Chapter Text
"Join... forces...?", Yona finally repeated, hesitating. "What are you planning?", I looked sideways to my best friend. She was wary. And she had the right to be.
"We maintained an alliance with the Thunder Beast during the war. I came to the conclusion that it would be in both of our interests to maintain that relationship even after the battle", I frowned as Kye-Sook said the words.
"Do not misunderstand", Ki-Ja finally spoke up. "All of us only went into battle to reclaim the Princess and our allies, and to protect the Kingdom of Kouka. I do not recall us allying with you"
I wondered how this would end. I wondered if we would accept his demand or if we would let it be declined. Either way, I had no place in this conversation.
"The Sky Tribe also fights to protect the Kingdom of Kouka", I grimaced, my mouth a downward scowl. "Do our goals not align? Please consider this alliance as a way to ensure we do not conflict any further. If we form an alliance, we can provide you with all the necessary clothing, food, and shelter you require. We would also teach that young boy as much medicine as he desires. This is not a bad deal for you"
"I cannot trust your words", Yona said, her eyebrows pushing over her eyes. She hated this conversation as much as I did. She did not trust the Advisor at all.
"Princess Yona...", Kye-Sook gently called, making me looking his way again. "This is no longer just about you", my eyes widened. "From now on, whether from inside or outside the country... Groups targeting the Dragons will continue to come after you", everyone was uneasy now. Whether we wanted to or not, Kye-Sook was abominably right. This hurt me despite everything. This would always be about someone else... "As the number of people who know about the Dragons grows... you will not be able to protect them, with the way you currently live. If you come to Hiryuu Castle, we can protect them"
"Hiryuu Castle is the place we fear the most", Yoon pointed out. And the place I am the least safe.
"Princess, please do not take his words to heart!", Ki-Ja shouted, taking me by surprise. This was his safety the Advisor was talking about...
"We can protect ourselves...", Shin-Ha murmured, loud enough for everyone to hear. I frowned very slightly. To think they would do this, despite being the center of danger.
"Yona-Chan. You don't need to protect us", Jae-Ha added and I could not look his way. I could not move. Yona was terrified from my position. She was lost, confused. She didn't know what to do and the decision lay upon her shoulders. Silence settled for a few seconds. Until Yona spoke up. Words that froze my whole blood.
"...Do you remember... shooting arrows at Jae-Ha and Lone at Saika Castle...?", she said.
"I offer my humblest apologies for those actions. If necessary, I will have them receive treatment from the highest quality doctors we have", Kye-Sook said.
"Do you also remember the heinous words you said toward Lone? The death threat you promised upon her? You do not feel shame for harming her in any way whatsoever", she bit back. I took a step forward.
"Yona... it's okay", I said, reaching for her arm but not touching it.
"...I have... a question, too", Hak cut in. "Do you remember the night King Il was assassinated...?", I stopped moving entirely, slowly dragging my eyes up to my best friend. This was a dangerous question.
"...How could I forget?", I looked back at Kye-Sook. "It was our historic night of victory", I felt it before I saw it. His wrath. It happened so fast, I only had the time to bring a hand to my sword.
"Hak...!", Yona called. She was standing before him, a hand blocking him from going forward. Hak was standing, his arm outstretched, the tip of his guando landing very near Kye-Sook's head. Behind, Ki-Ja was stretching his hand. Jae-Ha held an arm before Shin-Ha as he prepared to unsheathe his sword. General Joo-Doh retrieved his twin swords and prepared to defend Kye-Sook. Yoon and Zeno stayed still. Kye-Sook was unimpressed. Hak was blinded by rage.
"...If, on that night... King Il had not been assassinated, then whether by General Son-Jin's rebellion, or the wars with Sei or Xing... the Kingdom of Kouka would have crumbled. Do you not understand, Thunder Beast of Kouka...? This country would not be protected if not for His Majesty Soo-Won", I hated to admit it... but he was right. Hak was still not convinced. "I shall be returning to Hiryuu Castle the day after tomorrow. Princess Yona... by that time... I will need to your answer"
I could not hold it. He walked away and I disappeared. I ran away, slipping through the shadows left by the burning sun against the tents. I could not stay there. I ran as fast as I could as my breaths came in fast. I didn't care what Yoon would say. I could not breathe any more. When I was far enough, I hid, slid against a big box to the ground and cried. I let the tears fall, because I could not restrict them. I couldn't let the pain stay in, not after this conversation. This felt like a betrayal to myself. I could not go back there. I refused to.
But this was not my choice, this would never be my choice. Nobody would ever give any care about my opinion because it never concerned me. I clawed at my chest, tried to contain the pain. The unbearable pain destroying my body and my mind. I had not gone through one of these attacks in a while. I had not awaken in the middle of the night, desperately searching for air in a long, pleasant while. This, to be reminded of my weakness, one I had not fought for a while, hurt me even more. To be torn away from my peace, from my happiness. Nobody would ever care. I was again left alone in the dark, in my own never-ending pain.
