Chapter 3: Now in the morning I sleep alone
Soo-Won: 1
Soo-Won takes in the sights of Kouka Palace. 'Just coming to the palace was amazing' Soo-Won thinks, remembering the people that crowded in the streets, and threw flower petals as they raced by on horses.
He looks at his father who, glances down at him, and sends him a light smile. Soo-Won then glances at his mother who his holding his hand. He was surprised when she agreed to leave the estate. She was sick often.
(He's a little scared but takes comfort in the strength of his implacable father, beloved by all.)
They pass through the ornate gates, and Soo-Won sees his uncle for the first time. He is shorter than his father by a lot a red, and green robe covered him. Soo-Won's aunt is dressed in a pink robe with gold trimmings, and between them is.
His mouth falls open, and his heart feels strange, going faster than usual for some reason, because her hair is red, and she has the prettiest eyes he's ever seen. She's smaller than him, and is wearing her hair up in a bun with two golden pins sticking out of it. He can only see her eyes and face, because her red sleeves with green trimmings is covering her mouth.
"Brother, I'm sure you remember, Soo-Won." His father says, and Soo-Won's head snaps away from his little cousin to smile at his uncle.
"Oh, you've grown so big since I last saw you." His aunt coos at him, and he resists the urge to blush, because his dad is right there. Her eyes shift down to what he supposes is his cousin. "Yona, dear, say hello to your cousin he's come a long way.
Yona looks up to him, and there's something off about her smile, like how his mother smiled at him when she learned they were leaving the estate.
("The Soo-Won you knew never existed" rings in Yona's mind, as her world shatters. Even as her mind goes. "It didn't happen, it won't happen." Like thinking that will help)
She bows and her voice, which he will later think after he's come to know her, sounds meek. "Nice to meet you."
"It's wonderful to see you again, but come Brother, let us talk." His uncle turns to a stern faced man. "Captain Joo-Doh, please supervise the children."
Soo-Won observes the two swords on the man's hips, even as Joo-Doh bows. "Yes, my Lord."
He turns his head back to his little cousin, and he's staring into two violets, and he is helpless as she grabs onto his sleeve. He finds himself being pulled away, very quickly, much to the very vocal displeasure of Joo-Doh
"Your eyes are like Hwajeon." The words tumble out of Soo-Won's mouth, after Yona's given him, in her own words, "The super-fast tour, because I wanna play."
They're playing hide-and-seek with Captain Joo-Doh, but Soo-Won's distracted. He hasn't been able to say anything when faced with her. He's played with other children before, but Yona's different from all of them. He is reminded strangely of the tale of King Hiryuu, but then dismisses the thought because father had said the story was bad, and Soo-Won shouldn't read it.
He immediately feels guilty when Yona's head snaps to him, and she squeaks turning a bright red. Unfortunately, the action is enough to make her lose her footing from her position, and she falls from the tree they're using as a hiding place.
Soo-Won yells, reaching out to grab her hand, and grabs air. He almost falls himself in his scramble to catch her, only to freeze, when he sees Yona suspended in air by two hands.
"Zeno thinks the young miss should be more careful." A blonde man, dressed in a white robe, and a orange jacket, with a green bandana and scarf on him, says. He's holding up the Princess whose eyes have gone wide, and her face has turned red for some reason.
'It's really cute' Is what Soo-Won thinks about her face, as Yona starts wiggling, arms becoming blurs as she tries to escape
"Zeno, put me back up before Joo-Doh-," his cousin squeals at the man, and Soo-Won eyes Zeno's teeth. It almost looks like he has fangs, but that's ridiculous because people don't have fangs.
"Before I what?" It's not so much a sentence as it is a growl, and Soo-Won freezes, just as Yona does.
"Hi, Joo-Doh." Yona starts, the very picture of innocence violet eyes wide. "How are you?"
"DON'T ACT SO INNOCENT!" The man roars, eye twitching, causing Soo-Won to fall from the tree in shock only for his fall to be halted abruptly, he looks back to Joo-Doh who has a vein bulging in his head, and is muttering something Soo-Won can't understand. He's also holding Soo-Won by the scruff of his robe.
