A simple tale

11. Hunting

A/N OMG I HAVE NEARLY 1K READS!!!Thank you so much. Sorry the last chapter was short but I didn't have a lot time to write it cause some people were pressuring me. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Also how do you guys pronounce Ai Jei? Cause my friends pronounce it AJ but it was meant to Aye-Jay. Idk whatever. Also do you like my drawing of Xi ^?
This is a filler chapter so not much happens
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The next day in the imperial throne room

Ai Jei's POV
I sat next to Xi on an ornate but heavily uncomfortable chair. I had been sitting there for hours, watching ambassadors, traders, nobles and astrologers come to visit the king. Raising my hand to stifle an oncoming yawn unnoticed trumpeters moving out from hidden places behind supporting pillars.
Then the ear splitting noise of one hundred odd trumpets burst my ear drum.
A scrawny messenger was shoved into the room. He started to yell in a loud voice.
" EMPEROR SHANG, HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE FIRST PRINCE OF THE SNOWSAINT COUNTRY KAI LI, HAS COME TO REQUEST A MEETING ABOUT THE PEACE TREATY BETWEEN HIS COUNTRY AND THE SHICHUAN COUNTRY."
The emperor contemplated this then boomed "Send him in!" A dark silhouette appeared in the doorway. Somehow that thin atheistic frame seemed familiar. Damn, I stood up with a start. For looking straight into my eyes was the handsome stranger from yesterday.
I quickly sat down apologising for the inconvenience. As I got as comfortable as one can be in a carved chair Xi grabbed my hand with immense force. Wincing, I turned to look at him. His face was a mask of fury, him knuckles white from clenching them.
The prince stalked towards us to greet Xi and I, he plant a large slobbery kiss on my hand, which I quickly withdrew and wiped it on my skirt. Xi just glared daggers at him, grasping my hand tightly, Prince Kai li smirked at us and approached the throne.
"Your imperial majesty thank you for receiving me so well. We must now go and agree the terms of the treaty." He said gesturing to a secret door that lead to a room. With that the court dismissed and the emperor, his guards and Prince Kai li walked through the door leaving us wondering what he was doing.
"SHIN YANG" Prince Kai li yelled. An old, obese man stumbled through the crowd and through the doorway. The guards closed the door with a loud klunk.
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The next day around midday
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I slipped into a silk sheni that was the colour of fresh leaves in spring. And tied my hair back with a matching ribbon. Once my maids had left my chamber I slipped 6 throwing daggers onto my legs. Also I inserted my self made weapon into my sleeve, it was a wooden mechanism that worked when I pressed a button it shot an arrow. I called it a Xiùzi jiàntóu. Finally I strapped a sword to my waist. This seems like a lot of weapons but we were going hunting so it is normal. I was just walking out of the door when I remembered the bag of herbs I had left on my desk hurrying back I grabbed it then sprinted to the stables where saddled and I mounted my midnight stallion Zìyóu. Reaching the clearing I saw the congregation of royals and nobles, none of which seemed to notice my arrival. They were all looking over my shoulder? A clattering of hooves made me whip me head around. There, in all his glory stood Prince Kai li on an Arab stallion, which must have cost a fortune. Huh show off!
The announcer began his speech.
" TO SOLIDIFY THE BOND BETWEEN THE SNOWSAINT AND SHICHUAN COUNTRIES THERE WILL BE A HUNT ATTENDED BY ALL NOBLES AND ROYALS SUCH IS THE ROYAL DECREE!"
A conch shell was blown to signify the start of the hunt. Xi and I started to canter ahead of the rest of the hunting party. Our eyes met over our shoulders, the look we shared confirmed the suspicions that we didn't trust Prince Kai li and to stick together at all costs. We slowed down and rejoined the hunt.

"Deer, a fee has been spotted!" Cried a noble pointing towards the southern edge of the forest shrugging at each other Xi and I lead the party that way.
"Stop please, stop please." Came a voice from the rear of the hunt.
"Go ahead I will take care of this," I told Xi ,"Fei Xuan and Huang (the half masked Hong Yi guy from chapter 9) will come with me." I peeled back from the front of the hunt along with Fei Xuan and Huang, towards the distressed cry.
I arrived at the noise to find a woman who had been thrown off a horse. A rather docile horse, one whose actual name ( Lěngjìng) meant calm. I peered down at the face of the woman to see ..."Princess Meiji?"
The distressed woman lifted her head from the ground.
"It's you!" She snarled. "No shit." I replied, my top lip curling in disgust.
"I don't want to be helped by you of all people!" She replied with equal.. no...more disgust.
"Fine" I replied shrugging and turning Zìyóu towards the direction Xi had headed, in pursuit of the deer.
"Wait please help me!" The princess cried. Smirking, I turned around.
" Does the little princess need some help?" I asked in a voice which one only uses with babies and small children.
"Yes" cane the reply through gritted teeth.
"Say please!" I gloated. My triumph over the husband stealing hag was legendary.
"Please help me?" She asked tentatively as if I might say no. Quickly, I dismounted and offered her a hand to get up. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Fei Xuan and Huang watching with rather amused expressions.
"Get the horse!" I snapped at them,irritated at their amusement at my predicament. Frowning, I turned back to face Princess Meiji.
Crack
My ears perked up. A twig breaking under the boot of a person. I spun around to see...