MOONLIGHT NINJA

MOONLIGHT NINJA CHAPTER 11

The start of the war.

Chapter 11

Yan Mei Ling watched as the clear white sky had turned dark from her room's balcony. How everything in her house seemed at peace, considering that a terrible war was brewing outside the empire, was still a wonder to her.

Among the infinite glowing gems scattered across the dusky sky, one shone brightly. Thinking it was a sign from heaven, Yan Mei Ling hurriedly knelt down and clasped her hands together. She prayed hard to her ancestors and to the gods that they would always keep her and the people she loved safe from the evil tyrant, Lord Hsien Mao Dong.

While she was pouring her heart to her prayer, a tear slowly found its way out of her eye. She immediately wiped it away but it became incessant. Tears came down her eyes like the rain brought by a violent storm.

The war was immensely stressing her that she did not know if she could handle it. Deep inside, her mind was troubled and her poor heart was restless. Peace, at the moment, seemed unattainable.

When she was done, she stood and went inside her room to the study table. As she was about to review the letter that she wrote for Li Lei Shuang, she heard a soft knock from her door.

"It is open. Come inside," She said.

Yeng timidly came inside, her eyes full of worry. "My lady"

"What is the problem, Yeng?" Yan Mei Ling asked with concern and gestured Yeng to go near her.

"I have heard that the Hsein clan had started attacking the Empire. They had razed several villages at the Eastern border." Yeng started with a broken sob.

Yeng's grim news had terribly distraught Yan Mei Ling's already fractured heart. "My father? Has he arrived?"

"Not yet, my lady"

Yan Mei Ling swallowed the lump on her throat, and bit her jaws together so that Yeng would not notice how the news had thoroughly shattered her. 

A lot of murky thoughts formed her head. She could feel the enemies marching to the village - attacking and killing everyone. In her mind, she could hear the desperate cries of the villagers, the burning houses and maniacal laughter of the enemies. 

Yan Mei Ling curbed her fists in fierce determination. She would not let that happen, not when she could do something about it.

A sudden thought came to her and, in a desperate voice, she said, "I need to go to the palace tonight, Yeng. Please stay here in my room, sleep in my bed. I need you to cover for me so that when baba arrives and decides to check on me, he will not notice my absence."

"What if your father open the curtains to look at you? He will find me instead of you!" Yeng said in panic.

Yan Mei Ling smiled in affection and gently held her maidservant's hands. "My father does not open the curtains. He just goes inside the room and watch me sleeping from afar. Please, Yeng, I need your help."

"What you are planning is extremely dangerous! What if your father will not arrive tonight, my lady?" Yeng asked worriedly. "Please - it is not safe to go out at this time."

"You have always been more than a maidservant to me; you are my best friend. You have helped more than anyone else. In this very moment, I beseech you to help me again as you always did." Yan Mei Ling appealed to Yeng. "I need to send a letter to Li Lei Shuang. It is very important." 

Yeng sobbed. Her fear for her lady's safety and their friendship had played upon her heart like a tug-o-war. "If you want to send a letter to the princess, then let me do it instead, my lady."