Wang Li Xun, the Crown Prince, goes out hunting for the Celestial Flower to save his mother from a terminal illness. When he nearly dies from the attack of a mythical beast, he is saved by a mysterious boy who lives in the mountains.
To repay his ki...
Long'Er could have left the stranger to die, but she didn't. She recognised him from the other night, when he was desperately trying to get the Celestial Flowers but was caught by the undead. Apart from her, it was extremely difficult for humans to enter this place. In her past eighteen years of life, she had only seen four people go through the barrier.
He was the fifth one.
Someone dearest to him, she believed, must have been on the brink of death.
And so, she helped him. The first time was out of compassion, the second time was out of curiosity. For some reason, he had returned. She thought he had succumbed to his greed, desiring for more Celestial Flowers, but he proved her wrong.
He had come for her.
Because she had saved him, he wanted to express his gratitude towards her. And yet, when she rejected to receive a reward, the offer he made was outrageous.
How could she stay by a man's side to be his bodyguard when she was, after all, a woman?
A long time had passed since she last met a person, much less a very attractive man. It was a wonder how she was having such a long conversation with a human. When he first brought up the offer, Long'Er couldn't hide the surprise from showing on her face. It was the first time that someone said he wanted to be her friend.
And she never had one before.
However, she also couldn't help but doubt Li Xun's words. For all she knew, he might be a foe and his kind appearance could simply be just an act. In the past, there were many intruders skirting outside the premises, hoping to obtain the Celestial Flowers as a means to achieve wealth.
Her heart was conflicted. For some reason, the sincere look in Li Xun's ash grey eyes inclined her to believe him.
"Thank you, but I'm turning that offer down," she told him, hoping he would drop the subject. "If you are well enough, allow me to escort you out of this place."
The man's face fell in disappointment at her refusal to accept his offer. With a resigned sigh, he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Alright, I respect your decision. Thank you for saving me again," he bowed to her earnestly. "I will never forget it."
Growing slightly embarrassed, she mumbled back quietly.
"You're welcome."
She turned on her heels and led the way, knowing that he would follow her. At the moment, she couldn't trust him completely. Yet. A couple of times she would cast glances back at him, a hand placed on the hilt of her sword, just in case he might end up backstabbing her.
But he never did. Instead, she would find him shooting her a curious smile each time.
What a weird man.
They walked across the field of flowers, making their way towards the thick forest. She noticed how Li Xun took the opportunity to observe his surroundings, his eyes gazing at how the sweet-smelling flowers danced along with the velvet, gentle wind. He threw his head back, allowing the mellow sunshine basked in his skin. A contented sigh escaped from his lips.
Most of the men that Long'Er had stumbled across at the nearby villages were rude and rowdy. But this male was a stark contrast to them, carrying himself with an air of elegance and chivalry. He was, perhaps, from a noble family who lived in the capital that was hundreds of miles away from here.
So, why did he bother coming to such a place?
He turned towards her suddenly. "I'm jealous of you," he said, spreading his hands wide. "You have a beautiful home all to yourself. It's quiet, but I like it."
Long'Er said nothing. She studied his face from the corner of her eyes, noticing how they shone with admiration, before an idea occurred to her. Turning back to the front, she deviated from her course and went left.
Realising that they were changing routes, a deep frown carved on Li Xun's face. "Wait, is this the right direction–?"
She continued walking ahead, the twigs breaking under her feet. "Since you're already here, there's something you should see."
His curiosity was piqued. Excitement lit his face, but he remained patient and allowed her to lead the way. He should be wary of her, but it looked like he wasn't. He didn't doubt her intentions and trusted her easily, probably because she had saved his life more than once.
Soon, they emerged from between the trees where another breathtaking view awaited them. A waterfall stood before them; furious cascades of water pouring off the cliff. The mixture of the birds chirping around them and waters splashing formed a musical piece to their ears.
"Oh wow," Li Xun breathed. "This is stunning."
She nodded in agreement. They spent a couple of minutes in silence as Li Xun gazed at the scenery with bright, shining eyes. He looked like a child who had snuck off for a little exploration.
He was puzzled. "Why did you suddenly bring me here?"
Long'Er shuffled her feet quietly, before shrugging at him. "You look like you needed a longer getaway," she admitted.
His eyes lit up, clearly amazed by her ability of being perceptive. He thanked her earnestly for giving him a nice memory and after another five minutes, he was finally ready to leave and return to his home.
Once they reached the barrier, Long'Er turned to him.
"Here, don't forget your sword." She threw him his weapon which he caught easily. "You might run into bandits on your way back."
"Thank you." His face broke into a small, rueful smile. "My offer still stands, you know? If you ever change your mind, make your way to the royal palace and tell the guards my name. Show them this token and they'll not question you."
He handed her a small, wooden object which was carved with his name along with a special, intricate symbol — one which she didn't recognise. Giving not much thought to it, she tucked it into her belt and shrugged nonchalantly. Not once did she think of leaving this place where she called home.
Grinning, he took a step backwards, ready to leave. With one last glance at her, he told her, "I'll see you around, Long'Er."
She wanted to correct him, to tell him not to be hopeful, but in the end, she settled for a nod instead.
"Farewell, Li Xun."
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A/N: While some people are making fun of the names here, I just want to explain that in Chinese, 'Long' means dragon & 'Er' means child.
