"Shh, the dragons will be here any minute," Yona giggles.

Hak purposely bumps their bedroom door shut with his foot.

"I told White Snake to take his time."

"You're still calling him that?!" Yona smacks him.

Hak grins against her neck, then gently blows a cool breath across the skin he just licked.

"Mmm Hak, you know when you do that-"

"-I know."

"...but tonight."

"Mm?"

Yona slides Hak's hand from her hip to over her abdomen. He pauses his neckside ministrations and turns to her with obedient eyes.

"Nausea or tiredness? Both?"

"Just… off. And tired."

He scoops her up into his arms and places her in their bed.

"Rest. As much as you need to, please rest."

Yona watches his hands as he loosens the sash on her dress to give her more breathing room.

"How did a guy who was so grumpy for all those years become such a gentle husband?"

Hak glances off to the side wryly as his hands continue, "...grumpy and honest are not the same thing."

"You were so mean!"

"And gentle!" Hak defends as he looks down at her with love.

Yona lifts a finger to her lips as she considers. "I guess you're right… I was the one throwing things at you..."

"I forgive you. The sword of truth cuts deep."

POOM! Hak does nothing to dodge the pillow that whacks him in the head. He smiles down at his princess who grins great big back up at him. She tugs at his robes, her eyes begging him to join her.

He kicks off his shoes and climbs in.

As Hak wraps his arms around her, Yona admits, "I'm worried."

"About the baby?"

"About coronation. The longer Lili and Tae-Woo aren't back... the longer it's postponed. What if I start feeling worse? I have no idea how long I can hide our pregnancy. And if they don't come back…"

"They're coming back," Hak affirms as though any other idea is out of the question. "Don't worry about things you can't do anything about right now."

Yona knows he's right about worrying from all the way back here. As though they don't have enough to be worried about - they're about to have dragons join them for the night for extra protection, after all.

But the topic has been weighing on her mind ever since they sent their friends on their journey.

Hak brushes his fingers over the stress creases on Yona's forehead as though he could wipe them away. But once freed from his touch, the creases return.

Yona stares at Hak hard. "But what if I was wrong… about Soo-Won?"

Hak moves his hand down to hers and holds it. "Then a girl with a good heart gave a bastard more chances than he ever deserved. And it won't be her fault when he dies for what he's done."

Yona focuses on the feeling of Hak's hand around hers to take her mind off what he just said. Don't worry about what you cannot change. But... she knows the Soo-Won issue more complicated than Hak keeping her safe or simple justice. She knows that her father wasn't a good ruler and that Soo-Won did help bring about some of Kouka's peace today.

She whispers, "What if I was right?" A topic they've never spoken about. One that has its own complications. Major. Complications.

Yona immediately regrets her question when she sees what it does to Hak's face. He must have actually imagined the scenario. Because his expression is darker than it's ever turned when they've discussed her being wrong.

"I don't know."

Those words land on Yona's heart and linger. She looks up at Hak's worried expression and does what she always does when he looks like that - ever since that day with Ogi many moons ago - she leans up and presses her lips against his to comfort him.

In the cool night air at the edge of the hidden Village of Hakuryuu, Soo-Won holds a steady gaze on Lady Lili.

Tae-Woo cuts in. "Every citizen of this country thinks you're dead. Going anywhere is out of the question."

"What I have to do is more important than keeping up that facade."

"To you," Tae-Woo readies his spear.

"Tae-Woo-" Lili warns.

"This is for Yona and Hak. Not against them," Soo-Won affirms.

Tae-Woo looks to Lili with urgency. "Don't listen to him! He's done nothing but manipulate his entire life."

Ik-Soo and Shin-Ah silently watch Soo-Won. His reaction is indiscernible.

Lili growls, "I can't listen to him anyway because you two won't stop arguing!"

Lili and Tae-Woo stare at odds.

"Can we talk - alone?" Tae-Woo pleads to Lili.

Lili glances at Soo-Won, nods to Shin-Ah to keep watch, then follows the young general.

