Paoxiao's Astonishing Ability

It's been several days since the betrayal that led Nastasia to this point in time. Several days since she had been chased and several since she had fallen prey to a bewitching beauty. The wound on her right shoulder had healed itself completely after two days, yet any considerations toward the mystifying speed of her recovery had been tossed aside.

Who could she ask after it?

Thus the swiftly healed wound had been taken as it was and that was the end of it. Rather, Nastasia focused her all upon trying to learn the words of this world. Not only was being unable to speak a truly frustrating thing, it was also a very lonely one. Although Nastasia was a bit of an introvert, focusing almost solely on her fancy of the moment, it wasn't to the extent that she could do without speaking to another for so long.

The servants and creatures that lived here would smile and wave at her. Sometimes the creatures would leave her flowers and then run off. However, she could not get them to stay with her for longer than that. They did not understand that she wanted them to speak to her even if she didn't know their language. Unlike with Li Yu Rong, they could not grasp her point when she gestured at an object and spoke a single word.

Speaking of Li Yu Rong; at first, he had frequently shown up in that room with the library and desk to help her learn to speak and write, howbeit it lately she hardly saw a wisp of his shadow.

No.

That wasn't quite right.

That devastating beauty of a man always managed to show up in her bed. No matter how she glared and cursed him -the later likely having no effect as he couldn't understand the words- he would continue on as if nothing happened. Nastasia had once felt that she was a light sleeper, able to wake up at the slightest noise, however, that guy always managed to slip in with her no matter how she slept.

After a few times of it happening she decided to give up on it. He never tried to take advantage of her and would merely sleep. The moment he tried "THAT" on her, forget words she'd stab him... or kick his little friend so hard that he wouldn't be able to get back up again.

Well, for the most part, she had gotten used to him being there and over the last couple of days didn't feel as shy about it as she had in the beginning.

With a heartfelt sigh, Nastasia hunkered down to lean against a tree near the pond to watch those fairy-like creatures tease the fish with food. Eventually one of the fish spat water at them, causing a few to plop into the pond from wet wings. Though it was an amusing sight, she couldn't bring herself to laugh.

There were too many things weighing heavily on her mind.

The leaves and grass crunched and then a warmth was sat beside her. She turned her gaze from the pond to see the man with orange streaked hair and golden eyes. She was a little surprised that he sat so close to her.

After the day he knelt before her and jabbered off some words he has always been following her around. He never got close, maintaining a distance of around twenty-thirty feet. Just enough to see him, but not to interact. It was only yesterday that she had managed to drag his name out of him.

He was called Paoxiao.

The odd thing was that he refused to get her name in return. He almost seemed worried that she had tried to say it. Although this idea could have been a misinterpretation of his expression as she could not see how telling him her name could be cause for worry. It was merely a name, after all.

Having her attention, Paoxio held out his hand, concentrating his gaze on the center of his palm. After a moment something began to form. From a long greenish-brown stick grew the stalk, the receptacle, the pistol, the stamen and then beautiful pale pink petals.

Nastasia stared in wonder as she watched this plumb blossom come to life in the palm of his hand. As he held it out to her she smiled brilliantly and took it, touching the soft petals that felt real. As she looked at it she found that it was not different to the real thing.

Delighted by her response Paoxiao again concentrated on his palm and one by one a kaleidoscope of butterflies emerged from his hand, filling the space around them with fluttering colors. Soon they burst into sparkling lights, like mini fireworks, fading into the air.

After the last burst of light faded, Nastasia brought her sparkling gaze to Paoxiao's hand in contemplation. After a moment, having come to a decision, she grabbed his arm and forced him to follow her toward the study. As she pulled him she used the single word "gen (follow)," that she had learned from Li Yu Rong.

Nastasia made him sit beside her as she pulled a sheet of paper and grabbed the brush and ink. After having played with these items over these past days she had gotten used to them well enough that she could now draw decent images. She took a moment to ponder how to draw the blueprint she wanted well enough without needing a single word to explain the different parts. To her, it seemed an eternity as she worked this out. For Paoxiao, however, she merely stared at the paper a moment before taking the bush to it, carefully placing strokes this way and that.

At first, he thought that she was planning to show him the writing she had been working hard at, but then realized it was an image she was forming on the page. They sat this way for half an hour. For Paoxiao it was the time taken to brew and drink tea.

Once she was finished, she handed the blueprint to Paoxiao with an expectant gaze. At first he didn't understand what she wanted with this. Howbeit, after looking at the image in his hand and studying it a moment, he realized she wanted him to create this for her. It was such a detailed picture of all the pieces and how they worked.

One he understood it enough that he could see the image in his mind and work out its details, Paoxiao placed down the paper and attempted to form the object. It was a difficult thing to do as he was not very familiar, but once he likened it to a dizi the task became a mite easier for him complete.

Though the material wasn't the same it was, without a doubt, the flute she had meticulously drawn. Reaching out, Nastasia gingerly touched the surface, as a rush of homesickness burst from her chest. Her grandfather loved music. The first instrument he had given and taught her had been a flute. Following that had been the piano, a few stringed instruments, the saxophone and then a few others that hadn't really taken her fancy.

With a watery smile, she picked the flute up and began to play. The song she chose was Moonlight Sonata, one of her grandfather's favorites to hear from her.

Paoxiao closed his eyes, enraptured by the beautiful music he had never before heard, so he hadn't taken notice right away. When the last note rang out and he opened his eyes, still under the music's enchantment, he had seriously panicked when the sight of her tear stained face registered a whole second later.

He reached out a hand, drew back, reach out, and then repeated this several times with such a look of horror that Nastasia's tears turned to amused laughter.

After her good laugh, she wiped away her tears and patted Paoxiao on the shoulder. "I'm alright, now." She told him and then held out the flute. "Thank you for this, Paoxiao."

Paxiao felt his heart warm and then clench sadly at the same time with her smile. The smile that he felt contained a shadow of his sister. He returned her smile while burying the sadness in his heart.

After this encounter, he was more determined than ever to watch out for and protect her.

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A/N:

Wow, ISAW jumped all the way to 16th place! You guys are awesome! I'm glad you all like the story so much as I really enjoy writing it.

The extra chapter in celebration will either be released late Saturday or early Sunday (My time zone is MST for the those that live in other countries.)