Feeling the train come to a slow stop, she was a little unsettled at the sudden loss of contact. Panic soon filled her as she was quickly on her feet before her hand was taken once again. "Ready," Mino smiled as he took her hand in his. He was glad she was allowing him to take her hand in his. The loss of contact made him feel nervous, but when he touched her she brought a calmness about him. Stepping off the train, he looked back and smiled as she hit the ground with grace. 

Minzy's thoughts were confirmed of her worry as she noticed the boss man, stepping off the train. Pressing her lips tightly together, she tightened her grip onto Mino's hand and pulled him behind her. The boss man stood in the middle of his group of black suited men, but the boss man appeared to have a more fine tailored suit compared to the others. "Didn't I tell you to not to get on the train? Now you will pay along with him."

Following Minzy's gaze, Mino hissed in frustration. It was his turn to step in front of Minzy as he instantly recognized the man that stood before them. "What do you want Jiyong? Did our brother not give you enough to enjoy your freedom from the kingdom?"

Minzy felt her chest tighten at the realization of her situation. It made sense now why Mino had similar necklaces to the boss man. She loosened her grasp on Mino as she thought it cruel for the king to send her on a family affair mission. It would have been useful to know that they were all connected. "I want the entire kingdom, not just the leftovers," Jiyong growled.

Mino sighed as he felt her grip loosen. Looking back down to her, he gave her a small smile of encouragement before looking back to his greedy older brother. Sighing, he knew getting to the kingdom would be more of a chore than he expected, "Tell me what you want so we can be on our way." 

"I told you already! I want what is supposed to be mine," Jiyong growled. 

"Seunghyun is the oldest and it is his birth right to rule. I don't know what else to..."

"He plans on giving it all to you," Jiyong revealed. "My kingdom, to you! The one who never once took pride in it. The one who ran away from it all. You!"

Mino scoffed at his brother's words, obviously he was crazy, "Jiyong I don't know what you're going on about..." 

 Jiyong nodded his head, signaling that he was done talking. The hord of men began to stampede forward. Thinking fast, Minzy tugged Mino and pulled him back before kicking him back onto the steps of the train. Turning back in the nick of time, she dodged the first attack and round housed kicked him along with the two on either sides of the first guy. Swinging left and right, it looked like a flawless dance as she moved with so much grace but giving bone crushing kicks and punches all the same. Landing powerful hits, she was able to also give crucial pressure point hits causing paralysis to a few and watching them crumble to the ground. Hissing as it felt as more men kept piling around, she remembered the tricks played on her the other day.

Calming her hollowed heart, she closed her eyes as the sea of men came charging to swallow her whole. Quieting her mind, she listened and she heard nothing, not a step or breath around her. Embracing the silence, she slowly opened her eyes and looked to find the roaring storm of men calmly standing all around her as if expecting her to give them orders. Scoffing, her attention was pulled towards the whisk of winds brushing by. Following its direction, she stood amazed to see the two so called brothers fighting. To the human eye, their movements were like the speed of light. But Minzy had a trained vampire eye, she stayed focused as the two fought with so much power and force that had her in awe. Walking towards the pair, the crowd of suited men followed as if they were her guards now. Seeing the brothers battle it out, Minzy was impressed to see just how strong Mino really was. The precision, the sheer force was something to reckon with. The way Mino lodged his powerful fist into Jiyong's chest had Minzy flinch at the sound of what sounded like breaking bones. Jiyong went stumbling back to be caught in the arms of Minzy. Seeing the rage in Mino's eyes, she sighed heavily as she instinctively told the ghost like men in suits to take Jiyong away. The crowd quickly surrounded Jiyong to shield him. Meanwhile Jiyong looked up at her curiously, why was she trying to protect him? 

Jiyong gave her a look of thanks as he disappeared along with the suited men. With her hands still reached out before her, she gave Mino a sad smile as he slowed his speed and stood face to face before her. He gave her a look of disbelief and didn't understand why she would protect him. Did she know his brother? Minzy only offered a shrug as she reached out to take his hand and pull him forward as if nothing had happened.

They still had a long ways to go and she was not in the mood to explain herself either. Luckily he did not ask, instead he let her guide him towards a taxi cab. Opening the door for him, this was the first time since they had left the fight scene that she had looked at him. But he had other plans in mind as he gestured for her to enter the cab first. Sliding in, she scoffed as he moved in after her instead of going around to the other side. He slung his arm over her shoulders and stopped her from moving towards the other side. Giving him a side glance, she was going to say something before the taxi driver spoke up. 

"Where are you love birds headed," he asked through the mirror. 

Minzy bit down on her lower lip as Mino held her closer to him, "To the mountains." 

"Oh, you guys are going on a long vacation I see," the taxi driver said so innocently. 

