1

I came awake to the usual sounds of birds and running water. Opening my blurry eyes I found that I was alone, like usual. Roling of of my mound of grass and stuff I stretched my body. Pulling out pieces of grass from my hair I brushed my fingers threw the very long and fine black strands of hair. Looking around I discovered that I appeared to be out of food. Damn it that means I have to go to town.

My name is Long Ting He, I am 16 years old and I live alone in the mountains. My family sent me away when I saw five and I have lived here ever since. It was fine at first, It was me, my mother and my brother. But my brother went off and joined the military and my mother died from sickness. So it's just me. Walking over to the single chest in the corner of the room I open it to reveal my plain white dress and vail. Setting the clothes down on the table in the corner I grabbed the wooden bucket and made my way down the short path to the stream near me. Inside the bucket was a small and large towel and my homemade soap. Stripping out of may plain day to day clothes which double as my night clothes I stepped into the freezing cold river and gasp at the iciness. Then I grab the bar of soap and the small rough hand towel. Dunking the hand towel I scrubbed my soap into it and began to wash the dirt of my body. Layers of dirt revealed my pale skin. Dunking my long hair I then proceeded to scrub my soap into it. Turning the already fine hair into a wave of thick and luscious hair. Each strand was free of oil. Once I was one thing I wrapped myself up in the towel and walked back to the small shack. Entering I put on the slightly warm clothes. Stretching my arms above my head I let out a sigh as I then put on my face vail.

Every month I received fifteen coppers. Because I live a very conservative lifestyle not by choice but by necessity, if I relied on that measly amount I would have died long ago from starvation. I earn money other ways though and most of my leftover coopers have all gone to my one prized possession, a Zither. Grabbing my zither I opened the wooden box which I keep it in. I put in an extra face vail and then set off for town. It took me an hour to reach town. Getting there I walked to my reguare tea house that I played at. The owner, an elderly man that everyone just called Elder walked over to me and smiled and said,

"Long Ting He, Are you going to play today?" I nodded and said,

"I am, it's such a beautiful day that I thought I would." Truth be told I just needed the money. He smiled and said,

"I can put you in the window. I'll bring out tables and mats so people can enjoy your performance from both inside and outside." I smiled and nodded. It didn't take long for a crowed to form. I have become quite popular and people from the nearby villages would come and pay our village a visit if I was playing. It was around noon when Elder finally let me start my performance. There was a slightly raised platform next to one of the windows so that it could act as a stage. Sitting on it I set up my Zither and then looked up at the crowd. They had all taken there seats and the servers were all rushing to and forth getting orders. The people inside the tea house were intently waiting for me to start. Motioning to a server I said,

"Open the door all the way." She nodded and a moment I was fully exposed to the public. The door had been half open before so I could see out fine. Breathing in I totally blocked out the outside world and bent over my Zither with as much care as I could muster and then I began. I first played "Bird sings in the tranquil valley." Each note coming out perfectly. I played a few more songs before stopping. I had not looked up the whole time I had been playing and I raised my head as a deafening sound of applause echoed through the town. Looking up I found the whole village was packed. Smiling I said,

"Thank you for listening." I got another round of applause and cheering. Motioning to the servant at the door I said,

"You can close it now." She nodded and complied. Suddenly Elder approached me and said,

"Miss the special guests upstairs who were just stopping by greatly enjoyed your music. They asked who you were and I said I couldn't tell them. But they still want to meet you." I nodded and said,

"Hold just a moment." Only Elder new my name and he barely ever used it. It was part of our deal. I got a cut of money from my performances and he could have the rest. I suspected he was swindling me but I honestly didn't care, it was around 400 coppers which was more than a month's worth of food for me. Straightening my dress and making sure my vail saw secure I packed away my Zither in its wooden box and then got up and headed towards the second floor. Walking all the way up I came face to face with two guards. Bowing slightly I said,

"I was sent for." They nodded and stepped out of my way and sitting lazily before me was Kong Fa Chen. I stared for a moment before breaking into laughter. Everyone stared at me like I was crazy. One of the guards stepped forward and shouted,

