The Royalty ||Park Sunghoon FF||

Chapter 13

Nari entered the castle, utterly exhausted from her long walk around the village, where she'd been walking tirelessly to aid Raven in his escape from the kingdom. All she longed for was to reach her chambers and surrender herself to rest, sparing herself the need for dinner.

"Who the fuck really are you?" a voice demanded, cutting through the silence as someone pushed Nari roughly, forcing her into a room tucked beneath the stairway. She stumbled, her shoulder colliding painfully against the wall. The figure stepped inside, closed the door firmly behind him, and turned to face her, his gaze sharp and unrelenting. Nari crumpled to the ground, clutching her shoulder, wincing from the force of the harsh shove.

"Why, are you helping the vampires when, by all reason, you should stand firmly against them?" His voice was laced with accusation and disbelief, urging Nari to her feet as she took in his expression.

"He... Heeseung?" she stammered, recognizing the figure before her.

"Answer me!" he bellowed, his voice resonating with fury as he shoved her once more, causing her to hit the wall again, her back aching from the impact.

"Stop pyshing me!" she replied defiantly, shoving him back, making him stumble. Seizing the opportunity, Nari attempted to slip out of the room, but Heeseung was faster. He seized her wrist, pulling her back and pinning her against the wall, his eyes flashing with a fierce intensity.

"You are not leaving this room until I have the answers I seek," he growled, his voice low and menacing. "If you do not oblige, there will be consequences. Speak, or risk your life."

Nari let out a long, weary sigh, her gaze falling to the floor as she realized the futility of escape. Closing her eyes tightly, she accepted that her secret could no longer be withheld. She had never intended to reveal this to the prince this quick , but there was no other choice now.

"Heeseung, I cannot tell you everything... not yet. It is... a delicate matter, far more complex than you may understand," she said, running a hand through her hair, her tone filled with frustration.

"And what makes you think I would accept such an excuse?" he replied, his voice biting, yet she remained silent, her gaze fixed on the ground, unwilling to meet his eyes.

"Fine," he scoffed. "If you refuse to speak, then perhaps my father will persuade you otherwise. He is adept at dealing with traitors and extracting the truth from the most unyielding lips." With that, Heeseung turned toward the door, intent on leaving.

Nari's heart sank, knowing that revealing the truth to the king would lead to disaster. Her entire clan—everyone she had fought to protect—would be in grave danger. Desperation compelled her to act. She rushed forward, grasped Heeseung's hand, and, without explanation, pulled him upstairs toward her chambers.

"What is the meaning of this, Nari? Release my hand at once!" Heeseung protested, trying to resist, but she remained silent, leading him with a determined grip. She finally reached her room, shut the door firmly behind them, and turned to face him.

"Why have you brought me here?" he demanded, his gaze sharp and unyielding.

"Please, Heeseung," she began, her voice softening. "I will tell you everything, but you must first calm yourself and promise that this conversation remains solely between us." She held his gaze, her eyes imploring. After a moment’s hesitation, he gave a reluctant nod, agreeing to her terms. She motioned for him to sit beside her on the couch near the window.

"What I am about to disclose may shock you," she warned. "But I need you to accept it as the truth, for it is one that will alter your understanding of yourself and those around you."

Heeseung nodded again, albeit warily.

"I did not come here merely to attend the medical training, as I allowed you to believe. My purpose here is part of a mission. Heeseung... you and I are vampires. Not only that, but your six brothers and Taeoh are also of our kind," she revealed, her voice steady.

Heeseung laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "You cannot be serious. I expected truth, not this ridiculous tale."

But Nari’s expression remained unwavering. Her eyes glowed a vivid crimson, and as she parted her lips, her fangs became visible, leaving no room for doubt.

"Y-you… You truly are a vampire?" he stammered, taken aback by the sight.

"I told you," she said calmly.

"But I... I am human, Nari. No such powers, nothing extraordinary, unlike my parents," he insisted, still struggling to accept her words.

"That is because of the medication you have been made to drink daily," Nari replied.

"What?" he questioned, confusion crossing his face.

"Those medicines your parents insist you take—they suppress your true nature. They inhibit the abilities that would otherwise emerge naturally," she explained patiently. "Have you not noticed the peculiar effects when you stop taking them? The sensitivity to sunlight, the heightened sense of smell, the shift in your taste... these are all signs."

Heeseung’s mind raced, fragments of unexplained moments coming together. "Are you saying... my parents know what I am and have concealed it from me?" His voice carried disbelief.

"It is true, Heeseung," Nari said gently. "Your parents are aware of your nature, yet have hidden it from you and your brothers, leading you to believe you are mere humans."

Rubbing his temples, Heeseung struggled to process this revelation. "Yet, when I neglect the medicines, the symptoms… they do align with what you describe," he admitted reluctantly.

Nari moved closer, her voice a soft reassurance. "Heeseung, I know this truth is difficult to accept. But I am here for precisely this reason: to help you and your brothers reclaim your true selves. You are not alone in this."

"And what is it you intend to do now?" he asked, his tone cautious but curious.

"I wish to help you awaken to your vampire nature once more," she explained. "Trust me, Heeseung. Focus on what lies dormant within you."

Taking his hands in hers, Nari allowed her own eyes to glow again, signifying her transformation. She raised her hand and gently brushed aside the hair behind his ear, searching. For a moment, there was nothing, but then, faintly, a mark began to manifest—a deep purple hue, indicating his dormant power returning. Her smile widened as the mark fully emerged.

"It is done. You are now aligned with your true self," she announced with quiet triumph.

"I feel… no different," he said hesitantly, though he rose, following her gesture to look in the mirror.

"Observe the mark behind your ear," she pointed out.

Heeseung stared, astonished. "How... when did this appear?"

"I bear a similar mark," she replied, turning to reveal the identical symbol on her neck, which deepened his surprise.

Nari opened the drawer beside the mirror, retrieving a small knife. "Now, I must show you more—only, be prepared."

With a swift cut to her wrist, her blood began to flow. The scent of it reached Heeseung, and he inhaled sharply, his eyes immediately glowing red as his vampire instincts stirred. Quickly, she wiped away the blood, concealing her wound, yet the transformation did not recede as she'd hoped