Snake Charmer

Yona slept peacefully, the warmth of the sun shining down on her face. She felt as if she didn't have a are in the world.

"Yona," A voice whispered, obviously attempting to sound overly-cheerful. She shifted slightly in her pile of blankets, a noise of discomfort making its way out of her parted lips. "Yona!" The cheerful persona was dropped. "Ugh… What a pain."

Cold collided with Yona's warm skin. "AH!" she screamed, water dripping down her chin and soaking into her covers. "Yoon!" she whined. "You dumped water on me!"

Yoon stood above her with a smirk. "We have to cross three mountains before nightfall. I expect you to be up, even if you are a princess."

The red-head puffed out her cheek. "What does me being a princess have to do with it?"

The beautiful genius shrugged, humming out an "I don't know".

They both heard running footsteps coming up behind them. "Yun! What have you done to the princess!?" Kija shrieked.

Yoon crossed his arms. "What does it look like?"

The white dragon pointed a trembling finger to the princess. "It looks as if you've accosted my master with a bucket of freezing water!"

"Kija," Yona began. She wiped her face with her cloak.

Kija eagerly kneeled in front of the girl. "Yes, Princess?"

"Yun is right. I was being lazy, and honestly, the water was kind of refreshing, since it's kind of hot today!" She let out a giggle.

Yoon rolled his eyes and clapped. "Yes, yes, we get it. You're very positive and kindhearted. Now let's go eat breakfast, hm?" he said, swiftly leading the way towards a boiling pot.

Makeshift chairs were set up all around the dining area. Shina sat on one side wolfing down his soup, Ao on his right shoulder all the while. Jeaha sat next to him, combing his hair with his fingers.

The green-haired man sighed contentedly. "Ah, Yoon!"

"What?" he replied while serving soup into wooden bowls.

Jeaha stood up and wrapped an arm around the young boy' shoulders. "I simply must compliment you on today's meal! It smells as fragrant and lovely as a woman on her eighteenth birthday!"

"First of all," Yoon removed the pervert's arm from around his shoulders. "gross. Second of all," he handed him a bowl. "why the eighteenth birthday?"

Jeaha winked at him. "Ah, I knew you'd be curious! The eighteen birthday is the age in which nothing you do is illegal."

Yoon blushed fifty shades of red. "T-that's disgusting!" He aggressively dropped the wooden spoon back into the pot. "J-just go eat your food, you beastly moss-head!"

Yona giggled at at the scene. She glanced around. "Where's Hak?" she asked.

Yoon was about getting ready to drown Jeaha in his meal since he kept making inappropriate jokes an references, but the question distracted him. "Lightning Beast?" He pointed to a distance ridge that laid at the borders of their camp. "He's been stand over there for hours. I tried to get him to come over for breakfast, but he won't." His eyebrows furrowed in worry. "I hope he's okay..."

Yona smiled at him. "I could check on him, if you'd like."

"Hm..." Yoon nodded approvingly. "That's a good idea. Get him to come eat some breakfast!" he called after her.

She waved her hand in acknowledgment. She rounded the corner and gazed upon her broody bodyguard for the first time thing morning. She bowed her head. "Hak," she greeted.

He turned his head toward her and nodded curtly.

The Kouka Princess chuckled. "You know, it really doesn't sit well with me when you stare off into the middle distance." He said nothing. Yona frowned. "Hak, answer me." Silence. "...Please?" She sighed and began to walk away.

"Did Yun freak out about the fact that I haven't come to breakfast, yet?" Hak's baritone voice rang out.

Yona turn back with an ear-to-ear grin. "Pretty much a full-on freak out." She scooted closer to him and leaned her back against the edge's wall. "So, can I ask what you're doing out here?"

"I don't need know, can you?"

Yona growled at him. "Shut it, knave!" She let out a long sigh. "May I ask why you're out here?"

Hak shuffled one of his feet. "Just thinking about... Emotions."

"You're thinking about emotions?" she snorted.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Is that so hard to believe?"

"No, it's just... You're a guy."

