With everyone's wounds tended to, the gang split up in different directions to get what the youngest needed to make a meal.
Yona convinced Hak to get some sleep, the triplets attached themselves to Jae-ha's hip and Kija was given some strict bedrest by the expert. Shin-ah was still sitting by the same tree and Zeno left to go fetch some wood for the fire.
Shin-ah had unfastened the daggers strapped to Calista's ankles as Yoon checked on her injured arm, proud that she had been careful and that it hadn't reopened during the conflict.
Picking up on her rising distress as their doctor selected some senjusou out of his medical bag, he handed it to the blue dragon, instructing him on what to do to treat her arm further so that it didn't get infected. He accepted it without question and was able to finish it quickly.
With that done, her limbs felt like jelly. The adrenaline faded, exhaustion replacing it instantly. For the first time in a week, she felt like she finally had a moment to breathe.
Calista was lucky Shin-ah's wounds weren't deep. She strayed from his side so that Yoon could check her handiwork. After a once over from him, he confirmed that he didn't need any stitches. She sat back on her knees to put his fluff over him since the only thing covering his upper body was bandages.
The pretty boy packed up his medical supplies, grumbling under his breath about how disgustingly cute they were being.
She flushed bright red as Yue and Jae-ha chimed in, teasing the two of them relentlessly. Yona giggled at the lovebirds who grew shy under all the attention they were getting.
Unable to meet Shin-ah's gaze, her eyes fixated on the ground. She shifted uneasily, a blush creeping up her neck.
He smiled at her softly, ignoring their friends' good-natured jeers and tugging her good hand. Pulling her to him, he tucked her comfortably in his side and after a beat, she sank into him. His chin resting on top of her head, he started to drift off.
Curling further into his side, Calista sighed blissfully, heavy eyelids fluttering close. His hand absentmindedly ran through her hair to help her sleep and without any more interruptions, she let sleep claim her.
And began to dream.
She was at the palace. Hiryuu Castle was getting ready for the Annual Lunar Festival and the children were confined to the far east garden so that they would be out of the way of the preparations. It had little to no traffic usually and since everyone was busy preparing for the party, they were the only ones there.
Little Yona and Hak were playing on the lawn when a loud shriek disrupted the conversation between her and a young Soo-won.
"Yona!!" Calista exclaimed as the princess threw herself down in her lap. "What's wrong?!"
Her eyes welled up with tears and she sobbed, pointing to a bored Hak. "He pushed me!!"
"Hak." She chastised, wagging a finger at him.
"I did not!!" He denied vehemently, crossing his arms and sticking out his tongue at her.
"Did too!!" Yona cried.
"Did not!!"
"Did too!!"
"Did not!!!"
"DID TOO!!!!"
"Oy, you two." Calista interrupted as Soo-won giggled from the sidelines, picking up the princess and helping her onto her feet. "You need to get along with each other until Gramps gets back from the Five Tribe meeting."
"Ugh." Hak groaned, throwing his arm across his eyes to block out the sun. "Those things are so long."
"Tell me about it." She sighed, slumping against the wall. "I've been listening to you complain all morning."
"Hey!!" He cried indignantly, sputtering when Soo-won laughed. "You're supposed to be on my side!!"
His eyes crinkled up so adorably that Calista found herself gazing at all three of them fondly, idly spinning with the knife she always kept tucked in her boot.
"I am, Hak!!" Soo-won exclaimed, then puffed out his cheeks, clenching his hands in determination. "We have to show Yona how to play tag!!"
The princess bounced back up, clapping her hands eagerly at the prospect of a new game. Hak rolled his eyes but joined them anyway. The three of them ran around playfully, laugher ringing out into the open air.
But it wasn't all as it should've been. Her heart stopped beating as the ground shook beneath her under heavy footfalls that were foreign to her ears. Her body reacted before her mind caught up.
"Get down!!" She shouted, eyes wide with panic when they all froze in place.
But it was too late.
"Hak!! Yona!!" She screamed in terror as metal glinted against the sunlight. "MOVE!!!!!"
Arrows whizzed by, catching the hem of Yona's dress and cutting Hak's cheek as he broke out of his trance and urged her to make a break for the castle.
Calista acted fast, pulling a clueless Soo-won out of the crossfire. She fell as an arrow buried itself into her shoulder, but pushed on. Hak and Soo-won worked together to close the doors behind them, sealing the entrance.
Out of breath, she gritted her teeth, biting down on her tongue as she yanked it out. It wasn't pretty.
"Don't look, Yona." She told the younger who was staring at the blood with a dazed look in her eyes.
Hak, being unusually gentle, guided the princess away.
"Those doors won't hold long." Calista panicked as the pounding grew louder, turning desperately to the little boy beside her. "We need a plan."
With her wound, she wouldn't be able to fight as well. The most she would be able to do would be to be their shield as they ran. Since this part of the castle was mainly for the servants, she thought that it would be easily accessible to the rest of the palace but it wasn't.
