59 THE GREY MAIDEN 1

The southeast borderland between Varlann and Chihan, its wilderness spans wide and as far as the eyes can see, a thick carpet of forest stretch out on all direction to the horizon, swaying gently under the cool morning breeze. On that horizon of tree, the splendid sun slowly raises, shower its golden ray over all things. Due to the heavy rain last night, the forest now glistering like fine jade by the lingering rain drops on the foliage as the sunlight sweeping over them. Dotted that landscape were a few sights of civilisation, villages of farming communities and a charming small city. Overlook them all, not far to the north, on a highest hill, stood Heitei fortress, the name mean "Black Stone" due to the black granite stone of its foundation and its wall. The fortress server as a landmark to defined the border between two empires, and also a safe haven for the nearby folks in case of war or nature disaster. On top of the fortress tallest tower, there stand a man of late twenty, with a short moustache. Taking in the cool early autumn air and the smell of the forest, "Such a wonderful sight." He thinks, while gazing upon the beautiful ethereal sight unfolding before his eyes. It'd been his morning routine lately, to take a troll around the fortress early in the morning and watch the sun raise on the tallest watchtower of the fortress.

"Your Highness, general Lee said the girl had awake." A soldier approached.

"I'll be there shortly." The young man said

Gaze on the morning view one more time and stretching his limbs, the prince took leave and heading to where his next business be, the teenage girl mentioned by the soldier. Striding down the spiral stair the prince reminiscent of what had happen. Amidst the pouring rain last night, about passed midnight, a teenage girl about 15 to 16 year of age, shown up at the fortress main gate, tatted clothes and soaking wet, sobbing nonstop and talking incoherently, she begging the guards to save her and then felt into unconsciousness, her face was badly bruised, legs were filled with cuts and thorns from the forest brushes, mud mix with blood from the wounds as she ran barefooted thought the wilderness. The soldier quickly brought her inside and have the stationed physician tends to her. When prince Tua was noticed of the incident, the girl was suffering a fever, in her delirium state, she kept mumbling about some kind of evil want to get her, then finally slipped into sleep with the help of the medicine.

"Doctor Chen, how is the girl from last night?" Prince Tua said as he approaching the physician's table in the infirmary.

"Highness, the girl is stable, her fever though still persists but had gone down significantly." Physician Chen said

"Thank for you hard work doctor, can I speak with her?" Prince Tua asked

The teenager laying on the bed in the corner of the room, when Physician Chen state Prince Tua's name she trying to stand up but told to stay in bed by the prince.

"How are you feeling now? Can you speak?" Prince Tua asked

"Y…yes, Highness." The girl mumbled after a few seconds timidly staring at Prince Tua.

"Can you tell me your name?" Prince Tua asked

The girl remain silence, starting to shaking, staring at Prince Tua with a fearful eye.

"It's alright don't…" Prince Tua reached out his arm trying to comfort her, but she recoiled immediately, clinging to the bed sheet, tear swell up in her eyes and a trauma filled look on her face.

"Well… whatever happened to you must be very horrible…" Prince Tua sigh "It's alright, just rest. You're safe here. You can tell me what had happened whenever you're ready." Prince Tua smiled, reassured the girl then took leave. Prince Tua then meet with General Lee, the commanding officer of this fortress before he arrived here. And have he send some men to the town and the villages in the region to investigate about the girl. After that, the rest of the day is just routine training overseer.

The next day, the physician notified Prince Tua that the girl wants to peak with him, when Prince Tua meet her in the infirmary at noon, the girl was sit on the edge of her bed and staring out of the window, but not to enjoy the view outside, her eyes look alert, like she was on the lookout or afraid of something or some threat might be lurking outside.

"Are you alright?" the girl jolted when Prince Tua call her.

"Your Highness." She said try to stand up to bow

"No need for formality, just sit." Prince Tua said, pull up the chair Physician Chen brought to him "So… doctor Chen said you want to speak with me?"

"Your Highness, I don't know who to turn to, but you must help me, please, I begging you." With a trembling voice, the girl kowtow on her bed

"It's alright, calm down, first can you tell me your name?" Prince Tua asked

"My name is Xuan, Your Highness, Sai Tuxuan." The girl answered

"Sai Tuxuan? So you're the daughter of Sai Lung 'the generous' of Saida Village?" Prince Tua surprised

"Yes, Your Grace." Xuan said

"So what'd happened? How do you end up in the state when the guard found you?" Prince Tua said

"Your Highness, there… there some kind of evil is consuming my village." Xuan said with a trembling voice

"Some kind of evil? What do you mean by that?" Prince Tua said sit forward on his chair

"I… I… I don't know, but… but there was definably… definably something… weird, something evil is happening in my village, Your Highness." Xuan said wipe a tear off her cheek "It all started about… a month ago, I think, at first people went missing, the local governor was alerted but to my knowledge he never sends any help. So my father did all he could to aid the villagers in the search for the missing people. Then some of the missing persons returned, not simply returned, it's like they're just reappeared in the village, no one knows how did they get back or where did they gone. I heard from the servants in my house that those who came back are acting weird."

