Hua Nu Gua closed the picture book in her lap with a soft sigh, and tucked it into her grass basket. It was long and arduous, but her favorite legend none the less, a soft memory from the few times her father read to her.
"THAT was it ?!?!" a small child yelled sharply from the audience, her face squinting up as she said it.
"At least it's over!"
"It was SO boring."
"WHat do YOu mEAn?!? It was CUTE. He LOVED her"
"I didn't even understand half of the words."
"I wanted A FAIRYTALE! Not a history lesson!"
"Oh, well in that case let me tell you about the great Yellow Emperor and how he conquered the plains," Nu Gua said, a sarcastic grin spreading over her face. She giggled to herself as a chorus of whines and groans erupted from the children of the Gao Yuan orphanage. This is how it went every week. The stories changed, children came and went, but no matter the day, you could leave it up to them to complain. A behavior that started off shocking soon became endearing for the young heir to the throne.
"Now! Children! Please be respectful to Miss Meng Liu," the elderly monk said at the back of the room. Hearing that name was a bittersweet reminder. Though she herself was an orphan, she didn't belong here. No amount of masquerading or maids outfits would change the fact that she was a princess. What would they do if they found out? Would they bow? Probably, but out of fear or respect? Meng, the surname of a legendary heroine. Liu, the wise old willow, the only thing her mother ever loved. A small voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Miss Meng, um... what about the animals?" a small child said before erupting into a fit of coughs. The old monk rushing over to aid him. Nu Gua watched as Jampa's weak little frame shook with all the strength he could muster to rid himself of this sickness. She paused before speaking.
"Well, the animals' offspring did as the animals had said, but the original animals were immortal. My dad says they're still out there somewhere with Pangu's animals, but no one has even claimed to have seen them in centuries. What do you think?"
"I think they're still out there. Maybe the princess will summon Nuwa and the animals to rid us of the Fade" he said hoarsely without hesitation. Nu Gua's heart lurched. She wanted nothing more to tell him who she was. She wanted to scoop this small child up in her arms and save him, take him to Nuwa herself and watch him be healed, but no matter how much the priests lied, she was just another human like everyone else. She had no powers, no connection to the gods, and if they did hear her pleas, they didn't care. They didn't care when she watched her father get assassinated, they didn't care when her mother went into battle that fateful day, and they didn't care now. Jampa wasn't the first, and he wouldn't be the last. Some went quick, they were the lucky ones. Others took more time. It started of with the warmth, then the aches. Next, came the coughing. It shook your body until nothing was left for your soul to hang onto. In the end, once you had it, the Fade would claim you, it was only time.
A soft, "Maybe," was all Nu Gua could muster for Jampa. She knew how his life was going to end long before it had even started. The desert had a funny way of handing out destinies to the good ones.
"Ok kids, time for lunch," the monk yelled ushering the children out in the meal hall. Nu Gua packed up her belongings, and after all the children had been seated and served.
"How's he-"
Mister Lu interrupted her before she could finish. He eyed Jampa.
"Thanks to your stories, he very well emotionally. Physically.....you saw," he sighed,"But none of that is your responsibility."
"Ok Mr.Lu, thank you for having me." Nu Gua said, her heart dropping.
"Or you're leaving already? No, you must stay. Eat."
"I don't want to impose, Mr. Lu"
"No, No Trouble. No Trouble at all"
"I really must leave. I have to go to the market before going back to the palace."
The old monk peeked his head out the window to look at the sun. "You must go, go, the market is closing soon," Mr.Lu said quickly ushering her out the door. He was right it was almost sunset. Nu Gua had promised her maid a sweet bread bun in exchange for assistance sneaking out, and the stall was going to close any minute. Nu Gua wrapped her cloak around her and sprinted off into the streets of Chang'an.