Empress Ying

III

Once in the backyard, he let me speak. 

- What are you talking about? I don't have a brother. And if you don't let me go, I will scream, and they will come for your ass!

??: Wow, wow, wow! Language my lady! Don't you think I brought you to the backyard for a reason? Nobody can hear us here. 

I gasped.

??: Hey, I'm your brother, really. I don't know why you don't want to believe me. I mean, you could have 1000 siblings at this point. Furthermore, I know that you don't know your origins. 

-If you are indeed my brother, why do you only come now? Do you have any idea of how much I suffered? 

My emotions got the better of me and I started crying.

??: I'm sorry. I only found you about a week ago. I didn't know what you went through. 

- Can you get me out of this mess?

??: About that...

That was selfish of me. I didn't even ask his name or what he went through.

- I'm sorry, I got too hasty. What is your name?

??: Akira Ying Xi. I'm not sure about our last name yet, so...

Akira Ying Xi... Such a beautiful name.

- Why do you have a double name?

Xi: How can you ask me that? I didn't choose. By the way. I know you go by Ying Yue, but your full name is Kairi Ying Yue. 

- Kairi... this is not a Shilian name. So our origins have to be elsewhere.

Xi: Why would you think you are from Da Shili? You could have been kidnapped here. I think that we are from another country. Our appearance doesn't fit one of a Shilian. Except if you are the child of the Queen who is not from Da Shili. 

That's true. I never saw a Shilian with the same shade of green as eye colour as me. Not only that, my skin tone is more yellow than the average and their hair texture is more straight and light, while mine is dark and wavy. Only the queen and her princes have such characteristics. 

- ... Do you have any memories of the past? You seem to know how I looked as a baby.

He was tall enough to grab me. I guess he was in his teenage years. I couldn't see his face since it was completely dark. 

Xi: I only have vague memories of the past. I don't know really what happened to me. All I know is that I was running away with you in my arms and someone else. But I don't remember who it was. Back then, you didn't have green eyes. I saw your eyes turn green. Sometime after, so did mine.

-You mean, my eye colour is fake?

Xi: I wouldn't say that, it was just weird. And yeah, afterwards I saw black. I didn't know where I was when I woke up. After some time, someone recruited me and I started studying and learning martial arts. By the way, I'm 16. My aim here today, is to tell you that I will train you with basic martial arts skills. So that people wouldn't grab you as easily as I did.

- Can't you just get me out of here?

Xi: You would be more in danger outside than inside this hell. Trust me. I'm going to teach you how to defend yourself. Nothing will happen to you. Just you know, I will be strict with your training. Every day at this hour, you will come to this backyard and I will train you.

- Won't we be discovered? 

Xi: The backyard is unused so far I know. So student! Go to sleep and come back tomorrow.

I giggled. 

-Don't get too full of yourself.

While I was running away, I heard a "what was that?".

As soon as I came in, I went back to sleep.

[...]

For the next few years, my routine looked like this: wake up, freshen up, eat, work, train, shower and sleep. I started to notice changes in my body, I was getting a lot stronger and healthier. Honestly, even though the training was harsh, it was like a braise of fresh air from my daily activities.

Working was not hard; I had to clean the bed-chamber, prepare some food and sometimes sweep the front yard. No one went to the backyard because it had rumours of being haunted. That's not surprising, given the number of bad things that are done in this place. I didn't feel that restricted, since when I was with my brother, we made a couple of outings. I also made some friends with who I spent the day. They have also been sold by their family. It's kind of the same experiences we went through that bound us together. 

I always tried my best to avoid that pig because when his wife sees us together, she throws a tantrum. And it's not as if that pig defends me and takes the fault since it's his. Noooo! He drops the bullet at me. And I have to suffer again. Stupid! If you can't handle your wife, then don't cheat on her. Sometimes, I ask myself what goes into that pig's head. 

One day, one of my friends barged into my room while I was sleeping. She looked so agitated and genuinely concerned. 

Her: The antique of the lord is missing!