As Kris looked up from devouring his fifth moose, his scaled muzzle dripping with the beast’s blood, he peered through the leaves to find that the sun had crept to its highest point in the sky. The familiar humming in his bones began, and his body began to glow with ephemeral light. While he squeezed his eyes shut, he felt his body shrink down, down, down until he was crouching beside the corpse that he had been consuming only seconds ago. Now sickened by the stench of raw meat, he held a hand to his nose, cursing the wicked spell that kept him locked in the endless cycle of dragon and man. With a resigned sigh, he tightened the belt that held his sturdy sword and turned his back on the dead moose, all traces of an appetite having vanished into the thick forest air.

When he returned to the small fairy-clearing where he had left Jang-mii, he was not all that surprised to find that the headstrong princess had wandered off. She really was incurably curious; he just hoped that she hadn’t manage to stumble into trouble while he had been off managing his business. He scoured the clearing, his eyes poring over the soft, loamy dirt, until at last he managed to discern a clear set of the princess’ small footprints. Crouching low to the ground, he began following them briskly through the woods, weaving through the trees and crawling through the underbrush, silent as night.

It wasn’t long before he heard the tinkling sound of gently running water. He glanced up from the tracks in order to get a better look at the small stream; he eased his way closer, pulling aside a low-lying branch to get a clear look of the riverside. His breath caught in his throat.

He didn’t mean to spy. Really, he didn’t. He was just so stunned that he froze in place, his eyes locked on Jang-mii’s beautiful form. She had her back to him, and was standing out in the middle of the stream where the clear water came up to her waist. She was running her fingers through her luscious black hair as she hummed a tune happily. Her pale skin shimmered with water droplets, running like rivers to return to the rushing stream. She ducked down to scoop more water into her hands, and before Kris saw too much he hastily pressed his back against the firm bark of the tree, his eyes trained on the leaf-covered forest floor while a cold sweat dripped down the side of his head. He began to ease himself away from the gorgeous girl bathing in the river, his heart pounding as he fought the urge to steal another glance. Not paying attention as he fought desperately to keep moving away, he stepped right onto a small twig and snapped in half. It echoed through the quiet forest air, and he flinched and stood stock-still, hoping that the princess had been so preoccupied with what she was doing that she had not heard.

“Who’s there?” he heard her gasp, and there was a splash as she whipped around to face the riverside. Kris remained where he was, his back pressed against of the trunk of the mighty tree, praying that she would return to bathing and leave him in peace. “I know you’re there! Who are you and why are you spying on me?” Jang-mii demanded. The underbrush shook and rattled as a pebble went sailing through it. The smooth stone landed lightly at Kris’ feet, and he crouched down to pick it up, turning it over and over in his hands. He then sighed with resignation and tucked the pebble into a pouch strapped to his side, holding up his hands as a sign of surrender as he stepped out of the foliage with an awkward smile.

“Afternoon, princess,” he greeted her respectfully as he dipped his head. She stood in the water, blushing bright red as she attempted to cover herself.

“Kris? Were you spying on me?” she accused angrily.

“Of course not,” he lied. “I caught wind from a little fairy that you happened to be nearby, so I came looking for you. When I happened to stumble across you bathing, I tried to make a tactful retreat so as not to damage your dignity, but… I quite failed at that, as you can see,” he explained eloquently. It was only half a lie; he didn’t dare admit that he stared at her for so long, fearing what retribution the feisty princess would rain down upon him. Jang-mii regarded him suspiciously, her face growing redder the longer that she remained out in the open.

“W-well, thank you for trying to respect my privacy, I suppose,” she stammered finally. Kris gave her a gracious bow, smirking in relief that the young girl bought his fib. Trying not to embarrass her further, he turned his back to her and walked over to the branch where the blue fairy-dress was hanging out to dry. He ran his fingers over the soft petal fabric.

“Where did you get this dress, princess?” he inquired. His eyes gravitated to the riverbed as he heard her splashing toward the shore, and just beyond his peripheral vision he could see her walking up behind him. He hastily snapped his attention back to the tree branch, his breath catching in his throat as her small arm reached over his shoulder to pluck the garment off the branch.

“The fairies made it for me,” she answered. “Please, don’t turn around quite yet,” she added quietly. He heard the fabric swishing as she slipped into the dress.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he choked out as his fingers twitched. The seconds seemed to stretch into centuries as she dressed behind him, her hands occasionally brushing the backside of his tunic as she wriggled into the fairy-garment. Kris held his breath the entire time, and he was beginning to feel light-headed when the girl finally chirped, “All right, I’m dressed now.” Smiling weakly, Kris turned to face her, looking her over with an approving expression. “The fairies did an excellent job. It suits you,” he mused. In a moment of either clarity or lunacy, he gently took her hand and planted a kiss on the top with a dashing smile. Jang-mii did not rebuke him, only chuckled shyly and curtsied in return.

