Fugitive Arc:

The Morning After

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The sun slowly climbed into the sky over the mountains, casting a pale-yellow glow into the dark clouds that still hung in the sky, as if it still carried the dark atmosphere from the events that occurred the night before.

Soo-won watched such a dull sky from the quarters that King Il used as an office but needed no more, the room slowly lighting up with the colors the sun's rays projected. The young lord stood in front of a large window that gave him a panoramic view of the kingdom, trying to enjoy it but found himself unable to experience any satisfaction from the results of his successful plan. The silence that enveloped him allowed unwanted thoughts to plague his mind. His eyes clenched shut with a small growl coming from within his throat as the images of Mira, Hak and Yona entered his mind, their smiles slowly turning into looks of horror and disgust. He merely shook his head and managed to empty his mind, opening his eyes to focus on the sleeping kingdom that would soon be waking up.

"My apologies," Kye-Sook said after entering the room while bowing his head, standing a bit behind his master. "I had some men comb through the borders of the mountains all night, but still no sign of them." He knew they were supposed to concentrate on matters within the castle, but he thought it wouldn't hurt to at least look around with the hope of finding those who posed a threat toward Soo-won.

"What's going on inside the castle?" Soo-won opted to ask, preferring not to focus on a fruitless search. He needed to move his plan forward with care, knowing that a wrong decision could crumble what he worked so hard to achieve.

"People are gradually sensing something's wrong, and the commotion is spreading," Kye-Sook informed, having heard some whispers on his way to meet with Soo-won. The people were starting to wake up, and it was no wonder that they knew something was off with five prominent people being absent. "What shall we do, Master Soo-won?"

The conversation was suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door, causing both master and servant to share a wary look before they looked at the office's only door.

Soo-won cleared his throat and called, "Come in."

Both Soo-won and Kye-Sook became slightly nervous when they found Kira entering the room with her arms folded behind her back, face straight without showing any emotion. Unlike the outfit she wore the day before, she now wore a long-sleeved, dark green tunic wrapped closed with a black sash around her middle over her undergarments, the hem of the tunic reaching her knees with a slit on her front that would not be visible when she stood still. The top was paired with tight-fitting, beige pants and brown boots. Over her top was a sleeveless, leather bodice in brown that was laced up at the front, the article of clothing meant to be as a form of light armor. On her forearms, she wore bracers that were also leather and matched her bodice. And around her waist was a belt with a sword in its sheath hanging from it on her left.

Kira's wavy, maroon hair was plaited into a loose braid that rested over her right shoulder, which was secured at the end by a silver pin that had an intricate design of a blue flower. Her long bangs and fringe were parted on the left side of her head.

"Lady Kira," greeted Kye-Sook, shoving his hands inside the sleeves of his robe.

"I believe it is Captain Kira now, correct?" asked Soo-won, smiling at the young woman. "You didn't spend these last few years learning the etiquette to be a lady of the court, did you, my friend?"

Kira nodded as she approached the men, turning her narrowed eyes to Kye-Sook. "You're confusing me with Lady Mira. I worked hard to be the captain of the Imperial Guard, so I will not have my position being questioned by some stranger." She then returned her gaze to Soo-won. "And now that I am a captain, I would like an explanation on the events that took place the night before."

Kye-Sook frowned. "We owe you no explanation, so–"

"It's all right, Kye-Sook," Soo-won sighed heavily. "I do owe our new captain an explanation, and I do so with a heavy heart." Kira raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him, unconvinced by the saddened look he wanted to convey. "King Il was murdered last night."

The captain's face remained unperturbed, having heard rumors circulating the castle. "I know that already. I want to know what happened before and after."

"We have reason to believe that someone must've snuck into the castle and murdered His Majesty in his sleep," Kye-Sook explained, the words leaving his mouth with practiced ease.

"Then how do you explain the disappearance of the Princess, Mira and Hak?" asked Kira, her eyes narrowed.

"They must've run away from the people who attacked," suggested Soo-won, looking exactly like a person who was also in the dark.