A few moments later, the former king, blue dragon, and priest can only see silent silhouettes arguing in the distance.

Lili and Tae-Woo stand close, their whispers impassioned.

"You wanna get in a fight within five minutes of arriving here?!"

"That's what happens when you walk into a trap!"

"You're being too quick to judge!"

"You're being too open to listen!"

"It'll be a waste if we don't even hear him out."

"You're playing right into his hands."

"You're afraid of me listening to him?"

Tae-Woo's eyes betray him.

Lili nods that in. "You think I can't listen to him and make my own decision."

"That's not what I mean. I was general under him and what I witnessed-"

"-we were friends! You asked about that. So now you know. I watched Soo-Won for months after Yona told me what he did. I stayed at the palace with him. I followed him through the village. I was curious about him because of her… because of… the number of people, including my own father, who thought he and I…"

Tae-Woo's eyes go wide. He takes a step back in surprise at the unfamiliar way this is making his chest tighten. He thought he was just agitated, but this...

"Even so," Lili goes on, "I never hesitated to stand up to him. Again and again. I'm not afraid of him, Tae-Woo. Yona sent me because I know very well what he's capable of. And because he also saved my life."

"All that… you…" Tae-Woo looks up, unable to mask the shock on his face, "Do you have feelings for him?"

Coming from Tae-Woo, that question hits Lili like a bolt of lightning. She certainly just felt a wave of something for Soo-Won at seeing him alive, she's thankful toward him for kindness she can't deny he showed her, but… she never had to have this kind of answer before.

"What I'm trying to say," she musters, "is that I share Yona's empathy for how complicated this all is. She sent me because she trusts my judgment."

Tae-Woo glances to the ground, his chest burning and head a mess now. "I'm sorry. I didn't have control of my personal grudge… and I overstepped. You're right. This decision is yours."

"Thank you," Lili doesn't like feeling this vulnerable, but has to know. "Do you trust me?"

Tae-Woo slowly lifts his eyes to her and she can see the sincerity in them. "I do."

Lili gently smiles relief. "Then I'll go talk to him. After that, I'll come back to you and we can talk it through, OK?"

"No."

Lili frowns. "What the hell, Tae-Woo?!" She turns to head back, huffing- "I wanted us to-"

Tae-Woo grabs her wrist. She turns in anger, but his eyes are pleading. "Trust me to be there with you?"

She loses her breath at the way he's looking at her. She looks downward. His spear. It's still in his hand. That damn itchy hand. Are all Wind Tribe people like this? Who knows if and how Soo-Won is armed if Tae-Woo were to lose his temper...

He releases her wrist. "I'll support you, no matter what you decide. But please… don't send me from your side. Let me protect you. That was my mission."

Lili looks up from the spear to his face. Does he really have no idea how much this is me wanting to protect him?

Lili and Soo-Won sit across from one another in a small room, a tea set between them. Ik-Soo had thought better of the speaking outdoors about private matters.

"If you could just tell me…" Lili continues as she refills Soo-Won's cup, "then I could just bring the message back and this would be easy."

Soo-Won watches with a sadness as she pours. "I truly wish it were that easy, Lady Lili. But this is not that kind of message. I assure you, if Yona had come herself, the outcome would be the same. I'd be on my way to Kuuto."

Lili takes this in. "It's not just dangerous for Hak and Yona if you come. It's dangerous for you. There are plenty who'd rather leave no potential for another political upset."

"There is one thing I must do. That only I can do. For Hak and Yona. Whatever happens to me after that… it doesn't matter."

"Not so fast. You're so fixated on this one goal. But lives are not lived like this. There is an 'after.' Leaders are responsible for planning those 'afters' very carefully. How am I supposed to believe you of all people are just dismissing this one?"

For the first time, Soo-Won looks at Ik-Soo. They hold a gaze, then Soo-Won looks back. "It can't be explained in the amount of time we have."

Lili can hear Tae-Woo shifting from the perimeter of the room behind her. She doesn't need to hear it from him to know this sounds sketchy.

"I'm sorry, but what happens to you 'after' will affect Yona and Hak immensely. You may not care because you don't have a family, but they have each other and their growing child to think about."

