WARNING: DOUBLE UPDATE. THIS IS THE FIRST PART.

When I first saw the Lord, I thought there was something odd about him. His defense and offense were equally strong, and he was far more intimidating than meeting six of the other Greater Demons - combined. It was unnerving watching how calm he was, when everyone else was panicking over blood and death.

His green eyes made him unpredictable, and almost impossible to read. Even until now, he continued to surprise me with antics and untimely behavior. His words were always pleasing, and it set you on the edge of natural mechanism of self-protection, because you knew it was fake. I didn’t mean that he sugarcoated his words – maybe he did, maybe he did not – but you could never know. He was a riddle, and for that very reason, I stubbornly refused his advances. But I could never reject the admiration and attraction.

As Baekhyun slipped onto my arms, limp and weak, I couldn’t help but wonder, how would Lord Chanyeol looked like when he was truly awake; and if he would still be the same person he was yesterday. I didn’t share the same sentiment Jinki had; something that was so admirable for a powerful demon like him to feel and not to numb. I was still. My thoughts flooded in.

The snow fell on my nose, and then came cold. The season had passed, but the snows fell from the sky. The broken landscape was devastating to look at; it was beautiful before. Half of the trees went down with the fight, now floating on the water. It was as if the world was mourning. And I knew why.

Lord Chanyeol groaned, and the silk slipped away from his body. I gulped as if it was my first time seeing males’ body in full view so frontally. It didn’t lessen his magnificence. Jinki blocked me from seeing more, and knowing my place, I looked away.

“Jinki?”

He blinked, fully awake. Beautiful. Deadly. A poisonous being, my mind reminded.

“Yes?” Jinki answered, breathless from the shock he was yet to recover from. His shoulders trembled a bit, and so were his balled fists.

“I feel… different,” In contrast to Lord Chanyeol’s youthful appearance, his voice was thick and rich, and very, very low. He shook off the snows from his dark brown hair, and his locks fell onto his forehead, covering his large eyes. He didn’t look menacing. No, he looked adorable and helpless, if it weren’t for the aura he emanated.

“Good different or bad different?” Jinki sounded unsure. He stepped closer and grabbed the silk wrap to cover up his lower half. We didn’t think of clothing when we came here in a rush.

“I don’t know,” He looked at his own hands. “I am not sure.”

They talked as if this was a normal day, and there was nothing to worry about.

“Do you want to go back?”

“Yes,” was his only reply when the silent came back, more deafening than ever before.     

***

                  Ara sat very still on her seat, and Taeyong knew that she was thinking deeply. The Winter Prince had gone back to his own palace, but he knew that Kyungsoo would come back in a short while. The two Faeries were too infatuated with each other to stay for long without the other.

                  “Taeyong,” Ara bit her lips and it. “I’m scared.”

                  Taeyong, being Ara’s closest friend knew that he was the only one she could depend upon, and the fact that he did brought a small, discreet smile to his gloomy face.

                  “What is it this time?” Taeyong wrapped his hands around hers and gently massaged her thumb in circular motion. She shifted closer, but her eyes were a distance away. It was an absent-minded gesture, but Taeyong didn’t mind. “What causes the concern? You realize you will have temporary wrinkles if you don’t ease up the tension between your eyebrows.”

                  Ara sighed and leaned back. “I don’t like this. We know nothing about the Demon clan except that they are almost extinct. And then, we recently confirmed that their leader is back, that murderous Lord, may God have mercy on his soul. But we have no clues whatsoever. This is frustrating, Yong. Do you think I should start a headhunt on him?”

                  “Even if you start a headhunt, do you think you will be able to take him head-on if you get to meet him in person?” Taeyong didn’t mean to be so harsh on her, but he was direct and honest, “That is foolish, Dear.” He her hair like a father to child.

                  “Isn’t this suspicious, though? What if one day he decides to show up and we are unprepared,” Ara pulled away and massaged her arms, “It’s like the calm before the storm. It’s unnerving and unsettling. Does Jaejoong know? Junhong?”

                  Taeyong shrugged, “Had they known, the vampire girl wouldn’t be here.”

                  Hana had gone back home a day ago. She was still in great distress, but determination set her strong.               

                  “Right,” Ara said, “I think it’s time we break the news to the Kings. And whatever decision they make, we would have to relay the news to Jaejoong and Junhong. But,” she halted to a sharp stop, her eyes narrowing, “Do not say a word to the minor clans. They don’t deserve to know. I suspect betrayals right from the start.”

                  “What about the Siren?” Taeyong asked.

                  “Is she in the Water Prison? Have you captured her alive?” Ara asked back.

                  Taeyong nodded.

                  “Well, dead or alive; it doesn’t matter. She has to pay for her sin,” A cruel glint flashed on Ara’s eyes, and it was not something Taeyong saw everyday. It had been quite a while since he witnessed this side of her, and truth to be told, he was used to it. She was still terrifying, though. She extended her hand and Taeyong took it gladly as an invitation. “She and the others have hurt you so. Do not worry, Taeyong. I am sure Baekhyun wishes he was dead now. One by one, I will make them pay.”

