“N, what is he talking about?” I mumble with tears stinging my eyes.

I take a step away from his back, letting my gaze burn into the back of his head.

He doesn’t turn around but only speaks to me in a soft tone.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t want to scare you.”

“So, what he’s saying is true? But how?”

Water escapes my eyes and makes its way down my cheeks as I try to understand the situation at hand. This had to be false. It must be a ruse… How could what he’s implying be true?

“I’m surprised he’s stayed so calm after searching for you all this time, although he failed miserably at his job of protecting you and your family,” Gwydion seethes with a strange smile.

“I don’t understand,” I mutter through tight lips, looking to Gwydion for an answer.

I’m surprised he hasn’t used his magic to restrain either of us… He’s only standing and staring at either of us with a purple glow around him, the flask from his pocket now in his hand.

“Well, well, well… Before you were Fiana, you were Ellin, daughter of Emidio and Avani… Princess of the Elementals. A spoiled brat who had everything she asked for with a family that loved her to pieces,” His eyes lift to N and he sneers at him, “and a man that loved you with his whole heart… a heart that distracted him from his job.”

My chest tightens as I in a breath, taking his words to heart as I try to imagine myself in a crown. There was no way this was true.

Gwydion takes a few steps forward and N quickly pulls me tight against his back, holding me in place as I try to pull myself away.

“Let me tell you a fairy tale, Princess,” Gwydion starts with as he starts to circle us.

I halt my struggle as N begins to turn with him, ultimately making sure he was in between my debtor and I.

“Once upon a time,” Gwydion begins with in a dramatic voice, “there was a Princess who was loved by everyone around her. The Royal Court and her family loved the people of their kingdom very much… But then one day people started to rebel. They wanted a more modern way of running things.”

“So when the girl was fourteen, they hired a nineteen year old man to protect them, why don’t we call him the Knight in Shining Armour? And as the year passed by it was very apparent that the Knight in Shining Armour and Princess were in love, so much so that protecting her was his first and only instinct when the castle was attacked. And who was it attacked by? Well, none other than the man before you, although I looked completely different at that point.”

I can’t help it when my breathing becomes heavy, N turning me with him so Gwydion has no chance to stand in front of me.

“And when standing guard at the King and Queen’s room, the Knight heard a shriek from the dear Princess’ room so he left his post. The Princess was being held by a man when the Knight found her but all too suddenly the Knight heard screams from the King and Queen… They were calling out for him, for help but the Knight stood in place, waiting for the man to have mercy on his love… But too bad he took the Princess away anyways. Sadly, the Knight was blamed for it all, only being accepted by few at the Royal Court.”

N balls his fists as Gwydion comes to a halt, his yellowing teeth flashing in his gruesome smile. He crosses his arms over his chest and lets out a bit of laughter as we make minimal eye contact.

“You look so upset, Fiana? Or should I call you Princess?”

Tears trail themselves down my warm cheeks as both confusion and heart break becoming the only thing I think about. What’s ‘precious’ to me, part of it, has died and what remained were the painful memories.

I understand what N had implied as we entered this room, but I can’t find the heart to be angry with him… If it was reversed, I’m sure I’d want to protect the love of my life.

I freeze momentarily, fully realizing what Gwydion had said… I was the love of N’s life. Just as I had wandered for a hundred years, so did he and it was all because of me. This was why he was so eager to pay my debt and reveal to me this story.

N’s body is still stiff and I rest my hand on his forearm and his head turns slightly so our eyes can connect.

“N, I’m not mad at you… I still believe you saved me, both then and now,” I express as my fingers dig into his sweater.

Gwydion doesn’t give him the time to respond, addressing the both of us with a ridiculous smile.

“That’s all you have to say after hearing that?” he scoffs, “Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but as soon as I break that memory curse… I’m going to slaughter the both of you and take any magic that you may have.”

N growls at him, “You won’t have the chance.”

“Don’t you remember, my friend? I can break through that little spell Connor put on you... that protection magic is weak compared to the powers I have.”

“How… How do you know it was Connor’s magic?” I ask, realizing she hadn’t been mentioned this entire time.

Gwydion cracks his knuckles and grimaces.

“Let’s say the two of you are just a stepping stone to take down the person I really hate.”

I in my breath as he moves forward, his body barely seen by my two slow eyes as he comes to stand before N. He throws his fist that is highlighted with a purple colour but all too quickly N has shifted both of us out of the way and Gwydion’s arm is lying limply by his side.

“Now, now… Don’t give me too much trouble. We both know the outcome here.”

“Yes, and that involves her living,” N breathes as he cradles me against the wall, “Even if it means I die.”

“What?” I gasp.

“Oh, giving yourself up to save her?”

“No, he’s-”

N cuts me off, “If you promise me she lives, I’ll give you any powers I have and my life. I let her parents die… and I’ll die for her.”

