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Tears sprang to the eyes of the injured girl and she attempted to sit up more using the wall as support, wincing as fresh pain came over her in never-ending waves. Yona could only look on sympathetically as the girl struggled to right herself.
Yona was at a loss how to aid her and she knew she could only wait for the pirates that would inevitably come. But she wasn't sure how long that would take as she still had to find the ideal time to let off the signal that would bring forth the pirates anger.
As Yona tried comforting Ailee, the door was slammed open and a cutesy girl was thrown in by one of Kum-Ji's men. Then they stood aside, allowing Kum-Ji himself to go into the cabin.
Kum-Ji looked at the new arrivals which included Ailee, Yona and unbeknownst to everyone (except Yona), Yoon, who was cross-dressing in order to defend the princess.
Kum-Ji let out a sinister laugh and said, "it was a greater catch than I thought. Awa isn't half-bad, either."
"Lord Kum-Ji, what is going on?" A young girl with flowing blonde hair cried out. "I heard I could find a job here..."
"Kukuku... There is a job. A crucial job." Slime dripped off his words, causing Ailee to shiver and Yona laid a tentative arm around the other girl's shoulders. "You all need to wait here until tomorrow night."
Yoon leaned closer to the two girls. "Lie low you too and stay ca..." He was cut short when a large hand suddenly grabbed hold of Yona's red hair.
The hand belonged to the slave ships ruler, Kum-Ji. "Red hair. I see. How unusual."
Yona! Yoon and Ailee silently screamed looking on helplessly as Yona struggled to free herself.
"Kukuku her face is quite beautiful too. She'll sell high." Ailee felt her blood boiling and if her battered body wasn't in so much pain she would've attempted to save her, but alas at this present moment she was weak.
So very weak.
"It would be almost a shame to sell her. They wouldn't mind if I took just one to be mine, would they?" Ailee turned her head to the side and saw the menacing look come over the 'girl's' face next to her.
"I-I can do better. I can satisfy you better than that woman, Lord Kum-Ji." Yoon stepped forward and addressed the lord. He clutched his hands cutely in front of his chest and said, "so drop that girl and let me be beside you ♥."
Kum-Ji took hold of Yoon and peered into his face. "You're right, you're an exceptional jewel too. But..." Yoon's eyes widened as he saw the foot coming towards him, but it was too swift for him to dodge. He was sent flying backwards. "Don't interrupt me when I'm having fun. I despise impudent women." One hand still held Yona by the hair and the other girls gasped as Yoon came crashing down.
Kum-Ji preceded to place a foot on Yoon's head. "Got it? The best women are those that are obedient. If you tremble and keep your mouth shut like this red-haired woman, then..."
He glanced down at said girl and froze. Her expression could be described as not being one of fear but of anger. Disgust radiated of the young girl and she was thrown to the floor. Realisation dawned on the lord as he gazed at the red-headed girl, she was... No, it couldn't be... "Princess Yona?"
"I am nothing but the daughter of a humble Awa merchant," Yona lied. "I don't know about the red-haired princess who shares the same hair as me, but for Lord Kum-Ji's job, if it would be beneficial for me to become the red-haired princess, I will let you call me so."
He considered it for a moment and let out a laugh. "You jest too much. Princess Yona would not possess unshaken confidence like this in the first place. She wouldn't be looking for work, either. A girl like you? A princess?" With one last mocking look at the redheaded girl, he exited the cabin with his crewmen, and locked the door.
One day had passed since then and the girls were woken from their slumber. Ailee was hurled to her feet and had to follow the others out of the cabin.
The girls were bound by the wrists, with their arms behind their backs and were blindfolded. Ailee had no choice but to do the same, no matter how much it hurt to do so. Today they were finally being loaded onto the boat - the one that would lead them to their days of slavery.
☽
Hak was currently staring out to the sea, lost in thought, and then he turned when he heard Jae-Ha call his name. "Rest for a bit." Jae-Ha joined him. "You've been staring off into the distance since yesterday, haven't you?" Hak just grunted in response.
Jae-Ha looked at the distant horizon and tried not to let thoughts of her cloud his mind. He could stop completely and worry endlessly, but that wouldn't help in the slightest. Also, he knew her and what she was capable of.
Did he wish her safe? Of course, he did. But he knew that she would be fine aboard that ship and they were so close to rescuing her. He just had to wait for the signal from Yoon and Yona.
A shout sounded behind them; it belonged to the White Dragon, who was cursing out Kum-Ji.
"Sometimes he'll doze off and then jump up and start attacking the air," explained Hak.
"Kija will destroy that pretty face of his."
A chill sprouted up behind Jae-Ha.
"Ryokuryuu you have bags under your eyes."
Jae-Ha turned round and shouted at Shin-Ah, "c-could you not mutter that from behind?!"
"Ryokuryuu hasn't slept either."
"Me?" A not-so-convincing smile adorned the emerald-haired male's face. "I've eaten and slept well. I'm doing fine."
Behind them, Gi-Gan smiled as she observed the guys' exchange. She strolled over to them and interrupted their conversation. "It'll start soon. Shin-Ah can you see them?"
"The boat's at the harbour have started to move."
☽
"Yona, Ailee," Yoon whispered to the two girls. "The fight will start soon."
The girls nodded their heads, and the moon overhead cast its light into the sea beneath them.
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