The Varied Path (Akatsuki no Yona Fanfiction)

Chapter 105: A Princess' Decree

Calista puffed out her cheeks in boredom, pacing around the room in order to deal with the apprehension. Ever since Jae-ha and Shin-ah left, she found herself twiddling her thumbs. Hak and Kija were actually behaving themselves for once and Yoon and Yona were in the corner, conversing quietly.

And Zeno had gone back to sleep.

Pausing her efforts to wear a hole in the floor, Calista spun on her heel, pointing a finger at her brother. Mischief gleamed in her eyes.

"Hak, let's spar."

"Oh no, absolutely not." Yoon retorted before the ex-general could say anything, glaring at the fighter savagely.

He had finally willed the rest of his body to wake up all the way and he wouldn't be tired out by their ridiculous shenanigans before this day even started. No way.

"But Yoon~"

"No buts." He declared firmly.

She slumped back, defeated. Hak snickered at her limp form and she swatted at him, missing by a mile on purpose. There was no way she was going to go against an angry Yoon whose beauty sleep was interrupted much sooner than he would've liked.

His temper alone could knock out a hundred soldiers flat.

But she didn't have to wallow in her disappointment for long, leaping to her feet as soon as she honed in on the sound of jingling just outside their chamber. She raced to the door, throwing it open and pulling the two figures inside.

They both stumbled in, but Shin-ah was slightly more graceful than Jae-ha, which was quite hysterical to watch since he normally was very light on his feet.

The blue dragon had seen her coming thanks to his enhanced eyes and prepared himself for it, but his comrade on the other hand was caught off guard.

"Ah, they've returned." Yoon noted offhandedly due to the sudden increase in volume as everyone went to go greet them.

"What's the news?!" Calista asked hurriedly, expression contorted with anxiety as she skimmed over both of them to make sure they were unharmed.

Jae-ha took notice. "Don't worry, Calista dear. We were nowhere near them."

She sighed in relief, flashing him a grateful smile that he spared her the trouble of voicing her concerns. Her shoulders slumped, a weight lifted off of them as he assured her that they were fine.

"But it does look like the situation has taken a strange direction indeed." He continued before she could relax completely.

After he filled them all in, Yona couldn't help but cry out in alarm.

"General Soo-jin's been defeated?!"

She almost couldn't believe it. The battle-renowned general had lost. He was known for his skill to command on the battlefield, and yet, this happened. And so easily.

Just how powerful was this army?

Tired from their journey, Shin-ah lowered himself down to the floor in the corner, tucking his knees up to his chest and wrapping his cloak around them. 

Sensing the blue dragon's exhaustion, Zeno bounded over to him, plucking Ao from his shoulder and proudly showing her off to him. He gained a small smile for his efforts and the megawatt beam that followed in return made it widen. 

"So, the situation at the gates." Calista's eyebrows drew together in concentration as she tried to put the pieces together. "It must be flooded with soldiers."

But the heavy silence that followed told her otherwise. And only after Jae-ha reluctantly relayed the information he still couldn't wrap his head around did they react.