As he heard Jang-mii’s sweet but scared voice dance over the ash-choked air, Kris jerked out of his troubled thoughts to glance up. There she was, standing on the edge of the village plaza with her eyes wide and pleading, as if begging for an explanation that she could stand. He swallowed guiltily, imagining how compromising the situation was, and how much of a villain he must look at the moment. What would she think, seeing him standing unscathed in a ruin of ash and death? The truth was just as devastating- how would she react learning that the man she had been betrothed to had mercilessly slaughtered an entire village without provocation?

Two days ago, while Kris had been soaring above the vast expanse of the wilds, he had spied Baekhyun’s company traversing the great road that s its way through the wilderness; as a precaution, he had charged his best confidant and only friend Lay the unicorn to track the company and report its activities. Then, the day after, while Kris had been gathering information in a nearby village in his human form, a weary traveling boy had stormed into the market district and announced Baekhyun’s grievous deed, as well as a challenge. Baekhyun wanted to face the dragon in combat, and would continue ravaging villages and farmsteads until he showed. To verify the rumors, he and Lay had traveled to the supposed site of destruction, and the carnage he was sitting among was what they had discovered. He had wanted to find some evidence of Baekhyun’s involvement, and so he had dispatched Lay to keep an eye on the disaster-prone princess while he scourged the ashes.

I never intended for him to bring her here, he thought with a pointed look at the dark-haired man standing awkwardly beside the princess; with an intense look of guilt, he glanced away and tugged anxiously on the corner of the princess’ dress.

“My Lady, perhaps this is not the place… The air is thick with ash; let us go someplace with fresh air… Besides, I would rather you not see this…” he told Jang-mii timidly, but she firmly brushed his hand away, obviously intent not to budge. Her eyes were swimming with emotion as she stared hard at him, her voice quivering as she repeated herself.

“Kris. Tell me the truth,” she demanded. “What occurred here?” Sighing heavily, Kris planted the tip of his sword into the ashen ground to push himself to his feet; he ripped it out of the ground and sheathed it, staring at her levelly as he gestured to the surrounding area.

“I am afraid it is as it looks, My Lady. These people were massacred, cut down like cows for the slaughter,” he replied gravely. She looked around the wreckage, and even from the large distance between them, he could see her body shaking. It must be hard for her, seeing her people in such a state. She has never seen the like of war. In his long time in the wilds, he was quite familiar with the destruction of men.

“Who would do such a thing?” she whispered. She clasped her hands in front of her chest, squeezing them tightly, and Kris felt immense pity for her then. He closed the distance between them, feeling that he owed her the truth, no matter how much it pained her to learn it and him to say it. Gently taking her quivering hands, he enclosed them in his own, and brought them to his mouth to kiss them softly. She glanced up at him with a small gasp, but her fingers stopped trembling, at least for the moment. “Kris… Do you know who did this?” she asked quietly.

“I do,” he responded, raising his head to look into her eyes. “I do not think you will like the answer, princess. Do you still wish to know?” he asked her lowly. She took a slight step back, swallowing as she searched for her nerve. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes to steel herself, he heard her whisper self-affirmation under her breath before opening her eyes once more. Her expression was more determined now, harder and more like that of a ruler.

“Yes. Please, tell me,” she implored. Rather than answering, Kris dropped her hands and crouched down to retrieve a piece of fabric from the ash-coated rubble. She cocked her head to the side in curiosity as he brushed away the ash, shaking out the fabric before holding it out for her to see. “It’s… A battle standard,” she realized as she studied the coat-of-arms that blazoned the purple fabric. A shocked gasp escaped her lips when the creature prancing on the front finally became recognizable. “A wolf? That’s…”

“Yes. It is the symbol of Baekhyun’s house,” he clarified as he tossed the large banner back onto the ground, feeling tainted just by holding the symbol of the villainous man. It collapsed onto the street in a cloud of ash, settling onto the cobblestone in a tumble of folds that eclipsed the prancing, hungry wolf illustrated on the purple background. He glanced back up at Jang-mii, who was staring at the crumbled banner with a blank expression.

