We travelled as inconspicuously as possible and I was glad when after the first time Yona tried hiding in the sack whilst being slung over Hak's shoulder she refused to do so again. It was humiliating and I felt sorry for her having to experience that. Plus I smacked Hak's head for taking advantage of her situation and jostled her around needlessly so I quickly discarded the sack, making it into a blanket instead.
Yona even persuaded Hak to teach her the bow, however when he proved to be an inefficient teacher she practiced on her own even late into the night, shooting up to two hundred arrows sometimes. The sound of her practicing woke me up on one of these nights and I sat up, blinking myself awake before I silently rose to my feet and walked over to Yona.
Her hands were shaking and she struggled to pull the bowstring back even half way, gritting her teeth as she let another arrow fly free and it thudded into the ground uselessly. "It'll come in time, princess." I said to her gently as I walked forwards and she looked to me, breathing deeply. "The strength in your arms will develop the more arrows you shoot, however you need to widen your stance." I instructed, poking her in the shoulder and she almost toppled over as I nodded my head diplomatically. "Otherwise even the smallest breath of wind will knock you over."
"How long did it take you to master the bow?" Yona asked me, making me chuckle as I helped her gather up her stray arrows.
"I haven't mastered it at all, if anything I'm a poor shot compared to Hak. I can hit a target if it's at close range but anything more than thirty paces then I'm stumped. An arrow is too light for my taste, I learned it out of necessity and because Mundok insisted that I learn as many forms of martial arts and weaponry as possible, though King Il disapproved." I had managed to speak with a smile and I stopped suddenly, blinking as I realised that I had let his name slip without thinking.
"It's alright, I like to hear about my father from time to time." Yona said as she stood upright, the bow in one hand and the arrows in the other. "But the people of Kouka, they hated him. They call him a terrible king and a coward." Her eyes misted slightly as she bit her lip, looking intently at the ground. "If I had known, I would never have called him a coward to his face the way I did. I loved my father, I don't care what everyone else thinks and says. My father was a good man and a kind king!"
My arm had darted forwards and pulled Yona into me, the sweep of my sleeves engulfing her back as I pressed my cheek to the top of her head. At my embrace Yona took a deep breath to calm down, relaxing against me as her arms remained limp at her sides. "You are right, Princess Yona, your father was a very kind man. He saw a wretched thief and turned her into an honest and loyal attendant. His politics may not have been of great benefit to the kingdom but that doesn't mean he wasn't partially right." I explained to her, pulling back slightly to rub away her tears with my thumb. "Peace is always preferable to bloodshed, so needless war is something you avoid at all cost. Killing means nothing unless it's for a good reason. The only time you should ever bear arms against another is when you are protecting yourself and the ones you love, to free the kingdom you cherish from evil and to bring forward a better future for the people who live here."
Yona's eyes widened slightly in wonder, my words registering deep into her mind. "I don't think…I could kill someone…Ryo…"
"And I pray you'll never have to, however I am willing to take the life of anyone is a threat to you. When I am protecting you, princess, I feel as if I can justify killing another. I'd rather they die than you, because I care about you too much to let anything happen that endangers you. It's brutal but the truth." Yona lowered her head once more, her shoulders slumping.
"I want to be strong so I can protect you and Hak too. I don't want to be a burden anymore."
"You've already grown stronger, princess. Just look at yourself." I murmured to her gently then lifted a hand to run my fingers through the cropped tresses of her hair. "You took up a sword and cut off your hair to come to our aid." My hand then caught her wrist to lift the bow that she was holding in her left hand. "You've taken up a bow and are practicing late in the night when you should be sleeping and regaining your strength, yet tomorrow you will continue to walk and not even complain once, the same as you do all other days. The princess I knew back at Hiryuu Castle could not have accomplished any of these things the way she was. I think she would probably faint from the thought." Yona blushed modestly as I gently let go of her hand then pulled her away from the tree, turning her stance so that she could shoot. "Now, let's see about those feet, shall we?"
After that night I didn't intervene with Yona's practice as I knew it was something she was determined to accomplish on her own. I listened, though. I listened and watched as she struggled until finally she struck the tree with a solid hit, the arrow embedding deep into the bark and I smiled proudly to myself before turning over to sleep. I was right. Yona had come far from being the stubborn and spoiled princess she had been before. She was more aware, more concerned with what went on around her and she had a fierce drive to better herself. It made me admire her all the more.
Yoon led us through villages and forests, heading to the village where apparently the White Dragon lay in hiding away from other people. As we enclosed on the village's location I walked beside Yoon, keeping him company as Yona strayed from the path, drawing her bow and an arrow. I watched as she hesitated before shooting at a wild pig, injuring it in the leg because of her pause.
My features slumped slightly in disappointment for her as Hak spoke with her quietly. She still worried about taking the life of another, even if it's that of an animal. "Yoon, Ryo, you both go on ahead." I lifted my head as Hak's voice infiltrated my mind, snapping me awake from my thoughts so I nodded my head in answer.
"Sure, but you'd better come soon. We're nearly at the place Ik-Soo mentioned." Yoon told them before turning and following after me.
"Alright, we'll be right there." He assured us before turning back to Yona. Yoon glanced over his shoulder once or twice and I looked his way curiously before following his gaze where I found him to be looking directly at Yona.
"She's pretty, isn't she?" I questioned him lightly with a smile and he started in surprise before looking up at me, pouting slightly and refusing to meet my eyes.
"Please, even I'm prettier than she is." He answered with a mumble so I chuckled behind my hand as we walked further down the path that led to higher ground before it evened out.
