Knock Knock Knock - the sweet rhythm gives itself away.
The entire room looks toward the door, hearts lifted, as Yun approaches to open it. And when he does-
Yona bursts onto him with a hug and cheery face, "You're here!"
Catching his balance, Yun smiles as he lifts his arms to hug her back, "It's surprising, alright, but… here we are. Our own room in the palace."
Yona glances across at Jae-Ha, Shin-Ah, and Ao beaming at her.
"I can't wait to show you everything! This was my home for most of my life. My whole world."
"Then I can't wait to see it," Jae-Ha coos as he approaches, "Your Majesty."
"Oh Jae-Ha…" Yona blushes, "You don't need to address me like that."
"You know how I adore powerful women," he lifts her hand to his lips for a gentle peck.
Yona's eyes go wide. Powerful? Sure, maybe that's true… but it's still so weird to hear. Less than a year before she'd been at her most powerless. A painful point of reference she'll carry with her always.
Yona glances down toward Jae-Ha's abs, where he'd been hurt in battle, "How are you feeling?"
"Don't worry, Dear. I may not be Zeno, but we dragons heal quickly," Jae-Ha looks up out the door and far in the distance sees Hak leaning against a wall, watching.
As Ao bounds onto Yona and she with a giggle rushes to Shin-Ah, Jae-Ha slips out the door with a simple "be right back" to Yun.
A few strides later, Jae-Ha arrives at Hak.
"You're an impressive man, Hak, but I think you'd have to actually split in two to be both the king and her bodyguard. Unless you tied her up and took her with you everywhere."
Both men look at each other considering, then smile at how impossible that would be with Yona.
Hak looks longingly toward the door that has her within, "I knew what I was getting into when I married her. I didn't know what I was getting into when we got her back here."
"King."
"Don't remind me."
Jae-Ha would normally bug him further, but he can tell this concept is actually bothering Hak, so instead-
"You know, there are a couple handy dragons around… sworn to protect her, specials powers, and all that. You can trust us. Not to mention some warrior seems to have taught her how to fight for herself."
Hak looks back to Jae-Ha, "Yeah, I know. I trust you all. I just don't trust this place. Not yet. There're some things I need to take care of."
"I have no doubt," Jae-Ha's just waiting for the ask.
"Mundok should be arriving today. Keep an eye on her till then?"
"Of course," Jae-Ha had already planned on it.
Hak takes one last glance at the door, then heads in another direction.
While Yun checks on Min-Soo and Shin-Ah hunts for a stash of nuts for Ao, Yona walks with Jae-Ha in one of the palace's elaborate flower gardens to find privacy.
"Here!" at last Yona finds the fountain she was looking for, a little trickle of water to further mask the sound of their voices. She sits and Jae-Ha joins at her side.
"Oh!" Jae-Ha gasps when Yona throws her arms around his shoulders in a hug.
"I'm sorry," she pulls back and looks up at him teary-eyed, "Finally we can talk - I'm just so relieved you're OK. Jae-Ha… back at Kai."
"I thought you'd be mad at me."
"Furious," Yona admits, "You pinned me down!"
Jae-Ha looks so very sorry.
Yona looks ahead, determined, "But thank you: you were right. If I had started things over that way, I would be no better than Soo-Won. That's not how I want to live my life."
Jae-Ha looks out over the water, "You're a hard master to follow. And the most easily admirable."
"You know I'm not your master. And you could have died! Jae-Ha, you mean the world to me. Don't think that wouldn't have affected me as deeply. Please, be selfish - protect yourself."
"I was."
Yona watches him a moment, not entirely grasping his meaning. But on his countenance… well, the meaning must be deep.
"Zeno aside… dragon lives are short."
"Jae-Ha..."
"It's a reality we're always aware of. Yona, since meeting you… it's the first time in my life I felt whole. And not just OK with this life… thankful. That's why, if someone needs to sacrifice himself for you - I want it to be me."
"Jae-Ha, why are you…?"
He smiles softly down to her, "Hak."
And suddenly Yona understands… if things had been different and it hadn't been Jae-Ha that day, it would've most certainly been Hak. If he'd had his way. ...as always, Jae-Ha wasn't just protecting her.
"He's the most resilient man I've ever seen. I think he might live forever. And he has good reason to."
Yona blushes a little and looks down at her shoes… "Can I tell you a secret?"
"Of course."
Still looking down, "He may have another good reason on the way."
When Yona braves peeking up at Jae-Ha, his returning smile reaches the bottom of her heart.
On she and Jae-Ha's way back, Yona spots Mundok with Tae-Woo at the other end of the main courtyard. She starts running.
Mundok turns to see a blur of crimson, pink, and amethyst headed his way. He opens his arms wide. When he bends down, he pulls her into a grand hug - incredible relief etched across his face.
