Noir

Chapter 22 - Li Hua and Eunji

Chen and I reached our destination, a small, wooden cabin built in the woods. It was most likely a hunting cabin, and hadn't been inhabited for some time. Chen dismounted, and helped me off. "You'll wait here until Zitao and My Lord arrive."

"Where are you going?" I asked in worry, as he went back to the horse. "Are you just going to leave me here?"

"I'm going to find Luhan and your baby," Chen said snidely. "Isn't that what you asked for?"

"Right," I replied, not wanting to admit that I was afraid of being left alone. Chen was about to mount his horse, when I called out to him. "What if someone finds me?" I asked  in panic. "I'm completely defenseless!"

"Your best defense is to stay hidden," He replied, fumbling with his belt and procuring a dagger. "Take this. Don't fight them unless they're close to you, and your best defense is to run. Stay out of sight, milady."

"Thank you," I murmured, turning the dagger over in my hands. Chen rode off on the horse, and I returned to the cabin, my heart pounding as I crouched and hid from view. Were enemy soldiers come to find me, I only had a limited amount of options. If they had archers, my best bet was to run into a heavily wooded area, where the brushes were thick. It would slow me down, but it would slow them down too and the arrows would have trouble finding me. Meticulously, I turned the dagger over my fingers, running my index finger down the edge. Did I have what it took to kill a man? Surely if the moment came to it, I'd have no choice. It was kill or be killed, and especially if Zitao and Yixing never came... I shook my head, not wanting to think about it. They were safe. They had to arrive. And Luhan and Chen would return with my baby and we would be safe...we would be safe...

I was paranoid, terrified that at any minute, I would be discovered, that some soldier would find me and kill me without a moments thought. Then Yixing and Zitao would arrive, too late, or be murdered as well, and my child would be an orphan. I nearly screamed when I heard hoofbeats, and dropped the knife onto the ground. My heart was ramming crazily in my chest, and I listened carefully.

"Look, my Lord, there are hoof prints on the ground," A man said, and I heard him slide off of the horse. "Chen has already been here."

"With Jikyung?" I stood up the minute I heard Yixing's voice and tore out of the shack. Tao was holding their horse by the reigns, and Yixing sat nearly hugging the animal's neck from exhaustion. 

"Yixing!" I cried, running past Zitao as my husband dismounted. I crushed him into a hug, tears in my eyes. "You're alive."

"And you are alright?" He asked me, looking down in concern. "Are you hurt?"

"No, no, I'm fine," I murmured, leaning up and kissing him. "You're here now, that's all that matters."

"Milady," Zitao said behind me, and I turned to face him. "Where is Chen?"

"He went back to find Luhan and our daughter," I replied, my gaze turning to the twilight sky. "Luhan told me if I didn't return by nightfall, he would go out looking for me, and Chen went back to look for him and the baby. He has to find him, or...or..."
I trailed off, my mind wondering whether or not they would be found. I knew Luhan would never leave my daughter, he wouldn't dare, but what if they were intercepted, or captured...

"Chen will find Luhan, and the baby," Yixing assured me, holding me close. "Both are intelligent men. They won't do anything rash."

I swallowed, having no choice to take comfort in his words. I couldn't afford to think negatively, not when so much was at stake. Letting go of Yixing, I walked over to Tao, who had entered the cabin and begun to construct a tiny fire.