Lili hears another shift behind her. Her face drops. Fuck. I never should have revealed that.

"Yona…" Soo-Won has an urgency on his face. "Please, Lady Lili, if the princess is pregnant," Soo-Won is processing, terrified, "We need to get to Kuuto NOW."

Lili rises, flustered, feeling out of her depth. "I don't know what I was just saying. I'm rambling," she accidentally knocks her teacup crashing onto the floor.

"Lady Lili!" Soo-Won rises, also unsettled.

Lili feels Tae-Woo's hand on her arm. He whispers, "If you want to go…"

Lili breathes in and out, remembering this moment is why she's here. There's only one thing she needs to decide. Can Soo-Won be trusted?

"Why?" she blurts.

Everyone turns silent. Lili looks up at Soo-Won.

"Min-Soo and Jae-Ha had the exact same non-life-threatening wound. They were your enemies?"

Lili stares at her old friend desperately.

Soo-Won's eyebrows rise. The luck that she had seen this… "You could ask your friend the same. The green dragon. I was his enemy," Soo-Won moves his hand to the side of his abdomen where Jae-Ha had stabbed him.

And suddenly the physical proof clicks unequivocally into place. Jae-Ha didn't want to be enemies with Soo-Won. Their fight happened because something else was going on.

"It's the same reason I didn't kill Yona the night I killed her father."

Lili stares at this man. Is it possible that his true feelings have been suppressed all this time?

"It's the reason I'm asking to go to Kuuto now. For a person to face evil like this head on… they'll likely die. So let it be me. You said it yourself," he glances at Tae-Woo, "I'm already dead."

Tae-Woo chases after Lili. "Are you OK?"

She stops a few paces into the forest and turns, shaking.

Tae-Woo raises a hand, isn't sure what to do. He calls over his shoulder, "Give us a minute?"

Shin-Ah nods and heads back to the others.

Tae-Woo cautiously moves to Lili and lifts his arms toward her. "Is it OK if I…"

She nods, fighting back tears. He puts his arms around her and they hug, she gasping against him, he with a pained look on his face. "I'm sorry, I… don't know if this is OK. Or what to do. I… I heard everything, too, and that couldn't have been easy."

Lili has trouble speaking, then finally, "Please don't look at me."

"I promise," Tae-Woo smiles a little that that is what she wanted to say.

Lili continues, "I feel like I just sentenced someone to death. But I don't know who. I can't let it be Yona and Hak, no matter what. But why does it hurt so much to let Soo-Won die?"

"There's no way to know what will happen. We all do our best when we walk into a dangerous situation."

They stand there together for a long time, Lili eventually calming down from the shock of her decision.

"We better go. I said we'd head to Kuuto immediately."

Tae-Woo keeps his promise by looking off to the side, "If it means that much to you, I could follow him. Try to keep him safe."

"No!" Lili blurts, "No…" she stares at this boy, in disbelief that, knowing how he feels about Soo-Won, he would make this offer. For her.

What the hell? she thinks. She needs to be strong. She tries to be confident in front of others, but the amount she's been a mess in front of Tae-Woo… eesh. What must he think of her?

Lili gathers herself, "I don't want you to think that I'm not aware that he could still be playing us. I won't let my guard down."

"Me either," Tae-Woo shares as he stares off into the trees. "If he tries something…"

"I'll kill him."

All the color in Tae-Woo's face disappears at the sound of those words from her mouth.

"It was my decision to let him go. It's my responsibility."

Tae-Woo finally breaks his promise not to look at her - but she's already gone.

He exhales slowly, deep in thought at that feeling in his chest again.

"Damnit."

The next day as Yona walks through palace corridors from one meeting toward the next, she remembers Jae-Ha trying to keep Kija from barging in the night before. And the look Hak gave Kija, but how serious Kija was about needing to be there for their safety anyway. Yona smiles.

Zeno, her bodyguard for the day, purposely doesn't disturb her thoughts as he trots along at her side. He loves feeling the energy coming off her.

