The Varied Path (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction)

Chapter 73: Arguable

"What? We got another companion while I was away?" Jae-ha asked, casually munching on a tangerine he got from Yoon's garden while they were at Ik-soo's hut. They had spent all day yesterday gathering supplies for Katan Village, only to come back to Kija rambling about a hot-headed nobleman who was hogging the princess.

As for Calista, she had avoided Yona for the remainder of yesterday, not willing to explain why she was so on edge around him. The princess might have been able to forgive him, but she couldn't.

She didn't pardon people who were so arrogant that they couldn't face the harsh reality in front of them.

But true to his word, Tae-jun had brought more food for the villagers today and it vanished in a heartbeat. Begrudgingly, she acknowledged that he fulfilled his promise. As much as she hated him, she had to give credit where credit was due.

Now, they were all circled up around Yoon and Shin-ah, the blue dragon getting his bandages changed. The only ones who were missing were Yona and Hak, who left to go check on the triplets in Hua Village.

She had visited them last night on her way to the underground and they were holding up just fine. A little hungry, but otherwise, they were surviving.

Kija let out an outraged cry at Jae-ha's temporary insolence. "No!! This guy is the son of the Fire Tribe Chief!!" He jabbed a finger in Tae-jun's face, who was being engaged in a conversation with a carefree Zeno. "He's our enemy!!"

Calista was sitting off to the side whereas the white and green dragons were hovering over the intimidated noble.

"Maybe don't say that so loud, White Snake." The assassin rolled her eyes, flipping a silver blade between her fingers. "Hey, if we decide he needs to go, can I be the one to do it?"

Tae-jun sweated nervously at the obvious threat but Jae-ha just raised an eyebrow. Kija grumbled at the rude nickname, but didn't strike her like he would Hak. He often proclaimed that he would never raise a hand against a woman or unarmed men.

Hence why he threw Tae-jun out of the village the first time instead of attacking him.

"Interesting. Normally someone like that can't get anywhere near Yona." Jae-ha mused to himself.

She huffed, folding her arms over her chest, still not happy with the situation. She would have been perfectly content to never cross paths with him again, but luck was not on her side. For some reason that she could not fathom, Yona had seen something in him worthwhile.

Jae-ha didn't miss a thing. "What's got you so angry, Calista dear?"

"Nothing." She retorted, stomping off to find Yoon, who had disappeared once he finished treating Shin-ah's wound, to see if he needed any help.

The injured dragon had gone back inside the tent to rest, but not before casting her a curious glance at her retreating form.

Something wasn't right. She hadn't visited him at all since that new man started coming more frequently and he was growing concerned with how agitated she had been lately.

Unfortunately for Calista, once she found Yoon and had only been assisting him for a little while, Tae-jun made another appearance.

Great, I can't get away from him. She threw a fit in her mind, ensuring none of her disobedience surfaced.

"The princess does have the most energy..." Tae-jun commented dreamily, as if he wasn't in the middle of a dirt road with crumbling infrastructure and diseased citizens.

Calista rolled her eyes at Yoon, but he didn't say anything. He simply continued to wash the few vegetables he had managed to pick from his garden.