The Red Caravan [3]

[poppy_sky]

Pairings: YunJae
Rating: PG-13 for now
Warnings: boyxboy, no historical/geographic setting, AU.
Summary: It's Spring time in the capital and everybody rejoices when the Red Caravan and its performers arrive, signaling the start of festival season, however, Prince Yunho is also in town, returning after three years battling in the Holy Land. What happens when the Red Caravan's most famous peformer, Kim Jaejoong, and Prince Yunho meet?
A/N: Sorry for the wait, summer has been hectic. I couldn't be assed to edit this chapter because it's too long, hopefully there aren't any huge mistakes. Enjoy!

 

 

The festival began with a show of fireworks. Families upon families arrived at the hills surrounding the city and either took a seat on the ground or remained standing, looking at the sky and awing and ooh-ing as beautiful parks of red and white formed a beautiful flower of fire that contrasted magically against the dark night sky. Random vendors scurried past couples and groups of friends selling fried food on sticks, sweet pies and drinks for the taste-bud-saturating foods.

A group of musicians took their instruments up to the hills and played cheerful tunes so that those not interested in the fireworks could dance with the exploding lights as their background. Some dancers tangled themselves with children running around between the adults’ legs, playing while waiting for the man with the crackers to start the show.

Everybody left for the outskirts of the city, leaving the city mostly bare of inhabitants. The only ones that did not go to enjoy the show were busy painting the outside of a huge stage and hanging lanterns around it. Sweat glistened on the men’s skins even with the cool air of the spring night as they threaded thin but sturdy rope through the colorful lanterns’ hooks and lifted them up so that they illuminated the scenario and the audience area perfectly.

As the last of the fireworks faded out and the capital habitants started the trek back home with armfuls of empty baskets and sleepy kids that refused to walk the lanterns on the scenario were put out, the men scurrying around like ants putting out small fire after small fire.

By the time the people reached the city gates the stage had been completed; all shining paint and billowing curtains and multi-colored lanterns, however not a soul was to be seen around.

 

 

 

♥ ♥ ♥

 

The sun shone brightly upon the stone-paved streets of the capital. The mud left behind by winter had dried by now and carriage-pulling horses would send the loose dust spraying around with their hooves. Fresh vegetables were brought in wooden carts by merry peasants taking advantage of the business magnet the festival was.

A bunch of street performers took their places in the already cluttered streets, not having found a place in the city plaza before all space had been occupied. Flame-throwers in one corner and acrobatic dancers in another one had the attention of groups of people that were killing time before the big performances started just as the sun started to set.

Some people were already saving spots in front of the Red Caravan’s stage turning around to look at the elevated box with the royal seal on it and whispering among themselves. Before the Church bells signaled noon the entire city knew that a member of the royal family would be attending the performance.

Yunho bounced his boot-clad foot up and down restlessly while looking through the small gap between the carriage’s window curtains. Heechul, who was sitting on the opposite seat, watched the motion for a while before groaning and tugging at his hair.

“You’re driving me nuts, stop it.”

Yunho raised an eyebrow at his cousin.

“Everything drives you nuts.”

Heechul rolled his eyes and turned his eyes away from the prince. He wrinkled his nose at the pungent smell of rotting food mixed with horse excrements was carried into the carriage when it went through the market place.

“Ugh, smells like peasant. Why did I have to come with you anyways?” he asked, clearly not happy that Yunho’s invitation did not include fine liquor and beautiful, high-class women ready to play risqué card games after having drunk a few glasses of wine.

“Because you’re my friend and I’ll repay you,” Yunho answered, not happy about the idea either.

“You better let me throw a party in the summer palace…oh, look! We’re here,” Heechul grabbed the velvet curtain and pulled it apart, letting the warm sunlight of the afternoon illuminate his striking features.

Where Yunho was handsome in an elegant and manly way, Heechul possessed a womanly grace to his appearance, however, years battling alongside Yunho had proved the man’s worth as a mighty warrior with a hot temper and violent ways.

Whispers broke out between the habitants of the capital as the carriage approached the main square and people took a look at Heechul’s face through the parted curtains. The older man was oblivious to the curious looks of by-standers as he admired the now transformed square.

The carriage stopped in front of the square. The space between stands and performing spaces was so small they would have to get through the square by foot. Their presence was announced to the crowd before the door was opened from the outside.

Yunho was the first to step outside, closely followed by Heechul. The crowd stepped back and bowed to the Crown Prince, making was as both men walked towards the cathedral where the Red Caravan’s stage stood.

Yunho watched Heechul’s scowl get more pronounced as they went deeper into the square and the crowd thickened. Heechul loved his status as part of the royal family and abhorred the idea of mingling with the peasants. He was definitely a high-class individual spoiled rotten by the pleasures of a life with power and endless commodities.

