The layout of the royal family's main castle is rather similar to that of the castle you and the princes currently reside in. It too has one main building where the guests are entertained. Beyond the main building, the castle has two additional buildings – a western building and an eastern building. While both buildings have recreational rooms on their lower levels, the upper floors of the western building are guest suites, and the eastern building contains the royal family's rooms. Much like your current castle, both buildings are connected to the main building on ground level and through exterior walkways on the upper floors. And as the main building was intended to host guests during banquets, balls, and important meetings, it houses the largest rooms in the castle.
"Let's check on a few other locations before we head to the library," Heeseung says as he leads you through the main building, almost approaching the western corridor. The castle's interior is cold especially now that the sun has set, but you can feel a faint pulse of heat coming from the lantern that the prince holds in front of your bodies. "We'll start in the main kitchen."
"There's more than one?" you question, slightly surprised, but also not too shocked. You are in a home built for royalty, after all.
"There are smaller butler's kitchens in the back of the western and eastern buildings. They were included for their close proximity to the sleeping chambers, for easy access and quick preparation if needed. But if we don't find anything in the main kitchen, I doubt we'll find anything in the butler's kitchens. I already suspect we won't find much in the kitchen, to begin with," Heeseung nods, pushing open a set of swinging double doors to reveal the sizeable room.
The sight that greets you shocks you more than the state of the grand foyer. All of the cabinets have been completely emptied with most of the doors broken off their hinges to expose the bare shelves. There's an ocean of broken glass and porcelain littering the floor. It's nearly impossible to step foot into the room without stepping on a broken shard.
"What on earth happened?" you gasp, bringing your free hand to cover your mouth in shock. The eldest prince's grip on your other hand tightens as he inhales deeply. His gaze zeroes in on the highest shelf of the display case in the back of the room. The family's most prized tea sets used to sit on that shelf whenever they weren't in use. He and the other princes had been a few of the lucky guests deemed special enough to have the privilege of using the collector's tea sets during each of their visits. Heeseung can still faintly recall the sweet flavors of the afternoon tea, each distinct floral and fruity note, that lingered on his tongue each time they chatted with the queen in the rose garden outside. But now, on the shelf is an empty space less the dust that has accumulated over time.
"The queen used to keep her favorite tea sets there," Heeseung explains, pointing at the top shelf. "I can't help but wonder if someone purposefully took it because they knew how much it meant to her and the rest of the family."
"Or maybe the royal family knew about the impending attack and were able to take it safely with them while they fled in advance," you propose, trying to stay optimistic for the sake of the grieving prince. Even then, you know deep down that your theory is a far stretch.
"If they even got the chance to flee," he mutters bitterly under his breath.
"I'm sorry, Hee. This must be shocking and very hard for you and the other princes to see," you frown, using your thumb to rub comforting circles against the prince's skin. You take a couple of steps closer until you're leaning into his side. When Heeseung feels you lean your head onto his shoulder, he leans back into your touch. The two of you stay like that for a couple of minutes, simply enjoying the comfort the other provides, before the prince finally peels away.
"Let's go check the ballroom in the eastern wing," Heeseung declares, taking a deep breath in and willing himself to stand a little taller. You walk silently beside the prince as he leads you back to the main building and down the eastern corridor this time. When he finally pushes open another set of double doors, a breath of relief slips past his lips. "At least this room looks the same."
You poke your head inside the room to find a large empty space. It's evident this room was saved for galas and dances because there isn't much in it to begin with. The main floor is almost unscratched, its dark oak wooden panels placed intricately in a herringbone pattern. The walls are rather bare, but there isn't much need for decorative items. There are intricate gold detailings hand-painted onto the smooth surfaces, curling into delicate swirls and flowers, almost as if the lines were dancing gracefully with each other. The room is easily spacious enough to accommodate hundreds of people dancing around freely.
"Did you and other princes ever attend an event in here?" you ask curiously, trying to imagine what this room would have looked like in its liveliest state.
"Once," Heeseung nods, smiling softly as he recalls the distant memory. "It was such a pleasant night – all laughs and smiles. I can't even remember half the people I talked to because there were so many guests. But it was fun meeting everyone and dancing the night away with the other princes."
"That sounds like a wonderful time," you smile up at the prince as he begins to lead you out of the ballroom and down another corridor to what you presume will be the library.
