After cleaning up, Xing made sure her mother was sleeping and tucked her in her blanket and went out. She called in not so loud voice "Peng Peng..". Soon after with a growl a greywolf came in front of her. Grey wolves are a rare breed of wolves only found in these mountains in their kingdom alone. It is a well preserved species by the government as there were laws against hunting them. They are a big breed and the adults can grow upto an average man's height. They are extremely territorial predators who are shy around humans. Xing's House was inside a grey wolf packs territory and so usually people avoid these forests.
Xing petted the grey wolf's head that reached upto her shoulders without fear. The wolf was happily wagging its tail as if it was a dog. "Have you all had dinner?" Xing asked in the Guyu language.
The Guyu language is an ancient language that was the original language spoken in their continent which was later replaced by various other languages depending on the kingdoms. The Guyu language was later sanctified as 'The Language of Gods' and only the Royal families were allowed to study that language and was forbidden to learn by the common and even the Noble class. Xing who grew up in the mountains had learned to speak the language from an early age as she interacted with Gods. Later she even learned the written form of that language too from 'her Prince'.
The wolf nodded in agreement. For some reason, Xing can communicate with animals in the Guyu language. She thought it was normal for a long time but Haru explained that she was the only one who could talk to animals and to keep it a secret. Peng peng was the leader of a wolf pack of nearly fifty wolves that lived in the forest she came to know some years back. Whenever Xing leaves home she leaves her mother under the protection of Pengpeng and he is loyal to Xing.
Xing told Pengpeng, " You and your pack guard the camp outside the village tonight. The Son of heaven is staying there. Remember to keep a distance and hide well, for they may misunderstand you. Be Careful and only alert them if there is danger. No need for you to engage directly. Will you…? ", she asked. The wolf understood and bowed to her and left. The people in the camp without knowing a pack of wolves are guarding them carried on with their duties.
Táng Jia Xing went to bed but for some reason she cannot stop thinking about Lu Chenglie her 'Prince'. She held a silver hairpin that had dragon at its head, in her hands that was given to her by him. Holding the hairpin close to her heart, she remembered the day she first met him.
It was winter eleven years ago. They were living in a small house in the forest. Her mother ran the house by doing embroidery and any small work she could get in the village. People really supported them. Xing usually wandered around in the forest. She usually wanted to spend time with animals than humans. She had many non-human friends and had no contact with humans back then.
That winter they had heavy snowfall in the mountains. The entire mountain and the forest was covered in white. Xing was told by her mother not to go outside the village area to the Imperial Roads from the city since many bandits were ambushing travellers . But that day Xing curiously went that direction. On the way, she saw two white tiger cubs playing in the snow in the forest. That was a beautiful sight and Xing joined them and threw snow at them, later joined by the mother tiger too. She then left them and walked to the place forbidden by her mother.
She saw a beautiful carriage driven by four horses. There may be a Prince in there like in the stories mother used to say. Thinking that she hid in a bush at an appropriate distance and watched the carriage that had stopped for some reason.
That's when she saw him. A boy about twelve years old descending from the carriage like an immortal. He had silver hair upto his waist and was wearing white silk robes and had a short sword at his waist. Half of his hair was held up with a silver dragon hairpin. Xing couldn't take her eyes off him. He should be a Prince, she thought.
As he came down a bunch of arrows started flowing towards them. The boy took his sword and deflected the arrows. Xing gasped on seeing this.
Oh no! They want to hurt him. Why would those bad people want to hurt that beautiful person?
She wanted to run to help although she won't be able to do anything. She just wanted to help.That's when the boy looked at her with a smile in his lips and put his index finger on his lips as if he was telling her to be quiet and signalled her to hide back. Xing was surprised he noted her and as he said she kept quite hiding in the bush. She really was never this obedient to her mother.
When the arrows stopped the carriage was set to fire by some flame arrows.
That's when a woman and a young girl both wearing colourful silk clothes and many gold hair accessories got down from the carriage. They were screaming in fear. "Mother! Stay behind me" the boy said. Just when they were out, a group of a fifteen men surrounded them with their weapons and started attacking. The boy with his sword started killing the assassins one by one. Xing saw the boy's white robes and the snow starting to be covered in blood. But she didn't feel scared and admired the sword skills of the boy fighting men a full head taller than him.
"Kill.. Kill them all" the remaining assassins shouted. But seven of them were already dead and the boy was still fighting. Xing was counting, seven down… Eight.. Nine.. Wow, that Prince is really impressive. Only five more… That's when one assassin put his sword through the girls heart when she tried to run away. He killed the assassin by throwing a small hidden dagger from his sleeves and stood before the woman. The woman as if losing her mind started laughing, " This should be that vile woman's doing… How dare she.. I curse you… I curse your kids… ". The boy fending off another assassin said panting, " Mother, please calm your heart. It'll be over soon". The woman hearing this shouted angrily " Over? It'll never be over until you die". The boy who already killed three assassins by now passed and looked at his mother. She continued saying, "None of these would have happened if you were dead… I wouldn't have to leave the palace if you were dead…. If only you died…." she fell on her knees with tears running down her face. Seeing the remaining assassin's sword piercing her back, he slashed him with his sword by his neck. He fell to the ground blood splashing. The prince bent over and tried to hold his mother when she pushed his hand, looked his face and said with scorn on her face, " If only you were dead…", and fell on the ground dead.
