Back to the Ground

Shen's P.O.V

As winter calmed down, it reminded me of the important mission we are supposed to shoulder as soon as we get back. My parents and Lady Chen's father took their time talking and talking and ended up staying the whole winter.

Me and Lady Chen talked to everyone, if they needed something and whatnot. Of course Lady Chen and I have moments too and not too much physical contact since mother is always hovering over us.

"Tomorrow will be hell." I muttered under my breath as I share the image of the setting sun with Lady Chen.

"Why is that, Shen?"

"Well," I turned to her and took her hand to mine.

"We'll be away from each other more often." Lady Chen rolls her eyes.

"Is that all?"

"I don't want to go into battle."

"Because?"

"Because that would mean many things. Many endings and many events. My heart is not ready."

Lady Chen grips my hand, saying that she's here with me. I lean on her delicate shoulder and sighed. If we were born in a different world, would we be only worrying about love and society? Then finally say, 'fuck it, she's the one for me and I don't care about society'. Gods.

"There must be something keeping you from being lively."

"The old hag,"

"What about your mother?"

"Mom."

"My apologies. Your mom."

"She was depressed. She tried to kill herself, you know. After the great war."

Lady Chen shifted uncomfortably. A shock, I know. Someone as great as her wants to be dead. But someone as great as that bears greater burden than everyone else.

"If something bad comes up, I'll be there to help you since you're such a blockhead."

"Huh?"

Lady Chen grabs both of my cheeks and squeezed them lightly. She looks straight in my eyes with a hint of determined hope.

"I will be there when you'll encounter problems. I will stick with you as your partner and I will be what you are not as you will for me too. We will stick together nonetheless. I will protect you and take care of you. Don't go shouldering all the things that you're thinking. I'm here for you. I may not be as powerful as you but I will be your greatest supporter."

That was the first time that I heard Lady Chen say more than two sentences and a maximum of five words each sentence. She was bearing her heart out to me and here I am, noticing her speech was a bit too long for her preference. I am indeed lucky.

I smile to Lady Chen and could only kiss her. I broke our kiss and hugged her tight. If I will die, what will become of her? I don't think I'm ready to go just yet.

"For the great war to end peacefully, a sacrifice will be in need."

That was what my mother had told me. She told me with such sadness that it felt like she was talking about me. I then knew that it was going to be me that will die for the peace of this country. I can't be so selfish as to not let the country be in peace for my own greed of love. I have dragged this out for far too long. I should've died three years ago but I dismissed my responsibility and now, Lady Chen is in this with me.

Morning came and we're already having breakfast. Everyone was present, including my parents and Klein.

"So, what's the plan?" General Chen asks mom as she puts some rice in her mouth.

"I am only spectating from afar."

"This is not our time." mother adds to my mom's statement.

"But-"

"General Chen," Klein says, interrupting General Chen's sentence.

"At least tell me that they will be successful." General Chen eyes her daughter and then me.

"It is all up to my daughter now. I have taught her all the basics and moved forward."

"I can not interfere as it is not what the gods told me."

"G-gods?" mom only nodded and continued to eat.

Mom together with mother can easily eradicate all the evil in this world but if the gods forbid her to do so, then she can't do anything about it. After all, the gods had given the people a chance of unity with the help of mom's greatness but the people were too greedy and had given up on humanity. My mom has been entrusted with something big for now and I don't even know what it is.

"That is all I could say, General Chen."

My mother pleaded the gods to grant her enough strength to stop everything but with a condition. If humanity's greed perseveres, then mom is to obey the god's even if it means sacrificing their own child. Mom knows that that's why she tried to commit suicide before. The gods didn't allow her to die that's why it's come to this.

"Alright."

Then the table went silent. It was the first time that the table went silent. I drink my water and excused myself.

I ran off before and look what mess I have brought forth. Because I was selfish before. Now that I want to protect someone, I'm suddenly taking over. Even my act of bravery screams selfishness. I can't even look at myself in the mirror. I loath myself.

"Are you alright?"

I turn around and smiled slightly to Lady Chen's sister. I sighed. I leaned my back against the wall and sat on the floor.

"I'm a mess."

"I can see that. Why though,"

"If I hadn't ran away, things wouldn't have gone this way."

I look at my hands. Hands so rough with all that training. Scarred.

"Ran away from what?" I look at her again and looked away.

"I've got you all involved."

Lady Chen's sister sat opposite of me and looked at the open window. I too look at the window. The sky is almost cleared of all the clouds. It was going to be a nice weather soon.

"You know, if you hadn't ran away, father would be tied up with the royal family. It was all because of you that he had the courage to actually fight head on. Not as soon as possible though but still, thank you. You saved our family."

"..."

"And for the record, my sister is happier now that she has you. I've never seen my sister smile and laugh so much before. When she came back and she brought you, she as if changed into someone that I didn't recognize."

