At the moment Ying Kong Shi
returned to the Palace, Liu Shu immediately became aware of it. He did not want
to leave anything to chance, so he had a guard station near Mirage Hall. Not
too obvious, but an even more effective solution... And anyways, that was the
Prince's order. By the time he turned up around the corner of the corridor
leading to the Hall, the Counsellor have been already waiting for him in a bow
at the entrance. However, Shi did not even mind the guards or the Counsellor.
He pushed the door in with a big smile up to his ears and slammed it
immediately. Liu Shu stared at the carved ornaments of the door in front of his
nose, but he only made a silent comment to himself, then took a deep breath and
waited on.
Shi walked to the table and dug
into the fruit basket. He tossed the grapes in his mouth one after another, and
laughed loudly. He took another one in his fingers and looked at it more
closely. Finally he sighed and closed his eyes. He raised his other hand
slowly. A hardly visible, pale glow swirled between his fingers, and lazily
turned toward the balcony. Shi was chewing the fruit as slowly as the magic melted
the ice wall into nothing. He didn’t hurry, there was no trace of the anger
that he used to hide the doors to the balcony a few days before. He lifted his
head only when he felt the fresh air coming from outside on his face.
A memory has awaken. He deliberately
let it go. The snowflakes sneaking in the Hall first hid, then unveiled the
scene that he was able to recall for the first time without pain.
- Why are you here? - he asked
the girl just like back then.
- The entire Snow Blade City is in
our hands. I can came to your Mirage Hall whenever I like. – the memory
answered, then faded away.
Shi swallowed the last grape and
walked out to the balcony. The sun was high in the sky, and the fine mist
rising from the valleys eased the twinkling of snow shimmering on the. Snowbirds
were chasing around one of the peaks, their shrieks made Shi smile faintly, but
then he became troubled. Yan Da, the Princess of the Fire Clan was drinking
wine on his balcony with the tranquility of winners. She was proud and sassy.
Still, how could she expect the Prince to chat with her like before? Shi now
regretted his behavior. His keeping a cold distance was only enough for a
fight, again. Yan Da tried to get the reasons and whys out of him, again, while
he was still trying to get the grip of himself. She pulled out her whip, again,
and he did nothing. So many things were at stake. He was incapable of considering
the possibility that they would not look at each other as enemies. He held it
back, did not defend himself, and endured that Yan Da wounded him... How many
similar moments followed that day, how many encounters and how many quarrels, still
the same song for centuries and millennia. Perhaps, as an exception, he could
play his own song for once...
He sighed. At least he had that bamboo
leaf... But it was left back on Earth with so many other memories. Snow Bird
said Yan Da would remember if she wanted to. What could be the thing to make
her want to remember?
To his greatest regret, the Counsellor
decided not to wait any longer and had himself announced aloud by the guard.
Shi had to turn his back on the flow of thoughts and come back into the
present:
- Come in, Liu Shu.
The Counsellor entered the opening
door, and bowed with ceremony, having no emotion on his face.
- Your Highness... I'm glad you
came back. Just in time.
Shi tried to put some interest on
his face.
- Really?
He waved towards the table, but
Liu Shu did not want to sit down. He had to nod once more, but the Counsellor
was still trying to resist.
- Your Highness, I would prefer
to stand. As the etiquette demands.
Shi impatiently howled him down.
- The etiquette is not really
important now. Spit out already, what you want to say. I don’t have time for
it.
The Counsellor's eyes widened for
a moment, but then he quickly pulled himself together and cleared his throat.
So the Prince has something to do...
- Your Highness, we have strengthened
the protection of the City and the Palace according to your orders. After the
last meeting the clan leaders were housed in the Palace. However, I have to
inform you, Your Highness, that Hui Heise left in a hurry just a few hours thereafter.
- The others?
- For the time being, they enjoy
hospitality of the Ice Clan.
- I do not understand. - said the
Prince. - They've been given a week, and two days already have passed. Still,
they sit here in the Palace and do nothing? Maybe they think the news about the
sword will fall from the sky?
He shook his head. He looked at
the Counsellor.
