After two days of resting in the cave and eating the food that Leiyu caught, Prince Thallios said that he was feeling better and they could resume their journey.  They mounted their horses and set off again.

As their horses walked slowly over the crunching leaves of the forest floor, Leiyu turned to check on Prince Thallios.  The dappled light filtering through the trees caressed the prince’s face.  He had a faraway look in his amber eyes.

“Are you feeling all right, Your Highness?” Leiyu asked.

“Hm?” the prince said, snapping to attention.  “Oh yes, thank you for asking.  The medicine you provided worked pretty well.  Most of the fatigue is gone.”

“That’s good to hear.”   Leiyu eyed the prince’s golden steed.  “Does your horse have a name, Your Highness?”

“Ah no,” the prince said, looking a bit embarrassed.  “I don’t usually name my horses.”  He looks at Leiyu.  “What about yours?”

“Bakhat,” Leiyu replied.  His steed neighed at the mention of his name.

“Is that a Dongyu word?”

Leiyu grinned.  “No, I just made it up.  I named him that because that’s what it sounds like when he’s galloping.”

Prince Thallios laughed.  Leiyu thought it sounded magical, especially after the somberness of the past few days.

“Did you raise horses at your sect?” the prince asked.

“No, our sect was just a small house on top of a hill, so there wasn’t room for horses.  I didn’t have Bakhat until I lived in the Northern steppes.”

Prince Thallios gasped.  “So you walked from the Eastern Region to the North?”

“Pretty much.”

“How long did it take?”

“More than a year, Your Highness.  But my hometown was already in the northern part of the Eastern Region, and I wasn’t heading North directly.  I wandered from town to town along the way.  Didn’t really have a plan.  Just wanted to see what was outside of Yunshan.”

“What’s Yunshan?”

“Sorry, that’s my hometown.  Didn’t mention its name before.”

“What was it like there?”

“Um…ordinary?” Leiyu smiled.  “It’s nothing like Ish-“. He stopped himself before he could go further.  “Sorry, Your Highness.  I won’t mention the name if it’s too painful.”

Prince Thallios blinked.  “Oh, it’s all right.  We can’t avoid it forever.  We’ll be going back…eventually.”

The horses continued crunching the dried leaves underfoot.  There was birdsong and the soft sound of river water in the distance.  A lone butterfly fluttered toward Prince Thallios.  His eyes lit up and he held out his hand.  The butterfly hovered over his palm and flapped its wings a few times before flying away.

“Wow,” the prince murmured.  “That was enchanting.  I always thought butterflies would be more afraid of people.”

Yes, very enchanting indeed, Leiyu thought.  He inhaled and exhaled slowly to keep his composure.  “Perhaps it’s a good omen, Your Highness.”

“I hope so,” the prince said.  “We need all the luck we can get.”

They continued onward in silence.  The crisp forest air wrapped around them like a soft blanket.  A shichen passed.  When it was approaching noon, Leiyu thought about catching more wild game, but something between the trees caught his eye.  He nudged Bakhat forward.

In the middle of a clearing stood a small stone building.  Vines snaked up the mossy gray slabs.  A lintel carved with fiery swirls rested over the doorway.  Lizards darted to and fro.  The moisture in the air thickened as Leiyu and Prince Thallios approached the entrance.  They peered inside.  There was a single room, barely lit.  At the very back was a statue of a female figure in robes, surrounded by carved swirls.

“It’s a Fire Goddess statue,” Prince Thallios said.

“Is this a shrine?” Leiyu asked.  “Why is it here in the middle of the forest?”

“I’m not sure.  There doesn’t seem to be any people living around here.  It looks very old, so maybe there used to be settlements nearby.  Or maybe this was built for travelers to give them luck on their journey.”

“Still seems strange.”

“Well, since we’re here, we might as well ask for the Fire Goddess’ blessings.”  Prince Thallios walked through the doorway.  “There’s enough room to fit both of us.”

Leiyu inhaled and crossed the threshold.  The air was even cooler inside the shrine.  Dust and cobwebs occupied the corners.  

“Maybe we can pray for good luck,” Prince Thallios said.  “I think we’ll be needing a lot of it.”  He walked up to the Fire Goddess statue and knelt.  Closing his eyes, he clasped his hands together and bowed his head.

Leiyu was not sure if he was also supposed to pray to the Fire Goddess, since he was used to praying to the Water Goddess.  I suppose I could at least kneel, he thought.  He went next to Prince Thallios and got on his knees.  He turned to his side.  The prince looked serene in his silent prayer.  Leiyu wondered if his mind was as calm as his face.

Then the prince opened his eyes and looked at Leiyu with glowing golden irises.

Leiyu gasped and almost stumbled backwards.  “Your Highness?”

“There is such beauty in this simplicity,” the prince said, looking around the shrine.  His voice sounded like a woman’s.  “I wonder what devotee built this, so far from everything.  It must have meant so much to them.”

Leiyu’s heart was pounding.  Was the prince being possessed?  He reached for the stack of talismans in his sleeve, feeling the edges for the symbol that indicated one for warding off evil spirits.

The prince closed his eyes again and then became limp.  

“Your Highness!”  Leiyu reached out to catch him before he could fall to the floor.  The prince was like a rag doll in his arms.  “Your Highness, are you all right?”

Prince Thallios opened his eyes slowly.  His iris color had reverted to amber.  “What happened?  Did I faint?”

Leiyu looked at him intensely.  “Your Highness, do you remember what you just said a moment ago?”

“I…” the prince said.  “I was going to ask the Fire Goddess for some blessings, but a moment later, I’m down here.  That illness must still be affecting me.  I’m so sorry, Leiyu.  I really am useless.”

Leiyu frowned.  He really doesn’t remember what he just said.  What is going on?  “You mustn’t say that, Your Highness.  Maybe you just need to eat more if you are feeling lightheaded.”

“Yes, perhaps.  I really should.  I’m trying to, but I’m just not used to it.”

“Do you want to find somewhere to rest?”

The prince shook his head and sat up.  “No, I don’t want to keep delaying us.  We need to keep going.”  He turned to face Leiyu.  “If I start feeling faint again, I’ll try to tell you before I lose consciousness.”

“Yes, I don’t want you falling off your horse, Your Highness.”

Prince Thallios laughed.  “Oh Leiyu, that’s somehow funny and scary at the same time.  Yes, please make sure I don’t hit my head.  Otherwise this will be a very futile quest.”  He sighed.  “I’m not even sure if I should make light of these grave circumstances.”

“Can you stand, Your Highness?”

“I believe so.”  The prince shifted his weight to his feet and propped himself up.  “Not completely useless, I suppose.”

Leiyu smiled, but in the back of his mind, he felt a gnawing pang of anxiety.  Is the prince going to keep slipping into this mysterious state?  I promised to protect him, but am I going to be in danger?