One Bottle of Ice Wine - Ice Fantasy fanfiction - Chapter 11

May the dawn bring you wisdom, Jian Ming repeated herself the ancient saying when she woke up. The world was still dark, silent and waiting for the light. She slept little, without dreams, and when she opened her eyes, it seemed it had only been a few moments since she had put her head on her pillow. She sighed and turned on her side. She hoped, that she would know what she wanted to do with the last stars, but latest with the wake-up call. But she only made it to decide, that she would take the least of stuff to the little house she planned to go with the Prince to. If everything goes well, it's just a day and Chou Lou will be there. And then the Prince does what he wants, and then she can go back to her father. And finally everything will be as it used to be.

- Nice lies, Jian Ming. - she yawned and rubbed her eyes. Nothing will ever be like before.

Her father dined at the workshop and seemed to sleep there as well. But now she did not mind being alone. She had packed and repacked the small bag three times, in which she wanted to take her things, because she could not decide what kind of clothes she would need and how much medicine she would take with her. She also threw the whip back on her bed three times, then rolled and bundled it back into the bag again. She washed, dressed up and went into the kitchen under her arm with her sword, that Xi Wang had returned with a little disapproving look after their arrival.

Kai Xi Wang knew that he slept some as his modest bedding was on the floor. Knowing that he was going to take care of the horses in good time, and it was still about to dawn, he walked out of the barrack as he was in his pants, without weapons, without his armor, without a shirt. The night watch had already brought some fresh water from the river, filling a large stone jar next to the building, so he took some. After drinking just along the way, there was still enough water left in the jug to fully awaken him when he poured it on his head. Perhaps he would have dropped the empty jug if he did not put it down on one of the nearby benches in time, when he noticed the torch in the stables. The guard, however, was in his place, and was yawning with complete tranquillity. At the arrival of the Captain he greeted him loudly, pulled himself out and saluted, but said nothing. Xi Wang nodded understanding nothing, and then entered through the wide open door. It was much warmer inside, but it was not the heat coming from the body of the animals that made him feel all hot. In the third box someone was humming.

The guard was standing outside, yet he cursed himself for not bringing at least a dagger with him.

You're getting careless, Captain, he scolded himself, then walked in.

- Today is the big day. - a young girl's voice murmured. - You must look nice...

Xi Wang's heart hammered. What is Bai He doing here? He peered in the first two boxes. The horses were supplied with fresh hay and water. Did the girl take care of it? But she said... No, he corrected himself. Bai He did not answer anything to his question last night. Still... she was a court lady... how would she know how to handle or ride horses?

- It was always cold in the Palace. Wherever I went, whatever dress I wore, it did not help. Deep inside, I felt the cold in my heart. - Bai He spoke again, louder, and Xi Wang realized that she was aware of his presence. He walked slowly to the third box and looked in. She stood her back to him.

- Nobody forbid me to go to the Stables. I saw enough times how the handled the horses. - she rubbed the back of a smaller mare with a handful of straw, while the animal was cracking on her breakfast, not minding the two human by her. - And at least I did not get cold.

Xi Wang went closer, and the mare's ears moved. He patted the back of the animal, and as he walked behind Bai He, his hand touched hers. One hand became motionless. But the other hand pulled it slowly along with the straw, following the direction of the horse’s hair, repeating the motion again and again. Suddenly the wake-up call sounded, Bai He trembled, and the Captain was at the other end of the stable in the next moment. He knew well: just a few minutes later the most diligent Applicants would appear, who had lived in the Camp long enough to be aware of the fact, that a little work early in the morning did well to their health just like it meant extra credits at their officers. Within fifteen minutes there was somebody in every box to take care of every horse. Xi Wang left through the other door at the first possibility, returned in full armor. He walked rigidly through the narrow corridor, then back, and stopped at the third box. But she was not there anymore. He looked into the horse's eyes and then exclaimed,

-Nice work! Breakfast! Then up the saddle!

