Kyuhyun spread his blankets on the floor in the corner that was the farthest away from the door and the two of them got comfortable, leaning against the boxes while facing each other. Ryeowook hugged his bundle that now also held the food that Kyuhyun had bought earlier that day, feeling strangely comfortable despite the crammed space. The small flame was dancing on Kyuhyun’s outstretched palm and he looked relaxed.

“How is your leg?”

Ryeowook shrugged, but then leaned forward and carefully pulled up the leg of his pants, yet the dim light made it difficult for him to see much. After a brief inspection, he released the fabric and leaned back again, giving another small shrug. “I guess there will be a bruise, but it’s nothing serious. By the way, how far down did we go? Was it really just one story?”

“Two, actually.”

“That makes more sense. I have another question: you walked slower once we reached this part. Why?”

“It’s darker down here. Upstairs, there was still a bit of light coming through at some parts, but down here, even I could barely see anything.”

Ryeowook frowned. “So how will we know when we’ll arrive? Do we just have to wait until the ship stops moving? How will we know if it’s safe to leave?”

Kyuhyun laughed softly. “We—I mean, vampires—can feel whether the sun is out or not. You’ll notice it, too—if the sun is out, we’ll become really tired.”

“But I’ve seen you out during daytime so often!”

“Well, look at you, staying up the nights with me right now. We can get used to any kind of sleeping pattern, of course, though I feel like that was easier when I was still human. But we also kind of feel it when the sun rises or sinks. I think it connects to the fact that we can’t handle sunlight at first, but I’m not sure. The servant also told me that he will have the first watchout duty when we’re in Dalian, so we’ll be able to sneak out quickly.”

“What if he tells on us?”

Kyuhyun shook his head. “He wouldn’t.”

“How can you be so sure.”

“I’d like to think that he’s too scared to tell on us.” Ryeowook’s discontent with that answer had to be written on his face because something changed about Kyuhyun’s expression before he opened his mouth just a little. Ryeowook jumped when he spotted a pair of fangs. The good-naturedly mocking smirk returned to Kyuhyun’s lips and he nodded, no traces of the fangs showing when he spoke, “Do you understand why I’m certain that he won’t tell on us?”

“I thought no one is supposed to know about…” Ryeowook gestured towards Kyuhyun who nodded once again.

“That is true, but I needed a quick result with minimum effort since he was acting up. I’m assuming that neither of us will cross that servant’s path again, so I decided to make an exception.”

“There’s another thing you have to explain to me!”

“Did you save up all your questions until now?”

Ryeowook blushed lightly, but he shook his head. “No, not that. But I was either not allowed to ask or we didn’t have the time or there was so much new information that I needed time to think about everything first.”

Kyuhyun laughed softly but nodded towards him. “Then continue.”

“What exactly is the situation with food? You said that we can’t eat anything right after being turned and you told me that you eat something occasionally, but you haven’t eaten anything since I woke up.”

“You know when you get a little hungry, but it’s not meal time yet, so you just eat something small?” Ryeowook nodded, evoking soft laughter from Kyuhyun. “Count on our elite to know what I’m talking about. But yes, that is a point at which we can simply eat human food to temporarily quench the hunger, though sometimes we also simply eat out of habit. Can I also ask a question?” Ryeowook nodded once more, so Kyuhyun continued, “Something changed earlier. You were brave this entire time, but as soon as you knew about the tavern and the closer we got it, the more afraid you seemed to become.”

Ryeowook looked away, pulling his legs a little closer to himself, hugging them, careful not to come in touch with the bruised part. “I’ve never been out of court, especially not at a place with people, without any guards or my maids around. You can laugh about me all you want and tell me that this is stupid and that your senses are better and you’re faster than them anyway, but… it was actually really scary to me.”

“You’ve really never been outside on your own? Not even once?”

“I’m a prince. It’s too dangerous for me to leave court on my own. I mean, I could get kidnapped.” Ryeowook turned back to Kyuhyun, doing the best smile he could manage, even though it wasn’t a very big or bright one.

The corners of Kyuhyun’s lips twitched in an amused smile and he hummed in agreement. “Indeed, you could get kidnapped. That would be very bad,” he said solemnly, but Ryeowook could hear that the other understood his attempted joke. “You were on your own while you helped the doctor, though.”

“But my maids were nearby, I only had to call out for them. And whenever they did leave me alone in a room, it was only because they knew that there was no way for anyone to enter the room or leave the room with me without them knowing.”

“Still sounds a bit dangerous to me, but well.” Kyuhyun shrugged, but suddenly another thought seemed to occur to him. “Your acting when that guard spotted us earlier was very solid.”

“I didn’t have to act too much. And for the rest—once again, I’m a prince. I have to be somewhat good at acting.”

“Will you tell me about life at court?”

“If you want to hear about it?”

“Of course.” Kyuhyun nodded enthusiastically. “Before you, I’ve never met any royals, or anyone really who belongs to the elite class. But first you have to tell me again what I told you to keep in mind regarding the turning.”

