>_____<;;

Victoria quickly caught Namjoo’s unconscious body before gently lying her down on the sofa in the living room.

“You’re not staying?” Chorong asked. “I thought you collected energy from dreamers.”

“Strong dreamers, and she is not one of them this time,” the Dream Weaver said before turning around and flew back into the wall.

Once he disappeared Chorong turned back to Victoria, “How long do you think she’ll stay like this?”

Victoria stared back at Chorong with no absolute answer. She was becoming worried about how well Namjoo was going to do if she was going to come back with the same feelings she acquired there. Her and Luhan’s story…would it destroy her once she came back?

“Be safe...Namjoo.”

>_____<;;

When her vision became clear Namjoo saw darkness, the shadows of trees swaying in the wind against the paper windows, and the heavy white moonlight shining in. She could make out a circular table in the middle of the room with some teacups turned upside down before she heard a voice in her ear. As a hand pressed into her lower back she felt a giggle shoot out of her.

“You’re really not worried about the prince?” she asked.

And Namjoo realized instantly that this was like her dream wherein she wasn’t in total control of her body, but witnessing as things would happen. Was this good…or bad?

“What can he do to us anyway?”

Namjoo felt her heart skip a beat when she recognized who it was.

Another giggle left her when he pulled her closer before pushing her onto her back and suffocating her with playful kisses. After a few minutes they resumed to lying on their sides and Namjoo felt her heart deliriously race when she stared into his eyes. They sparkled like the stars in heaven and they were just…so magical.

“Lets go on a long trip after I return tomorrow,” Luhan said tucking her head underneath his chin and dug his fingers into her hair to play with it.

“All right…lets do that, honey,” Namjoo closed her eyes and heard him chuckle.

Honey? She’d called him…honey? Had they…been married? If they’d been this sweet with each other why did she marry Chanyeol later on?

Namjoo’s questions were answered the next day. After seeing Luhan off the prince attacked and Namjoo almost couldn’t believe she was reliving the horror of it. She never really understood the horror of being touched by someone she didn’t know or someone she didn’t want. But here she could totally feel the fear of being taken over, easily dominated by this man so strong. She didn’t like this. This was unwanted. Most important of all, she didn’t love this person.

No one was allowed to come to her aid. His soldiers in aid were standing outside the pavilion and the house servants were being held back. She could hear them fighting outside, but she wasn’t being freed from this torture.

Why wasn’t she using her powers? Why wasn’t she trying to break free when she could easily do so?

Then she heard a voice in her head promising not to hurt anyone anymore. There was a strong desire to keep the promise she’d made to Luhan way back when they met. Namjoo could feel the deep trust Joseon Namjoo had for him and she thought she understood.

“Don’t hurt him, don’t hurt him,” Namjoo cried inside her head and screamed as she continued fighting him off.

Her thin arms were weak and her clothes were being cut away as if they didn’t matter at all. She could feel the details of his hands touching, violating, and searching. Angry tears of resent began pouring out of her eyes and she finally resorted to knocking him off with her leg, which all resulted in the gash across her stomach. Another cry of pain leapt out of her and he tossed the knife aside knowing that he now had her under his control.

Before he could start tearing the rest of her clothes away Namjoo felt her hands grow hot with thoughts of deep hatred. She slapped him, grabbed his arms, and listened deliciously as he screamed in pain. Having fallen weak she shoved him off and climbed over him as if having lost her mind.

“No! No!” Namjoo cried, but Joseon Namjoo didn’t hear her.

She felt her hands grappling his neck and holding him there until he barely moved under her weight. That was when she recognized Luhan’s screaming outside demanding the soldiers to move aside. Shaken up by shock she slid off the prince and sat on the ground trying to absorb her tears. And without even touching the doors they flew open angrily to unveil Luhan.

At first he stood there silent. His eyes ran over her before they moved over to the dead prince lying on the floor smelling of freshly cooked meat. Namjoo thought he might turn against her, leave her, and walk away. Instead he ran toward her, dropped to his knees and tried to pull the torn clothes back over her before hugging her tight.

Namjoo felt all his warmth sink into her and she finally bawled.

“I’m so sorry…I didn’t…I didn’t mean to break the promise…I was so scared…I’m so sorry…” she sobbed against his shoulder.

“No,” Luhan shook his head sounding hurt as well and ran his hand over her head repeatedly. “It’s not your fault; it’s not your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Pressing his face against her hair he rocked her back and forth as the soldiers came forth to take the prince’s body. Their voices echoing in panic just beside her, but she heard them as if they were far, far away.

And whatever happened next, Namjoo forgot. One moment she was sitting on the floor and the next she was sitting in their room dressed in fresh clothes. She was just sitting at the edge of the bed, her eyes staring out into space. She was afraid and she felt like a criminal. Namjoo had never killed anyone. What would happen to her? To Luhan? To this house? Would they…still want her?

