Kris tugged at his tunic slightly, nodding in satisfaction when the fabric felt warm and dry in his fingers, as all the water had evaporated away in the intense afternoon heat. He glanced up into the small break in the trees, taking careful note of the positioning of the sun. I have about thirty more minutes, he thought with a slight frown, then peered slightly down to where Jang-mii sat against his back with her head propped on his shoulders, eyes closed. He remained silent for a moment, wondering if she had drifted off to sleep, when her eyelashes fluttered and her beautiful eyes gazed back up into his own.

“Is your dress dry, Princess?” he inquired. She lifted her head to glance down at the blue fabric, running her hands over its silky surface before nodding in answer. As she moved to stand up, Kris felt the heat of her body fading from his own, and he tried not to frown in disappointment as he climbed to his feet. Before he could say anything else to the princess, however, a low grumbling sound rumbled in the otherwise still forest air. Jang-mii blushed sheepishly up at him, holding her stomach shyly.

“I guess all this playing in the woods has made me hungry,” she explained with a small laugh. She then frowned slightly, looking around at the forest for any sign of nourishment. Even if there was anything edible, Kris doubted the princess could find it; she had lived her life sheltered within the walls of a castle, with every meal prepared for her, and had never needed to learn the ways of surviving in the wilds. Kris had learned it the hard way, and had suffered both many long, hungry nights and days spent in agony from ingesting poisonous plants. He was amazed that he hadn’t died in the process. While she continued to glance hopelessly around, Kris smiled slightly and walked over to a nearby tree to rip a low-lying branch free of the trunk. “What are you doing?” the princess asked as he procured a small dagger and a ball of thick string.

“Always come prepared, princess,” he mused as he cut off a length of the string and tied it around the stick. He popped the small pebble that the princess had thrown at him earlier out of his pocket, tying it around the end to serve as a weight for his crude fishing pole. “You like fish, don’t you?” he mused as he walked over to the edge of the stream and plopped down on a flat rock to cast the line into the water. While he waited patiently, hoping that his makeshift pole would produce a fish or two, Jang-mii sat down beside him.

“Wow. I don’t think I could survive out here on my own,” she moped quietly as she stared out at the uneven surface of the babbling brook. “It wouldn’t have even occurred to me to fish in the stream,” she sighed.

“I’ve been out here a long time, princess,” he murmured back, tugging on the line to attract some fish. “You pick up a thing or two. Hopefully, though, you won’t have to learn,” he smiled gently at her. “Hopefully you can return home to your life of comfort and your people. I wouldn’t want you to live a rough life like me,” he shrugged, eyes darting to the pole as he saw the end of the stick jerk. He tugged at the pole, but was disappointed to find that whatever had nibbled at the end of his line had swum off. He cast the line back out with a slight sigh.

“Why don’t you come back with me?” she suggested suddenly, and Kris felt his heart stop. He looked at her incredulously.

“Princess, I’m just a rogue. I don’t belong-“ he began clumsily, blushing.

“You’re also an excellent swordsman, and a resourceful man- very good qualities for a noble knight,” she responded with a wry smile. She leaned close to him, and Kris felt his heart pounding against his rib cage as she gazed deeply into his eyes. “I do value your friendship, you know. What have you got to lose? You said it yourself, you live alone out here. Why not devote your life to me?”

Princess, my life is devoted to you already, he wanted to say so badly, but he forced a small smile onto his lips and kept the comment to himself, returning his attention to the little fishing rod.

“Perhaps, milady,” he murmured, though he knew it was a lie. He could never return with her, not the way he was. The only way he ever could was to bring forth the truth to her, and he didn’t have the courage to do that, not now. He was beginning to think that it was a mistake, bringing her out into the wilds, for he had no idea what he wanted to accomplish in doing it. She could never love him, not the true him- he was a monster. He was too busy moping to notice that the end of the stick was jerking excitedly.

“Kris! Kris, the line!” Jang-mii cried, and with a startled yelp, he pulled hard on the end of the branch, pulling a large fish straight out of the water and right into his lap. As he closed his arms around it, struggling to keep a grip on the slippery creature, it wriggled frantically in his grasp. Jang-mii fluttered about, unsure quite what to do to help, while Kris finagled his dagger out of his sheath and quickly slayed the creature, driving the dagger into the side of its head. It fell limp in his arms, and Kris smiled sheepishly up at the flustered princess, proudly displaying his catch.

“What do you think? Is it fit for a princess?” he beamed. Jang-mii giggled and nodded in approval, and so Kris rose from the riverbank, carrying the fish by the gills while he gathered small fallen limbs and tinder. Soon they had a small crackling fire going, and the smell of cooking fish wafted in the air as he tended their meal silently. Jang-mii watched with mild curiosity, asking various questions about the techniques he used to make the fire and cooking the fish until it was done. When he handed her a slice of the fish, crudely stuffed onto the end of a small, pointy stick, she took it timidly before nibbling experimentally at it. She then grinned and took a huge bite.

