Ten Miles of Memories (Fanfic)

Chapter 3: Truth to be Told

     We jumped over rocks and dashing through the cold stream of water up along the hill. There I saw a tall figure with long black hair that glistened in the sun, he was sitting upon a rock underneath a peach tree holding a small jug of what Bai called Peach water.

Bai ran up tugging at his long pink robe, I stood at a distance looking at him.  He stood up while Bai was clinging to him. He turned to face me, smiling setting down his drink on the stone rock behind him.

“Xiu Zhen, come here”, he let out his arms going down to his knees. I was hesitant walking up to him, I glanced over to Bai who was behind him,  she was making a face to come over. I clenched my hands together approaching him, keeping my head low. I was worried of what he might do. I stopped in my tracks before him, he held me uplifting me up from the ground in his embrace.

 “Xiu!, Don't worry there is nothing to worried about now.” his face lit up and took me down by river, there laid a table with some fruit. He set me down beside Bai.

He picked up his robe sitting across from us, peeling away the peach skin giving us the juicy yellow fruit,  placing them in plates for the both of us. Then he began talking in a soft voice.
   “I brought you here under my protection, to keep you safe. Your father sent out a letter to me a couple of weeks ago.” he placed the burnt letter on the table in front of me, I took it in my hands and unfolded the letter. He continued on with his speech, “ Your father and the Celestial tribe tried their best to make peace with the Ghost tribe but it failed, he couldn't protect you from what was bound to happen to the kingdom.” he took a deep breath, sighing “One day you will go back and reclaim the fallen tribe.” before he could continue I broke out into tears.

  “HOW!” I exclaimed jumping out from my seat “How can I bring back what is lost?, I’m just a child!, I don’t know how to run a kingdom, look at me!?, I am nothing!”

He waited until I cooled down looking relaxed he watched me sit as I sat back down.

  “Xiu, you will not bare this by yourself, I am here to teach you and you will work under me from now on till the day you pass your immortal test”, he reached in his pocket and gave me a ruby stone.

“This belonged to your father, he used this stone to bring him courage, your father was my closest kin to me. You are what's left of my family and I will do whatever I can to take good care of you, I promised your father.”

I broke out into tears when he brought up my family. I had no one else who was blood-related to me but only this man who I still don’t know yet. Bai looked at me and patting my back giving me comfort, then out of nowhere she picked up the sliced peaches and threw it at him.  “ Well if you're going to take care of her then at least tell her your name!? Cause what is she going to call you by? Huh? Old man??” she crossed her arms glaring at him.

  The peach smeared his face, he wiped it off using his sleeves.  “You know Bai...that was very rude to throw something at your senior.” he made a flat face at bai crossing his arms.
Bai sat up straight lifting up her chin, “I’m not rude, I giving you a wake-up call because you know nothing of how to treat a girl!”, Bai pointed her fingers at him “She is crying and you're just sitting over there doing nothing!” Bai pouted “What kind of man are you?, No wonder why you didn’t get a wife and only your brother did! that shows he had more potential then you!”

I stopped crying and looked at her...I couldn't believe her!?, she has more guts than a boy!, I looked over and saw his whole face turned white. I couldn't help but cover my mouth from bursting out into laughter. I’m beginning to like this girl's attitude more. He coughed out loud clearing his throat, and made sharp eye contact with Bai, “Maybe I should go tell your older brother that you drank all his peach water I gave him yesterday…..hm?, I bet you won't be able to face your punishment if he found out ” his voice got deep, giving Bai the death stare. Bai covered her mouth and as for me, I giggled, these two where almost like brother and sister the way they acted.

Hehe, you two are very funny when something bad happens” I wiped my tears away and ate more peaches smiling at them. I felt a happy light growing in my heart, the warmth of a family's touch. Bai looked at him with approval, she sat back down flipping her hair. He gave an uneasy look at Bia and then back at me. “Xiu, forgive me for not introducing myself in the beginning, my name is Zhang Zhi Xiao. You can call me Uncle Zhang for short” he smiled. Smiling back at him I held my peach close to my heart. Even if I wasn’t home with my actual family, I will have to come to terms with my new one. There are still some things that I don’t know about yet, but I will learn everything I can from this day onwards. Many new experiences are yet to come, I will be able to make new memories with my new family and friends. Memories that will last for miles.