White Healing Lotus | Ashes To Love

Chapter 10

Bai Fu fluttered her eyelids. It was morning. After they ate the potatoes for dinner, the duo leaned against a tree by the fire to go to sleep for the night.

She felt movement from underneath her head grudgingly turned to see what it was. 

It was the Fire immortal!

Bai Fu had somewhat ended up using his shoulder for a head rest during the night! The sprite immediately got up and started to casually stretch her arms.

"Ah you're awake. Seeing as the fire had already died we should continue home."

As she was stretching she noticed him picking up her basket. Bai Fu stopped and quickly pulled it from him. "You already carried yesterday. I'll carry it today."

She put on the straps and ushered him to start moving. "Come on, let's go."

The walk was a peaceful silence. The forest shimmered from the sunlight peaking through the branches above.

 Bai Fu took in a deep breathe of the morning fresh air while swinging her arms. Behind her was the immortal.

"Here's a lesson for you," she started using her arms for emphasis. "Every morning you have to take in a deep breath-- Even when it's raining. And in your mind you think, 'Ah! A new day to start! I'm so blessed to have another day to live.'"

She looked behind and asked, "You get me?"

He looked at her with an unsure facial expression but then just nodded his head. 

"Okay! You try," Bai Fu urged.

The Fire immortal stopped walking and closed his eyes. She watched as he breathed in air from his nose seeing his chest rise. Then he let out the air from his mouth slowly.

She was proud.

The sprite slapped him on the back. "Well done! You should do that from now on," she laughed.

It was mid-day and they were almost home. Like always, Bai Fu led as the Fire immortal followed her on the pathway.

Instantly, she heard them.

Footsteps? No... She listened closer. It was hoofsteps! 

From the sound of the galloping, she guessed there were more than twenty. Were they soldiers? She crouched and touched a flower to use for an insight. They were soldiers! Judging by their actions, Bai Fu could tell they were looking for something... or someone.

She got up and quickly pushed the immortal man around. "There are soldiers. Hurry!" The sprite dropped the basket and grabbed his arm pulling him away from the direction of the soldiers.

He went to go grab them but she stopped him saying, "Leave them! It will just make us slower. There's a short cut here, go!"

As they ran they could hear the commands for them to search thoroughly. They were closer than Bai Fu thought! 

Suddenly the Fire Immortal stopped jerking her towards to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her tightly before twisting and then rolling onto the ground of the forest. They started to roll down the incline they were running on into a small hidden dip.

The immortal ended up on top.

Bai Fu could feel his warmth and weight on her. Ignoring her thumping heart, she glanced up to where the Fire immortal was looking at.

Soldiers?! How did they come here so fast already? 

"We-" She couldn't finish her thoughts as he abruptly placed his lips onto hers. Even with her mask on the sprite could still feel his soft hot lips.

Bai Fu could only look at him in shock as he too returned her stare.

Silently they listen to the soldiers waiting for them to pass by. All she could hear though was her heart beat overshadowing the men in armor. Until all of them left, the Fire immortal slowly removed his lips from hers and started to get up. 

Before he could get up any further, Bai Fu embraced him back down to her. With her keen senses, the soldiers seemed to have returned to check on the area above them again. 

"Have you searched the other side?"

"Yes, everywhere. This is a remote area with no one living around. There are only hunters and the Sacred Medicine tribe. They come hunting and foraging occasionally."

"Let's head to the nearby towns. If we encounter any imposters for the King... kill on sight! Let's go!"

The King? These soldiers were looking for the King? How did the King end up missing here? Why did they want to kill him? Bai Fu was baffled.

When it was finally safe, the two got up from the ground and quietly head back home. 

It was no coincidence. Bai Fu couldn't pretend to be ignorant. The king, King Yi, was the Fire immortal in this life.

He's the king who brought peace to this land by leading his own army and killing those hungry power men. It made total sense now. When she first saw him injured in the woods, he must've been ambushed by those hundred of men. He had fought all of them till his last breath and could've actually died if she hadn't stepped in.

And his aura of royalty... making her clothe and bathe him, it was because he was pampered with before. How could she not see it from before?

She brought her hand to her covered lips. And she even got kissed by the king, no, the Second Prince of the Heaven realm!

What's wrong with her? She's done such a bad deed yet if it were to be done again, Bai Fu would totally allow it to happen again. She caressed her warm cheeks then slapped them a bit. The sprite needs to snap out of it! She had saved the king of this nation, King Yi!

Bai Fu sleeve was tugged and the Fire immortal crouched and starting writing in the dirt with a stick.

It was critical, please forgive me for being rude.

He then got back up.

"There was a mask between us, you weren't being rude. It's okay, if you hadn't I could've given away our hiding spot."

She smiled and added, "Let's hurry home," and continued onward towards the house.