The Dead Groom's Bride

I have some exciting story to tell my grandchildren someday

Ling Ling snapped her eyes open. It doesn't seem like her string of bad luck is over yet. An hour into a new world and she got run over by a horse. The gods must have a grudge against her for them to put her in all kinds of trouble.

A little girl peered down at her, hair gathered in a tight bun, elongated eyes and sharp fangs lined her gums.

"Mei?" Ling Ling murmured a little out it.

Mei jumped on her small limbs, drawing out her blade, pointing at Ling Ling. "Who are you, wench! And how'd you know my name?"

Ling Ling does not like the idea of a sharp object pointed at her. Especially if that sharp object's purpose was for killing. She had her life threatened too many times since the last twenty-four hours and that gesture does not evoke humor in her any longer. "Get that away from me, Mei. Before you stab me with that thing."

"I'm serious, who are you and how'd you know my name?" Growled the tiny child-like spirit. 

Ling Ling sighed. "Look, I don't have time for games. We were just together only hours ago."

"What're you talking about woman? I haven't seen you before."

Ling Ling loosened a deep sigh. She really doesn't have time for it.

"What's the hold up here?"

Ling Ling looked up at the man trotting on his mount. His voice sounded familiar to her, although missing that amorous sound of tease. His voice was sharp as steel, and he peered into Mei and Ling Ling with self-assurance.

The man wore no hat, but he wore a mask hiding his face. His luxurious silver hair draped silkily on his shoulders. Ling Ling could not mistake the only man she knew with that kind of hair.

"Junjie!" She brimmed with delight and got up to her feet. She almost leaped in to him when an army of men got in between the two of them.

They treated Ling Ling like a common attacker.

"Get back, your highness. She might be an assassin!"

If anything, it was Ling Ling who needed to look out for herself. It's twelve highly skilled spirit warriors against a lost woman in a torn wedding gown. What possible harm can she do?

Besides, it was Junjie who continued stalking her and not the other way around. 

It suddenly dawned on her about his mention of being a prince. Ling Ling thought it was a joke then, but she concluded just now he wasn't lying.

"I'm not an assassin!" Ling Ling protested. "I'm the one who almost got killed."

"Then explain how you know my name?" Demanded Mei. "And how you came to know our prince's name?"

"Because...that fool would not stop stalking me the whole time." She paused at the realization of something, she glared at Mei. "Wait, you two knew each other?"

Mei returned her glare. "What you are talking about?"

Ling Ling grimaced, "so, you'd been feeding him my location the whole time? You weren't helping me out of your own kindness, you were leading me to him!"

Her finger shot rudely to Junjie while Junjie erupted in his arrogant laughter.

"Oh, surely, you must have mistaken me for someone else. Stalking women is not something I'm inclined to do. Besides," he leaned and put his keen eyes on Ling Ling. "Sure, you are pretty, but not pretty enough to grab my attention."

Her hands shot to her waist and huffed. Two minutes into conversation and she had just about enough of what she can stand.

"So, what happened to kisses? You seem to hound me for kisses enough."

Junjie laughed arrogantly. "You're dreaming, woman."

Ling Ling fumed, now she knew where his princely arrogance came from. She risked walking up to him even with all the swords pointed at her and the prince was entertained enough to wave his guardsmen to lower their swords down.

His daring eyes watched her as she approached. 

Without a word, Ling Ling tugged on Junjie's robe reeling herself to mount with him.

"What're you doing, woman? Are you mad?"

"You kept saying you're taking me home with you. Now is your chance."

'What? Get off me, wo..." Junjie was about to push her back down when something caught his attention. The beads Ling Ling wore on her wrist. "Where did you get that bracelet?"

Ling Ling blinked, she'd forgotten she still wore the bracelet Junjie gave her. "You gave it to me. Have you forgotten already?"

"That's impossible." Murmured Junjie.

"You better believe it, because you're the one who slipped it on my wrist."