- And you? Did you find
something?
- Unfortunately no, Your Highness.
- he lowered his head. - The patrol that we sent to the Sacred Snow Mountain to
find the others has not yet arrived. The Commander's last report says they need
two more days to reach the mountain. Then we'll know more.
- It takes too long... - said the
Prince. He glanced out of the window toward the mountains, and before he could
change his mind, he said what he thought: - I'm going there.
- Your Highness... - the Counsellor
murmured, forgetting respect, but came to himself in a moment. - Yes, Your
Highness. I'm waiting for your orders.
- Not a word to anyone! - Shi
pointed his finger, and by the time the Counsellor straightened up, the Prince was
gone.
- Where are we going? - asked Snow
Bird, completely unnecessarily. When he appeared near Shi flying high, they
were already near the Sacred Snow Mountain. The Prince first planned to follow
the path on which the Guard's patrol was heading toward its goal, but he should
have travel slower and lower, and he was too impatient. Instead, he skipped the
idea and chose the shorter path. He would then find the patrol on his way back.
At the end of the path heading to the Mountain, from where you could already see
the Fortress, they descended to the ground.
- Did not you want to stop nearer?
- Snow Bird tried again. – It’s still one more hour on foot.
- My mother died here, did you
know? - Shi said softly. The other nodded. So that was the reason for the great
speechlessness. Shi soon after remarked: - What happened to the Hidden Lotus?
- What was I thinking? - Snow
Bird laughed. - I thought your sudden romantic desire urged you here to face
your memories. You came in vein, you know that? It is not the time for the
Lotus to bloom. Not yet…
- I did not come to make a wish. -
the Prince said impatiently. - I need to know what happened to the patrol.
Something is really wrong. There are five clan leaders jumped on each other in
the Palace and everyone is nervous because of a sword. Because of my father's
sword.
Xian Xue nodded.
- Well, off we go. Maybe the two
of us will find out easier.
They could only take a few steps,
when a warm breeze came in and melted the snow around them in an instant.
- Did they miss me? - the wind
laughed. - Did you miss me?
In their hands the magic of defence
sparkled, but they searched for the woods and the snowy rocks of the distance in
vain, they saw nothing. The wind laughed without stopping.
- Show yourself, you coward worm,
or piss off! - Shi shouted, finally losing his patience and throwing ice
daggers in all directions, but an unknown force simply pushed him back. As he
was trying to get up, something red rushed past him, and the laughter was now coming
from the very near.
- I missed you... Xian Xue, you
did not change at all.
Shi was staring down at the figure
appearing between them. The snow disappeared in a large circle, emerald green
grass dried up steaming under the feet of apparition. Orange and golden
ornaments glittered among the swirling veils of her red dress following her every
single movement.
- Yan Zhu... – they both muttered
at once, and the woman dropped a quick look on the Prince for the first time. She
no longer smiled. Then she turned back to Snow Bird, who was visibly nervous,
and tried to stay in the snow with his short steps.
- That's reassuring... I thought I’d
have to face the fact you forgot me, when I meet you again. I'm glad it did not
happen this way.
- But how? - Shi found his voice earlier.
Yan Zhu snapped at him angrily.
- Ying Kong Shi! You surely did
not you think, that a single blow of a miserable mortal would destroy me
forever? That’s an insult. And a very
bad idea.
- What happened to the patrol? –
Snow Bird asked the much more important question.
- Hm? What? Oh, do you mean those
good-for-nothing, insignificant, malicious mortals who dared to wake me up in
my afternoon sleeping? - Yan Zhu waved behind her. - In the Fortress? Or are
you looking for those who came later? I needed none of them.
Snow Bird spoke again in a low
voice with a dark face, and Ying Kong Shi suddenly felt that he must stay on
the ground.
- What did you do to them, Yan
Zhu?
She laughed again, turned her
back on them and raised her arms. The Mountain was shaking under their feet.
