The crown prince has red eyes! He has strong healing powers and he was fighting on tje borderlands with mara... And the dragon was born "wrong and sick" and he blamed the crown prince for that... So maybe?
I partially agree, but Hwaryun had red eyes and the healing power since he was born.
That doesn’t mean he couldn’t have been cursed before his mother gave birth or something. Nonetheless, like you, I think that maras had to have some kind of effect on him. I mean, in a world where magic is real, it would be fair to assume that getting drenched in the blood of dubious, raging, cursed, magical beings would take some kind of toll, both on him and Sahara.
This could also maybe contribute, together with his lovely past, to keep him angry, sad and untrusting even if he tries (because sometimes he tries, okay? With the wrong methods, the wrong premises and disastrous backfires, but he TRIES) to get free from his hatred and coldness. Could add to explaining why sometimes he feels so conflicted, acting gently out of nowhere and snapping right after. Beside his obvious mental issues.
I think a lot of readers didn’t get that Hwaryun is very likely way more damaged than Suu, psychologically speaking. He’s not cruel for the sake of it, like Sahara.
Sure, he’s a selfish, violent, batshit bastard, but he’s broken. There are reasons for that. Not that I’m defending him, absolutely, I’m just saying that it originates from something.
Sahara? Sahara is just a petty (because he’s perfectly fine now), crazy bitch XD
Oh yeah, Hwaryn is really damaged by his childhood. He needs therapy and then, maybe, he could lead a normal life with healthy relationships. His two followers are a blessing for him and bring at least a bit of normal human relationship into his life.
But I do wish him happiness.
Sahara is... A psycho from birth.
Indeed, Sahara needs to be terminated. Good for us that Hwaryun seems to know how to do it...finger crossed...
I honestly don't understand why people ships him with Suu. Seriously. Like you said, he's a total psycho. I'm waiting for Suu to acquire/absorb more dragon powers and just atomize him.
I hope with all of my heart that Hwaryun will get better, even if all I can see is a 'less disfunctioned'. Which, thinking about it, in his case, is the equivalent of better. kinda XD
There were moments in the story that I remembered all together when Suu gave him THE cup that made me want to curl up and cry.
When he said to Suu "You're going to betray me first", then "If I might die by your hand, death wouldn't be so bad" (one of the most beautifully twisted declaration I have ever read). When he accepted the cup Suu gave him the first time, when they were alone, certain he was gonna poisoning him (as I was, btw). The look in his eyes and the peaceful acceptance...
And finally, when he took THE CUP; The Look he gave Suu, that gentle, sad and relieved smile, saying "I was wondering when you would finally give me this...".
That.
That very Hwaryun-version of 'thank you for ending this awful nightmare that is my life' got me for good.
It flashed in my mind when he told him about how he would be happy of being murdered by him, and I just...broke T_T Hwaryun had been probably wishing to die for so long (good job dynamic duo, they're awesome and we owe them every speck of functional behaviour he has) that thought of that as an act of kindness, letting himself be killed by someone he cherished, not having to also witness Suu dying right after.
Silver lining, I guess...
Him looking SO lost, wretched and miserable, immediately asking if he was/seemed alright (not where he is, why who, when...gosh...), wanting to give him a power even he can't go against, anything just to have him back. I'm sure he's not trying to trick him in any way...well, it is a trick, but not the bad kind...except maybe having Sahara in a convenient killing range XD
This man is pining so hard there's a flippin' FOREST growing in the imperial palace now.
I'm not sorry for feeling this. He is a vicious prick, and he has done some pretty fucked up stuff to Suu, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't sympathize for the only positive(-ish) aspect. It's clear as day that he misses him and it's tearing him apart because he finally understood how he now deeply, madly cares for him.
Sure, his love is tainted, wild and over-possessive; still, it's never been a mistery, it was an unbalanced and unhealty realtionship since the very beginning. They're both ruined.
Then again, every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.
Somethings are better left unknown...