"Come, I want to see what you can really do," General Min said to Bayin.
They stood at the edge of the tree cover, in the dappled shade, away from the training area. He unsheathed his sword. It was a stunning masterpiece, with a finely forged, iridescent blade and the hilt wrapped in royal purple silk, that looked worn with use. The guard and collar, shaped like a majestic gold tiger head, with eyes of emerald, made his sword not just a tool for combat, but a symbol of regal power and exquisite beauty.
Htoo walked briskly over to them, and handed Bayin a sword. She hesitated, then grasped the hilt offered to her.
Did he want me to fence with a real sword? she wondered.
"Commence," General Min commanded.
His icy stare directed at her, devoid of any emotion. It gave Bayin the chills and she suddenly felt vulnerable. Then remembering what Thura said, the battle begins in the mind and fear must be controlled. She took in a deep breath, exhaling through her mouth to steady her nerves.
Fine, Bayin thought. I can't win but let me see if I can push him back.
With determination, she lunged forward, her sword poised in a swift feint, aiming for a downward strike, but with a flick of her wrist, she whipped the blade upward instead, catching the light in a flash of steel. General Min, however, stood unfazed. With a calm, almost effortless command, he parried the strike, deflecting it with the edge of his own sword in a precise, fluid motion.
Again and again, her assaults were expertly deflected, his movements swift and controlled, each counterstrike a flawless demonstration of his skill. The sound of metal clashing rang out, as he danced around her advances.
Bayin desperately tried to recall Thura's training but their lessons had been focused on defence rather than attack. And the dirty tricks she'd learnt weren't, of course, suitable for this scenario, only to be deployed in a real life-death situation.
With each failed attempt, Bayin's frustration grew until she could no longer hold her tongue and blurted, "How are you anticipating my moves?"
"Because they are entirely predictable."
Without warning, the General ceased blocking and launched his own attack. His face betrayed nothing, his gaze cold and intense. Bayin, who had never seen Zeya fight before, couldn't help but admire the absolute control he had over his mind and body. He was indeed an exceptional swordsman.
As the relentless attacks continued, each strike struck fear in her heart. Or was it awe at the sheer brilliance of his mastery. A couple of times she thought he'd land a strike across her torso or thigh, but he stopped with perfect control. On top of the fear, there was also a strange delight. She couldn't help but be attracted to his authoritative and aggressive aura. These thoughts put her off guard, giving him an opening to thrust at her throat. Bayin dodged the blade, but his real intention was to strike the back of her wrist with his elbow, causing her to lose the grip on her sword, sending it clattering to the ground.
"You were distracted. Retrieve the sword," General Min commanded. "Again."
Surely, he's toying with me, Bayin thought. A tiger playing with his prey.
She inhaled deeply, trying to regain her composure, but it was no use. She could feel the shift in the General's tactics. He wasn't holding back any longer. His strikes were on point and flawless, faster than anything she'd faced before. It was as though he was determined to land a blow.
She shifted her weight, evading his slash with a swift sidestep and parrying with the strength of her sword's forte. But the General was relentless. Before she could recover, he found an opening, cutting through her defences with uncanny precision. Her sleeve tore, and the sharp sting of his blade cut her flesh.
The pain was not bad enough for Bayin to stop, however, the General abruptly ended their practice. His gaze fell on her arm. At this point, Bayin felt the warmth of blood seeping down her forearm.
"I've landed a hit. Let's get you patched up," General Min said, the corner of his mouth curved ever so slightly.
He intentionally cut my arm! Why did he do that? Was he testing me? Bayin was perplexed. Perhaps he suspects I'm not mortal.
Despite being a spirit, she realised she could still feel physical sensations and suffer injuries. Her body acted like it was mortal although an improved version requiring no sleep and food. She felt a rush of relief on realising that she still appeared entirely normal to him.
When General Min indicated, one of the men training stopped, and lightly jogged over to them. Again Bayin was stunned for the third time that day. It was Saw Win, his curly hair partly shielding his eyes, but his cheeky grin was unmistakable. He responded, "General?"
"See to Bayin's wound."
Saw Win now peered at Bayin and stiffened slightly. General Min lightly cleared his throat, "Denpa, take care of Bayin."
Denpa managed to collect himself and replied, "Yes, sir."
Not wanting to be handled by anyone, Bayin instinctively backed away.
"I am fine. Really," she insisted. "There is no need."
"I apologise I injured you." General Min placed a firm hand on Bayin's shoulder and pushed her forward. "Enough training for today. Let Denpa treat the cut."
