Zeno cradled the princess until her cries slowly began to subside. They were there for so long that he was sore from sitting on his heels, but he didn't mind. The miss was in pain, and he was her shield. Yona leaned back and looked at Zeno through tear-stained eyes and wet eyelashes. Zeno cupped her face and wiped the tear stains away with his thumbs. Zeno smiled softly at her, "Is the miss alright?"

Yona nodded and leaned into his hand, "I am now. Thank you, Zeno." She raised her hand to hold the hand that was holding her face and grabbed his other hand with her free one. "I'll be fine as long as you are here with me."

Zeno smiled as he leaned in and kissed her forehead. "The miss never left Zeno when she gave Zeno her medallion when the miss was Hiryuu. It's Zeno's turn to never leave you."

The two remained quiet softly staring at each other for a few moments. Yona's gaze shifted to concern as she left his hand on her face so she could cup his face. "Zeno, I'm not Hiryuu. Not anymore."

Zeno smiled and leaned in resting his forehead against hers. "I know that the miss isn't Hiryuu. The miss has gained her own strength and lived through her own experiences just as Hiryuu did through his own experiences."

Yona felt her heart flutter as she nodded happily at her precious yellow dragon. "Thank you Zeno." She started to stand up when she groaned from the pain that her sore knees gave off causing her to wobble slightly.

Zeno chuckled as he stood up and steadied her. "The miss should go back to bed. Zeno doesn't want the miss to catch a cold from being outside in the cold for so long." Yona nodded and allowed Zeno to support her with his hand on the small of her back as they made their way back to the tents.

Zeno helped Yona lay down before going back to the tent with the others. When he laid down in his bedroll, he could sense the others were awake. "The miss will be fine. This is something that she needs to work through by herself." The atmosphere in the tent lightened as they allowed Zeno's words to comfort them back to sleep.

-x-

The next morning, Yona was the last one to awaken and sadly smiled as the nights events came back to her. 'I just hope the others won't ask me about it. I've already literally lived through it once, I'd rather not live through it again.'

The journey to their next destination was quiet. Nobody wanted to bring up what happened that night and were too afraid to say anything. Zeno walked along Yona so she knew that he was there. Occasionally, they would cast worried glances at her. Each time they looked back, she was off in a world of her own. It was if she wasn't with them mentally in that moment, only her physical presence was. It was something that they didn't like seeing and they wanted to know what happened. However, they didn't want to risk sending her back into an emotional breakdown at the mention of last night's previous events.

After a few hours of walking, the group decided that they needed to take a break. Zeno gently placed a hand on her shoulder and snapped her out of her daze. The princess sighed as she sat her back up against a tree and laid her head back. She closed her eyes and felt the warmth of the sun touch her face, remembering what it felt like in her previous life.

"Is the miss tired?"

Yona opened her eyes and saw Zeno standing over her smiling. She smiled back and shook her head. "No, I'll be fine. Thank you, Zeno."

Zeno sat down next to her as they enjoyed blissful silence for a few minutes.

"How does the miss feel?"

"I feel better." Yona leaned forwards and rested her head on her curled-up knees. "Remembering everything, it feels like I remember a part of myself. I feel…. more….. complete I guess. It's, just difficult to sort through everything."

Zeno smiled at that. "Zeno is glad that the miss is better. The miss is stronger than she gives herself credit for."

Yona turned her head at her companion with a raised eyebrow, "what do you mean?"

"You call yourself weak and say that you want to be stronger, but the miss has so much strength already. Everything that has been thrown at you you have taken time and time again without a second thought. Now, the burden of another life has been dropped on your shoulders and you are happy about it…. Zeno admires that about the miss…."

Yona felt her eyes tear up as she hugged Zeno.

Hak looked over and saw Yona hugging the golden haired ancient warrior. She looked so happy, so… at peace.

"I'd call that young love but in Zeno's case I have no idea what to call it."

He was ripped away from his thoughts from the annoying voice of the green dragon.

"Shut up droopy eyes." Hak snapped.

After about an hour of relaxation, Yona stood up. "everyone." Her entourage all looked at her questioningly. "I have a favor to ask all of you."

"Of course, anything for you princess." Said Kija while everyone else silently agreed.

Yona looked around nervously at her friends. How could I ask them to do this for me?

She wrung her hands nervously. "Last night… I-I remembered everything from my past life as king Hiryuu."

Kija gasped, Jae-ha raised his eyebrows in surprise with Hak, Shin-ah, Zeno and Yun all remained still and silent. Zeno, furrowed his eyes in concern wondering what she wanted from them.

"I-I want…." Yona stuttered at from the fear of how they were going to respond. While they were walking, she had begun sorting through her memories and found something that was pulling her towards something. She didn't know what was pulling her, but she knew where it was pulling her to.

"What do you want, Yona?" Asked Shin-ah quietly. He tilted his head as Ao copied his movements waiting for the princess to respond.

"I want to visit Hiryuu castle…." Yona blurted out.

A mask of silence covered the group, and as quickly as they fell silent, the eruption ensued. "Why in the hell do you want to go back there! You know that they're going to kill us the second they know who you are!" bellowed Hak as he scrambled to his feet.

"I have to agree with Hak," Kija stood up followed by Shin-ah. "you can't go back princess. It's too dangerous."

Zeno stood up, "What does the miss want back at the castle?"

Yona remained silent with her head hung low and her hands at her sides. She needed them to understand that she this was something that she had to do. Her mind was pulling her back to the castle feeling as though she left something behind there when she was Hiryuu. Something hidden, that only she could find.

"Yona, you can't go back. Not yet." Pleaded Yun.

Yona sighed, I might as well tell them. She looked up and the group all gasped and took a step back seeing the fire in her eyes. "I need to go to Hiryuu's shrine."