Kira's eyes hardened at that as her hands at her back tightened into fists. She always knew Soo-won as someone who always wore a smile, no matter the circumstances. She always thought of him as someone who could fall down a cliff while laughing, but this person in front of her was different. Instead of the bubbly and naïve child she remembered him as, she now saw a man surrounded by darkness that seemed to come from his very heart. "I don't see any logic in that."

"What do you mean?" asked Kye-Sook.

"Why would Mira and Hak leave with the princess?" Kira hardly blinked, gauging the reaction of the men in front of her as she looked for something that would give her some clue as to what truly happened the night before. "The castle was safe and there were guards around; not only that, both Mira and Hak are exceptional warriors and would not be defeated so easily by some witless assassins." Her eye caught the advisor's anger in his eyes that he quickly covered up. "They are two of the Seven Beasts of Kouka."

"I wish I could offer more of an explanation, but there's not much to go on from the little evidence we've gathered," explained Soo-won. "You'll be the first to know of any new findings."

Kira hummed. "Why not assign me to the investigation?" she asked, finally getting a reaction from both men, albeit flitting. They both showed they disliked the idea, which had her thinking how far they want her from whatever happened.

Soo-won mustered up a smile as he raised his hands. "No need for that. I already have many of my men looking into it." He then became serious. "I do have to ask, what advice would you give me on how to move forward?"

Both Kye-Sook and Kira were surprised by this, so the latter responded with, "You mean, what would I do as Captain of the Imperial Guard without a king on the throne to protect?" His silence was all the answer she needed, so she continued. "Well, there is an heir to the throne, but she is nowhere to be found. I suggest you look for her, since she is the person with the strongest claim to the throne, regardless if she's not up to the task."

"You and I are well-aware of the state Kouka's in. The kingdom's vulnerable to other nations and fragile from within," Soo-won began, opting to go another route in securing Kira's support. "We don't know where Princess Yona is, or if she's even alive. I'm looking to lead this country in the meantime, make it stronger in King Il's stead."

"King Il wasn't very popular among his people, since they look for the strong to lead them," she said with a sigh. "It does make sense that you should step up, but," she paused, the corner of her lip quirking up a bit, "you need to be backed up by all of the Tribe Generals, and I know for a fact that you'll be missing one of them."

Soo-won exhaled, looking a lot like a pouting child. "You're right." He straightened up and locked eyes with Kira, but she did not back down under the intensity of his stare. "Still, that can be fixed."

"Well, if you can, then I'll have a king to protect," said Kira.

"I promise you that I will bring the country back to the strong nation it used to be," Soo-won promised.

Kira held herself back from releasing a scoff, so she merely bowed her head and said, "You better make good on that promise," she almost growled, wanting nothing more than to reach for her sword and slice him where he stood, but she stayed her hand. In the past, her temper always got the best of her, and Soo-won was trying her patience with how cool and collected he was while lying to her. They had to know that she wasn't fooled by the story they tried to sell her, but she had no evidence to argue it, so she had to stay quiet and do the job she trained to do for so many years. But, the one thing she could do was keep an eye on Soo-won. "My job is to protect the throne, not matter who sits on it, but I am also obligated to get rid of anything that threatens the people of this kingdom."

Kye-Sook glared at Kira. "Have care of how you speak to–"

"It's all right, Kye-Sook," Soo-won silenced his advisor, who bowed his head and remained quiet. "Captain Kira has a valid point. The purpose of a Captain of the Imperial Guard is to safeguard the throne and the people, so it's only fair that she is wary of everyone after being away for so many years."

Kira was no fool and she sensed the underlined message he directed at her, which she decided to heed. He wanted her to back off and not do anything rash, which had her realizing of his evident involvement in King Il's murder. She thought that Mira and Hak must've figured something out or seen something that had them escaping from the place that was supposed to offer them safety, and Soo-won was at the center of it all.

"I commend you for your work at having climbed up the ranks and acquired your status," said Soo-won. "It's difficult to find someone to fill the position, since you could be faced with impossible decisions like having to choose the people over the king you're sworn to protect."

