Author's Note: Greetings, people of the Akatsuki no Yona fandom! I'm Julia. It's nice to meet you all. I've written for Akayona before (and I will make some changes to it because a friend of mine pointed out some errors that desperately need rectifying), but this is my first long fan fic for the series. Well, in this case it's going to be short, like, six chapters, because I usually write much longer stories. Like, a hundred chapter long stories. Not only that, this fic is basically an Akayona version of an obscure Hans Christian Andersen fairytale I just learned about called The Wild Swans. That's what inspired this fic, because I thought the concept was interesting! I hope you all enjoy it! Any constructive critique is fine, but PLEASE be civil and polite about it. I won't tolerate whining or drama.
Akatsuki no Yona belongs to Mizuho Kusanagi and other associated parties. The Wild Swans belongs to Hans Christian Andersen and other associated parties. I own neither property.
Chapter 1: The Sorceress
Deep, blazing crimson was everywhere. The everlasting ocean, the sea of trees, the earth down trodden by travelers' boots, red smeared across the sky and the world underneath farther than the eye could see. The orange sun had already begun to set, the sky growing ever darker as the glowing orb of light descended down the horizon. The crimson sky above, smeared with streaks of sapphire blue, lilac purple, golden yellow, and vermillion orange, was truly an amazing sight to behold if one were to stop and admire its beauty.
Out from the thickets came a tiny squirrel no bigger than one's palm. Its large, bushy tail curled inward as the squirrel scurried toward a lone acorn, taking it into its mouth and munching on it, its cheeks growing in size. If the squirrel ate any more, its cheeks would grow to the point where they'd resemble tiny, flabby spheres. Thankfully, the squirrel was satisfied with the acorn he found and put the leftovers back where he found them.
"Ao! There you are!" A young woman's sweet voice called out for the little squirrel, Ao. Faint footsteps grew louder as a girl of about sixteen darted out from the bush, her pinky white face donning a sweet smile. Her light purple eyes glistened in the sunset, like lilac petals bearing morning dew. Her short, scraggly, flaming red hair only stretched down to her chin, but her long earrings bounced with every step she took. Wearing only a long sleeved pink dress underneath a silk red robe, a black sash with a pink ribbon keeping it in place, and dark shoes, she approached the squirrel and scooped him into her palms. A bag full of arrows bounced behind her back, along with a plain, wooden bow that archers normally use.
"P'kyuuu!" The squirrel chirruped in a high pitched voice, happy to see the lovely lady.
"You had me worried for a moment there," The woman told him. "You shouldn't just wander off in places like this."
"P'kyuu?" Ao tilted his head to one side, as though he couldn't understand what she said. But she could tell the squirrel understood.
The lady released a small giggle. Of course Ao would play up his cuteness to get out of getting scolded. Oh well. He won this time. "We better get back. I don't want the others to worry."
"Hey, Yona!" The voice of a young boy caught her attention. The woman whipped her head around, watching as a boy of about fifteen or so, possibly younger, came darting out from a thicket. His pale brown hair set off his ocean blue eyes, and two peach colored feather ornaments dangled from one side of his hair. Wrapped around his upper body was a light blue shawl, covering most of a light green garment. The boy also wore white pants, dirty grey boots, and a brown satchel bag over his shoulder.
One look at the squirrel told him all he needed to know. "Oh, so Ao went off to play again. Well, it's getting dark, so we're gonna have to spend the night out in the wilderness."
"I'm not surprised," Yona told him. "We have been traveling a while. But where do you think we can sleep?"
The brown haired boy pulled out a map and unrolled it. He took a short moment to scan it. "It seems there's a town a few miles up ahead," The boy pointed to some drawings of houses on the map. "If we make haste, we might be able to make it before dark."
"Will we be able to make it before dark, Yun?" Yona asked.
"I don't see why we can't," Yun replied. Right then and there, a whole group of people came ambling down from a dirt road up ahead, all of them men.
One of them was a tall, boorish man with raven black hair and tan skin. In his hand was a long spear taller than he was, with the sharp end of it wrapped in cloth. His cerulean cardigan covered his navy blue robe, dark pants, and brown shoes. Wrapped underneath his free arm was a big pile of wood for the sole purpose of making a fire.
"Are you sure you're going to be able to carry all of that, Hak?" Yona asked, her sweet voice growing concern.
"It's nothing a former general can't handle, princess," Hak replied dryly, clutching the firewood underneath his arm. "You should be worrying about yourself first. This place is infested with mosquitos and they leave ugly, horrid blemishes on your skin and suck your blood dry."
"Stop trying to scare me, Hak!" Yona scolded. Her bodyguard was never one to miss out on an opportunity to tease his princess. Bickering with him was almost as common as finding fish in the nearest river.
