"Princess… are you pregnant?"
Yona's heart begins to race.
She and Min-Soo are standing outside the great room for the Generals Meeting - she was just about to go in before Min-Soo caught up with urgent news. He was able to decipher the code on the parchment Yona'd given him this morning. It's just… he doesn't understand it.
"It said that?" Yona tries to keep steady.
Min-Soo watches her face continue to pale as he nods. They leave the truth left unsaid between them, but it's understood.
"Anything else?"
Min-Soo shifts in discomfort, not wanting to answer.
"Would you rather tell Hak?"
Min-Soo's face flashes fear, "Princess… the message asked for the next move. About the pregnancy."
"Hhh…," Yona can't help it as a single tear slides down her cheek. About the baby… she feels wildly protective. And beyond vulnerable.
To see this and now understand the threat of that message, Min-Soo's heart aches. It couldn't be…?
Yona's voice is almost a whisper, "Let me... tell Hak."
Joo-Doh. Geun-Tae. Tae-Woo. Kyo-Ga.
Kouka's remaining four generals sit around the table in anticipation of Princess Yona's arrival.
Hak sits slightly off to the side with Mundok. Today he's still tribeless wanderer Hak, technically not anything more than the last royal of this kingdom's lover. Even their marriage has yet to be officially recognized.
Jae-Ha and Shin-Ah sit slightly off to the opposite side, by Yona's invitation, with a very nervous Lili next to Jae-Ha.
The green dragon whispers, "Isn't your dream guy in here?"
"Shhhh!" Lili is mortified.
Jae-Ha smiles, looking forward, "Just picture him with nothing on. It does wonders for nerves."
Lili's face is bright red now - she growls, "I've never seen a man with his clothes off so I'd have no idea what to picture…"
Jae-Ha glances down in fascination, "Really?"
"Shhhh!"
THUD. The great door opens and there she is - Princess Yona. A small figure confidently moving forward. Thanks to Yun, she looks every inch the radiant royal figure she is - you'd have no idea what her morning activities had included.
Everyone in the room rises and watches in wonder. She smiles at them in a way that sets hearts at ease, then takes her seat. They all follow suit.
There's no chair next to Yona at the head of the table and she feels that missing piece like a vast empty chasm. She wants Hak at her side. To the point it's distracting.
So Yona glances over at the Thunder Beast. When he smiles encouragingly back at her as though they were the only ones in that room, she lets out a great breath of relief and her heart slows down. As always, even if he's not beside her, that boy's always got her back.
Yona turns her attention to the room, "Thank you for your journeys. I'm grateful we've all come to this moment, though with regret for the losses that brought us here. My heart goes out to the Water Tribe for our loss of General Joon-Gi," Yona gives a heartfelt look toward Lili, "and to Kouka for yet another sudden transition of leadership at the highest level. I am here today because of my royal blood. As the last blood royal in my family's line, I understand it is my duty now to accept or decline the throne."
"The law is written as she says," Kyo-Ga confirms.
Joo-Doh nods acceptance.
"From my journeys across each tribe's lands this past year, I feel more compelled than ever to accept the role of queen. I wish to serve our people more than anything else. And I'm also coming to accept it as my fate."
"I don't really…," Geun-Tae searches for the words, "buy into prophecies."
"But in this case-" Kyo-Ga begins.
"-but I can't explain what I saw on the battlefield against Kai either," Geun-Tae finishes as he nods toward the dragon warriors, "I might believe about anything anymore."
Joo-Doh nods in agreement, "Generals, does anyone here doubt Princess Yona should be queen?"
"You have the Fire Tribe's support," Kyo-Ga offers encouragingly to Yona.
"We're behind you," Tae-Woo confirms with a hint of pride as he glances over toward Hak.
"I like what I've seen," Geun-Tae commits as he leans back.
"Then that much is settled," Joo-Doh establishes as he looks at Princess Yona directly with a promise, "I will serve you without hesitation."
"Next," Kyo-Ga begins, "is setting the coronation."
"No, before that, another piece of business," Joo-Doh corrects, "Princess Yona has taken a husband."
"We knew that already…" Tae-Woo is confused.
"When King Il was murdered, it was reported that the princess' attendant was guilty of both killing the king and kidnapping her. This is the very man who sits behind us and is the proposed new king."
Tae-Woo scowls at Joo-Doh for being so callous in bringing this up here.