".."

"If you're thinking of the negative results of you running away, then at least think of the good things it has brought everyone else."

"Hah..."

"Your way of thinking is not balanced. That's why you need my sister."

I look at her and I am at a loss for words.

If she were Lady Chen, I WOULD have kissed her already.

"I, uhm, an idiot. Thank you."

"Hey, my sister wouldn't have fell for an idiot. You're just emotionally unstable."

I shrug and laughed it off. I heaved a sigh and smiled. Gee, if I had known that it was going to come to this, I would've ran to her immediately and ask for something.

"You're welcome. Now, finish packing and Imma head out."

"Alright. Be safe!"

She ran away as soon as she said 'out'. I look at myself in the mirror and the hate is more less now than earlier. I smiled to myself and patted my own back.

"I got this."

I finished packing and I was now only waiting for Lady Chen. What was she doing? Since she was a little late, I decided to search for her. When I had already searched the whole manor, a look of disappointment had came over me.

Where was she?

"Kiddo!"

Klein walks to me with a toothpick hanging from his mouth. If that was from this morning, then I wouldn't want to be near that thing.

"Klein?"

"Ah, yes, your mother was searching for you. I reckon you were packing?"

"Ah, yes. What did she need me for?"

"I dunno, kiddo. She's at the garden. Go and talk to her. Am busy with all the booze. See ya!"

"Alright?"

I contemplated on what to do first. Search for Lady Chen or go to mother. But if Lady Chen is with mother, then I'm hitting two birds with one stone. I might as well try. I make my way to where mom was at, expecting that Lady Chen was there and in fact, she was.

"Mother? You've called for me?"

"Ah, yes, take a seat, my child."

I did what mother told. I sat beside Lady Chen who was sipping tea quite generously. I diverted my eyes to mother who had a smile on her face.

"How's the sex going?"

My heart dropped a couple of floors before calming myself down.

"M-mother!"

"We have not had any sex yet, mother."

"M-m-mother?"

"Oh, my. My child is incompetent. Goodness. Unlike my wife."

"Are you two conspiring against me or what?"

"Of course not, my dear. We would never. Although I am concerned about your sexual exploits."

"Mother. I can handle that my-"

"Shen refuses to touch me, mother." I coughed.

"E-excuse me?"

Mother had a face. A face that I know all to well when she's had enough of my shenanigans.

"Shen, you are to have sex now or tomorrow, it doesn't matter. A woman needs her lover in more ways than one."

"Mother, this is-"

"Shush. You are to listen to this beautiful lady. And dear," mother turns to Lady Chen.

"Tell me when she behaves. I will reward her." Lady Chen beams with a smile and nodded.

Aiya. Goodness. What have I put myself into?

"Gladly, mother."

After all that, Lady Chen dragged me to her room and forced me to help her pack. She even threatened me that she will tell mother that I have 'misbehaved'. Gah, as if!

"Shen,"

"Lady Chen,"

"If I catch you with any girls that has eyes on you, then I will have you be beaten to death by mother."

"Aren't you going to beat me by your own hands, Lady Chen?"

"Certainly not."

I sighed.

"Lady Chen,"

"Yes?"

"Are you happy?"

Without a second to spare, she answered.

"Very am so, Shen."

I smiled.

"Then I'm glad."

Everyone waved us goodbye, including my parents and Klein. They saw us off. It was now me and Lady Chen traveling. Everyone, as always, turned their heads to Lady Chen. She was so charismatic as always.

I grab Lady Chen's hand and intertwined it with mine. I was content being with her but if everyone was ogling at her, then that isn't enough. I have to establish that she is already taken by me.

"Jealous?" she teases.

"Yes." she shuts up and blushes.

She didn't expect that and nor did I. It came out naturally as if we were already seeing for over ten years. I thought Lady Chen would be afraid of how society works but she wasn't. She leaned her head on my shoulder as if everyone didn't exist. I glared at everyone who was looking. Who wouldn't look when a gorgeous girl is leaning her head on some other girl that looked like a boy and dressed as one.

When we were already at the terminal of the Island of Grounds, I inhaled its familiar scent. I whistled and Sylviath immediately came. She rubs her head on my waist and does the same to Lady Chen.

"We missed you too, Sylviath." Lady Chen says.

We ride on Sylviath to take us to the manor. We were a bit tired because of the traveling so we wanted to take a shortcut. Sylviath dropped us off at the doorstep. I pet her and smiled.

"You thought I forgot? Here, your treat."

I opened my interspacial ring and brought out an Legendary shark. Sylviath's eyes beamed upon seeing the delicious shark. I used some tricks to preserve the shark's freshness. Sylviath munched away happily.

I pet her a little before entering the... messy manor.