Hak clicked his tongue. "Is the princess of the great kingdom of Kouka being sexist, by any chance?"

"What? No, no, no, that's not what I was trying to do!" Yona frantically waved her arms in protest. "I just thought it was weird that you were thinking about them, though. You're always so stiff."

He stared at her. "Stiff...?" Yona nodded vehemently. He sighed, "Whatever. These were some very important feelings that I needed to sort out... And push down."

Yona quirked an eyebrow. "What do you-?"

"Will you two get up here already?" Yoon yelled. "We have to go soon, and if you don't get up here within the next five minutes, I'm going to assume you've fallen off the cliff and died, you got it?!"

Yona laughed. "I guess that's our queue."

"Well," Hak sighed. "The silence was good while it lasted."

They walked for hours without stopping. It was grueling and tiring, and they had absolutely not idea when they'd reach their destination.

Yona rubbed her ankles, trying not to let anyone see, but of course Hak noticed.

"Ankles hurt again?" he asked.

Yona quickly retracted her hand. "Nope."

Hak raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Really."

"I think you're lying."

Yoon rolled his eyes at the two of them. "Honestly, they should both just get married already." He mumbled it mostly to himself, but Zeno heard it.

"You rally think they'd be good together?" the blonde whispered.

Yoon chuckled, a warm smile creeping its way onto his face. "I think that's a given, isn't it?"

Zeno nodded. "Mhm. True enough." He grinned and rubbed his stomach. "Well, Zeno's hungry!"

Yoon sighed crossly. "We just ate a few hours ago."

"I think the most important word in there is 'hours', kid," Zeno laughed.

Yona shrugged. "I could eat," she said.

Yoon groaned. "You people have no stamina..."

Shina stared farther over the hill and tapped Yona on the shoulder.

She turned to him. "Yes, Shina?" she asked. He pointed in front of her. She grunted with effort, squinting her eyes as much as she could without closing them. Finally, she realized what she was looking at. "Shina!" she exclaimed. "You're wonderful!" She skipped over to Yoon, a smile on her face. "There's a town not too far from here. Where there's a town, there's a market."

Zeno beamed. "And where there's a market, there's food for Zeno!"

Yoon glared at them. "Since you are all obviously so set on eating," he began. "I shall give the map to our dear Jeaha."

Jeaha's violet eyes widened to the size of saucers. "D-do you really think that's wise?"

"Well, you all want food right?" He smirked. "Might as well make you work for it."

Jeaha shuddered. "You're an evil child..."

After a few minor mishaps, (I.e., Jeaha reading the map incorrectly), they were just behind the boundaries of the town.

"Jeaha," started Yona.

Jeaha turned to her with a charming grin. "Yes, my dear?"

"You read maps horribly!"

The dragon's shoulders slumped. "Yes, dearest... I know."

Hak rolled his eyes. "Stop with all the 'dearest' crap."

Yoon snapped his fingers to get everyone's attention. "All right," he started. "we're going into the village so we need to-" He was cut off in the middle of his sentence by a droning: "Blend in." He crossed his arms. "Well, if you're so smart, maybe I should give the map to Jeaha again!"

"NO!" everyone shouted.

They walked into town with relative ease, no one stopping them or trying to sell them anything. It seemed bustling and happy, which was a nice change for Yona's ever- growing group.

'Good.' Yona thought. 'Here's a town that stayed happy under Father's rule.'

"Hmm!" Zeno hummed joyfully. "Zeno smells food!" Drool slid down his cheeks.

Yoon gave a him a scowl. "You're disgusting! Wipe that off!" Though, he had to admit that his stomach was growling as well. He believed everyone's was.

They all looked around the wonderful, bustling town. There were smiles-real smiles-all around, as well as joyful laughter. There was something for everyone.

Yoon was buying bandages and medicines. Zeno was, of course, soaking in all the beautiful smell of food. Sadly, Shina had to stay behind at camp because, frankly, the mask might have been a dead-give-away simply saying: "tourist." Jeaha was talking to some of the local women. Charmer he thought himself to be, pervert he was.

