Jongho gasped as he watched Kita sink to the floor. The king looked just as surprised. During the moment of confusion, Jongho spun on the spot and ran. His men watching him in confusion as he bolted past them.

He yelled at the two guards posted outside of Wooyoung's room to leave before he threw the door open.

The performer was rocking back and forth on is bed, but he stopped when he saw Jongho.

"We're leaving. Now."

"What? What's going on? Where's Kita?"

"There's no time. We have to hurry." Jongho grabbed the performer's wrist and pulled him behind him, running to the stables.

He thought he heard Kita scream again, but tried to force it out of his mind and yanked Wooyoung forward when he felt the performer trying to stop.

In the stable, some of the horses from their tour were still saddled, the stable hands working on getting them situated. Jongho grabbed two of them and helped Wooyoung mount up.

The two of them tore out of the stable, pushing their horses forward before anyone tried to stop them.

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San stared at the princess as she convulsed on the floor. He hadn't expected her to protect the guard, and if what he said was true, she had just done a lot to help his kingdom.

But then the image of her protecting that stupid performer flashed in his mind again and his fire burned inside him.

He growled and leaned down to pick her up off the ground, causing her to scream again. "Shut up!" San roared as he dragged her up the stairs and through the halls to his bedroom. He threw her face down on the bed then yanked her hands behind her back, twisting her painfully so he could place them on her burns. "Heal yourself, now."

She obeyed him, letting out a small sigh of relief as her skin mended itself.

Then he flipped her over and pinned her to the bed, bringing his face close to hers. "How could you? How could you do that to me?" His voice shook. "How could you disrespect me like that, after all I've done for you!"

"Done for me? You've done nothing for me! You've kept me a prisoner here. It was Jongho that fought for me to get out of the palace. He's the one who got me out of here! You've done nothing but abuse me."

"I've given you a new home, food and shelter. I've been trying, I-"

"No, San, you haven't. You let your anger get the best of you and then take it out on me! Or you'd take it out on Wooyoung to hurt me."

That name. San was sick of that name. He pushed himself off the bed and turned his back to her.

"And then you thought you could get away with... with..." He heard Kita stutter over the words.

"Because he was always going to come in between us!" San roared, turning around to face her. He could feel tears coming to his eyes and hated himself for it.

"Us? What us? There is no us, San. Th-"

San ran forward and pulled her to him, kissing her. He wrapped his arms around her, letting one run through her hair. He tried to convey all the feelings that had been building up inside him.

When he pulled away, she had a shocked look on her face.

"Because, Kita, I've fallen in love with you. And I want you to love me back." He said softly, looking at the floor. It hurt when she didn't say anything back. "That's why I tried to do it."

"So you thought that killing Wooyoung would make it easier for me to fall in love with you?" She started laughing and pushed him away.

San stared at her in disbelief. He didn't know how to respond to her.

When she calmed down, she stared at him. "I don't think you know how to love, San."

He felt like something inside him shattered. His bottom lip started trembling and he placed his hand over it to hide it. A few tears rolled down his cheek and he turned away, disgusted with himself for being so weak.

If she didn't think he was capable of love, if she didn't want to return his love, then he would shove it aside. He would do exactly what he planned to do all along.

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Kita watched in disbelief as San broke in front of her. She believed her words, she didn't think he knew how to really love someone, but the look on his face when she said that almost changed her mind.

Until she saw him straighten in one, smooth, slow motion. He turned around slowly. There he was. There was the San she knew. His face was set in a glare, eyes narrowed, head tilted back slightly.

"Very well." He stepped to her and gripped her chin. "Then it's time we get started with my plan, Kitten. I hope you're ready to be tired every day, because I'm going to need your power to heal my troops. It's time for Volkin to take over."

Kita let out a small gasp. He smirked at her and pushed her back onto the bed before descending on her and tying her hands behind her back. "Stay here. I'll fetch you when preparations are complete."

She watched him go, wishing she had just kept her mouth shut.

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"Did you find Jongho?" San asked one of the head officers.

"No, Your Majesty. He's nowhere to be found. The prisoner is gone as well."

San swore and had to clench his fists to keep from lashing out. "You're in charge now. Prepare the troops. Our siege starts today."

"Yes, Sir!"

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Jongho kept them moving at a fast pace. It was hard to say if the king would send out someone to retrieve them or not. He didn't want to risk it. Knowing his king though, there was a good possibility that he would move up his attack plan. They had to warn the nearest kingdom.

Wooyoung tried to speak with him, but he didn't think he could get the words out even if he tried. Part of him still wanted to turn around and return to his king. He had always sworn to protect King San and Volkin, but the princess... She had changed something in him.

"Jongho! Stop!" he heard the performer call out and yanked on the reins. Wooyoung was pointing to a hill in the distance where a large group of men on horses stood watching them.

They stared back, trying to figure out who it was. "I don't think they are from Volkin." Jongho said, leaning forward. "They aren't wearing armor."

"Maybe they can help us." Wooyoung said, turning his horse to face the group.

The idea didn't sit well with Jongho, he felt they should keep moving, but maybe they could get help from the group. The gods knew they needed it right now.

They urged their steeds forward, keeping them at a walk to show they didn't mean any harm.

Two horses broke away from the group in the same fashion.

"No way..." Wooyoung said, leaning forward and squinting. Then he yelled at the top of his lungs something completely inaudible and spurred his horse forward.

Jongho watched as the other two did the same thing and they all jumped off their horses at the same time, running to each other and collapsing in a pile on the ground.