Yona looks toward Hak. There on the side, Mundok has placed a calming hand on his grandson's shoulder. Hak lets out an "of course" huff of air, but otherwise pretty much keeps his poker face.
Yona wants to scream - slander hurts terribly when it's against you, but when it's of the person most precious to you in the world, it's unbearable.
"That story was fabricated as a cover up. Hak risked his life to save mine that night… and every day since. To protect me, he gave up his generalship, tribe affiliation, even his family name," Yona is trying to keep calm, but her speech is quick, "Former Wind General Son Hak is the most loyal, self-sacrificing, and talented warrior I have ever known. Tell me, what can I do to satisfy you so that you can support him as fervently as I do as king at my side?" then, "We're already married, which should not be overlooked…" And I'm carrying his child! Yona wishes she could reveal as evidence of the depth of her commitment.
"That is… in the history of royals, when marriages of love have come into conflict with political interests," Joo-Doh begins-
"-You can't possibly be insinuating-" Tae-Woo rises.
"I'm not. Calm down," Joo-Doh clarifies, "I'm just explaining why we're talking about this at all. We need to do this properly. There are tons of missing details."
"Ask me," Yona demands.
"Were there witnesses at the wedding?" Joo-Doh asks.
"I was there," Mundok rises, nodding to Joo-Doh.
"So were we," Jae-Ha offers, standing alongside Shin-Ah. Ao gives a little squeak.
"Where was my invitation?" Geun-Tae lightens the tense mood.
"It was a little complicated," Yona calms down with a little laugh, then looks with apology toward Tae-Woo.
"Good," Joo-Doh brings everyone back to task, "that should be enough to stop any nobles trying to force a different match for their support. But... the support of the people is another matter. We need to know what happened - if the Thunder Beast didn't kill King Il… who did?"
Yona stares into empty space. She's been avoiding this. To tell the truth… will be the truth. However, it will also put Soo-Won's life at risk if he's still alive. And on the one hand, yes, justice will be served. Yet… she can't help but believe there's still more to this story…
But Hak. If Hak is the one to suffer because she's protecting Soo-Won, that's not something she can live with. She can bear any amount of suffering she chooses because of Soo-Won. But she will never ask that of Hak. There is only one way forward now…
"Soo-Won murdered my father. I watched him do it with my own eyes," Yona takes a breath before continuing, bringing that terrible night back into memory, "He had long plotted the regicide for the night of my sixteenth birthday party. And when I accidentally saw him do it… the Sky Tribe soldiers who'd taken his side tried to kill me, too. If it weren't for Hak taking on dozens of men on his own to stop them, even fighting Soo-Won that night, I'd be in a grave next to my father right now."
No one wants to speak. Those who didn't outright already know had at least wondered. And they all, somewhere deep inside, already knew the truth.
"Were there any witnesses," finally Joo-Doh gets back to business.
"I was there," Min-Soo, who entered with Yona, steps forward from the back of the room, "There are wounds on my back as evidence. If you investigate, you'll find the rate which they have healed lines up perfectly with the night in question."
Joo-Doh sighs in frustration at the disturbing evidence, "Even this morning… I witnessed Sky Tribe soldiers raise a sword to the princess."
"What?!" Kyo-Ga turns in shock.
"Yona…" Jae-Ha looks her way in concern.
"There's no question now - Soo-Won's takeover was hostile and some of his people are still here," Joo-Doh concedes.
"Well then," Tae-Woo suggests, "instead of questioning Lord Hak's honor, we should be praising him for saving the princess."
"That boy," Geun-Tae shoots a feral smile Hak's way, "is a good man. And a terrifying warrior. I have no qualms following him as our king."
"I trust Princess Yona's judgment," Kyo-Ga bows his head in full support.
"Then we have one final role to decide on," Joo-Doh announces.
"Ah, yes," Yona brightens, "the matter of Water Tribe Chief and General. There's someone I would like to nominate," Yona glances over at Lili encouragingly, "Late General Joon-Gi's daughter An Lili. Please rise, Lili, and join us here at the table."
The generals all turn in shock, not having expected that. Lili tries to stop the color in her face from rising as she finds her way to the Water Tribe chair. She takes a seat and the second she looks up she realizes she's directly across from Geun-Tae.
"Lady Lili, I know you're a very strong young woman from what I saw in Sei. Do you also know how to fight?"
