6~From Back When We Remember
"Talking"
'Thinking'
"Muttering or speaking under their breath"
* Explaining/elaborating
'Future/ Narration'
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[Flashback to young Yara and Yona comforting King Il who is crying on the floor]
Yona pats their father's back while Yara tries to comfort him "Don't cry, Father. Even if Mother is gone, I'm still here, Yonas still here. You're not alone, Father. And we have Hak and Soo-Won."
Yona sniffles a little but quietly agrees. "Yeah, Father. We are still together, right?"
A little while later Yara, Yona, and Soo-Won are outside. Yara and Yona looked a bit down and sad but Soo-Won was trying to brighten their moods. "Yona! Yara! Look, it's snowing!" Soo-Won said excitedly.
Yona let out a sad "Yeah." While Yara just stared at the snow.
Not deterred Soo-Won turns away from the girls making something before turning back and shouting happily "I made a ball!"
Neither girl reacts with Yona looking at the ground and Yara staring at the snowball. However, this did not stop Soo-Won. "I made some strange thing." Seeing both girls still just sitting there in a dazed state he whispers out to them "Yona... Yara..."
Yona suddenly jumps with a start "I-I'm doing great!" She let out loudly before continuing "I have to stay cheerful, so my father won't cry!"
Yara jumps at Yonas' declaration before spinning with a jump shouting a forced "Yeah!"
However, she did not see Hak and ended up jumping on him causing him to let out a grunt in pain "Ugh!"
Yara looks down confused. She looks down to see Hak with an irritated look plastered on his face. "You're heavy..." Hak said, annoyed.
Yara and Yona yelled "Hak!" while Soo-Won yelled, "Hooray, it's Hak!"
Hak stayed laying down and irritatedly said "Princess, watch your step." He sighed but continued "I was in a good mood, too."
Yona being the curious person she is, asked "Why are you lying down there?"
"I was engraving proof of my existence on the Earth." Hak explained, closing his eyes.
Both Soo-Won and Yona let out a confused "Huh?" but Yara slightly smirked and silently backed away.
Hak sighed but still had his eyes closed and elaborated "When the ground is white with snow, it's human nature to want to lie down in it."
Just as he finished a snowball that Yara had thrown, hit him smack dab in the center of his face. She held a smirk on her face and smugly said "Yet you seem to be the perfect target for a snowball. Funny, no?"
Haks eyebrow twitched and a tick mark appeared on his face "Really?" He said extremely irritated.
Yara and Hak begin a snowball fight (War more like it) with Yona joining Yaras side. While Soo-Won joined Hak's side, Praising him "Well done, Hak! Yona is full of energy again!"
Hours passed and all tuckered out Yara and Yona lay side by side sick within their futons. Yara on the left and Yona on the right while the two boys sit on either side of them. Soo-Won sullenly says "Yonas and Yaras energy has disappeared..."
"I guess playing in the snow was a bit too much for the princesses." Hak said feeling slightly guilty.
Soo-Won also apologized "I'm sorry, Yona, Yara."
The woman taking care of the two girls bowed her head slightly and respectfully said "If you rest and take your medicine, you'll get better."
"Where is Father?" Yona asked hopefully.
The maid hesitated before responding, trying to be reassuring "His Majesty is busy right now. But he will come to see you soon."
The maid then bowed and took her leave. Soo-Won looked at the girls and said "It's okay, Yona."
Hak agreed, trying to ease their minds "When he hears you're sick, the king will come running."
Both females let it go before Yona told the other two "You two can leave now. If you get close to us..."
Yara agreed, "We don't want you guys to be sick as well." she said sorely.
"We're fine. We feel great. Our bodies are really warm!" Soo-Won said his face was warm. There were snowballs spinning around his head and slight steam coming from his head.
Hak in the same state said "I played so hard, I can still see snowballs." speech slowed.
Not even a minute later both boys were each a pile on the floor obviously sick. Yona panicked and Yara yelled out with her arms flailing about "Nurse, you have more patients!"
