The Other Side

Shan shan takes a risk

Early the next morning, Shan shan woke up to the sound of people talking.

She looked outside the wooden window and saw people walking past while carrying wooden chests.

A man pulled a cow by the rope while a woman was carrying a rattan basket. Its handle beautifully decorated with flowers. Two small girls with flower crowns made out of roses on their heads followed the woman closely behind.

Just then, there was a knock on the wooden door.

"Come in." Said Shan shan.

A man in long brown robe said in a grave voice, "It's time." Though she didn't understood what he meant, she simply nodded her head.

After the man left, She thought to herself, "Is there anything festive happening today? What's with the parade of people walking past my window and what did that priest meant? Well, there's only one way to find out."

Shan shan jumped out of bed, brushed her dark, messy curly hair and changed into a lavender colored dress. She put on her cloak and took her rapier along.

When she opened the door, she found the priest waiting outside. Upon seeing her, he said, "Follow me."

They walked past the wooden houses and through the forest until the priest stopped before a small  clearing. There was a crowd of people standing there. Shan shan spotted her father among them.

"Come, my child." Tian Yun Cheng approached Shan shan and extended his left hand to her. Without saying anything, she took her father's hand and they walked to the crowd.

"Father, what's going on?" Shan shan asked but Tian Yun Cheng didn't say anything.

In front of her stood a priest who was clothed in a long, black robe and had a bald head. He said some verses in a language she couldn't understand before sprinkling some water which smelled of rose petals onto her head. Vreni was confused by everything today. Before Vreni could say anything, the priest wore a silver medieval necklace around her neck. The necklace had a pendant which featured a leaf with jagged edges on each side.

Surrounding the leaf were symbols which looked like swords and ancient language inscribed on it. Behind the medallion was her name written: Shan shan.

"Shan shan, you have completed the coming of age ceremony. This means that you or your elder brother can rule and look after Elm tribe if I'm gone." Said Tian Yun Cheng.

"What do you mean, gone?" Shan shan asked.

"It means if I'm dead." Tian Yun Cheng answer straight forwardly.

Shan shan felt something was wrong but she couldn't tell what was it.

"Shan shan, you do know what it means being a leader of the Elm Tribe?" Said the priest. Vreni shook her head.

"It means you must protect, look after and never go to the south."

"Why?"

"Because that's where our enemy lies. They're a power of hungry, murderous group of people known as Wolf Tribe." The priest explained. But the priest explanation only made Shan shan more curious than ever.

So many questions she wanted to ask, but decided not to for the fear of getting scolded.

Gao Cheng who was among the crowd could see Shan shan was up to something.

Finally when everyone had left, only Shan shan and Gao Cheng stayed behind.

"I know why my father is doing this." She sat on the leaves-covered ground next to a big shady tree.

"What do you mean?"

Gao Cheng had always been her good brother and best friend. Whenever she did something wrong, he would protect her, sometimes even taking the blame or punishment for himself. He also never questioned her actions nor her motives.

"Obviously, he's trying to stop me from going to the south by handing this heavy responsibility to me. But that's not going to stop me"

"But you heard what the priest said."

"I know. But that may be a lie told just to stop me."

"Shan shan, I'm afraid you will get hurt."

"I'm made up my mind, Gao Da ge (Big Brother Gao). I'm going to the south and I'll leave when the whole village is quiet." Shan shan got up, preparing to get her horse.

Gao Cheng looked worried. "Do you want me to come? I can cover you or protect you."

"No. I don't want to drag you down with me, should I encounter any problems. I can fend for myself , you know? I'm not a small girl anymore." Shan shan mounted her horse and rode off.

That night, Shan shan made preparations to leave the village. She took a few clothes and took some buns and placed them into a cloth bag.

Shan shan didn't know how she was going to cross the border but because she was curious, she decided to take the risk anyway.

"My whole life has always been here. So why should I be afraid of what lies in the south just because my father or some priest says so." Thought Shan shan as she tightened the knot of her cloth bag.

When she went outside, she took a torch along with her and mounted her horse, her cloth bag carried on her back. With one whip of the horse's reins, the black stallion galloped past the wooden houses and deep into the forests.