In general, it did not take long for anyone to finish a bowl of rice, to which only some fruit was given as company. A few sips of water and everyone was already awaiting the command in front of the dining room, to run racing to the stables because who was faster he got a better horse. Bai He did not hurry. She never sat on a horse, and she hoped the others had discovered it too. Because maybe then they would let her be an exception and not make her climb up an animal's back. She loved horses, she was happy to talk to them at the Stables of the Ice Clan, but she never had the slightest dream to ride. She was embarrassed and saddened again. Her pride urged her to keep her word, but she was sure she would never make a Guardian if she did not learn to ride. She shook her head and climbed to her feet from the table. After all, she might try... maybe tomorrow... could it be tomorrow?

When she made it in front of the dining room, she saw only the back of most Applicants.

- Do not look down... Do not look down ... - she murmured as she walked after them. As she heard footsteps behind her back, her heart jumped and she began to ran. She began to count the horses for herself, and as she rushed gasping for air, she sadly remarked that they would never be able to ride all horses at the same time. They would definitely ride in several groups, so the excuse not sitting on a horse because she alone didn’t get any had to be forgotten...

Kai Xi Wang smiled to himself. It was only a meter away... That's all he would have needed to reach her. There would have been nothing wrong with talking to her. There was a time when he praised an Applicant because he started the morning at the Stables. Once it happened. Suddenly it seemed as if something had pulled him out of his pleasant thoughts with a rope. As he looked around, he saw nothing special, but his instincts whispered that something was wrong. He noticed his sister appear near him. He whistled to her loud. Thus Jian Ming knew right away that something had happened. She ran over to him, but Xi Wang shook his head.

- I do not know.

They both looked around. Nothing. Apparently everything was ok at the Camp. In the next moment, a horn sounded and from its melody they already knew what’s the situation.

- Fire alarm! - Jian Ming groaned and turned on her heels, searching for smoke. The loud shouts gave the answer.

- The Stables! Quickly! – an officer was giving away commands and the Captain went pale. Bai He was still close to them, not yet reached the other Applicants, and she was now standing frightened in the middle of the square. They heard the animals crying and running out of the stables one after the other, among them some Guardians driving them.

- Call Ci Bei, fast! - Xi Wang said to his sister, and then he also started to run to the stables. The smoke column, which had risen from the far corner of the building to the sky, could be seen well by now.

They drove the horses to the safe practice area, but suddenly a fireball hit the ground right in front of them with a huge bang. The horses roared with horror, then began to race backwards, in the opposite direction, between the buildings. The Guardians jumped out of their way, then rushed to the stables to fight the fire. Nobody was that crazy to try to stop them. Out of breath Kai Xi Wang watched the horses running straight towards them. Right towards Bai He.

- Watch out! - he shouted, and his voice was nearly suppressed by the roar of the horse's hooves. Bai He still heard and turned to him. Her eyes were wide of fear, but when she saw the Captain, she walked slowly toward him. But not fast enough. Kai Xi Wang tried to get there, but when he was only a few feet away from her, another fireball hit the ground and the force knocked him off his feet. He called her name, but he did not even hear his own voice anymore. Bai He yet watched him. As she saw him lying on the ground, she looked back and decided in a second. She hurried to him and threw herself down on him. She hugged his shoulders and his head, then peeked back behind her one more time. She remained only a heartbeat’s time before the horses would arrive. She closed her eyes and tried to cover the captain's head even more, who suddenly could not move at all.

Then Bai He noticed she was terribly cold. Clouds of dust surrounded them and she could not breathe, but she did not dare let go of the other, just waited for the panicked horses to run over them. However, the horses did not come and she could not stand it any longer but looked up. A few feet away from them Ying Kong Shi was standing, one of his arms stretched out in front of him, turquoise flames dancing at the tip of his fingers, breeze still blowing around them, awaken by the Prince only to stop the horses. In the other hand he was holding the rein of his horse and he was smiling. Something moved under Bai He's body. She became aware blushing of the fact, that whatever good will or craziness lead her before, now she was lying upon the Captain of the Royal Guard and his face was only inches away from hers. She took a careful breath and as she blew out, her breath became a little cloud of fog.