"Honestly," Kira huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's my first day on the job and my king is dead with a boy trying to fill his shoes."

Kye-Sook had to bite his tongue to keep himself from chastising Kira for her offensive words against his master.

"I hope I meet your expectations as a man you can trust to save our home from its decline to chaos." Soo-won's lips quirked upward a bit before closing his eyes. "And should Princess Yona return safely, I will gladly step down."

"Let's hope," she mumbled, her arms dropping to her sides.

Soo-won nodded with a smile. "I am glad to have your support."

There was an underlying tone that told Kira that she shouldn't make any remarks. It was obvious that he was going to be the king, so she needed to show him respect and obey his orders, no matter how much she might disagree with them. "Of course."

"And I understand that it must be hard for you to worry for the people you grew up with to be in the middle of such a horrible ordeal," said Soo-won.

Kira clicked her tongue, waving a hand at his words. "I don't have to worry about them; Mira and Hak are the strongest people I know, so you shouldn't worry about them either." Her narrowed, blueish-grey eyes met Soo-won's. "I just pity the soul who goes after them."

"Right," chuckled Soo-won, preferring to not be reminded of Mira, Hak and Yona. "We need to look forward. We'll deal with Princess Yona, General Hak and Lady Mira later, but we need to bring order to this castle first."

"Right you are, Lord Soo-won. Still, I must ask," Kye-Sook spoke up before turning to Kira. "Do you have any idea as to where Lord Hak and Lady Mira would go with Princess Yona?"

"No," said Kira, shrugging her shoulders. "Right now, they're just trying to survive and probably find shelter in the mountains."

"Enough of this talk," said Soo-won. "I said that we should focus on getting order in Hiryuu Castle, which is why I will meet with all of the generals and invite the previous general of the Wind Tribe."

"You mean, the chief and general," corrected Kira. "Remember, the Wind Tribe does things differently than other tribes by having one person be the general, whereas another is the chief. You'll need both present." She frowned, thinking that Soo-won was too quick to send for the generals. She knew that the general of the Wind Tribe would find something suspicious about the situation, but she kept her mouth shut.

"I've always wondered as to why the Wind Tribe would run things like that," said Kye-Sook, curious to know the reason behind such an arrangement.

"Well, that's because, if the general leaves the tribe, then a chief is left behind to govern in his place. And while the general makes important decisions, the chief also has a say," Kira explained. "As far as I know, Chief Mika has held the position with three people who carried the title of general."

"Interesting," mumbled the advisor.

"Kye-Sook." Soo-won turned to his advisor. "Please oversee the necessary preparations for the meeting with the generals. I want this to be finished as soon as possible." He then turned to Kira. "I will have you help General Joo-Doh calming the people. We don't need rumors to spread before the generals arrive without a complete investigation."

Kye-Sook bowed his head. "Of course." He then left the room to do as Soo-won asked of him.

Soo-won turned to stare out the window, basking in the warm sunlight as he tried to enjoy some time to himself, but Kira's presence prevented that. "Is there something else you need, Captain?"

"I'm just thinking to myself," Kira began, becoming lost in her imagination as she pictured other scenarios that might've taken place the night before. She also wanted to leave the young lord contemplating his own decisions and the ones he would have to make from now on. "I can't wait to get my hands on the person who killed King Il and probably threatened the lives of my family." Soo-won's eyes blinked as he turned to face the smiling captain. "They must have a very interesting story as to what happened last night, and I can't wait to hear it."

The room was engulfed with tense silence as lord and captain waited for the other to turn their gaze away from the other.

"I apologize for saying such a crude statement, Your Highness," said Kira, being the first to close her eyes and cease the small battle they had. She could tell that he was not happy with her words by the expressionless in his eyes, so she simply bowed her head. "I'll be taking my leave." She turned on her heel and left the room.

Finally, the young lord was left alone with his own thoughts.

