Chapter 6

"I had this built for myself a while back," Fan Xiang said as an explanation. It was rather obvious that he was lying, especially since the white of the trees was still visible, but she chose to ignore it. "You can stay here for a while. I don't come here often, so I might have someone come check on the house from time to time to make sure you're not mishandling it."

She took his words very seriously. She would do her best to take good care of it.

"Xiang ge ge, I am very peaceful right now." She hadn't thought she would be able to feel any type of real happiness since that night. Though she wasn't the type of person to be controlled by hate, the pain of what happened wasn't something that anyone could ignore. Being here with him, this journey together, it had started to fill in small cracks, piecing her back together little by little.

He thought back to their first conversation, remembering their talks about peace, and he felt his heart stir. He cleared his throat, forcing the feelings down and nodded his head, "that's good then."

He walked up the steps with his hand clasped behind his back. She followed at a respectful distance. While they did this, the male servant who had prepared the house was still reeling over his Master being called Xiang ge ge. He couldn't help but glance back at the young lady every now and then.

Inside the home was very simple. A wood stove and a small bed with thick blankets took up the bulk of the room. It was nothing fancy, and he almost felt guilty for that. He didn't want her to be pampered, though. She had asked him to help her grow stronger. So, he would.

Over the next few days, the three of them explored the land around them. There was lots of game in the woods, and a lot of it was dangerous, but he didn't coddle her. If she wanted strength, she would have to fight for it. That was the only way he knew to teach.

The servant Cheng Kang came back from the nearby town a few days later with several items in his bag. There were some clothes suited for a boy, a bow and a couple of arrows, and a sword that was both slimmer and shorter than Fan Xiang's. He lifted it up and swung it around a couple of times, finding it was well balanced and well crafted. He slid his fingers around the blade, and the hilt then casually sheathed it and tossed it to Laing Lai Jiao. She deftly caught it, a look of glee in her eyes.

"For me?" He nodded his head, and she quickly drew it from its sheath. Cheng Kang instantly went on guard, putting his hand to his own sword at his waist. Fan Xiang glared at him without her even noticing. She reached out her hand and tugged on his clothes wanting him to follow her outside. He brushed her hand away.

"Change first."

She looked towards the boy's clothes with surprise. "You want me to wear boy clothes?"

"Come out when you're dressed."

He was surprised at how cute she looked dressed as a boy. Her delicate features couldn't mask her identity as a female. She looked a little clunky in those clothes, and it made him feel warm as if looking at a cute animal. He lifted his hand and patted her head. She blushed and looked up at him with those doe eyes, her face was tinged in red, a tooth biting her bottom lip. He pulled back, quickly turning away. "Let's see how well you've been practicing."

For the next several week's Fan Xiang taught her how to use the sword. He still had some time left before he needed to head home. He also knew that all of his actions were being reported back to the clan head, his father. He couldn't stay here forever. Even if he sent the guards away, there would be someone watching.

She was a fast learner, but also very weak. She wouldn't be able to master the sword that easy. Cheng Kang taught her the basics of using the bow and arrow, though she was also poor at that. Fan Xiang knew that she was going to have a hard time up here alone, but he also knew that this person didn't belong to him, and though he had helped her, having someone that can be used as leverage against him wasn't possible. He would have to leave her here and keep his distance. She would have to do this on her own.

"I'm leaving tomorrow," he said while they were eating.

Her spoon stilled, and she looked up at him. She had grown used to him. He had become a part of her life already, and now he was leaving her. She wanted to become winey and ask him to stay a little longer, but deep inside her heart, she knew she couldn't be selfish. He had already helped her more than she could have ever hoped for. She pushed the sadness deep into the depths of her heart.

"Then we should have a farewell dinner tomorrow," she said breezily.

He stared at her large eyes and admired the way they shined in the candlelit room. Her lips were plump and delicate, and her face as tender and beautiful as any person could be. He knew that she was sad and had hoped that she whined a little to keep him, but she hadn't. So, he wouldn't stay any longer.

��I don't know how long I'll be gone. Could be years," he hedged. He watched the flash of emotion cross through her eyes, but she continued to smile as if everything was ok.

That night after she fell asleep, he stood in front of her bed. He felt a pain in his heart that he'd never felt before, a type of longing that caused a physical ache. He wanted to reach out and touch her face, but he wouldn't. He might not see her again for a while and hoped that she would live a happy life. If this had been another life, and he wasn't who he was, he would have, without a doubt, kept her with him forever, like a pet.

When Liang Lai Jiao woke up, he was already gone. She wasn't surprised, but she was sad. She allowed herself to finally cry. She'd bottled up all the emotions inside of her for over several months already, and Today she would mourn. She rocked herself back and forth as she sobbed, the sound filling the forest around her.

Fan Xiang hadn't left yet, he was only watching from a tree, wanting to see her without her noticing one last time before he left. The sound of her crying made his heart feel panicked. He wanted to rush inside and grab her into his arms, but the very thought of it scared him. He wasn't allowed to care about anyone. He was too dangerous, and his strength came at a cost.

Cheng Kang stared at his Master, understanding in his eyes. He wanted to comfort him, but knew as well as his Master did, that it was too dangerous for that girl to be close to him. He reached a hand out and patted his shoulder. The motion was enough to force Fan Xiang's eyes away from the cabin.

"Let's go."

Cheng Kang nodded his head and glanced back towards the cabin. He really hoped that girl would make it. He wasn't sure his Master would be able to handle it if she didn't. She was his first friend.

Liang Lai Jiao cried herself asleep, and she continued to mourn for the next three days. She took time to remember each of the people she had lost that night, down to the lowest servant. She was someone who remembered things easily, so that night was engraved in her mind as real as if she were experiencing it all over again each time she thought of it. After three days were over, she started focusing on surviving again. She spent her days practicing her swordsmanship. She was able to remember each motion that Xiang ge ge had made, and slowly over the months, she became fluid, albeit clumsy in her actions.

She hadn't had as much luck with the bow and arrows yet, the strength needed to pull the string back wasn't there yet. She settled for making small traps and fishing. At night she would cry during the day she would live.