A Gentle Torment

Unknowing

AN: Ooooh boy, this chapter is pretty plot-heavy.

When Yan Zhi felt the barrier around the mountain wavering for the first time since its construction, she had hesitated to leave Bai Qian's side. With a stubborn fox princess insisting that she'd be just fine, however, she decided to alter Bai Qian's seal to loosen the moment the barrier does before disappearing in a cloud of thick, black smoke.

She went to the only place she knew her mount would be; the tavern he favored a mere week before they ran into Hua Dong when Hua Ye was still an infant.

Surely enough, he was there and fighting a man who had tried to take advantage of the woman who had been pouring his wine on a constant tap.

Once he kills him, the girl is left sobbing and running out of the tavern out of fear of what might happen to her family. He calls out to her without success.

"Feng." Stepping behind him under an invisibility shield, she clears her throat demandingly when he doesn't respond, "Feng! Get up!"

The phoenix turns slowly, gazing up towards where he heard her voice, "You're alive...?"

"Of course, I'm alive! Now, get up! We need to leave and quickly."

When the shield lowers, he stops at the bundle in his arms. Moving forcefully, she doesn't comment when she spots the amputated leg that pulled him away from his job of protecting the Hua cousins, "How can I still help you?"

"You can help me by watching my back. I need to get to the Forgotten City."

She wasn't fooled by Bai Qian's request to take her son to Kunlun Mountain or Qing Qiu. Each were half a days ride (six mortal months) away even with cloud jumping or sword riding, and each would likely detain her because of the black nine-tailed fox in her arms. She was significantly faster than Bai Qian at cloud jumping. If they hurried, she would be back by nightfall.

Kunlun mountain was indeed closer than Qing Qiu, but they wouldn't have a wet nurse as it was a mountain full of men. Her Grandmother's home would indeed be full of eager maids who could at least feed the poor child.

Seemingly stirred out of his cycle of self-pity for the moment, the phoenix nods, "When do we leave?" 

Outside, men are screaming at one another and swords are clashing.

"Now, ideally. Unless you want to wait until the building is going up in smoke?" Her sarcasm goes unnoted in the moment.

"Very well, little shadow Princess."

o~O~o~O~o

Yan Zhi landed directly into her Grandmother's receiving hall. With her phoenix remaining outside of the city according to tradition, she made quick work of hunting down her grandmother. By the time she found her, A-li was starting to show early signs of fussing from hunger, "Lao Lao!"

"Yan Zhi?" Her Grandmother turns back to look at her in confusion, "What are you doing here?"

Rushing up to her, she all but discards the baby into her Grandmother's arms. Ignoring the sudden keening wails that follow from the fox's mouth after parting with a familiar, she meets her Grandmother's eyes, "I can't stay - there's an emergency outside. This one is Bai Qian's baby, A-li."

Nodding in understanding, the old woman jerks her head back towards the receiving hall, "Go, I'll take care of A-li for now, but you'd best explain when you return."

The breath of relief that finally leaves her lips has her realizing just how drained she suddenly feels, "Thank you, Lao Lao. I'll come back with his mother as soon as I'm able."