“Baekhyun…?” she murmured slowly. “Why… He was… I don’t understand.” Kris gently took her by the arm, guiding her over to the steps of the ruined administration building. She gingerly stepped over the burned bodies, wincing every time her foot crunched against charred bone. He eased her down onto the short stone stairway, then gently sat beside her. Lay walked off to the side with a guilty expression still on his face. Jang-mii stared at the carnage with a white face, taking in the destruction that her betrothed had wrought. “Why would he do this?” she whispered as tears spilled from her eyes and splashed down onto her bare knees. She squeezed her hands so tightly that her knuckles glared white, and her shoulders shook as she held back sobs. “These are my people! How… How dare he, waltz in under a guise of peace, and then terrorize them…!”

“This is not the first time, Jang-mii,” he told her softly. Her body jerked violently as her head shot up, and she stared at him with wide eyes. So, the royal family does not know… Baekhyun probably killed any messengers to keep information from spreading, he thought with a slight frown. He had only learned the news himself just recently. Even his many informants had been clueless about Baekhyun’s activity along the borders of the two countries. He coughed uncomfortably as Jang-mii’s eyes bored into him, demanding explanation. “I’ve just learned that Baekhyun’s forces have been raiding border outposts and settlements for a little over a year,” he explained.

“Raids?” she murmured as she dropped her gaze to her lap. “How has the royal family not learned of this?”

“Because he did not wish you to know, My Lady. He has kept his movements low-profile, and stifles any attempts to request aid,” he responded grimly.

“What does he hope to accomplish with these raids?” she asked. Her voice was shaking, and he was not sure if it was a result of sadness or anger. Most likely, it was a mixture of both.

“To be honest, I don’t have any definitive answer for you,” he admitted, though it frustrated him to do so. He had only discovered the tidbit from the scraggly, terrified rancher boy, who he had bullied lightly for further details. The boy had overheard two soldiers discussing the raids while he was being brought before Baekhyun, who had selected him to deliver his battle challenge. There were many possibilities, but one likely option had been nagging at the back of the unofficial knight’s mind. “If I were to guess, however, his main objective would be to gather resources.”

“Resources? To what end? Surely, he has enough to sustain his country. It’s absurdly massive, after all,” she spat bitterly. The ways of war are lost on princesses, after all… He thought dryly, feeling his heart constrict. Jang-mii had no idea of what he was going to say, and he had wished she would come to the conclusion on her own to spare him saying it. He could already imagine the sheer devastation the princess would feel, the look on her face.

“War, My Lady,” he revealed. The princess fell silent at the heavy remark, stiffening. “Baekhyun has eyes for your country. It is rich in resources, which are much needed for an industrial country like his own. Naturally, even the most ambitious men try to avoid war, so-“

“He asked for my hand, to gain my country’s throne,” she finished quietly.

“Yes,” he sighed heavily. He was slightly perturbed by her lack of emotion. She was simply sitting there, staring at her lap with her hands clasped above her knees. He jerked when she suddenly began laughing; however, it was not the beautiful, joyful laugh he loved so much, but one of bitterness, one of pain.

“Of course. It all makes sense, now that I look back,” she chuckled darkly, looking up once more at the desolate, ashen wasteland. “He never wanted to love me. Even when he told me so, some part of me was hesitant, like I could not believe the words. Like my heart knew, deep down, that he was a liar. And the wedding- the way he looked at me, when I refused him. Rather than being heartbroken, he looked murderous, like he could kill me- would any man who loved woman ever look at her that way?” she scoffed. “If he could not take my throne through marriage, he would take it by force, and probably cut me down in the process,” she growled. Kris remained silent, swallowing a rebuttal. No, he would likely keep you alive… just for your body. The thought sent fire through his veins, and he felt his sword tighten on his hip.