"You can say that," Mino chuckled as Minzy sunk back into the seat closing her eyes and wanting this already long car ride over. 

Letting a soft hum of approval escape her lips, she felt well rested. Opening her eyes, she was surprised to find herself snuggled up against Mino. She was cacooned in what she assumed was his jacket and in his lap. If the dead could blush, she was doing so as she slipped out of his embrace and shivered at the loss of warmth. Moving as far away as she possibly could, she looked at him accusingly to see him still fast asleep.Huffing at her stupidity to think that he was to blame for her sleeping movements, she reached out to cover him up with the jacket. 

"You shouldn't hide your affection towards him young lady. He seems to be genuinely interested in you," the taxi driver spoke up. 

Minzy softly scoffed at his words, "I barely know him." 

"Do you have to know someone to feel attracted to them," the driver countered. "Now I'm not just talking about physically, but how do you feel when you're around him?" Minzy sat quietly contemplating his words. "Just some food for thought, but what do I know I'm just a taxi driver." 

Minzy could sense that he was only trying to be helpful, but it only made things more complicated. Why would she care to develope a relationship with Mino if she was only going to leave after returning him to the king? Shaking the thought, she mentally slapped herself for fancing the thought of a relationship, especially with a stranger. Hissing at her thoughts, she stared out the window, "I would rather just focus on getting to the mountains." 

"The destination is right before you," he nodded as they closed in. 

But Minzy found herself gazing over to the young man sleeping as the driver's words echoed in her mind. Feeling the pavement turn to loose gravel, it stirred Mino awake. Watching as his sleepy eyes start to open, he focused his attention on her and she nodded before looking away. "We're here." Placing the money onto the arm rest, she was already out of the taxi before it came to a complete stop. She needed out of that oddly suffocating taxi. Stuffing her hands into her pockets, she made her way down the dirt path. 

"You love birds have a great vacation," the taxi driver called after them before taking off. 

Minzy rolled her eyes as she picked up her pace. She was grateful that Mino didn't try to force a conversation as he fell into step with her. The pair walked in complete silence with nothing but the sounds of their foot steps and the surrounding nature. After a couple of minutes of lovely silence, Mino was the first to break it. "Minzy tell me about yourself."

"Why," she simply said, not seeing the point of getting to know him, especially since they were nearing the kingdom. 

He shrugged as he thought about it, "I don't know. I just feel like our relationship is a little out of order. I mean like we've already slept together twice..."

She came to an abrupt halt, before turning to square off with him, "There is no relationship! You're apart of my mission nothing more. Do you hear me?" 

Mino boldly stepped closer to her,as he bent down to use his height to tower over her, "Why are you so scared of me knowing who you are?" 

Minzy stood staring up into the warm brown eyes that had the gold specks of stars. The universe. She wondered how this vampire was so different. So human like and causing such human like characteristics she had thought was lost to her when she became the undead. Consumed by her thoughts, she realized she had been staring back at him for some time without an answer for it. "Who I am doesn't matter right now, getting you back to the king is what is important."

"It matters, you matter," he softly spoke as he took her hands in his. The warmth of his touch spread throughout her like a shock. 

The feelings were a little too much as she reluctently withdrew her hands from him, "If I tell you a little bit, will that keep you walking?"

"Sure," he chuckled at her determination. 

Minzy sighed as they walked down the dirt path, folding her arms over her chest she thought of what to say, "I'm 300 years old." 

"300? We're close in age," he chimed in. "I'm 400," he grinned.

She nodded as she continued to walk, lucky for her the boats were close, "Umm... I was enslaved for many years to a pack of ruthless wolves and when a new alpha came into power I was sentenced to death. I was nearly torn to shreds when the king had sent his soldiers to save me with a few others. He didn't have to and yet he did and since that day I have been repaying my debt to him." 

Mino felt gratitude towards his older brother, it was unlike him to take risks for the unknown. But he was glad he did because this mysteriously beautiful stranger was his reason to come back home, "So this debt, it will be paid in full when I return?" She nodded as he continued to question her, "What will you do when you are free?" 

She pressed her lips tightly together as she thought about it, never in her wildest dreams could she have thought to have a breath of fresh and free air. The thought of it was just too good to be true, that she was hesitant of answering for the fear of it might not coming true, "When I receive that freedom I'll let you know." 

"Alright," he agreed as they approached the docks. There stood a cloaked man, bowing deeply he knew exactly who had arrived. Letting them pass, they hopped onto the small boat and the cloaked man followed in to row them down the quiet waters. In no time the castle on the hill came into view, causing Mino's chest to tighten. He had vowed to never return but here he was coming out of his own will. Gazing at the young woman who was quietly observing the castle too, he wondered what she was thinking. "Ready to taste freedom," he asked as he stepped onto the dock and reached his hand out to her. 

