Twenty minutes later, the two of them were back at the campsite, their friends wide awake and discussing what the heck they could possibly do to remedy this bizarre turn of events.
Yoon was stirring a pot of porridge for lunch over the fire with Kija sitting beside him so the bugs didn't crawl all over his body.
Zeno was sitting cross legged opposite from him, the youngest not trusting him to get within a foot of the food without snagging small bits from underneath his nose. Jae-ha, strangely enough, managed to snag a seat beside Yona without Hak scaring him off. The Thunder Beast's body was slouched against a tree, but his cobalt eyes remained alert despite the exhaustion lines etched across his face.
As expected of the Princess' bodyguard who was used to staying up all night to keep watch.
Calista ran over to Yoon, bonking him on the head to let him know that they were back. He swatted her off, chastising her harshly for messing up his hair.
As soon as Shin-ah took a seat outside of the tent next to Kija, Zeno came crawling over, balancing an empty bowl on his head. Beaming with pride as he accomplished the difficult feat, his baby blue eyes crinkled up with happiness at the fond smile on the blue dragon's face as he gazed at the raven-haired girl still pestering the pretty boy.
Ditching Yoon so that he could turn his attention back to tending the food, Calista skipped over to her brother, pausing once she saw how tired he looked.
"Hey," She poked his cheek, quickly moving back before he could retaliate. "Everything okay?"
He opened his mouth to reply but got cut off by a huge yawn. Blinking his eyes wearily at her, he managed a nod before his head fell back against the trunk, lacking the strength to keep it upright.
Calista shot him a concerned glance that went unseen. Unhooking her cloak from around her shoulders, she carefully placed it over him. "Aish, you need to take care of yourself, you idiot..."
Scoffing lightly at her, he cracked open an eye but didn't say anything.
Her eyes narrowed at him, growing more worried that he wasn't teasing her. She was so caught up with assessing her brother's fatigued state that she hadn't realized the others and Kija had started talking about their current predicament.
He shook his head in disappointment, sinking back on his knees as Yoon began to distribute the porridge.
Cupping his bowl, he exclaimed incredulously, "Kan Soo-jin is doing something absolutely shameless. He's one of Kouka's pivotal five generals at that!!"
Jae-ha side-eyed him as he continued his rant.
"Inviting an enemy nation's army of ten thousand into our country and seeking help to overtake Hiryuu Castle on top of that..." Kija muttered in disbelief. "That is playing most foul, isn't it?"
Jae-ha sighed heavily, folding his arms over his chest in a closed off fashion. "The ones I feel sorry for are the soldiers who offered up their lives to defend Saika. They have no idea that their leader has joined forces with an enemy nation."
Yoon's mind was racing as he passed on portions of steaming hot food to the rest of them, coming to a stop in front of Calista.
The Fire Tribe's rebellion. The Sen Province's army invasion. At this rate, Kouka will give way... But what should we do? What can we even do?
A small frown set on the corner of Calista's mouth as she noticed the inner turmoil raging inside of him and she threw Yona a side glance, surprised to find the princess staring straight back at her.
"What should we do?" Jae-ha voiced somewhat worriedly, just letting his bowl sit idly in his hand without eating it. "Scatter the troops of Soo-jin and the Sen Province at the same time?"
"That's obviously impossible." Yoon stated, immediately shooting it down as he plopped down beside the Thunder Beast to pick at his own lunch.
His gaze sharpened as he glared pointedly at the fighter who was trying to place Ao on top of Hak's head without him noticing. "Last time was bad enough."
Calista smiled sheepishly, hoping to placate his piercing glare but to no avail. He continued to stare at her viciously until she raised her right hand in surrender. With a huff, the pretty boy's head whipped around as he caught the tail end of Hak's amused chuckle.
Meanwhile, Yona's thoughts were running rampant as her own porridge grew cold the longer she waited to reach a solution.
Their numbers are 20,000 in total. There's no way we could take that route. Especially with the state Calista is in.
Similarly, Yoon's mind began to spin his apprehension into threads of anxiety strung together by a barely conceivable notion as his thoughts wandered away from the troublesome siblings.
Soo-won is Yona's enemy, isn't he? Why would she decide to help him? Not to mention... If she heads back to the castle she was chased out of, it's as if she was going there to be killed.
She would be signing her own death warrant.
