It had been almost four months since Lianhua had left home and somewhere deep in her heart she still missed it. But while she had been on her travels she had realized just how much she needed this time away from home. There were so many things out in the world she didn’t know about, it had been an eye-opener. No wonder her ancestors had created such a rite of passage.

For the first month she had been on her own it had been a struggle. She was not used to not having somewhere to lay her head at night and many times she had to sleep outside. It was then that she realized she needed money if she was ever going to survive.

The country of Xing Wei was a vast one, so there were a lot of places to go and people to meet. She gathered that money – and her lack thereof – was the only thing going to keep her alive so she quickly decided she was going to join an opera house. She was a good dancer, just like her mother was and if dancing was going to make her earn some money she was going to do it.

Lianhua joined the Changying Opera House in Tingguang, a town in the east (since she had been travelling in that direction), and for the next two months she became a gui-dancer. The new experience of working to gain wages for herself had been exhilarating and she hadn’t wanted to stop, however something was tugging at her heart telling her that this wasn’t where she was meant to be.

So after making enough money to last her for a very long time Lianhua quit the opera and went back on her journey. She had decided to head north to Langwei, the capital. On her way there she met a fox spirit by the name Zhong who was heading in the same direction. He ended up becoming her travelling companion.

“So, Miss. Lianhua, if I may be so bold, why are you heading to the capital at a time like this?” asked Zhong, who Lianhua had found out was quite a nosy little fox.

“I don’t know, to explore maybe?” she said nonchalantly for in truth she herself didn’t know the reason for going to the capital. “And what do you mean by at a time like this?”

“So you don’t know?” Zhong feigned shock. “Why Lianhua, I thought you knew about the rivalry that has been going on between the two wolf princes of the empire? I thought that was your reason for wanting to go there.”

“The two wolf princes. Rivalry. What in heaven’s name are you talking about?” asked Lianhua bewildered.

“Oh, so you really didn’t know? Where have you been living, under a rock?” Zhong was truly shocked this time. Lianhua couldn’t help but laugh at his expression.

“Oh come on Zhong, it’s not what you think, of course I know about the princes, it’s just that I don’t care to know about every little thing that happens in their lives.” She side-eyed him. “Unlike a certain someone I know.” Zhong scoffed at her reference.

“That is not what I’m going to the capital to find out.”

“Oh really?” Lianhua raised a perfectly arched eyebrow at the man and crossed her arms across her chest. Zhong had orange hair that was long at the back, spiky at the top and short at the sides. Like all foxes he had those signature slanted eyes and wide lips. To Lianhua his eyes were his best feature, they were golden yellow and surrounded by thick black lashes that looked as if they had been painted in kohl.

“I just want to be in the know unlike a certain someone I know.” He shot back at her.

She shrugged her shoulders. “You got me there.” He smiled triumphantly then after a few minutes he stopped walking and his smile faded.

“Lianhua, you do know how dangerous the princes are right? Not just the princes, the entire royal family?” she flicked her wrist at him.

“Of course I do.” She said shrugging her shoulders. Zhong gave her a skeptical look but dropped the conversation.

They had been walking for hours and Lianhua could feel the tiredness seeping into her legs. It had been far too long since she was near water. She stopped and began scanning her surroundings. She wasn’t a normal water spirit, unlike the others, she had heightened senses which she figured was a trait she got from her father for there was no way she could have gotten it from her mother.

They were walking on one of the many dirt roads that lead to the capital. Both sides of the road was bordered by thick timberland. Lianhua turned to her left and her sensitive ears picked up the telltale sound of running water. She turned back to Zhong.

“I guess this is where we part ways my friend.” Zhong furrowed his brows at her.

“Why?” he asked.

“I’m a water spirit remember, I haven’t been in water for weeks now, I’m all but dried out.” Zhong gave her a look of understanding. “Plus you said you had someone waiting on you didn’t you?” he nodded his head in agreement. “Then go on without me.”

“Are you sure? It can really get dangerous out here at nights you know.” A look of worry crossed his handsome features.

“Go on, don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.” She gave him a quick farewell hug then proceeded to push him down the road. “We’ll see each other again don’t you worry.” He gave her a wave then turned away from her.

Lianhua wasted no time in dashing through the bushes, eager to get closer to the source of running water. She broke the tree line and what she saw had her squealing in joy; a hot spring. It was well hidden by the flora around it and if she hadn’t followed the sound of running water she would have never found it.