Soo-won's eyes were wide. "The guards?"
She shook her head, grimacing as she sloppily tied a strip of cloth she tore off from her tunic to stop the bleeding. "They don't come around here too often, only Hak and I play here."
Hak was indirectly viewed as Yona's sole protector since his strength was incomparable to the rest of the soldiers in the Imperial Army and she herself was well known for putting the others first at the risk of herself. The guards had left them alone at their own request, announcing that they would just be down the hall while they played but the ones who were supposed to be stationed there weren't there.
They couldn't wait for someone to find them.
The thumping outside grew louder and she winced. Yona was hiding in the corner, trembling fearfully, and Hak was positioned protectively in front of her. When he caught her eyes, he shook his head, just as lost as she was on what to do.
He didn't have any weapons and the only blade she had on her was that knife in her boot that she miraculously didn't drop when they were running.
"We're running out of time!! And options!!" She shouted, pushing Soo-won behind her as she backed into the wall opposite of the shaking door.
She was hyperventilating, thoughts running rampant.
They're all going to die. I can't protect them here. What can I do? I'll die before anyone lays a hand on them. NO!! What can I do?!
"Callie, stay with us." Soo-won's soft voice was steady despite the racket and crashing coming closer. "I have an idea."
Her shallow breaths turned into longer ones as she forced herself to calm down. He helped her through it, keeping her grounded until she could get as much of her anxiety as she could under her control.
"Stay calm, breathe slowly." He instructed her quietly with a seriousness that she wasn't accustomed to hearing. "We can do this."
Calista's smile wobbled as he placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Will you follow me?" He asked.
She inclined her head and saluted. "Always."
A few minutes passed and the sounds outside ceased. Nothing stirred. If a passerby were to walk past, they would've suspected that all was at it should have been. It was quiet. Until they began their attack.
Hak came out swinging, creating a diversion by sliding in between their legs.
There were a total of six men. Dressed in dark clothing with their faces hidden from view. They attacked the small Thunder Beast but were unable to land a single hit. He was as fast as lightning, weaving in between them and dodging their strikes with practiced ease.
One broke off and tried to get him from behind when he wasn't looking, only to fall to the ground, desperately trying to block out the light shining in his eyes.
Calista squinted, angling her knife to each of their eyes. They shook their heads, letting out yells of frustration as they were left disoriented.
With that, Hak took to the offensive. Punching and kicking precisely, he knocked them all out cold within a minute.
Soo-won and Yona cautiously stepped out of the room, looking around at the fallen men.
He cheered at the victory. "Hak, Callie!! Way to go!!"
Hak immediately went to Yona, grabbing her hand and hiding her from view.
Climbing down from the roof that she had snuck up on while they were distracted by her brother, Calista's expression remained emotionless despite the fact that there was a threat no longer.
Yona's big, lavender eyes followed her curiously. "Callie? Where are you going?"
Raising the knife from her side, Calista snarled at the unconscious spies. They would pay. They had to. It was the only way to ensure they would not hunt her or anyone else any longer.
"Callie, wait!!" Soo-won cried out.
Hak gritted his teeth, rushing forward to intercept her. He wanted nothing more than to kill them, but he wasn't going to. It wasn't right.
She threw him to the side, enraged that he was stopping her. She didn't understand why they couldn't see what had to be done.
By killing them, she was protecting them.
But the blade was knocked out of her hand as she moved to plunge it into the spy's neck by none other than Soo-won.
Her eyes widened as her knife buried itself in the dirt, far away from her. "What are you—!"
"If you kill them, you take care of only them." He said evenly with a dangerous look in his eyes.
He knew of the underground through her and Ogi's stories. He was no stranger to her struggles even though he never experienced them himself.
His calculating, green eyes narrowed. "What if there's something bigger? We need to think ahead."
"I am thinking ahead!!" She shouted, wildly waving her arms around in anger, chest heaving.
He caught her flying arm before it could hit him. "No you're not."
Gaze softening understandingly as he saw the conflict raging inside of her, he encouraged her. "Take deep breaths and remember what it is you're trying to do."
Calista gasped, following his guidance until her breathing returned to normal. Her eyes flickered to her brother who was still protecting Yona as he led her back into the castle, most likely to get some guards.
"I want you guys to be safe." She whispered, terrified that something would happen to them and she wouldn't be able to stop it. "To control myself so that I can think clearer under pressure."
Soo-won blinked up at her, giving her a bright smile, losing all semblance of the seriousness he had before. "I can teach you how to do that, Callie!! If you want my help?"
Her mouth parted, surprised at the offer. "You can help me?"
He nodded his little head and her eyes shone with hope at his offer. To be able to react with a clear mind as he did in that situation, it turned out that he wasn't as clueless as she first thought.
Soo-won beamed at her but his eyes were still genuine.
"For as long as you need and whenever you need it."