Without a word, she accepted his hand and walked towards the black limo that awaited them. Allowing the driver to open the door for them, she slid inside before Mino followed. The drive was quiet as Minzy found herself clutching onto the door. She didn't know why she had felt so nervous, but she found it hard for her to breathe. Her thoughts were racing at a million miles per hour. She was oh so very close, so close she couldn't stand it.

Sensing her overwhelming anxiety, Mino reached out to take her hand. It was something he had grown too comfortable in doing with her, "Minzy don't worry. It'll all work out." 

As if on cue there was a loud bang with more shots fired at the limo. The limo driver was shot dead and as Minzy was trying to go for the wheel it was too late the limo was driving off the road and flipping down the hill. Minzy tried to stay calm as she gripped onto the seats. Losing her grip, she was tossed to and fro before she hit her head hard against the roof. She had nearly out, but she fought to stay focused as her senses heightened and she slammed into the wall of the car to have the wind knocked out of her. Gasping for air, she gazed around with her blurry vision to see that Mino was hitting and kicking at the hands that came swooping in to grab him. With no time to compose herself, she forced herself to focus on the one. These were not real hands attacking Mino as he continued to fight them off, it was all mind games. Crawling through the shattered window, she grabbed a shard of broken glass and booked it for the boss man. Lunging towards him, she was caught mid air by the throat. The boss man glared at her as she reached for his wrist for leverage, swinging her legs up and wrapping them around his neck she pulled. Pulling him down with the weight of her body, she picked up the shard of glass that she had dropped and pressed it against the temple of his head. Digging it into his temple caused blood to trickle out.  

"You are ruining everything," the boss man was shouting as she squeezed her thighs tighter around his neck. He couldn't understand why his illusions had no affect on her as they all stopped and stared.

"I saved your life once, doesn't mean I'll save it again," she hissed before she knocked him out cold with her free hand. Coughing as she dropped the glass, all the men in black suits that surrounded them had fizzled away. 

"I'm going to ing kill him," Mino growled as he charged up towards his unconscious brother. 

But Minzy held her bleeding hand out to stop him, "No, carry him. We take him back to the castle with us and let the king decide." 

"You want me to what," Mino scoffed. "He has tried to kill me multiple times and yet you want me to carry his back to the castle?!"

Minzy spit the blood from and nodded, "Yeah, hurry up before he wakes again." Ripping a piece of her shirt to wrap around her hand, she began to head up towards the castle. Meanwhile Mino stood furiously over his unconscious brother's body. "Mino, hurry up!"

Letting out a heavy sigh, he lifted his brother up and over his shoulder before following suit. "I don't know why we can't just kill him," Mino huffed as they neared the gates of the castle. "My brother is a bad man." 

"But he's still your brother no matter what," Minzy replied as the gates were opened. Nodding to the guards, they quickly moved to detain the unconscious boss man. "No family is perfect Mino," she sighed as she continued to walk towards the castle. 

"Let me guess, your family was far from perfect," Mino asked sarcastically as he fell into step with her. 

Minzy turned and gripped Mino by the neck. Digging her nails into his neck, she didn't care that her blood was seeping through and down his neck, "My family was perfect in my eyes, but they were ripped to shreds right before me. Piece by piece their limbs were torn from their bodies and their agonizing cries for mercy still haunt me. I was ready to meet my fate along with my family until the king gave me purpose. Revenge. I was able to avenge their deaths by killing their entire pack, but it still wasn't enough. I still long to be with my family. So be grateful that you still have family around that you can still fight and argue with, while I have no one." Confused by her rant, she went quiet. She had never shared such intimate feelings with anyone and yet here she was telling all to someone she still considered a stranger.

Before Mino could answer, one of the guards approached them, "Prince Mino the king requests your presence."

Mino sighed out of frustration as he looked to the guards, "At this very moment?" The guard nodded as the others flanked his side. Groaning, he gazed over to see that Minzy was already walking away from them. "," Mino said before he quietly walked with the guards to find the king. Touching his neck, he felt the damp warmth of Minzy's blood. Her blood smelt of flowers, flowers that he was so intoxicated by that had him doing things way out of the ordinary. He thought of how being around her brought out the better version of himself, the braver one. The one that made him face things that he had been avoiding all this time. Coming to the king's study, he thought of Minzy and took courage as he knocked on the door. 

