TAEHYUNG

I feel like killing anything that gets in my way.

The sickness slows me down. But the fury drives me forward, even faster. The Forest blurs in a mess of green around me as I run, towards the City.

Back to my father, and the madness I'd barely escaped from.

All because of this girl.

Rinei.

She had slipped sugar in the tea. Left for the City without me, completely vulnerable to anything that might hurt her. She was stupidly reckless, so damn brave. She didn't understand what was waiting for her.

How long had I been unconscious?

The trees whip past me. I move like a dark shadow through the woods, my eyes searching for any sign, any trace of her delicate figure. But even as I get closer, I don't find her. I don't sense her.

She's already in.

My eyes squeeze shut.

She drove me mad. It had hurt me, much more than I'd thought when she'd left me on the ground. It had hurt me more than anything I'd felt before.

Maybe.

Maybe I had been too soft with her.

I had treated her like my Queen. Like a Princess, the most delicate flower in the Forest. But it hadn't worked. She had left, to her own death. If the sugar had been any stronger, I would've been too sick to even move. Too sick to even try.

Once I had her back in my arms, I would let her know.

I would make her know, that she would never be able to leave like this again.

That I was hers.

And that she was mine.

_______________________________

RINEI

Focus.

You've come this far.

The hood hangs deep over my head, almost covering my vision as I slip between the trees. The silver, recurve bow is strapped to my back, hidden underneath the dark cloak.

In my hands I'm holding a basket of apples. In any other elf's eye, I would hopefully look like a slave, running an errand for my master.

I was in the City.

And now I needed to find someplace high, closer to the Palace balcony.

I'd overheard that the Lord Elven would be giving a speech soon. I would put an arrow through him then, when the entire Elven people had his eyes on him and nowhere else.

I wouldn't miss. I couldn't.

Not after I'd even done something so unforgivable, to the person I loved most in the entire world.

Would he have woken by now?

He must hate me.

Focus, Rinei. Please.

Slightly trembling, I make my way deeper into the City, the basket clutched tightly to my arms. When I finally get close enough, I slip behind two buildings and drop the apples to the ground.

I had to get somewhere high.

Somewhere that'll overlook the balcony.

Wrapping my fingers around the lowest branch of the tree next to me, I start to climb. It takes me so much effort, but I manage to struggle up the trunk of the tree until I can reach the edge of the roof with my foot.

I suck in a deep breath.

Focus.

I jump. My frantic fingers barely latch around the curve of the roof, and I huff out a harsh gulp of air as I find my footing. I'm on the top of one of the buildings.

Keeping low, I make my way up the roof until I slowly climb up on the next one.

Then the next. And the next.

I don't look down. I can't.

Not unless I wanted to get scared out of my mind.

I'm almost there to the very top when I hear clapping in the near distance. The speech must have started. Slightly more urgent, I pull myself up faster, higher.

Finally, I perch on the top of the highest point of the building. I can see the Palace from here, the balcony— and the elf standing there.

Tae's father.

My blood burns.

And for a long moment, I just stare at him. He looks regal and pure— with long, dark hair flowing down past his waist, the silken robe studded with jewels. He smiles down at the crowd, like the kindest ruler to ever exist.

He felt like a lie. Like he in himself was an illusion.

That kind king doesn't exist.

I quietly slip out a single arrow. The sleek, silver wood of the arrow is cold under my touch, and I nock the end to the bowstring.

I draw, the tip pointed straight at Lord Elven.

"My Lady."

And at first I think that I'm dreaming.

Because there's no way that...how could he possibly be...

Jimin.

He's perched on the tree near mine. His eyes glow like two sapphires as he looks at me, and at my bow. The arrow, pointed to kill the King.

It's so hard to keep my expression from falling apart. But in the end I manage to hold it together, and give him a fierce, firm look.

Are you here to stop me?

"No."

He shakes his head. And it stuns me for a little while— hadn't Taehyung sent him? To specifically stop me from doing this and bring me back?

Y-You won't?

He laughs softly at my shaky signs. "You almost sound as if you did want me to, my beautiful lady. Would you like me to? It would certainly be what my Prince would want."

I shake my head so fast I nearly lose my balance.

He looks at me for a while. And then his eyes narrow, voice turning low.

"I'm not going to stop you. I can see the fire in your eyes— and that type of fire only grows if left alone. I would just be making things worse if I did."

"However."

