A pleasant warm breeze blew its way over, washing over Yongsun’s scales gently. A purr rumbled in at the feeling, opening her eyes to gaze at the glistening sea far below. A soft nudge followed by a rough tongue rasping over her scales had Yongsun tearing her gaze away to face her sister. Yonghee’s forest-green eyes twinkled at her, the dragonkin nuzzling against Yongsun tenderly. 

Yongsun shifted from where she laid on the grassy field, stretching her limbs and shaking the stray bits of grass off her body. Yonghee brushed past her before pushing off from the cliff, wings spread wide. Yongsun followed after, claws leaving deep marks in the soil, catching the wind as she flew and glided next to Yonghee with ease. The rays of the setting sun bounced off their scales, giving them a shimmering magical appearance. People far away could mistake them for faint stars in the sky. 

Much to Yonghee’s surprise and shock, Yongsun suddenly swerved in front of her, a teasing and mischievous look playing in her eyes when she turned to glance back. Yongsun flapped her wings and flew higher, disappearing into the fluffy clouds. Yonghee shook her head, huffing lightly as she flew after Yongsun in the clouds, their favorite game of hide and seek since young resuming once more. 

Byulyi dodged the flying spear, rolling onto the ground to one side. She got up as quickly as she could and targeted her opponent, spotting her instantly and taking the chance to dash at her. Dahee parried Byulyi's strike, deflecting her blade easily to the side. Their swords clanged, the only sound in the courtyard as Wheein and Hyejin watched on, accompanied by their dragonkin escorts. The blades reflected the sun, an orange glow settling around the yard. 

Byulyi panted, her shoulder aching and crying out for a break from the strenuous activity. Dahee smiled when Byulyi managed to counterstrike her attack, the long months of training definitely starting to pay off and show its true results. Just before Byulyi had struggled to even wield a sword in the standard offence position, trembling and crooked. Her strikes had been weak and easily deflected by even the simplest defences. Dahee took it upon herself to retrain Byulyi, being one of the highly praised soldiers in the kingdom who had excellent swordsmanship. 

They took it slow, one step at a time as to allow Byulyi's muscles to remember what it was like to hold and wield a sword again. Wheein and Hyejin had cheered her on whenever she trained, yelling encouragement and praises. 

“You’ve improved. Let’s stop here for today.” Dahee called out, sheathing her sword. Byulyi nodded, too winded out to respond with words. She trudged to the side where Wheein and Hyejin received her with water and some small snacks to help regain her energy. Byulyi took them thankfully, plopping herself on the ground next to them, taking the time to breath in deeply as she leaned back to rest against the cooling wall. Ruby red winked against the sunlight as a Byulyi fondled with the crimson crescent moon hanging from the chain around her neck. 

She gazed up, a longing look in her eyes as she searched the skies. 

A distant roar was heard as two tiny specks could be seen against the glow of setting sun. Byulyi smiled, getting up from her spot to meet the dragonkin sisters returning. 

Yongsun and Yonghee flapped their wings gently, stirring up bits of dust and dirt as they landed. They rumbled their greetings to their friends,Yonghee giving Byulyi a soft nudge before lumbering off to converse with her dragonkin companions who stood next to Hyejin and Wheein. 

Yongsun nuzzled her muzzle affectionately against Byulyi, acting like a little puppy. She morphed back into her human form, arms wrapped around her love as she pressed a soft kiss against her lips. A necklace carrying a small silver dragon was perched delicately around her neck. 

“I missed you.” Byulyi sighed out as they parted from the kiss, keeping herself in the dragonkin’s embrace. Yongsun laughed lightly. 

“I was only gone for a few hours, love.” 

“Yea but that doesn't change the fact that I still missed you.” Byulyi grumbled, keeping herself nuzzled into the crook of Yongsun’s neck. Yongsun smiled but said nothing, enjoying the feeling of her precious Byulyi in her arms. Their little bubble was only popped when Wheein came bounding towards them both, Hyejin following her wife from behind with a smirk. 

