26 Not Quite As It Used To Be 1

It was a particularly hot morning.

The sun, round and of a bright yellow, was burning mercilessly on the summer sky, the light blues dotted with silky, white clouds that looked like cotton candy.

At the side of the streets, a few vendors greeted her with expectant smiles, bowing respectfully in an anxious attempt not to offend the only ever known disciple of the most famous marcial artist ever known to walk the Zao Kingdom.

Sam sighed.

While she would usually fell amused by the deferent behavior, that day she barely noticed the busting of vendors and the crush of the market streets, crowded almost to the brim with colors, smells and tastes from all around the kingdom.

Despite the sun beating down upon the unending layers of her clothes, the girl felt a shiver run down her spine, making her bones shake with a cold, ominous anticipation.

"The situation is getting out of hands at the boarders" Fei Hong put aside the carefully folded letter with a deep, worried from, his voice tight as looked up to his sisters.

They had been playing another unsuccessful – for her – match of Go when Ye Qi brought the latter sent by Express rider from General He, its arrival as silent and unnoticed as a brown, dried leaf floating to the surface of a river.

Still, as her brother broke the seal and started silently reading, Sam could almost see the waves and thunders raging just under the surface, the dangerous glint to his dark eyes the only crack in his usually amicable mask.

She needn't have to ask. Before the first word left her lips, Fei Hong was already up, asking Ye Qi to bring Qing Shan and make sure no-one was close enough to listen.

She had never seen him that way, so... Disturbed. Almost lost. Not even on those first days of her arrival.

"The rebels have broken the siege on Yuan City two days ago." he eventually started speaking again "The Imperial troops were scattered on the fire. There were no numbers mentioned, but it is clear we lost food and ammunition, maybe more than we can afford at this point...".

"What about the soldiers?" Qing Shan asked, her voice small and retained, looking much older than her few years.

Fei Hong sighed deeply. "The ones left are young and untrained, mainly farmers forcefully recruited along the way. We are left with injured, experienced soldiers that could die from their wounds if they were made to fight, and soldiers that will definitely die fighting... Be it from our own numbers, be it from theirs" he sighed "The situation is not good".

Latter, she would know there was actually a code of "No Retreat" on the Zao Kingdom's army. Whoever dared run back... The archers were taught to always stay alert, ready to shoot both foes and deserters alike.

"But... Why is it so important that they have taken Yuan City?" she asked, shaking her head to try and dispel the dreary images dancing before her eyes.

Actually, On those last two months, it was not uncommon for Fei Hong to receive news about many border cities being caught up in the crossfire. Most of them were evacuated in time, leaving thousands of peasants and refugees without anyplace to go, running for the bigger cities trying to look for food and shelter they would not be able to afford.

Others, though... Others were simply too far gone already.

"A war is like a chess game" Fei Hong said, his voice heavier than she had ever heard "It is not uncommon to lose a few stances in order to acquire better ones. Gains and losses are equally expected" he stopped, licking his lips nervously "However, Yuan City is different. In more than tree years of open conflict, the rebels had never gotten so close to the Capital's walls before.... Nor had we lost so much with a single strike." Fei Hong got up, walking blindly until a large, open window "The Emperor is anxious and the troops are scattered. Their morals are now very low and we barely have any fire power left, which means any attempt at retaliating might be too much for General He to handle. Besides..." he glanced briefly back at Sam, before turning back to face the outside once more "Yuan is also the Zao Kingdom's main commerce rote with the West kingdoms... Considering we are nearing the draught season and most of our fields are bare, it will turn out to be a loss we might not be able to afford."

Sam blinked, completely stunned by the news.

Her heart shook, making it almost painful to breathe.

That meant... So that meant...

"The rebels may actually have a chance this time" Qing Shan mumbled numbly, her eyes desperately searching for reassurance on their brother's eyes.

Fe Hong didn't say anything. He just turned his back to them once more, shoulders looking slightly bent forward in defeat.

"It seams I can't delay my returning any longer."

Sam gasped, her hands flying to her trembling lips. It was just like she had been punched on the chest.

No.... No, he couldn't. If the situation was as dire as they were making it look, he couldn't... He couldn't go back! Not when she was starting to build a true bond with him...

"When do you leave?", Qing Shan asked silently, avoiding Sam's widened eyes.

Fei Hong Looked up, his gaze landing straight onto Sam's.

"If this missive is anything to go by, as soon as possible..."

Sam sighed to herself, trying to shake the foreboding feeling making her gut twist and her stomach burn hot. Unconsciously, she raised a hand and rubbed at her pounding chest, sighing heavily as her stubborn heart just kept punching against her restricting ribs.

"However I look at it, there is no way out" she mumbled at herself, walking blindly through the crowded streets. "Anyway, we're doomed..."

Going would probably mean death, but not going might also turn out to be considered treason... And if her recent experiences had taught her anything, it was that the farthest away from the Imperial Family's eyes one was, the happier his life would be. The incident with the Crown Prince had definitely driven that particular message home!

It was indeed a tricky matter! Maybe if...

