Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Yona sprinted past the stone pillars of the Hiryuu Castle courtyard, her red hair streaming behind her. She rounded the corner of a massive stone statue and stopped, gasping for breath as she glanced back down the walkway.

"Too slow, Princess," Hak called out.

He dropped down from the low pavilion wall, landing heavily on his feet and blocking her path to the gardens. Yona skidded on the flagstones and tried to turn, but Hak lunged and caught her sleeve.

"Tagged," Hak said, releasing her and stepping back. "That's five wins. You owe me three sweet buns from the kitchen."

Yona stomped her foot her face flushing red. "You cheated by jumping off the wall! That was out of bounds."

"You didn't say the wall was out of bounds," Hak countered. He leaned his back against a pillar and crossed his arms, looking down at her with a smirk. "Besides, you're the one who begged to play tag."

"Because Father won't let me do anything else!" Yona pouted, dropping flat onto the cold stone steps, her knees pulled to her chest. "He says everything is too dangerous. Tag is the only thing left."

"Hak! Princess Yona!"

General Mundok’s loud voice boomed across the courtyard. Beside him, King Il walked with slow, deliberate paces.

Yona instantly jumped up and ran to her father, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Father! Hak is making me run all over the courtyard and demanding my snacks."

King Il patted her head, his face instantly softening into a smile. "Now, Yona, Hak is our guest. But you shouldn't be running so fast on these hard stones. What if you fell and hurt yourself?"

"I didn't fall," Yona mumbled against his robes.

Mundok scoffed, reaching out and grabbing the back of Hak’s collar. "You have no manners, boy! Is this how you behave in front of the King, brat?"

Hak didn't flinch. He simply twisted his shoulders, pulling himself out of his grandfather's grip. "She's the one who wanted to play. I'm just keeping her moving."

Mundok ignored him and bowed low to King Il. "My apologies, Your Majesty. We should head to the meeting chamber now. The other generals are waiting."

King Il nodded, gesturing toward the pavilion doors. "Let us not delay then. Stay here with Hak, my dear. Do not leave the courtyard."

"Yes, Father," Yona said, letting go of his robes.

As the heavy wooden doors of the council chamber slammed shut, Hak tapped Yona’s arm, his eyes bright. "Time for a rematch, Princess!"

Yona spun around with a grin, completely forgetting her complaints, and bolted down the steps to catch him.

***

Inside the council chambers, King Il took his position at the head of the long conference table. The five tribe generals sat along the sides, their faces tense over the unrolled maps.

"The Fire Tribe is facing a massive famine," General Soo-jin said. He brought his fist down hard on the northern territories of the map. "If the throne does not provide immediate relief, we will have a civil war on our hands."

"The throne cannot favor the north when the southern ports are drowning," General Joon-gi interrupted, leaning forward, his eyes narrowed.

General Geun-tae slumped back in his chair, rubbing his forehead. "The Earth Tribe is no better off. The miners are striking because the food rations ran out last week."

King Il looked at each general, his expression heavy with sorrow. "The royal treasury is nearly empty. If I allocate funds to one tribe, the others will starve. We must ask the nobles to endure and share their current stores."

"Endure?" Soo-jin thundered, slamming both hands onto the table as he stood up. "Your reliance on prayer and patience is crushing the five tribes to death! You are letting Kouka rot!"

King Il stared at Soo-jin, his lips parting to speak, but the words died in his throat. A sharp gasp escaped him as his left hand clamped over his chest, and the color drained from his face entirely.

"Your Majesty?" Joo-doh lunged across the table to catch him, but the King’s limp form slid past his grip and crashed hard onto the floor.

Mundok was already on his knees beside the King. "Guards! Fetch the royal physician right now! The King has collapsed!"

***

Back on the edge of the wooden veranda, Hak tossed a small sweet bun into the air, caught it in his mouth, and leaned back against the support beam.

"That's six buns you owe me now, Princess," he said, chewing. "Your running is completely hopeless."

Yona glared at him from across the small plate. "I would have caught you if you hadn't tripped me by the koi pond."

"I didn't trip you. You tripped on your own robe," Hak replied, reaching for another bun.

"Hey! This one is mine." Yona snatched the last bun from the plate before his fingers could touch it, holding it protectively to her chest.

"Princess Yona! Lord Hak!" a guard yelled, his voice cracking violently as he ran up the walkway.

Hak instantly stood up, dropping his casual posture. "What is it? Did the council meeting end?"

The guard fell to his knees. "The King... His Majesty collapsed during the tribal meeting. The royal physician just left the council chamber."

Yona dropped the sweet bun onto the floor. It rolled into the dirt. She took a step forward, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Is Father sick? Take me to him."

"Princess..." The guard's voice shook, a heavy sob breaking through his chest. He couldn't look up. "His Majesty's heart failed. The physician could do nothing. The King is dead."

Yona stood completely still, her arms dropping limply to her sides. She stared at the guard as tears rolled silently down her face and dripped off her chin.

Hak froze beside her, his fingers clenched into a tight fist. He looked from the kneeling guard toward the heavy doors of the grand hall at the end of the long walkway. "Dead? He was speaking to us less than an hour ago."

"General Mundok and General Joo-doh are still inside with the body," the guard cried out, his forehead pressing against the wood. "They sent me to fetch the Princess."

Yona turned toward the grand hall and sprinted, ignoring Hak's voice calling her name.

***

Su-won sat at the low wooden desk in his manor, a book on military strategy open in front of him.

The heavy sliding door of his room burst open. Keishuk stepped inside.
"Lord Su-won," Keishuk said, his voice flat but urgent. "King Il is dead." 

Su-won looked down at his own hands. For last five years, he had envisioned using those hands to avenge his father.

He closed his eyes, forcing the memory of the gentle uncle who used to give him sweets to bury itself deep in the dark. 

"If he is dead, the five tribes will tear the kingdom apart trying to claim the throne." Su-won said, his face hardening as his revenge was ruined, but the country was now completely unprotected.

"The Fire Tribe is already restless," Keishuk agreed. "Soo-jin will move his troops within the week if there is no king." 

Su-won stood up, all traces of grief vanishing from his face. It was replaced by a terrifying, frozen calm.

"We cannot let them take control," Su-won said, his voice dropping to a sharp whisper as he swept past Keishuk into the dark hallway. "Yona is still at the palace, and she has no idea what is coming. Mobilize the Sky Tribe army. I am going to take the throne."