"Acting weird? how?" Prince Tua questioned

"Rumours said they speak in a strange manner… very… monotone, like… like they're no longer themselves... some even says, maybe the people that returned are not the people who went missing… like they'd been replaced by something that look like them… I don't know how, but then I'd seen it with my own eyes. One of my maid also went missing and comeback, and she did act like that, when I ask about her change of demeanour, she just says that she has been enlightenment, that she had heard the voice of gods or something. And… there are also some strange activities, that I'd heard, like strange gathering in the woods. My father took noticed, he went to town to press the governor to act again, while my brother trying to investigate the matter himself, and he went missing too" Xuan snorted and continue with a trembling voice, eyes wetted with tears "…that was 5 days ago, and then the night before yesterday… the night I ran to here… that night…" Xuan trembling in recollection "some dozens of people stormed my family estate, they attacking everyone, when some of them busted into my room, I recognized nearly haft of them were the people in my village, the ones who went missing and came back, I tried to fought back but they beat me senseless…" Xuan stop again to take a deep breath "luckily a servant came to my aid, so I be able to escape, as I ran through the courtyard, they didn't notice me, thanks to the pouring rain, and I think I's saw those people were tying up the servants and dragging them to… Quelas'Airuth know where." A hiccup busted out of Xuan as she can't hold her emotion anymore "I don't know where my father is or if he's alright… and my brother… please, Your Highness, please help me." Spoke through a bust of emotion, Xuan climb down the bed kowtowing to Prince Tua

"Calm down, calm down" Prince Tua said, help the girl get up "Don't worry, I promise, I'll look into this. Now have some rest."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Xuan smiled in tear.

Returned to his office, Prince Tua ask General Lee if the men were sent to investigate about Xuan from earlier has returned. The general replied that almost all of them has return but empty handed, the remained few who haven't return yet were sent to the remotest villages, and it may take them about a day or two to reporting in. As they talking a soldier come through the prince office's door.

"You Highness, there is a man called Sai Lung waiting at the fortress gate, he said that he heard his daughter is here and came to retrieve her." The soldier said

"Mister Sai Lung is here? Very well, bring him here." Prince Tua said

A few minutes later, a middle-age man came to Prince Tua's office, the man is in his 50s, a little fat, rounded face with a small goatee and long moustaches, there is a large bruise on his forehead but other than that the man look quite healthy.

"Mister Sai Lung, it's a pleasure to meet you today." Prince Tua greeted

"The honour is mine, Your Highness. Thank you for sheltered my daughter." Mr. Lung said

"I'm glad that you suffered nothing major from the assault at your estate the night before." Prince Tua said

"Thank you for your concern, Your Grace, but what do you mean by my estate was assaulted?" Mr. Lung smiled

"Huh? The assault at the night before, your daughter told me that? Was I wrong? Then what happened to your head?" Prince Tua stumped

"There was no assault, your Highness, what you've heard must be one of my daughter many fantastical tales…" Mr. Lung sighed, his eyes seem blank. "It's saddened me to say, this bruise was caused by her. You see, my daughter's mind was sick, she sometime loosed her grip on reality and imagining odd thinks, it'd been like that since her mother passed away two years ago, I'd find many doctor to treat her but the best they can do is ease some of the symptoms, but every now and then she'll act up like this." Mr. Lung again give off a sad smile, or an attempt of a sad smile, then he continues "please, Your Highness, can I retrieve my daughter now?"

Surprised by what mister Lung said, Prince Tua sighed, gave his condolence and told a soldier to lead mister Lung to the infirmary. When the man leaved the office, General Lee who remain silence the whole conversation spoke "that was odd?"

"What do you mean, general?" Prince Tua turned to the general

"Him." The general said "I don't know, but there is something about him I find odd, Your Highness. I'd known him since I was stationed here, he's a very jolly man even well passed his wife death, and… his story about his daughter… I never heard he mentioned his daughter be like that since his wife passed away. In fact, I'd heard, from his mouth, not long after missus Sai passed, that his daughter was the one who held him together and cheer him up... and… and…" General Lee sighed, scratching his chin "oh well… I guess you can't really know a man."

"And what, general?" Prince Tua asked

"I… well… somehow… I find his manner in the whole conversation with you is… strange. It's felt like he was… acting or something. And is it me or the way he talks a little… monotone?" General Lee said