The Varied Path (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction)

Chapter 177: The Son Siblings' Vow

Hak and Shin-ah missed it, their backs were turned, but Kija and Jae-ha shared a look of alarm as she disappeared faster than the wind. However, before either one of them could chase after her to make sure she was alright, they halted in place at a low drawl.

"Don't bother."

Hak didn't even look up at the bewildered expression of the white dragon as he folded the last of the spare clothes Yoon sewed for them. He gave the green dragon a shrewd look as he moved as if to follow her out.

"Give her some space. She'll come back when she's ready."

The finality in his tone left no room for disagreement and the others had no choice but to concede despite their worry.

At the end of the day, no matter how comfortable she allowed herself to get with them, Hak was still the one who had grown up with her and knew her habits better than anyone else.

For better or for worse.

Shin-ah continued to put away various cloths and ointments Yoon had been using for Yona and Calista's treatments in his medical bag to take with. Just in case. There were a couple of jars and prepared salves the youngest had set aside for them, in case an infection set in, but he was confident that the fighter would be fine so long as she remembered to keep her wounds clean.

Actually, Yoon had zero confidence for her to stay on top of it. Which is why he warned Shin-ah that if she went without changing her dressings for more than a day, he had his full permission to knock her out to change them himself.

Shin-ah was more than a little startled at how adamant he was about that in particular, but nodded his agreement. He wasn't so sure about knocking her unconscious, hopefully she would let him change them for her if he made those eyes at her that Jae-ha taught him how to use.

Something about rounding them really big and "turning up the puppy charm".

He still wasn't sure what that meant, but his dragon brother told him not to worry about it, so he wasn't going to.

The blue dragon was so busy with the task at hand that he failed to notice someone else slipping out the door.

It was darker on the lower level. Wax dripped on the floor from candles that needed to be replaced, the weak light barely providing enough of a beacon through the enveloping darkness for someone to walk through. But further down the corridor, it brightened.

Fresh herbs lined the cracked window sill. A lone flower pot with a singular blooming desert flame lily sat off to the side. The counters were clean and the tiled floors had been swept.

Swift sounds of a sharp knife chopping in sequence resounded down the vacant hall.

Calista sighed heavily to herself, busying her hands with the scraps of carrots she had just finished peeling and wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. Having resigned herself to her fate for the next couple weeks, she felt that time had stopped.

Or at least, slowed down. Thank goodness for that.

Her eyes darted to the opened bottle of liquor sitting innocently on the counter behind her, partially hidden from view, and sighed heavily. The longing pang that went through her heart was pushed aside after a beat of hesitation.

Shaking her head, she concentrated on peeling the potato in her hands before adding it to the growing pile beside the sink.

Calista knew she had an issue sorting through her thoughts and feelings. Usually, she resolved this by training or sparring with Hak, but if she took that route, Yoon would probably murder her.