he Kingdoms were at peace till the moment when mind of one of the kings got poisoned by the untamed will of conquering the world and rule the ones he took for weaker than him. The Dragon King found pleasure in watching people obey and trust in what he put into their minds like venom. Only lies came out of his lips from the moment he got to know the ways of possessing – fire made flesh Dragons and used them to fight other nations.

Among the first to oppose him was the Lion Nation. After their peaceful and idyllic life was disturbed – the Lion King decided to stand against the merciless despot. Roaring lion was their sigil and just as one protecting what’s dear to him, he marched ahead to protect those who entrusted him as a Nation, but mainly – to protect his only daughter.

Princess was beautiful and wise above her age. As everyone of her kin, she had long, blonde, curly hair that looked just like a lion’s mane. The princess was named Faith, because her parents believed that she’ll be able to accomplish great things in the future. The young lioness and as many named her – Chaerin, learnt how to fight and trained her skills ever since taking a sword into her hands at the age of eight.

As time passed and certain events occurred – princess turned to be the one to inherit the crown in the future. The queen to be never brought any type of letdown to her father or the Lion Nation, but is she going to stand ground when the time of great trial comes?

Will she be able to withstand the fire and desolation coming from the sky?

The battle begins. Chaerin stands at the battlefield side by side with her father and her main guardian – Suho.

Do they stand a chance against the Dragon Nation? Or are they going to be enslaved like everyone before them?

 

Chapter 1: Red Dragon

“Don’t look at me like that…” Chaerin was tying the strings of her corset. Today was the day when her father decided to stand against the Dragon Nation and as his inheritor, she was about to face them together with him.

 

The Lion Nation’s king wanted to negotiate with the invaders. War was the last thing he wanted for his people, but if negotiation fails, he’ll have no other choice…

 

Even though she told Suho to let it go, he wouldn’t stop giving her the deadly stares ever since she told her father, that she’ll support him during his journey to the Wolf Nation’s castle.

 

Suddenly Donut – Chaerin’s lion, groaned at both of them. He was annoyed with seeing the two in such moods for past few days.

 

“See, even he’s annoyed with you.” Chaerin giggled and glanced at Suho.

 

The blond male was standing near the bed where Donut was lying. Donut roared even louder when Suho looked askance at him.

 

“What if something happens to her?” frustrated Suho rode through his hair with one hand. “I doubt that the Dragon Nation is going to willingly accept what your father wants…”

 

“Suho-yah.” Chaeirn tied her hair into a tidy ponytail and walked closer to him.

 

“I won’t be able to protect both of you…” Suho kept talking until she gently placed her hand on his right cheek.

 

“Princess?” Suho frowned and grabbed her hand, trying to move it away.

 

“What?! Can’t I even touch you?” she asked hurt.

 

Even if he wasn’t the part of the royal family, he was still a part of the Lion Nation, and her best friend since forever.

 

“When we were younger, you didn’t mind if I held your hand. Why are you pushing me away now?” Chaerin grasped the shirt on his chest tightly.

 

Seeing sadness in her eyes felt like a sting being stabbed in his heart.

 

“Your father…” Suho started and grabbed both of her wrists.

 

“Don’t get started with me Suho-yah!” she looked him in the eyes. “My father has nothing to do with my lov…. my life!”

 

Suho sighed and pushed her away “Princess Faith, your father entrusted you to my safekeeping. When I vowed to serve your family, I also vowed to protect you even if it costs my own life. So please don’t make it harder for me…”

 

Chaerin bit her lower lip trying to stop it from trembling. She was annoyed and frustrated with his whole presence at the moment, but at the same time even a thought of parting with him seemed equal to losing a part of her own soul.

 

“You wouldn’t have felt anything to me even at the verge of death…” Chaerin mumbled and drawn away from him.

 

Seeing that his owner was sad, Donut got up from the bed and walked closer to the blonde girl struggling with putting her boots on. When he tried to snuggle his nose in her arm, she pushed his big head away.

 

“Princess…” Suho started but she glowered at him immediately “… Chaerin…” he added with a softer voice this time.

 

“What do you have to say to me, huh?” Chaerin gazed at him.

 

For few seconds she looked at him closing and opening his mouth, but then both of them heard someone knocking.

 

Chaerin sighed and turned her face away from Suho. “Come in…” she said and two of her female servants walked in.

 

“Princess Faith, we brought your armor…” The older one said while bowing.

 

“Good… you can leave now Suho-sshi.” Chaerin stated and turned her head back when she heard him closing the door.

 

Colder than ice… she mumbled and let servants to put the golden armor on her body. Even if it didn’t look like it, the armor for which she begged her father was extremely hard and light. The two roaring lions carved on the chest made her look less like a princess and more like a manly prince.

 

The armor covered her whole body and only a skilled eye was able to notice the weakest points in the material. Her helmet was another piece of art. It looked like a lion’s head with a tuft of golden-brow hair resembling a wavy mane.