“Just one performance and we leave, that’s all I have to do,” Yunho leaned to whisper against the shell of Heechul’s ear.

“Just one,” Heechul repeated, shaking down the urge to return to the carriage and demand he be taken back to his father’s state.

They quickly found the elevated box, cutting their misery short. A group of guards stood around it for the prince and his cousin’s safety but also to prevent anyone from climbing into it. Yunho nodded towards them as they saluted him and made way for him and Heechul to pass through. At the top of the wooden stairs a pair of comfortable seats waited for them, the remaining space being occupied by slaves carrying fresh fruit and other snacks as well as several bottles of wine.

“Maybe this won’t be so terrible,” Heechul said eyeing the bottles of alcohol as he waited for Yunho to take a seat, copying the motion as soon as the prince was seated.

They waited for the show to start between small conversation and sips of wine. Before long their muscles relaxed under the effects of laughter and the alcohol mixing with their blood making them almost forget about the terrible ordeal of having to walk through the crowd of dirty peasants.

The bells of the cathedral signaled the hour, making it seven o’clock in the afternoon. The crowd under them seemed energized with renewed excitement as they turned to look towards the stage. Nothing happened for at least another ten minutes, but just before Heechul could make a remark about how late the performance was, the curtains parted and the crowd cheered.

Yunho put his cup down and rested his head upon his palm, swinging a crossed leg back and forth on top of the other. Since he was already there, he might as well enjoy the show.

The stage was dark save for a white circle of light illuminating the center. There stood a man clad in black clothing wearing a white mask and white globes. The mask had a smiling mouth but soul-less eyes that brought a feeling of uneasiness to Yunho’s stomach. The masked man jumped to one side, then to the other, twirled around and approached a girl standing on the front row. The light changed to a soft blue hue when he grabbed behind the girls ear and produced a rose that he handed to the giggling girl before standing straight again. He raised his face and looked directly at Yunho, startling the young prince with the intensity of his gaze. A second later the masked man bowed towards his general direction disappearing as the circle of light was turned off, returning the stage to its previous darkened state.

The stage was bathed in light again as numerous chandeliers were lit on its ceiling hidden from the spectators’ eyes. The stage was set up to simulate the countryside with blue skies and grasslands painted in the background. From one side of the stage appeared a knight riding on a wooden horse. The noise of the hooves against the floor was created by a cheerful-looking young man rhythmically hitting a big drum with his hands.

When the knight reached the other side of the stage the lights dimmed and brightened up again to reveal a change in scenery: the stage was now the inside of a cave, a big rock standing in the middle of the stage and what looked like golden paper was thrown on big heaps around it. The knight appeared again onstage and as soon as he did the rock was turned around to reveal a beautiful woman sitting behind it seemingly sewing the golden pieces of paper together. She was blonde with long curls framing her face and a face that seemed familiar to Yunho.

The knight was taken aback by the woman’s beauty, immediately asking her what she was doing in such a dangerous place. The angelic woman replied that she was a princess given to the dragon living in the mountains so he would not attack her kingdom and kill her people. When questioned about what she was doing she held up the gold paper pieces sewn together forming an armor-like pattern. The dragon would not let her leave until she created a full-body armor made of gold for the dragon.

Having heard of the mighty dragon living on that cave the knight was outraged to know this. The dragon was immense! It would take the girl all her life to sew the armor. He told the girl he would return again when the dragon was present, promising to get her out of her horrible situation.

The lights dimmed again and Yunho chose that time to take a sip from his cup. The liquor inside flooded his mouth, making his gums and tongue tingle and his throat burn slightly as he swallowed. He was bored to death already, not understanding what was so great about the Red Caravan’s performances.

The sound of heavier drums than the ones previously used for the horse’s steps took over the crowd’s attention. Everybody turned to look around, waiting for one of the Red Caravan’s well-known tricks. The drumming grew louder in volume and faster in rhythm. Yunho looked around imitating the crowd. He was not one to enjoy surprises, much less startling ones. After not finding anything out of the ordinary in the space surrounding the crowd he suddenly got the urge to look up, jaw dropping at what he saw.

From one of the cathedral’s towers flashed a pair of red eyes; a dark curtain of smoke obscured everything else.

“What the—,” he started to say but before he could finish the red eyes moved. It seemed they were approaching him, and fast. A dark mass became distinguishable through the smoke; the sound of flapping wings getting louder. The smoke dissipated and out of it came a huge dragon with steel-colored skin and huge wings. It opened its mouth as it approached the stage; a stream of fire appearing from between its fags close enough to the elevated box Yunho was in he could feel the heat from the flames on his face.

The crowd cheered loudly as the dragon flew lower, landing on the stage and throwing another breath of flames towards the crowd, lighting several oil-dampened torches lined in front of the stage in the process.