Outside of the room, Kira found herself in the dimly lit hallway after closing the office's door behind her with a heavy exhale. Her senses had her perking up when she felt someone else's presence, and so she looked around to find Kye-Sook emerging from a shadowed corner, to which she raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "Can I help you with something, Advisor Kye-Sook?" she asked him, her hands folded behind her with her back straight as she faced him.

"I only want to make sure that you won't cause any trouble for my master," said Kye-Sook, his eyes narrowed.

"This is amusing," Kira huffed, smiling mockingly. "Are you actually threatening me?" She stepped forward with such confidence that it had Kye-Sook taking a step back from the woman who was only a few inches shorter than him. "I have no intention of causing any trouble for Soo-won without reason, but that doesn't mean I won't speak my mind to a young lord who has yet to become king."

"This is all for Master Soo-won's dream of strengthening Kouka," said Kye-Sook.

"That's just it," huffed Kira, annoyed with the man's way of thinking. "You think it's only about His Highness, but it's about the kingdom and its people, nothing else. I have no care for whatever plan he has for this kingdom, so long as no more innocent lives are lost."

Kye-Sook's lips straightened into a thin line. "You are in no position to judge him, so know your place. I will not have you or anyone else believe they have any right to question my master, or else–"

"I will do as I see fit for someone of my station," she interrupted, invading his personal space with such an intimidating aura that caused a drop of sweat to go down the advisor's cheek. She smirked when she noticed how unsure Kye-Sook looked, she could see it in his eyes, looking a lot like prey trying to go against a superior predator. "I warn you, never think that you have any power over me, so know your own place."

Kye-Sook could only glare at the scowling woman, clicking his tongue as he looked away from her intense eyes that reminded him too much of Mira's own angry eyes.

Kira hummed with a raised eyebrow when she noticed the nick on Kye-Sook's cheek. "What happened there?"

Kye-Sook stepped away from her as he raised a hand to touch the cut on his cheek. "A mere accident on my part."

"Do tell," prodded Kira.

"I'd rather not," countered Kye-Sook, relieved to see Kira shrugged in defeat.

"Suit yourself," Kira said as she slowly walked past Kye-Sook. "It only adds to the pile of lies you and your master are spewing."

Kye-Sook gasped, his heart stopping as he turned to stare at Kira's back, the latter having stopped to glance at him over her shoulder. "Whatever do you mean?" he asked, maintaining his composure.

"Nothing, nothing," Kira said as she waved a hand. "I was just talking to myself."

"You're no fool," countered Kye-Sook, matching her gaze with a glare.

"Of course not." Kira turned around to smile at Kye-Sook, still looking intimidating with such a nonchalant attitude. "I am a daughter of one of the most prominent families in Kouka. So, if you or your master start getting any ideas regarding my life and rank, know that three missing grandchildren will not sit well with the general and chief of the Wind Tribe."

Kye-Sook's eyes narrowed. "You make it sound like someone would make an attempt on your life."

"Yes." Kira's smile dropped and her eyes hardened. "I expect a full report on the investigation."

"As Lord Soo-won told you, it's being handled," said Kye-Sook.

"Good, then there's nothing to worry about," said Kira, smiling once more. "I hope we'll get along just fine, Advisor Kye-Sook."

Angry and frustrated with Kira's behavior, Kye-Sook spat, "I can't believe that woman took in such a disrespectful child."

"Careful," warned Kira, her eyes scowling.

"You and your family are nothing but trouble," said Kye-Sook, ignoring Kira's word of caution. "I have to wonder if it really was a tragedy that your mother was ki–"

Before he knew it, Kye-Sook was shoved against a wall with a hand grasping his jugular in a tight grip and the tip of a knife just a hair away from the skin of his throat. His hands immediately grasped Kira's arm, but he could not push her off with the way she had him pinned against the wall. He looked down to see Kira smirking up him with a deadly gaze and steady grasp on her weapon, making him realize that she was a dangerous person who might have the skills that could match the Thunder Beast's if they were pitted against one another.

