Love in the Bamboo

Chapter 2: The Reunion, Kyra

Phew! I really need a nap after today's hunting. It's so hot right now in Guangxi. I wipe the sweat off my forehead before I pick up some sticks; I'll need plenty so I can make a fire tonight. Can't wait for dinner time!

I look at my white horse and admire the dead boar I have strapped to the back of the saddle. It looks so juicy and fat! Plenty of meat to last a couple days or so.

I bent down to gather the sticks for the fire later and my dark hair falls across my shoulders and contacts the side of my cheek. A few seconds later, I can hear running across the grass from the east side of the forest. Whatever it is, it's moving fast towards me.

I jump back and begin to look around to see which direction they're coming from. To my left, five men, covered in black clothing and masks, only revealing their eyes, emerge from the forest shadows. They begin to circle around me. Each one is armed with a sword. Are these bandits? A cult?

"Are you the woman living in this forest" the masked man in the middle asks as he keeps his hand on the sheath of his sword.

I draw my dagger from my waist. "Who wants to know? Reveal yourself!"

The man on the left, next to the one in the middle, draws his sword and points it at me.

"Hand over the Changhua stone that you stole from our camp!"

I became confused. Changhua stone? Their camp? I don't even know these men! I point my dagger at the man with his weapon already drawn.

"Listen my friend. I have no idea who any of you are, or how you found me or where these accusations of theft are coming from, but I have never gone to any camps, nor would I steal in the first place. Lower your sword or there will be consequences."

The masked man on the far right of their circle pulls his sword out swiftly and shifts to battle stance.

"Then I guess we have no choice but to take it by force. Die by our sword you forest hag!" He begins to charge towards me with his sword pointing at my face. I begin to lunge for our battle.

Suddenly, a cream-colored dust grazes across my nose and blows into my eyes. The stinging sensation resulted in me closing my eyes to ease the pain. What is this stuff?

I became vulnerable. When I attempted to open my eyes, the stinging became unbearable. This is one of their fighting tactics. I panicked and started to swing my dagger in all directions to defend myself. I'm not going to die without trying.

Is this the way I die?

Being assassinated by a cult of men for a crime I didn't even commit? The only way I'm getting out of this is by luck or a miracle!

In mere seconds, I felt someone's hands wrapping around me and my feet leave the ground.

Is this one of the bandits or someone else? I tried to open my eyes, but my vision was so blurry from the stinging dust. My eyesight was weak; however, I could vaguely see a man with long dark brown hair, tied in a high ponytail, carrying me in his arms. I could tell he wasn't too pale, but most definitely not tan like me.

The mysterious man eventually noticed my attempted staring as we flew across the sky. I could tell he was gazing at me.

Even through the blurred vision, I knew his eyes were a piercing shade of green. I could tell he had dark armor on also, but it was difficult to describe the exact details. The more I tried to widen my eyes to see, the pain became worse. I had to close them back; but regardless, I felt safe.