Eternity Bound - A Yona of the Dawn Fanfic

Chapter 4 - Wake of Loss

"Doctor, if you don't mind, could you leave us alone?"He then asked, moving to sit more comfortably beside Jang-mi. "Let me know when the other one wakes up, too."

"Of course, sir. Just make sure she doesn't move."

When the Wind Clan Doctor left, Hak let out a deep sigh of stress and ran his fingers through his hair — briefly pushing it from his face. He was lucky to have made it here with both the Princess and Jang-mi... but he still had to think of what to do now.

"Hak... what happened?"Jang-mi asked quietly, attempting to sit up only to whimper at the pain that shot through her midsection. "Th-This doesn't look like the Castle..."She peeped, her head falling back on her pillow again.

"You don't remember?"The Wind General asked, furrowing his brows at the bemused look she gave him. "You must have hit your head when you collapsed."

As Hak spoke, Jang-mi's eyes absently wandered around the room but stopped when they set upon the pair of now sheathed swords nearby. Father's... blades...? That's right, the King is asked me... to... to...

"They belonged to your father... your mother asked me to keep them until today: the day Yona turns sixteen."

"I abhor such things, but I must ask this of you."

"Please, protect her."

And then...

"I sent him to hell just moments ago."

"Ask Princess Yona."

"She saw the King's death with her own eyes."

Jang-mi's lips parted slightly, and her eyes widened; a deep frown creased Hak's lips — seeing her look of realization. "Min-soo sacrificed himself, so I could escape with the Princess and you."

"Min-soo..."The former handmaiden curled her lips in when they began to tremble. "How could this happen... why?"Everyone had turned on them... except Min-soo, that kind boy. "Why would Min-soo—"

"I don't know why Soo-won would, "Hak paused, closing his eyes. "But Min-soo... he wanted the Princess to survive. He also... wanted you to survive."

"Me...?" Jang-mi frowned, laying her hand on her head. "Why me, though...? I'm not worth as much as the Princess."Why would that matter to him, though? She was his friend... of course, he'd care.

"You never knew, did you."Suddenly Hak's gaze on Jang-mi felt more... scrutinizing.

Now the handmaiden was completely lost, knitting her brows. "Know... what?"She asked, pushing her bangs from her face, permitting her eyes to be visible to her friend.

Hak sighed and covered his face with his palm. "Of course not."He grumbled, lowering his hand and giving her a deadpan look. "Jang-mi... you never asked why he was always so fidgety around you?"

"Uh-uh."She shook her head almost immediately with childlike innocence.

"Did you notice how nervous around you he was?"

"Erm... no?"The handmaiden blinked her big red eyes and tilted her head. "Wait, why would he be nervous?"

Hak growled quietly, feeling a small vein surface over his forehead. "Min-soo had feelings for you, you idiot!"

W... What...?

Startled by Hak's loudness and exactly what she was told, Jang-mi's eyes widened, and she just... laid there, in shock, her hand dropping from her head. "He... had..."