"So... Why exactly are we doomed?"

"AH?!" Sam gasped, jumping almost two feet high as a heavy arm landed on top of her shoulders with a silent thud, bringing her close enough to bump into someone's tall, lean body.

Her heart, that wasn't already on cooperative terms, seemed to jump out of her mouth, the blood pumping adrenaline into her ears from the fright.

"Crap!" she cursed, ignoring the few frowning eyes that turned her way as she stumbled on her feet, trying to make her breathing even and her steps contained once again.

At her side, the creature responsible for almost giving her a heart attack laughed loudly, his head almost falling back as his eyes moistened from amusement.

"Oh! Oh my! I didn't know someone so small could jump so high!" he snickered.

Sam grounded her teeth, turning him a stinky eye as she elbowed the self-centered creature right on the ribs.

As she knew would happen, Gu Qi's excellent skills brought him out of the way easy enough, living him with the soft smile of a proud, mischievous, elder brother on his white, beautiful face. With a scowl, she pushed her sleeves back, her back straitening to be as stiff as a wood board.

"That was unnecessary!" she grumbled, her eyes shooting daggers at his lanky, relaxed walk at her side.

"Oh? I'm sorry" he answered easily.

"No, you're not!" she retorted, not bothering to wait for any half-hearted excuse "By the way... Where did you come from, anyway?" she added, looking at him suspiciously.

Blast! Sam was quite sure she was walking alone just a second ago...

As she had expected, Gu Qi just shrugged, his attention dispersing to a group of young, rich ladies strolling near a fabric shop.

"You always speak in such an amusing way" he mused with himself, clearly ignoring her question "It's funny."

She rolled her eyes.

"You give me gastrites..."

Gu Qi smiled, his eyes going back to her face.

"Is it something good?" his eyebrows lifted in a suggestive way, making her grown disgustedly – to his never ending amusement.

"I hate you."

"Well, that, is doubtful" he laughed, blinking at her with a large smile "So... Why exactly are you doomed this time kid?"

Kid.

Sam felt her insides burn.

Oh-oh, she really, REALLY, wanted to kick him where the sun didn't shine!

Instead, Sam closed her eyes, taking a deep, slow breath before answering.

In her frustration, she had almost forgotten what he was actually asking her about.

Oh well... Crap again.

"I was just thinking about Master... He gave another task and... Hum... I'm still not sure what it entails" she lied, looking ahead once more, at the School's building already on sight "So... Where exactly did you lose your other half? The one that carries the brain?"

"Oh, he is right there!" Gu Qi waved, signaling at a tall, imposing young lord waiting for them near the entrance of the school.

Sam studied him from afar, noticing the few students still lingering near the School's already open door.

As always, Gu Ye's perfect dark hair shone dark, his posture straight as a wood board, his black, eagle-like eyes never leaving his brother's figure. The closer they got, the harder the line of his lips became, his hands closed on a tight grip behind his back.

Massaging her already aching temples, the girl sighed, watching the cautiously composed figures of her friend.

"So... Are you in trouble again?" she asked tentatively, giving him a nudge with her elbow so he would stop flirting around an actually look at her.

"Hum?" Gu Qi blinked, his head tilting adorably to the side as her words slowly sunk in "Ah, well... I don't think I did anything wrong."

She rolled her eyes.

"Remember what I told you about not being used as a buffer between the two of you anymore?"

"Ah Ying! I'm hurt!" he gasped, a hand landing dramatically over his heart "Isn't it what friendships are for?"

"Hum, I don't think so" she laughed, unable to keep the stern face "Again, don't even think in letting me to deal with you brother... Already gone there once. No need repeat it".

The girl shivered slightly, the memory of a particularly trying conversation with Gu Ye suddenly coming to mind.

Yep. Definitely not doing that again. A girl just had so many lives to live!

"Yi Ying..." he sighed, his face dejected "I thought you were supposed to be Great Daoist Master's only disciple... ! Aya, To think someone like my brother could actually frighten you... Tsk... It is really disheartening... Aren't you making your Master lose face?"

Instead of feeling offended – as she knew was his aim with the daunting words – she just rolled her eyes, stopping right beside Gu Ye and bowing her head on a friendly greeting.

"Young Master Ye" she smiled.

"Master Ah Ying" he repeated, his eyes barely moving from his brother. She had not even begun asking him some trivial question when he said "You are late. Again"

Sam rose back from her curtesy, exchanging a worried look with Gu Qi, whose face had turned into a peculiar shade of green.

'Uh-oh'.

"Gu Qi pays his respects to Elder Brother" the younger twin suddenly said, apparently regaining his ease and matter-of-factly manners "Hope your morning was better than your face betrays it to be..."

Gu Ye didn't even blink. Without giving neither of them a second glance, he turned on his heels and started to the door.

"We should enter. Class will begin soon".

It was clear, then, that whatever was stuck on his windpipe, it was for only his brother's ears to listen. He would wait for them to get home.

