2 cont..Prologue(I)

Early morning Jiwu woke up and went to the kitchen of Song residence.She prepared the ingredients required to make 'little magic'.After she finished making 8 pieces of it,she put 6 of them in a basket then asked her maids to prepare a carriage for her.

["My lady,Madam has strictly warned you to stay put in your room.If she gets to know she will cut your pocket money this week."]

["She has been saying the same thing ever since I started spending more time in palace but she has never cut it even once.After all she loves me and pampers me.Don't worry ,I have left two ' little magic 'for her today so she won't be mad at me for too long."]

["My lady...."]

["Okay.Okay .I will come back earlier maid sister.Ask the guards to prepare carriage fast".]

Jiwu sat inside the carriage and went to palace.She played with Ning Yuan the whole day.When it was about to be dusk she went to the royal hall.Her uncle had fallen asleep on his study table.Jiwu lifted her skirt and took light steps towards him.She picked up the brush from the table and dipped it in some ink then she started drawing on her uncle's face.Her uncle was fast asleep and in deep sleep so he didn't even notice.Jiwu ran away with a smirk in her face after completion of her little mischief.She was extra tired today.After getting down from the carriage,she went straight to her father's room to listen some bed stories from him.

["On the way I shall go straight to Linglong and secretly prepare the battle arrays.We will be extra careful this time to prevent the tragedy that befell on Third prince and two other tribes."]

(coughing sound)

["The Song clan shall rise again.We won't fail this time."]

The vase fell aside Jiwu.She got frightened.She kept her hands on her mouth and tightly closed it.She was all covered in cold sweat.Blood began to flow from her arm and some blood drops fell on the ground.She eardropped the secret she shouldn't have so she got worried sick.The guards started searching the whole residence so she hid herself the whole night.When it was about to be dawn she entered her room from the back window.

['My lady ,you scared us.Where were you? Madam was wanting to see you .We somehow managed by using some tricks taught by you."]

["I..I need to go to palace..Yes palace"]

["My lady,Look at this old nanny,I have lost my voice after mimicking you for so long.Please don't go to palace this early.What will I tell to master?He ordered us to send you to your grandparents house today.Eldest miss has already left."]

["He is all ready.I ...I .If you don't help me go to palace today,I won't talk to any one of you.I will cut your pays and replace you."]

The maids looked terrified.

["My lady,you are blackmailing us all again but madam ..mister .We will be sold to another family if we help you this time.Please my lady..."]

["I will take responsibility if my father and mother gets to know.Bring a horse.To avoid any attention,I shall go on a horse."]

Jiwu rode on the horse with the help of some guards then headed towards the palace.She didn't want to alert anyone so she directly went to her uncle's chamber.Her uncle was sound asleep.She was allowed in by the guards.She sat by her uncle's bed and gently touched his beard.His majesty smiled and opened his eyes.He touched the frown on Jiwu's forhead then inquired why was she here this early.

["Are you here to ask for forgiveness for the moustache you made on my face this afternoon? But you could come the next day.What happened Jiwu? Is everything all right?"]

Jiwu glanced at her uncle.She can't tell what she heard .It would put her father in danger.But she can't loose her uncle too.She had to save them both.She traced the wrinkles on his chin.She got tear-eyed.She got down on her knees and bowed to her uncle emperor.

["Little Jiwu has a request.I want to come with you to the upcoming hunting event ."]

["Why would a little girl like you want to go to such a bloody place?Uncle will bring you a rabbit to play with from there."]

["I really want to see you hunting.I also want to test my arrow skills."]

["Don't be stubborn Jiwu.I can't allow you. "]

["Then Jiwu won't get up unless His Majesty agrees."]

Her uncle thought she would get up on her own after sometime but to his suprise she was on her knees for half an hour already.She looked determined so he picked her up and took her to Royal doctor himself.

["You naughty little beast.I agree.Go take some rest for now.Come to the ground in your hunting dress after an hour."]

After getting her wish fulfilled Jiwu smiled and her face lit up.Seeing his little withered flower blooming again His Majesty relaxed and laughed.

After an hour His Majesty left for the hunting ground.Jiwu was on his right dressed in red hunting gown mounted on a white horse.Ning Yuan came yelling from behind

["Wait for me."]

Everyone started chasing preys.Jiwu closely followed her uncle and kept her eyes on Yuan at the same time.After some time Jiwu heard a loud cry of her brother.She grabbed the reign of horse and directed towards that direction. Yuan pulled a rabbit from his back and showed it to Jiwu.He noticed Jiwu looking a bit worried so he wanted to cheer her up.She sighed.She turned to look back.Her uncle was nowhere on sight.

["There's is no time for joke Yuan.We need to save His Majesty.Hurry up.'']

