Hansol gazed into the dilated orbs of his own drained reflection.

The weight of his sin hung heavy on his young shoulders. As he traced his new scar, Hansol attempted to surface from the murky memories of last night’s events.

She had shone.

She had branded her image into his heart with every passing dance.

And oh, they had danced!

With every shifting waltz they’d drawn more and more eyes. A celestial couple, ceaselessly orbiting around their fixed intertwining paths.

Freed from her shadow, Jieqiong, for that was the glorious  name bestowed upon her grace, had welcomed his company throughout the evening.

By her side, Hansol had taken his fill of the court’s riches and merriment. By her side he had deluded himself with visions of a future.

By her side, he had fallen.

She had taken him aside, pulling him from the lights and the crowds into a vacant corridor.

She had loosened the ties on his silk collar, and she had fed.

As his lifeblood was stolen by her sweet lips, he had understood at last.

He had reached to high. His avarice had propelled him directly into the depths, just as the sun had driven down the youth Icarus before him.

.

The young lord had dared grasp what was beyond his birthright- that which had been long ago forever barred from his touch.

For this encroachment, it seemed the ultimate penance would be his to bear.

Hansol traced the ragged tissue running the length of his jugular as his reflection mirrored the movements.

A sharp rap at the door shook him from his clouded thoughts.

“The Kim Duke Mingyu my lord”, his page announced.

Hansol quickly dove under his bed’s canopy and pulled up his covers so that only his head might be seen.

He had just managed to turn his back to the door and feign sleep when his fellow noble burst through the doors.

“Retiring so early my friend? The sun has barely begun to set!”, Mingyu strode around the room, moving to drag open the tightly drawn curtains, “ We shall be summoned shortly for dinner, or breakfast I suppose”.

Hansol played the part of one disgruntled at having been torn from the arms of sleep. He blearily blinked, but made no move to cast off his bedding.

His companion’s brow furrowed in concern, disconcerted by Hansol’s uncharacteristic silence. He moved to his bedside and knelt to observe his friend’s sudden frailty.

“I noticed your lack of colouring this morning duke, it seems I was mistaken in dismissing it as a passing ill humour”

“ Yes, it appears the cold of this land has disturbed my body’s balance.”, he forced a rather unconvincing cough before continuing, “ I find myself unwell; although it is certainly nothing a warm bed and some rest won’t address.”

Hansol’s wry smile was hesitantly mirrored by the other.

Mingyu let out a breathy laugh and attempted to lift the covers so that he might crawl in as they had done as children when one fell ill. He was, however, met with a sharp rebuff as his companion drew the covers even tighter, refusing to surrender even an inch.

“I fear your contagion, your grace. In fact, I think it’d be best if I forewent dinner tonight, so as to prevent an unfortunate common cold outbreak within theses walls.” He motioned for his page to usher Mingyu out,” I shall just take this night to recover, do offer my apologies to her majesty for my absence.”

The doors slammed shut behind Mingyu, leaving him quite bewildered by his friend’s panicked weather.

He gazed, slack-jawed, at the sealed entryway and let himself be gently led away by his own entourage.

Alone at last, Hansol lowered the bedspread which he had curled protectively around his body, and allowed himself to sink into a fitful sleep. The damage to the adjustment of his sleep cycle be damned.

As the hazy tendrils of sleep engulfed him, he could not help but wonder why his life had been spared. Why Jieqiong had restrained herself just before passing the point of no return and had gently his wound closed.

Was the beautiful lady merciful, or did she simply enjoy toying with her prey?

A/N: Chaekyul shippers please don’t kill me. This chapter definitely does not mean I’ve decided on Jieqiong/Vernon, and if I decide on Chaekyul I still want the story to have some depth rather than just a straightforward leap from point A to B.

As always thank you for reading and don’t forget to comment.