(Disclaimer: I do not own Akatsuki No Yona or any of its affiliations.)

JAE-HA

The flames danced like gypsies. Smoke from the bonfire was slowly rising into the heavens. The townspeople moved to the rhythm of the Erhu, it's melody floating in the gentle, night breeze. The tender hymn seemed to have a way of blotting out any thoughts about the present. It was war time, after all, and no one wanted to dwell on the here and now.

Kouka Kingdom hadn't seen peace in months. Northern and Southern Kai had allied forces and invaded. The royal palace had dispatched men all along the border to hold back enemy troops, but this war wasn't the kind to be won in a day. No matter how great His Majesty's tactics, the people of Kai were unrelenting.

This is exactly what had landed us in this god-forsaken town along the outskirts of the Earth Tribe. After losing ground near the tribe's outer edges, Kouka soldiers were being pushed to retreat. We had arrived just in time to regain control of the region and, after six days of skirmishing, the mountainous borders had been restored.

Now people were celebrating, which was pointless to me. This war was far from over. Tonight had marked a small, insignificant victory. Tomorrow we would just move to more unstable ground and start all over. And, just like when we'd arrived here, my concern for Yona's - for everyone's - safety would keep me lying awake at night or drive me to something stronger than Yoon's tea.

I took a swig of the sake I had been holding to wash away the images of our previous battle - the ones of Kija almost losing a leg, of Shin-Ah collapsing, of Yona running out of arrows and Zeno taking a blade for her when the soldiers had cornered them. That last one needed an extra swallow to erase.

It drove me crazy to have her with us during battle. Kija could say whatever he wanted about 'her courage fueling our fire from within…'

Bullshit.

What drove me was protecting the woman I cared for. The one who always seemed to be standing in the middle of a bunch of merciless killers. I'd be so much more effective during battle if I didn't have to allocate half of my attention to her every move. I knew Hak at least, understood. I could see the fear in his eyes and hear the desperation in his voice when she was outnumbered or pinned against a wall. Hell, I could see it because I had that fear too. It was maddening, like throwing a kid to the wolves and then trying to keep them safe with my hands bound and my eyes blindfolded.

That image didn't sit well with me for a lot of reasons...

I frowned. I knew I wasn't giving Yona enough credit. She was tougher than she looked. I could hear her soft voice echo in my mind. I already knew what she'd say to my earlier criticism:

"I don't need a man's protection, Jae-Ha; I'll learn to defend myself!"

Her hypothetical determination made me smirk.

She was a goddess with the heart of a brave man in her small chest. She had stood against enemies a hundred times her size. But, it didn't matter the magnitude of what lay in front of her when we stood behind her, when I stood behind her. She could take on anything - anyone - and I'd be there waiting, watching from the shadows so that when she needed me, when it finally got to be too much, I'd step out and save her.

I never imagined a woman would ever have me so fucking wrapped around her finger. Growing up, I'd ran from commitment. No one- no Dragon King nor beautiful woman- could hold me captive. I'd been there and done that. I had been unbound.

I guess it was fitting that it was both which had convinced me to return to my shackles.

But it wasn't like that at all really… I had never felt more free than when I was with Yona and our group of friends.

I often thought about what it would have been like if I had been the first person to meet the princess after she left the castle. I could have shown her the kingdom in a day. I could've carried her anywhere she wanted to go. I still would. If she wanted me to take her away, I'd pull her into my arms and lift her into the heavens faster than she could finish asking. But, she'd never do that.

Yona is loyal. Yona loves Hak.

I grimaced at the flickering embers and took another swallow of sake. I'd told myself that a lot lately…

Hak, that lucky bastard. What I wouldn't give to be in his shoes! To have already spent a lifetime with Yona, to save her from her worst nightmares, to put that rosie red on her cheeks when she glanced my way, to lie beside her at night would make me the happiest man alive. Instead, I had to be the better man. I was the good guy. It was my job to push them to admit how they felt for each other. After everything, Yona deserved happiness and if Hak was her happy, then I wouldn't stand in the way. She had saved me when I'd no place to call home and no one to call family. She had done that for all of us. She'd brought us together, so she damn sure needed a fucking happy ever after. Even if that wasn't with me…

Damnit. I had to stop this pity party. I set my cup in the grass beside the fire and stood to wander around the remains of the border town.