 

Even the female servants blushed when Chaerin was ready. Chaerin grabbed the helmet and headed to meet her father.

 

As expected he was together with all knights in the throne hall. The Lion Nation’s knights greeted her with encouraging shouts and clapping, while the Wolf Nation gaped at her walking proudly though the hall.

 

“Chaerin-ah…” the king grasped his daughter’s shoulders. In his eyes she could see pride mixed with fear.

 

“Your Majesty…” she replied and slightly bowed at him.

 

Not even knowing when did he appear, she noticed Suho standing by her side.

 

“Suho-yah, keep her safe.” Her father said so only the two of them could hear him.

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Suho bowed at him.

 

Chaerin could only quash the anger forming inside her. She trained all her life and was independent enough to take care of herself but not for those two men… No matter what she said or did, both of them treated her as a fragile princess, which she never was.

 

It took them two days to get to the current Dragon Nation’s location. Whenever someone from the Wolf Nation saw her, he started vigorously spitting on the ground. When she asked Suho what did it mean, he told her that they believed that women bring bad luck at war.

 

“That must be some kind of a joke!” Chaerin hissed in disbelief but there was nothing she could do about it.

 

Only Donut gave her strength during their journey. He followed Chaerin everywhere, so why wouldn’t he go after her even to a battlefield? She told him hundreds of times to ‘go home!’ but he didn’t listen. In the end she was happy that he stayed. He was Chaerin’s pillow and kept her warm during the night.

 

Last hours before they reached the Wolf-turned Dragon Nation’s castle, were spent on choking on the smoke filling the air around them. The earlier green lands were burnt to ashes. Only the sight of destruction was enough to fill their hearts with fear.

 

No matter what, they went ahead. When the castle showed at the horizon, they couldn’t believe in what they saw. The moat around it was filled with tar and set on fire.

 

“I think they must’ve expected us…” Chaerin mumbled to Suho.

 

The king didn’t even manage to confer with the nobilities when they saw the castle’s main gate opening and a squad of knights on horses coming riding at them.

 

Firstly everyone thought that they were coming to negotiate, but their horses trot changed into gallop in a matter of seconds. They were attacking…

 

Instead of being scared, the mighty Lion warriors laughed them off. The Dragon squad consisted of around fifty men while there were five hundreds of them.

 

However their smiles faded away as soon as the terrifying roars reached their ears. Three enormous shadows could be seen flying above the castle’s walls.

 

Everyone stared agape at the creatures from the depth of hell flying at them with full speed.

 

“Stay close to me Chaeirn-ah!” she heard Suho’s voice but all she could see was her father standing ahead of the army, pulling out his sword.

 

“Father!” she screamed and rushed her horse to get to him. Donut followed her. Suho also tried but the Wolf Nation that was surrounding him panicked and blocked his way.

 

“Chaerin-ah!” she heard him.

 

The first – black dragon sent the first fire blast at the Lion Nation, scaring the horses away. The king let out a groan after falling off his horse. Heat and smoke made his vision blurry. Like that he didn’t notice the Dragon squad being only few meters away from him.

 

At the same time the Dragon squad’s leader, riding on a black horse, pulled out his sword and aimed for the Lion king’s head. Only five meters were left and he could almost feel the blade sinking in the flesh when his attack got fought off by another warrior in golden armor, with two lions on his chest.

 

Not only he was shocked by that knight’s courage, but almost yelled loudly when a huge lion attacked his horse’s throat.

 

At the time when he fell on the ground, Chaerin helped her dizzy father to get onto her horse and urged it to escape home, just as she always thought it.

 

“Donut!” she yelled, but then a wave of gray smoke surrounded her from each side. All she could hear were dragons’ roars and screams.

 

“Suho?!” she asked once more when a barely seen shadow figure could be seen in front of her.

 

However the shadow kept growing taller and taller as she observed it coming closer to her. In few second she saw him in full glory.

 

The sight of his red armor with scales carved on it took her breath for a moment. His helmet had a shape of a dragon’s head and there was a long, black ponytail coming out at the top.

 

“How dared you to stop me…” she heard his deep voice, which made her hands grasp even tighter at the sword’s grip.

 

Her heartbeat speeded up when he took on a ‘ready to fight’ position. The opponent she had in front wasn’t like anyone she ever fought or saw. He was much taller than anyone from the Lion Nation. His hands and legs were slender and screamed with strength.

 

Seeing him closer she took on a defending position, and that’s when their dance of death began. His first attack made her feel a sudden cracking in one of her wrists. A wave of unbearable pain spread around her arm, but she didn’t scream…

 

Instead she stomped on his foot after noticing that he wore simple, black shoes. His groan filled the air as he bent in pain.

 

Now… Chaerin thought and put her sword’s blade to his throat. He gazed at her coldly and put his hands up as a giving up sign.

