Sunset glow cast light on vast land; mountains rolled far afield, behind which cloud seemed to billow; the glow dyed dim lineaments of peaks golden. Before me, verdancy unfolded endless to the horizon. I had not known before that grassland in the border was so extensive, times bigger than royal hunting field. The land and the sky were spacious and landscape of the border was splendid. Even an emperor could not possess all of them.
Xiao Qi took me out of the town and showed me the splendor and vastness of the land that he had extended. Before Ning Shuo Battle, the grassland under our feet, beautiful and fertile, had been occupied by Tujue. In the battle, Xiao Qi overwhelmed and repelled Tujue. Therefore the border of our kingdom extended northwards six hundred li to Huodu Peak.
It was the first time for me to be shocked by the grandness of the land. I realized that expecting the grand royal palaces, there was the other kind of grandness more shocking than royal one.
Xiao Qi pointed afar with his whip. “That is Huodu Peak, the summit of north land. Its top has been capped with year-round snow for thousands year. No one could climb up over its waist. Old herdsmen had its legend that the peak top was god's abode, which mortal should not profane it.”
“I never go to such a high place.” I signed with great admiration and yearning.
“I just went to the halfway of the peak.” He gave a signing smile. “In the world, what I only hold in awe is the power of land.”
It was not the first time for him to express the unruly and divergent idea. In the first time, it sounded unorthodox and now normal to me. If the others said so, they were reckless and offensive to the emperor, but when he did, it was nothing surprising and sounded normal.
“Over the mountain is the desert full of sand. Dunes can disappear immediately; quicksand makes abyss. The desert extends northwards for hundreds li and beyond there is oasis. Go north again and reach Tujue's territory.”
In the direction pointed by him, I imagined the remote desert which fascinated me.
Strong wind whizzed and flapped his cloak and my long hair.
We rode side by side and marched slowly. No guardians and worldly affairs. Only two riders roamed on serene and spacious land. The sky became higher, and we more relaxed and closer. The last glow of sunset tinted the world with brilliant golden color.
Looking into the far sunset over the horizon, I aspired with passion for racing. I looked back and smile at Xiao Qi. “Your Majesty, we contest in racing?”
He laughed aloud, reining in his horse. “You run three hundred paces firstly.”
Without a reply, I whipped his black horse strongly. Possibly Black Dragon was never whipped by the others. Having been hit, the horse with a temper neighed aloud and ran immediately. It surprised Xiao Qi. Before he responded, my legs pressed my horse belly. It pranced out.
My horse name was Startling Cloud. It was white overall. Long white mane waved like a cloud in wind when it galloped.
Xiao Qi caught up with me soon as Black Dragon was so fast like a thunderbolt.
The black and the white horses ran side by side. Xiao Qi turned to me, his eye full of appreciation and surprise. “What else can you do?”
I smiled without reply. Whipping my horse, I enjoy the riding -- wind flapping my sleeves and waving my long hair as if I rode on wind on endless and green land. In the wind, there were floral fragrance and soil smell which made me enchanted.
In my childhood, my uncle already taught me riding. I ranked top in women in the capital, and even my brother gave in to me. However, as I saw Xiao Qi riding, I was sincerely convinced. Black Dragon also outdid Startling Cloud. I and Startling Cloud had been tired while Xiao Qi was still relaxed and Black Dragon was more excited.
“I give in. You win.” I gave out a pant, not urging my horse anymore. I threw my whip to him.
“My honor.” With smile, he bowed slight to me and reined to slow down. He stared tenderly at me. “Are you tired?”
I smiled and shook head. Brushing my hair, I found us going too far. Endless grassland extended around us and it became dark. As night curtain fell, wild flowers bloomed among grasses. A few frame house and yurt emerged far and herdsmen already burned campfire. Cowboys were driving flocks and herds back. Joyful and melodious folk song came out of herds.
“Where is it? We travel so far!” I signed with amazement and smile.
Xiao Qi said seriously, “Tonight we can't return and have to camp here.”
I stuck out her tongue and pretend to be terrified. “How do we do? Is there wolf?”
“No wolf.” Xiao Qi gave me a half-smiling glance. “But a man.”
I blushed in private and pretend not to understand it. I turned my head aside but laughed out.
Now that it was evening, we might as well visit the houses of herdsmen. It happened that the herdsmen returned home and their housewives served tasty meat soup and hot sheep milk.
The hospitable and simple herdsmen were happy for our uninvited visit. Nobody asked where we were from and who we were. They just offered good meal to treat us like distinguished guests. Some teens watched and admired our horses and women were graceful to sit around us and kindly chat about us. They were amazed for my white skin like milk and sleek hair like silk. The praises were the simplest and loveliest ones that I ever heard.
