14 One Too Many Royals 1 : The Sneaky General (2/2)

She didn't want sunny skies! She wanted dark, heavy clouds and rain and thunders and a weather that matched her sour mood. Why didn't anything go right for her recently?

”Ah! What is this?” she herd Ah Mai whisper to herself, over the sound of scratching paper.

Frowning slightly, Sam lowered a bit of the covers, just enough so she could peek at what the girl was doing.

”Oh, it's nothing” she said, realizing Ah Mei was studying some of her very unfruitful tries at writing ”I was just copying some lines, nothing much. You can just trow it out” she continued, looking resentfully at all the papers crowding her desk.

”Ah! it's beautiful, isn't it?” Ah Mei retorted, looking at her with sparkles in her eyes ”Miss, have you finally remembered how to write?”

”Ah... Well, not exactly” she mumbled, turning her back to the younger girl ”Just trow it out”.

If it was possible, Sam's mood had gone from cold to frizzing in a matter of seconds.

”Ah... I wish I could read like this...” she heard her maid sighing between the sound of crunching paper ”It is just like those younger master's works at school...” she mumbled to herself ”So beautiful...”

”AHH!” Sam sat up straight, her movements so suddenly that poor Ah Mei jumped at least three meters high on the air, scattering paper all over the floor.

”That's it!” She exclaimed, remembering one of the first conversations the two of them'd had ”The School!”.

And, just like that, a new plan had started forming on her mind.

Some time latter, when she met her siblings for their usual breakfast near the gardens, Sam decided to carefully taste the waters, just asking about wether she could go out and take a look at the city.

”Of course you can!” Qing Shan assured her with a warm, happy smile ”We will just assign some of the guards to accompany you and...”.

And Sam had stopped her right there. She was a grown woman. Gosh, she was older then the two of them (at least on her world she was)! But now she had to bow to being followed up and down by some creepy guards?!

No. Way. In. Hell.

Besides, if Ah Mei's intel was correct, the school accepted male students only. Even if she could persuade the teacher to take her in (as a mare expectator at least), she was sure her family wouldn't be particularly pleased about it.

If for anything else, even Fei Hong didn't back down this time.

”If you are uncomfortable, I can ask Ye Qi to go with you” he had offered, his eyes hard as steel when meeting hers.

She had felt frustrated. She had felt wronged.

So she decided to act the most petulant she could.

And sneaking out did it in her dictionary! Even if she wouldn't be able to flaunter it at her over-protective siblings. It was a victory she needed to feel a bit more like herself.

” Ah Mei!” she had called, just as her bedroom doors closed behind her.

”Miss?”

” Get ready. We are going out!”.

”AH?!”.

”Just make sure there's no-one around, ok?”she continued, completely ignoring her servant's desperate look as she put back on her outer boots ”There is probably a back door or something in this place, right?”

”But... But Xiaojie...”.

”Ah Mei, it is just a walk! You will be with me the whole time, right? What could possibly go wrong?”

And so, here they were. Hiding behind the most secluded building of their Manor, waiting for the path to clear so that they could get out of the house. The warm, intense morning sun beat down on their heads like a stuffy duvet, making Sam slightly uncomfortable under all those layers of clothes.

She wondered whether she would get used to it someday!

”They are gone” she whispered suddenly, noticing the small path between the trees and high grass was once again clear ”Let's go!”.

She had just moved get out of the wall's protection when a small stone landed in front of her feet, making her jump back in a fright.

”What the...”

But just as the words started leaving her mouth, she heard the distinct sound of steps coming from the building's other side, seconds before a tall, impotent frame appeared on her line of sight.

Eyes wide as saucers, she backed away desperately, crouching low and gripping Ah Mei's hand tightly in an indication that she should stay down and quite as well. Fear and anticipation coiled on her stomach, making the hot day suddenly colder.

The man just a few matters from her was tall, with his jet black hair half tied in a high bun, with the rest cascading down his pristine whitish clothes, only tainted by the light yellow of his outerwear. At first sight, he seemed nothing out of the ordinary, just like so many other middle classed people on that world... But then something caught his attention, and he turned his face towards her.

Sam gasped, putting a hand in front of her mouth to try and muffle the sound.

She was stunned. She was completely still. She was completely, and utterly mesmerized.

His face was like a drawing, with willowy, soft lines that seemed to flow just like the ocean waves in a windless day. His skin as pearly white, contrasting with the small fringe of hair brushing one side of his forehead.

And then there was his eyes... Even from that distance, she could tell they were like a deep, bottomless abyss ready to devour anyone bold enough to try and uncover its secrets.

”Oh my, I think I have a crush!” she sighed dreamingly at herself.

Just then, she heard the sound of leaves brushing and twigs breaking. Probably what had caught the man's attention in first place.

”You are here” he said, and his words, as soft as silk, contained a layer of affection he wasn't able to hide, in spite of his stone-cold face.

Sam frowned. Just who was he talking t...

Her figure moved slowly out of the shadows, the strong, warm rays of light bathing her lithe body like a halo.

”Qing Shan... Greets your Highness, General He”.

Sam gasped.

What exactly had she walked herself into?