 

Having someone’s life in her hands for the first time… Chaerin fought with thoughts battling inside her head.

 

That moment of her disorientation got used by the other Dragon warriors. She squealed when they tossed a net on her. Someone pulled its edge and in a second she was lying flat on the ground.

 

“Damn it…” she mumbled when she overheard them taking about taking her as a hostage.

 

At least she hoped that her father was safe… and Suho too…

 

“I saw this shortie’s blade on your throat Kris.” One of the knights laughed and the others followed him.

 

“Remember who’re you talking to…” the red knight replied annoyed.

 

“What about that thing?” she heard them and then a familiar groan reached her ears.

 

“Donut!” She sat up immediately and looked around because the smoke finally started fading away.

 

She heard the Dragon knights talking lively about something and then she saw Donut’s tail swinging vigorously between their legs. They were around three meters away from her.

 

“First time I’m seeing a lion.” She heard them.

 

“It killed my horse!” the red dragon said furious “… and it’ll attack again for sure.”

 

“It would’ve been such a nice toy for us to play with!” another knight said and everyone except their leader agreed.

 

“It’s wounded… kill it!” the redly armored guy stated sharply.

 

Neither of them noticed that while there were talking, Chaerin managed to take out a small dagger out of her boot and cut her way out of the net.

 

One of the knights pulled out his sword and aimed for Donut’s head. In a blink of an eye Chaerin jumped between them and covered the lion’s head with her own body.

 

“What the !” the warrior stopped few inches above her back.

 

“Why didn’t you keep an eye on him?!” Kris yelled at his subordinate.

 

“.. but the lion…”

 

“How old are you? to get excited over something so trivial as a lion?!” Kris yelled at him.

 

“Something so trivial could’ve killed you … ” Chaerin stated boldly and gazed at him. Because of the helmet her voice still seemed deep enough to take her as a man.

 

“What did you say?” Kris aimed his sword at .

 

“… “

 

“Take it off… I want to look in your eyes when I cut off that head of yours.” Kris ordered her.

 

Chaerin glanced at Donut once more and gently caressed his neck. I’m happy to be with you till the end…

 

Then she slowly took off her helmet, letting a waterfall of wavy, golden hair fall on her shoulders. One last time, as she thought, she gazed in the red knight’s dark eyes.

 

“You’re the one who’s afraid of the lion…” she said and didn’t look away even for a second.

 

“A woman?” she heard some whispers.

 

“Isn’t that a lion princess?” she heard one of the knights asking.

 

“Yeaah… the wolf women kept talking about her and the Lion king.” The other one added.

 

“Is that true?” Kris asked but she didn’t plan to answer.

 

 

“Tie her and bring her to the castle…” Kris ordered after a minute of silence “…and that lion too…” he added.

 

Chapter 2:Trophy

“Since you’re a princess, why won’t I give you a royal then?” the red dragon asked when it turned out that they were short of one horse.

 

“I can walk.” Chaerin hissed and almost kicked him for grabbing the robe that tied her wrists together. She could feel her wrist swelling and hurting more with each second but whining wasn’t her style…

 

Chaerin stiffened immediately when she realized that he wanted to grab and toss her body over his new horse’s back.

 

“Yah!” she yelled and pushed him away with all her might. Kris sighed annoyed and tried once more but this time used a lot more strength.

 

“… princess my …” he mumbled after succeeding with getting her on his horse. Hearing that Chaerin didn’t mind to try swinging her legs and not even knowing if she reaches him, gave him a solid kick in a helmet.

 

“Yah!” Kris hissed while some of the knights laughed at the whole scene. “Get that lion and let’s head back.” He added and got on the horse, not even caring if Chaerin was comfortable.

 

“I swear… that I’ll vomit on you if you let me ride in that position…” she hissed after few meters of horse’s trotting.

 

“Tch!” Kris belittled her words firstly, but when she turned her face at him and puffed her cheeks out (with air at the moment), he stopped the horse immediately.

 

With one smooth move, Kris grabbed Chaerin’s arm and twirled her around so she could sit side way.

 

“I should’ve gaged her…” Kris mumbled to himself.

 

“Good choice. I bet that my vomit would be a great flaw on your honor… prince…” Chaerin said.

 

When she saw him standing between others with a lot less showy armors it was obvious that his status must’ve been higher that theirs. Only his helmet had a shape of a dragon’s head. She supposed that he was from the royal family… but saying that he was a prince was just a simple guess.

 

He didn’t answer her but simply stared in her eyes for a moment. In a second she felt one of his hands wrapping around her waist while the other one grabbed the reins. Kris held her tightly during their ride, making Chaerin blush because of the mixture of excitement and desperate need of pushing him away forming inside her.

