webnovel

1.

***

At the end of an intersection where four roads meet lies a mansion to the north belonging to a general from the Great Sky Kingdom. It was a Mansion that was intricately built and oozed of wealth yet behind it laid the most humble and gentle family. While other nobilities of such a high rank usually limited movement in front of their home, this was a mansion which allowed the noisy and bubbly life of the outside world to disturb it. With the mansion equally disturbing the outside world with the laughter and joy emanating from behind its walls. But today something unusual was happening, the otherwise noisy four-way intersection was dead quiet and empty, but for the sound of the residents in that mansion belonging to the great General Lu Bu Wei of Sky Empires Northern Black Army.

The Northern Black Army troops were called the Invisible Black troops or the invisibles because they moved with stealth and great speed only dispatched to handle the most dangerous causes and always victorious. They were one of the main pillars of Sky kingdom and were feared by surrounding kingdoms thanks to their leader, General Lu Bu Wei. Recently they'd been issues at the border and hence the Emperor had dispatched Bu Wei's troops to take care of it. Unfortunately, a month after arriving and settling down at the border, he'd received a distressed letter from his wife asking him to return home as their daughter Lu Bai Qian had fallen gravely ill.

Nihuang was a retired general who'd met Lu Bu Wei on the battlefield and had grown to love him but hate the war. After losing too many comrades all she wanted was peace and stability hence it came as no surprise that when he asked for her hand in marriage, she quickly agreed on the condition that her father, also a general in the army allow her to drop her sword. It had caused an uproar in the family which produced some of the best soldiers in the kingdom but finally thanks to her brother in-law, her father let it go and allowed her to leave her sword behind. While Lu Bu Wei stayed on, the military and battlefield were topics that were off limits in the four walls of their home.

Hence once he got the distressed letter from his wife who never communicated with him once he left for official duties, he knew it was serious and immediately headed back home.

They'd had the doctor come over and he'd prescribed some medications claiming it was a fever but the Nihuang didn't believe it. Her heart kept telling her there was something else going on though she was unsure as to what it was. Sitting at the tip of the girl's bed, Nihuang picks up the rag from the water basin to use in wiping her daughter's body.

"Nihuang you should go get some rest," General Lu Bu Wei says as he steps into the room upon returning back to the capital of Sky, Xi'an. Once he'd arrived, his servants had informed him of how the Mrs. had neither eaten nor slept staying faithfully by the little Miss's bed all day and night. Worried, they'd pleaded with him to ask the Mrs. to get some rest, though he knew it'd be fruitless he still nonetheless attempted to do so upon entering the room.

As expected, she doesn't budge. Knowing her husband's voice, she doesn't turn around as she replies, "Bu Wei, I'm scared...what if, what if..." She says finally turning to look at him with tear filled eyes unable to complete her thoughts. He halts momentarily taken aback. He had never seen his wife close to tears, not on the battlefield, not when she was in labor, not when they'd married and not even when she'd lost her dearest sister years back. Yet here was the strongest woman he knew broken and scared.

Collecting himself, he walks forward towards her and squeezes her shoulder. "Nothing will happen. This is a child that has survived the loss of..." He pauses and shakes his head and rephrases his words. "Don't worry, she'll survive, just like she did five years ago, safe and sound," he says in encouragement but Nihuang wasn't encouraged, the reminder of that night five years back making her even more nervous. "Not everyone survived that night," Nihuang says tears falling down her cheeks now truly frightened. "True, but she did and she will now so don't worry. She'll be okay," he says more for himself than for his wife. The child will be okay, she had to be. Surely the heavens were not so heartless?

A young boy who seemed to be about fourteen years old runs into the room shouting.

"Xiao Qian, Xiao Qian where's Xiao Qian?!" General Lu Bu Wei turns and glares at him. "Quiet!" The boy shuts up but keeps walking towards the pair by the bed. Nihuang looks up at the boy who'd just rushed in, "Wei Zhi?" She says in surprise at seeing their young son who was supposed to be at the border with his father's army at home. "Shouldn't you be at the border?" General Lu Bu Wei asks trying his best to stay calm in front of the sleeping sick child. "What sort of brother would I be if I stayed in the camp while my sister was sick?" Wei Zhi responds. "A brother who realizes returning to the capital without permission is tantamount to treason!" His father bellows flinging his sheathed sword at the boy who swiftly grabs unto it.

***

Thoughts?