His eyes softened, lingering on her for a brief moment before he turned and walked off.
Denpa, with a reassuring presence, piped up, "Don't be scared. I'll be very gentle. It'll heal up in no time."
Feeling cornered, Bayin conceded. She quickly tore off her sleeve, her cloth power guiding the fabric to come away neatly, exposing her forearm. Now Denpa could easily access her wound.
He pulled out a healing balm packaged in what looked like one of the palace's lacquered boxes, but without the royal crest. He liberally applied the balm on her cut and within seconds, the bleeding stopped. He wiped the blood from her forearm with a soft cloth, then put a bandage to seal it.
Bayin was surprised the cut started to throb now her focus was on it. She acted quickly, harnessing her cloth power, creating a vision of healing in her mind. In an instant, the cut vanished, as though it had never been there at all.
As Denpa packed up his healing kit, he reassured her, "It's not a deep wound. Don't be worried. It will heal quite nicely. The balm will ensure you won't have a scar."
"Much appreciated," Bayin said.
She had always liked Saw Win, now Denpa. He had a kind, boy-next-door face. Knowing it was him, she felt a hundred percent certain General Min was Zeya. What was the probability that Zeya, Khin Yu and Saw Win, all have a set of lookalikes just so happened to be together in this world?
The certainty brought her comfort, but it was quickly snatched away. Unease settled over her as her mind replayed the moment General Min's blade met her arm. The cold hardness in his eyes, so utterly devoid of recognition, was deeply troubling. And yet, despite it all, her pulse quickened and her nerves sparked to life at the thought of him. There was something undeniably appealing in his commanding presence, in the way he moved, in the man he had become.
With an arm wound, Bayin was told to sit out for the remainder of the afternoon. Under the shade of an oak tree, she leaned back. Hugging her knees, she soaked in the gentle breeze and the seductive rustle of the leaves above her.
After being lost in her own thoughts, she glanced over to the training area. She could no longer spot General Min among the men. It made her get up and walk around. Htoo and Denpa were also missing.
Where have they gone?
A surge of panic seized her, as though the ground had dropped away beneath her. Just as she was about to search for General Min, both Kyaw and Soe joined her.
"Bayin, what happened? You got injured?" Kyaw asked, looking concerned.
"It's nothing really," Bayin waved her arm, to prove her statement. "I'm totally fine."
A low whistle escaped Soe's lips. He sat down gingerly on the grass. "Yer pretty good with a sword, no lie," he said glancing up. "Hey, where ya learn to fight like that?"
"I guess it was my brother who taught me."
"Ah, your brother eh?" Kyaw said. "You're lucky to have someone teaching you."
He seated himself opposite Soe, cross-legged with a straight back. "And where did your brother learn from?"
"Ur… he trained… at… a school," Bayin replied, flustered. "You know, just one of the sword fighting schools."
She'd never been good at lying and making up things on the spot was challenging. It was best not to reveal her past, especially her ties to the palace. Thinking ahead, she decided she would have to come up with a convincing backstory before anyone else asked.
"Never heard of one before," Kyaw remarked. "Well, your brother must be very talented."
"It's all down to hard work," Bayin insisted. "He began swordsmanship at a young age, and trained diligently. It's this dedication to practice that's made him the remarkable swordsman he is today."
She lowered herself into a crouch, considering how best to sit on the ground. Sitting back on her legs felt too ladylike, so she copied the boys and settled cross-legged instead.
"He sounds amazing. And it seems you'll follow his footsteps," Kyaw said. "All I know is howda fire up a kiln and make pottery." He held out his slender hands and continued. "These hands ain't made for fighting."
"Making pottery is a worthwhile pursuit," Bayin assured him. "You haven't been training to be a warrior so fighting will not be your natural instinct. It'll take time."
"Ya been training to be a warrior?" Soe asked, eyebrows raised. Not waiting for an answer, he carried on, "I been training to be a farmer all my life! That's all I know. Growing rice, yam and millet." He ruffled his hair then flashed a cheeky grin. "Yeah I know I'm wasting my good looks. No one gets to see this handsome face out in the field, under a hat."
"You mean the hat keeps your head from swelling any bigger than it already is," Kyaw scoffed.
"Whatever. Can't be helped being born with this face, ya'know." Soe retaliated, crossing his arms. Then changing the subject, he said, "Now, let me tell ya. That General Min's another story. I get why he's got such a reputation." He randomly plucked the strands of long grass growing next to the tree.