 

When they rode through the gate a crowd of people scalding ‘Prince Kris!’ & ‘Victory’ surrounded them. The women went crazy after seeing him and other knights. All of them, women and men were tall and outstandingly attractive… Chaerin thought. The colors of their hair were far from normal, red, green, yellow and…

 

“…silver…” Chaerin mumbled when the dragon prince got of the horse and took of his helmet. He had sharp features, thick eyebrows and ears filled with tiny earrings, each one had a different shape and stone in it. Even earlier she felt a bit uncomfortable when Kris looked at her, but now looking him in the eyes seemed impossible for her.

 

Not caring about what she thought he grabbed her left calf and pulled down to effortlessly toss her over his shoulder. Chaerin’s curly hair covered her face, making her unable to see where he was heading to.

 

She expected him to take her to the dungeons, because wasn’t she a hostage? But no, he didn’t.

 

Instead he walked up dozens of stairs and then she heard him walking into a room full of loud women?

 

“Oh! Prince Kris!” few of them squealed.

 

“Calm down.” He stated calmly “I have something for you…” he added and placed Chaerin back on her feet.

 

“Get her cleaned up and dressed for the feast tonight. She’s our guest but… don’t you dare to untie her hands.” Kris said and the servant girls nodded.

 

“Guest?” Chaerin shoved the blonde locks off her face and glowered at him.

 

Rather than answering, Kris smirked at her “Put her armor in one of the chests. I’ll take care of it later.” He added.

 

In a second after saying those last words, he left the room.

 

When he did that, the servants lashed out at Chaerin. Tens of hands began undressing her, brushing her hair and pushing her towards filled with fresh, warm water bathtub.

 

“Wait a moment!” Chaerin managed to squeal but in an eye blinking, the women threw her inside the bathtub and started to vigorously scrub her back, arms and legs.

 

“I can do it myself! Stop…. What are you?! Agh!!!” she yelled, while satisfied Kris waited outside to hear out her reaction with a grin on his face.

 

“Aghh… it hurts…” he heard her almost crying and how he suddenly got worried, annoyed the hell out of him.

 

Suddenly the door opened and one of the servants got out. She jumped up and blinked few times after seeing Kris still being near the door.

 

“Your Majesty… the girl…” she started worriedly.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Her wrist is twisted… or maybe even broken. Her whole hand swell so much.” The servant girl squealed.

 

Kris grabbed the door handle, but reflected when the girl stepped on his way.

 

“… I should check if they took her out of the bathtub.” She said politely.

 

“Took out?!”

 

“Yes, she passed out from too much pain I guess.”

 

“That’s enough…” Kris pushed her aside and walked inside. The women squealed embarrassed but they managed to wrap unconscious Chaerin in blankets and lie her on one of their beds before he walked in.

 

Kris walked to the lion princess and pulled out his knife. All of the women stared at him cutting the robe tied around Chaerin’s wrists.

 

Indeed her wrist looked bad when he took it in his hand. “Call a medic and let him take care of it.” Kris ordered “… when the feast time comes, I want her to be conscious and ready to accompany me…” he added and left.

 

Two hours later Chaerin woke up with a thin, wooden board tied to her wrist with bandages. At least it didn’t hurt so much anymore, but the balm with which someone treated her stung like hell!

 

Chaerin blinked few times and then noticed the same women who washed her earlier, now waiting for her to wake up.

 

“Let’s start!” one of them shouted suddenly.

 

“Wha… what? start what?!” Chaerin asked dumbfounded but they already pulled her out of bed, totally .

 

“Just put me in the dungeons! I’m not going to wear that!” Chaerin tried to oppose them, but she was way too weak and tired for that.

 

She let them put a dress made out of golden tiles and little beads on her. So called ‘upper part’ of the dress barely covered her s and left her stomach totally . The bottom part consisted of a thick, golden belt – turning , which had a long, white see-through material stitched to it. The material was covered with hundreds of golden beads.

 

“I’ll froze to death or get sick if I walk around like that …” Chaerin commented “This is ridiculous.”

 

Later they styled her hair by tying half of it up, letting the rest fall lose onto her shoulders and back. One of the younger girls drawn thin lines on Chaerin’s eyelids – making her look like a cat.

 

At least they let her wear flat shoes. After an hour Chaerin sighed while servants stared admiringly at their master piece.

 

When the sun set outside, all of their heads turned at the doors after hearing someone knocking. Sudden commotion filled the room as they all headed outside.

 

“Hey?! Wait a moment!” Chaerin was dumbfounded and wanted to follow them… but then when everyone left, dragon prince walked inside. His silver hair looked even more vibrant thanks to the red shirt and black leather pants he wore.

 

Chaerin backtracked immediately after seeing him.

 

“Just kill me… “ She said sharply after seeing him carefully eyeing her body from head to toes. How she wished to wipe that disgusting smile of his face with her fist.

 

Without saying anything Kris grabbed her elbow and started pulling her towards the door.

 

“Yah! Don’t touch me!” She yelled and tried to oppose him.

 

“I’m not going to fight you…” slowly getting annoyed, Kris shook her shoulder.