“No eating or drinking and no direct sunlight exposure. I won’t be conscious during the actual process, but I will remember the pain. When I wake up eventually, I have to be careful with how I act because my body has to get used to its new abilities and new nature. The hunger will seem overwhelming, but together, we can manage it. Did I leave anything out?”

Kyuhyun looked dumbfounded, almost making Ryeowook laugh, if his mood had been good enough for that. “Didn’t I tell you the majority of this only once last night?”

“You might get tired of hearing this, but: I’m a prince. Learning instructions by heart is literally my job. No, it was. It was my job.”

“Now you definitely have to tell me about life at court. I thought your job was to rule the country?”

“Oh no, I’m too young and have too many older brothers for that.” Encouraged by Kyuhyun’s curiosity, Ryeowook started to talk about his life before, about the endless lectures and their contents, when Kyuhyun asked more specifically about them, about growing up with six older brothers, about his maids and everything that came to his mind and that he deemed safe enough to talk about. When he got tired, Kyuhyun took over, telling him stories from the village that he grew up in.

☆ ☆ ☆

During the following day, they came across two problems that both of them had failed to consider beforehand: one, Ryeowook turned out to be slightly seasick, and two, he needed to pee. And while the first problem could be ignored well enough, the second one could neither be ignored too well nor solved as easily as Ryeowook would have appreciated. In the end, they agreed to wait for the night to come at which point Kyuhyun managed to find an unused room from which he brought a bedpan which Ryeowook was forced to use in total darkness since he didn’t feel comfortable doing his business with Kyuhyun in the same room—it was shameful enough to him that Kyuhyun had to take care of everything surrounding this matter—which also meant that there was no option for the fire to stay inside the room, not without actually burning anything, at least.

☆ ☆ ☆

Accordingly, Ryeowook found himself happier than expected when the ship stopped moving. The limited space got too small, his urge to move too big, his bladder… well, that was not a matter to think about because once he did, he’d have to pee again! As much as he had enjoyed having the time to actually talk to Kyuhyun and had been able to catch up on actual quality sleep that he felt he had missed out on, he couldn’t wait to finally get out of this hideout and actually see natural light again!

At first, Kyuhyun went out on his own to make sure that it was indeed safe for them to leave, leaving Ryeowook on his own in the dark, fidgeting in nervous anticipation for Kyuhyun to return unharmed and with good news. Yet when the door did finally open and fresher air streamed into the room, Ryeowook momentarily pressed himself against the wall, afraid that someone from the crew might have found him—before the realization sank in that it was still pitch-black and no one but Kyuhyun would navigate around the ship like that and as soundlessly as that.

“Don’t worry, it’s me,” Kyuhyun indeed whispered just a moment later and Ryeowook pushed off the wall. He lifted up Kyuhyun’s bag and the other took it, their hands brushing against each other momentarily, a simultaneously comforting and electrifying touch. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

Quiet rustling revealed Kyuhyun putting on his backpack and adjusting his coat, then he took Ryeowook’s bundle, taking the prince’s hand afterwards. “When we reach the ladder, should I go first or second?”

“First.”

“Okay.” Kyuhyun started moving, gently pulling Ryeowook along who once again relied on the other’s hand and the wall by his side. Excitement tempted him to move faster, but he knew not to give in, not to get reckless when they were already so close to safety.

Nevertheless, he felt like they were walking faster than they had on their way into the ship. The way up the ladder also felt easier than the way down had been, at least until the point when Ryeowook arrived at the top and somehow had to navigate up the last bit with no further steps to grab and only Kyuhyun to really hold on to.

This time, even Ryeowook noticed a change in lighting, at least enough to recognize where the door was and the darkness didn’t seem quite pitch-black as it had before, though that didn’t mean that Ryeowook could see much more. It was enough for him to feel more secure as he followed Kyuhyun, though, until they came to a stop in front of the door that led outside.

“Wait here,” Kyuhyun instructed so quietly that Ryeowook almost didn’t hear it. He barely got the chance to nod in understanding before Kyuhyun’s hand disappeared from his own, leaving it feeling empty and with nowhere it belonged, and suddenly, light shone into the hallway, not blindingly so, but enough for Ryeowook to finally see!

He stood still in awe, even after the moment had passed and the door was nearly closed completely, leaving him in near darkness once again.

Ryeowook shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He could feel his palms getting a little sweaty and nervousness settle in his stomach again the longer he was left alone. Even reasoning that really not much time had passed if he were to be honest didn’t help. What exactly was Kyuhyun doing out there? And, even more importantly: why wasn’t he coming back?

Finally, the door opened once more and Kyuhyun motioned for Ryeowook to exit. He gladly did, restraining himself with difficulty from just stopping and staring in awe at the beauty of the moonlight. Instead, he glanced at the servant who pointedly stared at the ground, then he took Kyuhyun’s hand.