"Although, if you ask the other princes, they might have some different stories to tell," Heeseung adds thoughtfully after a moment of silence, glancing down at you to crack a playful smile.
"What do you mean?" you ask and the prince simply chuckles to himself.
"There might have been some alcohol involved that night. But I'm not one to hold alcohol well so I think the night might have been over-glorified in my perspective."
"Really? I didn't peg you as a lightweight," you giggle.
"I bet you also didn't peg Sunoo as the prince who holds his alcohol the best," Heeseung hums.
"No, I did not," you muse.
This time, as Heeseung leads you to the back of the main building and stops in front of another pair of double doors, there's a gut-wrenching feeling gnawing from within you. The doors themselves are made of the same oak material as all the other doors, but somehow, in your eyes, they look darker and heavier.
"Something doesn't feel right with this room, Heeseung," you whisper hesitantly, reaching a hand out to trace one of the door's handles.
"You feel it too?" he hums before placing his hand atop yours. You nod, looking up to meet the prince's worried gaze. He takes a moment to scan both of your eyes and frowns when he sees the negative emotions swirling around in your irises. Heeseung wishes nothing more than to lean down to kiss away all your stresses, but he can't bring himself to do so when he's certain his expression mirrors yours. "Well, there's only one way to find out," he sighs before finally giving the handle a gentle push.
The innards of the handle click sharply before the door creaks with a long groan, pushing open slowly to reveal the interior of the library. In any other circumstance, you would have marveled at the impressive size of this library. But your gaze instantly scans the room and picks up on the rows and rows of empty bookshelves.
"All of the books are gone," Heeseung murmurs in disbelief. The prince rushes into the room and walks down the endless rows, scanning the shelves desperately in hopes of finding at least one remaining book. But the small sliver of hope in his gut gives out the further he walks.
You, on the other hand, venture hesitantly toward the center of the vast library. It was briefly concealed from the room's entrance, but you can tell judging by the tops of the bookshelves and how they're positioned, that there's a large opening at the middle of the room. Perhaps it was a designated reading and studying area for anyone who wanted to use the library's space. But the sight that greets you at the opening is not something you were expecting.
"Heeseung," you call out in alarm. "I found all the books."
"What? Where are-" The prince's words cut off when he rushes over and finds what you're staring at. There, sitting at the center of the vast room is a giant pile of ash, made up of the remnants of all the books the library used to house. You're able to make out some parts of book spines and loose pages sitting at the top of the pile, but the books making up the heart of the pile are nothing but ash. None of the books are salvageable.
"What was the point of this?" you frown, having a difficult time understanding the motivation behind such an act.
"Who would do such a thing?" Heeseung's loud voice roars, startling you for a moment. The prince quickly softens his features when he notices you flinch from the corners of his eyes. "Come with me, Princess. Let's go check the office," he urges, tone much softer this time.
Just down the hall from the library, located in the very last room of the main building is the designated private office for the ruling monarch. Its secluded location allowed for a quiet environment that overlooked the castle's lush garden. It was perfect for the queen and king when they were in need of a peaceful environment to focus, and for when they wanted to hold smaller meetings with one or two guests.
This time, Heeseung doesn't waste any time in pushing open the wooden door. There is no hesitation in his movements. Rather, a brief sense of urgency as if he can already foresee the state of this final room.
The office, by far, is in a much worse state than the main entrance, kitchen, and library combined. The room is in such a state of disarray, that it's hard for you to focus on one thing at a time. Toward the back of the room, right in the center, a large walnut desk has been flipped and now rests on its side. Its drawers have been thrown about the room, undoubtedly the result of a frantic search. The chairs in the room have also been knocked over, and their cushions have been slashed. You suppose whoever was searching in this office was checking to see if anything had been hidden within the cushions themselves. And finally, to top it all off, there are papers strewn about the room, almost looking like the snow piling up outside in the winter season.
"Whoever was in here was definitely motivated to find something," Heeseung hums inquisitively as he ventures into the room with heavy steps. The prince stops here in there, bending down to retrieve some of the papers off the ground. However, when he glances over them briefly, he's quick to conclude they offer no aid in figuring out what happened in this castle thousands of years ago.
"Or they were motivated to hide something," you suppose, thinking back to the pile of burned books. As you proceed into the room yourself, you also stop to look at the myriad of papers, only to frown in confusion when none of them seem to relate to each other. "Do you remember if the royal family ever mentioned being on bad terms with anyone?"