"Yona's special though, you'll see in time. She's not like other nobles, technically she's not even a princess anymore. She's just Yona, trying to find her own way in this new world." My eyes hardened slightly in a stern look at Yoon as he blushed guiltily. "You shouldn't be so hard on her for being inexperienced. Yona has led a sheltered life ever since she was born, this is all frightening to her and she's struggling to grow and learn as much as she can. That's why she has us three with her, to help guide the way."
"This is why I don't like nobles like you." Yoon muttered as he folded his arms and lowered his head, hiding his eyes under his fringe. "You all think you know everything." This made me laugh a little louder, my shoulders shaking at the thought.
"Oh I'm not a noble, in fact I used to be a street urchin and a thief until King Il took me in." I revealed and Yoon blinked in surprise before he looked to my rather fine outer robe as it billowed around my legs like a fine dress. "This was a uniform the king issued me, he thought it was a bad influence on Yona for me to be running around in boy's clothing all the time so this was the compromise we came to." I explained, drawing aside one of the folds of the lower skirt to reveal the men's clothing underneath. "It allows me full movement whilst also blending in."
"I see, I just assumed you were some noble's daughter since you were well dressed and had all those weapons. I wouldn't have thought a street urchin would have been allowed into the castle in the first place, let alone anywhere near the princess." I giggled.
"Well that's an interesting story, you see…" I trailed off, my senses tingling and I stopped in my tracks, focusing on my hearing as the thick fog rolled around us, quickly cutting off our vision. "Yoon stay close to me. We're not alone." I whispered to him calmly, reaching out to my side and lay my hand on his shoulder, finding his hand then made him grip onto my sleeve as I untied my outer waist belt and quickly tied one end to my wrist and the other to Yoon's.
Once he was secured I continued to walk forwards as Yoon tried to look around him. "What's there? How many?"
"I'm not sure, many. They're in the trees and on the ground. Archers by the sound of them." I murmured back, both of us keeping our voices low. "You have to trust me Yoon, I'll protect you but you have to do everything I say."
"Agreed." Yoon answered with a slightly shaky voice, drawing closer to me and through the fog I smiled down at his shadow fondly. He was frightened, but that only pushed me to want to protect him more. We made it only a few more paces forwards when a hiss of arrows came shrinking into my hearing and I quickly pinpointed all of their positions.
"Hold onto me!" I called out warningly and spun Yoon around, wrapping his arms around my waist so that I could better shield him, my hands gripping my fans as I tugged them free and flicked them out with a flourish, using the broad side to deflect the arrows with guided swipes, the force of my movements enough to clear the fog around us in a larger circle but didn't vanquish it completely.
My eyes narrowed as shapes now shifted among the smoky folds, more arrows raining down upon us and I leaped to the side, Yoon clinging onto me with a yell as I lifted his weight with me, relying on the strength of his own arms to keep a hold as I struck aside the arrows as they flew towards his back then fled, gripping his hand tightly in my own as I streaked through the trees with controlled breaths. "What kind of welcome is this?! We're not threats!" Yoon yelled, trying to pacify our attackers but a deep voice answered back in a dark and mysterious tone, sending my skin crawling up my spine.
"Leave this place immediately or die. Outsiders are not welcome here."
"We have business with the village who honour the White Dragon." I announced into the mist, keeping one arm locked around Yoon to pin him against me. "We mean no one any harm."
"Leave!" Obviously negotiations were not possible. As more arrows came down at us from all around I leaped into the air, pushing all my strength to clear the ground and the circle of arrows struck the earth where we had been standing, Yoon still clinging onto me desperately as he yelled in fear.
"So Yoon, who's dependant on who now?" I questioned him teasingly with a smirk as shadows stepped out into the small area I had cleared of fog, my eyes snapping to them all. They all wore pure white robes trimmed with royal blue, their hair also pale in colour like crisp, fresh snow.
"Okay, okay, you win! I'm not entirely useful, now just get us out of here!" Yoon snapped back at me and I chuckled, turning my back to face the archers as some drew their swords also. I lifted my hands so that one fan covered half my face and the other stretched out, snapped shut in a defensive position ready to block an attack without hesitation.
They were closing in on us and I narrowed my eyes. Myself I was not concerned for, I could get away from here easily however I had Yoon to think about. Perhaps I could carry him on my back? But then I would be slower and might risk getting the both of us injured. Damn it! Why are these people so hostile? I know I was holding weapons against them but that was only because they had attacked us first. "Ryo!" My head snapped around to see one swordsman had lunged for Yoon and I quickly spun us around, blocking the blow with one fan then jabbed the other into the man's gut, doubling him over however before I could even move to defend Yoon a second time, something cracked down on the back of my head and I crumbled to my knees, a burst of pain flushing through me and blackness swallowed my vision.
My eyes flickered and closed of their own accord, sometimes coming into focus to see the ground flowing like a river beneath me before it faded once more. I had the odd sensation that I was floating until finally I felt something hard hit my body. The ground? No, the inside of a cage.
Someone was yelling beside me, making my head rattle painfully as feet thumped against the bars, making the vibrations clang in my head also. Will you just shut it? It's too early for all this yelling. Wait a second, was I knocked out? Yoon! That has to be him yelling so indignantly. "Hey! Let me out! I may be handsome but putting me in a cage is in poor taste! Just so you know, the heavens favour these good looks so if anything happens to me you'll suffer divine punishment!"
"Our dragon decides who will be punished." Finally awake I snarled and rammed the wooden bars with my shoulder, baring my teeth at the guard who instantly leaped away in startled fear.
