~I wasn't sure if I could remember the way to the swamp area I'd tromped through before. I had, after all, been trying to run away in the dark. Still, if I didn't try then Jooheon and his people would be doomed.

I was unable to walk freely. My hands had been swiftly bound, and my lead was held tightly by the Duke, who despite the fact that he was becoming more aged, was still fully capable of preventing my escape.

 It would have been truly foolish to try without the advantage of a swamp, especially with the armed guards that surrounded him.

It was clear that since they'd all left Fiore a sense of superstitious dread had washed over them.

 Every small chirp and buzz in the forest made their breathing hasten, and it was completely obvious to me that they had encountered more terror in the wilds then they cared to admit to me. The only one who appeared to be completely unfazed by it all was the Duke himself.

The man I'd once admired had changed to a person that was virtually unrecognizable as anyone possessing virtue. Perhaps it was pure hatred of his nephew and the wilds that was driving him forward without truly grasping the danger of his situation.

It was that same drive that I planned on using to trick him.

I didn't exactly recognize where I was, but based on where I'd left the village the night I'd run off and my location now, I hoped I was close enough to at least spot it. I also knew that if the soldiers spotted the swamp-like area before I did I was in big trouble.

Before I could escape however, I had to think of a way to distract the Duke enough to prevent him from paying good attention to where I was leading him. I wasn't so worried about the men, they were so skittish at their surroundings I doubted they'd be watching their feet.

"You know," I mentioned as casually as I was able, "I'm surprised you came here yourself. Especially since you're the only one who truly comprehends how dangerous this place is."

The Duke regarded me with thinly-veiled suspicion, but still he answered me.

"I also know how dangerous the truth about my family would be if rumors were to circulate throughout Fiore. I won't risk losing my position over my beast of a nephew."

"So is that why you took my father?" I wondered.

The Duke examined me for a moment. I almost thought that he was impressed by my accusation.

"I took your father so that I would be the only one in Fiore to discover the location of the Aryan's  settlement. As it is, he's unfit to tell anybody else."

My heart froze at the cold words he so casually spewed at me, and I didn't want to imagine what he meant. Yet the Duke's answer also made me think of something new.

He made it quite apparent that it was my father who had given him this location, and not Taehyung.

 In fact, he hadn't mentioned his youngest nephew at all in the discourse.

 Perhaps Taehyung hadn't betrayed us after all. He could become a powerful ally provided we could get to him, and that my suspicions about his innocence were correct.

It was then, after I pushed away the distraction I was feeling, that I noticed them.

 Several decomposing corpses that smelled even worse than they looked. I knew that they must have been the remains of those creatures that had pursued me- the ones that Jooheon had demolished. The sight of them made the Duke's men physically tremble at the thought of what awful creature had managed to cause so much damage, and I prayed that they would have the privilege to find out.

 I grinned internally at the thought of them running away in fear, leaving Jooheon alone to pulverize his terrible uncle.

I knew that now we had come upon the swamp it was simply a matter of how best to get them all inside of it before they noticed that the mire was swallowing them up. I could only pray that it would debilitate them long enough for me to manage my escape before I began to sink myself.

Instead, I continued to walk towards my trap with as much wayward confidence as I could muster given my present circumstances. I was acutely wary of my feet, and the moment I felt them sink even the slightest bit into to mire, I urged myself forward stepping as evenly and lightly as possible so as to keep my balance. As soon as we were sufficiently inside the mire, and the armored boots of the guards had begun to slosh and creek, I let out the most unearthly scream I could muster.

These men had no idea about all of the dangers of the wilds. I would simply play on their fears and urge them to believe something that was simply not true at all.

"It's the sinking swamp! We'll all be deep underground in a moment if you don't hurry and turn around!" I cried.

 The soldiers and the Duke glanced at how their feet had begun to sink into the mud, and it seemed as if my slight exaggeration had alarmed them.

 Without waiting for orders from their liege many of them dashed in the direction we had come from, giving me the brief hope that the Duke's numbers would be further reduced before he undoubtedly met with the Aryan's.

The Duke shouted curses, but it was clear that he also felt frightened at my declaration, and I was pleased I had been convincing enough to distract him, at least a little.

 The mud was clearly doing its work, sticking to his boots and causing him to sink into the ground far more rapidly than I.

"Don't just stand there! Help me get out of here!" he demanded quite unreasonably. If he thought his treatment of me or my family warranted any sort of help from me then he was completely mistaken.

"I would, but in case you haven't noticed I've myself to worry about! How can I help you when you've got me tied up like some sort of unruly beast?" I asked, putting enough fear in my voice for me to sound legitimately afraid instead of as victorious as I really felt.

The Duke clearly didn't enjoy the prospect of needing to unbind my hands, but as the mud was pooling around our legs at an alarming rate he didn't think he had much of a choice. I knew I didn't have a lot of time either. It wouldn't be long before he reached the solid ground at the bottom of the swamp and I needed to be long gone before that.

As soon as I was free I immediately bent down in order to make it seem as though I was really going to help him. Instead of pulling his feet and boots from the mud though, I jabbed him hard with my elbow where I knew it would hurt, causing him to buckle over, presumably in a great deal of pain.

I took the opportunity to run as fast as I could towards the village. I could hear the Duke command his men to follow, but I doubted they would, at least not until the idea the swamp was somehow more dangerous than it really was had been cleared.

I ran until my lungs burst as they tried to in air, and when I didn't think I'd be able to take it any longer I simply ran faster.

I couldn't afford to be tired, or even the time it would have taken to see how close the Duke and what little men he had left were on my heels.

 I could feel an overwhelming sense of relief as the treetop houses of the village grew into my increasingly blurry vision. I was certain that Jooheon, as well as most of the Aryan's, would still be in the square, and after having made it through the pasture I could see him.

With what little breath I still had I cried out for him, his name coming out of my lips broken and distorted with my fatigue.

But he heard me still, obviously sensing that something was very wrong. He had made it towards me in a matter of seconds and examined me. But before I even had the chance to speak, Jooheon growled angrily.

"What happened to your wrists?" he demanded.

 I hadn't even noticed the Duke's tether had bruised them but it was evident I'd been held against my will, and even more apparent that it angered him.

"Your uncle is here, he held me but I escaped to warn you. He's coming from the direction of the swamp. He has little men left but enough to bring your people danger."

Jooheon roared with fury.

"We never should have trusted my brother!"

"It wasn't Taehyung, it was my father. He's being held prisoner somewhere," I quickly clarified.

If there was to be a confrontation I wanted Taehyung left out of it if he could prove to remain Jooheon's ally in the future.

The alpha wolf spun around to address his people, who looked frightened and confused with the sudden change of events.

"You must take on your animal forms and hide. As far as we know the Duke of Fiore is unfamiliar with your ability, and so you should be safe. He will assume this place is abandoned provided he doesn't get a close enough look. I will lead him from here," Jooheon ordered.

Although several of the Aryan's  looked quite distrustful of him still, I was pleased to see that all of them saw merit in his pl