Jang-mii awoke to the sound of birdsong and the scent of spring drifting in through the cave entrance. The air was warm, making it harder to stave off sleep, so she rolled onto her side and ran her hand over the soft, cool sand that she was lying in. She frowned when her hand suddenly knocked into something hard and burning hot, and she crack an eye open to see that her vision was dominated by Kris' glittering red scales. The heat that she was basking in was in fact his intense reptilian body heat, pouring off him in waves and washing over the drowsy princess. It was then that she realized that in her slumber she had pressed against the dragon's chest, and she brushed brightly before hastily jerking into a sitting position and scooching away from him. Her rapid motion made the dragon stir, and Kris rose his massive head as he yawned loudly, with a sound that was the mixture of a dog's whine and a lion's roar. Blinking away sleep, he suddenly turned his dark eyes on her, making her flush further with embarrassment.

I can’t believe I pressed against him like that. It was one thing when I thought he was just a dragon, but knowing he’s a man on the inside… It then occurred to her that she has been laying with a man every night, and she squeaked slightly and covered her face with her hands at the mortifying thought. Kris, likely wondering what had gotten the princess in such a fuss, lowered his head to sniff at her.

“Ah! It’s nothing!” she protested meekly, shying away. Ah! He’s so close! She thought as she wriggled about, thoroughly embarrassed. Kris retracted, still blinking in confusion, before shaky his mighty shoulders and rising to his feet to stretch across the sandy floor. His spiked tail created rivets in the sand as it swept across the bottom of the cave, throwing it into dunes. Once he had resolved the stiffness of his body, the man trapped in a dragon's form lumbered out of the cave and out into the springtime sunshine. Jang-mii, still bright pink, tried to reclaim some semblance of her dignity before rising primly to her feet and brushing sand off her body and dress. The dress sent an entirely new wave of discomfort crashing over her, as she had realized for the first time how dreadfully short it was. Those mischievous fairies! How could I not have noticed how much of my legs I have been showing this whole time? How improper! There was nothing that she could do about it now, however, and so she trudged miserably out of the cave to join her draconic partner.

As she walked out into the sun, Kris glanced up from rolling about in the grass on his back, warming his scaled belly. Laughing, she ran over to him to vault herself up onto one of his legs, shimmying up the appendage to clamber onto his stomach. Holding out her arms to remain balanced, she walked over the uneven surface until she arrived at his chest, and promptly sat down to bask into the warmth of both him and the beautiful day.

“It’s so nice out today,” she remarked, subconsciously running her hands over the scales of his chest. After a few seconds of it, she gasped when he began to vibrate vigorously, and she glanced down to realize that he was purring like some gigantic cat. “Does that feel nice?” she asked as she the dragon across his chest; it must have, as his massive head flopped back against the earth and his eyes were closed, the closest thing to a smile on his face. His tail was slowly waving back and forth across the grass as she rubbed him, and the purring grew louder. He really is like a cat! She thought with a laugh. She crawled forward, over his chest and neck, to begin scratching him with both hands under his chin. He sounded like a thunderstorm, rumbling loudly as the princess continued to pet him.

“What are you, Kris? A common house cat? You give disgrace to dragons!” called a sudden, mocking voice, and Jang-mii paused her affectionate touches to glance down at the ground. A few meters away, on the edge of the trees, Lay was leaned against the sturdy trunk of an oak with a smirk on his face and his bow strung lazily across his back. “Really, Kris, you should see yourself. It’s quite pathetic.”

Kris snorted, blowing smoke into the air, as he turned his head to glare at the unicorn. He gently grabbed Jang-mii around the middle with his front paws and set her down on the grass, while he rolled onto his side and pushed himself to his feet. Jang-mii was unsure of the telepathic banter that was occurring between the two, as Lay walked forward with a laugh and Kris just sulked.

