It was only three years ago that Hakyeon had hatched. He was already full-grown in his dragon form and a 19 year old as a human.

In that time Yongguk home schooled him. Hakyeon was now an expert on myths and legends himself and was fluent in several languages, including a few dead ones.

The young dragon was not allowed to go outside. He had a strict schedule that only consisted of studying and training. Further he was prohibited any contact with the outside world.

Hakyeon sighed deeply as he stared through his window. His snake like tail appeared and restlessly swayed from side to side as more and more raindrops tainted the glass. He could feel the cold from outside seep through. The dragon shivered and bent over his book Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe again.

His whole room was filled with books. Like the fast reader he was, he probably had read all the books at least twice. Most of them were for him to study and know from the inside out, but there were a few fiction novels. He loved the fantasy worlds and the great adventures the characters had.

Hakyeon chuckled when he remembered how he threw a medieval novel out of the window. He hated the fact that dragons were portrayed as such monsters. His father got so mad at him for damaging the novel.

He was so stupid back then, offended by such fairy tales. Most of it was false anyway. Yes, Hakyeon was strangely attracted to valuable objects. However, he was quite sure that eating a would cause several internal problems.

The clock on the wall slowly ticked the time away. When was his father supposed to be home again? Hakyeon sighed and grabbed the end of his tail. His fingers went over the markings on the now grey scales. In those three long and extremely boring years of his existence he never figured out what the markings meant.

The young dragon heard the backdoor open. A human wouldn’t even notice it, but he was not human. It couldn’t be his father. He always arrived with the car and came through the front door.

Hakyeon immediately went into his defensive mode. His body was aching to transform, the scales on his skin appeared like a dark orange acne. It was hard to ignore the wings that tried to rip through his skin and the gnawing pain of the sharp dragon teeth that didn’t fit in his human looking mouth.

Downstairs was no one to be found. Hakyeon looked around, but couldn’t see any of the people that helped around in the house.

There were footsteps in the kitchen. Horns grew on his head and his longs were burning with fire. Slow shivering breaths, the tapping of fingers on the table. The intruder was definitely a male. With his sensitive ears Hakyeon could hear the water drip from the male’s wet hair and the shiver going down his spine.

He opened the door and was about to jump the person that dared to break into his home as that person covered jumped him. Hakyeon’s mouth was covered with a wet towel to prevent him to breathe any fire.

“Calm down, little omelette. This is not a castle for you to guard,” the person snickered and removed the wet towel. Steam escaped from Hakyeon’s nostrils as he hissed and partially transformed back. How couldn’t he recognize that slick voice?

“Himchan, can you please stop calling me that? It is annoying,” the blond fumed. He was about to go back to his room when the bounty hunter grabbed his wrist and dragged him back.

“There is something I want to show you,” he smirked and placed a suitcase with his serpent symbol onto the kitchen table. He opened it and revealed a grey skin rug with an eerie green glow. Hakyeon’s pupils enlarged and he just wanted to trace his fingers over the rug. Luckily he knew better.

“Why does father want the skin of a kelpie?” the young dragon questioned. He looked up at the bounty hunter. The man shrugged his shoulders and closed the suitcase again.

“How am I supposed to know? I simply find these things for him in exchange for large sums of money.”

Just at that moment Hakyeon hears the unmistakable sound of his father’s car stopping. He immediately forgot the bounty hunter and ran to the front door.

Since he had hatched it was a habit of his to wait at the door and greet him. His father then would ask how his studying or training was going and Hakyeon would show him what new knowledge he had gained. It was only that time that he smiled and said that he was proud. The young dragon still remembered the first time. He picked him up and called him his crown jewel.

His father entered, busy talking with Jongup. Was it already time for his monthly inspection? Hakyeon greeted them both and bowed. He was waiting for his father to ask about his studies, but the question never came. The two men walked right by him without even acknowledging his presence.

The young dragon’s eye colour changed into a dull blue. He was always excited for this moment. Only then he could see that his father appreciated him. He’d worked so hard to prove that he was worth something. Why was he suddenly being ignored?

“Ah! Yongguk, my king! I finally got the algae smelling rug you wanted!” the bounty hunter swung the door to the kitchen open and loudly announced his presence. Hakyeon huffed and a bit of fire escaped his mouth as the two men immediately stopped their conversation and turned to look at Himchan.

