As Kris coasted the winds howling above the forest, he savored the feeling of the air swirling below the thin membrane of his bat-like wings and the moisture droplets of low-lying clouds bursting against his scales. He rolled his shoulders and stretched out his massive legs to loosen the stiff muscles. Being crammed into that small iron cage had been tortuous, and for a few fleeting moments he embraced the freedom of sailing the skies, crossing the starry sea like a strange foreign ship. The moon appeared out of the thin veil of grey clouds, and he noticed that it was nearly at its highest point; midnight was approaching, and so with some level of reservation he tilted his thick body slightly to begin spiraling down toward the dense canopy of dark leaves below. He didn't care to transform mid-air and plummet to his death, though he wished he could enjoy just a minute more of the only worthwhile aspect of being the cursed reptilian beast.

Kris’ paws sunk deep into the thick, slimy mud with disgusting squelches as he landed in the middle of the destroyed road. Almost immediately, he collapsed, the cold, wet substance coating his belly as the fiery pain erupted in every single one of his nerves and caused him to writhe uncontrollably. It felt like he was being submerged in lava, slowly melting down to his bones. I can't take it…! He almost didn't want to undergo the transformation, it was so excruciating. A shrill whine slipped out of him, rising into the empty night air like a wolf’s mournful howl. For a few moments, the forest was brightened by false daylight with the burst of magic that wound around him, and his glowing form slowly compressed into the shape of a man. When the light faded, Kris was lying on his back in the middle of the road, his eyes squeezed shut as he panted heavily.

“Kris!” Jang-mii shouted from a short distance away, and he heard the plodding of the horse's hooves in the mud followed by a heavy thwack!. He wearily lifted his head and cracked an eye open to see Jang-mini slogging through the thick mud, holding her cloak and dress aloft to keep from tripping as she tromped toward him. It was a laborious process, as she had to pause every few seconds as she would sink calf-deep into the sludge and have to tug herself free. When she reached him, she fell to her knees beside him, ignoring the thick paste that smeared across her pretty clothes. “Kris!” she shouted again, and before he could even speak her face had descended over his, her soft, black hair caressing his cheeks as she rained kisses down upon him. “I’m… so glad… We saved you…! I… missed you… So much!” she gasped between desperately smooching every part of his mud-splattered face. When he pulled his arms free of the sticky mud and grabbed her by the shoulders, she finally calmed, sitting up to gaze down at him with cheeks pink from breathlessness.

She’s so gorgeous, he could not help but think despite her disheveled appearance. Her raven hair, normally so luscious and dutifully tended, was a scraggly mess that lay in crimped, twisted knots and fell into her face. Instead of one of her ornate dresses, she was clothed in a plain cloak with nothing but a slip underneath. Her legs were streaked with mud all the way up to her knees, and her feet were bare, her slippers having been claimed by the road. Kris didn't care, though. She would always be a radiant goddess to him. He gently swept a finger across one of her flushed cheeks, leaving a small trail of half-dried mud. All sense of pain was forgotten to him as he lay at mercy to the princess' magnificence.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered. It was so out of place, given the harrowing circumstances of the night, that Jang-mii snorted with laughter. He continued to slowly draw his finger across her incredibly fair, smooth skin as he gazed into her beautiful, deep blue eyes. Kris had never seen the sea, but if he were to imagine what it were like, it must be like the iridescent pools that were her eyes- sapphire waves that shimmered with glossy streams of cobalt, azure, navy, and thousands of shades between. “So beautiful,” he murmured again as his eyes flickered down to her perfect, plump lips, curled into a small smile. He recalled the texture of them, soft and pliable against his own, and the taste like the finest sugar in all the world. Overcome by the overwhelming urge to kiss her, he pulled her face back to his, enveloping her lips with his own. Jang-mii welcomed the embrace, a soft mmmmmm slipping from her as their mouths moved in perfect harmony. The kissed passionately for a minute before Jang-mii retreated with a forlorn expression.

“We have to go back to the camp now.” Mud and all, Kris would much prefer to lay there and kiss her all night, but he didn't have all night, did he? With a groan, he forced himself to stand, squirming at the uncomfortable feeling of mud caking his hair, back, and legs. Clumps of the chunky wet dirt sloughed off him to fall into the small, man-sized pit below. With a scowl of disgust, he tried his best to scrape as much of the thick mud off him as he could, and looked up when he heard the horse approaching. He then smiled.

“I was wondering when you would come say ‘hello,’” he mused as Lay swung down in the horse to land in the muddied road. The unicorn grimaced at the uncomfortable feeling of wading through the boggy pathway, but despite his obvious aversion he trudged over to him to embrace him in a brotherly hug, patting his back. When he pulled away, eyebrow raised while he flicked the mud from his hand, he smirked at him.