Kai Xi Wang slowly opened his eyes and looked at her. He wondered what to say, but he could not find any words. Bai He did the one thing he would have never expected from her. It seemed useless, almost stupid, yet it was a pleasant surprise to him. But he could not stay there lying forever. Her gaze locked on his, and he felt all her moves, wanted or not, though Bai He tried hard not to even breathe. He knew he ought to get up, and he was certain that Ying Kong Shi, who had rescued them both, was now probably laughing at them. He was close to make any proper comment when Bai He unexpectedly leaned on his shoulder, kneeling on his thigh and climbed off of him with abrupt, clumsy movements, looking strictly in the opposite direction. Kai Xi Wang jumped up quickly. He looked around and the Prince's figure unfolded in front of him from the disappearing cloud of dust and fog. Shi smiled and remarked:

- Everything looks fine here. – Then he turned his horse back and walked away.

The Captain was grunting to himself as he stepped over to the girl, who was stubbornly perching on the ground, staring at the scattered horses and the Guardians who were after them. He knelt beside her and grabbed her arm. Bai He was shaking like a leaf. Her face was sweating, and Xi Wang was sure she realized only now what had just happened. He was looking for her gaze, but in vain, so finally he called her name until she looked at him. He saw that He Bian and Lu Shan rushed toward them, so he began to argue louder than necessary:

- Are you crazy? What did you think, if you jumped in front of a bewildered stud of horses, then they would stop for your sake? Why did you not escape like the others?

Bai He swallowed hard. The Captain hopefully expected no response, and she let him shout out in peace. Though she was glad he came back to her. The grip on her arm now comforted her, and no matter how angry he was, she was glad that both of them had survived this adventure in one piece. Xi Wang continued of course, and pulled up the girl with him off the ground.

 - Have they not told you that there is nothing heroic about suicide? You not only attract trouble, but you run straight to it as if you had to.

Bai He pulled herself out because she started to feel a little annoyed, as she had not yet received any thanks. She breathed heavily and as he stopped, she said,

- I am to decide for whom I'm going to risk my life... Captain...

Kai Xi Wang was silenced of the shock. Bai He actually smiled at him. It was more a surprise than her words. He swallowed, but he saw the two officers coming to them from a few meters away, leaving only one moment for him. Not enough to consider well what to answer.

- I do not kiss you only because here and now I cannot do it. - he whispered into her ear, then left her and hurried to the officers. He started to give commands, so the two of them had to look after their job, while they obviously would have been stayed to see something interesting. As they turned back on him, he looked back at the girl, who was still dead pale, her hair dusty and her clothes dirty, standing there where he left her. Bai He finally ran away with a brief salute. Xi Wang shook his head, rubbed his eyes and left to find something to drink. Possibly something very strong.

Ying Kong Shi was still smiling, when he heard someone running after him. Jian Ming stopped next to him gasping for air. The Prince bowed lightly, but then walked on, pulling his horse behind him. The girl swallowed, then followed, bursting out loudly on her way:

 - What the demons’ bastard was that? There are some memories of mine about the General asking Your Highness to avoid the fuss. I doubt this snowstorm was the best way to it. Anyways... my stupid brother would have survived without a scratch. He has been riding most of those horses before, and being a Guardian he should at least stop some rushing horses.

Shi stared at her with a questioning look, though he was not too surprised. There was always someone who had the gust to talk to him like that. That's why he did not really mind, but he was rather entertained.

- There are some memories of mine about fireballs falling from the sky.  - he replied calmly, looking at the girl with tilted head. - And about your brother lying on the ground, motionless. It would have been a nice performance from him, even if it is doubtful he could have helped himself just as you say. But still, it was the best. For both of them.

