Bai Li rode into the clearing. When the three of them hadn't returned, he had decided to go and check on them.
Mei Renlong and Princess Sofya were both completely drenched and seemed to be playing a game of water fighting that involved tackling. Bai Li looked on with surprise. The pair barely knew each other, and Mei Renlong was usually very reserved and serious. He'd observed that the Northern princess was very genuine, natural and candid. This would endear her to the Mei family, who shared those values.
Mei Meili sat on the bank. He immediately noticed she had her riding pants rolled up to her knees and her bare calves and ankles were on display. It wouldn't have mattered when it was just her brother and the princess here, but he was not family, nor a woman.
"Ahem," he cleared his throat loudly to warn her.
"Bai Li," she waved happily to him, "come and join us in the stream".
"Commander Bai," Sofya welcomed him.
Mei Renlong nodded at him, looking sheepish. They both knew why.
"Meimei, roll your trousers down now that Commander Bai is here," ordered First Brother.
"Oh, but First Brother, the water is so lovely on my toes and the sun on my legs."
"You're putting Commander Bai in a spot Meili, be thoughtful," he said firmly.
Bai Li reddened. He was, indeed, totally distracted by the vision of Mei Meili reclining on the bank with her bare legs and pretty feet and ankles. He challenged any man not to be!
Mei Meili reluctantly rolled down her wet pants. She shivered slightly as she did so. Bai Li strode up to her now and wrapped his cloak around her shoulders, sitting down beside her. They both sat and watched the princess and her First Brother continue their game.
"I'm sorry to spoil your fun Mei Meili," he said softly to her.
"That's okay," she said amiably. "I'm happy enough just having my bare feet in the water."
He hoped there would be a time when she could play bare legged in front of him, but that time was not yet.
"That was a dangerous manoeuvre Princess Sofya pulled back there."
"She's incredibly competent on horseback. That trick is second nature to her."
"She could easily have knocked you off Tufei."
"You worry too much. I told you before, I already have five brothers who excel in that sport."
"I hope to be in a position to worry about you too," he said seriously, staring straight ahead.
"What position would that be? As a good friend, I don't need you to be protective of me. Let's just enjoy one another's company, as friends do."
"Is that all we are to one another, Mei Meili?" he chose his words carefully.
"What more would we be? We're not betrothed."
"And whose fault is that?" he flashed.
"Bai Li," she shood her head incredulously. "Do you recall telling me the other night that you have a woman that you like, and you'd like my help finding out if your feelings are reciprocated?"
Ha! So she did remember their conversation from that night!
"Mei Meili, do you recall telling me I'm very handsome?" he stared deeply at her now, a small smile playing on his lips.
She blushed. How could he bring that up? How ungentlemanly of him!
"Bai Li!" she protested. "I was befuddled by alcohol that night. You're not going to hold me accountable for that are you?"
"I certainly am. They say people's true feelings are revealed when they're inebriated," he pushed her.
"People also say lots of silly things they don't mean when they're drunk."
"So, do you find me very handsome when you're sober?" he asked her directly, the tip of his thumb in his mouth.
She turned even more red, and she hid her face from him. "Stop teasing me Bai Li. Why does it matter if I think you're handsome or not? Shouldn't you be more worried about whether the girl you have feelings for finds you handsome?"
"I'm asking you, Mei Meili," he said seriously. "It's a straightforward question."
"Stop fishing for compliments. I'm sure you know your own worth."
"I'm not interested in some objective assessment, I'm interested in what you think," he persisted.
"I think you're being a pest. Go pester Princess Sofya with these questions of yours."
"Are you jealous?" he asked her teasingly.
"No!" she said with affront.
"What was that behaviour of yours earlier when you saw me with her then? It's hard to think what else it was, if not jealousy."
"You insufferable man!" she leapt to her feet, at the end of her tether with this line of questioning. "Must you always interrogate me like one of your prisoners?"
She didn't honestly know how she felt about Bai Li, but she knew she couldn't afford to have any feelings beyond friendship for him. Her betrothal would not be her decision to make in the end, but she would certainly ask her parents not to choose her a man who already had feelings for another woman. And she knew for certain that they would never choose someone who wouldn't agree to make her his main wife.
Right now, marriage was the last thing on her mind. She'd only just been granted the smallest taste of freedom, and she wasn't willing to give it up to become someone's wife until she had to.
She handed him his cloak huffily and walked over to Tufei. He'd definitely touched a nerve he thought. He just didn't know if it was because she was actually jealous, and just not ready to admit her feelings, or if she was simply angry with him. If she didn't understand what she was feeling, he'd just have to help her along.
"Sofya, let's ride," called Meili.
Sofya pulled her boots back on over wet feet and mounted White Horse.
"Hyaa!" the two girls kicked their horses and set off at a gallop.
First Brother and Bai Li fell in behind them. They wouldn't be letting these girls ride off into the sunset together without them. The two men smelt trouble with a capital 'T' with this pair.