“Well, you know how it is. I always want to give you a little time to kiss on your girlfriend,” he teased and clapped him on the shoulder. He looked him up and down, then smiled broadly. “It's good to have you back, my friend.” Kris glanced off down the road. The deep trenches gouged into the earth were just barely illuminated by the light of the moon, marking the retreat of the scheming young prince.

“I’m back,” he sighed deeply, “but it’s not over yet.”

It took about ten minutes to ride back to the camp. He and Jang-mii took the horse, while Lay transformed into his equine form and galloped alongside them. When the reached the campsite, it was still in shambles; a pile of bodies had accumulated beside the road, a handful of knights and commoners who had been killed in Baekhyun's late-night escape. A few women were prostrate beside their slain men, howling in agony, while a couple of softly crying children were nearby, still confused about what exactly had taken place. Knights were still dragging them in from the carnage, while another pair were slinging them into the back of a horse-drawn cart for transport back for the kingdom. The camp had been divided in half where the massive cage and caravan had ripped through. The destroyed tents, carts, and wagons had been dismantled for firewood, but a few remaining spears of wood still jutted from the earth, reaching like desperate hands toward the starry night sky.

Kris guided the horse around the carnage, heading toward the heart of the camp, where the royals were situated. Because of the confusion, the handful of Jang-mii's knights were currently occupied, but they did not escape the notice of the civilians who had been awakened. As the unicorn tromped alongside them, they gathered in small crowds around him, tears falling from their faces as they uttered prayers and awed words. Lay seemed to enjoy the reverence of the humans; he dipped his head respectfully as he passed, and even allowed them to run their trembling hands over his shining white coat and through his silky white hair. They regarded Kris with a mute shock and confusion. They did not recognize him in his human form, and so wondered who the mysterious red-haired stranger bearing their princess home could be. As they shouted questions, Jang-mii gently shushed them, giving them warm, reassuring smiles and assurance that all would be well. Thus, they did not follow them to their king and queen's tent, but awaited the eventual explanation.

When the small company finally reached the royals' tents, they were outside waiting for them, their cloaks rippling in the small wind. Kris knew not if the entire tale had been explained, nor if any of them believed it if it had; as such, he felt his stomach twist into tight knots as he halted the horse. It felt like his throat was closing up, and he could not breathe; as his hands tightened around the reins, Jang-mii's hands slid over his own, and she looked at him over his shoulder.

“Don't be afraid,” she whispered softly. Kris nodded and closed his eyes while he steeled his nerve. He had faced many dangers, soldiers and thieves and even giants. You can face this, too. Before he could lose his courage, he swung down from the horse and approached the three royals. His heart beat frantically in his chest, a rabid beast trying to claw its way free of his ribcage. He raised his eyes hesitantly. Jang-mii's mother was as prim as ever, her head held high. She had taken the time to change into a full gown and arrange her hair, and was gazing at him with an acute distrust. It was clear that she had no interest in Jang-mii's tale and was quite displeased that they had run off her fiancé. Kris' eyes flickered to her father. He was still in his night clothes, but wore an ermine cloak and had his gilded sword collapsed in one hand. Unlike his wife, he was gazing at Kris with a measure of curiosity, his face in deep contemplation as he considered his daughter's story. As always, he’s the more sensible of the two. It took Kris a moment before he could work up the courage to continue shifting his gaze to the right. There, on the end with his hand resting on the hilt of his ornate broadsword, stood his father. Kris felt his breath catch in his throat, and he dropped his eyes, unable to look at him; his legs felt like they were encased in stone, and so he stood there rigidly a couple yards away, frozen with fear. I can't do this…

“He certainly doesn't look like a prince,” he heard the queen snort in derision. “He is nothing but a common vagabond who has obviously threatened Jang-mii’s life and made her concoct this story. Kill the vile man and let us return to the matter of saving Jang-mii's marriage.”

“Well, after spending ten years in the wild, did you expect him to show up in gilded armor?” her husband rebuked her pointedly. “Young man. Have you any proof that you are who you speak?” Kris' tongue was as dry as desert sand and struggled to form words. He wordlessly shook his head. It had been ten years. He held nothing from his childhood, and he didn't even look the same; the spell had changed his hair color, dying it that fiery red. He tensed as he heard footsteps approach, and in his fear he looked up, right into the eyes of his father. He expected them to be harsh and unforgiving, full of contempt and distrust, but it was not so; they were the loving, kind eyes that had looked upon him countless times as a child. It was then that he found his words.

