"Hli Ja... Hli Ja is what my sister called me," she replied.
Before he could say anything, the elderly woman interrupted loudly. "Didn't I tell you to take it easy? Don't stand up and move around too much if you want to heal fast."
He obediently went back and sat on the bed where he was seated earlier. He faced the girl. "Where are you from?"
Hli Ja remained silent for a moment and hesitantly replied, "Buffalo Mountain. The town has a big mountain that was naturally shaped like a buffalo's head and back if you look at it from the side thus the town was named after the mountain."
Of course, the boy knew the town! He knew most of the towns in his country. "Keep the pendant. I'm not sure how long I'll be here. I may not have time to teach you much if anything at all."
Hli Ja's gaze was stuck at the pendant in her hand. It was a sapphire gemstone carefully wrapped around the edge with a golden dragon. It looked well crafted and expensive. Could he be a rich boy? What predicament was he involved in, that would make others want his life? She lifted her head to glance at the boy. "What is your name?"
"Mua Kong, I'm 13 years old, I believe I'm older than you by a few years," he replied, with a faint smile.
Hli Ja wanted to ask him what had happened and why the assassins were after his life but she felt that even if she asked him, he might not tell her. She did not want to pry into his problems so she tucked the pendant away.
Hli Ja took care of Mua Kong's wound and also her shoulder wound from then onwards. Every morning after waking up, she would attend to their wounds and cook food for the three of them. Hli Ja had been making soups and stews for the last several days but since Mua Kong's wound had closed up, she decided to make smoked meat sprinkled in herbal seasoning.
The change in the menu that day did not go unnoticed by Mua Kong. He noticed that all of her dishes tasted richly refreshing. They were simple dishes, and she only used herbs and spices, which made the dishes healthier for consumption. He stuffed a piece of meat in his mouth. "Why is there so much meat today?"
"Well, it is to celebrate you for recovering so well. Haven't you noticed that I've been only making nothing but plain soups?" Hli Ja replied proudly.
"Mm... I know but your soups do not taste plain at all. They taste very good. Very much to my liking."
Hearing him made her feel bittersweet. She could barely cook anything while her sister was alive. If her sister had been around, maybe she would have been happy to see how much she had improved.
Her gloomy face let him know that something was off. "What is wrong?"
After a moment of silence, she slowly opened her mouth. "My sister taught me how to cook. At that time, I was too lazy to take anything seriously. I learned the bare minimum I could. She often talked of home, but she wouldn't tell me where home is. She said she'll tell me when I get older. Now, there is no chance for me to redeem myself."
Her eyes brimmed with tears and streamed down her cheeks. She had not shed a tear since the moment she saw her sister being killed that day. She had sealed everything inside her heart.
"I'm sorry about what happened. I am sure she is proud of you just for living."
As soon as he said those words, a fresh stream of tears escaped her eyes, and she sobbed harder. She scrunched down, to squat and put her head on her knees. She had not grieved for the loss of her sister. Mua Kong's words were comforting for her heart.
Seeing her vulnerable small figure, he leaned down and patted Hli Ja's back. He was not sure how to comfort anyone. He never learned because he never needed to.
In the great care of Hli Ja, Mua Kong was recovering well. He was able to move around and do light stretching after a week. He also accompanied Hli Ja to fetch water. He gathered herbal plants along with her. Every day was simple. Mua Kong never had to be on guard. Something that never happened earlier! He could walk around with ease. He did not have to carry the weight of his name with him wherever he went.
Hli Ja realized that it was great having a friend to keep her company. Her heart that had turned bitter due to her past was becoming less bitter. She thought of revenge lesser and lesser. Their trips to fetch water from the river and around the mountains were joyful and pleasant. She enjoyed his company.
Two weeks later, Mua Kong pretty much recovered. He was back in action and practicing with his sword. A few days of practicing and he knew his wound had healed completely and his strength was back at full capacity. He knew it was time to head back home.
He gazed over at the girl who was busy hanging up laundries over the string attached to two low tree branches. He wondered if she would go with him if he asked her.
Mua Kong walked over to Hli Ja but stopped at a distance while he thought of ways to approach her. He wished to ask her if she would be willing to come along with him but wasn't sure if he should really do that and if he should, then how?
Hli Ja, on the other hand, sensed his presence. She knew he was standing right behind her. Why wasn't he saying anything? She waited for some good seconds for him to speak up but when he didn't, she paused what she was doing and turned around. Curious, she asked, "Do you need something?"
He almost instantly looked away from her. "Mm," he uttered, still debating how to ask her but after a moment of hesitation, he finally looked up at her. "What if I ask you to come with me? Would you like to come with me?"