"What are you doing?"
Lien heard Jae-Ha but she didn't look at him or answer, mainly because she would lose control over the pair of old cracked tea cups that were precariously balanced on her nose, one on top of the other. Beside her, a group of village children were watching the cups, probably waiting for them to tumble.
Their group had been slowly traveling through the Fire Tribe lands and attempting to bring some relief to the small towns and villages in the impoverished area. Hak, Kija, and Zeno had split off to go to Shuu Village while Shin-Ah and Yona had stayed back at the last town. Jae-Ha had offered to take Lien along with him to Katan so she could help, and since she was feeling slightly stir-crazy, she had jumped at the chance. Jae-Ha's presence was more precautionary than anything, but the villagers seem to like having both of them around.
Lien and Jae-Ha were watching over Katan, or rather, Jae-Ha was guarding the village while Lien did what she could for the townspeople. She had spent the morning helping Jae-Ha and some of the kids haul water then she had started brewing a thin soup that Yoon had sent while Jae-Ha repaired a roof.
She taught the kids a few rhymes while the soup cooked, and once they got bored with that, she balanced things the children brought her. Honestly, her little brother Han-jae was much better when it came to balancing acts, but she had a lot of practice.
Lien plucked the cups off her nose after a few more moments and looked over at the green dragon. "We're waiting for the soup to finish," she said, glancing toward the pot. Neither she nor Jae-Ha would be eating since it was for the villagers, but it did smell really good. Yoon had packed all of the ingredients and given her very specific instructions that she had followed the best she could. The two of them would eat later that night once they made it back to the others. It was just part of the job when you were one of the Happy, Hungry Bunch.
"So you decided to start balancing cups to pass the time?" Jae-Ha asked, amused.
"Maybe," Lien said with a grin.
"I can do it, too," one of the kids exclaimed. He took one of the tea cups from Lien's hands and put it on top of his head. He took a step forward, and it nearly toppled off onto the ground. Jae-Ha reached out and grabbed it before it could fall, and he passed it back to Lien.
"I think you might need some more practice," the green dragon said to the boy.
Lien stepped over to the cooking pot and bent down to stir the soup. Despite the good smell wafting from the pot, it was thin and wouldn't provide much nutrition, but it was better than nothing. At least their bellies would feel full for a little while.
She ladled a tiny bit out into one of the chipped cups and blew on the liquid, cooling it down. She knew if she just handed it to the little girl next to her, the kid would gulp it down and scorch her mouth. When it was cool enough, Lien held it out to the girl. "Can you tell me how this tastes?"
The girl snatched it out of her hands and downed it in a second. She smacked her cracked lips and shoved the cup back into Lien's hand. "More, more!"
"I guess it tastes all right," Jae-Ha said with a smirk.
Even with a whole pot on the fire, there wasn't enough soup for everyone in the village to have a full portion. But they were all able to have a little bit. Lien saw some of the adults give their portions to the children, and her heart wrenched. She had gone hungry a few times when things were tight with their caravan, but she had never starved.
Even now, when food was scarce and their group was trying to give most of their supplies away, she wasn't really starving. Just really hungry. She had a feeling that the guys were making sure that she and Yona received larger portions, which was silly seeing how they probably used more energy than her and Yona.
For the rest of the afternoon, she and Jae-Ha worked around the village, repairing buildings, helping the elders, and entertaining the children. Both of them sang while they worked, bringing a tiny bit of levity to a village who hadn't experienced much joy in a long time. It was strange, but Lien felt comfortable around Jae-Ha. He didn't really remind her of Kyung, but somehow she got the same big-brother feeling from him. It helped that he was so nice and friendly to her anyways, and while he flirted with her, she could tell it was only gentle teasing and not intended to be taken seriously.
When the sun began to set, Jae-Ha came to get her to take her back to the town where their group was currently based. She looked up from putting the last few stitches in a shirt hem to find Jae-Ha blocking the last rays of sunlight.
"You'll go blind trying to make such little stitches without light," he teased.
Lien smiled. "I'd have more light if you'd move."
Jae-Ha took one step to the side, giving her the light she needed. "We need to leave soon."
"I'm almost finished." She started sewing again, her fingers speeding along the shirt's hemline. "There's still more work to do here."
"The entire countryside is like this, Lien dear," Jae-Ha said, "We'll be working for long time. Let's go home for now."