When they drank enough wine, they sang and danced around the campfire. They played the instruments that I never saw and sang the song that I could not understand.
Xiao Qi whispered beside me, “It is Tujue Language.”
I had had inkling about it. I whispered to ask, “All of them are not from our kingdom?”
He nodded and smiled. “Here always is the place where people of different tribes and nationality live together and intermarry. The folkway is different from ours.”
I nodded slightly and signed with mixed emotions. Our kingdom fought with Tujue for decades, forming deep feud, but common people still lived in harmony. For a hundred more years, they had intermarried and dwell here, so they were not dividable. The borders of kingdoms were marked by weapon but folkway and kinships were not cut off.
An old man with long and white beard invited Xiao Qi to drink. As soon as Xiao Qi returned to his seat, a rosy-cheeks girl held a bowl of wine and came up to him. The people around us laughed with encouragement and watched us.
I did not know their folk custom, and Xiao Qi shook his head. “I have been married.”
Instead of being shy, the girl stamped her feet and turned to me. “You are his woman?”
The direct asking surprised me. I looked back at Xiao Qi whose eyes were full of passion, smiling. Indefinable warmth filled my heart.
“Yes.” With a smile, I looked up to meet her aggressive gaze.
Her eyes were glinting. “I want to invite him to dance. Do you allow?”
Her intention was to dance with him, which made me funny. I looked back to Xiao Qi who I really wanted to see how he danced. As I imagined the scene of his dancing, I could hardly hold back my laughing. When I saw him, I hold back laughing. I said seriously, “Sorry, I can't allow.”
“Why?” The girl looked innocent and frank.
Staring at her eyes, I said clearly with a smile, “None of an inch land of kingdom is allowed to occupied, so is my husband.”
People around us applauded with uproar and toasted us. A strong and tall young man stood up and sang a song for the girl. Though I could not understand its lyrics, his passion made the girl blush. And my face blushed too, almost as red as hers. Xiao Qi's gaze at me stifled me. I did not drink much but I felt dizzy.
It was late evening. We left the hospitable herdsmen for the town.
In the dark sky, stars glittered; on serene land, horse hoof clopped; in tender darkness, the universe fell.
I raised my head and let evening wind cool down my blush while my heart was still stirring.
“Come on.” Xiao Qi hugged me and held me to his horse before my response. He wrapped me with his cloak.
I looked up at him and he looked down at me. “Do you like here?”
“Yes.” I smiled at him. “I never see so beautiful place and have not been so happy for long time.”
He smiled back and whispered beside my ears. “After the war ends, I will take you to travel around -- vast east sea, steep west mountains, and picturesque south villages... The enormousness and beautifulness of the world are beyond your imagination.”
War always hovered overhead. Leaning against his chest, I sighed silently. All night we did not mention anything about the war. Though we knew the war imminent, we did our best to forget the worry. A single worry-free night was precious to us.
Eyes close, I smiled. “Nice. At that time, we travel around and find a beautiful place to build a small house. Work in day and repose at night...” Xiao Qi hugged me tightly and whispered, “I build the most beautiful house for you. There live only you and I. No one could bother me.”
I looked up into the sky. This night was so romantic and life was peaceful and sweet.
Suddenly his arm held my waist tighter; his thin lips brushed my ears; his breath breezed through my neck. My body softened as if I were drunk. I quivered without strength to shun. Head rising, I resigned my neck to his kissing.
“Hug me tightly.” His voice was low and calm. “Anyhow, don't loosen your hand afterwards.”
I immediately opened my eyes, feeling horrible. Though it was serene around us, he emitted chill of alertness overall, which was killing radiation like sword out of sheath.
Black Dragon also sensed something, slowing down and raising its ears. Following it, Startling Cloud uttered a low neigh.
Xiao Qi held sword on the alert, and hugged me tightly in secret.
Black Dragon paced slowly. Its every clop stamped our heart.
Without any signal, the sky became overcast. Moisture came with wind. At this night of May, rain was incoming.
We had reached the edge of grassland where low hills rolled. We could see obscure light in suburban villages. Undulating hay piles stands along the road, which we passed. I secretly felt uneasy, having a foreboding. Just now on the open and flat grass land, there was no place to hide; even a flying bird could not escape Xiao Qi's sight. However in this edge area, terrain was different. Hills and hay piles blocked our sight, like big beasts lurking in darkness and ready to swallow us.
Stolen novel; please report.
