Capturing My Demon King Costar

The memories dissolve again, and the next time Yao Shen sees himself he's leading a triumphant parade through lively streets.

It's clear that whatever conflict he had been sent to handle was dealt with summarily, and he returned to the Imperial capital crowned in glory.

Although the dragon scales on his armour shine under the autumn sun, and the coat of his black horse gleams as if it has been brushed for hours, there's a heaviness to the Crown Prince's eyes that wasn't there before -- as if a darkness has shuttered their inner light.

The procession comes to a stop in front of the Imperial Palace's steps, where the Emperor waits his son with outstretched arms.

Yao Shen can't help noticing the Second Prince's conspicuous absence. 

Both the third and fourth princes are standing beside the Emperor dressed in matching robes, both looking the part of dutiful sons and proud brothers, although there's a certain gloom to the Third Prince's heavy-lidded eyes -- all of his passion when volunteering himself for the front-lines seems to have evaporated.

By contrast, Si Wang is almost vibrating with excitement. Yao Shen can tell the passage of time in his memories by how much older he looks.

No longer a child, the Fourth Prince must now be around 17 or 18 years old, his appearance almost indistinguishable from the Si Wang standing beside Yao Shen; both of them watching everything play out from among the rows of palace servants.

"I was so happy that you returned safe and well," Si Wang says, tilting his head to whisper the words into Yao Shen's ear. "You have no idea how hard I had to work to ensure that happened."

It is hard to tell that, just by looking at the fourth prince's sunny smile. He doesn't look like someone who schemed and planned behind the scenes to ensure his brother's safe return -- although, Yao Shen doesn't doubt it.

The Second Prince's absence is likely not a coincidence.

The Crown Prince dismounts from his horse and greets his Imperial father, kneeling in front of him with his arms in front of his chest, and his sword hilt clasped between his fingers.

It's jarring for Yao Shen to see himself look like a returned war hero, surrounded by the cheers of an ecstatic population. All of it is bizarre. 

The Crown Prince might have his face, but Yao Shen feels as distant from him as if he were watching everything play out on a tv screen.

After the Emperor greets his son, it's Si Wang who immediately monopolises him. 

"Dage, you're back."

The Crown Prince nods. "I'm back." Unlike Si Wang's obvious relief, there's none to be found in Yao Shen's. Whatever he saw on the front-lines still haunts him.

---

The scene switches again, and Yao Shen is now sure that it's Si Wang monopolising his memories. Yao Shen is only seeing whatever Si Wang needs him to to make his "point."

Now the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince are alone inside some of the palace's chambers, and there's none of the formality of the parade between them.

The celebratory mood is gone too.

"Why would you want to go back to that hellhole?" Si Wang spits, his youthful features rearranging themselves into an angular configuration, making him look wise beyond his scant years.

Sitting on the bed, his hair loose, the Crown Prince shakes his head. "You don't know what I saw. The border wars, they take a toll on our people, they're living in a constant state of fear. It isn't right. The area must be pacified for good, I was starting to build an understanding with the Urmul chieftain. Their demands are not unreasonable, they have a right to natural resources like rivers and lakes, our borders don't extend there!"

If the Fourth Prince cares about anything his older brother is saying, he doesn't show it. "You just got here! How can you want to leave again?"

The Crown Prince sighs again, he tries to reach out for the Fourth Prince but he evades him with a disgruntled flick of his sleeve.

"If I am to be the future Emperor, I have a duty to our people, I need to be willing to make the same sacrifices as them."

"What about the sacrifices I've made?" the Fourth Prince shouts, his limpid eyes rimmed with tears. At Yao Shen's side, Si Wang clenches his hands into fists as he watches the scene unfold.

"Do you have any idea how hard it has been for me to survive here, with no one to support me? Worse, do you have any idea how hard it was for me to ensure you didn't end up dead at the hands of the 'reinforcements' our Second brother kept trying to send?"

The Crown Prince frowns. "What reinforcements?"

"Exactly!" 

"Xiao Si, let's not fight about this. Dage has missed you very much." He reaches forward to grasp Si Wang's fingers but he evades him easily. 

"You continue to see me as a child." 

At that, a small smile tugs on the corners of the Crown Prince's lips. "You'll always be my little brother."

His words only make the Fourth Prince's frown deepen. "Didn't you notice our Second Brother's absence at the parade?"

"I assume he's outside the Capital handling some administrative affairs."

The Fourth Prince smirks. From the corner of his eyes, Yao Shen can tell that Si Wang's own matching smirk is a perfect replica.

"Our Second Brother has been dead for three months."

The Crown Prince shoots up from the bed in alarm. "Why wasn't I informed about this?"

"Because he died a traitor, after his conspiracy attempts were exposed," the Fourth Prince fires back. "Why would you be informed about the death of lowly traitor scum like him?"

The Crown Prince goes pale, his eyes widening in shock. "Xiao Si, what have you done?"

"What I needed to, to ensure that you returned to me alive!"

The disbelief in the Crown Prince's eyes is no match for the fire burning in his younger brother's. Soon it consumes the whole room taking the snapshot of memory up in the smoke.

---

Before Yao Shen can even make sense of the next memory, Si Wang is already turning to him with an accusing glare. "You see, I've done so much for you, and all you did was abandon me."

Yao Shen thinks the Crown Prince made some great points about the importance of not being a selfish asshole, but being one, he can see why it would completely fly over Si Wang's head.

Now they're in a military camp, a sea of burlap tents filled with the din of several conversations.

Yao Shen sees the Crown Prince bent over some maps. He's still poring over them when someone enters his tent.

"General, some of the men have seen that figure around the camp again. They're afraid it might be a ghost."

The Crown Prince rubs his temples with a drown out sigh. "I'll go take a look, and bring back the pelt of whatever poor creature is giving them fits."

The soldier tries to protest but the Crown Prince ignores him and makes his way out of the tent, with his sword in hand, headed into the thick woods surrounding the military campsite.

"This is the part I know nothing about," Si Wang says, as the two of them follow the Crown Prince -- compelled by the memory to do so.

They walk for some time, it's clear the Crown Prince is looking for something he doesn't expect to find, but the superstitious rumours must have been really annoying him.

Finally, after what feels like hours, he finally comes to a stop, his back going ramrod straight as he looks down at something below him.

Yao Shen looks over his shoulder and sees a man in white robes, laying on his front on the ground. 

Since he's in a memory, Yao Shen can't feel the weather, but it's clear from the puff of white breath coming out of the Crown Prince's mouth and his heavy armour and cloak, that it is cold.

Who knows how long the unconscious man has been there?

The Crown Prince must have the same worries because he wraps his cloak over the man's back, and turns him around gingerly.

Part of Yao Shen isn't surprised when he sees Xin Hulei's face. In a way, it's as if he has always known they were too entangled to have met for the first time in the Fragrant Peony.

Xin Hulei wears the typical light-coloured robes that Yao Shen is conditioned to associate with Frozen Peak. So this unlikely meeting must have happened while he was still a disciple there.

The Crown Prince pulls Xin Hulei's torso up into his folded legs and brushes some of the dirt and dead foliage away from his handsome face, revealing his regal features. Just as heartrendingly beautiful as when Yao Shen last saw him. 

Si Wang scoffs, but before he can make a comment, Yao Shen watches him disappear like one of the Crown Prince's ghostly breaths.

Moments later, someone else replaces him.