“I didn’t think I would see you again quite so soon,” she remarked as he sat down on a large rock a few feet away from the riverbed. She took a seat beside him, primly tucking the bottom of her dress beneath her thighs. She ended up just exposing more skin, and Kris felt his heart rate skyrocket as he tried valiantly not to stare. He kept his eyes on hers, but that didn’t help much, as they were just as captivating. He didn’t even realize that she had spoken until she cocked her head to the side, frowning, and repeated the statement.

“Oh! Yes, well, I wander the wilds quite a bit,” he explained hastily. “I’m never in one place for too long. Perhaps it was fated that we met today,” he smirked with an eyebrow raised. Jang-mii flushed and looked shyly down at her lap; she fidgeted slightly on the rock, a smile playing across her lips. They look so soft, he thought dreamily, and to his dismay caught himself leaning closer to her face. He hurriedly straightened himself, stiff as a rod, as the girl glanced back up at him.

“Well, if it was fate, then I am glad,” she murmured. Kris smiled gently and stood from the rock, holding out a hand for her to take. With a coy grin, she slipped her delicate fingers into his own and allowed him to gently pull her to her feet.

“Will you walk with me, Princess?” he asked with all the grace of a knight, even giving a small bow for effect. Naturally, Jang-mii could not refuse his gentlemanly offer, and so she nodded primly and allowed him to her along the riverbank. They walked side-by-side, with Kris resting one hand lazily on the hilt of his sword while the other kept a gentle but secure hold on the princess’ elbow, ensuring she would not fall on the slippery river rocks. In silence they walked, merely enjoying the tranquility of nature, until they heard a rustling in the underbrush. They froze, with Kris stepping protectively in front of the princess while his hand slowly drew the sword from its sheath, but he smiled and slid it back when a young doe came trotting out of the bushes, followed by a wobbly little fawn. He heard Jang-mii release a delighted gasp just above his shoulder, and she rested her hands on his back as she peered over him to get a better look at the hoofed animals.

The mother deer walked slowly to the river, her ears swiveling constantly to discern any disturbance in the forest sounds. Unaware of their presence, the doe led her young spawn to the riverside before dipping her head to the water to drink. Fascinated, Jang-mii’s eyes sparkled as she watched the display. As she slowly raised herself onto her tip-toes, the princess unwittingly pressed her body against Kris’ back, so absorbed in the two creatures that she did not notice their close contact. Kris was quite aware, however, and found his heart pounding against his rib cage as Jang-mii’s chest rose and fell against his shoulder blades, so close he could feel her heart beating rhythmically behind his own. His fingers tightened subconsciously around the sword hilt, and the brush of his gloves against the metal was enough to send the doe into high alert. Her head snapped up, her eyes staring wildly at the princess and her makeshift knight, before she urged her fawn away from the river. Trotting swiftly, they vanished into the underbrush.

“Wow. I never thought I would see a deer this close!” Jang-mii grinned as she stepped out from behind Kris. He felt her warmth fade from his back, and he glanced down at her with a small smile, trying not to show his disappointment.

“You can see all kinds of creatures out here- as you’ve discovered, I’d imagine,” he mused. The princess nodded breathlessly. Her eyes were still trained on the spot on the river bank that the two deer had been only moments ago. Wonder danced in her eyes, and Kris was happy that she was enjoying the wilds, the spacious forest lands that he had learned to call home. With a giggle, she skipped over to the river and squatted down to poke at a frog sitting on a lily pad. With an angry croak, it sprung from the pad and disappeared into the river, swimming further out into the water.

“It really is like a whole other world out here,” she sighed as she looked out at the other side of the river. “I used to think it was a dark place, full of despair and monsters and fiendish men, but now I see that it isn’t. It’s got its own beauty, too.”

“That it does,” Kris murmured as he gazed down at her softly, savoring the way her hair ruffled in the breeze and the way the sunlight splashed over her skin. Drawing himself away from such thoughts, he slowly closed the distance between them to stand beside her, staring off into the distance. “So… Does that mean you do not desire to return home?” he asked quietly. The princess frowned for a moment as she pondered her answer.

“Yes, I do want to return home,” she answered finally. “Despite my desires, I am still princess, and the only heir to my father’s throne. It would be irresponsible of me to abandon my duty,” she sighed wistfully. She stood up, smoothing the creases from her bright blue dress. “Still, I cannot return home without the dragon’s help. The way it’s going, I will be here for quite a while,” she smiled. Her expression then turned serious. “Have you heard any news from my home?” she asked quietly. It was Kris’ turn to fall into silence.

