Getting Closer II

-What's wrong Lai'Er...? Your clothes are soaked- asks Qin Luo as I get back to our sleeping place

-You look like you just saw a ghost...- he then pauses a second considering the possibility of such an event -Wait... You didn't see a ghost right...?-

I seat down beside him by the fire, trying to warm up as my clothes are becoming frozen at the moment

-I honestly don't know this time-

-Could it be someone harmful tho?-

-No- I state secure -Not at all, just... Something I have to understand, for myself-

-Mhn... Now come here, let me get you some warm soup, there should still be a bit left-

...

I lay down, turning my back to the now asleep Liutenant, and rest my head on my arm...

"That time at the residence I thought XianLen was talking with someone who was physically there... But after today I'm not so sure anymore.

I'm sure to have heard XianLen's voice today, he even cheered for me because he heard me too, but how...?

The Prince wasn't there, he's still at the residence with Wan and yet he was talking with this mysterious man, who is somewhere close to here..."

I turn on my back, facing up to the sky as the stars shine through the heavy clouds...

It will snow

"That man... Who is he? Could he be a fox too? Since he talk with XianLen who has Fox abilities... Maybe that's why.

But why is he following me? Maybe the Prince sent him to keep an eye on me? I don't neet it. Well... I ended up needing help tho"

I sigh mentally, recalling the shameful expirince I just had... Like when I ended up cutting my hand when practicing dance, how stupid I felt!

Really few times I felt so ashamed and I can still recall them all clearly

"Even so, those eyes... Those beautiful eyes which deserve to find a better future..."

A small flash of Linghe comes back to me..

One night as we were practicing I was packing my things and spotted him staring at the moon...

At that time he looked so vulnerable, as if anything could have broken him and I felt my heart cleanch.

"For such a stupid reason, caused by a random man in the North, so many people are suffering... He deserves to pay!"

I thought back then, the emotions in those eyes were hundreds of different kinds...

I wonder what could have happened to feel so lost. Or for him to have to disappear like that...

But enough of this now.

I need to find more about that man... Those hairs weren't human either.

...

-Are you feeling better today?- asks me Qin Luo as we pack up our things to move -You seemed to have had a turbulent sleep tonight...-

-Mhn, It was just the cold don't worry-

-Mhn! that's good to hear... We must be in our perfect shape, two days and we will undergo war-

He state ending the line with a serious face -Are you ready?- he turns me around by the shoulders to face him

-If we fail there will be only bad options waiting for us... Death or slavery fifthe enemy gets us, severe punishment for not following our General lf we make it back...-

-Liutenant... I won't force you to follow me, but if you do... And if it doesn't go according to the plan... Please leave right away-

-I won't, you are my responsibility as a superior in rank and as a friend of PeiZhi-

-Promise me you will leave or I will go alone-

-Lai'Er...- His firmness shivers... He surely is a trained soldier, ready to give his life for others, but I can see the doubt inside him.

For him this is a sure death with no possible success, he wants to come only to make sure I make it out alive... But he's wrong.

-Nevermind then- I turn to my horse, fixing my sword with some strings -Let's go or we'll be late-

...

After two days of almost no rest we reach a big empty area.

The Head General, and the other ones, instruct us to place our tends and get the camp ready as they will leave to meet with the Armada already present...

-Won't you go with them?- I ask as Qin Luo comes by my side to help me build the tend

-No, I'm just a Liutenant afterall- he sighs -We are the actual ones working with the soldiers, but being of a lower Nobility we don't get our merits as the Generals do...

But I don't really mind most of the time, it saves me many endless talks and boring banquets-

-I can't blame you for that haha-

He chuckles along -They will probably just go there, announce our arrival and ask for any development to reorganize our tactics...

Smething I don't need to know for once- he winks talking about our side plan

As night falls we group up for dinner...

For some reason, they moved our pot and the other Armada's one together so we will be sharing the same dining place...

As we eat many men stare at me from the other group

-These men never saw a woman?-

-You know that's not the reason-

-Whatever- I comment pissed off as I try to ignore the murmurs

-Uhm... Excuse us...- three men of different ages approach us

-Uh?-

The younger one seat beside Qin Luo

-We heard you are from the Noble newly arruolated soldiers... We all have some family members in there and wanted to ask you if you knew anything about them...

You know, it's really difficult to write letters here, even more to receive a reply...-

-Oh sure, tho we were divided in many different sections so I might not know them all...- I put down my bowl as the oldest man sits down, crossing his hands over the heart... His hair are already turning gray so he must be quite old.

-I have a grandson... That poor thing, his parents died when he was young and only I was his family, but I left a year ago for war and had no more news about him since ever...

His name is Dong Hu, please tell me he is doing decently... He's a really weak child, still new to the world...-

-Dong Hu...?- I blink a few times confused -Uh?!-

-You know him Miss?-

-This tall... Broad shoulders, green eyes and a weird smile?-

-Uhm yeah...? kinda-

-Yeah he was actually my... Comrade- I cleanch my teeth, changing last minute how I wanted to address him.

-But Sir... You shouldn't doubt your Grandson so much... He was an extraordinary soldier, one of the best in our section-

-Really...?!- his teary eyes gets full of happiness -This is so hard to believe haha... But I'm glad... I'm really glad... Ah that child and his empty head-

"Is he talking about the same Dong Hu I know...?"

As for the other two men, sadly I don't know their relatives...

...

-Yeah one hit and he was down... Our enemy is too strong- sighs one man looking at the ground with crossed fingers

-But we should outnumber them now, even if they are more trained they can't spar with too many peoples at the same time-

-I don't know man... It looks like they have infinite troupes-

-About deaths...- I intrude the conversation and Qin Luo stares at me nodding -Many died?-

-So many Miss... Even if- -Shh! Nevermind that- stops him one of the men

-What?- I ask

-It's nothing Miss... Would only ruin your sleep-

-Tell me-

-Ehm... Well...-

-Men disappeared- blurt out one of the three

-What do you mean...?- I ask locking gaze with Qin Luo, who's attention got caught too

-One day... Two of our men came up with a plan but none wanted to listen. They shared the plan with a few comrades of their squadron but one night they disappeared... Well at least that's what they say.

Nobody saw them since then... And the corpres weren't between those we burned.

Two other ones, who knew about their plan, got worried and went out to search for them... But never came back either.

We only found the sword of one man from the second pair near the camps-

-Where exactly?-

-Mhn... I'm not sure since it was a private topic but... Around there- he points out toward the North West side... The camp ends facing the black mountain there

-We don't know exactly what happened, could be just that the enemy found them and killed them tho... But still some murmurs they got kidnapped-

-Sad story indeed-

-Yeah... Well, now we will go sleep... Was a tiring day for our Armada-

-Sure, see ya- waves Qin Luo before turning back to me

-You were right-

-Mhn...- I hold my chin thinking for a few second and then face him -You can't come-

-Why, what...?-

-If you do you will die, in every possible scenario, you will die-

-How are you so sure of that...? And what about you?-

-There's something weird on that mountain... And I'm afraid a normal human won't be able to survive it-

-But you are human too!-

-I know, but I can make it-