Asa no Yumi (Akatsuki no Yona)

Chapter 62

Yumi's POV

The rude guy grabbed the cat, "If you have any pride as citizen of Xing, then you should be telling stories about... How to smash those monsters to pieces." He yelled as he was about to throw the cat until someone stepped on his face. 'Looks who here! Algira!' I thought happily. Algira tooked the cat, "There we are... There, there... It's all right now." Algira said as he hugs the cat. "Hey, you... get your foot off me..." The guy complained. "What was that?" Algira said darkly. "Go take a trip to the afterlife, octopus face!" Algira yelled as he kicked the dude causing him to crash into a door and breaking it. "Pride in a country whose people think it's okay to toss around kittens? I'd rather comet." Algira said. "Don't you mean vomit?" Yoon corrected. As Algira gave back the cat to the storyteller, I looked at Ao who was on Yona's shoulder. 'I need this interaction. Algira is just too precious when it comes to protecting cats.' I thought. "Ao." I called and patted my shoulder. "Pukyuu!" Ao said as she jumped on to my shoulder and I handed her an acorn. Algira looked my way, "Wh-what's up with you?! Don't stare at me like that! It's way too cute, dang it!! A tiny tiny kitten! So tiny! Pukkyuu? What a funny sound! You've gotta be kidding me!" He said all excited as he just appeared in front of me. "Sorry to break it to you... but this is a squirrel, not a cat." I said as I watch him take Ao. "Huh? Whoa! Who are you guys?!" Algira asked. "Algira! Are you making a mess in town again? I told you so many times, don't do anything that will make you stand out!" Vold said as he and Algira press there foreheads in a battle manner. "Ahh? A little kitten was in danger so I dealt with it nice and quietly, alright, Voldopus?" Algira said. "I know that your idiocy is beyond hope, but don't you dare cause trouble for us too, Bakagira." Vold argued. "You're just a schemer just like always, Why don't you go cuddle with a kitty or something and maybe your cold heart will finally warm up?" Algira argued back.

"Um. excuse us... But who is that person?" Yoon asked breaking their fight, "Apologies. This is Algira, my colleague." Vold answered as his bowed while forcing Algira to also bow. "Oi, what is that thing, that pukkyu meower?" Algira asked. "I know nothing about this pukkyu meower, but I have brought back with me the monsters of Kouka Kingdom." Vold told Algira. "Seriously? Are they strong?" Algira asked. "We are not monsters. We are the Four Dragons!" Kija said. "I'm trying to bring them to Touchi Valley." Vold said. "I see. Got it. Come along then." Algira said. "Urghh, darn it... I'm going to report this to Lady Kouren..." That guy that was just kicked complained. "Give it up, that was Algira you know." The guy who knelt down next to him say. "Damn... A dog of that traitorous princess, huh..." The beat up guy complained. "Don't worry. Lady Kouren will do something about it all eventually... Lady Kouren will surely destroy Kouka Kingdom and protect our country." The other guy reassured. "Yes... Death to the monsters... Death! Destroy Kouka Kingdom! Destroy!" He yelled. I stared at them with a death glare and let of some KI that they can sense which they did which caused them to shiver. "What a bunch of idiots." I whispered and stopped the KI but not without sensing stares from Algira and Vold. 'Oops... did they sense it?' I thought.

(Later)

We have finally arrived at Touchi Valley and were walking upstairs. "This is Princess Tao's private residence." Vold told us as we arrived at the top of the stairs. Yona has a worried look and looked at the Four Dragons. "I am fine Yona-hime." Kija said. "Yes, we're fine, Yona-chan. We're all accustomed to being targeted. If worse comes to worse, we'll leave immediately." Jae-Ha said. "Yeah, by riding on Ryokoryuu!" Zeno said happily. "Reminder that I can only carry so many people." Jae-Ha reminded. "All right..." Yona said. We continued walking until someone came to view. "Oh my! Algira! Vold! Are they your friends?" Tao asked while playing with the cats. "We have returned, Princess Tao." Vold said and bowed. "There's no way we'd just bring our friends. Look, they're the monsters from Kouka Kingdom that you wanted to meet." Algira told her. "Eh?! Oh, you must be joking. What on Earth are you talking about, Algira?" Tao said in disbelief. "I'm telling you, these are the monsters from Kouka Kingdom." Algira said again. "Ehhh? You're not lying?!" Tao exclaimed. "Have I ever lied to you?" Algira asked. "No, never! I'm sorry! But this is just unbelievable! I did say that I wanted to meet them, but I never thought you'd actually bring them..." Tao said. "It's fine, you should just say what you want to say to them since we brought them here anyways." Algira told Tao. "Why does it look like the princess is so surprised...?" Yoon asked. "Because she is..." I said looking at the situation. "We came because we heard that the futures of Kouka Kingdom and Xing were at stake. But was there some sort of mistake?" Yona asked. Tao just stood there... "Would you like something to eat?" She asked which Zeno was pretty happy about. "Ahhh! How could I have been so careless? I didn't even think how my words would affect others and now I even got two cute kitten-like girls involved in this..." Tao rented. "Kitten-like?" Hak questioned while eating a fruit. "Would you like to say something?" I asked Hak while also eating a fruit.