Jian Ming had enough time to breathe again, so she went on as if she did not hear the Prince

- I do not like that at all. Chou Lou is a fool, but not so much not to realize that an immortal of the Ice Clan is behind my back. Moreover, if he sees I'm not alone, he will not come closer to us. That makes no sense. So I'd rather go alone. But I promise I'll tell you the tales.

 She nodded, slammed her backpack on her shoulder and simply left the Prince behind. When she looked back and saw that he did not follow her, she grinned triumphantly and speeded up her footsteps.

At the first corner of course she heard the horse thumping, but she knew it was too late. She felt only a strong arm raising her off the ground, and she was already sitting in the saddle on the back of the galloping horse and could not do anything but to cling to the mane of the animal. When she managed to overcome the anger after half an hour, she said over her shoulder:

- You have no idea where to go, Your Highness.

Shi just laughed and put his arm tighter around her waist. She grunted something under her nose, but no matter how much she was disturbed, she thought better to stay calm and shut up. Leaving the Camp the followed the road by the river. There were birds chirping, the water splashing the horse's beating around them. Beyond that, however, only silence remained, they did not meet anyone and did not talk to each other. Jian Ming looked at the landscape around them several times, as though it seemed unrealistic at this time of the year, she felt the scent of cherry blossoms. She thought she was stupid, and all along she was busy convincing herself that spring was long gone. She sighed when he came near their house, but at her surprise the Prince stopped the horse and jumped off the saddle without a word. Jian Ming stared at him with a questionable look in vein, she did not get a reply. Instead, she could see how Ying Kong Shi had thrown off all externalities that were princely and immortal in just a few moments. The Prince bowed his head, as if he did not care who looked at him, took a deep breath and moving his hands he covered himself in blue glow. Finally, following the sparkles of the spell all that remained beside the horse was a dark-haired young man, wearing a simple dress, who now grabbed the rein and walked on the road without a word. She shuddered as cold went on her back. Not only because she still had difficulties to understand the power of the Ice Clan's magic, but also because she remembered why they came here. Would Chou Lou believe the tale that this man was just a servant whom his father had entrusted to help her move? She dived into her thoughts and continued bouncing in the saddle.

The house and its surroundings looked like the same as Bai He and she left it a few days ago. The window shutters closed, the door apparently untouched. She could hardly believe that they had been here only a few days ago. So much has happened since then, that it seemed much longer. As Shi stopped the horse, she did not hesitate and jumped off the saddle, then without thinking walked to the entrance. But a hand stopped her.

- Some caution might do good. - the master of the hand whispered from very close. She swallowed hard and did not move.

The Prince pushed her out of his way with his hand and stepped closer to the door. However, unlike Jian Ming's expectations, he did not bend over to the door listening, and he did not kick the lock hard to give an unpleasant surprise to the enemy hiding inside. He just stood motionless for a while. The girl knew only from the mild tingling of her own skin that he was probably about to use a spell again. Shi finally sighed, with a slight unhidden relief, straightened up and then said:

- I look around at the back.

She just blinked. She stared at the closed door, her hand stopped in the air above the handle, but finally shaking her head she pulled out the keys and opened the house. A few glimpses were enough to know that nothing disturbed the peace of the little house. The thin layer of dust on the floor seemed untouched, the furniture all in place and the door leading to the garden was closed. She went there and opened up the lock. She turned back and glanced around. So she will live here again for a few days. She realized that they did not talk about the important thing at all, where His Highness would want to stay at a time, when ordinary mortals would rather choose the quiet loneliness of their bed instead of the noisy things in the world. It was not mentioned before that the Prince would stay for the night. She rubbed her forehead with her palm, and with clenched eyes she tried not to think of how many not clarified questions remained for a single afternoon. As a temporary solution she started cleaning. She opened the windows wide in the kitchen and in the inner room too, gratefully breathing in fresh air. But for the rest of the work she needed water, so she had to walk down to the river. A voice whispered within that perhaps she should mention this to the Prince where she was about to go, but she burst out loud immediately:

- No way!  - and she took the bucket and left off through the still open entrance.