Bayin was surprised. She hadn't heard anything of General Min. Had she been too isolated from the world in Sagyo?
"Is he well known?" she asked.
Kyaw and Soe glanced at each other with puzzlement.
"Ain't ya heard of him before? Then how come ya joined us to look for him?" Soe asked.
"That general is the legendary general. Surely you've heard something about him?" Kyaw spoke up. "He's been protecting our borders. You've seen the way he wields a sword. He's unstoppable."
"Pretty cool to be on his team, right?" Soe said, with a broad grin.
Bayin nodded, agreeing with him. She'd just experienced a small portion of his brilliance.
After some thought, she remarked, "I didn't think the Northern Kingdom was trying to invade us."
"I dunno what's going on exactly but, there's been many stories of northerners stopping trade supplies and causing fights near our village," Kyaw explained. "People saying they're trying to control what's coming into our kingdom. It's getting harder to buy raw materials. Prices going sky high. And lemme tell you, it's becoming difficult to make a good living."
"Yeah, it's tough for the likes of us to continue our way of life. Farming's become harder when we can't replace tools easily," Soe agreed. "We totally rely on the north for our iron ore, don't we? What'll happen when we can't afford the crazy prices?"
"Right now, a lotta people are unhappy. I guess that's why war is possible."
"Just a matter of when I reckon. That's why the King's calling for us to defend our kingdom. We're here to do just that, ain't that right?" Soe said, with a face full of optimism. "And we're on the legendary General's team."
Then his face dropped as he propped his chin up with a hand and sighed, "How come the General's got all the luck? How's any girl gonna notice me when there's a pretty boy and a handsome General around?"
Bayin arched an eyebrow at Soe. He laughed heartily.
"You're the pretty boy, Bayin. It's a compliment, no lie. And General Min is… well… as good looking as they come. Didja notice his pale eyes? He must be originally from the North. They got pale green eyes. Girls really go for that y'know."
"Nah, I hear he's born and bred in the Central Plains. One of his parents probably has Northern ancestry," Kyaw mused. He stretched out his legs, then leaned back against the tree trunk, fingers laced together. "Otherwise why would he be fighting for us?"
Bayin smiled seeing how the boys were completely at ease. She pulled her knees together and hugged them.
Kyaw glanced at her hands and commented, "Bayin, you must be from the capital. You're no farmer or craftsman. Not with those hands."
Suddenly conscious of her slender, immaculate hands, Bayin tucked them behind her knees. There was no point pretending to be a local now.
"You're right," she said. "I grew up in the capital, but I've spent the past few years living around the northern hills."
"Why didja leave the capital? What happened? Was it for a girl? How 'bout yer family?" Soe fired one question after another, twirling a strand of grass in his fingers.
Bayin tried to stay close to the truth, and replied, "No, there's no one. I didn't mean to leave exactly. And my family… I'm not in touch with them anymore. I… I'm on my own now."
Her words came out a little strained as she swallowed down a rising knot of emotion. Both boys looked at her with sympathy. Kyaw reached over and rested a hand on her shoulder.
"Sorry to hear that."
"Yer not on your own anymore," Soe declared, sitting up abruptly. He held out a hand and said, "Here, shake my hand, Bayin. We be sworn brothers."
Touched by his offer, Bayin took Soe's hand and shook it firmly, the way she'd seen her brothers greet their cousins. Her lips pressed together as she fought to keep her emotions in check.
"Count me in. Let's also be sworn brothers," Kyaw said, offering his hand.
Bayin broke into a bright smile, blinking madly to keep the tears at bay.
"You know, your skin's incredibly soft. Your hand, I mean," Kyaw commented. "It's softer than my wife's. I always thought she had soft hands, but yours are something else."
"Why ya obsessed with his hands, old man?" Soe asked, folding his arms behind his head and lying on the grass.
"I'm not obsessed with his hands. I'm just appreciating the softness of it."
"That sounds creepy," Soe teased.
"What's wrong with appreciating Bayin's hands?" Kyaw shrugged, settling back against the tree.
"Shall we talk about something else," Bayin spoke up, not quite sure if they were joking. "Kyaw, if hands are your thing, it's totally fine. Really we all have our own…"
"Fetishes?" Soe interrupted.
"I definitely don't have a fetish for hands," Kyaw protested lightly. "Alright… maybe feet. Feet are far more sensual."