Soo-Won turns his head towards Yona, who is staring at Joo-Doh. She is silent for a second, and then she starts to giggle, cheeks puffing as she vainly tries to hold them in. Soo-Won looks at Joo-Doh, and then back at Yona. It bubbles up from deep within him, and soon he's laughing too.
"Milady, and Milord it is not proper behavior to be climbing trees, and running away from your guards is even more improper." Joo-Doh states rather calmly in Soo-Won's opinion despite his obvious anger.
His cousin, in an act that would still send him into fits of giggles later on, stuck out her tongue at the man.
"BRAT!" Joo-Doh roars at the suspended princess, dropping Soo-Won in the process. He lands on his feet, and watches as the blonde-haired man drops the Princess as well. Before, Soo-Won can react Yona is grabbing his hand and is tugging him along.
"No, You Do-" Soo-Won hears behind them before he hears someone fall.
"Sorry, Zeno had a foot spasm."
"You tripped me you sycophant." He hears Joo-Doh roar.
"Princess Yona be safe!" Is the last thing Soo-Won hears before they're running through the corridors, and Soo-Won starts to laugh along with his cousin.
'This is wonderful'
The sun is starting to set, and they're both out of breath, and exhausted. Soo Won sits up-right so that Yona can lean onto his back. 'There's something warm about her.' Soo-Won thinks, exhausted by the constant laughter, and joy. Now they're watching the sun setting on the walls of the Imperial Palace.
"It's beautiful isn't it." He mutters staring at the orange ball of light.
"Yes it is." His cousin replies. He almost glances back to her because she's so quiet. "It's nice that we're all under the same sun."
Soo-Won's eyes widen, he's never thought of it that way. He smiles, "I agree, knowing that my father, mother, are all looking up at the same sun is great."
He gets worried, when he doesn't get a response. "Yona-"
"Either one of us may be rulers of the country." She says out of the blue, and Soo-Won turns his head only to see Yona's eyes obscured by her hair as she looks up at the darkening sky.
"Yes." Soo-Won states. It's not the first time he's heard about it, but he's always assumed that his father will be crowned King, because his father is the best.
He feels her curl up into a ball behind him. "I think that whoever gets chosen as to be grandpa's successor, should make everybody in Kouka happy."
"That's a great idea, Yona" Soo-Won exclaims, because he loves people although he isn't able to think such a thought it's just something he does.
"So, I won't have to worry whether or not uncle or papa because I'm sure that we'll be great rulers." Yona continues on, eyes still obscured, and Soo-Won is still to young to understand why her voice has become solemn.
Soo-Won in his later years will be struck by the maturity Yona is showing. He will ignore the sadness in her eyes, and instead think such thoughts as 'That's an innocence I want to protect, that is the best of Kouka."
But now all he does is completely turn because Yona demands him to as she holds out her pinkie, "Soo-Won, let's make a pinkie promise on it." Soo-Won stares at it. "If either of us breaks it. Something terrible will happen to the person who breaks it. She continues a serious look in her eye for a child of her age.
Soo-Won eyes go wide because that sounds terrible. So he crosses his pinkie with hers, and they both swear to make everybody in Kouka happen. They both smile at each other and go back to watching the sun.
"Miss and Mister, it's time for dinner." Zeno's voice breaks them out of there revere. Soo-Won turns and sees the blonde-haired man standing along with Joo-Doh who has a slight smile on his face.
"Coming," Yona yells, as she stands before dusting her dress off. She holds out a hand for Soo-Won smiling at him. "Come on Soo-Won or mama and papa will be mad." Soo-Won takes a hold of her hand, and lets her lead him towards the two men.
'You're really amazing.' Is all he thinks staring at her back
It is four weeks later and the castle is abuzz because the five generals are meeting again, but word has spread around the castle that General Mundok is bringing along his newly adopted grandson.