"Let this serve as a lesson for you not to push your boundaries with me," hissed Kira, her knife inching closer to the advisor's neck. "My private life and family are not for you to use for your own benefit. I am not be a pawn for you to move as you see fit, nor am I someone you should play mind games with. I will serve your lord because I have no other options, not when I'm bound to serve the throne and whoever sits on it." She released him and watched as he fell to the floor in a coughing mess, sheathing her knife within her clothes. "And though I dislike you, I was taught not to resolve my problems with too much violence. Still, you should watch yourself." Kira bowed her head. "Have a pleasant day." And then she turned on her heel, leaving behind a skeptical Kye-Sook as he gathered himself on his feet.

The advisor watched the woman disappear around the corner with bated breath before he looked down at his hands to find them shaking. His heart was beating so fast, and it only accelerated when he blinked and saw how Kira had pinned him against the wall in mere seconds. He hadn't even sensed any danger coming from her, but he did lose his temper when he was about to insult her deceased mother, which was something very uncharacteristic of him. He recognized that he was growing more and more annoyed by Kira, especially with the threat she posed against Soo-won, but he agreed with her. They couldn't lay a finger on her, not with the family name she carried and the reputation he had heard she gained among the people of the kingdom. The king's death was suspicious enough, so it wouldn't do to have something unfortunate happen to the Captain of the Imperial Guard without a clear explanation.

The young captain turned a corner and leaned against the wall with her head resting against it, taking the opportunity to straighten her mind now that she found herself alone. She placed a trembling hand over her chest where her heart was to calm herself, afraid of what she almost did. She had been so close to slashing open Kye-Sook's throat, nothing would have made her happier than to do just that. She wanted to avenge King Il and kill all those responsible for whatever it was that happened the night before. She wanted to talk to Mira and Hak to make sure that they were all right, but she needed to stay where she was and be patient. There was too much going on in the castle, so she needed to play her part and not draw too much attention to herself so that she could keep an eye on Soo-won. She might've not made a good first impression, but she was willing to work hard on gaining their trust after she calmed down.

Kira was anxious to understand what happened. She knew that Mira and Hak wouldn't have fled unless the threat came from within the castle and not from an external force, so the people who were responsible for King Il's death were inside the palace, and then there was Soo-won and Kye-Sook taking the opportunity to take control of the throne, since it was quite clear that was their intention. It didn't take much to figure out that either Soo-won ordered King Il to be assassinated or he was the one to do the crime himself, but she had no evidence and would be her word against his and other witness that he would have no problem conjuring up. And yet, she couldn't figure out the motive that led to the kind king's death.

It sickened her that she agreed with Soo-won on how badly King Il ruled Kouka, but taking an innocent life was not something she could condone. She needed to trust that Mira and Hak were safe and that the princess was unharmed so that what happened surrounding King Il's death could be exposed to then start working on making things right.

Taking a deep breath and pushing herself from the wall to meet with Joo-Doh, Kira decided she would wait for the opportunity to either speak to the general or chief of the Wind Tribe when they arrived for the meeting and warn them.

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The mist of an early morning clung to the air of the forest, a condensed layer of vapor settling in fine droplets on any surface. Normally, such a morning would be a dream for Mira, but the atmosphere only served to suffocate her entire being. She knelt in front of a rivulet she was using to freshen herself up, having left Hak with the princess.

Mira dipped both of her dainty hands into the cool water, enjoying how cold the clear liquid was against her smooth skin. After savoring the water for a few more moments, she cupped her hands and scooped up a generous amount of water from which she stared at her own blurry reflection. It was then that she finally saw how tired she looked with bags beginning to appear under her dim eyes with a pale face. She splashed her face with the water, her intent being to awaken her body after the uncomfortable way she slept through the night. She hadn't gotten much sleep, only dozing off for a few minutes before being awoken by her own fear and paranoia of the princess being in danger, only to find the young girl sleeping soundly against her shoulder whenever she woke up.