Now all four children are laying down in separate futons all sick with obvious fevers. They laid from left to right Hak, Yara, Yona, and finally Soo-Won. Hak said tiredly "No wonder I saw snowballs flying around me..."
"Don't you two need to leave?" Yona asked the two who don't live at the castle.
Soo-Won smiled slightly before saying "Apparently, it's best for us to recover here, so we don't spread our illness. But since I've been holding Yonas's hand when she sleeps, nothing has really changed."
Yara, confused, asked "You two do that?"
"I'm leaving." Hak said and began to get up.
Yaras hand shot out, grabbing Hak's hand before saying "We can hold hands while we sleep. I mean you don't have to."
Haks face burst into a furious shade of crimson. "W-Wha-" but is interrupted by the sliding doors opening abruptly. There stands Mundok with a dark aura surrounding him. Hak yells out with fear "Grandpa!"
"Boy, I heard you threw snow on the princesses and made them sick." Mundok eerily states.
Hak tries to defend himself "When there's snow lying around, it's only right to throw it!"
Mundok suddenly pulls a folded-up paper fan out of thin air and jumps at Hak yelling "Show me your rear! I'll give you a whipping!"
Hak jumps in fear but before Mundok can reach him one of the attendants stops him. She sternly scolds him "General, that's enough! They're sick!"
Mundok dejectedly walks out and you can practically see above his head the words 'Grandpa gets scolded so he goes home'. Saying a loud "Ugh..." he leaves with his head down.
"I'll stay here, after all. If I went home, he'd kill me." Hak says face purple and voice laced with fear.
Yara giggles beside him still holding his hand before Soo-Won says "I admire General Mundok!" He then looks over at Hak and continues "I had no idea he was your grandfather."
"I'm an orphan. We aren't blood relatives." Hak says casually.
"I see." Soo-Won said.
Hak spoke again, "I'm only his adopted son."
"But Mundok came to see you." Yona started kindly. "He must love you to some degree." Yara finished with a small smile.
Hak quietly replied, "I don't know..."
Yara and Yona noticed something however and said "Someone is here again."
A stern-looking man stands there, also known as Soo-Won's father, Yu-hon.
Soo-Won's eyes light up as do Yaras but for completely different reasons while Yona hides in her blanket and Hak just lays quietly. Soo-Won gets over his slight shock and stutters out "F-Father, what are you doing here?"
Yu-hon only raises a brow slightly and kneels in front of Soo-Won's futon before asking his son "Is there something wrong with a father coming to see his ill son?"
"You'll catch my illness, Father." Soo-Won says with a slight blush on his face.
"You think your illness could defeat me?" He asks with a stern playfulness present in his voice.
Soo-Won becomes flustered and sputters out "N-No! But I know this is a busy time for you..."
Yona still hides in her blanket thinking 'Uncle Yu-hon is so strong and strict. He's nothing like Soo-won.'
While Yaras's thoughts were the complete opposite. 'Wahhh! He's so cool!' she thought excitedly.
"You must beat down this illness quickly." Yu-hon says his face is still firm and unchanging.
Soo-Won happily exclaims "I will!"
Yu-hon bows slightly to Yara before saying "Princess Yara, I wish you well. I pray you gain your strength back."
Yaras entire body turns pink and flowery before happily yelling "Of course! Thank you Uncle Yu-hon!"
Yu-hon nods before taking his leave. Once he's gone Hak says "His intensity is amazing. I think my fever's gone down already." as a shiver runs down his spine.
Yona has tears in her eyes before shakily saying "That was scary..."
Soo-Won however said "Today's such a happy day..." He then aggressively lays down and yells out with his fist in the air "Okay! I will do my best to beat down my illness!"
"Yes! He's so amazing. He demands respect just by existing! Hehe." Yara said, removing her grip from Hak's hand and bringing her hands together.
Hak looked away with a slight huff and said "Go to sleep, idiots."
Yona was silently thinking and asking 'Father... It hurts. Why won't you come to see me? Don't leave me alone."
Later in the day one of the attendants brought dinner to the four children but Yona refused to eat. Yara also only picked at her food rather deep in thought.
The woman bringing the food asked Princess Yona, "Princess, at least take one bite."
