"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuggghh!" 

The inhuman screams that poured from Kris' mouth did little to quell the ungodly pain that was wracking his frail human body. His churning legs and arms threw up clouds of dirt as he writhed and convulsed in the middle of the road like some kind of possessed beast, practically foaming at the mouth and wild-eyed. His back was arched at an impossible angle while his feet scored gouges into the earth and his fingers tore up clumps of the dry mud. His limbs had no choice but to jerk as his nerves were subjected to tortuous levels of energy, but each snap of his arm or leg just sent another crushing wave of pain washing over him, painting him head to toe in the fiery wrath of his curse. It hurts. It hurts so damn much. I can't take it! Nothing, nothing was worth this pain, he would rather be that eldritch lizard forever if it meant he would be subjected to this hellish pain day in and day out-

"Kris. Just breathe. It will be over soon." Whenever Kris had thoughts such as these, her face would appear in his vision, those rosy cheeks and milky-white skin and sea-blue eyes framed by curtains of ebony hair. Jang-mii's hand felt refreshingly cool as she laid against his forehead, which was conversely burning hot like the fire he breathed. As if she possessed some kind of pure, healing magic to combat his darkness, Kris felt the black curse magic retreating from his ravaged system; as his chest heaved and his body trembled violently, he collapsed onto his back while the princess soothingly ran her slim fingers through his sweat-slicked hair. Clustered in a circle around the pair, the armored knights and modestly-dressed commoners were whispering to each other in shocked awe. Though it had been three days since Kris' return and curse had been announced to the traveling caravan, the people still seemed to be amazed at his transformation and supposed return from the dead. 

"Give the prince some space, please. Please move aside," called a familiar voice suddenly, and Kris looked off to the side to see Lay pushing his way to the front of the small gathering. The crowd reluctantly dispersed at Lay's command, and he then walked over to kneel beside Kris, who was only just finding the strength to pull himself into a sitting position. His dark eyebrows were knitted in concern as the prince wearily glanced up at him. The unicorn looked as if he wanted to say something, but seemingly thought better of it and instead offered him his hand. Kris' muscles screamed protests as he grasped the unicorn's hand and allowed him to pull him to his feet. His body had still not yet fully recovered, and so he wobbled precariously as his legs threatened to give out on him, but thankfully Jang-mii jumped up to support him. As she slid his arm around her shoulders, slumping under his weight but determinedly holding her ground, he was too drained to insist Lay be the one to hold him up instead. If I ever have to transform in battle, I'll be as good as dead, he thought bitterly. 

"Is there nothing we can do to end such torment?" Kris glanced up as his father, a magnificent specimen in his ermine cloak and boiled leather armor with his greatsword glistening at his hip, stopped beside him with a fraught expression that betrayed his otherwise imposing figure. The beleaguered prince shook his head wearily. 

"No. Until the curse is somehow broken, I will continue to suffer these transformations." Just imagining the next tortuous experience was enough to nauseate him, and he hastily changed the subject to avoid making himself look even weaker in front of the distinguished royals and their entourage of knights and commoners. "Are you sure that they will be happy to see me?" he asked quietly. If anything, he was more worried about that than the issue of his curse. Though the small caravan had seemingly accepted him as Jang-mii's long-lost fiancé and their ally, he could not assume that of the castle town's residents. The king and queen had sent a messenger ahead with orders to prepare a grand banquet to announce his return, as well as the details of his affliction, and the fact of the matter remained that regardless of his reasons Kris was still a massive, fire-breathing dragon that had wrecked the castle, halted Jang-mii's wedding, and made off with their beloved princess. "I just can't imagine that they would forgive me so easily..." he murmured. He looked worriedly at his father as the man placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. 

"The people will welcome you as a hero, my son. While your methods were... unorthodox, it does not change the fact that all your actions were for the princess' safety. This fact will not be lost on the townspeople."

"That's right!" Jang-mii interjected with that bright, confident smile of hers. "I'll make sure that everyone knows how much you have done for me, Kris." The way she was looking at him, with all the love and admiration that a young woman had to give, Kris' heart fluttered in his chest like a fledgling bird, and he was no longer afraid. If I have her by my side, I can face anything. He smiled softly and leaned down to kiss her temple. 

"Thank you, Jang-mii." 

Time was of the essence, and so the caravan quickly gathered itself to make the last short journey across the small circle of plains that separated the capital from the massive expanse of the wilds. Jang-mii and Kris were on horseback in the front of the column, flanked by a handful of knights, while Lay in all his unicorn splendour trotted along behind. Their parents were in their carriages behind them with a few accompanying soldiers, and the rest of the caravan tromped along in the rear. As they neared the castle gates, Kris narrowed his eyes and stopped the horse, shocked by what he saw. 