Xing who was watching heard what that woman said. Mothers are not supposed to say mean things to their kids. My mother always wants me safe and always say that she loves me. Even when she scolds me she never say mean things . The Prince must be sad.I want to hug him.
She saw the Prince kneeling before his mother, his sword lying on the side. That's when she noted one of those men got back up and walking slowly towards the Prince from his backside. The Prince seemed to be frozen. Xing couldn't hold any longer and she got up and shouted, " Snow Prince, Don't die…., watch behind you… Please don't die…".
Her shouts made the boy regain his senses. The assassin also picked his pace. The boy picked his sword, turned to lie on his back and pierced the assassin's heart bending over to attack him and pushed him to the side. Blood dripped on his face and hair. He then turned to look at Xing running towards her, gave a faint smile and closed his eyes.
Xing reached the boy covered in blood. She checked for injuries. There were some cuts. She got scared and checked if he is breathing. He's breathing. She wanted to take him home to her mother. She tried to lift him but she can't. So she decided to ask for help and ran.
She brought the mother tiger she was previously playing with. That's when he saw a man bending over the boy with a dagger in his hand, trying to stab him. He was wearing weird clothes she was not accustomed to. Bad man! Xing picked a stone nearby and threw at the man. It hit him in his head and when he saw her walking with a tiger, he left the dagger and stumbled away in the snow. Xing wanted to hurt the man so much but now she has to do another important thing. She carried him with great effort and placed him on the tiger's back. She then took him home and placed him on her bed. She Sent the tiger away and that's when her mother got home from the village. She saw her daughter with blood stains and panicked. Xing explained everything while her mother cleaned and treated the boy.
After what seemed like an eternity for Xing when it was actually hours, the boy woke up. He seemed shocked but gradually got along with them.He said his name was Chenglie. Her mother allowed him to stay with them.
Xing was happy she had another one in her home. He slept in a spare bed and he didn't talk much. Xing always sticked to him and he gradually got better and started smiling at her more.
Two weeks passed and one early morning Xing heard grunting noise. She got up and saw Chenglie grunting as he was having a nightmare. His face and even his clothes were soaked in sweat. She got near him and tried to touch him when he suddenly woke up, grabbed his sword under his pillow and slashed her chest. Hearing Xing's screams, her mother came running. She saw her wounded daughter and a sword in Chenglie's hands.
Chenglie realised what he has done and panicked. He saw her mother's worried expression and the crying Xing. He dropped his sword said with his voice breaking, "I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to.. I'm sorry..", he then ran away from home.
Xing even in her pain shouted not to worry and begged him to come back. He looked back and ran away anyway.
The next week Xing was made to rest to recover from the wound. Thankfully the wound was only superficial but it left a scar. Xing asked about him daily to her mother. But there was no news about him. Xing was so sad she refused to eat and sleep properly. This made her mother worry.
The day her mother said her wound was healed, she ran towards the mountain. She always know she gets what she wants in the mountain. She wanted her Snow Prince. She'll search in the mountain for him herself.
Determined to find him she wandered in the mountain. There was a beautiful pond in the mountain. She found her Prince there. He started running away. "Don't come near me", he shouted. "You'll end up hurt by me".
"I'm fine now", she shouted. "See, the wound healed" she showed him the almost healed wound.
" But I'm the one who hurt you"
" I don't mind. I want to stay with you anyway", she saw Chenglie blushing but he still tried to run away stepping over the rocks in the pond. She followed him but slipped and fell into the deep pond. The water splashed and she started sinking.
Water started to enter her mouth and nose and her chest started to hurt.Oh no! I don't want to die, My Snow Prince where are you? Darkness started to surround her when she saw Chenglie swimming towards her with her arms extending towards her. He looked worried. Xing was happy. She smiled extending her hands towards him and lost her consciousness.
When she gained consciousness, she heard his pleading voice. His voice was shaking while saying, "Come on girl, open your eyes now, please..". When she opened her eyes, she was lying flat on the land with Chenglie bending over her tapping her cheek with panic.
The moment she opened her eyes he pulled her and hugged her tightly in his chest. "Silly girl, what were you thinking? Don't jump into the pond if you can't swim…", he tightened his grip, "You almost died before my eyes. Please don't do this to me.. I can't bear it", he whispered with his trembling voice.
" But you were running away from me.. I wanted to bring you home..", Xing said pouting her lips.
" Home?", he asked surprised looking at her face.
" Yes, home. I know you don't have a mother now. So I'll share my mother and home. You can live with us."
"But I hurt you"
"It's fine. It doesn't hurt anymore. But I'm not happy when you're not with me. So come home with me".
"You mean it?"
"Yes"
" Then from this day on, you belong to me and I to you. You can't ask anyone else to come home with you. Do you agree? ", he said looking at her eyes and placed her hands on her cheeks, smiling.
Xing saw Chenglie looking at her with a smile that was so sweet. She didn't fully understand what he said, but she knew that she'd want him by her side looking and smiling at her, like now.
" Ok", she said, rubbing his cheeks with her little hands, " Only if you smile at me like this always".
He bent and kissed her cheek close to her mouth and hugged her. " I can do that if that's all it takes",he said in her ears.
That day is still the happiest day for her in her heart.