26 Not Quite As It Used To Be 1 (1/2)

It was a particularly hot morning.

The sun, round and of a bright yellow, was burning mercilessly on the summer sky, the light blues dotted with silky, white clouds that looked like cotton candy.

At the side of the streets, a few vendors greeted her with expectant smiles, bowing respectfully in an anxious attempt not to offend the only ever known disciple of the most famous marcial artist ever known to walk the Zao Kingdom.

Sam sighed.

While she would usually fell amused by the deferent behavior, that day she barely noticed the busting of vendors and the crush of the market streets, crowded almost to the brim with colors, smells and tastes from all around the kingdom.

Despite the sun beating down upon the unending layers of her clothes, the girl felt a shiver run down her spine, making her bones shake with a cold, ominous anticipation.

”The situation is getting out of hands at the boarders” Fei Hong put aside the carefully folded letter with a deep, worried from, his voice tight as looked up to his sisters.

They had been playing another unsuccessful – for her – match of Go when Ye Qi brought the latter sent by Express rider from General He, its arrival as silent and unnoticed as a brown, dried leaf floating to the surface of a river.

Still, as her brother broke the seal and started silently reading, Sam could almost see the waves and thunders raging just under the surface, the dangerous glint to his dark eyes the only crack in his usually amicable mask.

She needn't have to ask. Before the first word left her lips, Fei Hong was already up, asking Ye Qi to bring Qing Shan and make sure no-one was close enough to listen.

She had never seen him that way, so... Disturbed. Almost lost. Not even on those first days of her arrival.

”The rebels have broken the siege on Yuan City two days ago.” he eventually started speaking again ”The Imperial troops were scattered on the fire. There were no numbers mentioned, but it is clear we lost food and ammunition, maybe more than we can afford at this point...”.

”What about the soldiers?” Qing Shan asked, her voice small and retained, looking much older than her few years.

Fei Hong sighed deeply. ”The ones left are young and untrained, mainly farmers forcefully recruited along the way. We are left with injured, experienced soldiers that could die from their wounds if they were made to fight, and soldiers that will definitely die fighting... Be it from our own numbers, be it from theirs” he sighed ”The situation is not good”.

Latter, she would know there was actually a code of ”No Retreat” on the Zao Kingdom's army. Whoever dared run back... The archers were taught to always stay alert, ready to shoot both foes and deserters alike.

”But... Why is it so important that they have taken Yuan City?” she asked, shaking her head to try and dispel the dreary images dancing before her eyes.

Actually, On those last two months, it was not uncommon for Fei Hong to receive news about many border cities being caught up in the crossfire. Most of them were evacuated in time, leaving thousands of peasants and refugees without anyplace to go, running for the bigger cities trying to look for food and shelter they would not be able to afford.

Others, though... Others were simply too far gone already.

”A war is like a chess game” Fei Hong said, his voice heavier than she had ever heard ”It is not uncommon to lose a few stances in order to acquire better ones. Gains and losses are equally expected” he stopped, licking his lips nervously ”However, Yuan City is different. In more than tree years of open conflict, the rebels had never gotten so close to the Capital's walls before.... Nor had we lost so much with a single strike.” Fei Hong got up, walking blindly until a large, open window ”The Emperor is anxious and the troops are scattered. Their morals are now very low and we barely have any fire power left, which means any attempt at retaliating might be too much for General He to handle. Besides...” he glanced briefly back at Sam, before turning back to face the outside once more ”Yuan is also the Zao Kingdom's main commerce rote with the West kingdoms... Considering we are nearing the draught season and most of our fields are bare, it will turn out to be a loss we might not be able to afford.”

Sam blinked, completely stunned by the news.

Her heart shook, making it almost painful to breathe.

That meant... So that meant...

”The rebels may actually have a chance this time” Qing Shan mumbled numbly, her eyes desperately searching for reassurance on their brother's eyes.

Fe Hong didn't say anything. He just turned his back to them once more, shoulders looking slightly bent forward in defeat.

”It seams I can't delay my returning any longer.”

Sam gasped, her hands flying to her trembling lips. It was just like she had been punched on the chest.