I let out a sob suddenly, not wanting to let him go as he lifts my chin to stare up at him. My tree trunk eyes are soaked as he leans forward to press his lips against my forehead in care.

“No, I barely understand what’s going on… I don’t even know myself and I want to, but I want to do it with you, N-”

“I accept that proposition, although I was hoping to take down the rest of the Royal Court… Surprised you didn’t bring them with you,” Gwydion practically laughs.

I can’t take my eyes off N, his fingers beginning to outline the contours of my face. He takes his hand from my chin to rest against my cheek, his thumb wiping away my access amounts of tears.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers.

“Well, you’re not dying, so don’t be sorry,” I retort with as my eyes sting overwhelmingly.

“Fiana,” he addresses me with, “I’m not letting you die.”

I can’t help it when my lips make their way to his, crashing against them in mere passion. HE responds immediately while letting his other hand grasp mine. He moves his fingers over my ring finger quickly. He moans almost melancholically as he is quickly ripped away from me.

In a flash I’m being restrained by a spell up against the wall and when I hear N groan, I search the large office to find him. He’s being restrained on the opposite wall, directly across from me.

I have no control of my limbs and neither does he as we both buck our heads in desperation and fear.

“Both of you let your guard down, and now I can kill either of you,” Gwydion seethes.

“You promised,” N hisses as he seems to try and move his body but it’s no use.

“I’m not very good at keeping promises,” Gwydion responds with, “But now, you can watch each other die.”

I feel a searing pain on my wrist and I let out a scream. My eyes avert to my arm and I take note of the skin ripping apart along it. N groans in pain and I look to him to see the same arm beginning to bleed.

“Stop, please…” I beg breathlessly as the pain becomes the only thing I can think about.

Suddenly, I feel pain crawling up my other arm. I try to ignore it and keep my eyes on N who has begins to whine in pain.

“Let her live,” N pleads with.

Gwydion shakes his head and as he is about to respond, the door is crashing open and falling to the floor.

My eyes lift to the sound and a golden brown haired man from earlier is moving quickly to throw Gwydion to the floor. Another man I don’t recognize moves into the room, his eyes glowing a steel blue as he walks over to me.

Gwydion’s magic has become interrupted and I fall to the floor helplessly, the blood trailing underneath of my body. I flip onto my back and let my eyes shift to N who is no longer in his human form, but a grey wolf. Both he and Hongbin are attempting to surround him and I whimper as the pain becomes too powerful for me to concentrate on something else.

The man with steely eyes kneels over me, staying silent as he brings a flask to my lips. He tries to press it to my lips, but I protest by moving my head.

“Trust me, Your Highness,” he tells me, urging me to tilt my chin.

His voice is soft and I trust his almost gentle nature as he pours a thick liquid down my throat.

I can feel it work its way down my throat and suddenly the pain is gone. I sit upwards, looking over my wrists and take note of the unscarred skin.

“Thank-you,” I mutter to the man.

I look him over quickly, taking note of the red locks that seemed perfectly styles on his head. He seems familiar… Maybe he was someone of my past?

I hear a growl rip through the room and I look past the man who had just healed me to find N in his wolf form, biting into the neck of Gwydion.

Gwydion yells in surprise, throwing N off of him. N crashes against the wall but manages to land on all fours. There is blood staining his fur and when I try to move forward, the man with fiery hair is holding me back.

I try to protest, but I am no use against his strength.

Gwydion leaps toward Hongbin who grabs his shoulders and throws him against the wall behind him.

Gwydion staggers to stand, his hand grasping the skin of his neck as blood seep down his hand. His dark eyes glance and the door and as the man beside me begins to move towards it; Gwydion has already left a fog of black smoke behind him.

“Track him, Leo,” Hongbin orders.

The now named man runs through the door, his body basically unseen as he moves through it.

“Fiana,” N mutters.

I look at him as he stands by my seated position. He is already human, blood spattered across his clothing. His wrists are no longer bleeding and when he reaches his hand out I grab it.

I pull him toward me, embracing him as I let fresh tears find their way to my chin.

“N,” I sob as my face presses against his chest, “don’t leave me…”

I can’t help myself when I say the last part of my sentence. I really don’t want him to leave me. Although I can’t remember the past we have as Ellin and N, I know my heart all too well as Fiana. I know I want him in my life, whether I was told the story or not. Two short and fast days, and I can’t help the way I feel as his arms wrap around my waist.

“I won’t, I promise I won’t leave you,” he coos.

I can’t stop my sobbing, my legs trembling in sadness.

One of his hands slides underneath my knees and I feel myself being lifted, comforted by being in his arms. He doesn’t stop me as I sob into his clothing but only comforts me with his strong hands as he begins to move forward.

The walk is quiet and I can only guess that he is taking me to his home, Connors shop… How will my life continue? Am I Fiana or Ellin, Princess of the Elementals?