The carriage finally made its way out the forest and traveled along a road towards Helion Iceland's.
"This spots good. Pull over here for now Chen."
"Yes, Young Master." The coachman Gin Chen stoped the carriage alongside the road.
"Okay Siyan and Kiyoshi go out and change back. Little Blue let down the curtains we have to do something about your appearance before your guards show up, after realizing your missing."
Shinah lightly pushes Kiyoshi out taking back his modified appearance and gives them their old set of clothes to put back on.
"My appearance? Are my clothes unsuitable?"
"Yeah come here I'm about to give you a makeover. Sit still let's work on your hair and face first."
"My hair?! what are you going to do!"
"Hehe don't be shy I'm just going to make it look shorter and a different color."
"Don't you dare cut my hair! Wait ... wait Little Heathen... Ahhhh!!!!"
The carriage rocked unnaturally, and the men stepped back and looked away from the sorrowful cries coming from within.
Their Little Shin'er was just too cruel.
The cries suddenly stopped and were replaced by laughter.
"What's going on?" After a while Rai Kiyoshi approached the carriage and knocked carefully.
"Just a minute Brother. Little Blues about to change dresses."
"Ahh Sister Shinah quick help me with the corset."
"What! Little brat better not! You get out here right now! Don't let Princess Tart, taint you! Come out here now or ... or .. I'll go in."
"Who you calling Princess Tart?" She whispers to Shinah. "Your brothers are all so handsome it's such a shame this one's such a brute." Then both of them laughed at his expense.
"Shinah!!! Get out now!"
"Fine, Fine."
"Someone's coming! Little Heathen, Blue stay inside the carriage." Siyan directed Chen to guard the front side of the carriage and pulled out his sword.
Gin Chen and Rai Kiyoshi followed his direction and pulled out their swords taking a position guarding the front of the carriage.
"Pst.. Uncle come in here quickly." Shinah whispers to Siyan.
Four men on horseback stoped near the carriage noticing the men standing guard. The Captain eyed the teenage boy, and coachman with indifference. He urged his horse forward and asked in a haughty manner. "Where do you hail from and why are you out traveling so late in the night? It's nearly midnight."
"What's it to you? We're traveling under our masters wishes." Rai Kiyoshi spat back unaffected by his arrogant attitude.
"Who's your master?"The Captain questioned noticing Rai Kiyoshi's boldness. The boy must have an impressive backer considering he doesn't bat an eye towards his royal attire.
"Someone you can't afford to cross." Rai Kiyoshi pressed back.
"Ahh, dear friends we meant no harm were just searching for our Masters runaway ..Mount haha would you believe the wild thing just took off. You lot haven't seen it have you. It's a pretty young thing but ...definitely in need of some taming and discipline when back home."
"Don't call me friend I don't have a slimy friend like you."
"Boy don't test my patience. Men, give this boy a lashing and go check their carriage for Masters property."
"I dare you to take a step and see what happens!" Rai Kiyoshi condensed fire around his sword and slashed towards the men approaching.
"So noisy.. huuuh." Siyan leisurely stepped out slowly from the door of the carriage, covering a yawn with his fist and stretching as if he had just woken up.
Upon noticing Siyan's signature metal mask that was known to covered his scared face and The Jade Emerald Kingdom's Royal Crest on his ring, The Capitan pulled back his horses reigns. "Master Siyan, uhh so your out here too... soo sorry to disturb your rest. We just stopped to look for ....."
"Leave, before I kill you." Siyan's waved his hand shooing them away. While tossing a small glass vile towards the men near Rai Kiyoshi.
"Shit. Wait Uncle!"
"How ruthless he is to his own family member...we better run!" Both the men near Kiyoshi lost their arrogance and scrambled away from the white fog escaping the broken vile.
"Nice job Uncle! Your the Best!" Shinah exclaimed proudly from in the carriage.
"What the hell Old Man! I was right there too! That smokey stuff almost got on me, then what would've happened?"
Siyan snatches up Rai Kiyoshi in a head lock. "Call me old, one more time and I'll let you suffer the same fate as those poor souls! Such a fate I only reserve for my enemies ....to never be able to get it up ever again ... tsk tsk... so sad."
"Geez Old Man that's just cruel! How can you create such a poison."
"Do you want to test me, my little nephew?"
Rai Kiyoshi kept his mouth shut tightly and walked into the carriage. For nothing in this world would make a man risk losing that ability which makes him a man.
They drove off again traveling towards the nearest city.
——
The carriage parked in front of an Inn. Siyan popped his head out the carriage and whistled.
"I say, Little Heathen your tastes are a little bit much don't you think? This Inn is right in the middle of a tavern and a pleasure house. How can we bring the little lady into such a place?"
"Uncle it's nearly midnight and we all could use some rest before we head to the next town in the morning. Besides it's classless not tasteless. Well manage." Shinah pulls a black coat over her person and jumps effortlessly out the door of the carriage.
"Kiyoshi you watch over Little Blue and the carriage. Uncle and I will check for vacancies."
"Tch...Why am I always stuck babysitting?"
"Mm must be your upstanding character and kind personality..."Little Blue mumbled under her breath.
Rai Kiyoshi sent her a dirty look. "What was that ...Princess Tart."
"Hmph, I said your so aggressive." She stuck her tongue out in irritation. "Are you always this welcoming?"
Rai Kiyoshi stared at her, trying to control his emotions. "I don't trust or like you; and to travel with company you don't trust is a liability. Just because you are a beautiful woman, doesn't mean I will fight for you or protect you. So yes I'm always this 'welcoming' especially when it comes to an enemy. Your just the little tart who's manipulating Shinah's kindness and putting my family at risk. And for what, a man who's probably already dead by now. Because you know, even better than I ...what that Monster of a brother of yours is like. So yes I'm an unwelcoming and aggressive brute ... but being in the same space as you disgusts me to no end." His anger sparked the embers in his golden eyes.
He closed his eyes and stood up abruptly, jumping out the carriage.
"..." Little Blue looked at his retreating back and felt a twinge of sympathy for his anger and loneliness.
"Kiyoshi? Is everything okay."Siyan walked out as he felt his nephew's unstable fluctuations of spirit energy and pulled him away from the group. "Little Heathen well go take care of the horses and carriage, you take Little Blue to her room."
"Wait... what about food...? Oh well I guess it's just us two. Here put this on and I'll show you to your room." Shinah hands her a dark blue cloak and leads her into the Inn up the stairs to the fifth room.
"Uhh.. downstairs said they would be warming up some water for a bath. You won't have anyone to wait on you but at least you'll have a chance to get clean. If I were you I'd take it since we'll be traveling for a distance you might not get the chance for a comfortable bath again. They'll also bring some warm soup, then get as much rest as you can. We're leaving early tomorrow."
"I see."
"Well okay then, good night Little Blue, my rooms across yours so holler if you need anything."
"Wait.... Sister Shinah ...what you did for me... and with my guards... I ... never got to thank you for your kindness. I don't know why you chose to help me but I'm grateful, you've done enough. Tomorrow I can go my own way with the map you provided. You've done more than I could have ever hoped for but ... I must tell you ...I'm not capable of... I won't... ever hurt you or your family. I'm not like..." Little Blue hangs her head down too ashamed to finish.
"Lorraine -Sigh- Don't you know? Your nothing like your grandfather or brothers. Don't worry, I'm not afraid of you betraying or hurting us. Stop your needless worrying and go wash up and rest."
Little Blue looks up at Shinah surprised. Shinah winks and pushes her lightly into her room.
"Don't worry tomorrow I'll share the rest of my secret with you so your not feeling so vulnerable Little Blue, Go rest."