It's here that another man stepped forward, leaping onto the scene. If one were to observe from far away, one would assume this man in white and blue to be a ghost, or at the very least a friendly spirit protecting the forest. Beautiful of face and gentle of soul, the man had snow white fair arranged in a neat, proper bob cut with a sliver of hair reaching down to his upper neck. His turquoise eyes fixated on the dark haired warrior, his mouth in a semicircle frown. A light blue cape flowed from his white and blue monk-like robe, setting off his brown shoes.
"You needn't be so crass toward Yona," The white haired beauty scolded before holding out his hands. Scratch that, hand and white dragon claw. "I will take the liberty of carrying the firewood, if you please," He added in a regal, more composed manner befitting of a rich boy.
"You're ever so kind, White Snake," Hak teased.
A vein in the white haired man's neck bulged. "I told you never to call me White Snake!" He snapped indignantly, eyes flaring with rage, even as he took care not to crush the firewood in his silvery white dragon claw.
"Hak! Kija! It's not proper to fight in front of a lady!" A green haired man leaped onto the scene. Draped in a yellow and navy blue robe, grey pants and matching shoes, a fair-skinned man pushed himself in between Hak and the white haired man-Kija-preventing further arguments. In the blushing sunset, he almost seemed to sparkle.
Yun rolled his eyes. "What a pain…"
"We'd best be off!" The green haired man was already marching ahead of the gang.
Soon, two more men popped out from the thicket. One of them was a tall, handsome man with sea blue hair, his face obscured behind a white mask with red triangle-shaped markings and two long horns protruding from both sides. His skin was so white, one could easily mistake him for a ghost. He was draped in a black robe trimmed with white fur, covering a navy blue turtleneck, along with wearing black fingerless gloves, matching shoes, bandages wrapped around his forearms, and two ceremonial necklaces, one gold and the other made from turquoise and malachite beads. Hanging from the back of his head was a mountain of white fur. If one didn't know any better, they would mistake him for a spirit of the forest, or some animalistic creature.
Trotting behind him, all smiles, was a smaller man, who looked more like a teenager, probably about Yun's age. Messy, sunny blonde hair added to the radiance of his cheerful smile, and wide, turquoise blue eyes shined with such joy that one could never extinguish it. The boy was draped in a white robe with brown hemlines, itself covered with an orange overcoat the color of the sunset, and wrapped around his head and neck were light green scarves, the one on his head being tied into a large ribbon. Dangling from it was a blue and yellow charm.
"Jae-Ha? It's not like you to be so enthusiastic," Hak added, his voice peppered with a touch of indifference.
The air around Jae-Ha almost seemed to sparkle, like crystals reflecting sunlight. He spread his arms out toward the sky, his smile radiant. "Mysterious encounters are always around every corner when one goes on an adventure," Jae-Ha mused like he was a philosophical monk. Kija shot a quizzical glance in the green haired romantic's direction. "Like a leaf on the wind. There is beauty in every encounter."
Hak rolled his eyes. "Let me guess...you're looking to chase some girls as soon as we get there?" He teased, smirking like a thug.
"Am I that easy to read?" Jae-Ha asked dryly.
Yona and the yellow haired boy broke into merry laughter. "Zeno has seen plenty of girl chasers in his lifetime," The yellow haired boy, Zeno, chirruped. "But the green dragon is actually a gentleman!"
"I can imagine," Yona added. The masked man behind them nodded. Yona turned around to face him, flashing a warm smile. "Shin-Ah? You're not tired, are you?"
Shin-Ah shook his head left and right silently. It told Yona all she needed to know. "Let us know if you're tired, okay? There's no need to push yourself too hard."
"I hope the next town has lodging," Kija mused worriedly, his snow white eyebrows furrowing. Just being in this forest made his skin crawl. Already, he could see small bees hovering about and caterpillars munching on leaves.
"I'm sure there's an inn or a rest stop in the next town," Yun told him reassuringly. He wasn't sure himself, as he had never been to the town they're heading to before. But he knew from stories that Kija grew up on the lap of luxury and was used to warm beds, delicious food, and a roof over his head, away from dirty soil, messy trees, and insects, despite living in the wilderness with them since he joined their group. "We'll get there soon."
After that, no one said a word to each other. The faster they marched to get to town, the better it would be for all of them. Streaks of dark blue were already pushing the crimson and orange away, and the sun had already set. Night was closing in. But something else loomed over the steadfast group. Deep, black clouds rolled across the land, blocking off the beautiful night sky, darkening the land beneath. A single drop of water plopped onto Ao's head, melting into her fur.
"P'kyu!" Ao chirruped, using her tiny arms to brush the wetness out.
Shin-Ah stopped in his tracks. Everyone else stopped as well, turning around. "Shin-Ah?" Yona asked. "What's wrong?"
"Rain," That was all their masked friend would say, and in a low, husky voice that was barely audible.
Before long, a drop of water plopped onto Kija's head. The sudden cold drop made him shiver. "He's right! I just felt rain!" Kija yelped.
