We were already miles away from the kingdom. We have entered the dark vast forest of the Eastern Kingdom’s territory. I trailed off from heading directly to the north to let anyone who were following us lose their tracks. During the whole travel, my victim was in deep sleep. As night time fell, I set up camp and slowly placed her on the ground. I tied her up to the tree to prevent her from escaping. I went out to hunt for our food since I don’t want to use the supplies that I had carried for the long trip. I took my bow and arrow and started to hunt. A wild boar appeared on sight as I hid behind the bushes. I place my sight on the boar and shot it straight in the head.

I brought the dead wild boar to the nearest stream and started cleaning it. As soon as I was done, I hurried and got back to my camp. I started to cook the meat I have gathered and cleaned. As I waited for it to be cooked, I looked at my victim’s still unconscious form tied on a tree. I couldn’t see her face through the thick coat covering her face. I hurried and finished cooking the meat.

When our meal was now ready, I stood and approached the unconscious body of the victim. “Hey, wake up!” She had no response. I must’ve punched her in the gut too hard. I started to feel guilty doing so. “Hey, wake up if you don’t want to starve to death!” I said. Death. I clenched on the very thought accommodating my victim and killing them when we reach our destination. Such an ironic thing to say. I thought. However, she hasn’t responded. I crouched down and removed the jacket that was covering her face thinking she must’ve suffocated. As I removed the coat, I was captivated by her majestic face. I held a breath. I couldn’t believe that she was the daughter of the Great King of the South. The Great King who was notoriously known for being ruthless and unmerciful to those who does not abide of his rule could ever have an angelic image as a daughter was far off than anyone can imagine. I snapped out of the spell that I was captured and started to shake her to awaken. I have noticed that she was perspiring and panting. I placed a hand on her forehead. I could feel her burning with fever. Without hesitation I cut off the rope on her hands and feet that binded them. I carried her near the camp fire. I could feel her body fidget as if she was in pain. I hurried and placed her on the sleeping mat  and started to take off parts of cloth for she was sweating so much. I undid and took of her bodice. I placed it aside and started to take of her kirtle. I noticed for a daughter of a very powerful king, she certainly used clothes that were worn if not too often but at all times. I shook my head to focus on my objective that is to cure her fever. As she was now on her Shift clothing, I hurried and covered her with a blanket. I prepared the hot water and a clean cloth. I sat beside her and lifted her head and let her drink water. As soon as she was able to drink half of the glass water, I wiped sweat with the warm cloth soaked in hot water. I would often hold my breath every time my hands would touch her soft porcelain white skin. ‘What’s wrong with me? Why am I helping someone whom will die in a day or two with my own hands?’ I thought. Judging by her current situation, I could just leave her and die in the forest and the great king would have thought that she had died due to the illness. I hastily stood up and started walking towards the horse. I thought about leaving her than killing her. She could die anytime soon. She would not be able to survive. I clenched the wet cloth on my hands. “Y-your H-highness...” I heard her whisper. I turned around and looked at her. She was still unconscious. She must’ve dreamed of the the king. However, when I have approached her quarters she had called me ‘your highness.’ She must’ve thought that I was the son of the King. Amused by the thought, I made a half smile. I felt that I might regret leaving her here. “What’s wrong with me?” I hissed. I walked back to her and started to dip the wet cloth in the warm water.I squeezed the cloth and gently placed it on her forehead. I went to the back to the forest and started to find the plant that would help cure the fever. I saw a group of Eurphorbia Hirta and brought it with me to camp.

When I’ve arrived in the camp, I noticed she was no longer around on the make-shift bed. I looked around and saw her body was laid unconscious near the horse. 'She was trying to escape,' I thought. I dropped the plant and hurried to her. I lifted her body to put it back to the make-shift bed. She groaned in pain. She clutched my shirt and struggled to look at me. She whispered, “y-your highness... we m-must go b-back... b-before i-it’s too...” She passed out.

I let her drank the extract I made from the plant I gathered. I sighed in relief seeing her sleeping peacefully. I had enough sleep for us to continue our journey. She still has the fever but we needed to continue. I packed our things and settled her on the horse. She was bearly awake. I made sure I tied her on to me to prevent her from falling. The road was rough and is filled with uphills. I was thankful enough that my steed was as strong as a mountain lion. It felt as if we were already a hundred kilometers away from the kingdom. Night was again about to fall, I hurried and set up camp and a stream was only meters away from us. I settled the girl to the tent and left to get water. I brought my horse to let it quench his thirst. As soon as I was done filling water on our water-bag, I went back to camp. I’ve arrived at the camp and saw that she was still sleeping peacefully. I prepared food for our dinner.