Abruptly, the gravity of the situation struck the princess, and she buried her face into her hands with a sob. There was little he could do to comfort her; after all, what could he say? He could not imagine the pain she felt, being a ruler who could do nothing for her suffering people. He instead stood, stomping over the dead bodies and brooding over the situation. Lay caught his eye and then hurried over, as if guessing his motive.

“No, Kris, you can’t be thinking about accepting his challenge!” he hissed at him, glancing at the crying princess to ensure that she did not hear. Blood boiling, the dragon-prince shot him a glare.

“And why not? I cannot allow this to continue,” he snapped back and gestured to his beloved, sobbing on the steps. “That is what one village did. Imagine what happens after two, and three, and five. Soon the entire country will be burning, and you ask me to do nothing?”

“Think, Kris. Baekhyun is cunning. You will be falling into his trap. I imagine he has already thought of measures to capture you. What use will you be in chains? And then, when you turn human, he’ll torture your identity out of you- and then, you’ll be dead! Jang-mii will fall right into his grasp, as will her country. She’ll likely live a life of misery, bound as Baekhyun’s slave and watching her country suffer under tyranny! Is that what you want? Because that is what will happen.” he retorted harshly. Kris’ mouth clamped shut, furious that the unicorn had a valid point. He paced around in the ashes, kicking up clouds as he stalked about searching for a solution. He could find none in the desolation of Baekhyun’s wrath. With a sudden, heavy sigh, he plopped down into the dusty dirt, furious with himself.

“I curse the day I walked into that damned witch’s lair,” he muttered as Lay slowly walked over to him, lowering himself down into the dirt beside him. Perhaps because of the peculiar purity the being possessed, though he had been traversing through an ash-choked landscape, his clothes were still shining white, untouched by the soot and grime. “How could one decision cause so much suffering?” he murmured as he stared at the princess, whose sobs had died down to miserable sniffles.

“Such is life,” Lay shrugged casually. “Though, they say that struggle makes love that much stronger. Perhaps if it had never happened, you and Jang-mii would not have survived the test of time?” he suggested. He knew Lay was only trying to make him feel better, but it just worsened his mood.

“She doesn’t even know who I am, Lay. To her, I’m just some rogue she fancies, not her long-lost prince,” he mumbled.

“You’re the one too craven to tell her,” the unicorn pointed out, and as Kris moved to hit him, the boy jumped lightly to his feet and pranced away. Still, the unicorn had managed to put a small smile on his face, and smirked as Lay held out a hand for him to take. He allowed the surprisingly strong boy to pull him to his feet, then strode over the body-strewn cobblestone to stand in front of Jang-mii. She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, then gasped lightly as he kneeled down in front of her with his hand over his heart.

“I know I am no knight, but I will make a knight’s oath to you, My Lady,” he told her softly. “I swear to you, I will not let this transgression go unpunished. Baekhyun will pay for what he has done, and what he has yet to do. I do not know how or when- but I vow, I will pass the rightful judgement upon him,” he swore, and he meant every single word. A heavy silence hung in the air, ringing with his vow, and he began to grow slightly anxious at the princess’ lack of response; then he felt her gently cup his face in her hands, raising his bowed head to look her in the eyes. She was smiling, that sweet smile he loved dearly, and he felt his entire body relax as he melted in her gaze.

“Thank you, my knight. I hold you to your promise,” she whispered, and then dropped her hands. He caught one as it fell with his own, bringing it to his face to gently kiss the top of her hand. “Take me back to the meadow. I can stand this place no longer,” she murmured wearily, rising to unsteady feet. It seemed the abrupt discovery of Baekhyun’s betrayal had been taxing on her, and so she tottered unevenly down the steps. As she tripped over a loose femur, Kris deftly caught her before she fell, scooping her into his arms as a groom would his bride.

“Please, the ground is uneven. Allow me?” he asked quietly, looking down at the startled girl in his arms. She smiled warmly and rested her head against his chest, allowing him to bear her through the battleground. Off to the side, Lay rolled his eyes before disappearing into a flash of blinding light, reappearing as his divine horse form. His heavy hooves plodded over the ash, and he tossed his head before whipping around and speeding off into the forest.