"I don't want to." Yona said stubbornly.
The woman sighed before moving to Yara "Princess Yara please eat."
Yara simply looked at her and shook her head. The women left the room while Soo-Won and Hak tried to convince the two girls. "Yona, Yara you have to eat something." Soo-Won said.
Hak jumped in trying to lighten the mood "Or you'll get even uglier."
Unfortunately, that didn't work and both girls didn't really eat. Yara continues to push her food around and Yona just sits there. Just as Soo-Won was going to try and convince the girls again, slightly loud whispering caught the four's attention. Just outside of the sliding doors were two figures talking. "His Majesty hasn't come yet?" The soldier asked.
The woman figure beside him answers "No. I told him about the princesses, but..." and trails off at the end of her sentence.
"This is the king we're talking about. Perhaps he's too afraid of the illness to approach his own daughters." The soldier says disrespectfully.
Yara sees red and yells out "Silence! Speak like such again and it can mean treason! Do I make myself clear?"
Both figures flinch and yell "Yes Princess!" and run off.
Hak, feeling the tension, tries to reassure the two princesses. "He's the king, after all. Even at a time like this, he's hard at work. I respect the old man."
Yara relaxes, nodding her head slightly and Yona beams happily saying "Yeah!"
The four get ready to go to bed with Yona grabbing Soo-Won's hand and Yara grabbing Hak's hand. The girls lay down under their covers unaware of the blush they caused to appear on the boy's faces. Yona thought smiling 'I'm sorry... I'm sorry for thinking I was alone.'
Later that night Yaras and Yonas' stomach growl loudly. "Huh?" Both girls said slightly embarrassed.
"That was a huge growl." Hak said teasingly. Unfortunately for him, Yara was not in the mood and she bopped him on the head as hard as she could. He yelped in pain "OW!"
Soo-Won looks at the two and asks "Are you two hungry? I'll have something brought for you."
Soo-Won rang a bell by the futons and within a few minutes, chicken porridge was placed in front of them. Both girls' eyes shined and excitedly said "Chicken porridge!"
They both take their spoons and take a big bite. However, they stop the second they finish said bite. Yara covers her mouth and Yona says "It's unbelievably disgusting!"
Then the doors slide open and King Il pops his head in, surprising the four children. With a sheepish smile, he asks "Really? It tastes bad, huh?"
"Father!" Both Yara and Yona yell in surprise.
King Il smiles at the two taking a seat in front of them. "I made that." he says.
"Huh?" again the girls say in sync slightly lost.
"I thought I'd prepare your favorite food to make up for not coming to see you." King Il says smiling sadly and rubbing the back of his head before continuing "I made it according to the recipe..."
The girls' eyes widen before sharing a look. They grab their spoons and eat the porridge with slight haste. This surprised the king and said "Oh? I thought it tasted bad."
The girls look at him with shining smiles and Yona has tears in her eyes. "It's terrible!" Yona says. Yara shrugs and nonchalantly says "It tastes like you put all the salt in the castle in the bowl."
"Wah! Yara, that's mean!" Yells Soo-Won and the king only chuckles.
A few days pass and the four sit on some steps staring at the scenery. Yona huffs slightly and says "Aw... we're all better."
Hak looks at her slightly confused "You sound disappointed, Princess."
Yona shakes her head a bit. "Not really." She says.
"I'm disappointed./I am." Soo-Won and Yara speak simultaneously.
Hak tries to tease Soo-Won by saying "Because you can't sleep next to the princess anymore?"
"I can sleep next to Yona anytime." Soo-Won responds offhandedly with a smile. This causes Yona to blush and Yara to look at them weirdly. "But I wish the four of us could have slept together, with our colds, forever." He finished.
Hak merely shrugs and looks off into the distance saying "Even if we aren't sick, that's easy enough. We can stay together."
Soo-Won smiles a little before agreeing "You're right."
Yona stands and looks at them and says "Soo-won, Hak... Come again tomorrow. Come play with me always!"
Hak realizes something, however "Yara why did you say you were disappointed?"