Vold walked up to Tao, "Because you are the princess of Xing, you mustn't bow your head or humility like that." Vold said. "I'm sorry." Tao said. "You mustn't apologize either." Vold said. "Yes." Tao replied. "And also, you are not the type of person who would say thing thoughtlessly and cause people to take action. That is why we have brought them here." Vold said. "Thank you, Vold." Tao smiled. "It is an honor to meet you, citizens of Kouka Kingdom. I apologize for the late introduction. I am the second princess of Xing. My name is Tao." Tao introduced. "I was convinces that you were just interested in seeing our powers." Jae-Ha said. Me already knowing what's this is about decided to just... Go play with CATS! I walked towards where Algira was and knelt down. "Come here kitty." I said some cats walked up to me. I sat down and picked a cat up with another cat in my lap that just started to rest there. "Oh my, you guys are just too cute!" I said. "You like cats too?" Algira questioned. "Who wouldn't?" I asked back. "Trueeee." Algira said with a smile. I kept petting the cats until I heard Tao say, "I, Tao, wish to surrender to Kouka Kingdom and make Xing into their vassal nation." I continued to listen in. "You want to... turn Xing into a vassal nation of Kouka?" Yona asked shocked. "That's..." Yoon doesn't know what to say. "That's a rather audacious statement, coming from a princess of Xing." Jae-Ha said. "Kouka Kingdom's King Soo-Won... He claimed victory at the battle with Sei Kingdom the other day and before that, he reclaimed control over Kin Province from South Kai. And also destroyed North Kai's Li Hazara's forces. Where do you suppose King Soo-Won will target next?" Tao asked. "This country..." Hak answered. "And that's why Princess Kouren wishes to raise an army to fight against Kouka Kingdom. Kouren takes great pride as a princess of Xing Kingdom. Any situation in which Xing is subjugated is a situation which my elder sister would never accept. Thus, she would launch an offensive. She would likely choose to preserve this country's honor, even if that meant a fight to the death. However... Xing Kingdom's current military strength is a far cry from Kouka's. No matter how unyielding Kouren's will is. No matter hoe noble her ideals are, that is the sheet truth. Surrounded as we are by Kouka and Sei, if a war were to start, Xing Kingdom would be... Xing's people would be undoubtedly destroyed. And so, to avoid a war with so many people as victims, I believe handing this country over to Kouka Kingdom is our only possible course of action." Tao explained. "So that's why your men surrendered as soon as they found us." Jae-Ha concluded. "But why are you telling this to us (more or less) average citizens of Kouka?" Yoon asked. "Eh? Are you not of King's Soo-Won's subordinates?" Tao asked. "Why did you think so?" Yona asked. "I has heard that you all fought alongside King Soo-Won at Hotsuma and Kushibi's forts." She answered. "... We didn't fight alongside each other. Our objectives just happened to be the same." Hak said. "But still, are you not acquainted with King Soon-Won? Do you know him personally? I would like to know..." Tao insisted. "What the hell that king is thinking is beyond me." Hak replied in a certain tone. The atmosphere then got all quiet after that until Algira broke it. "Hey, Tao-hime. The kitties tell me they're hungry. Should we eat?" I placed the cat down, "True, we shouldn't let these cuties suffer from hunger, right?" I said petting the cat to which it meowed. "You're right. I'm sorry. I've been just standing around talking with our guests. I'll have some food prepared." Tao said as she smiles. "Ah, no need to worry about u-" Yoon said only to be cut off by Zeno, "I'll take something tasty!" "Hey!" Yoon yelled.

I sat down between Yona and Kija as food came. "No need to hold back. Please, eat!" Tao told us. "Thank you for the meal." Kija said as he prayed. Everyone started eating especially Shin-Ah who ate a lot at once which got Algira's attention. I also started to eat when Yona stood up but quickly sat back down. "Princess? What's wrong? Your face is looking a little pale, you know?" Hak said as he moves face close to Yona only to get it pushed away with a slap right in the face. "... My apologizes for coming so close." Hak said with a red injured face. "N-no, that's not it..." Yona said but her faced started to look pain. "Yona?" Jae-Ha called. "Yona, what's wrong? Are you alright?" Yoon asked worriedly. I put my food down and pulled Yona close to me. "Is it that?" I whispered to which she nodded. 'Period is such a pain...' I thought. Tao who noticed took the whole carpet the food and ran towards Yona and covered her with it. "Miss Yona is feeling sleepy, so she's going to rest! Everyone please continue eating." Tao said as she pulled Yona up. "I guess I will go too..." I said about to get up. "It's fine, nee-san. You can just stay here." Yona said. "If you say so..." I said sitting back down as both of them walked away quickly. "'Continue eating', she says..." "Yeah..." As we stared at the food that has all been flipped onto the ground. "Hak, these are still edible. Will you have some?" Kija said offering some food to him. "That's pretty unusual for you, White Snake." Hak said staring at the food. "The old Kija would never have eaten fallen food." Jae-Ha said. "Well, one always has to grow up and get use to things, don't they." I said eating a random food that I picked up.