The Dragon Prince's Warrior

Parental conspiracy

The tragedy had begun, and neither Prince Shun nor Emperor Heng had any idea. They continued their prayers and did not wish to be interrupted. However, that was not to be, as Jin came running into the palace with shoes on, showing a complete lack of respect as he barged into the chapel.

"Father, brother! There's a huge emergency in the village! You have to come quickly!" The sorrowful expressions of the emperor and the crown prince turned into complete annoyance.

"What lack of ethics and respect is this, Jin? I've never raised you with such values, and now you dare to leave the palace whenever you please and disregard me completely. I hardly recognize you anymore," scolded Heng, while Shun looked at him disapprovingly.

"Father, scold me later, please! It's urgent, you have to listen to me!" Jin pleaded, but his father turned his back on him. Then he looked at Shun. "Please, brother... listen to me, will you?"

"No, brother. You've been incredibly disrespectful. You nearly gave us a heart attack," retorted Shun, shaking his head. "Leave, we'll talk later."

"But if only..." Jin sounded pleading.

"Father is not in the mood right now, Jin," scolded Shun.

Jin clenched his lips in frustration and suppressed anger. Shun noticed a wound at the corner of Jin's lip. If they had been alone, he would have certainly asked him what happened, but he was right next to his father and didn't want to upset both of them at once, especially not his father.

Shun could read the anguish in Jin's dark eyes, so much so that he had to control his emotions and simply turned his back, just like his father did. When he glanced sideways, he no longer saw his brother's figure; he only heard the hurried footsteps running off somewhere. He just hoped it wasn't something too serious. Jin had sounded genuinely desperate—didn't Father notice? No, at that moment, he didn't seem to have time for anyone, not even his own children.

In addition to his father's stubborn pride, Shun had long felt like he no longer knew Jin. Something had changed in him, perhaps even something he had done himself over the years. His heart ached with frustration, but he had to act with precision and composure in his decisions. After all, he was no longer just a mere prince.

They both resumed their prayers, when suddenly one of the soldiers requested permission to speak, and Heng allowed him to speak, perhaps believing it was news about An. However, that wasn't the case.

"Your Highnesses..." His voice sounded agitated. "An ambush has just started in the village. There are wounded and dead."

Heng and Shun turned to look immediately. Jin had every reason to be alarmed. When they went out to the lookout point, the sight before them was the most horrifying scene ever witnessed in all of Forbidden City.

"Prepare my strongest and fastest horse," ordered Heng. "Prince Shun will take charge of this and lead the battle troops."

Shun's face contorted in surprise upon hearing his father's words. He truly didn't feel prepared for such responsibility, and he hadn't even asked for it. This was an order, and he obediently nodded, heading towards the stables with resignation.

Heng turned back to where An was lying, only to see her face turning blue around the lips and eyelids. The emperor fell to his knees beside the bed, devastated as the situation went from bad to worse.

(...)

"I hope they are alright, but I have a feeling they won't find their way. That forest is more dangerous than I remember," Siu thought as she walked with a heavy heart.

The downhill journey had been the saddest Siu had ever experienced. A heaviness in her chest had settled in, and her parents, whom she knew as talkative and kind, hadn't uttered a word throughout the entire journey. A sense of foreboding invaded Siu as she walked alongside them, and she couldn't decipher what was wrong. Anxiousness gnawed at Siu's soul, and she nervously chewed her nails due to the intense emotion.

"My love, what's troubling you? Is something bothering you?" her mother inquired, moving closer to her while still walking.

Siu, startled by her mother's question, quickly changed her expression and offered a weak smile. The last thing she wanted was to worry them about vague and baseless concerns.

"Oh, nothing's wrong," she clarified, not erasing her smile. "I'm just concerned that they might get lost in the forest."

"My dear, they knew what they were getting into from the beginning," her father replied. "Besides, the young man looks like he can handle himself. I've also seen a sharp weapon on him. They'll know how to defend themselves."