On the other hand His Majesty was ambushed along with his soldiers.Daggers were flying by and the guards were acting as a shield.When a dagger was about to hit his Majesty an arrow flew by and diverted its direction.Some arrows and pebbles flew by and hit the ambushers.They fell on the ground one by one.Two little childrens came out of the dense woods. Jiwu was firing arrows with her bow while Yuan was throwing pebbles with his catapult.His Majesty warned the childrens not to come any closer but the childrens didn't pay any heed to his words at all.They sucessfully defeated the ambushers.

["Let's not go further deeper into the woods.We don't know how many traps are still left.Let's just wait here for the soldiers."]

["Uncle emperor.Soldiers stationed in Linglong won't come for our rescue.Let's just leave the capital."]

His Majesty had already noticed something fishy about all this but he said nothing and agreed to leave the capital.On the way as per Jiwu's request all of them destroyed the things with royal emblems on them except his majesty's royal seal and fled away from the capital.After they reached Changan they breathed in relief.But it didn't last for long.They were ambushed again by the Linglong's soldiers.They ran to save their lives.His Majesty and Jiwu successfully escaped but Yuan and the soldiers got caught.Jiwu wanted to run back to save Yuan but she just stood behind the tree hiding and peeking at him.Yuan told her just to run away.Jiwu looked at her uncle.His wounds were bleeding.

["Brother.Wait for me.I will come back to save you."]She mumbled.

The sky started pouring.Jiwu was dragging her uncle on a rag.She asked the poeple she met on the way if they knew any physician around . People pitied the young girl Jiwu who was all drenched in rain and wounded everywhere but was still dragging a grown man on a rag so they told her the physician's address.Jiwu could no longer put his majesty in danger so she walked faster and finally reached the physician's house.The physician didn't agree to treat the patient without payment.Jiwu gave the dagger on her waist to the physician but he didn't agree at all.

["Jiwu don't...Just leave."]

Her uncle was murmuring with pain in a low voice.She ignored it. She knelled on the ground and begged the physician to treat her uncle.She knelled for whole two hours in rain. A young puppy ran down the stairs from the physician's residence and sat on jiwu's lap.Jiwu lovingly patted it's head.It was injured in it's leg.Jiwu took out a hankerchief from her waist and tied it on it's leg.A small young boy of same age as Jiwu came outside in search of his pet.He looked at the thin little girl all covered in mud and soil kneeling in rain.Her red gown was all wet and his puppy was sitting comfortably in her lap and it's wound was bandaged with a hankerchief.He walked down the stairs , took the dagger from her hand and helped her up.

He murmered ["It's Cold"]

The physician was amazed after seeing his young master coming out of his room after so long and speaking with a total stranger.He thought the little girl was a miracle granted by Buddha in response to his prayers so he agreed to treat her uncle.His Majesty opened his eyes after treatment.His hand was grasped tightly by little fingers of Jiwu.He had already guessed by now that Jiwu's father was the rebel.He knew his ancestors had wronged Song clan who were the king of grassland that time.The song clans descendents were forced to live under the rulling of Yuan Kingdom so they were bound to rebel.He looked at Jiwu and wiped the tears and dust on her face.Jiwu woke up and kneeled down and bowed to her uncle.

["I have already written secret letter to your secret guards.They must be on their way.I only have one request...Can you please not punish my mother and my sister for my father's deed? I ...You can take my life instead ."]

Jiwu looked up at His Majesty.He just looked at Jiwu with warm and loving eyes.Both of them got emotional .How could he bear to kill the girl who saved him putting herself in danger and not caring about her own state at all?

["I need to go back.I wish your majesty a long and healthy life."]

She stood up to leave.

["Jiwu.....be safe."]

She wiped her tears with her uncle's sleeve and left.The young boy from before was waiting for her outside.He wanted to return her dagger.She smiled at him and rode on her horse. Without looking behind she waved her hands and dissappeared in the mist.He went inside and lied on his bed holding the dagger tightly with his hands.

["A reward from me.Young master, you saved a life."]

Her words echoed in his ears and he smiled.He looked at his pet and the cloth tied on it's leg and smiled again.

Jiwu reached the place were Ning Yuan was kept as hostage.She slid down the tent's window and took out a ribbon tied on her braids.She closed her eyes with it and undressed Yuan .Yuan was still unconscious.She went to another tent and freed some of her uncle's guards.With the help of the guards Jiwu finally fled from the tent with Yuan.She tied her ribbon around the cut on his ankle and signaled the guards to go ahead.The ambushers were following them.

After sometime, Yuan came to his senses. He slowly opened his eyes.He was dressed in a girl's dress.It's Jiwu's dress.His view was blurry.He was in a cart.Faraway he saw a small figure of a boy.A girl dressed in boy's dress. It's his dress.

["Jiwu..."]

He tried to get up but fainted.Tears rolled down from the corner of his eyes.

[Yuan.Forget this little Jiwu and live a healthy life.Be safe Brother."]

She closed her eyes and tears rolled down her cheeks.