Chapter 1

Yona POV

Bam! It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck me where I stood. Well more like laid. All I remember was being on the ground surrounded by dead bodies on a battlefield. One body had caught my eye. Upon recognition, my heart gripped with horror and I dragged myself over, panting for breath. I was bleeding from a cut near my left rib and I was starting to see darkness, but nothing could deter me now. I stared down into his face, now lifeless, his eyes glazed over and unmoving, his glaive nowhere to be seen.

Hak.

My screams that night were never enough to drown out my sorrow and my anger for losing him.

Don't worry, Princess. I won't die. I won't leave you.

Tears nonstop were pouring down my face as I buried it into his chest. Liar! What am I suppose to do now that you are gone? My sobs echoed through the bloody battlefield before me. My vision flickered once more and then went black, my head still lying on his unmoving chest.

Light surrounded me. I was being lifted. I felt so much lighter. Then, booming voices echoed around me, speaking something in a language I knew not of, but I felt as if something of great importance was being said. Then, without warning, I began to fall. With a scream of surprise, I bolted up in a soft bed in a room strangely familiar. I blinked several times and looked around. No, my eyes were not mistaken. This is my bedroom in the palace. Looking down, I saw that I was clothed in the same garments that I had worn to my 16th birthday. Realization hit me and my hand jerked up to my hair to feel long curls cascading down my torso and then . . . The hairpin that Su-won had given me.

Fury coursed through me and I yanked the hairpin from my hair to proceed to destroy it in the fire. But a thought stopped my hand. Why am I here? I don't understand. Where's Hak?! I looked wildly around and stepped towards the door, but another thought stopped me. What if? Is it possible? Have I been resurrected? My brow furrowed. I was brought to this place in time for a reason. Then it hit me with the force of a battering ram. Father will be murdered by Su-won tonight! I have to stop it!

I rushed for the door again but stopped a second time. The murder will be in a few hours. I probably will have to leave the castle anyway. I need to find my dragons. Okay. I squared my shoulders and took a deep breath. First, I should get rid of this hair.

I looked around my room until I found a bejeweled letter opener. I was quite surprised that I hadn't cut my hair earlier with the thing. I had always hated my hair. I grabbed a handful of hair and chopped it off with one stroke(all those lessons with Hak with swords made this easy to do). I continued this until I was satisfied that I had received myself of that burden. I gathered the red curls from the floor and bound them with a ribbon from my oh so organized jewelry box. I then placed the hairpin atop the hair and made a mental note to place it in Su-won's chambers. Let that give him something to think about. I thought, smirking.

Now I had to go find traveling clothes, food for the journey, a map, and weapons without being conspicuous. This would have been impossible were it not for the fact that all the guards were at the feast for my birthday. I still had to be careful though.

Slipping quietly out of my room, I made for the armory. I knew the location of this because I had followed Su-won when he needed arrows for bow practice. I even had tried to get in unnoticed but had been caught by Father. My gut tightened at the thought of going against his wishes. I need to know how to fight Father. There are so many things that I need to fix with our country that I didn't even know about. I'm sorry.

When I got to the armory, no guards were around, but I couldn't be sure that they weren't on patrol. I slipped quickly through the heavy iron doors and looked around. There were an assortment of spears, bows, arrows, and swords as well as uniforms for the palace guard. I didn't know what else to wear, so I took the smallest uniform. It was a bit big, but it would have to do. Luckily, there was also traveling cloaks, so I could hide my hair on the road. Grabbing one, I hurried over to the archery section. I chose a bow that fit my size and a couple quivers of arrows. I then grabbed a dagger and hurried out with my load. However, on the wall of the armory was a map of Kohka Kingdom. I quickly snatched it off the wall and made my way back to my room.

After dropping the equipment off in my room, I sneaked to the kitchens and while the cook was preoccupied with the stew for the evening, I grabbed some jerky and a loaf of bread. When I made it to the door, the cook turned around and made to grab me, but I was down the hall and out of sight before he could call me back.

I stopped off at my room to grab my weapons and map, where I then made for the stables, praying that there were no guards on duty. I slipped into the stables and shut the door as quietly as possible. Looking around, I saw many a fine horse, but there was one that caught my eye. He was black with white near his hooves that made him look like he was wearing socks.

I saddled him, with some difficulty, as the saddle slipped off his back and onto me. He just stood there quietly, looking at me with an amused look in his eye. Oh shut up. This is my first time doing this. I eventually got the dam saddle on and stepped back to look at my handiwork. The mare blinked at me expectantly. "I'll be back. Just stay here and wait for me." I said quietly to him, not sure if he really understood me. He blinked again and snorted. Taking that as consent, I walked outside and looked up.

The sun was starting to set. I don't have much time. I need to get this done quickly. I hurried back to my room, but not without bumping into one of the servants. She mistook me for a place guard, thank God, and shook her head irritably as she passed.

I grabbed the hairpin and my hair from by bedside table and made for Su-won's room. Upon arrival, I saw two guards stationed outside. Damn. I found a pebble beside me and threw it into the distance. Aroused by the noise, the guards looked up and moved towards the noise to investigate. Quiet as a mouse, I slipped inside.

The room was empty as I set the bundle on his bed. When I went to go back outside, the guards were there again. I decided to go through a window. Unfortunately, I was a bit too loud and one of the guards saw me. They started to chase me. I ran to my father's room, knowing that it was time, I needed to act and that if I didn't lose the men running behind me, I would be in trouble. With some quick thinking, I decided to take the back way to his room.

