Sorry! We got some crazy snow here and my internet went out. ToT

Anyways, this is part 3 of that crazy long chapter I wrote. I hope you enjoy this little tid-bit!

Disclaimer: I do not own Akatsuki no Yona, its plot, nor its characters. I've simply thrown my own original character into the mix because I'm a curious creature and chased a plot bunny down a rabbit hole. I'm stuck. Please send rum.

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She had become his responsibility the moment she had entered his territory. His village didn't like outsiders and he doubted they would appreciate another mouth to feed, even if it was a young girl but it didn't matter anymore whether they liked it or not. She had no place else to go now and he couldn't, wouldn't, just send her off on her own. He would bring her back to the village, if that's what she truly wanted. It was his duty to take care of those under his watch and he would do so for as long as she remained. Once she was grown and able to fend for herself, she could decide whether she wanted to stay or not. She wasn't born into the village, so she wasn't blood-bound, not unless she chose to be.

First, though, she needed to heal. While her ankle was looking better, and the rest of her injuries well on their way to healing, her side would need to much more time before he felt comfortable with her making the trek to the village. The terrain was rough, riddled with deep canyons and steep hills. By himself it would take at least a day to reach the caves. Laden with gear and an injured girl, it would take at least 2 days, probably more, and he didn't like the idea of being out in the open at night. Out here, bad men were the least of his worries. Packs of wolves, massive bears, and hungry mountain cats prowled. A wounded child would be viewed as an easy target, too tempting for them to pass up, even with him at her side. He figured it would be at least a week before they could even consider making the trip. The more healed she was, the quicker the trip would be. Speaking of wounds…

He shifted slightly, subtly trying to get her attention as her tears subsided. When she finally had calmed enough to look at him, he set the bandages and ointment on her blanket, pointing to her side.

"The bandage.. needs changed… and.. your back…."

That got her attention.

"Oh! You.. I guess you saw it, huh?" She bit her lip nervously. "Does it.. does it bother you? That I have it? It turned out ok, right?"

She… wasn't upset?

When he didn't answer, she shifted nervously. "I'm.. sure it's strange. Even in my village, for a woman to mark her skin, let alone something so large…. It's considered taboo. It was a tradition in Papa's clan. A.. a right of passage, so to speak. And even among them it was apparently a rare honor for a woman to receive one, especially something as powerful as the wolf. It's supposed to represent the bearer's spirit… Papa… he gave it to me the.. the day before…"

Something inside loosened, oddly enough. He couldn't imagine a father putting their child, let alone a girl, through the amount of pain she had to have endured for such a large, intricate design, but she seemed proud of it, though nervous of his response. From what he remembered, it appeared to have all been done in one attempt as well since the rate of healing had been consistent across the entire piece. It truly was a testament to her spirit that she was able to endure for as long as it would have taken to complete the image.

He was surprised to find himself feeling a bit relieved actually, now that he knew it was her father that had given her the marking. She would have it the rest of her life after all. At least it was a memento from someone she loved rather than a permanent reminder of some act of cruelty.

Besides, who was he to judge anyone for being different?

"It looks.. good... It is.. well done…. I was.. angry.. when I first saw... I thought.. those men.. I thought they had.. made it..."

She jumped slightly when he spoke. He'd been quiet so long, she'd given up on getting an answer, but she was oddly relieved. She didn't know why his opinion mattered to her. Whatever the reason, she was glad to hear that he liked it. It also made sense now.. why he'd been so apprehensive about answering her question...

"No! No.. Not them." She smiled at him, finding it endearing that he had been genuinely upset on her behalf. Someone like that… couldn't be a bad person, right?

She fiddled with the bandages in her hands for a moment before looking back up at him. "Would you please.. turn around? So I can change the bandages?"

The boy hesitated a moment, then nodded, turning his back to her to focus on the fire- and their breakfast.

She waited a couple seconds, just in case. He didn't seem like the type to peek…

Not that it really mattered. He had been alone with her unconscious body for 2 days, after all…

Blushing again, she decided she would just have to continue to trust him and proceeded to finish removing the sash holding the shirt closed. It was slow going. She couldn't raise the arm on her injured side very much before her side started hurting, making removing the wraps a bit of a chore. Once she had the wound on her side exposed, she focused on it first, leaving the remainder of the wrap on to cover her chest. Picking at the edge of the bandage, she carefully pulled it free, hissing and wincing when one of the scabs pulled. Her eyes would then flicker to the boy, but other than the tension in his shoulders and his stiff posture, he made no other movements. As much as her pain bothered him, he honored her request for privacy. Focusing back on her bandage again, she gave it one last pull before it pulled free and she was able to take a look at the damage..