"That's just very you, Kyaw," Soe said, screwing up his face. "Why wouldja find smelly feet sexy?"
"Yours might be smelly," Kyaw shot back, "But a woman's can be beautiful. Ya know, the gentle arch. Toes like little sausages."
"Little sausages?" Soe repeated. "Don't tell me you've got sausage toes."
"I wish," Kyaw said cheerfully. "Mine are quite knobbly."
"Ok ya win, don't need to know any more."
Soe clapped his hands over his ears, then lay back, staring up at the sky. Kyaw suddenly burst out laughing, the sound infectious, and Bayin found herself laughing along with him before she could stop herself.
Their conversation continued in a light-hearted vein until it drifted back to the present situation. Bayin had no idea the kingdom had been experiencing shortages and that everyone was struggling. She knew life was a challenge in Sagyo, but it sounded like the hardship was widespread.
To her relief, she spotted General Min among the men again. From then onwards, her attention was fixed on him and the boys' banter faded into background noise. Before long, she noticed the general heading straight towards them. They rose quickly to their feet to receive him.
"Be at ease," General Min began. "We'll be heading further south tomorrow. We'll remain here tonight. The men are preparing to camp for the night and make supper. Join in."
The mention of food made Kyaw light up, and he offered, "I can help cook, sir."
"Very well," General Min said. "Find Denpa. He'll be glad of your help. Soe, help the men set up camp. Bayin, I want to speak with you."
Bayin stood rooted to the spot, wondering if he'd finally recognised her. But his eyes remained distant and unreadable. She waited in silence as Kyaw and Soe took their leave, both glancing back at her before disappearing into the crowd of men.
"How is your arm?" General Min asked with a trace of concern.
"Fine, sir," Bayin replied, avoiding his gaze.
"Good, I want to show you something. Follow me," General Min commanded, his pace swift as he moved ahead through the dense oaks and camphor trees.
Usually, he would have waited for her to go first, but they were no longer bound by the formalities of prince and lady. There was a sense of freedom in that, yet Bayin found herself longing for the familiar. She followed him obediently, feeling the ground rise beneath her feet as they walked on in silence.
After climbing a small hill, the vista from the top stretched out for miles to the north, where snow-capped mountains loomed majestically in the distance. The forested flatlands below appeared to be dipped in golden syrup as the last rays of the sun cast long shadows. Patches of mauve and navy settled among the trees, painting the landscape in a twilight palette. To the east, giant stone pillars jutted out, their tips still bathed in golden light. They were once ancient temples that had crumbled over time, slowly being reclaimed by the encroaching forest.
There was a stillness that brought with it a sense of serenity on that hill, until a breeze took hold, and the dancing of leaves interrupted the silence.
"Beautiful view," Bayin sighed.
Then realising what she'd said, she reprimanded herself. Stop being Sein and start acting like a man. She'd momentarily let her guard down.
General Min gazed at her and agreed, "Absolutely."
The corners of his lips curved slightly. For a fleeting moment, she felt as though she were standing beside the old Zeya. Her heart quickened as she stole discreet glances at him, taking in the familiar, well balanced profile.
"As I've mentioned earlier, we'll be heading south to the three rivers. Reports of disturbances have been spreading throughout the lowlands. Our mission is simple. We must prevent any trouble reaching the capital. There're two roads to consider."
General Min turned towards her, but she couldn't read his expression. She didn't dare meet his eyes. The last thing she needed was to be drawn into their beautiful pale depths. She must stay focused and extinguish the giddy flutter in her stomach.
"Our first option is to head east, towards the temple ruins, where we can assess any potential threats. We've received reports of enemy sightings in this area. From there, we could follow the watercourse south. This route, while direct, leaves us exposed to possible attacks, as it lacks the cover of trees. However, it leads us straight to the three rivers."
Concentrate on what he's saying, Bayin urged herself.
"The second option is to follow the mountain range southwest, a path that offers greater safety. Along those hills, there are several villages where we could gather valuable intelligence. Yet, if we choose this route, we may miss the chance to intercept the enemy if they are hiding among the temple ruins. What do you make of it?"
His attention returned to the vista, as the light faded into an amber glow.
Bayin, following his line of sight, surveyed the east again and was drawn to the remnants of the temple. A shiver ran down her spine. "There's something about those temple ruins," she said almost to herself.
Bayin sensed sinister vibrations in that vicinity. An unpleasant sensation churned in her stomach as an unseen gaze bore into her from a distance. She was briefly consumed by an overwhelming feeling of bitterness and hatred; the resentment so deep that it threatened to ooze out of her orifices. She quickly turned away and swallowed hard to repress the nausea.