Hak looked up. The sky was marred by thick, black clouds. Drops of rain came descending down, melting onto the soil beneath their feet, or absorbed by the fabric of their clothes. "This isn't good," He said. Soon, the soft drizzle turned into a heavy downpour. Rain roared as it came crashing down on the earth below. Only the tears of a thousand weeping angels could cause such a downpour.
The group held their arms over their heads, their shoes attracting muddy soil. There had to be someplace where they could take shelter. Only a few minutes of rain, and they were already soaked to the bone. Their wet clothes clung to their skin.
"Urrrgh! What a pain!" Yun complained.
"I wonder if there's shelter around here?" Jae-Ha asked.
"Zeno likes the rain!" Zeno piped in happily, not looking the least bit bothered by the downpour. "Rain washes away all your pain!"
"Cave," Shin-Ah whispered.
Yona turned to face her masked friend. "What was that?"
The masked man pointed further north with one hand. "Up ahead. A cave."
It didn't take long for them to find an uninhabited cave just about thirty feet ahead. "Let's get in here!" Hak suggested, escorting everyone inside. The cave was wide, large enough to fit every single one of them inside, but it didn't seem to go very far inward. It wasn't anything fancy, but with little else to go on, they had to make do. The rain roared, drowning the world beneath it with no intention of ceasing any time soon. They were all shivering when they entered the cave. Shin-Ah had removed his white pelt, wrapping it around the shivering Kija. Already, his body felt warm not just from the pelt, but from Shin-Ah's kindness.
"Oh, Shin-Ah," Kija's suave voice quivered as he clasped his hands together, not just to warm them up, but in an admiring fashion. "Your genuine kindness moves me, dear brother."
"Don't break into tears, White Snake," Hak commented dryly, evading a potential blow that quickly followed from Kija's dragon claw.
"Ahhh…" Yona complained, flapping her hands up and down to get rid of any excess rainwater that latched onto her. "I don't believe this! Of all the times it had to rain!"
"Rain or shine, your beauty will never be tarnished, my fair princess," Jae-Ha concluded, brushing some wet green hair out of his face. "In fact, I think you look utmost-"
Stopped mid-sentence by a punch from Hak's fist, Jae-Ha fell on the ground with a soft thud. "Whoopsie daisy. My hand slipped. Sorry, Droopy Eyes," Hak interrupted dryly. "That's enough pervy romance talk out of you," Oddly enough, despite his cheek throbbing in pain, he flashed a thumb's up.
"...Good one!" Jae-Ha complimented, holding his thumb up.
Everyone except Shin-Ah tried to hold back laughter. Yona kept her hands on her mouth, but not even she could hide her amusement at the funny scene. Zeno lost all control and giggled like a little kid, almost falling on the cave floor, as though he had heard the funniest joke ever. All Shin-Ah did was watch everyone with a blank stare. Already, Yun pulled some firewood out.
"Alright. It looks like we're staying here until the rain stops, so I'll start dinner," He pressed a piece of wood against another. Tiny orange sparks came flashing outward before giving birth to a small flame. With the wood as its lunch, the flame increased in size, growing large enough to warm up the entire cave. "It might take a while, though."
Loud rumbling coming right from Zeno's stomach made everyone turn in his direction. The blonde boy let out a tired groan. "Zeno's hungry...Zeno doesn't know if he can wait long…" He complained.
Yona found herself lost in thought. They were all stuck in a cave with nothing to do. This might be the perfect opportunity. "Hey!" Yona caught their attention. "Since we're stuck here, how about we play a game?" She suggested. "You know, to pass the time."
"What kind of game?" Kija asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't know," Yona put a finger on her chin, ruminating. Then an idea popped in her head like a baby chick hatching from its egg. "Ohh! How about Truth or Dare?"
Once again, Kija was flummoxed. "Truth or...Dare?"
Yona nodded vigorously. "Hak, Su-Won, and I used to play it all the time when we were kids!" She explained, her voice cheery.
"Ooooh!" Zeno threw his arms in the air. "Zeno loves this game! Zeno will play!"
Hak smirked. "I don't see why not. The monotony here is getting boring."
Shin-Ah nodded silently. Yun stirred some broth in the pot hanging over the fire. "Sure. I don't mind. Ik-Su and I used to play it, so why not? It'll pass the time."
"This sounds like fun," Jae-Ha mused.
"P'kyu!" Little Ao chirruped, rolling on the cave floor beneath her.
"Pardon me, but…" The white haired man interrupted. Everyone could see the confusion on his face plain as day. "exactly what is this...Truth or Dare game you speak of?"
"Have you ever played games with other kids before? When you were a kid?" Yun asked.
Kija shook his head.
Everyone except Zeno exchanged surprised glances. Kija never played any games with other kids before? Not even as a child? Or even simple games like ball, cards, tag, or hide-and-seek? Zeno let out a sigh. "Zeno's not surprised, considering you were treated like a God, after all," Zeno said in a disgruntled tone of voice.
