A Gentle Torment

All According to Plan

AN: Ohh boy, I'm not entirely sure if I'm ready to release this one. 

On another note, apologies for the late upload. Our WIFI has been dysfunctional for well over a week.

o~O~o~O~o

Hua Dong lowers his bow, staring at the hut in absolute confusion as an unconscious Bai Qian is hauled out by one of Hua De's men.

How hadn't she aged a day?

Inching his way towards them, he calls his aide to his side with little more than a whisper -- her sharp ears pick up the sound immediately, "Jiu'er..."

There's a scuffle breaking out from the side of the hut that he can't see.

"Go check on Yan Zhi. I will go get Hua Ye's woman."

"Yes, my lord."

o~O~o

Surely, Hua Ye wouldn't call his father's men only to snatch her like this...  Raising his bow and taking aim when the man's horse finally gets to the clearing, he loosens the arrow, relief mounting when the rope dragging Bai Qian along behind him is severed cleanly. 

In seconds, however, a second arrow flies from another direction, hitting the man square in the back and spooking the horse in the process. 

Hesitating, Hua Dong watches as his cousin steps out from behind the opposite side of trees in the clearing. 

"Qian Qian," Hua Ye lets out a bated breath as his bow drops to the ground.

Shaking his head in irritation, Hua Dong almost steps out of the clearing just to help the poor woman out of the ropes binding her wrists when Hua Ye stands frozen in his place for a long, drawn-out moment.

Finally, he moves and quickly cuts the coarse ropes that have all-but rubbed Bai Qian's skin raw before pulling her into his arms protectively.

"Ye Hua..." Her voice comes out as a small whimper, barely loud enough for Hua Dong to hear from afar as his cousin picks her up in his arms.

For the briefest moment, they both lock eyes in understanding. Hua Dong leaves.

He needs to figure out exactly what happened moments before he arrived.

"Ye Hua! What are you... you-" "I'm taking you home."

Fighting a small smirk as he shakes his head, Hua Dong turns back towards the direction of the small hut.

o~O~o

Yan Zhi watches as Bai Feng Jiu (or at least, the figurine of Bai Feng Jiu) stares at her, wide-eyed and in shock. 

When she heard Bai Qian's scream, she had almost managed to stop the situation in its entirety. Only, she ended up with someone smashing a large rock over her head from behind. She regained consciousness just in time to snap his neck before he reunited with his cohort and nearly killed Bai Feng Jiu when she startled her by showing up out of nowhere.

Standing from her seat, she ignores Bai Feng Jiu when she quickly rises to help her, half-heartedly swatting away the hand that attempts to examine her forehead. Stumbling as she makes her way to the door, she grabs one of the empty jars lining the small kitchen-area and moves to leave only to run (straight) into Hua Dong, "You... where have you been?"