33 Vow

The sudden bump from the carriage running over a rock woke up Xing. Very tiredly, she held herself up to a sitting position and surveyed her surroundings. Everything that happened last night flashed over her like lightening and she reached for the dagger. In broad daylight, the letter on the hilt could be seen clearly, the chinese letter 白 stood out. She looked at the dagger one last time before placing it back into her bag then turned around to take care of Mingixa.

Mingxia looked much better now and seemed to be in deep sleep. Very carefully Xing began to change Mingxia's bandages for new ones. In the middle of wrapping the cloth back on, Mingxia's eyelids fluttered open and her brown eyes looked over at Xing.

"Xing?" Mingxia's voice came out hoarse and deep but it did not mask her confusion.

"Mingxia, how do you feel does it hurt?" Xing's voice was full of care as she helped Mingxia sit up.

Mingxia gently patted Xing. "I'm fine. But where are we?"

Xing lifted the curtain covering the window next to Mingxia to reveal a handsome young man riding on a horse. This man was no other than Zong Qiu, who didn't notice so he didn't turn back. Mingxia's grip on her clothes tightened and Xing noticed this action so she let down the curtains.

Mingxia looked down at her half wrapped shoulder as Xing got back to wrapping cloth around it. This reminded her what happened last night and she could only blame herself. They were no doubt elite assassins and yet she was still foolish enough to think she can deal with these elites. She may have taken lessons however as of right now, her skills can not compare to an elite.

Mingxia grew quiet again leaving Xing to finsh bandaging the wound. Right after Xing finished the carriage stopped and from outside it Mingxia could hear the men shouting out orders to camp and eat lunch. Mingxia slowly got up and made her way to the carriage entrance.

"Mingxia! Your wound." Xing cried out in worry.

Mingxia simply waved her hand at Xing, "I'm fine. I can still walk, it's not like I hurt my legs. Besides I need to get out and stretch, I 've spent way to much time in this carriage.

Xing let out a sigh and shook her head but followed right after Mingxia. Mingxia stepped out of the carriage and into the sunlight. The carriage has been parked right under the shades of the trees on the bay of a river. She could see that some of Zong Qiu's men were in the water catching fishes while there were also some preparing the campsite.

"Lady Wei." A young man bowed to Mingxia as he walked by with a pile of dry wood.

Mingxia merely nodded at him and he walked away towards the campsite.

"Mingxia." At the call of her name, Mingxia turned around towards the voice to see a handsome young man smiling at her.

"Zong Qiu." She whispered his name softly as he walked up closer.

He placed his hands on her shoulder and looked at the place of her wound. "Does it still hurt?" He asked gently.

Mingxia shook her head and Zong Qiu relaxed. He looked up and on her face before pressing his lips on her forehead.

"Lunch will be finished soon, just wait a little more." He told her before leaving.

For lunch there was a couple of roasted rabbit and some steamed buns. Mingxia ate very quietly, unlike her usual self, and aroused Zong Qiu's attention. Mingxia refused to talk for the rest of the day which caused him to worry even more. After dinner Mingxia returned to the carriage and did not come out while Zong Qiu went inside the tent he shared with his two friends.

"Qiu ge, I think she's being quiet because of her wound, she must not be feeling so well so she does not want to talk." Ying suggested as he laid down on his bed.

Zong Qiu sighed. "That is a possibility but I can't help but to be worried about her."

Ying raised his eyebrows and a playful smile hung on his lips then snuggled inside his blanket.

"Qiu, girl's are a mystery. You will never be able to understand them, just like the saying a women's heart is like a needle in an ocean, it's almost impossible." Yanjing told Zong Qiu.

Zong Qiu sighed then blew out the orange candle before stepping outside.

Over in Mingxia's carriage, Xing also looked worried because of Mingxia's odd behavior. She retreived a blanket from her satchel and gave it to Mingxia.

"Mingxia, it's time to sleep."

Mingxia smiled and looked Xing. "You should sleep first, I don't feel sleepy right now." Xing nodded and obediently laid down with the blanket covering her.

When Xing began to softly snore, Mingxia knew that Xing was asleep and took out her sword. She unsheathed the blade but because of how dark the carriage was she stepped outside the carriage. With a full moon hung high in the night sky, Mingxia's blade shone. She looked at the blade as everything that happened the night before replayed in her mind once again. She bit her lips and closed her eyes.

How could I have been so stupid?

How could I still be so weak even when I am reborn?

Mingxia questioned herself and the vow she made when she first realized she was reborn came back. Her goal was to protect her family and defeat Zong Ching but with how she is right now, how can she go against him? She dosen't even have the power to protecct her family and herself so don't even talk about defeating Zong Ching. With the way she is right now it is impossible.

Tears streamed down her face and in the cool summer night a breeze blew past the trees and swept over the grass. The tree branches rustled and the summer crickets hummed their melodies. A young women stood under the moonlight with her head held high and her back straight. Slowly she raised her right hand and with one swift movement the silver blade swiped at the air leaving only a silver streak behind. One movement lead to another as she continued. Her position would change with each swipe and if someone were to see her they would think she was dancing.

Her moves were elegant and with each change in position her hand only got faster. It soon became so fast that it became hard to see the blade she was holding, you could only see her "dancing" with a silver trail following her as she "danced."

Then she stopped.

She dropped her blade and looked up at the sky, her vow echoed through the night.

"I, Wei Mingxia, promise to become stronger to protect those my friends and to defeat my foes. I have been reborn to do what I can't in my past life and finish what I couldn't before."