A jolt of pain shot up Susu’s legs as landed on the sand. She scampered towards Xing, seeing the sinew, torn muscles, limbs heads scattered across the sand. “BROTHER XING!” She screamed.
Xing was kneeling on the sand, face haggard, hands bloodied. An Axsumite woman knelt to the right, with gold chains dangling around her neck, but what caught Susu’s attention was the baby in her outstretched arms.
Her eyes widened from surprised as she saw blood pooling beneath the Axsumite woman, as she still held the baby “BROTHER XING!” She shouted. “HELP ME STOP THE BLEEDING!”
“It’s too late.” He whispered.
Susu circled the woman, then covered her mouth. Blood rushed from the twenty stab wounds that pierced her body, yet, the child was unharmed.
Susu slid across the sand, anger eyes turning red, then cracked her whip back, decapitating the maimed assailants without hesitation.
It didn’t soothe her disgust.
The baby began crying a new, this time, more harrowing than one could describe. The shriek-like cries made Susu’s ear feel as though they were about to pop.
Susu turned to Xing who was still in a stupor, not one of wine, but one of death. Xing’s reminiscing Yun Yan’s death, a death he has yet to move on from.
And despite this woman being a stranger, he would still register this death as someone he couldn’t save!
Susu clapped her hand on his shoulder and squeezed, reassuring as best as he could. This was all he could do, as Bo Ying always did a better job of soothing his moods whenever he got depressed.
She then walked over to the Axsumite woman who still had her arms outstretched. When Susu appeared in front of her, she drew the child back into her bloodied chest. Then began cradling her slowly.
Tears poured down her eyes, splashing onto her child’s own cheeks. The tears didn’t sooth her cries, it probably made it worst.
It made Susu tear up as well, watching such a sight. Susu rested her hand on the woman’s shoulder, trying to soothe her, but the woman shrugged her off keeping the child away from her as any mother would.
The turned around and stared into Ban Susu’s eyes. Her eyes were light brown, but Susu saw the emptiness twithin them.
She began cursing Susu in an unknown language, but Susu allowed her the reprieve she sought. “Oker selvtih es li vog egron” The woman said gently, holding the child to her face, sobbing uncontrollably.
“Evik gi tof uloj!” She said, then removed the chain from around her neck. She then placed it around the child’s own and began to hum to her.
She turned around, looking up Susu once more and spoke her last words. “Bamidele.”
She turned her eyes back to the child, nudging its cheek, cradling her once more, then handed the child to Susu who took her gently.
The Axsumite woman finally sagged to the ground, crying to her death.
Susu didn’t say anything.
What was there to say? As hard as Xing and she had fought, they couldn’t do anything.
The child playfully pulled at the gold chain with the silver bead in her mouth, crying as though she knew who she just lost.
A newborn child, losing her parents unbeknownst to her. What a pitiful life she’ll have Susu thought, but a life nonetheless she thought bitterly.
Four Hours Later
The Yellow Orchid village was bustling with people, who moved back and forth as they made their way to the respective taverns or lodgings. Horses neighed from nearby stables, whilst children sprint across the mud streets, sticking their tongues out at each other. Enjoying what little semblance of the life they had.
The moon’s imminence enhanced the lanterns, which happened to be sprinkled in between stalls and vendors who wanted to test their luck on a late night such as this.
The moon seemed particularly bright tonight, unlike most nights, it wasn’t even a full moon, but a quarter-crescent moon at that.
The white lanterns on both sides of the street had a little tinge of yellow incorporated into the paper, making the light glow a little brighter. The lanterns also had a small flower drawn on the side, signifying the village’s namesake.
It left a tranquil ambience to the street, something Xing hadn’t expected but appreciated. He needed that, especially after tonight’s fight.
As raucous as some of the crowds were most of the people bumped into him, trying to avoid Susu who’d been carrying a baby in her arms. At least they aren’t drunk enough to bump into Su’er, Xing thought.
Some people sneered at her, questioning why would a woman roam the street with a child at this hour. It wasn’t spoken out loud but spoken through their eyes. It didn’t help either that Susu wore a veil.
That, however, was how things were in Huaxia, especially in this part of the country.
They weren’t pompous, they tend to live a simple life. Women gather and take care of the children whilst men hunted for meat and anything they deemed important to them.
Something which usually consisted of women, wine and freedom!
Of course, not all men were like this…but most were. “Are you alright?” Susu asked, for the hundredth time.
“I’m fine Su’er. Stop asking!” Xing grunted, for the thousandth time.
