The Varied Path (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction)

10K Special: Veiled Cove [Part 4/7]

Words for this part: 2.2k

It was early morning, an hour before the sun rose and Calista was itching to do something. Luna and Speckles were sleeping on the shore, tuckered out from yesterday's activities and didn't seem like they were going to get up anytime soon. The princess noticed her agitation and offered to go on a walk while the others were asleep.

She readily agreed, eager to get some exercise in. Yona flitted about once she realized that a morning walk would end up meaning a morning jog. Still, it sounded a lot more fun than sitting around until the boys woke up.

Yona and Calista started off by strolling along the beach, kicking up sand before the older girl broke into a run. The princess dashed after her, determined to catch up. Playful cries were carried away by the wind as they sprinted down the length of the coastline.

Calista could have sworn she heard Yoon yell something after them, but she couldn't be sure with the wind that whipped around her ears. Glancing over her shoulder, she assumed she had imagined it since the pretty boy was in the same place that they had left him in.

The sky grew lighter, but no sunlight pierced through the clouds. Within minutes, she reached the cliffs that bordered the hidden beach, but she only stared at it for a second.

Scaling up the rocks at a breaknecking speed, she only paused when she heard Yona's cry of protest, gripping the rock firmly in order to twist around. She was met with the sight of the princess slipping and sliding on the sand as she finally arrived at the base of the cliffs.

Calista jumped down until she was within arms reach. She was still barefoot, which enabled her to maintain a solid footing on the warm rock underneath her.

"Here, Yona." She outstretched her hand invitingly. "Come on!!"

Grabbing it without hesitation, Yona yelped in surprise as she hoisted her up. "Calista!! You're so strong!!"

The cliffs were near vertical, but the experienced fighter scoured the stone for secure footholds. There were several ledges along the way that provided them with an ample amount of support and she took the path where the princess would have the easiest time.

Yona followed her lead, and they settled into a rhythm.

They were about halfway up, about eight feet from the ground when Calista stopped. There was moss sprouting from in between the crevices, so she was curious to know why this patch of rock had almost no greenery on it.

"Yona, come check this out."

Hopping onto the adjacent ledge she was on, the princess pressed her small body flat against the cliff side as much as possible to prevent the wind from throwing off her balance. It vaguely reminded her of the Vanishing Cape in Awa, but this was a lot less life-threatening. Not to mention, she had a friend here with her.

Calista rapped her knuckles against the cliff side, and Yona's eyes widened when she heard it too.

The hollow echo of an empty chamber.

Pushing on the stone experimentally, it crumbled with little effort. Calista pumped one fist in the air victoriously and Yona giggled. The fighter climbed in first, then helped the princess in.

"Yoon would love to see this..." Calista mused as she turned around.

They had found an entrance to some kind of tunnel. The only thing was, it wasn't dark. Quite the opposite, actually. The rays of light from the rising sun pierced through the shadows, dispersing them instantly, and it gave way to a breathtaking scenery.

"Whoa..." She said in awe. "This is so cool."

Yona seconded that.

What Calista first thought to be a cave turned out to be a tunnel carved through the earth, right to the other side. And she thought their hidden beach was beautiful and one of a kind.