 

“Where’s Donut?! Just let me be with him… I don’t need any of this… you can put me in the dungeons with him.” she said.

 

“Stop it already!” Kris yelled at her. His eyes flared with anger.

 

“What are you trying to do, getting me dressed like that? Do you want to show up some battle trophies to your kin? Or simply torture me?” Chaerin didn’t feel any fear an kept asking.

 

For the first time in his life, Kris met such an annoying, sassy, loudmouthed and - he had to admit - strong girl. She made his insides cringe form rage whenever she opened to talk. However her unpredictability somehow attracted him.

 

“… trophy…” Kris mumbled and touched Chaerin’s cheek with his long fingers. She stiffened automatically and sudden shivers spread around her skin when he slid them down her jawline to the crook of her neck.

 

“You’re my trophy.” Kris stated sharply and never did she expect that he was about to take her first kiss away.

 

Sharp words were followed by the firm movements of his hands and lips. He intertwined his fingers in the blonde locks at the back of her head, preventing from letting her to move away when he pushed his lips onto hers…

 

 

… to be continued :P

 

Chapter 3: Golden gift

 

Earlier when Chaerin lost her consciousness and Kris left her with servants.

 

“An outstanding victory!” Dragon king clapped his hands when Kris entered the throne hall.

 

Kris eyed his father standing near the throne in full glory. He was only a bit shorter than Kris, but the clothes he wore made him look taller and almost god like. Grey crown with tiny golden sparks shined on his long, silver hair.

 

“As expected you didn’t disappoint me.” The king stated with a smirk of satisfaction carving on his lips.

 

“It would be even better if you waited a bit with sending the dragons… most of the Lion Nation managed to escape before we attacked.” Kris said.

 

“Tch! Do you try to underestimate my decisions?” the king asked with a risen eyebrow.

 

“… I wouldn’t… dared…” Kris replied as politely as he could.

 

“Good… I heard that you captured a lion knight.”

 

“Knight?” Kris repeated with amusement, but immediately remembered about Chaerin’s blade on his throat. He cleared his throat “Using a ‘knight’ term is a bit too much.” Kris added.

 

The king looked at him angrily “Are you playing some kind of charades with me?”

 

“No.”

 

“I’m making all of this for you Kris. You’re my son… and I expect you to listen to me.”

 

“I know.” Kris said but … I never asked you to invade any kingdom. He thought.

 

“Bring that prisoner to the feast tonight. Let him be our guest…” the king smirked.

 

“My prisoner is not a man.” Kris stated.

 

“A woman? … they even brought their women to the battlefield?” the king laughed.

 

“Only one… and she came there herself.” Kris replied.

 

“And you were the one who captured her? Their men escaped or what? Was she too stupid to follow them?”

 

“She was the only one who had enough guts to fight me.” Kris said.

 

The king looked at him surprised.

 

“The wolf people said that she’s the lion king’s daughter. I find their words believable because she literally stopped my sword from cutting the king’s head off.” Kris continued.

 

“Interesting… I want to see her.” the king stated.

 

“Remember that she’s my prisoner.” Kris glowered at his father.

 

“Yeah, yeah… she’s yours.”

Back to present time

 

The prince’s lips were soft and feeling them on hers didn’t disgust Chaerin but she panicked when he tried to push his tongue inside .

 

A stifled squeal left but instead letting go, Kris pressed her harshly against the wall. When she hit his chest with her healthy hand, he grasped her wrist and even though he didn’t use much strength, stopped her from slapping him.

 

That kiss wasn’t for you… Chaerin internally cried and bit his lower lip as hard as possible. Kris groaned and touched his lips. He glared at her after seeing blood on his fingers. Chaerin used the moment and pushed him away.

 

“Don’t you dare to touch me ever again!” She threatened him with an injured hand.

 

“Oh please it was just a kiss.” Kris laughed at her.

 

“Maybe for you! but for me it wasn’t! I felt nothing…” Chaerin glowered at him.

 

“Why are you so…?!” Kris hissed annoyed with her words.

 

“So what?”

 

“Absurd!”

 

“What?” Chaerin hissed.

 

“Every time you open that mouth of yours to speak I feel like punching someone. Does your brain even work properly?” Kris yelled at her “Why are you so hard to understand?”

“No one have ever asked you to understand me.” Chaerin said “I didn’t ask you to take me here. You should’ve killed me back then.”

 

“Maybe I should…” Kris grabbed her arm and even though she protested started pulling her to the hall where the feast was.

 

“Why are you doing all of this to me.” Chaerin mumbled and Kris faked that he wasn’t able to hear her.

 

Both of them entered the hall filled with singing, loud talking and laughs. Chaerin’s chest cringed in pain after seeing dark-haired Wolf Nation serving the feasting dragons.

 

They’re having fun while I don’t even know if anyone from my kin survived. She bit her lower lip to prevent it from trembling.