Yona and Kija were walking through the town. It was a perfect time for them to smile and laugh and let their guard down for the first time in a while.

"This reminds me very much of the White Dragon village," said Kija.

Yona looked at him with curious eyes. "How so?"

"My village was always so peaceful and happy, besides the everlasting yelling of Granny." He paused. "I wonder how Granny is doing?"

Yona held Kija's hand as they walked. "There is one thing I know for certain," she said.

"That is, Princess?" He felt her squeeze his hand.

"She is so proud of you."

Kija's eyes sparkled. He needed to hear that. With all the strength in his Dragon arm, the strength Yona gave him was far stronger. Even if Yona wasn't the Crimson Dragon King, he knew that she was the one he was meant to serve.

Hak stood off to the far left side of a local armory. 'I hate to disobey you, King II…' He thought. 'But your daughter, Princess Yona, has an unwavering determination to protect her friends.' He winced at how he thought Kind II would react. 'She wants to learn swordsmanship and she cannot do that without a sword. ' He picked up the one thing he hoped Yona would never have to touch… A weapon.

After buying food, much to Zeno's delight, they ate at a near by café. It was a peaceful evening that they enjoyed to the fullest extent. Afterwards, they gathered their things and began to walk back to camp, even though darkness was upon them.

'I should give it to her,' thought Hak. 'But, she was just so happy… Tomorrow.'

Hak was quickly pulled out of his deep thoughts by Yoon. "You've been unusually quiet all this time," he said.

"Really?" Hak said. He shrugged. "Didn't notice."

The sight that awaited them when they returned to their campsite was not a pretty one. They saw was Shina painfully holding his stomach, his face scrunched up in discomfort.

Yona gasped. "Shina! Are you alright?" she asked quickly kneeling by his side and gripping his gloved hand.

He nodded. "…There was," he winced. "An intruder… He fought back and hit my stomach but, I tied him up… behind that tree…"

Yoon's expression turned to a mixture of worry and rage. "Someone broke into the camp?" He rolled up his sleeves aggressively. "I'd like to give him a piece of my genius mind!" Quickly, Yoon ground up some herbs and handed them to Shina. "Put these in tea, you'll be fine."

Before Shina could say or ask anything, everyone had huddled behind the tree where the intruder was tied up. The first thing anyone saw of the intruder was a long, gray cloak, tattered brown pants, and blue boots covering his feet. He hid his face inside the billowing cloak.

Kija had his white claws extended, just in case. "Who are you?" he demanded coldly. There was silence. The stranger said nothing.

"Why did you invade our camp?" asked Yona. No reply.

Hak gently pushed Yona behind him. "You didn't touch my spear, right?"

"Zeno does not approve!" Zeno said, hands on his hips.

Jeaha clicked his tongue. "Look at what you did to Shina!" Jeaha said, pointing behind himself toward their injured comrade. Complete and utter silence.

"Ugh!" Yoon rolled his eyes. "What a pain!" He quickly yanked off the hood of the stranger's cloak. Everyone's jaw dropped at the sight that was revealed. HE was a SHE. Everyone stared.

"It's a girl! " yelled Jeaha excitedly as he popped up behind Yoon. Yoon elbowed him in the stomach, making Jeaha crumble into fetal position.

Finally, the first words out of the intruder. "I wouldn't have come here if I thought that Mr. Sword was gonna be here!" she yelled, clearly annoyed. She slightly gestured to Shina. Shina turned to her and crooked his head slightly. Everyone was still staring.

"Surprised I'm a girl?" she asked with an eyebrow up. Her hair was shoulder-length, dark brown, pulled back in a ponytai, and parted on the side so it curved into a swoop. She had bright, intelligent eyes.

Jeaha stood back up. "In our defense, you're wearing pants! Hardly customary for a lady."

"Good thing I'm not a lady then," she said, aloof.

Jeaha smirked. "Feisty, I like it."

"What's your name?" Yoon asked, ignoring the green dragon.

