So where in the world Baekho and Chinsun were? It was dark outside already. It was getting late. They should have been back by now.

Where the hell are you?! I can't believe you're so stupid to go out when you're on the wanted list! You've been living in between fluffy cushions for too long. It has clouded... Aron turned around the corner and quickly searched the street through with his eyes. No one was there; he turned back. It has clouded your judgment.

Aron heard familiar voices from afar. He hurried that way.

“Yeah, I'd say that, but it was such a drag to have them near.”

That was Dongwoon making his point in whatever they were discussing.

“Hey!” Aron called the group of six he had just got to know a few days ago.

“What brings you here? To my mind you don't have to give up your precious sleep-time for the following two weeks.”

“Yes-yes. I know and I thank you for that.” Aron agreed, “But the thing is that Baekho and Chinsun have not come home. Others said that they had left somewhere around 1 o'clock... Have you seen them?”

“Has anyone seen them?” Dujun looked over his shoulder.

“Nope. Can't say we have...” Junhyung shrugged and looked around – others nodded. “I guess it would be easier if we know how they looked like...”

“Oh, right. Here's a picture.” Aron said and pulled out a photo he had of Baekho.

“And the girl?” Dujun asked as he passed on the photo.

“Like I'm the guy who takes photos of someone else's girlfriend...”

“I was just asking.” Dujun raised his hands in defeat. “But why do you worry so much? Maybe the two lovers just lost track of time?”

“Better safe than sorry. I already stitched JR back together. I'm not planning to do it a second time.”

***

Around 1 o'clock earlier that day:

Baekho and Chinsun walked down the empty streets hand in hand. The girl was feeling a bit sick so Baekho suggested to get some air and as it comes out that was the thing Chinsun needed. By now she was basically jumping around the place; bursting with energy.

So you're a free soul, aren't you? I need to keep that in mind for the future. Don't worry about me. I like being outside... especially with you... Baekho laughed silently as he watched how Chinsun enjoyed the first winter joys – sliding on ice.

Everything was so quiet around them; this part of the city held few living souls in her. As the winter had become close by, the walls of the houses had become covered with ice flowers: roses, petunias, lobelias, lilies, and so on and on. It was a really pretty sight to see. And when the sun shed some light on the flowers! Ah! It was as if a meadow was around them. Of sparkling white ice flowers.

After a while of walking and chatting the happy couple came to a stop behind a shop's window. Though it had been closed for a while it was still fun to have peek of what's inside.

“Look at that doll – it looks just like Ren. Even the haircut is the same!” Chinsun giggled as she pointed at the doll.

“You don't say. It really does look like him!” Baekho was amazed himself. “Maybe I'll buy this for him when this place opens again.”

“What's there not to like? I'd like to have a doll which looks like me.-”

“You can have a white tiger from back there.”

“Maybe I will... -But think about it: Ren's famous! Plus, it's a boy-doll... so it's good.”

“And look at that doll. It's like Haeran! Oh, and there's Minhyun, too.”

“Soon you'll find all of us in here.” Baekho laughed.

“Wanna bet?”

In the midst of this lively discussion the pair didn't pay much attention to their surroundings. Once in a while Baekho did look around to see if there was anyone suspicious moving towards them – he did knew they were on the list –, but he didn't notice anything or anyone out of ordinary.

Few guards here and there, some people walking or riding up and down the street, a group of strangers, but what he remembered from Tao's visit those guys might have been the BEAST. But he really didn't give much thought to it. Nothing was more important to him than the girl beside him – Chinsun – the girl who, he was sure, will be his queen one day.

About the doll in the shop... comes out that every doll Chinsun saw reminded her of someone she had seen or someone who was her friend. And because of that they spent a good while behind that window as Chinsun gave names and little stories to tell to all of the dolls she could see from there.

The cold weather, though, forced the couple to move along. They were hoping to find a place where they could heat up their cold-bitten toes, fingers, and noses, but no such place existed anymore. All the cafes and restaurants displayed the sign 'Closed' on their doors or windows... or on the wooden boards which covered the glass or windows and doors.

“I guess we have to go back then.” Baekho said and rubbed his cold hands. Maybe it's better this way... not that I really want to see her sad...

“I guess so...” Chinsun was bummed. “But maybe it's better this way.”

Baekho made a weird face.

“What now?” Chinsun raised her brows.

“Are you reading my thoughts? 'Cause I was just thinking of that.”

“Married couples think alike.” Chinsun shrugged and walked on leaving a pleasantly baffled Baekho behind. “Are you coming?” He didn't expect that~

***

On the way home the couple noticed that there were much more guards on the streets than in the morning. Weird, right? Yes, very weird and disturbing. Not that those men gave any attention to the two, but still Baekho and Chinsun felt that it was better to get out of here as soon as possible.

But that thought soon proved to be thought of too late because the next moment they were dragged towards a carriage. Did they get in there? That's blur. Baekho tried his best to fight back, but because of this desperate attempt of protecting Chinsun he received a hit behind his head and was taken out by it. Damn these guys were professionals... And Chinsun? She was stupefied even before she could realize what was going on.