Behind the peak where the Fortress was supposed to be, fire columns hit the sky,
one after another, and spit out liquid fire without stopping. A few moments
passed only, but in the end there was no doubt what had happened to the
Fortress and the people on the Mountain. When the first fire brook swept
through the narrow passage between the nearby mountains, Snow Bird jumped
beside the prince and grabbed his arm:
- Get out of here, at once.
The creepy laughter followed them
far.
On the balcony of Mirage Hall Shi
came to himself gasping for air. The spell released them from their threatening
position at such an astonishing speed that it was too much even for him. He
glanced at the other, but Xian Xue looked away and walked silently to the head
of the stone statue. Thus the Prince only sat there, though he was in trouble keeping
his many questions for himself. Still, he thought it was right. He only coughed
as a warning when he saw the first star.
Snow Bird shook himself.
- You did not ask this either.
- I need a drink. - Ying Kong Shi
mumbled, then stood up and after sweeping the snowflakes off his clothes, he
walked back to the Hall. He never drank more than a glass, and he tasted wine
only for the sake of taste. But now he sent it down in one.
- You said there are other spirits
and other gods. Was Yan Zhu the one who gave Yan Da a new life? That's right,
is it not? - he turned back to the balcony.
- I confess I was somewhat
insecure. - said Snow Bird silently. - But as I thought of everything, I was no
more surprised. The Ancient Spirit of the Fire Clan is too strong to be defeated
by mortals. And Luo was nothing more than a simple mortal. Even Li Luo's power hidden
in her was able to chase away Yan Zhu only temporarily. With her remaining
powers she probably went through the open gate, maybe even ahead of you. We all
underestimated her.
- She seemingly was glad to see
you. Unlike you.
- It was a long time ago. Too
long.
- What? What happened?
Snow Bird turned and looked at
the Prince. His face was sad and confused, but Shi was most shocked by what he
had just said before disappearing in the evening fog:
- You're not the one to make
mistakes.
Kai Jian Ming slapped her
brother.
She gave him the necessary
respect because she listened to all his swearing and shouting, and did not cut
it off. But when Xi Wang fell into a chair for the tenth time, he held his head
and began to chant what to do now, her patience came to an end. At least that
silenced Xi Wang.
- Captain. - she called his
brother as strictly as possible. - Captain ... you're done?
Xi Wang taped his face and stood
up slowly, staring darkly at her sister. Referring to the Guard proved to be a
very good idea. He pulled himself out, breathed deeply, and within seconds he
regained his cold blood.
- I am listening to you. - he
noted in a disciplined tone.
Jian Ming smiled and put a cloth
soaked in cold water in his hand.
- Press on your face. Then it
won’t leave a mark.
The Captain was still looking at
her and waiting, so she finally sighed.
- If I remember the rules
correctly, it cannot be undone, is it? - Xi Wang nodded. - Then you're totally
wasting your time, brother. Bai He is the forger of her own destiny. As we all
are. You must steel the sword in fire, you know it.
Xi Wang bowed his head, but he
did not want to tell her what he thought. However he could not hide it from her
sister.
- I am worried about her too. But
you're in charge of training the Applicants. Take care of her.
- It's so simple? - said the
Captain softly.
Jian Ming smiled and put her hands on his
shoulders.
- Yes. That simple.
Bai He was still a little dizzy. As if it was a
dream, it seemed so inconceivable that she actually did what she did. She
stared at Lu Shan's boots walking in front of her and tried to ignore the other
Guardians pointing and commenting at her. As they moved on among the buildings,
Lu Shan began to explain over his shoulders.
- The Rules of the Guard now
apply to you. You must obey those with a higher rank above you.
She nodded, but as the other man
could not see it, she finally mumbled:
- Yes… Sir.
- The Applicants live in barracks,
just like the sworn Guards. Everyone is responsible for the order, for the equipment
and cleanliness as well. All tasks must be done in addition to the training
tasks, which the officers give you.
- I see ... Sir.
Bai He almost hit the officer's
back when he suddenly stopped. She pulled herself up terrified.
- Given that you are the only
woman among the Applicants, you have been honored to receive your own barrack. -
Lu Shan gestured to the building he had stopped in front of. - You get an hour.
