The Night Belongs to the Moon | Taeyong

26 | A Reverie of the Moon

Somewhere between sleep and waking, Taeyong found himself suspended in an icy limbo. He was standing at the edge of the forest, only there was nothing except snow. He dragged himself through the untouched white desert, glittering like diamonds in the moonlight, and found himself at the edge of what seemed like a cliff. However, when he looked down, he saw not a valley but death, bleeding red onto the white, and amidst the terrible bodies piled upon each other he saw Dal-ae shrouded in a crimson cloak looking up at him from the abyss.

With a gasp, he jolted awake and for a moment saw nothing except dark. It took his eyes a minute and effort to adjust and he saw with clarity that he was not on that harrowing cliff but in his bed with the gentle morning light streaming in.

'Good morning, Master,' came Dal-ae's soft voice and he noticed her standing next to the window.

In an instant, he got out of the bed and rushed to her. 'Are you alright?' He held by her shoulders, looking for injuries which did not exist. If anything, Dal-ae seemed well rested and dressed in her uniform smartly with her hair tied away from her face.

'I am alright,' she said and drew the curtains. In the light of the sun, she examined Taeyong and spoke, 'It's you who needs to be tended to. Even after feeding you Doyoung's concoctions all night, the pink hasn't left your skin yet.'

Taeyong saw on the table behind her, bowls upon bowls piled next to herbs, potion bottles, a dirty mortar and pestle along with binding apparatuses. He ran a hand through his hair as a deep pang of guilt shot through him. He should have been the one taking care of his people and not the other way around. Not only had Dal-ae been put at risk last night because of him, she had also saved him from a fate worse than death by transferring the cold from her body to his while exposing her scent to the vampires.

'I am so sorry, Dal-ae,' he spoke with a hitch in his throat. 'I should have never taken you there last night. It was dangerous and reckless on my part.'

But Dal-ae looked at him indifferently. 'I understand, Master,' she said with a reserved smile. 'You couldn't have foreseen it.'

Taeyong felt a little uncomfortable at being forgiven so easily for his carelessness.

'What happened last night?' he asked. 'Where is the group of humans? How did we end up here?'

'The vampires in the Water City are dead and so is that pathetic creature that called himself their leader,' she said and Taeyong saw a hint of disgust on her face. 'The humans are back in their realm and I brought us back here, well, at least till the backdoor of the Mansion, after which Doyoung helped me.'

While Dal-ae had answered all his questions, Taeyong was left more baffled than before.

'Wait a minute...' he said. 'Did none of the officials come to our aid to the Water City?'

'No they did not,' she said and turned to pour another batch of the concoction into a small jade bowl.

'Then, how did the vampires die and you got us out of there?' Taeyong asked, turning her around to face him.

'We had help,' she said, picking the bowl up from the table. 'Drink this.' She handed the bowl to him.

'From whom?' he asked.

'From you,' she said and pushed the bowl to his mouth to make him drink the bitter smelling concoction.

'But I- don't...'

Dal-ae looked up at him for the first time since he woke up. 'The energy that you had called from the moon last night never left us; it remained trapped in the forest and perhaps you can call it a desperate cry but just before you passed out, it rose from the water, the snow, the trees, the very vampires that had appeared,' she said. Her eyes were glazed as though in a dream but her tone was even. 'It was like a cosmic miracle, rising from the dead to help us. Terrible, it was the most terrible thing and the humans did not stop shrieking till the end but it was also cathartic to see it destroy everything it came in contact with.'

She paused for a breath, which came with effort, then said with a sigh, 'After everything was dead, I rowed us out of there. The boat, it seemed, followed only your commands so it took a while to reach the border of the realm. And, after seeing the humans cross, I rowed us to the lake behind the Mansion and dragged you out till I couldn't anymore and called for Doyoung to help.'

Hearing this, Taeyong did not know how to feel or what to say except repeat how apologetic he was for putting her through this ordeal.

Dal-ae eased his burden for him. 'There is no need to apologize again. If anything, it's a relief that you weren't alone there last night.'

Taeyong wanted to hug her tightly in his arms but he sensed her a little distant today, a bit more reserved in her manner so he decided against it and stepped away.

Dal-ae busied herself in mixing another bowl of the same solution when after a brief knock, the two heard storming footsteps and did not have to guess who had entered the chamber.

'You!' Doyoung burst at Taeyong. 'What were you thinking last night?'

'Good morning, Doyoung,' Taeyong said, guilt apparent on his face.

'Do you realize the foolishness of what you did yesterday,' he shouted. 'And to take a human with you on a quest like that. Why didn't you tell me or Jaehyun or take an official with you?'

'I can't very well take a troop with me, can I?' Taeyong said, rather defensively. 'You know of the Treaty. They can't know that I interfered in the business of the Water City.'

'Well, the Water City is nothing more than a burial ground now. They are calling it a massacre. Everyone, everything is dead.'

'So, I have heard.'

'So, you have heard,' Doyoung said, crossing his arms over his chest, the sunlight glinting off his glasses.

'Are you here to lecture me?'

'I am.'

'Oh. Very well, then. Go on,' Taeyong said, defeated.

Doyoung scoffed at the nonchalance. Dal-ae, who was done mixing the solution, handed Taeyong another bowl.

'Go get ready for your ballroom lesson,' Doyoung said to her.

'Doyoung!' Taeyong cried in disbelief. 'How can you be so heartless. Let her rest for today.'

Doyoung peered over his glasses and was about to speak when Dal-ae quietly said, 'It was my wish to continue my routine, Master.'

'But Dal-ae, you need rest,' Taeyong said, looking worried.

'It is not necessary at all. I do not wish to sit ideal all day, Master. Please, if you would let me, I would like to continue my routine as is,' she said pausing for a reply which came after a while.

Though reluctant, Taeyong nodded, which Dal-ae graciously accepted with a bow before taking her leave.

After they heard the door shut, Doyoung turned to Taeyong, 'What even happened yesterday? How did you pass out?'

Taeyong sighed and drank the solution in the bowl. He sat Doyoung down and recalled to him everything of last night, including what Dal-ae told him this morning.

'Why didn't you call for me or Jaehyun when the vampires surrounded you?' Doyoung asked.

'I tried. A lot of times, in fact. But it seemed like the mist didn't allow it,' Taeyong replied.

By now Doyoung was much calmer. 'Dal-ae is right. It does seem like a miracle you all made it out of there safely.'

'Hm...' Taeyong agreed and gulped the remaining concoction from the bowl. When Doyoung was leaving, he stopped at the door to ask about Taeyong's appointments.

'Can you ask Jaehyun to push them all back by two hours?' Taeyong said.

'Sure.'

'Oh, Doyoung, one more thing,' Taeyong stopped him, 'did it snow last night?'

'Snow? Not that I know of,' Doyoung replied.

'Very well, that will be all, thank you,' Taeyong said.

Author's Notes:

And that's the end of this week's update. The chapters were kinda heavy this time (I felt it while writing too) so, I hope you all had fun reading :D

Until next week, then. Byeeee and have a happy Sunday... and Monday... and the rest of the days too <33