The ground leading up to the castle wall was heavily disturbed, churned into mud with clumps of grass torn free, which was undoubtedly the work of many booted feet and horses' hooves. The stone wall was studded with arrows and even a few knives, and the burned remnants of ladders still smoldered against the charred rock. The portcullis, a massive wooden door reinforced with iron, was now splintered sheets of wood clinging to the iron bars, with the large holes crudely reinforced with wooden planks hammered into place. Discarded swords and spears and helmets were littered about, many caked with dried blood. It was painfully obvious that the city had suffered some manner of attack while they were away, and Kris could only pray that the town's alliegance had not changed. The commander of the squadron of knights marched forward, his armor clinking wildly, and shouted, "Open this gate, in the name of the king and queen!" A tense silence settled upon the column as they awaited the answer, whether their allies had prevailed or their enemy had torn them asunder. Kris clenched his jaw as the portcullis shuddered violently, then slowly began to rise with long, jarring groans. The gap between the wood and ground slowly widened to reveal a pair of booted feet, dirty trousers and a tattered cloak, a gilded sword strapped to a second-hand belt, a tunic made of soft leather, and a flash of red hair over a grinning face.

"It's Chanyeol!" Kris growled and wrenched his sword free from its scabbard, and the knights around him began shuffling forward with their spears pointed at Baekhyun's right-hand man. Chanyeol, though clearly outnumbered, wasted no time unsheathing his sword and falling abck into an offensive stance. Kris went to spur the horse forward as Lay tossed his head with a loud whinny beside him, but was halted by Jang-mii wildly thrashing on the horse. 

"Wait! Wait! Halt your attack!" she cried as she clumsily dropped off the horse and jumped between the advancing knights, throwing her arms out and standing protectively in front of the rogue as if she could shield him. "Chanyeol no longer has any allegience to Baekhyun! I have confirmed this for myself." Kris stared at her stupidly, frozen on the horse with his sword up in the air; the knights nervously took a few steps back, then looked to him as the nearest commanding officer for further orders. What's more, the few guards assigned to the defense of the gate also began shouting their oppositions, scrambling around Chanyeol and so vocal in their protests that he could understand little of what they were saying. Personally, Kris didn't trust Chanyeol as far as he could throw him considering their last encounter and the state of the castle gate left much to be desired, but he did trust Jang-mii's judgement and as one who had been judged on circumstances alone, he was willing to confirm or deny the truth before killing him. Besides, the gate guards seemed to trust him. "Please, Kris," she pleaded. The way she gazed at him, with those wide blue eyes that contained the ocean itself, shattered any opposition he possessed. 

"Stay your weapons. Let's hear what he has to say," he ordered and stiffly returned his sword to its home, then swung down from the horse to walk up to the princess, who was still adamantly shielding Chanyeol with her body. Lay, transforming into his human form with a flash of light, came trotting over with his dark eyes trained suspiciously on what used to be a murderous pawn of the treacherous prince. The other royals were watching levelly from their caravans. Kris treated it as a test, a test of his honor and worth as a knight and prince. "Is it true? Have your allegiances changed?" he asked Chanyeol firmly, and motioned for Jang-mii to step aside so he could measure his truthfulness from his eyes. Chanyeol stared right back at him unflinchingly, obediently sliding his sword, which was frustratingly more ornate than his own, into his similarly gilded scabbard. 

"It is. I pledged my loyalty to Jang-mii." He did not avert his gaze from Kris'. It certainly didn't seem like he was lying, but there were plenty of deceitful people who could feign innocence. Then there was the question of when and how the ex-knight had even had the opportunity to do such a thing, because as far as Kris knew, Chanyeol had still been a wanted criminal when they had left for Baekhyun's homeland. He would have been clapped in irons if he had been caught within ten leagues of the city, and Jang-mii had been heavily guarded the entire time. "I know what you're thinking," he said before Kris could voice his doubts, "but it is the truth. I have come to know what a monster Baekhyun truly is. He lacks all honor, and is willing to sacrifice men, women, and children alike to satiate his hunger for power. I refuse to follow such a man." He then turned slightly pink and looked at Jang-mii. "I also owe the princess my life. She still found it within herself to spare me, although I was her enemy and had no qualms about delivering her to Baekhyun at the time. It was by her power that I was able to see the truth, and find myself again."

