Chapter 3

Liang Lai Jiao woke up from a nightmare. Her head was pounding, and her body was cold. It took her a moment to remember what had happened last night, and another to figure out where she was.

The guard left her in one of the small forested areas outside of the capital city Lidonhang. She had always been a pampered girl, sheltered by her family, so her initial feelings were fright and uncertainty.

But Liang Lai Jiao was a smart girl. From her earliest years, she had been considered so. She was never happy to practice the arts of the female. She instead liked spending time reading her father's books. She had a memory that was close to photographic and had read enough in her life to understand how dire her situation was. She expected the Prince to take her somewhere so that she could serve him but was stumped, finding herself here instead.

Liang Lai Jiao stood up. She pressed her hand to her head, the feeling of blood rushing made her feel dizzy. She noticed she was still wrapped in the blue cloak, the scent of the owner lingered on it.

She took some time to grieve, letting out a heavy breath. "Please forgive this unfilial child for excepting the help of your enemy's children. I hope he will really give you a place to rest." With those quiet words, she buried the pain of the night deep inside her chest. She knew that she couldn't spend time mourning now. She could only do it later. She also had no way of knowing when or if the Prince would ever come back to look for her. He had only told her 'in the future remember these words.' staying here wasn't an option.

The sky was bright, the morning was already half over. She turned towards the sun, using it to differentiate her directions. If she headed South, she would end up back in the Capital. North-West would take her towards the vast mountain range. Getting that far would take weeks, maybe even a month, but she remembered reading a book about a boy who lived in the mountains, and though it was fiction, she was still young enough to believe the wonder of it.

She calculated the distance, remembering the various maps her father had shown her years before, it wasn't hard to remember things for her, forgetting was the hard part.

She thought over the possibilities, thinking maybe she could even find a small town to live, perhaps learn to live like a villager, get married, raise kids, live a normal life, but the very thought of it made her feel bitter. She had already pledged herself to this Prince. Even if she managed to live again, that life would still belong to him, if He ever came for her, there would be nothing but loss.

Determined, She started walking.

After several miles, she heard a noise coming from close by. It was the sound of soft snoring. She panicked but settled herself enough to assess the situation. She was only seven and had no abilities in the way of protecting herself. If she came upon anyone with ill intentions or a wild beast, there wouldn't be a way out for her.

She looked in the direction of the sound but couldn't see anyone. She closed her eyes, knowing that you could hear better with your eyes closed and realized the sound was coming from above. She glanced up into the trees and finally spotted a sleeping figure cradled in the branches of a high tree. From this distance, she was able to see that he was a young clean scholarly looking person. He was well kept, and his face was beautiful. He had a jade pendant hanging from his waist and a sword resting on his chest.

She decided the best thing to do was avoid him, so she took a step back. The sound of a stick cracking beneath her feet instantly alerted the boy in the tree. He sprang from the tree, his sword quickly drawn from its sheath. Liang Lai Jiao's heart quickened, and she took another step back. The boy stared at her with curiosity realizing it was just a young girl. He puzzled his brows together and cautiously put his sword away.

This boy's name was Fan Xiang, he was from the well-known martial artist clan. He was the child of the leader and his second wife. He was eleven. His swordsmanship was unrivaled within the Seven Tigers Clan. The clan was rumored to have relations with every underground faction that existed. They didn't belong to any sect, or nation, only working freely when and if they wanted to. They were also said to be descendants of the original ruling family before the countries were divided as they are now. The impact of this clans choices had shaped the way the current nation existed today.

"What's a kid doing out here alone?" He asked, looking her over. He had spotted her bloodied fingers and could see the remnants of tears that stained her cheeks.

"What's a young boy doing out here in the wild all alone?" She rebutted.

He looked at her with humor. "I guess you and I are both looking for a little peace, yea?" He quirked his brow and slung his sword over his back. He estimated the girl to be around seven or eight, she was very delicate and obviously from a pampered home. She was also very beautiful. He knew, without a doubt, she would be stunning when she was older.

"I wonder, do you know where to find it?"

"It?"

"Peace."

He let out a laugh and stared at her with interest. "Isn't it wherever you feel happy?"

Liang Lai Jiao had been talking without very much thought, only slightly even knowing what she was saying. Her mind was calculating how to leave this place without this boy hurting her. She was able to see that he was a swordsman, and by the way he practically flew from the tree; he was a master. Even though he was young, she didn't dare ignore the threat.

"Don't worry, girl, I won't hurt you," he said, noticing the way her eyes continually assessed him.

"I wonder if you would mind promising me?"

He laughed again. "Audacious! Such a glib tongue." He smiled cheekily at her, surprised to find such an interesting person in the depths of the forest. "Come, this young master will promise you." He took his blade and sliced his finger, then flashed in front of her in an instant. He lifted her bloodied hands towards his own bloodied cut and rubbed the wounds together. "See that, we're bound with a blood oath. This Young Master promises not to hurt you."

Liang Lai Jiao had no idea how extravagant this promise was. This person and all the other clan members were sought after by each of the five different kingdoms. His clan was sought after by all but belonged to no faction and was ruled by no king. They were considered a type of roaming citizen to each country. A promise from him was nothing little, it could be compared to a promise from a Prince, maybe even a King.

Liang Lai Jiao stared at the young man, her brows knitted together. He was still holding her hand. The blood had wet her dried blood, and the two bonded together, dripping down her small hand. She could feel the callouses and roughness of his hand and was momentarily distracted by them. He spulled away, bringing out a cloth to wipe away the blood on his hand. He tossed it to her and allowed her to use it on herself.

He studied her. He knew that there wasn't much he could do for her, but he at least wouldn't hurt her. He was not an evil person and didn't' take pleasure in hurting the weak or young. When she was finished wiping, she lifted her eyes towards Fan Xiang; the sparkling brilliance in them was very captivating to him; he felt sorry for the person that would marry this girl someday. He cleared his throat and looked away.

"I wonder if the young master would be willing to let me travel with you for a bit?" She asked the question in a way that was neither humble nor haughty. It left one with a feeling that even if you don't help, it will be ok.