Hongjoong did not know what to do with himself.

His injuries needed time to heal and while he was glad that Seonghwa had basically ditched him completely, he was still suspicious of Yunho's easy promise to let him leave.

After all he was taken here as a bait. Why would Yunho - somebody of lower rank than Seonghwa - get to decide whether they used him as such or not? Yunho would certainly not try and save their reputation with that method. Hongjoong's opinion on them was entirely worthless.

So Hongjoong was left with waiting full of suspicions, plotting his epic flight and trying to remember some basic sparring moves. Sometimes Yunho came to visit him but he never pushed the human, never tried telling him their story. Yunho seemed smart enough to know that Hongjoong did not care.

However he still remembered Yeosang's words clear as day and sometimes, when he was laying awake at night waiting for sleep to come to him, he contemplated them, tried to understand their importance.

Who was this Yongguk person? And why would Youjin search for him? If he told Yunho, would that suffice to get rid of his guilt towards the fae? Would Yunho be able to save them through that knowledge?

However he also feared to enclose important information to the wrong person. What if Yeosang was telling him to meet Youjin there, to help him instead of the high elves? How would Hongjoong know?

It posed a difficult decision for him and when he was not mulling it over, Hongjoong was thinking about what he had lost.

All this time he was planning on going home, searching for some way to find an exit out of this realm. He should have known not to eat here, should have heed the tales. Even if he forgot at first his suspicious lack of hunger - only ever a phantom - should have explained it. He did not need to sustain his health here. He ate out of reflex.

And Hongjoong hated how it had to be Seonghwa who was right.

Youjin had known for a long time who Hongjoong was and he still fed him those berries. Why? What was he scheming? Hongjoong was entirely lost.

He had nowhere to go, nowhere to turn back to but Youjin. The person who trapped him but also accepted and loved him.

He needed to speak to the other and in order to do that he had to find him.

But where was he supposed to search? He wanted to try asking Yeosang again. As soon as he got back to health he would return to the village and question the mighty oracle.

So Hongjoong waited. He waited and recovered and built his opinion on the elves based on the people visiting him to tend to him. While many of them still had a defensive stance towards him, they were also very shy and nice people. They were etheral in the way the light shifted over their fair skin and hair, how they seemed to have none of the usual human flaws. They were beautiful in their shyness and Hongjoong finally started appreciating their aesthetic after he had some time off Seonghwa.

It even seemed as if Seonghwa was the only horrible person in this whole ordeal, everybody else cared and worried for the dark marks the elf's fingers had left on the pale skin of Hongjoong's neck. Some people even went as far as to mumble curses about Seonghwa beneath their breath.

One of these other times Yunho visited him, Hongjoong asked him to stay for a bit. It had been two weeks and he was starting to grow restless, wanted to go home soon.

Yunho indulged him, spending his time talking to Hongjoong, telling him about the ups and downs of their world. Apparently the dark elves were an evil race by nature, deriving from the shadows of the night and nightmares. While they were similar to high elves, there was never a way to befriend them as they at the end of the day, always chose treason and cruelty over friendship.

Hongjoong did not believe that, refused thinking in black and white but it was nice knowing the backstory of old kings and legends for him to refer to.

The fae and the elves were an entirely different story. They were close many years ago but war and famine made them hate each other. Sometimes they tried to be friends, sometimes there were couples with halfes from both sides but it never worked out for long. The fae associated the high elves with the fae-eating dark elves and never quite could let go of their suspicions completely.

Hongjoong could understand their rivalry better after spending long hours with Yunho at his side and he also got a book written in human language for him to read in.

After about three weeks Hongjoong decided to leave.

Yunho had already sent for the stables, making sure Hongjoong could travel safely by packing him a lunchbag and also some ointments for his shoulder, bandaging it correctly to last his trip.

Hongjoong actually felt thankful to the man, felt as if it has not been for him Seonghwa would have done who knows what. So when it was time to part, Hongjoong decided to help as best as he could.

"I spoke to the oracle a while ago. He told me to find Yongguk for he is the one Youjin is searching for. I do not know if this knowledge aids you... But if it does, I would be glad. I will maybe search for this man too in order to find Youjin."

Hongjoong had self-consciously shifted the bag on his good shoulder, watching as Yunho spaced out for a second. Then the elf tilted his mighty head in confusion, the muscles in his neck straining to uphold the heavy load.

"Yongguk... I have heard that name before. I believe he is a necromant. It would be real trouble if he truy were. He would probably side with Youjin and help him to an army."

Yunho had grasped Hongjoong's arms in a careful hold, earnestly meeting his eyes.

"Thank you, Hongjoong. I do not recommend you to search for him but I will also not stop you. Go well and become healthy quickly. I wish you the best of luck of finding your purpose here."

Yunho had hugged him, his tall frame so soft and comforting and Hongjoong was satisfied. He could go without guilt.

"Farewell, Yunho. Thank you for changing my opinion on elves."

And then Hongjoong left and he never looked back. He wandered peacefully through the quiet village, greeting the people he knew and explaining his departure to them. While they seemed carefully polite, some of them also regretted not seeing him again, told him they would miss him.

It would never be as sincere as the fae were, but Hongjoong appreciated the concern and Hongjoong understood.

He bid his goodbyes to all of them and later on took his beautiful white mare and left. The horse knew it's way to the fae village and Yunho had also informed Jinyoung and Jaebeom that their business with Hongjoong was finished, that he would return soon.

Youjin did not appear in those weeks and while Hongjoong missed him, he also catched himself doubting him sometimes. Right now things werde not moving in his favor.

Hongjoong finally felt as if he could breathe again, as if the colours of the forest finally shone upon him again, fall slowly setting in. He appreciated it all and he trusted his horse to lead as they ventured deeper into the forest, soon leaving the soft glow of the sun behind. The moon lit up their paths barely but Hongjoong still felt powerful with his new freedom.

He would be back soon, back with his friends.

Hongjoong felt hopeful, he felt secure to be able to plan his future here, not yet understanding the thought he would never turn back. Or at least not thinking of that fact as negative.

Hongjoong felt so confident, that he did not see the figure in a dark cloak standing in the middle of the road, only looking up, when the horse slowed down and neighed in distress.

There were only shadows and this vaguely human shape eerily standing in the middle of an absolute silent forest, Hongjoong's own breath heavy in his ears. He could not even discern whether the person was facing him ot not, just a deep blackness.

It was night, it was getting colder and here they were, the mare stomping nervously. Hongjoong waited a bit more and then the other spoke.

"A beautiful horse." He sounded strange, as if talking around a big smile and his deep voice laced with glee, making Hongjoong cock his head confusedly.

"I'll take it with me."

There was no hit, nothing. But when Hongjoong closed his eyes the next time he blinked, he could just not open them anymore, drowning in a sea of darkness.