Then the tears spilled again. She was so afraid of being alone again.

The doors opened and Luhan quietly walked in after closing the doors after him. Namjoo listened as he set down a tray of food on the table before walking over to coax her.

“Why are you crying, stupid?” he asked gently; his voice shaking.

Luhan placed a hand atop her head and ran his thumb comfortingly against her forehead.

Namjoo’s hand shot out to grasp onto his clothes. “Don’t leave me. I don’t want to be on the streets again. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

And with that she felt him hug her even tighter. The arms around her held her securely against his body as she sobbed against him.

“I won’t. I’ll never leave you,” he deepened his voice in promise. “I won’t let anyone hurt you. I promise. No one can touch you again.”

After a moment Luhan pulled away and grabbed the bowl of soup before coming to sit next to her.

“Come on, you have to eat something,” he persuaded blowing on the soup he’d collected with the spoon.

Namjoo continued weeping and shook her head. “I can’t…”

“Please…for me,” he begged and Namjoo thought she saw tears in his eyes before obliging.

After a few promised bites Luhan returned the bowl to the table before climbing onto the bed and pulled her toward him. Gathering her in his arms and resting her head against his shoulder he gently rocked her from side to side like a child.

“Should I tell you the story about The Lion Roars?” Luhan asked with effort to cheer her up.

Namjoo closed her eyes and grabbed onto his arm to assure herself that he was still there.

“You’ll still love me, won’t you? Even if I killed someone?” she cried.

Tightening his arms around her he pulled her closer and Namjoo felt his cheek crush her face.

“It wasn’t your fault. You did nothing wrong, you hear me? You didn’t do anything wrong,” his voice was visibly shaking again.

Luhan wouldn’t let her see his face, but she knew he was crying with her. And how terribly she must have hurt him. The realization of it made her heart hurt even more and she cried harder.

“Namjoo, I love you, I’ll always love you no matter what,” his voice coursed through her ear.

And maybe that also caused her to cry harder. For about two days Namjoo remained in the same panicked state and Luhan was always by her side. He never left her for more than an hour and while he was gone she always wondered if he’d left her behind. How innocent and frail Joseon Namjoo had been. But Namjoo guessed it was her from start to beginning. This was really how she was…and she was just seeing herself in a bigger light.

When Luhan returned from wherever it was that he’d been, he’d give her an immediate hug as if relieved that nothing had happened and she was still there. The way he hugged her desperately caused her in turn to hug him back just as tight. She loved him, she really loved him. She’d give him everything. Again, he had all of her in his hands.

The next day when Luhan left the house, Namjoo suddenly found the sceneries changing. She wasn’t with Joseon Namjoo, but watching something else. What was this? Why was she being allowed to watch Luhan instead of herself? Or was this what the Dream Weaver had meant?

Namjoo watched Luhan scurry about the city moving from the busiest markets to the slowest ones on fast feet. After a few minutes she finally realized he was looking to see if the King had issued pictures of her to be put up and the one to bring her in would be awarded a ransom. Luhan really had looked after her with his utmost efforts and Namjoo felt tears perk her eyes. He was doing so much for her…

The scenery disappeared and she was back in Joseon Namjoo’s body. She was just sitting there lifelessly watching the front door. The heavy silver bolts on the door said that it’d be hard for anyone to break in even if they were a troop of a dozen men. Luhan’s home was her home.

“My lady, are you hungry? I’ve just cooked dinner,” a kind servant stopped in front of her.

Namjoo shook her head. The kind servant glanced at her worriedly, but walked away without bothering her any longer. A few minutes later the door opened and Luhan appeared. She stood up to greet him and Luhan shot her his infamous gentle smile before walking toward her. Without word he placed a hand at the back of her head and hugged her. His hug said he missed her during the short time and was relieved she was still there. She hugged him back with her heart tight in her chest unsure what each day would bring now. And she was scared and happy.

It was in the middle of the night when Namjoo stirred awake realizing that Luhan had woken her up. He was sitting up in bed, the blanket having fallen off his torso. After a few seconds she realized he was staring at the windows as if he were watching and listening for something.

Alarmed she sat up, “What’s going on?”

“Shh…” he motioned a finger to his lips for her to be quiet and glanced around again. “I think people broke into the manor.”

Namjoo felt her lips fall apart in panic and Luhan immediately wrapped an arm around her.

“Stay with me,” he cautioned.

The door of their bedroom flew open and two men in black clothing with masks over their faces jumped in. Their swords in hand glistened in the dark. Within a split second the teacups on the table flew up into the air and exploded, the shards flying at their eyes without warning.

“Lets go,” Luhan pulled her after him.

