Hak was all better that evening, at least that is what he said. Yona started taking care of him right away. Smiling, ignoring every antagonistic or negative thing that he said, and changing the topic with a finesse that was oddly reminiscent of a long time married couple.
They started discussing the possible locations of the Seiryuu. There were several options, but all of them were on the other side of Saika.
"Best to avoid that Highness, if anyone was going to recognize you, they are going to be capital citizens."
"Saika also has the most sky tribe soldiers, most of who have at least seen the Princess, and all of whom have met me," Hak added.
"So we go around, it will take longer, but be for the best," Yoon concluded.
"So we have a lot of walking ahead of us. Best to get some rest then," Yona said and immediately grabbed her blanket to sleep.
The rest followed suit, with some disbelief from Kija.
Ke Xin was not the first one up, much to her surprise, it was Kija. Yoon would beat her sometimes, but she didn't expect the dragon to do it. She went over to the fire and rekindled it, muttering to herself, "如果你是第一个醒来的话， 至少点燃火" *
"What?"
"Nothing, I'm talking to myself." It was nothing. It was Ke Xin was just being petty.
"Are you making tea?"
"Yes."
"What kind is it? I'm unfamiliar with its aroma."
"It's a medicinal blend."
"Is it for your arm?"
"Ah no. Though speaking of, I should be able to take the splints off today." She smiled and removed the wrapping around her arm. And the sticks that were eating into her skin. She hated the splints. She hated not being able to fight. Kija watched as she moved her arm around and assessed the state of recovery. She was satisfied with the apparent full recovery. Her tea finished steeping and she sat down, sipping. She made an unpleasant face. "I'll never get used to that taste."
"What is it for?" He seemed sincerely curious. And Ke Xin had no reason not answer. She needed to not be rude to him always.
"If I drink it, it lets me control some keys aspects about being female."
"Like what?"
"My moon blood. If I drink this. I won't get it." Ke Xin was never one to be shy about her body. She wasn't raised that way.
Kija was blushing as he realized what she was drinking. Ke Xin continued to drink her nasty tea in silence.
Yoon was up next. He saw the awkward scene and decided to ignore it. He saw this coming. Yoon was cool with Ke Xin's bluntness. He found it refreshing in a way. Judging from the state of things, she probably explained the moon tea. After they were travelling again, Ke Xin let Yoon know what she was drinking, and which medications should not be used in consort with it. He used the water Ke Xin heated up to make tea for the group, something fruity and nutritious.
"I see you took off the splints."
"Yup. My arm is all better. And I have you to thank for that." Yoon was invaluable that way.
"Then as a show of thanks you can go get supplies foods for breakfast."
"Sure. Is there anything specific you want?"
"I saw some loquats back a bit. Can you pick a lot?"
"I'll empty the bush," She smiled and downed the remainder of her tea. "Uuggghh."
"How many years have you been drinking that? How can you not be used to it?" Ke Xin stood up and stretched.
"17 years of drinking piss doesn't change the taste of piss."
"Classy."
"And don't you forget it."
She headed off into the forest.
Kija started asking Yoon about the oddly tall, crude woman who had just left.
"She's… blunt."
"Well, she was a prostitute before all this happened."
"WHAT? Someone of that questionable background is allowed near the princess?" Kija was outraged.
"Her questionable background was the reason that she was at the castle that night and was able to help Yona get out," Yoon was fond of Ke Xin, and was slightly put out by Kija's quick judgement.
"But-"
"No buts. She saved my life. She saved Yona's life, she helped save Hak's life. And whatever she was, there are things in her past that we don't know. You don't get to judge her." Yoon was thinking about the burn scar on Ke Xin's back he saw when he was bandaging her up. He remembered the dress that she wears, displaying the mark, despite the fact that she never takes off her overcoat. It looked almost like a brand. He remembered watching her, as she got up after the fall.
A whistle came from behind them.
"Don't piss off the cook dude," it was Hak.
"I think it is sweet that he cares about her," Yona said. "Where is she anyway?"
