Chapter 1

The crunch of leaves beneath her boots was all that she could hear, as she walked slowly through the woods looking for the herbs on her list. In the distant clearing a buck gracefully lifts its head showing his horns. His large eyes peer into hers as he decides whether she was a threat or not. The buck went back to grazing the grass at his feet, carefully as to not disturb him, she went around. She turned and went further into the woods, the further she went the darker it became. Under her breath she mumbled, "this is strange, it was not like this last week."

Suddenly a crow cawed loudly and flew directly towards her, she fell backwards into the damp earth. "Damn bird," she yelled at the bird that flew away as she gathered herself. After collecting herself she continued her journey to the pond where she usually collects her herbs. The girl lifted her bag and started to rummage through it looking for her wood box to hold the herbs in, she lifts the red wooden box with an Chrysanthemum on the lid out of her bag.

At the edge of the pond she squatted getting her already dirty white gown dirtier with fresh mud. Her hand went into the water carefully as to not disturb the life in the pond. She felt something that she had never felt before within the mud, it was smooth and familiar. Lifting the object out of the water, she noticed that it was a piece of jade with an Chrysanthemum exactly like the one on her box. Her body felt like it was sinking in ice water. "H-h-how can this jade be so far from the tribe," she stuttered. Quickly she began to pick up her box and shove it back into the bag not worrying about the herbs she had yet to collect.

A chilling voice behind her spoke, "Why do you have my jade? Are you a thief," he asked. Her shoulders were grabbed from behind and she was spun around so quickly that it almost gave her whiplash. The man before her, tightened his grip on the beautiful young girl. Her hair was tangled and dirty but that did not hide its health and shine, her large doe eyes showed true terror while staring at him. Her white perfect teeth bit her rose lips to keep them from trembling. He subconsciously loosened his grip on her shoulders, "I asked you, why do you have my jade," he asked again but in a softer voice.

Unexpectedly the girl raised her hand and touched his face feeling every nook and cranny of his face, before resting her fingers on his cheek. "So beautiful," she whispered, "To bad his temper is terrible." Finally she kicked him in the knee and ran with all of her strength.

Her words and actions startled the man, before he could react she was already gone. "Find her and bring her back to me or I will have every one of you do special training for four months," he yelled, bringing his subordinates that were hidden to their knees.

The men came out and stood in front of him and bowed. "It shall be done, Your Highness," spoke the captain. After speaking the captain took his team, leaving only a few highly trained guards, to find the daring girl.

The man turned to the remaining few men, "I want all information available on the girl brought to me by tomorrow night, if not it is training for the three of you." With that the man silently slipped away leaving no trace of his presence.

A boy about the age of sixteen stared at the empty spot and sighed, "He has gotten scarier since he took up the throne." The other two men nodded their heads in agreement.

"Definitely."

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The girl ran away from the woods and far away from her tribe. She knew if she went in the direction of her tribe that man would find it and its existence would be known again, she did not want that to happen again. As she was running she noticed that no one was chasing after her, so she slowed to a jog. Slowly she came to a halt to catch her breath.

The girl reached into her bag and pulled out her dagger with a beautiful bright yellow chrysanthemum that she had carved into the handle. "This is a good spot. They can not and must not find the tribe," she uttered as she dragged the blade across her palm. Blue blood seeped out of her hand and fell to the earth freezing the earth on contact. "Ice Fox, Ice Phoenix, I need you to come to me," she spoke softly.

In the distance the men curiously observed her watching as the blood started to glow. "C-c-captain, this cannot be, only the strongest can f-f-freeze the land with their blood," stuttered a young guard. The captain shushed the boy and watched as the glowing blood began to grow large ice cycles from the ground up.

"Retreat," yelled the Captain. The ice cold blood began to travel farther from her body closer to them at a high speed. Boom! Out came two creatures that they only dreamed to see in their lifetime, the Ice Fox and the Ice Phoenix. They stood as tall as the tallest man on their team just over six feet. Their feathers and fur consisted of blue and white with yellow eyes making them absolutely breathtaking.

"Princess, I think that we scared them enough, they ran away," the Ice Phoenix spoke to her master.

"That is only because you had to be so dramatic," yelled the Ice Fox back at the Phoenix.

"Now, now. You two stop squabbling like children. It is important to scare them, they need to know that I will not go down easily. Besides, we finally found the jade that went missing 300 years ago," she said as she raised the jade up to show them. "We have a new mission, my loves. We have to let them capture us, besides now they know you are with me they will be extra careful."