They immediately froze outside the doors when they spotted fire set everywhere. The screams of their servants filtered the air and his hand tightened over hers. These people were the people Luhan had grown up with. They’d tended to him and cared for him like he was their own child. After his parents’ deaths, they were the only people he had. And Namjoo knew too well how it was like to be alone. Luhan didn’t need to suffer the same fate.

Namjoo glanced at him. She wasn’t stupid. These men were sent from the palace to rid of them for taking the prince’s life. And in the process they were taking away the life of those who meant most to him and it was all her fault. Her heart sunk and it ached depressingly. So, very slowly she pulled her hand out of his tight grip.

“Forget me and go save them,” Namjoo said.

His lips quivered as he stared at her.

“Go!” Namjoo shouted so loudly that she had to close her eyes and tighten her hands into fists as tears poured out.

Her eyes opened again when he grabbed her hand and pulled her over. “Didn’t I say…to stay with me?”

And the tears gushed out in great sympathy for him. “Why? Those people are like your family. It’s not fair for you to lose them.”

She saw the tears sparkle in his eyes as he ran a hand over her face before he kissed her and pulled away. “You’re my family too and I can’t lose you. You love me, don’t you?”

Namjoo sobbed and quietly nodded her head in fast reply.

“Then don’t let go,” he tightened his hand over hers.

“Young sir!” one of his servants came running toward them with a blade in hand. He was panting heavily and there was blood on his shirt. “We’re under attack! Everyone else is being burned to death!”

Namjoo closed her eyes and turned away.

“We need to leave now,” the servant continued. “They have the doors blocked.”

Luhan glanced around before he gestured his head toward the back of the house. Very quietly and swiftly the three of them ran together toward the large Cherry tree in the backyard that would lead them to the street if they climbed it. But it wasn’t exactly what they did.

Slipping his hand away from hers and sliding his arm around her waist, he clutched her close before reaching for his servant’s arm. Luhan levitated them into the air before jumping across the wall into the street and without comment they made their run for it.

>_____<;;

Victoria and Chorong watched in horror as the blood gushed out of Namjoo’s stomach and other cuts appear on her arms.

“Oh my god…what’s happening!?” Chorong screamed in panic. “Namjoo, wake up.”

Victoria held her breath, but quickly pulled Chorong back. “Hold on. I think…I think this is what happened at Chanyeol’s apartment. Namjoo should be healing herself by now.”

“How can you be so calm right now!?” Chorong shrieked. “Namjoo could be dying on the other side!”

“Just look, god dammit!” Victoria screamed back and pointed toward the blood that was quickly dissolving away. “Don’t you dare forget that Namjoo can heal herself!”

Chorong turned to Victoria with a glare. “I told you this wasn’t a good idea. I never supported it from the start. If Namjoo was so desperate about Luhan, we could have cornered him and asked him! What if something goes wrong, aren’t you scared of that?! Are you ready to lose a sister after losing our mom!”

“Park Chorong!” Victoria screamed and raised her hand to slap her sister, but stopped herself.

She almost couldn’t believe she was going to hurt her sister when the two of them were well grownups who could handle their problems maturely. Chorong’s eyes widened as she stared at her and neither said a word.

Dropping her hand by her side Victoria said, “It’s only the beginning. Luhan kept his lips sealed because he didn’t want us to learn of their unfortunate past. It can’t be helped when Namjoo’s emotions are haywire and she’s sacrificed Chanyeol in the process. The Dream Weaver also warned us that Namjoo was going back to a dangerous time. We could have changed our minds, but we didn’t because Namjoo wanted this. We can’t wake her up now unless she wants to wake up.”

The two stared at each other for another long minute before the doorbell rang. The two turned around missing the slight tears that rushed down Namjoo’s face.

“I’ll get it. You stay here,” Victoria ordered.

She moved stiffly toward the door and barely opened the door to see the crime investigator standing on their doorstep.

“Can I come in?” he asked.

“Not a good time right now,” Victoria was careful to hold the door a crack open and placed her feet behind the door in case he would push his way in.

“Is that so?” he didn’t sound very happy. “I have a few questions regarding Kim Daesung.”

Victoria slightly frowned and stepped out onto the porch shutting the door after her. “What do you want?”

“Daesung described to us the person who persuaded him to turn himself in,” Changmin began.

She watched him unravel a piece of paper out of his pocket and felt her heart skip a beat. It was a sketch of Chorong, a well done one with every single detail of Chorong’s face imprinted on it.

“Looks very much like your sister, don’t you think?”

Victoria played her best to keep her expression straight.

“I also heard of strange activities that happened while your sister happened to be talking to Daesung.”

“And what do you want me to say?” Victoria blankly stared at him with narrowed eyes. “Daesung may have kept his mouth shut to keep himself safe after killing his friend, he may also be making up a story to save his own sorry . Unless you see my sister pulling any silly tricks, don’t come pointing your fingers without solid evidence. It’s shameful for someone in the police bureau.”

She stared him down before walking back into the house.