There was one place Seokjin wished to visit before departing for the gateways, and in all honesty it wasn't really the place he wanted to visit but a particular person.

He couldn't leave without saying goodbye, just in case something went wrong.

The smell of honeysuckle mixed with jasmine calmed his racing heart, the slight tremor to his fingers easing somewhat as he navigated the familiar pathway to the waterfront. What lay ahead with the gateway expedition absolutely terrified him, not many places had the ability to take that fear away but Lake Coivienéni was definitely one of them.

Even if momentarily.

Lake Coivienéni, or the Lake Of Awakening as the Fae called it was only a short walk from the castle grounds and across the tranquil expanse of water lived a small group of Nendili Fae, one of which was his sole reason for venturing out so soon before departure. The townspeople were convinced the water itself was blessed by magic, those suffering from various ailments would bathe there during the warmer months before winter hit and the lake froze over but that was never his sole reason for visiting so frequently. Yes it was calming to sit beside the water, the sun kissing his skin as he breathed in that familiar scent but it was more a certain member of the Nendili Fae which kept him visiting daily if his role as prince and eldest member of the family permitted.

"Do my eyes deceive me or is that really you Jinnie?"

The prince turned his attention from the water, amused eyes falling across the woodland. It didn't surprise him that she was already here, after their long years of friendship she had this sixth sense when it came to him. The sound of her voice captivating him, holding him hostage, daring not to move for fear she would vanish.

"Aoife, good to hear your voice?" Jin stepped closer to the trees, smiling when something or rather someone moved through them.

"Q Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo, how are you Jinnie?"

"A star does shine indeed, Q Findelya cala ve laure." Jin immediately reached for her hands, fingers lacing together as a beautiful smile pulled at her full lips.

Aoife chuckled, gosh how he loved that sound.

"Such a charming prince, always here to greet me with such flattering words but I feel you also come baring bad news." Aoife did indeed have a sixth sense when it came to the prince but not because she possessed magic.

It was because he possessed her heart, always had and forever would.....even if she could never truly have him.

"I shouldn't be surprised that you already know, you always seem to have me figured out."

"As you do when it comes to me."

"I can't even argue with you on that." The prince smiles, fingers reaching up to tuck soft brown curls behind her ear.

Seokjin had given his heart to Aoife years ago yet the two could never be together as he was already betrothed to another, an elven princess from the neighbouring kingdom who the young prince had only ever met a few times when he was younger and could barely remember. Aoife was well aware of this arrangement and even though it weighed heavy on her heart she still couldn't stop herself from falling for him, loving someone isn't something you can so easily control.

Jin was young, just celebrating his sixth birthday when the beautiful Fae had saved his life. The prince almost drowned in the very waters that are supposed to heal, wanting desperately to see the Fae who lived on the opposite side of the lake and then immediately regretting that decision when his limbs began to weaken and fail him, the lake was actually pretty damn big and he probably should have thought about that before deciding to make the trip.

Aoife hadn't hesitated, the moment she spotted the young prince struggle she called to her mother for help before diving through the water to rescue him and after that day the two became inseparable. Jin didn't fall for her because she saved him, yes at the beginning that may have been a contributing factor but as they both got older and spent more time together he fell for who she was and what she stood for. The two had never admitted their feelings but it was pretty obvious how they both felt, what hurt the most was that they could never act upon it.

"My father asked me to join him on a gateway expedition."

Aoife tried hard to ignore the way her heart dropped, it wasn't that she didn't believe he was worthy, it was more the matter of going weeks without him. The gateways were a complicated magic, seconds can pass in the human realm but here in their world seconds are minutes, minutes hours. The last expedition took 2 days for the people experiencing them but for the ones left behind it was weeks before they returned.

Weeks without seeing him, without hearing his voice.

"I'm truly happy for you Jinnie, this has been a dream of yours for years now and there isn't a single person who deserves this more." Aoife knew this was important to him, he worked so hard for so long and she didn't want him to know just how deeply she was already hurting and how her light would fade without him close.

"You think the gateway will find me worthy?"

"Of course, are you seriously asking me that question?" Aoife huffed out a sigh, rolling her eyes as she cupped his face. "You love and protect your people without question, everything you do is done with a pure heart and good intentions. I have no doubt in my heart that the gateway will find you worthy, no doubt at all."

Seokjin chuckles, hands coming to rest over her own, foreheads touching.

"I don't know how you do it, no matter how nervous I am you always manage to make me feel calmer."

Aoife was about to respond when a sudden cough coming from the path behind them interrupted the intimate exchange.

"Hello Jungkook, good to see you again." Aoife smiled as she looked over Seokjin's shoulder, the youngest prince smirking over at her in response.

"I was asked to fetch my brother, figured he would be here."

"Well, you were correct in that assumption brother but could you give me a few more minutes to say goodbye?"

Jungkook seemed to think about this for a moment, eyes shifting from playful to concerned because he knew, even if Jin didn't speak of his feelings it was obvious and he also knew that it would only end in heartbreak if his brother wasn't careful.

"Okay, I'll be waiting where the path forks, we need to gather the horses." Jungkook looked from his brother to Aoife, giving her a polite nod before turning on his heel and walking back up the path.

The moment Jungkook left Seokjin turned his attention back to Aoife, lips brushing her forehead but not applying pressure because he couldn't, because it would only give false hope of something that could never happen no matter how badly he wished it could be different.

"I'll see you in a few weeks."

"Safe journey Jinnie, I'll be here."

"Always."

Aoife whispered to herself as she watched him follow after his younger brother, not once did he look back at her even though he desperately wanted to do so and she appreciated this because him looking back would only make it harder.

((Translation: Q Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo ~ A star shines on the hour of our meeting.

Q Findelya cala ve laure ~ You shine like gold.))