Hak was relieved as he watched Yona drift off to sleep. He tried desperately to push down his own feelings about Soo-Won's betrayal and focus on the fact that Yona had finally spoken, although her words had also been heartbreaking. He watched as tears slowly flowed down her face in her sleep, unhindered anymore by the shock that had been sustaining her.
Hak's hands clenched into fists on his lap. She had told him not to die. That was absurd. There was absolutely no way he could die right now, not when he had such an important job to do. He had always taken his position as her bodyguard seriously, but this was the first time it was being put to the test in such a real way. He had made a promise to King Il to take care of her, and dying would get in the way of that. But beyond that promise was the real reason he guarded her, the reason that he devoted himself to her, body and soul. She was more precious to him than anything in the world, and keeping her safe was tantamount to keeping his own heart beating inside his chest.
She shifted in her sleep and winced a little, and Hak remembered that she was used to the comforts of a palace life. Leaning against a tree like she was must be highly uncomfortable for her. Standing up, he took off his outer robe, folding it up into a head-sized square shape. He stepped closer to Yona and bent her head forward, cradling it lightly against his chest. As he did, he realized that it was probably chilly for the princess too, and stopped, torn about what to do. Should he use his robe as a pillow or as a blanket for her?
As he was debating with himself, he remembered that Yona was wearing her own cloak. Trying his best not to jostle her, Hak undid Yona's cloak and worked it free from behind her. He placed his makeshift pillow behind her head and guided it backwards to rest against the tree once more. He then twirled her cloak around, draping it over her shoulders to serve as a blanket.
Once he had tucked her in, he stepped back, surveying his work. She certainly didn't look comfortable, but it was at least better than it had been. He noticed that there were still tears wet on her face, and reached out to wipe them dry.
For a long time, he knelt in front of her, examining her face. He couldn't help but wonder if she would be all right, and if the fire that he loved would return to her eyes. Eventually, he shifted himself back into his position at the neighboring tree, settling in to keep watch for the night. After all, he had promises to keep.