Surveying the group, my brows furrow in confusion, something not exactly feeling right, and as I looked them over one more time, It finally clicked. While everyone else talking in excitement, their bodies moving in and out of the market stands, I pull Zeno to the side. He looks at me in confusion as he raises his head to look me in the eyes.
"What is it?" He says softly, his body twitching as if he could physically sense that something was wrong. Pausing for a second, I look back towards the group of dragons (and Hak) before turning back to Zeno.
"I had spies give me daily reports of how you all were doing before you arrived...aren't you all supposed to have one more member of your little band of misfits?"
Zeno's brows furrow weirdly before a panicked look crosses over his face.
"Oh, gods! We forgot about Yoon! Yona!-" Pulling away from me, Zeno runs towards Yona, his blonde hair flying behind him as he went and spoke animatedly with the red-head. The same look of worry and panic passed over he face, as her movements became far more fast-paced.
Still talking to her, Zeno points in my direction before pulling Yona and the others towards me. With arms crossed, I could already feel the questions and favours that were going to be asked. The fear they felt for their friend oozed off of them in waves, even Hak felt a little bit of it.
Although personally, my mind tells me it's wrong to feel satisfaction for these feelings that were coming off the others....but my heart and body was telling me to feed off of it like some kind of starved animal.
Digging my nails into my hands, I regulate my breathing before looking Yona in the eyes. Stopping in front of me, her eyes seemed to alight as she clenched the strap of her quiver.
"I know that we had only just arrived, but we need to leave." She said sharply, her voice leaving little room for argument. However, me being me, I still found some room to oppose.
"Oh, really now? May I be so bold as to ask why?" I drawled, a linning of sarcasm masking over my words.
Hak takes his place beside her, his spine straightening as he looked down on me just the slightest. "We accidentally left a friend in a nearby village. We got separated when we were attacked."
I make a clicking sound with my teeth, a dissatisfied looked passing over my face. "Why do you look so displeased? You don't even know the person we speak of," asks Jae Ha, his voice hinting with a tone of sass. Shaking my head, I let out a sharp and high pitched whistle, momentarily gaining the attention of those around us.
"Be that as it may, I am mighty displeased in the fact I now have to go searching for him."
"What-"
I just off Kija and Yona with a simple flick of my wrist, shadows wrapping around me as if giving me a protective layer.
"It will be dark soon, and these woods aren't safe for outsiders to be roaming about. I don't sleep, and for obvious reasons, I'm the best candidate to go out and look for him. Should I not be back before the crack of dawn, I have either moved on in search of him elsewhere, or something has come up-"
From the looks, I was receiving, and the waves of anxiety that came off of them, I was only making matters worse with the words I was saying.
"Either way, I will come back with him, mark my words," I say bluntly, the familiar feeling of exhaustion tugging at my soul. A feeling of exhaustion that I was unable to cure with sleep. it was a feeling that forever bothered me, I just have become good hiding it.
"How do you know that this person is a he?" Asks Jae Ha suspiciously. Obviously, he already forgot my comment about the spies. With a playful wink in his direction, I look past him without any further comment, the approaching figure of Kaito causing me to advert my attention towards him.
His look was hard as steel, his silver eyes surveying the scene before first approaching me without hesitation. Bowing down on one knee, he puts his fist to his chest and looks towards the ground in submission.
"The bodies have been burned like you wished, and the security has been increased per my won request. Is there any further instructions?" He said emotionlessly. Sighing, I shake my head at him before walking up and putting a hand under his arm. He only ever acts like this in front of other people.
Hauling him up, I fix him with a pointed stare. He met my own gaze without so much as faltering. We often times have debates on his etiquette in front of people, and he is much too stubborn to change, so I have given up.
"Thank you, Kaito. I have one more favour to ask of you though."
"What is it you need me to do."