"Do you know who you are laughing at this is young master-!" I cut him of and said,

"Hello little butterfly." At these words his face changed to one of disbelief as he said,

"There was only one person who called my little butterfly. Is it you!" I smiled and said,

"Ah, guess the Long family hid my whereabouts. Though you've changed a lot over the past ten years Kong Fa Chen." He stood up and walked towards me and said,

"Long TIng He, What happened to you. Why are you living all the way out here?" I smiled and said,

"Ah, it's sort of a long story, and I don't live here. I just make a living here." He gazed at me and said,

"So you were the Zither player! Im impressed with your skill, you use to be horrible" I nodded my head and said,

"Yes I was, How about we sit and have some tea and sweets, you always liked sweets little butterfly." He growled and said,

"My name is Kong Fa Chen not little butterfly." I laughed and said,

"Nope, your little butterfly to me and you always will be." He sighed and sat down defeatedly. I sat down across from him and he ordered some tea and food. Looking at me he said,

"Tell me what happened. Why did you suddenly disappear?" I could see a trace of hurt in his eyes. He had been like a little brother to me so this was expected.

"Ah, I can't tell you that little butterfly." He slammed his hands down on the table and said,

"Why, why can't you tell me!" I looked at him and squeeze my hands together until it was painful. Looking at him I leaned back as casually as I could, unclenching my fists and said to the servants hovering in the room,

"You are dismissed." The all bowed and a moment latter they filed out. All that was left was two guards and Kong Fa Chen. Smiling I said to him,

"Oh I missed you so much, I missed all my old friends. I am so so lonely." He looked at me and asked me with emotion in his voice,

"Please tell me Long Ting He."

"I can not tell you. I am sorry for that, and i'm sorry for hurting you my friend." he gazed at me and said quietly,

"What did they do to you?" I could feel his suppressed rage underneath his words. I smiled and said,

"It doesn't matter, I will return back to my cage. I am glad I got to see you again but it would be best if you left now." He was about to say something when I said,

"And please, My little butterfly, don't tell anyone I'm here." He stared at me and I felt a pang in my heart, he had been like a younger brother for me and had followed me everywhere before the incident. Getting up I straighten my dress and take a step. Suddenly he stood all the way up and shouted,

"Big sis, Don't go!" I froze in mid step and turned towards him and said,

"Oh my little butterfly I must. For I am locked in my cage, remember to be free and fly. Yes my little butterfly, FLY!" With that I used my special martial arts step, Floating cloud step and disappeared before their eyes. I landed on the ground behind the tea shop. I heard a shout and couldn't help by smile. I took off for my little shack. A white blur threw the forest.

KONG FA CHEN POV

I watched as she disappeared before my eyes. I let out a shout to my guars,

"Find her!" They immediately dashed off. I collapsed onto the floor and I felt tears drip down my face as I whispered to myself,

"Big sis, why did you leave me again." I recalled the look in her exposed eyes. She looked so sad. I hadn't seen that look in someones eyes before, It was timeless and so, so, so sad. Clenching my hands I wondered what had made her like that. I recalled her playing and I just felt an overwhelming sadness crush down on me. I wiped away my tears and got up. I was a good martial artist but she must be at a level I can't imagine because she just disappeared before my eyes. Calling ot aservent I said,

"Bring me the owner of this establishment." A few moments later an old man came in and bowed and said,

"Young Master." I motioned to him to get up from his bow and said,

"Where does Long Ting He come from. Where is she living?" The old man gazed at me with a pair of very old eyes and said,

"She appears once a month to buy food and perform, oh and she also picked up a bag from the messengers that leave them here. She is a ghost. People don't know who she is. They use to though, she use to come to town all the time with her brother but after she found her master she stopped coming to town. And about two years back she started to come to town again, she wore that outfit that she was wearing today and played her zither. Ever since then she's come every month and it's a gathering of all the folk in the villages nearby. People call her many names, a water spirit, the water shield, the floating heart, the white woman, the weeping soloist, the eternal guardian, heavens hands, Musical goddess. Many People believe she's some sort of spirit of heavenly being that has decided to our plain, Oh, she's also called the Saddened soloist, wailing witch. Though the last one isn't a nice one." I gazed at the old man and said,