Heeseung seems to be stumped by your question. When you turn to look at him, the prince is standing still with his lips slightly pursed into a concentrated pout.
"I'm not sure. We've only ever talked about people they were good friends with – never any bad relations. I had assumed it was because they were on good terms with everyone."
"They were a royal family, Hee," you remind the prince gently. "It's highly unlikely they were on everyone's good side. And even if they were, it's highly plausible that some people envied them secretly."
"I should have paid better attention back then," Heeseung sighs, but his dejection only causes you to frown.
"Don't blame yourself, Heeseung," you coo, walking over to the prince and grabbing hold of his two hands. Heeseung watches in awe as you kiss his knuckles tenderly before giving his hands a gentle squeeze. "This couldn't have been something you or the other princes foresaw. This wasn't your fault."
"Thank you, my love," he whispers, leaning down to touch his forehead against yours. You watch as his eyelids flutter close, and the prince seems to relax in your hold. He smiles when he feels you leaning up onto the tips of your toes to plant a soft kiss against his lips.
"Let's keep looking around to see if we can find anything, but we should probably head back to the front entrance soon. We said to meet back in 30 minutes and it's almost time," you encourage in a whisper, waiting for the prince to pull away first. Heeseung nods and backs away reluctantly, but eventually returns to his previous task.
You watch the prince for a few moments before wandering back to where you had been searching previously behind the desk. Just as you round a corner, a specific piece of paper catches your eye – or rather, an envelope. It's hidden under some other papers, but one of its corners sticks out ever-so-slightly and its tattered state intrigues you. When you bend down to pull it out of its spot, you're surprised to recognize the addressee's name on the letter.
Lee Heeseung
"Heeseung! I found a letter with your name on it," you call out to the prince excitedly. Heeseung rushes over and looks over your shoulder. Distantly, you can feel your heart flutter as the prince presses up against your backside and drapes an arm around your shoulders, resting lightly against your collarbone. But you opt to play off your racing heart as a result of having discovered something exciting.
"My name is on it, but it was never sent," the prince points out, his vacant hand reaching around to point at the missing stamp on the envelope's upper right-hand corner.
"It also doesn't have an address labeled," you hum, guiding his hand over to the upper left corner.
"That's probably because we never told the royal family where we were moving," Heeseung purses his lips. "Mostly because we didn't know ourselves, at the time. Our main goal was to find you so we knew would be moving around a lot."
"So you had left knowing you might never see the royal family again?" you frown. It was heartbreaking for you to leave your family, knowing you might never see them again. Yet, it never occurred to you how many times the princes had to leave behind close friends in their searches for you. The mere thought of it breaks your heart, knowing that the princes are always willing to sacrifice everything just for you.
"No, not necessarily. We had many friends all over the place so it wouldn't have been hard for the royal family to ask around to locate our precise whereabouts," the prince shrugs. "Open the letter and see what it says," he urges after a brief pause.
Dear Heeseung,
I hope this letter finds you well. It has been quite a while since we have last seen each other and a lot has happened since then. Mother officially stepped down from the throne a couple of years ago, and I have since then assumed her position. It's hard to believe I was only a young lad when we first met, but I'm all grown now and leading my country as I was destined to. While my new role as King has kept me busy, I still make time for Mother's weekly tea appointments, during which we oftentimes chat about you and your coven. Your absence at these tea appointments is always heavily prevalent. We miss you dearly and hope to see you and the other princes soon.
Truthfully, there is a deeper reason as to why I have chosen to write to you. Mother has pleaded against my search for you, but I believe the situation at hand calls for it. Either way, I believe my attempts will turn up fruitless as you and your coven are probably moving about in search of your destined princess – whom I hope you have found by now. However, I still hold onto a small sliver of hope as the universe has an odd way of working. Perhaps simply getting my message onto a piece of paper will help shed light on the forthcoming decisions I should make for my country.
I hope to meet again in this lifetime. My family and I are forever indebted to you and your coven for all the help you have provided us over the years. Let's meet again at your gifted estate and enjoy some wine like good old times.
Yours truly,
King William Barclay
"Decision I should make for my country," Heeseung echoes solemnly. "What decision is he talking about? It looks like William wrote this letter with the intent of never sending it. It doesn't explain much."
