LOTUS

CHAPTER IV: CAUGHT

“What do you mean you’re not going anywhere?!” the whole manor heard the loud voice of their master as he exclaimed

At his frustration he grabbed at his balding head and tried to snatch whatever hair he has left.

“Father there is no need to worry, I won’t get selected . After the next empress is chosen, everything will be back to what it is and you will be out of the emperors’ eyes. ” Bei Wei explained

“But-” Master Xue tried to convince her. She really is oblivious to what effect she has with people.

“Its fine father, It’s not like we have a choice” with finality in her voice , Bei Wei hammered the nail to Master Xue’s back.

With a heavy sigh he conceded, deep down he knows she’s right. He just couldn’t take to send his only daughter at the dragons’ lair.

“Father, before I go, I want to hunt at  Ah Ling Mountain once again”

Hearing this, nostalgia filled his thoughts.

“You really enjoy hunting at that place” looking at his daughter, he saw the life in her eyes as she mentioned the place and doesn’t have the heart to decline to her request.

 “ take  Ling Hua with you this time then and be safe” he let her go

A nod was all he got and so before taking his leave,  he looked at his daughter once again and sighed within his heart.

The next day, Bei Wei departed for Ah Ling Mountain with Ling Hua as her company.

“Young miss, when are you going to tell Master that you already know the truth?” Ling Hua inquired.

“It doesn’t matter, right now we have to get the emperor off my father’s back. And save the Xue family from doom. It’s the least I could do.”

Looking at her master, Ling Hua felt nothing but admiration for the unyielding woman before her. All these years, she witnessed how her young miss suffered and tried to carry all her burdens alone.

Master Xue must have done his best to conceal the truth but the walls have ears of their own. No smoke can be kept hidden and nothing can devastate a person more than being kept in the dark.

As they continue to go deeper within the forest of Ah Ling mountain, various sounds of life travelled through their ears. Birds offering their songs, water playing music as it freely flows down a stream and the symphony of leaves being caressed by the wind.

“Ling Hua ’ her master’s serene voice added to the harmony.

“Right away young miss” she knew what her miss desires to do.

Without wasting time she turned on her back, took ten steps forward and waited for the rustling of clothes.

Her master always bathes on this stream every time they come across it on any occasion. It could be a hunt or a casual stroll, her young miss seems to be enchanted by the water. She also prefers to bathe on her own. However, to perform her duties, Ling Hua always stays at a hearing distance  ready to jump into action if anything happens. Without a word, she kept her ears perked up for any unusual sounds.

Bei Wei couldn't explain her fascination with the stream. There is just this sense of familiarity every time she comes across it. Ever since she knew that she is not the daughter the whole Xue manor believes her to be, she found it suffocating to be oblivious of her identity. Although she is showered with love by her foster parents and treated nothing less.  There is this hole in her heart, a despair so deep it hurts her to the core that she could not explain.

Like her heart remembers a memory from a distant past that she could not grasp.

Letting these thoughts flow through her mind, she absentmindedly stepped out of her robes and into the water. Submerging herself and letting all her thoughts be carried away. Finding a good spot, she relaxed her head on a large rock and closed her eyes.

 She let go a sigh knowing it would be a long time before she can do this again. She misses it already.

Caught in her thoughts, she didn’t notice the sound of feet hitting the ground, someone is approaching.

It was too late and all she heard was the rush of leaves and a bowstring being drawn. The sound of breath being held in filled the air as water splashed all around and a massive figure was coming straight at her. Her mind must have forgotten how to react since she stayed there like the rock she is leaning to, immovable.

She heard a loud thump just beside her ear and a gush of air hit her face.

When everything went back to focus, obsidian eyes locked with hers.

They were unfathomable, filled with coldness that made the hair at the back of her neck stand on end. They stared at each other, both as cold as the river she’s soaking in.

A couple of steps away, a deer ran for its life like there’s no tomorrow. How she wished she was the deer at this moment. Away from such a dangerous and embarrassing situation.

Hearing the commotion, Ling Hua turned to check on her young miss and to her surprise a devastatingly handsome man is aiming an arrow at her master.

Springing to action, she launched an arrow aimed at the man that seemed to have difficulties at keeping his eyes away from her young miss. Noticing this, the man broke his stare and tried to dodge.

He failed. A victorious smile formed at her lips.

He was hit on his shoulders, just missing his vital parts and lost his balance. With this , he slipped on a rock and fell directly on the water.

Her smile turned to alarm.

Ling Hua jumped to her toes and rushed to protect her master. When she arrived near the stream in record time, she aimed an arrow to the man but was shocked at the scene before her.

“Young master, it is truly a wonderful day for a hunt” his personal guard Feng Di, commented.

“Only if we can find a prey” Jiang Ru Quiang replied

They went on in silence and waited for their prey. Its been weeks since they travelled and they are back at the Northern Empire but the crown prince seems to prefer the forest than his home.

At the distance, they spotted an unsuspecting deer. Like a hawk, Ru Quiang locked his gaze on the prize and tailed it with stealth. He took slow steps and advanced, his fingers set on the bow and arrow in his hand ready to fly towards its victim.

He was about to let go when a loud crunch startled the deer. He looked behind him and saw Feng Di smiling sheepishly and retrieved his foot which stepped on a twig.

He just looked at his guard with cold annoyance and proceeded to sneak on the deer again.

Not long, they spotted the deer and started to hunt it. Making sure to keep a little distance they are not giving it another chance.

The deer kept on walking and disappeared on a bush but Ru Quiang still knows where it is. He heard water rushing softly, “it must be a stream,” he thought to himself. He missed taking a dip in one.