“I have heard that Prince Baekhyun has been placed in charge of your retrieval,” he answered slowly, unsure of how the princess would take the news. She knitted her eyebrows together, but her expression was unreadable. Kris was just thankful that she was not delighted.

“I see,” she frowned as she turned her gaze back to the stream. “I did not think he would be so eager to face the dragon once more.”

“Baekhyun is a young prince eager to earn his honor,” Kris refuted. “Slaying a dragon is the ultimate honor for a knight- that is why they have been driven to near-extinction, and have taken refuge beyond the mountains, where no man who values his life dares to dread,” he spat bitterly. Jang-mii glanced up at him in mild surprise.

“Really? I thought there were many dragons,” she frowned.

“There were, once. Dragons are wise and noble beings, once thought to be gods in the eyes of men. That is why the wildsmen revere your dragon so,” he explained. “However, as men gathered and formed their vast countries, they became filled with power- and began to see the dragons as threats to that power, and opportunities to gain even more. Thus, the great kings of men began the campaign to hunt dragons, and so here we are,” he sighed heavily. “Your country is small, Jang-mii, and for that it is sheltered from the greed and avarice of greater lands. You live in peace, and value respect- something many of the great lands have lost.” Jang-mii nodded in understanding, turning her gaze once more to the rushing water. Smiling slightly, Kris reached up to gently place a hand on her shoulder and shake her slightly. “Don’t look so down. None of this had anything to do with you, of course. It’s unfortunate, but that is the way of the world.” He ducked down to pick up a small, flat stone from the shallows of the stream, then tossed it at the river. It bounced three times before landing in the middle of a stream with a plunk.

“How did you do that?” Jang-mii gasped. Kris smirked; the trick had worked, and the girl had abandoned her melancholy, instead fascinated by his little demonstration.

“It’s not hard,” he mused as he plucked another stone from the river bottom. “All you have to do is take a nice, flat stone like this, then toss it like this,” he instructed, demonstrating the proper form and wrist action. She watched carefully, then bent down to retrieve a stone from the water. She came up with it in both her hands, her fingers running over the smooth rock, before she got herself in position and attempted to skip the stone. It splashed into the river a few feet away, much to her disappointment.

“I thought you said it wasn’t hard,” she pouted. Laughing, Kris stepped behind her to gently place his stone in her hands. He gently grabbed her by the waist, twisting her to the side slightly. He then took her arm and gently brought it back.

“And, flick,” he mused as he brought her arm forward. She released the stone, and it went skimming across the stream, bouncing all the way to the other side.

“I did it!” she cried triumphantly, jumping up and down on the river bank. However, in her elation she had neglected to take into account the slippery dirt and stones, and her foot caught on one of the waterlogged rocks. It slipped out from under her, causing her to lose her balance and tip backwards. Kris instantly moved to catch her, but ended up losing his balance as well. With a great splash, the both went tumbling into the water, landing in a tangled heap in the shallows. Kris propped himself on his hands and knees, shaking water from his red hair and blinking the clear substance from his eyes. As his vision cleared, the blurry form beneath him slowly came into focus; it was Jang-mii, propped up on her elbows and pinned underneath him. She stared up at him with a shy smile, her black hair floating in wisps through the slight current. Their faces were inches apart. “Sorry,” she apologized. “I was a bit careless.”

Once again, Kris fought off the overpowering urge to kiss her as he pushed himself up onto his knees, rubbing the back of his neck shyly. He pulled her to her feet, gently guiding her back up onto the shore. They plopped down in a patch of sunlight, pressing their backs against each other’s to fit in the small circle of heat; Jang-mii’s head flopped back onto his shoulder, and he stared off into the foliage, concentrating on their breath rising and falling in sync.

“Where do you come from, Kris?” the princess asked suddenly.

“From a land far from here,” he murmured quietly. “On the border of land to the northwest, filled with mountains and valleys, where there were more dragons than any other place on the continent. It was the symbol of their royal family, actually.” The symbol of my house. Kris had always thought it ironic that the wretched old witch had transformed him into a dragon, of all things; perhaps she did it intentionally, out of spite, to remind him constantly of the life he had lost.

“Yes, I know,” Jang-mii whispered with her voice full of pain. “It was Kris’- my fiancé’s- house crest. Of course, you knew that, having come from a land close to his country. Surely you know all about his disappearance.” Kris nodded silently. He wondered if she really had made no connection between him, the lonely knight of the wilds, and the love she had lost. More probable was the idea that she was in extreme denial; he was sure that she had been traumatized by his disappearance and had longed believed him to be dead.

I can’t tell her… Not yet. I don’t think she’ll understand. Just a little longer…