The stranger cracked a wry smile. "Finally! Someone who knows some etiquette."

Yoon looked proud of himself. "See? Even the thief gets it!"

"I am not a thief!" she retorted sharply. "I simply take advantage of a situation where I can acquire things." She spoke so fast almost no one heard her. "Also, to answer your previously stated question," she said. "my name is Snake." Everyone furrowed their eyebrows.

"That can't possibly be your name, can it?" Yona wondered, furrowing her eyebrows.

Snake rolled her eyes. "Well, of course it's not my name," she said. "It's just what people call me, being a 'thief' and all, it kind of fits, doesn't it? As of now, it's what you'll call me, too."

Jeaha sighed dreamily. "Quite demanding, isn't she?" Yoon elbowed him again.

"Not that bright, is he?" said Snake, eyeing the green-haired man.

Hak cracked his knuckles. "Well, I say we take her out."

"Hak!" Yona barked. "We are not going to just kill her!"

Yoon rubbed his temples to soothe his smoldering headache. "Half-wit idiots…" he said under his breath.

"What was that?" asked Hak, momentarily stopping mid-argument with Yona.

Yoon gave him a sickeningly sweet smile. "Oh, nothing to concern yourself with, Lightning Beast."

"Do I get a say in this?" Snake asked.

They looked behind them to address her, but Snake wasn't tied up! She was in the tree! They all gasped.

She chuckled and held up the length of rope that previously held her wrists. "Your friend here isn't very good at tying knots."

'Her unblinking gaze...' Yona thought. 'Its unnerving and disconcerting yet… Kind.'

Yona smiled. "You can stay with us tonight," she said.

"WHAT?!" everyone yelled in unison.

Yona held up her hands in a calm 'calm down' motion. "She's not a bad person. She didn't run away even when she had the chance to," she explained. "Plus, she was just hungry!"

Snake squinted. "And how would you know that, Miss Priss?" she asked.

"Your stomach growling isn't exactly subtle," Yona laughed.

'The Princess has gotten much better at noticing things,' Hak thought. 'First in Port Awa, now here.'

Snake climbed out of the tree. She stood in front of them almost uncomfortably. "I mean... If it's not too much trouble-" she started.

"Don't worry!" Yona interrupted, putting her hands on Snake's shoulders. "Yoon is the best cook around, promise!"

Snake quickly backed away and removed Yona's hands. "Um... Yeah. Okay."

That night everyone sat down in front of a warm, burning fire.

Yoon poured some leftover soup into Snake's bowl. He sat down next to her. "So," he started. "What's your name?"

Snake spit into her bowl from the sudden question. "I told you," she said stubbornly, even though she was coughing. "Snake."

"You said it wasn't your real name, so what is it?" Yun pressed.

Snake was about to take a sip of soup when he snatched it from her. "Hey!" she spat.

"I don't feed people who don't tell me their names," Yoon said calmly.

Snake rolled her eyes. "It's…" she stuttered. "Ryoma..."

Yoon stared at her. "That's..."

"Very masculine? Yeah, I know." She sighed. "I'm pretty sure my parents hated me."

Yoon nodded and handed her her bowl of soup. "Good job."

She snatched it back from him in an instant. "Thanks," she responded sarcastically.

Kija bowed in front of Yona. "Goodnight, Princess," he said, voice just above a whisper.

"Goodnight, Kija," Yona replied. They both waved goodbye to each other, walking their separate ways. She noticed Ryoma leaning against a tree. She did a friendly nod. "Hi, Snake."

The thief gave a lethargic wave in return. "I never got your name," she said.

"Yona," she beamed. She turned to point at everyone in her group. "That's Jeaha, Zeno, Kija, Hak, and Shina. The squirrel's name is Ao."

Ryoma cracked her knuckles. Not in a threatening fashion, just in a habitual way. "Who's he?" she asked, angling her head towards the beautiful genius.

Yona stood on her tiptoes to see where she was gesturing. "That's Yoon," she said.

"He thinks pretty highly of himself, huh?"

Yona giggled. "He does, but he's sweet."