He visibly winced, fearful of the conclusion he reached. "Yona... Let's step back and watch the situation for now. We couldn't win even if we tried."
Kija and Jae-ha glanced at the youngest before exchanging a look with each other. Despite being the older two out of the four dragons and having opposite personalities, a moment of understanding passed between the two of them as his voice trembled.
"I'm with Yoon on this one, Yona." Calista interjected, easing the attention on him, silver eyes calm and steady. "It's too dangerous for you to fight this one head on."
But the princess didn't answer. She just sat there and remained silent. Yoon repeated her name when she failed to answer him, but she was lost in thought.
I can't. Can I?
How much danger would they be in?
For Kouka's people, my people, I must.
Yona didn't raise her head, but under crimson hair, lavender eyes flashed with resolve.
"Hak."
This time, his eyes opened and she wasn't surprised to see how harrowed they were despite his obvious exhaustion. His jaw clenched but his eyes were understanding.
She did a double take, catching a flash of something as it flickered across his face but it was gone so quickly that she didn't have time to identify it.
It's almost like remorse...
"Can you prepare some horses?" She requested of him quietly, pushing that thought to the back of her mind.
Kija simply cocked his head to the side, confused as to why she needed horses all of the sudden but wasn't about to question it. She was his master and if that was what she desired, then he would move mountains to ensure that she had it.
Zeno stopped skipping circles around Shin-ah and tripped over a root as he tried to skid to a halt. He would've gone flying forward if the green dragon hadn't caught him by the hood of his cloak.
Jae-ha's breathing picked up the slightest bit at the close call before setting the carefree yellow dragon on his feet. Zeno sprawled on the ground in the empty space next to him and he shook his head, bemused.
Pausing petting Ao, who had scampered to his shoulder once Calista released her, Shin-ah knew the princess wasn't finished.
That she had a purpose and a plan.
Patiently, he waited to hear her command.
Yona's cloak billowed behind her as the wind swirled around her, taking her hood off along with it. Red hair danced like flames under the blinding light of the sun's rays and her lavender eyes turned sharp.
"We're going after General Soo-jin and Li Hazara." She announced with zero hesitation.
A beat of shocked silence passed by.
And then another.
Until clamor broke out as two of them began to protest.
Kija immediately jumped up to his feet, fervently protesting as he gestured wildly to allude to how much danger she would be in.
Not far away, Jae-ha sat still but his eyes were closed and did not open again. If Hak heard her declaration, there was no way of telling. His expression betrayed nothing.
On the other hand, Calista's jaw dropped open and her eyes fluttered shut in resignation, shoulders slumped. She willed the pain emitting from her arm to vanish, as if that alone could prepare for the upcoming trial she had against the strong-willed princess.
The one who never wanted her friends to be in any danger.
"Yona!!" Yoon ranted, eyes wide with fear, reflecting what she was feeling inside. "That's absurd!! That's 20,000 soldiers. Also..."
If they find out that she's alive... They will kill her!!
Chancing a worried glance at Shin-ah to see how he was taking all of this, Calista wasn't surprised to see him already grabbing his sword to undoubtedly train for the battle ahead.
That's right... Even if I go, what good can I possibly do?
"Soo-jin's actions will plunge this country into chaos." Yona stated plainly, unnerved by the chaos and the differences of opinions brewing around her. "I will not ignore it."
Half an hour of Kija and Yoon violently arguing against it, they both accepted defeat as she remained sympathetic but unswayed.
"You don't have to come with if—" Yona started but was interrupted almost immediately.
The affronted expression on Kija's face would have been laughable if the atmosphere was lighter. "Of course we're coming with you!!"
"Don't be ridiculous!!" Yoon huffed in agreement, crossing his arms and sending a glare her way for thinking such a thing.
Her eyes softened and she smiled brightly in their direction, causing all of their hearts to warm.
Here was a girl, who had been through everything and yet still had the heart to fight. She was worth following and fighting for. No matter what came, they would stay by her side.
With the finality of Yona's decision, the dragons broke off to process the news in various ways.
Shin-ah walked a little bit away from the tent so that he didn't cut it on accident while he trained and Zeno leaped to his feet to spectate, swinging his feet back and forth as he plopped Ao on top of his head.