Mundok, fully aglow, looks up at Jae-Ha approaching from the same direction the princess came as he sets her down. With a quick glance around, "The boy left your side?!"
"He'll be so happy to see you."
That touches Mundok, "I'm glad to hear you're both OK. I heard about the battle. Terrible."
Yona nods, "It was a miracle we survived."
Then Mundok remembers something, "I'm gonna have to kill him."
Tae-Woo has a hand to his face in defeat. Jae-Ha is thoroughly amused.
Yona is shocked, "Why?!"
"He let you get carried off by Soo-Won from the center of battle!"
"He'd just taken down the enemy leader!" Tae-Woo tries to clarify.
"He'd better have!"
"He'd almost taken down Soo-Won-"
"-had he, the princess wouldn't have-"
"I'm fine!" Yona stresses, trying to calm the violent banter, "Jae-Ha found me. It was very lucky."
The Wind men look at Jae-Ha with admiration. Mundok pulls the green dragon into a warm hug which is shocking after all those fighting words. Tae-Woo watches unphased.
"It's good to see you, Jae-Ha. It's a great thing you did for the princess."
Jae-Ha watches the old man, wondering how much he knows about what happened that day…
"By the way, Lady Lili was just looking for you."
"Lili's here?!" Yona lights up even more.
"Just arrived. We crossed her at the gate. She was asking about Jae-Ha."
Jae-Ha glances toward the gate in confusion...
"I'm glad you could make it," Joo-Doh says from where he's been waiting.
Hak closes the door to the king's quarters behind him.
With sarcasm, "Nice work," Hak looks back toward the wall that Yona told him had gone to flames the night Soo-Won murdered her father in here, "you can't tell there was ever a fire in here."
"It's important to me that you know I had nothing to do with that."
"Why? Because it's true? Or because I'm about to be king?"
Joo-Doh rises from the chair where he was sitting and approaches Hak so they can see each others' eyes.
"I serve the king, whoever that may be. For the good of the Sky Tribe and Kouka."
"Half your tribe was in on it. How did your men raise a sword to the princess and you not know about it?"
Joo-Doh looks away in frustration, then back, "I don't know."
"Not a single member of the Wind Tribe would have ever…"
"I'm aware that there may still be corruption in the Sky Tribe. It's my commitment that I'll weed those warriors out."
Hak isn't so sure about that…
"But to keep you and the princess safe, to win loyalty and inspire these men… I need something to tell them about that night. What really happened."
"You're so good at telling the truth, why not start with that?"
"I have no idea what the truth is. About that night or the battle with Kai. I myself am not sure if you're a king I should be inspired to support or wary to follow."
Hak stares at Joo-Doh, pissed. Not just because of what he said. Also because Hak doesn't actually know what happened to Soo-Won at Kai. Just that the bastard's gone now. He'd figured he'd get a chance to get more details from the princess once they had some privacy, but that's not the direction things took...
"Do me a favor and don't ever speak to Her Majesty like that," Hak growls, his words sharp as blades, "We would appreciate it if you could get control of your tribe," then looking at Joo-Doh straight in the eyes, "and if you want to know the truth, remember back on the childhoods you watched for so long. What kind of people do you honestly think we are?"
As Hak leaves, Joo-Doh sadly replies, "That's the same reason I was loyal to Soo-Won after that night. I hope you can understand my confusion."
Without looking back, Hak closes the door behind him, then stares forward over that damned courtyard. Yes, he can understand. That confusion has been the worst pain of his life.
The sight of that spot where she was on her knees, that sword above her… Hak's breath catches. Suddenly he's desperate to hold her, remind himself she's OK.
Jae-Ha is letting Mundok alone escort Yona to a meeting scheduled with Kyo-Ga since the meeting needs to be private anyway and Mundok is the pinnacle of people to trust. Also, because Yona has been privately sharing special news today...
Yona is bursting to tell Mundok about she and Hak's news, but knows she can't yet. They haven't seen a doctor to know for sure and Hak should definitely be there when they tell his grandfather…
"Your Majesty," Kyo-Ga bows profoundly to Yona who has just arrived before the meeting room.
In the privacy of the generals' meeting room, Kyo-Ga confides, "Your coronation is imminent. So long as Soo-Won doesn't appear within the next week, there will be no complication."
Yona nods, "You wanted to meet to confirm this?"
"No… I wanted to meet to discuss seeing to it there would be no complications."
"What do you mean?"
"No one knows exactly what happened to Soo-Won, correct?"
"...it's correct I'm not sure of Soo-Won's current state," Yona is careful not to lie.
"If he does appear somewhere or heavens forbid show up at the palace… I'd like to assure you that he will disappear once more. He will not be king or a threat to you any longer."