“It’s much better than I expected!” she beamed as she scarfed down the food. Kris laughed as he watched her, munching on his own, smaller piece. She soon noticed the size disparity. “Why is your piece smaller than mine? Please, take the rest,” she insisted as she held out the remains of her fish-on-a-stick to him.

“Jang-mii, it’s just polite for a man to give a bigger portion to a lady,” he smirked in refusal, pushing the food away. “Besides, I ate before I found you. Please, just enjoy it,” he pressed when she made to offer him the morsel again. Reluctantly, she retracted her hands and continued eating, staring at him in wonder. Her gaze made him slightly uncomfortable, and he found himself looking everywhere but at her.

“You aren’t who you say you are, are you?” she asked suddenly, her voice deadly quiet. Both terrified and elated at the prospect that the princess may have figured out his ruse, he swallowed the piece of fish in his mouth and choked out, “What do you mean?” “I mean, you’re more than just a wildsman,” she continued. “You’re much more refined. The way you carry yourself, the way you act, the way you speak… They remind me of a nobleman.” Kris sighed heavily and tossed the stick into the grass, leaning back on his hand as he pondered how to tactfully answered the princess’ question without fully giving himself away.

“Remember how I told you that the dragon has informants?” he frowned back at her. She nodded, and he continued, “You probably may have guessed that I am one of them. As such, I have to gather information from many places and from many types of people; thus, blending in with the crowd to gather information without arousing suspicion is key. So, if I wanted to get rumors or tips from a nobleman, would it not make sense for me to know how to act like one?” he smiled at her.

“I see. That does make sense,” she nodded and finished off the last of her fish. “You must spend a lot of time around noblemen, then. It seems to come very natural to you.”

“Well, I find that their way of treating ladies, at least, is respectable enough,” he mused as he stood to put out the fire and hold a hand out to her. His smile was forced. He hated lying to her, he really, truly did. He felt like a spider, spinning a web of lies that was slowly drawing Jang-mii further from the truth. He was sabotaging himself, he knew; he was just so afraid of the possible outcome that he couldn’t force himself to do otherwise. Jang-mii bought the story, of course, and smiled amiably as she took his hand.

“Well, now that I know you’re colluding with the dragon, I hope you know that means I expect you to come around more often,” she smirked wryly up at him. The way she was staring up at him unnerved him, and he hastily retracted his hand as soon as he pulled her to her feet. No, this isn’t supposed to happen this way… he thought anxiously as he nervously ran a hand through his bright red hair. He grew even more frantic when Jang-mii appeared in front of him to gently take a lock of his hair in her hands. “I’ve never seen such bright red hair before. Tell me, do many people have it where you’re from?” she inquired.

“Ah, yes,” he mumbled quickly. In truth, Kris’ hair had been black as night before he was cursed, but the first time he had changed back under the witch’s spell, his hair had become bright red, just like the scales in his dragon form. He was unsure just why that was. “It’s a common trait in my village,” he laughed nervously. Jang-mii smiled and dropped the strand of hair, stepping back ever so slightly.

“I see. That’s fascinating. Someday I’ll have to visit this town of red-haired people,” she mused. “Anyway, like I said, will you be coming around more often?” she asked hopefully. The way she was staring at him, her eyes pleading and her hands clasped together in front of her chest, he simply couldn’t refuse her. It was a dangerous game he was playing, he knew, but part of him wanted to play. He smiled chivalrously, taking one of her hands to kiss it gently. His hand trembled slightly as he held her own.

“Of course, princess, if that is what you wish,” he murmured against the soft skin of her hand. Jang-mii stared down at him, her expression suddenly complicated.

“I ran away from Baekhyun because I was still in love with my Kris,” she murmured sadly. He glanced up at her, quite unsure where she was going with the strange tangent. “I have never stopped loving him, not for one moment. I thought I would never be able to love again, even if I had to marry another man- my heart would be singly devoted to him,” she sighed and looked away. “I wanted to love Baekhyun. Really, I did. I thought I could, but when it came down to it, all I could do was think of Kris…” Kris straightened up slightly, his eyebrows knitted together as he tried to discern the direction the conversation was headed. His eyes widened as she suddenly looked back to him, bringing her face close. “It’s strange… You remind me of him so much,” she whispered. “I’ve never believed in silly tales of ‘love at first sight,’ but with you, I…” she steadily grew closer, her eyes drifting closed as her lips neared his own. Kris was frozen with an inner battle.