"Basically," Yona held her index finger up to explain, like she was a teacher. "If someone asks you truth or dare, you have to pick one. If you pick truth, someone asks you a question, and you have to answer it honestly. No lying," Thankfully, the white haired dragon man listened attentively, nodding at her explanation. "If you pick dare, the person who asks you makes you do something, and you HAVE to do it no matter what."
"Ohhhh!" Kija's aquamarine eyes lit up like a candle flame, gleaming, happy that he received new knowledge. He tapped a fist on his dragon claw. "Now I understand!"
"Since you're the one that suggested it, Yona," Jae-Ha piped in. "Why don't you start?"
"Gladly!" Yona pumped her fists, flashing a sweet smile. She pointed right at Hak. "Hak! I choose you! Truth or dare?"
"Truth," Hak answered without hesitation. Shin-Ah watched as Yun blew on the broth that generated clouds of steam billowing inside the cave.
"Okay…" Yona closed her eyes, crossing her arms, ruminating on what to ask him. Then… "Who was your first crush?"
Hak shot a glare at the red haired girl. "My first crush was...a cumbersome brat."
"Who?" Yona asked. Everyone tilted their heads to one side in confusion. That wasn't a very specific answer.
"Details, please?" Yun asked.
"No," Hak replied dryly. "I'm done," He swerved toward the yellow dragon. "Hey, Zeno! Truth or dare?"
"Come on, Hak!" Yona yelled. "That wasn't a good enough answer!"
"Precisely!" Kija agreed, joining in on the conversation. "An improper answer is the same as a forfeit! It isn't fair!"
"Her name was Na-Yo," Hak answered tersely. Setting his spear down, he turned back to Zeno once everyone calmed down. "Hey, Zeno. Again, truth or dare?"
"Dare!" Zeno raised his hand up in a whimsical manner. "Dares are fun!"
The smile on Hak's face extended further, reaching past his cheeks as he let out a low chuckle, like he was an evil overlord plotting something. Yona backed away a few paces, a little cowed by Hak's evil sounding laughter. "Uhhh...Hak?" No answer.
Finally, he spoke. His eyes slammed wide open before he blurted out, "I dare you to tickle the White Snake!"
"Will do!" Cheerful as usual, Zeno's expression didn't change a bit.
Jae-Ha chuckled. "This ought to be fun to watch."
"Wait…" Kija shivered. "What does tickle me-EEEEAN?!" Before Kija could finish his sentence, Zeno leaped on him like he was a happy puppy who hadn't seen his owner in years. Suddenly, Kija was lying on his back, his silver hair mingling with the soil, and Zeno was right on top of him. Kija's eyes widened, at first unable to comprehend the situation. Zeno flashed a cheery smile before his hands made contact with Kija's sides, his fingers dancing across his robe like they were in a recital.
At first, the White Dragon wasn't sure what to make of this. Zeno's fingertips made contact with his skin through his robes. He clamped his mouth shut to hold back laughter, but his face puffed up like a puffer fish, turning red from holding his breath. Unable to take it anymore, loud, merry laughter spilled forth, and he flapped his arms up and down, kicking his legs in a futile attempt to force the happy yellow dragon off. It was no use. Zeno's fingers danced across Kija's body, the soft, tender sensation seeping into the White Dragon's sides.
"Zeno! R-R-R-R-Release me this instant!" Kija cried through his laughter. Tears came creeping out from the corners of his eyes, spilling down on the soil. Zeno paid no heed, his smile wide as he continued to launch his tickle assault on his dragon comrade.
"No way!" Zeno cheered. Kija playfully pushed on his friend to pry him off, but the Yellow Dragon refused to let up. Even Zeno was laughing at how silly and helpless Kija looked under his clutches. Yona and Jae-Ha found themselves bending over, holding onto their stomachs, they were laughing so hard.
Kija rolled himself over, lying on his stomach. In playful retaliation, Zeno hopped on his back and launched yet another tickle assault. Kija had no idea this was what being tickled was like. He had seen children play amongst each other, and wanted to join in on their games, but everyone around him disapproved, saying such things were beneath him, even children his own age. He had to wonder why he had missed out on something as fun as this. Despite his protests...he was enjoying himself. Zeno's tender fingers playfully dancing on his robes-sometimes his skin-and successfully getting some cute giggles out of him felt surprisingly good.
Even though he told him to stop, he actually wanted it to continue on for as long as humanly possible. In short, he loved the feeling of having Zeno tickle him and his fingers dancing on his skin. He relished and found some solace in it all. He felt something warm, soft, gentle, and kind, like some warm and sublime light was pouring out of Zeno's fingers and dissipating into his body, filling him with kindness. Would his mother and father have done this, had they been allowed to live? Had his grandmother allowed him to even touch his father? There was no answer for that. Both parents had died, but he couldn't help but wonder...would they have showered him with love and affection and played games with him like his friends were doing now?