It was already dark. I heard her groan. She hastily got up and started to run towards the back of a tree and started to vomit. I continued cooking the meat that was on the pan sizzling. She started to walk towards me and suddenly fell on the ground. “Y-your highness... W-we don’t have m-much time... w-we must get back...” She said and vomited again. “We are not going back. You go back and lie down.” I blankly said. “Y-you don’t... u-understand... the k-kingdom is i-in peril...” She said struggling to breath. “You’re going to put yourself and that child in peril if you don’t rest.” I said still focusing on the almost done meat I was cooking. “W-what a-re...” She heaved in pain. I placed the pan aside and stood up. I slowly walked towards her. “Rest... I need you to be more active... We are heading north—“ She slammed her fist in the ground. “No! Y-you don’t understand... I am n-not pregnant... I-i am ill... We m-must go back if you want to s-save the kingdom...” I hurried and crouched down and laid her in my arms. “What do you mean you’re ill?! Didn’t the lord go to your chambers?!” I blurted. She clutched my shirt and tried to speak. “You will speak of this later. I need your strength back to tell me everything. For now, you shall rest and get your strength back, arasso?” She nodded. I lifted her up back to her bed. I let her drink the extract of herbs to help seize her fever. I fed her with the cooked meat.

The night was falling deep. I looked at her. She was now breathing normally. I sighed. I wondered how I could be caught up in such a mess. I stared at the crackling camp fire. I started reminiscing the memories of my family. We were a happy family. One fateful night, everything was taken from me. My father, my mother and my sister died as soldiers started attacking our village. It was the Great King’s army who suddenly attacked in the dead of the night. I balled my fist remembering such memories. The lord Yang, who saw me lying under the arms of my dead mother, took me in and treated me like his son. I heard woman getting up. She seemed to no longer in much pain. She was still sweating. “Your Highness...” She said. I hastily stood and replied “I am not of royal blood. You will stop calling me that.” She was astonished. “O-oh... I thought.. you were the lord’s son...” She softly said. “Now, you are going to tell me what had happened. Why were you in the burnt village of the west? Why is the daughter of the Great King wandering about?” I said as I handed her a glass of water. She hastily drank it. She sighed. She looked at me and started to narrate.

“Yes, I am the youngest daughter of the Great King. I have been locked away as to be the next queen of the Great Southern Kingdom. However, I ran off. I disagreed on how they would run the kingdom. They burn and destroy territories and kingdoms to take power. I traveled to the west and tried to protect the village but the lord of the west refused to face such fate. They out casted me from their kingdom. I stayed and camped in the nearby forest. And one dead of a night, the Great King’s soldier arrived and started burning and attacking the kingdom. They started slaughtering the people that was trying to escape. The Great King has always thought that any kingdom outside of the Great Southern Kingdom will place threat upon his rule. That these kingdoms will unite their forces and bring his kingdom to ruins. Before he locked me out for safety, I tried convincing him that he feelings are mere fear of losing power. However, he didn’t take it lightly. When he tried to send me off to the vast forest of the South and lock me away in a tower after he annihilated all the threat, I snuck off to protect those villages and kingdoms to give them heed but they fear having me in their kingdom. I couldn’t stop them. I couldn’t help them. I am useless but I still want try. To try one more time to save... to save...” She hugged herself. “It’s my fault they all died. I could’ve tried harder.”

I felt her suffer. I felt how she risked her life to save the village. I, on the other hand, am just killing people with my hands because I was ordered to. However, I wanted to know more. “Then, we must head back right away! You must face the Great King and convince him more not to destroy the kingdom. “ I sternly said. I held her shoulders tight. She looked at me with tears in her eyes. “Please, you have to talk to the Great King. If the Great King sees you he will stop the attacks, he will listen to you. You are the future queen. You are too precious to him. Let’s hurry...” I added. She nodded and wiped her tears away. I reached my hand to help her up. The touch of her soft hand gave me chills. I wanted to protect her. The tears in her eyes still kept on falling. I mindlessly reached my hand and cupped her cheeks. I ran my thumb and whipped her tear from her eyes. She looked at me with those dark sparkling beautiful eyes. I was captivated. “What is your name, dear sir?” I was taken aback. I didn’t know what made me do it. It wasn’t like me. I hastily took my hand off and looked away.

“My name is Jiyong Kwon, the Gray Dragon of the East.”