Sen sat uncomfortably in the small cave. Since the cave itself was deep and winding, she found no difficulty in hiding from plain sight. However, as the walls were narrow and damp, she began to regret her life's decisions, and feel bored to death. Yona's voice came as a pleasant surprise.
"How much further will you follow me?" she asked.
He really came this far, Sen mused. I would have betted against it.
"Until that turn," she heard him reply. He cleared his throat. "You know I can't lend you a hand, right?"
Who needs you if she gets into trouble? Sen thought irritably. That's what I'm here for.
"Oh, that," Yona said. "But I don't mind. Your voice is enough to calm me down. Just you being there... I wonder why?"
A slight pattering noise could be heard outside. Sen could tell Jae-ha had slipped and she frowned. Who told him to come this far?
"From here on, you must go alone," he said. "I wish you the best of luck."
"Thank you," she replied, and by her tone, Sen could tell she was smiling. "For everything, thank you. I know you weren't supposed to follow me here."
A minute or so passed without conversation. Soon, Yona appeared at the mouth of the cave. Sen flattened herself against the wall and tried to breathe more softly as the princess uprooted one of the plants, placing it in her pouch. She turned to leave, but paused and shouted, "Jae-ha, run!"
Sen saw a wave rushing towards them. She reached out to grab Yona's hand, but it was too late. The princess was gone. Sen took a deep breath, preparing to jump into the water and find the girl before another wave would wash her further away, but a flash of green flied past and she heard the voice of the princess nearby. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she crawled back into the cave.
"Thank you," she heard Yona say outside. "I didn't expect the water to... I thought I could hang on."
Jae-ha heaved a deep sigh.
"You're quite the woman," he said with only the slightest hint of admiration, "to have me sitting on pins and needles."
Sen's lips twitched ever so slightly.
"I really am grateful," Yona went on, "but now that you've ended up having to help me... what will the captain say?"
"She won't find out," Jae-ha said decidedly. Sen nodded in agreement. My lips are sealed.
"Why?" the princess asked. "Won't you tell? You serve Gi-gan."
"Don't think so lowly of me," Jae-ha said indignantly. "It is my duty to protect beautiful ladies at whatever cost. As for the challenge, when did you fail it? You walked all the way here, picked the senjosou, and now you will walk back. Nothing more was expected of you."
Sen nodded in admiration. Your skill of twisting the truth is truly divine.
"I really don't think..." Yona began hesitantly. Jae-ha scoffed.
"Oh, come on. Such a minor contribution as mine should not ruin all your hard work."
The sound of departing footsteps echoed, and Sen was left alone in the cave.
...
Hak stood like a statue at the top of the mountain, motionless except for his hair and robes dancing in the screaming wind. The sight of this dreadful cliff pained, him, yet he couldn't look away. Not far from him stood Gi-gan, Ki-ja, Shin-ah and Yun.
"This is where the senjosou grows?" Yun asked in disbelief, finding in himself a newly born hatred against a medicinal plant he would have adored otherwise. Gi-gan shrugged.
"I said it was steep."
"Steep?!" the boy cried. "It's practically vertical!"
"You're exaggerating a bit, boy."
"I'm going down to help her," Ki-ja said decidedly, rushing towards the path, but Gi-gan held him back.
"Jae-ha's with her," she told him. Ki-ja slumped to the ground.
"What good is that?" he asked sullenly. "If he lends her a hand, then the princess..."
Gi-gan raised a brow.
"You'd rather she falls to her death?" she asked. All the men glared at her, each feeling deep anger and fear at the possibility even being mentioned.
"No!" they shouted at the same time. Shin-ah seemed to have found his tongue as he said, "If Yona falls... I'll be lost."
"We all would be," Yun agreed. "I would have the least troubles for I have a home, but the rest..."
"If Yona falls," Ki-ja added gravely, "I'd find my way to the Underworld and bring her back at any cost, even if that meant to exchange my life for hers. Without her, I am nothing."
Hak clenched his fist. He didn't, or rather, couldn't say anything, but Gi-gan had words aplenty.
