We live in fear

Xuan Yuan didn't know what to do. Last night he felt he had suffered the most. Knowing the fact that his parents had been killed by someone he already considered his own parents. I want to go far away from everything. But that's not the right way out. If he was kidnapped in the past, there must have been something that Mr. Chi You wanted. What does he have to do with the sword that Master Chi You is looking for. His mind began to explore and string together the stories of Nhamso

"We live in fear", Nhamso recounted, her crying had subsided, "our every move was monitored, if we did anything suspicious, we were immediately brought in for questioning. If we are proven to have violated the rules, we will not hesitate to be killed. Many families lose their family members, children lose their parents, parents lose their children. We live in sorrow. There are so many spies in every corner of the city. Everything that allows us to ask for help in other countries is closed. Communicating with our Leader in exile was also very difficult. Spiritual leaders carry out their duties but are no longer pure. They are became political slaves, like puppets who do everything according to the orders of the rulers of your country, in order to maintain the country of Tham as a colony. We can't do all the religious rituals that we used to do. Little by little the rituals were banned. It seems that the culture of our country wants to be erased and replaced with the culture of your country."

"I didn't think the suffering you were going through was so terrifying." Xuan Yuan said pityingly, he could not imagine how much suffering they had gone through so far. He lives in the palace, all information outside the palace is closed to him. Every now and then he would ask Zhi Qiang, and the answers he would get were always short and not detailed.

From a distance two horses were approaching, one with rider and the other without a rider. The figure on the horse was none other than Zhi Qiang. Nhamso and xuan yuan just sat in silence until Zhi Qiang approached them and got off his horse to approach them. As far as they could see, he bowed his head slightly as a greeting as well as a salute to Xuan Yuan.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed your conversation," he said to Nhamso and Xuan Yuan. Zhi Qiang looked at Xuan Yuan with a sad look, as he said. "Xuan Yuan it's time for us to go home, Master Chi You wants us to go home as soon as possible" Zhi Qiang knew he couldn't hope for more for what he had done, nor was an apology that would be forgiven because one word would not be able to bring back Xuan Yuan parents he had snatched away eighteen years ago. From the bottom of his heart only wants Xuan Yuan to be well

Xuan yuan felt a tinge of sadness in every word that Zhi Qiang spoke. It seemed that last night he wasn't the only one who wasn't able to sleep until late at night or even Zhi Qiang didn't sleep at all. His eyes were droopy and tired, as if he had not slept for hundreds of days. The deep suffering of the guilt that had been haunting him for so long. Zhi Qiang in Xuan yuan's eyes, who had seen a valiant figure, a guard who always looked brave, now looks fragile and weak.

Unable to see Zhi Qiang's condition, his affection was so much greater that made Xuan Yuan stood up, stepped up, approached and hugged Zhi Qiang tightly. Nhamso also stood up, feeling sorry for Xuan Yuan who had the generosity to forgive Zhi Qiang.

"Sorry, I'm really sorry Xuan Yuan". Zhi Qiang's body shook violently, he hugged Xuan Yuan back tightly.

Xuan Yuan wanted to say 'You are the only person I really care about Zhi Qiang' in response to Zhi Qiang's apology, but the word seemed to hang in his throat and was stuck there. Xuan Yuan just cried in Zhi Qiang's arms.

The two were still hugging, after a while Zhi Qiang let go of his embrace and looked at Xuan Yuan, raised his hand over Xuan Yuan's cheek and wiped his tears.

Nhamso's figure appeared in the corner of Xuan Yuan's eyes, as soon as he realized Nhamso's existence. Then took a step back from Zhi Qiang.

Zhi Qiang saw Xuan Yuan's behaviour, he turned his gaze to Nhamso then said "Thank you for providing a place to stay for Xuan Yuan".

Nhamso, who had been standing up for a long time, felt sorry for Xuan Yuan who had the generosity to forgive Zhi Qiang. Hearing Zhi Qiang's words, Nhamso spontaneously took a few small steps back. The emotion was replaced by the fear of him who had colonized them, who had made their lives miserable.

Xuan Yuan walked up to her, took her hand and looked at her to say "Thank you" a big smile graced Xuan Yuan's face. "I have to go home, someday we will meet again" then Xuan Yuan turned and was about to walk away. But Nhamso's tiny hands gripped Xuan Yuan's arm and stopped his footsteps and he turned back to face her. Nhamso removed a necklace from her neck, a necklace made of traditional Tham silk, which was wrapped into a rope. Paired with a white pearl pendant.

"Keep this white pearl, this pearl has also been protecting me all this time, may it always protect you as well as it protected me. This pearl was given by my grandfather the day before he went to Lais Palace and was killed there. This pearl is old because this pearl is the one that my grandfather used to wear all his life and then gave it to me. I think you need the protection of this pearl much more than I do." Nhamso said while handing the pearl necklace in Xuan Yuan's grip.

Xuan Yuan was moved by her kindness, he hesitantly accepted the necklace, gripped it tightly in his palm, thanked her, and then with heavy step he walked away.

Nhamso just stared silently at Xuan Yuan. let his warm grip loosen and slip from her and then walked away. Every step, riding on horseback, waving goodbye as a farewell made slow motion in Nhamso's mind who didn't really want to be separated from him. There was a feeling that was once very close, a feeling that seemed like thousands of years apart, now meeting again and now having to separate again. Nhamso's heart felt a deep sadness, constantly watching Xuan Yuan's figure drift away and disappear into the distance. One sentence "one day we will meet again" kept ringing in her mind. Hope one day that one sentence will come true.

On the way, Zhi Qiang doesn't want to disturb Xuan Yuan's feelings for the girl they just left. He knew there were deep feelings between the two of them, so the whole way to the inn he didn't say a word.