Eternity Bound - A Yona of the Dawn Fanfic

Prologue - The Fateful Promise

Word Count: 1,800+ Words

Centuries ago...

"I-I'm... scared..."

The woman's weak voice could barely be heard over the crackling of a nearby fire, which illuminated her quaking visage, masking her true paleness with its yellow-orange glow... as if to hide the inevitable. Ruby eyes rimmed by thick black eyelashes brimmed with tears, lips parting whilst her jaw clenched, struggling to take in vital oxygen — chest clenching tight with terror.

"Abi..."

"Lord Seiryuu is coming, my lady!"Cried a young man kneeling at the fading woman's bedside, her caretaker: Eun-Ji. "Please! Hold on... you'll be okay...!"He pleaded, a strand of his dark brown hair falling from its once neat bun, now a mess from lack of proper care.

"A-Abi..."

Trying to save her fleeting breaths, the woman only whispered a name. Just hearing it alone was enough comfort to let her keep fighting that which was seeking to claim her. Dark violet air fell across the woman's face when her head whipped to one side, and her body was racked with dry, painful coughing. This was followed shortly by blood splattering from her mouth onto the mattress. 

The young caretaker turned the sickly female on her side to try and help her breathe, patting her back until her fits subsided. When he rolled her on her back again, blood dribbled down one corner of the woman's mouth, nearly matching the color of her eyes, which had lost their ruby-like vibrance as her condition worsened in the last week — now resembling the color of that which coursed through her veins. 

She felt so cold... even with a lively fire crackling in the hearth, even with all of the windows and doors tightly shut to keep out the frigid winter winds. The withering woman closed her eyes, near deaf to the panicked cried of the man at her bedside. Her thoughts and memories swirled together, her longing for her beloved's warm body only growing more and more by the moment. She had to see him! She had to at least... see him.

"A...Abi..."

Then...

"Nari!!"

The door abruptly slammed open but was quickly shut again, followed by ragged panting and staggering footfalls. The woman in the bed felt the dimmest spark of hope ignite in her chest, yet her strength failed her... her eyelids felt heavy as stones.

"Lord Seiryuu, thank the heavens...!!"

Nari's faithful caretaker jumped up and moved back, so the village founder could take his rightful position by his beloved's side. Seeing the emotion taking over the Seiryuu's face, however, when he was typically so stoic and reserved, Eun-Ji thought it best to step out to give the pair their privacy. 

Finally, the woman's eyes found the strength to open again, albeit with blurred vision at first. Gazing upon familiar blue hair, then the blindfold which hid her dear blue dragon's eyes from her. A faint smile ghosted her lips, her brimming tears at last spilling, no longer caused by her terror but, instead, by her relief. 

He came...

Promptly, the blindfolded blue dragon took her hand in his, teeth frantically clenching when he felt her skin's coldness. "Nari... say something!"He pleaded, bringing her hand up to his chest for warmth.

"Abi... I'm... so glad..."Nari whispered, feeling his free hand lower to push her bangs up from her forehead. "It's so... cold... if you're not... here."Despite how cold her body was becoming, like the life was slowly draining from her with every shallow breath, his touch still somehow sent waves of heat across her skin. The bitter winter felt like a soothing summer again.