"It's all true. Chanyeol came to me the night before the caravan left." The blush on Jang-mii's cheeks indicated that it had not been the most proper of encounters, but she spoke no more of that. "I charged Chanyeol with protecting the city while I was away, as my knight, for I anticipated that Baekhyun would attempt to conquer the city should his plan fail. As you can see, Chanyeol fulfilled that oath to me."

"That's right! Baekhyun's soldiers attacked us in the middle of the night! Hundreds of 'em!" one of the gatekeepers cried. 

"If it hadn't been for Ser Chanyeol, the city would have been lost!"

"He saved all of us!"

The knights continued to bleat their praise of the man until Chanyeol waved a hand for silence, and they shockingly obeyed. They respect him, Kris thought in wonder. He then did something Kris did not expect.

He sank to his knees and pressed his forehead to the ground. "I don't know if you can find it within yourself to forgive me for what I have done to you and the princess. If you still believe me a liar, I offer myself willingly. Imprison me, execute me, do whatever you wish. My conscience is clear and I have no regrets." Kris turned his face away as it reddened, admittedly embarrassed that the once-esteemed knight was humbling himself before him, as if Kris was such an upstanding person himself. Chanyeol had allied with Baekhyun and had tried to take Jang-mii away from him, and that was hard to forgive. He glanced out of the corner of his eyes at Jang-mii, who was still gazing at him with those adamant, hopeful, defiant eyes of hers, orbs of blue fire surrounded by curtains of night. It was then that he realized that it really didn't matter what he thought, because she was going to do what she wanted. That brought a wry smile to his lips. Every bit a queen. He looked down at Chanyeol again, and it really didn't surprise him to think that Jang-mii's light could quell the darkness within him. She brings out the best in people. Such a pure, powerful princess with a mind only for her people... Who wouldn't want to follow her, to whatever end, despite the difficulty of the path ahead?

"Raise your head... Ser Chanyeol." His entire body went rigid as stone, likely shocked that Kris would not only believe him but refer to him with such high honor, before slowly raising his head to look up at him with wide eyes. Eyes not with malice, not with cunning, but pure relief. There is no way I can believe him to be false now. 

"Kris!" The prince glanced over his shoulder as his father came marching through the column of knights, followed by the king and queen. Jang-mii planted herself protectively in front of the prostrate knight, and Kris found himself following suit without thinking. "Are you sure? If he is telling the truth, he is a turncoat. What makes you think he will not go crawling back to Baekhyun if he offers enough incentive?"

"Chanyeol didn't side with Jang-mii for money or land," he refuted. It came more naturally than he would have thought. "He allies with her out of pure respect. A bond like that isn't so easily broken with material things." Kris honestly didn't know much about how to run an army, or even how to be a respectable prince, but he knew in his heart that much was true. He looked back down at Chanyeol, who was sitting up on his knees now and staring at him. His face was reddening and he could tell that the man was refraining from tears. A man with no purpose, no lord to serve... I can't imagine what he felt like those few weeks. Kris knew the pain of purposelessness, the pain of being lost with no one to find you. Jang-mii had saved the both of them. Kris was terrified to lose that bond, and he knew just but looking at him that Chanyeol was too. It really was amazing, the effect she had on people without even trying, or maybe even realizing. "I take full responsibilty for him," he said and turned back to the three royals. "Father, my Lord and Lady, please trust me." 

"Very well," the king sighed after a moment. "We with defer to your judgement. Ser Chanyeol, you will be rewarded for aiding in the defense of this city. What is it you desire?" 

"I desire only to serve Jang-mii as she sees fit," he answered immediately with a respectful dip of his head. "To see Baekhyun thwarted and her kingdom safe... That is all the reward I need." To atone for his sins. The men turned to Jang-mii for her judgement.

"Chanyeol's knowledge and skills are invaluable. He is to be officially knighted into our army, as an officer. He is to receive the proper pay and benefits, and quarters in the castle. He will be able to tell us much of Baekhyun and is therefore to be included in the war council- and I want him to be my personal bodyguard," the princess asserted, and even Kris recoiled a bit in shock. The demands were not only high, but the level of trust she placed in the man bordered on inappropriate, even if they had established he probably had no ill intentions. Her eyes, which had just been the calm swirling of the sea, had frozen into a tundra, harsh and unyielding. He found himself smiling. Every bit a queen, a queen who needs no king. 

"I agree," he added before the adults could begin voicing their oppositions. "It would do well to keep him close. There is still a price on his head, and it would be dangerous for him to stay in the castle town. Besides, as the princess said, his skills and knowledge are invaluable. We need him." The queen and Kris' father snapped their mouths shut and looked at the king, who had the final say. He deliberated for a moment, gazing levelly at the scruffy knight while his beard, before giving him an approving knight. 