 

“Well, well, well… so this is your princess?” the king asked Kris and carefully eyed Chaerin. When he spoke everyone in the hall looked at them.

 

Even though she wanted to look untouched by all of their words and looks, the way the king looked at her made her blush. Cold shivers spread alongside her spine when he walked close enough and she could feel the sweet perfumes he used.

 

His grey crown seemed extraordinary to her at first glance. The way the golden threads which covered it were shining with gold and redness seemed unnatural. Chaerin never saw any kind of a stone or metal which looked like that.

 

“What is her name?” the king asked and Kris realized that he didn’t actually know her name.

 

Chaerin straightened her back “My name is Lee Chaerin, first born of the Lion Nation.” She stated proudly.

 

“First born?” the king smirked “It sounds as if you were the throne’s inheritor?”

 

“My father is the king and he’ll rule for many years.” Chaerin replied calmly.

 

“We’ll see…” the king stated and gestured something to one of his servants. The boy nodded and disappeared somewhere.

 

“I have dragons. Do you know what will my dragons do with your Lions?” the king asked with a smirk.

 

“They’ll burn them to ashes.” The king added when Chaerin didn’t answer him. “If he wants to see you again, it would be better for your father to stay in your nation’s castle as long as I tell him.”

 

“My father’s a Lion. Pure courage flows in his veins. He’ll never kneel in front of you!” Chaerin said with her eyes throwing daggers at the king.

 

“I’ll make him listen to me.” The king said and took a wrapped bundle that the young servant brought him. As in slow motion Chaeirn observed how the king untied the bundle and threw the lion’s fur on the floor in front of her feet.

 

“I prepared a gift for him, which will represent what I am capable of.” The king stated satisfied with princesses reaction.

 

Donut… Chaerin thought and wasn’t even able to move or make a sound. Her heart broke in half.

 

“There’s only one thing that misses.” The king added and pulled out a dagger. Chaerin stood in a daze with her eyes still fixed on Donut’s skin. Even Kris didn’t manage to stop the king from grasping Chaerin’s hair and cutting them short at her shoulders height with one smooth move.

 

“I’m sure that your precious father will recognize his daughter’s glorious, golden hair.” The king stated and laughed maniacally.

 

“Take her away!” he added after a moment and sat on his throne satisfied with his evil plan.

 

Kris grabbed Chaerin’s forearm and dragged her away from the hall. For the first time he didn’t felt any resistance coming from her.

 

The prince didn’t take her to the dungeons, neither to the room where the servant women bathed her… he took her up to his bedroom in one of the castle’s towers. The only safe place he could think of at the moment.

 

Chapter 4: Little kitten

“How could you kill him!” Chaerin screamed as soon as Kris closed his bedroom’s door. Her cheeks were moist from the tears and the painful expression on her face made Kris to clench his teeth. When she attacked him with her fists he grabbed her wrists tightly and by that successfully stopped her from ripping off his face.

 

“Stop it.” He ordered coldly but then she kicked his leg desperately. Kris growled from the pain and while being totally fed up with her, pulled her to his bed and harshly pushed her onto it.

 

Chaerin felt wolf’s fur against her skin. It was probably one of the remnants after the Wolf Nation that weren’t thrown away yet.

 

“Don’t do anything stupid to yourself.” Kris ordered swiftly and Chaerin didn’t even manage to say anything when he left the chamber. She only heard the door being locked from the outside.

 

She rushed and tried to open them but it was too late. Kris’ steps were quieting down at the corridor.

 

“YAH! Come back! You murderer!” Chaerin squealed and hit the door with the injured hand. The pain was so sudden that she gasped for air and fell on the floor in total despair.

 

Now, when she was alone… the tears started flowing unstoppably. “My baby Donut.” She internally cried and crawled to the bed.

 

“Don’t do anything stupid…” Kris’ words rung in her ears. “Tch!” Chaerin hissed and rolled herself within the sheets. “Did he really thought about me so low?” she thought and feeling all sore laid on the bed.

 

Taking her life with her own hands would’ve be the biggest act of fear. “I’m not afraid.” She mumbled to herself and dried the tears with the sheet’s corner.

 

Even though Chaerin wasn’t afraid of the merciless Dragon king or that evil prince, deep inside she never felt so weak and lonely. Earlier she was brave for her father, later for Donut and now? What was she supposed to do?

 

“Suho would’ve patted my head if he saw me like this…” she thought and tried to smile while trying not to cry anymore “… just like always.”

 

Ever since they were kids Suho was taking care of her. Bruises, scratched knees or elbows – he was the one who kept it a secret before her father and the one who helped to treat her wounds. Every time she thanked him, he would’ve pat her head with an angelic smile carved on his lips.

 

“Please take care of my father…” Chaerin hopped from the bottom of her heart that her dad and Suho got back to the Lion castle safely “… and be safe yourself.” She clenched her fists feeling useless.

