A month later...
The princess was returning from the temple, it was pouring like the Xin waterfall near the temple but neither the cries of the sky nor could the dark invasions of the clouds frighten her.
Being immersed in her memories with her mother, an arrow tore the curtain and the litter smashed to the ground but before it, a girl in a white dress flew out, holding her arrow in her hand. Peeking at all her valets who were dead with arrows slicing through their foreheads.
"Highwaymen!"
She kept her head low when she jumped on the rock near a tree. Arrows were leaving her quiver one by one, resting on her bow and being unleashed by the string.
Her sharp lightless eyes were tracking either of them, but a second later, a cast of net knocked her to the ground.
This village was near the Di Kingdom borders. The place where her mother was born while they were here for the Winter hunting campaign. But it also had hazardous reputable threats such as brigands. And today, she had the lack of guards as she sent them away.
"How dare you hurt her!?"
The maidens were screaming as the guards were all dispatched and fell to the ground lifeless. The rain brought haze and mist, washing the blood off the ground and watering the trees.
Xing Huan was struggling to get out when a pack of men, jumped out behind the trees and caught her.
"Who is she? The next merchant that would feed our bellies."
One with nasty feature and rotten teeth seemed to be joking as the laughter resonated.
"You bastards." One of the maids shouted, they were warned not to reveal her identity so it was tough to hold it.
"We can sell these women to some people who pay well, see they can be good tools." One who was squeezing Huan's arm suggested, taking out the bracelet that her mother had given her.
"Give it back!" After a long time words left the princess's mouth who had gone mute after her mother's death.
"I am going to kill you," she screamed.
"I'll find you."
"Oh, she is a wild cat!"
Mocking her, they heard horses and cursed, stabbing the maidens and Xing Huan from behind, they found the time limited to carry the women with them. Holding their lives in their guts they robbed every treasure they found and escaped to the dark.
Falling to the ground, she could only see the hazy images of them running away with her mother's gift, the only treasure that kept her breathing.
...
In the first month of winter, the Di kingdom borders...
Darkness was ruling the sky, the rain had gone heavier than it was at the noon. Cries of riders while hitting the horses' flanks could be heard, with the rhythm of the sky.
Men were running through trees, their terrified eyes bulged out of the sockets.
A troop of men riding black horses crossed the borders and took the road robbers under siege, baring the glowing swords, they galloped like wraiths and killed them all. Their silhouette cast on the ground that shade of light was landing.
It was fast, the much that everywhere those raiders were trying to escape made them being caught by another rider. Swords cut the skins on the heads and they fell to the ground, greeting their grim reapers.
Dismounting the horses, steam was clouding out of their nostrils. All of them were wearing black cloaks, covering their faces under the hoods.
Nearing the fallen sack, one of them removed his hood, he was heavenly handsome but there was a burning mark on his left side. Picking the sack up, he walked to the one behind who was making sure all of those nasty murderer burglars were dead.
"This is their earning, your highness. The reports were true."
The man removed his hood, a majestic face was underneath that could make everyone forget about exhaling the air.
"Now it belongs to us! Let's get back to the station." He sneered satisfyingly and a wicked blaze of light reflected in his eyes.
"Knights! We are done here."
He broke a law, after crossing the borders of Mei Kingdom. But dread or any weak emotion was a joke to the villain crown prince of Di Kingdom. To the man who didn't feel disgusted letting his hands kiss blood. The young man whose name could bring a shudder to the most skillful men in martial arts or those who ever held a blade. The man whose blade could slice the feral darkness of the night was none but Prince Wu Xiuying.
The troop hit the road and got back to their station, getting to their dining hall, the hot food was already settled. Everyone was laughing and reciting slogans for the new achievement. Feasting and eating.
The prince hit his mug of drink down on the table.
"We are not done yet, these were just a bunch of vanguard, we must find their boss and the den."
He stood up and his sharp blank eyes turned on the man with the burning mark.
"Come with me Li Chaoxiang."
Li Chaoxiang was the first son of the king's war minister. A loyal friend and the right hand of the crown prince. He was vicious, merciless, and always stern, no one ever saw him showing a smile on his face. This man never had a woman around him which resulted in hearsays.
Leaving the dining hall, they went inside another room while Li Chaoxiang held the sack they earned from the culprits.
Pouring them on the floor, the prince shook his head, "do they kill people because of these ridiculous cheap jewels?"
He hissed, shaking his head, and kneeling on one knee as his eyes caught the strange bracelet that had an expensive gem on a cheap bronze!
He reached his hand out and as soon as his long forefinger touched the gem, the metal turned as if a snake and sneaked on his wrist tightening there, the valuable ruby stone gem changed color to green.
The prince struggled to remove it.
"What the heck, Chao, help me!"
The captain came forward after devouring the bewilderment by what just happened in front of his sight.
Doing all their attempt they couldn't make it out, and while pressing hard a sudden entrance made them slip and fall on each other!
The person by the door peered at them with widen eyes. That shocked skin turned into an amusing one and quickly closed the door and smirked.
Pushing Chaoxiang away, prince Xiuying cussed.
"Let it be, it must be a witch's bracelet. From now on, be careful as what those robbers have are tricky." He steadied himself and coughed, waving his hand and added, "get out."
The embarrassed captain sighed, wearing a stern face he went out to fix Fan who came without announcement.
The prince changed clothes and stretched his body, went to sleep on his mattress, laying there, he gazed at the dumb thing on his wrist.
He was exhausted and closed his eyes, without paying much attention. The next day he would take it off.
Hours passed and the sun slipped up to the sky. He woke up and yawned when he didn't feel his spot arising after the morning orgasm! What a strange thing! He creased his eyebrows and checked on his tool.
Blinking a few times, he spotted nothing but fluffy flesh! His hands moved in! Wait for what!? What are these hands? He screamed and crawled back, tilting his head, he was shocked, his palms suddenly rested on his chest. Two fluffy muscles were there, touching them was pleasant and could drive him beyond reality.
Hastily he slapped himself and stood up.
He looked around, he was in his room, his soul didn't swap his body, right? He was still alive!
"Crap! The bracelet!" He grabbed his mouth, even his voice had changed.
It was a curse, no qualm.
"Your highness!"
It was Chaoxiang behind the door. He swallowed, peering at the door. He only trusted him so he should find a solution for it, roaming to the door, he opened the door, snatched the captain's arm, and pulled him inside.
**
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