Daehyun: 19 years old

Hearing the tapping of footsteps coming up the stairs of the prison, quick ones I should also care to mention, I turn my head towards the doorway. 

“Princess,” Yongguk calls out as soon as he reaches the entrance to the floor. 

“Yongguk, you’re a little late,” I greeted him with a smile but like any other time, he doesn’t return one back. “You did say I couldn’t leave before 3 – it’s definitely after.” I kept to my promise. I watched as his chest heaved at every breath he took. He definitely rushed here. “You’re such a worrywart,” I mumble under my breath.

He switches his attention over into the cell to see Daehyun sitting in the same spot he was left unconscious in yesterday. The Werewolf stare back up at him, disgruntled.  

Yongguk is quick to point what he notices. “You’re still injured.”

But in his tone, I detected a small hint of surprise. 

“Yeah, no . Do you both like pointing out the obvious?” Daehyun retorts before calmly continuing, “fine, if you’re not going to let me out, tell me what you did to me.” 

At those words, I unhappily looked to Yongguk, waiting for him to come clean. Seeing the expression on my face, he immediately clears it up before any misunderstanding can arise. “We didn’t do anything. In fact, we’re trying to figure out what you got yourself into.”

Daehyun leans forward from where he sits. 

“What happened to you yesterday?” Yongguk walks forward and stands before the cell.

“I don’t have any memories of yesterday.” He looks up at the ceiling and around the cell. “I don’t even know how I got here.”

“You don’t know what attacked you?” I blurted in disbelief.

“Or what you attacked?” Yongguk cuts in before Daehyun can respond.

“Yongguk,” I called out firmly and he turns to look at me.

“We can’t rule out possibilities,” he reasons.

Daehyun chuckles and shows his arms. “If anyone is at fault here, it would probably be wicked humans.”

This time, I looked over at him.

“Don’t look at me like that. Anyone that is capable of this, are humans. There’s this catch 22, that your race created.”

“What’s that?” I asked. 

“You guys attack us and it’s not a crime because you’re attacking ‘criminals’. In those situations, some don’t fight back and simply take the blame - making themselves criminals. But, if we do fight back and claim innocence, we still lose. Because Werewolves, who attack humans, are considered criminals.” A small scornful smile breaks across his lips. “See what you guys did there?”

Is that true? I didn’t quite know but it wasn’t hard to believe either. 

“You call us animals and say we need to be controlled but you guys are the real beasts here.” Daehyun’s eyes bore into mine. “Now that you’re offended, do you want to add a few more cuts?” He offered me his arms and bare chest that are already covered with lacerations. “Wouldn’t make a difference.”

“You just told me what I basically knew,” I casually answered as I placed stray strands of my hair behind my ear. I have already come to the conclusion that we are beasts and I can see how my response makes Daehyun blink in surprise. “And I’m not a very violent type - I’m actually not a fan of any form of violence.” 

Daehyun stays silent and I continue.

“ – If I categorize myself, I would say I’m a…hugger?” I jokingly added. “But then again, I’m not very sociable so who would I be hugging, right?” 

“Are you really a Princess?” Daehyun asks me, rather seriously. I stare at him, stunned by his question and he looks to Yongguk. “You have a fool for a Princess.”

“Don’t be disrespectful,” Yongguk sternly but calmly tells him. “And there are questions you need to answer.” 

I didn’t want to assume so early, but it seems like Daehyun is unlike Sungrok in many different ways. And that is a relief. 

“Why don’t we go ahead and get you treated for your injuries,” I offer and ignore Daehyun’s earlier comment while he blankly stares up at me. But, my gaze is more focused on the wounds that lined his body. They looked terrible and I certainly didn’t know how Daehyun can just sit there, unresponsive to the state he is in. I would think the most severe cuts were the four consistent gashes that decorated Daehyun’s abdomen. They appear the deepest and the most painful. “Once he’s all fixed up, you can continue your questioning,” I suggested to Yongguk. 

Even though he agreed, my Knight was watchful as we made our way to Hero’s office. I would try to get a closer look at Daehyun, who now is in a pair of black prison pants, but when I did try to get a step closer, Yongguk would readily end any chance for me to. 

“Yongguk, I’ll be fine. His hands are bounded.” And besides, the two human guards were right on either side of Daehyun, escorting him. 

But, that wasn’t enough for Yongguk to stop being so overprotective. “The bindings may fail.”

I guess I should be happy he was allowing me to come along. Maybe, I shouldn’t push it. So, I continued to follow from a distance that Yongguk allowed, silently. 

When we got to the door, Hero opens it up to welcome us in. 

“Place him over there,” Hero points towards the patient bed.

I go to take another step but Yongguk places his arm out to block me.

“This is the first time in a while that I’m treating a Werewolf,” Hero comments while getting his things together.

“This is as close as you’ll get,” Yongguk quietly tells me when I give him a look.

“Fine,” I gave in and leaned back against the door, crossing my arms on my chest.

The two guards walk Daehyun over to the bed and he sits down upon it. Hero strolls over and takes a closer look at the Werewolf's  upper body that is scattered with all sorts of injuries.  

“You didn’t heal,” Hero comments and Daehyun returns a look, as if to tell him he had already heard that plenty of times. Hero pulls out a chair and sits in front of the Werewolf. “Why is that?”

“Aren’t you the doctor?” Daehyun snaps. 

“You don’t have to be so moody.” Hero carelessly pats the Lone Werewolf’s stomach, causing him to wince in response. 

“That hurt,” Daehyun snarls at the Knight.

“I didn’t think you would notice,” Hero commented. “You didn’t seem so bothered by your injuries.”

“You said there was nothing in his blood yesterday.” Yongguk couldn’t stay silent any longer and decides to focus the conversation in a certain direction. 

Hero looks at the injured Werewolf in thought. “You’re just a bowl full of mysteries, aren’t you? But, now that I’m taking a closer look…” Hero leans in for a moment before sitting back into his chair. “I think I just discovered something.”

“What did you notice?” Yongguk questions from the back, beside me.

“You weren’t attacked by humans.” Hero stands up from his seat to gather bandages from the drawers. “These marks belong to Werewolves.” 

***

“Haewon.” 

I stopped in my steps and spun around at the sound of the voice. “Father.” Remaining in my position, I waited for him to catch up to m