THE GRAVES

"Uhhhh…. That is a tall tale you've got there, little girl. Do you expect me to believe it. What if I question that idiot inside right now? Will I get the same exact story? Will it change? But even that may be debatable after all. Show me something, anything at all, and I'll give you the benefit of the doubt." Suspicion swirled in his tone and his eyes. Although his aura was intimidating, it could do nothing to her, after all he was nothing but a mortal man. He could die but she couldn't. There was nothing to fear.

"Well then, come with me and I'll show you something or someone which can assuage your doubts. You will know I spoke the truth soon enough. What are you even afraid of, Ning Xiao. Are you scared that this little girl will pose a threat to you or are you scared of something else entirely" she retorted back, her voice freezing like the nights on the tundra. Her doubts were getting bigger and bigger. Who was he? Why the interest in reincarnation?

" Lead the way then, my lady. Let's see what you have to show that will amuse me." His beautiful thin lips widening in a thin grin which she had come to hate.

"This is not for your amusement; this is my life. Nevertheless, follow me. We have to leave the city walls." She voiced coldly.

"Ahhh.. the mass graves I presume. Hahahaha…interesting indeed!"

His mocking tone resounding in her ear as she led the way through the dark and lonely streets. The hour of the rat was ending and that of the ox was beginning. There was not a soul on the street except a few night patrols who were mostly asleep on their feet. The sound of a night owl searching for prey pierced through the silent night, its wings casting shadows under the moonlight. Two figures ran through the quiet streets, their footsteps casting no noise, like feathers gliding across a lake. They jumped across the tall city walls, a seemingly inhuman feat, and glided down to continue towards the wastelands to the west of the city, where the mass graves were located.

"Are you looking for that maid that supposedly died? Why? what relevance is she to you?" he asked all of a sudden, curiosity brimming in his tone.

Wasn't this man cold faced when she met him first! Why was he like this now! A taciturn fellow would have been better. What a nuisance! Transmigrators were so irritating, excluding herself of course. She was just murderous, she thought humorously.

"I just want to know what happened to her. Is she still herself? Does she remember the dream? Did she even have it. She isn't there at my father's estate and if she isn't here as well, then I need to find her. She may have some answers for both me and my sister. I hate being in her body, and I want mine back."

"Oh. If she is not here let me know, I'll have my men search for her likeness in the city. Don't be misled, I just find this whole thing entertaining and I've been bored for too long." He grinned.

"As if I would mistake your intentions. What a joke. You don't need to explain every single action of yours, it looks only as if you're hiding something. Don't be so nervous." She coldly remarked.

"I just don't want you to think I have any intentions towards you, I don't. Don't fall in love with me, because I will never reciprocate. We might have a good deal going, don't mess up my fun." His tone suddenly turned cold and flat as though he was a machine giving out a warning.

"Woah, Mr. Narcissist, you think way too highly of yourself! I am not interested in you! I can give you the same warning. Let there be no emotions to mess up a good deal." She was infuriated! How dare this self-important blockhead assume every woman would fall at his feet! Just wait, the moment she no longer needed him for the story, the male lead would take care of him! Humph! She snorted in her mind at his outrageous comments.

" Well, as long as we understand each other. Look, we have reached it."

There was a bit of surprise in her mind as she saw that this pampered prince showed no signs of disgust at the stomach roiling stench that was being emitted in the surroundings. It smelled much better than some of the places in Tartarus, she thought darkly. He was much stronger than she gave him credit for.

" Just search for a young woman, my age wearing the clothing belonging to the servants of the Minister of War. There wasn't anyone else thrown here in the last few weeks other than her."

He glanced at her with an inscrutable look in his eyes, then leapt away to search among the mountain of the dead. She moved towards the opposite direction, her eyes quickly scanning the piles upon piles of flesh for a familiar face and servant attire. Suddenly she saw a hand twitching from her peripheral vision from one of the piles. There were wild dogs slowly gathering around this area. She quickly shooed them away and threw body after body aside until she saw the bloodied face of a young girl hardly 16. Her breath was so faint, it was like the flutter of the wings of a sparrow, but her heart was still beating! Thank God! She came in time. A few more minutes and the heroine would have turned into dog food! Just as she was contemplating on calling the third prince to help her carry this girl away from here for treatment, Xixi saw her lashes flutter and she slowly opened her eyes, her vision blurred with mist. She blinked several times before she focused her attention on Xixi's face, her expression confused.

"Sister?" her voice shivered for an instant, then her eyes became vigilant, but she was too weak and could not move even an inch, completely at Xixi's mercy

Xixi coldly stared at her but in her heart she was considering how to deal with this female, the protagonist, the Heroine of this fantasy.