Chapter Text
Ogi's Bar in Kuuto - Lili POV
"Ogi! You're finally back!", the General's daughter called.
"Long time no see, young Miss", Ogi greeted.
"Oh no, you got hurt? Are you okay?"
"Hurts like hell"
"Hey, have you seen the uproar here in Kuuto? There's a huge rumour going around, saying that after being captured by the Sen Province, Princess Yona will be returning to Hiryuu Castle with the Sky Tribe troops", Ogi didn't say anything. "Do you know anything?"
"My fellow information brokers are being paid by a certain source to spread a rumour throughout the country... that the disappearance of Princess Yona, as well as the death of King Il, was all the doing of the Sen Province. The tragic Princess is unharmed and protected, and will happily be able to return to the Capital... or so it goes. What intrigues me most, though, is that they did absolutely nothing for the other Lady's case. Either they are waiting for a better time, or they intend to do something else with her"
"What... the heck", Lili let out.
"That would stamp out the rumour that the current rulers killed King Il", Tetora added.
"Is Yona really coming back?", Lili asked.
"Dunno... But the part about Yona being wrapped up with the Sen Province conflict and getting rescued from there is true"
"Who's paying off the information brokers?"
"...Dunno"
"Well, I have a good guess who, anyway. I hope Yona's okay...", Lili said.
Yona POV
"Princess Yona", Kye-Sook called. He was standing by the entry as he watched. Yona had been overly dressed for the occasion, tips to the Princess of Kouka. Women were still making sure everything was perfect, from her hair to the bottom of her dress, that was dragging on the ground behind her. "Is everything well? It appears to be going smoothly"
"Why am I being dressed like his?", she asked.
"Shortly, we will have you appear in front of the people of the Castle Town. However, they do not know your face. They must be able to recognize you as Princess Yona, even from far away"
"Where are the Dragons, Hak and Lone?"
"They will be in a separate carriage. For today, I want the people to know you are here. All you need to do is sit quietly in the carriage"
"...You weren't always a resident of Hiryuu Castle, correct...? Who are you?"
"I was not born with any particularly high standing. I am someone taken in by Lord Yu-Hon... who lived dreaming of his rise to Kingship. That dream was thwarted by King Il, but... that is why I want His Majesty Soo-Won... to become an unparalleled King of Nations... as Yu-Hon should have been", loud steps sounded from outside the tents. "It is almost time to depart. The people are waiting for the triumphant return of the Sky Tribe... and... for the return of Princess Yona"
***
She sat in an open carriage, a spectacle to the people who stood on each side. Joo-Doh and Kye-Sook were riding on horseback on each side of the carriage she sat on. Two horses pulled it, making her body bob up and down. She was oblivious to what happened. She couldn't care less.
"Wow, so that's Princess Yona!"
"She really has red hair..."
"Just like the legendary King Hiryuu..."
"Beautiful..."
"I heard the Four Dragons are here, too. Where are they?"
"I'm just glad she's okay!"
Lili was standing among the people, looking sad for her friend. She knew she hated to be there.
"Princess Yona...!"
"Her Royal Highness Yona...!"
Hoorays and Hurrahs flew in the air. They deafened anyone nearby.
"Welcome home, Princess Yona!"
The closed carriage in the back rattled, in which waited Zeno, Ki-Ja, Jae-Ha, Shin-Ha, Yoon and Lone, all silent, all impatient.
Lone's POV
My heart was giving up. My whole body felt numb. I did not feel the pain. I only held the promise of what would happen. I tried imagining it in many different ways in my mind... how it would all play out. Jae-Ha tried to reach out, tried to call my name. I turned my head away, pushing his hand away.
"Don't talk to me, Jae-Ha", I said, not caring how it sounded out. I could not watch the look on his face.
"It's so loud out there", Yoon said, probably trying to soften the atmosphere. "Might have turned into a mess, if you Dragons were there, too", beside him, Zeno was sleeping soundly, his head thrown backward, his mouth wide open.
"I am glad that the Princess is being welcomed, but when I think of how she must feel, allying with her enemies...", Ki-Ja said.
"To think we'd really end up going to Hiryuu Castle...", Jae-Ha spoke. I refrained from telling him this was predictable. "I wonder if the King's been fully informed about all this..."
I looked sideways at Hak. He had a completely different expression from mine, but it conveyed the same message. He was squeezing his weapon, holding on to it for dear life. This would not end well, and he knew it, too.
The carriage finally came to a halt and Kye-Sook spoke.
"We have arrived"
We started stepping forward and by then, my heart had slowed down and my body had stopped shaking. I didn't care anymore. I stood behind the Four Dragons as they looked up toward the Castle looming before them. I spared a look in Zeno's direction. This was not his first time here.
"So this is... Hiryuu Castle...", Jae-Ha let out in awe. Heavens, I'd do anything not to be back here. eavens
"It feels weird...", Shin-Ha whispered.
"How strange... we are in enemy territory, and yet my heart feels at ease...", like mine always has been. Ki-Ja had been the one to say the words.
"Maybe I'm imagining it, but my body feels so light...", Jae-Ha pointed out.
"Are your wounds healing?!", Yoon suddenly asked, surprised.
"No, just in general"
We approached soldiers as they straightened their backs, raised their spears in the air, welcoming us. Well, that was a lot of soldiers for such a tiny group. I looked around, noticing just how many there were. I knew what was coming, and I knew I could not stop it. Could not go back. And then, I stopped fearing it altogether.
"This way", Kye-Sook called and I turned towards him. He spared me a look and I frowned. "His Majesty awaits"
I stood behind Hak when spears blocked his path.
"Hak!", Shin-Ha called out, his voice ringing over us.
"What are you doing?", Ki-Ja demanded.
Yona turned toward us... toward him, shocked. I could see on Hak's face that he didn't like it. I turned my head slightly behind me, noticing the other soldiers coming our way.
"What're you playing at?", Hak asked, his path still blocked.
"My deepest apologies, but you may not proceed further than this point", Kye-Sook told him.
"Quite unbalanced for an alliance, isn't it", Yona pointed out, frustrated.
"I cannot allow someone who may point a blade at His Majesty Soo-Won to enter the Castle. This is a reasonable safeguard"
I was smiling slightly, remembering that disgusting day I was accused. I lifted my eyes, meeting Kye-Sook's. He knew what he was doing. Soldiers grabbed at my arms, kicking in the back of my legs. It felt like it was happening in slow motion. Everything was just slow. I fell to my knees, feeling it in every bone of my body. They raised my arms up so I could not defend myself, so I could not reach for my sword. They grabbed at my side, tore my sword out of my sheath, threw it away. My head drooped low in the front. My eyes stared at the ground as I remembered what it felt like to be treated as such.
"We're monsters who could run-", Jae-Ha started before he realized. "Lone!"
Now, I knew everyone was staring. Now, I knew that it was over for me. Even if I had already known... for a while now.
"Lady Lone of Hakkon, daughter of Lady Jie-Roon and Lord Han-Rae, you are accused of murdering Lady Jie-Roon, your mother, Lord Han-Rae, your father and Lady Si-Yook, your sister. You are also accused of murdering the entirety of the staff at the Hakkon House and burning the mansion down with them. You were also decided a traitor to the Crown after escaping the Castle and having stolen goods from your protector, your defender... the King"
But I had wished they'd at least forgotten.