The Phoenix and the Fox looked at each other and thought, "Princess is definitely cruel whenever she jokes around."

"Um… Princess," started the Fox, "how do you suppose we get captured?"

"We faint, but it has to be believable. They know if a contractual spirit is stronger than their master there will be episodes of fainting. We just go along with that," she giggled.

The two contractual spirits looked at each other, then back at their princess, "How can two mighty beings go along with such a shameless person, sigh."

"Shh... they are coming back. We must do it now," stated their princess. They proceeded to fall to the ground as a group, the two contractual spirits hid themselves within her body again. Soon after quiet footsteps of at least five people could be heard coming closer to her.

One of them spoke, "How can a girl this small have two of the most powerful contractual spirits but easily faint. Such a waste."

From within her head she could hear the two nosy bodies scolding the man, "Our Princess is much more powerful than this measly guard. How can he say such disrespectful words about our Princess?"

She tried her best to keep from laughing as they continued to sulk because they could not draw too much attention to her faking.

Finally the captain spoke up, "Carefully tie her hands and feet, she can not get away. Make sure to carry her gently to avoid waking her and causing ourselves trouble. Men we have to make sure that she is not awakened because, I do believe that with those two we will be dead upon her awakening."

The men got to work binding her hand and feet , making sure she was immobile. "Captain how are we going to carry her," asked the guard next to her feet.

Suddenly she sat up. "You can carry me like a princess. I've always dreamed of being carried like a princess in the arms of a big strong man, but you are not going to work. Your captain on the other hand is pretty strong looking," she spoke shifting her gaze to the captain. "What do you say "Captain"?"

The Captain stared at the little girl surprised that she was not kicking or screaming to release her. "Could you loosen these ropes, please? It is not like I am going to run. Do you men not know how to treat a lady? Seriously?" Stupefied by her questions, the men stood there staring at her. "Hello… I would like for you to release me from these ropes to make it easier for me to travel, Captain," she spoke in a jest tone.

At her jesting tone the Captain finally realizes she was willing to go with them. "Remember Miss if you try to escape, we will tie the ropes tighter and carry you like a hog to roast over a fire," the Captain said in a warning tone.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. It is not my first rodeo. How do you think the Centaurea Clan disappeared? They wanted my power. Did you know Captain that their flower, the Centaurea flower, symbolizes wealth, prosperity, and future? To bad…" commented the girl suggestively.

The Captain froze upon hearing her words, he knew that they were wiped out by a powerful force. How can this little girl be so powerful as to take down one of the largest Clans ever? He finished untying the ropes around her feet and hands, "Miss what shall we call you on our journey?"

"My name is Li Xiu Ying, now take me to your master, I have questions for him. Oh and before I forget, Captain you cannot kill me, even if you tried," she spoke her last sentence in a solemn tone. To her death is something that can never come. She has wondered about this world for 350 years, in her clan she is still a child compared to the age of everyone else.

"Princess, you spoke with such a solemn tone," spoke the Phoenix.

"Well if you have lived so long without a moment of true peace, then you will be sad as well," replied the Fox to the Phoenix.

"Princess may we come out? It has been a while and I would like to stretch my wings, and I am sure that annoying fox would like to stretch his legs," begged the Phoenix.

The men started at the girl, because she has been quiet for a long while. "Okay," she said out loud, startling the men. Cold energy burst from her body making the men shiver, then suddenly two bright lights flew from her body not too far away. "I hope you don't mind, but they wanted to enjoy the fresh air as we travel," she calmly spoke to the Captain, "Oh, and if you don't mind, I would like my things back, please."

In a hurry the young man holding her things gave them back as though he was burned. "Miss Li, I hope that you are not planning on escaping," warned the Captain. Shaking her head Li Xiu Ying checked to make sure her things were there.

"Captain, I seem to be missing my box and my jade. If you would be so kind as to give them back," Li Xiu Ying said while staring directly into his eyes. The Captain then reached into his cloak and gave her back her box and the jade. "Thank you, Captain. Now I would like to introduce you to my friends, this," she said pointing to the Fox, "Is Li Jie, I would watch out for his temper. For an Ice Fox he is quite fiery, and she," Li Xiu Ying said pointing to the Phoenix, "Is called Li Na. I would also not underestimate her. She may be beautiful and calm but, she will kill without hesitation."