“It doesn’t seem so to me. Hold her, maybe that’ll get you out of your depressive stupor!” She snapped.
Xing’s eyes trailed to the child, wrapped from head to toe as she slept. Susu could see how stressed he was just looking at her, his shoulders weren’t as square as usual, nor he had that usual pep in his step.
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They both just watched the father and mother of this child die whilst fighting off bandits. No, Xing thought, Assassins.
What frustrated him the most was how easily the Axsumite warrior had singlehandedly defeated majority of the assassin with his own power.
Xing wandered the Jianghu for over twenty years. He’d fought men of the Qi Perception Realm and held his own. When he was of the Mind Awakening Realm, he held his own against those of the Accentuation Realm.
But this…to be nothing but a bystander? Is this…what I’ve become? Xing thought bitterly, knowing full well…he’s wasted his potential.
He’s disappointed his Master in more ways that he could ever say out loud. He cant even face his Martial Brothers and Sister…because of how weak he is…mentally.
No wonder Heng Guo hasn’t looked me in the eye for years, he can’t stand the sight of me. He thought sourly.
The rough calluses of hands were a bitter reminder when he felt them. He’d spent years, developing his own fighting style based off of his Master’s own technique, but what did he amount to…a failure.
Twenty-odd years in the Jianghu and can’t save a woman, who are you really, Zhao Xing? What was Xing supposed to do? No…I have to be better…far better than this.
“I’ve never held a child before,” Xing finally said after a moment of thought. “What?!” Susu snapped, eyeing him up and down in disgust. “You’re lying. I refuse to believe you’ve never held a child before!”
“You don’t have to say it so scornful.” Xing pleaded.
“I’m in disbelief Brother Xing. Have you been ever tricked you into holding a wine bottle instead of a child?!”
“The possibility of that is rather high, and I’m ashamed to say it!”
The martial siblings stopped, realising that everyone within the village had been staring at them, something Susu didn’t want, but it was something he was used to.
“Broth—“ Susu tried to say, but Xing cut her off.
“Apologies, me and my wife are having a little disagreement, you can carry on about your business.” He said with a broad smile and bow.
“Kinda man are you that never hold a child?!”
“Yeah…tha’ don’ make sense, is it slow in the head?!”
“Possibly,” Susu said sternly.
As low as Xing’s bow was, he could feel the daggers entering his back as Susu stared at him venomously.
…and why not? They attracted attention whilst carrying an Axsumite baby, that was suicide on it’s own.
“Apologies everyone, my husband doesn’t think before he speaks,” Susu said with a bow, ensuring to hide the baby’s skin colour.
Susu harrumphed, and pointed her nose to the sky, not saying a word further and began walking forward, leaving Xing to apologise to everyone.
They continued their stroll through the Yellow Orchid village, wandering eyes glossed over them both. Susu had her veil on, ensuring not to startle the villagers, after all she wasn’t a Huaxian.
The strongly tanned colour of her skin, showed her to be from Parsoni, a small island in the far west. Which happened to entail more desert than foliage, some merchants said.
Xing though, was from Huaxia itself and was worried about how they’d react if they saw the child’s skin. They’d label her as a demon come to kill them, He thought.
Susu led them down a brick wall alley and turned around midway down the path. As Xing approached, he could feel the venom flowing from Susu, he know what he’d done, but he couldn’t care at this point…or did he?
Susu raised the child to his face, making him shy away. After a second, he finally eyed her shyly, looking at the perfectly round face, supple nose, curled lips and deep emerald eyes.
Her skin was starkly different compared to his. He was palish-tan and that was if he were to compare his own to Susu. However, he did note that the child’s skin colour was closer to Susu’s. “Brother Xing, let’s try harder to not stand out…alright? I’d like to see her live pass this village.”
“Then we’re both in agreement,” Xing said with broad smile, wrapping her back and placing her in Susu’s arms.
Susu’s lips drew to a line, but he ignored her. The child’s cheeks were puffy and her lips thin and in that very moment, Xing knew, that this child was one of the most beautiful things he’d ever seen. A black rose in a sea of chrysanthemums.
Xing outstretched his arms, he didn’t know what took over him, but he wanted to hold her. Susu looked at him apprehensively for a few seconds, then finally gave her to him.
He rocked her in his arms. She didn’t wake, thankfully but seeing her at peace lifted the boulder-like feeling he felt across his back, slightly…but enough. “You’re a natural,” Susu said with a smile.