Thunder boomed and high wind blew. It was going to rain.
I circled Xiao Qi's waist with my arms. My finger tips touched a beast head of his belt buckle. The iron beast head was hard and cold, so was my mind. I felt easy and safe. Black Dragon suddenly stopped, giving off a short and alert snort. I held my breath and Xiao Qi held me tightly again. Not batting an eyelash, he spurred his horse.
Cold raindrops fell and wetted our faces. It rained eventually.
Some fireflies flew left ahead, and then they scattered.
“Crouch!” Xiao Qi warned me suddenly and pressed me on saddle. I saw nothing, just hearing a sharp whizzing and sensing a blow of wind beside my face. In cold sweat, I realized that just now I was in deadly danger.
Black Dragon pranced meanwhile to the hay pile behind fireflies.
Wind whistled and we went quickly like thunderbolt. I heard Xiao Qi's stable breath and his arm held me unwaveringly. He pulled out sword. The sword shone immediately to cut off the darkness.
As his sword shone around us, I saw some shadows approaching like ghosts.
Darkness enveloped me after Xiao Qi covered me under his arm with his cloak. My last sight was a killer in black whose eyes glinted above mask wielded his saber to us. Xiao Qi's sword overwhelmed his saber, like a gust sweeping everything.
In darkness, I saw nothing but smelled a trace of hot blood. The transient clash made something splash on my cheek. A thunder broke and rain poured. Black Dragon jumped up and neighed with a shock. Sword whizzed. In downpour, clashes were heard sometimes and more were blood splashing and flesh and bone breaking. After fighting against Helan, I had been familiar with killing. Tang of blood diffused in darkness. I pressed my cheek against Xiao Qi's chest, keeping still. I resigned myself to his cover of cloak. Through clothes, I clearly heard strong beating of his heart.
Black Dragon spared no effort to gallop, as if it rode on wind. I did not know where it headed for. The darkness in cloak made me calm -- I was never so composed. I had not fear, even if horrible hell was ahead of us, as his warm chest was solid behind.
Killing around us had gone while bloody smell still remained; storm was fiercer. Rain wetted cloak and penetrated my clothes. I felt cold and wet. His body transmitted warmth through cold clothes to me. Nestling on his chest, I felt warm all over. I looked up but my eyes could not open because gust and rain beat my face so that my eyelash and hair were wet.
“Keep silent.” Xiao Qi held my waist tightly and aside and I fell down from saddle.
We fell on road side where soft hay pile received us. Xiao Qi sat up and covered me to crouch behind the pile. Black Dragon and Startling Cloud neglected us falling and kept running ahead. My heart sank. Clops of hooves splashed puddles and chased the two horse.
Xiao Qi stayed still, arm around my waist to hold me stably. Rain flowed from the pile and drenched through our skin. Despite cold, I held my breath and clenched Xiao Qi's hand. He clenched mine too, transferring his comfort to me.
As the clops faded afar, he said to me in low voice, “Follow me.”
He led me to rush into storm. We ran in darkness and downpour. Our vision was obscure and our feet stomped puddles. A dim shape of a shed emerged before us, hiding in the expanse of wood stakes and hay piles.
Xiao Qi kicked the shed door open. Gust and rain came into it. The dark blinded us while smell of hay assailed our noses.
I closed the door in haste. The door was thin, but at least it could block off the storm and the killing in short time.
Here was an obsolete military fodder yard which Xiao Qi had ever inspected; therefore he still remembered this simple shed where fodder guardian watched. Assassins were more than we were; Xiao Qi made a resolute decision that we gave up our horses which drew them away and in darkness we hid here. Downpour washed off our footprints and the assassins had no inkling of this place. It was hard for them to find this shed.
Xiao Qi lighted up a small torch and checked the door and windows closed so as to make sure that the light could not leak outside; afterwards he light charcoal residue in a fire pit. It was cold in north where common people warmed room in fire pit. In the room, a simple table stood and hay straggled.
I leaned against the table, quivering for cold or fear, which I could not distinguish. The assassins were diverted temporarily. Just now Xiao Qi defeated and killed some of them by himself, and we broke through their well-planned ambush. If without me, possibly he could defeat all of them. I looked up at him and was shocked. From his drenched cloak, water dripped onto floor and the water was terribly red.
“You are hurt.” I came to him and pulled off his cloak. In panic, I held his arms to search his wound.
I pressed my hands and joked. “Don't touch me. It is improper for men and women to touch each other.”
I raised head with eye filled with tears. Neglecting his joking, I blurted out, “How are you. Are you wounded?” Xiao Qi had no response, staring at me. Not only his cloak but his clothes were half wet with blood stains, but I could not find the wound. In panic, I grasped his arms.
