The Varied Path (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction)

Chapter 59: The Dark Dragon and the Happy Hungry Bunch

"There are many villages like this in the Fire Tribe, right?" Yona asked, deep in thought, not really paying any attention to his persuasion.

Yoon eyed her suspiciously. "... That's right."

"And everywhere is impoverished and has heavy taxes?"She continued.

Calista held back a grin. She knew where she was going with this, and couldn't help the excitement that thrummed through her veins at the prospect. Cracking her knuckles, her brother threw her a suspicious look at her eagerness.

Yoon took a longer time to respond, but eventually nodded in defeat.

Yona's eyes glittered with resolve. "Then we will become unruly bandits and expand our territory."

Calista watched Yoon's face contort in horror as he realized how dangerous that would be before it changed to fear. He hid it as best as he could as the princess continued, "If we do that, we'll be able to protect the people who have had heavy taxes levied upon them."

He couldn't hold his tongue any longer.

"The problem isn't that simple!!" The feathers danced in his hair as he shook his head furiously. "If they fall behind in the collections, they levy even stricter taxes! Even if we somehow manage to pull this off the slightest bit, the soldiers from Saika Castle will make their move!!"

"Let them come."

The raven-haired girl folded her arms over her chest, nodding encouragingly. Her silver eyes flashed with pride at how clear her goal was to her.

Yona drew herself up to her full height, and despite being the shortest out of the bunch the rage burning inside of her threatened to unleash its power on the ones who inflicted unjust pain against innocent people.

"If they desert impoverished children and the sick in order to protect themselves from danger then they have their priorities backwards."

The princess who was so weak before was now standing strong on her own two feet. With her archery bow and steel-tipped arrows slung across her back, she was stepping into her role as Kouka's princess, and changing the tide this kingdom was headed towards.

And Calista hoped that she lived long enough to be by her side when she did.

"Besides..." Yona smiled brightly at the troubled pretty boy. "I don't think I'll lose to them as long as everyone's here."

"But—!"

"Yoon."

He stopped, lower lip trembling.

"Surely you understand, Yoon." Yona said evenly. "You know how to efficiently move to make the officers come under pressure."

"We can't do this without you, Yoon." Calista added on. "We need you."

She saw the gears turning in his head at their words. He did know how to move from village to village in order to keep the officials on their toes, but it wouldn't be without cost. Which brought up one last problem.

Yoon paced back and forth, recounting all they would have to do to make it work, but came up short. "There's no way we can secure the areas we conquer with the number of people we have!! There will be too many opportunities for them to take the villages back!!"

Calista raised her hand, a knowing gleam in her eye. "I think I might have an idea."

They fell silent, staring at her questioningly. Hak started to shake his head at her.

"No, absolutely not." He hissed. He knew where she was going with this and he wasn't going to stand for it. "You're going to get yourself killed."

She silenced him with a warning look, ignoring everyone else's expressions of alarm. "Don't, Hak. I got this."

Shin-ah took a step towards her, but she took a small step back. Her dark hair tumbled over her shoulder as her hood fell off, grave eyes covered underneath a sea of nonchalance.

"Let me handle it, yeah?" Calista threw them a wink over her shoulder.

Her friends watched her stroll away and by the time they made a move to stop her, she was gone. Shin-ah was the last one to tear his eyes away from her retreating form. He was still worried about the shoulder injury that she had hidden from the others after their latest skirmish.

Zeno threw his hands up in the air, eyes crinkling excitedly as he glossed over the tense atmosphere. "Well then, now that it's all settled, let's start the revolt of 'The Dark Dragon and the Happy Hungry Bunch!!!'"

Yona giggled as Yoon's forehead creased in annoyance, finally relenting. "First of all, that name won't do anything to terrorize them!!!"