No wonder her side hurt.

The horizontal wound was longer than her hand from wrist to the tip of her longest finger. It must have been serious if the boy thought it warranted stitches. Looking closer, she was actually pretty impressed, if a bit put out. His stitches were nice and even, perfectly spaced and neither too tight nor too lose. With a bittersweet smile, she stroked the stitches.

Even Mama would have been impressed. It was definitely better than any stitching she herself had ever managed anyways….

She turned her attention to the skin around the stitches, checking for tears and any signs of infection. Once she was sure everything was fine, she scooped a little of the ointment out and spread it over the area. She was about to place the new bandage on and begin wrapping when she remembered she still needed to do her back.

And she couldn't reach…

'Well crap…'

She pulled the blanket on her lap up over her chest as she debated what to do next, even though the wraps still covered it. Really, there were only two options and both eventually led to the same results. She could either ask for his help now, or leave it alone this time and ask for his help later. The real question was- which was more important? Her pride? Or her father's last gift?

Putting it that way, there wasn't anything left to think about.

"Umm… "

She saw him straighten, his head turned just enough to show he was listening, but not so far that he could see her. Despite his.. forwardness.. earlier, he really was trying to respect her wishes. It was reassuring enough that she was able to gather the courage to continue with her request.

"I, uh… I can't reach my back… to put the ointment on… Could.. Could you…?"

Another pause, and then a nod.

She was kind of getting used to that quirk of his, how he frequently seemed to stop and think over whatever he was going to do or say.

She unconsciously gripped the blanket tighter as he stood, holding it up with her right arm while he got them both situated. He picked her up just enough to scoot her away from the wall, making room so that he could sit behind her. She pulling her long hair around in front of her to keep it out of his way and, once he was settled, she allowed him to help her out of the shirt. She loosened her stranglehold on the blanket as he carefully removed the rest of the wrap, pulling the end free from the top and loosening each layer from the back instead of reaching in front of her.

Not like he hasn't seen it all already…

She blushed again, for what felt like the hundredth time that day. The sound of water pouring reached her ears shortly before a cold wet cloth touched her back. He gently washed the area, careful not to rub too hard or too long, before patting it dry. The red color of her skin only deepened as calloused fingers ghosted across the tender flesh, the cool ointment contrasting the warmth in her skin. She fought to remain still, her skin prickling as his touch moved lower and lower down her back. Before she lost her nerve, she used the arm on her good side to pass the fresh bandage and wrap back to him, still using her right arm to hold the blanket up.

There was a rustle of fabric before gentle hands pressed the cloth to her skin, the moisture from the ointment holding it in place. They disappeared for a moment before she felt him place the rolled fabric against her back at the bottom of the bandage. Reluctantly, she let the blanket she was holding drop to her lap where it wouldn't get in his way and sat up as straight as possible so the wrap would lay flat while it was wound around her torso. She could feel his warm breath on her back, goosebumps spreading where the fabric of his clothes ghosted against her skin as his left hand reached around in front of her, holding the end of the wrap in place against her lower abdomen as the right slowly unrolled the fabric, keeping it taught but not tight as it moved across her skin and around to the front. Crossing over the start of the wrap, he secured it in place before passing the roll to the other hand, bringing it to the back and starting the next layer.

She lifted her right arm up as high as she could while her left coiled her hair up, trying to keep both out of his way. Despite her attempts to mimic his calm stoicism, he seemed to sense her growing discomfort and started unwinding the roll a little in front of her instead of moving it directly across her skin, still keeping the length taught as he continued winding the layers up her torso and around her chest.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally tucked the small bit left of the tail end of the wrap between some of the layers before lifting the shirt up and holding it for her to slip her arms in the sleeves. She quickly pulled the front closed and tied the sash in place. Turning to look over her shoulder, she gave him a warm smile, both thankful for his help and relieved to be dressed once more. As she did, something unwound within her... She'd placed her trust in him and he had been the perfect gentleman. The little remaining anxiety she'd had about being near this boy vanished in that instant. He was a good person. She'd been sure before, but now he'd proven it.

He helped her settle back against the wall, before moving back towards the fire. She watched him remove the pot from the coals, scooping the contents into two bowls and settling a little ways to her right before handing her one with a pair of chopsticks. It smelled pretty good, though the last meal she could remember had been almost three days ago, when… when her family had celebrated her receiving her mark…

She discreetly wiped the moisture from her eyes. She hated crying in front of others and she'd already broken down once today. She was safe. She was healing. It wasn't going to be easy, and it hurt knowing they were gone. She wasn't alone though. She would make her family proud and live her life to the fullest.

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Author's Notes: