#darkdragon

You reached out to touch him, but jumped back when you made contact with his dragon arm; it was scalding hot! You winced in pain at the burn that was rapidly forming on your palm, and the outsiders looked at you in concern. Your attention was trained on the Hakuryuu, so you failed to notice the tall man's knitted eyebrows at your shrugging off your pain.

You reached out for him much more carefully this time, but Hakuryuu ignored you as he went straight to the red-haired girl's side. He called her master and your heart dropped to the pit of your stomach. Everyone in the village knew the legend of the four dragons and King Hiryuu, and it seems that this red-headed girl was the reincarnation of the red king. Hakuryuu talked animatedly with the girl, who introduced herself as Yona, and seemed very happy at his eagerness to serve her, but made clear that she wanted him as a friend, not a servant.

Hakuryuu happily obliged, offering himself up to her however she saw fit. As for you, you were dumbfounded. How someone could throw away their freedom was beyond your comprehension.

It was announced that they would be parting that day after a feast, and you were shocked.

He really was eager to accompany her...

Not that that surprised you. It was Hakuryuu after all. He seemed to live and die for the legend itself, and now that destiny had appeared right in front of him, he seemed all too ready to pick up and leave.

You sighed. It was apparent you would never understand it, but you could try. Clenching your hands into fists determinedly, you ran to Hakuryuu's room.

"Hakuryuu-sama!"

"What is it, Y/N? Can't you see you're bothering me right now?" Your eyes went wide as they landed on the red-haired girl who had introduced herself as Yona on his bed, with him sitting incredibly close to her seeing that there was almost no space in between them.

Despite not having feelings for him, your heart lurched and tears welled up in your eyes at his betrayal. You genuinely believed that he would honor the promise that tied two of you together.

Apparently not.

You ran from the room, the two left behind too shocked to even say anything. You slipped the band off your finger, and pocketed it.

Was I not good enough?

What had I done to deserve this?

Was this expected of him, to marry that girl instead of me?

Was this my fault?

Your hands shook in anger.

It's all my fault...I'm not good enough...

The intrusive thoughts invaded your mind. You ran to the edge of your village, slinging your bow and a quiver of arrows over your back. Hunting would take your mind off of things.

You settled in your favorite spot, just overlooking the mountainside. The fog was especially thick here, but you found comfort in the misty shroud. Your keen ears picked up movement to your left, and you raised your bow, pulling the bowstring taut.

"Whoa, there."

The tall man from earlier placed a finger on the tip of your arrow. You lowered the weapon slowly, narrowing your eyes at him. You recalled the villagers referring to him as 'Hak'. He leaned in closely to you, noticing the tears that had not stopped budding in the corners of your eyes.

"What's wrong?" He pestered.

You scoffed. "Like you don't know."

"Actually, I don't." He retorted flatly.

"My fiancé cheated on me with your princess." You spat venomously, taking a small amount of satisfaction in the way he flinched back in shock.

"She wouldn't do that." He defended.

"Well," You body slumped in defeat. "She might not have known he was engaged. Hakuryuu doesn't wear his band and he doesn't go around telling people either even though everyone in the village knows."

"That doesn't make it right." Hak insisted.

"No," You sighed. "I suppose it doesn't, even if I did deserve it."

He looked at you curiously, taking a seat beside you. "What makes you say that?"

Your expression was guarded. "No reason."

He continued to stare at you, but you didn't break. Then, you crouched low from your spot, bow raised.

Hak opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off as you released the arrow, a squeal cutting through the foggy air. You couldn't help the glimmer of pride that surged through you and the tiny smile that made its way onto your face.

"Wow." Hak said, impressed. "Where'd you learn to shoot like that?"

You smiled wistfully. "My mother taught me."

"Really?" He leaned forward on his elbows, gaze attentive.

You shrunk back, intimidated. His broad frame was scary and he towered over you. Hak frowned as he noticed your unease.

"A-Anyways!" Your gaze darted around your surroundings nervously. "I've got to go!"

You picked up the dead rabbit along the way, slinging it over your shoulder as you ran back towards the village. Hak watched until your figure disappeared in the tendrils of mist. Standing to his feet, he brushed off the dirt from his clothes vaguely as he thought about what you had said.

Or rather, what you didn't say.

It didn't take a genius pretty boy to see that you were hurting. Hak concluded that it was most likely from the Hakuryuu, given what little you had shared with him. He sighed, heading back the way he came. He needed to have a word with the princess.

You headed to the kitchens where the cooks were preparing food for the feast, adding your kill to the pile.

"Great catch, Lady Y/N!" The cook praised, as she began to clean and skin the animal. You beamed at the compliment. You rolled up your sleeves and bustled around the kitchen as you helped them prepare the large meal.

"You don't have to call me 'Lady', Fellsia." You offered her a warm smile, but she could see the pain behind it.

"What's wrong, child?"

"Nothing, Fellsia." You replied with what you hoped was a reassuring smile. "I'll be just fine."

She frowned at your response, but continued cooking, storing your reaction in the back of her mind. Just in case.

Soon enough, the feast was ready, and excited chatter rose around the ranks as the men, women and children from all over the village made their way into the clearing. You watched fondly from the sidelines as the kids tripped over each other in their haste to get to the food.

Your village was privileged to have hunters who caught enough game to properly feed everyone so that no one went hungry, but it wasn't without cost. You rubbed the calluses on your hands absentmindedly.  The hunters were tireless, almost spending all their time in the woods that bordered the village.

Maybe that's why Hakuryuu wanted to be with Yona and not me. At least she's around.

The corners of your mouth tipped upward in a tiny smile, the love in your heart for your people not fading as you watched them dig into the food. As long as you could prolong the smiles on their faces, it was well worth it.

You watched in pain as Hakuryuu blatantly ignored you and showed more affection and dedication to his new master in the last hour than he had in a lifetime to you. You huffed quietly and crossed your arms, feeling conflicted. You were technically still his betrothed, and was supposed to sit at his side during this meal, but Yona was there. You had nothing against the red haired princess, knowing her to be nothing but a sweetheart in her short time there and you held no resentment towards her, but what were you supposed to do?

Hesitantly, you made your way towards Hakuryuu, but once you got close to them, he sent you an icy glare that made you stop in your tracks.

"I don't need you. You can leave."

You flinched at his dismissal of you, but backed away. His order was lost in the sea of conversation that filled the table. No one noticed as you walked away.

Except for one.

Hak trailed after you, keeping some distance, but still maintaining his eye on the princess. As Yoon caught his eye, he raised an eyebrow and the Thunder Beast flickered his eyes in your direction. Yoon nodded, waving his hand in a subtle 'go ahead' for Hak to go after you. With that permission, the former general ran after you.

"Are you alright?" He asked when he caught up to you. You were in some kind of hut at the edge of the village, and it was the only one. His huge frame nearly covered the door frame as he leaned casually against it. Only the genuine concern in his eyes hinted at what he was getting at. You sniffled, rubbing your eyes frantically.

"And don't just brush it off and tell me that you're fine." He interjected firmly as you opened your mouth to speak. You closed your mouth sheepishly and your gaze trained on the floor at your feet.

You heard his footsteps as he approached you, and a second later, he hooked a finger under your chin to raise your head. Your breath caught in your throat as you found yourself staring into his cobalt eyes, a millimeter away from his face. Your eyes filled with tears as you saw the sincere worry etched into his expression and brought up your hands to cover your face.

Your plan was thwarted when he caught your wrists deftly. You could help the heat that rose to your cheeks at his proximity.

"Y/N..." He murmured, pain lingering in the depths of his eyes. "Talk to me."

"I can't." You whispered brokenly. "I can't."

He dropped your wrists from his grasp, letting his arms fall back down to his side as he pulled away from you.

"I'm sorry." You apologized softly, head bowed in shame.

Hak shook his head gently. "You have nothing to apologize for." He said firmly. "Let me at least see your hand."

You looked at him questioningly and he raised an eyebrow. "You got burned earlier right? From the White Snake's arm?"

You stifled a giggle at his nickname for the esteemed Hakuryuu, but curled open your fingers so he could look at your palm. Hak's eyes narrowed as they landed on the angry red welt. You opened your mouth to say that it'll heal with time, but stuttered gibberish as he placed a gentle kiss to the palm of your hand.

"I can't do anything else to soothe it," He murmured, stroking over the skin softly. "But maybe that'll help."

You stood there like a gaping fish after he left. Shaking your head to clear the trance, you went up to Hakuryuu as they were getting ready to depart. He took one look at your satchel, and shook his head.

"No. You're not coming with." Hakuryuu commanded. "As of now, you are no longer my betrothed. I am bound to my master and will serve her to the end of my days."

Hurt flashed in your eyes as his words sunk in. You took one look at his and Yona's intertwined hands and decided you were done running. Running away from this situation, your pain, everything. The village would survive without one of their hunters.

"Alright." You conceded and Hakuryuu nodded, satisfied. Hak eyed you suspiciously. There was no way you were content with having to stay behind. In the short time he's known you, you were anything but as weak as you seemed just now. As they left Hakuryuu village, he didn't need to look over his shoulder to know that you were following them.

What had started as a revenge mission had quickly faded into something else. You had been a little ways behind them when you saw the bandits attack. Gathering up your bow, you scurried up a tree, taking careful aim. As much as you hated Hakuryuu for the pain he caused you, you didn't want him to die.

You had learned the youngest boy's name was Yoon, and the sound of his irritation almost made you fall out of a tree more than once. Shortly after they had left the village, you heard Yona ask for Hakuryuu's name, to which he responded that his name was Kija. The raw emotion in his voice overtook you and you had stopped in your tracks. You couldn't remember the last time he had been called by his real name. Sympathy flooded over you and tears sprang at the corners of your eyes.

Just how much had your village dehumanized him?

You took out several of the ones in the back, nearly getting shot in the head as you took notice of the group's particular fighting styles.

To say you were impressed would be an understatement. It was clear that Yona had little to no experience with a weapon, but under Yoon's guidance, was able to take out one of the archers. Kija's dragon claw was certainly nothing to be underestimated in battle, but you were completely overtaken by Hak's abilities. The way he moved, he was so graceful when he fought.

You bit back a scream as an arrow zipped by, clipping your shoulder. You couldn't pull back on your bowstring, rendering it almost useless. As the bandit charged at you, you used the wooden weapon to whack him in the back of the head. Then you pulled back out of sight as he fell at your feet, darting deep into the woods. You had a feeling that a certain someone knew you were there all along.

Darkness quickly fell, as you ducked further into the forest, putting a decent amount of distance between them and you. You found a small cave and made camp for the night, being careful to keep pressure on your shoulder to stop the bleeding. You winced as you settled on your side, the blood stinging through your rough patch job.

You woke up suddenly to a hand covering your mouth. Your eyes shot open, widening in surprise as they landed on a familiar cobalt gaze.

"Hak," You breathed, relieved. "Geez, you scared me."

He inclined his head in apology before landing on your messily bandaged shoulder.

"What happened there?" He asked rhetorically.

You smiled meekly, knowing that he knew you were there. "I was just trying to help." You explained quietly, expecting to be berated. You were surprised when he pulled out a small canister of water and a clean rag from behind his back.

"Show me."

You hesitated before peeling off your outer robe, slipping off the sleeve of your shoulder. Hak's eyes darkened as they landed on the crimson blood that seeped through the cotton pad. With gentleness you didn't know he possessed, Hak carefully peeled away the gauze and you bit your lip at the sting as the cold night air hit it.

You flinched away from him as he cleaned the cut and Hak's brow knitted. He wished there was some way to make it easier to you.

Something to take your mind off of the pain.

"Aren't they going to be wondering where you are?" You asked, mistaking his concern for you as concern for the others. "I'll be f-"

"If you say 'I'll be fine' one more time, and I will kiss you." Hak interrupted flatly. Your mouth dropped open in shock.

Surely you didn't hear him right.

He gave no indication that anything was wrong, making you second guess what you thought you heard. You cursed under your breath as he put pressure on your wound, hand flying on top of his. You froze, and he stared at you, wide-eyed.

"S-Sorry..." You stuttered out, cheeks coloring as you lowered your hand. Hak turned his attention back to your wound, tending to it silently. He bandaged it securely, and the pressure eased some of the pain.

You sighed in relief. "Thank you." You said gratefully and Hak smiled gently at you, brushing it off.

The two of you sat in silence for several moments. You played with your thumbs, unsure as to what to do next. You assumed he would leave, but he made no movement to do so.

"Hak?" You asked in surprise as he settled down beside you. "Don't you need to return to the others?"

He waved off your concern. "Yoon's keeping an eye on things, and the White Snake actually isn't half bad at fighting. Between the two of them, the princess is safe. It's you that's not."

"I'll be-"

Your eyes went wide as soft lips pressed against yours. Hak's hand brushed away the hair that fell into your face. "I warned you." He said softly, cupping your jaw, leaning in for another kiss.

Your eyes fluttered shut as he kissed you again, his other arm wrapping around your waist. You let out a squeak as he pulled you into his lap, not breaking contact.

"Y/N..." He whispered, eyes hooded. "Let me show you what it's like to be treasured."

You sucked in a sharp breath as he planted sweet kisses on your neck, and your hands clutched the front of his robe, keeping him against you.

Hak groaned and you leaped back. This time you were sure that you weren't hearing things. His groan was filled with agony, not pleasure. You tore off his outer robe, despite his protests and froze when your eyes landed on the scarlet gash on his chest. It was covered by multiple bandages criss-crossing his torso, and your eyes narrowed.

Your jaw clenched, and your breath became heavier with each passing second. "When did this happen?"

Hak sighed, crossing his legs and leaned back on his hands. "When the Princess and I were pushed off of a cliff."

You slammed your hands down on the ground, eyes blazing with fury.

The man studied you closely before continuing. "It reopened in our skirmish with the bandits."

You got up from the ground, shoving your things into your satchel harshly. Hak stared at you, confused as you picked up camp within seconds.

"Let's go. We're going back."

Hak couldn't contain the smirk that made its way onto his face. "We?"

"Yes, 'we'," You snapped, heading in the direction of their campsite. The fire had since died down, but you could recall the general area they were in. "Hurry up. You're going to die if you fall behind."

Hak grumbled behind you, muttering something about a priest and how he wasn't allowed to die and you giggled softly. What he said next made you stop dead in your tracks.

"White Snake is there. Are you sure you want to make yourself known?" He eyed you critically as you turned to face him, eyes filled with determination.

"He doesn't have to acknowledge me." You shrugged.

"But will you be able to bear the consequences that it inflicts on you?" He questioned, expression serious. "The pain that comes with it?"

You nodded firmly, flicking your gaze up to meet him. "He owes me an apology, not an explanation."

Hak was stunned at your courage and strong will, then he grinned.

She'll sure be a handful, huh...

Upon arrival, you were startled to see that they were all awake. Well, Kija and Yona were, Yoon was half asleep, still buried in his bedroll. The shame on Kija's expression was foreign to you, but you didn't spare him a second look.

"Y/N." Kija whispered brokenly and you almost tripped. He's never said your name with such gentleness before.

You crossed your arms over your chest, glaring down at him. Kija winced at your harsh stare, but didn't move otherwise. You tried to conceal your surprise when he knelt down on the ground, pressing his forehead to the ground in a low bow.

"Y/N, I am truly sorry for the pain that I caused you. I was aware of my actions, but I ignored the guilt due to the fact that neither one of us were really happy to be engaged to each other in the first place. That doesn't excuse what I've done, though, and I'm not trying to justify it. I am just trying to say that I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Tears fell from Kija's eyes and you could tell he was regretful for the hurt and pain he caused you.

"Kija." He looked up in surprise. It was the first time you called him by his name. "I forgive you."

"Thank you," He breathed. "I don't deserve it."

You shook your head, ignoring Hak's mumble under his breath about how he agreed that Kija didn't deserve it. "It's not about merit. I forgive you, Kija because I want to."

Hak came up behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist from behind and resting his chin on your head. "White Snake," A vein popped out of Kija's forehead. "Hurt her again and I won't hold back."

Kija's eyes widened as he heard the not so subtle threat, but nodded seriously. Satisfied with his answer, Hak picked you up and slung you over his shoulder as he walked back into the forest.

You saw Yona flash you a thumbs up from Kija's side and you grinned.

"Haaaaaaak~" You whined. "Where are we going?"

You yelped as he suddenly put you down, but his hands didn't stray from your waist. Hak leaned down, resting his forehead against yours. His breath fanned out against your face and you giggled, weaving your fingers with his.

"I just want one moment with you."

You relaxed in his hold, the sounds of your steady breathing the only thing that echoed in the air.

You didn't make it back to camp. Hak kept you flush against his chest, ignoring your scolding as you exclaimed, "You're still healing!"

Eventually, you stopped trying to escape his grip and snuggled into his side, being mindful of his very large, very alarming injury. As your breath evened out, Hak kept a watchful eye on your surroundings.

"I'll protect you, Y/N." He murmured into your hair, "You don't have to worry about not being loved anymore. I can't undo the hurt that he's put you through, but maybe I can be a constant for you to come back to."

He missed eyes that blinked open at his confession as he fell into a deep sleep.

///

The next morning, you were mysteriously back in the camp. Your eyebrow furrowed as you rolled your shoulders, noting that there was no pain. Kija and Hak were across from you, surprisingly not arguing but they were both peering at you closely that made you jump to your feet.

"How long was I asleep?!" You cried out, eyes immediately finding Hak's as he smirked.

He leaned his chin on his palm leisurely. "About a day and a half."

"Why didn't you wake me up?!" You screeched, launching yourself at him. He caught you by your shoulders easily, turning you around and plopping you in his lap, arms winding around your waist.

"Don't give me that." He chastised, smirk never leaving his face, but dimming slightly as his serious tone bubbled up to the surface. "Just how long has it been since you've had a proper night's sleep?"

You smiled sheepishly and Hak rolled his eyes. Kija looked at you confused, and you clarified. "Sometimes, the hunters stay out all night, waiting for the right moment. It takes a toll on our personal lives."

Kija didn't miss the silent jab, and the guilt increased as he felt even worse about his past actions.

You sighed. "I'm sorry," You apologized, paying Hak no attention as he muttered something into your back. "I really didn't mean it like that."

Kija's eyes shone with remorse and you broke out of Hak's hold to hug him. "I really am sorry. Let's try to forget about it, okay?"

He sniffled, rubbing at his eyes furiously, almost turning them red.

"Where's my hug?" Hak extended his arms out, huffing as you stuck out your tongue playfully at him.

"Did Yoon tell you to go do something?"

Your grin widened as Hak shot off into the woods. Apparently the mother had asked him to do something.

Where would he be without me...

You smiled wistfully. You never thought you would have this kind of relationship. One of ease and comfort. One that wasn't forced by external vectors.  

You threw a smile over your shoulder and Kija's eyes widened at the joy that sparkled within your gaze.

"You seem happy." You commented, recognizing the faraway look in his gaze.

He looked down. "I am..."

He trailed off, not finishing his sentence and you patted his shoulder.

"I know." Kija looked up at you in surprise. "You're happy, but you also feel guilty because of what you put me through." You guessed and Kija nodded, ashamed of his previous actions.

"You make up for it by not doing it to her." You gestured to Yona, who had just returned with Yoon from the river. Kija nodded determinedly. You walked over to him, and slipped something into his hand. He felt cold metal and looked down.

It was your engagement band.

"For Yona," You winked. "When the time is right."

Kija curled his fingers around the small circle. He wouldn't let you down this time.

As Hak broke through the treeline, he picked you up and spun you around. Your shriek of laughter echoed through the forest, causing the rest of the group to smile at your happiness. Yona couldn't be more delighted. She had never seen Hak this carefree, this happy, he was always too busy worrying about her safety. She took Kija's hand in hers, blushes coloring both of their cheeks at the contact. Now, she had someone else to watch her back so that Hak could be a little more free.

You couldn't contain your smile. After so long, someone had shown you what it was like to truly be cared for.