No.... No, he couldn't. If the situation was as dire as they were making it look, he couldn't... He couldn't go back! Not when she was starting to build a true bond with him...

”When do you leave?”, Qing Shan asked silently, avoiding Sam's widened eyes.

Fei Hong Looked up, his gaze landing straight onto Sam's.

”If this missive is anything to go by, as soon as possible...”

Sam sighed to herself, trying to shake the foreboding feeling making her gut twist and her stomach burn hot. Unconsciously, she raised a hand and rubbed at her pounding chest, sighing heavily as her stubborn heart just kept punching against her restricting ribs.

”However I look at it, there is no way out” she mumbled at herself, walking blindly through the crowded streets. ”Anyway, we're doomed...”

Going would probably mean death, but not going might also turn out to be considered treason... And if her recent experiences had taught her anything, it was that the farthest away from the Imperial Family's eyes one was, the happier his life would be. The incident with the Crown Prince had definitely driven that particular message home!

It was indeed a tricky matter! Maybe if...

”So... Why exactly are we doomed?”

”AH?!” Sam gasped, jumping almost two feet high as a heavy arm landed on top of her shoulders with a silent thud, bringing her close enough to bump into someone's tall, lean body.

Her heart, that wasn't already on cooperative terms, seemed to jump out of her mouth, the blood pumping adrenaline into her ears from the fright.

”Crap!” she cursed, ignoring the few frowning eyes that turned her way as she stumbled on her feet, trying to make her breathing even and her steps contained once again.

At her side, the creature responsible for almost giving her a heart attack laughed loudly, his head almost falling back as his eyes moistened from amusement.

”Oh! Oh my! I didn't know someone so small could jump so high!” he snickered.

Sam grounded her teeth, turning him a stinky eye as she elbowed the self-centered creature right on the ribs.

As she knew would happen, Gu Qi's excellent skills brought him out of the way easy enough, living him with the soft smile of a proud, mischievous, elder brother on his white, beautiful face. With a scowl, she pushed her sleeves back, her back straitening to be as stiff as a wood board.

”That was unnecessary!” she grumbled, her eyes shooting daggers at his lanky, relaxed walk at her side.

”Oh? I'm sorry” he answered easily.

”No, you're not!” she retorted, not bothering to wait for any half-hearted excuse ”By the way... Where did you come from, anyway?” she added, looking at him suspiciously.

Blast! Sam was quite sure she was walking alone just a second ago...

As she had expected, Gu Qi just shrugged, his attention dispersing to a group of young, rich ladies strolling near a fabric shop.

”You always speak in such an amusing way” he mused with himself, clearly ignoring her question ”It's funny.”

She rolled her eyes.

”You give me gastrites...”

Gu Qi smiled, his eyes going back to her face.

”Is it something good?” his eyebrows lifted in a suggestive way, making her grown disgustedly – to his never ending amusement.

”I hate you.”

”Well, that, is doubtful” he laughed, blinking at her with a large smile ”So... Why exactly are you doomed this time kid?”

Kid.

Sam felt her insides burn.

Oh-oh, she really, REALLY, wanted to kick him where the sun didn't shine!

Instead, Sam closed her eyes, taking a deep, slow breath before answering.

In her frustration, she had almost forgotten what he was actually asking her about.

Oh well... Crap again.

”I was just thinking about Master... He gave another task and... Hum... I'm still not sure what it entails” she lied, looking ahead once more, at the School's building already on sight ”So... Where exactly did you lose your other half? The one that carries the brain?”

”Oh, he is right there!” Gu Qi waved, signaling at a tall, imposing young lord waiting for them near the entrance of the school.

Sam studied him from afar, noticing the few students still lingering near the School's already open door.

As always, Gu Ye's perfect dark hair shone dark, his posture straight as a wood board, his black, eagle-like eyes never leaving his brother's figure. The closer they got, the harder the line of his lips became, his hands closed on a tight grip behind his back.

Massaging her already aching temples, the girl sighed, watching the cautiously composed figures of her friend.

”So... Are you in trouble again?” she asked tentatively, giving him a nudge with her elbow so he would stop flirting around an actually look at her.