Disclaimer: I don't own Yona of the Dawn!
Chapter 27
Lien let the notes of the funeral song fade as she stood in front of the pyre, her hands clasped in front of her. The funeral preparations had moved quickly with the village helping to prepare the pyre and one of the elders delivering the rights as the family wept. They had asked Lien to sing one of the Fire Tribe's songs of passing since she knew it and their village singer had been drafted into the Fire Tribe's army.
As the wailing continued and villagers crowded around the pyre, Lien stepped back, fading into the crowd. She spotted Yoon and Yona standing hand in hand nearby and she slipped their way, coming to Yona's other side.
There was such desperation and despair in the Fire Tribe lands, you could almost feel it in the air, like an oppressive blanket of melancholy. Lien bowed her head as flames grew higher and the mother who had lost her son screamed louder. It was aching sound that pierced her, and she wanted to help, but only time could soothe a painful loss like that and even then, it would never truly leave.
A hand slipped into hers and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. She glanced over to see Zeno standing beside her, his eyes dim and sad. He didn't say anything, but he gave her fingers another squeeze. The two of them stood and watched the pyre, paying their respects as the family and village finished the funeral rights for the child.
After a while, Zeno pulled on her hand, leading her away from the funeral and back toward their group's small tent and camping area. She followed him, letting him lead her, exhaustion laying heavy on her shoulders.
"How's Shin-Ah?" she asked as they made their way through the village.
"He'll be all right," Zeno said, "Ryokuryuu and Hakuryuu stayed with him."
Lien bit her lip, thinking about how Kija might be fussing over him and trying to be as helpful as possible while not knowing what to do. Kija was sweet and always eager to help, but he had led such a sheltered life, he didn't always know how to do simple tasks.
So she wasn't entirely surprised to find him standing outside the tent, looking in dismay at Shin-Ah's outfit that he had draped over a clothes line. Shin-Ah's clothes looked slightly shredded and there were far more holes in them than there had been yesterday.
"What happened?" she asked as Zeno rushed past her and darted into the tiny tent, yelling excitedly at Shin-Ah.
Kija looked at her, his eyes huge, as if he couldn't believe his own mistake. "There was an accident."
"Kija clawed Shin-Ah's clothes to pieces," Jae-Ha said. The green-haired man was sitting by the fire, stirring a pot of stew that Yoon had left over the fire. He smirked over at Lien. "He must have been thinking you would appreciate the result of his handiwork."
Lien rolled her eyes at him, not taking the bait. She was getting used to being goaded by him, and unlike Yona, she recognized when he was teasing her about a boy. A very specific boy, but… She reached out and put her hand on Kija's arm. "It's all right, they can be mended."
"Shin-Ah can wear some of my clothes for now," Kija said with a firm nod, "It's the least I can do."
The mental image of Shin-Ah wearing Kija's clothes was almost enough to make her smile. She went over and inspected the damage to Shin-Ah overcoat and tunic, putting a couple fingers through the hole left by the blade that had stabbed him. A shiver trailed down her back. He could have died. Perhaps a man who wasn't a dragon would have. Yoon had said it had been close, either way.
"Aren't you going to check on him?" Jae-Ha asked, and she glanced over, meeting his violet eyes with her honey ones.
"He's…well…" She wanted to, more than anything, but she was also very aware that his clothes were out here on the line, and while she had taken care of him before in a previous state, it seemed different now. The blush that hadn't appeared when Jae-Ha teased her a moment ago now appeared at the idea of going into the tent now. "Zeno and Yoon are with him. The tent's crowded."
"Mhmm." Jae-Ha stirred the pot of stew, looking back at the fire. "If that's what you want to tell yourself."
Lien made a face and continued to look over the rips and tears caused by Kija's claws. It wouldn't be hard to mend all of the little damages, though it would take some time. She and Yoon could probably share the work and get it finished within a day. In that time, Shin-Ah could wear one of Kija's soft but hardy robes, like the white dragon had offered.
"Are they fixable?" KIja said, worry in his voice. "I didn't mean to. I just wanted them to be clean."
"It's fine," Lien said, reaching out and putting a hand on Kija's arm, "You meant well. And they are very clean."
"And somewhat destroyed," Jae-Ha said.
Kija frowned at the green dragon and his shoulders slumped. "I didn't mean to make more work for anyone. I will fix them myself."
Lien bit her lip. "Do…you know how to sew?"
"No, but I can learn," Kija said, voice full of determination.
"It might take a little while to learn," Lien said, keeping her voice light and gentle, "Maybe while Yoon or I fix Shin-Ah's coat, you can practice on something else?"
"Like something no one will ever see," Jae-Ha said, amused.
Lien shot him a sharp look, one that was meant to tell him to be quiet. She didn't want to discourage Kija, but she also wanted Shin-Ah's coat to not disintegrate in the white dragon's strong hand. His stitches would most likely be, er, vigorous and ruin whatever he was working on, at least until he learned to temper his strength.
Kija nodded. "I would find that acceptable."
"Then we'll certainly find you something to work on," Lien said. A blanket would be fine, right? It wouldn't matter how enormous the stitches were if he practiced on a blanket. No one would see it besides their group. They would just have to be careful to not waste thread.
