Fifty-Seven Years Later

I can never apologize enough for what I said to you, but I do hope that you can one day forgive me. Once upon a time, I loved you and I hope that you do know that. -Jisoo

Jeonghan reread the last sentence of the old letter once again, his mind automatically drawn back to those days. He had been so angry and hurt at Jisoo's words, so upset over the loss of what he now knew was his first love. He and Heechul had left immediately, as Jisoo had asked, though they had not gone back to the City of Light right away. A small stop at the Keep where the wedding had been held had been in order, and it was then that Jeonghan had gotten his first glimpse of demons. Their twisted bodies had been such a shock for him, but Heechul had responded as if he were intimately familiar with the creatures.

For reasons Jeonghan didn't understand or question at the time, Heechul had called down Mage fire and burned the bodies of the dead creatures, erasing their presence from the Tower Mages who would come next to investigate. It wasn't until fifty years later that it had all begun to make sense to Jeonghan. After the defeat of the traitor and his demonic army in the Western Reaches, Jeonghan had begged leave from Lord Choi Seungcheol, a young man who he knew had feelings for him, and traveled to the City of Light to take up the case against Heechul.

There was not evidence to be had, not anymore, but there was magic to be used. After being shielded, stripped of his magic, and truth-read, Heechul had been found guilty of the crime of half a century prior. When asked, he would only say that it was for the betterment of the immortal race, that they should never consort with humans when the fall of the Light was so near.

Jeonghan knew he was talking about the marriage and