"Do people really call her all those things?" He nodded and said,

"There are also rumors of a beautiful woman dressed all in white with a vail on appearing and healing people or scaring off monsters in the forest." I gazed at the spot where Id last seen her and said,

"She is the second daughter of the Long Clan, her father is the prime minister. One day she just vanished and years latter I find her here." The old man coffee and said,

"Ten years ago her mother and brother along with herself were dragged here, seriously they were tie to the back of horses and there bodys were bloody broken and exhausted. The were then beaten with the rod 20 times, when her brother tried to stop them from beating her they made him watch as they beat her another 20 times. It was brutal and inhumane. The next day the party set of again and returned a day latter without the three. Honestly it's a miracle they all survived. Though she's alone now, I believe her mother died and her brother is now fighting as a general on the border and her master also left." Gazing at the old man I clenched my fists and my anger rose form what it was before. The only person with the power to banish her and her brother and mother out her would be her father. Just then my guards reappeared and reported to me,

"We were unable to find her, it seems she is a master at martial arts." I nodded and said,

"Let us make haste and return to the capital immediately." They all nodded and soon my I was on my way back home.

Long Ting He POV

I sat on the rickety wooden bench outside my shack. I wore male clothes with a plain brown face vail on . I always wore a some version of a face disguise. I gazed out over my home. It wa just trees for as far as the eye could see. Closing my eyes I thought of my master. A woman, she was like a mother to me. She taught me everything I ever needed to know about medicine and cultivation. She gave me my special ring which housed mystical medical equipment. Things I had never even heard about. She has taught me everything I needed to know. I spent five years learning from here everyday, from sunup to sundown. She taught me poisons as well as medicine. I spent years curing people during my time as her pupil. As well as training as a doctor she taught me some very strange martial arts too.

I felt a pain in my heart as I remembered her goodbye

MEMORY-

A beautiful woman dressed in red turned and looked at me and said,

"My student." I turned and looked at her curiously,

"It is time for me to leave. It appears that i've been found. " I stopped everything and said,

"When will you be back?" She gave me a terribly sad and beautiful smile,

"Never." I knew this day would come and breathed my 12 year old self looked at her seriously and said,

"I will miss you master. Please reconsider, I don't want to be lone." Looking at me she smiled and said,

"Listen closely my student I have a request for you before I leave." I had tears in the corner of my eyes but nodded my head and said,

"Anything." She looked at me very seriously and said,

"Don't give up." I looked at her and nodded.

"I will do this for you master." She smiled and said,

"Alright go to bed, I'll be leaving in two days."

-END OF MEMORY-

Suddenly I saw a movement down in the forest below. It was a plain carriage. Who could be visiting me? Immediately I go inside and change into my white robe and put on my white vail. I also store all my stuff in my storage ring. Until it's just my bed and a chest along with a table and a bowl and pot and cup. I exited the small shack and greeted the carriage. It was made of plain wood. It was very plain. A guard sat on a horse and watched me as he and the carriage arrived. It only took a moment. I said,

"Hello, what brings you to my humble abode?" The guard looked at me and said,

"I am here to escort Long Feng He, Long Ting He and Chao Ming He back to the Right Prime Minister's residence." I looked at him and said,

"My name is Long Ting He, unfortunately Chao Ming He is dead and Long Feng He left many years ago to join the military. I am the only one here." The guard huffed and said,

"We were not informed of this." I looked at him and said,

"I sent news of my mother's death with the messengers and my brothers deparcher that way too. Maybe it was you who was misinformed." He gawked at me before he got angry and said,

"Why you little-" I raised my hand and said,

"You can check around but you will find that everything I said was true. Now I assume that I am supposed to ride in the carriage back to the right prime ministers house correct?" He nodded and said,

"Get in." I didn't argue but watched form inside as he checked out and around the shack and then got back on his horse. He said a few things to the driver and we headed down the road. Just like that I was off. I smiled to myself as I watched my prison disappear into the landscape behind me.

