"Where is master?" Taemin asked the next morning. He had spent the entire night tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep before he could think of a way to escape his parent's tight surveillance.
 

"He's not in town," his mother tells him, dishing him an extra-large portion of breakfast but Taemin wasn't really that hungry. He thought of the Dragon lying in his cave, starving and for that reason, he had lost his appetite. He really needs to get food to Onew before anything dire happens to him. He had wanted to seek his master's help before he left, but the said elder was nowhere to be found. Not even at his funeral, was the elder present. Taemin has always looked up to his master, confided in his master, and his master was his best friend. If there was anyone who would understand him, it would definitely be his master. Knowing that his master did not even attend his supposed funeral made him a little upset, thinking that maybe he hadn't meant that much to the elder after all.

"When will he be back?" Taemin pushed on, nearly even interrogating his parents for his urgent questions. "I have something important to consult him."

"What would be so important, Taemin? You just returned not too long ago and with you no longer becoming a Knight; you have no more need to see your master again," his father snapped fiercely. Taemin felt the anger surging from within. He can't believe how much his parents have belittled what his master has done for him all these years. When he was younger, his parents were never there for him. Instead, his master was the one who housed him, fed him, taught him, and nurtured him to be who he is now. He grew up alongside his master - not his parents. His master was the one who taught him all the virtues of the world, all the words he was speaking now, how to read, how to fight and defend, how to hold himself in the society he was living in. He respected his parents, yes, but he respected his master even more. Subconsciously, his fingers curled up into fists. As much as he respected his parents, he couldn't stand it when anyone insulted his master like that.

"Master isn't just there to teach me to be a Knight," Taemin hissed through gritted teeth. "He taught me how to be a proper person."
 

"Lee Taemin, you do not speak to your father like this," his mother scolded with a glare. "We may not have been able to be with you when you were younger but we are now. That master of yours has been giving you all the wrong ideas. As your parents, we are now here to take responsibility of you. Forget the Knighthood for now."

"It's not even about the Knighthood, mother! Master has done so much for me; the least I can do is repay all that he did to bring me up. And Onew! The Dragon never did anything wrong to be treated in this manner!" Taemin protested strongly.

"The Dragon!" his father shouted. "The Dragon threatens the town without even making a presence. It is a beast to be feared, not sympathize with. Learn your manners, Taemin. This is still your parents you are talking to!"

"Throw the parent card when it benefits you," Taemin mumbled to himself, soft enough not to reach his parents' ears. "Regardless," Taemin said in the open. "I'd like to pay my respects to master for all his guidance and at least let him know that I am alive. We can't leave him thinking that he has sent me to my death," Taemin stated in a more respectful tone.

"He could have very well done that. You could have died up there!" his mother exclaimed dramatically and Taemin resisted the urge to roll his eyes or go into another round of 'the Dragon is harmless' speech which he knew they wouldn't listen anyway.

"Many Knights have gone up there and survived. If something had happened to me, it would be due to my incompetence, not master's. Master only did what was necessary. He needs to be informed that I am well and alive," Taemin said instead.

"You wouldn't find him. He's not in town," his father stated and his mother avoided his eyes. Slowly, things started to click in his mind with their suspicious mannerism. Suddenly it all made sense - why his master wasn't around, why his master wasn't at his funeral.

"He is up the mountain," Taemin said more than asked, standing up in alarm, his breakfast barely even touched. A slow silence came across the room and he knows he's right. "Why?" Taemin choked out, his voice cracking in fear.

"The only thing that man ever did right, was to go up there and avenge your death," his father mumbled.

"But I'm alive!" Taemin screamed. "I'm alive and he is going to make a very bad mistake! The Dragon never did hurt me!"

"It's for the good of the town," his mother told him gently, trying to sooth him by taking his clenched fist. "Without the Dragon, everything would be peaceful. It's by far time the Dragon is gone."

"I can't believe this," Taemin hissed, tears of frustration welling up in his eyes. "Onew is innocent. You're going to support killing an innocent life like this?" he asked shakily.

"Everything comes to an end eventually. The chickens and cows you eat never did anything wrong either. You can't defend every life in the world. Even plants have life, and we still harvest them for food. It's the way of life," his mother explained.

"But Onew..." Taemin whimpered. "He was so friendly and nice and..." Taemin saw the pitying gaze of his mother, and the hard glare of his father, and he knows it was useless telling them all that. "Never mind, you wouldn't understand anyway. I'm not hungry anymore." Taemin turned his back and walked back to his room.

Closing the door behind him as silently as he could, he finally fell to the ground as the information sunk in. The Dragon he had slept alongside with, the Dragon that had protected him, the Dragon that had begged him not to leave, that very same Dragon could be slayed right this second. Onew could be died having never seen Taemin live up to the promise he made. Taemin felt his heart clench at the thought of Onew gone forever. He had only spent 3 days with the beast but he had developed a very special relationship with it. Plus, he could never live with the guilt of knowing that he was the reason that Onew is killed. He picked himself up from the ground shakily and took his already packed bag up to his shoulders. As slim as the chances may be that he could arrive before Onew was slain, he needed to make the effort, to try his best to honor the promise he has made. He'd leave without a goodbye to his parents; or they'd never let him go. Pulling the window open, he slipped out silently and unnoticed. He is going to go back up that mountain. He is going to keep that promise he had made.

Yay it's the weekends again. No, not really yay. I have a project to hand in tomorrow and I'm still not done with it and I have another test on Thursday that I am pretty certain I am going to flunk but here I am writing xD (exam periods are the best inspirational times for me).

Anyway so Taemin will be going back to his Onew in the next chappie!! (If nothing stops him hopefully kekeke)