The young woman used the water to release the few tears that escaped her due to everything that happened, but she shook her head and pushed down her pain and sadness, remaining still for a moment with her face still hidden in her hands as the water ran down the skin of her neck and down the cleavage of her dress. Mira wished that the memories of the previous night would just wash away in the drops of water that were cascading down her body, but the reality was that everything that happened was no nightmare she could wake up from. She lowered her hands and frowned at the water that still coated them, the heaviness of the liquid reminding her of something she still struggled to forget, no matter the amount of years that pass.

Suddenly, it was no longer water in her hands but blood, to which her eyes widened in panic as she bit her bottom lip to make sure that she was making no sound, a lump appearing in her throat. She could practically hear her blood screaming, and her chest pulsated painfully. Her heart seemed like it was about to burst through her chest as her breathing quickened. She quickly closed her eyes tightly as a thin trail of blood coated her lower lip. When she opened her eyes, she was relieved to find water coating her shaking hands once more.

Once she calmed down, Mira ran her wet hands over her loose hair, taking a moment to untangle any knots she might have in her smooth tresses. She frowned as she reached up to her lower lip and touched the tender skin before pulling back her hand, and she was not surprised to find blood on the tip of her index finger, which she then proceeded to wash off while she licked the wound to stop the bleeding. She picked up her lilac scarf on her lap and used it to secure a bun on the back of her head, her fringe and bangs framing her face.

Her mind then drifted to what they were supposed to do next and the people they could still trust, which then had her thinking of only one place–home.

Mira loathed to even think about telling everyone back home about what happened and feared how the news would be received, which had her thinking if it would be a good idea to go back home. Yes, it was the only place they could go to gather themselves that was completely safe for all of them, but then what? If they went telling others about how Soo-won murdered King Il, they would be creating even more conflict that could result in more deaths. She also disliked brining such troubles home, but they didn't have any other option that could guarantee the princess' safety.

The young woman couldn't also help but think about Kira, her dear friend who had just returned to the capital from being away for training. When Mira saw her friend after her performance, she had completely forgotten about the argument they had before they went their separate ways years before, opting to be happy to have her friend back in her life, but that joy wasn't meant to last after what happened the day before. And yet, she had to wonder if Kira was all right or–she loathed to think about it–if she was in any danger. She knew Kira was a very smart woman, so Mira knew that the other woman would figure out that whatever was being said about King Il's death was a lie, but then Kira would be in danger if she tried to do something about it. There was no way that Mira could go back for her friend, she couldn't leave Hak and Yona. And her body became rigid at the thought of leaving the princess' side, as if telling her that her place was right where she was.

Mira groaned as she held her head with her hands, stopping herself from pulling her hair out from frustration. There were too many factors to take in consideration and she didn't have much information to go by, so she would have to talk with Hak about it and figure something out. Too much thinking about everything without any good sleep was working up a nasty headache, and it wouldn't do to be cranky.

Taking a deep breath and releasing a heavy sigh, Mira used the smooth fabric of her skirt to dry her face. She stood up and stretched her arms above her head, hearing her bones crack awake. And then she turned away from the small stream to head back to her companions.

On the way back, she picked up some berries she saw that she recognized to be safe enough to eat, gathering them up inside a napkin she had within the folds of her dress. She was glad that she had become an herbalist like her father had been, which allowed her to use whatever nature provided as a resource to help her and the people she cared about. Just as she was about to bend down and pick up another berry, she yelped when she saw Hak suddenly appearing in front of her.

"You're rusty," he commented, smirking as he held his glaive against his right shoulder.

"And you're vexing." Mira merely gave him an unimpressed roll of her eyes before walking around him. "Aren't you supposed to be with the princess?"

Hak shrugged his shoulders as he followed Mira back to where their mistress was. "The area is safe and she's still sleeping. You were taking too long, so I came to make sure you were all right." He frowned as his grip on his glaive tightened. "I can't afford anyone else being in danger under my watch."

"Oh, Hak," Mira sighed heavily, stopping to turn around and smile up at Hak, causing him to also stop in his tracks. "Everything that happened last night was not your fault. There was no way for you to know that Soo-won," she paused and gulped back tears that started to gather in her eyes, "would ever do something so atrocious."

