xxfergiexx
Summary: A young prince must be hidden away so as to escape a dark wizard's curse. But the one who saves him was not another prince as the storybooks would have it, but a peasant boy who was the prince's only true love.
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The king stared at his five-year-old son and said, "This young lad will be your personal servant. His name is Changmin."
Prince Yunho regarded the younger boy and instantly adored him. He threw his arms around Changmin, causing the servant boy to wince and gasp in shock.
Prince Yunho giggled and he whispered. "Your eyes are so beautiful...and you will be at my side forever!"
Changmin was pulled along, Yunho holding his hand.
He hoped the prince will never let him go.
~*~
In the land of ancient Korea, the Silla and Baekje kingdoms ruled the south while the Goguryeo kingdom ruled the north. With the king of Goguryeo preoccupied fighting the Chinese, the kingdoms of Silla and Baekje were thriving. The land on the south of the Korean peninsula was rich with greenery, acres of rivers and valleys as far as the eye could see. Scenic shores lined the southern land. To the west, the Yellow Sea bordered Baekje territory, whose kingdom recently celebrated the birth of their new prince, Siwon.
Near the Sea of Japan to the east, the majestic palace of the Silla territory stood on top of a gigantic rock. The kingdom of Silla was also blessed with a newborn prince. The boy's name was Yunho. He was the king and queen's first-born, thus the apple of his parents' eyes.
There was talk of uniting the Baekje and Silla kingdoms through a marriage alliance. For now, though, the princes were too young. More focus was given to trade and international growth of the kingdoms.
Yet, an evil force threatened the lands. The wizard, Jiyong, was a man of magnificence, both in physical appearance and attitude. Since the prosperity of the kingdom was quickly growing, he wanted to rule the kingdom for himself.
With a blaze of red light, the wizard appeared during the celebration of Yunho's ninth birthday. The king and queen of Baekje, along with their son, were present at the extravagant ball. They were trying to push Siwon to make friends with Yunho.
Jiyong eyed the boys, mocking in a low tone, "How precious. The young princes meet, then fall in love and marry, pleasing their parents."
Prince Siwon moved closer to his mother. The queen of Silla knelt and pulled Prince Yunho in her arms. The kings stepped forward.
Jiyong sneered. "How sweet. But you cannot protect that boy from my wrath." The wizard pointed at Yunho.
The king of Silla shouted, "Why my son! Go back to the cave you crawled out of and leave us alone or I will have you beheaded!"
Jiyong laughed brashly. "You think you and your so-called army can defeat me?"
The king swatted the air angrily. "You speak of powers yet we have seen nothing but the work of a common wizard. You cannot touch my kingdom!"
With a dangerous glint in his eyes, Jiyong smiled, "You challenge me, my king? I have powers from the depths of hell that stand no chance against a mortal army. But so be it, my king, if you want to test me, hear me now!"
The wizard swiveled his cape, facing the crowd of nobles gathered around with fear etched across their faces.
"It is our prince's ninth birthday. This boy will have a purity of heart and mind and a beauty that will bloom when he reaches adulthood. He will be loved and adored by all. Prince Siwon won't even be able to resist him."
