For the third time that night Yunho found himself thanking every diety for the presence of Karam. They were as much as dead if they stayed another day longer, both deciding that they would have to risk detection in the morning rather than remain near the village and be caught. He had drawn a map with the help of the other, though much to his distaste he could only manage with his right hand. He was left-handed, and though it was valued in his village, it now held a certain chain to its charms.

Despite the unsteady lines and strained precision, it had turned out better than he had expected it to be. He had finished the forest and its surrounding, but the circular indent in the middle where the village lay was as blank as rock. The other had given him a weird look when Yunho asked him to help draw the village. It was by no means big, rather it was a small quiet town. Remembering the village outline would have only taken half a day of wandering. Yunho had never spent more than a few hours there, and he only went to places he was obliged to be. It was painstakingly slow to draw the village, but Karam's knowledge and intuition helped immensely.

Once they finished the map, a dispair settled in the room as they looked onto the drawing. The lazy river that flowed through the village opened up on both sides like an hour glass, a width that Yunho estimated would drown them if they attempted to cross. They opened wide into territory he had never found the need to wander before, and he dismissed the idea of traveling so far. It was highly likely they would get lost and he was aware of the dangers of the forest. He also couldn't be sure how safe the waters were. Poisonous snakes and carnivorous fishes had washed into their village plenty of times, and the waters were known to take lives once in a while when the moon's pull became too strong. Though he was a sure swimmer, the plan was even quicker to diminish once he thought of his little brother and his inability to even paddle. Jaejoong was deathly scared of large bodies of water, and he was in every word his kitten nickname.

"Where are we heading?" Karam asked. Yunho startled, suddenly realizing that he had no idea where the Parks lived. He had vaguely remembered passing over the bridge, which was the opposite of where they currently were. Thirteen years had flown by, but tidbits of their journey relayed in his head. He remembered journeying until they hit a rest area, the owner was a nice old woman with a limp. They had followed some type of ditch, and then they had arrived at a field of corn. It was extremely dim, his memory, but it would have to do for now.

"East," he said resolutely.

"The only way now is to cross the bridge," Karam groaned, sighing out in frustration as he eyed the map from his seat. "It is our best chance, but our most dangerous one," he finalized. He leaned the chair on its hind legs, passing Yunho a stare before averting his gaze to the candle.

"The bridge is in the middle of the village," Yunho refuted, feeling a headache ensue with each candle flicker. "What if the soldiers see us?" He groaned as a sharp pain burst from his injured hand, the dull throb earlier had now become a singing agony. "We will just have to travel South," he finalized.

"Jaejoong can pass for a girl. I have my mother's old smock at hand. We have three people. They will only expect two, and they will only expect two boys, not two people of the opposite ," Karam reasoned. Yunho had to admit that the other had a point. "They don't know how you two look anyways."

"You can pass as one too," he frowned. He didn't like the idea of Jaejoong dressing in woman clothing. For all it was worth, Karam's features were softer and his frame more petite. Though Jaejoong was more beautiful, he possessed honed muscles from years of scruffling about with Yunho. Karam would pass far better as a woman with his body.

He shook his head, his vision suddenly becoming blurry. His mind jerked in timed succession. He felt like someone was holding his brains, squeezing and pulling until it ripped from his sockets. It was painful, but he did his best to contain it. He had more pressing matters to attend to, and it would take more than a headache to make him lose his focus.

"Then we will both dress as woman. They certainly won't expect that either," Karam grinned, feeling Yunho falter in his stance. "No one ever goes during the morning hours. The dew sets in too quick, causing the bridge and its marble surroundings to be too dangerous to cross. We must risk a sprained ankle and our chances if we wish to escape," Karam urged, setting a gentle hand on Yunho's shoulder and giving it a pat. "We need to get to my stable. I have two horses we can use." He noticed the quivering of Yunho's frame before he felt the tremble in his hold. "Yunho?" he asked, standing up and kneeling at Yunho's wretching side.

"Jaejoong!" the eldest shouted, hoping he had raised his voice loud enough for the younger sibling to hear. It was all he could muster before he was staggering on the floor, his fingers clawing his stomach as he dry-heaved into Karam's trembling shoulder.

"Yunho?" a worried voice sounded from the doorway. "Are you okay, what's wrong?" Jaejoong worried, his face contorting in fear as his eyes met with the sight of Yunho hunched over and holding his hands to his raging head. The younger dashed across to the bed, lifting his older brother onto the sheets and brushing back damp fringes. "His eyes are glazed," Jaejoong cried, looking from Karam to Yunho in desperation. "Please let him rest," Jaejoong begged, dismissing Karam and enveloping his hurting brother in a searing hold. He could feel the sweat soaking through Yunho's smock, his lips quivering as he shivered.

"Oh gods, Yunho please," Jaejoong cried, his hands coming up to wipe the feverish water from Yunho's face. He cupped his brother's face, lifting it up and spreading desperate kisses on Yunho's features. "Come back to me," he pleaded between kisses, his arms wrapping around his brother's frame and his face settling between his brother's nape. He felt himself flush in fear, the hot sensations washing over his Yunho's temperature spiked. Deft fingers wrapped around his forearms, gripping them in pain before settling into the groove of his neck. It chilled him to see his brother in such agony. It rivaled his fear of leaving his brother in the burning stable, rivaled that of hearing his grandmother attacked and not being able to help. It brought tears to his eyes, a sour taste filling his throat as he latched onto his brother's side.

"Jaejoong," Yunho croaked, his voice hoarse. "He grunted as his older brother shifted, the sturdy frame now in slight dishevel as the worst of whatever had caught onto him was dispelled. "I don't know what brought that on," Yunho said in answer to Jaejoong's unworded questions. The youngest shuffled from his seat to retrieve a glass of water that--had the two of them been paying attention during Yunho's episode--was placed on the wooden furniture by Karam.

Slowly he craned his brothers neck for the other to gulp in the soothing liquid. Whatever had plague Yunho before was now gone, as silent as the night, and Yunho was rosy to his cheeks. There was no sign that the eldest had struggle at all besides his need to hydrate his body. It upset him greatly, but he found no use in trying to understand it. It must have been due to the excitement as well as his recently acquired injury. Jaejoong wasn't a medic, and Yunho sure wasn't one either. It was hard to tell whether it was a panic attack or not, and what led it on. He dismissed it as a bad headache.

"I'm okay," Yunho reassured, waving the glass away and settling with a sigh onto the bedding. "It's the post-injury fever," he mused. Raising a hand towards his brother, he guided Jaejoong into his hold, spooning the younger into the cress of his arms.

A soft knock at the door startled them, but they immediately relaxed when Karam's voice echoed from afar. "Get some rest, we're leaving once the birds awaken," they were told, and the soft thudding of feet softened until they heard a soft click of the door.
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