"Zeno's done!" Finally, Zeno pulled his hands back, ceasing his tickle assault. The White Dragon sat up to catch his breath. He had no idea being tickled was so exhausting. Shin-Ah gently patted the white haired man's shoulder, comforting him.
"Thank you, Shin-Ah. You truly are a kind soul," Kija could feel a tear streaming down his face. Then he remembered the game needed to continue.
"Zeno's turn!" Zeno announced. "Shin-Ah! Truth or dare?!"
"Dare," Shin-Ah replied in a low voice.
"Oh dear," Yun mused as he sprinkled some herb pieces into the broth.
Zeno's smile stretched so far, it almost seemed to hurt his cheeks. "Oooh! Here's a good one! I dare you to tell us all the funniest joke you can think of!"
"Really?" Yona raised an eyebrow as Ao munched on an acorn she found. "You're asking Shin-Ah to tell a joke? Hak and Jae-Ha are the jokesters around here," She pointed out.
"It's true," Hak piped in.
"Zeno wants to see if Shin-Ah has a sense of humor!" The blonde boy explained.
At first, Shin-Ah said nothing. Par for the course, as he was a man of very few words, even now. Most of what he said were single words or words compiled into fragmented sentences, not that the group considered it a bad thing. They respected his shyness and didn't press him to do or say things he didn't want to do or say. They couldn't even read his expressions, since Shin-Ah wore his signature mask all the time, never removing it under any circumstances.
Finally, he spoke, in a low but audible voice. "...what do you...call a dragon's tears...that freeze in the winter?"
This sentence rendered everyone flummoxed. "Dragon's tears…?" Yun asked.
"Freezing in the winter?" Jae-Ha asked. "Frozen dragon tears?"
"Nah, too simple," Zeno interjected.
"Okay, we're lost," Yona said. "What is it?"
The masked man took a brief moment to answer. "An...eye-sickle."
An awkward silence followed. They seemed to get the joke. Eye-sickle. Icicle. As soon as the pieces came together, pandemonium broke out. To be more specific, everyone exploded into fits of laughter, with Jae-Ha, Hak, and Zeno rolling on the dirt. Yona bent over, clutching her abdomen with her tiny hands. Even Yun and Kija couldn't suppress their laughter. Yun stepped away from the broth to make sure he didn't spill anything. Kija slammed his claw on the cave wall, but not so much as to break it or make it cave in on them.
"Oh Hiryuu! My ribs are killing me!" Jae-Ha bellowed, his fists and legs slamming against the ground beneath him.
Not even Hak could stop, and he usually kept a stoic face. "Best joke ever!"
It took a short while for everyone to calm down. As usual, Shin-Ah just stared at them with a blank look on his face. All of a sudden, his lips curled upward in a semicircle. Kija wiped another tear out from his eye, having calmed down. "Goodness, Shin-Ah...that's the funniest thing I've ever heard!"
Shin-Ah seemed to take pride in his praise. "Shin-Ah. Master of comedy," He looked Kija right in the eye as Yun went back to his cooking. "Truth? Dare?"
"Dare!" Kija answered quickly.
Instead of using words, Shin-Ah pointed to Kija with his index finger. Then he adjusted himself to point at Yona. Before long, he scooched over to his friend and wrapped his arms around the White Dragon, trapping him in a hug. Kija seemed to understand.
"You...want me to hug Yona?" He asked.
An affirmative nod was the answer he needed. Kija held his fist up, his eyes gleaming. "I shall grant your request!"
"A dare isn't exactly a request," Yona pointed out.
Upon hearing of Shin-Ah's dare, Kija marched over to his master's side. He could feel the death glare Hak was giving him. "You better not do anything skeevy to my princess, White Snake," He growled like a lion.
"Preposterous!" Kija argued. He and Hak were never exactly on great terms. Ninety percent of the time they spent together consisted of arguing or snarking at each other, much to the consternation of everyone else around them. "I would never do anything immoral to the princess! What kind of man do you take me for?!" How bold Hak was to imply that Kija would do anything immoral to his master.
"Now now, you two," Yona held her hands up. "Calm down."
Without hesitation, Kija wrapped his arms around Yona and pulled her close. Not so close that her face would be buried in his chest, and not so tight so as to render her unable to breathe. But her nose could catch the faint scent of wildflowers from his robe. Losing herself in the moment, she closed her eyes. Kija's arms, although draped in his thick white robes, were warm and tender, shielding her from the world around her.
"Awwww! How sweet!" Zeno crooned, amused by the sight of the two together.
Just as quickly, he let go. "Yun!" Kija swerved to look at Yun. "Truth or dare?!"
"Truth," Yun answered.
"Uhhh…" Kija found himself at a loss. What could he possibly ask Yun? The young boy's satchel caught his eye. That's it! That's what he could ask him. Kija smiled, happy he came up with a question to ask his young friend. "I don't know if I'm doing this right, but...if you can have anything in the world, what would it be?"