It was two days of hard travelin. The guard and coachman didn't help me at all and didn't stop for nothing. I was tired but other then that I was fine. I have stored food in my storage ring and washed myself with a rag and a bowl of water. I was sitting by the window when I saw it. The huge city walls rising up into the sky. I felt a pang in my chest at my memories. We drove threw the ity and reached a huge gate. Outside engraved in stone it read, "Right Prime Ministers Residence" after the guard checked in with the gate guards maid servant came out as I got out of the carriage. She bowed to me and sid,

"Second young miss This servant greets you." I nodded to her she had a nasty look on her face and then said,

" If you would follow me this way young miss." she motioned to the side gate. Turning away from her I said,

"That is the servants gate, why should I go that way, I am not a servant." She clenched her teeth and said,

"Well-" I looked at her and said,

"When I lived here before I always went threw the front gate, I will go threw the front gate, now move." The maid stepped to the side and let me pass. I was guided to a very remote courtyard toward the back of the property. I had two servants, Bao and Chi. They looked like they were the worst of the worst. My actual house was also pretty bad, but a lot fancier than my shack. It consisted of a total of three rooms. The center one was a dining room along with a greeting room. The one of to the right was my bedroom, I had a raised bed and a small low table over in one corner. On the opposite side of the room was a small bathing room along with a space to store clothes. Though I don't have much. My maids were pretty nice two but both looked like they had been dragged thru the mud. In the carriage I have pulled out my zither and its box and it was my only physical possession that people could see. Looking at Bao I said,

"Clear of that low table in my bedroom alright." She nodded and a moment later she returned with two books and a flower vase with dead flowers in them. I picked up the pine box and walked over to the small table and looked around before kneeling down on the hard wooden floor. I was so happy that my whole house had hardwood floors instead of dirt. Opening my box I pulled out the zither. I placed it on the table and immediately heard Baos and CHi's Oohs and Awes. Looking at the two I said,

"I always carry my zither with me wherever I go. I just wanted to see if it fit on the table. It is my most prized possession. I love it with all my heart." They both nodded and I packed it away after I was sure it fit on the table. At that moment a high ranked maid came in and said,

"Young miss, It is time for you to come and greet the rest of the family." I nodded and aid,

"Alright." Getting up I walked towards the door my two maids following behind me. My pine box was hanging from my hands. I had attacked a set of strings to the box so that I could strap it over one shoulder. But now I held the shorter handles on it as I walked.

We reached an extravagant hall and entered. My master has taught me etiqueten as well as medicine and martial arts. Entering the room I bowed once before walking half way in and dropping to my knees, my back was straight and I held my arms out in front of me and my elbows were at a ninety degree angle, only my hands overlapped but there was still an inch between them. My whole body was as stiff as a board as I turned to my right and greeted my grandmother,

"Greetings to Matron of the prosperous Long clan. Granddaughter greets Grandmother. May Grandmother live for a thousand years more." My grandmother, a budavista looking figure nodded her head. She had a kind face and honestly I knew she was against my family's expulsion when it happened. Turning I bowed to my father and the head wife and relate them in the same way. After that I greeted my aunts. Once I was finished I stayed kneeling and looking up. My father looked down at me and said,

"Where is your mother and brother." I bowed to my father and said,

"My mother is ead and my elder brother now is a general on the borders." My father grunts and says,

"How come I didnt know she was dead." I owed again and said,

"I sent a letter regarding my mother's passing with head wifes messenger who came every month." My father turned to his first wife and said,

"Did you receive this letter?" She shrugged her shoulders and said,

"Of course not, The dirty brat must be lying. She has her mother's tongue." I felt an ith to totally destroy the evil snake before me. She was the reason why we have been expelled from the manor and exiled to the mountains. Instead I plaster a smile on my face and said,

"I'm positive I sent it. Paper was very expensive and so was pen and ink, I have to wait several months and only eat half of my food so that I could save up for it. I remember sending the letter." She scoffed but my father raised his hand and said,