"That's mighty selfish of you," she said. "The girl took on this task to earn my trust. Not only do you want to tread on her resolve, but as she fights, all you do is think of yourselves?"
"That's not it," Yun began. "Yona's just a girl, and we don't want her hurt!"
"Oh?" Gi-gan's expression turned cold as she shot him a chilly glare. "There are times, boy, when women must fight. Don't underestimate them."
...
Eventually, two figures on the path appeared, one red and one green. Hak and Yun breathed a sigh of relief as Ki-ja rushed towards her, crying, "Glory to the Dragons, you're well!"
Yona heard his words as she came to the end of the path and her cheeks flushed red. Her voice was hoarse from crying and from the seawater she swallowed as she said, "I'm sorry to have made you worry, I really didn't mean to..."
"Do you have the plant?" Gi-gan asked. After taking a deep breath, Yona patted down her unruly hair, smoothed down her skirts and handed her the pouch. The captain nodded.
"You've completed your mission," she said. "It is my pleasure to welcome—"
"Actually," Yona interrupted, her ears red in embarrassment, "I didn't get it alone, I'm sorry. I—I almost fell from the cliff, but Jae-ha saved me."
Jae-ha turned to Yona, shocked, hissing, "Yona!"
"Why should I lie?" the princess asked. "If I'm useless now, I won't be able to do anything later, wither. There's no helping that."
"So, you're giving up?" the captain asked, shaking her head. Too bad. "I guess it's reasonable if you just leave to—"
"Never!" Yona cried, pausing Gi-gan in her speech. Those on the mountain stared at the princess in surprise. Her big grey eyes shone with determination and her dainty lips were set in a firm line. The awkwardness of her short, messy hair was gone as her locks fluttered in the wind like flames around her pale little face. For a moment, there seemed to be something otherworldly in her appearance, making others unable to look away.
"I said I'd do it, and nothing will stop me from doing it, even if I die during the process," she said firmly, holding her head high. "If you don't want me because Jae-ha helped me out, I'll go and pick it again—alone!"
Each word hung heavily in the air, leaving no one unaffected. Yun felt an urge to do something as admirable as this. Hak felt pride, impossible pride for this girl he loved and protected. Gi-gan felt deep satisfaction.
"You have guts," Gi-gan laughed, after admiring Yona for a moment, "and I like that. You pass."
"But I didn't do it alone!" the girl protested. The captain glanced at Jae-ha and her smile died away.
"Had Jae-ha let you fall," she said coolly, "I would've thrown him after you myself."
Jae-ha shivered and said with a sigh, "How terrifying... but that's why I love you, captain."
Yona revealed an enthusiastic smile.
"Where's Sen?" she asked. "I need to thank her! If not for her, I wouldn't have known of the senjosou and would never have joined the pirates."
"She's in a better place," Gi-gan lied. "I'm sure she's having the time of her life. If all goes well, she'll be back before dusk."
...
Everyone had left the mountain—or almost, at least. Jae-ha remained in hopes that the strong wind would clear his head of his messy thoughts. Enjoying the last bits of sunshine, he sat in the grass, watching the towering clouds gather and the blue water glimmer, listening to the cry of the seagulls and the hum of the waves. The serene picture was disturbed by sudden string of curses coming from the side of the cliff. That voice Jae-ha would have known from a thousand. He went over and smiled.
"Hello, Sen," he said, looking down at the woman struggling to climb up the face of the cliff. "You're almost here, keep up the good work!"
Sen glared at him.
"Would it kill you to lend me a hand?" she asked irritably. "Or am I not beautiful lady enough for you, of all people, to sit on pins and needles for?"
Jae-ha's teasing smile fell.
"You heard that," he said blankly, reaching out to her. She caught his hand and pulled herself up, replying in an equally blank tone, "I didn't have a choice."
"So, when Gi-gan said you were in a better place..." Jae-ha trailed off. "Did she force you to sit in that cave?"
"Not exactly," said Sen, a face full of embarrassment. "I, uh, volunteered."
The two looked at each other silently for a good, long minute.