They exited the ship, though this time, Kyuhyun seemed to be more on guard than when they had left Cheolsan. Instead of walking as seemingly unbothered as they had in Cheolsan, Kyuhyun stuck closer to the house walls again, just like they had in the capital. One thing, however, was very different from how it had been in the capital: no adrenaline made Ryeowook’s heart race and he wasn’t as nervous as he had been in the capital, instead, he felt a sense of freedom, cherishing the moonlight and the sky’s beauty at any given chance.

“Ryeowook?”

“M-hm?” His gaze automatically went up when they came to a stand, admiring the myriad of stars above them.

“Would you stop watching the sky and pay attention for a moment? You’ll get all the time you want to do this once I don’t have to worry anymore about the Dalian guards seeing us.” Ryeowook pouted but turned to face Kyuhyun who continued to speak, “We’re unlucky that the sky is clear right now, but at least the forest isn’t far away. The guard isn’t at full alert, but he’s taking his job serious nevertheless, as far as I can tell.”

“So running won’t work.”

Kyuhyun shook his head. “I might be able to do it, but not you. Not yet.”

“Why don’t you carry me then, like you did for the capital?” Kyuhyun turned his head with a raised and very doubtful eyebrow, but Ryeowook elaborated his point, “I mean, you could first bring our bags into the forest and then come back to get me.”

Kyuhyun’s expression turned into a frown before he faced the watchtower again, waiting a little longer. “That could actually work out. Though I’d honestly prefer to have you safely out there first, away from any guards, before I take care of our bags.”

“You’ll be fine?”

“Of course.” Kyuhyun turned to him again and motioned for both of them to take a step further into hiding, then they took off their backpacks and put down Ryeowook’s small bundle. Ryeowook got onto Kyuhyun’s back, holding on tightly like he had learned he had to. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.” He buried his face in the other’s hair and closed his eyes, simply waiting, trusting.

Kyuhyun’s body was tense, but Ryeowook felt secure in his position, even when Kyuhyun started to run without a warning. It was only when Kyuhyun slowed down that Ryeowook opened his eyes again and even managed to let go of the other when he came to a stand. He felt a little shaky, but it was nothing compared to the first time Kyuhyun had carried him like that.

“You alright?”

Ryeowook nodded and took a step back, almost surprised about how steady his legs were. “Yes. Now go and come back quickly.”

Kyuhyun laughed softly but saluted him in the extravagant way that he had also shown when they had first met. “As you request, little prince.”

Ryeowook rolled his eyes but didn’t even attempt to protest because Kyuhyun had already left. Instead, he used the time to first do his business in the most undisturbed setting that he was sure he’d get for at least some days, then he turned his gaze upwards again. The forest wasn’t too dense where Kyuhyun had brought him, so he could still see some of the moonlight glimmering through the canopy above him and stars sparkling between leaves, their images changing whenever the greenery moved. The air was fresh and felt alive, even at night, and Ryeowook suddenly wondered how he had missed out on those wonders despite having lived with them for such a long time. How had he never noticed the exact crispness of the night air? Or the way the moon cast its silver light on everything, illuminating it gently and tinting everything in similar colors? Or the way the stars sparkled between leaves, like a promise, so endlessly beautiful and achingly far away?

“Someone could literally kidnap you and I’m starting to doubt that you’d notice it.”

Ryeowook jumped before he turned around calmly, acting like the scare hadn’t happened. Kyuhyun smiled at him and handed over the backpack, followed by the bottle of water and even some dried fruit afterwards.

“What are you doing? I won’t starve that easily!”

Kyuhyun shook his head, but he seemed amused. “Humans are fragile and you are still human. I can’t forget to feed you occasionally and keep you hydrated.”

“You know that I can also voice out if I want you to give me anything, right?”

“You said yourself that you’re a good actor, so I’d rather give you food and water periodically than to rely on you to tell me.”

“Whatever you say.”

“Hey!”

Ryeowook laughed and naturally took Kyuhyun’s hand, intertwining their fingers as he began to walk ahead. “So what’s our destiny?”

“For now? I’m hoping to find the next city or at least village by the end of the night or at least sometime tomorrow, one that has a good hideout nearby.”

“That sounds like a lot of conditions for very little time.”

“Of course I have to put some consideration into the next place where we will stay. It will be the place where I will turn you, after all.”

A thrill of excitement and slight worry rushed through Ryeowook at that outlook. Of course he knew that they didn’t have a lot of time left until the disease would return, this time with its full force, but to think that this night and maybe the upcoming day was all that separated him being turned?

“Tell me again.”

“About what?”

“About anything related to the turning.”

“I’m guessing you want to hear about the unsatiable hunger that will keep you company for a few days?”

Ryeowook took a sidestep so he could nudge Kyuhyun’s shoulder with his own in protest, making Kyuhyun laugh. “I’ve read all about the horrors and you told me about it once. Can I get the positive stories?”

“So picky tonight.” Kyuhyun clicked his tongue, but Ryeowook could still hear the laughter in the other’s voice. “But fine, if you insist?”

“I do.”

“Then let me instead tell you about how this beautiful world turns into an ocean of color so intense that you’ll think you’ve never really seen anything before.”