Am I sensing a malevolent spirit? she wondered. She hadn't met one of those yet.
"He will die."
Bayin froze. What in the world was that? Who will die?
She didn't know what to make of it. But the voice filled her with dread. Her thoughts leapt at once to the man standing beside her. Did she mean him?
Panic splintered her mind as fear took hold. All she could hear was her own heartbeat, thudding wildly against her chest.
I'm clearly going out of my mind, she thought.
"What is troubling you?" General Min asked, peering at her with curiosity, his hands clasped behind his back.
"There's an evil presence," Bayin said truthfully, then realised quickly what she'd said, and tried to backtrack. "It's just a feeling. It's probably nothing."
"No, really, I'd like to hear your thoughts," General Min said patiently. His expression softened as he glanced at her again. "Speak your mind."
Bayin couldn't expand on her assumptions without revealing she was a spirit, and that would be digging a pit to bury herself. And how could she possibly admit that she'd heard a voice inside her head? Instead, she forced herself to focus on the two options General Min had laid out.
"The two routes you described, both have advantages and disadvantages."
She chose her words carefully.
After a short pause, she spoke again, "Would it be possible to do both? Perhaps we need to split into two groups. One head southwest and gather intelligence. The other take the eastern path with caution."
General Min broke into a smile and her heart leapt.
Bayin took a deep breath when she heard him say, "Exactly. Clearly, great minds think alike. Send a small team to head east to quickly assess any threats. You were clearly troubled by the temple ruins. I also felt uneasy."
Bayin was surprised by his comment, but she remained silent. He continued, "The main group shall take the safer route and gather intelligence. We'll meet up at the three rivers in three days."
It felt like old times, she and Zeya discussing strategies in the Archives. She wondered, was this some kind of a test? They didn't linger much longer as dusk cloaked the forest and the light faded.
"Let's head back," General Min said, leading the way through the forest.
Bayin followed in silence, listening to the soft chirping of crickets beginning their nightly chorus. Her gaze lingered on his back, broad at the shoulders, tapering neatly at the waist. He'd always been tall and well proportioned, and the sight of him now pleased her far more than she cared to admit. Her eyes began to travel lower, but she stopped herself. She must continue to see him as the general and not Zeya, if only to keep her feelings from taking over.
A schedule for the night watch had been drawn up, and those who were free to rest were sitting in small groups around the camp fire. Bayin saw Kyaw waving to her and she joined him and Soe. She listened to their conversation, only contributing when necessary, careful not to appear too feminine. Her mind kept replaying her talk with the general, and the unpleasant sensations she felt by the sight of the temple ruins. What did it all mean?
Supper was a simple meal of rice and tofu. Kyaw and Soe dug in with enthusiasm, clearly grateful for the hot food. Once the dishes were cleared away, the men drifted back into their familiar groups. Bayin stayed with the boys, finding a quiet spot to prepare for sleep.
"Whatcha doing?" Soe asked, glancing at Kyaw who was fiddling with a gold ring he wore on his finger. He raised the ring to his face and kissed it tenderly.
"Saying good night to my lovely wife," Kyaw said, grinning. "She's waiting for me at home. Is someone pining for you somewhere?"
"There's a couple of girls, y'know, but nah, I don't think they're waiting for me," Soe said, settling back, arms folded behind, cradling his head.
"Do you have a wife waiting for you, sir?" Kyaw asked General Min who was in his line of sight.
"I'm not married but there is someone special," General Min said casually.
Bayin was stunned by his response, her eyes fixed on him in disbelief. Without another word, he pulled out a thin blanket from his bag. Shock quickly gave way to confusion then something else, curiosity and a faint ache.
Wait, he didn't marry Princess Nanda?What happened? And who is this 'someone special' in his life?
The questions churned relentlessly in her mind, leaving her breath caught in her throat. She thought back to the ladies of the palace, wondering which one had captured his heart.
"How 'bout you, Bayin?" She heard Kyaw say.
Bayin looked blankly at him, her mind was else where.
"Do you have someone waiting?" Kyaw repeated.
"No," she replied quickly, her hands busy clearing small stones and sticks from the ground as if the simple task might steady her racing thoughts. Her mind spun wildly, desperately trying to piece together who this mysterious 'someone special' waiting for Zeya could be.
Who did he respect, admire and love? Was it Lady Gawa?