By the time morning came, everything was in full swing. Pirates were loading up supplies onto the ship, Hak and Shin-ah were training the stragglers who wanted swordsmanship lessons, and Yoon was off doing his own thing. Hani was teetering after Captain Gi-gan, having become pretty attached to her in a short period of time.
Yona was the only one who didn't have anything to do, and when Jae-ha saw her wandering around aimlessly, he offered to take her into town with him. She enthusiastically accepted, and a minute later, they were soaring through the sky.
Calista stretched her arms above her head languidly as she saw them disappear from view. It had only been a day since the senjusou treatment, but her hands seemed to have healed overnight. She immediately sought out Yoon's tent, the boy having given her strict instructions the night before to come and see him when she first woke up so he could document her progress.
Though, she thought that was more because he wanted to see for himself how well the medicinal herb worked. Not that she blamed him, it already was doing wonders. It truly was extraordinary.
He took her hands, rotating them carefully like he had before, but this time the pain was dull, not a sharp stabbing throughout her knuckles and wrist.
"Incredible..." Yoon whispered in awe. There were plenty of other patients in the makeshift tent that he had setup, but he was beyond intrigued by the healing properties of the senjusou. "The skin is completely healed!"
There was no trace of any blood or marks that should have been left behind. Her knuckles weren't marred with scars, but instead had new skin stretched across them. She still felt a slight pain when her bones shifted as she curled her hand, but it was significantly less than before.
"Don't even think about it!!" Yoon scolded, recognizing the eager smirk on her face. "You're still in no shape to fight, you stubborn fighter!!"
Calista grinned at him, laughing when he swatted her away dismissively. Yoon left her to her own devices as she checked out from his medical exam, turning his attention back to the other patients vying for his care. Everyone else was busy, and since Yona was in town with Jae-ha, she set off to the clearing where they set up camp when they first arrived at Awa.
A pair of eyes watched her as she slipped away from the others.
Just before she cleared the hill, she proceeded to secure the cloth wrapped around her arm around her face. Since Yoon gave her the new clothes, she hadn't had to need it tied around her waist.
She approached a giant evergreen, craning her neck to look up between the branches. They were close enough together that it might be possible. But after a failed attempt to pull herself up it, she decided she might be better off leaning against it instead.
Her face turned up to the sky, and she closed her eyes as the sunlight warmed her being. She hummed to herself, unaware of the four dark figures advancing from the shadows.
She gasped as she was caught off-guard. A hand closed around her neck, throwing her down harshly to the ground. Scrambling away blindly in the other direction, they closed in on her from all sides. She finally found her footing, and scrambled to her feet. The mask covering her face fluttered as she danced away from their strikes. Diving for the floor, she slid underneath the first offender's legs, popping back up on her feet.
Calista's eyes scanned over them quickly, trying to pick out anything notable. There wasn't much. Two of them had their faces covered, and the ones that didn't had hoods on.
Angling her body defensively towards the newcomers, she shifted so that her arms were hidden behind her back. The boy would be angry at her if she injured them again. One of the fighters stepped forward, and as the hood hiding his face fell away, Calista's expression fell in despair as she recognized him.
A muffled voice drifted through the air. "Thorne, our orders were to bring her back alive."
She wanted to wipe that crooked smile off his face. The other men chuckled darkly, but it only spurred her on more. Steadying her breathing, she kept it even and low.
"That doesn't mean we can't have some fun first, Tally." Thorne mocked haughtily. "Miss me, Notch?"
"Not on your life." Calista spat back, fighting to keep her temper in check. It would be bad if she let go too quickly. Then it would be over before it even started.
Keep it together. It's for all of them... Remember who you're fighting for.
The haze didn't completely diminish, but it became clear enough for her to think with a level head. Her friends' faces flashed through her mind in a split second, and it was just enough to keep her grounded.
"Maybe on death then, huh?" That smile of his was starting to look real deranged.
They rushed at her, and Tally was first to swing. Calista evaded his attack, catching the tail end of their follow-throughs on more than one occasion at first, but then she got faster. She sidestepped and spun, orienting herself mere seconds before she was struck at again. This time, she set her foot down on the sword, and kicked at his hand. It dislodged it from his grasp, but he pulled out a knife.
Calista rolled her eyes, readying her stance once more. Thorne took the place of the other, darting at her quickly.
She blocked and she escaped, but she never retaliated.
"A bit slow today, aren't we, Thorne." Calista goaded in his face, which was becoming red with frustration.
He growled, springing at her again with a renewed rage. She deflected the first, but the next one caught her on her side. She was sent sprawling to the ground, landing on her side harshly.
They started to kick her, and she curled up in a ball, trying to keep her head protected as best as she could. Calista clutched her side, already feeling the bruises forming. The field was filled with their pants of exertion as they aimed kicks at her back and ribs.
Her mind was starting to go hazy with the pain. Then, it ceased. She was yanked up onto her feet.
Thorne, patted her down for any weapons, and she flinched every time he was a bit too rough. He ripped up her pant leg to find...