He loved her; that much was certain. However, she only loved a part of him- the part that she knew. If he gave in to her now, what would she do when she found out about his curse, and even worse, that he was her lost beloved? If he refused her, then she could take offense, and then he could lose all chances of ever winning her heart. He stared down at her, heart pounding furiously as he struggled with a decision. “I’m starting to believe differently,” she murmured as she halted centimeters away from his face. “Am I crazy? Perhaps… You don’t feel the same?” she asked quietly as she opened her eyes slightly too peer up at him from beneath her thick lashes.

“Jang-mii,” he choked out. Don’t, Kris, she’s just projecting feelings onto you… he warned himself.

He closed the distance between them.

Overcome with passion, took her by the waist and pulled her up against him, pressing his lips against her own. She released a small gasp of surprise, but he paid no mind, only kissed her deeper. He couldn’t stop himself now. He ran his fingertips along her sides, his hands migrating to her back to gently travel through her thick black hair. Jang-mii’s arms loosely encircled his neck, and she pushed herself up on the tips of her toes to kiss him desperately. There’s no going back now, he thought wryly as he took her face gently in his hands, kissing her more softly. He opened his eyes to gaze down at her, admiring her beauty. She really is gorgeous, he thought dreamily as she placed her soft hands over his own, staring tenderly back at him. He wanted to kiss her more, so much more, but he felt the familiar humming sensation deep in his bones. “I have to go,” he whispered hoarsely.

“Please don’t,” she begged him. “Stay with me. Just a little longer, until the dragon comes back,” she whined, leaning in to kiss him again. Kris placed a finger on her lips, staring down at her with an intensely pained expression.

“I have to,” he repeated, more firmly. Her shoulders drooped sadly, and he gently placed a hand on top of her head. “It’s for the best. If it had gone on much longer, who knows what I would have done to you,” he purred. It was the truth; any second longer and Kris might have done something he would have regretted. Even now, he was struggling to squash the urge to take her into his arms and not look back. Not yet, he told himself. Not until she knows. The princess had the decency to blush darkly, and he chuckled as he leaned his forehead against hers, closing his eyes for a brief moment as he fought for every second he was human. “I’ll see you again soon,” he promised quietly. “Until then, try not to wander off,” he mused as he lightly tapped the tip of her nose. “You probably give that poor dragon a lot of grief.”

“But when I wander, I find you,” she mused quietly, looking at him sadly as he turned to leave. “Kris?” she called, and he paused, slowly looking over his shoulder. “Think about my offer, will you?” she asked. He smiled gently, gave her a slight bow, and disappeared into the woods. He didn’t make it but a few yards before he collapsed, unable to hold back the transformation any longer. He gritted his teeth as he felt himself expanding, his bones contorting into the hollow dragon’s skeleton and his skin becoming scaly and hard. When he opened his eyes again, he was staring at the treetops, high above the forest floor.

Now, more than ever, he felt cursed. He stomped his front paws angrily, cursing the day he wandered into that cabin. If he hadn’t, he would have never lost Jang-mii, and probably wouldn’t be in this mess. He continued to fume for a moment, thick, black smoke pouring from his nostrils as he raged, until he remembered Jang-mii alone on the riverbank. Then, with a snort, he lumbered through the trees until he pushed his way out on the edge of the stream, his reptilian eyes scanning the area for any sign of the princess. He found her curled up at the roots of a tree, her legs drawn to her chest with her face buried into her knees. Her shoulders shook gently. He cautiously edged his way over to her, snorting slightly and blowing her hair over her head. When she looked up at him, he saw tears glistening in her eyes.

“Oh, dragon. Here you are,” she smiled weakly as she reached up to softly his snout. “I was beginning to wonder where you had wandered off to,” she murmured. He flicked his tongue, catching some of the tears that were still running down her cheeks; embarrassed, she hastily wiped them away. “Oh, this? Don’t worry about me. I’m fine,” she lied. He stared hard back at her until she released a relenting sigh. “I’m torn, dragon, between the old Kris and the new one,” she admitted sadly. “I don’t want to abandon my ex-fiancé, but I can’t hold on to him forever, can I? This new man, he reminds me so much of him and yet he’s different… Pleasantly so. I know he cares for me, but he has a life here,” she frowned as she gestured out into the woods. “Do you think I’m selfish, for wanting both?” she asked quietly. He shook his head and gently pressed his snout against her, closing his eyes. He felt her wrap her arms loosely around his head.

“Thank you, dragon. Can we go home now?” she asked quietly. He took her gently into his paws, standing up on his hind legs to get his wings above the canopy. As he flapped them powerfully, the treetops bent with the force of the gales his giant wings forced down upon them. Slowly, he rose into the sky, bearing Jang-mii back to the cavern carved into the mountain.

Don’t cry, Jang-mii… he thought sadly as he looked down at her. You can have both… You’ll see.