The Scars Between Us

Chapter 38

How long has it been?

How long has he been gone?

These endless nights where she just played that song over and over again without catching a breath.

Just how long has it been exactly?

That, she didn't know as all she did everyday since he left, was stay in her chambers, practice embroidery, and play her guqin.

She didn't really have anyone to talk to besides Lin.

"Back at your stations!" ordered the prince.

The soldiers who were new to the border cities, used to be off duty at every minute but now, they feared the consequences of being off task.

They had yet to know who had control here, but once they did, they did not dare try and disappoint him.

The men knew how strict Prince Fei Yang could be, knowing how fearless he was in the battle years ago against the invaders. The battle where he got his name to spread throughout the Four Kingdoms and even beyond that.

He was truly a monster on the fields of death, and those who saw him held admiration for his bravery.

As she sewed her new piece of embroidery, she hummed to herself a melody she made up. Her work was of a bridge of magpies among the stars.

Just half way through, she stopped for a second. She simply wondered to herself why she was even doing such a piece.

Maybe she was just thinking about it too much although she didn't want to. No matter what, the memory and words of that night seemed to be stuck at the back of her mind.

Her moment of halt to this work, came to a full stop no longer continuing. It was truly pitiful how even subconsciously she sewed a tragic piece of star crossed lovers.

The princess stood from where she sat inside her chambers, and left to her outside porch to sit as she looked upon the empty courtyard that held only a koi pond and a small peach tree.

It was quiet, not even Lin was here having told her to give her time and space even though it has been weeks.

The once vibrant leaves of that small tree was now an orange-brown, covering the still green grass.

Wen Yue then reached for the inside of her sleeve pocket to grab something. Pulling it out, the item in hand was none other than that folding fan of the embroidered red camellia and the jade pendent that hung from it.

The princess simply looked upon it with solemn eyes, inspecting it. She didn't know why, but she always carried it with her.

It always hurt to lay eyes on it knowing that he decided to return the item of feelings. The feelings that strung them to come together yet apart.

That was the moment, the song she had not known it's meaning before, began to unravel as the realization came to her of the truth they must face and the final chapter.

Fei Yang stood on top the high walls of the borders, watching the view before him.

It was still beaming hot like a desert even if they were surrounded by shades of nature.

Everyday since they arrived, he only had one question that rang through his mind.

"What do you do besides going to the military quarters?"

That was the question, Wen Yue had asked him before and he never quite gave an answer. Him being here made him think of it every moment.

What exactly does he do besides his work affairs?

It was then a soldier about in his late teens, came up to the prince holding a scroll of some sort. "Your Highness," he bowed at his presence.

Fei Yang turned to face the soldier, "What brings you here?"

The young man gulped nervously as even his presence was intimidating. "This scroll was in today's reports. It seems to be written to you especially."

The prince raised a brow at his remarks and took the item to inspect it.

The scroll was made from bamboo, bonded together by thread at the ends. Its color was a shade of brown and the ink written on it looked to be fresh, indicating that this message may have been made just moments ago.

Opening it, he read the contents inside and it was there did something irk him.

He rolled back up the scroll without any change in expression as he then looked to the soldier.

"Go back to your post."

The young man bowed, "Yes, Your Highness."

Just behind the prince were his three men who had been there all along. He placed the item in his pocket and kept his gaze beyond the borders.

"Can you keep watch over this area? I must check something." Fei Yang asked of Jianyu.

His right-hand bowed, "Of course, Your Highness."

The prince slightly frowned and walked away back to his quarters of the border city.

"How long has it been since we left?" asked Huang.

The man beside him, Han, mumbled to himself as he counted his fingers, "About four months."

It truly has been a while that they've been there. Even to this day, did they think about what happened that night between the two Highnesses.

Jianyu didn't say anything with the two behind him who spoke. He too, didn't realize how long they've been here as his eyes looked around.

There was something creeping at the back of his mind and it clicked that very moment. He turned to the two who stopped their talk and looked at him.

"What's wrong Jianyu?" questioned Han.

The prince's right-hand frowned slightly, "I think His Highness told us to keep watch over this area because something is going to happen." he then turned back and walked forward to every station shouting. "Ready your posts and do not loose sight of anything that moves beyond our borders!" he ordered the men.

Han and Huang rushed to him, still not understanding what he meant exactly.

"What do you mean, 'something is going to happen?'" Huan asked.

Jianyu's gaze became as sharp as ever, "Whenever he says he's going to check something, we're being watched." having remembered this situation from long ago.

The two's expression became as piercing as ever, as they then left to inform the others to be ready for anything.

Just inside Fei Yang's quarters, he stood face to face with that same soldier who delivered the scroll. A blade at his neck with a solemn expression showing no fear.

In the prince's hand, held the message filled with atrocity.

"Won't you tell me your name?" asked the prince.

The young man who held the blade chuckled with a smirk, "I am Prince Shan Yun, brother of the man who led the invaders to your borders years ago. My brother, YOU BEHEADED!"
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