Then it’s Supervision.
- And where...
- I'll send somebody who brings
you cloths and a roll with the Rules. Learn them.
Then he left.
Bai He took a deep breath and
stepped to the barrack’s door. She raised her hand and, disgusted, tried to sweep
away the cobwebs. She pressed the door handle, so it creaked painfully. But she
could only open the door to a gap. Then something stuck. She started to twitch.
No results.
- This is not good. - she
muttered and angrily kicked into the door. There was a loud thud, and the door
finally opened.
It was dark in the barrack. As if
there were no windows. Bai He stepped in and almost fell because she hit
something solid.
Probably the door did not open because
this chair, she thought. She regained her balance, but with that few steps she crept
up so much dust from the floor that she started to cough and almost choked. She
fled back blindly in front of the building to get fresh air.
- You wanted this. - she moaned
for herself.
Fortunately, she found a rainwater
bucket by the wall. She looked sadly at her clothes, and with a penitent face
she tore off a piece of her skirt. She watered the cloth and tied it to her
face.
Without the risk of choking she finally
found the windows and opened them wide up. One was nailed for some reason, and
when she ripped off the pieces of wood, a thread went into her hand. She
painfully screamed. But at least enough light came in to take a good look
around in the barrack, that would be her home from now on. There were tables
and chairs, shelves and crates, and a bed. But it was all bare and empty. And
immensely dusty.
- One hour? - she mumbled
desperately. - Impossible.
Someone called her name out
there. A young man wearing dark brown pants and a bright shirt stood in front
of the door.
- Supervision in half an hour. -
he said grinning as he handed over the stuff he carried to the girl.
Bai He tried to put a good face
on the matter and thanked him with a bow. He ran away.
The Applicants uniform was made
of surprisingly soft material and its size was just right. She was wondering
who could have been the small-sized Applicant who had it earlier. She tightly
pinned up her hair behind her head. She laid the ornaments she had received
from Jian Ming upon her folded old dress.
She rummaged everything in the
barrack, but she found nothing. Finally she found an old blanket. She was
staring at it in her hand, and the emerging memories of the Ice Clan's Palace
appeared so vivid, so brilliant in colors that tears ran into her eyes.
- He'll come... - she whispered.
- He will come...
He watered the floor and began to
get rid of the multi-year dust. She did not reach the quarter when the trumpets
sounded.
- The Supervision... – she took her
head, dropped everything out of her hand, and began to rush to where she suspected
the practice yard.
Everyone lined up by the time she
got there. And of course everyone saw that she was late. The Applicants stood up
tight, hands clasped behind their backs in front of the officers' queue. The
General was not present, but the six Corporals looked at the rookies as
strictly as if he was there. Bai He tried to breathe calmly, but by the time she
succeeded in coying the posture of the others, Kai Xi Wang stood right in front
of her. She could not read his eyes as if she were staring at the immensely
deep water of the Endless Sea. The Captain looked at her from head to toe, then
spoke in a toneless voice:
- Where are your boots?
Bai He peeked on the feet of the
other standing next to her white as a sheet, and she saw desperately that he
was wearing boots. Like all the other Applicants. But she did not get boots.
Why did she not get any boots?
She looked back at the Captain,
but as she took the breath to speak, Xi Wang overtook:
- Take off your shoes.
There was a small giggle from the
far end of the line, but to the little move of the Captain's head all was
silent again. She lowered her eyes and slipped out of the shoes she had
received from Jian Ming. The ground under her feet was surprisingly warm, at
other times she might have been even happy for it. But now she did dare look
up. The Captain walked on and began to speak aloud to the Applicants:
- It's only four weeks until the
final test, when you will find out who can be the members of the Royal Guard
and who are to leave. Use this time well because the Selection is not a game. Get
stronger and learn. Everyone will continue his training today with the team
leaders. Off you go.
The officers began to talk among
each other as the line of the Applicants dispersed. Bai He stared at her toes
with a long face and wondered where to find the right footwear.