Nothing.
The bare skin covered in sweat glistened back at them, as if it were mocking him. There were no daggers in sight. Calista braced herself up on her elbows, chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.
"They are mine." She shouted, drawing all of the fighters' attention. "I invoke blood claims for all of them."
Only Thorne didn't look surprised. The others nearly dropped their weapons at her words.
"Which ones?" The leader sneered.
Calista didn't back down, raising her eyes to meet his beady ones bravely. "Dark hair, red hair, white hair, mask, and feathers."
That wasn't good enough for him.
"Their names." He hissed, grabbing the front of her shirt. The material twisted in his grasp, and she prayed that it wouldn't rip.
"No names, don't you already know that, Thorne?" Calista provoked. "Red hair is my master. The others are his companions, and they are not to be trifled with."
The leader laughed, but it sounded hollow to her ears. "Alright, Notch. You win."
Thorne raised his hands up in a surrender, but a beat later, she caught a glimpse of something in his hand. Her face burned as it was cut, slashed from the side. She forced herself not to lift her hand to wipe away the blood as she felt it drip down her cheek.
Thorne crooked a finger under her chin, forcing her to meet his enraged gaze. "That was for making me look like a fool, Notch." He threatened lowly, referring to how she demeaned his abilities. "Tread carefully. You don't want me as your enemy."
He released her and she whipped her head to the side, disgusted with him. Bile rose up in the back of her throat, but she concealed it well, keeping her facial features neutral.
She heard it before she felt it. The several sets of pounding footfalls reached her ears before they caused the ground to tremble.
"Get back!! It's an ambush!!" Hak shouted, pushing Yona in front of him protectively as he saw the bloody scene before him. He moved in to help Calista, but then he saw the look on her face.
In her eyes, there was only fear.
Those fighters didn't have a scratch on them, but the same couldn't be said for his sister.
"Kija, move out of the way!!" Yona cried out, reaching for her comrades who were caught in the crossfire. Yoon was frozen in place next to Shin-ah.
Calista's silver eyes hardened into steel, and she propelled herself forward without hesitation, intercepting the strikes meant for her friends. Landing in a low crouch, she pushed herself up furiously, facing the fighters head on. Fire burned in her eyes and she raised her gaze communicating one message.
Mess with them, I dare you.
"They are under my protection. I will fight for all of them."
All of them, except for Thorne stepped back. The chain of command was the only thing constant she could count on. Calista challenged him again.
"How many?"
He rose like a moth to the bait, striking a bargain. "Ten, for each life spared."
Hak's nostrils flared as he realized what that meant, and he fought with himself to not interfere. This was her operation, but he knew that she would die if she agreed to that proposal.
"Done."
The ex-general's eyes widened and then narrowed. The span of emotions that flashed in his eyes were more than most would ever go through. The past resurfaced, bringing up memories of when Mundok first brought her back, to her injuries, that night at the castle and all the regret he had felt afterwards.
Regret pinned on not being able to ever do enough to save her from the hurt.
Calista stepped forward, folding back her cloak swiftly with her right hand. The scarred skin came into view, and the sound of steel being drawn set her heart plummeting into the pit of her stomach.
She forced herself not to react at the first couple of slashes, but towards the end, she let a wince slip through accidentally and the sly smile on Thorne's face grew. The predatory glint in his eye made her unconsciously shiver.
"Ahhh... so it seems that Notch isn't invincible after all, huh?" He gloated, wiping the blood on his tunic.
"Thorne, I say we just kill her." Another growled, readying his dual swords. "Imagine the reward we'll get if we bring back her head."
The princess paled alongside Kija, and Yoon's face held a mixture of shock and disgust. Hak didn't say anything, but his normally brooding demeanor held nothing but fury. No one could tell what Shin-ah was feeling.
Thorne rolled his eyes, sheathing the knife after he cleaned it. "That wouldn't change anything, and you know it, Fo-hia."
He reluctantly stepped back, yielding to his leader's authority. But he aggressively held his blade at Yona's throat as she advanced, hissing, "If you interfere then I get the pleasure of cutting off your head, boy."
Calista thrust out an arm in front of the cloaked princess, stopping her from coming any further, murmuring under her breath, "Take a step back, I know what I'm doing..."
By the way Yona caved in, she was positive she heard her. The raven-haired fighter didn't have time to bask in her relief as the rest of them lowered their weapons. Then they slipped away, leaving as quickly as they came. Hak reached out for Calista first, the rest of them still in shock over what happened.
As the blood dripped off of her arm, she faced her friends. The horror on her faces made her take a step back nervously, all the doubts running through her head, but her brother was right behind her.
"It's alright." He mumbled encouragingly. "It's just us. You're safe."
As they surrounded her, her body trembled, uncertain of what happens next.
As if she read her mind, Yona took her other hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "We aren't going to hurt you, Calista."
This time, Shin-ah wasn't the only one who could see the lie in her eyes as she told them she was fine.