It wasn’t like the dragon disliked the bounty hunter. The man just filled up every corner of the room with his blatant personality. Hakyeon was a mouse compared to the roaring lion, which was quite odd looking at the fact that Hakyeon would outlive and was able roast Himchan.

“Hakyeon, go to your room,” Yongguk commanded without even granting his son a single look.

“Yes, father,” the blond sighed and bowed in defeat. He knew he was there and simply chose to overlook him like he’d do with a maid who was cleaning the floor.

He retreated to his room. Maybe he was a bit too much of an attention seeker. His father had an important job that he worked very hard for. Something with a company he once mentioned.

Hours passed by and neither Jongup nor Himchan left. Hakyeon tried desperately not to eavesdrop, but he wanted to know what they were talking about.

They were in the west wing of the mansion. On the complete opposite side his room was located. He decided to go and investigate. It wasn’t that much of a hard task to avoid the personnel, but he wasn’t allowed in the west wing and didn’t know the way that well. He trusted his ears and sneaked through the richly decorated white halls.

He finally found the room the talking was coming from. The office of his father was built to be sound proof. But somehow it wasn’t protecting the secrets inside. Hakyeon held his ear against the door and listened to the conversation.

“You’ve lost so much already! The auction is the only way to save your name and company. However, you’ll never earn enough without selling him. He’s worth millions, probably even more!” the bounty hunter thundered and slammed his fist on the wooden desk.

His father was financially in trouble? Hakyeon couldn’t believe what he heard. Who or what was “he”? Were they talking about the kelpie skin? Yes, the skin was definitely worth a lot. But if it was worth so much, why did Himchan then show it to him?

“Mr Kim here is right, Yongguk. I think it’s time for you to let go of your beloved dragon,” Jongup commented with sorrow in his voice.

Hakyeon gasped and almost fell over. He sank to his knees. Both scales and eyes lost every colour.

There was no way that father was going to sell him! No way!

With a rapid beating heart the dragon once again put his ear on the door. It was hard to listen to the three men as he suddenly had difficulties breathing.

“I couldn’t sell him back then, he was just a baby. Now on the other hand, now he is full-grown? Jongup… how much would I get for the dragon?” Hakyeon couldn’t listen to his father’s voice anymore. He harshly shook his head and stepped back from the door.

He had to get away. He didn’t care where.

Hakyeon started running away from the room where the people he trusted most decided over his fate. The dragon inside him screamed and begged to be freed. He almost let him.

The halls seemed to become larger and smaller. He wasn’t for sure because of his tear filled eyes. Hakyeon didn’t know where he was, he simply ran. He had lost track of time when he finally stopped in front of a door he’d never seen before.

It sparked the dragon’s curiosity. It was an odd distraction from the heavy emotions. He opened the door and was engulfed by darkness. The room had a strange mix of smells that Hakyeon didn’t recognize. He finally found the light switch.

The light flickered on and Hakyeon face paled until he portrayed a ghost.

The storeroom was filled with death and pain. Dozens of skins, bones and creatures like him either stuffed or locked up in cages.

Was this what his father did? His insides felt like they’d turned to mush when he heard the soft cries.

In the middle of the room was a gigantic fish tank filled with merfolk. All of them were mostly skin and bones. Their once beautiful tails had a sickening colour green. They stared at the dragon with hollow eyes.

One mermaid waved him closer. Slowly with hesitant steps Hakyeon came closer.

“How come you aren’t locked up? Did you escape?” she asked. The dragon shook his head.

“Are you also being sold at the auction?” the dragon question and the water creature nodded. A loud thump was heard. Both Hakyeon and the mermaid got scared from the sudden sound.

“You have to get away from here,” she hissed and glanced over to her brothers and sisters before turning to the blond again. “Go to the Northern forest to a lake with purple water lilies. There is a cabin. You will be safe there. Go before they catch you!”

The voices of the three men were now audible to Hakyeon. They were getting close. He quickly ran out of the storeroom and found his room again after a while.

He packed his backpack with some clothes and put on a back pullover. He grabbed his sunglasses to cover up his ever-changing eyes and slit pupils before he headed to the kitchen. He packed some apples and dried meat.

With one last look on the house he’d spend his whole life he closed the door behind him. 

I'm so sorry for not posting for such a long time so I hope that this chapter will make up for some of it.

Please leave your opinion on it.

I'm not sure when I'll update again, but I hope it will be soon!