The room was dark, he couldn't see even with his eyes wide open.  His fingers twitched as he gasped a breath of air; pain shooting through his body.  He wasn't sure where he was, just that he was here because someone brought him here.  He didn't want to move, no matter how curious, he could feel blood oozing from the cuts along his body, the tight bandages keeping it all from soiling the bed below him.  His breathing was shallow as he concentrated on making sure the pain would only come every once in a while, his head just barely tilting to the side when he finally heard a creek of the door. 

Light spilled into the room and he realized just how blurry his vision was as he tried to concentrate on the frail figure stepping his way, the sound of heels clicking loudly against the wooden floor.  When it stopped it knelt down in front of his bed, their head tilting. 

'Are you finally awake Nichkhun?' 

A woman asked, Nichkhun twitching from the surprise; another surge of pain shooting through his body, his teeth gritting hard together and his eyes closing.  This one didn't last as long as he felt a hand being placed on his stomach; the pain vanishing instantly and his body relaxing, a heavy sigh passing his lips as he let his eyes remain closed for a moment. 

'You were pretty banged up from that wreckage.  It's a real good thing that Victoria spotted you when she did.' 

The female spoke, Nichkhun's eyes slowly opening, a snarl passing his lips; he would of rather not been reminded of that damn wreckage; his failure to bring back the prince like he promised.  And now he was here with that ing woman; he felt a hand rest on his stomach again, the feelings quickly fading, his head tilting back towards the woman who had spoken to him. 

'Who are you?' 

Nichkhun asked the moment he was sure he did not recognize the woman, who at the question rose an eye brow before standing; her heels clanking loudly yet again as she strolled across the room towards a small table.  It was filled with random objects that he didn't seem to know.  The woman gathered up most of the things, placing them into a bag before grabbing a small glass bottle filled with pills and walking back to him. 

''I'm unable to tell you that, but please take these every so often.  It's a mixture of plants that will heal the wounds and stop your bleeding.' 

She spoke, setting the bottle in Nichkhun's hand as the man moved to sit up, she smiled lightly towards him, bowing slightly.  Turning away from him, Nichkhun now was confused as the woman grabbed the bag and walked out of the room, her heel clanking fading into the background, only to be replaced by a deeper set of clanking.  Victoria appeared at the door, her normal stricken face staring at him up and down before her arms crossed over her chest. 

'Did you decide to wake up finally?' 

Victoria asked, leaning against the door frame, Nichkhun rolling his eyes as he struggled to get out of the bed.  He was stiff, his muscles screaming as he stretched them, his wounds disagreeing with him too, but only lightly hurting as he slumped forward. 

'You act like I had made the decision to pass out in the first place.' 

He grumbled, wiping away a bead of sweat that ran down his cheek. Victoria shrugged her shoulders. 

'How am I supposed to know what your thinking.  You could be pretending that you were hurt to get attention and we would never know unless you were a bad liar.' 

Victoria explained, Nichkhun grunting, grasping the glass bottle tightly in his hand.  He held back the urge to throw it at her as she pushed her self away from the door frame and traveled the short distance to get to him.  She stood closer than it was comfortable as she grinned. 

'Well since you are here, the Queen would like to see you asap.' 

Victoria spoke, Nichkhun squinting his eyes; of course the queen would be here.  Her loyal subject would not be here at this very moment if she wasn't.  Which meant that his whereabouts would be the Queen's very own airship.  He wanted to scoff, turn away and just lay down; but he felt a painful grip on his wrist now.  He hissed and snatched it away instantly, pushing the female away from him as he moved around her. 

He heard her laugh as he exited the room; she was following him within' seconds, she easily kept up with his pace.  He wasn't very fast to begin with thanks to the wounds, his right leg slightly making him limp.  Victoria had never stopped smiling, but she seemed to inch closer to him as to make sure he didn't fall as she lead him towards the back of the ship.  A large door awaited them as Victoria approached it, both hands resting on the wood before it began to open.  It opened slowly to reveal a well pampered and kept room; the Queen sitting at her mirror, a maid sitting behind her, the queens eyes watching carefully as the maid rolled her hair up in a neat bun, clipped it with a silver flower clip then placed the crown upon her head.  

'My Queen,' 

Victoria addressed her, bowing down as the maid stepped away, the Queen rising from her seat, a smile on her face as she turned towards the two.  Victoria rose and saluted her, 

'Here is Nichkhun as per your orders ma'am!' 

Victoria stated, gesturing towards Nichkhun who merely nodded his head, bowing would have been a hassle and he probably would have fallen over if he had even tried.  The Queen seemed to happy as she walked smoothly towards her bed, the maid stepping aside, 

'Well if it isn't the insulant fool who can't even do one simple job,' 

The Queen started, her words sharp as Nichkhun held his snicker, can't do one simple job, he was probably the closet to actually getting the prince back then any other fool they would have tried to send out. 

'Last I checked, no other fool would probably get as close as I would have.' 

He retorted, Victoria kicking the back of his knee instantly; he fell to the floor hard, this time letting a snarl pass his lips as he glared towards the woman who had caused him to be on the floor.  She didn't glance his way.  His head turned back towards the queen who was now in front of him, her hands on her hips as she gestured him to rise. 

'Though you are a fool, you have been rather useful to our search for my son, if it wasn't for you we may have never found out his where bouts to begin with or to where he is heading...' 

She spoke, her eyes seeming to get teary at the thought of her son.  Nichkhun stood slowly his hand resting on his stomach as a tinge of pain moved through him. 