"Hey, let's never talk about that cave again," Jae-ha offered. Sen nodded.
"Never again," she agreed, sitting down in the grass. After a moment, she added hesitantly, "Do you like her?"
"What?" Jae-ha cried. "Why would you think that?"
"Many reasons," she said, slightly surprised. "She is your dragon destiny, is pretty and sweet, quite the woman that makes you worry... I honestly think you two would make a splendid couple."
"At times, you can be really hurtful," he said with a sigh as he sat down by her side. Sen looked at him in surprise.
"Have I misspoken?"
"You..." Jae-ha began, feeling at a loss. He cleared his throat. "I can't tell if your heartless or dense."
"You're speaking nonsense," Sen said, rolling her eyes. "Listen to me. I know that your freedom is dear to your heart. However, if I remember correctly, the legend states that the incarnation of Hiryuu will grant you a longer life. Would it not be worth casting freedom aside temporarily to gain another twenty-five years to enjoy it in? That aside, you seem to fancy her, and she doesn't dislike you either. If you were to put in a little more effort..."
"A friend can stay by her side just the same," said Jae-ha in frustration. "Or an ally, an advisor. Courting every woman I meet—do you think so lowly of me?"
"Not at all," she replied with a smile. "I greatly admire and deeply respect you. But what if the one she loves enjoys favors unlike the others? And don't tell me the Red Dragon Hiryuu and his dragon brothers only shared platonic bonds, there's no way of knowing…"
She rambled on quite seriously. Jae-ha stared at her smiling form without hearing a word of what she was saying. He only came back to his senses when he noticed her staring at him strangely.
"What?"
"I'm talking to you," she said, "yet you keep on looking at me like that. Eyes might be the mirrors of the soul, but I don't think that "I want you" has anything to do with your marriage."
"Why not?" Jae-ha inquired airily. "Dear, since you admire and respect me so, you shouldn't be against it. As for me, it would only be my privilege to marry such a kind and loving woman..."
"I regret praising you already," Sen said, her expression blank. "And just who are you calling kind and loving? Are you blind, deaf and delusional?"
"Regret praising me...? So it was in earnest," Jae-ha went on with a grin. "Here I thought you were joking, but how could I not take true feelings to heart?"
"It would take a God to make me marry in this lifetime," Sen said spitefully, making a face. A terrified look appeared on her face as she noticed Jae-ha's grin.
"No, I take it back," she said quickly, but Jae-ha had already heard it loud and clear.
"Dearest," he said, striking a pose, "it must have been fate that pushed us out the window that day... Though I may not be a true God, the Green Dragon's blood still flows in my veins."
"I take it back," Sen cried, trying to cover his mouth with her hand. "It was a joke!"
An expression of mock hurt flitted past Jae-ha's eyes as he took her hand from his lips and pressed it against his chest.
"A joke...? How could that be," he lamented. "This heart of mine only beats for you..."
"Yeah, and every other woman you've ever met," she said with a dramatic sigh. "Let go of me, won't you?"
"Never," he lamented, "for only by this can I anchor you to my side long enough to prove the purity of my love. How else am I to appease my jealous wife?"
At his last words, something changed. Instead of carrying a playful smile, her lips parted slightly and trembled. Her hand fell from his as she stared at him in horror.
"How dare you?" she whispered, in a voice so high-pitched it didn't seem her own. Jae-ha suddenly came to understand what the neighbor boy had meant by comparing her voice to the screech of a cat. Sen noticed his gaze and quickly composed herself, her voice and expression turning back to normal.
"Calling me your wife without sending my family betrothal gifts," she laughed, the sound strangely natural. "How dare you? Such little tact! We'll both die single at this rate."
Although she put in every effort to pretending it was all part of the game, Jaw-ha couldn't help but shiver in memory of her expression only a few moments ago. With neither party truly having the heart to continue teasing each other, the conversation eventually died away as they stood side by side, listening to the waves crash against the rocks down below.
...
Yona looked at the storm gathering on the horizon then at the needle in her hand and clenched her teeth.
