WARRiOR (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfic)

11. New Friend

"What's this? You kids finally got laid?"

"NO!"

Noo-ri had no intention to act like a lady, but Tae-woo and Han-dae shoved him behind them and hissed at the dark-skinned general, not allowing him to get too close. It wasn't as if he was a damsel in distress. He could stab a general or two if he tried... probably.

"Lord Geun-tae, they may be children, but they are guests. Please refrain from your inappropriate innuendos."

"What, Chul, you're such a spoilsport."

The advisor of the Earth Tribe General was a man called Chul-rang. Unlike the general himself, he had a good head on his shoulders. He stood confidently and spoke properly, though he looked positively annoyed.

"In the first place, Lord Geun-tae, is that what you should be wearing to greet guests?!" Chul blew up, "dress properly when you're expecting guests!"

Lord Geun-tae pouted, looking away, "isn't it fine, it's just the kids anyway, it ain't as if the King was coming or something."

"As if you'd bother to dress properly if it was the king coming," Chul groaned.

Han-dae and Tae-woo gritted their teeth at Guen-tae-- Noo-ri wondered if there was a little more story to that reaction-- before turning back to Noo-ri.

"If he ever comes any nearer to you, you have Lord Mun-dok's permission to stab him," Tae-woo said, entirely serious.

"After he almost stole Lord Hak from us one time, Lord Mun-dok isn't letting his guard down anymore around him," Han-dae added, "don't worry, he won't die if you just stab him once."

(Noo-ri feared for the future of the Earth Tribe.)

-

As a maid of the Wind Tribe, Noo-ri hid scar on his face with a cloth mask over the entire side of his face, including his eye. It obstructed his vision, but he would be in safe grounds, so it was fine.

"You guys will want to see the weapons, right? Then we'll head there," Geun-tae offhandedly decided, "the Earth tribe honestly ain't doing so well this year, so we don't really have anything new to offer this time around that isn't traded..."

Noo-ri tagged along with Han-dae and Tae-woo as the Earth Tribe General brought them around the castle.

Then, he stopped.

The others kept walking, but he turned around-- there was an aroma in the air. A sweet, refreshing aroma, laced with the scent of flowers and peaches.

Noo-ri wandered toward the smell, and found himself before a garden of lush green.

His eyes (eye) sparkled with sheer interest-- because this, this, was definitely a tea plantation. It was definitely taken care of well. The earth was rich and the leaves were bright and healthy. Sunlight bounced off the frond, and dew, though faint, glittered like gems in the mid-morning.

"Who's there?"

He jolted.

The voice belonged to a young lady, and she had been crouched in the bushes, overseeing the overgrowth-- she stood up to address Noo-ri, and Noo-ri stepped back, quickly jutting into a bow.