Looking back to the group of misfits, I nod in their direction. "I need you to not only look after these five, but I need you to look after the village in my absence. I'm going hunting, and I don't know how long I will be out."
"I-"
"Oi! How come Zeno isn't included in the babysitting!?" Interrupts Hak, his voice holding a slight whine that he rarely shows. Raising an eyebrow at him, he seemed to clue into my curiosity, because he points at Jae-ha and Kija in defence.
Shaking my head in humour, I roll my eyes in Zeno's direction before letting out a laugh. "Because out of all of you, Zeno is the most mature. That, and he knows the village like the back of his hand, he knows the rules, and how it's run. Heck, he himself could run the village himself in my absence. Therefore, he is most definitely not in need of a babysitter."
Kaito lets out a snort as the jaws of the group drop in disbelief, their eyes looking towards Zeno in shock. Shrugging his shoulders, Zeno shoots them a grin before skipping over to my side, his aura shining like that of the sun.
He really doesn't bring light and happiness to this place...oh how I've missed this midget.
I look away from Zeno and in the direction of Kaito once again. "Can you please take them to the dining hall for dinner? If they wish to go to the village market at some point, they can. However, please make the villagers aware of the fact that they are not hostile."
"As you wish, Akuma-Sama." I offer him a small smile before turning away from the group and begin my walk to my room.
"Mother, where are you going?" Stopping in my tracks, I watch as Shin-ah runs up to me and grabs onto my arm, his grip almost desperate as if he was fearful.
Reaching up with a gentle hand, I take off his mask and gaze into his eyes with a reassuring smile. Leaning up slightly, I place a kiss on his head before putting his dreadful mask back on.
"I'm simply going to get ready before leaving to being Yoon back. I'll be back soon, little blue. Don't worry, okay?" He nods his head slightly before retracting from me. With another small smile, I turn away and walk away completely. The sound of footsteps alerts me of the fact that someone was following.
No doubt it's Zeno.
"How have you been, old friend?"
Without looking at him, I reply while still walking in the direction of my room. "As good as it can be, Zeno. You know how it is, nothing ever changes around here-" Silence elapses as we continue to walk, the absence of sound more comforting rather than awkward.
"It's his anniversary soon...isn't it."
A painful clench constricts in my chest and the sudden feeling of being unable to breathe invades me. Clenching my fist, I force myself to stay calm as I coldly reply.
"Yes it is."
"How many years has it been now?" He knows damn well how many years it's been, he was there with me when I mourned, just like how I was there for the death of his wife.
"56 years if I remember correctly." 56 years since I've lost my little baby boy. Lost him to the clutches of disease, and all because he wasn't born with the blood of a dragon.
Fingers lace through my own, the grasp comforting as I reach the door of my room. "Why are you bringing this up now, Zeno." His grasp tightened, his voice coming out soft.
"I'm here for you...Kimiko. I neglected to be there with you after the day we buried him...and I apologize for that...I really do. I should have-" Swiveling around, I pull him into a tight hug, the embrace being one that would have crushed a normal human being.
"You were dealing with the death of Kaya. I didn't expect for you to be there when you yourself were dealing with the death of someone you loved. I do not take it to heart, truly I don't." That, and the fact he was the only one in the world where I could fully care for...without the threat of death taking him away like all the others.
Pulling away from him, I turn away without meeting his eyes. Opening the door to my room, I head straight towards my chest, where my black armour and bow were kept. HIs presence approaches from behind as I slip on the now polished and shiny armour.
Rolling my shoulder, adjust to the familiar feel of metal on skin before going to turn towards Zeno. However, before I can, hands come up to grasp my hair. Kneeling down, I sit still as Zeno expertly braids my hair in multiple warrior braids.
"When was the last time you had your hair in these braids?" asks Zeno softly.
"The last time you came to visit...I can't bring myself to braid them myself half the time. I like it when you do it for me." I say lowly, amusement lacing my tone.