Without a word, Jae-ha aided Yoon in the cleanup of the lunch dishes while Hak snoozed nearby.
Yona had first opted to take a seat beside Kija, but then her eyebrows creased in worry as she saw Calista go off on her own and stop at the ledge of the cliffside.
Offering the white dragon an apologetic smile, Yona was a bit surprised when he gave her an encouraging nod of his head.
"Go," He said, following her gaze and figuring it out. "She needs you."
Out of earshot of their conversation, Calista turned her head the slightest bit as her ears picked up the pitter-patter of Yona's footsteps.
"The way you're walking makes me think you're going to ask me to stay behind." The fighter twisted to look over her shoulder and was met with the princess awkwardly shuffling her feet. "Your Highness."
The familiar teasing lilt of her voice made the transition a little easier. Yona lifted her eyes to meet hers, swallowing hard to gather her courage. Approaching her timidly, she took a seat behind her, unsure if she really wanted the company.
"You're really going?" Calista asked her quietly, breaking eye contact.
Yona nodded firmly, unwavering.
The fighter grimaced and she clutched her arm as a dull throb of pain rippled through it the moment she tried to move it.
Quickly, the princess covered her hand with hers, lavender eyes growing wide as she started to fight against her.
"Calista—"
"I'm going." She declared without an ounce of hesitation.
Yona shook her head, delicate features contorting in displeasure. "No, you're hurt badly."
"Never stopped Hak..." Calista muttered under her breath. "I can handle it."
"It's not about that." Yona whispered, tears of frustration and sorrow starting to bud out of the corner of her eyes.
Hastily, she wiped them away and sniffled loudly.
"Wasn't once bad enough?" She whispered so softly she thought she imagined it.
Calista would've staggered if she had been standing under the weight of her words and without uttering a word, she knelt on the ground, bowing her head.
"Yona, I will follow you anywhere, you know that." She took a deep breath, trying to calm down before things got out of hand. "Please don't send me away from your side."
"No, I would never!!" The princess exclaimed in horror. "But you must not be with us this time. You need to heal."
Glowering at the red-haired princess, Calista folded her arms over her chest stubbornly. She wasn't backing down. Not when she knew the danger they all were facing.
"I'm going." Narrowing her eyes when the younger girl opened her mouth to object, she powered through.
"You're going for them, right?" She asked, desperately searching the princess' gaze for a sign that she could recognize. "For the citizens of Kouka."
Yona confirmed it without hesitation. "Yes."
Sitting back on her feet, Calista raised her chin defiantly. "Then please use my life to protect you."
Things had never been tense like this between them. Talking had gradually come easy but all that progress threatened to be washed away. Now, there was a coldness between them that she feared could not be shattered with their usual humor and teasing.
"Calista..." Yona practically winced at how feeble it came out and she gathered herself so that her voice wouldn't tremble. "Please don't—"
"If the next words out of your mouth are what I think they are, then you're wasting your time." She interjected icily.
The princess flinched at her harsh tone of voice. She had never talked like that to her before. Not even when they were young and bullheaded.
The older girl's voice was exasperated and she gripped her hair in aggravation. "How could you think this is a good idea? Do you have any idea what you're getting into?"
"Are..." Yona blinked at her hesitantly but didn't cower. "Are you angry?"
"Angry? Angry? I'm beyond pissed off." Calista fumed, a hard edge to her normally passive tone. "You could die and I'm in the worst shape to protect you but despite the numerous odds, you won't even let me do that?!"
She was furious. Furious that she knew they would be walking into a trap once the soldiers found out who they were, furious of the fact that she probably couldn't do anything to stop them and furious of how pure and kind hearted Yona was that she wasn't willing to put her on the front lines while she was injured.
Screw everything in this world.
"I'm going and you can't stop me." Calista fired at her, body shaking with how much rage was building inside of her. "I won't stand by and watch you die."
Her silver eyes dulled to a dissonant grey as she remembered the blood that coated Soo-won's blade. The one that was pointed directly at Hak and Yona.
"Not again." She whispered brokenly.
As soon as her voice cracked, despair spilled through, revealing the true nature of her anger and she couldn't hold it back.
Hands shaking and heart racing, Calista's fingers dug into the dirt below her knees as she broke down.
And the princess simply sat, drawing one of her oldest friends into a hug to ease the helplessness that had latched onto her heart.