(Rewrite) Life & Death | Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction

Chapter 02: Beware of the Town that Sings

"So where should we go next, Yun?" Yona asked, cheery as she held a couple bags of food and clothing. Yun paused counting his money.

They were still strolling through the market looking for supplies. So far, they had bought seven fur-lined cloaks, warm clothing, fur gloves, one pair of boots, extra blankets, and some local food. Shin-Ah, Hak, and the princess were struggling to carry the brunt of it.

There was no sign of Jae-ha yet, and the sun was getting dangerously close to the horizon. The four and Ao began to notice a particular frigidness that came with the night. They had been lucky to avoid it while trekking up the mountain and wished it would stay that way.

The wind picked up, and Ao squeaked, snuggling into the cloaks Shin-Ah was carrying. Yun himself, huddled into his own.

"I think we're good for now. I might head out later and buy some more supplies if needed," he said while paying a merchant for some unfamiliar herbs. Yona smiled.

The merchant selling the herbs looked like any other old man with his worn and tired brown eyes. His black hair was slightly disheveled, suggesting he hadn't washed it but made an effort to fix it.

The merchant accepted the money with an equally disheveled smile. "I don't recognize any of your faces. Are you travelers?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he surveyed the group.

Yona's own brows furrowed together, wondering if the village got many visitors. Considering this cold weather, she highly doubted it.

But the tracks...

"Yeah. We travel a lot," Yun said, stuffing his newly purchased herbs into his satchel, "we thought we'd take a break at the village here."

"I thought so. No one walks around with clothes like yours here." The merchant widened his smile, motioning to said garments.

He was right: their clothes were mere rags compared to the fur lined clothing the villagers all wore. Yun laughed it off, but the group knew he was silently cursing the merchants at the base of the mountain for giving them gear that wasn't warm enough.

Should've known; the price was outrageously cheap for a reason.

"We don't get many visitors up here during our winter months." The group paused. "Well, except for bandits and really loyal traveling merchants," the man explained, sorting through some of his dried herbs.

"It's winter?" He hummed. "But it's spring down the pass..."

"Down the mountain, yes, but not up here." The merchant chuckled as the group blanked. "Winter lasts us more than half a year."

He stared dreary at the sky. Small, delicate snowflakes drifted towards the already snowy street. Yona's eyes widened, wondering how the villagers survived without the use of their fields. After all, the longest winters Yona experienced were at most two months.

"The worst of the winter season is over, so you don't have to worry about bad storms and avalanches while you stay here." The merchant reassured them with a smile. The group's faces lost all color.

"You mentioned bandits."

The man paused, looking to Hak as he peeked his head over the pile of clothes he was carrying. Carefully, he nodded, his smile replaced by a grim line.

"Seriously? All the way up here?" Hak knew bandits were stubborn, but this was pushing it. It was quite treacherous up here. The trek up wouldn't have been possible for them if not for Droopy Eyes and his dragon leg.

"You'd be surprised. There aren't any officials up here, so our village is an easy picking. We get attacked every once in a while," the man said, eyes sad with an equally tired smile. "Please be careful."