"Enough of this matter,The reason you have been called home is because the emperor issued an imperial decree." At that moment my world stalled, I had not thought the reason I'd been brought home was for an imperial decree. I had spent many hours on that carriage ride trying to come up with ideas of my return. I thought it had to do with something related to little butterfly. A moment later a servant appeared holding a golden scroll with a red dragon in it. Opening it he read,

"Right Prime MInister, One of your daughters is going to marry the sixth Prince, Wu Jun Kai. A wedding will be held in a week, today's day s the sixth day of the month of the-" I stopped listening, I was going to be married of to some prince. Suddenly I remembered something a traveler at had said while I was at the tea house a few months back-Wu Jun Kai's right arm was completely crippled. He had not been able to hold a sword or fight. Before his arm was crippled he had been a high general on the border. He lead thousands of completely loyal men. He also hated women, apparently the only people who had ever touched him were his mother and a wet nurse before he could send them away. Gulping I said,

"How long has it been since this imperial decree was received?" The Head wife answered,

"Five days, You will be married to His majesty Sixth Prince in two days. It is a great honor, you will be a princess." I felt like growling but instead bowed my whole head and hid my anger by saying,

"This one understands." The head wife looked at me and said,

"Oh, will you remove your face vail. I am curious to see what you look like?" The Old Madam also joined in and said,

"Yes yes remove your face veil." I looked at them uncomfortable and said,

"I am not comfortable showing my face. I have hidden it for almost seven years. I haven't shown it to anyone. I ask for head wife and old madam to reconsider. Nobody has seen my face for seven years, not even myself. I decided to cover it with my mother's passing and since I haven't unveiled it to anybody." I could see everyone was a bit startled by my reply, it was all a lie but they didn't know that. I bowed respectfully and said,

"I mean no offence but It would make me beyond uncomfortable to remove it. Just Imagine what I look like." The old madam laughed and said,

"Alright, you don't have to take it off." I nodded and bowed again and said,

"Thank you. May I please return to my quarters, I need to process the information that i'll be marrying the day after tomorrow." The head wife smiled and said,

"Before you go I have some present for you." I stiffened and stayed where I was and asked,

"What does head wife have for this lowly one?" she smiled and with a snap of her fingers two maids appeared with two trays on them were horridly colored robes. I smiled and bowed towards her and said,

"These are beautiful but I am not worthy of wearing them. I do not look good in bright colors. Please keep these fine gifts for yourself. I am in need of not much." I then proceeded to bow and bod them all goodbye again. Though I could see the head wife was furious. I left.

Getting back to my residence I collapse on the bed. Looking over to my two servants I said,

"Please tell me about the sixth prince." They nodded and Chi spoke up first,

"His arm is crippled from battle. He is the sixth prince and the son of the emperors second favorite concubine. He is 20 years old and has avoided marriage until now. He dislikes women, I heard that a woman once touched him and he slapped her so hard she died right there on the spot, her neck was snapped. He is still a general but he use to fight on the front lines at the border but now lives in his Manor and rarely leaves it." Bao interrupts and said,

"I also heard that he's really handsome and that before his arm was crippled he had so many fans that he couldn't go anywhere without being stalked by them." I nodded and asked,

"How is his arm crippled. Did it get cut off or doze it just not work anymore." Bao answered again,

"According to gossip he got stabbed in the shoulder and his arm went limp. He hasn't been able to use it since." I nodded and said,

"Enough talk about him. Can I see my wedding dress. I want to make sure it's not ugly like what the Head wife tried to give me." They nodded and a moment latter Chi and Bao returned with a chest. Opening it there was red, I grimaced at it it was just red it had no designs on it or anything. My plain white dress hade delicately embroidered lotus flowers on it with white thread. Looking at my maids I said

"Please bring me some white string, I will embroider it myself, I only have a the rest of today and tomorrow to finish it." They nodded and she disappeared. She returned a few minutes latter with plain white but of good quality thread and a couple fine needles. Looking at my two servants I said,

"You two are dismissed, I will stay here and do some embroidery now." They both bowed and then left. I knew they were going to report to the head Wife but what could I do, I hadn't given anything away about my skills except that I could play the zither. I knew the head wife needed something about me so i'll give her that. Threading the needle I started on the clouds around the base of the dress and sleeves.