In twenty years, Seungwan has only feared once and it was the day her mother drowned. She still remembers that day, but she pushes the thought aside every time it comes out of its dark place in her mind. She wishes her mother would have been selfish instead of saving everyone but herself. It’s always like that with people who care too much--they end up dead.

A girl pushes her aside, kneeling beside the princess. She crawls back at the princess, ready to push whoever the girl is. Jongdae puts his hand on her shoulder, shaking her head.

“It’s a healer,” he says.

“But I thought--”

“A traditional healer,” he clarifies, sitting in the only free spot on the floor. "A doctor."

“This wouldn’t have happened if you had been loyal,” one of the older trainees mutters, tapping his beard and avoiding her gaze.

She greets her teeth, ready to fight if necessary.

"She can't even defend herself," she says, but she leaves out Joohyun's secret. "And she hasn't done anything to me. I wasn't going to deliver her to her death."

"But that was the point!" The man says.

"I’m the only reason why we have her now! Don't you see where our future lies from now?"

Jongin interrupts, pushing the man slightly. The windows are open and Seungwan trembles, finding solace by holding the princess' hand.

Joohyun is semi-awake now, and she coughs.

The doctor takes control again and lights Joohyun’s throat.

“What is it?”

“It seems like an intoxication,” The doctor says. “Did she inhale or ingest something?”

“How would I know?” Seungwan replies.

“Try to think.”

“She was inside an abandoned factory that used to produce hair dyes,” Jongdae says. “Maybe it was something from there.”

The doctor hums.

“Maybe. For now, she needs to rest. If it is the inhalation of ammonia, she should be fine twenty-four to forty-eight hours from now. I’ll check on her later.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Joohyun coughs again. “I’m perfectly fine.”

“No, you’re not,” Seungwan says, “So the doctor will check on you as she said.”

Joohyun stands with her elbows, looking at Seungwan.

“Can we talk?” It sounds lower than intended. Seungwan ignores it, talking instead to Jongin.

“I will take her to my house.”

“That’s not up to you,” he says.

“It is.”

“It’s not safe for her. Defying me will get her killed.”

But it sounds close enough to a get you killed. Seungwan hesitates, looking at Joohyun. She’s not looking for guidance, but the princess nods once, enough for Seungwan to know she needs to back off.

“You’re right.” Seungwan grits her teeth. “I’m sorry, Jongin.”

“Commander for you.” He hands her a set of keys. “Take her upstairs and don’t leave her side. I’ll send guards to be outside too. There’s a big possibility they’re still looking for her.”

He makes it sound like it’s for the princess protection, but even Joohyun knows it’s to keep an eye on her. Seungwan nods anyway, helping the princess to walk. They climb five floors before stopping in front of a wooden door in bad shape. The room has a bed in the middle, big enough to fit both of them. For Seungwan, it’s a palace, but for Joohyun is another story.

They change in silence, replacing their clothes with plain white shirts and soft oversized pants that remind Joohyun she’s a prisoner there.

“Can we talk now?” Joohyun mutters, playing with locks of her black hair and avoiding Seungwan’s gaze.

“Is it so important that you cannot wait ‘till tomorrow?”

She gets no answer, so she finally turns around to confront the princess.

“You didn’t tell your superior about the people that kidnapped me,” Joohyun says.

“They will ask, eventually. You know that.” Seungwan shrugs. “But we may have time before they find out. I know you have a plan, so shock me.”

“What makes you think I will tell you?”

“Because I’m the only one stupid enough to help you,” Seungwan says. “Shoot.”

Joohyun meets Seungwan’s eyes, sitting one beside the other.

“My mom…” she stammers, tying and untying her hair repeatedly. “She told me something before passing away.”

The princess speaks so slowly it makes Seungwan want to shake the truth out of her.

“And?” Seungwan moves her knee up and down.

“She told me to find a warlock. Apparently, he can help me, and maybe he can help you too.”

“And if he can’t?”

“It’s worth a shot, right? It was my mom’s wish after all. I trust her.”

Seungwan isn’t convinced but agrees to help the princess anyways.

“So, where do we find this warlock?”

“I… don’t know. East. She wasn’t very specific.”

Seungwan looks at her, and they are so close that their breath mixes.

“Look, I’m tired and you need to sleep. You have died like five times since I met you and I just want a night of sleep.” Seungwan puts her hand on Joohyun’s arm. “We can plan this tomorrow.”

Joohyun nods, positioning herself onto the left side of the bed, under the covers. She trembles, curling like a ball.

Seungwan notices it and puts an extra cover above her.

“Why are you helping me?” The princess asks again, her voice clouded by a yawn. “You owe me nothing.”

“This isn’t about me anymore” Seungwan deflects, taking her place at the other side of the bed. “And, I don’t know, I don’t think it’s fair for you to have to take responsibility because of your parents’ mistakes.”

Joohyun trembles again, lying on her side. It’s the first time since the attack that she will sleep on a real bed, even if the mattress is hard, with little dents on it. She should be good enough to hide her real thoughts from her expression, but Seungwan always sees right through her. She just hopes she can’t catch her discomfort in the dark.

Her thoughts switch back to her mother’s last words. It was one of the few times her mother said she loved her, but Joohyun is far from being sad. It’s horrible to feel a fire burning in her chest. Emptiness would have been better because it would have been a normal thing to feel. Yet, she feels like she has to forgive her mother for something she’s not sure of, but dead people can’t ask for forgiveness and that’s what pains her the most.

It’s the same with her father, but at least she didn’t watch him die. She hopes he didn’t suffer, even if she feels like she didn’t really love him and he probably deserved a horrible death if what Seungwan said was true.

A tear escapes her eye, rolling down her face. She’s not used to crying in front of anyone since she wasn’t allowed to. Seungwan doesn’t say anything, either, and Joohyun thinks that, maybe, she can’t see her. Yet, she’s surprised again when the thief starts to her hair like she’s her friend and not the princess. Her touch falters like she’s overcome with hesitation.

“I’m sorry,” Seungwan mutters, so low that Joohyun thinks she’s saying it because she assumes she’s asleep. “It gets bearable.”

Warm spreads across the princess’s chest, and it’s good and bad at the same time. She will never understand the thief and her motivations, but she wants to try anyway. It’s the only person in the world that she has now, and it’s not even her friend. They are strangers on opposite sides of history, and none of them is the villain. They are both the heroes in her own stories, but Joohyun knows now that the villain has always been her and her family.

She falls asleep with the rhythm of raindrops hitting the window and Seungwan’s irregular breathing pattern, thinking that maybe she can start over and be as happy as she can without commodities or family, or anyone by her side.

“May your mind and heart find peace.” Seungwan continues in a hushed tone. “At least just for tonight.”

Seungwan wakes up a couple of times in the middle of the night, checking if the princess is still by her side. She goes back to sleep every time, with an uneasiness in her chest that makes her breathe with difficulty.