Yara giggled before standing as well to look at the. She dusts her dress off and says "Well I enjoyed holding your hand and I want to be with you all forever!"
Hak blushes but Soo-Won and Yona jump onto Yara. They hug her with tears in their eyes saying things like thank you or I love you or even We'll always be together.
[ Flashback ends and we switch to Yonas dream]
In the dream, a young Yona runs towards her father who's facing away from her in pitch darkness. Confused, she calls out to him "Father! Father, I'm here!"
As she nears King Il, his body drops, Yona of the present day also falls to her knees seeing blood seeping out of her father's body. Then as she looks up she sees Soo-Won holding a bloody sword standing over them. She breathily says "S-Soo-Won..."
Similarly in Yara's dream, she walks around the palace as her present-day self before finding herself in King Il's bedroom. Yona and Haks' bodies are both off to the side, unmoving blood all over their clothes she drops down shaking them. Shakily whispering "Wake up... Wake up. Wake up please!" she turns her head to the right seeing Soo-won stabbing her father with no remorse. She can only sit there unmoving as Soo-Won makes his way over, lifting his sword before beginning to strike down. Yara closes her eyes in preparation to die.
Both girls woke up almost simultaneously labored breathing and eyes wide. Yara darts her head up searching for Yona and Hak. Seeing Yona she relaxes for a moment only to realize that Hak is nowhere to be seen. Immediately she calls out for him '"Hak!" But as she calls out some bushes rustle in front of them causing Yara to stick her arm out in front of Yona and glare at the bush. Both however almost collapsed when Hak came from the bush with a canteen.
"Hak..." Yona whispered.
Hak simply lifted the canteen slightly and apologized "I'm sorry. I went to get water."
Yara goes limp, her head down and shoulders shaking as Yona bursts into tears. (My poor babies come here so I can hug you.)
Hak confused gave a quiet "Huh?"
'The sky the four childhood friends used to look up to has vanished and has become somewhat bleak now.'
It was now late afternoon. Hak set up a small fire, found some fish in a nearby river and both girls closely followed him. As they sit in a small clearing Yona remains in a silent daze and Yara holds her hand tightly to make sure she doesn't disappear. They remain unmoving as the fish Hak caught finished. Of course, Hak suggested "You should eat something." while glancing at the two "From here on, I can't be sure if I will be able to secure food."
Yara glances at Yona before grabbing one of the fish taking little nibbles. When she realizes Yona wont eat herself Yara rips a piece of her fish and places it in Yonas mouth before taking a bite herself. "Eat Yona." Yara ordered and slowly Yona began eating.
Hak watching the two girls was lost in thought 'The princess is hardly responding and getting weaker. Not only physically, she can't seem to face reality.' He glances at Yara ' And her Highness is hiding everything from me as well as her sister. She won't last if she keeps forcing herself to be strong like this.'
After they finish eating they continue walking only to come upon a river. Yara abruptly stops making her other two companions halt as well. Yara speaks up after they stopped "We will clean off in the river. I need to get the blood off."
Yona stiffened and Hak stared at her for a moment. He walks to a rock nearby a tree that covers the river from his view. Yara began dragging Yona over to the river giving her a bath. Once both girls finished they got out only for Yona to yell "Ah!!" While Yara said a quiet "Ew..." causing Hak to rush over.
Yona freaking out asked "What are these?!" Yara looks over to her sister seeing her in a similar predicament with a few leeches attached to their legs. Hak rushes to Yona while Yara was already removing them from her legs Hak answered "They're leeches. Hold still." He helps Yara pull a few off Yonas legs before assisting Yara and elaborating "They live in lakes and swamps, they suck your blood." As he finished his sentence he retrieved the last leech on Yaras lower calf.
Yona still not being herself fully mumbled "Blood..." Hak, confused, looked up to ask "What?"
Yara raised her hand to Haks eyes before reassuring Yona "They won't kill you. Thank you for the assistance Hak but that's enough now."
Hak realized that both girls were naked making his eyes widen a tad. He quickly placed the girl's clothes down and rushed back to his previous place while saying "Sorry."
