42 - Back to the Past.

Lucian eyes opened. Phantasmagorical whirls of burnt vermilion danced around his being. It looked down upon the earth and focused on a scene. Looking down on a trail , he saw a young woman he had glimpsed before. Her hair trussed up in a noble manner, jewels glittering from her neck, her attire torn at the edges. Her long black hair that was previously been bound and held in place by jade and silver hair pins had come undone catching many leaves from the forest as she ran.

Her complexion was getting paler as her movements were haggard , at the centre of her abdomen was a crimson patch that was continually growing , seeping through her golden robes. The blood red color of jewels she wore on her ears and neck somewhat complemented the color of her dying , The turquoise lotuses embroided on her clothes stained with her blood.

She tripped over a rock and fell to the muddy ground. Even with her breathing laboured, the girl picked herself up and kept on moving , looking backwards in fear of what was coming. A voice cut through the trees shouting her name , but she kept on moving.

Her life , her freedom depended on it.

As she ran , her mind wandered back to the events that tool place to set this all into motion.

Where it had all gone wrong.

She was to marry Jianhuo Huang , Son of the ruling Huang Dynasty. His family needed supplies for the conquest of the Hidden Forest. Tyrants had taken refuge in an attempt to escape capital punishment and to that end they looked towards her family, the richest merchants in all the Lands , the Yang Clan, to gain the funding as well as the back up they need. In addition to the miniscule details of the division of the spoils among the two , a marriage was definitely necessary, to seal their alliance. The union between the two would inextricably link the interest of the Huang Family and well being of the Yang Clan together as one.

She was to become Jianhuo's Empress,and take a place in his harem as one in a palace of two hundred royal Consorts and three hundred Concubines. What sort of life was she expected to live? But she had to obey her parents wishes. It was her duty as a daughter, not to think for herself but do whatever she was told without objection.

That morning she was dressed in the finest silk robes that all the kingdoms could offer, her hair was taken extra care of as she was beautifed in preparation to meet her future husband. She was going to ride in a carriage to the great Kanerria Dynasty where she would be officially wed to Jianhuo with all pomp and pageantry.

"Oh my dearest lotus flower..." Her mother praised as she appraised her daughter in the mirror. "You are so beautiful. Pure and strong like a blossom in spring. With your marriage to Jianhuo Huang .we are going to be the Best of our Clan"

"Thank you mother." The young girl replied and her mother departed leaving her alone with her thoughts. Was she going to love Jianhuo once she married him? Would she be able to make her parents proud of her ? The Yang Clan's prestige depended on her and the marriage being successful.

She got into the Carriage surrounded by heavily armed escorts whose only duty was to guard her against Bandits or any other interferences they might occur on the way until the reached the Imperial Palace.

The servants dressed in their colors of pastel red and blue heaved the extravagant Carriage upon their shoulders and set off to their destination. To reach the Kanerria Dynasty would be a three days journey at the least. In the Carriage , She was jostled around uncomfortably, continuously coming in contact with the sacks of jewels and money her parents had sent along with her to be presented to Jianhuo.

She had never seen Jianhuo before. Since they were betroth she was never to go to the Imperial Palace till they were wed in accordance to the Eastern ways. She had heard he was a vile and wicked man , crushing all that went against his will. What she feared even more was the happenings that was going to take place on their wedding night! Would he be gentle.....

No! She was not going to go through with this. She could not marry someone she barely knew and surely did not love and then throw her entire life away. She thought fast. If she ever wanted to make an escape , this would be the perfect place. Stealing a quick glance at her handmaiden , She took up a pouch of jewels and secreted them in the inners of her robes in case of any emergencies and the need of money arose.

"Zei Stop the Carriage."

"Why mistress?" He asked innocently.

"I...have to go out and stretch my legs. All this carrying around is making me tired."

Zei had called out to the carrier's to stop on her command. She alighted and when her escorts attempted to make move after her , she refused saying she needed to be alone.

From there , she had ran and ran and ran. Her feet digging into the soil , destroying the beauty of her shoes that had been bought especially for the wedding. She did not care what her parents would think. It was her life and if she ever did decided to marry , it would be to someone she truly shared affection for.

As she was deep in thought, she felt a blow to the side off her face, knocking her down to the ground and she gained a suddenly realization of the grave danger she was presently in.

In front of her , the man in a dark cloak was examining the surrounding forest. She tried to peer past his hood to see his face better , but the blinding rays of the midday sun shot into her eyes. The figure reached out his hand and forcedly grabbed her hair and dragged her through the forest.

The man did not seem to care that there was path, letting the thorny undergrowth rip into her exposed skin.

"Let me go!" She screamed but he said nothing.

Who was he?! What did he want ?! To kill her?!

Should she escape and run back to the Carriage? Her guards were sure to be looking for her by now.

She then decided otherwise. Anything that happened to her she would just have to bare it and forge through the trials alone.