“Where is he going?” Jang-mii inquired as he carried her under the dense canopy of the trees, weaving between the massive corpses of cattle.

“Off to keep tabs on Baekhyun’s whereabouts, I presume. We have been tracking him thus far, but unfortunately arrived too late for the village. Not that we could have prevented anything; he has an entire company behind him, after all,” he responded. Even in my dragon form, I am unsure if I would win… Like Lay said, Baekhyun likely has some trick up his sleeve… He thought in frustration. His grip involuntarily tightened around the princess, and he nearly dropped her when she suddenly squeaked in pain. “I’m sorry,” he blurted.

“It’s all right. I imagine you are just as angry as I am… Angry for feeling so helpless, that is,” she murmured, not looking him in the eyes.

“Indeed,” he acknowledged and adjusted her position in his arms. Though he probably could have set her down once they had reached the forest, it felt quite nice holding her in his arms, with her body pressed lightly against his own- besides, she was not objecting. He held her as he traversed the dense forest, listening to the sounds of the forest and her soft breathing. Somehow, it calmed him, and he felt his anger fading.

“Kris?” she asked suddenly, causing him to look down at her. He grunted in response, focusing on traversing a particularly slippery incline. “Where have you been?”

“Ah,” he frowned. I was gone for quite some time… “I apologize, Jang-mii. I wanted to see you, but I had urgent matters at hand,” he murmured a weak excuse, giving her a pained smile. It had pained him to be apart from her so long, missing the feeling of her small body sleeping beside him and the sound of her happy laughter and the sight of her beautiful smile. “I didn’t worry you, did I?” he asked.

“No… Well, I was worried my forwardness may have scared you away,” she admitted shyly, and he stared down at her in surprise, having not expected such an answer. He then laughed, his chuckles echoing through the dense forest air. Jang-mii did not appreciate this, for when he finally finished he found that she was glaring at him with her lips slightly pursed and her expression slightly annoyed.

“I’m sorry to laugh,” he snickered. “I just wasn’t expecting such a thing,” he explained, and then smirked down at her. “I do admire a woman who is up-front about her feelings, though,” he told her with a wink. She looked slightly taken aback, and Kris took the opportunity during her moment of weakness to steal a kiss from her. As his lips enclosed her own, he felt her body tense, and then slowly relax as she gave in to his desire. Her hand raised to gently hold his cheek, and her fingers gently twisted a lock of his bright red hair as he angled his head. When he finally forced himself to pull away, he felt her release a soft sigh, and her eyes fluttered open to gaze warmly up at him.

“You have some nerve, kissing me like that,” she grinned up at him, and he replied with a casual shrug. Though he looked nonchalant about it, his heart was hammering inside his chest having pulled off such a daring move. She seemed not to mind, however, and that put him slightly at ease. Before he could ponder going in for a second move, the canopy suddenly disappeared from over their heads, and was replaced by blistering sunshine.

“Ah… It is here I must leave you, princess,” he sighed as he gently set her down in the long grasses. He had perhaps five minutes until he would change forms, leaving not much time to say temporary farewells. As her feet touched the soft earth, she pouted up at him.

“Why is it that you always kiss and run?” she whined playfully. He smiled wryly, poking her in the forehead. She’s so cute… God, I want to kiss her again… he thought longingly, squashing the urge. If I start, though, I won’t stop…

“I had better join Lay,” he replied, hating that once again he had to lie to the girl. “I will see you soon, princess- that is a promise,” he told her gently. Though her eyes were sad, she nodded in understanding.

“I know,” she smiled. He stepped forward, pulling her head forward to plant a soft kiss on her forehead; then, he pulled himself away without another word, vanishing back into the trees. She remained obediently at the edge of the forest, staring at the place he disappeared while he tried to place as much distance between them as possible.

One day, this curse of mine will be lifted… And then, I won’t have to see you so sad anymore, Jang-mii.