Yona seemed unfazed so Yara deemed it unimportant and just helped her little sister redress. While hak was waiting he was thinking to himself 'Will princess Yona stay like this forever. Will her highness continue to block us out. Princess only does as ordered or goes where she's led like a doll while her highness is only worried about Yona with a complete lack of care for herself. Are you satisfied, Soo-Won? Destroying the days we spent together, the princess you treasured and the one I treasure. Did that satisfy you?' While walking he heard a crunch unlike grass or leaves under his foot. He looks down to find the source and sees the hairpin Soo-Won gave to Yona. 'This is...' Hak picks it up continuing his thought 'She still has this?'
Later that night the trio set up camp again. "We'll rest here today." Hak said, taking a seat with his glaive in hand closing his eyes to rest. The girls follow suit sitting beside each other Yara closing her eyes as well half asleep in moments and Yona staring at the fire Hak had created. The silence consumes them. A few minutes passed and Yona began fiddling around seemingly searching for something. Hak speaks up, keeping his eyes closed. "What's wrong? Did you lose something?"
Yona lets out a strangled noise in response "Ngh." 'I don't need it.' She thought 'I definitely don't need it.' Yara opened her eyes sleepily to give them both a strange look as she processed the conversation the two had. Yona suddenly stands up, startling Yara awake fully. Hak finally opens his eyes to ask "Where are you going Princess?"
Yona stuttered back "Im... Im just..." she paused as Yara gave Hak a pointed look to which he looked away from. "I'll be right back." Yona turns back to head along the trail they walked just previously.
Once she's out of sight Yara calmly orders "Hak, give it to me." Hak with his head still turned from her monotonously replied "I have no clue what youre talking about Your Highness."
Yara rolled her eyes before going over to Hak and taking Yonas hair pin from Soo-Won out of his shirt. "No clue huh?" she said with a brow raised. He stayed silent, still avoiding her gaze. Yara sighs "Hak, look at me. Now." He hesitantly looks up at her and his eyes widen at the sight. Yara smiles warmly down at him with an emotion in her eyes that he couldn't quite identify.
Yara starts "I know Hak. I know. I will never forgive him. I hate that person more than anything but she loved him in a different way than we did. Unfortunately she's still stuck on him. And if that silly thing that he gave her keeps her moving then i'll protect it with my life until she moves on." At this Hak looks down but she continues on "We don't have to forgive or be like Yona but please protect her, for me? Even if we don't understand, I need her."
With Yona she is walking along the path and somehow ends up finding a snake along her path. She steps back in fear as the snake prepares to attack. "Ah!" Yona yells as the snake lunges for her but before it attacks, Hak easily kills it with a quick swipe of his blade. Yara stands a few feet away from them, worry etched onto her face. Hak, clearly upset, asks "Are you alright? Why did you want to come this far? Do you want to die?"
Yara looked around in panic and called out to Hak "Not the time Hak! Look!"
Alarmed Hak looks around to see they are surrounded by piles of snakes. He curses "Damn it... Is this their nest?" Yara, who's extremely agitated, yells at Hak " Don't ask stupid questions!" He picks up both girls with a huff and throws them over either of his shoulders.
He begins running with both girls over his shoulders, weaving through the nest of snakes but as he was attempting to make their escape Hak was bit by a snake on his ankle. Hak winces but pushes forward " Tsk...Bring it on." He says with a grimace and sweat dripping down his face.
Yona, concerned but terrified, could only whisper his name "Hak..." Hak with a forced smile and continuously stepping over the piles of snakes. "Keep your mouth shut and hang on, Princess." Hak says sharply. Dodging another pile of snakes he continues "You two only need to think of me as a tool. Use me so that you both can live. It's what I'm here for."
With one last dead sprint they are away from the snake nest and back at their campsite. As they settled down, Yara began tending to Haks' wounds with cloth she tore from her dress while giving him a look. Yona stared at the snake bite for a moment before shifting her gaze to Hak. "Hak, im sorry-" Yona began only to be cut off by Hak "Is this what you were looking for?" He says sharply while bringing out the hairpin Yona was looking for earlier. Yara tightens the wrap around Haks injury unnecessarily tight and glares at him which Hak easily deciphered the look as a warning to watch his tone. Yona carefully took the hairpin from him while looking down with what Yara could only assume was shame.