Thorns should be made illegal, she thought, heroically stabbing the needle under her skin again in an attempt to get the thorns out. As blood seeped out, she fought the urge to simply toss the needle into the sea.
It was exactly at that moment that Hak showed up. Yona looked at him with watery eyes.
"It's not working," she said sorrowfully. "I've heard needles are good for taking thorns out, but it doesn't work at all!"
"Let me see," Hak said, inspecting her hands. "You disinfected the needle first, right?"
"No, why would I?"
"Well, it can't be helped," Hak sighed, shaking his head. "Your hands will rot off your wrists."
"It can't be!" the poor princess cried in horror. "Please don't let that happen, I—"
Hak couldn't hold back his laughter any longer. Yona's eyes narrowed as she realized what was going on.
"I'm gonna stab you to death!" she cried, aiming the needle at his nose as she attacked him. Hak dodged easily and teased, "Wow, you're so healthy! Even if your hands rot off, they'll grow back at this rate."
"Grow back? What am I, a plant?"
"There's an uncanny resemblance," he said, avoiding another blow to his face.
"Yeah, right!" the princess huffed. "I don't want to deal with you anymore. Where's Yun?"
"He's cooking, he can't help you," Hak said, casually removing a brown bag from his shoulder that appeared oddly familiar. Yona gasped.
"Is that Yun's bag?" she asked. "He'll kill you if he finds out you went through his stuff."
"It's an emergency," Hak explained lightly, picking up a jar of honey. "If anything bad happens, we can always just say that Sen did it."
"Hak!" Yona said reproachfully. He smiled and took her hands in one of his and poured the honey slowly on her palm. All previous anger vanished from the princess as she said with a delighted sigh, "Oh, this is much better."
"I know," said Hak. "Old man Mun-deok used to dig out the thorns from my hands with a needle and it hurt like hell. When I found out about this method, I was furious."
"That really is like Mun-deok," the princess laughed. Her smile slowly turned a little sad.
"Hak," she said wistfully, "what do you think?"
"Of what?"
"This journey of mine to become stronger," she went on. "Don't you think... we've gotten a bit closer?"
Hak's eyes widened.
Where we ever apart?
His eyes ran across her figure, her features searchingly, trying to find a hint of her meaning and finding nothing. Those eyes of hers, hopeful eyes, cruel eyes revealed nothing to him, making him even more frantic. If there was a distance, he would close it, if—
"Ah, Hak!" the princess cried suddenly. "The honey's dripping. Careful!"
He glanced at her hands and his mind became a blur. Their soft white gleamed temptingly under the amber casing of honey.
It was both Hak and someone else who leaned forward and licked the thick substance from her fingers, cleaning the honey from her hands with his tongue. Yona watched wide-eyed.
"Hak," she called softly. Hak's heart throbbed as he glanced at her, hoping to not seem as eager as he felt. Her voice was even sweeter than the honey on her hands.
"Hmmm?" he asked, his tone lazy. If only she were to call his name like that again…
"I never knew you felt this way," she said. Placing her clean hand on his cheek, she whispered, "Hak, in this life of mine... I've only ever loved you."
A shiver ran down his back. Such words, such beautiful words... Had he not always wished to hear these? He leaned in—
"—ak! Hey, Hak, are you okay?" the princess called. Hak looked at her blankly. He was still holding her hands and they were still covered with honey. Her voice and eyes carried none of the passion they had held before. How could they? Her heart lay as far from him as the stars. And he didn't mind, not really.
"I'm listening, princess," he replied, only glad she did not know his thoughts. "What's wrong?"
"You blanked out for a moment," she said. "There's still honey on my hands, though."
Although feeling like cursing at something, Hak carefully wiped her fingers with a rag he had also snitched from Yun's bag.
"There you go," he said, letting those delicate hands like masterfully sculpted ivory slip from his grasp. A small, hollow space opened in his chest where his heart was supposed to be.
"Thank you," Yona said, eyeing her thornless hands with satisfaction. "Shall we go back?"
"No, I... I'd rather stay for a bit," Hak replied. She nodded and left, leaving him behind to wonder whether his unrequited love was making him go insane.