Blood Bonds And Golden Ties

Chapter 50:On The Way There

[Shi Han Jun]

He glanced up. "L-li Qing?"

Li Qing offered his other hand. Han Jun swung his other hand to Li Qing who caught it. He pulled Han Jun up. Li Qing collapsed on the ground, panting. Han Jun likewise was panting. They had sat there for a minute when snow fluttered down. Though slow at first, it steadily fell faster and faster.

"Looks like it might snow," Li Qing noted.

Han Jun nodded. "Let's find some shelter." They trudged along the edge. Snow flakes fell faster by the minute. Soon, it was a steady storm in which they could almost not see each other. Han Jun barely saw Li Qing's form up ahead. Soon his form disappeared completely. "Li Qing! Li Qing! Where are you?" His heart beat fast and his mind spun.

Out of the white wall, a hand grabbed him. "Why are you so scared?" Li Qing suddenly turned right and Han Jun found himself in a small cave. He shivered. Striding to the wall of the cave, he curled up by it. His teeth were chattering. He closed his eyes.

He felt warmth spread across his body. Opening his eyes, he found Li Qing bent down, tending a fire. A couple of sticks with fish hung over a fire. Li Qing was poking the fire. Han Jun sat up.

"Where did you get the fish?"

Li Qing kept poking the fire, not looking up. He grabbed a stick and walked over to Han Jun. Bending down, he handed it to him. Han Jun took the fish and raised it to his lips. It smelled different. He glanced at Li Qing who was looking at the fire. He rubbed some medicine on here to make me sleep longer. He bit into it without hesitation. Why did you do that? His mind screamed. Why did I do it? It's because you secretly want him to get away. The fish was juicy and crunchy and had a burn taste to it. Yet here, it felt like having a taste of heaven. "Why did you save me?" Han Jun asked.

Li Qing stood up and strode to the other side of the fire. He sat down cross legged, facing Han Jun. "Because we are friends."

"But we have identity differences. I am Third Prince and you are former prince of the Jing dynasty."

"How did you know my identity?" Li Qing asked.

"The only person who could truly move the Jing to take such desperate actions especially in the capital must have a very strong background. After hearing you say my people multiple times, I guessed that you were a prince, because only a prince would genuinely care for people and speak as passionately as you have," Han Jun replied.

Li Qing sighed. "Since you know, you must know my real name is Quan Mo Ran. I used to be the prince of the former Jing dynasty, but none of that matters now."

"Why?" Han Jun asked.

"Because now, I am not the prince of the former dynasty but merely Mo Ran, and you, you are not the prince of the current dynasty but merely Han Jun."

Han Jun sat back. He crossed his arms and stared at the fish. He smirked. "Since when did you learn how to talk more than a few words at a time?" He glanced up.

Mo Ran stared at him. He smiled. A genuine, happy smile. "After meeting you."

"What?"

"Han Jun, you brightened my world. At first I didn't know how lucky I was but as time went on..." Mo Ran looked at the stick in his hand. "I realized I didn't want to loose you."

Han Jun looked away. "What are you saying all this for? You know after tonight, the inevitable will come. There is no way we can go back."

Mo Ran poked the fire with his stick. "I know. I just wanted you to know..."