Immediately, Yun's blue eyes lit up. "Firstly, the first thing I'd do is buy every piece of cooking equipment on this entire planet!" He balled his hands into fists and looked up at the cave ceiling, ignoring the broth sitting before him. "Then I'd buy huge plots of land and grow every herb known to man and buy a big palace for all of us to live in-"
"Settle down, kid," Jae-Ha held his hand out.
"Don't call me a kid!" Yun let out a grunt before getting back to stirring the broth. "Truth or dare?!"
"Truth!" Jae-Ha answered.
"Awwww," Yun groaned. "I was hoping you'd say dare."
"I'm a very truthful person," Jae-Ha told him.
Hak shot him a death glare. "No you're not."
"No fights, please!" Kija pleaded. Yona let Ao sit on her lap, petting her as the squirrel slept soundly. Yun continued to stir the broth.
"Alright...Jae-Ha," Yun began. Everyone apprehensively stared at Yun with strong curious expressions, wondering just what he'd ask the green haired man. "Do you regret leaving your pirate friends?" All tension in the cave suddenly dissipated. They thought Yun would ask him something silly or personal. At least he didn't ask anything that would make him go on and on about girls all day.
"No. I don't," The green haired man pushed his bangs back. "Traveling with you has enlightened me some," He scooched closer to Yona. "I certainly feel fulfilled traveling with this adorable-"
He stopped mid-sentence as he felt Hak's boot drive itself into his shin. "Whoops. My leg slipped."
"...princess!" Jae-Ha choked. "Yona! Truth or dare?!"
Yona answered, "Truth!" Seeing the warm smile and flaming red hair made Jae-Ha's blood warm.
It wasn't hard for the green haired man to come up with a question to ask her. "What did you want to be when you were a child?" Hak exhaled a sigh of relief. Thank Hiryuu he didn't ask her something skeevy, immoral, or personal.
The first thought that popped into Yona's head was, 'Su-Won's bride!' But she shook her head, pushing the thought away. That dream was gone now. Nothing good would come of thinking about that man or the fantasy she had before her life changed. It was a thing in the past that needed to be locked away for all time. For now, anyway. After all, this was just a game. Who said she needed to be absolutely positively truthful? A little white lie wouldn't hurt.
"I…" Yona tittered. "I...wanted to be a queen!"
"Awww, confound it!" Yun's irritated voice suddenly broke the tension.
Yona turned to face Yun's direction. "What's wrong?"
The young boy scratched his hair with one hand. "I thought I had Kin-Shi herbs with me, but it turns out I don't have any!" He explained in a disgruntled manner. "I knew I should have bought some back in the last town! I even saw some on the way here, too!"
"Where can one get Kin-Shi herbs anyway?" Kija asked. "Surely they're common medicinal herbs, right?"
"I've seen them down the road a piece," Yun piped in, chopping some vegetables he bought. Namely carrots and celery.
Jae-Ha stood up, his legs stiff from sitting on the ground for so long. "I can go and get some," He suggested.
"But it's still raining out," Yona pointed out. It was true: the rain hadn't ceased since they arrived. The downpour wasn't as heavy, and the rain was reduced to a soft yet strong drizzle that could still soak one to the bone and make their clothes stick to their skin.
"It's lessened, and a little water won't hurt," Jae-Ha said. "But what do they look like again?"
Yun rummaged through his satchel, pulled out a small book, opened it, and showed it to the green haired man. Jae-Ha walked over, leaning close to get a good look. The coal illustration showed a plant with large, heart shaped leaves with M shaped roots. "Their leaves are very soft, and shaped like hearts. They're not hard to miss."
"Alright then!" Jae-Ha tapped his chest with his fist. "I'll see you all soon!" With that, he marched out of the cave and leaped away.
Oh well. There was no loss in not having Kin-Shi herbs. Yun had others he could use. After a while, the game was over and dinner was ready. Warm, vegetable soup with carrots, celery, and some slices of meat from some animals Yona and Hak had killed to sustain themselves. It was a good thing Yun was with the group. Otherwise, every one of them would have starved to death or came down with illnesses that could kill them had they not had access to hospitals or proper medicine.
In fact, the whole group seemed to emit a warm, calming atmosphere around them. The occasional argument or quarrel would erupt, yes, but nothing violent had ever come to pass. Yona found herself content, being surrounded by these colorful personalities that made the whole cave come alive. She had never felt this way before. At least, before she left the castle. If one were to tell her months ago that she would be traveling the kingdom with a harem of friends by her side, she would have called them lunatics.
Yet here she was, with her beloved friends. The sarcastic, snarky Hak, the mature and reliable, yet still in many ways childish Yun, the emotional, polite, devoted, bug-hating Kija, silent yet kind Shin-Ah and his gentle ways, flirtatious, coquettish and confident Jae-Ha, and cheerful, friendly, fun-loving Zeno. If not for these people and their kindness towards her, Yona was sure she wouldn't be alive today, and couldn't be happier with her company. Once again, little squirrel Ao munched happily on some acorns as she rested on Yona's lap. Before long, the squirrel was asleep.