"Yes, but–"

Mira gasped with wide eyes, interrupting a startled Hak. "Did you know that Soo-won was going to betray us?" she asked in all seriousness.

"N-No, of course not," he countered, baffled by her words.

"Did you know that he would ever think about taking his uncle's life?" she questioned.

"No!" he argued.

"Then there was no way for you to have been able to prevent the king's murder," said Mira, placing a hand on his arm and squeezing it to offer some comfort, while the other cupped the berries she had picked against her chest. "You protected the princess, and I know for a fact that the king would have been grateful to you for that. If there had been a choice between himself and his daughter, he would have ordered you to fulfill your vow to keep his precious child safe."

Hak sighed, looking at the ground. He understood what Mira was trying to tell him and it helped taking away some of the pain he felt for failing the king, but the wound that was cutting him deepest was the fact that it was no mere stranger who ended King Il's life and destroyed Princess Yona's world. He was still trying to come to terms with the fact that it was Soo-won who assassinated the king and took the throne, and it made him sick just thinking what would have happened had he and Mira not arrived in time to save the princess from following her father to the afterlife.

"Stop trying to blame yourself for things you couldn't control," said Mira, mustering up a smile to show Hak that everything was going to be all right; they both had to be for the princess.

"You're right," Hak exhaled as he began to make his way back to the princess.

Mira grinned as she followed Hak. "Of course," she said matter-of-factly. "Big Sister knows best."

Hak opted not to indulge her with a response as they arrived to where he left the princess resting against a tree, only to find her eyes fluttering awake.

"Good morning, Princess," Mira greeted with a smile. "I know it's not much, but I found some berries that should help keep your strength up."

"Eat up," said Hak. "They'll catch up to us, so we must keep moving."

"Where…will we go?" asked a despondent and exhausted Yona, her blank eyes seeming to be staring at nothing. Her voice that had been quiet for so long had Mira and Hak focusing on her. "During the party, my father was crying from joy." Her voice slowly broke as she remembered her father's smile with tears glistening on the corners of his eyes, but she only felt like an even heavier weight was on her chest when she remembered how horrible she was to him before she could have had a chance to talk with him and make things right. "But I never got to thank him for anything." She sniffed, large tears cascading down her red and burning eyes. "That was my father's palace. If we leave him there, where will we go?"

At that moment in her suffering, Yona regretted so many things that she wished she could take back. She wanted everything to be some sort of a deranged nightmare she could wake up from so that she could run to her father and hug him, to try and put into words how much she loved him. The thought that she would not be able to see him again in the mornings to share breakfast, walk around the gardens or simply talk broke her heart. Such images made her feel like her heart was being wrenched into nothing. She wanted nothing more than to see him smiling at her, ready to give her the unconditional love he was always ready to provide for her.

Before Mira could take a step forward to comfort the princess, she paused when she saw Hak had already dropped down on a knee to gather Yona into a one-arm embrace with his other hand still holding his weapon that he rested on the ground. The image was so touching to Mira, seeing a soldier trying to shield his most precious person from any pain. She wished that this could have happened under other circumstances, but she still smiled, glad that they were still alive.

"Hak," whispered a surprised Yona. She couldn't remember a time when Hak gave her such a hug filled with so much warmth, but she found that he filled her up with the feeling of comfort she needed at that moment.

"We'll go anywhere we have to," Hak whispered into Yona's crimson hair that was slowly losing the usual scent it had from the oils of her baths, "to keep you alive. That's how we can honor His Majesty's memory, it's how you can return the king's love."

Yona continued to cry while she was held within Hak's arms, whereas Mira silently smiled as she watched over them before she turned her eyes upward to see the morning sun's rays light up the blue sky just as three birds flew by and five others following behind them.

It was hard to believe that the day when the princess came into the world would be the same day her father would be leaving it. And now, the princess lost what remained of her family, her home, the man she loved and so many other things.