Was there anyone to help them? Maybe... There were people who saw this. Some were afraid to act... but some... some were waiting for a better time. If they had someone imprisoned inside the castle then in legal point, if this all really comes down to laws and predictions, they can use that as an excuse to attack the place, because as we know the so-called war hanging in the air and in people's minds is nothing more than a story, a fairy tale, a fiction.

Kris stood and stared after the carriage. Now it's done... It's OK to hate me when you find out. He swallowed the lump in his throat and took a different route to a place he went to every single month. Every single month, yes. That was for those few days he was 'lost' and no one knew where he had went and no one could get a hold of him.

“You think Lucras will reconsider Kris's part in his plan now?” one of the guards laughed as he looked at the envelope addressed to Lucras in his hand.

“Maybe. After all: he was the one, who told us where these punks were.”

That's right... Those countless times when Kris said 'I'm sorry' in his head; those words were meant to be said to Baekho. For this. Kris had prepared this from the beginning. He sold his friends.

„You sold them. You sold them because of your own greediness.“ Yes, Tao, in a way you were right, but you aren't the one in Kangreung, are you?

***

When Baekho woke up he felt pulsating pain in his left arm. A quick look told him that he had a nice – sort to say – long clean cut from him shoulder down to his elbow in his arm. But where in the world did he get it?

Dungeon. He was in one of the holding cells under the castle. But why? These cells were never used. What is the meaning of this?

Chinsun woke in her room in the castle. What? How did I get here...? Oh, right... there was this- Where's Baekho! She panicked. Where was he? Why was she even here? But they are wanted... then why is she here? Shouldn't she be in prison somewhere? Was this the prison she was supposed to be kept in?

Baekho just dumped down onto the cell's cold dirty stone floor, if it could be called floor... a little more light and a few seeds and someone could have a farm down here! The floor, or to-say ground, really wasn't the best place to be, so Baekho got up and searched for a place to sit, but as he was about to step towards a potential sitting place the heavy wooden door of the cell opened.

Five men stepped in. A familiar face? Oh, yes. It's the same lunatic guard that liked Lia... the same guard that cut JR! But, would you look at that, the rest of the gang was new. Seems that the former four members decided to switch sides. Yes, tonight.

“The sleeping beauty has awakened! Should we give him a warm welcome?” the leader said as his mouth formed into a disgusting grin.

Two of the men left the room and other two grabbed Baekho. They threw him back on the floor. Grabbing, each on either side, they made him kneel before the leader guard.

Baekho looked up right into the leader's eyes. The guy didn't like that and he punched Baekho right into his face, left side.

“You sure have some manners, punk. I just taught a lesson to two morons on the street. Looks like you could use some teaching yourself.” he smirked. The idea of beating up another innocent person was so inviting and he didn't only like he loved the idea.

The two men came back with wooden bats in their hands. Lucras followed behind.

As soon as the leader noticed the Headman he bowed so deeply that he almost fell over. “Sir, welcome.”

“As you were. So I guess Kris was helpful to us after all.” Lucras stated with a screeching tone of arrogance in his speaking manner.

What do they mean: helpful to us. What does is- Wait! Did Kris? No, it can't be. He wouldn't do such a thing! He would never! We are his friends.

“Sorry, little maggot, your dear friend gave you out.” Lucras laughed and made his way out of the stinking dungeon cell. On the door he yelled back: “Get the exact location, I don't want to waste time!”

And what Lucras had let to do to Kris he let to do to Baekho now. One question: where are the prince and the princess? When he didn't answer he would receive a session of hits.

The guards still had some dignity in them. Never did they hit Baekho to a place no man should be hit. Never did they touch his head... only a few hit in his face... that was all.

As Baekho knelt on the ground most hits landed on his back and sides, occasionally in his stomach. After a while the boy hardly felt anything. The first hits were the hardest to take.

Imagine this: you get hit right across your back with a bat. The hit lands on your spine. The pain itself is already hard to take, but as the bat comes in contact with your spinal bone the pain radiating through your body from there is far greater.

The pain moves down to your legs. You go weak from the knees. Your toes feel like someone is poking them with needles. The pain moves up. Your head feels like it will explode, your vision flickers, your breathing fastens and goes shallow. The pain goes down your neck to your shoulders and down your arms. Your whole body feels like it's about to fall apart.

But Baekho felt all of that many times...

He turned numb.

And he didn't say a word. Not one sound escaped his lips. Nothing.

Just one thought: You are not like Kris. If not for them, then for Chinsun.

But they had Chinsun.

“Fine then.” the leader said, “then we'll bring your little girlfriend here and cut off her fingers right in front of you.” the guard got thrilled by his new idea. “See, right here. I'll put her hand on here and then I'll take this knife and..,” he explained and hit the knife into the wooden board, which was supposed to be a bed... of some sort.

The knife still had JR's blood on it. That was another psychotic kink of that guard: he didn't clean his knife, because he liked the color of the blood on the blade.

“Can you hear me?!” the guard yelled as he hit Baekho across his back.

A loud crack echoed through the dungeon's tunnels filling up every crook and cranny, dancing on the walls until it found its way out.

Baekho's limp body hit the ground.