“I am fine.” He replied in soft voice.
I was relieved, tear falling and word choked.
“All are assassins' blood. I killed about nine and twenty left.” He did not think that I believed it, and took off the cloak.
I did not say anymore, just gazing at him. In happiness and sadness, I still was in panic.
“You pale for fear.” He signed with love. “Silly girl. Have you been afraid that I would die?”
When he mentioned “die”, I got nervures again, stiffening before him. At this fatal moment, I could not lose him anymore. Thinking of the deadly moment, I could not stand sad terror anymore. In vain I hugged him with my arms. “If we die, you have to die after me, so I will be not sad and suffering your death.”
Xiao Qi was shocked, keeping silent. He embraced me so hard as to make me breathless.
“Yes. After decades, I let you go ahead.” He whispered beside my ear. “In the decades, you have to stay with me to the aged. We should not estranged each other as we are aged.”
We nestled against each other beside the fire pit. Xiao Qi took off the stained clothes; his chest muscle was solid and visible. Looking down, I dared not see him. He bent to poke charcoal in the pit, pondering. He did not sense my abashment.
I coughed gently and signed. “What can we do? Waiting until dawn?”
Xiao Qi smiled. “Before dawn, my generals will come.”
To my surprise, he was composed with a smile. “We stayed out overnight. Huai'en must sense our danger and take soldiers to search. I released Black Dragon home because he knows the routine and my smell. He can lead him here. Here is close to the town. They must arrive before dawn.”
I relieved with a long breath and got calm, but his face fell.
He said without fuss, “The assassins had known our travel... In our residence spy was planted, I think.”
I tightened up, chill rising from my backbone. Those who knew our travelling out were our close servants. If spy was planted among them, nobody was reliable.
“Is it Helan's spy again?” I thought it over, frowning. “No. Tujue and Helan now reduce to their unrest, and none of them have effort to assassin you.” Xiao Qi's lips curved, which however was not smile. His eyes rolled and became profound. “You think it. Now who wants more than anything to kill me? Who can have dozens of assassins lurking in Ning Shuo?”
I was poking charcoal. Hearing his words, I shivered and almost lost poker.
I did not know if wet clothes or cold in body made me shivering. Even I sat beside the fire, and I still felt cold.
“Are you cold yet?” Xiao Qi embraced me behind me. Having grabbed my drenched sleeve, he said firmly, “No. It is wet. Take it off.”
My unease emerged again but I could not escape his arms. Before the embarrassment that he undressed me twice made me take it too hard.
His arms tightened. He bent and whispered. “Why do you always fear me?”
Choking, I felt thirsty and blushing all over. I staggered, “No, I am not.”
He did not say more and embrace me. His warm breath breezed through my ear.
Sparks flew occasionally in fire pit. Just now I felt cold but now I did hot all over.
“Afu.” He called me emotionally in soft and hoarse voice. “I have missed you for three years.”
His lips touched my earlobe, kissing gently down to my neck.
I closed my eyes tightly, keeping still and even holding breath. My heart throbbed hard as if it jumped out of my chest.
On the eve of our wedding, a Mamma who was in charge of daily affair in palaces had taught me sex. Longer ago, I even walked in on the crown prince when he was intimate with a maid of the queen. Though I was shy and curious about intimacy, I did have inkling of it.
His thin and hot lips moved on my naked skin, and made me itch. In his arm, I felt limp as if I would float in warm and slow tide, rising and falling.
His breath came to quicken. His hands on waist moved up to my breast to undress me. His palms on my silk underwear covered my breasts, gently and warmly, like holding invaluable gem.
I blurt to pant, groaning with his name. Our fingers crossed together.
He stopped and turned me to him, so I looked up into his eyes. I gazed in passion at him -- his hair, eyebrows, lips, each of which was my love. I raised my arm to circle his neck. My finger tips stroked his Adam's apple and his thin lips. His arm lowered down suddenly and held me into the arm. My hairpin loosed and hair scattered like a stretch of silk covering his arm. He laid me on soft hay and bent to stare passionately at me, eyes full of love.
I was undressed one by one. My virgin body was exposed.
Sparks in the pit cracked; fire warmed us, keeping us away from cold of storm and night.
This was our wedding night belated for three years. Everything was changed: luxurious bridal chamber replaced by this shed with fire pit in north border, chaperons serving by assassins attacking. These, tough and unusual, took place only for our status and current situation. Possibly we were destined to be distinctive couple who would trek together on tough way. This was our fate and life.