Minzy looked at her freshly bandaged hand she sat in her humble room wearing her long robes. She was grateful to the guards for coming over when they did. It had allowed her an escape. Whether Mino knew it or not, he made her feel so vulnerable and off her game. But she was completely off her game if she truly had to think of how things had turned out. After being able to feed from a variety of freshly drained animals, she was able to calm her troubled mind. Taking a well deserved long shower then visiting the castel doctors, she was finally able to be alone in her room to her own devices. The uncertainty of the mission in itself had her staring at the paper and ink bottle. She didn't feel like writing down this last mission, because it was way out of character for her and would bring up issues she had tried to surpress for so long. Shaking her head as she decided to do it later, she moved to lay on her bed. Staring up at the ceiling she dared to think about freedom. Now with Mino safely returned to the king she could start making plans with her life. Her life was her own, the thought made her mind race and her hollowed heart pound.  

A knock came at her door and she was quickly on her feet, letting the hood of her robes shield her she dropped her head towards the ground. The door was opened and she felt her chest tighten as a guard appeared and told her that her presence was being requested by the king. Following after the guard, she felt her hollowed heart pounding and her anxiety building. Her nerves were getting the best of her as she nearly ran into the guard who stopped. Swiftly moving around him, she kept her head bowed as she knocked onto the king's study chambers.

"Come in," she heard the king's voice boom. Without a word, she had slipped into the room and softly closed the door behind her. Walking into the room, she took a couple of steps before stopping. Keeping her head bowed in respect, she awaited to hear what the king had to say. "Minzy my child you have served me well. You not only ree but the other as well and to that I must say I am forever indebted to you." 

"I am humbled and blessed with such an honor to have served you my king," she softly spoke. 

The king went quiet as he thought of how to phrase his next words, "I know I promised you your freedom, but I must ask what will you do with it if I were to grant you it?" 

Minzy pressed her lips together as she thought deeply on his question, knowing that there had to be a follow up question to her answer, "I would dare to dream. I would live out my life how I best see fit as a free woman." 

"And what if I deny this freedom," the king countered. 

"Then I would so boldly ask you to remember that as a humbled servant to you, you are indebted to me and that debt shall be paid in full with my freedom," she tried to say with as much courage she could sum up.

The king was quiet as he reflected on her words, after talking to both of his brothers he could see just how valuable of an asset she was to his kingdom. "Minzy please look at me." Doing what was asked of her, she slowly raised her eyes to meet the king's gaze. They held admiration and tenderness, things she had not ever seen in his eyes after the years of service she had given him. "I release you from this day forward as one of my servants. Our debts are settled and you are now a free woman." His words took a weight off of her shoulders, as she felt herself being able to stand a little taller. "But I would like to offer you a chance to stay." Before she floated off into her la la land, she waited for his offer. "You can stay here not as a servant but as a lady in my court. This could be your home and I will take care of you for the rest of your days." A lady of the king's court? Those positions were only offered to the cream of the crop within the vampire community and especially in the kingdom's coven. Compared to the human world, they were ranked as the very rich and famous. Holding such position would not only give a vampire wealth, but power to influence within the vampire community. Understanding her options she already knew which one to choose, but before she could answer a knock came at the door. 

"Enter," the king said. 

Minzy turned to see Mino enter. He was dressed in his prince attire that looked very becoming of him. She was impressed with how different he looked as he smiled over at her, "Minzy just the person I've come to see." Turning his attention to the king he bowed, "May I please have a word with her?"

"Yes that is fine. I need to check on some things and I'll be back," the king replied before taking his leave. 

When the door closed leaving the two alone, Minzy held her head up. She no longer needed to bow to anyone now that she was a free woman. Watching as Mino walked to lean upon the desk, he looked at her and sighed, "I want to thank you Minzy. Thank you for bringing me back home and also for helping save me from myself. I don't think I could live with myself if I had actually killed my brother. So thank you." She nodded as he continued, "Also I have discussed this with the king and I have come to ask you this life time favor, will you please stay as a lady of the king's court?" Surprised that he would ask such a favor, she stared at him in disbelief, "I know I'm being a selfish man right now, but I need you to stay. If you leave then I will." 

His words weren't making any sense to her, "But if you leave then I have not fully completed my mission and therefore I am still indebted to the king. You can't leave! Mino why are you being this way?!"

"Minzy please understand..."

"Understand?! What is it that I'm supposed to understand?!" 

"I am going to be crowned king within the coming weeks and I can't do it alone. You helped me face my fears to deal with my issues. I need you for this one last mission and you'll forever be free of me I swear," he pleaded. "Just until I'm king please, just stay for a little while longer?" 

The door opened to reveal the king again, "So what have you decided?" Minzy gazed over to Mino who stood pleading at her with his eyes before gazing back to the king who waited, "I..." She was having an internal warfare as she thought about what to do. "Minzy, what say you?" 

Regretfully she dropped her head, "I will be a lady of the king's court." Her thoughts of Jiyong's warning rang true in her ears as she knew it was too good to be true to dare to dream of being a free woman. 

Author's Notes: 

Hi everyone, hope ya'll are having a blessed week. Thanks for reading and I hope you're enjoying this set so far. Until the next update...