It was Yun who noticed the prolonged absence of a certain someone. As the night pushed the rain away by draping her dark blue blanket across the sky, the rain finally ceased. Tiny stars dotted the velvety sky, with a pure white crescent moon watching over the world beneath her. The roar of rainwater had ceased long ago, but the ground outside was still wet, and the group couldn't afford to journey outside, not when it was so dark out. They needed their rest. But…
"Where's Jae-Ha?" Yun asked aloud.
Yona peeked out the cave entrance. She saw endless rows of trees and a rabbit scuttling across the dirt. But there was no sign of Jae-Ha anywhere. "I don't know," She replied. "He should have come back by now, shouldn't he?"
"I hope nothing bad has happened," Kija grew concerned. Shin-Ah nodded in agreement despite his silence.
Once Hak finished his meal, he gently put the bowl down, picked up his spear, and stood up. "I'll go take a look around. I'm sure that pretentious flirt is probably chasing a gaggle of girls somewhere," Hak told them, not easing up on the sarcasm one bit.
"But it's so dark out!" Zeno argued. "You do realize you're not immortal, right, Thunder Beast?" Contrasting to his normally cheerful demeanor, Zeno's expression suddenly turned stern. But Hak could see the worry in his solemn blue eyes. "What if someone were to attack you? With it being so dark-"
"I'll be fine," Hak protested, dredging his spear in the dirt. "I won't be out too long."
"Just be careful. Okay?" Yona advised. If there was one thing she feared most out of anything in the world, it was losing Hak, one of the only family she had. The only connection to her kingdom that she had. If anything were to happen to Hak, her faithful servant...she shook her head to push those terrible thoughts away. She'd never forgive herself should anything happen to him.
"I will. I'm not called the Thunder Beast for nothing," Hak turned on his shoe, proceeding to leave.
With the rain having ceased, anyone with hypersensitive hearing could hear the sounds of nature. It didn't take long for Hak to stop in his tracks, his ears catching the sound of fluttering wings. The wings of a sparrow came closer and closer. Finally, a very small bird, just about Ao's size, came fluttering at the cave entrance, descending before Hak, with its tiny beak full of a bouquet of Kin-Shi herbs. The sparrow had light brown plumage with some black and white streaks on its wings, with thin, black talons that seemed to melt into the wet soil, and a small yellow beak.
The sparrow dropped the Kin-Shi herbs and suddenly began fluttering about, flapping its wings frantically, but not flying. Hak stepped back a few steps, taken aback by this strange bird. The sparrow was twittering and chattering, but since it had no human voice, nobody could understand what it was saying. Birds couldn't speak like humans could, as they could only communicate through chirps and birdsongs.
"Whoa! What's with this bird?!" Hak exclaimed.
"Is it injured?" Yona asked.
"It sure doesn't look like it," Yun inched closer to the bird. Noticing the Kin-Shi herbs, Yun remembered. Jae-Ha had offered to bring back those herbs. The plants themselves had heart shaped leaves that were soft to the touch. Just like he told Jae-Ha. But this was a confusing situation. How did this bird manage to bring these herbs here? How could it have known they needed those herbs to begin with? He asked Jae-Ha to bring them, but as of now, he had not returned.
"Do you think something terrible happened to Jae-Ha after all?" The concern in Kija's voice was rising.
"I don't think that flirt would let anyone take him down easily," Hak pointed out. "Still, what's this bird's problem?"
"Maybe the Green Dragon turned into a bird!" Zeno suggested in a whimsical manner, his cheerful demeanor having returned.
Yun, Yona, and Kija sent glares at the Yellow Dragon. "This is no time for jokes, Zeno," Yona told him.
That was when it happened. The tiny sparrow fluttered in front of Yona, dredging its beak in the dirt. With all the effort its tiny body could muster, the bird traced its beak down the dirt. Soon, Yona couldn't hold back a gasp. The bird had written out the letter I, soon followed by the letters A and M. Everyone watched in awe as the bird demonstrated its dirt writing skills. Yes, the bird was using its beak to write a message. As far as they knew, birds didn't have that ability. Birds weren't literate.
What it wrote sent a shock through all of their systems.
I AM JAE-HA
It seems Zeno's joke turned out to not be a joke after all.
Especially so when at that moment, the bird exploded into a cloud of purple smoke that seemed to cover the entire cave. Everyone coughed and used their arms to blow the smoke away. Just what was going on? When the cloud finally dissipated, their view was no longer obscured. Lying at the base of the entrance was Jae-Ha, back to normal, green hair, navy blue robes and all!
"Jae-Ha!" Yona and Kija scurried over to their fallen friend, coiling their arms around him to help him up. Drops of sweat beaded down the green haired man's face, dripping onto the soil beneath him. Once they got him up, they gently sat him against the wall. Yun was quick to offer him the broth he made, and Jae-Ha wasted no time sipping the warm, rich vegetable soup.