"This will be your first killing."

He gives me a steady look.

"I can pull that bow if you'd like me to."

A shocked gasp of air bursts from my lips. And then I'm signing frantically, shaking my head again.

Jimin, no. I'm not going to make you do that. I can't—

"You won't be making me do anything."

His gaze turns bitter. "To be truthful with you, my lady, I am being selfish. I've always wanted to be the one to end the king's life. He's given me pain through ways I didn't think were possible."

"Let me end him, my lady."

"I don't want your hands to be stained with his blood. Your mind, will be stained with darkness if you pull that arrow. If I could help it, I would rather not force you to go through your first killing."

"So please."

He holds out his hand, for my bow.

And I almost do give it to him, then and there. Because there had been a small part of me that had been afraid, from taking a life. Killing a person.

But I don't.

Because that elf is a monster.

My hand draws back.

And I see Jimin's eyes widen slightly as I pull the string back, as the ghost of a smile passes by my lips.

It's okay, Jimin.

He won't affect me at all.

I let go.

________________________________

The arrow hits.

He falls.

And the City erupts in chaos.

Jimin curses as guards immediately spill out in our direction, their piercing eyes searching. He instantly leaps from his tree to mine, quickly tugging me into his chest. I grasp his shoulders in surprise.

"My apologies, Lady Rinei."

"But you have done something impossible and if you get caught here, you will die."

He jumps.

And I let out a muted scream as we fall, from nearly fifty feet up in the air. I hear the air rush by for a split second before the landing on the ground nearly makes my teeth rattle.

I'm surprised Jimin hasn't broken both of his legs as he takes off in a fast run, as if he literally hadn't just jumped fifty feet down carrying me in his arms.

Are you okay?!

He just gives me a tight smile.

"That is nothing compared to what my Prince will do to me if I don't get you to him without a single scratch, my lady."

...Tae.

The thoughts of him are like pouring a bucket of cold water on my rapid heart.

And Jimin notices, even as he runs.

"What's wrong?"

I...did something to him that I shouldn't have.

He blinks. "What?"

I gave him sugar. Because I didn't think he'd let me go.

And for a still second, Jimin just runs. He just keeps running, with his expression blank.

Then he bursts into laughter.

"You gave him what?"

Sugar, I sign. I shouldn't have—

"No, no, no."

"You are truly amazing." Jimin says brightly, with another uncontrolled laugh. "No wonder why the Prince is so obsessed over you. You are so charming, my lady."

The corners of my eyes turn downwards. Jimin, it's not funny like that. I literally made him sick.

"He's fine." He singsongs, his blonde hair rippling behind him in the wind. "Trust me. He's probably running over here right now thinking about how he's going to—"

Then his voice suddenly cuts off.

His body seizes. And I scream as he crashes to the forest ground, with a low groan of agony. I tumble into the leaves several feet away.

W-What...?

Then I hear a familiar voice that sends chills spiking up my back.

"Look who it is."

The Crown Prince.

He shifts off of a dark stallion. A massive longbow is clasped between his hand, and my chest squeezes with terror when I realize he'd shot Jimin.

No.

"The beautiful lady who knocked me unconscious and fled with my dear brother." He says, but I can't focus on anything he's saying right now. My terrified eyes are fixed on Jimin, lying motionless a few feet away with a dark arrow embedded deep in his left shoulder. My eyes blur at the shallow pool of red.

He's like this.

Because of me.

The Crown Prince clicks his tongue.

"Look at me, please, my lovely lady."

He grips my chin between two slender fingers and jerks my face towards his direction. My eyes instantly alight with murder.

I'd killed his father. I could easily kill again.

I wanted to kill again. I wanted to rip him into pieces, into shreds.

"What shall I do with you?" He muses, his violet eyes glittering darkly. "You killed my father, dear. As the ascending King, I can do whatever I want with you now."

"Come."

With that single word, he grips me by both my arms. Then he lifts me so roughly off the ground that my shoulders nearly dislocate.

What is he...

I fight. I struggle against his unrealistic strength, lashing and kicking as he drags me by my arms towards the dark horse. And slowly the panic starts to set in, when I realize I can't stop him. I can't stop him from taking me.

Where is he even taking me?

Then he looks at me straight in my eyes.

"Stop fighting." He says, with a voice nearly as sickly sweet as his smile.

"You don't want to be punished for misbehaving, don't you?"

"Slave."