 

Not even knowing when, with Suho’s smiling face in front of her eyes, her mind drifted away to sleep.

 

At the same time Kris walked inside the chamber he knew about his team’s members being in. They cheered his name cheerfully after seeing him.

 

“Kris! How is your little kitten? I didn’t expect her to be such a hottie. You’re lucky that she’s yours.” Chanyeol sipped some beer from his cup and then sighed disappointed. The others laughed loudly at his words. Some of them even nodded and repeated the ‘hottie’ part.

 

Chanyeol was the second one after Kris in the team. He had vibrant red hair that kept curling messily and big, dark eyes that seemed to look right through anyone who tried to speak with him. His arms, chest and back were covered with dragon tatoos, he also had his lower lip pierced with a silver, round earing. Everyone knew that Chanyeol loved to stand out.

 

“What happened to the cat?” Kris asked and after hearing the harsh tone of his voice, everyone inside the chamber went quiet.

 

“Cat?” Chanyeol asked dumbfounded.

 

“The lion?! How did my father got it in his hands?” Kris hissed. “And another question – Why was the lion dead? Who let you do it?”

 

Chanyeol scratched his nape awkwardly. “The truth is that the lion died from the wounds… as soon as you took that kitten of yours inside the castle. We couldn’t find you so…”

 

“You should’ve tried better.” Kris hissed and run through his silver hair with one hand.

 

“Damn it, Kris! Why was it so important?” Chanyeol hissed back at him. “It was just a lion. We could’ve as well left him at the battlefield and no one would’ve cared. Did you want to please that kitten of yours so much?”

 

Kris looked at him frustrated. “She’s not my kitten…” he mumbled with gritted teeth.

 

“The sight of a lion caused quite a commotion among the crowd. This castle is full of your dad’s spies. They informed him about it and all this happened! It’s body didn’t even cool down when they came and took that lion away.” Chanyeol said “Neither of us would’ve ever opposed to your orders.” He added and patted Kris’ back.

 

“I know…” Kris sighed but still, there was something weird going on inside his chest. Whenever an image of Chaeirn’s hurtful expression and her cut short hair came back to his mind, he felt his heart squeezing painfully.

 

“Are you alright?” Chanyeol asked after seeing Kris’ frowned eyebrows. The little wrinkle that formed between them was a sign that something was bothering Kris.

 

“I don’t know anymore.” Kris replied.

 

After gazing at his friend’s face for a while “You like her.” Chanyeol stated suddenly, making Kris glare at him instantly.

 

“She’s just a … prisoner… nothing more.” Kris said half-heartedly and averted his eyes from Chanyeol’s.

 

“And where’s that ‘prisoner’ now?” Chanyeol asked with a risen eyebrow.

 

Kris cleared his throat awkwardly and “In my bedroom.” He mumbled.

 

“Hah! She’s lucky!” Chanyeol laughed wholeheartedly “You like her!” he squealed and headlocked Kris.

 

“Yah! Don’t get too familiar with me!” Kris smiled and tried to stop Chanyeol. “Remember who I am!”

 

“Our Kris and little kitten, hah!” Chanyeol mocked and let go of him.

 

“Stop. There’s nothing between me an her. She hates me.” Kris stated.

 

“Want some beer?” Chanyeol asked but didn’t even wait for his answer and yelled at the others “Yah! Pour our prince some beer!”

 

Few hours later when alcohol lessened the pain in Kris’ heart and added him courage to face her, he headed back. He could’ve stayed with his teammates and party till dawn but something or rather someone’s presence kept pulling him back to his bedroom.

 

He slowly put the key inside the lock and opened the door. Dimmed light was coming from the fireplace. She made it? Kris looked at the fading out fire.

 

Then he looked around the chamber and sighed with relief after seeing a round shape on the bed. He walked closer to sleeping Chaerin and sat on the bed next to her.

 

Chaerin’s eyelids were puffy and her lips were parted a bit. She breathed steadily and seeing her being so calm somehow eased his heart.

 

“… princess…” Kris mumbled and gently patted her forearm, which was sticking out from under the sheet. Instead waking up she curled even more, hiding her face in the material.

 

Kris face palmed himself and looked at the empty side of the bed. He was about to crawl and lie there when suddenly Chaerin mumbled something.

 

“Don’t leave…” Kris heard her sweet voice but after listening to her steady breathing again, thought that it must’ve been his imagination. Without even changing his clothes, he lied next to her.

 

Few minutes of him simply staring at the spinning round ceiling passed when he finally decided to close his eyes and sleep. Kris turned with his back at Chaerin and slowly started falling into sleep when suddenly he felt her snuggling into his back. She slid one of her hands around his waist and hugged him tightly. With the dying fire not giving so much warmth as both of them would’ve wished for, lying so close made them feel much warmer that being far from each other. As cats are known from their love for warm places, Chaerin acted like one and unknowingly followed the source of warmth – Kris.

