Pulling the hood of his cloak closer to his face, Daehyun turned to make his way out of the crowd around him. They were all gathered to see their new Queen, the true heir to the throne come back to claim her place. The crowd had let out a massive cheer as she stepped out onto the balcony above them, her golden dress shining like a beacon of power.

He had to admit that she looked beautiful, though honestly he thought that when dressed in the plain black clothing of the Brotherhood, she made this version seem plain. Too bad she had turned out to be the hidden 'Prince'... he regretted not trying to simply run away with her before everything came into play.

He'd guessed who she was immediately, of course; her bright red hair couldn't hide her lineage once he'd gotten a clear look at it. It had taken a lot of twisting to try and make her hate him, to make his job easier, but in the end it hadn't worked. 

How could he hate someone like her?

He'd been stupid to let himself get so close, but she had a way of stripping down his defenses and seeing past them. This was better, anyway. She hated him now, and he was free of the Usurper's hold, free to find a new life for himself and his little sister. He'd rescued her from the Usurper's hold as soon as he'd escaped Amber, stealing her away before anyone even knew she was there. Now he just had to keep her safe... and stay out of the clutches of the Brotherhood.

Hitching his shoulders in discomfor