The couple had gotten married sometime late during spring, eight months after Byulyi and Yongsun arrived at the kingdom unannounced. It has been two and a half years since everything happened. Things had been wild, hectic and confusing. The journey to where they were was full of fear and anxiety, constant doubt plaguing their minds. 

When the antidote was given to Yongsun, Byulyi had fallen asleep by her side despite her hardest efforts to stay awake to keep watch. It was not till morning when she felt a tender hand her hair and a soft voice humming that she stirred awake, bleary and with a dry throat. The hand that her hair slowly stopped its ministrations, drawing a pitiful whine out of Byulyi. 

A low laugh was heard. 

And then the twinkling of a familiar voice. 

“Good morning princess.” 

Byulyi froze. Her heart seemed to beat erratically as she prayed that she wasn't hearing things. She hoped that what she saw when she looked up would be Yongsun alive and smiling, and not Yongsun still silent and unmoving. 

Slowly, she raised her head. She was hesitant, cautious, afraid. 

Teary brown eyes met gentle emerald, the small smile on Yongsun’s face breaking Byulyi down instantly. She threw herself at the dragonkin, sobbing as she tightened her arms around her. Yongsun did the same, embracing Byulyi comfortingly.

“...You’re awake….You’re alive...I’m...Yong...You’re alive.” Byulyi hiccuped into Yongsun's neck, trying to push herself more into Yongsun as if to make sure she doesn't disappear if she so much as loosened her grip. Yongsun resumed threading her fingers through Byulyi's soft hair, mumbling soft reassurances that she was really here, and that she was alive. Despite the smile that she bore on her face, Yongsun couldn’t help but let a few of her own tears roll down her face. 

She had been so close to death, had felt it brush past her, felt it hooking on and beckoning for her to follow. The whole time she slumbered, fighting fever and pain, she would sometimes hear voices floating around her in the void, the words muffled and unintelligible. It always sounded like Byulyi though, her sweet beautiful Byulyi. Whenever Death seemed to reach a hand out and weary Yongsun felt inclined to take it, the mere image of Byulyi was enough for Yongsun to snap back and curl away. Death, though disappointed, retreated and waited patiently. 

She could not go, not now, not before seeing Byulyi one last time to apologize. 

Byulyi and Yongsun cried together, unwilling to separate themselves from the other, letting their tears wash away the pain, fear and anxiousness that they carried. That was how the others found them in the late morning, cuddled in each other’s arms fast asleep once more. The steady rise and fall of Yongsun’s chest was enough to show that the antidote had done its part, Yonghee giving both Sunmi and Seulgi a grateful hug. 

It took time for things to settle back to what it was before. Sunmi fussed that Yongsun must stay in bed for a few more days to rest her body and to check if the poison had gone for sure. Yongsun had no objections, as long as Byulyi was with her she would be fine. The King had ordered food to be cooked for her, and for the first time in many days, Yongsun ate hungrily till she could eat no more without the throbbing need to throw up. Sunmi fed her other types of medicines, just to restore some of her other bodily functions that had suffered under the effects of the poison. Yongsun had learned, over the days as she recovered, that Seulgi had provided her venom in creating the antidote. Recognizing the dragonkin, Yongsun was apologetic and guilty, being the one culprit who snatched away her mate's life that one unfortunate day. Thankfully, Seulgi had came to terms with Irene's death and understood why she did what she did. Thus they were able to make peace and while they were awkward at times, they were slowly learning to be proper friends.

Yonghee had been undeniably nervous upon seeing that her younger sister had awakened, because it would mean interacting with her for the first time in decades. She didn't know how Yongsun would react. Would she be angry that she didn't try hard enough to find her? Would she be sad that she gave up on her so easily? Disappointed?? 

Turns out, Yongsun was confused when she first laid eyes on Yonghee. Yonghee was crestfallen, thinking that Yongsun had forgotten her after years of never seeing each other. Indeed, they both grew up and obviously changed appea