She glanced up at him and saw him looking at the village, his eyes darker than usual. He seemed bothered by all the suffering around them, but he was hiding it well under his normal suave attitude.
After putting the last stitch in the shirt, she handed it over to the man it belonged to and bowed to him. "I hope it keeps out the cold."
"I'm sure it will," the man said, holding the shirt close. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Jae-Ha held out a hand to her. "Ready?"
She put her hand in his and he helped her to her feet. She took one more look at the village before she hopped up on Jae-Ha's back for the trip back to the others. "Are you sure you don't mind?"
"Apparently I am the team horse," Jae-Ha teased, "It's all right, Lien. You aren't Kija or Hak."
"You're the best-looking horse in the world," she teased right back, "If that helps."
Jae-Ha's shoulders shook, and for a second she thought she had offended him. At least that's what she thought before he started laughing. "I am a thoroughbred, after all."
Lien rolled her eyes. "Don't make it weird..."
Jae-Ha grinned at her over his shoulder and then took off. She held on tight as they soared through the sunset sky, the light painting the clouds pink and lavender and orange, bright as fire. It was beautiful, but she still hoped that Jae-Ha wasn't tiring himself out hopping across the countryside.
When they reached the town where they had left Yona and Shin-Ah, Jae-Ha landed on the outskirts of the village. Lien slid to the ground, her legs wobbly, and Jae-Ha reached out to steady her. He held on longer than necessary and Lien looked up at him. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know," he said, "Something doesn't feel right."
Now that he mentioned it, something did feel a little off.
"Where's Shin-Ah? And Yona?" Jae-Ha asked, eyes narrowing.
Lien lifted her chin, a chill running down her spin. Normally Shin-Ah spotted Jae-Ha returning and Yona would go to meet him, usually with Shin-Ah in tow. But this time there was no one. Jae-Ha's hand went from her elbow to her hand, and he headed toward where their small tent was pitched, keeping her with him.
They were halfway there when they spotted Hak and Kija with a group of bandits, the two of them glaring at the bandits as if they would happily tear them to pieces. The bandits, on the other hand, looked like they had seen hell and somehow managed to survive.
"I don't believe I like this," Jae-Ha said, his languid tone barely masking the concern in his voice. He wandered over to Hak and Kija, still keeping Lien's hand in his. She looked around for Shin-Ah, Yona, Yoon, and Zeno, but they weren't there. "What happened here?"
"These cretins attacked the village and killed a child. They tried to kidnap Yona, and hurt Shin-Ah," Kija snapped, murder in his blue eyes.
Jae-Ha went rigid, and Lien's heart lurched. They had killed a child? She thought of all the children at the last village... and Shin-Ah had been injured. "Is Shin-Ah all right?" she asked.
"Yoon's with him," Hak said quietly, "He'll be fine."
"And Shin-Ah fought all of these men off on his own?" Jae-Ha asked, his eyebrows raising in a question. "Or did Yona suddenly become extra fearsome with her bow?"
"Shin-Ah used his power," Kija said.
"Ah," Jae-Ha said, pursing his lips together.
Lien pulled away from Jae-Ha and took off toward the tent, rushing through the village. Now she could hear the sobbing, the crying, the villagers upset over the death of a child. Tears burned in her eyes as she ran, her vision blurring. Why did these things keep happening? Why did there have to be bandits and starvation and famine?
"Lien!" Yona's voice broke into her dark thoughts and she realized that she had run all the way to their small tent.
"Are you okay?" Lien asked, hurrying over to the princess. She was sitting on a small log outside of the tent, Zeno perched right beside her. Lien's eyes flicked to the tent where she knew Shin-Ah would be with Yoon.
"I'm fine," Yona said. There were tearstains on her cheeks, and her eyes were red-rimmed from crying. "Shin-Ah...Shin-Ah was hurt. And now he can't move..."
Right, the dark side of his power... Lien's knees were feeling weak, and she ended up sitting down beside Zeno. It wasn't fair, why did this have to happen to him? And the fact that he had used his power when he had always been so against it. He must have been so outnumbered and desperate.
The yellow dragon put his hand on her arm, his own eyes watery. "The boy is taking care of him. We won't worry too much, right?"
Lien nodded, but she couldn't help but worry. Still, she would put her faith in Yoon and his skills. She leaned against Zeno for comfort, taking heart in his and Yona's presence. It would turn out all right.
It had to.