Mingi's horns were considered ugly among the demon race. And that was fine, given that a lot of his kin had ugly horns. There were those with the mighty horns that pointed to the sky: the warriors, royals, and beauties walking among them. And there were those whose horns pointed towards the earth, useless as weapons and misshaping their heads. The part of the population with down-turned horns made up most people, and they executed the lower-ranking jobs. There were farmers, and blacksmiths, and many rural businesses run by modest demons with their modest horns. The lucky ones became servants in the palace so they could feast their eyes upon the royal family.
Just like Mingi, starting today.
For the umpteenth time, Mingi smoothed his hands over his white shirt. He had got it by a courier from the palace a few days ago and had tried it on five times ever since and practised how to wear it properly. The last time he had visited his childhood friend Seonghwa to get his horns trimmed at his place, Seonghwa had guided him through the tricks of tucking his shirt in accurately and how to roll up his pants so they wouldn't fall loose to bother his hooves.
Once more, Mingi ran his fingers down the pristine fabric. He had trimmed and filed his claws into orderly stiletto tips and washed his hands at least a dozen times until no reminder of the ashes he usually worked in was left stuck underneath them. He wanted to make the perfect first impression in the palace.
Mingi left his little district hut and pulled the door shut behind him carefully. The dirt street under his feet greeted him as he set out towards the town. He travelled upriver along the lava stream that supplied the surrounding fields with valuable nutrients. Thanks to the river, the black flowers on their apple trees stood in full bloom.
On his way, Mingi greeted a few neighbours that passed him. The two kids of the family merrily bound along with their donkey cart and greeted Mingi with their enthusiastic songs. They lifted his mood, even when he quivered with anxiety over his first day on the job. Not even the many peculiar people and smells enveloping his senses on the bustling main street distracted Mingi's scattered mind.
He didn't know yet exactly what his task would be at the palace. He had applied for work as a servant, but servants were needed for many matters and people. It was Mingi's dream to work together with the infamous palace astronomer, who read their stars and predicted the kingdom's fate.
Not that Mingi put too much trust into earning that rank. He was a jinx, and clumsy as well. The important devices in the astronomer's tower likely wouldn't take too kindly to being hit by his swishing tail.
Mingi withstood the urge to fumble with his collar as he scaled the slope of the street. It led up to the mighty black cliff surrounded by the lava pool that boiled and hissed like a living monster at any time of the day. In the middle of the mountain throned the castle, built from the hands of thousands of unlucky human souls sent to repent their sins in their kingdom. Mighty like an ancient god, it loomed over the city and regarded it with its sinister eyes.
Mingi was the only one on the steep zig-zag path leading through the rough terrain up to the castle. He counted the massive towers of the castle that formed from the vertical cuboid stone formations. They grew naturally from the volcano within and gave the castle sharp edges and corners with flat forms.
By the time Mingi reached the last set of bulky stairs leading to the castle's gates, he was out of breath. Two mighty towers rose from the lava sea that surrounded the mountain, the castle perched on deep below like a fiery moat. Shackled to them, with chains older than time, were the two castle guards. Monstrous demons, both as huge as mountains. They remained there sleeping; their heads sunken to their pitch-black chests as the bulging arms were held by their bindings.
Glanced at in passing, their mighty horned forms could have been mistaken as grotesque statues, but Mingi's father had told Mingi how they had awoken during his lifetime once. And they had brought terror and anguish on the attacking army.
With his eyes wide open and lips reverently pinched shut; as if he could vex them, Mingi shuffled past. His tail swished nervously behind him and he wanted to hold it like a child, to calm himself down as he walked upon the vast bridge. He felt puny as he faced the sheer size of the centre up on the peak. Like an ant crawling up a person's leg.
It took Mingi several minutes to cross the massive bridge. He slinked over it and stayed near the right side. He didn't fear it falling, but he preferred the safety of the balustrade next to him. The stone wall rose into jagged sculptures that symmetrically enclosed the bridge like teeth. They were broad enough that Mingi couldn't glimpse down into the brooding lava cauldron, even if he stretched his neck.