'My son is out there in this disgusting world, probably sick and wanting so badly to come home!  And here I am unable to do anything but look for him and those nasty men and traitorous guard  are probably treating him horribly and not even bothering to pamper him!!' 

The queen sniffled, her maid dashing to her side, handing over a small handkerchief at which she used it to dab the sides of her eyes.  Nichkhun held back his retort this time as he stared at the Queen.  He had never seen someone so oblivious.  If her son wanted to be home, he would probably already have been home, he didn't seem like he wanted to be at home when he encountered the crew on the airship.  He was more than willing to jump off the side with that blonde man in means to escape from him when the ship was going down. Wouldn't a person in need of escaping kidnappers want to go with their rescuer?  But apparently this never crossed his mothers mind and he wasn't going to say anything; her pain was worth it for that kick Victoria gave him just now.  

'But if you know where he is going why must you keep me?' 

Nichkhun asked now, the Queen handing back the handkerchief and sniffling, her back straightening and her arms poising in a proper fashion. 

'Simple, you have a better sense of direction than anyone on the ship.' 

She spoke, Nichkhun hinting a grin as he imagined Victoria's face next to him; anyone better than her was unusual.  She must not have much of a reaction outside though that or the Queen didn't take notice as she flicked her dress and turned to her bed. 

'Take him to the navigation room, I must lay down; I am feeling terrible thanks to this un-kept ship.' 

She announced, Victoria bowing before dragging Nichkhun from the room, the maid instantly closing the door behind them.  Nichkhun sighed, being stranded in the middle of the forest had to be better than being held while injured and forced to do things for others.  He would have to figure a way out of this, there was no way he would deal with this anymore. 

-- 

'Why don't you just tell them.' 

Jae Hwa spoke, staring off towards the group who was ahead of them, Mi Hi lingering behind him as her head hung heavily, tear stains obvious underneath the mask as she sighed, looking up from the ground.  Her eyes laid instantly on Chansung, her heart hurting at the words he had spoken earlier. 

'I-I don't know how.  I'm sure if I say something Suzy will hate us even more for never coming back.' 

She spoke; Jae Hwa growling under his breath, his fist clenching at his side, 

'She will understand.  If that damn hadn't casted that spell to lock us outside of the village then we wouldn't be worrying about whether our daughter would hate us or not.   But Chansung is a different story, he was taken from us and treated like garbage his entire life.  I think we have a right to let him know that his parents aren't actually dead.' 

He spoke angrily, his eye brows furrowing; his fist continuing to clench and unclench, his thoughts wandering way to far as he felt Mi Hi stop.  His eye focusing on the two in front of them now.  The rest of the group had already stopped, turned around to face them, all of them rather confused. 

'Can I help you?' 

Jae Hwa asked, Junho puckering his lips as he glanced towards Hyorin, she was stepping a bit closer to them then he was, her chains jingling. 

'Why do you have her bound like so?' 

Mi Hi asked, looking the girl up and down, she was bound in may ways and as a fellow witch; it was painful to see.  Junho cleared his throat, 

'She's dangerous, and she wanted to ask you guys something.' 

He spoke, about to untie her when Mi Hi rose her hand, 

'Will you untie her completely?' 

She asked; Junho looking stunned at the request, his eyebrows furrowing and grip tightening on the chains.  He obviously found this to be a bad idea as Mi Hi stepped forward, reaching her hand out gently. 

'I promise you, she won't go any where, I will have complete control over the situation.' 

Mi Hi replied, Junho snorting, 

'She almost killed me, you really think that I will allow this woman to go free.' 

He retorted, jerking Hyorin closer to him, the girl stumbling by his side, Mi Hi could only feel her reaction as she frowned. 

'She almost killed you merely because you attacked her first, isn't that a normal reaction for any kind?'' 

Mi Hi asked, frowning as Junho growled, looking towards Hyorin then to Mi Hi, but his grip loosened and he grimaced throwing the chain down on the ground.  He moved to remove the blind fold from around the woman's face.  Mi Hi watched her carefully as the blind fold was removed, the girls eyes not looking towards her, but towards Jae Hwa.  Mi Hi glanced over her shoulder towards; nothing in particular looked wrong with him.  The sound of chains made her turn back around as Hyorin's hands were freed, 

'You have a lot of magic on your face and body, are you hiding something underneath that mask?' 

Hyorin asked allowed now, Mi Hi huffing she was expecting those to be her first words, it wouldn't be hard for an experienced witch such as this one to notice the magic that has been cast on her husband. 

'As a matter of fact, he is hiding something underneath that mask.  And on another point it's none of your concern what he is hiding, I was nice and asked you to be free only because even witches like us deserve a second chance and you seemed to want to speak to me.  So don’t make me regret my decision please.' 

Mi Hi stated, Hyorin cocking an eye brow but not another word passed , 

'Is all that you wanted to ask me?' 

Mi Hi asked now, Hyorin's face puckering, 

'Unfortunately not, but too many people are watching and I'm sure the things I want to speak of can't be spoken about a loud.' 

Hyorin replied, her back now turned towards the two as she moved forward, the chains Junho held beginning to levitate then the man being jerked forward so that he could walk behind her.  Mi Hi sighed heavily, eyeing the group that was now staring at them, Suzy in particular who eyed her angrily.  Her heart felt as though it was being squeezed, she hated the look she was being given.  A hand now rested on her shoulder, holding her back; Suzy turning away as she kept herself close to Chansung, her brother patting her shoulder carefully. 

'They are going to figure it all out, and when they do they may be more angry that we didn't reveal it sooner than later.' 

Jae Hwa spoke, sighing heavily,