"Yes," Siu replied. "You're right, father. I'll try not to worry any further."

"That's my girl," her mother cheered, affectionately squeezing her arm. "You have a big heart, but this is beyond our control now. As soon as we get home, I'll prepare something delicious for lunch. That fish must have left you hungry."

"Well..." Siu hesitated. "The truth is, yes, I did feel a bit hungry. How do you know me so well?" She smiled, feeling exposed.

"What are you saying? I'm your mother, I know you very well," she said, with a hint of indignation.

All three of them laughed, as it was satisfying to be so close. Siu truly felt fulfilled to have such loving parents, even though she had secretly learned at a very young age that they weren't her biological parents.

Her memories took her back to that night when she was supposedly "asleep" and had attentively listened to them murmuring what they hadn't dared to confess all those years.

Siu snapped out of it immediately. She didn't want to dwell on it anymore, even though she admitted that it had affected her deeply—not because of not knowing who her birth parents were, but because she couldn't hear the truth from their own lips. She wouldn't torture herself with those past doubts and resentments anymore. It was the present, and they were her parents—the ones who had given everything for her.

As Siu emerged from her thoughts, she hadn't realized they were already arriving home. Her heart somehow lightened, and she greeted some of her neighbors who were peeking out of their windows. Her parents also exchanged greetings, and they soon entered their bamboo and other materials-made house.

As soon as Siu walked in, she collapsed onto her bed, feeling disheartened by everything. Her father went out to get rice, and her mother had started boiling water over a pile of pre-prepared firewood. Usually, Siu would help with that, but at that moment, she felt drained, as if something had sapped almost all of her energy.

Soon her mother was chopping some vegetables, occasionally glancing at her with a smile that Siu promptly returned. The girl's eyelids started to feel heavy all of a sudden, to the point of falling asleep.

As if on autopilot, Siu began to dream something terribly strange:

In her dream, her mother was cooking, just as she had been before Siu fell asleep, but there was something distinctly different about her appearance: she had a strange body, resembling a giant black snake with an elongated snout. It was covered in scales, and a pair of long whiskers, like ribbons, extended from above its nostrils. When her father entered, he too had the same form as her mother, only taller. He looked immense, and Siu could sense malice in his yellowish eyes.

She could see her "father" handing her mother some dark mushrooms, and they shared a malevolent laugh with a sinister complicity, then turned their gaze toward her. Everything indicated that the food they were preparing was anything but good; that's what Siu perceived. She was familiar with many of the mushrooms that grew in the vicinity, and these were undoubtedly poisonous.

This sight sent a shiver down the young girl's spine, and a coldness gripped her face. What was most disturbing was that Siu, no matter how hard she tried to move or escape, couldn't budge a single joint in her body; it was as if she were frozen or numb. She couldn't even utter a word or let out a cry for help. Her parents were monsters, and that terrified her.

Siu woke up abruptly from that intense nightmare. At that moment, her mother glanced at her; she was about to finish cooking, and she smiled warmly at Siu. What had that dream been? Had they really added poisonous mushrooms, or was it just a dream? She needed to find out soon.

"Siu, dear," her mother said, "could you set the table for us to sit down and eat?"

Y-yes, of course, mother," Siu replied, getting up and obeying while her mother called out.

"Sweetheart, come and eat!" she called to her father. He arrived immediately.

The three of them sat at the table, and her mother began to serve the food, passing the dishes around.

"Here you go, dear," she said, placing a plate in front of Siu. "Your favorite meal: vegetables with duck meat and plenty of rice, just the way you like it."

"Thank you, mother," Siu said with a smile, lowering her gaze to look at the food.

It smelled delicious, with her mother's authentic seasoning, but that dream had left her deeply unsettled. As Siu stirred the stew, examining the variety of vegetables, sprouts, and meat, there they were, chopped into tiny pieces... the poisonous mushrooms. Siu's hand began to tremble uncontrollably.

"My own parents, trying to kill me. I can't believe it!" Siu thought, her eyes welling up with desperate tears.