Zeno lets out a low chuckle, the sound vibrating through his body and into my own as he moved closer to finish the last of my braids.
"Do you want hair clasps or ribbons interweaved? I can undo a couple and put them in if you wish?"
"please."
So that is exactly what he did. opposite of my rather dark appearance, Zeno grabs ribbons coloured Red, Yellow, and Green, lacing them in my braids before adding a couple of silver hair clasps. Satisfied with his work, Zeno steps back and allows me to stand.
"Now you look like the old Kimiko I knew." He says brightly, his vibrant blue eye shininging. I smile weakly and give him nod of thanks while I sling my bow over my shoulder. I may look like my old self, but the hardship of life have left me numb to most things.
I am no longer the same.
Zeno seems to realize the mistake of his comment because his eyes soften before making his way towards me to give me another hug.
"promise to be safe?" asks the blonde, his hug tightening as I encircle my arms around him. Scoffing, I roll my eyes and shake my head.
"like I need to be."
"Kimiko."
Zeno's harsh and blunt tone has me laughing as I pull away from him. "Yeah, yeah. Fine. I'll be safe."
Moving around him, I make my way towards the door, but before I could open it, Zeno's voice stops me yet again.
"Bring Yoon back to us safely."
I leave without uttering a reply.
* * * *
The air stunk with fear, the scent almost palpable as I walk through the streets on a small farming town. Not a single soul roamed the streets, and as I strained my ears for any type of sound...I found nothing.
Uneasiness tugged at my soul unwillingly. Never before has a village seemed so lifeless. Even though there are signs of the living through the lights coming from houses and shops, not a single person walked out in the streets. The reason for this soon became clear when a scream of pain erupts through the silence.
With bow raised and ready, I slowly approach the source of the scream. The sound comes from a rather old looking warehouse, no doubt the building holds the villages food supply for the winter.
Shouts of frustrations and anger are heard from inside, followed by another scream from a rather young voice.
With frowns furrowed, I approach the side of the warehouse and look through a crack in the wall. What I saw instantly has my blood boiling.
A young boy with orange looking hair stared defiantly at a bunch of Fire Tribe soldiers. His blue eyes clouded with pain and his one arm hung limply at his side.
He's being tortured.
"Just tell us where the princess is!" Screams one particular soldier, his face contorted in rage and frustration.
Ah...so that boy must be Yoon then...
"I-I told you already...I don't know where they are!" Protests Yoon weakly, his body hunching over as he supports his (what I'm guessing) broken arm.
Slinging my bow over my shoulder, I allow my body to become a shadow, the tendrils of darkness allowing me to flow through the cracks in the wall and into the warehouse.
"Lies!" The soldier raises his hand as if to strike the boy, but I manage to step in front and block the attack before it even comes close to landing. I glare at the Fire Tribe soldiers, a low growl emanating from me as my blue eyes glowed like hellfire.
"A friend of the princesses is a friend of mine," I say with a low snarl. The Soldiers around me look at me in horror. Before I give them the chance to attack or say so much as a single word, I'm already attacking.
Blood splatters everywhere as I kill with ease. In mere moments, the men torturing Yoon were laying on the ground, dead and lifeless. Turning around, I go to approach Yoon, but he takes a step back from me in fear.
"Who the hell are you!?" Yell's Yoon, his eyes darting from the dead soldiers back to me.
I sigh lowly, my shadows disappearing as I continued to walk towards Yoon, ignoring the fact that he's backing away from me.
"I'm a friend of Yona. They told me to come get you."
"how do I know that you won't kill me."
Letting out a low growl, I wave my hand slightly, the darkness appearing once again. I don't have the patience for millions of questions. I just need to get this kid back to the others. without taking notice, the shadows rise behind Yoon and quickly strick him across the head.
Moving forward, I catch the girlish looking boy before he can hit the ground. Being carful of his arm, I lift him up bridal style before walking out of the Warehouse.
"Time to take you back."