Heart of Ice

Havoc

Yewon had always thought that Wonwoo would make a good King; he had all the makings of one. He was a good leader, well-educated, peaceful, and loved by many. Now that Wonwoo actually was King, however, things seemed so far from what Yewon expected.

Suddenly, very soon after Wonwoo took reign from his father, Solen was out fighting again, conquering the lands of underdeveloped countries after a short-lived term of peace. Yewon was confused. Wasn't he a pacifist? Wasn't he the one that hated to fight? At least, that was what she remembered.

And the stranger thing was that Jihoon had gone to Solen a lot since Wonwoo took reign.

Yewon tried not to think too much on it. She didn't want to be involved in politics anymore. It was not like she had the power to do anything about it anyways.

-

She was working in the hospital storage when one of the nurses told her that someone was here and insisted on seeing her. She asked to let him in, and she felt her heart stop beating for a moment when she saw him. It had been so long. Too long.

"Surprise," was the first thing he said, a subtle smile on his face.

She was overjoyed; she truly thought that he was gone and she would never see him again. Overwhelmed with surprise and unforgettable memories, she lunged into his arms. "I'm happy you're alive," she managed to say, close to tears.

"Of course I'm alive," Soonyoung scoffed as he embraced her.

"I missed you," she told him as she pulled away to get a good look at him. "I really, really missed you." She really did miss him, and more importantly, she missed the time that she knew him. Last time she had seen him, Seungcheol was alive.

Yewon noted that Soonyoung had changed a lot since then. He was thinner, dirtier, had darker skin and longer hair. But he also looked somewhat happier. There was this indescribable spark in his eyes that she didn't recognize at all, but it was a happy spark.

Looking at him, no one could ever guess that he was actually a prince of Solen. He looked like a typical traveler, in worn out clothes and little belongings on his back.

"I see the short hair has grown long," was the first thing that Soonyoung noted about her.

Yewon didn't acknowledge that comment, as she had so many questions to ask him. "Why are you here?" was the first question to come out of her mouth. It did not make sense that he was here in Galacia. No sense at all.

Why was he not home in Solen? She then was hit with the realization that he was the one who was supposed to be on that throne right now. Not Wonwoo.

"Long story," Soonyoung answered her. "Do you have time?"

-

Soonyoung told her a lot that night. He told her where he had been and what he had been doing for the past two years, and why he was not able to go back to Solen after Seungcheol's death.

Apparently, he only got the bad news much after it happened, for he had traveled far from civilization and resolved to live in a cave after he found an old sage that invited him to a life of asceticism. Soonyoung went for it, because he wanted to clear his mind from thoughts of women's bodies, and he felt the only way to do that is to get away from women completely, and there were no women in this ascetic's cave.

He stayed there for many months, eating very little, meditating, trying to reach some unknowable mystical experience all while fighting his sensual desires.

"Did it work?" Yewon asked.

"Yes it did, actually!" Soonyoung replied optimistically. "I haven't slept with a woman in two days!" Yewon frowned, and Soonyoung laughed. "I'm kidding. Really, though, it's been a long time."