“Nice to see you again, my lady,” Lay smiled chivalrously and shyly, blowing before her to take her hand and kiss the top of it gently. As Kris flicked a cloud of dirt at him with his tail, Lay coughed and glared savagely at the dragon-man. “Don’t get jealous, now. I’m not out to steal your princess,” he snapped and stuck out his tongue at the massive beast. “You should be grateful. I brought your classless an elk.” Jang-mii was simultaneously amused and appalled that Lay, such a dignified creature, would be so crude. The shock must have shown on her face, because he blushed lightly and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Ah, forgive my rude language, my lady. I’m afraid the brute is rubbing off on me a little!” That remark earned the unicorn another dirt bath as Kris lumbered to the edge of the wood and began to devour the massive elk that Lay had delivered to him. “Can you not?” Lay shouted and strung his bow, launching the projectile at the dragon’s side. It bounced off harmlessly, of course. Their banter was so funny that the princess could not help but laugh. “What?” Lay asked, glancing back at her.

“You two really are great friends, aren’t you?” she mused as she looked between the two of them.

“I like to keep him around,” Lay admitted with a sniff. “My kind are so dreadfully boring. You get tired of hanging out with the same people for a century or two. Kris at least keeps it interesting. I always have to bail him out of trouble,” he mused, this time prancing away as the shower of dirt came sailing in his direction.

“How did you two meet?” she inquired curiously. Lay rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then smiled and gestured for her to sit down on a flat rock a few feet away. She did so, and he eased himself down beside her, sitting cross-legged as he watched a few birds land on Kris's back and begin hopping about.

“It’s been a few years now. As you probably know, unicorn horns are quite the commodity among wizards, apothecaries, and the like, and unicorns are also the ultimate prize for any game hunter. I found myself in the unpleasant end of an arrow shaft. Got me right in the front thigh,” he explained, lifting up his shirt to show her a star-shaped scar on the muscle of his upper arm. He dropped the sleeve back and leaned back on his hands, watching with a small smile as Kris finished up his meal and looked up curiously, his lips. “This idiot comes charging in, a skinny thirteen-year-old kid with a shortsword against a pack of bandits. He sure gave them a whalloping, though. Sent them all packing. Of course, he got beaten to a bloody pulp and collapsed as soon as they went running. I had half a right to leave him there to die. Unicorns don’t suffer fools.”

“But you didn’t,” she frowned.

“No. To be honest, he intrigued me. I could sense the curse on him. I healed his wounds, but the magic on the curse was too powerful for my magic,” he sighed. “Somehow, he always managed to find me after that. He was an annoyance, badgering me about this and that, and landing himself in all kinds of trouble." As he talked about the young man, though, Lay had a serene smile on his face. He really does love him, she thought with a smile. How nice it must be, to have a friendship as pure and true as theirs.

“What a nice story,” Jang-mii smiled in approval. It was then that Kris, who had wandered off to change forms, came tromping out of the woods with one sword on his belt and the other slung in a sheath across his back.

“I hope you’re not filling her head with lies,” the redheaded knight snorted as he came to a stop in front of them, hands on his hips and a playful smirk on his lips.

“Of course not. I was just about to tell her about the time you got your head stuck in a beehive,” Lay mused teasingly. Kris pointed an angry finger into his face.

“I told you, that never happened,” he huffed, then removed the sword from his back to hold it out to Lay. “Spar with me. I’m getting rusty,” he demanded. Jang-mii’s eyes widened at the ornate sheath, black leather inlaid with silver threading and gilded with silvery metal. The sword hilt was just as ornate, carved in the effigy of a roaring lion. Kris must have noticed her staring, as he explained, “I nipped it off a bandit a few years back. He had stolen it from some important knight or another, probably. Seemed such a shame to leave it in the hands of a criminal like that, so I relieved him of it.” Lay grabbed the sword and took it from Kris, jumping to his feet to swing his quiver and bow off his back and set them down against the rock. He drew the sword and tossed the sheath aside too, and the blade made a ringing sound as he gave it a few experimental slices while he walked out into the grassy clearing.

“Are you coming, or are you going to gawk at your girlfriend all day?” the unicorn called tauntingly. Jang-mii blushed when she glanced up at Kris to see him staring intently at her; at Lay’s jibe, the boy turned as red as his hair and hastily dashed out onto the field, drawing his sword and planting himself a few feet away from the dark-haired immortal. They circled each other for a moment before Lay dashed forward, moving as quick as lightning, and the air rang with the song of steel meeting steel.

