Anything But Worthless [Akakstuki no Yona Fanfic]

0. Something I Must Do

¤ Ji-Na ¤

"If you could, would you want to be the crown princess?" The words echoed in my head. Stepping over the rubble, I watched the sun rise over the horizon. The world glowed a gentle golden as a smile tugged at my lips. I had thought about what Yona-nee¹ said for a long time now. Would I want to be the crown princess? I suppose that was what I coveted to be as a child. Yet, now there was something more important to me.

If I closed my eyes, I no longer saw the world of darkness. I no longer held the same, empty and meaningless life as before. Splashed with red, black, peach, white, blue, green, yellow, and purple, my world had begun shining because of them. Illuminated by their auras and their love, because of them, I can surely answer my sister. I didn't need to tell her I'd answer her later. I knew that I did not wish to be the heiress of Kouka Kingdom.

I am Ji-Na, the second princess of the kingdom. There was nothing that would change that.

"Ji-Na." the soft voice was one I could recognize anywhere. A hushed voice, not wanting to reveal anything more than she needed. "When will this all end?"

I glanced at her direction, my head remaining still, facing forward. My eyes fluttered shut as I let out an exasperated sigh. "I wonder... Will this ever really end? Or will we be forced to walk down this path forever?"

My hood rustled as I felt wind brush against my skin. I'm sure Yona-nee watched the soldiers march, the sound that became so familiar so quickly. The clanking of metal against gravel, we never wished to hear it. This must be what war sounded like. Unlike the clashing of swords, the sounds of war seemed to linger in my eardrums, wishing for me to turn away and erase it from my memories. Or maybe, to just erase me.

To disappear from this world, I've wished for it before. If I could just fade from existence, what would I leave behind? A voice brought me back to my senses, "Yona-hime²san, Ji-Na-himesan. It's time for us to depart."

I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw were the flags, fluttering with the wind in the haze of silhouettes. Opening my mouth, words spilled from my lips unintentionally. "It's cold here, isn't it?" I suppose that isn't what they expected me to say. During the moment of silence, I made out the figures. Thousands walked on foot or by horse, carrying a spear. They were prepared to take a life.

"It's because we're near the mountains... that it seems so cold." Yona-nee's response made me sigh.

"Back then..." I felt the wind brush my hood off my head. My orange hair sprung free, fluttering with the wind as I smiled sadly. "We didn't know at all, did we? How cold it could be outside of that place..." Unbeknownst to them, I wasn't just talking about the temperatures. The cold hearts of the people around us, that's what I was talking about.

But like always, it didn't matter what I was thinking. There was something I must do.

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¹ - "Nee" [姉] means "older sister" but can mean "sister" in general

² - "Hime" [姫] means "princess" but can also refer to a "heiress" or a "young female noble"