- Missy, I will happily take you
on my back until you find more help. - somebody laughed near to her. The good
joke was received with a laugh and an applause by the others. By the time she came
to her senses she was surrounded by the Applicants. She turned around, but she
did not see any chance to flee.
- Wait, I'm signing up too. - another
man shouted. - If you finished, then I'll carry her on.
Everyone now laughed aloud. Bai
He's heart was beating in her throat. The man who first addressed her stepped
closer and lifted his arm. She screamed:
- Do not touch me. - and she slapped
his face.
- You little wildcat. – the
Applicant exclaimed offended. - What do you think? Did they teach you that in
the Palace? – and he hit the girl in the face. He did not even feel the gentle
waving of the fine hand, he was only hurt in pride. But Bai He immediately fell
to the ground.
It was suddenly dead silence. The
circle was broken as He Bian and Lu Shan pushed away the onlookers and made
room for the Captain. Kai Xi Wang's face was unrestrained, just like his voice:
- The Guard serves the King, but
we serve each other. Keep this well in mind that you can always count on one
another. Anyone who puts their hands on the other outside the practice area
will be punished. Get water, until dusk.
- What are you waiting for, greenies?
Line up next to your Corporals! - Lu Shan shouted, and the rookies set off to
their places.
- Captain! - cried the Applicant,
whom Bai He slapped. - I'm not a peasant anymore. I did not apply to the Guard to
do the dirty job, especially not because of a chick.
Kai Xi Wang stopped, then turned
slowly.
- The Guard is washing with the
water you bring. It cooks with the water you bring. And it drinks the water you
bring. Do not consider this a dirty work.
- But that's enough for me. Look
for your servants elsewhere.
He lifted his hand and ripped off
the medallion that every Applicant was wearing in the neck. He tossed it to the
ground and then left the company. No one kept him back, after all he was not
the first.
The metal disk resembling a bird’s
head fell just before Bai He's nose, swirling a little dust cloud. She had just
raised her hand to rub her sore face, but eventually she picked up the medal. She
waited for somebody to mention it, but there was still silence. Even then, when
she got up and put the leather string around her neck. Even then, when a Guardian
walked beside her, holding a wooden stick with water jugs on both ends. Even then,
when she lowered her head and took the water carrier on her shoulder, and
started slowly toward the river.
It was only then, when she surely
could not hear, the acknowledging remarks sounded. And when everyone went to
work, Kai Xi Wang finally allowed himself a sigh of worry.
Reports, commands, reports again...
The Captain was only realized it’s dinner time when Jian Ming appeared with a
steaming bowl of rice in her hand.
- How's Bai He? - she asked as she
pressed the chopsticks into his brother's hand.
- She is bringing water- Xi Wang
murmured, still checking some bamboo rolls instead of eating.
- What is she doing? – his sister
snapped, and the report fell out of his hands.
- She had a fight.
- What? You not say that
seriously?
- She actually defended
herself... But still, she raised a hand to another Applicant. - he tried to
explain, but his sister was not interested at all.
- How long has she been carrying
water, Honorable Captain? - Jian Ming pounced on the table. - The sun went
down. And she did not eat or drink anything at lunch, maybe you forgot it?
Xi Wang raised his head
nervously, and his sister just nodded.
- Well, finally…
The Captain jumped out of his
chair, but as he turned to the door, a figure appeared with a water jug in her
hand. Slowly she stumbled to the table, her face pale, her naked feet dusty and
wounded by the rocks of the riverbank.
- The sun is set, Sir. And here's
your water... - she whispered, then fainted.
- This is all yours now, brother.
- said Jian Ming, leaving the barrack.
Kai Xi Wang felt nothing but
immeasurable anger. He had to watch how this tiny little girl was torturing
herself, how she was trying to show off her courage, and all this for an
immortal who did not even look at her. Oh, how much he hated Prince Ying Kong
Shi now. He would have taken him with his bare hand if he was here and he would
not have cared that he had no chance. And he was angry with the girl as well.
There was no reason for her to choose this path. Why did she do it?
And how could he help her now? He
himself was bound by the Rules of the Guard too, he did what he had to do. No exceptions.