On the other end of the bridge, was the entrance gate. It was double winged and reached so far up Mingi's head that he had to tip his chin back fully to study it. Fires burned on the pillars guarding it, offering a welcoming heat to the sweltering air.
Mounted above the majestic entrance gate was the sculpture of a demon skull. Human apart from its massive size and the protruding horns that pointed towards the sky.
Gulping, Mingi slowed down as he neared. Two guards stood outside, both double in size from Mingi, but nowhere near the stone guards at the bridge. They sat on their nightmarish horses with the mane made of fire and eyes that glowed like the pits of hell.
"Visitor, what is your concern?" The left one asked. Through his helmet, his voice dragged along deep and growling.
Mingi, usually not intimidated since he was a quite tall and unkempt demon himself, nervously curled his tail around one of his legs.
"I've been summoned to start work here as a new servant. My name is Song Mingi."
At that, the guard nodded at him. His black iron armour crunched around the jerky movement.
Mingi eyed the halberd he carried in his fist. A ghastly weapon, much too sharp for Mingi's liking.
The gates in front opened finally. Inside, the heavy chains attached to it pulled taut to give way to the entrance hall bathed in the orange glow of countless fires along the walls and lava channels that lined the ground. The horrible grinding sound of stone against stone halted when the gate was far enough open for Mingi to step through comfortably. The guards ushered him in, and hastily, Mingi entered.
The two guards inside were copies of those on the nightmares, but without the horses. They pushed the gates shut with strained grunts and wordlessly positioned themselves in the shadows again. Their eyes glowed red through the slits in their helmets when Mingi's eyes brushed past them. He shivered, intimidated.
The ceiling of the entrance hall was too high for Mingi to see. He could only study the ornately decorated floors that spread in three directions. Right up ahead was a T-formed staircase that wound onto the upper floor. In the middle of it, was a mighty picture frame of the king. From under bushy eyebrows, he stared coldly at the beholder. The glow of the flames made it look as if his irises moved.
Mingi fidgeted with his hands. No other person was nearby, and he didn't know where to go to find the person responsible for him. Nothing sounded scarier than wandering these halls by himself. If he veered into the wrong room, one of those halberds would cleanly separate his head from his shoulders.
Thankfully, he didn't have to wait long. Before Mingi could twist around and awkwardly ask the ominous guards for directions, steps sounded above him. Curiously, Mingi watched a man hurry down the left staircase that connected to the room.
It was a young demon, probably not much older than Mingi himself. His stark blond hair barely contrasted with his light grey skin, making him look kinder and more approachable. His horns were also bright and beige, like Mingi's. They arched gracefully towards the back of his head to curl around his skull and hoop around his ears to end at chin height.
When the man came to stand in front of Mingi, he regarded the newcomer with inquisitive eyes. Uncomfortable by his scrutinisation, Mingi looked anywhere but at him.
The other man wore a uniform similar to his. Black pants that ended above his beige hooves neatly and a black shirt. He had rolled up his sleeves to expose strong, veiny forearms that didn't quite fit his marble features.
"Are you Mingi? The carrot boy?" The man's voice was rich and smooth. It reminded Mingi of Seonghwa's voice, even when it missed the familiar softness.
Mingi nodded meekly. He was still scared mute from the grand castle surrounding him and the fear to say something wrong.
"Ah," the other man smiled reassuringly at him. "I'm Yeosang. I'm also a servant here and I was tasked to show you around. Follow me." He gave a friendly beckon before he led them up the same staircase he had descended from. The noise of their hooves was dulled through the thick red carpet that flowed over the stairs like blood.
"Are you, um, uh, how may I address you... Sir?" Mingi stuttered pitifully. Inwardly, he threw himself at a pair of the guards' sky-pointed buffalo horns to end his disgrace. It was inadequately out of place in those noble chambers.