"Yes. Yes, I think that will do. There are many preparations to make, many preparations... For now, let us delay discussions of his fate and the looming war. Our prince deserves to experience his homecoming in his proper form, don't you agree?" With all the commotion at the gate, Kris had admittedly forgotten what lay beyond it. He swallowed anxiously as the royals returned to their carriages, drawing open the curtains to greet their subjects, and the knights rearranged in their column. Jang-mii turned to Chanyeol as he rose to his feet and bowed deeply to her. All the while, Kris just stood their stupidly, his body turning numb with fear. His beloved had reassured him, but was it true? What if they thought him a monster, hated him for stealing their princess, mistrusted him and thought him disgusting? He clenched his jaw as his chest began to tighten, and he fiddled with his sword belt with trembling fingers. Confessing himself to Jang-mii was nothing now, compared to this. He could not lead these people to war if they did not respect him, and was he really deserving of their respect? He'd been nothing but selfish, selfish, selfish. He was not a prince, just a cursed vagabond who had stolen his name. 

"I can-"

"Kris." There she was again, the wall that stood firm against his army of doubts. The ice in her eyes had melted back into that calm, warm sea. Her brilliant black hair fluttered like curtains in a gentle breeze. Her hand was soft and warm as she placed it on his cheek, which had become pale and clammy. "I will be right beside you. Now and through all that is to come. You have nothing to fear." If he was cursed, she was blessed; her magical charm chased away the bitter fear pulsing through his body, leaving refreshing relief and a little fatigue. He lifted his hand to curl it around hers, entwining their fingers before pulling it down to his mouth to lightly kiss her knuckles. No, he had nothing to fear. He was not a king yet, but he had his queen to make him one. 

"I know," he murmured against her hand. He exhaled deeply, breathing out the last of his worries, before smiling at her. "I'm all right now." 

"Would you like to get back on the horse?" 

"No, I think I'll walk. Would you walk with me?" he asked. She nodded with a smile that matched his in joy. "Chanyeol," he called to the knight, who was standing awkwardly to the side with the gatekeepers. "I want you to lead me to our people." He flushed a tone that almost matched his hair. Kris realized then that their hair colors matched closely. How had he not noticed before? His was the product of the curse, of course, but Chanyeol's was natural. Maybe it was a sign that they really were alike, and both deserving of their second chances. Chanyeol sauntered up to the front of the column, looking a bit uncomfortable that he was so ragged compared to the knights in their gleaming armor and the royals in their proper dress, but Lay went to stand next to him and clap him on the shoulder reassuringly. Kris smiled as he stared at the two mens' backs. He would need all of them to stand by his side in the coming conflict, and he was glad he had such people to rely on. 

They began walking. Kris' heartbeat mirrored the pounding of a war drum. He squeezed Jang-mii's hand so tightly it must have hurt, but she did not complain. He fixated on the two men in front of him, watching Chanyeol's frayed cloak flutter as he walked, and the way the sunlight made the white unicorn clothes glow like the moon. It was silent, because the roaring of the blood in his ears drowned everything else out. 

Then it wasn't.

He wasn't prepared for the sheer volume of the screaming, and for a split second he thought they were screams of anger or of fright; as his head snapped up instinctively, though, he immediately realized they were screams of pure joy. The townsfolk had crammed themselves in every place possible to greet the caravan, hanging out of windows, perched on top of roofs, crowded into alleyways and porches, and spilling into the cobblestone streets. They were waving their arms wildly and flinging everything he could imagine down at him, rice, flowers and petals, shredded paper, flowers- no rocks, no rotten fruit, no glass. They fluttered in the air like butterfliies and birds, landing in the hair and on the shoulders of everyone around. The citizens' faces were all plastered with wide smiles, and more than half of them were crying. A great fraction of those were blubbering like children, grown men and women alike, with no regard for personal pride. The cacophony was so deafening he could only hear half of what was said, but they were all cheering for him, for his health and longevity, for his love to Jang-mii and his virtue in pardoning Chanyeol. All the emotion hit him at once, a tidal wave of relief and joy and guilt, that he lost his legs and slumped against Jang-mii. She wrapped her arm around him, supporting his weight. 

"Welcome home, Kris." That's what they were saying, too... Welcome home, welcome home. Kris didn't bother hiding his face as the tears spilled from his eyes and his shoulders began to shake. It was all so much, and all he had ever wanted those ten long years. 

"I'm home."