After all this how could he take her in his arms, how to take her to that far
barrack, across the camp, so that everyone could see it well?
He leaned over to her. She was hardly
breathing. Her face was burned by the sun, her lips dry, her hair was dusty,
but she was as beautiful as that night in the Palace.
We serve each other... he heard
his own words. He stood up and shouted at the Guardian.
- Call an orderly. Fast.
The young Guardian on the evening
duty was shocked to see the fainted girl on the floor of the Captain's barrack,
but obeyed the command. He ran away after Jian Ming and asked for a bowl of
rice. He got some blankets and pillows in the warehouse and then jumped in at
the Healer Ci Bei for bandages and balms. The Captain was already between the
barrack, carrying her on his back when he caught up with him with a big basket
in his hands. In the dark barrack door, Xi Wang stopped.
- Bring a candle. - he sent the
Guardian off again and then walked into the room. He laid the girl gently on
the bed, adjusted the roll pillow under her head, and placed the blankets by
the end of the bed. As much as he wanted to do something else, he turned his
back on the bed and waited for the orderly at the door.
- Light the candles. Make fire.
Bring the bandage here. - he ordered the boy around.
Then they washed her legs and
bandaged her wounds. They put balm on her hands and face. When she sighed and
her eyelids moved, the Captain sent the Guardian for a pair of boots. After
all, tomorrow is training.
He poured some water into a glass
and took her shoulders to help her sit up. But Bai He screamed painfully,
unable to hold back her tears. She tried to get up alone and pushed away his
hand from herself. But she accepted the glass of water.
- You must eat. - he said softly,
but she shook her head.
- I'm not hungry.
- You won’t be able to get up
tomorrow morning if you do not eat. And do you know what happens to the Applicants
who do not appear at the Supervision?
Bai He looked nervously at him.
The Captain did not know if he would be pleased with the determination shining in
fever in her eyes, that had just dried up her tears.
- Give me the bowl. - she
muttered, and moved a little. This time she only hissed.
- I need to look at your
shoulder.
Bai He's mouth was full of rice,
but she shook her head.
- Do you know what happens to the
Applicants who cannot hold the practice sword? - the captain said, and she
nodded wryly. Xi Wang shook his head. - I wish I knew what makes sense to you
in risking your life?
- I decide for whom to risk my
life... Sir. - she snapped back, silencing the man.
By the time Bai finished the rice
and rinsed it with another glass of water, the orderly returned with the boots.
The Captain did not let the boy go, he had watch as well as the girl unbuttoned
her shirt and freed her shoulders. Xi Wang cleared his throat before he said
something he should not, when he saw the contusions and bruises.
- Apply Ci Bei's balm on your
wounds twice a day. You cannot neglect your obligations. Orderly, what time is
the assembly for breakfast?
- At sunrise, Sir. - said the
Guardian.
- At sunrise. - the Captain
nodded and waved at the boy. He chose not to look back when they left the
barrack.
But as the boy closed the door,
he turned to him:
- What's your name, Guardian...?
Pei?
- Yes, Sir, Pei Pei.
- Well, Pei Pei, I trust on you,
that by tomorrow this Applicant will appear in the appropriate equipment on the
training field. Understood?
- Yes, Sir.
Jian Ming was already holding her
blanket when his brother appeared. She did not intend to argue, there was no
need. The Captain knew exactly what thoughts were circulating behind those
lightning looks. He leaned against the wall beside the door.
- What are your intentions? - his
sister asked when she was tired of waiting.
- I will help her. - Xi Wang noted,
as if it were so obvious. - If she wants to be a Guardian, let her be.
- You cannot make any exceptions.
- You do not have to recite the
Rules, my sister. But what I can do, I will do it.
- Even if you know why Bai He
wants to be a Guardian?
- Yes.
Jian Ming sighed. His brother was
a grown-up man, but she would have given anything to protect him from the pain
he had been facing.
- I stay here. - she finally
said.
- No need. - the Captain
protested.
- Do not think it’s because of
you, brother. Only because of Bai He. You will need someone who still has a bit
of common sense.