They danced with the swords as Jang-mii watched in awe. Their feet were constantly moving, shifting this way and sliding that way as they moved in endless circles across the field. Lay jabbed here, Kris sliced there, every an art as the were locked in combat. They made it look effortless as they glided across the grass, like they were skating across green ice. It’s magical, she thought as opened slightly in a silent gasp. The way the light played across the silvery blades, retracting off their surfaces to scatter diamond-like lights across the two combatants was beautiful to her; their fluid movements, like their bodies were made of ever-flowing water, captivated her. Magical.

Abruptly, the lion-hilted sword came sailing through the air to embed itself point-down into the grass just inches away from her feet. She squeaked in alarm, scuttling back and pulling her legs up onto the rock.

“Sorry!” Kris called, holding the tip of his sword to a very annoyed-looking Lay's throat. “I got carried away…” With the initial excitement gone, Jang-mii stood to grasp the sword hilt with both hands and wrench it out of the ground. She wobbled, finding the blade far heavier than she anticipated, but she managed to regain her footing. Leaning heavily to one side as she struggled with the weight of the sword, she lugged the weapon over to the boys. Kris had planted his sword in the ground to haul Lay to his feet.

“Teach me!” she demanded when they glanced over at her, and they exchanged shocked looks as she gripped the sword awkwardly.

“Um… Jang-mii, what are you doing?” Kris asked with raised eyebrows.

“I want to learn how to use a sword!” she insisted. “I told you, I want to stop Baekhyun. I can’t do that with words; I know that. He’s too far gone. I’ll have to use force instead!” She must have looked ridiculous, a puny girl holding a sword nearly as big as she, but thankfully the two men didn’t laugh at her. Kris smiled gently and walked forward, leaving his sword planted in the earth.

“All right. First, let’s work on your form,” he agreed, and she went red as he stopped right in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He guided her body into the proper stance, but she found herself stiff under his touch. “Relax. The sword can’t hurt you,” he told her softly, misreading her nervousness. She was slightly grateful for that, but she saw Lay snickering off to the side as he watched the exchange in amusement. Go to hell, she yelled at him, and he threw up his arms in relent, still chuckling. Kris stepped back when he found her posture acceptable. She did have to admit, she felt much more comfortable and the blade felt less imbalanced in her hands.

“What now?” she asked as he bent down to rip his blade free of its temporary earthen prison. He stopped walking a few feet across from her and held up the sword.

“You come at me,” he told her. Jang-mii blinked, then swallowed reluctantly and lifted the sword up. Crying out, she rushed at him, swinging the sword through the air. She gasped as he easily side-stepped her and knocked the sword aside, tapping her on the back with the blunt side of the sword. It still hurt terribly, and she whined as she lowered the sword and rubbed the stinging skin while pouting at him.

“You hit me!” she cried indignantly.

“Sorry!” he squeaked. “It’s a habit with Lay!” He looked truly sorry, so she couldn’t fault him too much.

“Beating up on your girlfriend? You’re not as chivalrous as you pretend to be, ser knight,” called an abrupt, mocking voice. Kris and Lay dashed to her side, weapons in hand as they whipped around to face the newcomer. He was tall, with a disdainful sneer distorting his features. The malice in his expression frightened her, and she pressed nervously against Kris as he raised his sword threateningly at the stranger.

“Who are you?” Kris demanded hotly.

“My name is Chanyeol. I am Lord Baekhyun's most trusted knight,” he smirked. Baekhyun! Jang-mii thought with a gasp, and both Kris and Lay tensed at the mention of the vile lord’s name. He’s here to claim me… she thought as she began to tremble. Kris reached behind him to take her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze, and when she glanced up into his eyes, his smile seemed to be saying, “I will protect you with my life.” That notion made her slightly calmer.

“What are you here for?” Lay asked, slightly drawing back the arrow that was already notched into his bow.

“What do you think? The princess,” the knight snorted antagonistically. “I can’t say that Lord Baekhyun will be too pleased to find that she's been shacked up in the woods with two men… But then again, he likes his girls a little naughty,” he grinned. Jang-mii went red, terrified of the prospect of becoming Baekhyun's nighttime plaything.

“Don’t talk about Jang-mii like that!” Kris roared, taking a step forward. Lay’s arm shot out to halt his advance before he could rush at the man. He was shaking with anger, but he reluctantly obeyed the unicorn’s silent order.