Ying Kong Shi decided he had wasted enough of his magic power for today, and relied on his other senses, when he wanted to make sure that they were alone and safe for the time being. He was surrounded only by the sounds of nature, and the noisy chirping of birds suggested that if there was anyone close, he was silent and motionless like a stone. So his listening would be useless. He turned his head right and left as he walked around the house, but he did not notice anything suspicious in the nearby. He heard the girl fiddling around the windows, but as he reached the corner, he forgot everything.

The sight hit him in the chest, and even one breath was enough for the rest of his senses to be completely covered by the garden. He began to suffocate with the odour of the countless flowers, that covered every free inch of the area behind the house. Jian Ming seemed not to bother with the lawn and weeds, so leaving out the place of stepping stones she planted flowers all the way up to the low fence of the distant kitchen garden. It would have been an unnecessary fatigue to count the plants, their amount was simply too dangerous. Shi was glad to have at least some air compressed into his lungs. He felt like being under water, his ears were ringing, and strange stars sparkled in front of his eyes. He was gasping for air, but all he achieved that the fragrances made him completely drunk within a few moments. He was dizzy and sick, just like when a foolish servant placed too many snowlilies in his room, and he barely managed to stagger to a nearby tree. He wagged the thin trunk to lean on and cursed. If someone attacked them now, he could hardly defend themselves. He remained on foot, but he knew he would not make it back to the house if he didn’t pull himself together soon. Giving in he tried to breathe normally. His stomach became strangely calm, it stopped to bounce back and forth, and finally the sick feeling surrendered to the unlikely but much more pleasant feeling of repletion.

He ran his fingers through his hair, closing his eyes with a sigh of relief. It was a mistake.

 He was sitting again on the back of his horse, with Yan Da before him in the saddle, holding her tight with one arm. The girl apparently was deeper in her thoughts, and perhaps her anger had evaporated as well, as tension seem to have left her when she leaned loosely against his chest. Shi felt the warmth of her body, and with his arm he could follow her every breath. He swallowed heavily, as the only fifteen minutes old memories returned much more vividly than reality. He shook his head with clenched eyes, forced the memory to let go of her and to jump off the saddle. Yan Da, however, was not as quiet as Jian Ming. She also dismounted and blocked his way.

Shi was now certain that she had planted such flowers in her garden out of mistake or ignorance that had a great magic within. He could not decide whether to open his eyes and ultimately he was weaker than the memory. He wanted to see what did not happen, but hopelessly seduced him already.

Yan Da was smiling, just like on that day by the riverbank. Her eyes were still full of tears, but she was laughing at the idea from ​​Shi to kill the Bear Clan's tyrant leader. She cried and shouted not long before, with such power that the spell in her voice sent her bitter words into the waves of the river. However when she spoke again, her voice was silky and warm as the south wind, and Shi wished he could listen to her forever instead of that crying echoing from the river. She stepped closer to her, and Shi, as his eyes involuntarily dropped to the whip, could not avoid seeing the movements of her hips.

His heart hammered in his chest. The noise almost suppressed the sounds of the garden and the distant forest, but Shi did not open his eyes. He did not want to end the vision. Though the river was no longer visible, there were no more screams. He saw the Princess only and heard her voice only, and there was nothing annoying about it at all. Rather more of excitement. Shi licked his lips as his throat went dry. The memory made another move and the Princess was standing right in front of him. She raised her chin to be able to look more easily in the other's eyes. Shi lowered his head so that their faces could be closer to each other. Suddenly he felt something pull him hard around his waist, more precisely a little further down. The pulse dictated by his heart now flew through his entire body, on his fingertips it felt like his magic spells, it clutched his throat a few times, and finally set him on fire from head to toe. Shi was forced to endure helplessly that had just happened to him. The different energies found each other in his body and welcomed each other as old friends. The life power that he received from the Fire Princess, when Yan Da rescued him after her brother's torture. The cool flames he inherited from his father and a long non-existing clan. The Heartburning Fruit and its effect that he felt even years later. And the unexplainable warmth that took him on, every time he saw the Princess.