"Sure," Ryoma scoffed. "Well, you should get to sleep, Princess Yona."

Violet eyes widened. "How did you...?

"Princess, I'm a thief, not stupid." She gave a light smile, dimples revealing themselves on her tan face. "I think that you're doing a pretty amazing thing, your highness."

Yona blushed and shifted her weight. "Please, don't call me that."

"Wasn't planning on it," the brunette chuckled. "Go to bed, Yona. You look tired."

Yona nodded. "You should go to bed, too."

"Soon, soon." She waved a dismissive hand. "Off with you now."

The red-head chuckled. "Will do, m'lady."

Ryoma almost cracked a full-fledged laugh, but she quickly clasped a hand over her mouth. "Night." She watched the young princess walk away. After she fully disappeared from view, she claimed up the tree and sat on the thickest branch, staring up at the stars and the full moon.

"You should get down from there," a voice said. She recognized it as Yoon.

A devilish smirk grew on her visage. "Oh, really?" She looked down at him. "And why's that?"

Yoon scoffed. "Because it's dangerous."

"Really? Up here?" She stood up and started jumping on the branch. "Up here is dangerous?"

Yoon's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "What do you think you're doing?!"

Ryoma slipped herself onto her legs and hung by her knees. Their faces came extremely close to each other. "Me?" She chuckled. "I was just having fun."

Yoon blushed and backed away at an incredible pace. "Seriously, what's wrong with you?"

She snickered. "Tons of things."

He clicked his tongue. "You've got issues."

"I know." She smiled. She reached her hands out. "Help me down?"

Yoon blushed again. "You can get down yourself."

"Sure, I can, but you're here. Might as well use you."

He shook his head defiantly. "Do it yourself."

Ryoma feigned offense. "You're not going to help me?" She closed her eyes. "But what if I start slipping?" She straightened her legs and plummeted towards the ground.

"WHAT THE-" Yoon ran forward and caught her. She opened her eyes and smirked at him. "What the hell is wrong with you?! What if I hadn't caught you?"

She laughed. "I knew you would. You're a goody-two-shoes, I can sense it." She ran one of her long, calloused fingers down his forehead to the tip of his nose. "I need to teach you how to be bad."

"W-what...?" Yoon said, blood rushing to his cheek for the umpteenth time tonight.

She stood up, pulling him along with her. "Not like that, closet-perv. Just gotta teach you to have a little bit of sass."

"Believe me," Yoon scoffed, pulling his hand away from her. "I'm the king of sass."

Ryoma rolled her eyes, smiling playing at the corner of her mouth. "I can tell." She took a deep breath of the night air. "Okay. Sleep, now. Let's do it."

Yoon nodded. "Fine. Just letting you know, I don't trust you yet, so don't be surprised if I tie you up."

"Mm, kinky."

His eyes widen, his azure irises boring into her own. "WHAT?"

"I'm kidding, two-shoes," she chuckled, patting him on the shoulder as she walked by. "Let's hope you're better at knots that's your blue-haired buddy."

Yoon shrugged. "I'm better at everything than everyone else."

"Well, aren't you humble?"

He caught up to and walked at her side. "I'm just telling the truth."

"Yoon!" called Kija. It was too early for this...

Yun sat up angrily. "WHAT!?" Everyone was staring at him with wide eyes. He squinted at them, and then followed their gaze. He looked at Ryoma, who had slept next to him the previous night. They both looked down. They were holding hands! Yoon blushed, Ryoma just gaped and yanked her hand away.

"Why are you holding hands?" cried Jeaha.

Yoon and Ryoma both glared at him. "We're not holding hands!"

"What are you doing then?" asked Hak.

Ryoma shrugged. "Your boy fell asleep while trying to tie me up."

There was a pause.

"Yoon, I didn't know you-"

Yoon glared at the green-haired male. "Jeaha, shut your mouth right now. I was tying her up for safety."

Ryoma clicked her tongue. "And you ended up holding my hand." She poked his forehead and stood up, dusting off her pants. "Good job, two-shoes."