culprit here! It could be the demon or the vampire, or even the fairie who you just told us has plans to start a war!"

"What!? You're lying! I have no interest in starting a war between the kingdoms! Stop saying things about me that are untrue!!"

The scrambling of chairs being pulled out filled the otherwise silent room but San kept his gaze down at his fidgeting hands, voices drowning out in his ears. He didn't want to hear anything of what they screamed at each other, seeming as he would not be able to take part in the discussions anyway. Useless. As normal.

The hand on his thigh moved up, caressing his skin through the thin layer of his slacks.

Again, who was the son of a war-starting monster?

San bit his lip, keeping himself from letting out the smallest sound as he trailed the circling fingers with his deep-blue eyes. The motion earned a deep growl from beside him, a pair of golden eyes staring alertly beyond his form onto the one beside him. Prince Hongjoong decided to lean even closer, dragging his hot breath along his neck as he whispered with a smirk: "Poor you, look at how the others are keeping you from having a bit of fun, hmm... We can continue later If you would like to?"

San didn't know what to do, as the intense stare of the wolf kept following his every movement. He blushed when Hongjoong licked the shell of his ear, sweet and wicked tones promising so many wrong things that he couldn't help but shudder in his seat.

Suddenly a huge beast pranced at them, and San screamed. Sharp claws flew in his direction, drilling into Hongjoong's chest as the heavy body tumbled whatever it hit to the ground. Its hind paws landed on San, kicking his chair backward and making him fall down of it too. The merman landed on the ground, groaning, as he felt the air being beaten out of him with the wave of pain erupting in his entire body. That was until he sighted the sharp teeth closing down around the demon's throat, squirting black blood all over the floor.

San had never been one for violence, his status as the heir to the throne not allowing him to even touch the smallest of a weapon. And yet, he and Jongho were still kicked out of their conveyance on their way to the castle, potentially being in danger if anyone decided to pay them a visit.

He couldn't think of that now when a gurgling sound escaped the demon's lips, followed by gruesome crunching from the werewolf possibly detaching his freaking head from his body.

Oh god, oh god- oh fucking gods-

San panicked, kicking himself away from the bloody scene as he gasped for the air he felt was burning his lungs. Things soon scattered down from the table's surface, blending in with the roars of voices and animalistic growls.

"We have another problem too, it seems that there's a spell laying around the castle, keeping us from leaving its insides anytime soon!"

He was not in his element, rolling away from where a glass of water splintered against the stone floor. He was heaving for that goddamn air. San's cheek lay flush against the ground when he pushed with all his strength himself up again, feeling more paralyzed than ever. His sight flickered before him and for a second he believed he saw a gigantic dragon crashing into the table, breaking it into pieces as fire from the phoenix grew along its legs.

He had to get away from here before the heat from the crackling flames would dehydrate him. The dragon roared behind him when he threw his body around and crawled towards the nearest door out of the room. San had no idea about what had happened with his one foot there had been hit by Wooyoung's crown a few days ago, but he was sure about it had been damaged - a lot. So much that there was no way he could walk on it properly. Even more not in this situation.

Someone pulled him around when he just had thought he would be left to die, his shaking limbs turning on the floor as the blonde prince now worriedly stared down at him, eyes showing a rain of colours. He was frightened.

"Yeos- Yeosang-"

Spreading with such warmth the fairie prince's hands lay around his shoulders, heaving him up from the ground with much trouble, although, still holding a firm grasp around his shaking form. The boy was clearly shaken too, exposed by his round widened eyes, looking all 360 degrees around them every passing second. All too suddenly San strained his body to face the enormous glass-made chandelier cracking from the ceiling and shattering against the broken table; the argument had now ended.

The merman prince flinched. Yeosang's arms embraced him from behind, keeping him close to his chest so as to not let him fall. Somehow, the gentleness was enough to make him go weak anyway.

"What is this madness!!?"

A woman's voice penetrated the heavy air with how powerful the tonation sounded - overruling any of the princes' own pieces of magic. Her dark lush hair was partly braided around her head, the rest of it gracefully falling down over her shoulders with smooth curves. The dress she wore was cut in a deep v-neck, royal blue fabric, and a greenery-shaped gold-belt fit snugly around her waist. San watched how the fastened fabric under the shoulder pieces followed behind her with every step she took.

He shuddered when the intense stare of her cat-like eyes stalled at him for a moment that felt longer than it should have been. San pressed himself further back, imaging in the clouds of heat that the arms around him tightened even more.

Suddenly the wolf was tossed through the air, landing somewhere away from the remains of the demon, shifting from the masses of fur the instant he hit the floor again. Widening his eyes, San turned away from the prince's exposed self until the woman seemed to be throwing a blanket at him, conjured from the thin air.

Running his eyes around the ruined setting, Wooyoung lay across the destroyed chandelier, breathing heavily as puffs of smoke still left his nose. His scaly body slowly shrunk in size as he shifted back to his human form. The woman stepped up to him, hand harshly pulling at one of his horns as she forced him to bend his head to the side, revealing the ghastly wound on the side of his head. San suppressed his urges to help the hurt prince by biting hard down on his lip.

"Jung Wooyoung, this is upsetting for me to see," she said, shaking her head with much disappointment before letting him go again, receiving a deep growl from the ancient specie.

Surprisingly enough, the woman didn't flinch the slightest, ignoring the threatening sounds directed at her, instead continuing to where the phoenix stood, smiling sweetly up at him.

Then she licked two of her fingers, smothering the single little flame which still was burning in his ash grey hair, and carefully brushed any straying strands into place again.

Seonghwa scowled in return at her, "Emma, what are you doing here?"

A gasp left her lips and she raised a hand to cover her mouth to prove how offended she was by his remark, "Did you drop all formalities, prince Park? I am afraid that you may want to use those again to show me some respect."

"I beg you pardon, Great Sorceress Emma," he mocked back, heaving his head tall above her. She tsked at him.

But San didn't understand any of this. Why was... and what... and how.. the Great Sorceress??

The Great Sorceress glanced around at them all, drawing all attention to her.

"I, dear princes, am the one who has invited you here," she started while magic enveloped her being, sparks of white suddenly spreading around all the broken things in the room. Wooyoung who was now half-shifted into his human form was moved away from the splintered table by the Sorceress' magic and a similar blanket as Yunho's was thrown in his direction too.

San stared with his mouth slightly agape at the way the magic repaired everything that had been destroyed in the fights.

"Now, if you just will listen to everything I say, then-"

"Then what, Emma? Just get to the point of why you've decided to lock us all inside this castle!" Seonghwa crossed his arms as he interrupted her. He definitely resembled someone with very little patience, and San thought it was something to be wary of considering he just had been setting this room on fire.

Although, the real danger in this room was probably the muzzle made out of razor-sharp teeth, still dripping with masses of dark-coloured liquid. Hongjoong still lay lifeless on the ground. He looked so much more pale than normal, and it scared him boundlessly.

San leaned back, straining his whispers into the fairie prince's ear, "Is he.. is he dead? Has Yunho killed him?" he squeaked.

Prince Yeosang didn't give him an answer, but he gave his arm a firm squeeze.

"So what I hear is that we're all locked in a castle full of bloody witches?" Prince Mingi questioned rather sharply.

At that, the Great Sorceress' lips curled up before she told them how they would not leave any time soon.

♛