Guardian Angel Stalker

The front row of riders, all men, kicked their horses and streamed off into the lead.

Beaters were operating in the grassy meadow ahead, and they sent a flock of birds into the sky. These were immediately shot down by the riders in the front few rows.

This was an easy way to get some volume, but Meili's brothers had warned her against fighting for these easy wins. The competition was stiff, and it was rough at the front of the pack.

Meili didn't have any ambitions to place at the top of the scoreboard anyway. She just planned to enjoy participating and taking in the beautiful scenery on horseback.

As the lead riders slowed to collect their game, Meili continued on past them.

Before long she was riding Tufei at a flat-chat gallop, hunkered down low to avoid the wind drag, completely as one with her horse.

The girl and her stallion sped into the distance, sods of earth spraying up behind Tufei as he galloped.

The wind blew her veil off in an instant, but she didn't even look back. Nothing could spoil this moment of utter perfection for her.

She laughed out loud into the noisy wind. She felt like she could ride off into the horizon and keep on riding forever.

Her carefully swept up-do, laboured over by Manni, blew out, and her hair tumbled down, streaming out behind her in a cloud.

She was on her own out the front now, riding for the sheer joy of it.

Tricky barked into the wind, his tongue lolling as he grinned with the same delight as his mistress.

She started to ride Tufei in a zigzag formation like he was undertaking an obstacle course, enjoying leaning into the sharp turns and controlling her horse like he was an extension of her own legs. There was no end to this vast field in sight, no hated fences.

"Come on Tuufy," she shouted, "don't stop boy! You've got this!"

Most of the hunters had entered the forest to look for game, so she had left her brothers and the other riders far behind.

Bai Li followed behind her at a discreet distance. He didn't trust this little girl on her own out here for one minute.

He leant down from Rishi at a gallop, scooping up her fallen veil and tucking it into his sleeve.

Her speed had initially taken him by surprise, and he spurred Rishi after her, but her palomino was no match for his warhorse.

Tan Bowen, on the other hand, was now a far-off speck in the distance, which pleased the commander no end. This wasn't a forum in which puny poets could compete!

Now as she zigzagged Tufei, Bai Li slowed Rishi to a canter, riding in the shadow line of the trees.

He could faintly hear her laughter and chatter floating back on the wind as she rode like a dervish. He smiled a rare smile, his eyes softening in the way they did only for this woman.

He knew he was in deep, with no hope of escape. His little self-deception that he was just taking responsibility for his actions had fallen into a hopeless heap of dung. The intensity of his feelings bordered on obsession, despite his best efforts to keep a tight rein on his emotions.

He knew there was likely a lot of pain to come his way, especially given the feelings of the second prince.

But he was not ready to give up on her; not by a long shot.

Up ahead, Meili finally slowed Tufei's pell-mell gallop. She might be able to ride forever, but she figured she should give her horse a break.

She pulled Tufei into a seamless trot. Time to hunt!

"Tricky," she commanded, "over there boy! Get in there!" She sent Tricky off to rustle in some long grass.

He flew off his little saddle with delight and disappeared into the waist-high grass.

Three fat quails flew out of the brush, and Meili shot each of them down in quick succession.

Tricky was ferociously pleased. He darted about finding each of the birds and bringing them back to his mistress, where she loaded them into her saddlebag.

Tricky now ran alongside the trotting Tufei, dashing to and fro to see what he could flush from its hiding place.

"Good boy Tricky!" she called, as he sent a covey of babblers flying her way. They were a small bird, but plentiful.

They moved on more slowly now, loosely in the direction of the hill with the red pine that Li Fengfeng had suggested.

Bai Li continued to follow her, hidden in the shadows.

Her actions had already proven to him that she couldn't be trusted to look after herself. Look how far she had come. Did she even know her way back? It would be dark soon and she was all alone. Anything could happen to her…

He realised that pretty soon he would have to show himself and insist that she turn back for the royal camp. He would pretend it was a coincidence that he had run into her...

Tricky startled a brown rabbit from its seat. It ran so fast it could barely be seen against the yellow grass, with Tricky flying along behind it. He was right on the heels of the rabbit, matching it jink for jink. Meili kept her cool as she lined up the shot and let her arrow fly.

The shot was true and Tricky barked with excitement, bounding after it and picking it up. He stood where he was, rabbit hanging from his mouth, and stared at Meili.

"Tricky," she coaxed him. "Bring it here. That's not for you," she shook her finger at him.

The dog was much slower to return with the rabbit than he had been with the birds, walking with his tail lowered, but he reluctantly did as he was told.

Meili looked at the angle of the sun as she took a swig from her water bottle. She was hungry she realised, and the sun was dipping. Probably time to think about turning back.

"Tuufy, Tricky, let's take you for a drink at that pool, then we'll head back," she panted.

It had been a huge but wonderful day, and now she was ready for a rest in that cosy tent.

She lifted Tricky back into his seat and rode Tufei to the peak of the hill.

There was the pool surrounded by dense poplars, not far below the crest, just as Li Fengfeng had described it.

Bai Li crested the hill as Meili rode her horse to the edge of the pool and let Tufei dip his head and take a well-earned drink.

Just as Li Fengfeng had said, there was only one accessible bank. The rest of the pool was enclosed by steep rock walls and was densely forested.

Tricky jumped into the water and was swimming about happily, cooling down after his busy exertions.

Bai Li decided to join her at the pool and escort her home. He didn't want to startle her, so he gave her a few minutes for Tufei to finish drinking before he called out.

His practised eye caught movement in the forest on the facing hillside.

Unthinkably, it was an archer!

The commander saw that the man had his arrow aimed at Meili.