CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

I have been staying curled up in the darkest side of my prison cell since yesterday. The shadows inside me starting to gather once again and were trying to drown me on my own melancholic feeling.

Since I've gotten back here after the encounter with my Winter Lord, my mind has been filled with the thoughts of him, of the moments that we used to share together.

Food has been delivered but I refused to eat or touch anything. I feel devastated and I really wanted to know what happened to him—to us. But after seeing the way how he treated me that day, I know that he'll constantly refuse to talk to me. 

Luckily, neither servants nor sentries came to give their unfeasible tasks since last night. No one literally came to visit me which made me become even more lonelier. It may sound funny but I certainly wish that the Grand Duke of the Night Kingdom will suddenly appear here in my cell. I don't really mind if he means to tease or mock me, at least, I'll be distracted from the thoughts of Myungsoo. 

It took me a little while before I have realized that the  prick Taemin, despite of being all cocky and vain, has saved me from almost everything since I started living here in Verboden.

He's been there all along, and every time that I will find myself in a middle of trouble, he will always appear to save me from being all ed up. All the faeries here was treating me as their salvation but little did they know that I'm the trouble, I am just lucky that there was someone who's there for me and that would be Taemin.

I can feel it, I am slowly shattering from the inside and I do not know until when will I able to stand all of these. If not for the Night Lord, I could have gone mad. I hate to admit but he becomes my salvation. Taemin is now my salvation.

Tears were threatening to fall once again but before it can do so, my vision caught a faint movement from the dark ceilings above. It started off just like a swirl which eventually opened up into a small hole revealing the night sky. I don't know how the thing happened since, as far as I know, my prison is located underground and it is impossible to see the night sky from here, perhaps what I'm seeing is some sort of illusion. Or was it just me hallucinating. 

I propped up against the wall while enjoying the beauty of the starry skies dancing on the ceiling. The stars look so close that I could see washes of different hues twinkling around it. Then suddenly, I heard a faint sounds emerging from afar. Could it be coming from the night sky as well?

I closed my eyes instead, and I can hear it a bit more clearly this time. At first, I only heard the soft playing of the piano keys but when I tried listening closer I realized that the piano was actually accompanied by singing. I must have just imagining it yet I thought that there is actually something familiar about the voice, it's like I have heard it before somewhere but I can't remember when or to whom.

I wiped off the thoughts away and focused more on the beauty of the music. The voice is soothing and it's helping to relax and warm up my already tired limbs. I must have savored the melody too much that my mind has brought me into a place that I have never seen in my entire life before, and I swear it's so beautiful.

The place was filled with vibrant lights and people! They were singing and dancing as if it's the only thing that matters the most. And oh, the skies—the skies was so bright with numerous  twinkling stars! I wish that all of those things were real so that I can visit it once everything went back to normal. 

The music is slowly fading, I was glad that I heard such a wonderful melody because it has somehow helped to lessen the shadows threatening to eat me up. And the voice—the familiar voice made me feel light and alive once again. Because of that, I was able to have my very first peaceful sleep since I was thrown here in my prison cell. 

The Grand Duke of the Night Kingdom's Point of View: The Day after the First Task

I was having a stroll inside the castle since boredom is slowly making me insane. The lack of something to do has consistently made me think about Naeun. I haven't seen her for a day or two and as far as I can recall, it was during her first task since the last time we met. 

The way that she managed the first challenge was still fresh in my mind because it was the time that I saw a different side of her and I swear that I couldn't take my eyes off her during those moments. She looked different, she looked strong.

To be honest, I think I'm starting to feel envious that Myungsoo got to have a woman like her. I mean just take a look at her, she's kind, courageous, witty, and I can't deny the fact that she's beautiful because she is indeed one!

I must have been lost deeply in my thoughts that I almost bump into a wall. Nothing would be more embarrassing than a mighty Grand Duke of the Night bumping face first on the filthy castle walls so I am glad that I came back into my senses just in time.

I put both of my hands inside my pocket before turning left in a corner, then suddenly I heard somebody arguing nearby. I know that I should not try peaking into somebody else's business but I heard her, I know that one of the voices was from her.

Hurriedly, I took another turn and found that the Winter Lord's door were thrown wide open and then I saw her inside quarrelling with Myungsoo, her beloved Myungsoo. I was about to turn back since messing up their time seems to be a bad idea but I cau