“Father,” he gasped. Though Kris had changed much in the last ten years, his father had changed little. He was still a brute of a man, with bulging muscles forged from many long years training as a warrior, bearing a massive greatsword nearly as tall as himself. His hair was like ebony, but streaked with a few lines of gray, but there was slightly more than he remembered. His face was like chiseled stone, but you could see the laugh lines around his mouth, and his eyes betrayed the heart of gold beating within him. He was a man that commanded enormous presence and respect, yet melted at the sight of his son, a doting father who would scoop Kris up and swing him around at a moment's notice, who would react with amusement rather than anger when he would storm into important meetings and business affairs to display a wild animal or pretty flower or other meaningless artifact he had discovered. As he gazed upon the man who had sired him, the man who had loved him dearly and mourned his supposed death, the tears overflowed and streamed down his cheeks. “I’m home,” he breathed shakily.

Those eyes searched him for a moment, absorbing everything about him. Then, he suddenly grabbed Kris to envelop him in a crushing hug, and he was shocked to find that the burly man was actually trembling.

“Yes. You are,” he agreed. His voice was thick with emotion as he held his long-lost son tenderly. Kris slowly raised his arms to wrap them around his broad back, burying his face into his shoulder. He had never thought he would ever feel his father’s embrace again. It was almost overwhelming.

“Please. You cannot believe this rubbish,” the queen exclaimed in disbelief. His father released him to glare at her savagely.

“You think I cannot recognize my own son?”

“I think that you are too blinded by the loss of your son. Kris has been dead for ten years. Both you and Jang-mii need to let it go,” she said haughtily and tossed her head. “All of this is a scheme he has devised to escape his execution. He has dared to tarnish the good name of Prince Baekhyun! You need to put him down like the dog he is.”

At that point, Kris was tired of listening to the .

“What is it going to take for you to see past the powder in front of your nose?” he snapped viciously. She placed a hand over her heart with an affronted gasp, looking horrified as if he had deigned to slap her. “Baekhyun is the one who is scheming! He’s been raiding you border for months, and burned countless settlements while he was in the wilds! He has his eyes set on this country, and you’re too stupid to see it! He just took off without a word with all his knights! What more evidence do you need?” Kris’ voice raised with each word, and he began to pant heavily as he gestured wildly at the scoured earth. “Do you see this? This is nothing compared to what is coming. This country will burn if we do not stop him! Villages will be sacked, people will be slaughtered like cattle in their homes, women will be and children massacred, and then he will come for you,” he growled as he pointed at her. “Do you think he will show you any more mercy than a commoner? Because I assure you, he will not.”

“How is it we have not heard of this?” the king asked with his eyes narrowed.

“He is cunning. He ensures that no messengers ever reach your chamber until he wants them to,” he answered, and looked over at Lay, who was prancing nervously as he watched the entire exchange. “Are you just going to stand there? I could use some help here!” he complained loudly. The unicorn snorted loudly and tossed his head, then transformed with a blast of bright white light. When they lowered their hands from their eyes, he was kneeling with his hand over his heart and his head bowed.

“I am Prince Lay of the unicorns. I can attest to everything he speaks. I have seen it with my very eyes.” He raised his head after a moment, smiling coyly at the unimpressed queen. “Your Majesty, if I were lying, why would I embarrass myself by vouching for him?” She looked appalled, as he had obviously read her mind, and anxiously stepped closer to her husband.

“Please, Mother, Father,” Jang-mii pleaded, sliding down from the horse to run up beside Kris and latch onto his arm. “I told the truth. I could not tell you before because Baekhyun had my life under threat. If you want proof to Baekhyun's nature, you need not look further.” She untied her cloak and held it open, and Kris felt his blood boiling when he looked down to see her tattered nightdress, ripped down to her belly with most of her chest exposed. The queen gasped in horror and snapped at Jang-mii to protect her modesty in front of the men, while her father went pale and his father’s face went bright red. “He entered my tent with the full intent to defile me,” she huffed as she closed the cloak and regarded them defiantly. “Lay had to rescue me from his vile hands. He sent an assassin after me to ensure that the truth never reached your ears. I’m sure the daggers still lie on the floor of My Lord's tent,” she added with a wave to his father. “I have seen the desolation of the wilds with my own eyes.”

“Baekhyun’s plan has not been foiled, only delayed. He will amass his army and come marching to wrest the throne by force since he could not obtain it by marriage,” Kris assured. The king stared hard at him, absorbing the words he had spoken and the evidence put forth.

“… I believe that you speak the truth,” he decided finally. Though she still had clear reservations, the queen obediently kept shut, perhaps not wishing to face more disrespect from the stubborn young adults. “We must move quickly. Our time is short. We must return to the kingdom at once and prepare for war.”

War. Kris had never liked the word. War was ugly, bloody, and often unnecessary. However, as he glanced down at the woman he loved most in the world, it was clear that nothing had ever been more necessary.

I will fight all the legions Baekhyun has to offer if that means I can remain by her side.