The Water Sprite

Confusion

49,800 Years Ago.

Freezing mid stride, Bai Qian slowly turned her head in the direction that the voice had come from.  Suddenly even more afraid of that voice than she was of the ones outside the chamber searching for her, her eyes scanned the dimly lit room fearfully.  Because she knew that voice!  

Looking for a water feature, her sight suddenly landed on a small indoor water feature.  She hadn't noticed it before, because it was hidden in the corner of the chamber.  With a small Buddha statue nestled between the ferns that grew about the small rock pool, her entire body turned to look closely at it.

"Water Sprite?" she whispered as she slowly inched her way towards it.

A deep sigh filled the air, before she discerned movement coming from the other side of the room.

Turning her head, she visibly jumped as a man slowly made his way towards the center of the room.  How did I not see him? she wondered to herself as his face remained in the shadows.  And why does he sound like the Water Sprite? she thought, having heard the voice for centuries she would know it anywhere.

"What are you doing in my chamber?" he asked in the same soft tone that her Sprite used.

Narrowing her eyes at him, she could barely make out his features,  but not really caring too much about his face, wanting only to leave, she began to inch backwards towards the door that she had almost passed through.

"Uh..... forgive me, I am lost and was trying to find my way back to the main entrance." she stammered as her feet took her closer to the open door.

Seeing the man stop in his approach, she too halted.  If he could help her to leave, then there would be no harm done, and she wouldn't get into trouble for any unintentional mischief.  

"You got lost, so instead of following the outer corridors, you instead ran through a set of closed doors and bolted it shut before sneaking about my chamber?  And you expect me to believe that?" he asked in the same gentle tone, before taking a step closer.

Gaping at him a little stunned and feeling very guilty because when he put it like that, it did sound very suspicious.  But she was in no mood for interrogations or accusations.

"I don't care what you believe, it's the truth!  Now if you would kindly point me in the direction of the main gates out of here, I will gladly leave you in peace." she half snapped half begged as she reached the open door.

But the moment he took another step closer, the fear in her rose.  She was in a place she knew she shouldn't be, and seeing as the man was looking more suspicious to her the closer he got, she once again took another step back.  Just one more and she would out in the main corridor, she thought to herself as the man suddenly turned and walked towards the the long soft cushioned seat and sat down.

Gaping at him, and of two minds as to whether she should just turn around and run for it anyway or wait a few seconds, she decided on the latter.  But not moving from where she was, she continued to stare at him.  The room was dimly lit, but as her eyes swept to the far side of the room, she then noticed the small canopied day bed he must have been resting on when she entered.  Being so dimly lit, she had completely missed it.  

"Young lady, you are obviously in some kind of trouble, perhaps I can help you." he said gently as her eyes continued to sweep the room before turning her attention back to him.  Though the obvious way she jumped when voices were heard outside the closed doors, told him it was the case.

Not moving from the open door way, she decided to try one more time.  "Look, I just want to leave.  I don't know my way around the Palace, and after running through the corridors looking for an exit, I found my way here.   I'm sorry I interrupted your rest, but if you could please just tell me where the main gates are, or call a maid to lead me, I will go and you can return to your rest." she said all in one long breath before taking a small step towards him.