 

Kris’ heart went up to his throat. He felt chills spreading around his body and then the image of Chaerin in that revealing dress made him feel sudden blood rush in a certain area. How can she have such an impact on me? He internally hissed. It must be because of all that alcohol… Kris thought and tried to take her hand off him but then

 

“Don’t leave me….” She mumbled weakly again and grasped his index finger tightly.

 

Kris sighed defeated. He didn’t shove her hand off but simply let her have his hand and laid as far away from her as possible.

 

Minutes passed and Chaerin’s grasp didn’t lighten even a little bit. However while being half asleep Kris heard her mumbling something else… a name? he thought but was already in the dreamland with one feet.

 

“Suho…” Chaerin cried during her sleep.

 

Chapter 5: Dragon’s Regards

Kris woke up with a huge hangover. Without even opening his eyes, he rubbed his eyelids and cringed after trying to move his body. The whole night spent in uncomfortable position with his hand extended as far as possible caused him to not feel it at all in the morning.

 

He blinked few times with one hand still put to his forehead as he tried to prevent his eyes from getting blinded by the sunlight.

 

Firstly Kris noticed the shadow against the filled with bright light window. When his vision honed enough, he finally noticed that it wasn’t just one of the bed’s pillars, but his female prisoner with a cheese knife in her hand. Even though it wasn’t that big and dangerous, Kris got sober and sat up on the bed immediately.

 

“What the?!” he yelled at Chaerin, who kept glaring at him with disgust.

 

“Did you pee in your pants?” Chaerin asked him mischievously and got back to what she was doing, which was cutting her hair even. Earlier when the Dragon king cut her hair, a part of it which was tied up didn’t get under his dagger and in the end made her look like some kind of a beggar.

 

Even though she still felt all shaken up inside after waking up with her head on Kris’ arm as if it was a pillow, she decided to play tough in front of him.

 

After yesterday spent totally alone, crying her eyes out up till late she finally fell asleep and didn’t even notice when he came back. The truth was that she didn’t even expect him to come back and what’s more LAY IN THE SAME BED WITH HER! Chaerin couldn’t believe that she let that happen.

 

Up till now other than her parents, she only slept on the same bed with Suho, but that was only when they were little kids. And today she woke up with an unknown, hated to the bone, the one who she felt nothing but disgust man being near.

 

Kris stung with alcohol and Chaerin thought the worst about his purpose of coming back to where she was last night. After waking up she moved as far away from him as possible. She grabbed one of the sheets and wrapped it around her body.

 

After few minutes of simple sitting and trying to stop herself from strangling Kris’ neck, Chaerin felt hungry. She walked to the table where plates with different types of food were placed and satisfied her hunger with few grapes and slices of cheese.

 

“I’ll fill my stomach while he’s asleep… I have to gather my strength before facing him again.” She thought.

 

How did the cheese knife got in her hands? Well… she saw her reflection in one of the silver plates. Her hair looked tragically. The rest of strands which got cut off stopped curling, while the ones which stayed untouched at the top of her head looked like a messy, fur hat.

 

Without thinking about it twice, she searched for something sharp enough and started cutting all curling strands that were still remaining on her head. “They’ll never curl again.” She thought and felt her chin trembling as she tried to not cry.

 

Cherin looked at the fallen blond curls at the sheets in front of her. Right then Kris woke up with a stifled moan. She felt anger filling her up again and her fingers clamming around the knife’s grip.

 

“Were you really trying to stab me in my sleep.” Kris said and rubbed his neck, relaxed after seeing the size of the knife.

 

“Tch!” Chaerin hissed and cut the last strand. She grabbed the plate she took from the table and looked at her reflection. Considering the fact that she did it herself, her hair looked pretty tolerable.

 

“You wish.” Chaerin stated and glowered at him “I would’ve killed you in a fair fight only.” She added proudly.

 

Kris inclined his head and looked at her half admiringly, half mockingly. Here she was… throwing daggers at him with her eyes, threatening that she would kill him but still… when he remembered her sweet voice from last night, he couldn’t help but feel pleasant chills running down his spine.

 

“I’m not a murderer.” Chaerin mumbled coldly and averted her gaze away from him.

 

“I can’t wait to fight you …” Kris replied with a smirk and got up from the bed. However her last words made him feel guilty, even though he did nothing to let her call him like that.

 

He walked to one of the chests that stood near the wall and opened it. After few seconds he took out a white shirt and started to nonchalantly undress.

 

“Yah!” Chaerin yelled at him, making him smirk again, because even though he saw her not looking at him it turned out that she was watching his every move all this time.

 

“What?” he asked playfully and turned at her with revealed chest.

 

“Nothing!” she yelled and with flushed cheeks hid under one of the sheets. Seeing how embarrassed she was made him almost laugh out loudly.

 

Chaerin clenched her teeth because of her helplessness. “I hate him!” she thought.

 

“Here.” Chaeirn heard h