"Well get your dragon to get off his ass and come down here right now! I'll fight him one on one for our freedom then you can kiss your little white pet goodbye!" My head was spinning slightly from the blow to the back of my head so I lifted my chin to yell more loudly so that everyone could hear me. "And who hit me on the back of the head? I swear I'm going to kick all your butts for this!"
"You're not helping, Ryo. Sit down before you faint again." Yoon ordered so I slumped back as he shifted around and tried to get a look at my head. "There isn't any blood so the weapon must have been blunted. I didn't really see them hit you, all I heard was the crack before you fell."
"Well that's comforting. At least I haven't spoiled the back of my pretty clothes." I muttered with a sigh but then lifted my head to see a village elder standing with Hak and Yona, making both of us splutter in fury as we shoved our faces against the bar and yelled in unison.
"Hey! Why are you taking a casual tour of the village?! Let us out of here!" Yona blinked once before smiling innocently, holding up a hand in a wave as Hak sniggered behind a hand as I glared at him. He is so dead.
"Hey Yoon, Ryo, how are you doing?" She questioned and Yoon yelled at her further as I rolled my eyes and smacked my brow against the bars in despair.
"I'm tied up but I'm just fine!" The elder bowed to Yona and I arched an eyebrow at the respect. How come they got the royal treatment? Was it because they knew Yona was a princess?
"I apologise for the treatment of your friends." He said before turning to our guard. "Let them out." When the guard realised that Yona had red hair he instantly released us and Yoon wriggled out first, standing on his feet and allowed the guard to unfasten the ropes as I slid out as well, growling angrily and in one firm yank, ripped the feeble rope with my own strength. They should really think about getting a better alternative, this stuff is easier to break than straw once you've worked them a little.
"Alright, so which one of you snakes was the one to knock me out?" I demanded, turning on a group of archers and swordsmen, cracking my knuckles menacingly and they all yelled in fear before fleeing, arms in the air. I snorted with distaste then placed my hands on my hips, turning my face away from them proudly. "Pansies. Where are my weapons? You better not have put a single scratch on them or there'll be hell to pay!" I was furious and felt like relenting my fear, stomping forwards to the elder as someone hurriedly ran forwards and held out all of my weapons. "You, what's with all the arrows and fog? You could have killed Yoon had I not been there!" I yelled to him, poking him in the shoulder however when Hak tried to place a calming hand on my shoulder I turned and balled a fist, slamming it straight into his face. "Lay off Hak, I'm pissed off!"
As I straightened up I tossed back my hair, flexing my fingers as I took a deep breath. Yona glanced at Hak worriedly before stepping closer to me, resting a hand against my arm and instantly it had a soothing effect, calming my temper so I relaxed my shoulders and nodded to her, assuring her I was alright.
"Please forgive our insolence. Since the age of myth, the White Dragon, one of the four dragons, has lived here after fulfilling his duty during the war. Until now we have eliminated the scoundrels who have come to claim the White Dragon's power for their own. Our clan's proud calling is to protect the White Dragon, ensuring his blood is passed down to the next generation. We cannot allow outsiders into this land so readily." The village elder answered my rather heated interrogation with a smooth calmness that settled my mind. I guess they were justified, however I think they could have been a little less brutal with a mere woman and a child.
"I understand your situation but…what is this about?" Hak asked as he held Yona in his arms rather protectively, keeping her away from the swarm of women who were aweing at her hair and reaching out to try and touch her though I stood in their way, glaring them all back one by one.
"Look! Look at her hair!"
"It's so beautiful!" They were all whispering and I arched an eyebrow before looking at Yona. Maybe they simply had never seen red hair before. Though to be honest, before I had met Yona I had never come across hair so vibrant a colour as hers.
"Hak! Did you hear? They called me beautiful!" Yona whispered happily but Hak just smirked smugly.
"Yeah, your hair." He corrected and she scowled at him as Yoon looked around the wonder filled eyes as they all gazed rather adoringly at Yona.
"It is unusual but do the people here worship red hair or something?" He questioned smartly to the elder who dipped his head slightly.
"Red hair evokes special memories within our clan. The first White Dragon served a red haired master." He revealed and my mind instantly flit back to the legend of King Hiryuu and his blazing red hair that had stood like a flame in the sunlight.
"I always hated my hair…" Yona murmured and a loud gasp rippled through the gathering crowd and even the elder looked alarmed.
"You mustn't say such things! You were sent here by the priest, you may be the one we've been waiting for." He said in his serious voice, eyes narrowed before his shoulders shrugged casually. "But you also may not be."
"If she isn't, what will you do to us now that we know of this place?" Yoon asked and I felt my hand twitch towards a fan, slightly dreading the answer. The elder never answered, his stern eyes locked on us before he turned his back, not quite willing to tell us that it would mean our deaths.
"In any case, you must meet the White Dragon."
"Hey! You hesitated too long!" Yoon yelled before slinking over to Hak's side, tentatively poking him in the arm. "Thunder Beast, protect me. If it comes down to it, protect me okay?"
"I don't know." Shooting him a glare I punched him in the ribs, making him choke on his air before I stepped around and ruffled Yoon's head.
"Don't worry pretty boy, I'll make sure no one hurts you." I told him with a bright smile. "Now that I know they play dirty, I can break some of the rules too." The villagers all drifted away from us because of my constant glaring. I don't like it around here. People are nosy and they won't stop staring at Yona. Even as I walked around the village square people watched me with hawk like eyes, some even going so far as to reach out and try and touch me but I would move away from them easily to avoid their touch. I don't like grabby people either. It gets claustrophobic.