"Collecting breakfast," he answered.
"Ya know white snake, she's definitely not a proper woman. She's crude, rude, and the opposite of the proper people that should be surrounding Yona. But those people are the ones that drove us out of the castle. That abandoned Yona when the going got tough. She's the one that jumped off of a cliff to help us." Yona's face twitched a bit when Hak mentioned that night, but she didn't let anyone notice it.
"Hak is right. Kija, you don't need to worry about what is proper, or what is normal. Because those things just don't matter, not anymore. All that matters is that we survive, together."
Kija nodded in response to Yona and Hak, and Yoon went back to the fire. He like Ke Xin, she was smart and capable, but that didn't stop him from knowing that her… eccentricities might be a problem in the future as well.
"What do you mean, 'things in her past we don't know'?" Hak asked.
"It's not my place. I shouldn't have said anything," Yoon didn't know anything exactly. And part of him didn't want to know. All he could think about was her getting up after falling from that cliff, covered in a mix of her own and fire tribe's blood. The way she had forced her shoulder back into position. She didn't cry out. She didn't scream. All that pain, and she didn't cry once. She was used to it.
Yoon was too scared to come out of hiding. Ik-Soo had told him to go there. He didn't know why. But Yoon felt scared of this woman, this monster, moving when by all rights, she should be dead. He was so scared he was shaking even after she left his field of vision.
And then he heard her scream for help. Call out for anyone. And Yoon went running. He saw her desperately cry out for someone to help her friends. Yoon… felt a shame he could never imagine. He came out then, to offer his assistance. He couldn't believe he thought that kind, selfless woman was a monster.
The problem was, he wasn't exactly wrong.
"Hey, why are you all standing here in silence? Did someone fart?" Ke Xin walked up, with a sack full of plants and a rabbit on her back. "Or are you too hungry to talk?" she asked.
"Your arm!" Yona exclaimed.
"Yup, it's back. Which means I'm back and we can really get going," she responded, beaming down at the princess.
"She's got two of them now." Mei Na stated to her attendant, Gao.
"Already?"
"Well, almost two, the second one hasn't made himself known yet, but he is there, watching them."
"Then that is good. How is she?"
"She's getting there, slowly, quickly, all at once. She's lost, but I left her a good guide, and the new family is assembling." Mei Na rubbed her eyes.
"You seem tired."
"I am, I used it too much."
"Are you going to be alright for the Xin ambassador?"
"Of course, who do you think you are talking to?"
"Just wanted to confirm."
"That care is both wonderful and entirely unnecessary." She smiled at him, though the annoyance was clear on his face.
"I'll let him in then," Gao bowed, "Empress."
A short, relatively fat man who was completely overdressed came in and bowed too deeply. Almost as though he forgot that he was visiting a blind woman. As usual the Xin are all show. Gao thought.
"Your Majesty! How delighted I was to receive your invitation to come see you! I am humbled by infinite beauty and-" Both Gao and Mei Na phased out. Mei Na almost wanted to have a vision again, just to stop having to hear it. When he finally finished talking, Mei Na responded with a voice that was all steel covered with a sweet velvet.
"Ambassador Nhung, as always you are wonderfully prolific. Unfortunately you're positive attitude is inappropriate as I have called you here to discuss your country's promotion of Kai Empire fugitives."
*Ruguo ni shi di yi ge xing lai dehua, zhishao dianran huo. = If you are the first one up, at least light the fire.
So the dominant language spoken will be written in English, and anything in another language will be written in that language. (translated in proximity relative to importance- the meaning of the quote was entirely unnecessary)
AYY! GUESS WHO DECIDED ON XIN'S REAL WORLD ANALOGY! (It's totally Vietnam) Which makes Xing Japan? Whatever, I'll deal with it when it becomes relevant.
Sidenote: I speak Chinese, but not well- so if you have corrections to the grammar, please let me know.
***EDIT::: So after a week of not writing this serious because I didn't have time to sleep let alone work on this. I came to the conclusion that Ke Xin has a brand on her back, not a tattoo.