"Good, I'll go look for something," Kija said before heading off toward the village. Lien almost called out to stop him, but he seemed so determined, she decided against it.
"Lien, come help me with this stew," Jae-Ha said, tapping the spoon on the edge of the pot.
"All you're doing is stirring it," she said, "Certainly a pirate dragon can handle that much." But she walked over anyway and sat down beside him, wrapping her arms around her legs. It seemed like it had been so much time had passed by since they had come back from the other Fire Tribe village.
She hummed quietly as she watched the fire crackle and jump, its warmth spreading across her face. Destructive but necessary, enticing but dangerous. That was fire, right? Beautiful and deadly. There was a positive side to fire, and she knew that the tribe wasn't all bad. The people in the villages wanted better lives and did what they could, but their leader was cruel and greedy, using his people as if they were commodities, just things instead of actual living beings.
As a member of a traveling caravan, she had seen hardship in the tribe lands of Kouka Kingdom, but it had never truly affected her, if she was being honest. Yes, they would occasionally stop and give a free show or pass out a few food items, but they didn't stay long. The caravan would simply move on to a city where they could receive payment, since they had to have money to eat. Maybe she should have tried to do more for people like this. Asked to stop more often in poor villages and little towns…
"Such a serious face," Jae-Ha said, his arm brushing hers as he leaned toward her, "It's going to freeze like that if you keep frowning that way."
"Just thinking." She leaned against him, her head tilting to lay against his shoulder. "I think I'm a bad person."
Jae-Ha glanced at her. "What makes you say that?"
"I should have helped people like this while I was in my caravan," she said, "I just…" She wrapped her arms around her legs tighter. "I guess I didn't care enough."
There was a long stretching silence, one that sunk into Lien's skin and clung there. She deserved that silence.
"I doubt that was the case," Jae-Ha finally said, "Maybe you could have cared more. But I wouldn't say you're a bad person." He turned his head toward her and reached out, touching her chin, affection in his eyes. "Just a young one."
"Really?"
"Really," he said, "And you're trying to help now. That's not something to turn your nose up at." He shook his head at her. "So stop beating yourself up, dear."
"You make me miss my brother," she said, tears biting at the corners of her eyes. The homesickness for her family and her caravan that had dulled into an ache was sharpened for a moment, like a wound inside her that his kindness had reopened. It was quick, though, and she was able to patch it up faster than she had been able to when she first joined their group.
"I am so much better than your grumpy older brother," Jae-Ha said with a laugh, reaching up to run a thumb across the corner of her eye, taking away her tears. "But I'll be your older brother for now, if that helps."
A few more tears escaped and she rubbed them away with the side of her hand. "I'd like that."
Jae-Ha smiled at her before reaching over and pulling her hood up and over her head, hiding her face. "Don't cry. It makes your face all red."
While Jae-Ha tended to the stew, Lien decided to make herself busy. She got up and started finding their bowls and utensils so everyone would be able to eat once they returned to the camp. She had all of them lined up by the fire when Zeno tumbled out of the tent, followed by a harassed-looking Yoon.
"You're so boisterous, it's impossible for anyone to get rest when you're around," Yoon said, shoving her hair back with both hands. He sighed and then narrowed his eyes at Jae-Ha. "Are you burning that?"
"Nope, Mother, I'm stirring it diligently," Jae-Ha said, holding up the spoon as proof. "I'm not an expert, but I do think it's almost ready."
"Mmm…" Yoon walked over and then glanced at Lien. "Hey, Shin-Ah's been asking about you. Can you go show him you're fine?"
"Me?" she asked, blinking at the boy, "Of course I'm fine." She hadn't been in any danger the whole day. He was the one who was injured and had faced bandits and why in the world was he asking after her after he had been through all that? Flustered, she swept her hood back and headed for the tent.
It was quiet inside, but she could tell Shin-Ah wasn't asleep. The moment she stepped through the tent opening, she remembered that most of Shin-Ah's clothes were out on the line. Her cheeks heated up, and she had to reach up and give her face a little pat. It wasn't like it was a big deal…he was all covered up with a blanket anyways. She shook her head and sat down beside him, which Ao took as an invitation to jump onto her knee.
"You're all right," Shin-Ah said, his soft voice breaking the silence.
"Definitely," she said. Her hand hovered over his, a bit of hesitation in her actions. "But you're not. You shouldn't be worried about me when you're the one that's hurt."
"You were…far away."
"But we didn't see any officials or bandits. It was a quiet day." At least until she and Jae-Ha had returned to the village.
Shin-Ah's fingers twitched, and she reached out, taking his hand in hers. His fingers were calloused from years of using a sword and the hard work that their group was doing in the villages. She pressed her thumb against his gently. "Can you feel that?"
He nodded and his thumb weakly pressed back against hers.
"Good."
Ao scurried up her arm and perched on her shoulder, the squirrel's fuzzy body warming her. She felt some of the tension go out of her now that she had seen Shin-Ah for herself. He wasn't dying, thanks to Yoon, but still…
"You should sleep," she said, "If you can." She picked up Ao and settled her down beside Shin-Ah. "You'll get better faster."
His thumb pressed against hers again. "Stay?"
Lien nodded and ran her thumb over his knuckles, soothing and gentle and calm. She would stay until he fell asleep or Yoon chased her out, whichever came first.
