Ten Miles of Memories (Fanfic)

Chapter 4 - News to a friend

200 years later...Present Time

-"Xiu!, where are you! I have a message to bring to you from Bai Qian!" Zhe Yan walks around the court yard looking for Xiu.

Xiu hears her uncle calling and comes running out from the shed through the trees and out from the bushes, dashing towards Zhe in her messy clothes.

-"I'm hear!" she jumped to her feet landing on the ground with little grace. Zhe takes one look at her and sees the bottom of her skirt has been covered through dust and dirt. He coughs, clearing his throat putting his hands behind his back.

-"Xiu, I see you where fooling around again today", he makes a concerning look towards Xiu. He takes another step towards her and looks from head to toe. He notice her hair was messy it wasn't comb back neatly and she had some brown imprints on her cheeks.

-"I can...eh..explain myself uncle...You told me to clean the shed and sort all out your books..well." Xiu became quiet, she didn't know how to explain to him that she broke his 1,100 year old vase that kept his "special" wine. On top of that it got all over his books and other artifacts that have been kept wrapped up in a thin cloth.

To begin with it wasn't even her fault....well partially because she left the window opened to let out some air. After all this time the shed hasn't been properly cleaned, it was hard to breath. One of mystic birds flew in and started to knock items off the shelf, but it wasn't trying to do it on purpose.It was getting chased by another bird half its size.

Xiu became flustered and bowed her head in shame. She knew nothing was going to save her now. Before Xiu could speak her uncle broke the silents.

- "There is no need to explain your actions, your actions have already spoken to me", he made a smile, but she knew better then to trust a smile that came out of nowhere. He heard all that ruckus from the court yard. The court yard was not very from the shed. It was behind the bushes and tress that cover the area, you couldn't see the shed due to the mass of tress hiding it. The reason why the shed is so close to the court yard is because her uncle likes to work in a peaceful surrounding.

Xiu looked up and made a slight smile but then it faded, just like her dignity. -"I'll clean it up at once uncle", she bowed for forgiveness, leaning forward with her arms out in front of her bowing. Her uncle put his hand up to stop her and change the subject.

-"It's alright, what has been done can not be undone, but be careful next time", he set his hand back down to his side and took a deep breath, -"I have word that Bai Qian is under the training of Mo Yuan the Mountain God, she will be with him under his wings for the time being and Bai Qian wanted me to tell you that everything will be alright."

-"So does this mean we will be far apart..?" I paused for a minute, I wanted to be happy for her but I felt so sad inside. We've played so much as kids, she would come often to get away from her brothers. Told me that they drove her crazy and couldn't deal with boys who had a small intellect for girls. I never met her brothers, all I've heard her say was negative stuff about them but I bet they where nice in there own ways.

Since I never had any siblings she was more then a friend, more of a sister who I could look up too. It would be a shame to see her go but I know...at least we would see each other from time to time.

Zhe put an arm around Xiu and lead her away from the court yard towards the hut that they lived in.

- "Xiu, you know, as well as I know that she must become the next heir to the throne and needs to harness her strength, and don't be sad you two will visit time to time. I've made arrangements with Mo Yuan so that you two can visit each other but.." he paused at the foot of the hut "You two will have to meet in private because this training that Bai has signed up for deals with no girls, just men." he dropped his arm and walked inside to grab his tea set inside.

I stopped dead in my tracks, Bai went to the Kunlun Mountain for her training!?, my voiced cracked as I tried to comprehend what he just said. "Uncle..you mean to tell me that her training is FORBIDDING in the holy grounds of the high Mountain god!?, they will know she is a girl!, how is she going to be allowed in due to her identity!", He did not listen to me but just hummed a tune that was unfamiliar to me.

I followed him inside the hut, when I saw him still looking for his tea set I was having a heart attack. How was this good news to me!? this is BAD news! how could my uncle just let her go and let and be at the mercy of the Mountain god and his disciples.

I sat down with a loud thumb on the chair, dust particles went flying all around me, trying to distract me and my train of thought. Oh by the gods I prayed for her in that bit of a second till I heard a "Clink" on the table. I looked up to see my uncle smiling at me.

-"Do not worry my child." Zhe placed a cup of peach tea next to Xiu, "-We have thought a great deal of how to keep her identity of a female a secret." He poured himself a cup of hot peach tea as well and sat across the table from Xiu. "-She will be dressed as a boy herself and no one will know who she is", he smiled with satisfaction breathing in the scented fumes of the tea.

I gave him a look with dissatisfaction, and my blood began to boil. "-UNCLE ARE YOU CRAZY!, THEY WILL KNOWW!" I got up from my set " Cross - Dressing won't be able to hide a girls!..." I stopped dead in my tracks before I could say the word, my uncle only looked up at me with confusion in his eyes.

He raised his cup to his lips, -"Hide what?" he acted clueless as a goose who didn't know what he was getting himself into. I began to blush and realized that this conversation was going to go nowhere if I spoke about it even more. I sat back down and hid my face with my sleeves.

He looked at me puzzled till a light bulb hit him -"Oh!, you mean the brea---....", before he could say it I grabbed my cup of tea and splashed it in his face. Zhe only closed his eyes just in time but not enough time to save his mind.

-"This is going to be your fault if Bai Qian gets found out!," I rushed out of the hut and back outside, storming towards the shed. What in the heavens above has gotten into my uncle for sending her to a boys training grounds. I wanted so desperately to get her out of there but, if that was the best training she was going to get then....Oh what on earth am I saying! there had to be better training grounds then what Mo Yuan had to offer!