𝐓𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐃 || 𝐊.𝐍𝐉

𝟸𝟺 | 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐭. 𝟐 ☽

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The chilly air brushes past me as if in a hurry. I only wonder where it wants to go or where it's heading.

I hug myself, trying to keep warm while walking through the forest. I watch fog hover above my feet, the darkness of trees, and the distant howl of a wolf.

I find it ironic considering everything, but more so, I find it shocking when I find one. I spot the wolf up ahead. I immediately stop walking, watching the wild animal.

It's a pure, white wolf, and when I start to back away, a small twig underneath my foot breaks. I curse at myself, but when I look up, I see the wolf staring at me, and then, the wolf runs off.

I find myself stepping closer, but stop when I hear howls. My head jerks in different directions when I start hearing howls come from everywhere. The howls are so close, yet I don't see a single wolf or even spot a sight of one running by.

I stand still, turning in each direction when my heart starts to pick up.

Am I going to be devoured alive?

Panic sets in when I find myself picking up a stick from the ground. I never knew wolves were so close to the city, especially since the city limits aren't too far away.

The howls start growing louder and louder until suddenly, they blend. The howl now becomes a scream, an agonizing scream of torture. Suddenly, the one scream becomes many, and I watch through the distance a large wave of fire break out.

A large explosion knocks me down, and when I raise up holding my head, everything is different. I'm no longer in the forest; I'm at the gates of an empire.

Large, wooden gates are wide open with chaos raging inside the walls. People are fighting with swords, fists, and bows. I watch the fire burn bright through the large war that carries on before me, half of the empire is caught on fire with the large wave flowing against the wind. The roof is burning brightly, while I watch ash fly around me.

I sit up, watching the flame grow brighter and closer until I see something unbelievable. I cover my mouth when people start rushing past me from the gates, running away with smears of ash on their cheeks, burned clothes, or burned wounds.

My eyes widen when I see Jin. Not Jin from earlier, but the one from my dreams run out of the gates and toward me.

"Princess Yuko," he cries, bending down to hug me as if I'm lost treasure. "I didn't tell them anything. I-I kept you safe," he stutters, and it's only when I feel liquid across my face from the embrace that I pull away.

When I do, I see the other side of his face covered in blood.

"What's wrong?" He pulls away while standing up. He raises my arms and inspects my face to make sure I'm not hurt. "Are you-" but before he can say anymore, he coughs up blood right over my face.

His eyes are wide, and when he looks down, there's a sword through his chest.

There's a man behind him, dressed in thick clothing with scars along his face, laughing evilly while pulling out the sword and pushing Jin to the ground. He walks over his body and toward me.

"So you're the princess... you'll sell for real gold," he laughs when I back away from the large man.

"Yuko!" The scream comes before the man can grab me, and then, I see Hiroto, who looks like Namjoon, riding on a black horse toward me.

I watch as he takes out his sword, slicing the man's neck when he runs past us. The man in front of me falls to his knees, holding his neck that's spilling blood.

Everything happens so quickly that I don't have time to understand it all.

"Yuko, come with me now," Hiroto reaches his hand down to me, but I glance at Jin, seeing him sit up and holding his bloody chest.

"No," I rush over to Jin, helping him to his feet. "You're going to save him," I carry his weight with his arm over my shoulder as I walk Jin to the horse.

"Princess Yuko, you can't. You're important to our country-" Jin tries to pull away, but I cut him off.

"No, you're getting on the horse and to safety. I'll be waiting here," I tell him while directing my next words to Hiroto. "Save him," Jin looks at me with pain in his eyes, and Jin forces himself up after Hiroto tilts his head down.

"Yes, my lady," Jin shakes his head while pulling himself up on the horse.

Hiroto jumps off the horse. He comes to me and places a quick, yet deep kiss on my lips, and then picks me up and sets me on the front of the horse.

"I'm not losing my wife. I'll meet you at the temple. Now go!" He hits the horse's bottom, sending him running forward as I watch Hiroto grow farther and farther away.

I call after Hiroto when I watch men gather around him, but Jin tries to comfort me. "Prince Hiroto is strong. Believe in him," we ride on the horse, while I hope Hiroto is okay.

And then, with one blink of an eye, I'm standing back in the same spot. The fog above my feet, the darkened trees, and the white wolf staring at me.

The wolf walks away, and I start to follow it until I hear a sudden scream that isn't from my imagination. It's Namjoon's scream, and he's screaming for me.

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