With the light illuminating the dragon, Yunho could see it was merely a machine. He let out the breath he had been holding and uncurled his fingers from the handle of his sword, ears burning red in shame at his reaction to the fake dragon.

His cousin seemed to be plastered to his seat, mouth opened wide in awe. His expression quickly changed back to a scowl before downing the wine left in his cup. Neither man said a word to each other about the others reaction to the dragon, eyes fixed again on the fire-lit stage.

The beautiful princess was back to sewing the golden pieces together, sighing ever so often and looking towards one side of the stage; waiting for her knight to arrive while the dragon watched zealously over her, smoke continuously coming out of its nostrils.

The knight appeared again, demanding the dragon let the princess free. The dragon laughed with a booming voice, most likely coming from behind the stage. It challenged the knight to a duel promising to let the princess go if the knight could beat him.

The knight accepted and the princess was moved out of the way, the rock she was sitting behind rising with her creating a make-shift balcony out of reach of the dragon’s flames.

The duel started with the knight taking a hit at the dragon who easily blocked the sword with its powerful claws. It thrust its head forward, mouth curled in a wild snarl as it tried to bite the knight who dodged and rolled out of danger, using the momentum to stab at the dragon’s wing, tearing the canvas membrane of the wing with his sword. The dragon growled and stood back ready to throw fire at the knight. It seemed it was the end for the knight, the princess even screamed in horror and covered her face, not wanting to see her savior’s brutal end; but before the flames could touch him he ran towards the crowd and jumped. A rope no one had seen before helped the knight fly through the air over the heads of the many spectators that stared at the action scene with awed expressions clear on their faces.

The knight landed on the other side of the stage, directly on top of the dragon. He made a big show of driving the sword through the dragon’s neck and twisting his arm making the head of the fake reptile separate from its body. The head fell before the crowd; a pair of children jumped back when the head rolled towards their feet, scared it would still bite.

The princess was safely lowered down to the stage where the knight waited for her with open arms. He asked the princess to become his bride, to which the princess agreed. They embraced each other and leaned in to kiss each other shortly before the lights were put out and the crowd erupted in cheers and round after round of clapping.

The sound of clapping faded out as the white beam of light was back on stage; the eerie-looking man with the white mask standing right on the center of the circle of light. He held a ring covered in ribbons in one hand and a small ball in another hand. He turned the ring around and showed the ball to the crowd. He then put the ball through the ring to show the spectators nothing happened. He called a boy from the crowd and helped him hop onto the stage. He handed the ring to the boy and showed him how to hold it. He walked away from the boy a couple of steps and threw the ball through the ribbon-covered hoop. The ball reached the ring but did not come through the other side; instead a white rabbit jumped out of the ring and hopped around the delighted boy’s feet as the crowd gave a round of applause.

The man in the white mask helped the boy to get off the stage before addressing the crowd and bowing; the stage obscuring after that small action and the man disappearing with the light.

“Let’s go,” Yunho said. “I promised to stay for one performance and a performance we have watched. Now we can leave.”

Heechul downed his freshly refilled cup of wine and stood up. He sighed and took a look at the stage, pensive.

“Well, those were some impressive effects for a peasant show,” he muttered, following Yunho down the stairs.

“No amount of spectacular props could make that story less dull,” replied Yunho, looking around trying to spot the carriage over the sea of people and colorful lights.

A face stood out from the crowd, the masked man staring directly at him again. Goosebumps rose up his arms and curled around his spine when a white-gloved hand beckoned him to approach the masked man. Swallowing down his irrational fear he touched Heechul’s shoulder, trying to grab the attention of the other man.

“Look for the carriage and wait for me on the East side of the square. I still have something to do.”

Heechul’s face twisted into a puzzled expression at Yunho’s words, following Yunho’s gaze and spotting the masked man. He looked at the crown prince’s face again but found no answer to his unasked question.

“Don’t take too long,” Heechul said, squeezing Yunho’s arm as he passed him by and went to look for the carriage.

Yunho saw the masked man turn around and start walking.

“Hey!” he shouted but the mysterious man kept walking, only turning every once in a while to check if Yunho was following him..

Yunho walked as fast as he could with all the people around; the peasants were no longer concerned with him and would not make way for him to pass like they should. He bumped into an old lady, making her lose her balance. His reflexes were quick enough to grab the woman and help her stand on steady feet; however when he looked up the masked man seemed to have disappeared.

A sharp jab to his ribs made him jump and turn to his right where the masked man stood, his eyes mocking Yunho through the two small holes on the mask. He turned around and started walking.

Yunho let go of the peasant woman and walked after the masked man; the woman’s thankful words lost in the night breeze. He thought he walked in circles for hours eventually arriving back to the Red Caravan’s stage but this time he was behind the stage.