Yona's eyes go wide, "That's…"
"I'd like to protect you and your crown, Your Majesty, because of all you represent."
"I don't represent that, Kyo-Ga," it slips out.
"Pardon?"
Yona can see a certain terror in his eyes, that she's upset with him or worse, so she softens, "Please don't concern yourself with such measures. There are more important issues to focus on..."
They meet eyes for a challenging moment, then Kyo-Ga eloquently changes the topic to Yona's relief.
Yet all through the rest of the meeting, Yona is bothered by the idea she may not have convinced the Fire general to set aside his special effort…
Outside again, Yona sits with Mundok at Hak's favorite bench.
"I once had many conversations with your father about meetings like this," Mundok reveals, looking down at Yona tenderly like her father himself, "If you have the Fire Tribe's support, then everything else aside, there is something good there."
"Yes, but… Mundok," Yona can't take it anymore, she has to tell someone, she feels overwhelmed and sick, anxious, "I've complicated everything terribly. Most think he's dead. Kyo-Ga just said he would kill him if he wasn't. … but I had Kija and Zeno take him someplace safe."
"Who…? Slow down," Mundok grows concerned at Yona's fast pace and her face turning white.
"Soo-Won," her eyes flash up, "he's still alive."
Out. Finally, the words are out. And instead of better, the shock on Mundok's face makes Yona feel worse. She feels like she's gonna throw up but she can't. Air. She needs air.
Yona bolts up to her feet only to feel immense dizziness.
She takes a step and falls.
"Look at you, upright and everything."
Jae-Ha turns around at the training grounds where he'd gone in hopes of finding Hak. Instead, it appears he's been found by Lady Lili.
"It was no thanks to Hak's gentle handling, but I survived," Jae-Ha takes a seat at one of the benches overlooking the field.
Lili joins beside him, "I'm just looking for Yona."
Jae-Ha is annoyed that he kind of knows that's a lie, "She's at the generals' meeting room."
Lili nods but makes no effort to get up, "How are you doing? Your wounds?"
"I'd be remiss not to ask you the same."
"Hm?"
"I heard about your father," Jae-Ha admits sincerely.
Lili stares forward, serene. Jae-Ha notices there's something different about her now - something in the look in her eyes.
Mundok sits at Yona's bedside in a small patient room, trying and failing to suppress an enormous smile. Yona looks exhausted, but content in her bedding.
Hak rushes in past the doctor who tries to slow him down. Yona smiles up at him and he back down at her - only to be grabbed by Mundok and dragged into an adjacent room, door closed.
Hak is frantic to get back to her- "What happened?! Is she hurt?"
"The princess is fine."
Hak sighs relief, then sees the way Mundok is looking at him…
"Did the doctor say something…"
Mundok's eyes narrow, "You couldn't give her any time to recuperate after the battle…?"
Hak's cheeks turn pink as he lifts a hand to nervously scratch the back of his head as he looks down in search of a non-super-awkward answer, "Gramps, I…"
But when Hak looks back up, he sees Mundok's face is bright and teary. The elder strides over and pulls his grandson into a heartfelt bear hug.
"Don't worry about that - there's no such thing as a good time for starting your family," Mundok is so damn proud, "Congratulations, Boy. What a blessing. And I'll be a great grandfather… The gods are clearly behind your union. What an incredible child this will be. What a great fortune this is."
Hak can barely breathe from the hug, but despite that he is immensely thankful his grandfather is so happy about this. ...he just got the princess pregnant and Mundok isn't trying to kill him. This is a miracle beyond miracles.
"So it's for sure…?" Hak manages, "We didn't know yet."
Mundok nods, "It's for sure. And the princess let me know why you didn't come to a doctor sooner."
"I didn't like it," Hak stresses.
"It was a good idea," Mundok corrects, "The generals have almost all arrived. The meeting about coronation will take place tomorrow. The princess can't be seen with a doctor. She needs to appear in good health."
"Then what about…?" Hak nods toward the room with the doctor.
"I'll see to it this one stays quiet. The princess should be fine if she stays in your care the rest of the day and through the night. But you need to get her spirit back up. She loves you, Boy, I'm sure you'll have no trouble."
Hak looks away from his grandfather, his face now completely red from the awkward.
Hak enters to see his wife looking up at him with worried eyes.
"I know you wanted to come to the doctor together," Yona apologizes.
"No, no, I'm just happy you and the baby are OK," Hak sits beside her and bends down to kiss her forehead.
"The baby…," Yona beams up at him remembering, "our baby."
Hak takes one of her hands in his and caresses her cheek with his other, "I wanna do something special for you tonight. Will you come somewhere with me - just us?"