                  Taeyong remembered his torture as if it had been yesterday. “You shouldn’t be mad over such a pitiful matter, Ara. I will make them pay with my own hands,” He advised and smiled, kissing her cheek softly, “When the time is right.”

                  Ara gazed at him, ”You cannot disappear like that, Taeyong. I will not afford losing you for the second time. First was hard enough to bear.”

                  “I thought you were getting pretty close to Prince Kyungsoo that you’d forgotten about me,” Taeyong held back his snort. But that didn’t stop a frown from appearing. Ara stifled laughter and teased, “Do I sense jealousy from you? How unusual.”

                  Taeyong raised his eyebrow. Apparently he didn’t find that so amusing, “That’s why I told you to accept me as your Knight. I could swear it here and now.”

                  Ara pulled away for the second time and looked at him as if he’d lost his mind, “Don’t bring it up again. You are making me into a selfish, dominant lady. I don’t want to chain you down. I don’t think I need to repeat it to you again and again, because it’s starting to bore me.”

                  “Why?” Taeyong raised his tone.

                  “Because,” Ara’s nails grazed his cheek and he shivered, “One day, when you meet your mate, you will regret this hasty decision, and I do not want to look at you with the guilt of knowing that my selfishness has caused you pain.”

                  “It is not selfishness, Ara. You’re so stubborn and frustrating,” Taeyong heaved a sigh. “I want this. I know I am born for this.” And if being by her side meant that he didn’t have to be with a mate, Taeyong would accept. He would pick his Lady any day over a mate. If she was so afraid of this disillusion, Taeyong could afford not looking at other girls anymore. But he kept quiet.

                  Faeries did not say the word ‘love’. Love faded when time passed. And Taeyong knew he feared that she would one day, went away. He didn’t need a word so fragile to describe the kind of relationship they had.

                  “Taeyong,” Ara warned him with a finality, “You’re not thinking ahead.”

                  “Would you rather have the Winter Prince swear it on you, then?” He asked icily. Jealousy was eating him alive and it was not a pretty sight. For hundreds of years, Taeyong was in love with one girl. He never got the chance to be with her romantically. It was slowly taking its tool on him. “Would that make you happy?”

                  “I know that feeling you’re feeling right now,” Ara replied back just as coldly. “And I know that it’s a momentary paralyzes from your…” She couldn’t continue and gulped. “Perhaps you should talk to me when you are not feeling, and actually think. It would be better for the both of us.”

                  “And all the while, I will leave you with more time to convince yourself that you do not feel anything more than friendship for me,” Taeyong sharply retorted. One of the things Ara admired most about Taeyong was his honesty and loyalty. But when they were used against her, she didn’t like it one bit. If anything, she felt more confused and torn. But appreciation and reciprocation did appear somewhere hidden in her heart. At this moment, she began to wonder if her feelings were sincere. She couldn’t love one more than the other. She simply couldn’t pick Kyungsoo over Taeyong or the other way round.

                  “I never deny my feelings,” Ara sighed dejectedly, knowing that her confession would make it worse. “I just don’t want the both of us,” - three of them, actually, “to regret. I try to see what’s best for you, Taeyong. Please don’t make this harder than it already is. I have so many things on hand, and the last thing I want to stress over on, is my feelings.”

Taeyong finally shook his head, and softly murmured, “That’s why, you should rely on me a bit more. Let me share your pain.”

“If you weren’t so busy being possessive, Taeyong, you would know that I already am. Now get your off to work. I need you to give these letters to the Kings. And make sure not to spill more than what is needed,” Ara folded hands in front of her chest and went all business-like again.

“I’m so used to you being weird,” Taeyong shook his head again and took the letters away from Ara. “I’m also used to you being bossy. But I don’t think I would ever get used to you being sappy and moody. It just scares me away.”

“Shut up and go,” Ara gestured with a small smile. The tension was gone. Just like that, they lightheartedly bid goodbye.

“Send my regards to Hanbin,” Taeyong waved, “Tell him that if anything happens to you, he will be dead.”

Ara rolled her eyes and walked him to the main gate, “You, of all people, should know that I am more than capable of protecting myself.”

“I know,” His eyes twinkled, “But sometimes you get too caught up with saving others that you forget to watch your back.”

“Now, you’re the one being sappy. It’s disgusting and you should definitely stop it,” She tapped his shoulder and watched as he walked away with a small smirk on his face. She whispered a prayer of luck and hoped that he’d be safe along the way.

“Hayoung?”

“Yes?” The lady warrior dressed in black. She appeared from the corner and Ara knew she had to be watching them for a while now.

“I need to visit the Water Prison,” Ara said, “I will be gone for a day or two.”

“Is there anything wrong?”

“No, I just need to check onto something,” Or someone, Ara mentally noted. “It won’t be long now, Hayoung, it won’t be.”

Only God knew the hidden meaning behind that sentence.