As I escaped the cluster of people dancing, I noticed how truly small this place was. Homes were scattered about. There weren't many to begin with and several had been destroyed over the past few days. Out of the remaining huts, the townspeople had given one to us for lodging. It stood on an mountainous incline above the others, like a watchtower.

I leapt to it.

As I passed by the entrance, I peeked inside. I could see Kija and Yoon asleep on the floor and covered in blankets. They were such lightweights.

I rolled my eyes at the sight of them and turned to look behind me at the land below. Small patches of fire burned in the distance marking the ruins of a long-waged war. The darkness made them stand out in the night like luminescent reminders of what had taken place, of people lost. I'm sure some were fueled by the bodies of dead men. Others were lit by patrols. That's where Hak and Shin-Ah had gone off to while the townspeople celebrated.

If there was one thing I admired about Hak, it was his ferocity. The man never stopped moving. Kouka's Lightening Beast had no time to rest. The kingdom was at stake, Yona was at stake. He would ensure they were safe to every end. Too bad he couldn't expend some of that energy sweeping Yona off her feet and saving me from more grief. It was painful standing by while he took his sweet time wooing her. But, if it were me, I'd be doing the exact same thing.

I was sure that deep down, Yona knew that she felt something for Hak. She was stubborn when it came to her love though. She was waiting for him to take that step, to love her. I think she wanted him to show her he loved her first – which made sense considering her track record with men.

SooWon was a fool for throwing her away. If I ever got the chance, I'd kick him in the face with my dragon leg. That would solve all our problems, since he'd probably die.

I did wonder though… he seemed like a wise leader, a smart, calculating kind of guy. So, why'd he murder King Il? He could have just married Yona and ascended to the throne. Maybe he was afraid that before the late king died and he rose to power, Kouka would have already plunged to ruin? I mean, the kingdom had needed change, that was for sure. But, it seemed SooWon had underestimated the princess's ability to make it happen on her own.

The faint sound of arrows whisking in the wind caught my attention. I stopped to listen. At first, I thought maybe I had exceeded my limit and the alcohol was finally driving me insane but the longer I listened, the more I was certain the far-off echo was actually there. So, I turned to head farther up the incline to investigate.

Going up only took me a matter of leaps but, for anyone else, it would've been a rough trek and a long climb. I landed in a small clearing some ways up the mountain. Across the field of soft grass, I could make out a slender silhouette against the starry night sky, and the sound of arrows whizzing was clear.

As I walked closer, Yona's figure came into focus. Her dainty arms, small waist, and wavy, red hair were unmistakable. I could sense the tension in her body as she sent another blade into a large nearby tree trunk. The poor tree which had fallen victim to her practice had arrows jetting out all around the base and many more strewn around its roots.

It wasn't normal for Yona to miss. Something must've been bothering her.

She didn't seem to notice me approaching - that was just like her. The infamous, powerful, green dragon was sneaking up on her and she didn't sense a thing. I smirked at her lack of attentiveness. She tried so hard, but some things would never change.

For a moment, I just watched her. She pulled the string back on her bow. Her arm quivered, straining from the resistance. I could see the beads of sweat trailing the sides of her face - physical manifestations of her effort. Her shoulders rose and fell with each breath as she attempted to steady her aim.

Suddenly, there was the snap of her release, and the arrow went zipping by. It disappeared into the shadows of the woods, several feet away from the tree.

She giggled and collapsed onto the ground, her bow and sash of arrows landing beside her.

"What's so funny?"

She shrieked, spinning around, "Jae-Ha?!"

"The one and only," I bowed, wafting my arm as if I was a preformer.

