Far away from home

The Past - Far East

Ninuo's whole body ached. She had never been on such a journey in her life, not when she used to trade with the night riders back at home, or when she was at Dayu. She had lost track of time, at some point she even felt like they were on a ship, she felt like a month or more had passed. The conditions they had been in were terrible and many of her "travel companions" had been sold along the way because they had been too weak continue any further. She had spent so much physical and mental effort to stay alive up till this point.

"I can't believe she made it, she is way stronger than I thought"

"I'm glad she did, I heard that there is a marquis looking for a bride for his son, we could sell her to him"

"She's already been a married woman, the marquis will never agree"

"I heard she can read and paint, why not sell her to the palace to be a maid for that young lord"

"Yes, why didn't I think of that, he had requested for a serving girl, who was smart to accompany the princess as part of her betrothal gifts"

"but they leave in three days"

"then what are you waiting for? have one of the maids clean her up and send her to him. with her beauty, she would fetch a handsome price"

Ninuo felt a rough hand on her shoulders as the voices faded away. she looked up to see a burly woman standing in front of her, her grip firm. She was grateful that the late emperor of Dayu had taught her so many things and languages. From what she understood they were now in a kingdom in the far east and she was about to be sold as a maid for a princess who was to marry to another kingdom.

"Enough spacing out" the burly woman said as she dragged Ninuo along. "Come with me"

That night after taking the longest bath she had had in weeks, changing into fresh clothes and fed a decent meal she was handed over to the young lord the trader had mentioned.

"What's your name" he asked, genuinely surprised at how such a delicate beauty had ended up in such a state.

Su Ninou looked up at the man in front of her but said nothing.

He sighed.

"I don't know what you have been through in the past but i promise you will be safe here, I am prince Tarkhan" He said with a slight bow.

"My younger sister princess Khutulun, named princess MingYue by the emperor of the central plains is turning sixteen in three months and is to marry a prince."

"It has not been decided which prince and as my only sister, I fear she would be wronged. So I need someone who is smart and talented beside her"

Ninou looked at the sincere concern written on prince Tarkhan's face. She thought back to when she was younger and was in a similar situation as princess Khutulun. She remembered how Aoru had tried everything to stop her from getting married and expressed in his letters his desire to be with and protect her in Dayu. Recalling the emotions and experiences she had gone through. Prince Tarkhan did have every reason to be concerned, she thought.

"Ninou" She finally said. As her heart softened a bit.

"what?"

"My name" She replied. "I am Ninuo"

"How nice sounding! That's not a name I have heard before, you don't look it but you must not be from around here" He sat down genuinely surprised.

"Can you also speak the language of the central plains" he asked.

Ninou was not sure what the language was supposed to sound like, but she figured she mostly likely could so she nodded calmly.

"Impressive" he said " we would call you A'Nuo it sounds more like the names of the central plain dwellers"

Curious prince Tarkhan, excitedly ordered for a seat to brought for Ninou. He had a lot of questions to ask her.