"You! Woman!" A sharp voice suddenly shouted and instantly I turned to see a white haired man of around twenty striding straight for Hak and Yona, however as she turned her head the hood fell down and her dazzling red hair was revealed, making him stop in his tracks.
I quickly made my way forwards, standing behind Yona with a hand on her shoulder in preparation to move her out the way however I watched in astonishment as the stranger gave a cry of pain and suddenly I noticed his right hand. It was covered in white scales, fingers topped with claws and the appendage grew sharply without warning as the man writhed in pain, staring at Yona before all at once he collapsed to the floor.
Well…that was interesting. Can this place get any weirder? Yoon rushed over and used his bag to prop up the stranger's head and everyone crowded close, worrying over him. They call him the White Dragon. I was expecting some ancient man with a wispy beard, not this handsome young man with white hair and azure blue eyes.
"Are you alright?" Yona questioned as the White Dragon flinched slightly, stirring on the ground.
"Look! The White Dragon's hand…" I looked and almost reached out to touch it but stopped myself in time, seeing scorch marks and I could even feel the heat from those dragon scales. The power of a dragon in his right hand, I can't believe it. The legends must be true. I'm staring it right in the face!
The White Dragon sat up slowly but his eyes remained fixated squarely on Yona, eyes wide with awe as she blinked at him. "Uh…White Dragon?" She questioned tentatively and the stranger closed his gaping jaw after a moment.
"Yes. I have inherited the ancient dragon's blood." He said to her before bowing his head to the ground before Yona who stared in surprise at the rather subservient display the White Dragon was giving. "I have been waiting for you, my master!"
"Master? What are you talking about?" As Yona looked the entire village all bowed down to her in a similar manner, leaving the four of us standing in the middle though I could feel Hak's smugness, rather enjoying the moment so I elbowed him in the gut to make sure it didn't go to his head.
"Congratulations White Dragon! Our king has finally appeared!" The village elder practically wept as the White Dragon continued to look at Yona with a starry and doe eyed look, making me stiffen slightly protectively and move closer to Yona as she started.
"King?!"
"They think you're the king." Hak mused flatly.
"Maybe they think you're King Hiryuu because you have red hair." Yoon suggested as I folded my arms.
"But the princess is a girl." I muttered under my breath. "She can't be King Hiryuu."
"My master." White Dragon spoke and Yona stiffened again, clenching her fists at her side at being addressed in such a manner, unused to it. "Please tell me your name." She relaxed after this, looking down to the White Dragon softly and she smiled.
"Yona."
"Lady Yona…" The White Dragon tasted her name with his tongue and I couldn't help but feel that Hak was beginning to earn himself a rival for Yona's affection. I had seen that look many times before. Hak had worn it himself often enough and Yona used to wear a similar one whenever something involved Soo-Won. Yona leaned towards the White Dragon, smiling at him a little more as she peered into his eyes.
"You're beautiful." I had to give a little laugh, placing my hands on my hips as White Dragon blushed deeply and quickly corrected her.
"Not at all! You look far more divine." Arching an eyebrow I leaned towards Hak who lowered his head as I directed my whisper up into his ear.
"You could learn a thing or two from that one." I told him and he shot me a dark, unimpressed look before shoving into me, making me chuckle as I held my balance then looked back to Yona as she straightened up once more.
"I'm not your king or your master. I am a scoundrel who seeks the power of the gods to protect herself and her friends." She told him honestly and I relaxed completely, smiling rather proudly at her. Yona had always been truthful when the occasion mattered and I was glad that she had even improved her honest streak in her. She was far blunter with others these days and it certainly did Hak some good.
"Hey, don't tell him that!" Yoon quickly tried to tell her but Yona ploughed on ahead.
"I am travelling to acquire the other three dragons as well. I ask that you grant me your power first. Would that be alright?" White Dragon stared at Yona for a while in disbelief, blushing slightly at his cheeks before his expression hardened into a determined look.
"There is no greater honour. No matter who you are or what your goals, I am now your dragon. That is what the blood inside me says." He said before rising to his feet, turning to the elder who still knelt down on the ground. "Elder, I will leave immediately with my master." He declared but then a rather scratchy voice yelled and we all spun around to see a tiny old woman being carried on an open litter by four girls as they charged forwards, knocking the elder aside.
"What are you saying?!" She demanded fiercely before pointing to Yona. "We must throw a banquet first! Prepare a banquet feast to celebrate King Hiryuu's revival!" The old woman ordered and I just tilted my head to the side, staring at her. This place can get weirder, it seems. Suddenly the woman peered down at Yona, scrutinising her closely. "King Hiryuu, we have been waiting for you. Your beautiful blazing red hair, wise and lovely eyes and smooth skin…I regret that you don't have any of these things."
I chuckled softly before turning away, making to go and see more of the village but then the old lady's voice yelled after me. "Wait! Get back here you! Let me get a good look at you." I turned in surprise then gave a yell, staring as the woman's eyes suddenly loomed right in front of me, her litter having been carried forwards and I could smell the ancient soap from her robes as she hummed.
Finally she cracked a smile and spread her hands wide, making me arch an eyebrow as I stood up straight once more. "Now this one is perfect! Lustrous hair, beautifully crystalline eyes, alabaster skin, rosebud lips and she dresses so well! White Dragon, this is the woman for you! You should marry her immediately before she escapes!"
"WHAT?!" Several voices cried out however I think mine and the dragon's voices yelled the loudest, jaws gaping wide open before I scowled at Hak who was snorting with laughter.