The shouting voices were less as I took this route, but I suspected that they split up to find me. I rounded the corner to Father's chambers and drew my bow from my shoulder. Securing an arrow, I made my way along the passage as softly as I could. I could hear talking from inside belonging to two voices I knew. Father's and Su-won's. My heart began to race. There was a small crack in the doorway in which I could see Su-won drawing something. A sword. No! I quickly aimed at Su-won and tried to draw. But my muscles in this weak body were not strong enough. I couldn't pull it back. I heard the sound of a sword being sheathed in flesh and I let the string go. I missed. No! No! No! Dammit! I knew if I stayed a moment longer that I would not escape. I ran. A crack of thunder sounded overhead and rain began pouring from the sky. My tears streamed down my face as I wrenched the stable doors open. I could hear loud voices behind me. I leaped onto the mare and dug in my heels. He neighed loudly and launched into the downpour. I turned towards the gate when I heard a voice.

"Where the hell do you think your going, Princess?"

Dammit. I would recognize that voice anywhere. I turned around mournfully to stare into Hak's face that was just inches from mine.

"I have to do this Hak. Alone. I'm sorry."

"What do you mean? You are not going anywhere."

"Hak. Please. I don't want you to die too." Tears pour steadily harder down my cheeks. Hak brows furrow and he reaches up to me to pull me down.

"No! Please!" I move away. "Hime, wha?" Hak started to say, but before he can say anything else, I reached over and pressed my lips to his with all the force I could muster. He freezed before me, awestruck. I pull back and whispered, "I love you," and took off towards the gate. The guards were in a frenzy.

I pull on the reins and shouted, "Open the gates!"

One of the guards hears me and I hear a clunk and see the gates slowly opening.

"Stop!" someone shouts. "Don't let her get away! Shut the gates!" The open doors groan again and start to close. Crap. Go! Go! Go! I dig my heels into the mare's side and he leaps forward with incredible speed, just barely managing to bypass the iron bars swiftly closing in. I spur him on and we take off into the night.

Hak POV

I'm standing there for what seems like years, staring at the opening in the gate where she had gone. One thought was ringing inside my head. I love you. I never, in my lifetime, would have thought that those words would come out of Yona's mouth for me. She had loved Su-won her entire life. She only thought of him, day and night. But, how. . .

A new feeling of purpose came over me to find Yona and figure out what the hell was going on. I turned around to find Su-won standing a few yards from me holding a sword covered in blood. What the hell?! "Hak, come with me, please," Su-won said in a moderate voice, but I knew that the blood on the sword must have something to do with Yona's flight.

"What the hell is going on? Have you had too much to drink, Su-won?" I asked, my eyes never leaving him.

"No. There is a new era that has begun and I wish to celebrate with you." Su-won replied.

"Not until you explain yourself. Why is there blood on your sword? The king said that there shall be no bloodshed here."

Looking disgusted, Su-won said dismissively, "That king who is afraid of weapons? That king who had no guts? I though that he should step aside, in a manner of speaking."

My eyes narrowed dangerously. "What kind of games are you playing? What the hell happened? What have you done to that kind king?"

The look in Su-won's eyes made me shudder when he said, "That kind king has no right to be on a throne to hide from the world. He is dead and I killed him."

Those words echoed in my brain, unable to be absorbed. What? Su-won, killing that kind king? WHAT THE HELL!

Fury flowed through my being to my eyes where they pierced the the friend that I had entrusted the love of my life to. My glaive came up of it's own accord and a roar tore at my throat as I lunged toward him. Su-won dodged my swipe, but not for long. Blood pounded in my ears and my one objective was to kill the bastard that had destroyed my life. He had taken away the kind ruler that had made me sane and ripped Yona's heart out. He would pay.

The clash of our weapons could be heard all around the palace. I used everything I knew in regards to tactics and battle strategies to outsmart Su-won. As fast as I was, Su-won knew me well and was prepared for the ferocity of my attacks. Several minutes later, I managed to slip past his guard and sliced a deep wound in his shoulder. He winced but recovered quickly. All the sudden, about fifteen bowman were aimed at me as well as at least twenty pikemen. I stilled, waiting for an opening.

"Leave Yona, Hak. She doesn't want you. Come with me and you will rule Kohka with me." Su-won stated.

His statement brought a thought to the forefront of my battle rage. Yona. She said she loved me. There is no way that this bastard can bait me with that. Realization then pushed my hate aside and reminded me, Yona left! I have to go find her! I may loose her trail if I don't hurry! I looked around wildly for an opening, hoping that there was weakness. The faces surrounding me were as plain as a sheet of slate, their weapons unwavering, ready to strike at an unexpected move.

Out of nowhere came the whistle of an arrow followed by a thud in stone. Great distraction. But man, they can't aim. I took the well needed opportunity to swipe some guards aside and bolt for the gates. They were shut tight. I swerved to the right and ran up to a guard tower. At the top, I looked behind me. Guards were advancing steadily behind me and closing in. I leaped and managed to grab onto a tree branch before falling to the ground. The whistle of arrows was fast, and one just barely missed my left ear. Heaving myself up, I took off down the road, one though pushing me forward. I will find her. Yona.