The masked man stood in the middle of the lone space between the stage and the cathedral, seemingly waiting for Yunho to arrive. Yunho faced the strange man, panting slightly after the long chase. The man bowed and took out a red handkerchief. He showed both sides to a confused Yunho before shoving the entire thing into his closed fist.

“I have no time for games,” interrupted Yunho, “who are you and what do you want with me?”

The man shrugged and tugged at the handkerchief from the bottom, pulling a beautiful rose from his fist, the handkerchief disappearing into the oblivion, and offering it to Yunho.

Yunho growled, hand on his sword and lunged, ready to attack the insolent man. He took his sword out of the sheath, raised it over his head and in a swift moment lowered it towards the man. He was not really going to strike the masked man, he just wanted him to cower in fear, however, he did not expect the man to pull out a sword of his own and stop the blow in mid-air with it.

The masked man separated the swords and stepped forward, his sword slashing through the wind in the place Yunho’s neck had been. Yunho dodged and blocked the raining blows and slashes of the sword. He kicked his leg forward catching it behind the masked man’s knees and pulling it back, throwing the man to the floor; his sword skidding away from his reach.

Yunho pointed his sword at the masked man’s neck, breathing heavily.

“I win,” he declared.

The masked man looked up at him from his defenseless spot, mischief flooding his dark eyes. He raised one hand and Yunho noticed he had a black sphere on it. Before Yunho could react, the masked man dropped the sphere. As soon as it touched the group it broke, releasing a cloud of tear-inducing smoke that made Yunho want to cough his lungs out.

In that moment of confusion and pain Yunho felt the other man squirm from beneath him and run away, leaving a coughing, blinded prince behind. Yunho rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palms, trying to find a way out of the suffocating smoke. He tripped on the stone steps to the cathedral, almost smashing his face on one of the steps, and crawled on them, trying to find higher ground where the smoke most likely hadn’t reached.

He sat on the middle of the steps, the sand-papery feeling of smoke in his throat no longer an issue. He still could not open his eyes; the smoke had irritated them so much tears fell down endlessly from them and onto his hands as he rubbed at them.

A hand touched his arm and his first reaction was to throw a punch in the general direction of the contact, screaming like a mad-man and trying to open his eyes through the pain. His fist collided with a shoulder and he heard a groan of pain from the person he hit.

“Stop throwing punches! I’m here to help you!” a soft yet definitely masculine voice seemed to come from the person he hit.

He stopped moving; finding nothing else would help in his current situation. Strong hands grabbed his and he tensed up as the other person tried to pry his hands away from his hurting eyes. He felt like crying out when the sand-papery feeling got too bad.

A wet cloth was pressed against his eyelids and he relaxed as the cool liquid soothed the fire behind his eyelids. He could not stop a small whimper of relief from escaping his mouth when he could open his eyes, although his vision was still blurry. A person with blonde hair was holding what seemed to be a bucket of water towards him.

“You need to wash your face in there, come on. Remember to open your eyes in the water.”

Yunho took the offered bucket and plunged his face into the cool liquid inside. Holding his breath he opened his eyes, feeling as the blurry film covering his vision dissipated with his eyeballs being soaked in the water.

He stood like that until his lungs screamed for air. He could have sung with joy when he realized he could see again, albeit the soreness in his eyes was not completely gone. A dry cloth was held under his face and he took it gratefully turning to thank the person for their help only to be startled by the man standing before him.

It was the gypsy Heechul almost killed the other night! And then it hit him.

“The princess,” Yunho muttered in awed recognition, staring intently at the blonde man, the dry cloth completely forgotten on his lap.

The beautiful man laughed a hearty laugh. His eyes were still rimmed with smudged eyeliner result from careless cleaning of his stage make-up, making his eyes look even more seductive than then naturally did.

“Not one of my best acting roles but I’m glad you recognize me.”

Yunho shook his head and, grabbing the cloth lying on his lap, rubbed furiously at his face. The night was getting to him if he was starting to think a man was attractive at all.

“Sorry about that. Yoochun is a jokester and you were his victim tonight. It seems it got a bit out of hand,” the blonde man said with a sheepish smile.

Yunho snorted at the beautiful man’s words and ignored his offered hand, standing up himself. He handed the bucket and the cloth to the other man before brushing past him. He had climbed down all the steps when the man called him.

“Oi, before you go, did you like it?” he asked.

“Liked what?” Yunho asked back, rubbing his temples. He wanted to leave already, get to the palace and soak in a warm, relaxing bath.

“The play. Did you like it?”

Yunho turned to look at the enticing man standing on the cathedral’s steps. His eyes seemed to shine with genuine curiosity, the red pout of his mouth slightly parted while waiting for a response.

“No. I did not like it at all,” Yunho said and left before he could be questioned further.

 

 

Comments

[larlyssa.livejournal.com]

very true~ in that case, you imagination is just beyond wonderful :D