The Varied Path (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction)

Chapter 16: Yoon and Ik-soo

Eyelids felt heavy as they struggled to open. Silver met blue and Calista shot up, nearly knocking heads with the boy above her, immediately wincing in pain from the movement. Her body felt so sluggish, like she had fallen several hundred feet off of a cliff and was almost beaten to death afterwards.

She was really getting tired of feeling like this. 

"Idiot!" The boy with blue eyes scolded hotly, "Lay back down, you are in no condition to move!"

Oh, maybe that's what happened after all. 

Calista bit back a groan. The last thing she remembered was that she was floating in the air, like she was going somewhere really fast, and then from there on it was all fuzzy. 

Slowly, she lowered herself back down on the ground, quickly studying the room she was in. It seemed like some sort of small house. The boy had blonde hair, decorated with two feathers, and was bustling around the room. He was extraordinarily beautiful and had a similar stature that reminded her of the princess. Beyond him, the emerald green of forest trees shone back at her. 

Her brow knitted as she absorbed this new information. There were no trees like these around the mountains.

Oh.

It hit her like a train and Calista consciously snapped her mouth shut that had unconsciously dropped open. 

I really fell down to the valley... There's no way I should've survived from that elevation. 

It was probably only due to that boy that had jumped down her throat earlier for sitting up.

She followed his movements until her eyes landed on two figures not laying far from her, and she shot up in alarm.

Yona! Hak!

Ignoring the boy's angry protests, Calista crawled over weakly between her brother and the princess. She placed a hand over each of their necks in turn, relief washing over her as she found pulses for both of them. 

It was faint, but it was there. She sighed, relieved that they were alive. Calista turned back to look at the boy, who was now glaring at her, an unspoken question lingering in her eyes.

No matter what had happened between then and now, she had no doubt in her mind that they were only alive because of the boy in front of her.

He sighed before coming over, pointing to Yona first, "Her injuries were less severe than his, so she'll probably wake up first." 

Then, he jabbed a finger to Hak. "His were a lot more serious, and it took a while to extract the poison from his body. He's not out of the danger zone yet."

Calista nodded in acknowledgement. "Thank you." She said softly, watching as his blue eyes widened in shock. "You didn't have to help us, but you did. So, thank you." The depth of her sincerity present in her words.

The boy scoffed lightly, "Of course I didn't have to." He brushed back his hair with his hand, "But leaving dead people there is such a pain. Even if they are royalty."

Silence washed over them, but this time it wasn't as strained. The boy continued to bustle around the room, paying her no mind after she didn't listen to him.

"Who are you?" Calista asked him, head tilted.

"Don't people normally introduce themselves first before asking questions?" The boy sharply reprimanded instantly. "Honestly, did you learn nothing at the castle?"

"I am sorry," The raven-haired girl bowed low on the ground, despite her body screaming in agony at the movement. "My name is Calista. May I ask you for your name?"