Wrapped in the baggy robes that Li Wai had stripped off the dead Tufan warrior, I shuffled close behind him, keeping my head low. A piece of cloth covered my lower face, leaving only my eyes and nose visible. From a distance, I looked like one of the Tufans but if one were to come closer, the difference in eyes and skin would be obvious.

     Yet so far, there had been no trouble escaping from the Tufan camp. Busy in their festivity, no one had suspected the two warriors heading for the animal sheds. Ahead, Li Wai kept a confident and steady stride, as if he belonged there. Following in his footsteps, I maintained a sweeping gaze of our surroundings as much as I could from my bent posture. The incident with Ge Tuo had heightened my sense of caution, leading me to subconsciously keep an eye out for any further enemies – be they Tufan or Tang warriors.

     Li Wai came to a halt. In front of us were dozens of horses, all of the purest breed and the pride of the Tufan people. He walked down the rows of animals until he stopped at a light brown horse, quickly untying it from its post.

     At the sight of a stranger other than its owner, the horse neighed, jerking its head in protest. But Li Wai stroked its mane while whispering into its ear, causing the animal to calm down enough for him to lead it away from its herd. When we were far enough from the Tufan camp, Li Wai held out his hand to me, his head bowed in deference.

     “Empress, please mount the horse first.”

     Staring at his outstretched hand in front of me, I shook my head absentmindedly. Were this man really the same person I knew, he would have known better than to offer his help in this matter. Admittedly though, even the late emperor took some time to get accustomed to the fact that his wife did not require his assistance when it came to horses. But that was because he had no knowledge of my experience with such animals, much unlike the youth who had taught me all that I knew now.

     Pointedly ignoring his offered help, I placed my hand on the horse’s withers and held its mane. I pushed my left leg off the ground, swiftly swinging my right leg over the horse’s back. Seeing that I was already seated, Li Wai swung himself up too, landing in front of me.

     “Please excuse the circumstance, Empress but it would be best if you held on to your humble servant,” he said as he clutched the reins.

     I complied, wrapping my arms around his waist while leaving a little space between our bodies. Li Wai immediately gave a sharp flick of his wrist and the horse leapt into motion, bounding away from the camp where I had been held captive. Though my ordeal was by no means exceedingly torturous, I was glad to be free even if it was a moment sooner. But I could not rejoice too early for our journey back was just beginning.

     Despite the calm and serene environment around us, Li Wai made haste, refusing to stop lest the Tufan would catch up. To throw off any pursuers on our tail, he had taken the long route, circling back where necessary just as a precaution. It made the journey twice as long but given the lack of manpower that we had, it reduced the chances of having to confront the Tufan directly.

     By the time we entered the forest, the sun was already heading to sleep, its light casting a strong orange hue on the surrounding trees. My worry only increased as I watched my shadow stretch longer and longer with the setting of the sun.

     As if he had read my mind, Li Wai spoke in a low tone. “There is a small village just past this forest. We can take shelter there if Empress Wu does not mind.”

     “I do not mind. But will they be hostile?”

     My question hung in the air like a thick fog. With my hands still clutching his waist, I could feel Li Wai tense up. Even before his lips parted to answer me, I knew what his unspoken answer would be.

     “Empress does not need to worry about that.”

     That same sinking feeling accompanied his words, dragging my heart further down into the deep mire that had become the essence of my being. Once again for my sake, there would be bloodshed and yet I had no regrets. For this was part of life – my life, at least. I wonder, does that make me less human? What does he think of that?

     For the entire time, I debated as to whether the man in front of me was indeed the one I knew. The name was similar, but so many people shared that name. Yet there couldn’t be so many Li Wai’s within the palace, not to mention one with such a high rank. The odds were that this was the same man but did it matter? If he was, what would I do with that information?

     My thoughts were abruptly ended by the whizz of an arrow. Instinctively, I ducked, bringing my head closer to Li Wai’s back. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw an arrow embedded into the trunk of the tree on the right, its black feathers vibrating slightly with the impact.

     “Keep your head down, Empress!” Li Wai ordered as he coaxed the mare to move faster.

     The beast galloped through the forest at top speed, passing trees whose branches reached out and snagged my clothes. I kept my body as low as possible, tightening my grip around Li Wai’s waist as I watched the ground below melt into a blur under the thundering hooves. Each arrow that shot past us made me hold my breath, each sharp turn threw my body one way or the other, leaving me clinging to the man in front of me with all my might.

     A sharp neigh shattered the rhythmic pounding, my body pulled to the ground as the mare reared up, its forelegs leaving the ground. Li Wai and I were thrown off its back and we landed on the ground with a hard thump. My body screamed in pain at the impact, my eyes squeezing shut as I endured the wave of agony rippling through.

     Wheezing, I hauled myself to my feet. Li Wai stood in front of me wielding a sword with one hand and the other outstretched as if to protect me from the enemy’s sights. I glanced down at the horse, noticing the two arrows protruding from its hind legs. It would no longer be of any use to us, a quick death would serve it well. The same could not be said of us as we stood in the open with no cover, exposed and vulnerable. Manpower we had one, weapons we had few, and the terrain served no better, with only thin trees surrounding us. The land was relatively flat, save for the steep downward slope to our right that helped us none.

     “Captain Li Wai.”

     A man dressed in the Tufan garb stepped out from behind a cluster of trees not fifteen feet away, a long sword in his hand. Two other similarly dressed men then stepped into view, flanking us on the left and right – one holding a bow, one holding an axe.

     The man with the sword was the one who spoke, his demeanor confident and assertive, markings of the leader of the group. His free hand reached for his hat, removing it to reveal the same bold character that Ge Tuo bore on his scalp.

     “Put your weapon down, Captain Li Wai,” he ordered.

     Though his back was all that I could see, I tried to study Li Wai’s reaction. He was all that stood between me and the men whose motives were highly suspect. If he were to betray me now, my chances of survival would be as low as when I was held captive.

     His grip on the sword only tightened as he replied tersely, “My mission is to rescue the Empress and bring her back to the palace. Should you stand in my way, I would have to cut you down.”

     With a smirk on his face, the leader pulled out a red scroll and held it up high. “Well, your orders have changed. Prime Minister Lu Bei has become the stand-in emperor and I have his new orders in this scroll. The Empress is to be killed, either by your hands or ours. If you resist, you will be deemed a traitor and sentenced to death.”

     My eyes widened in horror at the words that spilled out from his lips. To think that scoundrel Lu Bei had the gall to commit such treachery against me! Oh how I yearned to subject him to lingchi (death by a thousand cuts) – one of the worst punishments that existed in the Forbidden Palace. Indignant at the death sentence handed out to me by my own minister, I pushed Li Wai’s arm away and faced the leader directly. With both hands on my hips, I regarded him with a furious expression.

     “How dare you address your ruler that way!” I bellowed. “That scroll you hold in your hand is by no means official. I will see to it that your head rolls and that of your entire family!”

     Li Wai suddenly stepped in front of me, cutting my tirade short. I fixed my glare on him, irate at his disobedience. My lips parted in a snarl, ready to lash out at him, when I noticed his cold and impassive expression. Those grey eyes of his held a glint that triggered a distant recollection. Vague though it was, the emotions that came with it were as clear as if it had happened the day before. A chill ran down my spine as my memory subconsciously evoked the salty taste of tears… and the rusty smell of blood.

     “I’m sorry, Empress.”

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