Tales Under A Cloud

12| Light and Shadow

The last round started in the afternoon. Now it was about watching some videos they will play them so that in the end, the girls will make the best decision.

It didn't matter who was going to lose or who was going to win this time. What mattered to them was the decision Yuxin would make if she were the queen. And that made her feel more pressured.

"Calm down, you'll be fine" Yuyan patted her on the shoulder so that her friend would stop playing with her lips.

They were taken to a room and each one sat at a separate table far from each other. There was a projector in front and in a few minutes Lady Fanzi ordered the lights to be turned off to watch the video.

In it there was a woman covered with many clothes and in front of her was a child with mud on his face and a can full of coins. They were both walking under the snow where a few meters away the town could be seen. They walked until they stopped in front of a man who wouldn't let them pass for wearing that type of clothing. Suddenly the video stopped right there and then the whole room went dark. Yuxin waited for Lady Fanzi to say something or for her to play another piece of the video but nothing happened.

"Yuyan?"

No response. And that scared her. She got up from the seat quickly to turn on the lights even though she has tripped several times. When the place was lit up. Yuxin gasped.

Lady Fanzi was lying on the ground with her eyes open and a red mark pass through her neck. She had been hanged.

"Yuxin-"

Yuyan tried to warn her, but it was too late. Someone hit her from behind and everything went dark.

*

The days Kun spent in his office, it wasn't just to prepare for the position as king and take on all responsibilities as one. It was also to find out what happened that day he took Yuxin out of the castle to meet her parents.

Since then he hasn't rested in finding the answers in every kingdom that his father had an alliance with. Something was odd, he sensed it. He trusted his intuition more. Kun was sure they were watching him.

He informed Xie Na and ChengCheng. Within a few days more, they managed to find out that his father really has no enemies, but for the Long kingdom they are his enemies. And they couldn't find why.

After looking for reports, he found one of the contestants as a spy in the competition, the number nine. Kun immediately eliminated her, and also telling her that the two kingdoms could work things out in a peaceful way. That's why Kun traveled to her kingdom to speak with the king. But now it seems that it was useless to have gone so far just for them to attack his castle.

Some of their soldiers broke the office window and now they had him cornered on the desk.

"What are you looking for?"

Kun clenched his fists. He had hoped they would fix it by talking, but they wanted to fight. If he had considered that, this wouldn't be happening. He would have been more prepared.

"You will know when you see our boss" one of them spoke and took a few steps towards Kun.

"You were watching me?" He asked again to gain some time until ChengCheng came to help him.

But no one answered, they approached Kun as if they were predators.

I need a sword, Kun looked around, searching for something to defend himself.

"If you come with us it will be easier and she won't get hurt."

After his warning, Kun looked him straight in the eyes and the anger in him stopped them from walking.

"Don't put a finger on her"

The one who was speaking to Kun smiled maliciously, and that angered him more that he rushed on top of him without thinking about the swords and how they could kill him. His head only had the image of Yuxin.

At that moment ChengCheng appeared with other soldiers and they managed to defeat them by number.

"Kun, are you okay?"

"We must find Yuxin" The prince took one of the swords of the dead soldiers and went to the room where they were doing the last round. 

His concern crept up his throat and a lump knotted. He couldn't believe that this morning everything was fine, the day was totally colorful and lively. But now everything was falling apart, and the color was fading from his eyes.

Along the way, several of his men had fallen and the servants as well. Kun didn't want to look anymore, he hated himself for not been able to protect all of them.

When Kun opened the door, the only person he saw was Xie Na crying and trembling in a corner. He rushed to her side.

"Xie Na, are you okay?"

"Yes, I came here when they attacked us, but I was late"

Kun looked at the ground where she was pointing and saw Lady Fanzi's body. The prince crouched beside her and closed her eyes. He didn't talk much to her and she was always strict with the participants, but she was always a woman committed to her work and Kun felt very bad that now her only child has lost his mother.

It 's my fault.

"I don't know where the girls are and ..."

"Xie Na, calm down. You stay here and don't get out."

She looked at him and squeezed his arm tightly.

"Be careful"

Kun was relieved that his parents weren't in the castle today. He couldn't bear it if something happened to them, even with Xie Na.

But what concerned him more is the disappearance of Yuxin. If something happens to her ...

"Kun!" ChengCheng came to the room with a heavy breathing, and with his clothes stained with blood from the fights "I think I found the girls. And Yuyan is injured"