"That-" Yona cuts in before Lili has to give the awkward answer, "-is not why I want her for this position. Lili has the respect of her tribe as well as has proven to me on multiple occasions she has the bravery, loyalty, and strategic leadership ability to solve the current struggles within her tribe. She's already helped eradicate nadai - a long overlooked plague on her people."
"I can second that," Jae-Ha chimes in from the sidelines, to Lili's continued embarrassment.
Yona smiles at the support, then-
"Generals need to know how to fight," Joo-Doh cuts in, "You'd be putting both she and her tribe in danger by doing this."
"I do agree, General Joo-Doh. She should also understand the basics of fighting to be competent in her position. To that end, I'd like to appoint one of you to train her."
Lili looks to Yona in anticipation.
"Tae-Woo," Yona charges.
The air whooshes out of Lili. Tae-WHO? She didn't even notice this person…
Tae-Woo doesn't register Yona's words at first. What? Then he looks around the room as though there was a mistake...
"It's because Hak trained me so well, I figured the Wind boys have a knack for this sort of thing. Thanks to Mundok," Yona glows in her advisor's direction.
Mundok is absolutely getting a kick out of how lost Tae-Woo looks.
"I don't like this," Joo-Doh continues, "I can name five guys off the top of my head who'd be ready to fill the post."
"And they'd all be exactly like you," Yona presses, "A little diversity in our perspectives on war policy might be good for the country. There's only one way to really find out."
"Fine," Joo-Doh grumbles, "If she can pass basic training by coronation, then… I'd be willing to try this out. But only if..."
"That's insane," Tae-Woo snaps forward, "warriors spend months to get to that level."
"They don't have personal trainers," Geun-Tae considers, eating this up, "And definitely not one of the best warriors in the country as their personal trainer."
"Lili," Yona offers, "if this is asking too much…"
Lili shakes her head, "No! No… not at all. I'll do my best," she turns to Tae-Woo whose face is all disbelief of his bad, bad luck. Oh shit.
Off to the side, Hak, who has on purpose held his tongue the entire meeting, is beaming at Yona. Every goal she walked in here with, she either just achieved or significantly brought forward.
Once outside the meeting, Yona walks and walks until she's in the garden next to the fountain she always goes to for privacy.
His hands on her shoulders. Her heart skips a beat.
Yona turns to face Hak, crying tears mixed of joy and sadness.
"Princess…" Hak isn't sure how to take this. With one hand he pushes a lock of hair behind her ear while with the other he pulls her close, "What is it? You were amazing in there."
"Your name…" she sobs out, "I'm so happy… I didn't realize... how emotional… finally… everyone will get to know how great you are."
He caresses her back, "You thinking that has always been enough for me. But hearing you talk about me that way in there," he playfully lifts her chin and looks straight into her eyes. He's about to finish, but - their lips crush together, bodies heating at the emotion of the touch.
Within seconds, they're on the ground, well-hidden by the surrounding tall grasses and flowers, intensely making out. Yona rolls her head back as Hak runs his mouth over her neckside. She's getting lost in the feel of him...
"Wait," Yona can barely get the word out, her hands lost in his mess of dark hair, "I can't keep doing this."
"Hm?" Hak lifts his mouth from her and tries to calm himself.
"Whenever I'm with you, I'm so happy, I just want to… this," she almost goes back for his lips, then catches herself, "but I need to talk to you. First."
Hak, king of restraint, pulls himself away and sits down across from her to listen, "Is everything OK?"
Yona shakes her head 'no.' Hak's expression darkens.
"Min-Soo decoded the message. Somehow… those guys knew I was pregnant. And were asking what to do... about it."
Yona sees fear in his eyes - the same she saw from in the morning. She places a hand over his. And then she can't help it… because it's their baby. Yona starts sobbing.
Hak pulls her tightly against his chest, his blue garments dampening from her tears. She can only imagine the fear on his face has morphed to a frightening anger now.
"Yona," Shin-Ah shocks them both from nearby.
Yona looks up at the blue dragon, "...Shin-Ah?"
If he wasn't wearing his mask, Shin-Ah would look shocked to see Yona's blotched face from crying. He hesitates slightly before revealing, "Zeno and Kija are approaching."
Yona gasps in relief, "They're back!" but when she turns to face Hak it hits her:
They're her liaisons with Soo-Won. And Hak doesn't know Soo-Won is alive.