I had not been weak in a while.
I wasn't supposed to be weak...
I was supposed to be strong
To stay strong...
After a few more minutes, I calmed down. The muscles in my hand softened. The pain in my chest faded. My breaths slowed down. My head spun, though, so I stayed seated for a little longer. I wiped the tears away, trying to erase any type of weakness in my face. I could not let this happen again. I had to never let it happen again.
I got up finally, ignored the lingering pain. My eyes should be dry. It had been long enough. I arrived in our tent and Ki-Ja was already screaming. Hak was standing outside, his spear by his side. I smiled to him and entered.
"...Unforgivable! That man Kye-Sook makes nothing of all that he has done so far!"
I arrived in the room and Jae-Ha looked my way, worried. I let my lips move, let them tell him silently that I had to pee. He nodded and returned to the conversation I had only just joined. "It is impossible to tell what he is planning! Princess, please, worry not about us! If any scoundrels targeting our powers approach, I will strike them with open hands!"
"Of course...", Yona let out.
"Huh? Where's the Thunder Beast?", Yoon asked. I was about to respond, but Jae-Ha was faster.
"Keeping watch outside"
"In that case, I will keep watch on the side opposite to him!", Ki-Ja shouted.
"Then Shin-Ha and I will keep watch on the other sides", Jae-Ha added. There were only Yona, Zeno, Yoon and I left in the tent.
"Yona, let's go back to Kouka tomorrow", Yoon said. "Don't worry about the medicine thing"
"...Yoon, you said before... you wanted to read all the books in the world"
"D... did I say that?", he acted surprised. "I'd forgotten. Besides, even if we went to Hiryuu Castle, I'd probably get killed for being disrespectful before I could even read any books", I frowned. He was trying to dissuade her.
"The medicine for Lone's throat and mine worked very well. If they really wanted to kill us, it would've been quicker to just mix poison into it", Yona said.
"Well, that's..."
"Moreover... if we reject the alliance and run... then I suspect that this time, Advisor Kye-Sook will be the one sending agents to pursue us", Yona added. She was right.
"Yeah, probably", Zeno added. "We've ended up as friend to the masses... so he probably thought making an alliance with us was the best way to go. But if we reject that, then we become the biggest possible thorn in the ruler's side"
"If we're friends with the masses and he kills us... What happens to them when the masses discover the truth? They'd be smarter not to kill us, no matter our answer", I cut in. Zeno looked at me and kept on.
"But if we form an alliance, they'll definitely try to use the Dragons...! The Dragons'll get used as long as they live. That's just how we are. Will you take the leap? Right to Soo-Won's feet?", Yona's eyes widened.
"What are you saying, Zeno?!", Yoon asked, his voice high.
"Don't worry about the Dragons", Zeno said, hopping on his feet. "Honestly, in some ways the Castle might be a safer place for us four. What do you choose, Lass?"
She turned her head towards me. "What do you think I should do, Lone?"
"I don't think this matter rests on my shoulders, Yona... I can't make a choice that doesn't belong to me"
A few minutes later, Yona got up at the same time I did. We walked together outside the tent and joined Hak's side. The tent flapped against the wind and rested down.
"...You should rest while you can, you two", Hak said. "Let's leave here tomorrow. We'll go and... find somewhere safe", he turned his head away, and when he realized Yona wouldn't respond, he looked up at her again. I walked to his other side. "...If you can't sleep, do you want to sit here?"
"Hak... I'm... going to accept Kye-Sook's offer", it felt like a betrayal. Yet... I knew this could only be our safest option. I saw it in Hak's face, too. "I think it will end up the safe option. ... As long as we stay quiet. ...Soo-Won doesn't know about any of this yet. I don't know how Soo-Won will react either, but... Things are different than they were that night. I don't think he'll try to...", she was cut off.
"You think you can trust him?!", he lashed out. I had been waiting for this. Expecting it. "While you were celebrating your birthday... he was murdering His Majesty Il! No matter the circumstances...I can never in my life forgive him...! Let's run away! And if there's danger wherever we run... I'll protect you! I'll protect you, and Yoon, and Lone, and White Snake, Droopy Eyes, Shin-Ha, Zeno, all of you! Even if I die, I swear I will...! I'll... Ghh..."
'Before I knew it...', Yona thought.
"If only I were stronger...", Yona hugged Hak's head to her chest. I had to look away... or else I would cry again.
'...It was more happiness than I could hold... Yoon calling out "good morning". Hak and I doing morning practice. Lone overcoming her greatest pain and becoming the strongest person I've ever known. Ki-Ja and Shin-Ha going fishing. Jae-Ha helping with the cooking. Zeno waking up to an angry earful from Yoon. All of us eating a small breakfast around the fire... Beginning our days in a meager way, but so happy.
But soon, those days will be over'
What would happen now...
Now that we are to go back to Hiryuu Castle... the place I've fought so hard to leave in the first place.
What destiny awaits me back at a place where everyone used to want me dead... truly dead?