Fate of Mist

(52) Followed

I widened my eyes and, heart pounding faster each second, my hands automatically tried to pry the stranger's arm away. Before I had a chance to yell, or attempt to yell, the person who dragged me away whispered in my ear, "Shh, I'm sent here by the young lord. There was someone following you."

My breathing was rapid and my heart was still beating itself to death with the work, but I relaxed my struggle to get free. I didn't remove my hands from his hands, though. Who knows, maybe he's lying to me, and once I relax fully, I'm kidnapped.

"I'm going to let you go, but don't make a sound," the stranger said. I nodded my head.

His hands slipped away from my mouth, and he stepped aside, pulling me down, behind a flat wheelbarrow thing. Because we were already in an alleyway, light was lessened, and now that we are behind an object, blocking more light, it's even harder to see us.

But since we are in the dark, it's easy for us to see who is it in the light. We waited for a second and someone softly opened the back door. I tensed up and anticipated whoever that was who's following me. A light greenish-yellow dress came into view first as the person stepped out the doorway. It's a girl. A light greenish-yellow dress that matches the one I have on. It's a maid.

Slowly, her head poked out the doorway, looking to the right first, away from us, at the entrance of the alleyway, then to the left. Her face came into full view. It was one of my maids. It was Xiao Qing.

She looked past us and didn't consider to think that we were hidden behind the wheelbarrow. She stepped out the doorway entirely now and looked to the right again, probably assuming that I went that way and had left already.

   "Where did Tang Cha go?" Xiao Qing murmured under her breath.

   I jerked at the mention of my "name." I remember that the only person that has called my full actual name before, was the procuress. Xiao Qing and Xiao Lan has always called me "Miss," and Landon and Zichen had always called me "Cha'er." The strange unfamiliarity and familiarity of the word was only one reason that I jerked. The other reason, was that Xiao Qing had refused to call my name. I remember back when they first became my maids, I had also offered them to just call me by my name, and they refused because they thought that it was inappropriate. The usual reason. Now, hearing Xiao Qing call me by the name, I was genuinely surprised.

   A form of dislike rose from within me towards Xiao Qing. Not because I thought she was being inappropriate at calling me by the name, but because she had been a hypocrite. She said one thing and did another. I always thought her more mature than me and respected her, but, now, my respect towards her dimmed.

   I saw her pull her dress and hurriedly returned into the house, as if realizing something. The whole time, she didn't realize that we were right there, watching every single gesture of hers. When the doors closed again, the man told me to wait a minute before returning out into the light. I did as told. When there was silence, and Xiao Qing didn't have intentions of returning, he pulled me out. "Seems like she knows you. Another reason you should quickly leave." He paused for a second and looked me over, and I grew self-conscious. "Young lord mentioned to me that who I will be picking up is a girl, and he wants me to make sure that she looks like a boy by the time we arrive at the group."

Oh, I had forgotten. I looked at my maid dress and blushed. "I..."

The man took out a small sack from behind him. I raised my eyebrows. Did he have that with him the whole time? He handed me the bag. "The young lord had also instructed that if you weren't already in a boy's outfit, here is one that he prepared for you. We can find a latrine somewhere where you can change, and we can hurry to the group."

I was silent for a moment, then nodded stiffly. I've never had a good impression on ancient Chinese bathrooms.

   After I had changed, the man suggested that I fix my hair a too and take the hairpin out. I had brought Landon's red hairpin gift with me. I did as told, and the man nodded in approval. We headed to the group shortly. The trip was silent, as I'm not a social person when possible, and the man didn't talk either.

When we arrived, the whole group has already left the city gates. The man said that he could only send me so near, and I have to walk the rest of the way up to the procession myself. He showed me the medical group at the end and told me to go there. I nodded and thanked him for leading me here and headed for the group at the tail.

   I hung my head low, trying to blend in and appear as if I'd been there the whole time, attracting as less attention as possible. Nobody seemed to want to bother with me, anyway, and the trip to the military camp began.

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Author's Note: I'm so sorry!! I was studying for midterms and a week of midterms made me brain dead (O_O). I'll try to get another chapter in on Christmas?? Is that enough to repay?

Glass: [grabs you by the wrist] [eyes sparkling] "Please~ Forgive me~~" [sleeves swaying as your hands are swayed] [looks at Rain] [whispers] "Rain, aren't you going to come and sway them?"

Rain: [looks up from book] [eyes narrow] [flashes nails] [slowly] "Do you, want me, to shake you?"