“Oh? You mean you haven’t slithered up her dress yet, you worthless lizard?” Chanyeol mocked. As the three of them gasped, he smirked evilly. “That’s right. I know who and what you are!” He pointed the end of his sword right at Kris.

“No… Don’t…!” Kris cried, ignoring Lay's shout and running at him. He sent his sword in a savage arc, and Lay loosed an arrow at the man. Chanyeol moved faster than anything the princess had ever seen, slicing the arrow in to across the shaft and rolling out of the way of Kris's strike.

Who… and what he is? Jang-mii blinked. What is he so desperate to hide? Kris was shouting angrily as he pursued Chanyeol across the field, tangling so closely with him that Lay was unable to get a clear shot.

“Oh, so she doesn’t know?” Chanyeol jeered mockingly as he ducked another of Kris's swings and kicked the boy roughly in the chest. Kris went staggering backwards, landing on his behind in the grass. “Don’t worry. I can’t kill you. That right belongs to Lord Baekhyun alone,” Chanyeol mocked as Kris scrambled hastily to his feet and came running at him again. Anger had clouded his mind and dulled his sword, and so Chanyeol was just toying with him, prancing around him with mocking laughter.

“Damn it! I can’t get him!” Lay hissed and dropped his bow, then ripped the sword out of Jang-mii's hand and charged at Chanyeol. The knight knocked him aside almost pitifully, sending the unicorn sprawling into the grass. Kris went flying after him, and then it was just Jang-mii alone as Chanyeol advanced on her. She fumbled backwards, but lost her footing and ended up on her backside in the dirt. He leaned down, and she winced, expecting a blow; instead, he put a hand tenderly on her cheek.

“You know, I almost feel sorry for you,” he purred, his face inches from hers. His warm breath made her nose wrinkle in disgust, but she was too frightened to say anything. “We heard the tales of the poor princess from the small woodland country whose husband-to-be fell victim to a vengeful witch. They all thought him dead, but not you… No, not you. You begged your father to keep looking, and implored any passing knight for news on your missing love, you poor, pathetic girl,” he rasped.

“Stop it!” she cried, sobbing at the man's cruel japes. He abruptly burst into laughter and stepped aside so she had a clear vision of Kris struggling to his feet, bleeding heavily from a cut above his eye.

“Take a good look, princess! There’s your long-lost husband-to-be!” Chanyeol cried. “He looks a little different, I suppose. A witch’s curse will do that to a man,” he mocked.

“You shut up!” Kris snapped.

“Oh, don’t try it. You can’t deny it, can you?” Chanyeol shot back. “You’ve been lying to her this entire time. You’re nothing but a coward!” Kris looked visibly shaken, and stepped backwards, unnerved. Can… can it be? Jang-mii thought, reeling. The pieces began to fall in place in her mind, the curse, the familiarity, the name, how could she not have thought of the name?

“Kris,” she choked out as the tears spilled out. “Kris. My Kris.”

“It’s almost tragic,” Chanyeol snorted. “To be reunited at last, only to be separated again.” Jang-mii offered no resistance as he grabbed her roughly by the arm and yanked her to her feet. “Get up, princess. My lord expects you.” She couldn’t stop staring at Kris, her Kris. Why? Why wouldn’t he tell me? She thought in agony. He was just standing there, staring back at her, with the most heartbroken look on his face.

“Jang-mii,” he whispered, and then collapsed holding his head, and his body began to twist and distort. The clearing flashed with bright light, and Chanyeol cursed and shielded his eyes with his free arm. When it faded, he cried out as a spiked tail came rushing at him, and he threw the princess aside while he vaulted out of the way. As Jang-mii recovered from her fall, Kris stomped over to bite down on the hem of her dress and lift her high into the air and plop her on his back. Then, with all the might he could muster, the dragon planted his feet in the earth and roared.

Kris. My knight, my prince.

My only love in the whole wide world, she thought as she clung to his back, not sure whether to be blissfully happy or completely heartbroken. She had finally found what she had lost all that time ago.

But was what she found the same thing that she had lost? Had her Kris changed after all these years, to someone who would hide the truth from her?

To someone she could no longer love?