Chapter 55: Seiryuu Village
A week after they had left Ryokuryuu village, Yona and her group came to the cold mountains that boarder Kai and the Fire tribe. The ancient mountains told a tale of an ancient people who lived there. Temples still etched into the mountain leaving the ruins to crumble and fall apart over time. Huge pillars, doorways and ceilings left one to wonder who these people had been and where they had gone. It was within these ruins that they found the Seiryuu village. The villagers looked fearful when they saw Shin-ah. The blue haired youth had covered his face with his mask to make them feel more comfortable around him, but the nervous faces of the adults made the group know this was for naught.
An older man stepped forward from the group of people that stood in the cavern. "Why have you returned Seiryuu?" He asked, his voice betraying his fear of being harmed.
Shin-ah had always been shy and rarely spoke, but he knew he needed to voice his thoughts to these people; no matter what those words would be. "I've returned to help this village." He said. "I left because I felt something pulling me away." He looked at Yona. "I found that something, what I was later told, my master; to be Yona." He frowned behind his mask. "All my life I was told I was cursed because of my eyes, only to have those very eyes opened to the truth. A truth lost to this village a long time ago." He scanned the villagers hoping not to find malice in their eyes. "The truth of the Seiryuu is that I'm a protector, a warrior born to protect and serve one person. That person turned out to be Princess Yona."
"Princess?" The people began to murmur.
"The first Seiryuu served King Hiryuu." He stated with reverence in his voice. "He protected Kouka, helped keep the peace and was a nobleman from the water tribe." He smiled. "The Seiryuu isn't cursed, I; like the others, just needed to learn how to control these eyes." He touched his mask. "I am only wearing this to ensure you don't fear me; otherwise I would not be wearing it. My eyes are not something to be feared by my allies or friends; only my enemies need to fear me."
Yona smiled at Shin-ah. He was overcoming his shyness and fear of speaking. He'd been doing better every day since he'd come to the palace. He only spoke to her for those first few months, but with help from Kija and Hak they'd gotten him to speak more openly; though he still had a habit of going silent for days at a time. He was her brave little Seiryuu and it warmed her heart to see him speaking before his village. Taking a step forward she decided it was her turn to speak.
"I am Princess Yona," she stated gaining a few gasps from the people. "I have come because I have been told by a priest that communicates with the Kami that it is time for the dragon villages to unite to overcome a great darkness. Once the villages are combined as one, like they should be; they will begin to make contact with those on the outside and become a true part of Kouka." She paused and saw the fear in the people's eyes. "I know this is frightening to you; but it must be done, otherwise you can never tear yourselves from the past in order to be apart of the future." She smiled at them with kindness flowing from her causing a few to want to do as she asked while others were still fearful and unsure. "You will be asked to join your village with the Hakuyuu and Ryokuryuu villages, the Hakuyuu having already taken in what is left of the Ryokuryuu village."
"What's left?" The older man asked.
"Yes." Her eyes darkened. "The Ryokuryuu village was punished for harming one of my dragon warriors. He was beaten, starved and chained to the wall of his predecessor's home. Any who harm a single dragon warrior while they are children will be punished severely."
"Seiryuu was never harmed by us!" One woman cried out in fear.
"I know this; which is why none of my warriors are attacking you." She said before frowning. "However you ostracized him, you feared him, told him he was cursed and made him feel less than he was." She took a deep breath to keep herself calm. "You won't be punished like the Ryokuryuu village was; but if another Seiryuu is mistreated like this again, every man, woman and child will pay a heavy price for their actions against one of the beloved members of my family."
"Your family?" The elder asked not quite understanding.
At the same time Zeno looked at her and for a moment he swore he saw his tall brave King that he had proudly served. Yona took a step forward, her head held high, eyes blazing like fire. "I am Princess Yona in this lifetime, but in one prier to this one I was called Hiryuu and I don't care how often it takes me to come back to my dragons, but if I ever find out somebody hurting them again I will make them wish they could die in the fires of hell, for my punishment will be a hundred times worse than anything found there." Her face had twisted into one filled with so much anger before the look vanished instantly and was replaced by one of love and kindness. "So," she began with a smile. "do we understand each other?"
"Y-Yes." The elder stammered.
"Good." She then turned to Kija. "Kija and Shin-ah," she pointed to Seiryuu. "will help you pack and go back to Kija's village." She looked towards Yun. "Yun, you said there were some villages nearby that you usually check on. Do you want to do that while we wait for the others to return?"
The strawberry blonde was still stunned by the threat she'd given these people along with the admittance of being Hiryuu's reincarnation. So stunned he didn't hear her. Zeno laughed lightly. "Lad is in shock Miss." He chuckled causing Yun to turn his head towards his before quickly looking back at Yona and then back towards Zeno.
This continued a few more times before he finally answered with a "huh?" Yona giggled as she walked out of the cavern ruins with him still staring blankly at her. "What?" He asked in confusion. "What'd she say?" He inquired from Jae-ha who smirked. He looked at Hak for the answer but got another amused look from the Wind general. "What's going on?" He cried out finally all three men started to laugh, Zeno joining them as he wrapped an arm around the young man's neck and began to pull him along beside him.
Kye-sook tapped his hand on the wood of the restaurant table that he sat at. Boisterous voices filled the room as compatriots laughed drunkenly as they ate and drank the wine or sake given to them by the female servers. After Su-won had done what he did, Kye-sook had found himself at the end of Sun Min-sun's sword. He wasn't a fighter himself, but his guard Han Jun-hon had seen the elder and had protected him. They'd gotten out of Kouka and were now in Xing. So far the only thing the country knew from Kouka was that King Il was dead, killed by his nephew who was now in exile and that the country was being run by the five generals and the Council of Elders until Princess Yona was old enough to rule; which wouldn't be until her eighteenth birthday.
Turning his head he saw two men walk into the building with a woman with them. Jun-hon stood up and greeted to woman with a slight bow of his head. "Princess Kouren, thank-you for coming to see us."
The woman was a beautiful princess with short hair and sharp lashes pretty eyes and long dangling earrings. For attire, she wore armor plates with a coat. She also carried a sword. Kye-sook smiled believing that this time he had chosen correctly in his ally. "You said you had information about Kouka and it's new ruler, I want nothing more than to ensure this ruler does nothing to my country." She stated. "Now tell me what you know." She growled lowly, her eyes darkening with her threat looming in the air, her two guardians looking bored but ready for a fight.
Kye-sook smiled a serpents smile. Finally things seemed to be looking up for him.
M-Angel: How was that for a cliffhanger? *laughs evilly*
Come on, did you really think I was done was Kye-sook? He's an awesome badie, plus I gave him a bodyguard. Now things are going to get really interesting. ^-^
