Harsh, was the rain that evening. Not even the thick canopy of trees above them could shield the Happy Hungry Bunch from the storm.
"Wow," Yoon said, squinting as rivers of raindrops ran down his face. "We should set up camp soon." Yona took a deep breath, and then sighed. She had never liked storms. The thunder and lightning distressed her, and the rain made her shiver. But she refused to complain.
She glanced beside her to see an irritable Jae-Ha. The green dragon was trudging through a particularly thick patch of mud. Yona, feeling a little light headed, took his hand. He glanced at her in surprise, then in worry.
"Yona, dear?" He asked. "Are you okay?" Yona blinked. Her vision was getting blurry. Then, she wobbled, and started to fall. Jae-Ha caught her, and she drifted away.
Yona awoke in a tent. Rain still fell outside, and she watched with half closed eyes as Yoon walked in. His face was emotionless. Yona reached up a trembling hand to touch his arm.
"Yoon?" She said roughly. Yoon turned to her quickly, his face softening.
"I'm sorry we made you walk for so long," he said, kneeling down and feeling her forehead. "You should have said you weren't feeling well." Yona smiled at the feeling of his cold hand.
Yoon made sure she was comfortable, and then walked out of the tent. Waiting outside was Jae-Ha. The Green Dragon looked up, hair plastered to his forehead. Yoon nodded his permission, and then walked to where the rest of the dragons were. The dragons and Hak sat huddled together, worry in their eyes. Yoon hesitated, seeing the looks of anxiety on their faces.
"Yona's just fine!" He said cheerfully. "Just little overtired, that's all." A collective sigh of relief rang out through the camp.
Yoon waited until everyone had gone to check on the princess before he put his hands on his face, and took a deep, shaky breath.
"Yoon, is it just me, or is Yona not getting better?" Hak asked. He was leaning against a tree trunk, arms crossed. The doctor stirred the soup a little faster.
"The weather has been so bad recently," Yoon said hastily. "I think she's caught a cold." He scooped some of what he was cooking into a bowl, and then hurried over to Yona's tent. She opened her eyes, and smiled when she saw him.
"Hello, Yoon," she said weakly. "Thank you." He sat down, and then propped Yona up. His eyes were fearful as he put the spoon to her mouth. Yona swallowed, and then proceeded to throw the contents up into the bucket next to her. Yona lay back down.
"Ah," she said, laughing softly. "I'm sorry." She was surprised to hear a soft sob, and looked up to see tears dripping down Yoon's face. He bent down, putting his face onto her lap.
"Yona," he sobbed. "I'm sorry I can't save you." Yona put her arms around him, and bowed her head. Outside the tent, Jae-Ha stood in the rain, his nails digging into the palms of his hands.
Yona smiled sweetly.
"Your music is so lovely, Jae-Ha," she said quietly. "It makes me happy." Jae-Ha smiled in return, trying to hide is shaking hands. He set the flute down, and then crawled over to Yona. He lay down next to her, propping his head up with his hand.
Yona was getting weaker. She couldn't walk anymore, and she threw up every time she tried to eat. Jae-Ha had taken to sleeping outside her tent, and he had been awoken many times by her terrible coughing, or gagging. Yona touched his face.
"Thank you," she whispered. "For being with me." Jae-Ha grabbed her shoulders, and kissed her. And kissed her. When they went to bed that night, they slept together.
Jae-Ha awoke to silence. He put his hand to her chest. Nothing. Slowly, carefully, he reached into one of his boots. His fingers wrapped around one of the blades stashed there. It only took one flick of the blade from him to die, his lips pressed against hers, forever.