"Shut it, Hak." I growled then thumped my fist into his face, making him smack against the tree before he rubbed his nose from the blood. "Unfortunately for you, dragon, I am not available for matrimony so you'll have to go look for a wife elsewhere." I glowered over at him but he quickly waved his hands, sweating with humiliation.
"No, no! Believe me this is completely a misunderstanding!" He assured me before shooting a dark look at the old woman who pouted.
"I'm just saying, you should at least have a child by now. Those looks aren't going to last forever you know." I took this chance to slip away, breathing a sigh of relief before I went to look around the village. One of the women came to me and offered to tell me about the land and culture which I gratefully accepted, absorbing all the information as she led me around.
By a small brook some children had gathered however as I crossed over the tiny wooden bridge they all called out and rushed up to me, clustering close and I chuckled as the kind lady I was with fussed, trying to get them away but I assured her it was fine. I don't particularly like people, especially strangers, however children I don't mind at all.
I swung them around and lifted them up into the air before they were ushered away by their parents to help prepare for the feast and I was free to return to the others, however as I approached Yona I saw the White Dragon and Hak storming towards us, both of them wearing dark expressions with their fists clenched at their sides. "This looks pretty ominous."
"What's been going on now?" I sighed, placing one hand on my hip over my fan, ready to pull it out at Yona's command.
"What's wrong?" Yona asked as the three of us approached the two men, both of whom had their eyes narrowed to slits.
"Princess, we can't use him. Let's find someone else." Hak announced and I arched an eyebrow before smirking. Oh? Is Hak feeling a little jealous? It looks to me like he doesn't want to share the princess with any other men.
"You must leave! I can protect the princess myself!" White Dragon insisted firmly whilst the three of us continued to blink at them.
"A sheltered kid couldn't handle the outside world."
"Princess!" The dragon turned to Yona who jerked backwards slightly at the sudden change of attention towards her. "Why does such a boorish man escort you?"
"What happened?" Yoon aske with a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose with a shake of his head as I stepped to the side slightly, ready to spring between the two of them should they start fighting, which I wouldn't put past Hak. He can get very defensive over Yona and was more than likely to start exchanging blows with a man blessed with the power of a dragon in order to stay at her side.
"The White Dragon said he would pay me to leave." He revealed and my eyes instantly dropped to the swell in Hak's robes at his gut before I folded my arms and gave him a smirk.
"Now that's not such a bad idea." I mused, earning a dark scowl from Hak which I only smirked further at in return. "What's that bulge on your stomach?"
"Maybe I'm getting fat." He answered blankly and I rolled my eyes. So easily charmed. Maybe taking these two along with us isn't such a good idea after all. If they're going to argue like this continually then I'll end up killing the both of them myself.
"Protecting the princess is the duty of the four dragons. Those who are not dragons should leave!" Yona suddenly surged forwards and gripped onto Hak's arm possessively, making him stare down at her as I blinked in equal shock at her sudden outburst.
"No! Hak is my childhood friend. Since I left the castle and ended up alone, he hasn't abandoned me. He's important to me! I want Hak with me!" She declared and I watched Hak's expression carefully, studying it with full attention. The lines in his expression softened though his eyes swam with a thousand thoughts and feelings expertly hidden behind a veil which only I could reach through as I knew him so well. It all broke however when he began to chuckle rather smugly, holding his face in one hand as he failed to stop smirking with pride.
"Well, you know…that's that." Yona took the money from within his dress shirt and handed it back to the dragon though Hak winced at the loss of so much gold.
"I'm returning this." The princess announced and the dragon sighed, accepting it with a nod of his head.
"If you insist, princess." He said slowly so Yona took a step closer to him.
"But I need you too. Otherwise, Hak and Ryo will die protecting me." She said and I lifted my head in surprise as she focused squarely on the dragon. "I want you to protect them so they won't die." The dragon was silent for a moment before he smiled, floating happily closer to the princess.
"I see. So that's how it is? You sought my help because he's weak? Leave it to me, I will protect you, this man and the lady." He assured Yona who smiled gladly up at him but Hak twitched in irritation, turning on the dragon and the two of them bashed heads rather painfully.
"No thank you! I haven't fallen so far that I need to be protected by a white snake."
"White snake?! Did you just call the sacred dragon a snake?" The three of us took a large step backwards to avoid the conflict of the two rivalling males. Perhaps we had best just let them simmer it out. They'll feel better after they've let off a little steam.
"This is going to be a pain." Yoon said and I nodded my head in agreement. We stayed for a very fattening and wonderful banquet and slept the night within the safety of the village, enjoying a night under the stars by myself as Yona was housed in the dragon's own home with Yoon and Hak.
Everything went smoothly after that. We left with teary farewells from the villagers and head back down the mountain where Kija, the White Dragon, began to guide us towards the Blue Dragon through an internal link that the four dragons possess with one another.
When we reached the bottom Yoon scrutinised the map he carried carefully, frowning deeply before he looked over his shoulder to Kija. "Kija, you can sense the other dragons, right?"
"Your name is Yoon, wasn't it? Of course I can. By sharpening my mind's eye I can sense their presence." Kija explained as the rest of us stopped walking, watching as Yoon turned back to Kija with an impressed smile.
"Then tell us which one is closest."
"I'll try." Kija lowered his head slightly and closed his eyes and as I listened I heard his breaths deepened, focusing his energy as I leaned back against a tree, flicking out a fan to gently beat a cooler air in front of my face against the heat of the sunlight. "I believe the closest one is the Blue Dragon."