Shi could not stand it any longer and dropped to the ground beside the tree. He was shaking as he tried to cast a defence spell, which he succeeded only for the second time. He was not even sure that an ice shield could help him. He remembered that Jian Ming would be angry for freezing a part of her garden, and this obviously did not help. He rather succeeded in recalling the accusing face of Snow Bird in font of him. He forced his eyes to remain open, and after a few minutes he thought he could trust his legs. The cold cooled and calmed him down, even if not completely. He stood up slowly, and rubbing his temples he returned to the house.

But the girl was nowhere. Shi went all sober and scared to death. Where could she be?

He ran through the front door, not caring for the horse that was poking him playfully with its nose, and he started to check the ground. As he walked a few meters away from the house, he noticed the grass that had just begun to straighten out after her steps. He started to run in that direction.

The traces led to the river, first he only heard it, but then he could already see the glittering waves. He was pale as he found the empty water bucket on the ground. He turned around nervously, but did not see a soul near the water. He shook his head. It can not be... It is impossible to lose her only because of just a few minutes of weakness. He should have protected her, but he was stupid to let his feelings weaken him. Those feelings in which he has never believed before.

He bowed his head, then kicked angrily into the bucket.

Jian Ming coughed and gasped for air a few feet away from the shore. Shi lifted his head and then ran up to her. She was wiping her eyes, but he already reached her, wading into the water, and without thinking he got her in his arms. Jian Ming was still coughing, semi-blind, so she could not talk, she was just drifting in his lap. As they reached the higher place where the grass was dry, Shi stopped and set her on foot. He tried to hold her steady with one of his arms, turning her face with his other hand. She coughed and the Prince kept asking her whether she was fine, with his fingers trying to wipe her face and taking out the weeds from her hair.

After a few deep breaths, Jian Ming finally got herself together.

- What's wrong with you? - she moaned, then coughed some more.

- What's wrong with you? - the Prince asked back, his voice being as hoarse as hers. - What are you doing here? Was there somebody here? Are you hurt?

Jian Ming tried to push the man away with her two hands on his chest, but Shi was of course stronger. His arms were holding her by the waist and his fingers were resting on her face, instead of letting her go. She could not get free. The restless and abrupt breathing of the other, and his heart jumping under his shirt surprised her very much. She sniffed.

- I came for water. And I thought I'd swim too. - she remarked, and then with a smile she added: - Did you possibly worried about me, Your Highness?

Ying Kong Shi heard these words and immediately released her, then retreated a step. His confused gaze shuddered, and when he finally realized that Jian Ming's fully drenched clothes stuck tightly to her body, he even turned away. She could have sworn that Shi blushed.

- Never get out of my sight again. - the Prince murmured, then hurried back to the house.

 Jian Ming was standing stunned in the grass. She could not explain Ying Kong Shi's behavior, only by that we has really worried about her. But in fact this was no real explanation either. What does the Prince want from her? Is it really only the sword, Yan Zhu and the other enemies? She pulled her shoulders, holding her hair together she twisted off the rest of the water and refilled the bucket in the river. When she walked back slowly, she finally smiled.

He sat at the top of the tree closest to the house. He had nothing else but to sit silently and motionless on the branch and wait for something interesting to happen. He was there for half a day already. It gave enough time to the stupid birds to get used to the feeling, that whispered in their stupid little brains that there was something near them they could not see or hear. What they did not have to worry about, let them just chat and jump in peace.

Only one long breath gave him away that he was happy for the arrivals. He kept his immobility with perfect self-control, but he smiled broadly. That was enough, he did his job. Now it was just a matter of waiting for the right moment to leave. Slowly, carefully, he began to move his muscles one by one. By the time the girl went down to the river a quarter of an hour later, and the man followed her, he already managed to get the stiffness out of his body and landed with a soft leap. He rummaged out a ring from his black jacket and pulled it on his finger. In that very moment he disappeared.