(Disclaimer: I do not own Yona of the Dawn or any of its affiliations)
SOMEWHERE ALONG THE OUTSKIRTS OF SAIKA – FIRE TRIBE
"Princess, you musn't push yourself! You have still not fully recovered from your wounds! They'll scar," Kija's concern was written across his face as Yona carried a small armful of sticks from the nearby woods to fuel the groups' campfire.
They had set up shop about a mile outside Saika. Their tents were pitched on a bluff that was decorated by the busy city lights below, yet far enough away from the roads leading into the capital of the Fire Tribe to be spotted by passerby's or soldiers.
"You're too sweet, Kija," Yona cooed, despite the pain radiating from her right shoulder and lower right calve, "But, scars are the least of my worries. I'm just glad the people of the Fire Tribe are safe. Knowing that is worth any mark I have to carry."
"Yona, don't be stupid. We aren't just worried about scars. If you keep this up, you could lose some of the mobility of your right arm or get an infection."
Kija's concern progressed to full-panic, and other members of the team bore frowns at the thought of Yona suffering anymore permanent damage, be it physical, spiritual or whatever.
"I'm sorry, Yoon. I just want to be as helpful as everyone else. I have to do my part."
"Gracing us with your beautiful presence is enough, Yona dear," Jae-Ha smiled.
Yona blushed and quickly looked away into the flames of the fire. The group, sub Hak who was investigating the streets of Saika, were sitting around the warmth of the fire and breathing in the smell of Yoon's cooking. Judging from the drool running down his cheek, Jeno looked like he was doing a little more than just breathing in the aroma of dinner.
The flickering of the flames entranced Yona, and she was sucked into the memories of the battle with the Kai Empire, still very much at war in her head. Kai troops had invaded the Fire Tribe from the region of Sen Province, hoping to deceive Kouka forces into thinking that Li Hazara was lashing back from the strict charter recently placed after his attempt to invade and overthrow leadership in Kouka with the help of former Fire Tribe General Kan Soo-Jin. Instead, both Northern and Southern Kai temporarily joined forces and entered Kouka through Sen Provence. If Kouka leadership were under the impression the invasion was from Li Hazara, the forces they deployed would likely be small in number, since support for the head of Sen Provence was declining rapidly. Invading regiments would have been predicted to be insignificant and easily defeated with a small battalion of soldiers. Instead, Kai forces hoped to catch Kouka's armed forces off guard with their numbers and overpower the soldiers dispatched to the area. Later, ceasing the Fire Tribe altogether.
However, after leaving the border between Xing Empire and the Wind Tribe, the gang had headed northwest toward Kouka's capital Kuuto. Word about invaders spread quickly after an emissary from Hiryuu Castle leaked news of the Fire Tribe beacon being lit for a second time. Many awaited the departure of the Sky Army. Others ignored it as another false alarm. However, after two days of no movement, Yona had had enough. She knew that Tae-Jun and the new Fire Tribe would not light the beacon again without reason. If Soo-Won… If Hiryuu castle wasn't going to support the people of Kouka, she would. So, they had set foot for the border of Sen Province and the Fire Tribe's Northern territory.
The group had intercepted Kai forces a day later as they breached the pass that lead into heavily inhabited towns. The army had already devastated several town and the small fleets of soldiers that the Fire Tribe could amass on such brief notice. The sight of burning villages and the smell of blood that followed Kai armed forced was like a shadow growing larger as night fell. The more Yona though about it, the more she was sure the memory would haunt her forever.
The gang didn't hesitate to interrupt Kai forces. Kija, Shin-Ah, Jae-Ha, and Hak had left her on the clifftop with Zeno to pick off soldiers from above. Although to Yona, it felt like a trivial assignment, she didn't argue. She knew that despite her advancements with the sword and bow, she would still serve as a distraction in battle. She had no choice but to settle for the role of guardian from above. While the team held back Kai forces, Yoon worked to wire the cliffsides that lead to more Fire Tribe territory with explosives. They had blasted a hole so big in the cliffside that the valley ahead gave way, stopping any forward movements from Kai soldiers, not that Hak and the others were not enough to begin with. However, Yona knew they couldn't fight forever, the valley however, would never allow passage to central Fire Territory. Kai forces would have to rough the mountains to go any further.
Kai soldiers had been retreating when the aftershocks from the quake caused more rubble from the clifftops to collapse. The seism had left Yona falling from above. It had all happened so fast. The earth had given way, and before she could even blink she was falling. Somewhere on the way down, she had noticed that she was wrapped in Jeno's arms, and after that all the images in her mind were of his disfigured, limp, body on the ground and of a searing pain emanating from her right side.
Hak had helped Yoon to reset her shoulder and bandage the gash on her calve. She couldn't count the number of tears she had shed or the number of times she had screamed at them during the process while Jae-Ha held her still and tried to calm her down. The past two nights she had refused to sleep anywhere but in the large tent next to Jeno, haunted by the memories of his body after the fall. She had fallen asleep with red eyes, cuddled beside Jeno and hand discretely intertwined with Hak's. His solumn eyes and the stroke of his palm over her fingertips had lulled her to a listless sleep. Yona would never be okay with his role as her 'bodyguard.' She wasn't okay with any of their righteous, self-sacrificing standpoints, but this was something she knew they would not let her decide.
"Hak…" Shin-Ah's rare speech broke Yona from her thoughts.
"I'm back."
"Thunderbeast, what took you so long?! I've been waiting on you to bring back enough for me to cook dinner," Yoon was in an uproar, and Yona couldn't tell if the ping in her chest was from her shoulder or something else. Hak was back from Saika.
"Bad news guys," Hak furrowed his brows, "I don't think we can be seen in town for a while. Saika is in an uproar about the battle with the Kai Empire."
"Why is that going to prevent us from going to town?"
"The people of the Fire Tribe are crediting the salvation of Kouka Kingdom to King Hiryuu and the four-bodied dragon. Princess, word is spreading among the tribes that you are King Hiryuu. You were seen fighting from above at the battle with the Kai soldiers and citizens are running rampant with unrest. People are angry that Hiyruu Castle didn't aid the Fire Nation in time. They are rioting in Saika saying that King Hiryuu - the Lost Princess - deserves to sit on the throne, not his Majesty Soo-Won. Sky Tribe soldiers who are now arriving from Kuuto are enforcing a curfew and trying to quell the dissention among the Fire Tribe, but I think the turmoil could spread to other Tribes where you have helped the citizens."
"What?!" Kija stood, "This is it! Kouka wants its rightful ruler, King Hiryuu, restored. We have to act!"
"Hang on, Kija. We can just jump to action. What if the throne isn't something that Yona wants?"
"Jae-Ha is right," Jeno smiled, "If the Miss doesn't want to fight, she can just stay as she is."
"Either way, Hak has a point," Yoon interrupted, "If the citizens of Kouka are really in an uproar, people will be searching for Yona. We need to go into hiding."
"We should head back to Fuuga, we will have the protection of the Wind Tribe there. No one will turn us in. Is that okay with you, Princess?" Hak sat beside Yona as the group waited for her response.
"I-" Yona stuttered to put together her thoughts, "I did not defeat the Kai Empire alone. In fact, nothing that I am receiving credit for could have been accomplished without the good people of Kouka Kingdom and you guys. I don't deserve this pedestal any more than you all. I agree with Hak. We will be safe in Fuuga. We can give Hiyruu Castle time to quell the unrest in this country and reconcile with the citizens of Kouka for it's failure to support the Fire Tribe."
"…To Fuuga it is, Princess."