"You even know who it is? Where is he?" Yoon questioned and Kija turned, lifting a hand and pointed towards a thicket of trees.
"Well…I feel something coming from roughly over there." I blinked once then frowned. That's all he could gather? This might take a little longer than I had first expected.
"That's rather vague." Yoon muttered as he rubbed the back of his head but Kija gave a confident expression before beginning to walk forwards.
"Don't worry, follow me everyone."
"I will worry!" Yoon snapped back with a yell as Kija walked past him. "I'm worried about following someone who has never left their village before!" Kija's head snapped around and as he walked I noticed how his eyes had narrowed fiercely. He was determined to be helpful.
"This may be my first time outside but I know about the world. My clan has visited various regions and gathered information…" When his foot met with open air the White Dragon gave a gulp before yelling, falling down a sharp decline and hit the bottom with a thud as I sighed, shaking my head as Yoon and Yona both ran forwards.
"Kija!" Looking down I found Kija at the bottom of the pit with a bunch of creepy crawlies that were beginning to cluster around him, startling Kija and I listened to the terrified tone of his voice.
"Wh-What are these things? Who gave them permission to make their home here?" He demanded as the bugs began to crawl over him. "W-Wait…stop!" A caterpillar fell on his nose and he stiffened before yelling at the top of his lungs, making me sigh and shake my head before I knelt down on the ground to grip the back of his robes and tried to hoist him back out of the hole as Yoon spoke flatly.
"You can follow behind us, White Dragon." After I managed to get Kija back up onto his feet Hak reached in and lifted him out with just the one hand, easily drawing him out of the pit whilst I had struggled to even lift him up. I'll have to ensure I train hard to try and improve my strength further, it'll be necessary to be as strong as possible in order to protect Yona.
"I can still feel them crawling over me." Kija shivered as he continued to frantically brush at his now soiled robes.
"I see that dragons are weaker than insects." Hak teased coldly, earning a distasteful glare from Kija.
"No! I just dislike creepy crawly creatures! I have been granted the proud, divine power of the White Dragon. I'm not like ordinary men." Hak arched an eyebrow with a disinterested face before looking at Kija's shoulder.
"Oh look, more bugs." He noted and Kija instantly began to flap at his clothes. I shot Hak a reprimanding look then punched him in the shoulder, making him smirk before he shrugged. "Whatever, I'm not expecting anything from your dusty old power."
"What?!" Kija instantly stopped and I glanced between the two men. Honestly, did they always have to pick a fight? If the other dragons are all like this then we're going to have a serious problem. I might have to kidnap Yoon and Yona and just look after them myself. "Want to test it right here then?"
"Oh?" Hak blinked at the question but then all at the same time, Hak, Kija and I tensed, the same sense of trepidation coming over us. Hak stepped forwards to stand protectively in front of Yona as I moved closer to Yoon, holding out an arm towards him to warn him to stay still as I listened to the sound of feet approaching us. "Princess, hide."
"Hak?"
"What's wrong Kija?" Yoon asked as Kija began to look around him. I was impressed that he could sense our opponents closing in on us, perhaps there is more to him than appearance seems.
"Someone's coming."
"Someone? Who?"
"There's quite a few of them." Hak noted aloud and I nodded my head in agreement, trying to pinpoint a rough number. They were heavy and rather uneven, clopping against the ground with no distinct pattern.
"Their footsteps sound unrefined." Kija added as I lifted my head, opening my eyes as my hands slid towards my fans and slowly pulled them both free from my belt.
"This is bad! We're near the Fire Clan's territory!" Yoon fussed as I took a deep breath.
"Is the Fire Clan our enemy?" Kija questioned him but Hak was the one to answer, his lips thinning as I glanced his way, both of us picturing our fall from the cliff.
"Yeah, basically."
"Hey! Hak!" Yona called, lifting a hand into the air and we all turned to look at her as she looked imploringly up at Hak. "Can I use my bow?" She questioned but Hak folded his arms with a stern expression.
"I won't allow it, go hide." She pouted at him but when I gave her a little nudge and nodded my head she exhaled but submitted, going with Yoon to hide in the bushes as I stepped up to Hak and turned away from him so that we stood back to back, Kija standing at my shoulder.
"You should go and hide too, Miss Ryo, I do not want to see you injured." Kija suggested but I only smirked.
"I will be fine, Kija, don't worry about me. These men sound like easy prey as they're not soldiers. Soldiers would walk in unison and with a solid beat, these men are scattered all around the place and I can't hear armour clinking. I'd say they're nothing more than…"
"Well, who would have thought we'd find prey out here." A voice announced as men appeared from the trees, all of them wearing cheap clothes and carrying even cheaper weapons.
"Bandits." I finished as I flicked out one fan and gently fluttered it before my face, closing my eyes against the sunlight as I listened to the movements around me.
"They don't look like they have much." One of them answered and there was a slight snort from the rest of the group until the supposed leader inclined his head to where Yoon and Yona crouched in hiding.
"No look, they have two women over there and that one looks like she's a noble. She's bound to have jewellery and that pretty dress of hers will fetch a fine price, let alone her face." My hand stilled in my fanning as I turned and faced the leader with a scowl, watching as he approached Kija. "This boy's wearing some nice clothes too. I bet we could sell him as well." The foul smelling man pulled out a pocket knife and tapped it against Kija's cheek, making me stiffen and I fought to keep myself from leaping forwards and slicing off his head. Kija may be new to the group but he was one of us now. No one threatens him and gets away with it.
"Hey, it's alright if I tear them apart, right?" He asked in a calm tone, looking over his shoulder towards Hak.
