Liu Fen felt the man's eyes on her, eyes that burned with lust and malice. His manhood jutted out, a thing she had never seen before, a thing that threatened to violate her. Her heart pounded in her chest, a frantic rhythm of fear and despair.
She wanted to escape, to fly away from this nightmare, but she was trapped. Trapped by the other man who pinned her down on the grass, his hands bruising her arms and legs. He was stronger than her, much stronger. She couldn't break free, no matter how hard she writhed and twisted.
The naked man knelt before her and she felt his hands on her legs, forcing them apart. She shook her head, trying to scream through the gag. Tears blurred her vision as he lifted her skirts. He was about to crawl over her, when a blue figure dropped from the branches.
Liu Fen heard a grunt as the naked man was pulled off her. A glint of steel caught her eyes as the blue figure plunged a dagger into the man's exposed crotch. He let out a terrible scream, a sound that chilled Liu Fen's blood.
Liu Fen felt a sudden release as the other man let go of her. He sprang to his feet, rushing to help his companion. But the blue figure was ready for him, striking him in the chest with a fist. He staggered back, clutching his ribs. Before he could recover, the blue figure was upon him again, slashing his throat with a short blade. He fell and twitched like a fish out of water.
Liu Fen stared at the carnage with wide eyes. She felt a surge of gratitude and fear towards her rescuer. Who was he? Why did he save her? She wiped her tears and tried to focus on his appearance. He wore a blue robe and a cap. He was a eunuch! But why did he hide his face behind a cloth that covered all but his eyes?
With slow steps, he approached her. In his hands, he held two daggers that were identical in shape and size. She felt a chill run down her spine as she saw one of them dripping with blood. He caught her gaze and quickly wiped the blood on his sleeve. He tucked the weapon away and crouched before her. He reached for the cloth that gagged her mouth and pulled it free. He spoke softly, almost tenderly. "Are you ok?"
She wanted to say something, to thank him, but only broken sounds came from her mouth. She could not speak but only cry. Tears ran down her cheeks like rain; she sobbed and sobbed and could not stop. He watched her quietly with pity in his eyes
Then she heard them coming. Voices in the distance. Many voices, shouting her name.'Liu Fen! Liu Fen! Where are you?' She recognized one of them: Xiao Mei's soft voice, laced with worry.
She looked at her savior. He was alert and tense, his ears twitching towards the noise. He met her eyes for a brief moment, then he sprang to his feet and dashed into the trees. She watched him vanish into the green, feeling a strange mix of gratitude and curiosity.
"Miss! Is that you?" Xiao Mei's voice made her turn around. She saw the little maid running towards her, followed by the crown prince and a score of imperial guards.
"Xiao Mei." Liu Fen managed to croak.
"Miss! I'm here! I'm here!" Xiao Mei cried, reaching her side.