She hurriedly took off her clothes and dove into the water, when she resurfaced after quite some time she let out a sigh, “Ah, this is bliss.” The warm water enveloped her body, soothing her achy muscles.

Lianhua spent the whole evening basking in the tepid water of the hot springs. Allowing all the pains and niggles of her journey to wash away. As she sat by the edge of the hot spring, leaning on the rocks she couldn’t help but wonder what her brothers were doing now. Feelings of nostalgia shook her body and a lone tear slid down her cheek as she started to reminisce, she wiped it away listlessly.

She had been so lost in her memories that she didn’t hear the footsteps approach until it was too late. Someone grabbed her roughly by the arm and tugged her upwards out of the relaxing water. She let out a startled scream.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” came a gruff voice. Lianhua was so shocked her mouth couldn’t form words. “Answer me!” The person shook her by the arm causing her teeth to rattle inside her head.

The person who was holding must have realized she couldn’t speak due to him shaking her so he released her arm and she fell unceremoniously onto the hard ground. Lianhua coughed as she tried to draw air into her dazed body.

“I’m just a traveler, I mean no harm.” She wheezed out. She had scrambled backwards trying to grab her clothes in order to cover her naked form.

“A traveler you say. If so then why have you decided to trespass on private land?” Lianhua flinched at the man’s voice, for it was a man who was speaking right?

Lianhua raised her eyes to look at the person standing over her and she almost swallowed her tongue. He was a man alright. Her eyes scanned his strong legs, his muscular thighs all the way up to his tapered waist and ridged abdomen. His chest and shoulders were so wide she thought they could fit the world and when her eyes finally came up to rest on his face a feeling she had never felt before washed over her.

He was beautiful. She couldn’t find a better word to describe his features. He looked almost feminine to how beautiful he was. The long black hair that framed his gorgeous face didn’t help either.

“Are you done staring?” came his thick baritone. She had completely forgotten her situation as she ogled his impressive physique. Her face flushed in embarrassment and she had to look away from his penetrating gaze.

“I didn’t know that I had come onto someone’s land when I found the spring. It’s my first time here, if I had known I wouldn’t have dared.”

“You’re damn right you wouldn’t.” he came closer to her and in order to protect herself from anything he might try she curled her hands around her legs and tried to inch away from him, but to no avail.

He stooped his lumbering frame down to her height and grabbed onto her chin roughly, jerking her head up. After a minute of just glowering into her eyes he finally spoke.

“What is your name?” he asked in a low tone, Lianhua could have sworn she saw his eyes flash gold.

“My name is Lianhua.” She answered back in the same tone of voice.

“Well, Lianhua, you are trespassing on private property.” He released her chin and stood up. “Do you know what happens to persons who trespass on private property?” the moon had risen by now, casting a pearly glow onto his muscled physique and she was now able to see his dark emerald eyes as they pierced into her soul. She shivered at the thought. He was looking at her as if waiting for an answer so she just shook her head, no.

“I’m sorry to say this Lianhua but I’m going to have you imprisoned for trespassing on my land.” He stared down at her his face daunting in the moonlight.

“Im-im-imprisoned.” Fear slammed into her body like a raging bull as his words punctured her mind. “I only mistakenly came onto your land, there’s no need to go to such lengths.” She was panicking. She clutched her clothes tightly in her hands, her nakedness all but forgotten as she scrambled to her feet. “I’ll leave now and you won’t hear a word from me ever again, just please don’t send me to prison.”

The man that now held her freedom in his hands stared at her as if contemplating her words.

“I’ll do anything.” She begged him with her words as well as her eyes.

“You’ll do anything?” she nodded her head vigorously at the prospect of him changing his mind. “Okay, I’ll make a deal with you.” He stepped towards her again and she watched as her frame grew smaller with his nearness. “If I let you leave you have to swear to me that you will return tomorrow night and all the other nights that I tell you to. Can you do that?”

Lianhua looked at the man before her confused. “Why would you want me to do something like that?” she asked. And for the first time that night she watched as the man’s stoic face reveal a smile. If he had been beautiful before he was absolutely magnificent now.

“That’s simple.” He said to her, his smile not leaving his face. “I want company and right now you’re the number one candidate to fulfill my need.”

Translations:

Xing Wei – arising greatness

Zhong – loyal; steadfast

Gui-dancer – noble/honorable dancer