"What in the world happened to you?" Yun asked curiously. "You've been gone for a while."
"And how did you turn into a bird?!" Yona yelped. Seeing a human turn into a common sparrow, then back into a human, was such an alien thought to her, and everyone else for that matter. It just didn't seem possible, yet it happened right in front of them.
Once Jae-Ha's stomach was full, he opened his eyes, his thick eyelashes fluttering. "It's...a long story," He gasped. "You won't believe it."
Indeed, it was a long story. Jae-Ha leaped away from the cave to get Kin-Shi herbs like he offered, and had no trouble finding them along the road a piece. He had picked up at least four whole stems of them, thinking that would be enough to sustain them until they got to the next town. That was when he saw a beautiful young woman wandering about the road, lost and frightened. Being the woman chaser that he was, Jae-Ha offered her a helping hand, escorting her to the next town, which turned out to be just a mile from the cave.
The woman, introducing herself as Tai-Ling, thanked Jae-Ha for his kindness. But even Jae-Ha suspected that something about the woman was odd. She had a strange, ethereal quality about her, like she wasn't of this world. Her hair was deep purple like violets in spring, her eyes red like blood. She wore gold ermine robes, with cuffs adorning beautiful Valenciennes lace. Jae-Ha wanted to learn more about her. That was when things became very peculiar. Tai-Ling murmured some kind of strange incantation before pulling out some kind of black stick. A blue ray of light struck Jae-Ha before he could leap away, and before he knew it, he was a common sparrow, with the Kin-Shi herbs right in front of him. Tai-Ling had disappeared into town, leaving him behind.
Knowing he needed to tell his friends about this, Jae-Ha took the herbs in his tiny beak and flapped his way back toward the cave. It must be confessed that the herbs in his beak were too heavy for his tiny body, and flapping his wings took all the energy out of him. Flying was not something Jae-Ha was used to, nor could he have mastered easily. But somehow, he managed to get back to the cave, his mind plagued with thoughts about how this happened. Would his friends recognize him? If he told them what happened, would they believe him? Would they cast him out? He wasn't sure. But he knew one thing: that Tai-Ling woman was responsible for casting this spell on him, and he needed to find a way to break the spell, even if it meant he was on his own.
"...and that's what happened," Jae-Ha finished before sipping some water. The cold rush of water cooled down his dry throat, refreshing him from top to bottom, now that he was in a dormant state.
"My goodness!" Kija's hands flew to his face. "Sorcerers actually exist?! I had assumed they were naught but a myth! A child's legend!"
"...Sorcerer…?" Shin-Ah murmured in a low, confused voice. Yona could tell he didn't know what a sorcerer was.
"A sorcerer is someone who uses magic, cast spells, and acquire knowledge or wisdom through supernatural means," Yona explained. "A lot of my favorite stories I read as a child had sorcerers in them. A female version is a sorceress."
"But I thought they were a myth, too," Hak interjected.
"Zeno has seen sorcerers before," Zeno explained, folding his hands in place. "If priests who can hear the voice of God exist, then sorcerers do, too. There are good sorcerers, but the bad ones happen to be more famous, tragically," The whimsical cheerfulness was gone, and Zeno's voice seemed to hold a vast wisdom that only the old and wise seemed to possess through decades of living life.
"So, this Tai-Ling woman…" Yona interrupted. "You said she's in the next town a mile up, right?"
"Yes," Jae-Ha affirmed with a nod to empathize his point. "She may be dangerous."
"The rain's stopped now," Yun pointed out. "But since we're already settled in, let's rest here for the night and then we can go find this Tai-Ling woman and make her turn Jae-Ha back to normal."
"Agreed!" Zeno held his arm up. Everyone else nodded in agreement. Whatever happened to Jae-Ha, they needed to find this woman by any means necessary. Who knows what she could be doing to others?
Unbeknownst to them, a silhouette blending in the trees watched the group from afar. Her golden robes adorned with ermine fur and Valenciennes lace stood out amongst the dark, dank trees soaked by the hour's harsh rainfall. Her violet hair was tied into a large braid, and her red eyes examined the group as they prepared for sleep. They happened to fixate on Yona. To be more specific, her blazing red hair, the color of the blush of dawn. Seeing the red hair made the woman's blood boil on the inside. For a brief moment, an image of another woman with red hair flashed through her mind, hovering right over Yona.
The woman clenched her teeth. "I will make you pay…" She growled. "...for everything you've done to me!"
Yona and her friends had absolutely no idea what they were in for.
So...what do you guys think? Did I keep everyone in character? I don't know if sorcerers or magic users exist in the Akayona universe or not. For all I know, they probably don't, as I haven't read the manga enough to really get it. But I'm just writing this for fun, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. If there are details that I got wrong, please let me know (politely!) and I'll rectify them to the best of my ability! Look forward to future chapters!