In the two months she had known the two of them, she had never heard Gu Ye speak more then five or six words at once. He was always the silent party, just nodding and eventually contributing to the conversation with one-word sentences.

It always astounded her how could two people that looked exactly the same have such different personalities.

Where Ye'er was calm and reserved, with a mind to strictly follow every moral code and rule that was pounded on his head, Ah Qi was a free spirit, a well known rogue that would spend his afternoons singing and playing to woo any beautiful girl he could lay his eyes upon and enjoy his evening between the sheets of the most expensive brothels of the Imperial City...

Actually, he had been the one to spot the jade-flute, still tightly knotted onto her belt, on that first day, and the reason why everyone now though of her as Young Master Yi Ying, the one and only ever known disciple of Great Daoist Master.

A joke, really. Even more considering she could barely trow a punch without breaking her hand.

Sam only hopped the Yi Rea himself saw all that as amusing.

She sighed.

"I don't get why you provoke him so much" she mused as the two of them started off to the school, just a few steps behind Gu Ye.

"Hum?" Gu Qi turned, a small, lazy smile turning the tips of his lips "Oh? You mean my brother?" he laughed "I was not provoking him".

Sam rolled her eyes, giving him a pointed look.

"Young Master Gu, I may not understand exactly what all this is about, but I know petulance when I see it."

Gu Qi only laughed harder.

"You know, you are actually a really cute kid".

"I'm not a kid! I'm..." she stopped, her righteous indignation deflating "I'm not that younger than you guys" she completely, looking abashed.

Yeah. Fifteen. If there was something she would take sometime to get used to it was the age... Gosh, she hated being so young again!

"I'll see you later, then?" he asked again, just as they arrived at the classroom. "I mean, you are going, right?"

Sam fidgeted, fighting the urge to bit her lower lip and look as unsure with the exchange as she felt. If was always the hardest part... Fighting those reactions that could blow her cover and denounce her for being what she actually was.

A girl. A girl that had no place on a only-boys school.

Well, at least that was what everyone on that place seemed to think – and something she would manage to change, if only at her own household!

To Ah Qi, she said.

"I told you already, I have a few things to manage after school" rolling her eyes for effect "I'll meet you there, though... If I have time".

"That's good too" he agreed, his smile growing larger, his thin lips the color of roses as his eyes shone with a light glint "I might even keep a few untouched flowers for you to choose... See you later, kid" he laughed loudly, his head almost falling back at her struck, wide-eyes expression.

Sam gulped furiously, fighting the warmth that suddenly rushed to her cheeks at Gu Qi's implications.

"Pig!" she mumbled, huffing fervently as she pushed her sleeves back, watching as he disappeared to his seat between the few waves of students with the ease and grace of a dancer. Sometimes, being surrounded by all that perfection felt slightly tiring...

Ah, what a fate, what a fate! Being reborn on a place where there where no awkward teens, no growth spree, no skin problems...

"So unfair..." she mumbled to herself, marching on the direction of her desk.

Two sons of a Duke could not really be in too much trouble, anyway. Her brother, on the other hand...

Shaking off that line of thought for another time, she looked just briefly to the side, seeing that her table partner was already sat at his side, back straight, square shoulders...

And a frown most definitely directed at her.

Sometimes she wondered whether he could actually smell her. As ridiculous as that could be, it was the only explanation for his ever present scowl before he even spotted her!

Trying to keep her face neutral, she sat at by his side with a plong, trowing her bag on the floor and trying not to make much of a fuss as she took out the introductory books and a couple of brushes and ink.

"This is no place for a girl".

'And... here we go' she thought to herself, fighting a little, petulant smile.

Slowly, Sam looked back, her eyes landing on the stony expression of Bai Jian Hua.

As usual, he didn't turn her way to speak, merely keeping his eyes down, focused on what looked like an old poetry book, his voice loud enough just so she could hear him.

Also as usual, she retorted on the same careless, unrepentant way.

"Whatever you think you know, Young Master Bai, you can go and tell Professor Jiao. Ah Ying will not stop you".

At this point, after two months of attending classes together every day, the exchange felt almost automatic, like some sort of ritual between the two of them.

She couldn't be sure if he really knew her identity, or if Bai Jian Hua was just reaching for catch something without seeing... Whatever the reason, though, she was just grateful he seemed to growl more than bite.

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Gu Qi seemed to think it was amusing that she and the Gu twin's cousin seemed to be at odds from the very beginning, bu he was usually too carefree and easygoing to think much about it. Gu Ye, she knew, was another story entirely.

He was the one always looking, trying to understand what she and Jiang Hua would spoke so low to each other whenever they were out of reach.

Different from his twin brother, Gu Ye was not someone she could take lightly. Different from Young Master Bai, the heir of the Duke's household would have no qualms on denouncing her as a girl sneaking around a boy's only school — the only type of school that existed on that place.

"Stop. It is annoying"

She looked back at Bai Jian Hua, surprised at his sudden words.

"I didn't say anything!" she retorter, confused.

"You were thinking. It's annoying"

Sam didn't know whether to laugh or cry at his words.