The Varied Path (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction)

Chapter 26: Passing It On

"Would you like a hand now, Your Highness?"

Yona reluctantly accepted it. 

"It's alright to ask for help sometimes, it doesn't make you weak." Calista added on softly. 

"But, I want to be acknowledged..." Came the quiet reply.

Calista locked her fingers together, creating a makeshift place for Yona to put her foot in, and then she hoisted her up. Yona pulled herself up the rest of the way with a grunt, smiling widely when she made it all the way up.

Straddling the huge branch, she locked her ankles together, precariously stabilizing in place with her hands on the bark in front of her. Once the princess was settled successfully on the lowest branch, Calista hooked her daggers into the trunk, scaling the tree quickly and reaching up a hand to swing up easily next to her.

Yona gasped in astonishment.

"How did you do that?!"

A breathless chuckle was all she got in response.

"Teach me how to do that!!" Yona begged, clasping her hands together, only to flail them frantically when she almost lost her balance.

Calista smiled slightly. "Once you mastered the bow, Your Highness."

Yona puffed out her cheeks and she laughed, the joyous sound ringing through the air. There was her childhood friend that she knew and loved so well.

She rolled up her sleeves, slipping her blades back to their rightful place on her arms.

It wasn't covered in time.

Yona's eyes were wide with shock as they landed on the scars that criss-crossing her left forearm. 

Her slender dagger didn't hide them all from view.

"What happened?"

Calista froze, refusing to answer her.

But this is what she called her over for. It was time she knew. 

"Calista." Yona begged, voice cracking with desperation.

She had put this off for long enough.

"I'm... bound."

Yona didn't understand. "...Bound to what?"

"Are you aware of the underground, Your Highness?" Calista continued, ignoring her earlier question. By the confusion in her eyes, it was clear she didn't know what it was.

"There is nothing but fear, greed and corruption there. Blood is always called for, and will be granted one way or another." 

The assassin's face was guarded, her eyes, dark. Yona's expression was contorted in horror. 

"People are either brought in or are born there. Since I was born there, I'm not allowed to leave." Calista hesitated, drawing her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on it. "Soo-won bought me so that they would stop chasing me once I tried to."

Yona froze. 

"That's... good, right?" Her voice trembled. 

Calista gritted her teeth, looking away from her. 

This wouldn't be easy to do. 

She didn't want to destroy whatever image of her beloved cousin Yona had left, but this couldn't go unsaid.

"In a way, yes." Calista chose her words carefully. "They did leave me alone because I belonged to a noble. However, after... that... night... I am no longer tied to him. If I go too long without a master or without visiting at night, they'll come after me and I don't stand a chance against all of them."