He went back to hunting and signalled Feng Di to stay behind, he then proceeded to trail the deer alone. Walking soundlessly, he crept closer to the bush . his hands at a ready to shot an arrow, he closed his eyes and opened his senses. He felt a life form a couple of distance away from the bush and smiled devilishly.

With a skill of a hunter, he emerged from the bushes and aimed at his prey.

He was about to let an arrow go but to his surprise, there was no deer on sight. What’s before him is far from a four legged deer.

For a second he thought his eyes were tricking him.Silky ink-black hair cascading through slim creamy shoulders, skin as radiant as the sun. His eyes moved upwards and locked with striking silver ones. It was as clear as the water she’s soaking into.

 He couldn’t take his eyes away from the enchantress before him and they stared at each other for what felt like years and then for an unknown reason, his eyes started to move downwards like they have a mind of their own. But as soon as it did, he sensed an object coming his way and tried to dodge, but it was too late. At his attempt, he lost his balance and slipped on some rocks falling forward towards the water.

All he can see was the beauty’s shocked face and her mouth agape in shock.

He tried to regain his balance but it was as if the world has a plan on its own. To prevent any injury from happening to the mysterious woman, he threw his weapon and used both hands to catch himself and use the rock she’s leaning as support. 

With a thump, his hands landed successfully on the rock, the woman’s face nestled between his arms.

For a split second both of them stared eye to eye only a few hairs away for their noses to touch each other.

But fate has nothing better to do and reminded his arms of its injury. At the impact, his wounded shoulder gave in and he was thrust forward with no one to expect what happened next.

The only thing that registered through his mind was the pair of soft hands against his chest and the sweet taste of something touching his lips.

Looking directly at her round shocked filled eyes, he felt drawn towards their innocence. As though someone has taken control of his body, he moved his lips to fit with her small ones.

However soon as he did that, he was pushed backwards like she just woke up from a nightmare.

A young woman then blocked his view and stood between him and the silver-eyed beauty. When he looked up another arrow was aimed at him. However, a series of familiar footsteps emerged through the bushes he came from and revealed a worried Feng Di.

Witnessing the scene, Feng Di as quick as lightning loaded his bow and aimed at the young maidservant who’s posing a threat to his master’s life.

He assessed the situation and saw that his master is wounded. Tightening his hold on the bow, he was about to attack when his master spoke.

“Stand down, it was my fault,” his master said standing up slowly, wet clothes sticking through his body. The young maid looked distracted for a second so he used it as a chance to walk to his master’s side.

But he was stopped at his tracks.

“Feng Di, step one foot closer and you will be punished.” The stern voice of his master rang through the air.

He was a little bit closer now so he can see much clearer what the maidservant was hiding behind her back. He saw a glimpse of a porcelain-like white shoulder however before he can move his eyes a small stone hit the side of his face, enough to wake him from his trance.

Realizing his mistake he respectfully directed his gaze downwards and turned his back from the scene, getting the full picture of the situation his master caught himself in. Internally he felt sorry for his young master. He continued his walk and went back behind the bushes and sat on a tree root to wait for his prince to return.

However, Ru Quiang has a different thought in mind, for some reason he did not feel any regret but interest on the mysterious woman.

For a lady to bathe in the wilderness is unheard off in the whole empire, based from her looks, she is of noble blood and women of her stature are pampered from the soles of their feet to the tips of their hair.  She knows martial arts as well. He felt it when she pushed him, she was strong.

He tried to catch a peek of her angelic face when a loud cough caught his attention. The maidservant that shot him still had her bow and arrow aimed at him. At this, he took a step back and gave them the distance they demand. The maidservant lowered her weapon but still stayed rooted to the ground blocking his view.

Regaining his stoic demeanour, he apologized for the events that transpired. But deep inside he was far from being remorseful.

 “I apologize to the young miss for walking in on a private moment and for having done something disrespectf--”

He was cut off from mentioning what happened between the both of them and he internally smiled at her apparent shyness.

“It is this miss’ fault for doing such an outrageous thing in plain sight.” An angelic voice responded.

“I apologize for the injury as well” she continued

Just then an idea is forming inside his head. Looks like the palace will have to wait a little longer.

“May I ask what you are doing this deep in the forest?” he tried to put his plan to action.

“Just gathering some herbs, and doing a little bit of strolling” she replied, an icy edge in her tone.

He smirked at her response.

“You must have something to help me with my injury then, I can really use some herbs ” he pretended to be in a lot of pain to add the effect, appealing with her guilt. Peeking from the side of his head he tried to gauge their reaction.

The young maid looked guilty but no response was heard from the lady.

A few seconds later,

“I am afraid we do not have medicine for you, as we have just started our journey” she tried to deny him but little does she know, he’s a man of conviction and he is not easily shaken.

“I will wait till you get the herbs then, I will let my personal guard help with the search” without waiting for their response he called for Feng Di and whispered his command through Feng Di’s ear.

“You will not let me die ” he stated instead of asking.

“And how sure are you? ” Bei Wei tried to brush him off.

But all she got was his gaze full of promise and challenge.

She countered with her ice-cold stare.

After a few minutes, Feng Di returned with a bundle of familiar clothing in hand.  Ling Hua’s eyes rounded like saucers and she was seething in anger.

“Outrageous! return my young miss’ clothing at once!” she cried out

Bei Wei without breaking eye contact ordered Ling Hua to silence then spoke.

“Very well, since you are willing to go this far for such a condition, do as you wish then” the moment this words left her mouth, Ling Hua’s mouth dropped to the ground in disbelief and Ru Quiang’s smile of victory reached his ears. At the sight of his master’s smiling face, Feng Di almost had a heart attack. For some reason, he wanted to go back to the battlefield and check if this was really the God of War he served.

“I will ” as though his eyes can see through the body blocking his view, he can imagine those silver eyes directly looking at him with challenge.

“Interesting”- he smiled to himself.