"Or you can hide, if you want." Hak replied simply and I rolled my eyes at the two of them.
"Who would hide?" Kija began to unbandage his right hand, slowly revealing the white scales of his dragon claw, drawing the leader's attention to him.
"Oh? Are you trembling boy? Don't worry, if you behave then we won't kill y-" The bandit leader made the fatal mistake of reaching out to grip Kija's arm which he hastily withdrew, yelling in pain and gripped his burned hand as he recoiled several steps from our dragon friend.
"What happened?!"
"I…I don't know but his arm is boiling hot!" He stared at Kija and I slowly turned my head to look at him curiously. He was hunched over and gripping his right arm however I could hear the distinct smirk through the tone of his voice as his breathing deepened rapidly.
"You should be careful what you touch. This power has waited thousands of years to protect its master. Not even I can restrain it." He announced coldly before stretching out his arm and my eyes widened slightly as the size drastically increased, the talons lengthening into sharp, curved claws. "Sorry to have kept you waiting, arm of the White Dragon." Without warning Kija then sprung forwards with a yell, slicing his clawed hand into the bandits and they dropped like flies one after the other.
Hak was grinning wickedly and I shook my head to wake myself up and focus my attention on the fight as several men rushed at me. About eight in total and all of them lifted heavy looking weapons straight for me. "Ryo?" Hak questioned me calmly but I only inclined my head.
"I can handle them." I assured him before gliding to the side, sweeping a fan upwards and the sharp edges cut into the man's chest deeply whilst at the same time I slammed my other fan closed against another man's face, knocking him out cold as I flicked up a foot and kicked the other back, pushing him back onto the sword of a comrade and the two of them fell backwards.
I gave a controlled yell as I spun around, my fans fluttering through my fingers as I spun them around and used them to block and strike consecutively, my eyes catching even the tiniest of movements as the heavy weapon handlers all fell like stones within seconds, my arms held outward with my body twisted at an angle. "She's a demon! Don't underestimate her!" The warning was yelled and I smirked before springing forwards, rotating my hips to flick my feet around in a wheel and kicked down another bandit as I crossed my fans, using them to block a sword before I sliced them in a cross against his gut, opening a deep wound before then knocking him out as well.
After that it was hardly a challenge, most of the bandits wielding knives so I slapped them away with a single tap of my fan against their wrists before cutting them down in groups or one at a time, playing around them as I slipped in and out, ducking and spinning under their arms and attacks as easily as a breath of wind.
"Who are these guys? They're not normal!" One knife bearing bandit cried in fear as Hak mowed them down several at a time with a single strike.
"How rude. The White Snake is the only one who isn't normal." Hak said, knocking down the man who had spoken but then had to quickly rear backwards as Kija's claws slashed straight for him. "Where are you aiming that thing, White Snake?"
"I told you I would tear out your throat if you ever called me White Snake again." Kija said to him darkly and as I pummelled my fist against a bandit's cheekbone to effectively break the bone and knock him out I whirled around to see the two of them facing off. Really, now?!
"You shouldn't let it get to you, it's just my hobby." Hak told him, still smirking. "Anyway, aren't you getting a bit too excited? You're attracting too much attention." Kija looked to his large dragon claw before returning his icy gaze to Hak.
"Nothing delights me more than protecting the princess. It's your blade that's getting in my way!" As Kija rushed straight for Hak I moved. Before Hak could make to swing at Kija my feet slid over the ground and my fingers snapped shut my fans, using one to swipe away Kija's claw before it could tear into me then thrust forward with the other straight into his shoulder, forcing his body to recoil as I stood protectively in front of Hak.
"We all protect her." I told him fiercely, my eyes flickering with the fire of battle. "Now stop your arguing, their numbers have increased. We should finish this up quickly and get moving." Shooting a pointed look over my shoulder at Hak he shrugged innocently before leaping back into the fight.
My attention returned to the targets, flicking out my fans before springing forwards off of one foot, leaping into the air and my arms curled around me elegantly in the dance, avoiding the strike of several swords before I landed on top of the blades as they dug into the dirt, balancing precariously on the flat side of the blades before a single sweep of one fan cut all the men down in one go.
It was short but rather exhilarating. Even as the last opponent fell by my hand I felt the rush of blood in my head and the pounding of my heart refused to settle even as I looked over to Yona and Yoon, seeing that one of the bandits that had escaped the conflict was now cut down by both Hak and Kija as the bandit had idiotically targeted Yona.
As she fell backwards they both lay a hand on her back, supporting her weight and Hak caught her with his knee as well, making me chuckle softly as I walked back over to them. My heart continued to race and I stopped suddenly, taking shaky breaths as I realised that my temperature was far too high to be normal. I couldn't stop trembling and I felt light headed. Was I coming down with a fever?
Kija and Hak were already at war again, arguing over who had defeated the most so I turned my back and quickly slipped open my robe, lifting my dress shirt to see that blood was staining the bandages around my waist and I could feel a slickness on my back. I must have burst open the wounds slightly. Never mind, I'll deal with them later. It's not life threatening at the moment. Besides, the others have their own problems than to be concerned with mine as Kija has just collapsed to his knees.
"Kija! Are you alright?" Yona fussed, running to him and her hand hovered outward as he gripped his arm in a tight grip, a dark mass surrounding it as he grunted in pain.
"Yes. I fought a little too hard. I meant to fight a little more elegantly." He admitted with a slight blush to his cheeks as I secured my belt and slipped both fans back into their place after I had cleaned them with a rag from one of the bandits, choosing not to spoil my own handkerchief.