"How- How long have you been standing there?"

"Just long enough to see you miss that tree by a mile," I grinned at her.

She gave me a once over and giggled some more, "Maybe if I had a better target to aim at…"

I raised an eyebrow at her snarky remark. Something was off. Yona was usually sweet, not sassy. Not that I didn't like it…

I walked over and sat down beside her, concerned. That's when I noticed the bottle sitting beside her feet. I reached for it and sniffed the contents, eyes widening as I recognized the aroma.

"Yona, have you been drinking?"

She bit the corner of her lip and looked up at me, "Um… nope. No, I haven't. Definitely did not drink what was in that cup."

"Yona…"

Silence.

"I can't believe you would lie to me," I smirked inwardly, pretending to scold her.

She gasped, "I- I'm not lying to you! I could never ever, ever, ever lie to you, Jae-Ha!"

A smiled pulled at the corners of my mouth, "Okay... Whatever you say."

I leaned back, resting my weight on my hands and looking up at the glittering sky. It was getting cool as the night dragged, and the winds ran a chill own my neck. It was refreshing and keeping me level headed as I sat next to her.

I glanced at Yona. She was looking off into the nearby woods, the moon illuminating a soft blush on her cheeks- probably from the liquor. A smile lingered on her face. The light hair on her arms was standing to attention and her hands quivered in her lap. I could tell she was cold. I thought about offering her my kimono, but she interrupted me as I began to disrobe, "They really should make better tasting sake. That stuff was awful."

She giggled, looking up at me and remembering her earlier promise, "But I did not drink it…"

I laughed out loud. Drunk Yona was priceless.

She pouted at my amusement and stood up to walk away; but, instead, she lost her footing and started to fall.

In a flash, I rose to catch her grabbing her by the waist. She clung to the front of my robes for support. Leaning against me, she righted herself. I wrapped my arm around her to hold her steady as she continued to sway.

"I think, maybe it's time for us to go back to the villa…"

"No, please," she slurred, "I'm not ready to go back."

"Yona Dear," I sighed, "Why don't you want to go back?"

She didn't answer, so I leaned down closer to her face. When she finally turned to meet my gaze, her eyes were brimming with tears. It caught me so off guard. That had been the last reaction I'd expected.

The sight of her like that tore me to pieces - whether that was the dragons blood or my heart, I wasn't sure. I pulled her into my arms, holding her tight. Encircling myself around her like a futile shield against her grief. I could feel her small, warm figure melting into me. But, at that moment, I couldn't think about anything but her hurt and the burning need to make it disappear.

After standing in my embrace for a while longer, she finally pulled away to face me, "Jae-Ha, am I… Do you think I am… desirable?"

...What?

I was unprepared to respond to such a random, unchaste question, which was unlike me. Maybe it was because it was Yona who was asking. I took a moment to gather my words, "Why do you ask that?"

I could see her cheeks redden, beginning to match her eyes, "Well… I… Never mind, it's stupid."

She released her hold on me to wipe her eyes. When I tried to pull her back, she walked away dismissing her earlier question, but she only stumbled again. I reached over and grabbed her around her waist. I wasn't going to let her get away. She could never run from me- the soaring, green dragon.

She squealed as I hooked my arm around the underside of her knees and hoisted her up against my chest, ready to carry her to the village so help me gods.

"Yona," I whispered against her fiery, red hair, "Nothing you could ever say could be stupid. Now, why don't you tell me about it while I walk us back?"

She wrapped her arm around my shoulder and sighed in defeat, "Mmm… Okay, but only if you walk normal. No dragon speeds. I feel queasy."

Her words made me smile. The alcohol was keeping her from holding back.

Good, I thought. She needs to be more audacious. Freedom lies in being bold.

I would know.

I started heading down towards the villa with her in my arms. As we made our way back, the forest seemed to engulf us. Streams of starlight pierced through the leaves lighting patches of grass like confused sun-rays. The moonlight lit a clear path through the thick woods, and the sounds of nocturnal night life vibrated all around.