"Oh, you are so polite! I'm sorry, that scar makes you look really intimidating; I was surprised. We're ranking in the same area; just call me Yeosang!" Some shame blended into the other man's cheerful voice as well. Mingi felt better already, although he rubbed his scar self-consciously.
He had sustained it years ago. Trimming horns was an expensive luxury, something that his parents didn't have money for back when Mingi was still little. They had always trimmed his horns themselves with kitchen utensils, since they curled around his ears not only once, but twice if left unattended. The vicious tips had always threatened his eyes.
When Mingi's parents had left their carrot farm to live with his old grandparents, Mingi had neglected his horns for a long time. He didn't know how to file them down himself, and his young mind was curious about how far they would grow. In turn, however, one tip had grown all too near to his eye. One night when he had rolled around in bed trying to find sleep, it had scratched diagonally across his lid, splitting his eyebrow and reaching until his cheekbone.
His sight hadn't taken any damage, but Mingi had been spooked horribly. From then on, Seonghwa had helped him with his horns and once every month, Mingi came down to his tailor hut to get his aid.
Mingi agreed the scar gave him a wild look that was uncommon among the ground-pointed horn bearers.
"Thank you, Yeosang," Mingi replied with a smile. The sunny smile that Yeosang threw over his shoulder conveyed his sympathy.
"My pleasure. Now, I will introduce you to your new quarters first. You will get promoted from the farm since you rose to higher service now. You will receive the help of a knight to move your belongings in the next few days. Afterwards, I will introduce you to your superior and, depending on his leniency, show you the castle. Sounds good?"
Mingi's ears perked up at the mention of a superior. He appreciated he would get to move and live in the castle's servants' quarters from now on, but he had yet to be introduced to what duty he would do.
"I will get a superior?" Mingi followed Yeosang through an arched doorway down a long corridor. The servants' quarters seemed to be in the far west wing of the castle.
No windows decorated the corridor, but little flames danced away on the walls to create a snug atmosphere.
"You will. We require absolute excellent service from you but honestly speaking, you got off easy." Yeosang threw a wink at Mingi humorously. "You got the crown prince."
Mingi nearly froze in his step. His hands came up to clasp over his mouth in surprise.
"The crown prince?" He whispered, nearly inaudible. Yeosang's smirk broadened, growing more genuine when he recognised Mingi's awe.
"Yes. His previous personal assistant died on an expedition because of an ambush by a swarm of pixies. The prince needed someone new, and he was very taken with your application."
Mingi nearly ate his fingers as he tried to choke up his squeals of both horror and excitement. He would start with such a distinguished person to serve. While impressed with the conditions and advantages he would get, he was also intimidated to do something wrong. If Mingi could sweat, he would have sweated.
Ever so amused by Mingi's bulging eyes, Yeosang rounded a corner. His tail elegantly swished behind him. It ended in an arrow that curled around itself as he walked.
"He viewed my application himself?"
Yeosang snickered at Mingi's overwhelmed voice.
"Certainly. After all, he was the one to pick someone out. You seem to be made for the job," Yeosang said cryptically as he gradually halted in front of a door. Mingi still trembled from the nerves when Yeosang opened it to show him his chamber.
Mingi got a comfortable bed, a wardrobe, a dresser with a mirror on it, and a little desk underneath the window. The window looked out only on the mountain, not giving him much of a view, but he was fine with it. The rest of the room was far above the standard he was used to.
Regarding it made Mingi jittery again. His knees felt weak at the idea of serving their gracious prince.
"This is all yours now; make yourself at home. You may stay here tonight already or return to your home once more, whichever you prefer." Yeosang gestured around the room. Mingi wanted to concentrate on its luxury, wanted to appreciate the first mirror he had ever had and fix his appearance once more. But his mind was far too distracted by the thought about the prince.
Yeosang pulled the door shut again with a smirk. Once more, he motioned Mingi to accompany him.
"Alright then. Let's meet Yunho before you hyperventilate."
With those words, Yeosang led Mingi through the palace again. And this time, they went up. Higher and higher to the upper floors that were bright with natural light and warm flames. Right into the area where the royal family resided.