"I agree," you nod with a soft sigh. "It doesn't help much, but it still points us in the right direction. We now know that whatever drove the royal family out of their home was big enough to have affected the entire country. We also know it probably started sometime during King Barclay's reign. So, if anything, we should begin our search there. Is there a central library here in the country's capital?"
When you spin around in Heeseung's hold to meet his gaze, you're taken aback by his sparkling eyes. The prince is staring down at you with such adoration and tenderness, that your heart immediately skips a beat.
"Smart and beautiful," he whispers proudly. "I think I'm falling in love with you more and more every day." You giggle softly when Heeseung leans down to plant a lingering kiss against your lips. When he pulls back, his expression is still soft but there's a newfound determination resting on his features. "The country's largest library is located here in the city's capital," he says, responding to your initial question. "It's not too far from the castle – should just be a quick drive. Let's bring this letter back to show the others and we can head to the library to look for some concrete answers."
The short journey from the office back to the front of the castle is much shorter than you recall. You mainly attribute that to the fact that you were the one pulling Heeseung's hand eagerly this time, excited to show the other princes what you have just found.
"There you guys are," Jungwon sighs in relief as he's the first prince to notice your arrival. The other six princes have already gathered and were waiting for you and Heeseung.
"I thought something bad happened to you guys when you didn't reconvene in time," Sunoo pouts, walking over and engulfing you and Heeseung in a tight hug.
"We're alright, Sunny," the eldest chuckles fondly, using one hand to ruffle the sulking prince's hair before placing a tender kiss on his temple.
"So you didn't run into any booby traps?" Riki asks dubiously.
"No booby traps," Heeseung confirms.
"See, I told you! You just have an overactive imagination because you're still a little fledgling," Jake teases.
"Don't compare me to those weak neonates," Riki grumbles.
"Jake, don't go around acting like you didn't also believe Riki's whole booby trap conspiracy," Sunghoon snorts.
"What do you have in your hand, Princess?" Jungwon asks just as Sunoo pulls back from the hug. The younger prince is quick to notice the small envelope clutched tightly in your hands.
"I found this in the monarch's office," you reveal. Naturally, the princes begin to gather as you hand the letter over to Jungwon and the prince begins to open it. You and Heeseung watch as everyone reads it over, their eyes scanning and re-scanning to absorb every word inked onto the paper.
"This all happened when William was the king? That wasn't too long after we left." Jake is the first one to break the silence, stepping back to motion at the mess of a castle before staring at Heeseung in disbelief.
"I don't know for sure," the eldest shrugs. "But we know that conflicts began arising during his reign. We should head to the city's library now to learn more about all that has occurred in this country while we were gone. The princess pointed out that William's reign would be the best place to start."
"Wait!" Jay's clear voice cuts through just as everyone begins to shuffle back out of the castle and toward the car. "You said you found this in the office, right?"
"Yes, it was hidden beneath some other papers," you nod.
"Other papers?" Sunghoon questions. "Did those mention anything important?"
"No, most of the papers were rather irrelevant. All except for this one the princess found," Heeseung answers.
"I think we need to be extra cautious moving forward," Jay finally concludes. "Think about how long it could have been since the castle has been left in this state. Countless people could have passed through since then and searched the office until their heart's content. And now given the fact that the town knows of our existence and has a negative perception of us, what if it was because of what the townspeople found in the office?"
"Jay has a point," Jungwon nods in agreement. "We need to be careful now, especially since we have the princess with us again. If we're going to the library, we should probably split up into smaller groups so we don't draw attention to ourselves. We must protect the princess at all costs."
"Then when we get to the library, Jungwon and the princess will enter first. Then the rest of us will gradually enter in pairs afterward," Heeseung confirms.
"Why Jungwon? I'm sitting with you and the princess at the front. Shouldn't I go with the princess?" Sunghoon frowns.
"I'm sorry, Hoon-ah. I think it's better if I go with you instead," Heeseung whispers, a slight frown settling onto his lips as well. Just from his expression alone, your gut drops, anticipating the next few words he's about to say. "Right now, I need the princess with a prince I can count on to use their powers in case things go south."
Everyone watches sadly as the hybrid prince's expression drops. If you look closely enough, you can see the way his shoulders sag a little, his posture deflating to mirror his diminishing confidence. "Oh, I see," he murmurs dejectedly.
