It was already winter. A light snow had fallen the night before, there were stones, roots, and hidden sinks lying just under its crust. Despite the war transpiring between the Western Empire and the An Clan, it did not stop the capital from celebrating the Winter Lantern Festival. It was a unique festival that often celebrated the start of winter.
A faint wind blew through the holdfast gate. Rin's breath blew, steaming, in the cold morning air. She wore the simple dress of a civilian woman and a silk veil to conceal her face.
After spending the whole morning processing her actions from last night, she realized how impulsive she was—how unreasonably emotional she behaved. Here they were in the middle of a war, and yet she could only think about An Sun.
Perhaps it was her conversation with Yun Suyin or the turmoil around her. But for a moment, she wanted to be with him. Just the two of them.
For one day, she wanted to be Rin. The girl in love, rather than Bai Lan, the strategist. But maybe even just this was too selfish.
Sighing, Rin turned to the sky and the thin flakes of snow.
"Are you ready?" A man's deep voice suddenly whispered directly in her ear.
Startled, Rin turned and saw the handsome face of An Sun while he looked down at her.
"Yes," She answered and adjusted her veil. At the same time, she noticed the man was without a horse. "Where is your horse? Aren't you riding as well?"
Using his arm to keep her veil lifted, An Sun touched her warm cheek with the back of his long index finger. He was a full head taller than her, and those dark, gray glinting eyes stared at her with a teasing smile.
"You look beautiful, Rin."
Her eyes widened, and a blush formed on her cheeks. She cleared her throat. "Thank you."
He grinned. When he bent down, she felt the warmth of his mouth approaching hers. His lips almost touched hers when the sound of a bird's sharp call startled the both of them.
An Sun frowned at the sudden interruption as he withdrew his hand to let her veil fall back down. Rin looked up.
"Ju." She sighed and lifted a hand for the falcon to land.
"I see he's coming with us?" An Sun stared at the brown falcon, his tawny brow creased lightly.
"Do you mind?" Rin blinked her eyes innocently.
The furrowed expression on An Sun's face faded away. He huffed a puff of cloud of air and patted Ju's head.
"I don't mind." He turned to the sky. "We should get going before the sun sets."
Rin nodded. She mounted the horse and felt An Sun sit behind her, his warm chest pressed against her back. He felt the softness of the woman in front of him, but there were no inappropriate thoughts—only comforting emotions.
"Hold on." He whispered against her ear before kicking the horse forward.
With Ju in her lap, Rin felt a gust of cold wind splash across her face. She raised her head to look up at An Sun's defined chin. She pressed her lips together and leaned back against his chest, trying to surround herself with the scent that made her feel safe.
...
A harvest moon, full and orange, hung in the dusk beyond the tall trees. The hooves of their horse kicked up showers of snow as they went. When they arrived and settled their horse beside a tree, they entered the Western Empire's capital city. Seeing the street full of excitement, the joy in Rin's eyes burst uncontrollably.
"Where do you want to go first?" An Sun closed his hand around hers and smiled, sensing the girl's liveliness.
Before she could open her mouth, Rin's stomach growled. She was thankful that her veil was covering her flushed cheeks.
"I am a little hungry." She mumbled and averted her gaze.
An Sun couldn't help but reveal a sincere smile. He laughed and led her into the crowd.
"Two rice cakes." He ordered from a food stall and handed the owner money before passing the rice cakes to her.
"Thank you." Rin smiled at him differently this time, like she was a little girl, excitement beaming from her face.
When she looked up, she saw they were already walking somewhere else. She didn't say anything and silently chewed on her rice cakes with a small smile.
They walked along the outer perimeter of the city. They passed the old men selling masks, lanterns, sweet treats, and the group of young children running breathlessly with lanterns in their hands.
It was as if all the death, the war, and grief were but an allusion. The stars turned, and somewhere the moon crept across the sky.
As they approached the forest located on the opposite side of the town, the enormous pines, maples, and firs seemed to greet them, decked in golds and reds. A thundering sound burst in the sky and Rin raised her head. Fireworks burst through the night, fiery blooms amongst the stars. Around them were the sounds of gasps of awe. She glanced over and saw they were near the center of the lantern-holding venue.
"Shall we get a lantern?" Rin pulled on his hand softly, pointing to the lanterns.
An Sun looked over to the venue and made a sound of affirmation. He walked them over to a crowded area with children before letting go of her hand.
"You wait for me here. I will go buy us some lanterns." He said.
Rin nodded her head. "Okay, I'll wait for you."
He had smiled at that answer and stroked her hair. She watched him walk away, and as soon as he was gone, she turned to look at the floating lights in the sky. The wind blew over, letting her veil lift to reveal the calm within her eyes.
...
After buying lanterns for the two of them, An Sun walked back. The streets were quiet, only a few people roamed, but most were already lighting their lanterns by the docks. As he walked, An Sun recalled the lively expression on Rin's face.
Compared to her serious and stern expression in the palace, there was a lust for life in her eyes. It had been a while since he had last seen such fire in her eyes. The mere thought brought warmth to his heart.
When the war was over, he wanted to take her away from everything. Away from the disasters of the world to a place where she could smile every day.
Amid his thoughts, An Sun suddenly paused. His eyes narrowed. Maintaining an unreadable expression, he continued walking until he found himself in a secluded area. At that moment, he abruptly turned around, unsheathing the dagger from his side.
"Who sent you—" An Sun's coldly narrowed eyes widened. He lowered his dagger.
His heart stopped in his chest. For a moment, he dared not breathe. Moonlight shone down on the clearing to reveal a wrinkled old face. He wore his beard long, his hair unbound but decorated with bits of ribbon. His robe was all black, loose with fabric that billowed and flapped around his legs.
"Elder An?" The name fell off An Sun's lips in nearly a whisper. The next moment, an icy aura emanated from his cold expression. "How did you get in here?"
Did he bring an army with him?
With this thought in mind, An Sun's sinister gaze that landed upon the older man grew colder. Elder An stared at An Sun and fell to his knees. It was not out of fear or weakness, but rather, he was bowing to him. Pleading.
"There are no other men who travel along with me. Not a single army. I came alone." He spoke in a voice resonant and grave.
"Why? What did you come here for?" An Sun's voice was even, but with an edge of impatience.
"I have come for you. Master An."
An Sun sucked in his breath. For a moment, he did not say anything. Suddenly, he let out a cold, deep chuckle.
"What kind of joke is that? You, a great elder from the An Clan, left to come here and say this nonsense? Do you think—"
"Lord An, your brother plans to seek support from foreign countries!" Elder An spat solemnly, his head raised to reveal the helplessness in his eyes. "Our clan has never sought the help of outside powers for a reason, which was to protect our clan members. Our family. Lord An's ability to command our army has been overcome by his greed. The spirit among our soldiers has weakened. Our clan no longer has a capable person strong and skilled enough to lead us! Other than you!"
Elder An lowered his head further and clasped tightly onto An Sun's hand without fear. He was trembling from head to toe.
"Master An, please return to the An Clan as our clan's successor!"