Yona briefly pauses and looks out over one of the main courtyards. She imagines she and Hak's children playing there. Their messy dark locks and piercing blue eyes. Maybe some would look like her, too, she blushes. She remembers herself as a child in that very same spot…

Red hair, amethyst eyes… surrounded by palace workers but somehow always lonely - except when Hak and Soo-Won were around.

Her father must have stood here when he ever got a chance to watch her play.

No weapons. Finally… I get it, Father. I wonder if you knew about a real threat to us the way Hak and I know of one today? Back then, I had no idea. What were you afraid of?

"Your Majesty."

Yona jolts out of her memory. A turn of her head reveals General Kyo-Ga.

Yona sits in a small palace meeting chamber across from Kyo-Ga. Zeno is perched by the door.

"An emergency?"

"I think so, though… I'd first like to offer you an apology long overdue."

"General Kyo-Ga-"

"Please allow me this. Being from the Fire Tribe, I studied King Hiryuu since I was very young. We believe the prophecy with all our hearts. And since you met with me at the camp at Kai, as I told you then and I will reaffirm now, I have believed you are the true reincarnation."

Yona smiles kindly at the general. "I don't take your support for granted."

"Thank you. But I need to apologize for what I said about Soo-Won before. When his death was uncertain… what I would have done if he resurfaced in any way. ...I believed him to be an imposter."

"It's OK Kyo-Ga, the second I asked you not to do that, you listened."

Kyo-Ga lowers his head. "Forgive me."

"..."

Kyo-Ga lifts his head to explain. "If I truly believe you to be the reincarnation, which I do, then no intervention on my part would be necessary. I should have grasped that. I do now. I trust your leadership. I was so used to 'other' styles of leadership… this gracious way of yours is new to me. But I promise to follow your lead."

"I appreciate your honesty, General. Although… it sounds like there's something more?"

Kyo-Ga nods. "I had some of my soldiers in the palace keeping watch for any suspicious entrants at the gates. Before I halted the operation, there's something they noticed."

"A suspicious entrant?"

"A suspicious series of exits."

"Who?"

"Princess, were you aware that Min-Soo was coming and going in frequency?"

"Let's stop to eat," Tae-Woo demands from horseback as he casts his eyes over at Lili. "We've been up for nearly 48 hours straight. We need to rest."

"I've had the most sleep," Soo-Won, cloaked, offers. "Shall I catch something?"

"Please keep Shin-Ah with you," Lili requests.

Throughout dinner, Tae-Woo watches Soo-Won. He seems… anxious.

And Lili seems… tired.

"You should have asked us to stop," Tae-Woo prods as they all eat the fish that Soo-Won quickly obtained from a nearby lake.

"YOU should have asked us to stop," Lili retorts sleepily.

"I did…"

Lili takes another bite, "I'm sorry. You're right. I'm exhausted."

Tae-Woo stares at their single tent in frustration. Four people. One tent. Three can fit if they're lucky, but really it's for two.

Soo-Won notices. "Lady Lili should take the tent."

"It's most important that you're concealed," Lili protests.

"It doesn't seem proper. Perhaps we could both-"

"No."

Everyone looks at Tae-Woo. That was sharp and threatening.

Lili speaks first, "He's right. I shouldn't. Soo-Won, please take the tent. Shin-Ah will keep an eye on you inside. Tae-Woo and I will keep watch outside. I really don't mind."

Once the others have gone to bed in the tent, Lili sits next to Tae-Woo against a tree.

"You guys really sleep out here like this when you travel?"

"Sometimes."

Lili tries to shift for comfort. It's hard going.

"Not quite what you're used to, huh?"

Lili smiles. "None of this is. But I don't mind. I feel like I'm finally doing something important."

"I'm sure your experiences before this were important, too..."

"The things I learned before meeting Yona?" Lili looks a little sad as she remembers the sheltered upbringing she tried to rebel against. "Add all of it up together. I'd trade it for one minute training with you."

"A single minute?" Tae-Woo is kinda touched.