"I didn't say that with the intent of hurting you, Hoon." The eldest consoles, walking over to grab hold of both of Sunghoon's shoulders. Heeseung had hoped that his touch would elicit the younger prince to look up, but Sunghoon continues to stand in front of him with his head bowed down sorrowfully. "I just want us all to be safe right now since we don't even know what's going on yet."
"But it doesn't change the fact that I still can't shift into my wolf form after all these years," the younger prince grits out angrily. It's clear that his anger isn't directed at Heeseung, but more so at himself.
"You need to stop blaming yourself like this, Sunghoonie," Jake comforts, walking up behind the hybrid prince and rubbing his back in soothing motions. "You went through something really traumatic and you're just trying to process all that has happened. It's going to take time."
"We all went through the same thing, Jake," Sunghoon laughs rather crudely, finally looking up to glance at the pyrokinetic prince. "You guys seem to be doing a lot better than me." When Sunghoon turns his head, you briefly catch sight of his tear-brimmed eyes and your heart aches for him. Sunoo must notice your reaction because the younger prince instantly reaches out for one of your hands and pulls you in close to his side.
"But you, Sunoo, and Riki also dealt with your own struggles that night on top of all that happened," Heeseung reminds Sunghoon gently.
"Even then, Sunoo and Riki seem to have full control of their abilities again. Sunoo was back to enchanting people and standing on ceilings in no time, and Riki even developed a new skill recently. Meanwhile, I've made no progress whatsoever," the younger sniffs, his bottom lip quivering as his emotions continue to overwhelm him.
"That's because Sunoo and I talked to someone about our struggles," Riki shares insightfully.
"I can't even begin to count the number of hours Heeseung stayed by my side to talk with me following everything that happened that night. Our little routine went on for years, and only then, did I slowly start to process everything," Sunoo says.
"I also spoke to Heeseung," the youngest nods. "But I felt such an immense weight come off my shoulders recently when I shared my troubles with Jay, Jake, and the princess as well."
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you've spoken to anyone about that night yet, right?" Jungwon asks gently.
Sunghoon hesitates for a moment. His eyes search Heeseung's and the younger prince nearly cries when the eldest meets his gaze with nothing but love and reassurance. "No," he whispers brokenly. "I didn't want to share my troubles because I know they're too much."
"How can you know that when you haven't even tried, Hoon?" Jay frowns. "You'll never be too much. We're going to be here for you for eternity, Sunghoon-ah."
"Look, Sunghoon. We know it's not easy for you to just sit down and talk about your emotions. That skill comes easily for some and harder for others. But I promise you will feel better when you decide you want to share – and you can share with whomever you want. Whoever you think will make you feel most comfortable," Heeseung pleads the younger prince. "Just please come to us when you're ready, alright?"
"I know you haven't known me long in my second life, but I want you to know that I'm always willing to listen as well," you offer, slipping your hand out of Sunoo's so that you can walk up to embrace the hybrid prince in a tight hug. "You're going to be stuck with me for the rest of eternity, so might as well talk my ear off first before I talk yours off," you mumble, burying your face into the prince's chest. Finally, Sunghoon cracks a smile at your comment and you don't hesitate to lean up to kiss him on the cheek.
"Thank you, all," he sniffles, wrapping his arms around you to return your embrace. "I'll come to you once I'm ready."
"That's all we'll ever ask for," Heeseung smiles. "Now, let's go to the library, shall we?"
♡ ♡ ♡
Welcome back, Dalgis! Dun, dun, dun - and the plot thickens (kinda)!! How'd y'all like this chapter? I can't wait to share the next update with you because the really exciting discovery (imo) is going to be in the next chapter 😉
Question of the Week: What is your weirdest obsession or habit?
I know we're all unique in our own ways so I'm just curious to see how we all express our individuality, lol. One interesting habit I've noticed that I have, but most other people don't, is counting my steps whenever I walk up or down a staircase. I feel like if I don't count, I'm going to miss a step - even if it's the same staircase I've been walking for years now 😂
I hope you're all staying safe, happy, and healthy! Chaconne and Sacrifice is receiving so much love and support each week, I can't thank you guys enough for joining me on this very exciting journey. I love you all so much! 💗
Until next time,
Strawberheecake 🍓