Hak takes a breath before saying "I can't forgive Soo-Won." He says this with conviction and lets his statement hang in the air for a moment before continuing "but more than that I want you to live."
Yona looks up surprised and quickly nods her head as Yara smiles at the two both girls not realizing Haks thoughts have already wondered.
'To find that hairpin the Princess made a move, without me or her highness guiding her, for the first time since we had escaped into the forest. If it keeps her alive and her majesty happy, I don't care what it is. Even if it's feelings she can't yet throw away.' Hak thinks with bitter acceptance.
On the edge of the forest near the castle, Soo-won and a few soldiers stand looking out to the dark forest as other soldiers continue looking for the three runaways. "I see... You haven't found them." Soo-won says stoically.
One soldier asked while getting on one knee "Shall we send more after them?" Soo-won pauses before responding while closing his eyes "No, leave them."
Another soldier, surprised , asked "You're allowing them to live?"
Soo-won looked at the soldier "Now that they've left the castle, they cannot do anything." He stated simply before turning around and walking towards the castle before continuing "Besides, there is something we must do immediately."
Back in the forest with the three escapists, Yona is fast asleep while Yara stares off into space while Hak is closing his eyes, holding his glaive all sitting in a circle. Well laying in Yonas case. Yara sighs before glaring heatedly at Hak. Clearly being a great general Hak feels the gaze "What are the daggers for, your highness?" He asks, opening an eye and raising a brow at Yara.
Yara cuckles darkly only adding to Haks confusion making him open both of his eyes and face her. "What?"
"Are you joking or are you actually just that idiotic?" Yara insults viciously while walking over to him. He stiffens and tries to talk back "Hey! Wha-" but is quickly cut off by a loud SMACK. Haks head is facing off to the right, eyes wide and his cheek is a noticeable tint of red on one side. Yaras hand is flat but held up slightly and her eyes are a bit glossy as she stares down a Hak with a frown etched onto her face. She kneels down in front of him, grabs his chin and forces him to look her in the eyes. Hak, still visibly shaken, is frozen in shock.
Yara takes a deep breath before she begins "You are a fool aren't you? No need to answer, it was a rhetorical question. Both Yona and I gave you an order a few days ago, do you remember what it was?" Hak only stared at her, causing her to scowl "Words Hak. That wasn't rhetorical."
Hak, still stupefied, just said "No." Her gaze softened a tad "I figured" It took all the self control he had to not make a sarcastic comment "We told you that you weren't allowed to die. This means that you spewing nonsense like how we should treat you as a tool is unacceptable. I will tell you this one more time only, so listen closely." Yara placed her hands on either side of his face and looked him in the eyes before sternly saying "Son Hak this is an order you are NOT allowed to die. Unfortunately for you, you serve a selfish Princess." Yara smiles as she releases her hold on him before jolting in surprise.
Hak grabbed one of her hands and placed it back on his face. Yaras face started turning red as she stuttered "H-hak! W-what ar-'' he interrupted her "Queen." he said firmly before smirking at the confusion clearly shown on Yaras face "No matter what I will never see Soo-won as king." Hak states "You are the queen so I have a selfish queen that I follow." Yara smile and rubs her thumb gently on Haks cheek and whispers "Thank you Hak."
Yara goes back to her original spot beside Yona and lays down to sleep. It's quiet for about a minute before Hak says "I never imagined you'd be into that sort of thing your Majesty. Scandalous." An annoying smirk on his face as Yara shoots up mortified and hits him yelling "YOU STUPID PERVERT!"
4756 Words Holy churro!
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Hello babes and bubs, so I'll be entirely transparent. I had a concussion while writing the next couple including this one. Please tell me if there are any mistakes. Also let me know if you like the longer chapters because this one was a hard one and it's still not very good. I had a lot of fun though. Anyway it is almost 1:30 am and i'm sleepy so have a good day/night.
Sayonara~Astrana