The only hope was that moving forward would bring a better future.

.

It was those memories of the past that reminded young Princess Yona of all the struggles she had to endure since she left her home. The princess came back to herself as the grip on her bow tightened, her violet eyes going back to stare at the troops marching through the valley. She could remember things past and carry them with her, but she was not going to allow it to define her, her present or her future.

The familiar presences of seven people who stood behind her offered her more than enough comfort and strength to help her keep moving forward with her life. Together with the people accompanying her, she knew that she would be able to overcome anything.

Down in the steep valley, the army marched with their flags raised high in the air, making their way toward the Kouka Kingdom to try and invade the country. At the front lines, one of the soldiers looked up when he noticed a figure that was too large to be a bird passing overhead, but then he frowned when he saw that it looked to be a man flying in the air. Before he could alert one of his comrades, a flash of light caught his attention before his body was hit with multiple throwing knives and he fell from his startled horse. Other soldiers gasped as they watched their comrade fall on the ground before they began to look around for the culprit, all eyes looking up to where the throwing knives could have come from.

From above, the green-haired man kept on smiling before throwing even more knives that looked like rain, some hitting soldiers and others being blocked by shields.

"Shoot him!" ordered a soldier from atop his horse. Some archers beside him quickly nocked their arrows and aimed them at the falling man, but they paused when they saw someone else land in front of them with a grunt.

The white-haired man with an enlarged hand that looked like a monstrous claw charged at them just as the green-haired man landed behind him with ease. The flying man threw more knives that flew by his comrade to immobilize the archers, having his companion's back with more knives at the ready to be fired. The young man with the giant claw swiped away soldiers with ease, ripping through armor as if it were paper.

The soldiers stared at the white-haired man with his claw, unable to believe what they were seeing. Suddenly, yells were heard from the back of the troop as soldiers were being thrown about.

"Two more!" a soldier called out.

Hak slashed away at another soldier with his glaive. There was a man who tried to sneak up on the dark-haired warrior but was halted with spikes being thrown at his arm, causing him to drop his sword and fall in pain just as Mira landed behind Hak as she wore a cloak with the cowl pulled back from her head.

"A woman?" a soldier questioned as he and others formed a circle-like area around the siblings.

Mira huffed with a grin as she spread her arms out of her cloak to keep throwing spikes at the soldiers. As a soldier was about to confront Mira, a young man wearing a mask dropped down in front of her and killed the soldier, a squirrel hidden within his clothes as she squeaked.

The three abnormal men, Mira and Hak kept on fighting the soldiers, eliminating the enemy with ease and experience as they dwindled the army's numbers without so much as a scratch blemishing their persons.

Knives fell from above, claws broke through steel and blades became stained with blood.

"Leave Kouka Kingdom immediately!" Yona yelled out to the soldiers from where she stood on the top of the hill, watching everything unfold below her with a pretty young boy standing behind her. Her voice managed to annoy catch a soldier's attention as he looked up to her. "I will not let you do as you please to this kingdom!"

"D-Damn you!" cursed the soldier as he drew an arrow and nocked it on his bow, pointing it at the young princess before releasing it.

A blond-haired boy blocked the arrow meant for Yona with a shield, kneeling in front of her in case of any more arrows being fired at her.

Yona took an arrow from the quiver on her back and nocked it on her bow, pointing it at the soldier down in the valley who had shot at her with practiced ease as the wind howled in her ears and ruffled her clothes, but nothing else mattered as her eyes focused on her target.

The young princess took a calming breath.

She was determined to survive.

The arrow was aimed.

She was going to fight for her father's beliefs and for her comrades.

And then the arrow was released.

Finished with that ordeal, finally!

This was a very hard chapter to write, so I am not completely happy with it, so I would appreciate any thoughts or opinions.

Be sure to Fave or Follow or Review or whatever you want, I'd be happy with anything. And I am very grateful and happy with the support I've gathered. I didn't think I'd do so good, so thank you all who have been so supportive.

I hope you enjoyed and see you next chapter!