“I’m a natural at most things!” Xing said with a smile. “Then let’s find someplace to rest, I’m tired.”
“Aye aye”
Xing and Susu walked the streets, finding a tavern eventually after much haggling. They posed as a newly wedded couple and shared a room. Xing slept on the ground whilst Susu and the baby took the bed.
In the morning Susu left the child with Xing whilst she grabbed some milk. It was weird of course for a woman to wander the street asking for milking when she had a newborn child at home.
Xing left that up to her, she had a knack for these things and a way to speak to calm the mind, whilst he only knew how to agitate and annoy, not maliciously, but with intent to brew a smile.
He picked up the child, rocking her back and forth to a giggle. She looked at him and then grabbed his hair, yanking it as if it were a rope.
The tugs were weak but full of the awkwardness you’d expect from a child. Then, she started crying, bawling even at the loudest possible pitch. Terror flashed across Xing’s face as he smelt a foul odour fluttering into his nose.
He placed her on the bed, stripping away her garments. The child had left a big pile of feces in her undergarments, which made Xing quaff at the sight. She giggled when he touched her arm and then rolled over to bite him.
“A little too playful aren’t you?” He said, firmly. Xing pulled the undergarment free from the little girl and began cleaning her up with the same rag. Once he was finished, he tossed it in the corner of a room to be washed.
The door groaned behind Xing and Susu sauntered in. She had two jars in her hand and Xing turned to her with fright painted onto his face. “What’s wrong?” Susu asked, matching Xing’s face. “I think I messed up.”
“What?!”
Susu sprang towards the bed, jars in her hand spilling the milk on the bed. She picked up the child, holding her up and inspecting her to ensure nothing was wrong.
The girl giggled the moment Susu picked her up and pee’d directly on her arm. Susu’s lip drew a line, but she calmed herself and flashed a happy smile. “At least we know, everything’s in working order.”
“Good…it would seem so,” Xing said.
Susu finished changing the child’s undergarments and placed her on the bed. She warmed the milk and fed her. The wind brushed past the window, rattling it like a rattlesnake. It woke the child on a few occasions which annoyed Xing, who finally stuffed a piece clothe between the hinges. That’s better, He thought.
Once the baby was finally asleep, Xing and Susu eyed other but didn’t speak. They faced many hardships in their lives, but this was something neither of them could’ve fore scene.
“Brother Xing, are you okay?” Susu asked.
“For the hundredth time Su’er, I’m fine.”
“I see…”
“Ask what you want to already.”
Susu’s lips curled into a smile and she shook her head in shame, “You know me so well.”
“Better than Brother Guo?”
“Better than Brother Guo…” Susu said.
A silence resonated between the two and Susu sat on the bed, and began to contemplate. “Did you recognise their fighting style?” She finally asked.
“I didn’t, it’s probably native to the area.”
“You know of any sect that operates in this area?”
“The only sect in the area is the Anqing, the White Wolf Sect and their back in Anqing.”
“Bandits?”
“I don’t believe they were,” Xing said shaking his head, “you saw what that Axsumite did, these men were well trained, possibly even trained for the purpose of taking on the boat.
“Humph…that does seem right. Did any of them say anything?”
“I didn’t give them a chance to…and neither did you.”
“True,” Susu said, “but one of them claimed they were doing their duty as Huaxians in Emperor Tian Hao’s name.”
Xing harrumphed, then shook his head bitterly. “Of course they were. Anyone would justify slaughtering innocents!”
“You don’t care what happened four hundred years ago?”
“Why would I? Didn’t the master teach us to protect people?”
“What have they done? I haven’t heard any word of Axsumites making trouble in Huaxia, how else did they get in, I saw Huaxians amongst them.”
“Spies?”
“Axsumites make poor spies, this has to be related to trade or some farce the high borns engage in.” Xing said.
“You’re right, you’re right, that’s the only way to explain how they got so deep into Huaxia, they would need a nobleman’s help…What are we going to do?” Susu asked.
“What else is there to do? Where going to Master, he will guide us on what to do.”
“Are we going to mention the circumstances?”
“I’ll be honest Su’er, I think we shouldn’t let anyone know anything outside of us finding her on an abandoned ship…it’ll draw highborns and noblemen alike, I want to stay away from those as much as possible.”
“Hmmm…I agree. You’re right”
“I’m always right!” Xing said with a smug smile.
Susu shook her head, then bit her lips tossing herself on the bed. “Sometimes it’s good to be humble Brother Xing.”
“…sometimes not!”