Yona was silent at first, but after we made it some ways down the hillside she whispered, "The first man I ever cared for told me he saw me as a sister after I proclaimed my love for him. Then, he murdered my father."

I stopped walking to look down at her, shocked by her sudden candor.

She continued, "After I left the castle with Hak, I thought that I might be able to forget the pain of that rejection and betrayal in the arms of another man one day. But, after spending so much time with you all, its difficult to believe that could ever happen. You guys manage to always wander into the vicinity of other women and woo them with your charm or sweep them off their feet whenever we go to new places. But, since we've been on this journey, no perfect stranger has run after me."

"Yona Dear, don't be silly. The reason no wanderer has tried to charm you is because we would never let him get close enough to try."

"But I feel so unwanted," she huffed, "What I wouldn't give to be swept off my feet by a man, without hesitation, who knows that I am what he craves."

I raised an eyebrow at her and playfully bounced her in by arms, reminding her that she was in fact not on her feet.

Yona snorted, "You know what I mean, Jae-Ha…"

I couldn't help myself, thoughts of being her Mr. Right were flashing through my mind like a play. I leaned into her ear and hummed, "You don't know how beautiful you are. Everywhere we go men notice you, but with four Dragon Warriors and a Lightening Beast at your side, no man is crazy enough to approach you. And, any man who was we would instantly drive away because he would obviously be insane."

The hair along the back of her neck stood at end from the sensation of my breath so close to her, "You're only saying that to put me at ease."

"Yona!" I declared, "Even if you never had the chance to meet a stranger in some town somewhere, you would still have six men who would bend over backwards just to have your company for a moment."

Her eyes widened at my words, "We may talk to other women, and treat you differently than them but, that is only because you are special. None of us would ever make a pass at you because we respect you and only want to make you happy. Who you love, and who you want to love you is something we would never try to decide for you."

Her face was beat red after hearing my loud testimony. She shifted in my arms, "So you... and the others... all think I'm desirable?"

I closed my eyes and smiled uncomfortably, answering her question, "Well, yes."

The back of her soft, cold hand against the side of my face was a surprise. The liquor was making her as nutty as a fruitcake, I was sure. But, when I glanced at her, she was staring at me with a look that felt like it was coming from more than just a buzz. My eyes searched her face for a love I had no right to find.

Yona still had that pink blush staining her cheeks, and the look in her eyes was tender and innocent. In that moment, I wanted so badly to crush my lips against hers and drive the point home - to turn those cheeks from blush to crimson as she realized what was happening, to prove once and for all just how desirable she really was.

"You know…" She mumbled leaning in closer, lost in thought, "I've always wanted to know what it's like to…" Her words cut off and she tilted her head to match mine.

Her mouth was only millimeters from mine. Her breath warmed the small space between us. I could smell the sweet scent of sake coming from her rosy lips. I groaned inwardly at the temptation. I wanted her, badly, shamefully. I craved her with every ounce of my being - like a man stranded in a dessert craved water, like my lungs craved air. My dragons blood burned, ringing in my ears, telling me to give her what she wanted, to sate her curiosity...

Man, I wanted her, but not like this.

She leaned in to close the distance, but I turned away, "Yona, you're drunk."

"Mmmm," She hummed in agreement, closing her eyes and resting her head against my chest like my rejection was nothing but water under the bridge. It seemed sleep was finally catching up to her.

I watched her small figure for a moment. I was inwardly grateful and devastated by the escape her drowsiness provided.

Just as her breaths started to even, the heavens started to rain down. I'd been so caught up by her allure, I hadn't even noticed the change in weather. Now, water was pouring from the sky. At least heaven pitied me. Maybe this was the Green Dragon God up there crying on my behalf.

I could feel Yona begin to shiver in my arms. We needed to find cover quickly or she'd get sick. Whether she believed it or not, Yona was human. She caught colds. This one would not be my fault.