"Really. I know the mission is most important. But I've been stressing this whole time about missing our regular trainings. There's no way I'm gonna pass that test."

"If this mission goes well, I have a feeling that test isn't going to matter anymore…"

That thought hadn't crossed Lili's mind, but it's such a weight off her back when she realizes it. "Pleeease let that be the case."

Tae-Woo looks disappointed. "Well then."

"What?"

"That was a quick jump from I'd trade my entire upbringing for one minute training with you to thank the heavens if I never have to train with you again."

"Do you like training me?"

Lili watches Tae-Woo. He gives her a look like she should know the answer. And even though she's so damn tired… or maybe because she's so damn tired, she feels bold.

"Tae-Woo… can I ask you for something?"

"Depends. My self-esteem just plummeted. And you should really be sleeping."

"Kiss me?"

He turns his head to find the joke in her expression. But she looks serious. He stares, dumbfounded.

Feeling awkward, she cushions, "It doesn't have to mean anything to you. This might be the last night we're together like this. Or at all. I'm asking because… I want to remember what it felt like. To be with you. Through all of this."

He continues to stare, thinking. Then finally, "And if it does mean something to me?"

Lili feels her heart squeeze. Her inhibitions flitting away at this little sign of encouragement, she answers by sliding a hand over his.

Tae-Woo's heart begins to race. He lifts his other hand and cups her cheek, bringing her face closer to his. Then he leans forward and tenderly brushes his lips against hers.

Lili slightly parts her lips, slipping her lower lip between his as she tilts her head to the side. He applies more pressure as he leans into her closer. Her lips are so soft to him.

Lili feels a tightening in her core at the contact. She grabs onto his side with a hand as she feels his tongue enter her mouth. Once their tongues touch, the kiss becomes less focused, impassioned, desperate.

As Lili's hands wander, Tae-Woo feels his desire rise and all the blood rush from his head. He gently pulls his face from hers.

"I want to…" he catches his breath, this is taking all his strength, "have a lot more to remember with you than tonight."

Lili's cheeks turn red. Did she do something wrong? Then she realizes she has a hand squeezing his thigh.

"I'm so sorry," she pulls it away.

Tae-Woo laughs. "Don't be. Please. You have no idea. I want to."

"Thank you. For the kiss," Lili shifts around the tree in embarrassment. "We should sleep."

"I like you," Tae-Woo outright confesses now that he's crossed the line. "So much I don't understand it."

Lili stares forward on the other side of the tree, shocked joy on her face.

"But I want to understand it."

Lili lifts a hand over her mouth.

"I know we're from different tribes… maybe this is even a conflict of interest as generals? But... I want to court you."

"Court?" Lili is smiling so big. This is official stuff. He wants to earn her affections… even though he already has.

"May I?" Tae-Woo asks shyly.

Lili feels a pang of fear about this unexpected reality… "There are some things about me… you may be shocked to know."

"That may go both ways..."

Lili is suddenly intrigued, frightened, and turned on. She crawls around the tree and sees Tae-Woo's hopeful smile for her.

"There's plenty of time ahead. Let's rest."

Lili moves over to him and nestles her head against his chest as a pillow. He moves an arm around her to hold her against him and keep her warm.

"One last question…"

"Sure."

"Are you courting… anyone else?"

Tae-Woo softly brushes a couple fingers over her cheek as he admires the beauty of this woman he's come to know.

"We joke it's a genetic trait of the Wind Tribe. Once someone gets into our head, there's no room for any others. For me… it's been you for a long time now."

And as Lili finally feels at peace enough to fall asleep, she whispers to him, "I'm so glad."

It's the next day when Yona gets word that Min-Soo has returned to the palace again.

She sends Zeno to go tell Hak while she and Jae-Ha rush to talk to Min-Soo.

But Min-Soo was already rushing to find her. He's out of breath when he cries out, "My mother! I think... she's in trouble."

And it's later still when Soo-Won turns his horse down an unexpected path.

"This isn't the right way. What are you doing?" Lili demands, her suspicion now on high.

"I said Kuuto. I never said the palace."