Dusk And Dawn ✔️

Persuasion and Invitation

Past

"It's not possible. He was dead. He died 15 years ago. Father killed him..." YiJun says, shaking his head.

"Darling, he was not dead. He was changing. I caught him and made him entertain me." She winks at YiJun.

YiJun sits there speechless. 

In the cage is his uncle, his mother's brother, who had been killed by his father. For, YiJun's father, the then king, suspected him of having a relationship with the queen, his wife. 

His father had not been aware that he was the queen's brother. To avoid being judged for killing an innocent man, his father had let rumors of his wife being unfaithful continue. 

Not many knew that Shen was indeed the queen's brother.

YiJun stares at his uncle, who he was sure had died when he was around twenty-eight, but apart from the horrible condition he was in, Shen looked not a day older than 25.

"Uncle... " YiJun mouths, but Shen shakes his head.

'He doesn't want me to speak.'

"Shen here, is what I would like to call... Ummm... I guess he is my personal- "

She stops when a soldier arrives.

"Excuse me, princess, you are needed outside."

"Mn. I will be right there. Go."

She looks at the two captive men before turning towards the door, "Behave yourselves. I will be back soon."

Princess leaves, closing the door behind her.

"YiJun... " Shen whispers.

"Uncle, is that you?"

"Yes, it's me. YiJun, has she done anything to you? Has she bitten you?" Shen asks, keeping his voice low.

"No."

"She is a creature of the night with the power of persuasion. Listen to me very carefully, as the sun sets, her powers will grow. She must be waiting for the sunset. I think she wants to make you her slave and rule this kingdom. Once you are under her control, she can make you do whatever she wants." Shen waits to catch his breath, but before he can continue, YiJun asks, "Uncle, you haven't aged a day. How come?"

"We are not human. I mean, our bloodline is special. Your dad knew about it. That is one of the reasons that he married your mother. He intended to have strong children."

Before Shen can say more, YiJun interrupts him, "Uncle, mother died of a broken heart. After father killed you, she took ill and slowly perished. I saw it with my own eyes. She was human."

"Yes, she was, that is because her blood remained dormant till she died. Once we kill another of our kind or a human, the condition activates." Shen pauses as if searching for the correct words.

"When I fought with your father, I attacked him, but a soldier took the sword to his heart instead, and died. The curse activated, and I grew weak. In my weakened state, your father overpowered me. My heart stopped for a few minutes; your father thought I had died. But I was merely transforming. He told your mother what he had seen. That is when she found me and caught me."

"How did you end up with her? If you too are not human, then what are you?" YiJun asks, surprised at the information.

"I am a wolf. I mean, I can turn into one, and I have more strength than an average human; my senses are stronger too."

"Then how come you didn't escape?" YiJun wonders.

"She occasionally puts silver in me. I am allergic to it. Once inside my blood, I can't change my form. It also weakens my body, so I can't break the cage. But over the years, I have started to build a resistance to it. It wears off faster now. That is how I escaped a day ago. I had almost left this city when I heard that she is planning to do to you what she did to me. I wanted to warn you. I followed you, intending to warn you but got caught again as her men were already tailing you. I am sorry, YiJun. The only reason she didn't kill me is because I told her that I wanted to kill you to take revenge. That's why I pretend to hate you."