When Fates Intertwine And Create The Dawn - Shin-ah x (OC)

Chapter 7 - Merchant Town, Kowling

A/N - Okay, this chapter is rather small compared to the first few, but it's what I got at the moment for y'all XD

Enjoy~!!!

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Alice woke in up in the middle of the night that night, waking from a nightmare. She woke up with a start and shook slightly as she noticed the headdress over her form. She pulled it closer to her as she then quickly released it and sat up. She looked around and saw everyone's sleeping face. Her hands were to her sides on the ground, supporting her weight as her arms trembled all the way up to her shoulders. She looked up at the sky again. She could see many more stars now as the the nearly full moon formed a ring of light around it, casting shadows on the earth with the light it reflected from the sun.

Looking at the moon, it reminded her of Shin-ah. The more she thought of it, the more she understood why his name translated to 'moonlight' in the first place. She remembered Yona telling her on how she named him as all his life he only lived by his title 'Blue Dragon.' Alice smiled. Yona had definitely picked a perfect name. Alice felt something warm touch her fingertips as she was gazing at the sky and looked back to the ground, looking back at Shin-ah's mask. She couldn't tell if he was awake or not.

"Shin-ah?" She whispered, keeping her voice quiet for the rest to sleep peacefully. He nodded slightly and she smiled a bit sadly. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?" He shook his head before he opened his mouth, voicing his own quiet whisper.

"Can you show me more stars?" Alice's smile brightened as she lay next to him, closer and pointed out stars quiet to him, sharing his headdress. As they were preoccupied with himself, Hak had stirred awake as well and watched them with one cracked eye. He shifted his head to the sky as he examined the moon as well. He began to think.

'So, if Shin-ah is the moonlight... is Alice his moon?' It was a passing though as he shrugged it off and pulled himself back into a state of slumber.

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It had been around a week before the group had come across a small town. The town as fairly large and busy, a merchant's play ground so to speak. It was in the middle of nowhere but it had so many people coming and going that it was hard to believe how successful business and the like were.

"Hak, do you know where we are?" Yona looked up to Hak as he had his spear on his back, analyzing the town. Alice turned to him as well, curious to know how far she had traveled in the week she'd been gone from her village.

"It's the trading town called Kowling. It's Earth Clan territory." Alice nodded, but she was one who didn't fully understand the different clans and their territories, or why they would always be annoying a different clan about something. Yun stepped forward after lifting his bag open, checking on his supplies.

"We'll need to go into town and a buy some supplies. Lightning Beast, actually make sure to buy something and don't cause a scene like back in Awa with Jae-ha." Yun's deadpan voice made Hak chuckle bitterly as he tossed his spear to Kija.

"Yo, White Snake, catch." Kija simply stepped aside and let it hit the ground. Hak and Kija then seemed to be surrounded by an aura of dark energy as Hak confronted him.

"I thought I told you to catch it. I wonder, has that claw of your's weakened?"

Kija seethed back. "Not at all. I simply didn't want to defile my sacred power with the pitiful touch of something belonging to you." Yona stepped between the two of them and pushed them apart by hitting them on their chins, as they were taller than her, as Yun sighed and Alice chuckled.

"Why not bring Jae-ha along, he's the only one out of us that won't make a scene." Yun spoke out his thoughts and then thought on if he would run into a girl. He imagined him flirting and becoming separated from Hak, or rather, pulling Hak away from his actual task. "Then again.. Maybe not.." Alice really wanted to go into town. She hadn't been in an actual town in so long, she had forgotten what it felt like to have someone walk by you, to heard the merchants try and draw in customers, what it felt like to look around at things to buy. However, she kept her mouth shut as she fiddled with her worn out dress.

"I'll take Alice with me." Everyone was silent for a moment, surprised Hak had offered to take someone with him at all, let alone Alice. She stood out, more so than others. She was wearing a short, torn, stained dress, a small hood that draped her shoulders to hide her hair, was barefoot and had scratches everywhere, even if they had healed considerably, they were still there is you looked for them.

"Um, are you sure you should take me? I mean, I would think someone else would be more suitable to take along." Alice was pretty happy he offered to take her along, but she did consider his feelings for Yona, which wasn't too hard to figure out, and the fact she was a bit scared. She hadn't been in a town this large before.

Hak walked over to her and pulled her hood over her hair, before ruffling it, he did that often. He smirked down at her as she pouted up to him.

"I think it'll be a good learning experience. We won't be in town long anyways. I can always pass you off as a worker of mine or something." After a bit of convincing they all came to a conclusion of letting Alice tag along with Hak into town. As they were ready to leave, Shin-ah stopped Alice, making sure to wish her luck and to be careful.

"I know, I'll be fine. I'll have Hak if anything else." She smiled as Hak called for her and the two soon left, no longer in view of everyone except Shin-ah. He watched them a bit longer with his sight but soon stopped, as he had other jobs to do.