Who is the Master Here?

I was starting to feel too lonely staying in the room and I don't think my master would be returning anytime soon from wherever he went to, gosh he's never around even at a time like this, I wondered where he went to.

I got to my feet and stepped out of the room to survey the palace, well since the emperor announced us to be special guests, I doubt anyone would suspect me.

I strode past the corridor, having no idea where I'm actually heading to but suddenly I could hear a very light step behind me like I was being followed.

Curious, I stopped walking, the light steps weren't heard any longer as well, I turned around wondering if I was being followed but there wasn't any sign of someone following my trail. I continued on my stroll but at a leisurely pace. Those light steps were heard once again but I didn't turn around, I kept moving and the steps suddenly got closer_ and closer_and closer.

Wasting not a single minute, I drew out my whip and sent it clearing whoever it was to the floor, he fell hard, letting out a low groan and I stared at him, cautiously keeping a distance from him.

"Hey, you didn't have to be so hard on me." he grimaced while I furrowed my brow in confusion, judging from his unique warrior outfit, he must be one of those special guards but surprisingly, he looks young and quite handsome to be honest.

"Why were you following me?" I questioned immediately, ignoring his solemn gaze.

"I wasn't following you, I haven't seen you in the palace before so I became alert." he explained as he got to his feet.

"Oh."

"It's my fault though, sorry if I scared you." he apologized with a smile and I immediately felt bad for hurting him like that.

"No, I'm sorry if I hurt you, I didn't realize too soon it was a false alarm."

"No problem." he said, rubbing the back of his head as if thinking of a conversation to start with me.

"So uhhh, are you new here?" he asked and I didn't sense any form of suspicion in his tone, making me shake my head in reply.

"I'm not, our village was close by, we just came over to see the emperor."

"We?" that part seemed to have caught his attention and I realized that for myself.

"Yes, uhhhhh me and..." I quickly recalled the fact I couldn't call him my master so I had to think of another alternative, he did say most of them think we're related so I could possibly go with that.

"He's my brother, we came here specially to see the emperor."

He stared at me a little taken aback and I did find it weird saying he was my brother, for some reason I felt glad he wasn't. I didn't realize we were both walking past the corridor together now.

"Well you sure picked the wrong time to come to western village." he stated frankly and I turned my attention to him.

"Is it? why?"

"You haven't heard?" he was surprisingly stunned by my remark and I shrugged.

"There are beasts terrorizing our village, huge scary beasts and it's not safe to step out except you plan on being dinner." he sounded earnest and I realized if I planned on getting any ideas about the beasts, this was my chance.

"No wonder the palace looks a bit empty." I said in an observant manner and he stretched his arms.

"Most guards are out there keeping the village safe from whatever beasts are still lurking out there, I just came back so that's why I didn't know you."

"Did you catch sight of any beasts?"

He shook his head in return. "No, they're actually pretty smart, they only leave traces of half-eaten animals and destroyed crops that the innocent people worked hard to farm on, plus we've seen claw marks on trees."

"Do they have a specific time of coming out or something?"

"Hardly, but most guards and villagers claim to have spotted them at night."

"So they hardly show up during daytime?"

"I assume so. It's our first time encountering something like this and those beasts are being lured here by someone"

"How can you be sure?" I questioned.

"Well, I'm more observant than you think, they clearly won't be here except for the fact they're looking for something, I mean they terrorize us like we took something from them and in return, they destroy our village."

I pondered on his words and there was some sense in it. Like he realized something, he gave me an apologetic look. "I hope I'm not scaring you with my words." judging from his tone, he really was concerned and I smiled.

"Not at all, I'm the one asking the questions anyway."

He let out a relieved sigh. "Thank goodness you're not like these crazy maidens, just the mention of blood can scare the life out of them." he rolled his eyes at his own words making me chuckle. He doesn't actually seem bad.

"What's your name?" I asked and he smiled.

"I'm Li Xiong but just call me Xiong cause it stands for brave and powerful." he confidently said walking ahead of me.

"I realized, you seem young to have gained a high position already."

"I'm not young, I'm only twenty one." he opposed and I only nodded in response.

"Still young but okay."

"What about you?"

"I'm Shanxia."

"Shanxia." he smiled. "What a lovely name for a pretty lady, suits you."

"Oh." I really wasn't expecting that, no one has actually called me pretty before so it's not surprising I'm a bit stunned by it.

"Shanxia."

I halted at the deep cello voice I suddenly heard, turning around, I saw my master casually walking towards us making that familiar thingy feeling crawl back unto my skin. I definitely couldn't call him by his real name, it'll be a sign of disrespect and I can't call him Lord Qui cause Xiong would definitely get suspicious since I claimed he's my brother, goodness what to do?

Xiong was gazing at him with a stupefied expression. "Woah, is that your brother?" he whispered and I shushed him up. My master was standing right in front of us now.

"Shanxia, you're here." he gazed at me before turning them to Xiong.

"Yes." was the only reply that could escape my lips.

"Greetings." Xiong politely said but my master held my hand in an unanticipated manner making my heart take a leap.

"I hope you don't mind me taking her away for a while." he said to Xiong who I detected from his expression was a bit hesitant in his reply.

"No, not at all."

Before I could say my goodbyes to Xiong who had kept me company, my master was already taking me halfway past the corridor, my legs were too short compared to his and I felt my legs would break if he didn't stop walking.

Luckily for me, we got to the room on time and when we stepped in, he closed the door locking it up as usual while I secretly glared at him.

"What was that for?" He might be my master but he doesn't have the right to drag me away like that. I was really starting to enjoy the conversation with Xiong. He didn't reply to me and only gazed at me with that bewitching face of his and suddenly clicked his tongue.

"You're not allowed to get close to anyone in this palace." he stated and I folded my arms a bit confused.

"Why?"

"There's a high chance the imposter could be anyone, I don't want you putting yourself in trouble."

"I can take care of myself." I replied with folded arms and the look on my face was enough to state he can't change my mind about any of it.

He pinched in between his eyebrows, shaking his head like he knew there was no hope explaining the situation to me.

"I won't explain myself, you'll have to do as I tell you to, for your own good."

"I'm not weak Lord Qui, he's actually nice and..." before I could complete my statement, I was being backed to the wall making me gasp.

"Who is the master here?"

His magnetic voice made my body tingle as he whispered, gazing directly into my eyes and I could hear my heart pound in both my ears, his dark eyes held the beauty of the night like atoms burning into brilliant stars which made me go weak on the knees and I averted my gaze taking a hard swallow, we both knew the answer to that question.