"Actually, I like that the White Dragon god has such a bloodthirsty fighting style. I'm thrilled." Hak said as he looked down at Kija, sweat trickling from his face and I could see him shaking also. "At the castle no one could keep up with me except Ryo. One day, I hope we can fight…" As he lost the strength in his legs Hak fell to the ground, both Yona and I calling out his name but I acted faster, catching him in my arms but his weight forced me to crumble and he fell flat on top of me, making me groan in pain before I shifted him into a more comfortable position so that I could breathe.
"Did he die?" Kija questioned and I didn't miss the slight hopefulness in his voice.
"He didn't die!" Yoon ran to our side and pulled open Hak's robe to reveal a dark bloody mess on his chest where a lot of blood had seeped into the bandages from where he'd broken open his injury again.
"You idiot! You opened your wound!" Yoon scolded before sitting back on his feet. "His injury hasn't healed yet. He acts like he's okay but he's still a mess." I looked down at Hak then rested my hand over his forehead, feeling the boiling heat from his skin as he struggled for breath.
"Is he a monster?" Kija questioned, staring down in astonishment at Hak though Yoon turned a dry look on the White Dragon.
"He probably wouldn't want to hear that from you." He said before looking up at the sky to see that it was starting to get dark. "The sun is setting, we should find somewhere to sleep."
"Is there an inn around here?" Kija questioned, looking around him and I arched an eyebrow slowly. Please tell me he doesn't expect to be treated like royalty wherever he goes. I've been dealing with one spoiled royal for most of my life and can't deal with another, though Yona is very different now, I wouldn't want to go through it again.
"Under the stars." Yoon clarified and a look of horror shook Kija's entire body.
"Under the stars?!"
"This is why I can't stand rich kids. Just follow us, White Dragon." Yoon ordered before looking towards Hak where Yona had come to join me, gripping onto Hak's hair and tried to pull him before I could stop her.
"Princess! Stop it! You'll pull out his hair that way!" I quickly gushed and she let go but didn't move away.
"Hak can't move, we have to carry him." She said as I was pulling Hak's arm around my shoulder and managed to climb to my feet however with the weight I quickly felt pain rush across my shoulders from the wound and I bit back a response, trying to hide it but then Hak was lifted from me and I turned in surprise to find Kija had lifted Hak over his right shoulder and carried him like it was nothing. "Kija! That's amazing!" Yona said happily and Kija smiled softly down to her.
"The dragon's arm is ten times stronger than an ordinary person's." He said and Yona blinked at him before giving a laugh, placing her quiver and bow in his left hand then added Hak's belongings also, making him gulp and tremble under the weight. "It's only my right arm, actually." He corrected and I chuckled softly with amusement but flinched when Yoon rounded on me.
"Don't think I didn't see you flinching! When we stop you need to let me look at your wounds too, and didn't I tell you not to use your left hand? Why did you fight with it?! You could have damaged it a lot worse you know, the bones are still mending!"
"I hardly felt a thing." I answered as we walked, flexing my fingers with a smile on my lips. "You really are amazing Yoon, you know that right?"
"Of course I do, I'm a handsome genius." He answered flippantly as Kija looked back to me with concern.
"You were injured, my lady?" He asked and I blushed slightly at the address.
"I'm not lady, Kija, call me Ryo." I invited him and he nodded his head in acceptance but continued to watch me, his question still standing. "But no, I'm fine. I wasn't hurt in the fight against the bandits. They were hardly a test of my abilities." I told him though Yoon pursed his lips and crossed his arms stiffly over his chest.
"That's not what he meant."
"How did you and the boar here receive such wounds?" Kija asked however it was Yona who answered as she walked beside Kija to worriedly watch over Hak whilst Yoon walked in front of us.
"Before we met Yoon, Hak and Ryo were my guardians." She told him softly, turning her eyes away to look at the ground. "We were searching for the priest to seek his advice however we were caught by Fire Tribe soldiers. There must have been hundreds of them, it felt like there were that many."
"Only around fifty or so. No more than seventy." I corrected with a dismissive shrug and Kija looked back with alarm at me.
"They both fought so hard to protect me and they were hurt because of me. Hak nearly fell from a cliff, however Ryo caught his hand before he could fall. Her other hand was crushed by one of the soldiers, I was useless to stop them from hurting either of them." Yona's shoulders shook slightly but I could tell she wasn't crying. She was angry. I could hear it in her voice. "I tried to pull Hak back up but he and I fell from the cliff when the ground gave way and Ryo threw herself after us for the sake of trying to catch Hak and me. We fell together but she had no one to shield her the way Hak shielded me. Several of her bones were broken."
"Princess, you're exaggerating." I murmured to her softly, wanting to finish the story so that the guilt for her would end. "And you know full well that it was my own choice that caused me to jump. It was not your fault it happened."
"You threw yourself from a cliff just to save the princess?" The admiration in Kija's tone warmed me and I smiled softly to him.
"Actually, I nosedived but yes, I would throw myself from anything into any place for the princess. That is my duty and I am willing to fulfil it no matter the cost." There was silence for a while as we walked, Yona lowering her head.
"That's why I seek the power of the four dragons." She murmured to Kija. "I don't want Hak to die, neither do I want to see Ryo do something so reckless for me again. I want to be able to protect them as much as they protect me, but with the enemies I have I know it is impossible for them to protect me alone."
"Then there's no more need for fear, princess, I shall lend you my full strength as and when you need it." Kija told her gallantly and she relaxed at that, giving him a smile before returning to looking at Hak with worry.
